A Man For All Seasons (Modern Classics) by Robert Bolt

Author:Robert Bolt [Bolt, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2013-12-04T07:00:00+00:00

Act Two

The scene is as for start of Act One. When the curtain rises the stage is in darkness save for a spot, front stage, in which stands the Common Man. He carries the book, a place marked by his finger, and wears his spectacles.

Common Man The interval started early in the year 1530 and it’s now the middle of May 1532. (Explanatory.) Two years. During that time a lot of water’s flowed under the bridge and among the things that have come floating along on it is … (Reads.) ‘The Church of England, that finest flower of our Island genius for compromise; that system, peculiar to these shores, which deflects the torrents of religious passion down the canals of moderation.’ That’s very well put. (Returns to book, approvingly.) ‘Typically, this great effect was achieved not by bloodshed but by simple Act of Parliament. Only an unhappy few were found to set themselves against the current of their times, and in so doing to court disaster. For we are dealing with an age less fastidious than our own. Imprisonment without trial, and even examination under torture, were common practice.’

Lights rise to show More, seated, and Roper, standing. Exit Common Man. Roper is dressed in black and wears a cross. He commences to walk up and down, watched by More. A pause.

More Must you wear those clothes, Will?

Roper Yes, I must.

More Why?

Roper The time has come for decent men to declare their allegiance!

More And what allegiance are those designed to express?

Roper My allegiance to the Church.

More Well, you look like a Spaniard.

Roper All credit to Spain then!

More You wouldn’t last six months in Spain. You’d have been burned alive in Spain, during your heretic period.

Roper I suppose you have the right to remind me of it. (Points accusingly.) That chain of office that you wear is a degradation!

More (glances down at it) I’ve told you. If the bishops in Convocation submitted this morning, I’ll take it off. … It’s no degradation. Great men have worn this.

Roper When d’you expect to hear from Canterbury?

More About now. The Archbishop promised me an immediate message.

Roper (recommences pacing) I don’t see what difference Convocation can make. The Church is already a wing of the Palace is it not? The King is already its ‘Supreme Head’! Is he not?

More No.

Roper (is startled) You are denying the Act of Supremacy!

More No, I’m not; the Act states that the King—

Roper – is Supreme Head of the Church in England.

More Supreme Head of the Church in England—(Underlining the words.) ‘so far as the law of God allows.’ How far the law of God does allow it remains a matter of opinion, since the Act doesn’t state it.

Roper A legal quibble.

More Call it what you like, it’s there, thank God.

Roper Very well: in your opinion how far does the law of God allow this?

More I’ll keep my opinion to myself, Will.

Roper Yes? I’ll tell you mine—!

More Don’t! If your opinion’s what I think it is, it’s High Treason, Roper!

Enter Margaret above, unseen.

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