Every second bastard born
is fathered by a priest.
But in Utopia that couldn't be.
For why?
For there the priests are very holy. Therefore very few.
Is it anything interesting, Matthew?
Bless you, sir I don't know. Bless you too, Matthew.
To be sure, we have
some holy priests in England.
Oh, name some. Brother James.
Man's a simpleton.
It's from Cardinal Wolsey.
What's he want?
Me. When?
Now.
In Hampton Court?You won't be there by midnight.
The King's business. Queen's business.
Mistress Anne Boleyn's business.
Well, it's all the Cardinal's business.
That's very trueAnd when the Cardinal calls, you all come running, day or night.
What is the man? A butcher's son.
Chancellor of England, too.
No, that's his officeWhat's the man?
Surely, Your Grace, when a man rises so high and so swiftly...
...we must think he was misplaced in his origins.
That, at least, was the opinion of Aristotle and...
A butcher's son and looks it.
His looks, yes, I give you his looks.
What was that you said, Richard?
Nothing, Sir Thomas, it was out of place.
And Wolsey's still a butcher.
And you're a member of the King's High Council, not an errand boy.
That is why I must go.
The Duke would go if the Cardinal called him.
I might.
I'll be back for breakfast.
Go to bed.
"Dear Lord, give us rest tonight, or if we must be wakeful, cheerful.
"Careful only for our soul's salvation. For Christ's sakeAmen."
And bless our lord, the King.
"And bless our lord, the King." Amen!
Excuse me, gentlemenGoodnight, Your Grace.
Keep clear of Wolsey, Thomas. He's a frightened man.
Who is that? A young friend from Cambridge.
What's he want? What do they all want? A position.
Can you give him a position? Do you recommend him?
No.
Sir Thomas. No.
Did you recommend me? No.
Richard, I may have a position for you.
What? What position?
Not now, RichardTomorrow.
For you all, boatman.
Thank you, sir.
Sir Thomas is here, Your Grace. Sir Thomas.
Master Cromwell.
You opposed me in the Council
this morning, Thomas.
Yes, Your Grace.
You were the only one.
Yes, Your Grace.
You're a fool.
Thank God there is only one fool on the Council.
Why did you oppose me?
I thought Your Grace was wrong.
A matter of conscience.
You're a constant regret to me, Thomas.
If you could just see facts flat on...
...without that horrible moral squint.
With a little common sense, you could have made a statesman.
The King.
Where's he been? Do you know?
I, Your Grace?
Spare me your discretion.
He's been to play in the muck again.
He's been to Mistress Anne Boleyn.
More, are you going to help me?
If Your Grace will be specific.
You're a plodder! All right, we'll plod.
The King wants a son.What are you going to do about it?
I'm very sure the King needs no advice
from me on what to do about it.
Thomas, we're alone. I give you my word, there's no one here.
I didn't suppose there was, Your Grace.
Do you favour a change of dynasty? Do you think two Tudors are sufficient?
For God's sake, Your Grace!
Then he needs a son I repeat,
what are you going to do about it?
I pray for it daily.
God's death, he means it.
That thing out there, at least she's fertile.
But she's not his wife.
No, Catherine's his wife...
...and she's barren as a brick. Are you going to pray for a miracle?
There are precedents.
All rightGoodPray by all means.
But in addition to prayer there is effort.
And my effort is to secure a divorce.
Have I your support, or have I not?
The Pope gave a dispensation,
so that the King might marry...
...his brother's widow for state reasons.
We are to ask the Pope to dispense with
his dispensation, also for state reasons?
I don't like plodding, Thomas.
Then, clearly all we have to do is to approach His Holiness and ask him.
I think we might influence
the decision of His Holiness.
By argument?
Argument certainlyAnd pressure.
Pressure, applied to the Church?
The Church has its church property.
Pressure.
No, Your Grace, I'm not going to help you.
Then goodnight, Master More.
Let the dynasty die with Henry V I I I and we'll have dynastic wars again.
BloodWitted barons ramping the country from end to end.
Is that what you want? Very well.
England needs an heir.
Certain measures, perhaps regrettable...
...perhaps not, there's much in the Church which needs reformation, Thomas.
All right, regrettable.
But necessary to get us an heir.
Now, explain how you, as a councillor
of England, can obstruct these measures...
...for the sake of your own private conscience.
I think that when statesmen forsake their own private conscience...
...for the sake of their public duties...
...they lead their country by a short route to chaos.
And we shall have my prayers to fall back on.
You'd like that, wouldn't you?
To govern the country with prayers?
Yes, I should.
I'd like to be there when you try.
Who will wear this after me?
Who's our next chancellor?