Thomas Cromwell: Sir Thomas, I notice you allow yourself none of the trappings of your great office.
Thomas More: I'm not so vain as to display its power, Master Cromwell, but I'll tell you this, I fully intend to use it.

Thomas More: [Talking to Bishop John Fisher] I am reminded of something Wolsey once told me, that I should only tell the King what he ought to do, never what he could..."For if the lion knows his own strength, no one could control him"
Season 2

Thomas More: [to King Henry] All right! If you want the world to know that the King of England is easily changeable, shallow, intemperate, incapable of keeping his word! Then of course I will go and tell them. After all, I am merely Your Majesty's humble servant!

Thomas More: As a humanist I have an abhorrence of war. It's an activity fit only for beasts yet practiced by no kind of beasts so constantly as by man.
King Henry: As a humanist I share your opinion. As a King, I'm forced to disagree.
Thomas More: Spoken like a lawyer.
King Henry: You should know, you taught me.
Thomas More: Not well enough it seems.

Thomas More: Do you really think we should go to war?
Cardinal Wolsey: I think we should try to do as the King wants us to do.
Thomas More: What if the King doesn't know what's in his best interests?
Cardinal Wolsey: Then we should help him decide.

Thomas More: Katherine of Aragon is not only a great queen and the daughter of great kings, she is also immensely popular throughout the whole of the country. God forbid that the king should abandon her just to ease his own conscience. I don't think the English people would ever forgive him!

Thomas More: There's only one way to reach the King's ear, and that is through the good offices of Cardinal Wolsey.
Spanish envoy: We heard some rumors, Mr More, that the cardinal advocates the French interests.
Thomas More: Only when he considers them to be in ours.

Thomas Tallis: I'm going away.
William Compton: You're going away, why?
Thomas Tallis: Cardinal Wolsey is going to France. He invited me to go with him. With other musicians.
William Compton: Must you go?
Thomas Tallis: You know very well that an invitation from a cardinal is like an invitation from a king. We little people must put our hands into the fire if invited to.

William Cornish: [in a play] You give us no choice but to attack and breach your defenses!
Lady Unkindness: No knight shall ever breach mine.
William Cornish: Lady, Desire overcomes all.

Dr. Knight's secret mission has been intercepted
Cardinal Wolsey: Ah, Doctor Knight! Off to the Vatican, are you? And what have you here? Shows letters One is a letter requesting a nullification of the dispensation the King got to marry Queen Catherine. The other is a letter to His Holiness saying that if a divorce cannot be granted, that the King be allowed to take a second wife to father a son. Not only is the King challenging a papal bull, he is asking the Pope to sanction bigamy!

[After Anne reveals her parnoia of Henry having an affair]
Henry VIII: That's enough!
Anne Boleyn: No, you told me that we would always be truthful with one another! You said it was the definition of love!
Henry VIII: Then here's the truth. You must shut your eyes and endure [contemptuous] like your betters have done before you!
Anne Boleyn: [angrily] How can you say that to me!? Don't you know I love you a thousand times more than Catherine ever did!?
Henry VIII: [stands up, furious] AND DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I CAN DRAG YOU DOWN AS QUICKLY AS I RAISED YOU!? T'is lucky you have your bed already, madam, for if you did not, I would not give it to you a second time! [moves to leave, but stops] Francis won't accept the betrothal.
Anne Boleyn: Why?
Henry VIII: [angrily] Why do you think!? Because he, and the Pope, and the Emperor ARE ALL AGREED she is a bastard, and you are not my wife!

[At a later interrogation of Lady Rochford]
Thomas Cromwell: Do you believe this to be true?
Lady Rochford: I believe that is true, yes. [Cromwell walks over and looks her in the eye]
Thomas Cromwell: [skeptical] You believe that your husband committed incest with the queen!?
[Lady Rochford looks at Cromwell with a sly smile. Cromwell looks surprised, then returns the smile; the pair understand each other perfectly]

[In Thomas Wyatt's cell]
Thomas Cromwell: The Queen was tried yesterday at Westminster Hall. She pleaded not guilty to all charges against her, but the evidence being overwhelming...she was sentenced to death, either by burning or decapitation according to the King's pleasure.
Thomas Wyatt: [fighting back tears] And her accomplices? What of us?
Thomas Cromwell: Smeaton, Brereton, Norris and George Boleyn, all guilty as charged.
Thomas Wyatt: Thomas, what about me? Am I to be tried too?
Thomas Cromwell: No. We found no evidence against you. You're to be released...eventually. [Cromwell leaves the cell]
Thomas Wyatt: [tearfully] BUT I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO'S GUILTY!

[Thomas Cromwell is interrogating Lady Margaret Sheldon regarding Queen Anne's infidelity, and has extracted a list of her supposed lovers, save one]
Thomas Cromwell: And!? [he slams his fist on a table] AND!?
Margaret Sheldon: [sobbing] I saw her hugging and kissing her brother!
Thomas Cromwell: [horror-struck and disgusted] Her brother!?