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Organization: Yucca Flats II in Felton, CA
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Date:         Sat, 21 Nov 1992 18:04:45 PST
From:         Timothy Bowden <tcbowden@CLOVIS.FELTON.CA.US>
Subject: Re: in search of....
Comments: To: Discussions about Literature <LITERARY@ucf1vm.cc.ucf.edu>

        Tim Johnson <PH408014@brownvm.bitnet> writes:

>   I'm looking to find out the source of the
> following quote.  It was some Englishman, I
> think either Becket or More, making some
> comment on morality to some younger gent.

Robert Bolt, actually, or maybe Sir Thomas, or just
possibly Ambrose Bierce.

>   It was something along the lines of "well,
> if you would break any law, and compromise
> your morals to finally catch and put an end
> to the devil himself, then when you have
> finally finished him, what distinguishes you
> from him?"

That's it!  The exact quote!  Excellent recall.

However, they all muffed the lines in the film, which
starred Susannah York as Lady Margaret and some more
folks, Marjorie Main as Wolsey, Citizen Kane as his
horse (must wing it from memory, as my copy of
Babette's Feast has long since crumbled into dust..)

Richard Rich, the ambitious twit, is sucking up for
a gig with any noble, and Sir Thomas is too wise to
take him on, so he's been placed on Plan B, and the
evil lurking intriguer secretary to the Cardinal has
been sniffing around and found him.  Rich leaves the
assemblage in near panic, and son-in-law-to-be hothead
Roper, sees trouble ahead, advises

                Roper

   Arrest him!

                Sir Thomas

 On what charge?

               Lady Margaret

  Father, that man's bad!

               Lady Alice

 He's getting away.

                Sir Thomas

And well he should, if he's broken no law.

                Roper

...God's law.

                Sir Thomas

 Then God can arrest him.

                Roper

 Oh, you'd give the devil himself benefit of law.

            Sir Thomas

  And you would not so?

          Roper

I would cut down every law in England to get at the devil!

                Sir Thomas

  (Interested in the question, turns and approaches Roper)

 And if you cut down every law in England to get at the devil,
Roper, and you're just the man to do it, and if the devil turned
round on you, where would you hide, the laws all being down?

 I will give the devil benefit of law, for my own protection.


Sorry this is cobbled together out of memory, but given enough
time I could find the scene early on in _A Man For All Seasons_,
but I wanted to be the first before the deluge.

In real earnest history, Master Richard Rich, who finally won his
preferment through perjured testimony which condemned both More
and the other notable cleric who dissented from King Henry's lust
for Nan Bullen, Fisher, died peacefully in bed.  There is no
poetic justice offstage.

Uncle Timmie's Fractured Follies

>   I believe I first heard this in a film.

Could've been off Drury Lane, or on Broadway.

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tcbowden@clovis.felton.ca.us (Timothy Bowden)
uunet!scruz.ucsc.edu!clovis.felton.ca.us!tcbowden
Clovis in Felton, CA
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