Anne of the Thousand Days Page #10

Put your questions.

Smeaton, did you have carnal relations

with the Queen?

Smeaton, did you lie with the Queen?

No.

There is mercy only for those

that tell the truth.

Three men have been found guilty

on your evidence. Was that perjury?

You confessed to your guilt

knowing the penalty,

knowing, unless the King is merciful,

you will be hanged,

cut down while you still live,

disembowelled and your heart torn out!

The King will not be merciful

if you lie!

- Did you have carnal relations?

- Yes!

My Lord of Norfolk,

may I question this man?

I have not finished.

Justice must be seen to be done,

Master Oromwell.

- Proceed.

- Thank you, My Lord.

Mark, look at me.

I know well you have been tortured,

but tell them the truth, Mark.

Have courage.

- It is true.

- Write that. He says it is true.

They have promised you your life,

haven't they? If you lie for them?

They will break the promise.

It would not be safe to leave you alive.

- It's true.

- He says it is true for a third time.

- We have our evidence.

- Poor gentle singer.

Isn't it better, if you are to die,

that you die with the truth?

I am guilty!

I was guilty with the Queen!

Let me go now.

She came to my bed...

Let me go.

She came to my bed, I swear it.

Even when she tells him he will die

anyway, he still admits his guilt.

Write that. Take him out.

No. Wait.

My husband, the King.

Smeaton...

...how many times

did the Queen come to your bed?

- Many times.

- When?

- I don't remember.

- You will remember.

Oall it to mind or you'll speak

with those who can jog your memory.

Where did you couch with the Queen,

my wife?

- York Place.

- That's a lie.

- It could never have happened there.

- No, no, it was at Windsor.

She only went to Windsor with me.

Oan you think of no better lie?

It was many places, it was

wherever you like, whenever you like.

Oh, God, help me. Let me go free.

I'll say whatever you like.

Did Oromwell promise you your life

if you said this?

- Answer me! Did he?

- Yes.

He lied. Say what you like, Smeaton,

and you will not live.

Say what you like.

Speak now without lying,

for it will avail you nothing.

I am to die?

What happened between you and the Queen?

Between us?

Nothing.

She was kind and pleasant and just.

I would not hurt her.

I lied because they have broken me

with ropes and irons

and then promised I would go free.

Take him away.

And yet...

...it could be true.

For six years...

This year and this...

...and this...

...and this...

...I did not love him.

And then I did.

Then I was his.

I can count the days I was his

in hundreds.

The days we bedded.

Married.

Were happy.

Bore Elizabeth.

Hated.

Lusted.

Bore a dead child...

...which condemned me...

...to death.

In all...

...one thousand days.

Just a thousand.

Strange.

And of those thousand, one,

when we were both in love,

only one,

when our loves met and overlapped

and were both mine and his.

And when I no longer hated him,

he began to hate me.

Except for that one day.

I'm not hungry.

Take the food and leave me.

Nan,

is it true?

Have you stepped into your own trap,

My Lord?

Any evidence you have against me,

you yourself bought and paid for.

- Do you now begin to believe it?

- Anne.

Anne, the court is still in session

to decide your... verdict.

I don't want to hear your guilt from

them, I want to hear it from your lips.

- That I was unfaithful?

- Yes, just that.

Were you unfaithful to me

whilst I still loved you?

Of course, I'll never know. Whether

you say aye or no, I shall never know.

You come here to make sure

whether there was truly adultery

because that would touch

your manhood or your pride

and even so, my heart and my eyes

are glad of you.

Fool of all women that I am,

I'm glad of you here.

Go, then.

Keep your pride of manhood,

you know about me now.

Nan, is it true

that you're glad to see me?

- Yes, it's true.

- Then, Anne,

let's do all gently for old time's sake.

I have no wish to harm you,

and your words have moved me deeply.

I must be free to have a son,

and the son must be free

to rule England when I die.

Why must you leave a king to follow you?

Why not a queen?

This country has never been ruled

by a queen. It never could be.

We can never have a son now,

God has spoken.

I must have a son elsewhere.

And it's getting late.

I'm not as young as I was.

What do you want of me?

Agree to annul the marriage

and give up all rights.

You shall go abroad and take Elizabeth

with you. You will be well cared for.

Please set me free.

To marry Seymour

and make our child a bastard?

No. No. No.

Nan... Nan, you leave me no choice!

Once I told you any children we had

would not be bastards.

You promised marriage and the Orown.

Now you try to dance out

of your promise. Well, I won't have it!

We are man and wife together.

King and Queen. I keep that.

Take it from me as best you can.

Then you have decided, and so have I!

Before you go,

perhaps you should hear one thing.

I lied to you.

I said "I love you", but I lied.

I was untrue. Untrue with many.

- That is a lie.

- It is true.

I was unfaithful to you

with all of them.

With half your court! With soldiers

of your guard, grooms, stablehands.

Look, for the rest of your life,

at every man that ever knew me

and wonder if I didn't find him

a better man than you!

You whore!

But Elizabeth was yours.

Watch her as she grows.

She's yours. She's a Tudor.

Get yourself a son on that

sweet pale girl if you can

and hope that it will live.

But Elizabeth shall reign after you.

Yes! Elizabeth,

child of Anne the whore

and Henry the bloodstained lecher,

shall be Queen.

You've asked for death

and you shall have it.

So be it.

Only what I take to my grave,

you take to yours.

And think of this, Henry.

Elizabeth shall be a greater queen

than any king of yours.

She shall rule a greater England

than you could ever have built.

Yes! My Elizabeth shall be Queen.

And my blood will have been well spent.

She's lying.

She was never unfaithful to me.

She could. Any woman could.

No. She lies.

If she lies, let her die for lying.

Let her die!

- Is everything ready?

- Yes, My Lord. The Queen is at prayer.

Fetch her.

The time for prayer is passed.

- And where is the King?

- At Richmond. Out hunting.

Will you join him later?

No, by God.

For me there's killing enough this day.

[executioner speaks French]

Will it hurt?

They say not, My Lady.

The executioner from France

is an expert with the sword.

I hear that he is good.

And I have a little neck.

- Oh, My Lady.

- No, Kingston. No.

Oome, I am glad to die.

[birdsong]

The month is May.

- My Lady?

- Nothing.

[bell tolls]

[bell ceases]

Mon Dieul She looks at me!

Distract her!

[distant cannon fire]

- Away, My Lords.

- Where to, Your Grace?

To Mistress Seymour's.

[Anne] Elizabeth shall be a greater

queen than any king of yours.

She shall rule a greater England

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