The Private Life of Henry VIII. Page #6

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But that's no excuse for Thomas here.

Thomas! Go and dance with the queen.

- What do you think I keep you for?

- Hear! Hear! Your Grace.

- Will Your Grace care to dance?

- Will she care to dance?

Will she care?

[Chuckling]

[Chuckles]

[Continues]

- Darling.

- What?

I adore you.

My lord, only you can tell His Majesty.

[All Murmuring, Chattering]

- You can.

- You must tell him.

I can't.

Your Majesty's privy council

awaits Your Majesty's orders.

- Ah, we'll finish this when I come back.

- Yes, Your Grace.

Forgive me, sweetheart!

Affairs of state!

The dance goes on.

[Continues]

[Henry]

Good evening, gentlemen.

Anything important today?

I can't be long.

The queen's waiting for me.

Well, Mr. Secretary?

His Lordship,

the archbishop of Canterbury...

has a matter of great importance

to submit to Your Majesty.

Cranmer?

- Your Majesty...

- Come along, Cranmer!

History teaches...

even the scriptures tell us...

What is it?

[Cranmer]

Bad women of all times...

even those who wore crowns...

What is it?

[Shouts]

What is it?

What is it?

His Lordship was trying to fulfill

the most painful duty of a loyal subject...

to tell the king

that the queen had committed adultery.

- With whom?

- With Thomas Culpeper.

- You...

- [Both Grunting]

- [Henry Shouting]

- [Wriothesley Gasping]

It is proved, Your Majesty!

There are witnesses!

[Gasping Continues]

[Wriothesley]

The witnesses are Lady Rochford...

the three maids of the queen...

John Cornell...

the ladies OParnell...

Bascott and... and Morton...

the queen's two pages...

and Culpeper's body servant.

[Whimpering Softly]

[Sobbing]

[Sobbing Continues]

[Orchestra]

Katherine, why is there

a council tonight?

French and German again, I suppose.

Who cares?

[Ends]

- [Guard] Who goes there?

- The watch.

- Whose watch?

- The king's watch.

God preserve the king!

[Watchmen Affirming]

[Watchman]

Midnight and all's well.

[Chattering]

Charles! Charles!

- Where are you?

- Here I am, darling.

- No places again.

- I'll find you some place, little one.

[Single Loud Drumbeat]

Katherine!

Katherine.

Mea culpa.

Mea culpa.

Mea maxima culpa.

Yes, yes, yes.

Mmm.

- Your Grace...

- Go away. I'm tired.

- I'll do no more business today.

- This is not business, Your Grace.

- The Lady Anne is asking for an audience.

- Anne? Anne?

The Lady Anne of Cleves.

Anne.

[Chuckles] Anne.

Uh, tell her come in.

Anne. Well. Anne.

[Chuckling]

Anne of Cleves.

Anne. Anne.

Anne... Well, well, well!

- Well, Anne!

- Good morning, Your Highness.

Good morning, Your Highness.

- Well, how's life?

- Oh, it's rather sad, Anne.

- Oh, but why?

- I haven't got any friends, you know.

I haven't got a wife.

Haven't got any love in my life.

Haven't got anything.

Not even hatred.

What you want is a good wife.

Wife?

[Muttering]

I said a good one,

not a spiteful one like the first...

not an ambitious one like the second

and not a stupid one like the third.

Not a card sharper like the fourth.

No, and not a very young one like the fifth.

I said a good one.

Where do you find 'em?

- I'll show you.

- Hmm?

Katherine! Catch me!

Katherine!

[Laughing]

[Kissing]

Oh, Nurse! Don't you see?

Blow, darling.

There's a good boy.

- Oh, me too!

- But your face is quite clean, Elizabeth!

- Me too.

- Oh.

[Giggles]

- [Fingers Snapping]

- I know her.

- Um...

- Katherine Parr.

Mmm. Katherine.

Katherine. No. No.

Katherine. Uh-uh.

No, Katherine, Katherine.

No, Henry, you're an easy-going man,

always getting yourself into trouble.

And who has to suffer,

I should like to know.

You go to Dover on these rainy days,

you sit on your royal council...

get fussy and excited over nothing at all

and then come to me and get fussy.

I don't know what I'm going

to do with you, I'm sure.

What with one thing and another,

my life just isn't worth living.

If I let you out of my sight for one moment

you're up to some mischief.

I had only to turn my back for five minutes

yesterday and you ate a whole saddle

of lamb.

And who had to nurse you when you had

the bellyache all through the nightlong? Mel

[Scoffs] I really don't know

what I'm going to do with you.

Oh, Henry, Henry, Henry!

You know you can't digest it.

Take it away!

And the drink.

Can't you hear what the queen tells you?

Take it away!

[Catherine]

And bring a blanket.

Now for a little nap.

[Footsteps Receding]

Six wives...

and the best of them's the worst.

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