02x05 - His Majesty's Pleasure

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Have you checked the courts
or the king's chapel?

Majesty, His Grace,
Archbishop Cranmer, is here.

Your Grace.

Your Majesty.

We have had a great success
throughout the whole country...

...in the swearing of allegiance to
Your Majesty as head of the Church.

Also in favour of your marriage
to Queen Anne.

But we cannot persuade either Fisher
or Thomas More to swear the oath.

However, they may swear
to part of it.

Sir Thomas has already told us
he has no argument...

-...with the Act of Succession, and--
-No.

There can be no compromise.

For if we allow them, of all men,
to swear to what they like...

...and not anything else, then they set
a precedent for others to follow.

In this matter, Your Grace,
it is all or nothing.

Majesty.

-Mr. Secretary.
-Majesty.

Dame Alice, the wife
of Sir Thomas More, has written.

She asked to remind you
that her husband...

...has given long and true service...

...and he does nothing
out of malice...

...but only the imperative
of his conscience.

I know all about his conscience.

He's been wearing it on his sleeve
for years.

When he resigned as chancellor,
he made me a promise...

...that he would retire from the world
and live privately and attend his soul.

But this was not true.

He continued to write and publish
pamphlets about my matter...

...and my conscience.

He visited Catherine.

He cajoled others to support her.

In other words,
he broke his promise.

He must accept the consequences.

Majesty.

Sir Thomas, you have visitors.

Thank you.

-Thomas.
-Alice.

Margaret.

Alice.

-Father.
-Look at you.

Well, Thomas More...

...I marvel that you have always
been taken for so wise a man...

...that you will now play the fool here
in this close, filthy prison...

...and be content apparently
to be shut up among mice and rats.

Oh, don't be like that.

I assure you this is one
of the very best rooms in the tower.

In fact...

...formally...

...I am a guest of the constable,
who just brought you here.

And I said to him before that if I ever
showed the least sign of ingratitude...

...for his great generosity,
he should just...

...throw me out of the tower
altogether.

You know why we have come here.

I thought it was to see me.

Yes.

It was to see you.

But beyond that,
it was to ask you to swear the oath...

...so that you could come home
with us.

Alice, tell me one thing.

What is that?

Is not this house as close to heaven
as my own?

Good God, man.
Is that all you can say?

You were always plain-speaking.

It's one of the attributes
I admire you for.

Well, then I shall tell you plainly,
husband...

...that l, and Margaret
and all your other family...

...have all sworn the oath
and feel no worse for it.

And I have always said that I do not
blame any other man or woman...

...who has sworn.
I only say that I myself cannot swear.

Then you are thinking only of yourself.
If you are proceeded against...

...as you know very well,
all your possessions will be forfeited...

...to the crown and we will be forced
into penury.

I have had more sleepless nights over
that issue than over anything else.

-But still you will not swear!
-Alice!

I want you to understand, please.

I do not--
I do not willingly seek martyrdom.

I will do everything I can to
accommodate the king and his desires.

We must remember
that he once made me a promise...

...that he would never force me to do
anything against my conscience...

...to look first unto God...

...and only after unto him.

So, Margaret, don't be sad.

And, Alice...

...say you are not angry with me.

Please.

If you left, and I thought so,
I would feel--

I'd feel even more lonely
than before.

No.

I am not angry with you.

But I am frightened.

So very frightened.

Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

My Lady?

-What is it?
-My Lady?

-Your Majesty.
-My Lady.

What is it?

-Oh, no.
-Your Majesty.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Get the physician!

I lost the baby.

Yes.

They told me.

We shall make no public
announcement of the fact.

No.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Stand by.

Mr. Fisher. I came to bring you
two pieces of news.

In the first place,
the pope has made you a cardinal.

But the second is that
Parliament has decreed...

...that to maliciously deny
the king's supremacy in all matters...

...is now a treasonable offence,
punishable by death.

So I ask you again.

Will you accept the king
as the supreme head of the Church...

...and take the oath?

You already know my answer to that.

My agents intercepted this letter.

Its intended recipient
was the emperor.

In it, the writer begs the emperor
to inv*de England...

...and restore what he is pleased to call
the true queen and the true faith.

Did you write this letter?

In due course, Mr. Fisher...

...you are to be arraigned
for treason...

...and are to be tried
according to His Majesty's pleasure.

Mr. Secretary...

...I must thank you for bringing me
word about my new hat.

At least it was not all bad news.

Cardinal.

Forgive me, ambassador,
for receiving you like this.

I am sad to find Your Majesty
so unwell.

Is it so surprising?

I have received visits
from the Earl of Wiltshire and others...

...trying to make me take the oath...

...and threatening me
when I did not.

Boleyn said that I should be sent
to the scaffold.

I truly believe that man
to be an emissary of Satan.

Tell me, what news
of poor Bishop Fisher?

Parliament has passed
a new Treasons Act...

...which makes malicious denial
of the king's supremacy...

...punishable by death.

Poor Fisher.

He was a lion in my defence.

And now he will die alone
and ashamed in a prison cell.

What caused it?

There was nothing.

Of course there was something.
What did you do to k*ll the baby?

I didn't.

I don't know.

Believe me, Father, I was so careful.

Well, not careful enough.

Well...

...from now on
we must all be careful...

...you especially...

...not to lose the king's love.

Or everything is lost.

Everything.

For all of us.

Charles, I want to ask you
a question.

Have any of the women you've bedded
ever lied about their virginity?

Their virginity?

I'd say it's the other way around.
Did any of them not lie about it?

Why do you ask?

I ask Your Majesty's forgiveness.

It doesn't matter.

I asked for the truth
and you told me so.

What's this?

Dismount your horse!

Dismount now!

Down!

Good morrow.

Good morrow, Your Majesty.

What's your name?

William Webbe, Your Majesty.

No, your sweetheart's name.

Bess, Your Majesty.

Come here, Bess.

I assure Your Majesty...

...I have a permit and permission
to ride through Your Majesty's forest.

I swear it, and could easily prove it.

Hello, Bess.

Your Majesty.

Come with me.

Form up!

Are you really the King of England?

No, I was only pulling your leg.

Our English friend writes...

...that the Lady is not to have
a child after all.

He also says that the king
has already been unfaithful to her.

"But all this may mean nothing...

...considering the changeable
character of the king...

...and the craft of the Lady,
who well knows how to manage him."

You and l, Campeggio, have done well
to avoid the craft of women.

Celibacy is an immense relief.

Yes, Holy Father.

But our friend is still fearful...

...for the lives of Queen Catherine
and her daughter...

...neither of whom is safe as long
as the concubine has power.

I will have prayers said
for our dear sisters...

...and also for Cardinal Fisher.

May God grant him the courage
to endure his tribulations.

-Yes, Holy Father.
-On the other hand....

Yes?

On the other hand, in the days
of the founders of our church...

...it was considered a privilege
to be martyred...

...Iike Saint Peter
and the other apostles.

Our church was founded
upon the blood of these martyrs.

So perhaps it is a pity that you and l,
Campeggio, unlike Cardinal Fisher...

...no longer have the opportunity
to die for Christ.

Sir Thomas.

Sir Thomas.

Yes, I'm here.

I'm here. Who are you?

John.

A servant to Bishop Fisher,
who is kept below here.

He asks you to be of good cheer.

How is he?

Truth be told, sir,
he is old and not well.

He cannot eat the food here.

But his spirit remains
ever unbroken.

I'm glad to hear it.

Not in the least bit surprised.

He asks if you would ever contemplate
taking the oath...

...and under what circumstances?

Tell him that I cannot take the oath...

...without damning my soul
for all eternity.

And that I will not do.

Thank you, sir, for that.

I know it will renew
my master's courage.

Now I must go.

God bless you.

Tell me, Mr. Cromwell...

...does Sir Thomas More still continue
in his stubbornness?

Yes.

You will force him
to give his reasons...

...or I will deem his silence
on the matter to be malicious.

I am appointing you vice regent
in spiritual matters.

It's true you are a layman
and not a churchman...

...but in this matter I could not trust
the prejudices of any churchman.

My Lady, your sister has come.

Sister.

Mary.

Your Majesty.

You are with child.

How has it happened?
We knew nothing.

I'm married.

Married?

So...

...who is your husband?

His name is Mr. William Stafford.

I haven't heard of him.
Is he at court?

He....

William is a man of little standing
and no fortune.

He is now a serving soldier
in Calais.

Then you think him...

...worthy to be the husband
of the queen of England's sister?

-Yes, Father. Since I love him and--
-You are very much mistaken.

You married him in secret
and without asking our approval.

He is such a nothing we could never
have given our permission.

If you were to meet him
you would see...

...that he is a good, fine,
honest man.

Since you acted brazenly
and in spite of me, Mary...

...I shall cut off your allowance.

You and your fine,
honest young man can rot in hell...

...as far as I am concerned.

Anne.

How easy do you think it was for me
to find a proper husband...

...when I was called
the great prost*tute?

Indeed, I think myself fortunate to have
found William and to be loved by him.

You did not ask my permission.

Do I have to ask your permission
to fall in love?

Yes!

Now we are royalty.

Everything is different.

Please.

Please...

...sister.

No. No.

You and your husband
are banished from court.

Your Honour.

Mr. Cromwell...

...how may I please you?

It would please me very much
if you could give me the reason...

...or reasons
why you will not take the oath.

I have discharged my mind
of all such matters...

...and will no more dispute
kings' titles, nor popes'.

The king accuses you
of stubbornness and obstinacy...

...for not giving your reasons.

You must have some view
of the statute.

I have this view...

...that the Act of Parliament
is like a double-edged sword...

...for if a man answer one way
it confounds his body...

...and if he answers another,
it confounds his soul.

But if you do not answer at all,
you will incur penalties.

His Majesty has commanded me...

...to draw up
an act of attainder against you.

This will make your
imprisonment permanent.

Poor Alice.

Sir Thomas.

Why will you not take the oath?
Thousands have.

Many, I'm sure,
share your beliefs and your faith.

And yet, not your scruples.

Well, as for that,
some may do it for favour...

...and some for fear.

Some may perhaps think
they can later repent and be shriven...

...and that God will forgive them.

And others may be of a mind that if
they say one thing but think another...

...then their oath goes upon what
they think and not upon what they say.

But I cannot use such ways
in so great a matter.

In which case...

...and in all honesty, Sir Thomas...

...you are likely to pay
the ultimate price.

Mr. Cromwell, there really
is no difference between us...

...except that I shall die today...

...and you tomorrow.

Forgive me, but aren't you
Margaret More, Sir Thomas' daughter?

Yes, sir.

I am Eustace Chapuys,
the emperor's ambassador.

It is a great pleasure for me to meet
anyone associated with Thomas More.

Thank you, Your Excellency.

May I ask why you have come
to court?

I have come to petition
Mr. Secretary Cromwell.

Lately most of our lands
have been sold off...

...and my family
is gradually reduced to poverty.

Things go very hard with my mother.

I am sorry to hear it.

I am sorry for many things
that are occurring in this kingdom.

The good seem to suffer,
and the wicked to prosper.

-Oh, Mark.
-Majesty?

You're a free spirit. I love that.

Everyone else constrains me.

No one understands.

Never leave me.

Sister?

I couldn't sleep. I'm sorry.

Why could you not sleep?

For thinking of her.

Who? Thinking of who?

The Lady Mary, of course.

And her mother.

Catherine?

Yes, Catherine.
What's wrong with you?

I don't understand.

-What harm can they do you now?
-Every harm!

As long as Mary is alive...

...she could be queen.

No. No, no.

The Act of Succession
makes it impossible.

Elizabeth, your daughter...

...will be made heir to the throne.

But the king can change his mind.

He can do whatever he wills now.

He has absolute power.
You know that.

And what he has given,
he can take away.

And what taken away,
he can give back.

And he could still make Mary queen,
even above my daughter.

But why should he?

I don't know, I just fear it.

This is all I know of Mary.

That she is my death...

...and I am hers.

Sir Thomas.

-Sir Thomas.
-John?

Is that you, John?

My master, Cardinal Fisher,
was found guilty...

...and is called forth tomorrow.

He hopes you and he
shall soon meet in heaven.

Tell him that will be the way...

...for it is a very strait gate
we are in.

John.

John.

Tell him he deserves
and will receive all of heaven's graces.

Yes, sir. God bless you, sir.

God bless you.

Amen.

You see that I am wearing
my finest clothes...

...for today is my wedding day.

Good people,
I ask you to love the king...

...and obey him,
for he is good by nature...

...even if he is not right
in his religious policies.

But I am condemned to die...

...for wishing to uphold
the honour of God and the Holy See.

And now, good Christian people,
I ask you for your prayers.

I am only flesh, and fear death
as much as any man.

It's true that I long since
made up my mind to die...

...if need be,
for Christ and his Church...

...but now that the moment
is at hand...

...I need your help.

God bless you, Cardinal Fisher.

God bless you, Cardinal Fisher.

God bless you, cardinal!

Peace be with you!

Bless you, Cardinal Fisher.

-God bless you!
-God bless you, cardinal!

God bless you.

Not like that, assh*le!

Moses looks like a pile of crap.

Holy Father.

Do you know who that was?

No.

Michelagniolo di Ludovico
di Lionardo di Buonarotti Simoni.

Michelangelo? That was him?

That was him.

We forgive him
because he is a genius.

Whatever that means.

Holiness, we have heard from England
of the m*rder of Cardinal Fisher.

His head was struck
from his body with an axe.

I have already heard.
It is an outrage.

I had made Fisher
a prince of the Church...

...but it mattered nothing
to King Henry...

...who is now so mired
in vice and lust...

...that he is beyond reason.

Majesty, now that Fisher is dead...

...what is to be done about More?

We should press ahead,
Mr. Cromwell.

We should press ahead.

Father, what has happened here?

It seems to me that they are
treating you worse than before.

Well, they've taken my stove...

...some clothing.

My food is reduced.

-Father, how can you--?
-Margaret.

You must not be concerned
about me.

I've thought long and hard
about Christ's passion and pain.

And I'm not afraid of death.

I'm only afraid of t*rture.

If they use violent ways
to make me swear...

...I don't know how brave I would be.

But you do not have to
suffer anything.

Just take the oath, like I did.

Like everyone has done.

Just say it
and your body will be saved.

But the saving of my body...

-...will be at the expense of my soul.
-No.

-Yes.
-No.

None of us believes that.

Father, please.

Please.

For the love I know you bear us...

...don't do this to us.

Mr. Secretary.

Sir Richard Rich.

Sir Richard.

I'm very pleased to see you.

I have a job for you.

Why?

Why can he not be like others?

Why does he have to cross me?

Why can his vanity be greater
than a king's?

It troubles me.

It weighs on my conscience and
my heart is full and heavy and sore.

I say this only to you.
I confess only to you.

I love him.

And I hate him.

I hate in equal measure to my love,
for he is the spirit that denies.

It is up to you to judge whether or not
he be on my conscience.

Sir Richard.

Good day to you.

I see my cell is fast becoming
the place for lawyers to meet.

I am afraid, Thomas, that I come here
most unwillingly, for I am ordered...

...to deprive you of all your books
and papers and suchlike.

That is a pity.

Still, if you are ordered to,
I suppose....

I suppose there is no other way.

You'd best get started.

May I ask you a question, Thomas?

Only if it's a hypothetical one,
Richard.

It's better that way.

Suppose, then,
that Parliament enacted a bill...

...to say that l, Richard Rich,
was king...

...and that it would be treason
to deny it.

Would you accept me as king?

Yes.

But let me counter
with another hypothetical case.

Suppose Parliament enacted...

...that God was not God...

...and that to oppose the act
would be treason.

Would you say
that God was not God?

No. Since no Parliament
can make any such law.

It has no competence to decide
on the existence of God.

And no more can Parliament make
the king supreme head of the Church.

There, Thomas.

I think my work here is done.

Your Majesty...

...the king is here.

My Lady.

Come here.

Do you still have a passion for me?

I do, sweetheart.

I love you.

There, now.

Don't weep.

Don't weep, my own darling.

It's all right.

Everything is going to be all right.

Sir Thomas.

It's treason.

Sir Thomas More, you are arraigned
before this commission...

...on charges of high treason.

How do you answer the charges?

Let me begin by denying...

...that I ever maliciously opposed
the king's marriage to Anne Boleyn.

I have never spoken maliciously
against it...

...only sometimes according to my
mind, opinion and my conscience...

...and I have suffered as a result.

But you have maliciously denied
the Act of Supremacy.

No, I've been silent upon it.

For all my taciturnity, neither your law
nor any law in the world...

...is able justly and rightly
to condemn me...

...unless you may also lay to my charge
either some word or some deed.

Your silence can easily be construed
as an action.

But even in that case, the presumption
that silence gives consent...

...precludes the charge against me.

What of the charge that you conspired
in prison with Bishop Fisher...

...a convicted traitor?

I never met him in prison.

I only talked a little with his servant
about familiar things.

And recommendations, such as were
seemly to our long acquaintance.

We go back to your supposed silence
on the Act of Supremacy.

We think you have in fact
spoken about it.

And we have a witness.

Call the solicitor general.

Call Mr. Richard Rich.

Richard, you are under oath.
Do you tell this commission...

...truthfully, what the accused
said to you on this matter?

Yes, sir.

We agreed that Parliament...

...might not make any such law
that God was not God.

To which Sir Thomas said:

" No more can Parliament make
the king supreme head of the Church."

So he maliciously denied
the king's authority?

In those words?

Yes, sir.

In those exact words.

Then I will charge this commission
to return a true verdict.

I ask you, good sirs, to determine
whether Sir Thomas More...

...did converse with Sir Richard Rich
in the manner alleged.

You do so find him guilty.

Then I will proceed in judgement
against the prisoner.

My Lord.

My Lord, when I was a lawyer...

...the convention was to ask the
prisoner before judgement was given...

...why judgement
should not be given against him.

What, then, are you able to say
to the contrary?

Thank you.

To my view...

...this indictment is grounded
upon an Act of Parliament...

...directly repugnant to the laws of God
and his Holy Church...

...the supreme governance of which...

...no temporal prince may presume
by any law to take unto himself.

It belongs--

It belongs by right to the see of Rome,
to Saint Peter and his successors...

...as our Saviour told us himself
when he was here on earth.

This realm, this realm being
but one small part of the Church...

...cannot make any particular law...

...disagreeable to the general laws
of Christ's universal Catholic Church.

No more--

No more can this realm of England
refuse obedience to Rome...

...than can a child refuse obedience
to his own natural father.

We now plainly see
that you are maliciously bent.

No, sirs! Not maliciously!

I hope we may all meet merrily
in heaven hereafter.

And I desire Almighty God to preserve
and defend the king's majesty...

...and to send him good counsel.

Sir Thomas More...

...you are to be drawn on a hurdle...

...through the City of London
to Tyburn...

...there to be hanged
till you be half dead.

After that...

...cut down alive...

...your bowels to be taken out
of your body and b*rned before you...

...your privy parts cut off...

...your head cut off...

...your body to be divided
in four parts.

Thomas!

Father. Bless us, Father.

I bless you, my children.

Be of good cheer, for I pray
that we shall meet together in heaven.

Father!

-Father!
-No.

When is the execution?

Tomorrow, Your Majesty.

What date is that?

The 6th of July.

What time?

At 1 0 in the morning.

That's absolutely hilarious.

Terrible.

I've decided to commute
the sentence to beheading.

Tell the officials.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Amen.

Thank you, Sir Humphrey.

But when I come down again...

...Iet me shift for myself,
as well as I can.

I ask you to bear witness with me...

...that I shall now suffer death...

...in and for the faith
of the Holy Catholic Church.

I beg you earnestly...

...to pray for the king...

...and tell him...

...I d*ed his good servant...

...but God's first.

I ask for your pardon and blessing.

You give me this day a greater
benefit than any mortal man...

...can ever be able to give me.

Pluck up your spirits, man.

Be not afraid to do your office.

-Bless you, Sir Thomas!
-God be with you!