Becoming Elizabeth (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - What Cannot Be Cured - full transcript

What
use am I to you?

And perhaps you see a
useful playing piece here?

This risks
everything... My life...

my neck.

I am not to blame for
your thoughts of me.

You spoke love in
word and flesh.

The Lord Protector
cannot sell Boulogne

without the say-so of the king.

And yet he has.

This country is in tatters
because of that man.

Now the faith
of this isle is denied



by the same men
that half starve us.

Kill all gentlemen!

We think this an
attempt to kidnap the king.

Or kill him.

Why does he want to kill me?

Princess Elizabeth,

I have a warrant
for your arrest.

You can't treat me like this.

I'm a-I'm a...

A what?

They say you are
refusing to speak.

Do you wish me to
have you tortured?

I'd prefer you not to.

No.



Tell me the truth.

My truth is no use
to you, brother.

Believe me.

But I look forward
to you hearing it.

At my trial.

Do you know what he
wanted to do to me, Uncle?

He's still refusing to speak.

I thought he liked me.

And my sister Elizabeth.
I thought they both did.

I thought they loved me, even.

We're only questioning
your sister.

As we are a great many, trying
to find out what it was...

To what extent I was
conspired against?

Yes, I well understand
it, Lord Protector.

I just realize I was wrong.

I thought the
people loved me too.

When they're
still in the grip

of the old religion,
universal popularity

is quite the steep ambition.

Especially if you insist
on reforming them.

They're not reforming.
They're rebelling.

They are slitting the
throats of the nobles.

They hate us. We're hated.

They hate me.

Skin it.

Sire?

Pluck its feathers
out one by one

whilst it's still alive.

Like everyone does to me.

Am I to wait another week or so,

or are you to finally
take my examination, sir?

In what subject?

Whatever it is you please

to give me fright
enough to answer in.

Fright?

I am to intimidate
you into answers?

Is that not how these
examinations work?

I don't know.

Never done one like this before.

You've never had
to force answers

from an unwilling person's lips?

No, I have. Just never...

like this.

I fear this is a battle
of wills, Your Grace.

I hope I'm fit for it.

I doubt I am.

I do apologize for the delay.

It was so that I
could bring you this,

from the lips of
someone... unwilling.

This is not Kat's hand.

No, taken
down in another's,

as dictated by her.

I'm afraid her hands were busy.

That is her confession.

Confession is for a crime, sir.

What crime was...

Bearing witness to a man who,

every morning, half-dressed,

burst in upon the second
in line to the throne.

A man prepared to cut
her dress to shreds

in front of his own wife.

To coo, to flirt, to boast,

to be a man ten times
more bold and reckless

than the bold and reckless
man I myself took him for.

And this all... with witnesses.

What was not
witnessed, Your Grace?

If that is the question
being asked of me,

then the answer will
be disappointing.

Why? Will I be disappointed
in you if I hear it?

There have been rumors,
of course, gossip,

but, uh, believe me when
I say that they and you

have actually crossed
my mind very little

before I was sent here.

And why were you sent here, sir?

Ah, now,

why has it taken you so
very long to ask me that?

Was not my brother happened
upon by Sir Thomas Seymour?

And his dog shot?

Yes. And for what purpose?

How can I answer for a madman

or a villain or whatever he is?

How can I answer for
a man I barely knew?

Barely knew?

I clearly barely knew him.

For these are not the
actions of a man I recognize.

I'll never call you
a liar, my lady...

- Good.
- Until...

I have to.

Tell me, sir, what
I'm accused of.

The responsibility lies with you

to prove what I have done.

But you have yet
to even tentatively

accuse me of ought.

Is it that you're a coward?

Or is it that you came
unarmed to this fight?

Fight?

Fight, sir.

Fight. I did not misspeak.

Have you come unarmed?

Or have you some
arsenal of evidence?

I'm looking for it.

Present it to me now, please.

As you quite rightly
said, my lady,

this is not my first
time taking a, um...

What did you call
it... An examination.

And what my experience
has taught me

is that I must first
ascertain all the facts

and then try to read the
story that they write for me.

So here are the facts
that I have at present.

Sir Thomas wished
to kidnap the king.

Sir Thomas wished to marry you.

Who told you such a thing?

So do you see the story?

It seems to be one of an
ambitious, reckless man

who conspired with
his young mistress,

the second in line
to the throne,

to depose the king.

That is an incorrect reading.

So is it that Kat Ashley
lies and slanders you?

Again incorrect.

Perhaps you're illiterate, sir.

Or is it that you're a fool?

I am not, sir.

Well, then...

to find this other story,

I will need more facts.

Ones that prove him guilty?

Or ones that
prove you innocent.

Unfortunately, though,
it does seem that...

that cannot be true
of both of you.

So tell me what you
need me to know.

Sir Thomas...

acted inappropriately
with me at times...

whilst I lived here.

The Lady Catherine
was sometimes unaware,

sometimes partook.

My mistress, Kat, had
nothing to do with it.

And I...

I did as I saw fit at the time.

At the time?

At the time, yes.

At the time, I did as I saw fit.

There is... no denying that.

And then...

And then?

After Lady
Catherine's death,

Sir Thomas came to me,
proposing marriage.

Let all know that
I sought approval.

And I had no knowledge
of what would come next.

Mm-hmm.

- My feelings...
- Are irrelevant.

And if he has done as
I've been told he has...

Sir Thomas is a man of much wit

but little judgment...

and is befitting of
naught but death...

if he has done as
I've been told he has.

Have I proved my innocence, sir?

You told me what
I needed to know.

My lord, my lady, help me.

I beg you.

What is wrong, woman?

It's my
child. He's sick.

- Protestant bastards!

Bloodsucking cunts.

No! Please! No!

- Please, no!

Take her
stuff. Take her stuff.

- Got to get out of here.
- Hurry up.

Run, run, run, run.

A man on
the fucking council

rises up against the
king, so is it any wonder

that the man in the
field thinks he can also?

For Thomas relaxes in
the Tower as we speak.

One does not relax in the Tower.

Believe me.

I would like to
see some justice,

both up in Norfolk against
the treasonous rebels...

If there are no
men in the field,

then where on Earth will
you get your supper?

And in the Tower
with the traitor

currently residing there.

What did Lady Elizabeth say?

That he's guilty.

Henry,

let us grant a wish of yours.

Lord Dudley, go to
Norfolk and mete out

Henry's lusted-after justice.

I'm still considering
your other request.

I will let you
know what I decide.

It was not a request.

Yes, it was.

Sirs.

You send me to
deal with the rebels?

Are you mad, man? Send
Henry Grey. Send...

Lord knows I
wouldn't mind Grey losing

a couple of limbs
or indeed his head.

But I fear it will
send the wrong message.

I need it stopped,
and you will stop it.

- This is a sign of trust...
- Thomas is in the Tower.

- Yes.
- No, no, no, no, no.

- This no little thing.
- I know that.

This is not your little
brother who you'll be allowed

to scold and then
send on his way.

They want him charged.
They want him for treason.

- He's been a fool.
- He's been a villain!

He is a villain. Can
you not see that?

Are you blinded by
arrogance as he's family

or by your inability to
have ever been wrong?

Or is this-this love?

Is this what love looks
like coming from you?

He'd see you dead.

You know that, right?

He tried to kidnap the king.

Who knows what went
on with the princess?

Oh, Elizabeth? She's
a child and a flirt...

Yeah, and quick,
quicker than you know,

quicker than she knows.

And believe me, all
was not well there.

Oh, if you've got anything
less than the truth

from her, that is
your failure, sir.

You are far more use to
me crushing rebellions

than negotiating with children.

I would I could ride
north and swing a sword

rather than stay here.

Then you go. It'd
be best you did.

You're the one they all
blame for them anyway.

Me, not the
king's religious reforms?

No, you.

I know your intention
was to appease,

but you instead
stoked every fire

and ended up with no one happy
and a country that's ablaze.

So go do what you do well.

You do not do this well.

You do not see what a
situation you are in.

You're a fool to send me. I'm
the only one who backs you.

I don't need your backing.

I'm the Lord Protector
and the king's uncle.

- You must listen...
- No!

You must obey!

So be it, my lord.

Show mercy to the rebels.

That's an order.

Another one? Jesus, what a day.

What?

You wish to say goodbye to her?

Do you mind?

Very much.

Send the guards away.
She's free to go now.

I'll meet you at...

I better barely notice
your absence. Go.

- Where's he going?
- Do I answer to you, son?

No.

What happened to you?

I'm actually rather hurt
my father didn't tell you

of my glorious
takedown of the rogue.

What rogue?

The rogue.

Sir Thomas? He did this?

He tried to kidnap the king.

Who knows what he
was trying to do...

I do. I was there.

I stopped him.

By providing myself as
a wonderful distraction.

This may look like a beating,
but don't be deceived.

This was a mighty sacrifice
from Sir Two Eyes here.

Well, one and a half, but...

I wouldn't cry for him.

What tears do you see?

I see sadness.

And what
is that to do with you?

I believe I'm allowed the
privacy of my own feelings

if kept within my
own head, Robert.

- Grant me that.
- I'd grant you anything.

I don't have to like it, though.

My own home was
turned into a jail.

- No one has told me...
- The guards are to leave.

Have you heard about the
rebellion in Norfolk?

This man, Kett, and
his peasant army

rising up against
the new religion?

I have been a
prisoner, not asleep.

You hadn't heard of me, of this.

You're short with me.

Well, forgive me.

You don't deserve it.

Imagine being the receiver of
treatment that was undeserved.

My father's been sent
to crush the rebellion.

I and my brother follow.

I came to tell you this.

- What?
- Farewell, Princess.

No, Robert, wait, you can't
leave like this, please.

Look at this.

He doesn't deserve it.
He hasn't earned it.

I hate that you give it to him.

I hate that he's done this.

I fucking hate to see it.

It is an extreme move.

Christ, you say that.

But then again, it
is an extreme thing

that has been done.

We call for the execution
of Sir Thomas Seymour, Sire.

We have talked to
many about his deeds

and uncovered a fair number...

Thirty-three.

Yes, 33 charges, in fact.

Not least, his trying
to carry off Your Grace

- the night he...
- I was present.

And his behavior with
your sister Elizabeth.

I will not hear your
slander against my sister.

What, uh... what do you
wish to do, Your Majesty?

I wish to take my cunting bath.

A bath that cools
with each second

I am forced to listen

to your black, stinking,
bottomless misery.

What does the Lord
Protector say?

Oh, we came to you first,
for you are the king.

The Protector cosigns my orders.

Grey.

For it to be done,

it would need both
our signatures?

Yes. It would.

You expect me to sign this?

It is your duty as
the Lord Protector

to sign the orders of the king.

But if you no longer wish
to be the Lord Protector...

- It's treason.
- We don't know what it was.

Whatever it was,

it was not the method of reason.

You expect me to
execute my brother now

for being unreasonable?

Sirs, I have every
sympathy, but...

This is a strange
time to develop

a sense of humor, sir.

And a strange time
for you a spine.

The king quakes in
his bed at night

because of your brother's act.

We have rebellions
across the country.

We have a war in Scotland,

and you're concerning
yourselves with this?

Exactly why we cannot
afford weakness.

Weakness?

Not now. Not at this time.

Well,
look at that, sir.

Seems as though we're
all capable of it.

I want a horse.

My lady.

The king is
busy, Your Grace.

I must speak with him.

Stop, Your Grace. Stop.

Leave us.

Forgive me.

I so craved to see you,
I didn't mean to intrude.

- Edward, I've upset you.

I wanted to show you as I am.

I hoped you would continue
to have goodwill towards me.

You may stand.

I promise I did
not conspire against you.

I knew nothing of Thomas' plans.

I saw the Lord Dudley's report

of his talk with you.

Though whether we believe it
to be true is another matter.

I would never marry
without your permission

or blessing, Edward.

You've been
a fool, Elizabeth.

You might have stayed
with me at Framlingham

and avoided all of this.

I tried to warn you,

but you refused to
heed my counsel.

Must you rub in the salt?

You are too headstrong.

There's always a price.

Well, for his crimes
against brave little Arrow,

my Uncle Thomas should least
spend his life in the Tower.

He will not die?

I told the Lord Dudley
that if the man had done

as I was told he had,
threatened Your Grace...

- He shot my dog.
- And if he did so...

- He did.
- Then he should die.

Traitors deserve death always,
no matter who they are.

The Lord Dudley will be unamused

when he returns.

Not for long.

The Lord Dudley
always finds something

to be mildly amused by.

We need to find a strong
new voice to lead us.

We need to present the better
alternative to the king.

Are we not grown men,

each with a strong
enough voice of our own?

Is that not what the
bloody will asked for

in the first place?

Moderation, if-if
you can believe it,

was actually the
original fucking plan.

Yes, yes, but perhaps

men are immoderate
and rule by committee.

Oh, who-who
do you suggest?

You know full well
who I'd suggest.

What have we achieved under
this Lord Protector's regime?

The war in Scotland.
The peasant rebellion.

The desecration of a faith.

Who is to blame...
for all of that?

And who would help...
stop all of that?

- You offer...
- As long as you listen.

As long as you
don't interrupt, I will.

Broken churches
and unhappy people.

You would guide the king
and unite the kingdom.

You offer me the Protectorship?

You were his daughter,

after all.

You Robsart?

We
were pleased to hear

we were to receive you, sir.

- Sirs.
- Pleased or not,

not a lot of choice
you had about it,

but, uh, we will endeavor
to behave ourselves.

"Kill all gentlemen,"
that's what's been said.

Robert Kett will hang.

And his followers?

Gaggle of peasants, mainly.

We are to show mercy.

Quite the gaggle, near
10,000, I've heard.

Or is it more now, Father?

I'm afraid I'll
be following the orders

of the Lord Protector
and the king,

not your daughter, Robsart,

as insightful as her
military strategy is.

They are peasants, Amy,

half-starved and incited
by religious change.

Are the king's
reforms incitation?

Clearly, they have been.

You question my orders?

You were told to show mercy.

I do not question that.

The men plowing the
fields seek to murder us.

The Lord Protector says we
are simply to tell them not to

and allow them to go
back to their plowing?

Since when have
you had an opinion

on the Lord Protector?

You're allowed to
have one, but I'm not?

Amy. Amy.

Both of you.

We have guests.

Um...

what do you make of the
Lord Protector's policies?

I believe he's doing...

rather well.

Sorry, um,

I want to introduce myself,

but I realize you know my name.

No, but I haven't
heard your voice.

I'm relieved to learn
you're not a mute.

No, I, uh...
I'm quite the opposite.

You move on quickly.

Oh, no, it's happening again.

You tell all that
I keep you back.

And yet here I am again...

forced to come to you.

"Forgetting God to love a king

hath been my rod
or else nothing"...

It's not finished.

The choice is not
between God or king.

It's both, but
you loved neither.

What conclusions you draw

without ever hearing
my testimony.

What did you expect it
to be, a confession?

I wasn't expecting
it to be poetry.

Are you
mocking me, sir?

I haven't come
all this way to mock you.

But you just can't
help yourself...

until my trial.

There's not going to be a trial.

- I don't understand.
- There won't be a trial.

As I said, I don't understand,
not that I cannot hear.

I don't understand why.

- Why?
- They've questioned your men.

What?

They've questioned
your accomplices.

What-what men?
What men of mine?

Men you corrupted to
let into the Palace

of fucking Whitehall, Thomas.

They've spoken with them.

And the answers they found led
to more and more with others.

So my question is,

what were you planning on
doing, sir, with the king?

Well, it doesn't seem
to matter now, does it?

Seeing as there's
not gonna be a trial.

They've questioned the
Princess Elizabeth.

So what am
I being charged with?

You're not being charged.

You've been found guilty.

What am I being found guilty of?

Treason.

And now they're
calling for your...

Who did?

All of them.

What?

The council? Even Henry Grey?

All of them.

Well, the king, the
king will never allow...

No, the king has signed it.

Well, you must be very pleased,

having poisoned
every man against me.

You need to see
you are not the one

that's being plotted
against here.

You have to talk to me, Thomas.

You are not gonna
convince me of my own guilt.

Is that this game that
you're playing here?

Want to try and-try and
turn me against myself?

What a cruel trick to play
against a condemned man.

And you're gonna be
the noble one, then?

Poor put-upon Lord Protector,

whose brother
conspires against him.

- No...
- What am I?

Am I Cain in this parable

that you've got going
on in your head,

and you're-you're, poor, poor,

poor, innocent Abel?

But actually, let me
remind you...

Let me remind you
that Cain killed Abel,

so actually, you're Cain.

You're Cain!

Not that it matters.

Not that it matters.

Because either way, you win.

You win because you always do.

What are you gonna do?

- Hmm?
- What?

Well, sorry, brother, do you
mean to let them execute me?

Yes.

What?

Thomas, it will
hurt me every day

that you could not live
your life... with measure

- or humility.
- What are you talking about?

But please,
Thomas, do yourself the honor

of accepting your sins...

No, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.

...and try
to console yourself...

What are you
saying? What is this?

And prepare your soul
for a better afterlife...

What are you talking about?

What is this?

What are you saying?

I will see your
child is taken care of.

And I will see as
many of your servants

into my service as I am able.

You-you called us?

I want witnesses.

Oh, Jesus.

Already?

I've written a message for
the Princess Elizabeth.

You'll deliver it to her.

It's in my shoe.

You're to deliver
it. Promise me.

- As a friend.
- Sir.

Promise me. Promise me.

Show some fucking respect.

While this is still
attached to this,

I'm still the lord
high fucking admiral.

Lady Mary.

Forgive me, I...

You are on the way to
your brother's execution.

I know. I will
not keep you long.

H-have I wronged you also?

Some would
call lies a wrong.

Clearly you do not.

I have done...

What you deem necessary.
I understand, sir.

You are not the first
nor, I fear, the last man

who acts as you do.

You have held all the
cards to your chest,

sure that you are the only
one capable of holding them.

And look where they
have now fallen.

Look at the damage
that you've done.

I thought you a wise man.

When you came to Framlingham,

I was quite
overwhelmed with relief

to see you would
guide my brother

and that you would permit
me to live as I saw fit.

I thought you respected
me. I thought you clever.

In fact, I thought
you a friend, sir.

I did you too, actually.

And do friends set
spies upon one another?

As you mentioned, my lady,

I'm expected elsewhere.

In what role will
you attend the execution?

As a brother or
as Lord Protector?

As Lord Protector.

The world would not
allow me to be both.

No, it would not.

But it will me,

be both,

sibling and Protector.

In fact, it has
been asked of me.

Your council have asked me

to take over from the
present man, from you.

For they believe you a
man that is compromised.

And I suffered
enough ill treatment

at the hands of my father
that I will not stand by

and watch Edward
suffer the same.

I believe your brother
is waiting for you, sir.

Sir, you
must come with me.

What-what is this?
- Come on.

I'm not
to be disturbed.

What is going on?

Your sister
Mary plots against us.

You're no longer
safe in the palace.

We must get you somewhere
safe, out of her reach.

Father, you sent for me?

Who's this?

My son, Sire.

You must go to Norfolk and
take this to John Dudley.

You'll have to ride
as fast as you can.

You ride all the way.
You take this to John.

- To John.
- I need him.

Tell him that.

I'm sure he'll be pleased
to hear me admit it.

All will be well,

as long as you go very quickly.

I will.

He's my cousin.

Yes.

His name's Edward also.

Named after me?

No, named after me.

As were you, actually.

I thought you'd like company.

I'd rather be alone, Mary.

No one would rather be alone.

Come!

He didn't even come to watch.

Get down
on your knees!

You can make your
last confession.

Just get on with it.

You'll keep your promise?

Richard, you'll
keep your promise?

He wants me to
deliver a message.

He's got a letter.

In his shoe.

Do it! Just do it.

Still the fucking
lord admiral, are you?

Well...

I suppose it is done by now.

What cannot be cured

must be endured, Elizabeth.

I shall endeavor to
remember that, Mary.

It was a proverb
worn as an old stone

when I was your age.

Younger, even.

When I was out in the cold,

sent to serve you.

But even then, I cared for you.

You used to love
to hold my hand.

You still can.

I'm not a child. Please
don't treat me as one.

Yes, I do well know that now.

I'd like to be alone.

Our father forced
me to disown my mother.

He sent a man

who threatened to bash
my head against the wall

until it was like
a boiled apple.

So I confessed...

to being an unlawful
child of incest.

I, too, have done
deeds and said things

in order to keep myself safe.

They will sit
heavy on your heart

the rest of your life.

I do not bring
comfort, Elizabeth.

I cannot.

But I bring the truth.

Because one of us should.

All the luck, that boy.

You gotta hand
it to the peasants.

They put up...

My lord.

Edward?

My father,

he said he needed you.

You see the man below me?

He rebelled against your king.

The same fate awaited you all
for rejecting the true faith.

But you have been
granted your mercy.

You owe your lives not
to men like Robert Kett

but to the Lord Protector.

Thank God almighty for
the Protector's mercy.

- Hang them.
- What?

Hang them!

Hang them all!

No!

Robert.

What?

He, um...

he did it.

- What?
- He hanged them.

The rebels?

He hanged them.

We were told to show
mercy, and he just...

And this
makes you sad?

How? How?

You saved us.

You saved us all. You...

I'm so-I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry, my lord.

Pl-please don't tell my father

or, worse, my mother.

Please don't tell anyone.

Is this my prison?

Don't be ridiculous.

Because
of what happened?

Your sister Mary has decided...

They
don't you trust you

because of my Uncle Thomas.

It seems I am to blame
for both his life

and his death.

Why did you sign it?

Why did you?

Thank God.

John Dudley.

My friend,

I hate to admit it,
but you were right.

You're the only
one who backs me.

I'm sorry for Thomas.

And I'm sorry for this.

For what?

Whether or not you believe it,

I am come to save
you from yourself.

And in turn the
country, the council,

and the king from you.

Do not make me force
you into custody.

We'll walk together.

Hmm?

The former Lord
Protector and the new one

as old friends.

A friend would not do this.

A friend would have listened.

My duty is to my
king and my realm.

You, of all men,
should admire it.

Are you my savior?

I am anything you
want me to be, Sire.

Ah.

Your brother did tell me
that you had attempted this.

I, uh, admit I struggled
to believe it, but...

Well, you've all been
very busy, haven't you?

He put his
own brother to death.

How can the council be
expected to trust that?

They can't.

But they can trust me.

You've declared yourself
head of the council?

Well, with the king's backing.

I actually thought it best to...

ask first.

Why? Does any man here object?

Off you go.

I can't stay.

They say after what happened,

I should not stay
in your service.

My Lord Dudley said...

as if I could have
stopped ought.

I did not betray you, Kat.

For they tried to blame it
all upon others, upon you.

But I did not.

They put me in a cell.

Whenever the tide came in,

so did the rats.

You could hear them coming.

I swear I felt the ground shook,

there were so many.

I said nothing that
was incriminating.

Whereas I said nothing

before I was handed a
dictation of your confession.

I had said not a word.

I didn't know what
would become of me.

Nor did I.

Rob?

Princess Elizabeth.

Lord Protector.

Brother.

This is Kett.

Kett's a good subject.

Are you a good subject, sister?

We will all leave you.

The Lord Protector says
you are to be trusted

and that all of before was
from bad guidance and that...

None of before was
because of fault from you.

Of that, I'm sure.

Thomas wrote this.

The night before.

It is addressed to you.

I have not read it.

Last
words of a traitor?

They are none of my concern.