The White Queen s01e07 Episode Script

George Plantagenet, I curse you.
Annie! It was a boy.
You've always been determined to paint him as a villain.
He managed that well enough himself.
You went against us, down on your knees for Warwick, when you thought that he would make you King.
Richard.
Will you mary me? If I marry you, everything I have becomes yours.
But I will be a true husband because I love you.
I wrote to Mother to tell her about my marriage.
She sent back a curse.
The Queen's baby is coming early.
He's dying, Mother.
It's a comfort to know that they're both with God.
No! Lord Thomas Stanley.
I hope I will please you as a wife.
I will judge what I can do for your son and, in due course, what rewards your son can offer me.
You will be required to take up a place in the Queen's chamber and, to all appearances, be a loyal and faithful member of the House of York.
Then I will be patient and endeavour to rise in their favour.
Edward! A toast! To my Queen and wife who, even now, is upstairs, giving birth to another son and heir for me.
The Queen.
The Queen.
I can't give birth without my mother here.
I'm.
.
I'm afraid.
Lizzie, you'll have to, somehow.
Perhaps if If you're going to tell me to pray again, I swear to you Some lavender from the garden, Lady Margaret? I do not want you in here! I think you've made that plain enough.
Why are you not with the Queen? Oh, she has sent me on a fool's errand.
Lavender because her mother said the scent aids birth.
Smile, Margaret.
We are their friends and you must make her love you.
And I have tried but she will not.
She loves only her own vanity.
I don't believe that this is the best way to celebrate the birth of your child.
Oh, come on, Richard.
Don't be such a sour mouth! Actually, Edward, he's right.
Half of England's already calling you a wastrel.
This is not what we fought for.
Yes, it is! Peace and plenty.
It's exactly what we fought Whoring? Really? What about a legacy? Don't you want to be remembered? I will be remembered.
Yeah, for being fat and lazy.
And what do you suggest, George? We take France.
Right the wrongs that mad old Henry did to this country when he lost it.
Win back our honour.
A very sudden interest in the honour of your country, George.
Could there be something in it for you? Why not? You both have enough already.
If we take When we take France, you will need a Regent.
I could do that, seeing as you'll be busy being King and he's got ten titles as well as the whole of the North of England virtually to himself.
Have you been counting, George? France.
Reclaim our land.
Perhaps we should.
Stanley Your Grace.
He may have forgotten your turn to Warwick but I have not.
And I've not forgotten that you've got Warwick Castle despite the fact that that title belongs to me.
You both have more than your fair share already, so maybe it's time I started to take things.
Give me a sign that I was right in coming here.
Lady Margaret? The baby's stuck.
We must toss the Queen in a blanket.
That's it! Nearly there! Harder.
Push! He's here.
He's here, Your Grace.
Oh, it's a boy! My Richard.
Where is his cry? It's all right.
Why isn't he crying? Am I cursed? Will all my children die now? Lady Margaret.
It's all right, Your Grace.
Help my boy.
No! He lives.
He's all right, Your Grace.
He lives.
You have a son.
Thank you.
Oh, you willed my boy to life.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm in your debt.
I only wish to serve, Your Grace.
How's our boy? He is well.
There.
He is small but he will grow.
I am sure of it.
I missed you.
But I am so happy here, Richard, away from the court.
I feel so hopeful.
Anne, I have something I must tell you.
I've brought someone with me and Oh, Richard, please.
Not your mother! They told me you had had a child.
You didn't bring him for my blessing.
My mother cursed me and disowned me.
Why on earth have you brought her here? George was planning to snatch her from the Abbey so he could steal her fortune.
He thinks because he has the title Earl of Warwick that he can have all your mother's money to himself.
So the King and I have acted to ensure that you and your sister will share it as you should.
So to stop George snatching her, you have done so? You do not need to see her.
You do not even need to know that she is here.
She's our prisoner under guard.
I brought her here for your sake.
I tried to come and see you.
You brought me here so you can steal my fortune.
You left me on a battlefield! I was a child, alone, in terror for my life, and you ran away to save yourself.
You will release me.
It is not my will to have you here but Richard's, so you must accept whatever he thinks best for you.
Even if I must be dead? What? It is how we resolve the problem of your mother's fortune.
The King will pass an Act of Parliament declaring she is dead.
Dead? It is a legal term.
It means you will inherit your half of your mother's fortune now.
Which goes immediately to him as your husband.
And Isabel gets her half as well, so George cannot steal it all.
Whilst I am left in purgatory or is this hell? You should be grateful, Countess.
It is here, the Tower or the grave.
Anne, you cannot You cannot let him do this.
You must stand with me.
You betrayed me, abandoned me.
Richard saved me.
My love and trust are utterly with him.
So I have "half"? I stand there like a beggar with a bowl as my brothers put their crumbs in it.
It's always been those two, since we were children.
Me out on my own or with my "mother".
What can I do? How can I help you? Please, I want to help you.
It's all HER fault, the witch.
She favours Richard and Edward, simply does what she tells him.
But we are on your side, little Margaret and I.
But now that Edward has his two sons and Richard has his boy, they think that they're untouchable.
How wrong they are.
Because when we take back France, and when I become Regent then Edward will see what I'm really made of! So send out commissions and muster your men.
We will take France! Three sons of York! And none shall divide us! Edward, what are you doing? Stirring up another war where you could die? I wish to mark my reign with glory.
Richard could have honour and George will take the Regency for me.
You cannot give George such power.
He will turn it against you.
He is my brother, Elizabeth.
And fighting for a common cause will unite us.
It will tear you apart.
If you make George French Regent, you will regret it.
Is it good news? What, war? Well, good news if the King should fall.
But if he doesn't and he becomes King of France as well, he'll have so much power, Brittany won't be in a position to stand against him.
They would send your son home to Edward for the slaughter.
Another war.
When Edward promised us an end to bloodshed and that our taxes wouldn't rise again to pay for it Oh, blame his brother, George, cos he surely talked him into it.
Well.
They must have their war without me.
I fought enough when there was reason.
I will not risk my life for this.
No, Anthony! I'm going on a pilgrimage to Rome.
Edward needs you by his side in France.
I don't trust George You will not talk me out of it, Elizabeth.
Take my advice.
You've made your peace with Lady Margaret.
Do the same with George.
Lady Margaret saved my son and earned her place as his nursemaid.
George killed our father and brother and now he's taking Edward into danger.
I'll make my peace with George when he's dead.
It frightens me to watch you go.
I couldn't bear to lose you now.
It was my brother George's plan.
I confess, I am troubled by his sudden call to arms.
What do you mean? The King has said that George may govern France and I fear that he would not stop there.
Perhaps he will be calmed now that Isabel is with child again.
And you are not? No, but soon.
I am sure of it.
We'll have a dozen babies, as many as the Queen.
I don't mind if we don't, as long as I have you and my own honour.
'Dear Jasper and Henry.
'The men have gone to war in France against King Louis.
'As a dutiful wife, I must pray for my husband's safe return, 'but I live in fear of a York victory that would endanger you.
'At court, Elizabeth now rules alone.
'She's like a king herself and glories in it wickedly.
' Anne! Oh, it's so good to see you! Look at you! 'God's path for me is strange indeed that I am made nursemaid to 'her youngest boy for bringing him to life with my own hands.
'I cannot bear to tend him 'as he only makes me think of you, Henry, so long and far away from me.
'Every moment that I spend here is torture.
'I fear you have forgotten me.
'Please write to me.
I miss you.
' How is our mother? Was she vile to you? She was angry.
Richard said we had to bring her because George was going to steal the money.
He doesn't mean it.
He's unhappy, especially since Elizabeth had another son and he is pushed even further from the throne.
The throne? I thought it was the Regency of France he wanted.
Yes, that's what I said.
If George has something for himself, then he'll be so much happier and everybody wants that.
Our daughter, Margaret, and I have disappointed him.
He blames me that she's a girl, but once I have this son for him, he'll have his heir and he'll love me.
Is your sister telling you her news from George in France? I am worried about Edward.
George writes only that he wishes our child would be a boy.
We'd have an Edward each, then, wouldn't we? My mother bore 14 babies.
So let us hope that we are as fertile as our mothers and that our York brothers will come home unharmed.
Annie, she just cursed us! What? Don't be silly, Izzy.
She wished we'd have the same issue as our mother, two girls! She just ill-wished our boys! Could you hear what they were saying? She said that George wants the throne and that you cursed her.
You can't hear witchcraft in everything she says, Iz.
She is a woman, just as we are.
What if she isn't? George says that she's a witch.
Father said it, too.
What if everything is her fault? Ever since she sent that storm that killed my poor baby boy Izzy, please.
We fear her because of what our father did to hers.
We feel his sin.
The sin is hers.
It is all hers! And now she casts her evil eye on me and if I can't give George a boy, it will be all her fault.
We didn't sail here to talk.
We came here to overthrow Louis! We came to win back England's honour and reclaim the lands that should be ours! All I'm saying is that we should listen to King Louis's terms for peace.
He said he would offer land, so perhaps we could win without bloodshed.
He cannot offer us dignity or glory! And he won't make me Regent, Edward, which is what we agreed.
We agreed on nothing, brother.
I said that I would think about it and yet you act as if you're entitled to it! Argh! 'Dear Anne, our campaign is a farce.
'King Louis has offered Edward terms of peace 'and he has taken them.
'His son is to marry Edward's daughter, 'so she will be the next Queen of France, and lots of gold.
'I cannot forgive him for this betrayal.
'I have always been 'heart and soul for my brother, Edward, 'but now I cannot meet his eye.
'We have become like merchants, haggling a price.
'Worse still, George's ambition is curdling to rage as this 'peace thwarts him most of all.
'Edward should beware him from this day.
' Our father would cry for shame if he could see us now.
It's that whore Elizabeth's fault.
She'd been writing to him since we left, telling him not to fight.
She has England's high command, not Edward.
Lady Mother, Father is back from the war! Come on.
You're home.
I want you upstairs.
I'm tired of women! First let me show you what I brought you.
Stanley! Open a chest.
And for you, my Queen, Malmsey wine.
I told King Louis it was your favourite.
Richard! He laughed.
He said I was a fool for chivalry, then he stuck his own nose in the trough.
Where's George? He has gone home already.
He railed against me for making peace with France.
Richard will come round in time but George will barely speak to me.
I think you were right.
He would have come against me if I had made him Regent.
So now both of them are angry with us? I will offer them gold from the campaign in a hope to appease them.
So my brother shows his true colours.
He is treacherous to the last but he shall get what's coming to him! But he didn't make you Regent, so how can you do anything? I have made a secret deal with the King of France.
I have promised Louis Calais back for France if he will support me with an army to take back the English throne for myself.
All I need is my new son and heir and Louis will support me.
And what if it's not a boy? What if it's a girl? Or Or he dies? He won't die.
Why would he die? Because she cursed me.
The witch, Elizabeth! She cursed me that my boys should die and she's already killed my first one and now she'll take this one, too.
She cursed our sons? She did.
She did.
But George, please don't blame me.
It's not my fault.
She will not take him.
I shall hire a sorcerer and we shall fight her fire with fire and break her hold on England.
Richard? Richard? How could he do this to me? Now Edward tries to buy my honour! He confuses me with my brother, George.
He does not even know me.
Then send it back and show him you do not care for wealth.
The insult has been paid now.
Though everything I thought I knew has been shaken, perhaps there's no honour in anyone and each of us is alone.
But we are not alone because we have each other.
You asked to see me.
The Act that makes me dead names you a whore.
No, the law that names me dead decrees that Richard may divorce you and still keep everything, the land, the castles, treasure, everything.
You are just a spiteful, old Oh yes, well.
Your marriage has been consummated and you've borne him a son.
What grounds could that possibly be for divorce? My guess is you didn't get dispensation from the Pope.
Am I right? You're cousins.
You would have needed it but I think Richard urged you marry straight away and said he would get it later.
Yes, well, that's because we Richard married you for my money.
He will divorce you and take your money.
So you must leave him.
We will overthrow the Act and we'll get my fortune back.
We do not need men.
They are all treacherous! We will manage our affairs ourselves, you and me, together.
You are mad.
You are mad.
You don't believe me.
Ask your husband.
Ask him! Richard is right to shut you away.
Now stay in here and be dead! What a surprise.
The Queen has betrothed her common-born son, Thomas, to one of the richest girls in England! She probably used enchantment.
Shut up, George.
The marriage isn't even real.
Whatever comes out of that bed is only bastards.
Of course it's real! They are married in the eyes of God and that's what counts.
It's just I wouldn't want anyone saying such a terrible thing of me.
Annie, you mustn't believe what our mother said.
Richard loves you.
Besides, you shouldn't be worrying about him.
You should be worrying about the witch.
One of her ladies told George that she has two names written in her locket in blood.
She's cursed them both to die.
What names? He doesn't know.
What if they're ours? George says that she'll kill us all with her cursing, so he has commissioned special charms to be made that will protect us.
Er Lords and Ladies of the court! A toast to our newly betrotheds and King Edward and Queen Elizabeth of England! Edward, you cannot let him do that to me! I'll have my mother speak to him.
Your mother? You may as well reward him with more gold! Then what do you suggest, Elizabeth? Truly, tell me because if you can think of something that I cannot then perhaps you should be King! George! You will not behave towards me this way.
Are you threatening me? I'm the Queen of England.
You're a murderer! You murdered my first-born son.
You killed my boy with a storm and I will not let you take my next.
I killed no-one and I will not let you destroy the court and all we've worked for.
Shh.
Shh.
I found him in our rooms.
She's trying to kill me.
George, how do you know it was her? Who else could it be? She is trying to poison us all.
Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.
Anne, the Queen has tried to poison us.
We're going back to Tewkesbury.
Isabel, come on.
What? Go to Warwick Castle, Anne, for me, I beg you.
For God's sake, get out of this place.
She means to kill us all.
Isabel.
Izzy, don't go! Izzy! How can he know the dog was poisoned? The thing was old.
It could've died from anything.
Isabel said SHE poisoned it, the witch.
You should be resting, Isabel.
'My dearest Annie.
'I've had my baby boy, Teddy.
He's a cheruby little thing 'but Annie, George says the witch will try and poison him 'while he's small and weak so he's paying a sorcerer '.
.
a man named Burdett to ward off evil spells.
Annie, 'I'm ill.
I'm bedridden.
'George says the Queen has poisoned me.
'Either that or it's her curse on me.
'I'm frightened, Annie.
I need you.
'Burn this.
' You're too late.
What do you mean? No, Izzy! No, no, no.
No! No.
Help.
No.
Shouldn't we tell people, so that they can say goodbye? Who can we trust, though? If this was the Queen's doing, then I shall have revenge on her.
I'll talk to the King.
I'll tell him what I know.
But I know what he'll try to do.
He'll try to buy me off with marriage and get me out of the country.
But I won't agree to it.
Of course I won't.
I think I grew to love her, Anne.
I really think I did.
Anne is it true? Your sister is dead? Yes.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry I left you on the battlefield.
I was afraid.
Damn you, Edward.
George! Damn you and damn her! Edward! Leave us.
George has just accused me publicly of witchcraft! He is spreading rumours that his wife was poisoned and I was the one who did it.
George is angry because he cannot have the wife he wants.
He just asked me for Mary of Burgundy but I said no.
Imagine what would happen if we let him loose with Flanders! He is accusing me of murder, Edward! And if you're not going to do anything about it, then I most certainly will.
Yes, and what will you do? Hmm? They already say you're a witch.
Now, unless you want those rumours to grow, then you must learn to rise above the accusations, for once, and do nothing.
I will command Anne Neville to an audience with me and I will scotch the rumours.
Lady Anne, do you believe your sister, Isabel, was poisoned? She said the dog was poisoned.
Izzy thought she wasn't safe at court.
She feared the Queen would poison her? I Well, if anyone were to poison her, it would be George himself.
She's barely cold in her grave and all he cares about is snaring himself a powerful new wife.
It is the King who wants him to re-marry.
The King? And why would the King want George in Flanders when all he'd do is bring an army to attack us? Use your head and think, for once, you stupid girl, instead of listening to his venom.
I didn't poison anyone.
So it's true, then? That George wants to re-marry? Yes.
You don't think it could be him that killed my sister, do you? We do not even know if she was murdered apart from George's accusation of it.
She could have died from child bed fever.
They were married before God, so he could not put her aside.
But now he has her half of the fortune.
He is still not happy.
I want to go and fetch my niece and nephew.
I want them here with me at Warwick Castle, away from danger.
Happy times for you, then.
You think I'd celebrate a young girl's death? Well, it's had the effect you've been hoping for.
The whole court is dividing.
And you and your brother will be on both sides, as ever.
So who do you think the murderer is, Margaret? I don't know.
Most likely that unholy sorcerer of George's.
Some concoction designed to protect her probably ended her.
So George has a sorcerer? How do you know? The Queen requests I listen to court gossip.
I do not tell her everything I hear.
Yeah, but if there's one thing we should tell them, it's that.
I don't know if it's true for sure.
Take men to Tewkesbury.
Arrest George.
There'll be no warning.
Do it now! Now George has found himself a sorcerer to counteract your "witchcraft".
Where's George? He escaped.
We will capture him.
No! What are you doing out here alone? Wishing that this river was a moat to keep my loved ones safe and enemies out.
When did you get back? Just now.
Have you heard? George employed a sorcerer against me and half the court thinks he has just cause.
I don't know what to do.
Trust God.
Pray for his guidance.
George is on the run.
We don't know where he'll go or what he'll do.
And now we must dance and carouse and celebrate Edward's 15 years as King.
I don't feel like celebrating.
Smile and behold our most glorious sight! Follow the creatures! Follow the light! Come now and honour the years of your King! Come and exalt him! Come now and sing! Richard, all the men are armed.
Everyone is siding for or against the Queen.
Edward fears she will be assassinated, given all the rumours.
But Richard Wait, Richard! Lead on.
We have examined the sorcerer's charts and it's even worse than I thought.
George has been foretelling my death.
What will you do? What can I do? He is my brother.
Look at her, acting like the King herself.
George, you shouldn't be here.
I'm not afraid of either of them.
My sorcerer has told me that the witch will give the Princes over to their killer with her own hand.
She will end her line herself.
George, please be quiet! It is forbidden to predict the death of royalty.
And to kill a royal Duchess, to murder your sister.
They didn't let that stop them.
The swine is here! I can hear him.
My friend, Thomas Burdett, refused the quicker death that he was entitled if he had confessed to his guilt.
George? Now what does this tell you about that man? George! George! Argh! George, you coward! If he had confessed, his heirs could have inherited, but he refused Where is he? Because this man George! .
.
this man was innocent! So your King, your great King, your beloved Edward, is a murderer! Just as you have murdered before, eh, Edward? When you took a pillow and you smothered old King Henry.
And who bade you do it? That evil witch, Elizabeth Rivers! And you killed my wife and you killed my first-born son! Somebody take him.
He's gone mad! And you still don't see it! Anthony, Richard, seize him! She's dragging this country to hell George, stop it! And she's taking us all with her! George, stop it! Be quiet, George! Edward! You'll burn in hell for this! I have to decide.
I cannot keep holding him.
You can hardly let him go.
If I charge him with treason, as I should, then the sentence is death.
I would be killing my own brother, Elizabeth.
Listen.
Edward, you are the King.
You can decide.
.
Edward! .
.
what penalty to give him.
Don't listen to her poison.
She's trying to bewitch you! Edward! Edward! We are here to try George, Duke of Clarence, who's charged with treason.
And I shall act as Prosecutor.
Is there any news? They're still giving evidence.
But everyone now seems certain that Isabel died of child bed fever, not of poison.
All the focus has shifted onto George using a sorcerer.
The King is prosecuting.
No-one is defending.
Not even Richard.
Elizabeth, I would like to leave the court and go back to my husband in the country.
He cannot do it.
Richard, you must tell him! If he's found guilty, he will die.
The Queen would have him dead.
She's not forgiven him for her father and her brother.
We are the three sons of York.
How can we be divided by one woman? Oh, please, not George! Not George of all of you.
Why him of all of us? Would you rather it was me? Would you rather it was Edward who died and his sons, too, just so your precious little George could have every last thing he ever wanted? They found him guilty.
You must have heard.
Is that not what you would want? I don't even know the answer to that.
Tell me, how shall we find the strength to bear the wrongs people do us? He killed my father and my brother.
He murdered them in cold blood.
So why should he fare any better? Have you known loss, Lady Margaret? I've buried two husbands and my only son is forced to live away from me.
He is heir to the House of Lancaster, an enemy to the King, so.
I do not see him, was not allowed to raise him.
He may as well be lost to me.
And yet you have your faith? The Bible tells us "an eye for an eye".
But it also tells us, "Love your enemies, "bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you.
" Lady Margaret? Will you pray with me? I would like us to make peace with George.
If he apologises and withdraws his accusations, then I think we should forgive him.
He has been plotting with King Louis of France to murder me and take my throne.
I have to pass the death sentence.
You cannot execute him.
He's your brother.
You've said yourself that he's not.
He planned to kill me.
Of course he didn't! There's proof.
George has been disappointed.
You know, it's been so hard for him.
You will forgive him, Edward, you will! I'm sorry for your loss, Mother, but I will not.
You will forgive him.
I command it.
You do not command me.
I am your MOTHER! Yes, and I am the KING! You will! Oh, God! Oh, God! All I can offer is to let him choose the means of his own death, whether it be the sword or the scaffold or the block or whatever he chooses.
This is YOUR work! No, it's not.
But he will die.
Please, Edward! Please.
You're my son.
You can't do this to me.
You can't kill him.
Please, Edward! I beg you.
I beg you.
I beg you! I will beg you! I beg you! Please.
Please, Edward.
Please! Please! Edward! Edward, please! He's my boy! He's my precious boy! Please.
He's my Please! Please! Edward! He wants to be drowned in a barrel of wine.
Oh, don't joke, Anthony.
George, the fool, has chosen a fool's death a barrel of Malmsey wine.
He's no fool.
It's to punish me.
Dextera tua erigas, virtute confirmes, potestate tuearis.
My sweet boy, George.
My poor, sweet boy.
Their children will be orphans.
Orphans and paupers! Their father dies a traitor.
His lands will be forfeit.
And who do you think will get them? SHE will.
Talking to you.
This is our own brother that we're talking about! Do you realise how ridiculous you are being here? He's gone too far.
I can see that.
He has committed high treason! Cum omni desiderata prosperitate, restituas.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
Is no-one coming to see me? My mother, or at least my brothers? Wait! Wait, please! At least let me see my brother, the King.
No! Aargh! Agnus Dei Agnus Dei Oh, please! Let's go home to Warwick Castle.
Richard.
Do you love me? Truly? Anne! Oh, God, Anne! Stanley has asked if Lady Margaret's son may have his title returned to him, now that George is Why not? It's one less person who'll hate us.
This will be the last death, Edward.
You must think of life.
Think of our children.
I have good news.
The King has agreed that Henry may be given back his title, Earl of Richmond.
He's agreed? Seeing as its previous owner is deceased.
Perhaps he's feeling short of friends.
Will they let him come home? They have not ruled it out but you are at the Queen's bosom now, so perhaps you can help influence her.
Do Do they still fear he's a rival? Well, of course he's a rival.
But who would follow a stranger over Edward, especially when he has his two beloved Princes to follow him to the throne and then his brother, Richard, and his son, Edward, too? Your Henry is going to have to walk past five coffins to take the crown, and I don't know how he's going to manage that.
Do you?