Elizabeth Page #3

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For the love of God, Madam, let not

the care of your diseased estate

hang in the balance any longer.

In marriage,

and in the production of an heir,

lies your only surety.

The Duke is also most... handsome.

Very well.

Invite the Duke of Anjou.

We shall see him in the flesh.

Robert!

The Duke will not take kindly

to a rival for his suit.

He is a traitor,

and his father before him.

Lord Robert's head

will end up on a spike,

not on the pillow of a Queen.

Must you leave?

I would not miss this for the world.

Today I shall watch the fall

of that heretic girl.

I have been placed here

as your sov...

I am your sovereign.

I have been placed here...

I...

God has... God has placed me here...

I am your anointed sovereign...

I am your Queen...

And like my father I mean to rule.

There is one thing higher than royalty,

my Lords, and that

is religion.

I pass this... I pass this Act of...

I ask you to pa... I...

I ask you to pass this Act of Uniformity.

Not for myself. For my people.

They're my people...

There is one God. We have

a common... There is one God.

This is for my people.

My people are my care.

The only care.

My Lords, your votes are nothing

without my consent.

If there is no uniformity

of religious belief here

then there can only be fragmentation.

Disputes and quarrels.

Surely, my Lords, it is better

to have a single Church of England.

A single Church of England!

With a common prayer book.

And... and a...

And... a common purpose.

I ask you to pass

this Act of Uniformity

not... not for myself

but for my people

who are my only care.

Madam, by this Act,

you force us to relinquish

our allegiance to the Holy Father.

Hear, hear!

How can I force you, Your Grace?

I am a woman.

I have no desire

to make windows into men's souls.

I simply ask

can any man, in truth,

serve two masters

and be faithful to both?

Madam, this is heresy!

No, Your Grace, this is

common sense.

Which is a most English virtue.

Where is Gardiner?

Where are the others?

Let us out!

Open the door!

This is Walsingham's doing.

It is the devil's work.

It will not serve her in any case.

The Bishops will pass no measure

which severs us from Rome.

Your Majesty would improve

all these matters

if you would agree to marry.

Aye. Marry, Madam.

Aye. But marry who, Your Grace?

Will you give me some suggestion?

For some say France,

and others Spain, and

and some cannot abide foreigners at all.

So I'm not sure how best to please you

unless I married one of each.

Now Your Majesty does make fun

of the sanctity of marriage.

I do not think you should lecture me

on that, my Lord,

since you yourself

have been twice divorced.

And are now upon your third wife!

Each of you must vote

according to your conscience.

But remember this.

In your hands,

upon this moment,

lies the future happiness of my people,

and the peace

of this realm.

Let that be upon your conscience also.

My Lords, the House will divide.

Walsingham...!

I would know on what authority

you have kept us locked up here.

Your Graces must forgive me,

but you are now free to go.

I am sure this infernal work

has not saved your bastard Queen.

Her Majesty... has won the argument.

By what count?

By five, Your Grace.

Five.

You will be damned for this!

And I pray God your wretched soul

will burn in hell!

Report back to me at break of day.

Enchant.

No!

Because... I am Anjou!

Yes, I am Anjou, yes! I am Anjou.

And I can't wait...

Would you like that?

Remove your hand.

Perhaps, Your Grace,

we shall think on it, but...

- I am deeply religious.

- But I am very religious, too.

Very religious, yes!

Your Holiness,

the priest from England is here.

Tell me, my son, what is the news

of our brothers and sisters in England?

Do they still support the sovereignty

of that illegitimate whore?

No, Holy Father.

They pray ceaselessly that England

may be recovered from heresy.

Prayers may not be sufficient.

I will ask for guidance in this matter.

But do not despair.

Was it not truly said

that the righteous shall inherit the earth?

Such piercing eyes!

And very indiscreet!

My true love has my heart

and I have hers.

My heart in me

keeps her and me in one.

My heart in her,

her thoughts and senses guide.

She loves my heart

for once it was her own.

I cherish hers

because in me it bides.

My true love has my heart

and I

have hers.

Marry me.

Marry me.

On a night such as this

could any woman say no?

On a night such as this

could a Queen say no?

Does not a Queen sit under

the same stars as any other woman?

Monseigneur Alvaro!

Monseigneur Alvaro!

Tell me,

as well as Ambassador,

are you not also a Bishop?

I am, my Lord.

Then you can marry us!

Marry you?

Perhaps he does not know enough

English to perform the ceremony!

Alas, Madam, in this matter

I can be of no help to you.

Madam!

The Queen!

- Protect the Queen!

- Help her!

Quickly! Call the Guard!

The Queen! The Queen!

Look to the Queen!

Isabel, see that the ladies are prepared.

Isabel, go!

Where were you, Sir Francis?

I only hope that Her Majesty may be

safely delivered from this present danger.

Is the bedchamber ready?

Be calm, Madam. All is well.

I am perfectly well.

Please do not fuss.

- No-one is to enter.

- Yes, Sir William.

- Stay in here now, and watch.

- Yes, Sir Francis.

Sorry, Lord Robert.

I said no-one.

My Lord,

a word.

To whose advantage was this?

De Foix?

No.

Not with Anjou in play.

Then some... madman?

There is always madness, Master Elyot.

This was devised.

There is reason behind it.

Then Alvaro

for he has most cause.

Yes, but he was present.

He is too subtle for that.

Would Norfolk?

He is not so subtle

and has even more cause.

Indeed.

So then

he is not in league with the Spanish.

Perhaps. Stay close to him.

The Duke has some other game.

I must find where he plays.

I see it is true that the Queen

favours you above all others.

But you have many enemies here.

Is it not so?

That is no concern of yours.

It may be.

If you would be prepared,

in secret, to renounce heresy

and embrace the true faith,

then you might find

many new and powerful friends

and

keep your Queen.

You are most mistaken, Monseigneur,

if you think

I might so easily be persuaded

to act against my conscience,

and my love.

My Lord,

what will a man not do for love?

Madam, if only you would heed my advice.

I narrowly escaped with my life, sir.

I cannot now discuss marriage.

Forgive me... the one

cannot be separated from the other.

- Have I not told you?

- Yes, and I am sick of it.

This entire conversation is ill-timed.

My patience, Sir William, is not infinite.

It is a great joy to see

Your Majesty is not hurt.

It was a terrible affair.

The Duke would still

know the answer to his suit.

You may tell the Duke

he shall have his answer shortly.

Madam, the point is pressing!

The Duke cannot love me so much if

he demands my answer so precipitously!

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