This programme contains some strong language.
Fuerunt vero et pseudoprophetae in populo,
sicut et in vobis erunt magistri mendaces...
..qui introducunt sectas perditionis,
et eum qui emit eos, Dominum negant,
superducentes sibi celerem perditionem.
Ah! Ah!
HE GASPS
Ah! Argh! Argh!
HE CRIES
Master Cromwell?
Madam, your daughter should sit.
Stand up straight.
This is Master Cromwell.
He used to be a money-lender. Now he writes all the laws.
I have heard all about your new bill -
inducing the King to describe himself as the head of the church?
The Pope is the head of the church everywhere.
The lawfulness of all government flows from the...
..from...
Will you not sit down, Princess Mary?
It's just the heat.
I beg your madam to consider it in this way -
the King has merely defined a position which ancient precedents...
Ancient precedents?
Precedents that you've invented these last three months.
As for "induced" - Your Highness knows the King cannot be led.
But he can be enticed.
He has ridden off without saying goodbye.
He's never done that before. Never.
Well, I think he means to hunt out of Chertsey for a few days.
With the woman. The person.
Your Highness will be going to another palace.
He has chosen the More, in Hertfordshire,
which as you know is very comfortable.
It was one of your cardinal's houses, wasn't it?
So it's bound to be lavish.
I expected this.
But I didn't expect he would send a man like you to tell me.
I want to give you something.
A present.
Name anything you want.
CROMWELL SIGHS
What is it?
This bill of yours.
It's not my bill.
Taking power from the bishops, making Henry head of the church.
Aren't you afraid?
Of what?
There's this girl called Elizabeth Barton making prophecies.
They're calling her the Holy Maid.
She's saying Henry won't reign for a year if he marries Anne.
And there's a new star by the moon, and the...
It's not a star. It's a comet.
..and the last time it appeared was under King John
and the cattle stopped breeding and the grass stopped growing
and the birds fell from the sky.
Well, I'm sure if that happens, we can reverse our policy.
I don't believe in omens.
They've arrested a barrister - James Bainham.
You know him, don't you?
Yes. He's a good man.
He was handing out the gospel in English.
What if they torture Bainham?
What if he...gives names?
What's that to me? Thomas More already knows my name.
Those for the bill to my right, those against to my left.
I think the "ayes" have it. The "ayes" have it!
Your Majesty.
Congratulations. I take it the division of the house was your idea?
I thought this way His Majesty could see who was with him
and who against him.
In the Commons, at least.
I know Stephen is opposed to the bill, Cromwell.
I don't want a servant who will agree with everything.
I need men who aren't afraid of controversy.
Now, I know you two quarrel.
You must learn to pull together.
This winter, you have to be yoked to the plough.
You won't find it so easy passing your bill through the House of Lords.
Thomas More and the old aristocracy are for the Pope
and not afraid to say so.
Well, we'll see. Archbishop Warham.
This um, prophetess you harbour in your diocese - Eliza Barton?
How is she getting on?
What do you want, Cromwell?
Well, I hear that she's telling people
that if the King marries Lady Anne, he has only a year to reign.
I just wondered who is controlling her.
She may be a simple country girl but she has a genuine gift.
She does, doesn't she?
I hear she can tell you where your dead relatives are.
If it's in Heaven, she speaks with a higher voice,
if in Hell, with a deep voice.
She can also tell what sins
weigh upon a man as soon as she meets him.
What would she make of you?
How was Antwerp?
Glad to be home.
Oh.
For show. In case I got stopped.
Hmm.
Mm-hmm. Centre seam.
What does he say? You carried it without reading it?
I didn't want to know. In case.
If Thomas More came anywhere near you,
I'd drag him out of his court in Westminster
and beat his head on the cobbles until I'd knocked some of God's love into it.
Will Tynedale come back? M'hm.
When the King says yes to the scripture being translated into English.
But even then, he won't trust More to give him safe conduct, because
More says you don't have to keep the promise you made to a heretic.
Anyway, Tynedale still refuses to support the King's divorce.
You'd think he'd bend a point of principle to make
a friend of the King of England.
But, no. Tynedale and More - they deserve each other.
These mules who pose as men.
INAUDIBLE
SHE SCREAMS
My lady.
It's the bow.
No doubt. It could be the brace height.
Could we swap the bows, please?
She was the same in the nursery.
Where's Robin Hood? I have dispatches.
He won't look at them until sundown.
Won't he be occupied then?
She's selling herself by the inch.
She wants a cash present for every advance above her knee.
She's got long legs.
By the time he reaches her secret part, the nation'll be bankrupt!
I er, I had heard a rumour...
She isn't. I would know.
If she thickened at all, I'd be the one to have to let out her clothes.
I know her waist by the inch.
Besides, she can't be. Because they still haven't.
She'd tell you? Of course.
Out of spite.
I want a job.
An official post.
In the Jewel House, perhaps?
I'll tell her.
She made Tom Wyatt a poet and Harry Percy mad.
I'm sure she has some idea what to make you.
Last week, at Greenwich,
a Friar preached to us
about the good king who was corrupted by the wicked Jezebel.
Apparently she built a pagan temple
and let the priests of Baal into the palace.
She ended up being thrown out of a window.
I'm the Jezebel, you see
and you're the priests of Baal.
I see.
More has arrested a barrister, James Bainham.
What do you expect me to do about it? Talk to the King.
You know how to please him, I suppose?
My maidenhead for your lawyer?
He'll be released.
Well...
..Little Bilney wasn't.
They burnt him in Norwich.
Your barrister friend will recant and he'll be released.
And if he doesn't?
Then he's a fool.
People should say whatever will keep them alive.
You would, wouldn't you?
What's that?
Ah.
It's a gift for one of your women.
The little girl who always cries.
What?
Didn't you hear?
No, what?
Her father - dear old Sir John Seymour?
He was caught in the hayloft with his son Edward's wife.
It seems he's had her every week for the last two years.
Edward's put the wife into a nunnery
and I don't think we'll see dear old Sir John at court soon.
And the daughter? Jane, is it?
Pasty-face? Gone to Wiltshire.
It's her best bet to get into a nunnery too.
No-one want will want to marry the milksop now.
What is it?
It's only...
..a book of needlework patterns.
You don't LIKE her...do you?
Because I'm not sure it's proper for you to send her a present.
Well, it's not like it's tales from Boccaccio.
Oh, they could tell Boccaccio a tale!
Those sinners at Wolf Hall.
Mm-hmm?
Lord Chancellor.
You should have warned me.
You'll have something to eat?
Thank you, no. Something to drink then? Some wine?
Your friend, Bainham?
He has recanted his heresy
and been set free.
I thought you should know.
Well, thank you.
I heard that he'd been put to the rack.
To save his soul, I would have had him whipped,
I'd have had him burnt with irons,
I'd have had him...hung by his wrists.
In these last ten years, the Turks have taken Belgrade.
They have lit their campfires in the great library at Buda.
It is only two years since they were at the gates of Vienna.
Why would you want to make another breach in the walls of Christendom?
The King of England is not an infidel.
Nor am I. Aren't you?
I think your faith is for purchase.
I think you would serve the Sultan if the price was right.
You think because you're a councillor you can negotiate
with heretics behind the King's back. You're wrong.
I know about your letters that come and go.
I know you are in communication with Tyndale.
Are you threatening me?
I'm just interested.
Yes. Yes.
That's precisely what I'm doing.
You still haven't told me what you want as a present.
My mother knows.
About us.
I...I think...
I think we've done what we have
because when Liz died, we were shocked.
We were sorry.
I think we have to leave off that now.
If...if my husband had -
God forgive me but every winter I think is his last -
then of course, I would, without question.
But then...
the law wouldn't allow that, so...
If, if you want to marry, Mercy has her list.
You probably have your own list, with names on it we don't know, so...
Liz.
HE SIGHS
Johane.
Francis Bryan is here. It's something bad.
He's Anne's cousin. I'll have to...
What does Percy's wife say?
She says she's going to petition Parliament for divorce.
She says he hasn't shared her bed for two years,
and when she asked him why he said he couldn't.
Why has she waited two years to ask?
She has been asking.
And last night, he finally admitted he can't sleep with her
because they're not really married. What?
Because Harry Percy's actually married to Anne Boleyn.
MUFFLED SHOUTING
Bring them down!
We've swept up most of the broken glass.
Shut the door, Francis and don't let anybody in.
I suggest we pack Anne's bags and send her to Kent.
The King's anger once...
Say one more word and I'll punch you.
The King has said there must be an inquiry, before the whole council.
If Anne has concealed a secret marriage...
Jesus, I wish I could divorce you!
I wish you'd had a pre-contract. But no chance of that.
The fields were black with men running the other fucking way!
George! I deny everything.
Good. Harry Percy spoke of love, I'll allow that.
But there was no contract.
And no consummation.
My sister is a notorious virgin.
How was the King when you spoke to him?
What is the use of calling in Master Cromwell and not telling him what has already occurred?
The King walked out of the room and left her standing.
It seems to me there are a number of approaches here.
Oh, Jesus Christ!
By the thrice-beshitten shroud of Lazarus!
While you're selecting your approach, your daughter, sir,
is being slandered. Harry... The King's mind is poisoned,
and this family's fortune is unmaking before your fucking eyes!
Will you let me speak?
Harry Percy was persuaded once to forget his claim.
If he was fixed once... Yes. But the Cardinal fixed him then.
And unfortunately the Cardinal is dead.
Lady Anne,
if the Pope cannot stop you becoming Queen -
and I don't think he can -
I don't see why Harry Percy should be allowed to stand in your way.
So shift him out of it.
Do it.
Beat his fucking skull in.
CHATTER AND LAUGHTER
Why don't you come up?!
GIGGLING
Looking for a woman?
Oh, God, yes, I thought you'd come.
DOOR SLAMS SHUT
Hey - out.
Well, you're wasting your time. I was pledged to Anne.
She allowed me such freedom with herself
as only a betrothed woman would allow.
The Cardinal bullied me out of saying anything last time,
but I'm not afraid to speak the truth now.
My lord, you've said what you have to say.
Now listen to me.
You're a man whose money is almost spent.
I'm a man who knows how you've spent it.
You're a man who has borrowed all over Europe.
I'm a man who knows your creditors.
One word from me, and all your debts will be called in.
What are they going to do? Bankers don't have armies.
Neither will you, without any money.
My lord, you hold your earldom from the King.
Your task is to secure the north, to defend us against Scotland.
If you cannot ensure these things, the King will take your land
and your titles and give them
to someone who will do the job that you cannot do.
No, he won't. He respects all ancient titles.
How can I explain this to you...?
The world is not run from where you think it is.
From border fortresses.
Even from Whitehall.
The world is run from Antwerp, from Florence, from Lisbon.
From wherever the merchant ships set sail off into the west.
Not from castle walls, from counting houses.
From the pens that scrape out your promissory notes.
So believe me when I say
that my banker friends and I will rip your life apart.
And then, when you are without money and title, yes, I can picture you
living in a hovel, wearing homespun,
bringing home a rabbit for the pot.
Your lawful wife, Anne Boleyn, skinning and jointing that rabbit.
Yes, I wish you all happiness.
You were never pre-contracted.
Any understanding you think you have, you didn't have it.
And if you think Lady Anne loves you - well,
you couldn't be more mistaken.
I've just come from her.
She hates you.
She despises you.
She wants you gone.
So if you say one more word about Lady Anne's "freedom" with you,
I will come and drag you out of whatever hole
you are cowering in and the Duke of Norfolk will bite your bollocks off.
I do hope that's clear, my lord?
Yes, you can all peer in again.
There he is.
My uncle and I work for his removal for months without success
and now he resigns.
Over this bill.
His great protest.
England is just a stage to him.
Who should replace him?
Put it in the King's mind to appoint Audley.
He's a good man. And he understands me, I think.
Do you think that someone does?
Cranmer as Archbishop,
Audley as Lord Chancellor.
Soon you'll have friends everywhere.
And for yourself?
I thought perhaps Keeper of the Jewel House?
Where's the chain of office? He's supposed to hand it over.
In the bag.
So that's it?
More is out?
Shall we go down?
You...
you can't resist it.
No more can you. No.
What will you do now?
Write.
Pray.
My recommendation - write only a little and pray a lot.
Now, is that a threat?
My turn, don't you think?
We're off to Calais.
The King of France had agreed to speak to the Pope
in favour of my new marriage.
We'll meet there to discuss points of a treaty.
Last time we met,
Wolsey arranged everything.
I thought perhaps you could help organise things this time?
Lean on me, Your Majesty.
We'll take mass at Canterbury.
Let the people see their king.
Do you know this woman?
I used to.
She reminds me of someone I knew long ago.
In Antwerp.
What was her name?
Anselma.
You've known passion, Cromwell.
With Anne... I shake.
Do you understand?
I shake.
I've tried other women,
tried them just to try to take the edge off the lust...
but I failed with all of them.
Couldn't do it.
Which is proof, don't you think?
Proof of the rightness of my pursuit.
I hunt only one hind -
and she takes me from the path and into the woods...
Now, away to our cold beds.
Or is that just mine?
There's work to do.
I have a new post for you.
I want you to be my Keeper of the Jewel House.
Your Majesty.
Why not? Why shouldn't I?
Who says I shouldn't employ the son of an honest blacksmith!
Everything that you are,
everything that you have,
will come from me.
CROWD CHEERS
Majesty!
This is the Holy Maid. Let me see her.
Madam, you have something to say to me?
The heretics you have around you must be put into a great fire.
If you don't do it, you'll burn yourself.
What heretics? I keep no heretics about my person.
Here's one. If you marry this one, you won't reign seven months.
Couldn't you at least round it up?
LAUGHTER
I see your mother - surrounded by pale fires.
My mother? Where? She's mad. She should be whipped!
She's a very holy person. Her speech is inspired by heaven.
Lightning will strike you!
Drag her back to the whorehouse
before she feels my boot on her arse!
CROWD SHOUT ANGRILY
Take her away! Take her away!
Mistress?
I was a servant of the late Cardinal Wolsey.
I understand you can converse with the souls of the dead.
Wondered if you would search for him for me.
I would be happy to make an offering.
It would have to be a generous donation.
Well, I'm a wealthy man.
I'd have to talk to Father Bocking.
Father Bocking?
He is the lady's spiritual director.
Ah.
Come again and ask me.
Mm-hm.
MUSIC PLAYS
Come with me.
My lord.
Fetch your niece away.
She has done enough diplomacy.
What the...
By your leave, Highness.
My lady, we shall dance.
RAISED VOICES
Master Seymour, your sister Jane...?
Odd little creature, isn't she?
SHATTERING GLASS
How... old would she be?
I don't know. 20 or so?
She keeps walking around Wolf Hall saying
these are Thomas Cromwell's sleeves.
No-one knows what she's talking about.
Has your father made her a match?
There was some talk of...
Why do you ask?
DOOR OPENS
Anne wants a Bible!
Master Cromwell can recite the whole of the New Testament.
I think she wants to swear on it.
Ah, then I probably won't do.
How did you do that?
You.
Me.
She's in his arms.
Naked as she was born.
She can't change her mind now.
I thought they were quarrelling.
They were. They like to quarrel.
What did she want the Bible for?
To swear him. Before witnesses. He made her a binding promise.
They are married in God's sight.
And he swears he'll marry her again in England and crown her queen.
Well, well, well.
So now it's just a question of whether he can do the deed.
For God's sake, Mary, don't frighten me.
Don't worry. If he's shy, Anne will know how to help.
I've coached her.
Have you?
Now what about us?
It's been a long struggle to bring them together.
I think we've earned our recreation.
You're not still afraid of my Uncle Norfolk?
I'm terrified of your Uncle Norfolk. But it's not that. What is it?
Another?
RUSTLING
You almost murdered William Stafford.
William, I thought you weren't coming.
It seems you had a reserve ready, just in case.
You don't know what a woman's life is like!
You think you've fixed something with a man, and he doesn't turn up!
Give you good night.
No, don't go.
I, er... I think it's time I said my prayers.
Benedicat Deus corpora vestra et animas vestras.
Manus Domini sit super vos
mittatque sanctum angelum suum
qui custodiat vos omnibus diebus vitae vestrae.
Amen.
You've been writing letters up to Chester.
On his Majesty's business. Why?
I'll tell you this once, Cromwell.
You keep out of my family's affairs or you'll have me to deal with.
And you'll come off worse than you can possibly imagine.
You made a mistake threatening me, sir.
In principio erat verbum
et verbum erat apud Deum
et Deus erat verbum.
Hoc erat in principio apud Deum.
Omnia per ipsum facta sunt
et sine ipso factum est nihil quod factum est.
In ipso vita erat et vita erat lux hominum.
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by it
and without it was made nothing that was made.
MURMURING
In it was life
and the life was the light of men.
I had to, Thomas. I couldn't live with what I'd done.
When you're examined...
I'll say what I will say before my last judge -
that the Eucharist is only bread, we have no need of penance
and Purgatory is an invention ungrounded in scripture.
If some men come and tell you to go with them, I want you go with them.
They'll be my men.
You think you can get me out of the Tower?
Tyndale's Bible says "with God, nothing is impossible."
But what would be the point, Thomas?
I'd only have to walk to Paul's cross
and say before the Londoners what I've already said.
I cannot unbelieve what I believe.
SHE READS ALOUD IN GREEK
Therefore, is it not the same for the male sex and the female sex?
If on the one hand they appear different
with regard to some skill or other - employment?
Occupation.
Leave us, daughter.
I won't have you in this devil's company.
I hear you can't come to the coronation
because you can't afford a new coat.
Gardiner will buy you a new coat himself
if you'll show your face on the day. Will he?
Indeed. I'll relish taking the ten pounds from him.
And what will you wear?
Oh, they're making me something, Meg.
If I avoid getting laughed at, it'll be enough.
I heard the Holy Maid - the Barton girl - has been to visit you.
She has. But we wouldn't receive her.
She has also been to visit the Lady Exeter. At her invitation.
Lady Exeter is a foolish and ambitious woman.
Barton told her she'd be Queen of England.
I repeat my comment.
You don't believe in her visions, then?
I don't. She does it for attention.
I've written to her advising her to avoid the company
of powerful men and women and to stay at home and pray.
As should we all. Follow your example.
Amen. I suppose you've kept a copy?
Get it, Meg. Otherwise he might never leave.
James Bainham.
He's to be burnt.
Ask to see Henry. He'll welcome you back like a lost child.
I'm not asking you to agree with James.
If his doctrine is false, you can talk him back, back to Rome.
You're an eloquent man.
You're the great persuader of our age.
But if he dies, you'll never know, will you?
Whether you could have saved his soul.
FANFARE
CHEERING
CHOIR SING
You can't come in. She's in a state of undress.
Let him in.
The King says you've never looked more beautiful.
And he sends a kiss, which I told him he should deliver himself.
What are you wearing?
I said no black.
It's scarlet.
It's a very black scarlet.
Francis Bryan says I look like a walking bruise.
Did you hear them cheer for me?
All this talk of people loving Katherine.
I think they just pity her.
Oh, no, they love her
because she is the daughter of two anointed sovereigns.
They'll never love you like that Madam, any more than...
Cromwell here.
You may as well make your mind to it. I think...
That's enough, Jane.
They say the Barton girl has prophesied
that so-called Princess Mary will be queen.
Katherine is plotting with Exeter and Pole -
all the old Plantagenets.
Don't distress yourself. I'm not distressed.
These people want me dead.
But when my son is born, they'll all be powerless.
Master Cromwell?
I wanted to thank you.
From your present.
Thomas Cromwell's sleeves.
How do things stand at Wolf Hall?
Edward is angry, my mother is grinding her teeth.
I would like to leave.
Well, if I were your father...
If I were to advise you, it would be to stay
in the service of your new queen.
Well, it's good to be humble. And she makes sure we are.
I think she'll soften, now she has her heart's desire.
This is my humble face.
Will it serve?
I think it would take you anywhere.
It came for you today.
A present from the King.
HE SOBS SOFTLY
The Queen is setting off to begin her confinement.
We just wanted to check.
Are we saying "announcing the birth of a prince"
or just the birth of a "child?"
All of our fortunes depend on this lady now -
and whether she can provide an heir,
and we all know it's a long road between a child in the womb
and one safely in the crib.
You look happy.
Are you happy?
Yes.
Because of this.
I was always desired.
But now I'm valued, you see?
And that's different.
CROWD SHOUT EXCITEDLY
FLAMES ROAR