Elizabeth I Page #6

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of the thing.

All Europe watches us,

my lords.

And waits to see

how we will serve

my perjured Catholic cousin.

In nomine patris et filii

et spiritus sancti.

I am an anointed Queen.

And not subject to the ordinary

laws of England.

Madam, in England

a free prince

offending

is subject to our laws.

Would you prefer to be tried

in your absence, lady?

I am no subject, sir.

And would die a thousand deaths

rather than acknowledge myself to be one.

But go to it...

for I see you are

all determined.

This letter

to Sir Anthony

Babington...

Is forged.

I would not dare

make shipwreck of my soul

by compassing the death

of my dear sister.

Dear, indeed.

Yet we have proof positive

this is your hand

and given out by you.

So she is judged guilty.

By a fair trial, madam.

And both Lords and Commons

humbly petition Your Majesty

that you may pass

sentence of death upon her.

Oh, this goes hard with me.

What will my enemies not say that

for the safety of her own life

a maiden Queen

could be content

to spill the blood

even of her own kinswoman?

I may therefore

well complain

that any man might

think me given to cruelty

wherever I'm so guiltless

and so innocent.

Nay I'm so far from it that for mine

own life I would not touch her.

I pray you accept

my thankfulness,

excuse my

doubtfulness

and take in good part

my answer, answerless.

Madam, this business

must be settled.

Both Lords and Commons

must needs have it so.

They are most passionate

in this wish, ma'am.

I will not sign the warrant.

I care not if you lay it before me

every day for a whole year

I tell you

I will not sign it.

We will remove

to our palace at Richmond.

Richmond! Vascillation,

vascillation...

vascillation!

Is it really him?

I think it is,

Your Majesty.

On whose side is he in this matter

of the Queen of Scotland?

I imagine he is on the side

of the Earl of Leicester.

I have failed you, Bess.

Things did not

go well for us.

What did I tell you?

You said I was

a fireside general.

And was I right?

You're always

right, Bess.

The Spanish have a clever

general in the Duke of Parma.

Now that the States

of Holland are theirs,

I fear they may think

the time is right to attack.

You are not well.

- You are tired?

- Am I?

- Sit.

- I am in the best of health, ma'am.

How could I be otherwise

when I'm looking at you?

Well, Leicester,

I have need of you.

- In what way, ma'am?

- Our cousin Mary, of course.

Both the Lords and Commons

set about me with

petitions for her death.

- It is not possible for me...

- Bess.

I cannot lie to you.

The Scottish Queen

must die.

There is her death warrant,

and all it requires

is my signature,

Master Davison.

Suffer or strike,

is that not the message

sent to me by the council?

Even Leicester

betrays me.

Her son

suggests I grant him

the succession

to take away the sting of killing

the woman who bore him.

Now there's a son

who loves his mother, eh?

This is a person

of royal blood.

This is our father's

sister's child.

Do you understand what

that means, Davison?

This is our cousin.

And what a pretty thing

the family is.

How it breeds love

and tenderness in the child.

How it trains us in sweetness

and honesty and affection.

There, easily done.

She is to be beheaded

at Fotheringay.

This is the last

I wish to hear of it.

As to the manner of her death

she is to be accorded

the privileges of someone

of royal blood.

I do not wish

to hear of it.

But someone is to give me

an account of it when it is done.

Wait!

Do not give that

to the council until I say.

As for now, it is as if I never

signed it, do you understand?

- L...

- Now leave me!

Why should Her Majesty ask a man

of no great experience

to bring this document

to her for signature?

- An then...

- She chose him deliberately, my lords.

She wants the woman dead

but she cannot bear to give the order.

This was ever her way.

Sideways, sideways, sideways.

The Earl of Leicester is right.

We must all put our hand

to this order of execution,

or else I tell you,

gentlemen,

we will all hang.

You and I have had

our quarrels, my lord,

but may I say,

we have need of wise

politicians at court.

Now who will witness

the execution

and tell her

the deed is done?

I will do it myself.

Don't cry for me...

...you promised me, Jane.

Pardon me, ma'am.

I hope that you shall bring

an end to all my troubles.

Oh...

the color of

the Catholic martyr.

In nomine patris et filii

- et spiritus...

- Lord, have mercy on this sinner.

We pray according

to the reformed prayer book.

That our Lord gives help

to the helpless,

hope to the hopeless.

Lord, stay within us.

In the name of the Father,

the Son and the Holy Ghost...

I shed my blood

- for the ancient Catholic religion.

...Amen.

God save the Queen.

- God save the Queen.

- How can I ever tell the Queen of this?

How can I tell her

and keep her love?

Ah, Walsingham!

It is done. Will you...

will you tell her?

As you wish,

my Lord.

Forgive me.

Oh!

Oh, Sir Francis, I did

not see you there.

Please,

do not stop, ma'am.

Oh.

What is that?

Is someone married?

I think someone has died,

Your Majesty.

Who has died?

A very great traitor, madam.

Mary of Scotland.

Who ordered this?

I rather think

you did, Majesty.

Dead by my orders?

Oh... oh my...

Davison!

Oh, you!

No!

Leicester!

Where is the Earl

of Leicester?

Get me Leicester!

Leicester!

Your Majesty.

Why could you not

have stopped this?

I'll hang Davison,

you hear me?

And you too,

if you show your face!

- This is your Robin.

- Take him away!

Take him away!

Oh my God!

Oh, God forgive me.

- Oh God!

- Bess!

Stand aside.

O Lord...

Thou has set me on high.

If I swell against Thee

pluck me down in my conceit.

Though I have taken a life

the life of an anointed Queen.

Oh God, forgive me.

God, forgive me.

God, forgive me.

You are angry with me, madam.

That you of all people should

fail to understand

the case

in which I stood.

That went hard

with me, my lord.

I saw her die.

How did she die?

In truth, there were things

there that were done

not as they should

have been done.

She was denied

her rosary.

And they denied her

her priest.

This will not be in the report

the council gives you, but...

there were two...

- strokes of the axe...

- No, enough!

I tell you the truth

as I saw it.

Yes...

yes, you do.

I know you do.

If I'd heard that

from another's lips...

but you were right

to say it.

I must remember who I am

and learn humility.

Before God,

what are the stumblings

and offences of my life?

What is there

between you and I?

What's a crown when

love's voice speaks to us?

None of the others

would have dared do

what you have done.

No.

We must not.

Robin, we cannot.

There will be war.

Philip of Spain will

move to avenge her.

We must be strong,

both of us.

And since friendship

outlasts love,

and is stronger

than love...

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