Becoming Elizabeth (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Necessity Compels Me to Plague You - full transcript

I imagined you'd taken
a silly fancy to him.

What pain you have caused
and shame you have brought.

How can I know what
others say when I'm not there?

No, I'm angry because you have allowed

what I told you would happen to happen.

Confide in God and God alone.

He's the only one you can trust.

I received this, an
invitation to the wedding

of Mary Queen of Scots
and the Dauphin of France.

She was meant to be my
wife, and the war still rages.

Catherine Parr is dead.



Catherine? Catherine?

A mass for Catherine Parr?

You know how much this will stoke

the fires at court.

I come before you with a confession.

The crown forgives your absence

and welcomes your return.

Marry me.

My lady, the time.

My lady, what's waited this long

can wait till morning.

You can't keep a cool
head on next to no sleep.

Go and check the garden.

Yes, my lady.



Do you write these
proverbs yourself, Kat?

Still there.

Get him inside.

You're frozen. We
should get you to bed, sir.

Katherine Ashley.

You know what I meant.

I only have eyes for one.

And there she is.

I didn't mean to wake
your whole household.

Really?

For it has been three nights
you've spent in my garden,

staring up at my window.

And tongues wag,
even in the dead of night.

It's my soul that brings me here.

I think the rest of me would quite like

to be somewhere else.

An inn, probably.

But you see,

my soul has this compass.

It spins north, south, east, west,

but it always comes back... to you.

To the house you shared
with Catherine, to her memory.

Perhaps that's what it spins you to.

No.

And you're only here
because she is dead.

Did she ever ask for me?

My love...

Do you know how awful I felt?

For the things we have done?
For the person I became?

Then you sent me away, and...

I worked so hard,

so hard to tame that vicious chatter.

It would no longer be
chatter if we were wed.

What a tempting offer, sir.

Tempting enough, it would seem.

In this house, it started.

I would lie in that bed
that you just came from.

And my sleep was invaded by you.

I'd wake and I'd try
to put it from my mind,

but you would never retreat.

I am not to blame for
your thoughts of me.

No?

Every glance, every brush past,

every whisper, you spoke love

in word and deed

and flesh, Elizabeth.

I behaved as I saw fit,
as nature instructed me.

- As one deeply in love.
- No, sir.

As one very young and very foolish.

And as one I do not recognize.

You brought me in here to tell me that?

Yes, sir, so you may hear it clearly.

You think that there's
just another one of me

around the corner, don't you?

A suitable one?

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

No, something like this,
it only happens once.

And when you realize
that, I will be waiting.

For if there's one
thing I've come to learn

is an inevitability
with you, Elizabeth,

it's that you change your
mind as often as the sea.

No, I do not, sir.

Thank you, Kat.

I am received to the man's house

at three o'clock in the morning

via the servant entrance?

The French Ambassador, sir.

You have a flair for the
theatrical, Lord Protector.

I shall report it back.

It goes quite against the
reputation you have earned.

If you believe expedience
theatrical, Ambassador.

Ah, to call secrecy "expedient."

Now there's the man
I have been told of.

So from the plethora of crises

currently knocking on your door,

your man here tells me

you've had some kind of revelation

about your Scottish problem,

about how to extricate yourself
from your unwinnable war.

Tell it to me.

- Did he not?
- Oh, no, he did.

But I should like to hear it from you.

- Why?
- For I would enjoy hearing it.

The English conquered Boulogne,

and we were wondering if
the French would like it back.

At a fair price.

You know, he does a good job

of trying to sell this
as a humiliation for me

rather than for him.

But I'm not buying it.

I'm not the one for sale, sir.

And the French are to
withdraw from Scotland

as part of this.

You already have the
little Scottish queen.

Our king received
the wedding invitation.

Oh! He did not reply.

What is it you hope to
regain, Lord Protector?

Your pride.

For I believe you've already lost that,

just now.

And they say the French are arrogant.

Show the ambassador out.

What?

I'd hoped you had the
nerve to speak plainly.

Or have you grown
accustomed to court life?

You're going to smile
and mince as well,

or speak your mind like a man?

I thought the world was run by giants,

men who knew what they were doing.

With larger plans than I
could ever understand,

wheels within wheels.

But every time I come to court,

it seems smaller.

And I wonder if there
are any wheels at all.

And I don't know if the
change is the surroundings

or you

or me.

Princess.

The Lord Protector cannot sell Boulogne

without the say-so of the king, surely?

And yet he has.

Did he ask about the mass?

- He is... unhappy.
- As am I.

This country's in tatters
because of that man.

Rebellion, churches
looted, Scotland, now this.

I'm losing.

Against myself, would you believe?

Do you think that
some kind of metaphor?

It does not have to be.

How long now have
we gone on the promise

of a reward in our next life?

But now the faith
of this Isle is denied

by the same men that half-starve us...

and kill us

working in the hope of that reward.

On the King's orders,
they smash our Churches,

they steal our lands, and
they threaten our souls.

Yeah.

Are we to live and die unrevenged?

- No!
- We deserve revenge.

Ring out the bells

and awake the true and common men.

Aye!

For no Lord of the Manor
will rest if we cannot rest.

Gentlemen have denied
us the common faith.

And the common man has a new motto.

Kill all gentlemen!

Kill them! Kill them!

Kill all gentlemen!

- Kill them!
- Yes!

Don't get trapped.

If you get trapped, don't panic.

Come on, Guildford, again.

Rob, come.

I'm improving, Father, no?

Not getting any worse.

For that, I'm grateful.

This one, though.

It's not improvement I look for

so much as some form of discipline.

- Discipline...
- Augh!

Think I'm always gonna
be here to protect you?

Hmm? Either of you?

The fuck is that?

You, be better. You,
Twirly, be smarter.

Get yourself under control.

What is it that you see, Father?

Everything, son. Everything.

That business with Henry Grey.

What, you think Henry
Grey is a respected man?

What do you think I think?

Sometimes I don't even know.

There we go.

So men never speak what they think?

Smart men, no. They do not.

Thank you very much, Your Grace.

Elizabeth.

Here, follow me.

You've got some
color back now, at least.

You said you love me.

When we last spoke, you
said you were in love with me.

Not for the first time.

I believe I've said
that quite often to you.

Have you gone all this
time believing I did not?

My love...

I didn't lie to you.

I would never lie to you.

You said you loved her too.

You must have lied to one of us, then.

I will not speak ill of her for you.

That's not what I ask for.

That's not what I want...

Leave the dead in
their graves, Elizabeth.

You have won a thorough
enough victory over her

surely as you sit here
breathing with me beside you.

- I flatter...
- I know you loved her.

Then why say I did not?

If you love someone,
you wouldn't hurt them.

Then you didn't love her either.

You know, I-I've... I've come to you

offering you my heart.

And if you don't want it,

as you so often claimed that you did,

then you are the liar, not me.

I'm sorry.

I just... I just wanted answers.

You think I have them?

I'm not a man with answers.

Just a question.

I've spent my life

trying to be, um...

many different people.

But you liked me just as I was.

And I was blissfully happy
whenever you were near.

Even now, as you torture me.

I would like to spend
the rest of my life

in your torturous company.

Please, say that I can.

You say yes?

Yes.

Can we make this, um, real and true?

Soon? Tomorrow? Tomorrow, Elizabeth.

I-I will drag the priest
from his bed at sunrise...

But are the council all here?

Wh-who from the council would you want

at our wedding?

To get their consent.

You think the council
will consent to raising

another man up above them?

I think you think men
nobler than they are.

And even if they did,

my-my brother wouldn't let them.

Because it would make me happy,

and that can never be allowed, my love.

Then what do we do?

My brother does not fear war,

but politics.

If we go to them already married,

he would not risk the
waves it would take to part us.

Trust me.

For it worked before
when Catherine and you...

I wish never to hear
her name from you again,

do you understand?

I've come to you for a new life,

not for us to beat ourselves with...

with misery and the past.

- I've suffered.
- I have too, sir.

I've been all but
banished from this place,

but I fought my way back.

I will not give up my victories
to marry in the shadows.

Your brother is the Lord Protector.

Surely this can only be good for him.

You were married to a queen.

Yeah, and yet, I'm still not fit.

I love you. That makes you fit.

I choose you. That should be enough.

No, he won't.

- The King will.
- But he won't.

He is not the King.

Can you not make this
leap of faith with me?

Love should make us unafraid.

Should make you move mountains.

Then you move them, Thomas.

You move them for me.

Five.

Five.

Five.

Five.

Five.

I haven't seen you at dinner.

I take meals in my room.

I've told you before.

You eat with your family.

Five again.

You've really done so much.

Thank you.

It's only the duty of a brother.

Five again.

Could you find it in
your heart to do more?

I want your blessing

to marry the Princess Elizabeth.

Our King Henry was barely
cold when you married his wife.

Now that wife is dead, you
want to marry his daughter?

What the fuck is wrong with you?

So what's your answer, then?

The answer is no.

Why can't you back me? Just once?

Because the odds are poor.

Hey!

Excuse me.

What are you doing?

Laying some protocol upon you.

Well, then stop. My
brother summoned me.

Probably for another prayer meeting.

Yes, we've had a great many
scheduled since the mass.

For Catherine. I'm sorry.

I know.

You scarce had time to
speak to me last I saw you,

on your return to court.

I was only doing
what I thought I should.

You know that, don't you?

Of course.

That's all.

Oh, you're here. Come in.

Where is my brother?

The message referred
to "business of the king,"

so... it's just me.

No, Lord Protector.

We have company.

Yes, the king feels it is time

for you to get married.

And what has brought this on?

Passing of time.

And that alone?

What else?

You have tried to marry
my family off once before.

I believe the war with
Scotland still rages.

Your father's war.

So now you wish to start your own?

With whom?

I only serve one man, my brother.

He treasures that.

But to remain unmarried
is simply too much of a risk,

both to the country
and to the New Church.

Don't worry.

You'll choose.

Eric XIV of Sweden,

and behind you is Otto Henry of...

This is you,

isn't it?

These are the wishes of the King.

On whose instruction?

This is a strategy, is it not?

A considered match
could have its benefits,

of course.

I'm surprised by this reluctance.

I thought being safely married off

would be a relief after the rumors

and whispers of the past few months.

Have you spoken with your brother?

No. Have you?

What's wrong?

What do you mean?

You only do that when you're fraught.

Do I?

What troubles you?

Nothing.

You know, sometimes, it's
good to share your worries

with an inferior,
inconsequential person.

I can't see one of those.

And I have no worries, but thank you.

Why are you here again?

Not another prayer meeting?

I've yet to move your mountain.

Do it soon.

Impatient, are we?

I've just met with your brother.

My brother?

He thinks I should be married.

He says a foreign alliance.

He proposed a marriage? To another?

What business do you think
you have with me, Bishop,

that cannot wait till
the Council meets?

I wish to make peace, Your Majesty.

Well, that's not done by making war.

- It is not I that makes war.
- Neither do I.

No, it is the man who
rules in your stead.

For Your Majesty to rule,
you must be in possession

of all the facts.

Do you wish to hear the facts?

- From you?
- No.

From your sister.

I'm listening.

I find it most unsettling,

him being nice to you.

What with taking you
into his house and all that.

That there is any
humanity in your brother

has now become the
most disturbing thing

about him to me.

Don't worry. He's still a cunt.

I would like to speak.

I have a letter I would like to share

from my sister, Mary.

"My dear benign brother
and sovereign Lord,

"I've received word from
my French associates

"that the Lord Protector
hatches a wicked plan

"which makes a mockery of our father

"and everything he fought for.

"The plan: to sell Boulogne
back to the French.

"It is foolish that Lord Somerset

"should consider it at all,

"but to do it in secret?

Unforgivable."

Nonsense, no? It's
Catholic rabble-rousing...

Are victories only won if
you yourself lead them, sir?

How many did we lose in France?

Ten times the amount
we lost in Scotland?

But that barely seems matter.

There is more than Lord
Grey's newfound pride

at stake right now...

Enough now, sir.

You can sit and smirk

as if you answer to none
of us, but you do our king.

Your Majesty, the sale
has already been signed,

so two paths lie
ahead of you right now.

We either break it,

disgrace and bankrupt our country

and no doubt lose
your first and only war,

or we fill our coffers,

keep our word, and win back Scotland.

Unless there is another man
here who would like to pay.

It isn't my word, but your word.

Your word is my word, sir.

A-am I the only man here who
understands his damn place?

I act on your behalf,
and I act in your interest.

I am your man, Sire.

And I am not yours.

I hope you make the Lord Protector pay

for the way he has
used his position, Sire,

the day you come of age.

Henry.

The Lord Protector best pray he's dead

before I come of age.

Henry, the time is now.

There's rebellions
already starting in Norfolk,

springing up all over
the fucking country.

He can't afford a war in Scotland.

Do you think he can afford a civil war?

- Who, Thomas...
- I am Lord High Admiral.

We outman him.

The King hates him, as you heard.

There is fury in the
court and on the street.

A new order. A new order.

Let's tear him down.

The night the old king died,
he stole Edward from his bed.

No one consented to his fucking rule.

He had the king in his possession,

and no one said no.

Now I am saying fucking no.

Now, Henry, we can take
the king into our possession.

Join me in saying no to him.

"Him" being?

My brother.

Go home, Thomas.

- What?
- Go home and go to bed.

No, no, what?

You are standing in
the middle of Whitehall

trying to plan treason and rebellion.

I don't know if you're
drunk or stupid or mad,

but enough.

I hate the man too.

But not enough that I wish
to lose my life to that hatred.

You're scared of him?

No, sir.

A little of you right now. For you.

Do you think Catherine
would approve of this scheme?

Forget Catherine. Catherine is dead.

Yes, sir. And so will you be.

That's not all of it.
I have Elizabeth...

- I want to hear no more of it.
- I have the princess.

Do you hear me, Thomas?

Leave this, I beg you.

Lord,

have times stooped so low

that I take the advice
of Henry fucking Grey?

Come to hide at home?

Hide?

I know you will not believe
that you owe me an explanation,

but try to take my word for it here

when I tell you that you fucking do.

How did the king take...

How did the Princess
Mary's spies know before me?

They were not her spies.

I believe she found out from mine.

Oh, Jesus.

You couldn't even trust me with that?

Of course I trust you, John,

but you're not the Lord Protector.

I am.

We have to end this
war. There are rebellions...

I am well aware there
are and where we all are

and also who is responsible for that.

But selling off Boulogne was
surely not the only answer.

Oh, well, then, what is the answer?

Well, little good it does
asking me that now.

Elizabeth.

I'll leave you.

No, wait. I want a witness.

Can you give me two things, Princess?

Depends what they are.

Ever the diplomat.

Can you give me patience?

- Elizabeth?
- Yes.

Can you give me faith?

In what?

In me.

"In what?" she asks. In me, of course.

My lady, I have a plan.

To do as you've asked. To
give you what you wanted.

So do you have faith?

Do you want to have faith in me?

Yes.

More than anything.

Well, that is a belief, isn't it?

And belief is a kind of faith.

Come up.

You'd invite a visitor upstairs?

I'd bring you, sir.

To my chamber.

Downstairs, quickly. Downstairs.

This was your room.

Hers and yours.

No, it'll be ours

as man and wife.

Remember your promise to me?

We won't speak of her.

Only the future, forever, my love.

Our future.

I love you.

I'll be back in the morning.

Do you think this is how my mother felt

when she was waiting to hear her fate?

How morbid.

I've made a mistake, haven't I?

This choice, it was the wrong one.

Again.

Just when I rid myself of the shame,

and then I've brought it all back,

and it's all happening all over again.

Now, you listen to me.

This is a chance to make something good

and whole from the ruins of before.

I want to be good.

It's too late for that.

It's too late for what
is good, what is easy.

But you can still do what is right.

Music.

What's that?

I want music, Kat.

- Now?
- Tonight.

If this is right, then...
then we should be happy.

We should be celebrating.

Yes, I suppose we should.

I-I want musicians
and wine and dancing.

Definitely dancing.

A celebration of being alive, Kat.

Of staying alive.

As soon as we depart
Whitehall, we head for Chelsea.

Let's liberate the king.

- Open the way.
- Aye.

That's very true.

Elizabeth, it's time for bed.

Shh. Shut up. Shh.

Shut the fuck... shh!
Shut up. Shut up. Shh.

Shut up, fucking dog. Shut up.

Shh. Shut up. Shut up. Shh, shh.

Wait, Sire.

Shh.

Right.

I came here to test
the security of the king,

my nephew, and no one stopped me.

The king. My nephew.

This is a fucking disgrace!

Necks will snap for this.

Open the door.

- Open the door!
- Yes, sir.

Sir? Sir!

Get me a horse.

Sir.

You keep that hand on me,
boy, and I'll fucking end you.

Here and in court.

No one would listen, sir.

You're finished.

My lord!

My girl.

My girl's getting married.

That makes it all better, doesn't it?

That makes it all all right.

- Take it away.
- No! Don't touch him.

This is the behavior of
a deeply disturbed man.

We've all seen here how
quickly he succumbs to anger.

We should not be
surprised by this behavior.

To come prepared with a weapon,

it seems planned,

but no one's heard a word about it.

This is not the work of a madman.

If it weren't for my son,

he'd be long clear of here by now

with the king.

We think this an attempt
to kidnap the king?

Or kill him.

Why does he want to kill me?

We-we don't know what he wanted.

No, but we do know what he's done.

Unless you know anything more.

How would I?

He's your brother.

[horse hooves clopping

Thomas.

Elizabeth.

We don't have much time.

Before what?

And you are to answer me truthfully.

- Of course.
- On what?

What's this urgency?

Thomas Seymour.

What about him?

When did you last see him?

Some time ago.

- And was there intimacy?
- Anthony!

Don't waste my time,
Kat. Was there intimacy?

I suggest you revise your
line of questioning, sir.

Out! Out!

Out!

He broke into the palace at Whitehall.

It is suspected with the
intent of kidnapping the king.

For what purpose?

That is what they want to ask you.

Out. Out.

Have your answer.

- Princess Elizabeth.
- Sir.

I have a warrant for your arrest.

- For the princess?
- Both of you.

On what charge, sir?

Anthony... no, no!

Step back. Step away from me.

You can't treat me like this.

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

A what?