Elizabeth I Page #3

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a lifetime's wait.

Don't marry him, Bess,

he's a dull fellow.

It's a pity...

...she is quite pretty.

Leicester.

Look at her,

simpering like a girl.

Does she love you still?

That may change.

Seems I am carrying

your child.

Give welcome to his Grace,

the Duke of Anjou.

He is of the most

Royal House of France

and we graciously

receive him here

as suitor to our hand

in marriage.

I am most glad to be welcomed

to the English court.

Louder.

Louder, you dogs!

Is not this

what you wanted?

Is this gentleman

not to your liking?

Must I consult you all before I find out

whether he is to mine?

Monsieur, le Duke.

Why do we still waste so much time

on this matter, gentlemen?

The French clown

should be sent packing!

My Lord of Leicester,

may I remind you we are

but Her Majesty's Council?

We follow the Queen.

Her Majesty doesn't

seriously contemplate...

She is taken

with the Duke, sir.

- Huh!

- I say she is taken with him.

And the security of our nation

demands this match.

What security?

An alliance with France

will protect us from Spain.

The Catholic powers

in Europe...

Are the natural

enemies of England.

Anjou invaded the Netherlands

as the protector of the Dutch Protestants.

Ha!

Was he though?

My lord, I have doubts

as to his sincerity.

- I'm sorry?

- Whatever his motives...

he was thrashed

by the Spanish General.

The Duke of Parma

destroyed him.

He may simply be using us

to regain his lands in Holland.

The question

of the security...

If we forge an alliance

with France...

We will put our religion

in the gravest of dangers.

Francis?

The Frenchman is not

serious in his affections.

Marriage to our Queen is

not something he desires...

except insofar as it may

further his ambitions.

She is far older than him anyway,

and I don't think...

I'm minded to box

your ears, Leicester.

Your Majesty.

Do you think no one could

be interested in our person?

Are we so unattractive?

Your Majesty is old

only in years.

Only?!

Only?

Why I could dash off the points

of a dance on that table.

I could be brisk

or grave or gay.

I could be as suave

as a courtier.

Or as sulky as a member

of the Privy Council.

The Queen is as young as

the wives none of you deserve.

I am so sorry,

I would stay but...

the Duke of Anjou craves

my attendance at dinner.

I must ask you this...

are you minded

to take me as a husband,

in all seriousness?

You know that during

your stay, l...

Ma'am, I am as anxious as

you to avoid the tyrannies

of too much certainty

in religion.

But I am a Catholic.

And this is

a Protestant People.

I have not yet seen

open hatred for me, but...

If it is not possible,

I will understand.

I think you understand

what it is I have begun

to feel for you.

Indeed I do, ma'am.

Indeed I do.

But we are born to the same life,

you and I, Elizabeth,

in which even our gestures

are not are own.

Does not a prince feel?

Does he not have hands,

eyes, a tongue, and...

a disposition to be loved?

He does, ma'am.

And if you do,

shall we not dare to risk

the displeasure of others?

I have asked the Earl of Leicester

not to approach Your Majesty, but...

Your Majesty, l...

Your Grace...

forgive me.

I had no idea you were here.

But I have some papers

which I felt...

Her Majesty should see.

Instructions in the art

of courtship, perhaps?

Hmph.

Who wrote this?

There is no name, ma'am.

I felt you should

see it since...

What exactly have they written?

"Advancing in years

as she is..."

Oh, I don't know.

"...our Queen has no need to tie

herself to an odd fellow,

a Frenchman by birth,

by profession a papist,

and an atheist

in conversation,

an instrument in France

of unclean..."

This is a most

serious insult

to our royal guest

and ally.

We shall return

to Whitehall

and we will have the author

of this vile rubbish

found an punished.

You have my word for it, Monsieur.

We shall proceed

with this marriage.

We would have

the papers prepared.

What profit did you think

to gain by this, my lord?

I did but...

- Bring me news I did

not wish to hear.

Men have been hanged

for less.

We will proceed.

This is agreeable?

It is why I am here,

madam.

- Find me the man who wrote this.

- Yes, ma'am.

This fellow Stubbs is the one

who wrote the pamphlet.

He is a dog.

And I keep my dogs tethered.

He seems quite

respectable.

The crowd are silent.

English do not like

public torture?

Usually their preferred way

of passing an afternoon.

I did what I did

for love of Her Majesty.

As an Englishman,

I love her beyond all else.

And if I dared speak against

the French marriage

it was only to show

the love we all hold for her person.

Perhaps they would

enjoy it more

if it was a French hand

being chopped off.

God save the Queen!

I have here the hand

of a true Englishman

who loves his Queen

and his country.

He loves me enough to insult me,

like so many men.

It would appear that the people

have little stomach for this marriage.

Death to the French!

Then the Queen

has little stomach for the people.

As we talk of marriage,

how is you wife, my lord?

Is she well?

Your... wife, Robin?

I understood that you

and Lady Essex are married

and that she carries

your child.

Oh, you son of a whore!

Your Majesty,

you must know that...

Know what, my lord?

...that I would never

have taken a wife

if there were but a chance

you would smile upon my suit.

I never...

I never wish to see

your face again.

My heart still runs

on you, I swear it.

Be off before I hang you,

I am minded to hang you now!

- With my own hands, too!

- Bess.

Get out of my sight!

We forbid you access

to our presence.

You are no longer

welcome at our court.

Be gone, sir.

Now.

You ask to know my inclination

as to the French marriage?

Your Majesty,

your subjects seek

only your happiness

and if it is

what you seek,

all we would urge you

is that if the voice of the people...

You all know my mind.

Could there be any more security

for my reign and my realm

than that I should marry

and have a child

and continue the line

of my father King Henry VIII?

Have I not been told

by you and you and you

that I should do as other women do

and get me an heir?

Yes, but the people...

Do you imagine I do not

want a child?

Do you imagine I do not have

the desire to hold a babe in mine arms?

Am I so unnatural to you

by virtue of my exalted position?

Now I have at last found a man

that is both royal

and to my liking,

may I not...

Am I made of stone,

gentlemen?

And so...

farewell.

Some princes do not

deserve their subjects.

It is the opposite

case with you, madam.

A courtier

and a scholar

and a poet

and a woman

of great beauty.

It is the last compliment

I shall treasure, my lord.

You know well what it is

that separates us.

It is the public practice of the Roman

religions... sticks in their hearts.

There is no prince in the world

to whom I would rather be bound

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