The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

There he is!

How nobly he bears himself.

Oh, it must be wonderful

to be a man and a hero.

Woman 1: He carries himself like a king.

See how his eyes constantly look up...

searching for the queen.

Yes, isn't he wonderful?

Yes, and love too has its victories.

And this, I think, belongs to Her Majesty.

An easy victory if one is a queen and may command it.

What if Her Majesty should overhear you?

The day when Essex returns, every petticoat at the palace

is chosen with an eye to pleasing him.

Come along, my son, it's time you went

into the presence chamber.

You may do as you please, father.

- I'll have no part in this. - Don't be a fool, Cecil.

Elizabeth can be difficult, even on her good day.

Good days or bad, we'll see little enough of her now

with Essex home.

Something's got to be done to tarnish him

or we'll have him sharing England's throne with her.

Then where shall we be? No, I'll be hanged if I welcome him.

You may be hanged if you do not, my son.

You know Her Majesty's infatuation for him.

But, Your Majesty, I must beg you to reconsider.

Essex is a proud man, you cannot,

you must not do this thing to him.

Elizabeth: Bacon, this will not be easy for me.

Whatever he has done, he is the man

of all men closest to my heart.

Whatever he suffers,

I suffer a thousand times more intently.

Then why, Your Majesty, why?

Elizabeth: Because the necessities of a queen

must transcend those of a woman.

His ambition has jeopardized

the prosperity of the English people.

It may endanger the very peace and stability of England.

Your Majesty, forgive this frankness,

but your love for him jeopardizes the situation.

Elizabeth: A situation fraught with gravest consequence

for my subjects, Bacon.

My personal feelings must not enter into this.

God help me.

Go now. Let me alone.

Bacon: Your Majesty.

Elizabeth: My fan. Hurry.

- Present arms! - Up!

Robert Devereux,

by grace of Her Majesty

Earl of Essex, general of the horse

and knight of the garter.

Charles, Baron Howard of Effingham,

Lord High Admiral of England.

Walter Raleigh, knight, vice admiral

of the fleets, and warden of the Stannary.

Do you kneel in homage, my lord Essex...

or in shame?

Shame, Your Majesty?

Have you lost your hearing as well as your military skill?

Stand up.

I believe my military skill was well

demonstrated at Cadiz, madam.

Is it possible our commissioner hasn't brought you

news of my victory?

Your victory!

For three years, the rains of England

have rotted our harvest to the ground.

Three years of famine and a depleted treasury.

But my lord of Essex had the cure for that.

Yes, indeed.

"Raise me but 50,000 pounds, madam," says he,

"and I'll sail for Cadiz and fetch you

“such a Spanish treasure fleet

as will make England rich again."

So I did.

I taxed my already overburdened people.

Got him his 50,000 pounds.

Now, where is my Spanish treasure fleet?

Look!

He can't answer. He daren't answer.

If Your Majesty will let me tell you.

Elizabeth: Go on, then, tell me.

Unfortunately, it was you yourself

who called the fleet back from Cadiz

before my plans had been carried out.

Unfortunately, the Spanish treasure fleet,

with 12 million ducats

lies beneath the waters of Cadiz Harbor,

sunk by the Spaniards themselves.

While Essex, against the advice of Howard and Raleigh

gathered fame for himself by storming the town.

There was naught else to be done in honor, madam.

It was for the glory of England.

For the glory of Essex!

Will that put food into the mouths of my starving people?

You think they're displeased with what

I did at Cadiz, madam? Listen to it.

Obviously, the English people are more

readily pleased than their queen, madam.

They cry your name today, but what will they say tomorrow

when I must tax them again to pay off

the soldiers and the fleet?

Does it mean nothing that 1200 pieces of Spanish ordnance

were sunk in my hollow victory?

And the Spanish fleet totally destroyed?

Thanks to my lord Howard and to Sir Walter Raleigh.

It seems you've no reward for me as a soldier, madam.

That the soldier can endure.

But the man had hoped for a different kind of reception.

You meant well, perhaps...

but my rewards are for unselfish effort,

not for things half or meanly done.

Sir Walter Raleigh.

From today, you take rank as commander of our guard.

My Lord Howard.

Your Majesty.

In grateful return for what you tried to do at Cadiz

without thought of self and only for your country's honor

I appoint you Lord Lieutenant, General of all England,

commander of my army and my fleet,

and name you Earl of Nottingham.

Your Majesty.

- Why that's impossible. - Keep silent.

I will not be silent.

Do you intend that this Earl of Nottingham

take precedence in court over me?

He'll take precedence in court over you

as he did in wisdom at Cadiz.

You were in command and abused it,

with Essex first, and England second.

Think that if you will, but I still consider

it an injustice that you place Howard before me.

- I feel you have no right. - I have...

I have no right?

As a queen, yes, but as a woman,

do I mean nothing to you?

Nothing.

Lord Essex!

Do you dare turn your back on Elizabeth of England?

You dare?

I would not have taken that from the king, your father.

Much less will I accept it from a king in petticoats.

If the courier comes, send him to me at once.

You may go.

I said, that's all.

Well?

With Your Grace's indulgence

there's another matter.

Well, what is it? What's it about?

Essex.

Did I not forbid his name to be spoken at court?

But, Your Majesty, Sir Thomas Egerton received

a letter from him from his manor at Wanstead.

Ha-ha! I knew he'd come to it, Cecil.

Begging Egerton to intercede for him, of course.

Well, perhaps I was a little harsh.

What did the letter say?

- When is he coming home? - I have it here.

Let me see.

He says, "I owe to Her Majesty a duty of allegiance

in which I never can, never will fail."

Poor darling. Of course he's sorry.

But a little apprehensive perhaps.

Go on. Go on.

“But I do not owe her the duty of attendance upon her.

“And had I that duty,

“Her Majesty's conduct has canceled it.

“As for asking her pardon, why should I ask pardon

"for receiving an insult?"

Stop it!

No.

No, go on. I'll hear it.

“When the vilest of indignities is done to me

“not even religion enforces me to sue.

“I have received the wrong.

"Let her seek pardon of me."

“And if she refuses, all her power can show

“no more strength in oppressing me

than I can summon to resist it.”

Cecil, this is intolerable!

Are you sure Essex wrote this?

Not you or your friends?

- Your Majesty... - Don't "Your Majesty" me!

You, slimy toad. I know human nature.

Nothing would suit you so well as to see.

Essex saying farewell to his head.

Will Your Grace examine the letter more closely?

Rumor hath it you are not unacquainted

with milord of Essex's writing.

And rumor hath it, I have a heavy hand for insolence.

Have you forgotten it? Now, get out.

- But, madam... - Get out, I say!

Robert.

Robert, I don't know which II hate the most,

you for making me love you

or myself for needing you so.