Reveille LLC The Tudors by Michael Hirst SECOND DRAFT

INT. DUCAL PALACE - URBINO - DAY TITLE: URBINO, ITALY On the ground floor there are raised voices as the English Ambassador, EDWARD COURTENAY, EARL OF DEVON, is led inside by two of the Duke’s officials, BEDOLI and SARTO. . COURTENAY This is humiliating, Signore Bedoli. ‘BEDOLI ‘Prego, Excellency, prego. COURTENAY . What is so urgent that I have to be dragged from my bed before seven o’ clock? SARTO The Duke has called an early meeting of the Council. He wanted you to attend. Ducal SECRETARIES and GUARDS throng the lower floor, but as they mount the grand staircase - hung with recently painted Renaissance masterpieces - Courtenay sees a group of armed MEN wearing very different clothes. They part to let him through. The CAPTAIN bows to him. CAPTAIN Monsieur. They go on up. COURTENAY What are the French doing here? BEDOLI (quietly) That is what his Grace wants to talk to you about. They reach the doors to the Council Chamber. SARTO The meeting has already started. They open a door and bow as Courtenay enters.

INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER - DAY A group of well-dressed ITALIAN MEN are sat around a large, ornate table. They acknowledge Courtenay’s presence, without rising. COUNCILLOR Your Excellency...forgive us. We have some other business. (beat) His Grace will be here shortly. They go back to their discussion, in Italian, of some financial affair. Feeling cold, Courtenay goes over to the fire. He picks at a bowl of sugared fruits and, the fire warming him, removes his cape. . Then Bedoli comes back in. BEDOLI Excellency - the Duke would like a private word with you in his apartments. . Courtenay nods, pushes open the door to the Duke’s apartments, his cloak negligently over his arm. INT. CORRIDOR ~ DAY Halfway down the corridor Courtenay sees the same group of Frenchmen. He is uneasy as he passes them, and quickens his pace towards the door of the Duke’s cabinet. He is aware that they have fallen in behind him. Almost at the door, in the lobby, Courtenay whirls round to face them. The captain stabs him with a dagger. Courtenay bellows with rage. COURTENAY Your Grace!...Help!...Your Grace! He tries to free his sword - but the hilt has become entangled with the cape..And as he struggles to free it, he. is stabbed again and again. COURTENAY (cont’d) Bastards! You French bastards!

3. But he is a powerful man, and hampered and wounded though he he drags his assailants this way and that across the lobby, smearing its marble floor with blood, while they go on lunging at him with their daggers. With a sudden convulsive movement he shakes the pack loose and stands alone, swaying, blood pouring from his wounds. He takes a step forward - and falls headlong to the ground, _ Stone dead. INT. COURT - WHITEHALL PALACE - LONDON - DAY The King’s secretary, RICHARD PACE, walks through the court, watched enviously by some of the young COURTIERS. He is joined by a man of an older generation, THOMAS MORE | (36), dressed soberly in black. MORE Mr Pace. PACE Mr More. (beat) His Majesty wants Council this afternoon to be brief. He’s due to tennis. MORE Where is the King? Pace lowers his voice a little. PACE He’s gone down to Jericho. More knows what he means, frowns with disapproval. They walk on, through grand rooms. . MORE How is he? PACE With regard to...? MORE With regard to Italy. What the French are doing in Italy. What other regard is there?

PACE His Majesty is counselling patience. MORE Yes, but you are his secretary.: You see him every day. Pace stops before the doors to the King’s private chambers, guarded by YEOMEN OF THE GUARD armed with long battle axes. PACE In private he’s mad with grief. Almost inconsolable. (beat) I think you ought to remember it was his uncle they murdered! A beat. Then Pace passes through the doors. CuT TO: INT. BEDCHAMBER - “JERICHO” - DAY On a vast bed, in a well-appointed chamber, this young KING: who is “mad with grief” and “inconsolable” is in fact making passionate love to his latest mistress, the beautiful and blonde ELIZABETH BLOUNT. HENRY V111, King of England, is 25 years old: tall, athletically-built, and extremely handsome: by reputation “the handsomest prince in Christendom”. INT. OUTER CHAMBER - “JERICHO” - DAY In the very next room, Henry’s GROOMS, SERVANTS and BODYGUARDS await him. The King is never truly alone. They can hear very distinctly the creaking of the wooden bed, and Elizabeth’s mounting moans of pleasure —- but they sit without expression, as if they can’t hear anything. INT. BEDCHAMBER - JERICHO - DAY Passion spent, Henry rolls off. There’s a long beat. She can’t speak before he does. . HENRY How is your husband?

ELIZABETH My husband is - extremely jealous. Henry turns towards her, smiles gleefully, puts his hand back on her breast. ELIZABETH He’s threatening to make a scandal. He says he’1l put me in a nunnery. Henry runs his hand down her taut, naked body. HENRY That would be such a waste. INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER - DAY Henry presides over a meeting of his council. The COUNCILLORS -. apart from Pace and More - are the great lords of England, men like the DUKES of BUCKINGHAM and NORFOLK, scions of — ancient families with vast wealth and estates. But next to Henry sits his CHANCELLOR, THOMAS WOLSEY, a man with almost effeminate features, dressed in the red robes of a Cardinal. HENRY My Lords, we meet to consider questions of great moment. The King of France has demonstrated to the world his aggressive policies. He is already at war with the Emperor. Now his forces have over-run five or six city states in Italy. He has bullied the Pope into declaring him the Defender of the Faith! (beat) On top of that, to prove that nobody can touch him, he arranges to have my cousin murdered in cold blood. There are loud murmurs of outrage and disgust around the room. HENRY (cont’d) My Lords, I believe all these actions are causes for war. There are even louder mutterings of agreement. Henry turns to Buckingham.

6. Although he is England’s highest ranking nobleman, Buckingham - with his fat, red face - actually looks more like a butcher. BUCKINGHAM (proud and haughty) Your Majesty is right. You have every reason to prosecute a war, although, in truth, you have been. slow to say so, and only now perhaps because it has touched you - in person. Henry overlooks the criticism; looks towards another of his great Nobles. HENRY Norfolk? NORFOLK I agree with my lord Buckingham. We should attack France and teach the ’ French a lesson. The great noises of approval continue. Then abate. e Wolsey? The Chancellor looks around carefully. Buckingham stares at him with evident hostility. HENRY WOLSEY I concur with Your Majesty. They are indeed just causes. Henry smiles,.claps his hands together. HENRY Good. That’s settled. We shall go to war with France. Your Grace will make the necessary arrangements. — Now I can go play. Wolsey bows. . WOLSEY - Henry leaves the chamber, some of the Councillors in his wake. More artfully steps in front of Wolsey.

MORE . You really think we should go to war? WOLSEY I think we should try to do what the King wants us to do. MORE What if the King doesn’t know what he really wants. to do? WOLSEY Then we should help him to decide. Wolsey moves on past. INT. REAL TENNIS COURT - DAY Henry plays “real” tennis with his close friend, CHARLES BRANDON. Brandon is the same age as the King, physically very similar.. The game they are playing is not like modern tennis, but a fast, more aggressive version, played with racquets and a hard ball in a confined space. The ball SLAMS off black painted walls and sloping roofs, and there are galleries filled with SPECTATORS. Henry and Brandon wear shorts, soft shoes and fine-textured shirts, through which their fair skins glow. They play hard and physical...but manage at the same time short, quiet exchanges about women in the crowd. HENRY The blonde one, behind Norfolk. I ‘haven’t seen her before. BRANDON She’s Lady Jane Howard. Norfolk just brought her to court, as a lady to her They play on, smashing the ball around. HENRY Have you tried her? Brandon grins, wipes the sweat from his forehead with a cloth.

BRANDON She has the sweetest, plumpest breasts - and sighs when you kiss them. Henry laughs. Plays a winning shot - to great applause from the galleries. HENRY My game, I think, Charles. BRANDON You know. I’m just letting you win! Henry grins, shoves him against the wall. HENRY Play! They start playing again. BRANDON Now there is someone I have to try. Look over there: middle gallery, blue dress. See her? Such an exquisite, virginal face. HENRY Who is she? BRANDON (after a beat) Buckingham’s daughter. Henry glances up at the sweet face of the girl, then at Buckingham, proud and haughty. HENRY A hundred pounds you don’t succeed. - BRANDON Done. INT, PRIVATE CHAMBERS - DAY Food dishes are tasted for poison, then passed to a GENTLEMAN of the privy chamber, then in turn, with a bow, to Buckingham who serves the King, and Lady Elizabeth Blount who serves the Queen as they sit at table. The Spanish-born Katherine of Aragon, once beautiful, is now a dumpy, middle-aged matron, worn. out by constant miscarriages. She picks at her food. Henry eats with relish. :

@ HENRY How is our daughter? KATHERINE She is healthy. Her tutors tell me she has exceptional talents, especially for music. You should be proud. HENRY I am, sweetheart. She is the pearl of my world. Buckingham, bowing, sets down another dish. BUCKINGHAM Majesty. Then moves away. KATHERINE (after a beat) You have not answered my father’ s letters. © Henry pretends not to have heard her. KATHERINE (cont’d) Why have you not answered his letters? HENRY dust because your father is the King of Spain, does he think I have nothing better to KATHERINE He advises you to sign a treaty with the Emperor, recognizing France as your mutual enemy. Henry doesn’t answer. Katherine is insistent, leaning closer. : KATHERINE (cont’d) He also advises you not to heed everything Wolsey tells you, since Wolsey is biased for the French. HENRY Since when are you a diplomat? . KATHERINE I am my father’s daughter.

10. HENRY You are my wife. You are not my minister, or my chancellor. But my wife. They both smile for the sake of the watching COURTIERS. KATHERINE (whispers) And I should like to be your wife in every way. Will you not visit my bedchamber again, as you used to? - Henry’s food suddenly doesn’t taste so good. EXT. HAMPTON COURT PALACE - DAY With its mellow red brick and formal gardens, this is one of the most beautiful houses in England. INT. CHAMBER - HAMPTON COURT PALACE - DAY Two MEN are waiting in one of the many magnificent reception rooms. One of the men is wearing ecclesiastical robes. They examine a huge, obviously priceless tapestry. MAN'S VOICE (explaining) “The Triumph of Fame over Death.” It’s based on a work by Petrach. It was presented to the Cardinal by the Venetian state. Arriving, the man - one of Wolsey’s SECRETARIES ~ bows. SECRETARY Excellency...your Grace. Cardinal Wolsey is ready to receive you. He leads them through into Wolsey’s private apartments. INT. PRIVATE APARTMENT - DAY. Wolsey, as ever in his red robes, rises from his desk in the wood-paneled chamber. SECRETARY His Excellency the French Ambassador and Bishop Bonnivet.

11. WOLSEY Gentlemen, welcome. He offers his hand and they both kiss it. He makes a gesture for them to sit. WOLSEY (cont’d) What happened in Urbino was most unfortunate - especially for me. Your Excellency is well aware of my. sentiments towards your country. But - how to explain this? AMBASSADOR It was not done on my master’s orders. And those who committed the crime have already been punished. Wolsey shrugs. WOLSEY No. You must understand, we are already beyond that. King Henry has an appetite for war. And on this occasion it will be hard to appease him. AMBASSADOR Then ~ let us have war. A beat. WOLSEY With respect to your Excellency - you don’t mean that. You are already fighting a war against the Emperor. Now you would have to fight on two fronts - even though I’m told your King already complains of being short of money. ‘The Frenchmen look at one another. : BONNIVET May I ask your Grace why you invited me here today? I am a man of God, after all, and not a diplomat. WOLSEY But I too am a man of God. I believe that faith can drive diplomacy. (MORE)

12. WOLSEY (cont'd) I asked you here precisely because I wanted your advice. BONNIVET (surprised) Well...I believe...I believe that everything humanly possible should be done to avoid a war between our two countries. It would do England no good to get involved in our European squabbles. Far better she stands above them. Why become involved when you don’t have to? I am certain your Grace has ways to pacify the young lion. WOLSEY Thank you. But I know an old fable. A group of wise men had learned that anyone caught in the rain would be driven mad. So they sought shelter in a cave, believing that when they emerged they would be able to rule a world peopled by fools and imbeciles. Unfortunately, when they did come out, they were set upon by homicidal maniacs. (beat) So much for splendid isolation. INT. ROYAL BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT The GROOMS of the bedchamber finish preparing the King for sleep: tying up his nightgown, pulling back the bedcovers and removing the warming pans. Henry, glancing at a large crucifix, plants a kiss upon it. A beat. . HENRY I will visit the Queen tonight. GROOM Yes, your Majesty. The servants busy themselves, some taking flaming torches from the walls. A hidden door is opened into the secret passage which connects Henry’s private apartments to By the light of the torches Henry walks though the passage.

13. INT. QUEEN’S CHAMBERS - NIGHT Taken by surprise, the Queen’s LADIES-OF-THE BEDCHAMBER hurry to greet the King. They curtsey low. Among them is LADY JANE HOWARD. She is very young and very beautiful, her skin milk white, her hair touselled. HENRY Where is the Queen? . LADY JANE Her Majesty is at- prayer, your Majesty. A beat. Henry stares at her. He’s changed his mind. HENRY Tell her Majesty that I came to offer her my love and devotion, as her true husband. LADY JANE Yes, your Majesty. Henry turns away, but as he does so he catches the eye of one of his SERVANT’S, who understands immediately. As Henry withdraws, the servant goes over and whispers something into Lady Jane’s ear. CUT TO: INT. WOLSEY’S CHAMBER - NIGHT Wolsey with the two Frenchmen. "AMBASSADOR Has your Grace some plan? A way to avoid war? WOLSEY Otherwise I would be wasting my time. AMBASSADOR If your demands are excessive or humiliating, you will be wasting your time. WOLSEY Excellency, I’m not going to make any demands.

14. The Ambassador is suitably surprised. Wolsey pushes a sheaf of papers across the table. WOLSEY (cont’ d) This is the outline of a new peace. treaty. Take a deep breath before you open it. The Ambassador reaches for the paper. AMBASSADOR May I? Wolsey stops him WOLSEY No. I want you to go away and read it carefully. I believe it introduces something new into the world of diplomacy. If your King accepts it, in principle, then he can sign without any lose of face. On the contrary, he can rejoice. My master can rejoice. A beat. AMBASSADOR In which case - what does your Grace want in return? . WOLSEY Nothing. AMBASSADOR WOLSEY Nothing from you. Wolsey looks at the Bishop. WOLSEY (cont’d) What I want, your Grace...only you can give me. BONNIVET I don’t understand.

15. WOLSEY Ah, but when you come to think of it, when you pray...when you ask God...I’m sure the answer will come to you. INT. PRIVATE CHAPEL - NIGHT Alone in her small private chapel, filled with candles and icons, Katherine kneels on the stone floor, as she does for hours each day. On the altar is an image of the Virgin holding the baby Jesus in her arms. INT. ROYAL BEDCHAMBER ~ NIGHT Lady Jane is escorted into Henry’s bedchamber. She curtsies. With a gesture, Henry dismisses his servants, then gently lifts her. HENRY Jane. LADY JANE Your Majesty. HENRY Do you consent? LADY JANE Yes, your Majesty. Henry touches and kisses her, gently, her mouth, cheek and neck. As she arches back he tears open the front of her gown and -kisses her breasts. Lady Jane sighs. CUT TO: EXT. TILTYARD - PALACE DAY Two huge horses carrying KNIGHTS in full armour gallop towards each other down either side of a wooden barrier, their long wooden lances aimed at the breastplate or helmet of their opponent. The ground shakes. The COURTIERS cheer on their favourite. Katherine sits under a coloured awning watching the spectacle with several of her LADIES.

16. There is a violent collision. One of the lances shatters against a helmet, the force of the impact knocking the RIDER out of his saddle and sending him crashing to the ground. Where he lies still. The winning KNIGHT, dressed in black armour, takes the applause, removes his helmet, revealing himself as Buckingham. As he rides out of the list, the fallen rider is lifted off the ground by three STRONG MEN. Blood bubbles though the eye slits of his helmet, and gushes out beneath it. - Waiting to enter the list we find Henry and a few of his - closest friends and contemporaries: BRANDON, KNIVERT and COMPTON. All four are armoured up and on horseback. They laugh and joke. BRANDON My turn. COMPTON Good luck. BRANDON Why should I need luck? Trumpets announce his arrival in the list. He rides up the dais on which Katherine and her ladies are sitting. He bows to the Queen. BRANDON (cont’ d) Your Majesty. Then his eyes search: settle on Lady Jane a moment, — pass on...settle again on Buckingham’s daughter, ANNA. BRANDON (cont’ d) My Lady, would you do me the honour of letting me wear your favours today? Anna appears to hesitate, blushes...then nods, stands up and gives Brandon a piece of material dyed with her colours. Brandon ties the material round his arm, then bows, rides t6 the end of the list where his PAGE hands him his shield, helmet and lance. Meanwhile the ladies around Anna whisper and giggle with excitement. At a signal, Brandon flies down the list towards his OPPONENT. Their lances glance against thin air, the horses thundering on.

17. They turn once more, and once more these metal juggernauts gather speed and momentum and crash together. Brandon is caught a glancing blow, sways but stays in the saddle. But his own lance has caught his opponent square on the breastplate, shattered, and lifted the KNIGHT into the air. ‘Brandon takes the cheers...catches Anna’s eye. His OPPONENT is helped back to his feet, groggy but unharmed. CUT TO: INT. CHAMBER - HAMPTON COURT PALACE - DAY Wolsey works at his desk, carrying on the affairs of state, a couple of lean dogs at his feet. His Secretary enters. SECRETARY Your Grace - Lady Blount is here. A beat. Wolsey seems irritated, then nods. WOLSEY Very well. Elizabeth is shown in, curtseys. ELIZABETH Your Grace. ~ WOLSEY What can I do fer you, Lady Blount? A beat. She is somewhat unnerved. ELIZABETH . I am - with child, your Grace. WOLSEY So what? ELIZABETH It is - his Majesty’s child. Wolsey is suddenly all-attention. Looks at her searchingly. WOLSEY You are certain? ELIZABETH Yes.

18. A beat. Wolsey thinks. WOLSEY Have you told the King? She shakes her head. WOLSEY (cont’d) | . Good. In due course I will inform his Majesty. But for the time being you will say nothing to anyone - on pain of death. Do you understand? A beat. She nods. WOLSEY When you can no longer disguise your condition, you will be removed to a private place for your lying- in. There you can give birth to your bastard. A beat. He’s finished. Elizabeth stands up. ELIZABETH Thank you - your Grace. Wolsey is once more writing his correspondence. Elizabeth quietly leaves his chamber. CcuT TO: EXT. TILTYARD - DAY Cheers and applause at the violent conclusion to another contest. Henry and his friends, their armour all dusty now and smeared with blood after several forays, look over to see who will enter the list. Once more it is the black knight - Buckingham. KNIVERT He’s won ten courses already! What is he trying to prove? COMPTON Let me go against him. BRANDON No. Let me.

19. Brandon rides forward. HENRY (quietly) Out of the way! Brandon has to draw back, as Henry rides into the list. The very appearance of the King of England, in armour, on horseback, in the flesh...elicits an audible thrill of excitement, a gathering of breath, an expectancy. As he rides over to the dais, Compton leans closer to Brandon. COMPTON (quietly) What is it between those two? BRANDON You mean you don’t know? Buckingham has a better claim to the throne ‘than Henry. (beat) And they both know it. Henry. approaches the dais, stops in front of Katherine, and bows. HENRY My Lady. Katherine smiles, walks over to him...and ties her colours to his arm. At the same time, out of the corner of his eye, Henry catches Lady Jane’s eye. But he bows once more to Katherine, canters back to the end “of the list. Both he and Buckingham are given their shields, _ helmets and lances. Henry puts on his helmet - and we suddenly see everything from his POV. Through the two narrow eye slits we see Buckingham, a tiny figure. We hear the snorting of the horse, the drumming of its hoof-beats, the grinding of metal plates, the roar and din of the crowd. The noise becomes almost ; unendurable as the horse kicks into a gallop of just amazing, dizzying speed. We can see the end of the lance, seemingly miles away, difficult to aim because of its length. But steadying...as Buckingham’s horse hurtles towards ours, growing bigger and bigger. And then an EXPLOSION of NOISE, a sickening sound of high- speed collision, a lurching, some high speed auto crash. :

20. Then, we’re outside again. Henry’s lance is shattered and he throws it aside. Buckingham is lying on the ground. The people are cheering. He rides back, watches as Buckingham’s PAGES remove his helmet, sit him upright. Henry stares down at him for a moment, without a word - then rides off to enjoy his triumph. EXT. RIVER THAMES - DAY CAPTION: ONE MONTH LATER. On a beautiful summer’s day, the King’s barge is rowed upstream from Whitehall to Chelsea, a small village outside the city walls. Cows, horses and sheep graze in the open fields on either side of the river in this buccolic scene. EXT. HOUSE AND LANDING STAGE - CHELSEA - DAY Thomas More and his extended FAMILY await the arrival of the barge at his stage. As the boat docks, Henry leaps ashore and embraces More with obvious affection. @ HENRY Thomas. MORE Your Majesty. More indicates the large gathering. MORE (cont’d) My family. (to his wife) Alice, won’t you kiss the King? . ALICE, a rather plain woman, comes hesitantly forward, but kisses Henry on the mouth, in the English fashion. . ALICE Majesty. HENRY Mistress Alice. (to More) Shall we walk in the garden? I like walking in gardens. Moré smiles, indicates the path. They walk on together.

HENRY (cont’d) You didn’t say much in Council. MORE About what? HENRY You know very well - about going to war with France. More is silent a while. The river slips past. MORE As a humanist I have an abhorrence of war. It’s an activity fit only for beasts - yet practiced by no kind of beast so constantly as by man. A long beat. HENRY As a humanist I share your opinion. As a King I am forced to disagree. More smiles a little. MORE Spoken like a lawyer. HENRY You should know. You taught me. Henry suddenly grabs More around the neck, playfully. : HENRY (cont’d) Are you finished? MORE Yes. Henry lets him go. MORE (cont’d) And no. Instead of spending ruinous amounts of money on war, I think you should spend it on the welfare of your people. Henry nods. 21.

22. HENRY Thomas, I intend to be a just ruler. But tell me this: where’s the glory in education and welfare? Why is Henry V remembered? Because . he endowed universities and built alm houses for the destitute? It’s because he won the battle of. Agincourt. Three thousand English bowmen against sixty thousand French. The flower of French chivalry destroyed in four hours. Arrows falling like rain from the skies. That’s why he’s remembered, Thomas. And More, sadly, looks at him. INT. COURT - NIGHT A crowded court. Buckingham and Norfolk look down from a gallery. Buckingham is drunk. BUCKINGHAM He has no right to any of this. His father took the throne on the battlefield; he had no real claim to it, only through a bastard on his mother’s side. NORFOLK Your Grace’s family is more ancient. BUCKINGHAM I am directly descended from Edward 111. This is my crown, and my court, and not his crown or his court. Norfolk looks around carefully. NORFOLK That’s treason, your Grace. BUCKINGHAM But it’s true. It’s true, isn’t it, Norfolk? It’s the truth. And one .day we shall make it come true.

23. He looks at Norfolk, who doesn’t deny it. Buckingham smiles, kisses him, and moves away - followed by a small entourage of his FOLLOWERS. As they walk through the court, COURTIERS bow and make way. One or two even whisper into his ear. Buckingham is like a King in waiting! So he enters his private apartments. INT. PRIVATE APARTMENTS - NIGHT No sooner is he inside, when he hears the VERY LOUD sounds of love-making from an adjoining room. A beat. Then Buckingham throws open the doors. . On the bed, Brandon is making love, doggie-fashion, to Anna, Buckingham’s daughter. Buckingham lets out a howl, and draws his sword. Brandon leaps for his clothes. Buckingham puts the point of his sword to Brandon’s throat. BUCKINGHAM What is this? BRANDON It is what it looks like - your: Grace. Buckingham presses the point’ a little deeper. BUCKINGHAM ~You have violated my daughter. BRANDON No. She begged. BUCKINGHAM taken her honour. BRANDON I swear to your Grace I have not. Someone else was there first. The girl can’t help laughing. Buckingham is puce. BUCKINGHAM Son of a whore.

24. ‘Brandon meets his gaze squarely. BRANDON Yes, that is true - your Grace. Buckingham lowers his sword. BUCKINGHAM Get out. Brandon leaves. Buckingham walks over to the bed. He hits Anna so hard in the face that her nose explodes with blood. EXT. WHITEHALL PALACE - DAY rides on a mule into the palace grounds, just as Christ rode a mule as he entered Jerusalem. But there the comparison ends. Wolsey is preceded by two CROSS BEARERS on horseback holding aloft two great silver crucifixes, and followed by four FOOTMEN carrying gilt poleaxes - and his mule is decked out in velvet cloth. His appearance creates a great stir, COURTIERS and BEGGARS crowding around the procession to stare, many in awe, at the Chancellor of England. INT, PALACE - DAY Holding an orange hollowed out with spices and herbs to his nose, to protect him against the stench of humanity, Wolsey proceeds through the palace. Now PETITIONERS crowd around him, desperate for him to read their suits, address their grievances. PETITIONER #1 Your Grace, I beg you, read my petition! Waving it in his face. PETITIONER #2 Read mine, your Grace, for the love of God! PETITIONER #3 All I ask for, your Grace, is justice! Please take my petition. I beg you, as a man of God.

25. Wolsey ignores them, and his USHERS push them USHER (shouting) Oh my lords and masters, make way for his Lord’s Grace. Make way there! Wolsey passes through another set of doors - which are shut ‘in the anguished faces of the Petitioners. INT. CHAMBER - PALACE - DAY Wolsey is joined by Pace - who bows to him. WOLSEY (quietly) . I trust you are keeping a good eye on my interests, Mr. Pace? PACE Of course, your Grace. Like an eagle. WOLSEY" I don’t want an eagle, Mr. Pace. They can soar too high. Be a pigeon -. shit'on everything! PACE Yes, your Grace. Wolsey moves on. WOLSEY - Where is.the King? PACE Out hunting. WOLSEY Good. It keeps him in good humour. Send word when he returns. PACE Yes, your Grace. He bows, as Wolsey walks away. CUT TO:

26.. EXT. ROYAL PARK - DAY Henry out hunting with his friends, already mud-spattered, the horses steaming. Then the CRY goes up, and the dogs begin their furious barking. COMPTON Over there! A DEER has been chased out of copse, and flees before the dogs. The hunting horn sounds. HENRY A. fine buck. Let’s have some sport. The young men fly after the buck on their massive hunters, galloping pell-mell into thickets, jumping ditches, reckless, each one trying to out-ride the others. ' Knivert gets in front. Grins - then the next second his horse stumbles into an unseen ditch, and almost somersaults, throwing Knivert violently into the > bank, and breaking its own legs. Henry and the others laugh at his failure, ride on, faster, whipping between the trees, the buck now clearer ahead of “them. . COMPTON (shouting) He's tiring! Look! They burst into open ground. But ahead of them now, is a ‘lake. It’s touch and go...but the buck just gets there first...and swims out of reach, leaving dogs and riders . stranded on the bank, panting, watching the antlers recede . into the distance. . Henry shrugs. HENRY -You win some, you lose some. Beat. BRANDON That reminds me. You owe me a hundred pounds. Henry. looks at him, and grins.

27. EXT. WHITEHALL PALACE - EVENING The hunters return in the gathering dusk, exhausted and satisfied. SERVANTS carry the kill on long poles strung over theix shoulders: the corpses of deers, hares, wild boars and other animals. More SERVANTS - and some of Henry’s GROOMS - swarm around as they dismount, laughing among themselves. . Pace comes forward, bows. HENRY Mr. Pace. PACE Your Majesty. His Grace the Chancellor is in the palace. Henry nods. HENRY see him (beat) Oh, and Mr. Pace - give Mr. Brandon a hundred pounds from my purse. PACE Majesty. Henry slaps Brandon on the. back. HENRY I want to hear all about it. They go off, laughing. INT. PRIVATE CHAMBERS - NIGHT Henry with Wolsey and More. Henry, loose-limbed, relaxed, bites into an apple, walks around. HENRY How are the preparations going? WOLSEY Very well. Both your army and your fleet are assembling. Provisions and stores are being laid in. You could go to war in a matter of weeks.

28. Henry beams. HENRY Excellent. I knew I could depend on you. When have you ever failed me? WOLSEY I am grateful to your Majesty. A beat. Wolsey - always a great actor - seems to hesitate. HENRY What is it? WOLSEY Your Majesty, wars are expensive. To pay for them you must raise taxes. That’s not always popular. (beat) What if your Majesty could gain more glory and prestige by other means? . HENRY Other means? WOLSEY Peaceful means. Henry pulls a face. HENRY What! No battles?! No glory? He glances at More. MORE your Majesty should hear him out. Henry sits down. HENRY Goon. WOLSEY In the last few weeks, on your Majesty’s behalf, I have conducted an intense round of diplomatic talks. (MORE)

29. WOLSEY (cont'd) Not just with the French Ambassador - also with representatives of the Emperor, and envoys from the Italian States, from Denmark, Portugal... HENRY What for? WOLSEY To make a Treaty. Beat. Henry, puzzled, glances at More again, who shrugs. HENRY What kind of Treaty? . WOLSEY. A new kind. Something never before envisaged. A Treaty of Universal | and Perpetual Peace. Henry, despite himself, is intrigued. More certainly is. MORE How is it to be effected? WOLSEY In several stages. In the first place there will be a summit meeting between the Kings of France and England. During the summit, your Majesty’s daughter will be betrothed to the French Dauphin. And at the end of the summit, you will both sign the Treaty. It will be quite new in the history of Europe, committing all its signatories to the principle of collective security and universal peace. HENRY Which means? WOLSEY Should any of the signatory countries suffer aggression, all the others would immediately demand that the aggressor withdraw. If he refuses, within one month all the - rest would declare against him...and continue until peace is restored. (MORE)

WOLSEY (cont'd) The Treaty also envisages that closer co-operation will inevitably lead to the creation of new institutions, like a Council of Europe, which would organize trade and resolve all future conflicts peacefully. During the latter part of this, Henry has got ‘back to his feet, excited, pacing about again. HENRY In some ways I like this. I know what it is... {looks at More) so do you, Thomas. MORE Yes. HENRY It’s the application of humanist principles to international affairs. A totally new way of conducting them. (beat) Your Grace is to be congratulated. WOLSEY Thank you, your Majesty. HENRY Always be assured of my love. Wolsey bows, withdraws. GROOM Your Majesty, the Duke of Buckingham desires an audience. Henry pauses, then nods. Buckingham is shown in. HENRY Your Grace. BUCKINGHAM Your Majesty ought to be made aware that yesterday I discovered Mr. Charles Brandon in flagrante delecto with my daughter. Henry looks at him.

31. HENRY You interfered? A beat. Buckingham’s face spasms. BUCKINGHAM . Mr. Brandon has brought shame to my family. I demand that your Majesty banish him from court, with whatever other punishment your Majesty sees fit. The two men are toé to toe. HENRY There will be no punishment. Unless your daughter accuses Mr. Brandon of raping her. Does she so claim? A long beat. Buckingham struggles with his anger. HENRY (cont! d) Does she claim that Mr. Brandon raped her? . BUCKINGHAM She doesn’t need to. The offence is against me and against my family. HENRY As far as I know, there has been no offence. Therefore no need for any . punishment. A long beat. Still Buckingham struggles with his emotions. Then briefly bows. BUCKINGHAM Majesty. And walks out. MORE Be.careful of Buckingham, I beg you. He may well be stupid but he’s richer than you are, and he has an army. (beat) Even your father backed off him. Henry looks at him.

@ INT. COURT - NIGHT 32. Wolsey walking in company with Bishop Bonnivet. They speak quietly. WOLSEY . I’m very happy that the King of France has agreed to sign the Treaty and host the summit. BONNIVET His Majesty is delighted there will be no war. As we all are. WOLSEY What about the other matter we spoke of? A beat. BONNIVET Which - other matter, your Grace? Wolsey stops, suddenly seizes the Bishop, slams him against the wall. WOLSEY I saved your master’s arse. I want my reward. And you can arrange it. Do you understand? Bonnivet nods. INT. PRESENCE CHAMBER - DAY Henry gives his almost daily audience, sitting on a throne beneath a canopy of cloth-of gold, flanked by NOBLES and COURTIERS. The Palace Chamberlain knocks on the door with staff, is admitted. CHAMBERLAIN Sir Thomas Boleyn. BOLEYN enters. A tali, impressive-looking man in middle-age, . with hooded, intelligent eyes. He bows low.

33. HENRY Sir Thomas. We have recalled you from France because there is some talk of a rapprochement with the French, possibly a summit. As our Ambassador it would be up to you to make all the necessary arrangements. BOLEYN I am as always at your Majesty’s service. Whatever task you give me, I will venture to carry it out to the very best of my abilities, whether it be in the name of peace or war. Henry smiles. HENRY | Of your abilities, Sir Thomas, I have not the slightest doubt. Nor of your faithfulness. He extends a hand, and Boleyn kisses his coronation ring, @ with obvious fervour. BOLEYN Majesty! ‘ CUT TO: INT. BUCKINGHAM’ S CHAMBERS - PALACE — DAY One of Buckingham’ s RETAINER’ S accompanies Boleyn as he walks through the Duke’s gilded rooms. He passes Anna, who is reading a book, a bandage over her nose. She turns away self- consciously. The servant finds his master. SERVANT Your Grace, Sir Thomas Boleyn. Buckingham makes a languid gesture. BOLEYN walks in, bows, and kisses his hand. BUCKINGHAM Sir Thomas. You have returned from. France?

34. . BOLEYN © For a while, your Grace. BUCKINGHAM They. tell me you are an excellent Ambassador. BOLEYN Then, whoever they are, they are very kind. There’s a pause. Buckingham dismisses his servants with a gesture. BUCKINGHAM You come from an old family. BOLEYN Indeed. But not as ancient, nor as grand as your Grace’s. Buckingham, though pleased, waves the compliment airily away. BUCKINGHAM Nevertheless, we have much in common. I understand - I understand you dislike parvenus as I do. A beat. BOLEYN I - think I might follow your Grace’s BUCKINGHAM The King chooses to surround himself with commoners, men of no distinction, new men, without pedigree or title. How does that help the prestige of his crown? BOLEYN (in dangerous waters) Your Grace, I - . BUCKINGHAM His father seized the crown on a battlefield, by force, not by right.

35. BOLEYN Your Grace, no-one wants to return to the evil days of civil war. What is done is done. The King is the King. : BUCKINGHAM And Wolsey is his hand-maiden! The son of a butcher! A man of the cloth with a mistress and two children. Tell me, Boleyn, how do you like this fellow? BOLEYN Not at all. Buckingham smiles. BUCKINGHAM Then,. together, we must destroy him! INT. PRIVATE CHAMBERS - DAY Henry being shaved by his BARBER, while at the same time dictating a letter to Pace. HENRY My dearest royal cousin...No. Make that - My beloved cousin. We shall make all necessary arrangements to meet together face to face. Nothing is now closer and dearer to my heart than this Treaty of Universal Peace. He pauses, to let the barber shave under his chin. HENRY (cont’d) And as a token of my good will, my commitment to this Treaty, and my love for your Majesty, I have ‘decided... He pauses again, to let the barber finish, and gently wipe his face. Then Henry strokes his clean-shaven jaw reflectively. HENRY (cont’d) .I have decided not to shave again until we meet. (MORE)

HENRY (cont’d) My beard will be a token of universal friendship, of the love between us. We have been enemies too long. Let us now embrace in friendship. And let there be peace in Europe. INT. CHAMBER - HAMPTON COURT PALACE - DAY Bishop Bonnivet kisses Wolsey’s hand. BONNIVET I have some news for your Grace. His Holiness, Pope Alexander, is desperately ill and sure to die, In view of your Grace’s well-known piety, as well as your learning and diplomatic skills, I.can assure your Grace of the support of the French Cardinals at the conclave to elect a successor. If your Grace has also the votes of your own Cardinals, then, as it please God, you will be elected Pope, Bishop of _ Rome - our new Holy Father. Wolsey’s face somehow manages to express his total satisfaction. But he crosses himself. . WOLSEY Thank you, your Grace. You make me feel very humble. Curt TO: INT. BEDCHAMBER - HAMPTON COURT PALACE - NIGHT Wolsey lies face down but naked on his great bed. His MISTRESS, plain-looking PEASANT-WOMAN with enormous breasts, straddles his back and pummels it with her fists. Wolsey groans with relief. . PEASANT WOMAN You work too hard. WOLSEY I know. Grunts beneath another blow. PEASANT WOMAN It will kill you.

37. WOLSEY I know that too. What am I supposed to do? She stops pounding him, leans over him to whisper in his ear. PEASANT WOMAN Stay alive. cuT TO: INT. CLOSET - PALACE - NIGHT More finishes his prayers, his Latin orisons, and rises for: bed. He removes his doublet - revealing beneath it a filthy hair-shirt. The skin around it is lacerated and raw, with weeping wounds. More doesn’t take the shirt off, merely lies down in his bunk, to suffer. CUT TO: INT. QUEEN'S PRIVATE CHAMBERS - NIGHT Katherine is undressed by two of her Ladies - Elizabeth Blount and Lady Jane. As they unfasten each article of ‘clothing, ( dresses were made up of many interchangeable parts), she catches their eye - but says nothing. Maybe she knows, and maybe she doesn’t. But her feminine intuition probably tells her something. Elizabeth moves away from her, suddenly has a stomach cramp. She touches her stomach ~- and Katherine sees her doing it. KATHERINE . . Are you ill, Lady Blount? ELIZABETH No, your Majesty. She moves away. KATHERINE No, stay. Elizabeth turns, curtseys again. Katherine indicates that she can kneel beside her, and dismisses Lady Jane. There’s a long beat.

KATHERINE I have not talked to anyone for'a long time. The King dismissed my Spanish confessor and my Spanish ladies, in case they were spies. And I cannot trust my English confessor. A beat. She plays with her rosary. KATHERINE (cont’d) I can trust you though, can’t I, Lady Blount? ELIZABETH {after a beat) Yes, Madam. KATHERINE is not seemly to feel self-pity. Suffering is the lot of all mankind. Think how our Lady suffered to see her only son nailed to a cross. Her only son... She pauses, overcome. KATHERINE (cont’d) I cannot give the King a living son. That is my pity. That is my suffering. I once gave birth to a baby boy...a sweet boy...who died in my arms, after just four weeks of life. _She starts to cry. _ KATHERINE (cont’d) The King blames me. I know. He thinks it is all my fault. He does not know how much I suffer, how much I pray. A beat. She looks up at Elizabeth, her face shining with tears. . KATHERINE (cont’d) And now he will not come to my bed. He does not come. He does not come because he thinks me repulsive. Look at me! Am I not old? Am I not fat and repulsive? 38.

39. ELIZABETH (softly) Gentle Madam, no. Katherine weeps bitter tears. Elizabeth cannot watch, and lowers her eyes. CUT TO: INT. BUCKINGHAM’S CHAMBERS ~ NIGHT A young, beautiful, Italian-looking BOY, dressed in a white Greek tunic, is fitted with a pair of feathered wings by Buckingham’s servants. They also powder his face, put some red colour on his lips. Then a hook is placed over his belt, attached to a wire. One of the SERVANT’S whispers to the boy. SERVANT Remember you’re flying. They winch the boy up with a rudimentary pulley. He spreads his arms out, with the wings attached, and as they let go he glides slowly down a taut rope. From his bed, Buckingham watches the winged boy descend like With a shudder, the boy comes to an abrupt halt just .a.few feet above the aristocrat.:Who smiles, and reaches for him. court TO: INT. CONFESSIONAL - NIGHT Henry sits alone in the small and dark confessional. He looks very. sombre. This is a different Henry, not just thoughtful but troubled. PRIEST V.0O. (quietly) Yes, my son. There’s a long pause. HENRY I have been thinking of my brother. Arthur. He died when I was fifteen years old. Of a fever. He had only been married for six months.

40. Another long pause. HENRY (cont’d) He was married to my wife. When he died, it was decided that I should marry her. I think my father did not want to lose the dowry. In any case, Katherine swore her marriage to Arthur had never been consummated, that he had been too weak and ill, and Papal dispensation was granted. - In the darkness Henry can just hear the soft breaths of the Priest. HENRY (cont’d) So I married her. And since then she has had five still-born children, a boy who lived for twenty eight days, and a single living daughter. Another pause. There is very real pain in Henry’s eyes. HENRY d) What if she lied? What if their marriage was consummated. She was young and beautiful then. The object of desire... (beat) Father, what does it say in the Gospels? There is no answer. HENRY (cont’d) Answer me! PRIEST V.O. In Leviticus it says, “If a man marries his wife, they will die childless. He has done a ritually unclean thing.” We see Henry clench his fists. PRIEST V.O. (cont’d) But you have a child.

41. HENRY But not a son! Not a son. Can you not see that it is Divine Justice for my offence against God! A long pause. Henry rests his head bleakly against the wooden screen. INT. COURT - DAY Henry strides through the court accompanied by COURTIERS and SERVANTS. The doors to the Queen’s private chambers open, and a dark- haired, very pretty LITTLE GIRL of about six emerges, with her GOVERNESS. Henry’s eyes light up. She and the Governess both curtsey - formally to him, but with a great roar of delight he sweeps the little girl up in his arms and swings her around, laughing. HENRY This is my daughter, Mary! Is she not beautiful? He hugs and kisses her, and Mary smiles and kisses him back, much to everyone’s delight. Then he hands her back to her Governess. HENRY .Goodbye, sweetheart. Be good. Do everything you are told. Katherine has also appeared. KATHERINE (quietly) May we talk? INT. SMALL CHAMBER - DAY Katherine with Henry. KATHERINE I don’t like it. HENRY What?