The Sea Hawk Page #7

It's the Captain.

Do you hear me?

What are the fools hiding for?

- I don't like it. Something's wrong.

- No more of that, or I'll have to...

Steady, Mr. Pitt.

Ship your oars.

Make fast.

You stay in the boat, Burke.

Welcome, Capt. Thorpe.

I advise you not to resist.

Those muskets are in the hands

of excellent marksmen, I assure you.

Besides, Captain,

it's my turn to entertain you.

I regret it has to be on your ship,

but you will understand the necessity.

If you draw that sword, Captain,

we shall not have the pleasure...

of taking you and your men

back to Spain alive.

Your prisoners, Captain.

"Item 37:

"You did by sorcery

and other heretical practices...

"then try to enter secretly by night

the Spanish city of Cartagena...

"and did capture the garrison

and force the governor...

"to pay a ransom

in the amount of 30,000 ducats.

"Item 38:

"You did also attack His Majesty's galleass

Madre Dolores at Valparaiso...

"and did seize gold

in the amount of 8,000...

"thirteen chests of coin silver...

"and 1,770 jars of wine.

"Item 39:

"You did also loot and sink the galleass

Santa Eullia del Monte...

"in the English Channel...

"profaning His Majesty

in the person of his ambassador.

"In summary of these offenses,

our records show...

"you did plunder seven cities

in the empire of Spain...

"and did destroy 47

of His Majesty's vessels."

Capt. Thorpe, do you confess to the truth

of these charges?

Your records do us an injustice.

They should read nine cities

and 54 vessels.

You will amend the charges in accordance

with the defendant's statement...

and place his confession on record.

Capt. Thorpe it is adjudged...

you will be handed over

to the military authorities...

under whose direction you will be chained

to the oars of a galley...

in servitude

for the rest of your natural lives.

Capt. Thorpe.

Perhaps we'd better dispense

with the "Captain"...

under the circumstances.

It isn't often we have the pleasure...

of entertaining so famous a pirate

in our galley.

I hope you'll find our hospitality

all that you anticipated.

No doubt we shall.

You Spanish have a gift for hospitality

when your guests are in chains.

We're getting under way.

You'll start the oars at 10 beats.

Drop your oars in the water.

Now pull, you English mongrels!

Beautiful.

But are all Spanish songs so sad,

my child?

Only those that speak of love, Your Grace.

You speak of it eloquently, my dear.

I daresay each of us must choose

between loving a man or ruling him.

I prefer to rule.

I don't quarrel with your choice, Maria.

You have your song...

and I have my scepter.

Now sing us one that is gay.

Don Alvarez, is your business so urgent...

that it must intrude

upon my few moments of diversion?

Your Grace, I have just had

a communication from Spain...

that I feel sure

will command your interest.

It concerns the privateer Geoffrey Thorpe.

What about him?

While attempting a raid

on the Panama treasure caravan...

he was captured by Spanish troops...

and is now a condemned prisoner

on one of His Majesty's galleys.

My child.

I'm all right, Uncle.

Your pardon, Majesty.

Say no more, my dear. I quite understand.

You may take Maria to her rooms.

Stay with her as long as she needs you.

My thanks, Your Grace.

You may go, all of you.

Don Alvarez, it appears your news

concerns your niece more than it does me.

Your Grace,

I would have spared her had I known.

Your arrow hit the wrong mark.

As for myself...

I regret Capt. Thorpe's fate

because he is a brave man.

But he is a privateer,

and privateers must take their own risks.

Then, Your Grace, I must speak bluntly.

My sovereign is not convinced

that Capt. Thorpe risked so much...

merely for his own gain.

No? Then perhaps you can suggest

a more likely motive.

Your Grace will recall

she released Thorpe...

after his attack upon my ship...

and that on the heels of this offense

she allowed the Albatross to sail...

presumably to trade in Egypt.

Am I to be held accountable

for Captain Thorpe's change of mind?

Thorpe never intended any project

but the one he undertook...

although by now he might wish he had.

You weary me with your implications.

Come to the point.

I regret that the point

is not an agreeable one.

From the circumstances I've mentioned,

my sovereign is forced to infer...

that Capt. Thorpe

had the approval of Your Majesty...

in an overt act of war

upon the empire of Spain.

Don Alvarez!

Do you question my word?

Unfortunately my government

cannot reconcile your words...

with the acts of your subjects.

Then let Phillip infer what he pleases.

I will not be held accountable

to Phillip for my actions...

or for those of my people.

In that case...

I'm instructed to serve official notice

upon Your Majesty...

that the honor of Spain requires...

that you will immediately disband

and imprison the Sea Hawks...

or face the consequences of an open

conflict between our two nations.

What are you saying?

Do you dare come to me with threats?

Out of my court before I order your arrest!

Remove that man's portrait from my sight.

Hurry! Do as I say.

Go to Lord Wolfingham.

Tell him to summon my council at once.

It's enough I've had to listen

to his tiresome complaints...

without having to look

at his arrogant face.

"The honor of Spain requires..."

Requires, indeed.

Presumptuous fool.

Telling me what I can and can't do...

as if the world were a jewel

that hung around his neck.

Has Phillip gone completely mad?

Does he think he can dictate

to the Queen of England?

Who's to defend us but the Sea Hawks?

Your Majesty, we cannot afford

an open break with Spain.

What makes you think

we will be attacked?

What other reason has Phillip

for building an armada?

But, Your Grace,

these demands are preposterous.

These men are loyal and devoted.

In what way have they offended

but in serving their country?

Spain seeks to strip you

of your one defense upon the seas.

Sir John, we need defense

only if we are attacked.

To disregard Phillip's warning

is to invite an immediate war.

While to heed it is to throw ourselves

at his mercy.

What of that?

He has too many concerns elsewhere

to bother about us.

I believe Phillip's thirst for power...

can only be quenched

in the English Channel.

Even if that were true...

are my Lord Admiral and his privateers

prepared to stop him?

We are ready to try, my lord...

to the last ship and to the last man.

If Phillip is bold enough

to make demands now...

what will he do when the Armada is built?

My lords,

I have considered your opinions earnestly.

My own impulse, like Sir John's,

is to defy Phillip.

But the safety of my subjects

constrains me to caution.

Lord Wolfingham,

you will prepare an order...

authorizing the arrests

of all English privateers...

and the confiscation of their ships

as they put into port.

That will be all, my lords.

My friend, there are times

when a queen must think...

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