Elizabeth I Page #12

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for Cadiz tomorrow.

Let us pray Philip's

new Armada is ill-prepared.

God bless Her Majesty!

And damnation

to the King of Spain!

God save the Queen!

The Queen! The Queen!

The Queen!

I think this is

probably the end

of peace negotiations,

Your Majesty.

Let us fervently hope

for the success of His Lordship.

I can't believe you actually

mean that, pygmy.

I think

what the boy means is...

I never know

what the boy means.

I never know

what any of you mean,

but I've not ruled England

these many years

to be taken for more

of a fool than I am.

All's faction now

in England

and you wish for nothing

but the failure of our friends.

Well, I think we've waved enough.

Let us go in.

We declare today

a public holiday

on account

of the great victory

won over

the Spanish at Cadiz

by his Grace,

the Earl of Essex.

"If ever a man

desired to see

an image of hell,"

it has been said,

it was at the battle of Cadiz

most lively figured.

And our own

Earl of Essex

fought most valiantly.

The Earl's carriage

throughout the engagement

was marked

to be most manly...

Thank you, ma'am.

The sermon is not

to Her Majesty's taste.

Oh, I think she has

little patience

for compliments

not directed at her.

You see?

I'm in danger of outshining

the Queen's Majesty.

Oh my lord, I would

beg you to be careful.

One would think the Earl

sacked Cadiz on his own, ma'am.

He came, he killed,

he returned home to celebrate.

His Lordship wants war,

but wars must be paid for,

and so our people

suffer.

And now there is bad news

from Ireland, ma'am.

A Catholic country

on our doorstep...

we shall have

war there next.

Speak Irish, pygmy?

- No, Your Majesty.

- No. No one does.

Would you like to be

Lord Deputy of Ireland?

- No, Your Majesty.

- No.

Maybe we could send

the Earl of Essex.

Your Lordship must

dine with us tonight.

If the people

will let me, Bess.

My person

is not my own.

Come, my lord.

The people need you.

The Archbishop ordered

a day of celebrations

for my victory

across the entire kingdom.

Why did you restrict them

to London, Bess?

The love that people

have for me is so strong.

You...

you have not

kissed me yet.

I did not presume...

Presume. Presume.

There. Does that surprise

you, my lord,

that an old woman

should have

such lusts

of the flesh?

You're not old, Bess.

Maybe not, maybe not.

You know how I

still feel for you.

Perhaps I do.

Yes.

Yes, of course I do.

It's just that l...

well, I lack the assurance of youth.

I question everything.

And how is married life?

You should

take it seriously.

It is a very sweet and serious thing

to be married.

Oh...

is that why you've never

undertaken it, ma'am?

You surprise me, my lord.

I never took you for one

who expected women to be

consistent in their attitudes.

What did you expect... for me

to fall upon your neck in gratitude

for 50,000 pounds lost

and no hope of return,

the jewels you brought back

lost or stolen or embezzled?

- I wish...

- You wish, you wish, you wish.

Do you wish to be

Lord Deputy of Ireland, Robin?

I hardly know

how to respond, ma'am.

That's obvious.

Nobody wishes to be

Lord Deputy of Ireland.

Isn't it curious

how time brings in changes?

Once upon a time we'd walk

in those gardens down there

and pay each other

compliments,

say the sweetest things.

- And now...

- What now?

Now all I can talk about

is the war in Ireland

and all you can talk about

is yourself.

I think what you should

do now, Robin, is leave.

Yes, ma'am.

Of course.

So who is to be?

Who is to undertake

the governance of the Irish,

since the Irish do not

seem to want to do so?

I'm told the climate

is mild enough

and there are people who have

spoken well of the whiskey.

Do not be so bashful,

gentlemen.

They may not break out

into open rebellion.

They may do it quietly,

without informing us.

It doesn't always

rain there.

And they're not savages.

Well, not all of them anyhow.

Why are you all studying

the table so closely?

- In my view, ma'am...

- Yes, my lord.

...Lord Burghley's son

would make

an admirable ruler

of that country.

Indeed?

Yes indeed, ma'am.

Yes, his great powers of statesmanship,

his eloquence and

his application would all...

Oh, you are pleased

to joke, Robin.

No, ma'am, I'm doing

no such thing.

I think you are.

I think that I am not.

You spoiled

and foolish child!

I will not suffer one more day

of your insolence!

Take your hands off me!

I would not endure an insult

of that nature from any man,

and that a woman should

think she could do so...

You are speaking

to the Queen of England, sir!

I tell you, I would not have suffered it

from your father's hands.

Have you any idea

what you are doing?

Yes, I have a very

good idea, old man.

You dare to question

my authority?

What,

cannot princes err?

Cannot subjects

receive wrong?

Is an earthly power

or authority infinite?

Pardon me.

Pardon me, madam,

but I can never subscribe

myself to those principles!

Then it is hard to know why you

remain at Court, sir.

Well, gentlemen,

I think

we have found

the right man for Ireland.

He would certainly

blend in well, ma'am.

When deprived of our favor

for long enough,

he will

soon come to heel.

My dogs wear

my collars, sirs,

and let no one at this table

ever forget that fact.

With the exception

of Lord Burghley,

who is under strict orders

to get better.

You're not well,

old friend.

Your poor hands,

worn out with writing.

Writing and gout, madam...

my closet friends.

Your brother is much

affected, as are we all.

This was no

common funeral.

The whole world

mourns your father.

He resides

in a better place.

I see the Earl of Essex

has finally made an appearance.

What a deal

my silence can do.

He was my father's ward,

Your Majesty.

- We grew up together.

- Oh yes, of course.

What kind

of a boy was he?

So graceful,

quick as sports...

Ioved by all.

And cruel to you?

As only boys will be

when there were

none to see.

I was his pastime.

Turn around

so I may see your face.

Tears, Robin, tears.

I wonder for whom

you shed them.

I know how you loved

Lord Burghley

and when I was his ward

he was ever kind to me.

That was

a long time ago, Robin.

I want to serve you.

But you want to do

glorious things in my service.

Well, I can

offer you that.

I can offer you

great glory, Robin.

There is open rebellion in Ireland

and along with the governorship,

I can offer you a great army

to bring the Irish to heel.

Oh, Your Majesty shows

great faith in me.

It is impossible to govern

unless we trust those whom we rule.

See, there are those

who tell me not to trust you.

And I know that one day

you may come

within a hair's breadth

of betraying me.

Your Majesty, Bess,

I beg you...

You will come

as close to treachery

as a snake

to the ground.

But I also know that you will never

betray your country.

Since your country

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