Robert Bolt Presented the Problem

[The Whiskey Priest]

When he wrote this dialogue which takes place between Sir Thomas Moore and his future son-in-law William Roper.

The subject of the discussion was King Henry the VIII and his intention to set aside his marriage to Katherine of Aragon and the kings intention to break with the Catholic church.


"William Roper: Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!

Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake! "

Sir Thomas places his faith in law. Roper would set aside the law. In the end Sir Thomas is beheaded, his faith was ill-placed, for the law is only the law as long as the powerful agrees that it is the law.

A moral would be, laws are protected by vigilance against power.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. How prophetic that was about today....

Yet they did cut down laws right and left in England so Henry could marry....and marry...and marry.