02x09 - The Act of Treason

[bunniefuu]

The child had the appearance
of a male...

...about four months old.

However, the foetus...

...there were signs of deformity.

Of abnormality.

Perhaps, after all...

...the queen's miscarriage
was a blessing in disguise.

Majesty.

Madame.

Monsieur Ambassador.

I beg you.

King Francis must be persuaded
to accept the marriage of his son...

...to our daughter Elizabeth
so that I may not be ruined or lost.

For I see myself very near that,
and in more trouble and grief...

...than I was ever in
before my marriage.

I cannot speak to you
more fully now...

...nor dare I express my fears
in writing, but please...

...after everything I've done
for France...

...as you love me,
do the best you can for me...

...for God's sake.

Mr. Edward Seymour.

-Master Seymour.
-Mr. Secretary.

We don't know each other well,
but we shall.

I've every confidence.

It is His Majesty's pleasure...

...to appoint you a gentleman
of the privy chamber.

In that capacity,
you will attend His Majesty daily...

...and as he sees fit to use you.

It is, you will understand,
a special and privileged position.

I do understand.

And I am deeply honoured,
Mr. Secretary.

There is one more thing.

His Majesty has indicated to me
he would like to pay court...

...to your sister from time to time,
although to avoid any scandal...

...attaching itself
to your sister's name...

...only in the presence of a member
or members of your family.

In which case, I am more than happy
to offer you and your family...

...my private chambers
in the palace.

They are adjacent
to the king's private chamber...

...with a connecting gallery
for greater privacy.

You're most generous,
Mr. Secretary.

I'm sure my father would like
to repay your kindness.

You've given the Seymours
your rooms?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Idiot.

We have given royal assent...

...to the act stripping the bishopric
of Norwich of the town of Lynn.

The new beneficiary is
Sir Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire.

I also intend giving him two
of the dissolved abbeys.

You must inform him
of his good fortune.

Yes, Your Majesty.

No one must know our plans,
Mr. Cromwell.

Come here, Jane.
Let me look at you.

How beautiful you are.

Ready?

Yes.

Shall we?

Jane.

Majesty.

I have something for you.

Now open it.

Thank you.

I will treasure this all my life.

And if they ever open my grave,
they will find it again...

...right next to my heart.

Majesty.

I wonder why, after all this time,
he still will not marry Madge?

I think Norris comes
into your chambers more...

...for Your Majesty
than he does for Madge.

-For me?
-Yes.

-Cromwell's rooms?
-Yes.

What is that?

It's a locket, Your Majesty.

Let me see it.

Let me see it.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

Mr. Secretary.

Majesty.

I have good news, Your Majesty.

The bill for the dissolution of the
large monasteries has just passed.

Our reformation is moving apace.

I have been told privately,
Mr. Secretary...

...that the king has already sold
Sawley Abbey in Yorkshire...

...to one of his courtiers...

...though the bill has not yet
reached the statute book...

...and plainly on your advice.

Our reformation was never meant
to be about personal gain.

Religious houses should not be
sold off, but converted to better uses.

Madam...

...the confiscated assets
will be used...

...to the pleasure of Almighty God
and to the profit of this realm...

...which is but a pygmy...

...but shall one day
be greater even than Spain.

So is it true you've given your
private rooms here to the Seymours?

I am the Queen of England.
You will answer me. Is it true?

Yes. It is true.

You have overreached yourself,
Mr. Cromwell.

Believe me, you have placed yourself
in very great danger.

Do you believe me?

Or do you assume I no longer possess
the power to crush you?

It would be an easy mistake to make,
Mr. Cromwell.

I thought you might like this
returned to you.

Oh, thank you.

Good evening, Your Excellency.

Please, may I take your coat
and your hat?

Thank you.

Please come this way.

His Excellency,
the imperial ambassador.

Eustace.

It's so good of you to come
all the way to Shoreditch.

Believe me, Mr. Secretary...

...I would travel a great deal further
for the pleasure of talking to you.

May I be blunt?

Is it true that you have fallen out
with Queen Anne?

Yes.

I believe she hates me
and wants to have me ex*cuted.

Are you not afraid?

No.

No, I trust my master so much...

...I fancy she cannot
do me any harm.

Nevertheless, I cannot but wish you
a more gracious mistress.

One more grateful for the inestimable
service you have done the king.

For the sake of argument,
suppose the king...

...were considering
taking another wife?

It would certainly be
to his advantage.

For here is a king who has so far
been disappointed of male issue...

...and who knows
that his present marriage...

...will never be held as lawful.

The king requests your presence
at court.

I am sure he wishes to confirm
a new alliance with the emperor.

What else he means to tell you,
I cannot guess.

Then I look forward eagerly
to finding out, Mr. Secretary.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

Madam.

Lady Rochford.

Lady Rochford,
what can I do for you?

You could ask your brother
to be kind to me.

He is cruel in every way.

Come now, I don't believe you.

There are others
that he has preferred to me.

Hush.

You don't understand.

He does not treat me
as his proper wife...

...as the king treats you.

Let me tell you something,
Lady Rochford.

The king cannot satisfy a woman.

He has neither the skill,
nor the virility.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

Make way for His Excellency.
Make way.

We must give up the idea
of a French alliance.

The king seems implacably
against it...

...just as he seems more inclined...

...to embrace a new alliance
with the emperor.

-Are you listening to me?
-Yes, Father.

It seems that most of the country is
still in favour of an imperial alliance...

...so it would serve us nothing
to swim against the tide.

No.

The imperial ambassador
is to be received at court.

Make a great fuss of him.

In the first place by inviting him
to kiss your cheek.

Then you and the king
will dine with him.

Say harsh things
against the French...

...in the presence
of the ambassadors.

Say they betrayed your trust,
they are hypocritical and false friends.

Whatever else you can think of.

Yes, Father.

Anne.

We have come so far.

No one is going to be allowed
to destroy us.

No one.

Do you understand?

I understand.

His Excellency,
the imperial ambassador.

Jesus Christ, you scared me.

Their Gracious Majesties.

Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

-Your Majesty.
-Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

After Mass, Mr. Chapuys is sure
to dine with us?

Excuse me.

But he's gone.

It is not without good reason.

Something is happening, Mark. I--

I just don't know what it is.

Eminency...

...I know that in the past...

...there have been misunderstandings
between my family and you.

Some intemperate words.

Certain things that should not have
been said and are now regretted.

But we both live in a real world.

We must take our friends
as we find them.

I know the emperor is keen to protect
his lucrative trade links with England.

And obviously my family
is in a position to help and assist him...

...which is what
we are determined to do.

So I think we should drink a toast
to new beginnings...

...and to new friendships
and to a mutually beneficial future.

And where are you from,
Excellency?

I am proud to be the ambassador
from Milan, madame.

Milan. Were you not occupied
by the French?

Alas, we are still occupied
by French troops.

Then you will agree with me that
the French are deceitful in everything?

In fact, can anyone here tell me...

...that the French are anything
but liars and hypocrites?

Do they ever tell the truth?

How many treaties do they honour?

How many promises do they keep?

Mr. Cromwell. What's happening?

His Majesty will be having
an audience with the ambassador.

That's what we're waiting for.

Your Excellency.

Follow me.

Excuse me.

-Excellency.
-Thank you, Majesty.

I hear your master is anxious
for an alliance?

He is, Your Majesty.

On what terms?

On such terms as Mr. Cromwell
has outlined to us.

The restoration of some relation
between England and Rome...

...the inclusion of the Lady Mary
in the line of succession...

...and support for the emperor
in his w*r with France over Milan.

As far as the Lady Mary is concerned,
it may be that God has not thought...

...to send Your Majesty
a male issue...

...because he believes that England
should have a female succession.

What are you alleging, Excellency?

Am I not a man as other men?

Am I not?

Am I not?

You do not know all my secrets!

I want everything in writing.

The emperor's offer.
Everything in writing.

That is not possible, Your Majesty.

Do you think I am a child...

...to be first whipped
and then petted?

If your master wants to deal with me,
he must first apologise...

...for all his ill treatment of me
in the past.

He must accept Queen Anne.

I have nothing more
to say to your master.

Princes are different from us
and are not to be easily understood.

Gentlemen.

-Your Grace.
-Majesty.

As your oldest friend
as well as your most loyal subject...

...I feel it's my duty,
however painful...

...to report some truths to you.

"Truth?" said jesting Pilate.

"What is truth?"

There are some rumours
about the queen's behaviour.

It seems she entertains men
in her room at night.

Flirts...

...and behaves intimately with them.

My lords, this kingdom is imperilled
and in danger.

But not by some foreign power
or strangers with evil intent against us.

It's come to my notice that some acts
of treason and other offences...

...have been committed
by those we loved and trusted.

By members of our own court.

Mr. Rich...

...as solicitor general, I am appointing
you and Mr. Cromwell...

...to head a commission
of oyer and terminer...

...to investigate whether
or not these offences be true.

Good day, gentlemen.

Lady Sheldon...

...I warn you not to repeat to anyone
what passes between us here today.

You live in close proximity
with Her Majesty, the queen.

Have you ever seen her entertain men
in her chambers...

...in what you would consider to be...

...an inappropriate way?

No, sir.

Are you certain of that?

Yes, sir.

I must warn you, my lady,
that those concealing the truth...

...from those commissioned
by the king to discover it...

...are themselves guilty of treason...

...and are very likely to be hanged.

Your Majesty.

Jane, for very good reasons, I want
you to leave Whitehall for a while.

-Go back home with your father.
-I will leave.

I'll do anything Your Majesty
commands me to do.

I want to tell you...

...in this slippery world, you represent
for me all that is innocent...

...everything that is good...

...unsullied...

...uncorrupted.

It will not be for long.

And after that....

After that,
we can have our hearts' desires.

Go.

Are you certain?

Come on!

It--

It's true that some men came
into the queen's chambers...

...at undue hours.

And sometimes she flirted
with them, but--

What are their names?

Lord Rochford, of course.

And?

And Sir Henry Norris.

And?

The king's groom, Brereton.

And?

And Mark Smeaton, the musician.

And?

And?

Well, I saw her hugging
and kissing her brother.

Her brother?

But thought nothing of it.

Do you believe this to be true?

I believe that is true, yes.

You believe that your husband...

...committed incest with the queen?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

Mr. Cromwell...

...to what do I owe
this great pleasure?

-Hello.
-Mr. Smeaton.

Have I done something?

Calm, Mr. Smeaton.

Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?

I want to know when you slept
with the queen and how many times.

I never slept with the queen.

I never slept with the queen.

Mister-- I don't understand,
Mr. Cromwell.

You're going to have to tell the truth.

I want the truth or, God help me,
it will go badly with you.

I swear to Almighty God
I never slept with Her Majesty.

I never even dreamt of it.

You're only a musician,
yet you spent a great deal of money...

...on horses, liveries for your servants.
Where did you get the money?

Was it for services rendered?

I swear to God Almighty...

...I never slept with Her Majesty.

I never even dreamt of it.

God.

Off we go and--

Nan. Quicker, Nan.

One, two, three, four.

Jump left.
And we add the turn on the third.

Lady Sheldon.

I believe you know
what you're doing.

Okay, left arm from south.

Forward and back
and at this break--

Continue.

Your visit to France with the king
is postponed for a week.

Why?

And there's something else.

Mark Smeaton is arrested.

-What for?
-We don't know yet.

I've got to go.

No. No.

No.

No. No!

Sir Henry, you are here again.

Yet you never seem
to have the courage to marry the lady.

Madam, marriage is not something
one should hurry into.

No.

I know the truth.
You look for dead men's shoes.

Madam, I really must protest.

You suppose that if anything bad
happened to the king...

...then you would think to have me.

Madam, if I ever such a thought...

...then I wish my head were cut off.

Oh, that could be arranged.

Nan.

Madam.

Get them to fetch Elizabeth to me
tomorrow. I want to see my daughter.

Yes, madam.

And, Nan...

...if anything should happen to me...

...will you promise to care for her?

Yes, madam.

Sooner or later, Mr. Smeaton,
you will tell us the truth.

-So?
-It's not-- It's not true.

-What?
-It's not true.

-What?
-It's not true.

It's not true.

It's not true.

Please--

The king has called
an emergency meeting of the council.

-Why wasn't I told?
-Because I wasn't told either.

For God's sake, make sure you
keep the king always in your sight.

Your Majesty,
Mr. Cromwell approaches.

Smeaton has confessed.

Load up.

-Sir Henry.
-Sir.

Come with me.

Did you know the queen
was pregnant again?

No, Your Majesty.

How should l?

Because you
may be the child's father...

...since you loved her so well,
as many have testified.

Majesty is being ridiculous.

So then I'm a figure
of ridicule to you?

-Madness.
-Guards.

Arrest him.

Take him to the Tower.

-Majesty. Majesty.
-Hold back.

Majesty!

Master Brereton,
by order of the king...

-...you are arrested for high treason.
-Amen.

-Where are you going, my lord?
-I have to see the king.

It's too late, George.

Much too late.

My lord, Sir Thomas, you are both
arrested for high treason...

...and having carnal knowledge
of Her Majesty, the queen.

What?

Henry...

...please.

Henry...

...please.

For the love you bear our child.

-For Elizabeth, have mercy.
-You've always lied to me.

No.

You weren't a virgin when you married
me. You were not what you seemed.

Your father and brother
arranged everything.

No. I loved you.

I loved you and I love you still.

After everything we've been
to each other.

After everything we were.

Please.

One more chance.

One more.

Henry.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty, I beseech you!

You know why you've been arrested.

It's not enough that you commit vile
incest with your sister, the queen...

...and her tongue in your mouth
and your tongue in hers...

...against the commands
of God Almighty.

But you must plot
regicide against the king...

...so that Anne could marry one
of her lovers and rule as regent...

-...over her bastard child.
-No.

No, sir.

You baffle me.

My enemies have poisoned the air
with their horrid lies.

Whatever my sister has done,
it is not with me or mine.

I am innocent, Mr. Cromwell.

I swear to you.

I swear on the blood of Christ.

I am innocent.

Of course you are.

Tell me, Mr. Brereton...

...do you ever have carnal knowledge
of the Queen's Majesty?

Yes.

Yes, I did.

I condemn them utterly. Utterly.

All those men,
whatever their rank or station, who--

Where l--
Whatever their rank or station...

...who deceived the king...

...and slipped between the sheets
with his lawful wife.

I con--

Utterly.

For such...

...awful adultery...

...there should be
only one punishment.

My lords, why have you come?

This is the warrant for your arrest.

You are charged with adultery
with Mark Smeaton...

...Sir Henry Norris
and William Brereton.

Both Smeaton and Brereton
have already confessed their guilt.

We are come at the king's command
to conduct you to the Tower...

...there to abide
during His Majesty's pleasure.

If it be His Majesty's pleasure...

...then I am ready to obey.

-Lady Sheldon--
-No time to change your clothes...

...or pack any of your things.

Money will be provided
for your needs at the Tower.

My lords, I beg you, before you go...

...to beseech the king's grace
to be good to me.

Madam, this way, I pray you.

I pray God will help me, for there
is no truth in these allegations.

This way.

I am the king's true wedded wife.

I'm not guilty of these charges.

I am as free from the company of man
as I am from sin.

Do I go in a dungeon, Mr. Kingston?

No, madam.

There are lodgings
made ready for you.

It's too good for me.

Jesus, have mercy on me.

Thank you. Thank you.

May I have the holy sacrament placed
in my room so I may pray for mercy?

Greedy little cur.

Your Grace.

Your Eminence.

Your Grace.

I have just heard
of the queen's arrest.

My mind is clean amazed.

I cannot believe that she is guilty
of such abominable crimes.

Yet I cannot think that the king...

...would have proceeded so far
unless she was culpable.

It has caused both the king and myself
a great pain to discover her deceit...

...the depth of her depravity.

The fact is, Mr. Cromwell...

...that I loved her not a little
for the love...

...which I judged her to bear
towards God and the Gospel.

Next to His Grace, the king,
and yourself...

...I was most bound to her
of all creatures living.

-You must learn to live without her.
-Without her, look--

Without her, is not our reformation
in danger?

Was she not our great supporter
and advocate?

Who would likely have become
our greatest liability.

Sometimes, Your Grace,
in order to defeat evil...

...one must learn to consort
with the devil.

His Majesty is waiting for Your Grace
to discover a reason...

...why his marriage to Anne Boleyn
should be considered null and void.

He expects your verdict presently.

What of the others?

Smeaton, Brereton, Norris
and George Boleyn...

...have been found guilty...

...and are to be ex*cuted tomorrow.

You know what Cromwell told me?

He told me that she'd had to do
with over a hundred men.

A hundred f*cking men, Charles.

You know what?

You know what?
My daughter, Mary...

...owes God a great deal...

...for escaping the hands
of that poisoning whore.

Oh, she planned to have her
poisoned, Charles, it's true.

Just like she poisoned Catherine.

We have proof.

And her baby.

Her baby was deformed.
Did you know that, Charles?

So how could it have been mine?

Perhaps Elizabeth isn't even mine.

That f*cking bitch.

The queen was tried yesterday
at Westminster Hall.

She pleaded not guilty
to all the charges...

...but the evidence
being overwhelming...

...she was sentenced to death,
by burning or decapitation...

...according to the king's pleasure.

And her accomplices?

What of us?

Smeaton, Brereton, Norris and
George Boleyn, all guilty as charged.

Thomas...

...what about me?

Am I to be tried too?

No.

We found no evidence against you.

You're to be released.

Eventually.

But I am the only one who's guilty!

Charms.

Lucky charms.

-There he is.
-Traitor!

Adulterer! Vermin!

Evil!

I say to you--

I say to you, trust in God...

...and not in the vanities
of this world.

For if I had done so...

...I think I would still be alive...

...as you are now.

Oh, God.

Traitor.

Traitor!

These bloody days
Have broken my heart

My lust, my youth did then depart

For your wit alone
Many men would bemoan

And since it is so
Many still cry aloud

It is a great loss
That you are dead and gone

The time you had
Above your poor degree

Before whereof your friends
May well bemoan

A rotten twig upon so high a tree

Has slipped your hold
And you are dead

And gone

These bloody days
Have broken my heart

My lust, my youth did then depart

And blind desire of ambitious souls

Who haste to climb

Seeks to revert

And about the throne

The thunder rolls