The White Queen s01e04 Episode Script

I here present unto you, Queen Elizabeth, your undoubted queen.
I know that you do not like me and that you plot against the king.
You shall have your moment in the light.
We are close to the throne.
We like her better than the old bad queen, don't we? Your Lancastrian Queen murdered my father and brother, and stuck their heads on spikes.
I was her closest friend, when I was her lady at court.
She'll never give up until her son's on the throne.
Jasper and I are one in all things.
Not all, Margaret.
You're not married to Jasper Tudor.
You are married to me.
I have to go.
You must live with your mother now, boy.
You must keep her safe for me.
I'm with child again and this time, I'm SURE it's a boy.
Now, we'll sail to Calais and raise an army.
We are at war with so-called King Edward.
But Father, I cannot sail! Issy is afraid, Father.
Come on! Warwick and George are sailing for Calais.
We must act, Mother.
Annie! It was a boy.
I'm sorry for your loss.
It is your fault.
Queen Elizabeth is with child again.
We must have a son before she does.
Elizabeth? What happened? It is nothing No, leave me.
Leave me, please.
I said, leave me! I'm sorry, Mother.
Her child.
Her poor child! These things happen.
Terrible and tragic though it may be.
The baby came too soon.
And the storm could not have helped what little chance he had.
Yes, but you weren't to know that Isabel was on board that ship.
Or that Warwick would force her to set sail.
He is the one who gambled with his own grandchild's life.
And he lost.
Now, he has nothing.
He is desperate and destitute.
Indeed he is.
He has never been more dangerous.
We would be fools to think the worst is over.
Issy? Ruined.
Everything's ruined! No, it looks worse than it is.
We can manage until we return home.
Home? You think we're going back to England? Of course.
Anne, don't be such an idiot.
We will never see England again.
We are exiles now, like the Bad Queen.
We are not like her.
We are NOTHING like her.
Father promised he would put George on the throne, and he will.
And then you shall be Queen of England.
If it weren't for Father's plotting, I'd be cradling my son in my arms now.
But I am all alone.
You are not alone.
You have me.
And I will never leave you, I promise.
We'll always have each other.
Jasper was right.
You are an expert soldier.
He taught me well.
Ready, my Lord? Yes.
Argh! You fool! What have you done? I'm I'm fine, Mother.
You're hurt! It's just a scratch, that's all.
Ready? No-no! No more of this today.
It's bleeding.
It may scar.
Uncle Jasper says soldiers should wear their scars with pride.
Come, sit by me.
I will tend to it.
Mother What? If you think me so fragile, then perhaps it is a blessing that I will never become king.
What do you mean, you will never become king? You doubt your destiny? What's this about, Warwick? Where have you been? Making arrangements.
What arrangements? Are we going home, Father? Yes.
But not just yet.
You are to be married first, Anne.
Married? I was not consulted There wasn't enough time.
To whom? Richard? My brother? No, of course not.
Who, then? Prince Edward of Lancaster.
The Bad Queen's son? You mustn't say that any more.
Margaret of Anjou is our enemy.
Our greatest enemy.
She hates us.
If this goes according to plan, she will be your mother-in-law.
I don't understand what you're trying to do.
How can this possibly help us? George, I know that this is hard for you, but we have to do what we set out to do.
We came here to raise an army.
No, we came here to make me king! I have tried it! Twice! But now that you have lost your son, you have no heir and men will not fight for you.
They think that God has ruled against you.
I lost my son because of you! And if I could still make you king, I would! But it cannot be done.
The only way that we can raise an army big enough to defeat your brother Edward now is if we join with Lancaster.
Now, I have spoken with King Louis and he has agreed he will support us if we make terms with Margaret of Anjou.
Have you completely lost your mind? Why would she make terms with us? There's nothing in it for her! There is.
Her husband, Henry, back on the throne of England.
Her son and my daughter, Anne, to follow him when he dies.
You're telling me that everything I've done - I turned against my brother, my own House - everything I've suffered has been to restore the very lunatic we started all this to topple?! It is the only way, George.
The only way to what? That evil bitch hacked my father's head off! No, there's another way.
Do it if you want to, George.
But think before you do.
You cannot go back to England, you have betrayed your king.
Kill me and you have no-one.
We could not make you king.
Join with me and France and Anjou and I'll see to it you have every title you can wish for.
And riches beyond your dreams.
It is the best that anyone can offer you now.
No, it's the best that YOU can offer me.
And Anne will be queen.
She'll need a new gown.
Margaret of Anjou has requested I bring Anne with me to meet her.
Mother, you must speak to him! What does this mean, Mother? How could he do this? Edward of Lancaster is a monster! I will not marry him! Anne, what we want, what we need, is of no importance.
The sooner you understand that and realise that your fate will always be in the hands of others, the better.
You are just one tiny piece in a much, much bigger picture.
So, monster or not, you must marry him.
You heard your father.
It is our only hope.
My Lord.
Allow me.
Sir Henry! What is it? Come in, Sir Reginald.
Men are inside the walls.
Get inside, Margaret, at once! It's not safe here.
Sir William Herbert.
Sir Henry.
I demand you hand over the traitor, Jasper Tudor, immediately.
He has fled, sir.
You have my word of honour.
Jasper Tudor is not in the castle, nor nearby.
So, I'm afraid you've had a wasted journey.
No.
I have not.
I'm sorry, Sir Henry.
I have been granted Pembroke and the command of Wales.
No! Do not involve yourself in this, Margaret.
Do not involve myself? Pembroke Castle belongs to my son! I'm afraid that is no longer true, Lady Margaret.
What does it say? Bray will show you to the stables.
Men! Why are you like this? Quiet, Margaret.
Do something.
For once, do something! Jasper would.
It's not only your son who pines for that man, I think.
Have the guests' rooms prepared.
Though I suppose WE are the guests now.
My God, Anne, she's here! I have always known I would see you on your knees again, Lord Warwick.
Your Grace, ever since I was a boy, I have felt driven by a need to do what is right by England Seizing my husband's throne.
Capturing and imprisoning him, as though he were a criminal.
Driving me and my son, the future King of England, into hiding? All these things you judged to be right for our country? I have been so blind to the true motives of those around me.
You're too trusting, Warwick.
I've long thought it.
Your Grace, I now know what I always should have.
That God put Henry on the throne and put you beside him.
This epiphany is certainly conveniently timed.
I swear fealty You may remain where you are.
This is a fragment of the true cross.
It is stained with the blood and tears of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lay your hand on it and let me hear you swear again.
I, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, swear to be your loyal and faithful servant, from this day, until the day I die.
I accept your service.
Now, let me see the girl.
So, you are to marry my son? Come here.
You don't give us much to work with.
Does she, Edward? She'll have to do, I suppose.
Turn A plain little thing indeed.
She is obedient, Your Grace.
Mmm.
Oh, well, at least she will be easily managed.
Unlike the impostor queen, Elizabeth.
Another troublesome woman, Warwick.
She is not a woman, she is a witch.
Then why is she sitting on my throne? Not for much longer.
But you must send your armies now to England.
Edward will soon hear of our alliance, if he hasn't already.
We mustn't give him time to prepare for an attack.
Allow me to make certain things clear.
Until this marriage takes place, I must and will do nothing.
And since they are cousins, I intend to wait for the papal dispensation.
That could take months.
I must sail immediately.
But of course you must.
You must restore my husband to the throne.
Alone? You have just sworn allegiance to me and this is your chance to prove it.
Go to England.
Raise your army.
Put my husband on his throne again.
Be the Kingmaker once more.
And when you have done that, when you have secured London, I will follow to secure the rest of the country.
And between us, we will crush Edward for good.
You do believe I will keep my word, don't you, Lord Warwick? Of course.
Oh.
Can I offer you a word of advice? To fight an infestation, you must scorch the nest.
When you reach England, deal with that impostor queen, Elizabeth.
If she has a son, she will be more damaging to my cause than all of Edward's armies.
Your Grace.
Edward? I'm sorry, it must wait.
It seems Warwick has stumbled from his shipwreck straight into the arms of Margaret of Anjou.
They're planning to form an alliance.
You must read this.
It's from my cousin in Burgundy.
Anne Neville is to marry Edward of Lancaster.
It's true.
How could he think to give his own daughter over to that monster? After all that we have endured at this woman's hand George can have nothing to gain from this.
He hates me so much, Richard, is that it? That he is driven by his hatred of me? George is driven by his own ambition and greed He would fight against me with the very woman who tore our father apart? Warwick will use Anne to bind them together.
Then restore Henry to the throne.
It was Warwick who lit a fire in me, taught me to fight, to win, to drag her down and punish her for what she did, for what she did to all of us.
And now he stands with her! Did none of it matter?! Warwick does not know loyalty and George will soon see this.
George can't be pleased with his new set of circumstances.
I'll wager he didn't even see them coming Elizabeth.
Margaret of Anjou and Warwick? Holding one of them off is difficult.
But both, together? My God It is a deadly alliance.
Then we must weaken it.
Your Grace.
I believe the Queen wishes to speak to you alone, Duchess.
Then the Queen will have a long wait.
It's about your son George's betrayal.
You are aware that he's joined forces with Margaret of Anjou? My Lady.
My Lady.
You may speak freely in the presence of Lady Sutcliffe.
We have no secrets.
So, let's dispense with the pleasantries and get straight to the purpose of your visit.
And this disgusting rumour that you are spreading about my son.
It is not a rumour.
You've always been determined to paint him as a villain.
He managed that well enough himself.
I know this is difficult for you to hear, but you should understand No, YOU should understand.
He was barely 11 years old when his father died at the she-devil's hand.
Have you any idea Indeed we do.
I lost my own husband and my son in a similarly brutal and senseless manner.
Are we to measure our pain against each other? Are we to compete over who suffered more? We seek only to prevent further suffering taking place.
We're not lying.
Speak to the King, he'll tell you himself.
Warwick and George plan to restore Henry to the throne.
And when they are defeated, Edward will be forced to execute his own brother.
And George will die with a red rose at his collar.
Even if Warwick were to win, George would still gain nothing by it.
Warwick is to marry his daughter, Anne, to Margaret of Anjou's son, Edward of Lancaster.
He will naturally inherit the crown.
George will never be king.
Duchess, it's all been for nothing.
He must feel quite lost.
And with everything that has passed, he must feel he has no other choice.
But you you think he does? Edward would welcome him back, and that's the real tragedy.
If only George knew.
George! The Kingmaker! This is beneath you.
Get up.
Get dressed.
You have a use for me? C'est tout? Laissez-nous.
I have only ever wanted a York king, but we are out of options.
I need Louis to believe that we can hold the throne.
Would you be disloyal to me, as your brother has been? Aren't you a better man than Edward? IF you are to restore Lancaster to the throne, you will need York support to keep it.
And I am still a Son of York.
That is why we have to be united.
And keeping your wife's bed warm would fit you better.
I still have need of a grandson, and you, an heir.
We will leave in the morning.
There's no hurry - really.
I understand how difficult all this must be.
You'll be sorry to lose Pembroke, I'm sure.
It must happen.
It was not my husband's home, it was mine.
But the loss won't be for long.
The House of York are destroying themselves and they will continue to do so.
It's God's will.
Margaret, really.
I have stepped over the bodies of dying men, as they cry out for their mother, some of them not much older than young Henry there.
How can that possibly be the will of God, Lady Margaret? He has set you against each other, because you stole the throne.
But soon you will lose.
King Henry will be restored, my son will return here, to his castle, to his home.
Lady Margaret, he will have no need to return.
I'm sorry? Henry won't be leaving with you.
What did you say? He has been placed under my guardianship.
On whose orders? I am instructed by the House of York.
SHE ordered this? Do you speak of the Queen? I speak of that witch! That is treason! I suggest you silence your wife, Sir Henry.
Please, stay calm, Margaret.
It will be no hardship, Mother.
You are my son.
He will stay with me.
He will not.
And you may blame only yourself for that.
The incitement of your kinsman, Richard Welles, in the uprising was a grave mistake This is how I am to be punished? .
.
a GRAVE mistake on your part This is how I am to be taught my lesson? He is to be taken from me as though he were a doll and I were a little girl? He is my son.
HE IS MY SON! No, Mother! Mother, that's enough! Surely, sir, this is a little extreme.
I am under orders.
It has been decided.
Your wife has been deemed a traitor to the King of England.
Of course she cannot raise her son in her own belief.
There will be no change of heart on the matter.
I assure you.
Lady Isabel, Lady Anne.
You have a visitor.
Lady Sutcliffe! Please, do not call out.
I only wish to speak with you.
Why? What do you want? I have a message for your husband, Lady Isabel.
I cannot go to him, it is too dangerous.
Please, I can't stay long.
Permit me to speak with you.
You may speak with us both.
I have come at the request of your mother-in-law, the Duchess Cecily.
You have nothing to fear.
The Duchess simply would like George to know that should he wish to return to England, he can.
His brother, King Edward, will gladly receive him and will restore him to favour.
Come home? Yes.
It is good news, is it not? The Duchess also asked me to tell you that she grieved the loss of her poor grandson.
She was appalled to hear of your ordeal.
You should be at home now, surrounded by your friends and those who love you.
I would like to go home.
You can't, Issy.
You know you can't.
I must leave.
You will pass this message to your husband? Do you think George will accept? He wouldn't.
But if he does and your marriage to Edward of Lancaster goes ahead, then we will be on opposing sides, Anne.
I cannot bear to leave you.
And I shall be sorry to see you go, Mother.
I will look after him, Lady Margaret.
My own boy, Thomas, is just two years younger.
I'm sure they'll be great friends.
I promise I will treat your son as though he were my own.
You are nobody's son but mine.
Remember who you are.
You are with the enemy now.
Bend the knee, but think always of the sword.
God will protect you, because you are Henry Tudor and one day, you will be King of England.
Thomas is your age I'll send for you as soon as it's safe.
My Lord.
Let us pray Anjou does not play you false.
Do you doubt me, George? We are sailing and she is not.
The risk seems all ours.
Reaching England before Edward turns the whole country against us is in everyone's interest.
This is your cause now.
Perhaps.
But as you are so fond of reminding me, I have no choice, Warwick.
Goodbye, Husband.
We must pray that your wedding takes place quickly.
Play your part, Anne.
Please your husband and your new queen.
Yes, Father.
And Warwick has sailed? You're sure? We believe he will land in the North soon.
It may only be a matter of days.
I have ordered Richard's army to meet me outside London immediately.
I am told Margaret of Anjou plans to follow Warwick and land in the South.
If that is the case, I must act quickly.
I must crush Warwick in the North, then turn back to defend London.
Told by whom? I have had word from George.
He says that he will land with Warwick's invading army.
But as soon as we face each other in battle, he will abandon Warwick, and fight by my side.
Do you believe him? I don't know.
But God, I want to - he's still my brother, Elizabeth.
Take the girls to the royal rooms in the Tower.
Prepare for the baby there.
Go to the Tower, Elizabeth.
I will come to you as soon I can.
When? When I have won.
Your Grace.
Nothing from Henry, Margaret.
He's been experiencing a lot lately.
He'll be busy with more important matters.
Adjusting.
I now spend my days waiting for a letter from my own son.
When I was a girl, I thought I was destined for greatness What type of greatness? Sainthood.
I wanted to join a convent, and then become a saint.
You know it was the other way round for me.
My father wanted me to join the church.
I wasn't very keen.
So, er I told him I was possessed.
You wanted to be a saint, I wanted to be a sinner.
What is it? Do you think even if we avoid sin ourselves, that we are punished for the sins of others? For the sins of our parents? Well, if we are, Henry is safe.
You are the most pious woman I have ever known.
I am not speaking of Henry.
Then who? My father committed a great sin.
He thought he could play God.
He hanged himself.
And you think you'll be punished for that? I already have been.
I've had my son taken away from me.
God is not punishing you for his sins.
I wish I could believe that.
Oh, Margaret! We don't need to wait for a letter from Henry.
I will take you to him.
What are you doing? She has been sent for.
You are leaving for England? Tonight.
But my wedding.
I need Issy with me.
Your father wants Isabel close to George.
He doesn't trust him.
I am to be his spy.
No! You cannot take Issy away.
We can't be parted.
I can't do this without her! Please, Mother! We need to make this work, Anne.
We must do as your father says.
Mother, I beg you Do you think I married for love? No, it was an agreement, a contract just like this.
And I was very scared too, Anne.
I was terrified.
But I knew it was my duty.
And I knew it would make my family, the people I loved, happy.
It was my purpose.
And now, it is your purpose.
You will grow to like him.
And one day he'll be the king.
Remember that, it will help.
Halt! Henry.
Henry! Mother? Lord Stafford, Lady Margaret.
Where are you taking him? Warwick has sailed for England.
I have been ordered to join King Edward's army, and march north, where we will fend off the attack.
Henry cannot fight for York.
I have been instructed to take him with me.
You cannot do this.
Sir William is his guardian now.
He must be obeyed.
I'm sorry, Lady Margaret.
No, please.
Please, Sir William, you don't understand.
He is Henry Tudor.
He cannot fight for York.
It is against God's will, it will make him angry! You will make God angry! We must go.
We must go.
For your own sake, don't do this! Goodbye, Mother.
I am being punished! I am.
Who's there? It's us, Mother.
It's Thomas and Richard.
My boys! Oh! Where's my husband? He's safe, Mother.
Something's wrong.
Warwick did not land in the north as the King had thought.
We were barely outside London when he took us by surprise.
The King escaped to Flanders with his brother Richard and Uncle Anthony.
My God.
What of George? Did he rejoin Edward? We weren't ready to fight.
We had to flee so quickly that there was no battle.
We still don't know where George's loyalties lie.
Is Edward still king? And I'm no longer queen? We will not be protected anymore.
We are in great danger.
I must send to Grafton for my mother at once.
What is it? What have you heard? Warwick has already ordered our lady grandmother's arrest.
His men came to Grafton, and took her away.
Arrested? On what charge? Witchcraft.
No.
No Yes? You sent for me, Your Grace? Your father has landed in England and Edward has fled.
My Henry will be king again.
Good news at last.
Yes.
And the dispensation has come.
You are to be married immediately.
Now, it all begins.
Anne Neville.
Isn't it extraordinary? Once you were my greatest enemy's daughter and now you are to marry my son.
Jacquetta was right, fortune's wheel will never stop turning.
Quickly, boys.
Mother! Mother! He will come for me now.
What's happening, Mother? I am certain of it.
We don't have much time.
Richard.
Mother! The imposter, Edward, has fled.
Open your gates, in the name of King Henry.
Mother, he is already here.
Sh-sh-sh! Come on.
This way, quickly.
Come on.
Sssh.
This way, Your Grace.
I'll have the gate opened.
Thank you.
I will not forget this.
My God, hurry.
Hurry, please.
Come.
Where is she? They've gone to seek sanctuary.
Westminster Abbey's her only hope.
She has no friends.
No-one to protect her.
Then she's safe, is she not? Or would you break sanctuary as easily as you break your word, Warwick? She's safe.
As long as she stays there.
And none of this has been easy.
My Lords, welcome.
I've called this court because I seek to prove that the marriage of King Edward of York to Queen Elizabeth was an unlawful one.
I seek to prove it was not, in fact, a marriage, but an enchantment brought about by sorcery and witchcraft, practised by this woman.
The Queen's own mother.
This man, my Lords, is Mr James Friars.
Mr Friars, how do you know the woman on trial today? I was good friends with her son, Anthony Rivers.
I've never seen this man before in my life.
And you've been to her house at Grafton? Many times.
And were you there the week after her secret wedding, to Edward of York.
I was.
Can you tell us what you found on the grounds at Grafton that day? When I was leaving, when I was mounting my horse, I noticed that he, the horse, was kicking at something in the dirt.
So I had a look and found there was something buried there.
What? Two dolls.
They were very small.
Made of lead.
One was a woman, the other a man.
And they were bound up with wire.
This is what you found.
That's right.
Two figures, made of lead, bound, in devilish union, with wire.
Do you deny it? Of course I do.
Thank you, sir.
If a witch is capable of the darkest and most evil deeds.
If a witch will do anything to see their own needs met, regardless of the pain and suffering that they cause others.
Then, indeed, there is a witch in this room, Lord Warwick.
But it is not me.
This is your only defence? I would also like to call a witness to attest to my character.
Their name? Margaret of Anjou.
Your anointed queen.
What did you say? I think you heard me.
I escorted Margaret to England for her wedding when she was just 15.
I carried her train at her coronation.
I was by her side when she gave birth to her son.
I was her dearest friend.
If any harm comes to me, it will be your head she spikes on the city walls.
I can promise you that.
In nomine Patri, et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum.
Husband! Quickly! Come and see who is here! Henry? What happened? I've been travelling for days.
Tell him.
When Sir William and I met the York army outside London, Warwick had already ambushed them.
Edward was forced to flee.
Where is Sir William now? Warwick's men they they dragged him from his horse, and then he, Warwick himself appeared as if from nowhere.
They held Sir William down, one of them was gripping his head tightly.
He begged and he pleaded, but they did not listen and then Warwick raised his sword.
Oh, my God.
They took hold of me.
I was certain I would be next.
As they dragged me towards Warwick, his bloody sword, I found myself crying out "I am Henry Tudor! "I am Henry Tudor!" Warwick immediately lowered his weapon, and told them to release me.
Your name saved you.
Your name.
Yes.
Yes, you were right.
I am Henry Tudor, heir to the Lancastrian throne.
And one day I WILL be King of England.
I'm so sorry I ever doubted you, Mother.
I promise you I never will again.
And from this day I will obey you always.
I wouldn't worry - There isn't much to hide.
You must lie on this.
Up.
Up, up, up.
I must know that it has been consummated.
You will bleed.
Goodnight, my son.
Goodnight, Lady Mother.
I don't know what to do.
Nobody told me.
You don't do anything.
You just lie there.
In fact, I think it's best you don't say anything.
Do not remind me of who you are.
I can't stand the thought of it.
Pedes eorum lavisti ac dulciter eos consolando, Imminentem Passionem praedixisti.
You have nothing to fear.
We've come to restore you to your rightful place.
God save you, King Henry.
Come here, you.
Let me look at you.
What have you done, eh? What have you done? God save the King.
God save King Henry.
Oh! Oooh! Mother? Oh, God, no.
Not yet.
Thomas, you must go and find someone to fetch a midwife.
Bring her immediately.
You must be pleased, Warwick.
I am.
Everything's gone according to plan, as I said it would.
Apart from the fact that Margaret hasn't sailed and that Edward is still out there.
Does that not trouble you, Warwick? What should I do, Mother? Tell me what to do.
Don't cry Grab her.
Lady Margaret.
Would you like to meet the King? Who is that? Richard, careful.
Grandmother.
Where is she? Mother I'm here, I'm here.
Don't worry, I'm here.
It's all right.
God save the King! Why did he let you go? Fear that Margaret of Anjou would take his life if he took mine.
Ahhhh.
It's coming, but it's too soon.
Oh, shhh, shhh.
Oh shhh.
Your Grace.
It's too soon, Mother! No, it isn't.
Allow me to introduce my son, Henry Tudor.
You are ready.
It's the right time, you are ready, so is the child.
Come on, come on.
Come on, little one.
It's a boy! It's a boy.
You have a son.
A York prince.
There.
Come on.
Come on.
There we are.
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