Anderson - Anne of the Thousand Days

Anne of the Thousand Days

Maxwell Anderson

Anne

of the

Thousand

Days

For Mab

ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS

Anne of the Thousand Days

BAILIFF

The curtain rises in darkness. Then a single spotlight comes up to show, sitting at stage right, a young woman dressed in a gray fur-trimmed costume of a fashion usual at the time of Henry VIII. There are dark hangings behind her, broken only by a small, barred window which the lights project on one panel of the curtains.

The young woman is Anne Boleyn, and the time is the evening of May 18, 1536.

If I were to die now

but I must not die yet,

not yet.

Its been too brief. A few weeks and days.

How many days, I wonder, since the first time

I gave myself, to that last day when he

when he left me at the lists and I saw him no more?

Well, I can reckon it.

I have time enough. Those who sit in the Tower

dont lack for time.

[ She takes out a little wax tablet, with a stylus ]

He could never cipher.

He was shrewd and heavy

and cunning with his tongue, and wary in intrigue,

but when it came to adding up an account

he filled it with errors and bit his tongue

and swore

till I slapped his hands like a child and took the pen

and made it straight.

A king, I said, a king, and cannot reckon.

I was his clever girl then, his Nan;

hed kiss me then, and maul me, and take me down.

On the rushes. Anywhere.

Why do I think of it now? Would he kill me? Kill me?

[ She laughs ]

Henry? The fool? That great fool kill me?

God knows I deserve it. God knows I tried to kill,

and it may be I succeeded.

I did succeed. I know too well I succeeded,

and Im guilty, for I brought men to death unjustly,

as this death of mine will be unjust if it comes

only I taught them the way. And Im to die

in the way I contrived.... It may be....

No, but Henry. He could not. Could not...

Could I kill him, I wonder?

I feel it in my hands perhaps I could.

Soperhaps he could kill me.

Perhaps he could kill me.

If it came tomorrow, how many days

would it have been,

[ She makes a mark on the tablet ]

beginning with our first day?

[ The lights dim down and go out except on Annes face. She remains visible in reverie during the first few moments of the first scene ]

The lights come up on a circle at stage left. A great window, partly of stained glass, is projected on the curtain background, and Mary Boleyn (she is the wife of William Carey, but that hardly counts for she has been the mistress of King Henry for four years, and she is only twenty-three) stands, peering through one of the panes. We are in the castle at Hever, owned by Thomas Boleyn, the kings treasurer, and the year is 1526. It is early spring. thomas boleyn enters from stage right .

Mary?

Yes, father.

You watch for someone?

I thought I saw the king on the road below.

We were to talk over the enclosure of a hunting park near Hever.

Hes here to see you, then?

I think so, child.

Not me?

Not this time.

But I may speak to him in passing, surely?

Perhapsbut
[ He pauses in embarrassment ]
I wonder if you could do this? Could you go to your room while hes hereand not see himand send no message?

Why?

Could you do this?

Go to my room! But for what reason? I have some rights in this house I should thinkas your daughter, if not as the wife of my husband. And in the kingdom as the kings mistress, which, God help me, I am, and which you have encouraged me to be!

Did you need encouraging, Mary? Think back on the fever you were in those days. Did you need encouragement?

If I am sent out of the way I shall ask the king why.

Very well.

And now. I shall ask him now!

The truth is, the king sent ahead to make sure we two could speak alone. He and I.

He askednot to see me?

Not in so many wordsbut

That could meanI was not to see him again.

One never gets used to these thingstheres always a hell to go through. But when a girl gives herself so completely

You knew when I gave myself! And where. It has helped you! Yes, you live by it! Steward of Tunbridge and Penshurst, sheriff of Bradsted, viscount, kings treasurerand all these revenues have come to you since I opened my bedroom door to him!

Mary, girl, Ive always loved you. I wouldnt want to hurt you in any way. And all these things are true. The king has been generous to me because you were generous to himand I know that and Ive known it all the time. But could I have refused what he gave? Ive been grateful to you, Maryand ashamed of having to be gratefulyet I couldnt refuse what was offered. And nowif youve lost the king, I dont know how to help with that. I shall help any other way I can.... You still have your husband.

Who wants my husband?

Im caught here, Marywere all caught....

Its true, though. The moment I became all his, and held nothing back, I had lost the king, and I knew it. Yes, Ive lost him

[ mary turns Away. As she does so an elegantly robed prelate enters from stage right. The girl goes out past the ecclesiastic without trusting herself to speak. The newcomer is Cardinal Wolsey ]

Youve told her?

Yes.

And Anne?

The earl is with her.

The king rode close behind me, Thomas.

My dear Cardinal, I have encouraged Anne with the young noble. Hell have the greatest estates in the north of England. It was something off my mind that Anne should like him and want him, for shes not easy to please. It never entered my head that the king had noticed her. What can I say to her now?

To send the earl away.

I think they have a sort of engagement between them.

Wellthe kings here.

I think it would need more time.

Suppose you take the king to look at your hounds. Tell him that Anne had ordered a new dress and theres some trouble with ither hands tremble over the fastenings, and other rubbish of that sort. Ill speak to Anne and to the earl.

Wellif youll manage it.