THREE SAMPLE MONOLOGUES

Thomas More

Richard Rich

Alice

Henry

More's prayer in the Tower

A Monologue for Sir Thomas More

Scene : Tower of London: small window, grey sky beyond. More is looking out the window at an angle. He turns to the audience.

More : Oh, this is a wretched place. It leaks, you know. I suppose that's because it ís so close to the river. I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. Not after that farce of a trial. Oh, poor Richard. To perjure himself just for Wales! Typical! It doesn't bear thinking about. But that's where Richard and I differ. I have a conscience. Oh, I'm sure he has one, buried along with his innocence. Everyone has one and I can't believe otherwise. It ís incomprehensible. Oh well, he will have his reckoning with God, and me. May He have mercy on Richard's soul. It's such a pity that Cromwell got a hold of him. He was just too clever for me. . . Cromwell, that is.

I thought I could hide in the thickets of the law. I was, I am, a huntsman in the forest when it comes to the law. Yes, well, it seems the hunter has become the hunted, and now, they shall feast on me. Oh, make no mistake. If I could have found my way to sign the Act, I would have, but I couldn't, I simply couldn't bring myself to take the Oath. I've no love of martyrdom, but there you are. God knows I wanted to please Henry. He is my king after all, and I but his humble servant. But there is a part of me, no bigger than a tennis court to him, that I must allow myself to rule. I can allow only God or myself to rule there, no other. If not for that, I would have signed the Act; but if it is God's will that I join him in heaven, then who am I to question?

Oh, I know Alice, my dear, dear Alice, would disagree. She is a simple soul you know. Of course, that just means that she ís so often troubled by society, and defiant towards it. I know she loves me desperately, and I her, but that love wasn't enough to get me to take the Oath. Besides which, no man should be made to take an oath against his will and I'll tell you why. When a man takes an oath, he ís holding his own self in his own hands, like water (cup hands) and if he opens his fingers, then.... he needn't hope to find himself again. That's what this is about. I doubt I could live with myself anyway if I took an oath before God and didn't mean what I said. That's what Margaret suggested. Oh, it hurts me so to break her little heart, but my conscience will not allow otherwise. I'm sure some men can do so, but I'm loathe to think her father one of them.

On peril of my soul, I have made a stand and death is the result, but I don't regret my choice. In fact, I am quite pleased to go to God, and even if I wasn't, it's still too late to change anything ... unless I sign the Act; but let's be honest, I couldn't do that. Not at all; not like Norfolk! All that talk of following your friends and he doesn't realize you must be your own man. Not to the extent of neglecting your duties, mind you...

You see, I wouldn't follow him to hell and, likewise, he wouldn't follow me if I went there. He ís the complete opposite to young Will Roper. Norfolk swims with the current, but Roper ....? Ropers in general start swimming against the current as soon as they feel it. He was a heretic when everyone else was supporting the Church, but thanks to Meg, and his love for her, he changed his mind and did the right thing.

It's much like my love for God. I couldn't give it up, even for the chance to keep on living. Taking the Oath would have compromised my love of God and I could not allow that to happen. I hope you understand that. I must go now, to my death. I put my life humbly in the almighty hand of God and will that His will be done.

by Mark P 23/4/98

Today I am to become Lord Chancellor. I have been a law student, a librarian, and Secretary to Cromwell. But where would I be if I had taken Sir Thomas More's advice? Look at me now (pause); look at my clothes (point to robes of office). This isn't the attire of a teacher! I've made it in law despite Thomas More, and he's lost his head because he could not, would not, agree with his King. our King, (pause) my King (pause). I live to serve my king and look where I am today. Catherine could not provide king Henry with a son so why shouldn't he, as king, change the rules of marriage. so that Anne can be his wife and produce an heir? But Thomas was not prepared to deny his own beliefs. (pause) Thomas' stance on the Act of Succession, and my superb use of law ensured that I extracted that information from him and was able to present it to the court at his trial. (pause) I committed no perjury! (pause with thought) But More no longer matters (pause to me. God doesn't matter; (pause) only affairs involving myself and the king's wishes concern me now.

Those matters are now behind me (pause). To the future . . to me, Lord Chancellor of England! I am going to prosper in this post. I always knew that More was wrong thinking that I should be a teacher. I never wanted the "quiet life" that Sir Thomas considered would be good for me. I wanted to succeed and hold a distinguished position. And Thomas More would have none of that; he wanted me to avoid temptation. I shall be the greatest Lord Chancellor that England has ever seen. (pause) Or shall I fail and be executed like More and Cromwell? (pause) No . . I'll prove to Thomas More that I belong in high office . . no one is more deserving than me. The King knows this and that is why he has approved of my appointment. The king will commend me on the great changes I shall make. No doubt we will soon become good friends, and he will, on occasion, visit my home as he did More's. (pause, contemplating thought) Good friends...

Again, to the future! Now with Cromwell gone, and all his spying, I am on my own. No more little gestures or the occasional bribe. And where are all the great bribes that Sir Thomas More spoke of? I have not been offered " a whole village, with a mill, and a manor house". That was probably just one of his ways of trying to stop me from aspiring to accomplish my goals (pause then smirking) and now, I shall exceed even his attainments. More was such a stubborn man . . . he kept his silence and brought about his own end. His silence, as Lord Chancellor, made a huge statement about his beliefs on who should be head of the Church. Yet he kept insisting that he would 'make no statement on such matters." That is why he offended King Harry. How dare people insult our Sovereign Lord! He was guilty of high treason. You shall never see me on trial for treason. . .I shall die a happy man, in my bed.

Today shall be a fine day. I have yet to dress and then it is on to the ceremony. (pause) Up until now I have always been second best, and played second fiddle to someone who was not half the man I am. But today I am to become the Lord Chancellor and Chief lawman of all England. Yet I wonder what will this position hold for me? What shall be asked of me? Perhaps . . (jokingly) Who knows what my future holds? I know I was born an Englishman and I will serve my English king. But enough of all this . . . this day I am to receive my Chain of Office . . . I must prepare. (pause) Machiavelli was so right: "the end does justify the means!"

Thomas C 1998

After her visit to the Tower

 

Oh he baffles me . . frustrates me! Why does he does it? You'd think a man of his good sense, high repute and long patience could get himself out of this mess! What good is all that legal training and theology now? Why can't he just help himself - take the Oath and get on with our lives together? What's so hard about that?

 

And look after us too! Can't he see we're hurting - Meg and me and Roeper? He owes us something too! Yes, I'll be faithful for better or for worse, for richer or poorer until death do us part. But it's a two way contract. He is dragging us down into misery, doubt, hardship and poverty too. (quieter) Unfortunately I love Thomas More and he is my husband. Our marriage counts for everything. But . . . but there must be reasonable limits to pain! How can he be so unfair, to himself and to us?

 

(Louder) I don't care who knows it - I took the oath (it didn't hurt) and I don't recognise his marriage to Anne Boleyn. Catherine is his Queen and our Queen and no man or Pope can change it! What the King does in Hampton Court is no business of mine.

 

(meditative) Everyone's entitled to some happiness. Everyone is England isn't a fool. Thomas can't pretend his silence is so precious, so much more important that everyone else's, does he? The bishops agreed, the nobles agreed, we agreed - why can't he agree . . . and take the Oath too?

 

(changes mood- resignation) I know why - he is a true servant of the truth. He is a lawyer through and through. Meg tried to get him to swear to it just now and failed. No one will persuade him now. I know my husband. We must go with him. I married him for this, bore his children for this, loved him for this. So that's my lot . . . and my fate, my shame and my pride. I can't fight the tears but I can defend his name. Oh Thomas, I wish I could love you enough to believe in you right now. God help me! exits

378 words G. Smith 2000

 

Monologue for Henry VIII

(witty charming and debonaire but also dangerous, self-opinionated and cruel) Letts Notes 1987 p. 64.

Henry muses after the Commons trial to allow More's execution:

 

(Bombastic) I'm no fool! I know what Cromwell can get and what More denies him. But for God's sake, More should should know his place. No one can prove the marriage's valid and no one can bellow up and down Europe against me like this and get away with it. After all, I am the King and I, Henry Tudor, need a son, England needs a son!

 

(Puzzling) Can't More see what I can do to him, how I would reward a friend in such an important State matter as getting an heir? England needs a boy-king, I need a boy-son and I mean to have one! No Pope can stop me in this. The Bishops approve, the Lords approve, More should've approved. It's a great shame he can't see common sense. Why, the common people trust me, even Dame Alice took the oath, so why couldn't he? All that bunk about his precious conscience - he should have found a way to help me but he failed me in the one thing important to me.

 

(resolutely) Anyway, who does he think he is - some sort of Pope's man? Well that's treason here. Anyway that's all over now. He has openly challenged me in the Commons and they gave a judgment. I wanted to leave him alone, I tried to leave him alone but his damn silence, that proud stubborn silence, got to us all. He can now consider his silence alone and content. He's made himself a dead man.

 

(decidedly) I'll have to let Cromwell have his way and take his head. It's a shame really, but in the end alas, it's either him or me! We'll have no more of More.

 

(distracted) Anne, is that you my darling? Is that you, my dear Anne?

 

292 words by © G. Smith 8 May 2000

 

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