A Man For All Seasons

It is now May 1532. More and Roper are waiting to hear the results of the Convocation of Bishops in Canterbury. If the bishops submit and make Henry the supreme head of the Church of England instead of the Pope, More will resign as chancellor. He and Roper argue over whether Henry can be the supreme head of the Church. They also discuss Henry’s Act of Supremacy. Chapuys enters and expresses his disbelief that More allows himself “to be associated with the recent actions of King Henry” (112). He says that More has a responsibility for what has happened. There is a rumor that More will step down as chancellor if the bishops submit to Henry; Chapuys would applaud this rumor if it were true. He believes that More’s resignation would signal that he was unwilling to go along with “wickedness.” He points out that the North of England is ready for rebellion, if necessary.

Norfolk arrives and is suspicious of Chapuys’s presence. Chapuys insists that he is on a personal visit, looking to borrow a book from More. He leaves. Norfolk announces that the bishops have submitted to Henry and that England is going to break from the Catholic Church in Rome.