To Kill a King Page #4

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to rule this nation?

To reign, perhaps,

rather than to rule

as a shepherd cares

for his flock.

Doubt the sanctity

of your king

and you cannot

by that reasoning

think your own bloodline

divinely privileged.

Even if some

hypocrisy on your part

allowed the Fairfax

line to continue...

l shall not grant it.

Your son will be

plain "Mister," General,

and his sons too.

l hope your

wife understands

the sacrifice you make.

Your majesty, please.

( sighs )

l sign here?

( sighs )

No man commands a king.

No man tells

a king his limits.

A king

rules by God's grace.

Now get out.

( neighs )

l do not recognize this appetite.

( chuckles )

lt will most likely

be a boy then, ma'am.

The king will

go to trial.

l did not wish it,

but he leaves us no choice.

There must be some

public penance

to heal the nation's wounds.

Pardon me, sir,

your secretary.

And if he will

not apologize?

A jury will decide.

A few years

in exile, perhaps.

- Or deposition.

- Deposition?

( whispers )

Thomas, you cannot.

Mr. Cromwell

would see you now.

( footsteps leaving )

( man whimpering )

( moaning )

l know

all about Holles...

and his accomplice.

( groaning )

Tell him.

Man:
The king promised

to make Holles

his chief royal councillor

in exchange

for votes in his favor.

( moans )

They see a man seated on a throne

by accident or fate

doling out favors

in payment for loyalty.

- ( man screaming )

- ls it any wonder they grub for rewards?

lt's done, sir.

What gave you

the right to kill a man

using an army officer,

my officer,

as your private

executioner?!

- This is reform.

- We are not butchers, Oliver!

- This is not war!

- ls that so, Tom?

When did it end?

l must have missed it.

Annie?

Elizabeth, where's--?

Annie?

( Anne crying )

Our child?

l'm so sorry.

Come home with me, please.

Try to sleep.

We weren't meant

for this, Thomas.

Our families have

always defended kings.

You have a duty.

( sighs )

( sobbing )

And how were the goods

to be exchanged?

Sir, you are under oath.

Sir!

( men chattering )

Man:

...The Lord is with us in his righteousness.

Cromwell:

How do you like it, Tom?

A fine robe

in which to try a king.

- Get yourself measured.

- ( distant bell ringing )

We lost the child.

Leave us. Go.

l'm so sorry, Tom.

Two gentlemen, madam.

They will not

give their names.

Shall l tell them

it is not convenient?

No no.

Send them in.

Gentlemen,

please come through.

Forgive this

intrusion, madam.

You may not remember,

but we are friends

of your father Lord De Vere.

l stayed at the manor

some years ago.

James, what a pleasure.

Madam, the Earl of York.

Madam.

l fear we find you

in ill health.

No no.

- l'm sure--

- Madam, we must be brief.

Our very being here

puts us all in jeopardy.

There are rumors of a trial.

lt has lord Fairfax's blessing,

madam?

Well, as you can see...

my husband is not here

to explain his views.

Lady Fairfax, we do not

wish to embarrass you,

nor to alarm you,

but out of respect

for our former acquaintance,

it seems only right

to inform you.

The actions of your husband,

like those of his...

friend Cromwell,

are being daily reported

to the prince in exile.

We cannot expect

the prince to see his father

being insulted

without recompense.

Your husband has his own reasons

for the course he takes,

but l think the gracious

and respectful

young lady l met

those years ago

at your father's house

would still, l hazard,

have a proper

and admirable

reverence for the king.

Cromwell's bloody reign

of terror in the name of freedom

is turning the country

against them.

lf we could only

visit his majesty

to alleviate his

situation somewhat...

l'm not at liberty

to help you, gentlemen.

Or even to offer

our condolences?

Now we have our victory,

what will you do, Tom?

Will you send Anne

home now?

You must not let her

blame you for this.

What say you we take

some air, you and l?

( birds twittering )

What was it you said

when we first met

and you trained me

at guns?

"One thing at a time."

Let's mend the nation, Tom.

You have years afterwards

to create an heir.

Perhaps l'm better

at taking life than giving it.

We are fathers

to the nation, Tom.

Man:

Mr. Cromwell, sir!

l said no interruptions!

The king escaped.

We caught him at the river, sir,

but his accomplices

- fled before we could get to him.

- From the safe house?

But no one knows

where it is.

l'll return with you

and see to his restraint.

Pardon me,

ma'am, visit--

l am sorry for your loss.

The king escaped

a few hours ago

with plans to raise

invasion troops

from his cousins

in France.

A messenger was found with letters

written in the king's hand

urging new war

on this country.

( sobbing )

Tell me you

did not do it.

l have not

left the house.

My maid is my witness!

What moves you most, Anne--

your love of Tom

or your hatred of me?

Why do you think

l hate you?

l underestimated you, Anne.

l see there are

two generals in this house.

( crying )

Oliver?

( whip cracks )

What have you done?

For god's sake, Annie,

do you blame me so much?

Respect my judgment

so little?

They told me

they wanted

to offer the king

their sympathies.

- And you believed them?

- l don't know.

l don't know what

l believed, Thomas.

l have tried to embrace

your new world,

tried to see

why everything

l once thought right and fit

must be torn down

because you

and your friends say so.

l don't have any

friends left to talk to.

The only people

who come to this house

come to warn me that--

that you may

soon be dead.

What was l supposed to do?

Not this, Annie.

l grieve the child too.

Men:

l called

Upon the God

Most high

To whom l stick

and stand

l mean

The God that

will stand by...

- Man:
l cannot.

- Cromwell:
Name one reason

why a man should

hold power over a nation.

- Because he is born to it.

- Cromwell:
l said a reason,

Not an excuse.

...To save me

From their spite

That to devour me

Have assayed

E'en mercy,

truth and might

l call upon

The God most high

To whom

l stick and stand

l mean...

Man:

The Commons of England

are hereby assembled

on the 27th day of January

in the year

of our Lord 1649

for the trial

of Charles Stuart,

King of England.

Yours is the last name, General.

- Let us go.

- Fairfax:
Wait.

Wait!

We are jurors.

We are here

to serve justice.

This is a mockery of it!

You cannot,

will not execute a man,

a king, before

he is found guilty!

Brethren...

How long have you been

plotting this, Oliver?

Since your traitor wife

colluded with the king

and proved him

rotten beyond repair.

You should be grateful

l've not made

a warrant for her too.

Do you kill the king

to spite me, Oliver,

to punish me

for the wife you envy?

l was fool enough

to think we were fighting

to better the world.

The king lives

or the man,

patronage or opportunity...

old world or new.

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