The White Queen s01e03 Episode Script

'I here present unto you, Queen Elizabeth, your undoubted queen.
' We'll have no truck with a queen who thought to rule her husband and rule England through him.
My Lords! Our one-time king, Henry, and now, our prisoner.
Your father is asking King Edward for the royal dukes, his brothers, to be given in marriage to the two of you.
Give him something.
But not this.
Warwick has betrayed me! And so has George! For now I hear he has married Isabel against my clear command! My wedding was never for me at all.
It was a sign from Father that men should rise against the King.
You will be King Henry Tudor of England.
Ignore what your mother just said, Henry, for it is treason and she would surely lose her head for it.
Our fatherand John they're dead.
There was no charge, only the word of Warwick.
He's done it.
Father has the King! Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick.
I curse you.
By my will, you shall die.
There is no word? Anthony and Richard have ridden north to test support for Warwick.
They may just be captured and meet the same fate as John and Father.
Please, Elizabeth, don't even say that! How can I help it? Mad King Henry is safe and in comfort but what are they doing to Edward? What are they doing to him, right now, Mother, as I stand here? I need him back with me.
(Ssshsssh I know.
) "Advise me", Warwick?! Not lock me up or take away my throne, but, no, you would "advise me"?! Edward, the council feels No, it doesn't! The council feels nothing but what you tell it, and you will turn them against me! Edward, all we ask is that you take back your old advisors and dismiss the Rivers family.
Which you know I will never do! So, the game is that you make demands on me you know I cannot agree to, and use that as your excuse to keep me here while George rules in my place! But really, you rule through him.
Edward! The loyalty that we had to No! I am "Your Grace" to you, cousin! The Lord's anointed king and ruler of this kingdom! And Your Grace needs to understand that this is a betrayal and that the Queen's family Are loyal to me! Which is more than can be said for you and George.
Now, where is the Queen because if you have harmed a single hair upon her head She would have likely sent the Devil down upon me! But she is barricaded in the Tower.
Now that, dear cousin, is treason! As is this.
But, if I must hold court at Warwick Castle, then you may bring me some venison and some small ale so I may eat at your expense as I run my kingdom! Is that clear to you? Ssh Yes, and bring me brother George as I have words to say to him.
Ah! Brother George's new wife, Isabel, married without my consent.
(Would you get them in there?) I do hope you're not expecting loyalty from him! Will you get them in there! Go, go! She's not bled yet? She's with child.
A wedding night child shows we have God's blessing.
Is it a boy? I How would I know, Father? I have called a Parliament at York where we will proclaim George the king and Isabel his queen.
But, Father! I cannot! Be quiet, Isabel! It may as well be over with.
He knows full well what we're doing.
You cannot turn back now.
You must stay your course come hell or glory.
But Parliament will never agree! They must! The Rivers woman is so hated.
She has pushed aside your father and every other noble advisor England ever had.
And in their place, put scum.
You will not question me.
Now get out! (You may question him when you are queen You may do then!) Husband? I have word from Jasper Tudor! Jasper says that Parliament is sitting at York and they will decide what to do with Edward! They should just cut his head off.
Is that what you'd do, Margaret? Take a man's life so readily? Hmm? He has gone against his rightful king and God.
My Lord.
Thank you.
I would do it myself if I were a man.
I would do it myself anyway, as Joan of Arc would have done.
Perhaps we should be grateful that it's not your choice to make.
It is not I who choose it, but the Lord.
He tells me of his will and I carry out his work.
He has ruled Edward should lose the throne, and soon, he will reveal the way my son shall come upon it.
Or rather, you will decree whatever action that you take to be God's will! Jasper understands all of this.
I did not imagine that you would! Ah, yes, Jasper Tudor.
Does he share your blood-lust too, Margaret? Would he lop off the head of a king ordained by God? Jasper and I are one in all things.
No, not all, Margaret.
You're not married to Jasper Tudor.
You are married to me.
George! You coward! Come and face me like a man! Don't hide behind our cousin, George! Does our mother know about this?! Damn you, Edward! I'll not allow that witch upon the throne, and you've been no king since you first dipped your wick in her! George? Off to Parliament, Warwick, to try and force the crown on George's head?! Issy! Look what they have sent for you! It is her coronation furs.
Elizabeth's! They have taken them from the Palace of Westminster! They still smell of her perfume.
Only kings and queens may wear this fur! You shall be queen, Issy.
Aren't you happy?! Father has done this for you, Isabel.
There are two queens already, Annie.
One is in exile the other is cowering in the Tower with a price upon her head.
I would be the third queen.
So, what if Father turns against us as he's done both the others?! He will not turn against you.
You are carrying the prince, his grandson.
There is no-one else for Father now.
We all said that Edward was the rightful king.
We said that he was the Flower of York and we would walk in the sweet garden of England with him.
We danced at her coronation.
We said that we loved her.
You and I never said that, Issy, we did not like her.
Not ever.
Father says we must think of her as our enemy and so we must.
Look how beautiful this is.
Remember when we used to play at being queen? Well, you can be queen in real life.
I don't want to be queen, Annie.
I thought that this marriage was for me.
But it's not.
It's all for them.
We are their pieces on a board, Annie.
And marriage is a wretched thing.
It's not like it is for her.
We'll never be who she is.
We'll never have what she has.
My Lords! Parliament is called to order.
.
.
I shall be a strong leader.
The whole country behind me .
.
To turn against your own brother.
The throne has the rightful king.
No crown, George? You clearly couldn't command Parliament.
So, you must let me go, or you must kill me.
Because there is no other end to this.
George George! Take it off! I SAID, "TAKE IT OFF"! George will not be king.
Parliament would not agree.
Your father has risked everything, and he has lost.
He has lost.
(Elizabeth!) Welcome home.
King Edward! King Edward! They lost their nerve.
George said he would behead me, but of course, he would not dare.
Not even Warwick has the stomach for that! He thought I was still that boy that he could control.
He tried to make me give you up but I told him that I would happily stay in his house for ever, but never would I give up my wife nor who I am.
They are fools to think it.
So, he just released you? Parliament wouldn't declare for George and make him king, so if Edward wouldn't abdicate and they wouldn't kill him Warwick let me out for exercise, so he could save his pride.
But really, he just let him go.
And now he will be sorry.
You know about my brother John, and Father? So, they will pay for it.
You won't like it, but they won't.
We must have peace, Elizabeth.
And I was a fool not to see that I had shut Lord Warwick out.
But he knows that he has lost and he will beg for my forgiveness as will George.
You must not give it! I will.
They are my brother and my cousin.
And this country cannot stand another war, especially one within this family.
And I will make Warwick's nephew Duke of Bedford.
My first husband's title? He's Warwick's heir and I must give him some stake in staying loyal.
He is a traitor.
I don't care what his nephew gets, as long as you execute Warwick! I can't, my love.
And I won't.
And what is more, I will give our daughter, Elizabeth, to young Bedford in marriage to make that alliance firm.
Over my dead body! We must.
For then even Warwick will have a chance of his blood being on the throne one day and he will not come against me again.
I swear to you that she will never marry Warwick's nephew.
Then forgive me for being worried out of my wits about you and trying to keep you safe! But they would have murdered YOU.
So while I am King of England, I shall give my daughter in marriage to anybody I please, and no-one, including you, shall stop me! (Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
(Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven) I am no longer the King's Sheriff.
And I've been passed over for my family title by him.
Yes, that's right, the King is free.
And he regrets to inform me that you and Jasper Tudor wrote to his brother George and offered your support.
So my younger brother John becomes the Earl of Wiltshire which should have come to me.
For all your hopes of greatness, you have hurt only yourself and you will only ever be Lady Stafford.
I hope that you're happy.
You will write no more letters.
You will write to no-one at all.
Especially Jasper Tudor.
And if I find that you have I shall take away your books, your freedoms and your visits to your son.
Is that clear, Margaret? IS IT CLEAR?! They're coming here for Christmas? We're not even out of mourning! I do not want to be here.
She will know that I have worn her furs and she will put her Evil Eye upon us.
She'll not care about us any more, Issy.
She will still hate us.
Because of Father.
Maybe with them close to us our curse can do its work.
I'll make them my ladies-in-waiting.
Welcome to court.
Warwick.
George.
The prodigals return.
Your Grace Lady Rivers.
I am sorry for your loss.
By which you mean the brutal slaying of my father and my brother who were innocent of any crime in all their lives and merely obedient to their Lord and king? In the fortunes of war It was NOT war.
This was no honourable death on a battlefield.
It was murder.
And it was treason in the eyes of God and man.
Your Grace.
Be quiet.
Your Grace, I must return to my Lord and husband You will go whenever I command it, Countess Warwick.
And all of you will dance to whatever tune I sing.
Would you like to dance, dear sister? No, thank you, Anthony.
Anthony's been talking about his trip to Italy I can't Your Grace.
You shouldn't even be here! Thomas! Ah, such passion(!) I am only glad that he and his brother were not with my father to be butchered by your axe.
So am I! That would have been too awful for you.
I know that you do not like me and that you plot against the king.
And while he may forgive you, I promise I NEVER will.
Never.
Lord Warwick.
My aunt, Duchess Cecily.
Season's greetings.
Another one of us returned to court! My dear son, George, invited me, to share his joy that he is soon to have an heir.
Seems the force that had me exiled from the court has lost its power and Edward is a man again.
He has always been a man.
But it seems that that is not enough to win the loyalty of those who are supposed to love him.
Sister.
More land for the traitors? I wonder that it does not make you sick.
For the nobles, my love, and this is what it is to be king.
I give out wealth and favours or else they may wish that good old Henry was back on the throne, or his son, Edward, or my brother, George.
Or, God forbid, Margaret Beaufort's son, Henry Tudor, "Let's have Lancaster back!" She surely cannot hope for him? There are too many others in line before him! Ah, Warwick! There you are! I have something for you.
So, how are our newlyweds, hmm? Is your daughter mad with love for my troublesome brother George? They give thanks that God has blessed them with a child so soon.
They have hopes it may be a boy.
We all pray for sons.
I have to have a son.
Choose.
Choose which one you will draw in.
This one.
Are you sure? Yes.
Very well then It's a baby's spoon! Turn it over.
"Edward"! Oh, Mother! I'm going to have a boy named Edward! Come to bed, my love.
Mmm, something's made you very hungry! You will wait.
Unlace my dress.
Hurry up.
Ah You see how Edward forgives me anything? I cannot bear it, Father.
She is too awful to me! Do not fret, my little moth.
You shall have your moment in the light.
We are close to the throne (But soon, we shall be closer still.
) A marriage for me? Richard? No.
Not Richard.
He is heart and soul for the King.
Do your duty.
Never forget who you are, and the great name that you bear.
For a while, we must all suffer hardship but it will all be worth it, for we will have what we are owed and Edward .
.
will never betray me again.
My Lady? What do you mean, "another uprising"? In favour of witless old Henry.
With a leader who will not announce his name.
A leader with no name? I do not see.
He may be a herald to Margaret of Anjou, testing how much support she can raise before she lands her troops to free her husband, so I will make quick work of him.
Can someone else not lead the army? No, it is my crown.
I must defend it.
I must put my neck on the line with the men who love me.
Edward, please, don't go.
I'm with child again.
And this time I'm SURE it's a boy.
Oh, I knew it! That's the best news you could give me! How are you so sure it's a boy? Would you pry into a woman's mysteries? No, I would not.
Then, please, stay.
This time, to protect us both? It is all the more reason I must defend my crown for my son to inherit.
My prince we will call Edward.
Edward.
What about your faithful cousin Warwick and loyal George? Will they ride with you? Hah! My little queen of mistrust, Warwick is in the north raising men for me as we speak.
And George will be by my side.
In body perhaps, but not in spirit.
They have promised me their loyalty, Elizabeth.
Truly you must trust me.
I will be home with you by May Day morning with peaches and salt cod, for you and my prince, Edward.
Annie, feel! He's excited.
He is strong! Or she is.
Father, what is it? A rebellion.
Against the King.
Jasper! Jasper! My Lady Margaret.
You haven't written.
My husband has forbidden me.
What is it? There is an uprising.
Our time has come at last! Queen Margaret is sailing? She is in Calais and will sail once Edward is engaged in battle.
Oxford brings 10,000 men from the south, and I have half of Wales.
So, you must arm your tenants and go.
The tide is turning.
It is our moment.
I won't ride out.
And I shall send no-one.
What? These wars have taken too many men already.
I've lost a brother and a father to this cause, and still, it is not won.
I, too, have lost my kinsmen and that is exactly why we must fight on, so that their sacrifice is not for nothing.
If we rise up now as one, we can unseat this York usurper and return the throne to Lancaster! Until the next time.
And the next time.
Does King Henry even know that this war is being fought?! He barely even knows his name.
And Edward is the better king.
The roads are safe, the nobles' private armies are disbanded and brigands have been brought to justice.
Perhaps that is what matters.
What matters is God's rightful king upon the throne! Or do you abandon the Lord as well as your House? Oh, no! Edward is also anointed by God.
So, how should we know which one to pick?! Perhaps God is confused and doesn't know himself? And now you blaspheme and blame almighty God for your own shame!? You are a coward and you fear for your own neck like a child! Enough, Margaret! Enough! No.
No, it is not enough! It is not! How can I live with such bitter shame? I am sorry for you.
He has no backbone and no loyalty.
We will defeat them without him.
I only wish I could ride with you and fight myself.
You have the courage of any man.
You're a soldier.
Margaret.
The uprising is not called by Margaret of Anjou.
It is stirred by Warwick and George, Duke of Clarence.
What do you mean? George has written that he will return your son his title, if we bring men to the field to fight Edward.
It's a trick to lure Edward into battle.
Once he is engaged, Warwick and George will turn their armies on him and kill him.
They need us there to work the deception.
That's why I need Stafford's men.
They'll put George on the throne?! Yes, but George is weak and greedy and men will quickly tire of him.
When they do, they will turn to Lancaster.
Then we'll make a chance for your boy.
I will go to my brother, Welles, and ask him to raise an army for you.
He will do it if he thinks it is for Lancaster.
Jasper, take this .
.
and know thatI'm with you.
Oh, no, Mother, no! I don't want to be the queen! I only want my baby! Why must Father do it? I do not know why he must.
He is possessed with it.
He risks his life and fortune and the safety of all four of us.
He says that Edward is not a king for England.
He's only for the Rivers family.
Oh, Mother! No! He says that he did not fight this long to put Edward's cat's-paw of a wife upon the throne.
Stop bleating, Isabel! Be quiet.
We must support him.
We must, all of us, stand with him and just pray to God he is successful in this venture.
God help us all if he is not.
What did you give Jasper Tudor? A necklace.
He gave it to me when I left Pembroke.
I should not have kept a trinket from another man.
God has given me a sign that I must be a good and loyal wife to you.
I wish to make amends.
And to my mother, also.
Will you take me to see my mother? So I may show contrition? Very well.
To what do I owe SUCH an honour? Mwah.
Welles! Margaret.
Lord Stafford.
Richard, will you pray with me? Richard, I have something to tell you.
Something wonderful.
God has commanded the nobles of England to fight his holy war.
Richard, God has spoken to me .
.
of you! Yes, Richard, you are special, and you are to do God's work.
What would he have me do? You are to lead his blessed crusade.
You are to summon the army that will cast this wicked Edward from God's throne.
But I havenot ever fought in battle! Ssshssshssshsssh I do not even know All you must do is bring the army.
God will do the rest.
When he does, he will place a new Lancastrian king upon the throne, and where do you think he will look for that king, if you have led his House of Lancaster to victory? Dear God, please, watch over Edward in this battle that is coming.
Strike down Edward's enemies and keep him safe in your love.
Lord, we pray for our father, for success in his endeavours.
And that he knows what he is doing and it is your will.
I pray for my husband.
That he comes home safe to me and for the safety of my baby.
Bring my Lord Warwick success against his enemies.
Almighty God, strike down Edward of York in this battle.
Strike down this wicked usurper who has taken the rightful king's crown.
Bring victory to my brother and to Jasper Tudor, who fight for you on the side of Lancaster.
Please, God, let Edward win.
Let him live.
Please, God, let Edward lose.
Let him die.
Let us hope it is as easy as they promise.
"Easy"? Warwick and the Duke of Clarence will turn on Edward and kill him in the battle.
We are just here to lure him to the field.
But My sister said But why would Warwick and the Duke of Clarence be on our side? Oh, believe me, they're not! They will make George the king if all this goes well.
But And if it does not .
.
then we will all die a traitor's death and have our guts spread outside Westminster.
But I thought this was God's holy war to return Lancaster to victory? Get some sleep.
Your part's nearly over.
God is not to save me? 'God is not to save me? Is not to save me' In the King's name, stop! Guards! I need to see the King! Please! Edward! There is a plot to kill you.
It is Warwick and the Duke of Clarence! They mean to turn on you in the battle.
Please, Edward Traitor No! No! No! No, not my boy! My boy is dead! Lady Beauchamp? My boy is dead! Lady Beauchamp, I'm so sorry Why did he go?! Why did he go?! Why did he do it? My boy is dead They failed, then? Edward is not dead? Go inside.
I'm sorry.
I don't understand.
Whywhywhy did he Edward is safe, but it was all a trap as I feared! Warwick and George have fled and Edward is in pursuit.
He knows they would have murdered him in cold blood! As he murdered Welles who'd only come to tell him of a plot against him.
He is no longer the Golden Boy of York.
No-one will trust him again.
What should he care? He should care, because now the Beaufort family is in mourning for their kinsman, Welles.
Edward has given his enemies a new cause.
Oh, Richard! My darling boy He was a traitor.
He betrayed his House of Lancaster to Edward.
For goodness' sake, Margaret, the boy is dead.
She does not care, she has no heart! And she is cursed! It seems to me it is YOU who is cursed, Mother, for you gave birth to a traitor.
Enough, Margaret! That is enough.
Jasper! Jasper's fled! The King will hunt him down and kill him, so he's fled to France.
We have to fetch Henry! As soon as it is safe to do so.
No, no Jasper bids me fetch him now.
Jasper's judgment is not the best, as perhaps you can now see, since his cause is lost.
He's running for his life to France, leaving little Henry with no guardian.
He has no choice! He chose to fight the King.
This is the outcome.
I will fetch the boy.
I will come too.
He is my son.
I am not afraid.
I will do as you say if there are soldiers on the road.
I beg you.
I beg you.
Please.
Very well, Margaret.
Perhaps now you'll understand your mother's grief.
Issy! Father?! We failed! We did not "fail", we retreated! Our error was to trust in Lancaster, the Beaufort boy betrayed us.
The rightful king is George of York! And we shall see him anointed on the throne! God save King George! King George! Now, we'll sail to Calais and raise an army.
We are at war with so-called "King Edward".
Father, I cannot sail! I am in my confinement Father?! Warwick and George are sailing for Calais and they will bring the English Garrison against us! Anthony has ridden to try and stop them but he may not be in time.
We must act, Mother.
Elizabeth.
They killed your husband and your son.
And they have gone unpunished! We were discovered! Anthony Rivers rode like a madman and captured our fleet at Southampton.
I'll have his head for that! We sail for Calais! Now! Midnight knows there's something wrong.
Don't be silly, Issy.
He's just being naughty.
He doesn't want to go.
Edward is after us! Get on board! Issy is afraid, Father.
Come on! See He's on board now.
You can sleep and we'll be there in no time, you'll see.
There's a storm brewing.
And if it gets any worse, we'll have to stop.
Look how we have the best cabin! We were never allowed it before.
The wind's picking up.
It's just a few big waves, Issy.
Annie, it's a storm! We're going to die! Take down the sail! Reef in! Aye, Captain! Annie! Annie! Annie! The baby's coming! Annie! Margaret?! Margaret.
We must take shelter! We must take shelter! Mother! The baby's coming! We must return to port! Father says we will run for the French shore and take the shelter of the coast.
Get linen for her! Quickly! You have to light the fire! My sister is in labour! It's a witch's wind! We're cursed with women on board! I command you to light the fire! I, Anne Neville, the Kingmaker's daughter.
What are you doing down here? Has my son been born? We need linen, rags! Anything! And a spoon for Issy to bite on.
In the galley.
And give her this.
God knows she'll need it.
Why have we stopped? We must make sure the castle isn't taken.
Wait here.
Hup! Hup! This is too much, Elizabeth.
Once the magic is out, you cannot call it back, and it may turn round and drown us too.
It's just the servants and the boy! Welcome to Pembroke Castle, my Lady.
Sir.
Where is my Uncle Jasper? He is with you? He is safe, but he's not with us, I'm afraid, Henry.
Will he be back? I am sure of it.
Henry? I'mI'm your mother, I'm Lady Margaret.
I've come to take you home.
I'm safe, thank you, my Lady.
I'm waiting for my Uncle Jasper, so I cannot leave.
I shall tell the groom to tend to your horses.
He's seeing to it, so you, you may stay inside.
Youyou He does not want to come.
He does not know me.
He is Jasper's boy through and through.
And now, you'll make him yours.
Lady Mother, what is happening? Why doesn't the baby come? It's stuck inside her.
She needs a midwife to turn it.
Go ask your father how long before we reach Calais! Father? Isabel needs a midwife.
Mother asks how soon we shall be in Calais? We're sailing into her now.
Isabel shall see the best physician in France.
What's that noise? They've raised the harbour chain! They've stayed loyal to Edward! Turn the wheel! Raise the sail! Now! Do it! Lady Mother, they are firing at us! You will have to turn it.
Annie! You have the smallest hands.
No You have to put them inside her and try and turn the baby.
No, Mother, please! I cannot! The child is stuck.
If you love your sister, you will do it! Annie Please, Lady Mother! I don't want to die! Annie! Ann (Jasper!) Jasper! I'm sorry! No! No, no It's me.
I'm so sorry.
My brother betrayed you.
Margaret, I have to go.
There is a price upon my head and they're searching for me.
I will go to France, but I will be back and with an army.
I couldn't tell our boy that I was here in case he spoke of it, but I was hiding there in the hills, waiting for you.
You wanted to be sure my boy was safe before you sailed.
How will I live without you? May we come and watch you go? It will be good for the boy to see you safely off.
He is close to you.
It was a boy.
A baby boy.
I have to go away.
You must live with your mother now, boy.
You must keep her safe for me.
All right? Like a Tudor, eh, Henry? Like a Tudor, sir! Come here, boy.
Henry, would you like to pray with me? We could pray for your Uncle Jasper together? No, thank you, my Lady.
It's "Mother", Henry.
I'm your LaLady Mother Edward! Come.
You remembered! Peaches and salt cod.
Back for May Day as promised.
And now we have our York prince, Edward, we shall be safe.
I'm sorry for your loss.
OUR loss.
There will be others.
If we had stayed at Warwick Castle, my baby would have lived.
It is your fault.
Queen Elizabeth is with child again.
We must have a son before she does.
This is NOT the end, Isabel.
But it is the end of my baby It is the end of him.
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