Reign

- Previously on Reign... - You were right.

As long as Mary's alive, there will always be Catholics

who want her on your throne.

Unless you share it with someone of their faith.

Archduke Ferdinand, you certainly have

risen above your competition.

I am well aware you've been looking for a Catholic king.

A king's confidence

is essential.

And you are a source

of Charles' confidence.

And you are the source of my happiness.

You're wasting your time with the wrong man.

I'm talking about Narcisse.

Round up every tax offender

and throw them in debtor's jail at once.

Dear God, the Englishmen.

Spain wants Henri on the throne.

And you do not have the power to save Charles.

Darnley can't know.

He wants the Crown Matrimonial very badly.

You must never let him benefit from your death.

With the right people on our side,

we can convince the council

to override Mary

and grant you the Crown Matrimonial.

English citizens believe they can live and conduct business

on French soil and pay nothing to the Crown.

We will show them that they're wrong.

There is an English ship in the docks christened Hopewell.

We will begin there.

Search the ship for the captain!

Captain Evans, I am Henri Valois,

brother to King Charles of France.

Damn you and damn your brother.

This ship sails under the flag of England.

But is currently in a French port.

Show me your manifest, I want to know what cargo you carry.

Isn't it enough that your brother already butchered

the man that owns this ship?

It is not.

In the name of France, I am seizing this ship

as well as the cargo it carries.

Remove Captain Evans and make certain the ship does not sail

- unless I authorize it. - This is an act of war!

Don't think that Queen Elizabeth won't hear of it.

When did King Charles' brother become the defender of France?

Perhaps he's following Charles' orders.

We cannot afford to go to war with France

over a few Englishmen who chose to live in France.

I assure you,

I will negotiate concessions from France

without risking military action.

But we must also project strength,

as the alliance between Spain and France continues to grow.

Mm-hmm.

The archduke of Austria is well-liked

by both Spain and the Vatican.

We could use the fact

that he will soon be my husband to our advantage.

What will I do with myself while you're away in France?

I've grown so used

to having you whenever I want.

I will miss that.

Hmm. How about this?

While I'm gone, and you are overcome with desire,

write it down.

We can read your pages together when I return.

Well, in that case,

I will need to request an extra large supply

of parchment and ink.

I have one son... a king... who beheads English nobles.

And another wishing to be king,

who agitates Protestants and seizes English ships.

They seem to be at war with each other.

If we don't control them,

they'll soon have us at war with England.

We have to return the ships.

What, and let France appear weak?

No. Our best strategy,

once Lord Blackburn arrives,

is to at first offer nothing.

Assume the upper hand.

England won't go to war over a couple of merchant ships.

What about the nobles that Charles slaughtered?

He was provoked. He acted in self-defense.

A lie, and I trust you have a good number

of witnesses to support it?

It's the same story the king will tell while in Paris.

Let's hope it's enough to calm the jittery nerves

of our Protestant subjects and avoid civil war.

I hear that Charles' peasant lover, Nicole,

didn't accompany him to Paris.

Do you know why?

Yes.

She wants time away from her king,

so that she can smother me

with her exhausting affections.

Well, that's the price you pay to control the woman

who controls the king.

Is it really so bad?

Each day I receive

some pointless gift.

And I am expected

to respond and share my feelings.

It's dreadful.

Oh, such a burden.

: I had no idea.

Lord Chancellor, you wished to see me?

Yes.

I thought you would like to know

that Queen Elizabeth is not happy.

I couldn't care less if Elizabeth is happy or not.

No. You only care how you're viewed by French nobles

and Spain.

Elizabeth is sending an envoy to negotte a settlement.

What's to negotiate?

English citizens shouldn't be on French soil.

And if they must, then they have to pay for the privilege. With taxes.

While I do not disagree with your beliefs...

Your antagonistic way

in which you are expressing them

could plunge us into a war.

One we do not need or want.

Which is why I will meet with Lord Blackburn

and handle the negotiations.

Alone.

Is that clear?

Of course.

Lord Bothwell.

- (Door closes) - David.

I hope I haven't kept you waiting.

- Not at all. - Have you discovered

why the privy council has been voting against every measure

I place before them?

They continue to blame you for mishandling the money

for the disaster relief.

And you're Catholic, a woman,

they consider you a foreigner...

Darnley's been paying them.

Yes, I was

getting to that, thank you.

Bribes. Quite large. He's using them

to influence the most powerful members of the council.

And what favor does he ask of them in return?

He's requested a special vote.

One that gives him the Crown Matrimonial.

Over my objections?

The privy council has such power.

If Darnley is granted the Crown Matrimonial,

it makes him my equal.

But in their eyes, my superior!

And because he is a man,

the privy council will look to him and not me.

We cannot let him succeed,

or they will be one step closer to eliminating me.

I need a plan that gives me power with the privy council.

If I can force them to take my side over Darnley's,

then I'll be able to protect my throne.

And I believe I have a plan that just may work.

- Lord Blackburn. - Lord Chancellor.

Don't tell me they sent you to greet me.

Oh, I thought it'd give us some time

to spend together informally

before we begin our negotiations.

Well, wonderful.

Then may I ask, informally,

why the king's brother Henri has become so...

active in French politics?

Ah, he supports the king, nothing more.

And the Spanish galleons anchored off shore,

do they also support the king?

It's no secret that France and Spain share a very close tie.

The Vatican is prepared to stand behind Elizabeth.

She's soon be wed to a Catholic,

King Philip's nephew, the archduke of Austria.

Hmm. I do believe our king trumps your archduke.

- Hmm. - Mm. Please.

"Restitution for the life

"of each murdered English subject.

"Return of all seized ships and cargo, and...

formal apology"

Mm, something in writing would be preferred.

France objects to your use of the word "murder".

Your English lords were not murdered,

they were executed

when they threatened the king.

"Threatened"? Really?

There will be no apology, formal or otherwise.

And no payment.

As for the ships, England may buy them back.

France is owed taxes, and we intend to collect.

However, as I am not an unreasonable man,

I might be persuaded to give back

the ships' cargo as a sign of good will.

In the eyes of the world,

you have committed murder and theft.

A military response from England will be seen as justified.

So I strongly urge you to reconsider your position.

How are the negotiations going?