Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies - the RSC Stage Adaptation

by Mike Poulton

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. He speaks reverently to his superiors – is mild with those beneath him – he sits at table without fidgeting – he doesn’t slouch around with his jacket off one shoulder, or look in windows to admire himself –

  THOMAS. I think I know my own son –

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Or interrupt old men.

  THOMAS. Tell me something I don’t know. You’re not looking well, you know. I wish you’d prophesy. How long have I left? Twenty years? I suppose I’ll see Henry out – then what?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Well…

  THOMAS. The problem that brought you down is mine now. Where do I find the King an heir?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Ah, well…

  THOMAS. There’s his bastard Richmond. Could I create some mechanism to legitimise him?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Hmmm…

  THOMAS. No? You mean no. A bastard cannot reign.

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. No.

  THOMAS. Twenty years married to Katherine – the only child he got was Mary.

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. And a churchyard full of dead babies.

  THOMAS. All that scandal – all that turmoil to make a second marriage – and for what! For Elizabeth? What use is another girl?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Well…

  THOMAS. What becomes of England if Henry dies? What becomes of me… if he dies?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Oh, he’ll not die just yet. I think he’s looking very well. Perhaps a little…

  THOMAS. Fatter?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Putting on a little weight. But that’s good living.

  THOMAS. He fears people are watching him – the old families of England with their ancient titles. They want to rule again. They’re ready to make their move and they’re watching him for any sign of weakness. I can feel them here – can’t you? As if they’re lurking in the forests – the living and the dead both.

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Hmmm. Anything else you want to know?

  THOMAS. Yes. How am I going to pay for it all – England – the King’s great charges – the cost of charity, the cost of justice, the cost of holding the Emperor at bay?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. It’s a problem… But no longer my problem.

  THOMAS. Monks must provide – idle, rich, parasites – monks! Where in the Gospels does it say monks? At Battle Abbey – forty fat fellows sitting on a fortune. At Maiden Bradley, for a fee, the monks will show you part of God’s coat and some leftovers from the Last Supper. The Prior has six children, and claims he has a licence from the Pope allowing him to keep a whore.

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Aha! – But could he produce it?

  THOMAS. I want the English Church reformed. And I need its wealth. They say that if the Abbot of Glastonbury went to bed with the Abbess of Shaftsbury, their offspring would be the richest landowner in England.

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Yes – but have you seen the Abbess of Shaftsbury?

  GREGORY (talking in his sleep). Am I to be married to the Abbess of Shaftsbury, Father?

  MORE’S GHOST. Where will you strike next, Cromwell? Do you mean to pull all England down? Your King is destroying the Church.

  THOMAS. He is renewing it. England will be a better country, believe me, when her Church is purged of liars and hypocrites. But because you wouldn’t mend your manners, Thomas More, you’re no longer alive to see it. I miss you, you know? Sometimes I forget you’re dead.

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Death comes for us all.

  MORE’S GHOST. He came for Wolsey, he came for me – he’ll come for Henry, and he’ll come for you –

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Let’s not be disagreeable.

  THOMAS. Give His Majesty a fine morning’s hunting tomorrow – can you manage that?

  WOLSEY’S GHOST. Of course I can.

  GHOSTS fade away. A glimpse of LIZ in her white bonnet.

  THOMAS. Liz? Liz…

  Scene Three

  A glorious morning. KING HENRY and JANE SEYMOUR, dressed for the hunt, stroll in the garden – THOMAS working through a pile of papers. STEPHEN GARDINER arrives, in riding clothes, folio under his arm.

  THOMAS. Bishop Stephen? What brings you to Wolf Hall?

  STEPHEN. You stole my place as Master Secretary, Cromwell – you had me sent from Court –

  THOMAS. Not I – never think it! While you’ve been tending your flock I’ve missed you every day –

  STEPHEN. But here’s something I’ve written will bring me back in favour with His Majesty. I’ve called it Of True Obedience. In it I show the King’s authority is divine, because it descends to him from God –

  THOMAS. Not from the Pope? –

  STEPHEN. In no wise from the Pope! It descends directly from God. It certainly does not flow upwards from his subjects as you once asserted.

  THOMAS. I wonder what Thomas More would have thought of your book. Word in Rome is he’s to be made a saint.

  STEPHEN. Preposterous!

  KING HENRY enters. THOMAS stands, STEPHEN kneels.

  THOMAS. Majesty.

  KING HENRY. Sit, Cromwell… What are you doing here, Bishop? Why are you not… tending your flock?

  STEPHEN. I have written a book, Majesty.

  KING HENRY. If you wish it printed, Cromwell must read it first. He’s my deputy in Church affairs now.

  STEPHEN. Majesty, I –

  KING HENRY. I have business with Master Secretary.

  STEPHEN. Majesty. (Going.)

  KING HENRY. Is that your book?

  STEPHEN. I call it Of True Obedience –

  KING HENRY. Give it to Cromwell.

  THOMAS drops the manuscript onto a huge pile of work.

  THOMAS. We need an ambassador for the French, Majesty – perhaps Stephen should go back to Paris? If you need someone to break a promise and brazen it out, Stephen’s your man.

  KING HENRY. Hmmm…

  THOMAS waits. KING HENRY does not know how to begin.

  Cromwell…

  THOMAS. Majesty?

  KING HENRY. I’ve been walking in the garden. With Jane.

  THOMAS. Majesty?

  KING HENRY. Wolf Hall has fine gardens… (Sighs.) When we’re back in London – and we must begin our journey there tomorrow… What are you doing? Those letters – what’s the news?

  THOMAS. A Medici Cardinal has been poisoned by his brother – work has stopped on our fortification of Calais – the builders have downed tools and are demanding sixpence a day – the Muscovites have taken three hundred miles of Polish territory – fifty thousand dead –

  KING HENRY (not listening). Cromwell…

  THOMAS. I hope they spared the libraries – and the scholars. Poland has some fine scholars.

  KING HENRY. Mmm…

  THOMAS (probing). My new coat is coming down to Wiltshire by the next courier.

  KING HENRY doesn’t hear this – he is so lost in his own thoughts.

  It’s a green-velvet coat… There are letters from several foreign rulers… asking if you are going to cut off the bollocks of all your bishops.

  KING HENRY doesn’t react.

  The Abbot of Glastonbury was taken in his bed… with the Abbess of Shaftsbury.

  Nothing.

  Majesty?

  KING HENRY. What?

  THOMAS. The Imperial Ambassador, Chapuys, asks may he ride up country to visit the Lady Mary?

  KING HENRY. No.

  THOMAS. I believe –

  KING HENRY. No.

  THOMAS (throwing down his pen). Majesty?

  KING HENRY. My mind is still down there in the garden. With Jane… Does it show? On my face? Does it show?

  THOMAS. I have seen that expression before, Majesty. (Confident KING HENRY isn’t listening.) You look stunned… Like a veal calf knocked on the head by the butcher.

  KING HENRY. I’m sorry – what did you say? (Shakes his head.) What am I to do, Cromwell? What am I to do?

  THOMAS. About what? Majesty?

  KING HENRY sighs and goes.

  Scene Four

  Whitehall. ANNE BOLEYN and LADIES in her
apartments.

  THOMAS and RAFE SADLER arrive outside.

  MARK. Welcome to London, My Lord – welcome home.

  THOMAS. Mark? I noticed your new stiff doublet. I hadn’t realised you were lurking inside it.

  MARK (trying to make himself pleasant). How are you, Lord Cromwell – how was His Majesty’s summer progress?

  THOMAS. No ‘Lord’ – still plain ‘Master’ – his Majesty needs me in the House of Commons. Ah – you get bonnier each time I see you, Mark, while I grow grey and paunchy by the day. I must go to the Queen.

  MARK. Careful – she’s in a rage. Brother George is on his way back from France. He went over to arrange a French marriage for Elizabeth and they laughed at him. And the word over there is Katherine is petitioning the Pope to excommunicate our royal master. And you know what that means? Anybody’s allowed to kill the King! Any Christian man –

  THOMAS. Yes, Mark, I know what excommunication is. I’m doing all I can to prevent it –

  MARK. Not just allowed – they ought to do it. They get a blessing from the Pope! And anyone who has an army – like the Emperor – can just come over and conquer us.

  THOMAS. You know more of State affairs than I do, Mark. You must stand high in the Queen’s favour – to know so much of her mind.

  MARK. We lesser men are often most fit for royal confidence. Do you not find it so?

  RAFE. Baron Smeaton before long, then?

  THOMAS. I’ll be the first to congratulate him.

  Exit MARK, smirking.

  I think you should come in with me, Rafe. Time we began to transform you into a politician.

  RAFE. Will it hurt? Will there be much pain?

  THOMAS. Yes, I should think so – for those around you.

  They go in to ANNE.

  ANNE. Out – out! You too, Rochford. Out! I don’t want you in here.

  JANE ROCHFORD. Majesty. (A deep curtsy – studied insult, gives THOMAS a look, points at her belly: ‘Who knows?’)

  ANNE. Cremuel. Today I’ve been making bishops – Gospellers and reformers – my men – all of them. Who’d have thought Hugh Latimer would ever be a bishop? Then, who’d have thought you would be anything at all? But there you are – sworn Councillor, Master of the Rolls, Secretary to the King –

  THOMAS. His Deputy in Church affairs –

  ANNE. And Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. You wouldn’t overreach yourself, would you? Having you at his side suits my purposes – we work well together – for the Gospels, for England – for all the King’s interests… But never forget who raised you up so high.

  THOMAS. His Majesty has smoothed my path –

  ANNE. At my prompting. You owe everything to me.

  THOMAS. I know where my loyalties lie.

  ANNE. Never forget how low you were – and could be again. (Looks hard at him.) Very well. I was promised a French prince for my daughter. Why is the match not yet made?

  THOMAS. Ask your brother, Majesty – he’s better placed to answer than I. Who knows how he came to fail – in what should have been very simple negotiations?

  ANNE. George suspects, Cremuel, that you hinder this match.

  THOMAS. I, madam? Why would I do that?

  ANNE. Yes – why would you cross me – your benefactor and protector? You are against a French alliance perhaps? Perhaps. And you are close to Chapuys – the Emperor’s man –

  THOMAS. I favour neither France nor the Emperor. I carry out the wishes of the King.

  ANNE. Mine too, I hope?

  THOMAS. Your interests chime with his, madam – naturally. Therefore I am ever your faithful servant.

  ANNE. George sent this from Paris – here – read it. (Thinks better of it.) Or… perhaps not. They’re saying Katherine stirs up the Pope and the Emperor to invade England – as does M’sieur Chapuys – who makes no secret of his hatred for me. Henry shall banish that man.

  THOMAS. Chapuys protects the interests of his master the Emperor – as loyal servants do. If we start throwing out ambassadors, we won’t get to know anything at all.

  ANNE. Then how shall you put a stop to Katherine’s plotting? Her treason? She should be thrown in a dungeon – she should lose her head –

  THOMAS. The King cannot compromise his honour by any ill-treatment of the Queen-that-was –

  ANNE. Queen-that-never-was!

  THOMAS. She’s the Emperor’s aunt. We’d risk a war – he’d destroy our trade.

  ANNE. Hmmmm. If I were her I too would intrigue – I’d never give up – never forgive. However… they say she’s sick – she and Mary her bastard both. Up all night puking – down all day moaning. And I – I am the cause of all their pain – all their misery. Or so they’d have the King believe. I do not believe. So you’re to ride to where Katherine is to find out the truth. Is she feigning? Is she dying? Give her no warning of your coming.

  KING HENRY enters.

  Henry – I have told him to go.

  KING HENRY. To Katherine? I wish you would. There’s no one like Cromwell for seeing into the nature of things.

  THOMAS. Majesty.

  KING HENRY. Master Sadler.

  RAFE. Majesty.

  KING HENRY. Whenever the Emperor wants a stick to beat me with, he tells the world his aunt is dying of neglect, and cold. Yet she has servants – she has firewood –

  THOMAS. Then while I’m gone Rafe here will bring you the day’s agenda.

  KING HENRY. Oh no – is there never any escape from your long lists!

  THOMAS. None, sir. If I gave you respite while I’m away, you’d have me forever on the road.

  KING HENRY. I can do nothing without you. Take care – the roads are treacherous.

  THOMAS. England needs better roads – and bridges that don’t collapse. We could give employment to men with no work – get them out road-mending. It would solve two problems.

  KING HENRY. But how would we pay for it?

  THOMAS. With a tax on the rich. Rafe – show His Majesty your figures.

  RAFE produces a bundle of papers.

  I have drawn up this schedule… (Produces a document.) We could call it an income tax.

  KING HENRY. Cromwell, I wish to go to bed now. Goodnight. I shall pray for you.

  THOMAS and RAFE bow out. JANE SEYMOUR is waiting outside.

  JANE SEYMOUR. Master Cromwell – what news of Queen Katherine? Is she dying?

  THOMAS. I don’t know, Jane –

  JANE SEYMOUR. But you’re going to visit her?

  THOMAS. When I have news you’ll have it too.

  JANE SEYMOUR. Then godspeed!

  She goes.

  RAFE. Why is the Queen so unhappy? Do you think the King has another woman?

  THOMAS. What have you heard?

  RAFE. Nothing. It’s just the way she looks at him. As if… She’s so restless – so angry.

  THOMAS. Her sister told me Anne thought every day would be like her coronation day. Look, I have to go to the Queen-that-was. While I’m away, make sure you work him hard. So hard he’ll be glad to see me when I get back. And the income tax – (Weighing things up.) tell him he doesn’t have to pay it. The Crown’s exempt.

  Enter WESTON.

  WESTON. Cromwell? You’re to come with me to the King’s chamber.

  THOMAS. Am I? I’ve just left His Majesty.

  WESTON. He has a question for you. You alone. Not… That one.

  Scene Five

  KING HENRY’s chamber. KING HENRY in nightgown and dressing gown.

  KING HENRY. Not you, Weston. Out, boy – shut the door.

  WESTON goes.

  Cromwell, I need to… Dear God – where to begin? What if I… What if I were to fear…

  THOMAS. Majesty?

  KING HENRY. What if I were to begin to suspect there’s some… flaw… in my marriage to Anne – some impediment – something displeasing to Almighty God?

  THOMAS. ‘Impediment’? What could it be, sir?

  KING HENRY. How can I know? Was she not pre-contr
acted to Harry Percy?

  THOMAS. He swore not – on the Archbishop’s Bible – in front of Your Majesty, and your assembled Council –

  KING HENRY. Ah, but you threatened him! You trailed him to some low inn and pounded his head with your fist –

  THOMAS. No, Majesty! I would never so misuse any peer – let alone the Earl of Northumberland.

  KING HENRY. Harry Percy said what he thought I wanted to hear – that there was nothing between him and Anne – no promise of marriage – let alone consummation. What if he lied?

  THOMAS. On oath, sir? To the Archbishop of Canterbury? Before his King?

  KING HENRY. You can be very frightening, you know, Thomas. Now… if she made a contract with Harry Percy it would amount to a marriage. She couldn’t then be married to me – not lawfully – not in the sight of God –

  THOMAS. But if –

  KING HENRY. And I much suspect her with Sir Thomas Wyatt.

  THOMAS. No, sir!

  KING HENRY. You say ‘no’, but did not Wyatt run away to Italy because she would not favour him?

  THOMAS. Yes – ‘because she would not favour him’.

  KING HENRY. What if she favoured him at other times? Women are weak – easily won by flattery – and when men write verses to them –

  THOMAS. It would still be no lawful impediment to your marriage. Wyatt was married as a boy to Elizabeth Brooke. He was not free to promise Anne anything.

  KING HENRY. It would be an impediment to my trust in her! Jesu! She shouldn’t have said she came a virgin to my bed if she did not. I’ll not have women lie to me… (Paces.) Since we left Wolf Hall I can’t sleep – turning these doubts over and over in my mind… Do you know, there are those who say Wyatt writes better verses than I do – even though I am the King? (Paces.) Bishop Gardiner says if my marriage is not good, and I am forced to put away Anne, I must return to Katherine –

  THOMAS. Stephen is wrong –

  KING HENRY. I cannot do it, Thomas. Even if the whole of Christendom came against me – I could never again touch that stale old woman.

  THOMAS. A King of England cannot be compelled in any matter. You’re master of your own household, your own country, and your own Church. Stephen himself has said as much – in that book he’s written for you: Of True Obedience.