Elizabeth I Page #8

---

of this our England.

And let them know they may

have yet a greater Prince,

but they shall never

have a more loving one.

Next Time

Great things hang on a kiss, Robin,

when princes are involved.

I am in danger about

signing the Queen's Majesty.

My lord, I would

beg you to be careful.

Oh, my ladies

love to look at you.

Do you think the Queen

is mistress of her feelings?

I have offended you.

What I must not say

is that I love you.

We have

no need of that.

The look on your face

tells the queen

all she needs to know

about hers.

The looking glass

is banished

from our palace.

That one.

And those.

And that one and that one.

All gone.

This Accession Day is the 30th

since you came to the throne.

Your knights will fight

each other for your favor.

Perhaps he will follow this

by disappearing.

30 years a queen...

26 when she became one.

- That means she is...

- Astonishingly young.

Although not

as astonishingly young

as the Earl of Essex, Father.

He's a rising star, gentlemen.

We must learn to live with him.

What precisely are his talents?

I never can remember.

I hear he has

very expressive eyes.

After his father died

I was happy to have him

in my care,

but I could not say

I know him.

I, Sir Eglantine

of the Grange,

beg you to desist

from being the champion

of our glorious queen.

I love the Queen more

than you ever will, young man.

Stand aside,

for I am "Sir Greatheart,"

the sweetest knight

in all chivalry.

Sir Walter Raleigh's

knightly character

is obviously not based

upon his own.

Easy, easy.

Ah, Walsingham's daughter

seems quite an admirer

of the earl.

Oh.

Kneel, boy!

Today it is Walter

that wears our favor.

My favor, Sir Walter.

Your Majesty.

I see every fool

must have a favor.

I'll call on you, sir,

for your apology.

- Shall I?

- No, no, no.

Dogs must have blood

somehow, my lord.

Lady Frances Walsingham

is wearing a very pretty dress.

One would think

Sir Francis's daughter

wishes to be

the center of attention.

The court of

Lady Frances Walsingham.

We could compose

anthems in her honor.

Your Majesty...

Come ladies, we are going to watch

the Earl of Essex

at his favorite pastime,

which is trying to kill people,

and Frances,

you will walk with me.

Yes, Essex.

That's it.

You look pale,

Frances.

Good parry!

Anything the matter?

Whom do you favor,

Sir Walter or Essex?

Guard up!

Do you approve

of dueling, Frances?

- It is forbi...

- It is forbidden,

as are so many

other things.

Yes!

Well done, sir!

Well done!

Pull his great heart down.

Do you not come out

on my side, ma'am?

No, no, no.

You must be checked.

Men like you

must be ruled,

as was the Earl

of Leicester in the end.

I am always

your servant, ma'am.

Yes...

I do believe

you are.

Oh, but you're

wounded.

Oh, I must dress

your wounds myself.

Come.

If I have offended

Your Majesty, l...

I ever loved

a loser, Wal-ter.

Fetch dressings, Frances.

Go on. Run, girl.

We are going to the Earl of Leicester's

apartments, ma'am?

Yes, they're yours now.

You like my present?

You like his rooms?

- Very much!

- Yes.

The Earl of Leicester

had excellent taste.

They're expensively

furnished.

You like expensive things

and you have nothing but debts.

Well, go on.

They're yours now.

Everything I have

is yours.

Well, let us pretend

that it is yours.

It will spice up the act

of crossing the threshold.

Oh, you are looking

at my ankle, Essex.

Well, Your Majesty has

a very well-shaped ankle...

...and a perfect figure.

Yes, well, I have

a grateful nation

gnawing

at my insides.

- Anne...

- Yes, ma'am.

Sit. We must

bind up your wounds.

We have no need

of you, Dr. Lopez.

Oh, you look like

a naughty schoolboy.

Why should you not like

that foolish girl?

I can see

that you like her.

- No, she's nothing...

- Nothing compared to me.

I know.

You're very

kind, ma'am.

I could be

even kinder.

Your Majesty knows

that my love for you...

Is not simply

a need for my favor?

How do I know that?

Mmm. Possibly.

You seem

sincere enough.

Great things

hang on a kiss, Robin,

when princes

are involved...

but you'd better

kiss me again.

Well, let us hear of your

proposed expedition.

It is not precisely

our proposed expedition,

Your Majesty.

Lord Burghley, do not distance yourself

from my displeasure

until you know

that I am displeased.

It may be a very good proposition,

for all I know.

Francis...

Portugal is

occupied by Spain.

Their exiled

King Don Antonio

is therefore, on our side

against the Spanish.

Our thought was that

before the Spanish recover

from the loss of the Armada,

we attempt...

We should attempt

to reinstate

our friend Don Antonio

on the throne of Portugal...

- Precisely.

- Send a military expedition?

Uh...

It may be

a sound notion.

If we succeeded,

Portugal would be ours

and we would control the Spanish

trade routes to the Americas.

Your Majesty is able

to read the minds

of her advisers.

Well, that is not

so difficult,

especially since you spend

all of your time trying to read mine.

You have my approval.

Do not inform

the Earl of Essex.

If he hears of it,

tell him

he is, under

no circumstances to go.

What's it going to be?

Ah, six again!

I swear you are playing

with loaded dice, ma'am.

Princes do not

cheat at cards.

They simply have the rules altered

to suit their needs.

Ooh, you lose too much.

And you, with

so little to lose.

We'll play a new game.

Which is?

"Essex's Folly."

I take all

the cards

and you have

to take them off me.

How?

- By force, if necessary.

- Oh.

But not too much force.

For you to win

would be... treason.

There is no fun

in such a game.

Well, we'll not

play it then.

Stand there.

There, like that.

Madam...

I know

the hour is early,

but if Your Majesty pleases,

we have need of conversation.

Private

conversation.

Affairs of state.

My lord.

You wait

for Her Majesty?

I wait for my father,

my lord.

I hope he pleads my case

with the queen.

I cannot believe you have

offended her, Sir Robert.

You were always

such a good boy.

I was obliged to be,

my lord, by my position.

Answer me this...

when I was

your father's ward

and we were growing up together

in Lord Burghley's house,

- was I...?

- What, my lord?

It is no matter.

He wishes me to have

a seat on the Council.

Well, well, well...

we grow great.

I have worked

for it, my lord.

Yes, yes.

You have. You have.

Well, Robert,

you have your place.

What it must be

to have a father.

Thank you.

Thank you, Father.

"Happy were he could

finish forth his fate

In some unhaunted desert,

where, obscure

From all society,

from love and hate,

Of worldly folk;

then might he sleep secure;

Then wake again,

and ever give God praise..."

What?

How can I read when you

look at me like that?

How do I look

at you?

As if you were

deciding

whether or not

to eat me.

What do you wish for

from me?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes