You think you know a story, but you only know how it ends.
To get to the heart of the story, you have to go back to the beginning.
Let's rehearse again, everybody.
Shut the gate. Concentrate please.
Ready, everybody?
Attack!
Well, go on! Attack!
That's enough, everybody. Stop, you idiots.
Stop!
Have you any idea of the cost of this production?
Do you truly imagine His Majesty will be happy...
...to spend a small fortune on such a large shambles?
Who fired that musket ball?
I think I did, Mr. Cornish, sir.
What are you trying to do?
If you can't entertain the envoys, then you're going to shoot them instead?
Is that it?
Again.
I have some business for you, Charles.
As you desire.
My sister Margaret is to marry the king of Portugal.
I want you to escort her and her dowry to Lisbon...
...and give her away in my name.
Why me?
I need someone I can trust.
You trust me with a beautiful woman?
With my sister, of course I trust you.
Why shouldn't I?
In any case, you're already betrothed to?
What's her name? I can't keep up.
Elizabeth Grey.
She's a cousin of the marquess of Dorset.
Exactly.
I'm honoured by Your Majesty's trust, but there's still a difficulty.
I'm not important enough to give away the sister of a king...
...let alone the king of England.
That's why I'm making you a duke.
Duke of Suffolk. How does that please your grace?
Come on!
The emperor sends his best wishes to the king.
We are most grateful to you, Mr. More, for coming to welcome us in person.
No, it's my honour.
His Majesty regards your visit as a thing of great moment.
When shall we have an audience with His Majesty?
Let me advise Your Excellencies on this...
...there's only one way to reach the king's ear...
...and that is through the good offices of Cardinal Wolsey.
We heard some rumours, Mr. More...
...that the cardinal advocates French interests.
Only when he considers them to be in ours.
Tell me, what is the emperor's attitude...
...to the rise of the Lutheran heresy in some of his territories?
My friend Erasmus tells me that in Germany...
...it's spreading like a forest fire.
His Highness does everything in his power to suppress it.
But, as you know, Luther himself is the guest...
...of one of the German princes unfortunately beyond his control.
My king is writing a pamphlet demolishing Luther's arguments...
...defending the papacy and our faith.
You mean, he is writing it himself, with his own hand?
No.
There are a great many things that my king can do.
The envoys from the emperor, Your Eminence.
Your Excellencies.
This is indeed a happy day.
We have planned many festivities in honour of this most welcome visit.
And it is my devout hope and wish...
...that together we can finalize the details of a treaty...
...which will bind your master and mine in perpetual friendship.
That is very much our hope too, Your Eminence.
Good, please.
Not you, Thomas.
I don't want to waste your time or mine.
So before we drink, tell me...
...is the emperor in fact sincere about this treaty?
- Of course he is. - Good.
Then I propose to cement it...
...we also announce the betrothal of the emperor...
...to the daughter of the king, Princess Mary.
It is our understanding that she is already betrothed to the dauphin.
But now, she will be betrothed to Charles.
Unless you have some other objection?
On the contrary.
Good. Then we are agreed.
The Emperor told us to inform Your Eminence personally...
...that he wishes to bestow upon you a very generous pension.
He will also throw his weight behind your ambitions to be Pope.
Let us drink to the success of Your Excellencies' visit.
By all means.
You have found means to put my niece before the king?
Yes, Your Grace. It's already arranged.
Anne is to appear in the pageant for the Spanish envoys. As is the king.
She will find a way to draw his attention.
Good.
Once she opens her legs for him...
...she can open her mouth and denounce Wolsey.
They do say that the sharpest blades are sheathed in the softest pouches.
His Eminence, Cardinal Wolsey...
...and the Spanish ambassadors, Mendoza and Chapuys.
Who are those ladies?
They are the graces, Excellence.
They have names like Kindness, Honour, Constancy, Mercy and Pity.
They are prisoners in the castle.
The figure to the left under the broken hearts...
...is His Majesty's sister, Princess Margaret.
Who is keeping them prisoner?
Danger, Jealousy, Unkindness, Scorn, Disdain, Strangeness, et cetera.
Is the king there? Which one is the king?
The men represent Youth, Devotion, Loyalty, Pleasure, Gentleness, Liberty.
And, yes, His Majesty is hid amongst them.
As Ardent Desire, I demand you release your prisoners.
As Lady Scorn, I laugh at your desires.
These men are noble lords.
No, they're just men dressed up.
I say it again, release these fair damsels that you keep so cruelly.
Never.
Then you give us no choice but to attack and breach your defences.
No knight shall ever breach mine.
Lady, Desire overcomes all.
Attack!
Perseverance, you are my prisoner now.
- Sister. - Brother.
And now all shall be unmasked.
I must speak to you.
I trust you have settled all your affairs here, Margaret?
Yes, but...
The king has written of his love for you...
...and his eagerness to set eyes on you, having seen your portrait.
I plead with you, as your sister, don't make me marry him.
He's an old man.
And who are you?
I'm Anne Boleyn.
Thank you, Master Cornish. I'm very grateful to you.
Sir Thomas.
May I see your mistress?
A gentleman, my lady.
Mr. Brandon.
You are not yet invested a duke, I think.
Aye, madam.
I shall be taking with me to Portugal, a company of 200 persons.
They shall include my chamberlain, my chaplain, my laundress...
...all of my ladies.
Yes, madam.
Should you have anything to discuss, you may do so with my chamberlain.
Yes, madam.
I'm surprised my brother chose a man without noble blood to represent him.
Even Norfolk would have been better.
The queen is ready.
I will announce you to the queen.
Her Majesty, Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England.
Your Majesty, the envoys from Spain.
I know you have an audience with the king.
I just couldn't let you pass without seeing you.
Majesty...
...your nephew the emperor sends you his love and filial regards.
Always.
Tell him, if he loves me...
...he should write to me more often.
But I am happy from the bottom of my heart...
...that you are here...
...and that there is going to be a treaty.
Just beware the cardinal.
His Majesty will receive you now.
Gentlemen, welcome to my kingdom.
I know you will succeed in your efforts to negotiate a successful treaty.
You may trust everything Cardinal Wolsey says.
He speaks for me directly in all matters.
As for my part, I should like to invite the emperor to visit here...
...as soon as can be arranged.
The visit would give pleasure both to me and to my queen.
Your Majesty.
- When's he coming? - At the end of this month.
So soon?
If he needs allies for his attack on the French, he intends to do so shortly.
Indeed. The envoys told me in confidence...
...that the emperor will strike first against the French occupation in Italy.
He has a claim to the duchy of Milan.
And then?
Then having driven them out of Italy with your help...
...he will invade France itself.
I want you to prepare all our forces for a joint invasion.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - And I want another warship.
Your Majesty, we have only just launched the Victory.
Then order another one. A greater one.
What we lack in men, we can more than make up for in ships.
We're an island race, cardinal.
We have the best and bravest sailors in the world.
- I will have the greatest navy. - Ships are expensive.
My father was a careful man.
A shrewd man. A business man.
He left me a great deal of money, Your Eminence.
I intend to spend it.
Good.
Sir Thomas Boleyn.
Sir Thomas.
Majesty.
Come. I feel I've been a little remiss.
I never showed my gratitude to you for the diplomatic efforts you made.
Your Majesty had no need.
I'm simply content to serve you in whatever capacity I can be of use.
Nevertheless, I wish to show my gratitude.
It pleases me to make you a knight of the Garter.
I'm also appointing you comptroller of my household.
I believe Your Majesty...
...has a greater opinion of my talents than I have.
I shall be the judge of that.
We shall talk more later.
Oh, I almost forgot.
Your daughter.
The one who performed in our masquerade.
- Anne. - Yes.
As a matter of fact, she's soon to come to court...
...as a lady in waiting to Her Majesty.
And will you leave me thus?
Say nay, say nay, for shame
To save you from the blame Of all my grief and grame
And will you leave me so?
Say no, say no
And will you leave me thus?
And have no more pity Of he that loves thee?
Alas, your cruelty!
And will you leave me thus?
Say no, say no
Well, do you like it?
Should I like something that accuses me of being cruel?
- You are cruel, Mistress Anne. - Am I?
You have no claim on me, Master Wyatt.
I have the same claim as every other lover...
...to whom a woman's heart has been freely given.
You are a poet, as I am a woman.
Poets and women are always free with their hearts, are they not?
Anne...
Stop it, Tom. You mustn't.
Then I was right.
You are leaving me.
- Why don't you answer me? - You're married.
Yes. But I'm separated.
I'm going to divorce.
I mean, who isn't married?
You must never ask to see me again. Do you promise?
Why should I?
When I have just learned what promises are worth.
Is it another? Is that it?
Do you love another?
Never ask of me...
...and never, if you value your life, speak of me to others.
Do you understand?
Have you no pity?
Can you imagine? Lmagine what he's gonna be like now.
I'll wager he's already ordered a bigger codpiece.
Yes, Your Grace. No, Your Grace.
Let me bottle up your farts and sell them for nectar, Your Grace.
I don't wanna think about it any more.
It makes me ill.
So, what shall we do?
Find women.
Even if she was a complete Venus...
...I couldn't satisfy her in my dejected state.
- Let's just drink more, then. - All right.
Here. To His Grace.
- Here's to Charles. - His Grace.
Did the envoys leave in good cheer?
They were in excellent spirits.
The treaty is agreed.
And my nephew will come?
We wait for news. Wolsey will find out.
I had a dream.
In my dream, you came to me again and held me in your arms...
...and you whispered that all would be well.
And all manner of things would be well.
Henry.
Sweetheart. Husband.
You must believe me. I never knew your brother in that way.
He was so young. And he was ill.
I have never known another man, nor ever want to.
I love you.
The king.
The king would like you to come to his chambers.
Mary.
My darling daughter.
- Have you said your prayers? - Yes.
My Lord...
...how like you this?
Has the king sent any message or sign that he might visit me tonight?
- No, my lady. - No.
I'm worried about you, my love.
You work too hard.
I know that.
It will kill you.
I know that too. What am I supposed to do?
Stay alive.
- Aren't you coming? - What's happening?
The queen's new ladies have arrived. Come on.
- Beautiful hair, mistress. - Things are looking up.
Mistress. Mistress.
The way she carries herself.
"What serpent was ever so venomous...
...as to call the holy city of Rome 'Babylon'...
...and the Pope's authority 'Tyranny'...
...and turn the name of our Holy Father into 'Anti-Christ'?"
It's very good.
- Strongly worded, but it's very good. - You're sure?
Well, you might think of toning down the polemic, just a little.
For example, where you describe Luther as this weed.
Where is it?
Here, "This dilapidated, sick and evil-minded sheep."
Tone it down?
Well, yes, for diplomatic purposes.
No, never.
No language can be strong enough to condemn Luther...
...nor gracious enough to praise His Holiness.
I will dedicate a copy to him and you will take it to him in Rome.
Why me?
If there is anything true and good in it, it is due to you.
I could never have written it, or anything else, Sir Thomas More...
...without your guidance and unfailing honesty.
Why did you call me Sir Thomas?
A knighthood is the least I could do.
It's a great deal more than I deserve.
Now, don't be too modest, Thomas.
You're not a saint.
There is something else I want you to do for me.
Seize all the copies of Luther's works you can find...
...and burn them.
Burn them all.
From France.
Well, King Francis has already discovered...
...our rapprochement with the emperor.
He feels betrayed and angry...
...and is making threats against our interests.
Who told him?
My lords and ladies, His lmperial Highness...
...Charles, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Aragon, Valencia, Naples...
...and Sicily, Duke of the Burgundian Territories...
...Archduke of Austria.
Your Eminence, a moment.
Move away, Mr. Pace. Move away.
Yes, Eminence.
Your Highness.
Your Majesty.
I did not expect...
I could not sustain the anticipation.
I had to come straight down and welcome you myself.
Then I am truly honoured.
Tonight, we shall dance and feast.
And tomorrow, you shall come see my ships.
Gentlemen. Music. Let's celebrate.
Come.
Remove that man.
Wait. No, wait. Wait.
Mr. Pace.
You knew, of course...
...that His Majesty was going to make this surprise visit, did you not?
Well, yes. As his secretary, I would obviously know.
Yes, of course, you did.
And you also knew, of course...
...that the imperial envoys had come privately...
...to make a treaty with His Majesty.
But then, of course, you speak Spanish, don't you?
Almost as well as you speak French.
L... I don't understand, Your Eminence.
I think you do, Mr. Pace. I really think you do.
Because you see, I think you not only spy for me...
...you also spy for the French.
No. It's not true.
You are removed from all your positions.
No, wait, wait, wait. I swear to you.
I swear by everything that's holy, it's not true.
His Majesty is held dear in my heart.
It is treason to plot against His Majesty.
Wait. What are you saying?
Wait, Your Eminence, please. Don't do this.
You know it's not true, Your Eminence, please.
I beg you. You know it's not true, Your Eminence.
Please! Please!
This is my flagship, The Mary Rose.
She's the largest warship afloat.
She displaces 700 tons, fires 91 guns...
...and has a company of 400 men.
I have nothing like this.
You have vast armies.
Together, we shall be invincible.
How could the French withstand us?
With you beside me, there is no boundary...
...or frontier or world we could not conquer.
I like you already.
Except for the chin, what is there not to like?
Prisoner to the steps.
You must believe me, I'm an innocent man.
I don't know why I have been brought here.
I'm innocent!
No, no, no. I've done nothing wrong.
I've done nothing wrong!
You know, you and I are united by an indissoluble tie.
Since you married my mother's sister, you are really my uncle.
It's an affinity which both delights and pleases me, nephew.
Your Highness, your aunt awaits.
Your Majesty, His lmperial Highness, Charles, Holy Roman Emperor.
Majesty, I ask for your blessing, as a nephew to an aunt.
I give you my blessing freely, my dear Charles...
...as I give you my love.
Your Highness...
...allow me to present my daughter Mary, your future bride.
Bravo! Come.
Now, we must wait to be married.
Do you think you have the patience?
I have a present for Your Highness. Do you want to see it?
I love presents. Show me.
There. Look.
- Are they for me? - Do you like them?
They're the best presents I've ever had. Thank you, Your Highness.
As soon as possible, you must both come and visit me.
I want to show you especially the treasures of Montezuma...
...the king of the Aztecs, that General Cortes...
...recently discovered in Mexico.
- We should love that. - Yes.
We've heard a little about the lands across the sea...
...they call the Indies.
I tell you, I swear to you, that is where the future lies.
So much undiscovered land.
So much wealth of gold and silver...
...of minerals and salts.
Madam.
Sweetheart.
Put yourself in his way.
How are your preparations going?
We are recruiting more German mercenaries.
But everything is going well.
- I shall take Milan by next spring. - And then?
And then, together, we shall invade France...
...and bring to an end the adventures of that libertine monarch...
...King Francis.
That will make me very happy.
It will also make you king of France.
Yes.
Will you dance, Your Highness?
With Your Majesty's permission.
Granted.
Excuse me.
The king of Portugal, I've heard he also has gout.
They say his spine is deformed. He walks like a crab.
Promise me something, brother.
I'll agree to marry him on one condition.
When he's dead, which can't be long, I can marry whom I choose.
Agreed?
Not drinking today, Charles, or should I say, Your Grace?
You should definitely call him by his real name...
...which is cunt or villain.
- Why? - We're supposed to be friends, Charles.
- Aren't we still? - Not if you don't show us favour.
It's within your gift to ask His Majesty to give us some titles...
...or at least some land.
It seems that everything the king has to give, he's given to you.
- Jealous? - Naturally.
As you rise, so too should we.
So, what can we do for you, Your Grace?
Show me some respect.
I am so glad to see you.
It is often lonely here.
Lonely?
Things are not well between us, His Majesty and I.
But I saw with my own eyes how attentive he is to you.
He looks at you with such devotion...
...it seems, with such love.
I fear that is for your benefit. Henry is a good masker.
I don't wanna hear this again.
Lady Anne.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I think sometimes he will ask me for a divorce.
A divorce?
No. That's impossible.
Is it?
Forgive me.
Anne.
No. Not like this.
- How? - Seduce me.
Write letters to me. And poems. I love poems.
Ravish me with your words. Seduce me.
Majesty?
It's all right.
She's gone.
For Your Majesties to sign...
...between you this treaty of perpetual amity and concord...
...and to confirm with your seals and before these witnesses...
...the betrothal of Charles, Holy Roman Emperor...
...and her Highness, Princess Mary, upon her reaching the age of 12.
I say to you again...
...in my power as papal legate and Chancellor of England...
...that you should sign this treaty of friendship, one to another...
...and never break it, so help you God.
I swear to you my honour and allegiance.
You must always trust in me. Always.
Where is Mr. Pace? He should have been here.
Your Majesty, I have discovered, shamefully...
...that Mr. Pace was not deserving of Your Majesty's trust.
I have removed him from his offices.
You're sure?
The French were paying him a pension.
I see. I trust you will find me a replacement.
Well, how do our affairs proceed?
Very well, Your Grace.
The king makes no obvious declaration of interest.
But it's possible to detect it in the way he glances at her...
...as if, in his mind, he could see her naked.
Yes, well, he looks at most young women that way.
But it is a start.
A beginning at least to the end of that insufferable prelate.
All in good time.
One thing will follow another.
Perhaps it would be a good idea...
...to include the Duke of Suffolk in our plans.
Charles Brandon? He is barely a gentleman.
He's the king's closest friend.
And I believe hates Wolsey as much as we do.
He would be a natural ally, at least for a time.
Attack!
Two points for Mr. Anthony Knivert.
Mr. Heys, do you have those pieces I asked for?
Yes, Your Majesty.
One, rubies set in circlets of gold.
A second, a precious stone upon a bed of gold and pearl.
Third, small and large drops of pearl, with gold and purple...
...and the detail of a lion's head.
And lastly, feathers of silver, gold and amber.
Jewels fit for a queen, Your Majesty.
It was Wolsey! It was Wolsey!
Not me! Listen to me!
It's Wolsey who has a pension from the French.
It's not me. Listen to me.
I didn't do anything. I'm innocent.
It was Wolsey. Wolsey. Wolsey.
Just ask him! Ask him! It was Wolsey!