Edward The Great - The True Story of Shake-speare, Free Copy

EDWARD THE GREAT: THE TRUE STORY OF SHAKESPEARE
BY GEOFFREY HAMILTON

FADE IN:

SHORT INTRODUCTORY TITLE SEQUENCE AND STATEMENT
THAT THE FOLLOWING IS BASED ON HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS.

PROLOGUE Scene 1

INT / WASHINGTON D.C. 1949 -- DAY

{LAWYER, EXPERT, JUDGE, 1ST AND 2ND OXFORDIANS}

LAWYER
....as an expert on Shakespeare then:
given that the plays were stolen and
pirated by these publishers, and yet not
a squeak is heard from your Stratford
man; and secondly, given that during this
same period numerous people are prancing
about England born with the same name,
what evidence is there, that in his
lifetime, this particular William Shakspere
was ever considered a poet?

EXPERT
There is nothing that you would consider
proof. But on the whole I think there is
a case for him. This portrait...

The Ashbourne portrait sits in view.

EXPERT (CONT'D)
...was the only concrete proof we had
from his lifetime. The way Shakespere is
dressed like Hamlet to show a connection
to the poet, the fact that it was dated
to his period, it was all so good. But
now that we know it's a fraud however --

LAWYER
-- Not a fraud, but a joke. Is that not
so? An actual Elizabethan painting
retouched to add a receding hairline to
make him look like the Stratford man. Now
I think a yes or no answer is called for,
or I believe you owe my client the apology
for which this libel trial was convened:
is there evidence that, in his lifetime,
Shakspere of Stratford was ever considered
the poet Shakespeare?

EXPERT
On the whole . . . no.

The courtroom erupts with heckles and jeers.

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2.

LAWYER
Who's likeness then is doctored to resemble
both Hamlet and this Shakspere of
Stratford? Who is the third person which
the original Ashbourne painting
represented? Here are the X-rays of the
painting to refresh your memory.

Xrays are handed to the expert.

EXPERT
It may seem to be originally a portrait
of Edward de Vere, but this, in no way,
proves that he's the author Shakespeare.

Whistles and shouts assault the lawyers.

JUDGE
Order! Order!

The Oxfordians (supporters of de Vere) leave the court.

1ST OXFORDIAN
Finally, Edward will be given the credit
he deserves.

2ND OXFORDIAN
Even Churchill realizes Edward is
Shakespeare, but he could only mutter, 'I
don't like my myths to be tarried with'.

1ST OXFORDIAN
With this trial won, now the meaning of
the plays will be gleaned. The myth is at
an end.

2ND OXFORDIAN
But could Edward have won the world over,
as he did, if the foliage of Shake-speare
had not been cultivated to mystify his
wellspring?

1ST OXFORDIAN
When two hundred years ago that foliage
was at its full height and so was the
love for his work. The only way they
could see Edward at all was through that
unknown 'Pimping Billy'. Perhaps in some
perverse way, his writings were best served
back then.

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3.

2ND OXFORDIAN
It might be. I just hope not.

CUT TO:
Scene 2
INT / HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, ENGLAND 1760 --
DAY
{HALL, SCULPTOR}

The church in Stratford where the famous bust of Shakspere stands.
A second, rough copy of the bust and some artist tools are
juxtaposed within the trappings of the church. Two men, a SCULPTOR
and John HALL meet in the nave shake hands and are eager to view
the two busts together.

SCULPTOR
I'm so glad you could meet me today Mr.
Hall.

HALL
No trouble at all. It's most exciting to
have a true sculptor like yourself here
to copy the Bard's likeness.

SCULPTOR
I asked you to come because I've spent
all week rendering this copy and I now
find I'm looking at, what I can only
describe as, a fish.

Hall is noticably shaken.

SCULPTOR (CONT'D)
I have heard of the repairs you made to
this Shakspere here and I was hoping you
could enlighten me as to how the repairs
were done.

HALL
A fish?! Hardly. Hardly is this man a
fish.

SCULPTOR
Mr. Hall -- I read Rowe's account of
Shakspere's life and his illustration
clearly shows Shakespeare holding a bag
of grain

The Scultor shows Mr Hall the illustration.

SCULPTOR (CONT'D)
Here I see that now it's, incomprehensibly,
a pillow; I also see a pen was added. I'm
(MORE)

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4.

SCULPTOR (CONT'D)
only wondering if anything else was added
or taken away?

HALL
All I did was repair the damage. I was
faithful, sir. The alabaster crumbled so
I had it replaced with marble.

The actual bust, as it is today, is shown

HALL (CONT'D)
I saw no harm in adding the pen and turning
the bag into a pillow --he was our greatest
poet, after all. He deserves to hold more
than a bag.

SCULPTOR
I'm not so sure if this is our poet.
Both figures were made years after his
death, so how could they be faithful in
likeness. A military friend of mine wrote
a play calling this Stratford man a rogue
who simply stole the plays from an unknown
"Pimping Billy". This likeness here is
of a sunstroked mackerel for all I know.
I may be getting twenty guineas for this
commission, but I would lose a thousand,
and my reputation, if I used this as a
model.

HALL
But....sir.

SCULPTOR
Not a single strike has felt true.

HALL
Sir....Sir, please, if you must have such
an opinion, it is not on my work, or on
this shire's innocent endeavors. I implore
you not to spread tales like this back in
London. The shire lives on the pilgrims
who come here. London only wants him for
itself -- that's what I think -- so
London's spreading these rumours to hurt
our trade. We have faithfully searched
the records for proofs, but no one thought
of him as a poet. The only records at
present regard his lawsuits against vicars
for wine expenses and such -- no man was
ever so focused on greed.

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5.

SCULPTOR
Surely, even Stratford has seen its share
of that sin.

HALL
The truth is, if people want to see his
cottage, we find a cottage. If they want
some story from his life, we give them a
story from his life. This was his tomb
and people simply wanted a reminder of
why he is remembered.

SCULPTOR
Think just a little. Shakespeare was a
famous poet -- the most popular, the most
pirated of his time. The poet must have
been famous as a person. His life must
be in the record somewhere, under some
other name. Maybe shake spear simply
means something to his life.

HALL
That name means a way of life for this
town. What does it matter who wrote it?
A rose by any other name would smell as
sweet.

SCULPTOR
You cannot just cite a rose to mask the
rot here. Mr. Hall I apologize for wasting
your time, but there is nothing left for
me to do but to leave you and your shire
to this fish.

The sculptor begins cleaning up his mess as Mr. Hall turns and
walks out.

CUT TO:
Scene 3
EXT / LANTHAM HOUSE, ENGLAND 1642 -- DAY
(CHARLES, LADY, STRANGE)

After the battle of Lanthom House. King CHARLES, Lord STRANGE and
his wife stand in the ruins of this house, the Derby family castle,
and confront the meaning of their momentary victory over
parliament. The King looks outraged and is speechless momentarily.

STRANGE
What I meant to say is that your Majesty
is spoiling for total war.

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6.

LADY
My husband only wants to reiterate how
courageous you are as a warrior. No one
could want such a war, and especially not
you sire. It's only that the destruction
of our ancestral house today has upset
him so and so he speaks in this tone sire.

CHARLES
I know what he means my dear. First he
played with the duplicity of 'spoil' to
make a cut against our Majesty's
upbringing, then he clarified his second
meaning. Well my policy is not for war,
but against it and these disorders -- am
I to suffer this everyday my Lord Strange?
Your following may be powerful, your
generalship may be fortunate this day,
but I rule England and Scotland no matter
how many of my subjects toil against me.
I think you suffer under the
misapprehension that your family is royal.

STRANGE
It is sire, we share the first Tudor King
as ancestor.

CHARLES
What of it? a lineage of bastardy makes
us all cousins from the time of Adam. No,
it is your likeness to the foolishness of
your shameful grandfather -- Edward the
Seventh, as he styled himself -- or that
"singularly odd man" as I've heard him
called. That man is the problem of which
I speak. Like him, you play tricks with
words, you strut about playing the King
of Man and you tire the mind as he did.
And now you encourage all these
pamphleteers and their inside jokes: Shake
this and Spear that; E-ver this and Ne-
ver that; Edward de Vere -- Edward of The
Truth: What presumption to think his name
stands for The Truth! Those packs of
dogs at Oxford who praise his poetry in
my presence -- the sublimity, they call
it, the wit, the nobility. They go on,
yet little do they know how he touches on
our royal person. Now that you ape your
grandfather, you risk his disgrace.

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7.

STRANGE
This continued farce of Shake-speare is
at your royal pleasure and I support it.
My grandfather is no longer tortured with
it and, so, no longer can I be for him.
Besides, my lineage too is besmudged by
this questioning of Shakespeare's identity.
You need me as I am now looked upon, so
for as long as it is politically necessary,
the farce will play on for both our sakes.
Our fathers', loved him and saw fit to
play their parts, we must do likewise.
My part is here as your general and no
more.

CHARLES
Is it? Is it? For my part, to play the
King is to tax my subjects of advantage
when it suits me, and it suits me now to
do so; you are banished from my presence
Lord Strange.... I don't know what role
Edward played in the virgin Queen's eyes,
but as it sent him to the Tower and to
shame. I only hope his folly is aptly
paralleled by your present strut.

THE RUINS AND THE KING�S DEPARTURE ARE VIEWED FROM THE AIR.
VIEW MOVES ACROSS ENGLAND�S COUNTRYSIDE AS
CREDITS BEGIN.

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3.
Edward the Great
Scene 4
EXT / KENIWORTH CASTLE, ENGLAND 1572 -- DAY
(JESTER, QUEEN, ROBERT)

The opening credits continue seemlessly over the QUEEN�s Progress
through the countryside. The Progress winds through the village
toward the castle entrance at sunset. Villagers are enthusiastic
and cheer the Queen. Peasants throw flowers over the Queen. ROBERT
walks close behind. Several attendants follow the pair and separate
them from the JESTER(EDWARD) who is further in the rear and riding
a hobby-horse. The Queen and Robert whisper to each other.

CREDITS END.

ROBERT
Stay in my chamber tonight. As your host,
I insist.

QUEEN
How can I Robbin? To all these people I'm
the Virgin Queen, they may find me out.

ROBERT
These are my people. There will not be a
word spoken or I'll pull their tongues
out.

QUEEN
Not tonight darling. Oh, if your wife
hadn't so scandalously broken her neck we
might even be royal parents by now --
well, openly anyway. No Robert. You will
attend me at tomorrow's sport and no
sooner.

The JESTER/EDWARD upstages the procession by prancing on his hobby-
horse in silly ways, emphasizing the stick behind him.

He is cheered enthusiasically.

A child following his lead bumps into his stick.

JESTER
Owww, stop pulling my stick boy. Have you
no tears for my freakish manhood?

The crowd laughs wildly.

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4.
Edward the Great

JESTER (CONT'D)
Every time I'm Rob-beded and I think I'm
about to be satisfactorily dillied, I do
the dillying instead. It's not half as
fun.

The crowd laughs again

ROBERT
Why do you tolerate that fool?

QUEEN
That's not your concern Robert.

QUEEN and ROBERT enter the castle leaving the Jester/Edward with
the peasants.

JESTER
Look here my friends. This is the wall
that, with the sins of Adam, Robert built.

Jeers.

JESTER (CONT'D)
Now, now, it was with no more than Adam's
sin. Who said it was the Devil's? Who
said the Devil�s? It was I. Don�t listen
to me. Robert is only a man and can be
forgiven as such. So, you ask, why does
he not tear down this wall this very day
and ask for forgiveness? Why? Because it
weighs so. Look at him, he�s way down
here at the foundation.

He points at a stone

JESTER (CONT'D)
Here are the bricks which pin him most
grossly. This brick is his poor wife's
coffin. Goodness, she folded up so neatly
when she broke her neck. Why, Robert,
it's forgotten already. Friends, here is
Robert's betrayed friend the Duke of
Norfolk, and next to him Norfolk's still
breathing love, Mary Queen of Scots. What
a poor wife she is now as she is imprisoned
against heaven and her husband in our
English castles. Norfolk and Mary had no
designs on "Our Virgin" Elizabeth.
(MORE)

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5.
Edward the Great

JESTER (CONT'D)
They only wished to help free us to worship
with a priest at our side. Is that so
sinful? Now it's only a matter of hiring
a fool like myself to lie in the dungeon
next to hers and I will have Queen Mary
loosened by Christmas

Laugher

JESTER (CONT'D)
Not that way, though she is quite comely.
Wait fool -- wait, wait. It's all my
mistake; Robert may have built the wall,
but it belongs to our Virgin Majesty --is
that not so? Yes, yes! Now I see the
pubic interest was in every slathering of
mortar and hair. See --

He holds up a piece of hair used in the mortar.

JESTER (CONT'D)
A most fortunate Queen is she who can
have a wall of virginity built with the
splash from a big man's little trowel

The Jester enters the castle to the cheers of the peasants.

CUT TO:
Scene 5
INT / KENIWORTH CASTLE, 1572 -- NIGHT
(ATTENDANT, EDWARD, JESTER, QUEEN, ROBERT, SERVANTS, MAIDS)

Dark passages and rooms. The castle's bedchamber. ROBERT parts
from the QUEEN in front of her ladies in waiting.

ROBERT
Goodnight, your Majesty. I trust your
sleep will be most guarded tonight as I
have no intention of letting anything
interfere with your golden dreams.

QUEEN
I thank you gentle Robert.

Robert leaves with his own attendant.

The JESTER enters the passage pulling at the arms of two servants,
as the Queen opens the door to her chamber.

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6.
Edward the Great

JESTER
Oh please stop pulling me this way. The
Queen is not to be disturbed. I'm under
Robert's orders not to wander this way.
After all, what would the Queen say, is
what I say. Oh! What do you say your
Majesty?

QUEEN
We say let those servants get back to
their business, as We're sure they know
they should be at it.

SERVANTS depart.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
As all servants should be.

The MAIDS turn their backs.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
{To Jester/Edward) I said, as all servants
should be at it.

Jester pulls his hat over his face and tip-toes into her
bedchamber. Door is closed as the Jester takes off his tunic and
jumps onto the bed.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
(To Jester/Edward) Don't be too hasty my
dear Edward. I've decided the most ancient
family in England must wait one more night
to finally turn royal in me. I'm indisposed
tonight.

EDWARD
Not due to Robert I hope?

QUEEN
I could sign an oath in blood if you want
proof. No, I want you to help me with
this verse. I feel very dissatisfied with
it.

EDWARD
Let me see what you've done since London.

Edward jumps down calmly but eager to help.

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7.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
Could it be the rhythm?

EDWARD
The stanza is as I left it, thank God.
No, the problem is you haven't made it a
part of you, it still sounds like me.
Here, replace your couplet's rhyme with
'me' and 'be', and rearrange it a bit.

QUEEN
But I liked the paradoxical emphasis.

EDWARD
Subtlety in such a verse can only help.
Listen; 'When I was fair and young and
favor grac�d me / Of many was I sought,
their mistress for to be; / But I did
scorn them all' etcetera.

QUEEN
I'm not enjoying this project.

EDWARD
It was your theme.

QUEEN
It was a whim; Mary brought it out of me:
her suitors, her passion, and her son,
James. The Scots are already preparing
young James for the English throne.

Inserted clip showing YOUNG JAMES being taught generalship.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
I imprison Mary, yet she freely boasts
that I will surrender to her one day. She
claims that if I make her family the legal
heirs to the crown she will bite the
Spanish hand that feeds her cause. I had
her moved from here last month specifically
so we could avoid her on this trip.

Inserted clip showing MARY writing to James from her cell.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Whenever I see her gilded prisons I
recognize my own. She has a legitimate
son, but I never will unless I marry soon.
You Edward are fortunate.

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8.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
To be married? Anne is like a baby sister
to me, and it is bigamy while I am your
husband by all that is sacred. Our marriage
predates Cecil�s arrangment.

QUEEN
Our little ceremony was under the dominion
of the sun and moon, it was only the pagan
side of me that married you.

Edward is sullen.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Oh, Edward, don't be hurt. You're too
ambitious for the other nobles to accept.
I would be driven out of England as Mary
was from Scotland. I married you to Anne
because you were still free, too free.
Some kind of marriage was the only way I
was going to control your railing...hobby-
horse -- I love you so Edward. If you
were with someone you could not love, I
was safe. And William was so set on you
for his daughter. Well, at first he was.
I had to consent to his wishes at the
time.

EDWARD
You're the Queen! Why should you bow to
his wishes?

QUEEN
Even if you were King in my place you
would fail without his mastery of the
realm. You're just an impetuous imp.

She caresses him.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
You incense him constantly and yet he
never speaks ill of you. He winks at your
indiscretions -- even with me. You have
no better ally against Robert you know.
The Howards are not good allies they only
cry for the Pope's cause at every
opportunity, and your mentor Thomas is no
ally, he has little influence with me
lately.

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9.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Thomas is a better father to me than that
That fish monger ever was in all the years
I lived as his ward.

QUEEN
I insist you stop calling Lord Cecil
anything but your friend and father.

EDWARD
Yes, Elizabeth.

QUEEN
Now the arrangements for tomorrow are
complete. And I want you to go easy on
Lord Robert.

EDWARD
Go easy on him? Never!

Edward jumps up on the bed and pretends to battle Robert.

Outside the door the MAIDS watch the approach of ROBERT towards
the chamber door. Robert slows down when he sees the guilty
expressions on the maids. He swears at himself as he storms out
through the passageways.

CUT TO:
Scene 6
EXT / KENIWORTH CASTLE, 1572 -- NEXT DAY
(ANNE, CECIL, EDWARD, QUEEN, ROBERT, THOMAS)

In front of the castle walls. Two mock castle turrets and several
catapults sit in view as the Queen and her entourage wait for the
mock battle to begin.

CECIL
As you know, I have nothing but the highest
praise for his martial, and poetic
abilities, but his sport with my family's
honour exceeds my patience. He even calls
me a fish monger in public.

QUEEN
William, you have won honour by making
Edward your son. You've even become rich
from his estates. Now that your daughter
is a Countess,

We see ANNE as they glance at her

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10.
Edward the Great

QUEEN (CONT'D)
...you can be made a Lord. I think the
exchange has been fair on both sides.

CECIL
Yes, your Majesty. However, if I could
only remind you how he and his men robbed
me at Gad's Hill; how he attempted to
free Norfolk in defiance of your death
sentence; Even here, in front of us, he
flirts with the remaining Howard family.

Edward, with Lord HOWARD and other Howard family members. He
consols them.

QUEEN
They are each my cousins and I trust them.

CECIL
And Edward's encouragement of the common
actors -- under his own name, no less. At
least stop him from that.

QUEEN
I can do no more then what I have done.
He's impossible to control. As his
guardian you've known that. You do so
well with the nation and with those history
books, why can't you do something about
him. You still have all your spies, do
you not?

CECIL
He knows which of his friends are my spies
and he deliberately acts scandalously
when they visit him. I've learned that I
just encourage him when I try to control
him.

QUEEN
Perhaps, for a change, you could find a
way that doesn't involve either a spy or
sound whipping.

CECIL
I will try your majesty.

QUEEN
(To ATTENDANT) Have not the contestants
all suited in their armour yet?
(MORE)

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11.
Edward the Great

QUEEN (CONT'D)
I want the sport to begin. You go see
what is the issue.

ROBERT and EDWARD in armour. The machinery of the battle is wheeled
into the battlefield.

ANNE Cecil calls and waves to Edward but no one pays her any
attention.

EDWARD
(to Robert) Did you finally have your
smith build you a sword someone could
see?

ROBERT
Out of my way Oxford.

EDWARD
Where's your nephew Sydney? Or should I
call him your son?

ROBERT
He already traveled to Paris.

Edward gets noticeably upset with Robert.

QUEEN
I heard that Lord Robert! You know travel
is a forbidden subject around Lord Edward.
There is no sense encouraging him steal
away to the continent again.

ROBERT
Yes, your Majesty.

QUEEN
Now, I want you to all place down your
swords and other weapons in front of me.
I've taken the liberty of having these
padded weapons made so that you don't
kill each other. Take them up and begin
the battle. Look for my handkerchief to
touch the ground! The Tudor rose to the
winning party!

Edward and Robert return to their sides as THOMAS, Edward's father-
like mentor, comes towards Edward unsuited for the battle.

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12.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
My dear Thomas why aren't you suited for
battle. You're the better general here.

THOMAS
I've come only to watch you and the Howards
defeat Robert. I'm too old for these games
now. And keep this secret: if I were beside
you today the Queen would soon find me a
useless general. These spectaculars are
your sphere now.

EDWARD
Approve me closely my Lord Chamberlain!

The Queen drops her kerchief and the battle begins with catapults
launching balls of fire.

The balls overshoot the battle lines and the two sides attack
each other viciously.

Robert and Edward lead their respective attacks in medieval style
and come face to face many times.

ROBERT
There is no sport between us Edward. But
sport will be my excuse.

EDWARD
Excuse for what? For what? you gallows
maker!

ROBERT
How dare you fuck my Queen?

EDWARD
Her pleasure gave reasons last night, but
I covered her mouth at the crucial moment.

ROBERT
I'll destroy you Edward.

EDWARD
Not after the Queen discovers your secret
marriage!

ROBERT
How would you know?

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13.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Don't worry you pin prick. I have my own
concerns. Just leave me to them and I
will leave you to yours.

THOMAS re-enters the fray and calls out for everyone to stop the
fighting.

THOMAS
Stop the game! Stop! Stop! The town is on
fire! The fireballs have rolled into the
town and set it on fire!

EDWARD
Everyone down to the Avon and put out the
fire! Hurry!

Edward leads a fire brigade.

The other side hesitates to go as Robert calculates what to do.

Eventually, Robert casually waves his side to join Edward while
he calmly walks towards the reviewing stands.

The Queen looks disappointed with the events and all talk among
themselves as they depart to re-enter the castle.

QUEEN
What a shame I couldn't see the end of
the battle. I don't think I'll ever know
who is the better general.

ROBERT
I'm surprise it could be in doubt
Elizabeth. He's too short to lead an army.
No one would ever take him seriously.

QUEEN
You might be right, Robert.

Queen and Robert depart for the castle.

CECIL
Come Anne! Edward may be your husband,
but I am your father.

ANNE leaves with her father.

All desert the situation as Edward returns alone covered in soot,
looking for more help to fight the fire.

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14.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
{aside} This nation is a madhouse. Where
is Robert's help? Where is the Queen?
They set fire to a town and walk off
without further concern. I don't care
whether the Queen, or Nature herself, has
prohibited my leaving for the continent.
If Sydney is in Paris, I'll go to Italy.
I'll thrice anything he does. Tonight
I'll smother this fire, but tomorrow I
leave at first light.

Edward again fights the fire.

CUT TO:
Scene 7
INT / VENICE, ITALY, DUKE'S PALACE, 1576 -- DAY
(DUKE, EDWARD, HOWARD, STAGE EDWARD, COMPANION)

The commedia dell'arte is performing a show in honour of Edward's
visit. A player is sumptuously overdressed exactly as Edward is
that night and he recites a biography of Edward as he speaks
accented English.

STAGE EDWARD
....These foes are shown their place / is
'gainst the gentle race. / The Queen
rewards Edward / for song and play and
word / with free and easy pass / to take
the Alps by ass / and punt the Po to sea,/
As Venice waits for thee. / Impatient man
it's true. / Far Sic'ly calls him too,/
then Roam, Padua / Florence and Mantua /
till fame and honour raise / the pitch of
all great praise / and he is made the man
/ that all the bellows fan./ Then news
of his great child / drives all the women
mild. / Return he must to see / his heir
and wife and Queen. Still Edward will
remain /...

Edward jumps on stage and calmly mimes his story.

STAGE EDWARD (CONT'D)
...within our char'acter's name./ Prince
from the land of lead,/ for us, not all
was said. / Tonight is but the first / of
revels that we thirst./ Where in these
masks lives Edward / timeless, to be our
time to live.
Gracia Doge mia.... Conte.....

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15.
Edward the Great

DUKE
Thank you players. Dear Count Edward, I
hope our failing attempt to speak your
tongue has impressed you. So many English
Catholics in our nation are for hire and
we have been taught by them how to honour
you with this verse.

EDWARD
Thank you for splitting the heroic
hexameter!

All laugh.

EDWARD (CONT'D)
So Edward is only half a hero? When Don
John of Austria has the courage to face
me in the joust you will see the other
half. Thank you Duke. Thank you all. In
the little more than a year since I arrived
in your country you have learned my mother
tongue, which can barely express a thought --
and I love to speak Italian so.

DUKE
Now, now, no Italian. Let us continue. It
was worth the effort to learn it when you
have shown us what Englishmen can do.
Tonight the Commedia d'elle Arte has
officially inaugurated the character of
Edward of Oxenford. A character which the
peasants and nobles across Italy demanded
to see on stage. I hope you are honoured.

Edward has tears in his eyes.

EDWARD
To have this, the most civilized nation
on earth allow me to move my hand in this
air is an honour. To breath it is to demand
too much.

DUKE
--Now, now, my friend. Next, I have
gathered the knowledge of Italy together
in these books

Crates of books are wheeled in.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16.
Edward the Great

DUKE (CONT'D)
A gift seemingly to you, but one day, no
doubt, it will come back transformed. I
would also wish that you allow me to
transport them to your home at my expense
as I understand your wealth has not been
able to follow you due to a new outbreak
of plague.

EDWARD
Nonsense, my dear Duke I am flush with
gold. Without disrespect, I have no need
of your help. In fact I have a gift for
you

A SERVANT moves forward with a box.

EDWARD (CONT'D)
I present you with the Ruby of Selonikka.
A rare jewel smuggled away from the Turks
not last month under my expense and
specifically so as to have a gift worthy
of your republic.

DUKE
I thank you for my republic and with my
heart. But, dear Edward, we had not
finished with our gifts yet. Here we have
taken from our treasury the horn of Roland,
the gift of Charlemagne. We give you this
magic protector, a spear of sorts to shake
against the world.

Two English gentleman, HOWARD and a COMPANION, are seen entering
the theatre as Edward talks. When Edward finishes, he and the
Duke continue to praise each other while these two men whisper to
each other.

HOWARD
It is wonderful to see Edward again and
under the papal eye, but this news will
not be easy to give him. Our delay cannot
be excused, plague or no plague. The
Protestants have grown too strong since
his departure. Robert and Cecil must be
stopped.

Edward spots Howard and begs leave to greet him. Howard's
companion retires into the background.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Howard, my good friend, it is so good to
see you. What brings you to paradise?
How is the rest of the Howard family?

HOWARD
We are as good as can be expected, but it
is to inform you of the news at court
that I have journeyed to Italy.

EDWARD
Can it it be so urgent?

HOWARD
As voluminous as it is horrendous Edward.
First, a note to you. The Queen has told
another poet to take credit for your
hundred verses and rewards him for the
deception by making him poet laureate
over you. She has forbidden your name to
be connected to any of your plays or verses
and she no longer allows your poetry to
be published. Cecil is even put in charge
of the censorship. The people are reading
too much about the Queen's court in them.
You see, she wants a small revenge on
you. You were fortunate that she let you
travel at all, and now she thinks two
years will be taking advantage of her.
She misses you very much and is upset at
you for not returning sooner.

EDWARD
Can she be so spiteful? But I will not be
undone by this. What poet is said to have
written my verses? Not Sydney I hope?

HOWARD
No, your friend Gascoigne. Secondly, Cecil
will send no more money, not even enough
to pay off your creditors. I know this is
not surprising to you at this point, but
there is far worse news. Your child...a
girl--

EDWARD
--That's wonderful news. I'm not worried
about a girl. There will be other
opportunities for a boy. I feel Anne and
I have will have another chance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18.
Edward the Great

HOWARD
The reason you were not sent word of the
child's sex for so many months, is not
because of the plague closing the passes,
but because it was not known.

EDWARD
Are people so prudish? Does no one look
anymore? Are only hermaphrodites expected
under Cecil's commonwealth?

HOWARD
No. It was not known because the child
was not born the day it was claimed by
Cecil and his daughter. It was born in
October, one year after your last meeting
with her. It is known at court already
and everyone is calling you a cuckold.
Cecil is fighting back by spreading a
rumour that he tricked you into sleeping
with Anne three months later by getting
you drunk and having a pimp send you into
a whore's lodging. There your wife is
said to have waited for you. Did such a
thing happen?

EDWARD
Never! Though, a "fish monger" he has
proven himself. How could this happen
with Anne? I've known her since she was a
baby. She is not capable of such
infidelity.

HOWARD
There is no mistake. The Queen and her
doctor have been suspicious since its
conception was made known after your
departure. Others have certain information
that it is not yours. And there is worse
news still.

EDWARD
As it is, I'm ash

HOWARD
It is the opinion of the court that the
father is Cecil himself.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Now everything is clear. The pimp does
try his goods!

The Duke of Venice notices Edward's change of mood and comes with
his entourage to investigate.

DUKE
Dear Edward we have all watched your mood
change for the worse and we all would
like to know if there is something we
could do to improve your spirits.

EDWARD
My affairs in England call me home at
this moment. Also, I'm told that my wealth
has refused to follow my debts, so I ask
that my baggage be sent after me as you
offered. I will repay all that you and
your kind have done for me. I go towards
England now. I thank you all! I thank you
all! I leave my true soul in your
safekeeping.

CUT TO:
Scene 8
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, 1576 -- DAY
(CECIL, EDWARD, QUEEN, ROBERT)

Cecil and Robert conspire while the Queen and attendants wait for
the arrival of Edward.

CECIL
It's not that I could not, or would not,
do all I could do. Nor is it that I
hesitated to do the deed. I did all I
could, Lord Robert, as you know I would.
The pirates refused to kill Edward once
they captured him. They knew the Queen
would have them hunted down if they had
killed him, and that we would lead the
hunt to throw the blame off ourselves.
They decided only to steal his goods,
which were very little and now they want
further payment to keep silent.

ROBERT
Pay them off Cecil, with Edward's lands
as usual, but warn them not to test our
own resolve to pursue them ourselves if
they break their word again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20.
Edward the Great

CECIL
I most heartily concur Robert. There is
the matter of my daughter and granddaughter--

ROBERT
That's your affair--

CECIL
--there is no truth to the rumours I hope
you know.

ROBERT
Of course, of course. What a shame for
you that the pirates didn't kill Edward
now that his usefulness to you is at an
end.

CECIL
Not that I ever desired his ending to be
anything but for the country, but there
would have been some satisfaction in not
having to deal with him any longer. Your
own needs must be similarly indifferent
as rivals for the Queen's bed grow in
number with each passing day.

ROBERT
My needs have their own order of
preference.

EDWARD enters with his followers all are armed. He faces the Queen,
makes a curt bow and waits.

QUEEN
Cousin Edward we have missed you so at
court--

EDWARD
--I will not speak to you until these two
men are no longer in my presence

Points to Robert and Cecil.

QUEEN
How dare you? Clear the court I wish to
speak to my cousin in private. Clear the
court!

All depart but Edward and the Queen.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21.
Edward the Great

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Now Edward what do you want me to do? Do
you want me to throw you in prison?
Because if you ever speak to me like that
again my only choice will be between Fleet
or the Tower. Your capture by pirates
holds little excuse for your ill temper.

EDWARD
How could you allow Cecil in court when
you know of his daughter's conception?

QUEEN
Look at this conception as a blessing--

EDWARD
--How can I? as his daughter has conceived
it, by his seed.--

QUEEN
--How do you know Edward? Do you have
some special communion with God to know
if it is Cecil's incestuous child? Who
gave you this insight?

EDWARD
The Howards sent me word.

QUEEN
The Howards are in a war with Cecil and
Robert. Why do you trust them? They have
no more knowledge of the matter than
youself.

EDWARD
The child cannot be mine.

QUEEN
Yes, on that score I am most sorry for
you -- however if the fault of one's own
doing can naturally avenge the wrongs
done against oneself, then I have news
which may alleviate your suffering pride.
During your absence I gave birth to a
son.

EDWARD
A son? Whose son? Whose son?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
Your's of course. I sent him to our friend,
Southampton, as he recently lost his own
child. Our Henry will inherit that title
and no one will notice the changling.

EDWARD
-- Henry -- Henry --

QUEEN
Yes, your favourite, Prince Hal.

EDWARD
-- Could I not take him under my own care?

QUEEN
You're too close to my throne, everyone
would guess it is mine, and after this
scandal with your wife, no one would
believe your claims to the contrary. It
can never be considered.

EDWARD
We were married under the rites of Nature,
why can't Henry's legitimacy be made known?

QUEEN
I will not confess to the world, and to
my enemies, that I am some harlot who has
secret husbands and secret children. Enough
of that. Robert doesn't know, no-one knows
of this, but those concerned and my closest
maid. Regarding your wife, Anne, and my
Lord Cecil. I will order Cecil to
relinquish his control over your estates.
You will be in charge of your own fortune
now. I will not ask you to return to Anne
and neither Cecil nor Anne will attend me
while you're at court. From now on I want
you to stay close to me. No more travels
for my mad Turk. My private stage is a
far as I want you to stray.

The Queen embraces Edward like a mother.

CUT TO:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.
Edward the Great

Scene 9
EXT / A LONDON STREET, 1577 -- DAY
(1ST MAN, 2ND MAN, EDWARD, LYLY)

Edward is dressed in fancy Italian dress. He is very fashionable
in England and several passers-by walk by him in similar outfits.
He and a fellow poet, John LYLY are going to his house at Charing
Cross and there they will meet his personal troops.

EDWARD
One thing follows the next. You see, John,
if my money had come to Italy, I would
have paid for my baggage. Next, the
baggage would have traveled with me. Then
it would have traveled across the channel
with me where those friendly pirates would
have taken these fashions and they would
now be politicing in these frills and not
I. My followers would see my poetry before
my garters. You see how long the train of
action is. An action is so extended by
its consequences that the train of a dress
may not recognize its mistress. Look how
they pass by as though I'm holding on to
their train -- so I'm to become another
follower of the Earl of Oxford am I? Oh
sir, don't you love that Oxford March,
and those Oxford gloves, and the Oxford
perfume, and don't forget the Oxford
toothpick, and what about the Oxford lisp --
by the way, I don't lisp do I?

LYLY
Not at all my Lord.

Edward does not lisp.

LYLY (CONT'D)

EDWARD
Master Lyly -- John, I am no Lord to you.
Use Edward, now that we are brother poets.
Come to think of it, I have brotherly
advice to ask of you. Even though "Titus"
is almost complete, I have a new character
who is hung by the neck somewhat like the
Queen has done recently to one sad fellow,
and I want him to survive and say something
about it. What do you think it's like to
be hung from the neck?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24.
Edward the Great

LYLY
I could not say my Lor-- Edward -- sir.

EDWARD
I was so hoping that you'd have some
insight. Oh well, come to my home. I have
another issue to discuss. You see, I'm
hoping you might be interested in becoming
my secretary. Now before you jump at it --
the position comes with a lodging at the
Savoy, like my other poets, and a fifty
pound stipend. I won't interfere with
your own writing and, if you like, I could
tutor you in the ways of Euphues.

LYLY
Edward, I have dreamed of this opportunity.
Thank you.

They enter Edward's House and find four of Edward's Men sharpening
swords. Each is in a blue uniform with a boar crest on the left
sleeve. They stand at attention as Edward enters.

ARMED MEN
My lord!

EDWARD
Why are you men here today? Your fencing
lessons are set for tomorrow.

1ST MAN
We heard that Sydney has formed a group
to stand against you and we came today to
guard your person.

EDWARD
(Laughs) I thank you for your concern,
but Sydney's group is not in violent
opposition to me. He merely dislikes my
poetic style and the style of my followers
. . . He opposes me on the page only. If
he could only write a play perhaps I might
worry.

1ST MAN
We're so relieved.

EDWARD
While you're here, perhaps you men could
answer a question for me?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25.
Edward the Great

1ST MAN
What is your pleasure my Lord?

EDWARD
Does anyone here have experience with the
hangman? Or happen to know what it's like
to be hung from the neck?

They all shake their heads, 'No'.

1ST MAN
Sir, I have an idea.

1st man takes off his suspenders and ties them around his neck.

EDWARD
What are you doing?

1ST MAN
I'll hang myself and tell you about it.

LYLY
Don't!

EDWARD
No, let him if he wants to.

The man is helped by his comrades to hang himself.

EDWARD (CONT'D)
Let him lower himself off the chair.

The man slips off the chair and struggles for a few seconds before
the noose is released and he falls to the floor.

1ST MAN
Oh my Lord I wouldn't do that again for
the world! I was so terrified that I
might stay up too long. It was the worst
kind of pain.

2ND MAN
Let me try. I want to know that feeling.

EDWARD
Let him men.

LYLY
My lord -- Edward -- this is sillyness.

The same scenario happens again with the second man, but longer.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Hush John, Perhaps what they can't say, I
will see in their eyes.

The 2nd man looks dangerously injured

EDWARD (CONT'D)
That�s enough, release him fast!

2ND MAN
Oh! I can't say what happened. ...No words
for it.

LYLY
(Aside to Edward) What fools they are to
follow each other.

EDWARD
But not all followers are fools. Let me
have a turn. There are some who enjoy
severing the heart from the mind, this
once it may serve the turn of truth. Keep
me up the longest!

The same thing happens to Edward. He struggles in the noose as
the scene ends.

CUT TO:
Scene 10
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, 1578 -- DAY
(EDWARD, HOWARD, MENDOZA, THOMAS, VAVASOR)

A party is taking place while the Queen is away. The Spanish
Ambassador is being hosted by the Howard clan in the Palace.

MENDOZA
How is the saying Lord Howard? When the
cat is away the mice will play?

HOWARD
Cecil will never miss a penny. When
Elizabeth returns we'll have paid for the
party in full. This celebration is an
investment in the true Queen -- Mary. The
Howards and Veres want to welcome the new
ambassador from King Philip. Spain is
evermore our savior in this matter.

MENDOZA
And where is the Vere clan tonight?
(MORE)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27.
Edward the Great

MENDOZA (CONT'D)
We want Edward especially to be with us.
We heard of Harvey's speech about him
last month. The chivalrous poet-warrior.
The invisible man who shakes spears like
Athena. He has a great following across
the country we understand. A true Catholic
and an intimate of Elizabeth. He could
kill the harlot if necessary.

HOWARD
(shocked) We have yet to ask him to join
us. We're waiting for the best opportunity.
He loves the Queen and most likely won't
betray her presently. But he is on our
side and hates to see Mary in our English
prisons all these years. While we've waited
for him, the English Jesuits from Italy
have been arriving and laying ground for
Mary's reign. So regardless of Edward, we
will still need to wait until the ground
is set.

MENDOZA
But don't wait until the Jezebel is tired
of him.

Thomas arrives and approaches the ambassador

HOWARD
(Aside to Mendoza) This is Edward's mentor.
He's sympathetic to us, but too old
fashioned to trust with our plans.(Aloud) -
Welcome Thomas

THOMAS
Good evening gentlemen. I have some welcome
news from the Queen's tour. It seems
Robert's secret marriage has been exposed.
The Queen has gone so far as to slap
Robert's wife in public and throw Robert
himself into Fleet Prison. I made an effort
for him, so now he's under house arrest
instead. I hope he's grateful to be in
his own bed tonight.

HOWARD
Why did you interfere? It was just as I'd
planned. We can't have him at court.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28.
Edward the Great

THOMAS
Then I gather you are behind this
revelation to the Queen?

HOWARD
How else can we free the true faith while
Robert poisons her ear? Thomas, where is
Edward tonight?

THOMAS
He's here somewhere; why don't you just
send your henchmen to find him.

Thomas walks off.

MENDOZA
This Thomas must never be made aware of
our plans. They should not even be hinted
at again. Do you understand?

HOWARD
Yes, of course -- there's Edward now.
Watch closely what happens next my dear
ambassador.

Edward arrives and sees Lord Howard.

EDWARD
Cousin! Have you heard the news of Robert?
It was bound to happen eventually. You
can't marry behind the Queen's back and
she not find out.

HOWARD
Yes, Thomas gave us the news just now.

EDWARD
The blessings of marriage total one: to
never need to promise it again.

HOWARD
Which is quite a blessing. Edward this is
Ambassador Mendoza.

Anne VAVASOR sees Edward and approaches the group.

HOWARD (CONT'D)
Look now gentleman. Here comes my niece.
Gentlemen this is Anne Vavasor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Anne. What a shame the infamy of my wife
should be reflected in your name. I
apologize for the actions of your namesake.

VAVASOR
My lord. I have no need of your apologies.
I'm quite capable of designing a new
meaning from those four letters. Perhaps
you might instead work on the design of
your own name. What is it this month?
Godling? Apollo? The Turk? The Boar? The
lord who Shakes spears? My uncle tells
me you live under a hundred different
names. What is wrong with Edward de Vere?

EDWARD
My dear girl. The Queen has forbidden the
chronicles in my plays and verse from
being identified outside the court.
Besides, at court, you know it's shameful
to acknowledge one's playwriting to the
commons.

VAVASOR
My lord, I have seen your Henry VI. and
Joan of Arc says, "Belike your lordship
take us then for fools?" So I say it to
you, do you think anyone is fooled by
your confusions. Why don't you stand up
to the Queen and to these courtiers?

HOWARD
Anne, hold your tongue. Edward does what's
right and it's not your place to contradict
him.

EDWARD
It's quite all right Henry. I would like
to explain it to her. Pardon us.

Edward holds out his arm and Anne puts hers in his as they walk
away.

HOWARD
Seignior Mendoza this is the spectacle I
wished you to see. She went further than
usual, but I knew Edward would be caught
in her web.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30.
Edward the Great

MENDOZA
What is this all about?

HOWARD
You will see. She'll be useful in our
future plans for Edward.

CUT TO:
Scene 11
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, TENNIS COURT, 1579 -- DAY
(EDWARD, HOWARD, KNYVET, MENDOZA, SYDNEY, PARTNER)

Edward and Knyvet play tennis as Lord Howard and Mendoza sit in
the tennis court gallery. The gallery is otherwise empty.

KNYVET
Good serve Edward! You can add this game
to your treasure chest of wonders!

EDWARD
This treasure chest of flattery you've
found, Knyvet, should be given back to
Robert and Cecil. They're so low in the
Queen's favour I think this stuff of yours
was lost by them; besides it's time we
were charitable.

KNYVET
Perhaps you should keep it for yourself,
I hear my niece Anne starves you for
flattery.

EDWARD
Mistress Anne flatters me by offering me
her wits. I thank all her relations for
that treasure.

Edward returns to playing. Howard speaks privately to Mendoza.

HOWARD
Elizabeth will not return England to the
Pope. It's time we freed Mary and made
her Queen, but we still must wait until
Edward is fully with us before we bring
him into our plan. Anne, my niece, is
always with Edward and she may become
pregnant any time.
(MORE)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31.
Edward the Great

HOWARD (CONT'D)
If that happens we will have Edward; he's
too much in love with our Anne to betray
our cause and too much in our debt to go
alone in the world. Additionally, he has
invested the remainder of his ready fortune
in the North West expedition of Frobisher.
What's worse for him is he borrowed three
thousand from a Jew to further invest in
his gamble. So now he�s in fiscal
jeopardy, he's too weak at court to oppose
us and he'll have everything to gain by
supporting us now.

MENDOZA
Yes, I heard something about this Jew.

Mendoza turns to the game and calls down to Edward.

MENDOZA (CONT'D)
Lord Oxford I hear you have decided to
support a voyage to our New World.

EDWARD
Yes, I believe there is a great amount of
gold to be mined in the north-western
territories.

MENDOZA
I also understand a Jew named Lok has
advance you the moneys you invested?

EDWARD
Yes, an honest man, as I can tell.

MENDOZA
What did this Lok ask for as your bond?

EDWARD
Nothing more than title to one of my
smaller estates.

MENDOZA
Is your honour put into bond so lightly?

EDWARD
I have seen the gold from the first
expedition. I will not need to give up
anything. My ship will come home with
enough gold to buy even Robert's title.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32.
Edward the Great

MENDOZA
Your honour is in jeopardy my good Earl.
Is honour not worth more than even one's
own flesh? Watch this Shyster Lok closely.
We expelled the Jews from Spain for less
than what he can do against you.

SYDNEY and a PARTNER enter the tennis court and get ready to play.

SYDNEY
Lord Oxford, I wish to play. So if you
could finish your repartee elsewhere I
would be very much obliged.

EDWARD
This is the Spanish Ambassador, Sydney,
and I have neither finished the
conversation nor have I yet played a full
game. So, if you don't mind, I suggest
you wait your turn.

SYDNEY
I don't think I have the time to wait for
all your puns and anachronisms. So if you
could use the rules of grammar and get to
the point I would be very much in your
debt.

EDWARD
You borrow so much from me now I doubt
not but that you are in my debt already.

SYDNEY
How could I be? I don't believe your word
games can have any meaning.

EDWARD
You and your gang steal the fruits of my
games. Face it Sydney, you are a puppy.

SYDNEY
Dogs beget puppies, men beget children.

EDWARD
Your lesson is well taken, you darling
puppy.

SYDNEY
How dare you speak to me that way! I insist
you retract that word.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Puppy? Be content I don't say worse in
front of these gentleman. As it is, I
feel so depressed for your poor 'uncle'
Robert's fall from grace, I will let you
go with a mere 'puppy'.

SYDNEY
You are the most infuriating insult to
the English language --

EDWARD
The only insult I'm making is to effort.
Pup, pup, pup.

SYDNEY
I challenge you --

Sydney draws his sword.

EDWARD
Oh yes, whatever your mastership wishes.
(To Mendoza) I hear he's good. Now we
shall see. Where is my rapier Lord Howard?

SYDNEY
-- On this court in one week.

EDWARD
Indeed. Lord Howard, never mind the rapier.
I have better.

Edward takes up his racket like it is a sword and attacks Sydney
with it chasing him off the court.

SYDNEY
You will regret this Edward. No one calls
me a puppy!

EDWARD
His wit and originality fly like the
swallow.... tied to my lure. My dear
Howards, Ambassador, you have born witness.
Literature has come to violence and the
epilogue will have Oxford bury Sydney on
the field of honour.

CUT TO:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34.
Edward the Great

Scene 12
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, 1579 A WEEK LATER -- DAY
(CECIL, EDWARD, FROBISHER, LOK, QUEEN, HOWARD, HOWARD)

The Queen holds an audience to deal with the problems surrounding
Edward. Cecil and the Howards are in attendance on either side to
the Queen.

QUEEN
Sydney has overstepped himself and is not
to duel with the Earl of Oxford. Master
Sydney, do you not know to give way to
your betters? You had no cause and no
permission to challenge a peer of the
realm. Lord Oxford I forbid you to
consider his challenge seriously.

EDWARD
Yes Mum. But how could I?

QUEEN
No lip, Edward.

EDWARD
Yes, your Majesty.

QUEEN
Now to this mad North-West Expedition.
Where is Captain Frobisher? I understand
you have more to say regarding the fool's
gold you wasted our money on? Well I'm
sick of hearing about it already. I don't
like to be reminded of the thousand I
lost. Is there more bad news?

FROBISHER
I am most sorry for the disappointment I
caused, but it was an honest mistake on
my part. You see, when I had the fool's
gold checked for authenticity, after my
first expedition, I was lied to by my
geologist. He skimmed the investor's money
during the provisioning of the voyage and
has since departed for France. Now I've
been told that a certain Jew knew of the
deception. The same Jew who lent my Lord
of Oxford the three thousand to invest.
It seems this Jew lent my lord the money
and received most of it back from my
geologist. He tried to win title to
Wivenhoe from my lord from this deception.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
Who is this Jew?

FROBISHER
Micheal Lok is his name and he is here
under arrest.

QUEEN
What do you say, Lok?

LOK
It is a scurrilous lie. I lent the money
in good faith. Now that he has lost his
gamble others are seeking to save his
honour. But Lord Oxford has not paid his
debt and so he forfeits his bond. I insist
on the law. I insist on the bond.

QUEEN
What say you to this Oxford?

EDWARD
I know of none of these deceptions, either
way.

QUEEN
I have heard your lies Lok and I decree
that you are placed in Fleet Prison until
it suits me to release you.

Lok is taken away peacefully.

EDWARD
(Aside) For once her justice moves swiftly,
yet it only makes me unhappy -- she was
swift because he had no power. Oh where
is my mistress Anne this minute? The
court is weary. Where have you gone since
bedtime my dark sweet?

CUT TO:
Scene 13
INT / SEA COAST AT WIVENHOE, 1580 -- DAY
(EDWARD, HOWARD, VAVASOR)

Anne Vavasor sits in a window overlooking the ocean.

VAVASOR
How he dances so -- the ladies must note.
How he speaks well -- the ladies must
(MORE)

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36.
Edward the Great

VAVASOR (CONT'D)
tell me. Oh I wish!... I wish he were all
mine. I would lock him in his room like
Philip of Spain does his wife. Moors
know how to love. They brood, pine, accuse,
point, and thrust home. Oh, if his smooth
finger could more than mimic copulation
and my mouth more than mock conception, I
could show the world that he now is mine.
He's not the Queen's! He's mine! He will
be mine now. Darling! Darling, come down
now! I'm so hungry this morning.

EDWARD
What's that?

Edward comes downstairs unkempt.

VAVASOR
Let's walk along the cliffs this morning
and have breakfast at the old woman's
lodge. The cold breeze will harden that
courtier's flab. Come now, get dressed
and we'll surprise her in bed again.

EDWARD
Anne, when we arrive she is only resting
after having worked in the fields since
dawn.

VAVASOR
Is she always up this early? Well then
she might have some oatmeal stuck to the
bottom of her pot and we could eat the
scrapings for her.

EDWARD
I suppose she might let us. Wait for me
while I dress.

VAVASOR
(Aside) Now's the time. (Aloud) Edward?
Edward my Turk?

EDWARD
Why would you use the Queen's nickname?
You know I dislike it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
37.
Edward the Great

VAVASOR
I once re-beautified the name Anne. I
can also make "Queen" as lovely to you as
I.

EDWARD
Queens only bore me these days.

VAVASOR
I will never bore you. Listen, I have a
riddle to give you.

EDWARD
A sport for which you know I'm weak.
Shame... shame...

VAVASOR
Listen and look: I am a giant with more
of my kind, A singular'ty an ax can't
unbind. Tethered with water that I leave
behind. I am a giant of more than one
grind

EDWARD
"A giant of more than a grind."

VAVASOR
"one grind" I said.

EDWARD
Does the world grind on that axis?

VAVASOR
The whole world does.

EDWARD
My lady, does this grinding come in for
censorship when I bring it to the stage?

VAVASOR
Every time.

EDWARD
And you're a giant?

VAVASOR
A Titan, nine months at a time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Nine months!? My children can't wait so
long in line. We'll give it a sibling
now, right away, a twin. I want you to
give birth to a new Gemini for our
foundling universe. This cottage will be
the earth. The old woman will be Venus
and the City will be the unknowable void.

They make love. Howard enters the cottage. He sits in a chair
and begins to throw sand from the floor at them.

EDWARD (CONT'D)
I think we may be shaking this place apart.
Look Anne, your good uncle.

VAVASOR
Uncle Henry?! How long have you been here?

HOWARD
Did I hear you right? Am I to have another
true Christian soldier at my side?

EDWARD
Two if we can help it. But not everybody
need fight your battles, must they?

HOWARD
Anne go for a walk.

VAVASOR
This is my cottage and my lover. You wait
outside if you want to speak to my Earl.

EDWARD
Just go on with it Henry.

HOWARD
Leave us now, Anne!

VAVASOR
You're just a bully!

Vavasor leaves when Edward kisses her hand.

HOWARD
You know Edward, we Howards have always
admired you for what you've done. The
Queen has taken to having Mass again. The
Protestants are not as strong as they
(MORE)

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39.
Edward the Great

HOWARD (CONT'D)
once were at court and you're a truly
great warrior for England and for Rome,
as you once proved to all of Italy. But
now it's time to show England who this
man of honour is. I want you to join us
in restoring the true faith to this island.
I want you to turn your back upon this
Jezebel.

EDWARD
Jezebel? Elizabeth is Jezebel to you?
You've been talking to the Spanish
Ambassador too much.

HOWARD
Mary will be our Queen. Philip promises
to send Spanish troops to support our
restoration and the Jesuits are in place
to raise the commons. Everything is set
for the revolution, but you. Now, finally,
you can general a battle on the field
against the likes of Cecil and Robert.
You can destroy them as you've always
wanted. You can show the Jezebel the
penalty for her sluttish behavior.

EDWARD
I don't think you pay much attention to
the court. We all -- all -- are Jezebels.
Besides, I won't support you. Robert and
Cecil deserve worse than to meet me on
the field, but that's not why. A true
courtier will never betray his Prince.
And a true Vere will never and has never
betrayed the Princes of England since
William the Conqueror; and before that to
the Princes of Normandy and Denmark has
my family remained true. The Queen is a
great leader and a Prince to whom you and
I swore undying allegiance.

HOWARD
How can you say this?

EDWARD
If you pursue these plans I will have to
do all I can to stop you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40.
Edward the Great

HOWARD
I thought you were a member of the true
faith. I thought you were our friend. All
these years you've done all you can to
free Mary from this Jezebel and now you
turn your back on her? Why should you
betray God now?

EDWARD
God is not betrayed, but you betray your
own lack of faith in him. We worship how
we like here and I doubt not that God
takes care of his own business better
than you or I. I am most sorry for this
news. My faithful Thomas is not part of
this scandal I'm sure of it. This is
terrible news.

HOWARD
You will not tell the Queen.

EDWARD
I must! It is as much as to support you
if I don't. You're my friend Henry, why
have you done this? This is the worst
betrayal of your family's honour yet
sustained. Your beheaded father and
brothers were innocent compared to this...
this....

Howard goes to leave.

HOWARD
You will not say anything, or the Queen
will discover your own "secret marriage"

He leaves the cottage and calls to Anne. Then tries to drag Anne
away with him.

HOWARD (CONT'D)
Come with me Anne!

Edward jumps up to the door as Anne runs back to him.

VAVASOR
What's wrong with Uncle!

EDWARD
Listen Anne, a disaster has befallen us.
We need to do all we can to protect
(MORE)

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41.
Edward the Great

EDWARD (CONT'D)
ourselves from the coming storm. But I
beg you to listen to me, this once. Our
love will be tested soon and I want you
to know that I will never have more and
will never ask for more than I have
received from your love.

VAVASOR
And there will be no more of life I can
ask but that which you have given me. By
your stars, I love you.

EDWARD
On the inconstant moon, not the stars,
must we now depend.

CUT TO:
Scene 14
EXT/ GREENWICH PALACE, 1581 -- DAY
(EDWARD, HOWARD, HORATIO, QUEEN, ROBERT, THOMAS, VAVASOR)

A tournament is held. The Howards will joust with Edward for the
prize.

People milling about a field made for jousting.

THOMAS
Horatio, this most shameful spectacle I
would not have thought possible of my own
troupe of actors.

HORATIO
Nor of Edward's, my Lord Thomas. The
Queen puts the traitorous Howards under
the watch of Robert and Cecil and then
decides she trusts the Howards' story
more than Edward's. How does that happen?
All the Vere enemies, Catholic and
Protestant alike, are now working together
to bring him down. The Queen has said she
doesn't believe Edward's revelation's and
yet she sends Cecil to round up the very
Jesuits Edward warned her about. Henry
Howard has gone so far in denying his
plot he watches Cecil bring back state
torture for his Jesuit friends and yet
never winces at their suffering. Oh how
deep in his soul his deception must be to
(MORE)

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42.
Edward the Great

HORATIO (CONT'D)
allow his cohorts to be abused and
dishonoured so, and he not rise to save
their lives.

THOMAS
Good Horatio, were you able to find your
brother?

HORATIO
Francis is riding here as we speak. All
the Veres will be here to support Edward.
But I'm afraid the Howards are too numerous
and their lies too widespread to defeat.
I just hope Edward is as physically strong
as ever and can defeat them again in the
tournament. It will mean something at
least.

THOMAS
Look how the Queen dotes on Robert newly
returned from his purgatory. No doubt
this tournament was his suggestion. He
must relish the fact that now all his
Catholic enemies are put into one scandal
and might be swept aside at one game.

Edward arrives in full armour.

HORATIO
Look now. Edward is ready again. How
splendid he is.

THOMAS
This time he is the Tree of the Sun to
the Queen as the Moon -- Apollo and Diana
once again. He's won every pass so far
today.

The Queen waves to the Knights gathering.

QUEEN
Edward! You look so magnificent. You are
e-ver the sun! ...I don't think he heard
my pun, Robert.

ROBERT
He may be upset with you for doubting his
charges against the Howards.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
Nonsense, my dear. He must know it is his
word against so many of my most valuable
Admirals and Lords. I need more than his
word, to bring them to trial. Besides, I
already explained to him how Spain must
not be made too unhappy while France
remains undecided on an alliance with us.

ROBERT
If you offered France something other
than your doubtful hand in marriage to
Prince Alceon, they might be more ready
to make the alliance.

QUEEN
Huh! If you mean moneys I will not part
with a shilling until I've exhausted the
possibility of marrying Prince Alceon. It
will be less expensive this way. Spain
isn't a serious threat now that Edward
has given their game away. Edward! Edward!
He can't hear me with that helmet on.
There he goes shouting and shaking his
spear. Oh let's get on with it. If he
wins this round I'll be able to give him
the prize, so none of your stunts Robert,
I want Edward to finish without a stirrup
breaking or some such thing.

ROBERT
I would never. (to attendant) Sound the
trumpets for the final pass!

Anne VAVASOR moves forward, she's noticeably pregnant.

Henry HOWARD follows her to the front to watch the jousting.

EDWARD wins the pass against Philip Howard and Anne VAVASOR cheers
as HOWARD looks upset.

EDWARD and many other knights come to the QUEEN and bow in
submission.

QUEEN
The Queen carouses to your fortune, Edward.

She and Robert drink a toast.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
44.
Edward the Great

QUEEN (CONT'D)
And to you I bestow the greatest prize,
the Inca chain of state from Drake's recent
enterprise in the New World. May we drink
to all the nobles who have shown their
gallantry today. We shall celebrate further
tonight my Lords.

The QUEEN turns her back on the knights. EDWARD gives his spear,
prize and helmet to a PAGE and walks to meet THOMAS and HORATIO
and he greets them warmly. EDWARD fails to see HOWARD and Anne
VAVASOR. The Queen notices them away from the other nobles.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Lord Howard, how most unfortunate for
your nephew to have lost this contest.
The judgment of God or some such thing.
How is your jailer treating you? Good?

HOWARD
Well mum.

QUEEN
I'm glad you could take in the sights
today.

HOWARD
I came because I thought you might want
to see this sight. Turn around Anne. Anne,
come here!

QUEEN
Is this my maid of honour, your niece?
What is wrong with you child?

She turns and the Queen is shocked. They all walk off the stand
together. Edward hears the news of Anne's arrival from his friends
and turns to look for her.

HORATIO
Look now, the Queen returns with the palace
guard.

THOMAS
Our faction is small now Edward. Please
don't arm our enemies further with any
defense you might give here. You're lost
for now until the Queen expels her jealous
rage. Let us fight for you when we know
her mind is calm.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
45.
Edward the Great

HORATIO
Our faction is small, but you are loved
by the people. When the people hear why
you are under arrest they will rise up.

EDWARD
Calm yourself Horatio. Thomas will rule
you in this matter; we will not smear the
Queen's nature to defend mine.

The GUARDS, numbering four, surround EDWARD.

QUEEN
The Earl of Oxford will be sent to the
Tower at our further pleasure. (To all)
We will not explain our action, and any
speculation on my decision will be a matter
for the Star Chamber.

The guests are shocked.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
None of this. None of this.

Edward is taken away then Vavasor is also taken away by two armed
soldiers.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Those who would defy us and test our
patience as much as this Edward de Vere,
watch out. This world is not to be defied.

CUT TO:
Scene 15
15 INT / THE TOWER OF LONDON, 1581 -- DAY
(IST JAILER, 2ND JAILER)

Two prison keepers walk through a darkly lit passageway reading a
letter between the cells of Edward and Vavasor who are on either
end of the passage. The jailers are gossiping about the court. A
baby cries in the distance.

1ST JAILER
His true wife, Anne, Cecil's daughter,
says here that she is "most sorry to
perceive how unquieted" he is by the
"uncertainty of the world" and that she
is herself "not unfamiliar with that bitter
taste". She says here, like him, she too
was ever innocent of the charges laid
(MORE)

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46.
Edward the Great

1ST JAILER (CONT'D)
against her and wishes that he believed
it. Ha! Here she says Lord Cecil is still
his friend too and that Edward should
trust him. Not likely! Then she claims
her father does not control her. Here she
says, "assure yourself it is only you
whom I love and fear." Well I could believe
that as soon as believe that's not a babe
crying in Mistress Vavasor's cell. Poor
girl, she must nurse Edward's son all
alone in this prison.

2ND JAILER
And no mistaking this baby Edward's father.
Only true fathers have their pedigree
proclaimed by the Queen's jailer. If memory
serves me better than one of Cecil's
histories, I believe the Queen rewarded
Lord Oxford for being cuckolded in his
wife's daughter. Now she punishes him for
being a true father for once.

IST JAILER
If only all truths could be so easily
read.

2ND JAILER
Here, I'll slip the letter in Lord Edward's
cell. Oh listen. There he is again
composing poetry and crying himself. You
know he sometimes calls his lover to her
cell door and recites a new verse to her.
Then they cry and swear oaths and kiss
the air though they can't see each other.
It's been going on for two months now.

1ST JAILER
If judging by the length of his stay,
Edward is the most beloved of all the
Queen's mistresses.

2ND JAILER
Or a handmaiden to keep the maiden whole.

1ST JAILER
Indeed! Still, this is no man for the
Queen to insult this way. Perhaps we too
should leave him be.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
47.
Edward the Great

2ND JAILER
But it's a necessary sport to make light
of such men. What else is there to do
when in government?

CUT TO:
Scene 16
EXT / LONDON STREET 1581 -- DAY
(EDWARD, KNYVET, LYLY, SERVANT)

Edward and Lyly meet for the first time since Edward and Vavasor
were put in the Tower. Edward carries manuscripts under his arm.
Lyly is armed with a sword which Edward later takes from him.

LYLY
Dear Friend, I came when I heard you were
freed from the Tower. You shouldn't be
traveling alone. Your Lady Vavasor's kin
have been pricked by the Howards to avenge
their daughter's honour. They plan to
kill you, and the Queen has done nothing
yet to stop them.

EDWARD
Where is my love? Where is she? Why do
they hide her and my son from me.

LYLY
I don't know. Horatio and Thomas have
tried to find her for you but she's been
put into hiding since her release from
the Tower. Edward, you must not stay out
in the streets. Let's go into a tavern
and have some wine.

EDWARD
I must find her. Take these John.

Gives Lyly the manscripts.

EDWARD (CONT'D)
I finished Richard III and here are some
other plays for my boys to put on.

LYLY
The boys are touring the country now and
are almost out of money. There's no more
for any further productions.

EDWARD
Then I'll sell more estates.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
48.
Edward the Great

LYLY
How many do you have left? You've sold
nearly thirty since I became your
secretary.

EDWARD
There are at least that many left to sell.
And I plan to take over Warwick's players
too. When my Boys tour the country, these
other players will entertain the court.
And if the Queen will not see me act in
her presence then I will buy a public
theatre and perform for the people. If I
can't catch the conscience of Elizabeth,
I must tell the people what is going on.

LYLY
Edward, my lord, please don't do this. Go
home to your wife and pretend all is well;
that way, one day, you can be allowed to
attend the Queen again.

EDWARD
I cannot go back to the Queen or back to
my wife again. Where they sleep it is a
sin for me to even contemplate. No, I
will do everything in my power to have my
true Anne with me again. She will soon be
called my sole countess and our son,
Edward, will be my true heir.

LYLY
Sir!!

From behind, KNYVET runs at Edward with sword drawn and slashes
his Achilles tendon.

Edward falls, writhing in pain, takes Lyly's sword and stands up
on one leg.

For now Edward speaks through extreme pain and for the remainder
of the film he cannot walk properly.

EDWARD
Knyvet!!

KNYVET
You base swine!! You evil pig!! I challenge
you on my honour. Anne will be avenged!!
Avenged!! Defend yourself

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
49.
Edward the Great

They duel vigorously. Edward gets the better of Knyvet and wounds
him through the torso and arm.

KNYVET (CONT'D)
You will die, Edward. You will die!!

Knyvet runs away helped by a servant who followed him.

EDWARD
I will find her!! And I will marry her!!
Oh John, help me home. I will find her
and make all seem right.

CUT TO:
Scene 17
EXT / A SMALL COTTAGE NEAR LONDON 1582 -- NIGHT
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP), GUARD, HORATIO, VAVASOR)

Edward, Horatio whisper to each other. Two blue costumed soldiers
wait with them.

HORATIO
First we must see who guards her. This
feuding has left many of our men dead and
too many wounded. Please Edward, no more
casualties. She is in there, but we must
know if it's safe for you to enter.

EDWARD
The year without her seems ten, but this
day seems ten million since I heard this
news. Yes Horatio, please do what you
think best, but let me approach with you.

Horatio and Edward approach the window while the soldiers keep
watch over their leaders.

EDWARD (CONT'D)
Where is Anne? Where is my son?

Anne enters with a man who is unarmed.

VAVASOR
Now my sweet guardian. Is my son's nurse
a better woman than I?

GUARD
No woman could compare with you in the
qualities of motherhood.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
(To Horatio) They are so familiar.

VAVASOR
Oh dear sir, tempt me no longer to
jealousy, do not ever praise my wet nurse
in my hearing again.

GUARD
Then go retire to your room as you wished
an hour ago.

VAVASOR
I'll tell you what....no I've changed my
mind.

GUARD
Very well then I will retire.

VAVASOR
No stay -- I have stitched a fine emblem,
a picture of a tulip and I thought I might
give it to you.

GUARD
What should I do with such a gift?

VAVASOR
That is what I will show you. Open your
coat -- open your coat and I will show
you. You see your fine shirt is bare
where it touches you most. Your heart is
forever unadorned. Feel it.

She takes his hand and rubs his chest with it.

HORATIO
(To Edward) This is your sweet Anne?

EDWARD
What is going on?

VAVASOR
This skin is more than flesh, though it
is that. It is more than something to
hide; it is a part of you and so a part
of me. Take this emblem of my love and I
will stitch in on your courtly attire so
you will have my love with you in front
(MORE)

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51.
Edward the Great

VAVASOR (CONT'D)
of those horrible courtiers, and no one
but you and I will know.

GUARD
I thank you, dear lady. I will take this
now and you may sew it in my shirt when
it pleases you. Good night.

VAVASOR
Oh don't go yet. I would like to sew it
in tonight; if that pleases you.

GUARD
It would please me to please you with my
honour and help only. If that suffices to
do my office, to let me do my office is
all I ask of you. But I will take your
emblem and treasure it most willingly. Do
I have your leave?

VAVASOR
Not yet.

GUARD
Then I take my leave of you with no desire
to offend you or your family. Good Night.

The guard leaves the room and Vavasor hesitantly follows him.

HORATIO
She is such a young girl, Edward. She is
in the heat of youth, as people say about
me. She will let this love pass when she
sees you again.

EDWARD
Let's go. I will not speak with her
tonight. If it was her I did see tonight
it can only be a transformed Edward that
will speak with her again. Oh Horatio,
what can I do to rip this heart from me
and still live to warn others of these
games? Take me away. Take me away.

CUT TO:

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52.
Edward the Great

Scene 18
INT / CECIL HOUSE, LONDON 1582 -- DAY
(ATTENDANTS, CECIL, R.CECIL (WITH HUNCHBACK))

Sunny day. William Cecil and his youngest son Robert(R. CECIL), a
hunchback, walk on the grounds of the Family Mansion discussing
Robert's new diplomatic mission to Denmark. The servants who
deliver messages to Cecil Sr. come and go, and demonstrate how he
is like a hub on a wheel.

CECIL
Now son, on this mission to the Danes,
there are some general principals that I
must remind you. To begin, be wary of
spending more than a third of your revenue.
Mindful of Edward, a gentleman who sells
an acre of land, sells an ounce of credit.
For a Lord is nothing but old wealth.
And if you learn a few broken languages
it will serve you nothing. Be sure to
keep some other great man your friend,
but trouble him not with trifles, and
compliment him often with gifts; however,
keep them small. Towards superiors be
humble, yet generous, to equals be
familiar, and inferiors show humanity and
some familiarity. Trust not any man with
your life, fortune or estate, it is folly
to think they will not take advantage of
your trust. Neither borrow nor lend, for
a man who does either is seeking his own
decay.

A messenger arrives, hands Cecil a letter, then leaves.

CECIL (CONT'D)
Where was I? Never mind, I will write
these precepts down so that they will
serve you as you follow my footsteps in
the Queen's service.

R.CECIL
Thank you father.

CECIL
Now, regarding the court. The French
alliance against Spain, seems coming to
an unhappy end. Lord Robert attempted to
murder the Queen's French suitor on the
royal barge. Elizabeth decided to pay off
(MORE)

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53.
Edward the Great

CECIL (CONT'D)
the Frog for the ten years he has wasted
pursuing her. One thing you will need to
learn when you join the Privy Council is
to let the royal playtoys have their way.
Even though Robert ruined my policy with
the French alliance, you must not interfere
too far with intimates. One can never
fully control the emotional needs of a
Prince, so let them play by their own
rules and you must deal with the mess as
it arrives. Tell the Danes nothing of the
change in the French alliance when you go
to Elsinore.

An attendant arrives with a letter. Cecil reads it and ignores
it.

CECIL (CONT'D)
This garbage reminds me, your sister is
living with Edward again. I want you to
be friendly with Edward. When he asks
you, as he has with me, for a word in
hisfavour to the Queen, say you will help,
and go as far as writing letters to others
to record that you made an effort for
him. But do nothing which will restore
him to the Queen's favour, or which will
allow a later historian to restore him to
favour in the view of posterity where our
future children need our protection. I
hired Holinshed and Camden to write
histories just for that purpose. Now,
these scandalous riots in the streets
between the Vavasors and Veres is bound
to continue as long as he remains out of
favour. Something good may come of it
with patience.

R.CECIL
But is it safe to wait while he writes
these plays, one after the other? The
people must now realize that the Queen
and court are being ridiculed. I noticed
how Capulet was meant to resemble you as
much as Lady Vavasor's father. With these
present feuds still news, all this staged
feuding in "Romeo and Juliet" can be read
against your government. I hear now your
(MORE)

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54.
Edward the Great

R.CECIL (CONT'D)
being called a pimp in various forms.
"Fish Monger" being the worst phrase that
serves that purpose. You must do
something, Father.

An attendant arrives and waits for Cecil to acknowledge him. Cecil
does so.

ATTENDANT
The Queen has granted Lord Oxford leave
to instruct the ward Henry, Earl of
Southampton, while away from your house
and the court of wards. I have her
instructions to you regarding this matter.

CECIL
Thank you. You may go.

R.CECIL
This little Harry. I've lately been asked
by various lords if the changeling babies
in the plays, may refer to the Queen's
offspring. "Where is that baby she had by
Edward?" they probe. With young Henry
Southampton under his care, the nobles
may suspect it's him.

CECIL
As long as they fear us, they won't say
more. But we do need to further censor
his plays.

R.CECIL
It's not only the plays; his letters to
members of the court are signed Edward
the Seventh. He thinks he's the Queen's
equal, and Southampton is heir to the
throne.

CECIL
Don't worry, it's something to laugh at
for the ignorant nobles. They know how he
plays pranks. To them the signature could
be a pun. At this point, I only worry
that if the commoners discover Elizabeth
is not the Virgin they thought she was,
it could destroy our government and our
family. Censorship is our best weapon for
now. You see, my son, our service to her
(MORE)

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55.
Edward the Great

CECIL (CONT'D)
majesty is a never ending task of balancing
our family interests with the nation's.
In that balance we must stand at the
centre, always strong enough to have the
weaker ask us to make the court work. I
must, and later you, my second self, must
be the pole by which these heavens rotate.
That's why, out of all the nicknames I'm
called, I have allowed myself to be called
Polus.

CUT TO:
Scene 19
INT / BLACKFRIERS THEATRE, LONDON 1582 -- DAY
(ALLEYN, EDWARD (WITH LIMP), HENRY, SYDNEY)

Edward and his son, the child Earl of Southampton, Henry, walk
through the theatre as preparations are being made for a
performance of Love's Labour's Lost.

EDWARD
Here the stage needs some repairs, you
see the way it shifts. An actor could
easily slip here and fall into the
audience. Henry, never expect the audience
to catch you when you fall, but try not
to poke out their eyes if they do catch
you. Boys as young as yourself are easy
to catch, so... what am I worried about?
John!

LYLY
Yes Edward?

EDWARD
Make sure you get this stage fixed before
the show tomorrow. Everyone! I want you
to meet the young Earl of Southampton. I
shall be teaching him the acting profession
and I've already decided to use him in my
next production.

ALLEYN
So an old Willie is to have a young Willie
under his wing is he?

EDWARD
Yes Alleyn. Is that all right with you
Henry?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
56.
Edward the Great

HENRY
Yes, my Lordship. Can I go play now?

EDWARD
Of course, young man, anything for you.
Nurse? Keep an eye on him, will you? Now
about those loose boards. Who is going
to...Oh I'll do it myself. Alleyn? Anyone
know where the nails could be? I guess I
should visit the lumber stock pile first.

Sydney enters with a bag of nails.

SYDNEY
I have the nails you asked for Edward.

EDWARD
Thank you....Sydney? What brings you
here? It's not as well maintained as
Whitehall Palace, but I'm freer here.

SYDNEY
It is a bit run down, but I thought I
might see where you'll be having those
new master-works performed. You know,
I've seen quite a few of your plays. I
have to admit I enjoy most of them,
especially the ones where I'm not being
ridiculed. If only you were better at
employing English grammar, I might like
them all.

EDWARD
Thank you Sydney.

Edward nails the boards during the rest of the scene.

SYDNEY
The reason I came down today, was that I
thought we should make a lasting peace
between us. Your friend Lord Thomas and
my Uncle Robert are fighting openly at
court over you. Thomas sought satisfaction
from my uncle, but the Queen has put a
stop to it. These feuds and riots have
gone on long enough. The Howards and Spain
are everyone's enemies now and I think we
should fight them on the same side.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
57.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
I agree.

SYDNEY
Good. Good. From now on I'll stand behind
your charges against the Howards. Maybe
we can convince her of the danger she's
in if we speak together.

EDWARD
If and when I'm allowed to speak to the
Queen again. Cecil claims he speaks to
her on my behalf, but I'm sure he hasn't.

SYDNEY
I'll try to convince my uncle Robert to
not stand in your way any longer. Besides,
it seems that he hates this upstart, Walter
Ralegh, more than you now. By the way, I
hear that you live with your wife once
more. I'm very happy that you're settled
down with Anne again.

EDWARD
It's more like for the first time. I was
never as happy with her before. We have a
son of our own, did you hear? A proper
heir. Everything is in the past now, for
both of us. The past, though, can be
difficult to suppress at times when our
conversation touches upon it. We try not
to converse too randomly, we garden and
go for walks along the Avon and talk about
flowers. We even occasionally angle
together. I write more and more with a
new sense of calm.

SYDNEY
She was always a tender girl.

EDWARD
She's come to London with me. How would
you like to have dinner at Vere House
tonight? I have only one servant left
there but she is a good cook.

SYDNEY
I would be delighted to see Anne again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
58.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
I don't think you've seen much of her in
the ten years since she was engaged to
you. This should be quite a reunion.
Hal, Nurse? John? Everyone? I will be
dining with Sydney this evening. I've
fastened these boards but I want the rest
of the stage checked; I don't want any
accidents for the next performance.

CUT TO:
Scene 20
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE 1583 -- DAY
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP), GUARD, KNYVET, QUEEN, ROBERT, RALEGH, SYDNEY)

The Queen has called her court together to announce her forgiveness
of Edward.

ROBERT
Look at that upstart crow, Ralegh, how he
brags his way into the Queen's bed. Why
are we suffering this sight Sydney? Why
are we summoned today and I not be informed
of it beforehand?

SYDNEY
Ralegh convinced the Queen to readmit
Edward to her presence. Since the recent
death of Edward's newborn son, and of his
friend Thomas, he has become a pathetic
creature. The Queen didn't trust you with
this decision as everyone suspects you of
poisoning Thomas.

ROBERT
What nonsense, Thomas had consumption.

SYDNEY
The Queen feels sympathy for Edward's
losses, and truly misses his players. For
neither issue should your council be
sought. Please, uncle, we have more
important matters to worry about than
whether a fifty year old Queen has three
rather than four lovers hovering at court.

The Queen and Ralegh stop their flirtatious behavior and turn to
the court.

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59.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
We have been persuaded to settle the long
standing issue of whether the Earl of
Oxford should be readmitted to our
presence. On the sound advice of Sir Walter
Ralegh and on the grounds of compassion
for the loss of his son, we hereby give
leave to Edward, Earl of Oxford, to
reassume all the privileges of court and
of our presence. Ask him to come in.

Edward is shown in by a guard.

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Edward, we welcome you to our grace. Now,
in regard to the disturbances between the
Veres and Vavasors. We demand that no
further incidents be allowed. Master
Knyvet, you and the Vavasors have no
further cause to defend, and Edward your
family is to make peace with these your
former enemies.

EDWARD
Yes mum.

KNYVET
Yes mum.

QUEEN
Now, we must announce that Edward's
accusations against the Howard party have,
with time, been proven correct. Philip
and Henry Howard have been placed in the
Tower for their attempt on our life. The
other Howards are being sought and we
suspect they has fled with the Spanish
Ambassador. Thank you Edward. The
conspiracy against our life was a Spanish
endeavor, financed and controlled from
the pen of King Philip. Regarding penship,
it seems the Moorish Philip has been
insulted by the pen of our playwright
Edward here as much as by any need to rid
England of my "bastard" sovereignty. But
it is not what we have done to him that
brings us to the foot of war, but their
lust to control the world.
(MORE)

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60.
Edward the Great

QUEEN (CONT'D)
It is time to act. We will build a fleet
and will join the Dutch against Spain
before Spain can attack us directly. We
hereby appoint Robert, Earl of Leicester,
to command our defenses, and in deference
to our allies requests, we appoint Edward,
Earl of Oxford, our General for the war
in Flanders. As for Queen Mary, we have
knowledge of her involvement in the plot
on our life. However, we are suspending a
trial on this issue as she has been mislead
by Philip into this folly. We now attempt
to reason with her to end her claim on
our throne. Robert, Ralegh, Edward we
wish your council in private. That is
all.

EDWARD
Your majesty? May I have your ear without
these gentlemen present?

QUEEN
Excuse us gentlemen.

BOTH
Yes mum.

RALEGH
(To Robert as they exit.) Edward seems
excessively serene considering....

ROBERT
Shut up Ralegh.

QUEEN
Now Edward. What can I do for you....?
Yes Edward? Is there something wr---

EDWARD
Did you get some kind of perverse pleasure
from lining up your lovers just now?

QUEEN
I think there were a few missing.

EDWARD
The ones Robert killed? Or the Princes
who found you wanting?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
61.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
Both Edward.

EDWARD
How could you banish me all this time?
How could let me live in this dishonour?
being chased like a dog, ambushed by men
under your watch? Robert never spent a
day in the Tower for his offense, never
even a year banished. You had to wait
until the death of my baby son and my
dear Thomas to find it in your heart to
forgive me an offense you do against me
every day. Thomas was more than my guide,
but a father and protector. He spoke his
dying breath to you for my resurrection
and still you could not forgive me until
that great man died, and even then...you
needed to wait until this upstart Ralegh
speaks in my favour. What kind of woman
are you? You let the world think I was
banished as part of the same Howard
conspiracy I exposed. You couldn't tell
the truth? that I was banished due to
the jealousy of an old woman? You have
let the world believe that honour is trash
and trash honour. The Virgin Queen, the
Mad Oxford, the Fox Cecil. No...we three
are the Slut, the Fool and the Wolf.

QUEEN
That's enough. The time for shouting has
passed. I'm sorry for everything Edward.
That's all I will say. The world does not
turn on your axis, there are other lives
that must be taken care of. England,
Edward, it's England that is the centre
of the universe as far as I'm concerned.

EDWARD
And you are England.

QUEEN
My dear Edward it's time you knew that
England will not have an heir. I have
finished. I cannot have more children.
Mary may inherit my crown after all.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
62.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
What of Henry? Our son Henry can be King.
You must acknowledge him. Tell the world
of our old betrothal and of our true son,
and you will have an heir.

QUEEN
Our little ceremony and our professing to
the stars will not be considered a real
marriage.

EDWARD
You and I are married in the eyes of God.
Henry can be acknowledged if you just say
so.

QUEEN
I, a Virgin Queen these fifty years, a
chaste woman in the eyes of history,
confesses all is a lie. The world is built
on such lies; we must not betray the world
now. It's too late for Henry.

EDWARD
Henry will be King.

QUEEN
He must not be. Please stop saying so. Oh
God, Edward. I loved you so once.... I
want you to stop signing your letters
"Edward the Seventh". You are not a King
nor a co-regent. It only makes people
laugh at you, or speculate.

EDWARD
I have been King these ten years. Our
wedding made it so. I see no reason to
deny it any longer. And Henry will inherit
our throne.

QUEEN
Be quiet! Henry will remain unacknowledged
and stay Earl of Southampton on pain of
death. I wield the sword, not you King
Edward. Now I ask of you that you accept
your fate and position. I've given you
your generalship against the Spanish, now
that my fear for your safety is tempered.
(MORE)

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63.
Edward the Great

QUEEN (CONT'D)
If you die I no longer care. A generalship
is what you always wanted of me -- and
freedom -- there, you have both.

EDWARD
I thank you for that. But I have always
been loyal to you even as a King Edward,
and I will always be. In that light I
cannot betray our son, he will be heir
and King if I can help it.

QUEEN
Edward! Why? Why? Why! Get to Flanders.
No more of this. Out of my sight!

CUT TO:
Scene 21
EXT / ARNHEM, FLANDERS 1585 -- DAY
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP), NORRIS, SYDNEY)

Guns and cannon fire; two sides in battle, Spanish and English
fight in the front of the town of Arnhem. During the course of
the battle Edward is seen coming leading the English forces and
limping as usual. He fights recklessly and commands the attack
until the Spanish retreat and the town is taken. The people from
the town come out to cheer him.

EDWARD
Colonel Norris, come here and take a bow.

Colonel Norris Bows

NORRIS
Three cheers for our General!

CROWD
Hip-Hip Horray, Hip-Hip Horray, Hip-Hip
Horray!

EDWARD
In one short month, you men have turned
back the Spanish advance and have put
them on the run. You valiant soldiers
have prevented a quick Spanish invasion
of our fair England and once we recover
Antwerp it will be stopped entirely. To
Antwerp! To Antwerp! For England and
Elizabeth!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
64.
Edward the Great

ALL
Hip-hip Horray, Hip-hip Horray, Hip-hip
Horray!

Sydney and his entourage arrives during the cheer and they cheer
with the soldiers.

EDWARD
Sydney! It's so good to see you. You
have come at the ultimate time. Oh how I
have waited for this opportunity all my
life. I'm so glad to have you now to see
it and to join my army. Antwerp will be
next and I can use your skills for that
challenge.

SYDNEY
Congratulations Edward, you have truly
served and shown yourself a general of
quality. ...So it is no sign of disrespect
or dishonour then for you to hear what
I've come to say. I'm sorry Edward, but
the Queen has asked you to come home. She
has become worried for your safety since
you began your offensive. She said of
you, "I sent him to defend England not to
offend it." Now I most humbly ask you to
relinquish charge of the army and return
to her majesty. The instructions are in
this letter. Edward, despite all our
past difficulties, it is my new friendship
with you which rules my heart. I never
wished this to happen to you, and I ask
you for forgiveness for the reluctant
part that I play in this.

EDWARD
You are a man close my own heart Sydney.
I understand. No doubt Robert or Cecil
played a part in this decision.

SYDNEY
I have no knowledge of their part.

EDWARD
As for your own part, I forgive you Sydney,
but as to your uncle's or to Cecil's,
these two villains are of the lowest order.
(MORE)

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65.
Edward the Great

EDWARD (CONT'D)
Don't argue now with me. You know what
Robert has done, who he has murdered, how
he has stood in my way. And Cecil --how
it is only his kingdom which he serves.
When those two villains are gone from
this world, you and I may finally restore
honour to the court. Let's hope it's soon.
Gather round! Gather round men. The Queen
has need of me back at court. This
honourable gentleman, Sir Philip Sydney
has been sent to stand in for me until
such time as I may return. I love you
all and will do all I can for you while I
am away. Come here Sydney, these are your
men now.

SYDNEY
Thank you Lord Oxford. Men! The first
order of business is to strengthen the
Arnhem defenses. We will be receiving
reinforcements soon and the attack on
Antwerp will need to wait. You have done
great service to her majesty and she wishes
you all God's speed. Now Colonel Norris,
you have done a splendid job in the war
and I want you....

During the speech Edward steps away from Sydney, shaking hands
with his soldiers until he finds himself alone and unsure which
way to go. He hesitates for a while until two soldiers from
Sydney's entourage come and help him away.

SYDNEY (CONT'D)
...to create a brigade to shore up this
eastern wall. I want the sappers to prepare
counter mining defenses here and here.
Then....

CUT TO:
Scene 22
INT / THE BLACKFRIER'S THEATRE 1587 -- DAY
(ALLEYN, ANNE, EDWARD (WITH LIMP), GREENE, KYD, LYLY, MARLOWE,
NASHE)

Afternoon light comes through the open roof. The Theatre looks in
much better shape compared to the previous Blackfrier's scene.

ALLEYN
(In the guise of Mark Antony)...I come to
bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil
(MORE)

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66.
Edward the Great

ALLEYN (CONT'D)
that men do lives after them, The good is
oft interred with their bones....

The University Wits / the dogs: Greene, Nashe, Kyd and Marlowe,
chase the rehearsing actors off the stage as they wait for Edward.

GREENE
Only when the bone is interred between a
woman's thighs. Off the stage Alleyn! We
poets have important idleness to consider.

Greene has a woman and a flask with him.

GREENE (CONT'D)
You see woman? There's plenty of room
under the stage to do your business.

Greene jumps down the trap.

NASHE
We haven't seen the money yet Greene.
Don't be so quick to throw it away.

GREENE
Help her down the hole Nashe or I'll come
up and knock your teeth in. Marlowe?
would you do it for me? Throw her down
will you?

MARLOWE
Do you think I have an interest in such
ribaldry?

Marlowe walks to the edge of the stage and relaxes

GREENE
Watch your butts you dogs! Marlowe is in
a manly mood. There's not a hump as close
as yours, Kyd, for this wit.

KYD
I'll help her down Greene.

GREENE
Oh God bless you Kyd!

Kyd helps the woman through the trap door.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
67.
Edward the Great

NASHE
What are you doing here Marlowe? I'd
have thought Edward's purse would be too
mean for the consideration of one so well
connected as you. Cecil's master spy has
decided to slum to Will Shake-speare.

MARLOWE
I don't know what you mean Nashe. I've
rewritten two of Edward's plays and I
believe I'm entitled to my share of his
new windfall.

NASHE
We playwrights are as well informed as
you spies, Marlowe. And just as deadly,
so keep an eye on what you say about us.
Our ill report will precede yours if you're
not careful.

MARLOWE
You're under the wrong impression of me,
that's all. It's Munday who's the spy.

NASHE
Munday gave it up after the Jesuit
invasion. You just keep your reports clean --
Cecil using athiests, how ironic.

Lyly comes into the theatre but is not seen right away. He subtly
mocks Kyd.

KYD
What's truely ironic is Edward losing the
Generalship of Flanders to Robert's
intrigue for little Sydney, and then Robert
losing Sydney in Flanders -- to an accident
of no merit.

NASHE
Yes but an accident turned by our brother
artists into a funeral more fantastic
than our lord's "Spanish Tragedy". The
Great Sydney, yes, there's irony, a hero
born from a battle with gangrene.

KYD
What's a greater irony is Edward having
judged against Queen Mary's life. Cecil
(MORE)

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68.
Edward the Great

KYD (CONT'D)
had all the votes he needed to have her
head, but he had to make Edward rule for
it and watch her die. How low Edward has
fallen at court when his vote cannot be
recorded unless it be subservient to a
fish monger.

NASHE
Do you realize that after the Queen ordered
Mary's execution. She pretended she hadn't
given her permission. She arrested the
executioner soon after the deed was done.
He sits in prison as we speak.

MARLOWE
Hypocrisy is one of the great elements,
is it not? Fire, air, water, hypocrisy.

NASHE
It's the ground we stand on. Wait -- you're
not going to tease slander from us Marlowe.

MARLOWE
I don't need to tease it, the way you
shoot off your mouth. (Lyly comes forward.)

LYLY
Why did you dogs chase the actors away?
There's a performance today and they need
to rehearse.

GREENE
Where's our money Lyly?

Greene jumps out of the hole doing up his pants.

NASHE
Yeah. We heard about Edward's pension
from the Queen and we want our cut.

LYLY
The pension is for Edward's debts first.
It doesn't even make up for his losses in
his court productions.

GREENE
Come come. The queen spends less on road
construction than on him. We've been
waiting months to be paid.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
69.
Edward the Great

LYLY
Edward has sold his last estate and lives
with friends now on the Avon. He has
nothing left to give.

GREENE
What about his ship? Why doesn't he sell
that?

LYLY
He needs that to fight the Spanish Armada.
What's he supposed to fight with? Look,
both Munday and I are in the same position
that you're all in, but Edward's given
everything he has to support us, the
players and writers. He can't do more
than he's done. I sometimes wonder how we
call ourselves the University Wits when
we can't seem to realize it takes money
to do what we do.

GREENE
We know it takes money!

Greene throws money into the hole.

GREENE (CONT'D)
What else did university teach us?

KYD
I never went to university.

LYLY
And what's a greater irony is you're not
a wit either. Look friends, Edward will
get you your allowance as soon as the
Queen gives him his. -- Hang on! Who's
this? Countess!

Anne Cecil walks in alone looking sickly.

LYLY (CONT'D)
Welcome Countess Anne. What brings you to
Blackfrier's.

ANNE
Oh John, I'm glad you're here. I was hoping
my Lord Edward had returned to London.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70.
Edward the Great

LYLY
I'm sorry, but my Lord is still preparing
for the Armada. May I help you Anne? Are
your new daughters tiring you?

ANNE
My Lordship's daughters are wonderful,
I'm just not feeling well. Please John,
help me home.

LYLY
Of course.

Lyly and Anne Cecil leave together. The Wits are impressed by
Anne and all are worried as they say good-bye.

NASHE
Poor Ophelia.

KYD
Poor Desdemona.

GREENE
Poor Robert Greene.

All yell at each other.

GREENE (CONT'D)
When do I get my money!

CUT TO:
Scene 23
INT / WESTMINSTER ABBEY 1588 -- DAY
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP))

Edward in armour and holding a candle, walks sadly towards Anne's
tomb which is not completely finished. It has a statue of Anne on
her back with hands in prayer.

EDWARD
(Crying) I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. My
poor Anne. Nature saw fit to rob you of
your losing hand before I could gamble it
away. Oh Anne, I loved you. Only this
proud armour kept me from giving it. A
new war approaches and my very name is
the prize. Spain is not the true enemy;
no, my enemies are here. Your father is
chief amongst them and I fight for
everything I am. What's this? Damn, can
it be?
(MORE)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
71.
Edward the Great

EDWARD (CONT'D)
Your epitaph here again is the war fought.
Your father inscribes here that I may as
well be dead to the world. The censor at
play again. If only I had something left
of my estate I would have inscribed your
tomb myself. Though I could make it no
less damning, I would at least be allowed
to exist. How wise your father has been
with my lands that he can afford the
richest tomb in England yet I can't afford
a roof over my own daughters' heads. But
it is no matter, I sail against the Armada
tonight; who can know what effects for
good or ill my foolishness may serve,
perhaps my deformed pride will finally
set right my course. Hope will always be
my last affliction Anne. Forgive me.
Forgive me.

CUT TO:
Scene 24
INT / A WAR TENT ON THE ENGLISH COAST 1588 -- DAY
(DRAKE, EDWARD (WITH LIMP), ROBERT)

A stormy day. Robert and his Generals confer after the sea battle
against the Spanish.

DRAKE
(Just arriving) Lord Robert, I have just
received word of the Spanish battle order.

ROBERT
Yes Drake?

DRAKE
The main order of the enemy fleet is north
of York and is in disarray after the storm.
The invasion fleet still has not escaped
the port in Antwerp and there seems no
possibility of a link up. I think we have
turned back the Spanish. God bless
Elizabeth, I think we are saved.

ROBERT
Thank you Drake for your simple opinion,
but we have different information; the
Spanish will land in Scotland or Ireland.
Get back to your ship and continue the
(MORE)

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72.
Edward the Great

ROBERT (CONT'D)
blockade of Flanders. (To servant) I want
you to bring me my son Lord Essex.

Edward enters the tent suddenly.

EDWARD
You villain, Robert! You take me out of
the sea battle after two skirmishes and
station me in Havering? There's not going
to be a battle in Havering when they've
all ready sailed north of it. I demand a
post with action, with some honour. This
battle is like Flanders all over again,
inaction! inaction! You know I can put
an end to this war, but you want to sit
on your hands for years. When are you
going to attack? When are you going to
let me attack?

ROBERT
I realize a man with nothing left to lose
but his little ship is quite a potent
weapon, but I happen to need someone to
sit at Havering, and you're the man for
the task. If you desire I could transfer
you to the Lake District. There's a fleet
of rowboats in need of a commander.
Otherwise I suggest you sit where you're
told.

EDWARD
You've murdered the most noble men and
women in the last thirty years and just
so you can have the power to belittle
those you have failed to kill. Is there
anything left for you to accomplish? You
must feel quite fulfilled, or does power
ever lose it's appeal.

ROBERT
Only when I can't think of a new way to
exercise it. Really, Lord Oxford, only a
fool can't see the appeal. I suggest you
rewrite your history plays. I've noticed
you have a complete lack of understanding
of power. You can't just be bitter and
think everything will work out in the
end. You and Ralegh are always wishing
(MORE)

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73.
Edward the Great

ROBERT (CONT'D)
for happy endings and never doing enough
to ensure it.

EDWARD
Villain, Villain!

ROBERT
It's not so clear to me that I'm the
villain when only a fool is the villain
in my own productions. I only tell you
this because your time at court is nearly
finished: villains only exist in the mind;
make sure you can defeat them there before
you get on your tawny horse and tilt
against the air. Guards, escort my Lord
Oxford out of the camp.

Edward voluntarily leaves the tent.

ROBERT (CONT'D)
Lords, I will have a word with you. Don't
allow Lord Oxford to receive reports from
your men. I will give him what he needs
directly.....

Robert falls down

ROBERT (CONT'D)
....I seemed to have slipped. Help me up.

Robert falls again

ROBERT (CONT'D)
Get my physician! Bring in my son, Lord
Essex. Quickly!

Everyone runs around to help Robert.

CUT TO:
Scene 25
INT/ BLACKFRIERS THEATER 1589 -- DAY
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP), GREENE, LYLY, NASHE)

The playwrights meet at the request of Edward.

GREENE
{To Nashe} Right after Robert's funeral,
Edward thought he finally had the Queen
all to himself; of course there was Cecil
and Ralegh, and now Essex, but he tried
(MORE)

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74.
Edward the Great

GREENE (CONT'D)
to believe he was the only courtier left.
He proposed this and that, looking queasy
the whole time. He would start up a speech
and then stop suddenly.
But this was Edward the Turk, nothing
surprised the court with him, or so they
thought. He started to give a humourous
anecdote which would lead into some policy
or another then he stopped abruptly, asked
pardon and leave of the Queen. Slowly he
turned and bowed to the court. It was
then it happened: the loudest, the
juiciest, the most unmistakable fart you
ever heard.

All laugh.

NASHE
Oh poor Edward, how he makes things worse
and worse.

GREENE
He was laughed out of the court, he won't
go back. No one from court even wants to
face him right now.

NASHE
Who's going to save the theatres if
Edward's not there?

GREENE
The Queen loves Edward's plays too much
to let everything come to an end over a
fart.

NASHE
He has no money; this one reason is enough.

GREENE
Henry Southampton will supply the money,
who else but Edward could love him enough
to let him blast out blank verse with the
best of them?

NASHE
Henry is still a ward under Cecil and
Cecil has other plans for Henry's fortune.
(MORE)

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75.
Edward the Great

NASHE (CONT'D)
You forget it's Cecil who wants
Blackfrier's and the other theatre's to
be closed.

GREENE
And he uses the plague as his excuse.
When has the plague ever stopped infecting
the country? Now he wants the theatres
closed for the plague? Damn puritans
they'll use any excuse. Come to think of
it, I can never decide whether I curse
Nature for the plague, or for Lord Cecil,
they've become inseparable these eighty
years.

NASHE
But Edward still has the Queen's allowance.
We might be saved yet. Hey John, how's it
look with Edward?

LYLY
Not good. Cecil is suing Edward for eight
thousand pounds. He has nothing left but
the thousand pounds a year from the Queen
now he is trying to sell it for a lump
sum. He's already told me that I'm let
go. Munday was let go last week and the
lease on our theatre is at an end. I don't
know what's going to happen. Damn it all,
damn it all. Here he comes. Please don't
say anything insulting Greene.

GREENE
Me? Never!

Edward is drunk and all notice with pity.

EDWARD
I'm sorry to call everyone in today. But
it's time I faced you all with my decision.
It's time to bring in the touring companies
and to close our productions. I can no
longer afford to pay you all or pay even
my own expenses. I know Greene, and you
too Lyly, how this will hurt. It will
hurt everyone, but I have no choice. I
live at a friend's lodging and my daughters
are under Cecil's care now. There's nothing
more I can do to save us. I'm sorry to
(MORE)

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76.
Edward the Great

EDWARD (CONT'D)
you cut off like this. I wish there was
another way. I can only say that I've
decided to retire from public life. I
despise the court, and the theatre has
brought me only shame. Yes, it has. I
will go back to my verse, there is some
honour left in them. Let me go. Let me
go. Good-bye everyone, I love you all.
Good-bye.

Edward leaves alone

GREENE
What's this, are we to blow in the wind?

NASHE
You heard him. There's nothing else to be
done.

GREENE
If that's the case, I'm not going to put
up with his lovely Henry anymore. If he
thinks I'm going to tolerate a Shake-speare
junior just because he's also the Earl of
Southampton, he's got another thing coming.
You know I think Henry is really Edward's
bastard, the way he teaches him, the way
he praises him, and those disgusting
sonnets to him. Edward spoils him like a
doting father. I'll write plays for
Hundson's troupe on condition that
Southampton not be allowed to act in them.

NASHE
No one cares about you Greene. Southampton
will soon be of age and they'll all do
what he wants just on the hope that he
will be important someday.

GREENE
Someone needs to speak up against that
upstart crow.

CUT TO:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
77.
Edward the Great

Scene 26
INT / BOAR'S HEAD TAVERN, EASTCHEAP 1592 -- DAY
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP), LIZ, MARLOWE, MUNDAY, NASHE)

Edward looks like Falstaff as he talks loudly to his friends.
For this scene only, Edward looks fat. Nashe, joins Edward as he
introduces his new wife.

NASHE
Good cheers everyone. Hello Munday. Hello
Edward.

Everyone greets each other aloud.

EDWARD
Welcome, my good friend. Darling, this is
Thomas Nashe. This dear woman is the sweet
Elizabeth Trentham, she's the one who
consented to be my wife not last month.
She has inspired me to finish King Lear
and I've already begun to polish my old
plays again. I'll even be publishing Venus
and Adonis soon as well. All thanks to my
wife. Will Shakespeare has ended his short
artistic retirement. What do you think of
my former playwrights Liz?
Aren't they the most wretched dogs?

LIZ
They are not, indeed. No need to order a
drink Thomas, I've paid the keep enough
to bring us sack all night.

NASHE
Thank you Countess. And welcome to the
Boar's Head. That's quite a wife you have
Edward.

EDWARD
Oh, but she has a wonderful proviso: for
giving me free reign to be who I am, I've
given her complete control over my whole
estate. I've never been better served,
nor better loved. Here, everyone listen
up. I want you all to drink to my new
wife, To Elizabeth, the Countess of Oxford.

All do

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
78.
Edward the Great

EDWARD (CONT'D)
I love you my fairest rose. One more time,
everyone, to my new wife.

All do

NASHE
If you keep it up Edward, we might all
end up as stewed as Greene.

EDWARD
That poor man. Did you go see him before
he died?

NASHE
I'm sorry, I didn't dare.

EDWARD
Do you know if he truly wrote that deathbed
attack on my Henry? The rumours have it
that the author of Groats-worth was really
you?

NASHE
It wasn't me, Edward. I love Henry. I
knew nothing of it until we all knew.
Greene had been wanting to lay into Henry
for years. But I don't know if it was
Greene or Chettle who wrote it. No one
went to see Greene or asked what he was
working on before he died. His body was
so rotted, and he stank so, no one could
even enter his room until they were forced
to just to take his body away.

EDWARD
Was anyone arrested for publishing the
attack? When there is any connection
between Henry and I, Cecil makes it his
mission to persecute.

NASHE
No one arrested yet. Everyone's been
running for cover. It's probably best for
Greene that he died when he did. Cecil's
become famous for his torture methods.

Marlowe walks through the tavern

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
79.
Edward the Great

NASHE (CONT'D)
Oh no, look out! Here comes Marlowe. Did
you know Marlowe was not even tortured
once during his interrogation. Kyd was
tortured horribly, and he confessed every
kind of atheism he could against Marlowe,
but Marlowe still has powerful protection.
I hear Essex protects him now. Marlowe
switched allegiances to Essex and that's
why Cecil has gone after Marlowe. With
Essex behind him no one can touch him
even though he's an atheist. Not even
Cecil. But, it doesn't pay to get into
Cecil's bad books, no matter who your
protector is.

EDWARD
Let's call him over, I want to hear how
he survived Cecil's wrath.

ALL
-- No -- Don't -- Please Don't.

EDWARD
We can't be afraid of Cecil every second,
must we?

NASHE
Things have gotten worse at court since
you left. Even Ralegh sits in the Tower,
no one is safe. Essex is not strong enough.
I don't even think we should be seen in
the same tavern as Marlowe. Let's go
Edward. Please?

LIZ
I think you should do as Master Nashe
says, Edward. It won't serve you to be
seen with Marlowe now.

EDWARD
Well...as you wish my love. Hey, fellows,
my wife has a splendid coach; let's all
ride it back to my new lodging in Hackney.

NASHE
Where is that?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
80.
Edward the Great

LIZ
It's just up the road near Stratford.
Coming Munday?

MUNDAY
This is exciting, I've never been in a
coach before.

Edward's party leaves the table. Marlowe laughs with his friends
until his friends all pull out daggers and stab him to death.

CUT TO:
Scene 27
EXT / PORTSMOUTH 1596 -- DAY
(CAPTAIN, EDWARD (WITH LIMP), HENRY)

Edward and Southampton meet at a dockside. The crew is going to
war against the Spanish. Edward arrives by horse just as the scene
starts.)

CAPTAIN
My Lord Southampton, we must sail right
away. Please. Lord Essex set sail in the
flagship more than an hour ago.

HENRY
Thank you for waiting captain. I will be
with you shortly.

Edward dismounts. Captain boards the ship.

EDWARD
I'm so proud, Henry.

HENRY
I wish you were as proud of my acting, as
you are of my going to war.

EDWARD
I am, but there's no credit nor honour in
the theatre. I want you to be respected
and admired, as you should be. All my
life I've put art above honour and now
I've nearly destroyed the Vere name.

HENRY
One day your land will be returned and
all will be well. The Queen owes you so
much and she's bound to put everything
right eventually. Be happy father.
(MORE)

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81.
Edward the Great

HENRY (CONT'D)
Your new wife has given you a son with
some land to inherit. To the world I am
the orphaned son of the Earl of
Southampton, yet, I have a living father
who loves me and teaches me of the world.
You be content also, father.

EDWARD
There is more to my melancholy than you
know.... I delayed your departure to ask
permission from the Queen to tell you
this, but she still refuses. I've given
up waiting for her to put things right.
The playrights know and will be spreading
the tale soon. You see, I loved the late
Earl of Southampton and I would never
have seduced his wife no matter who she
was. Yes, I mean she's not your mother. I
never loved nor made love to the late
Earl's wife.

HENRY
I don't understand.

EDWARD
Your mother is not who you thought it
was. And you are not my bastard child.

HENRY
Are you not my father?

EDWARD
Let me explain. Many years ago, when I
was not yet as old as you are now, the
Queen and I were in love. It was as great
a love as any she had in her life. Back
then she was fair and pagan, and did all
she could to win my heart. One night she
took me to a glen not far from Greenwich
Palace where a minister and several
musicians waited. It was there that she
told me she wanted me as her husband.
There was no official ceremony for this
marriage except that we had to speak from
our hearts. This was my first marriage
and it made my later wedding to Anne simply
a political maneuver, which the Queen
forced me to accept. When I returned to
(MORE)

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82.
Edward the Great

EDWARD (CONT'D)
England from my travels and discovered
your existence, I did all I could to
acknowledge you. But Elizabeth had made
her vow to virginity and decided she
couldn't lose her vow without losing her
crown. She still believes this.

HENRY
The Queen?

EDWARD
The late Earl of Southampton was my friend
and the Queen's also. His wife had lost
her son a month before your birth and the
Queen asked them to raise you as their
own. I was in Italy when all this happened
and did all I could to bring you to me.
You are not a bastard, nor an orphan,
only wronged. You are Prince of Wales and
heir to the throne of England.

Henry is startled and Edward continues over Henry's attempt to
interrupt.

EDWARD (CONT'D)
But this truth must be kept a secret. Let
me fight for your rights. The Cecils will
only have you killed if you act too soon.
James of Scotland is making a bid to become
King of England and has been negotiating
with Lord Cecil and the Queen. They haven't
agreed yet and the Privy Council is not
yet persuaded. Let me give the remainder
of my life to your cause if need be, but
don't act until the time is right.

HENRY
I must go, father. I will do as you say.
Though I wouldn't know what else I could
do at this time. The world is not what I
thought several minutes ago. Good bye.

EDWARD
Good bye and God's speed. When you take
Cadiz, tell the Spanish that the Earl of
Oxford has had his vengeance on them.

HENRY
Good-bye father, Good-bye!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
83.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
Good-bye Prince Hal. As I said, don't act
until the time is right!

Edward walks determinedly back to his horse and charges off.

CUT TO:
Scene 28
INT / BOAR'S HEAD TAVERN, EASTCHEAP 1597 -- EVENING
(JOHN, JONSON, MUNDAY, NASHE, WILL)

Nashe, Munday, and Jonson sit at a table. As Shakspere of Stratford
upon Avon walks in with his father John.

WILL
Without right? We don't have a right to
a coat of arms? What did you say to the
heralds officer?

JOHN
Like you told me to; I said I was the
father of the William Shakespeare the
poet. The officer laughed at my petition
and wrote only "No, without right."

WILL
But I am William Shakespeare, the poet! I
need to be a gentleman now!

JOHN
Now you slow down, son. You go on
pretending with someone else. The herald
told me if you were the mysterious poet,
why were you so ashamed to publish your
own plays? Now, he said, you try to receive
a coat of arms on the honour received
from those plays? What shall it be, he
said, is being a poet honourable or
dishonourable? He said there was a pretty
business in that name and many pretenders.
He said if you are the poet you can go to
him yourself and prove it in writing.

WILL
How can I do that?

JOHN
Oh, Will, what kind of trouble have you
gotten me into now?
(MORE)

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84.
Edward the Great

JOHN (CONT'D)
I don't want to go back to jail, I served
my time. What if the real Shakespeare
comes around to have you arrested?

WILL
He won't.

JOHN
How do you know?

WILL
I know.

JOHN
How?

WILL
Quiet. The poet hasn't interfered with
our pirate copies because he's a nobleman.
Someone high, like a baron, or duke, and
he doesn't want to get his hands dirty.
Listen father, go back to Stratford. I'll
work out something with my theatre friends.
I'll make us gentlemen if I have to bribe
that heralds officer to do it. For now
come buy me a drink.

Will and John take a seat at a table. Nashe and the others later
take note of their arrival.

JONSON
It's a huge victory. Southampton and
Essex took Cadiz without so much as the
loss of a single gun. The loot is said to
be worth the expense of the attack. Edward
must be so elated, Southampton is safe
and proven himself in battle.

NASHE
Hey now. Look, all of you, there. See,
there. That's the man claiming to be our
own Shakespeare. His real name is Shakspere
and I hear he can't even write his name,
much less pronounce it.

MUNDAY
What's this man to do when he aims as
high as he can and finds his big toe in
sight? Piss!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
85.
Edward the Great

JONSON
Masters Shakspere -- gentlemen come sit
with us. (to his friends) Watch this. (to
the two Shakspears) Come have a round on
us gentlemen.

NASHE
(To Jonson) What's with this use of
"gentlemen"?

JONSON
I said watch me. (Out loud) Masters
Shakspere.

WILL
Yes, good sirs. Are we aquainted?

JONSON
Yes indeed. My name is Ben Jonson and
this is Nashe and Munday. All of us are
acquainted with your plays. I think I
played your Othello not too long ago.

The Shaksperes begin to leave.

WILL
Pardon us, but I think you've made a
mistake --

Jonson stands up and stops the Shakspere's departure

NASHE
Ben's whole performance was a mistake,
did you see it?

JONSON
What was wrong with my performance? It
was stunning.

MUNDAY
Oh you're such an easy target sometimes,
Jonson. You take this one Shaksper.

WILL
Take what?

JONSON
You see Munday?
(MORE)

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86.
Edward the Great

JONSON (CONT'D)
I'm not such an easy target. England's
greatest poet is stumped for wit. Now
men, you are talking to not only the great
poet, but a newly coated gentleman. What
did the heraldry officer say to your
faultless petition, dear Willy?

WILL
I don't know why a peasant like you would
have the least right to know.

JONSON
Ooooh, you're galling your kind dear Willy.
Willy, I heard the rumour already. They
didn't even consider it. No, in fact they
said, "No, without right". Well I say
"without mustard". You petition was a
little bland I think. Bribery is the only
way to go dear Willy, if you can steal
the money. Besides, I wonder how you can
be so public with your requests while the
tax man has a warrant out for your arrest?

WILL
Has a warrant been really issued? Oh no.
Out of my way. Out of my way father. (His
father follows as they leave)

NASHE
The poet-ape flees the dogs.

MUNDAY
The Queen must have pardoned you your
crimes Jonson for you to find time for
his.

JONSON
This is just the comic character I've
been waiting for. This is the perfect
addition to the "Isle of Dogges". What
do you say Nashe? You and I write the
first true chronicle of Edward's life
with this sorry episode as the
counterpoint. An illiterate rustic
pretending to be a gentleman, a nobleman
pretending to be a rustic, and a King in
waiting pretending to be a bastard child. -
Shakspere, Edward, and Southampton, it's
a natural satire.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
87.
Edward the Great

NASHE
Let's do it.

MUNDAY
It's one thing to ridicule Edward, but if
you two even mention Southampton, the
whole court will turn against us.

JONSON
There are many ways to obscure a prank.
We'll get away with it, I'm sure.

NASHE
We'll go to it now, Ben. I have an idea
already.

CUT TO:
Scene 29
INT / CECIL HOUSE, 1597 -- EVENING
(CECIL, EDWARD, R.CECIL (WITH HUNCHBACK), SERVANT 1, SERVANT 2)

Cecil and his son sit for dinner. A servant comes in and whispers
news to Cecil

CECIL
{To Servant 1} Arrest these playrights,
Nashe and Jonson, right away. Collect
all copies of this play "Isle of Dogges"
and burn them all immediately. {To R.
Cecil} My son, the playwrights are at it
again, I will not have these reprobates
making Southampton king. One of them is
a friend of Edward's, not surprisingly.
I think it's time we end this business
once and for all. (To Servant 2) I want
Lord Oxford brought to me from downstairs
now. (to R. Cecil) There is no sense in
waiting till morning to deal with the
matter.

R.CECIL
The plague hasn't succeeded in ruining
the performances, so I think it's time to
close down the theaters directly, father.
They're a menace to the commonwealth.

CECIL
I will try again, but the theatre is the
only area remaining where the Queen still
(MORE)

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88.
Edward the Great

CECIL (CONT'D)
exercises her prerogatives. For now I
will end this speculation, no one must
even be allowed to think Edward is the
poet Shakespeare. My histories are free
of anything which could lead down that
road, but I want some better assurance.

R.CECIL
My men have informed me that a man with a
name close to Edward's pseudonym has been
working with the publishers on pirated
editions. He's already claiming to be the
poet to take the attention from the
publishers in case of a suit. They have
been waiting years for the opportunity to
profit from Edward's popularity.

CECIL
Deal with this other Shakespeare. I want
him to be a public front for Edward's
plays. Pay him what you think is best,
but employ him today. Now regarding
Edward's push for Southampton as King.

R.CECIL
He has yet to mention the Queen's parentage
of Southampton in his bid. He seems to be
held back by a promise to her to wait
until she is ready to announce it.

CECIL
I don't care if the Queen wants to confess
it, we must not allow the world to know.
I will never have my granddaughters made
illegitimate. You understand son?

R.CECIL
Yes father.

CECIL
Play the friend to Edward's ambition; he
has Essex to support his cause for now. I
understand Edward corresponds with King
James and has worked out a deal where
James won't interfere with his bid for
Southampton. But until Edward and the
Queen confess their parentage, Southampton
(MORE)

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89.
Edward the Great

CECIL (CONT'D)
will never become King. We will have our
own deal with James very soon. It's only
a matter of money to James, you'll see.

Servant walks in

SERVANT
The Lord of Oxford is out of his quarters
and is waiting outside.

CECIL
Thank you, send him in please. We are
"friends" to him, son.

R.CECIL
I understand.

EDWARD
My Lord Cecil. My dear brother in-law.
How are my daughters? I should like to
see them during this visit if I may. Oh,
I'm sorry if I look a touch disheveled,
but it may have something to do with being
called to your court at such short notice.
In fact, the hairy mastoid of your council
is something I rarely need to dress for,
so never mind. I'm sure, in future, these
matters, which call me at all hours, can
wait for a time more at my convenience.

CECIL
It will not be so urgent again I promise.

EDWARD
I have no doubt.

CECIL
I wonder if you have heard of the
unpleasentness regarding that play "Isle
of Dogges"? Most distressing for you I
would assume.

EDWARD
One of the dogs is a good friend, Thomas
Nashe. Would you be so kind as to ignore
his part in the affair.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
90.
Edward the Great

CECIL
Of course, my Lord. Jonson will pay for
it. But surely this must be quite
embarrasing to have Southampton made out
to be your son by the Queen. The slander
must irk somewhat?

EDWARD
I've had greater trials to deal with.

CECIL
And also this man who claims to have
written your plays. That must irk you
more than somewhat.

EDWARD
Steps have been taken by my Lord
Southampton. This fraud of a man has been
bribed to leave and to never come back,
and, for good measure, a bailiff sent to
arrest him if he is found anywhere in
London.

CECIL
Wisely played, my Lord Edward. Can't risk
exposure with a public action. However, I
would like to suggest a modification to
your game. May I say that the full
potential of this situation should be
explored. You have been wisely avoiding
crediting your plays and verse for some
twenty years now, but when you decided to
finally call yourself Shakespeare, with
your recent published verse, the
speculation that you are the poet seemed
to end. Now I believe a mask of flesh
works better than the simple invisability
of Athena's shaken-speare. What I'm
suggesting, and there would be no dishonour
in my request -- far from it -- there is
greater honour in this course of action
than in any other -- especially, as it
appears your honour and those close to
you are only hurt by your connection to
the theatre --

EDWARD
Please. Get to it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
91.
Edward the Great

CECIL
I'm suggesting that this Shakspere fellow,
wherever he is, be made out to be the
poet of your plays -- for the benefit of
the public mind.

EDWARD
I will not have that idiot represent my
whole life's work. A life's work that is
not even finished yet.

CECIL
All the better if he is an idiot, then
you can always prove he's a fraud whenever
you desire it.

EDWARD
I will not agree to such an idea. I have
plans to turn over my rights to Southampton
since you must know. He will decide.

CECIL
You must, at least, allow me to separate
you from your work more substantially. I
know of your efforts to make Southampton
heir to the Queen. I approve. It sounds a
most splendid idea. But I know the Privy
Council's mind wouldn't accept him as
King -- if he remains the man he is, one
so immersed in your plays. As great as
they are, the plays cannot but hurt him,
such as his candidacy is. Let me tell the
public, in my own way, that you are not
the poet Shakespeare. Southampton has no
chance to become King otherwise.

EDWARD
I cannot agree to your plan. I will not
have someone else take control of my work.
No -- no...I must rest. No more of this
tonight. My leg is getting worse. I need
to lie down. ...I'm sorry I must go.

CECIL
That's quite all right. Good night my
Lord.

R.CECIL
Goodnight, brother.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
92.
Edward the Great

Edward leaves

R.CECIL (CONT'D)
What shall you do?

CECIL
I will do what I can. I don't think Edward
will be able to do anything about it when
I decide to sell this fraud, Shake-speare,
to the public. May God strike me dead if
I'm wrong.

CUT TO:
Scene 30
30 INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, 1598 -- MORNING
(EDWARD, ESSEX, QUEEN, R.CECIL, RALEGH)

QUEEN
What are you getting at Ralegh? You mean
to say that Lord Cecil was not in the
coffin. That an empty coffin was just
interred in Westminster Abbey? Is this
true Sir Robert? Was your father buried
somewhere else?

R.CECIL
It's a malicious lie, your majesty.

RALEGH
Are you calling me a liar?

QUEEN
What do you say to this my dear Essex?

ESSEX
Nothing, but if the late Cecil wished to
have one public honour and one satanic
honour, he would not allow his son, Sir
Robert, to reveal it to anyone, especially
to a Jack like Ralegh.

QUEEN
I know how this is going to end up: with
the three of you in a squabble. Just leave
me out of it.

Edward arrives.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
93.
Edward the Great

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Here? What's this? My Lord Edward is
here? (Aside) How my past is reborn.

ESSEX
Has it really been ten years since Edward
came to court?

RALEGH
Not since the day of his upset stomach.

All laugh

QUEEN
Welcome Lord Edward. It's so good to see
you again. You need not have been away so
long, we've all forgotten the fart.

All laugh loudly

EDWARD
Thank you, your majesty. I came merely to
express a level of respect at the passing
of Lord Cecil. I am not able to stand for
very long so I ask your leave to retire.

QUEEN
I'm sorry for teasing you. Please stay
with me Edward and talk. Gentlemen?

The other three retire

QUEEN (CONT'D)
Are you so ill now that you can barely
walk?

EDWARD
Please, Elizabeth. I have work to do.

QUEEN
I understand you're rewriting all the old
plays and polishing the verse. I would
love to see them again. And are there any
new plays?

EDWARD
I don't think you've seen King Lear yet.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
94.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
King Lear -- Earl. No I haven't seen it
yet. Is the matter of the "Isle of Dogges"
settled? I wonder? What was done with it?

EDWARD
With Cecil's death, except for the odd
hint, I think the matter has ended as it
stood, without that man from Stratford
apon Avon in the picture. But I understand,
one of the two playrights, a young
scoundrel named Ben Jonson has four more
plays dealing with the subject of my life.
He's promised to bury the meaning as much
as possible, but I'm not aware of his
true character in this matter. There are
additionally three more plays at Cambridge
that may cause problems.

QUEEN
Please Edward. I want you with me at court
again. I miss your wit.

EDWARD
I've lost my wit, I don't know where.
Besides, it will be crowded? Essex may
not like it.

QUEEN
My favorites are no longer my lovers. I
gave up that sport some years ago. Besides,
I'm tired of him, he's a pale imitation
of another Earl I knew. I hear you're
allied with Essex through our son. Essex
can't help you any more. He and Henry
are so dissatisfied with my government,
before Cecil died I feared they would
rebel. They're now unhappy with my choice
of the young Cecil as his replacement.
I'm afraid for them, I think it may still
break out into fresh trouble. Come back
to court. You'll be on the Privy Council
again and you'll have as many honours as
befit you. And if you want to go about
calling yourself Edward the Seventh I
won't object.

EDWARD
Will you recognize Henry as Prince of
Wales?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
95.
Edward the Great

QUEEN
I won't go that far...yet. Just do as I
ask. Come back. I'll try not to tax you
of your writing time and your production
at the Boar's Head. Come whenever it's
most convenient to you. I've missed you
so Edward.

EDWARD
I can't say the same. I've been happiest
away from court and with my wife. She's
the kindest woman there is...but I will
return.

Edward starts to leave

QUEEN
Thank you Edward. Thank you.

CUT TO:
Scene 31
EXT / STREETS OF LONDON, 1601 -- DAY
(ESSEX, HENRY)

Southampton and Essex lead a small army through the streets. All
are shouting and chanting.

ALL
For the Queen, A plot on our lives! Down
with the Cecils! Put an end to the Cecils.
The Queen has given up to the Cecils! A
new government for England! For the Queen!

CUT TO:
Scene 32
INT / THE TOWER, 1601 -- NIGHT
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP), HENRY)

HENRY
Robert Cecil told me, to my face, that
King Philip's daughter would become Monarch
before I would ever be considered. He
said he would even pass over James rather
than give into our party. I had to act.
Essex and I had no choice.

EDWARD
Why did you need to stage my Richard II?
The Queen looks on that as your attempt
to overthrow her reign.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
96.
Edward the Great

HENRY
That's what it was. I wanted her to step
aside, as Richard did, while she can still
influence the choice against those Cecils.
I'm old enough to rule now.

EDWARD
You may be too old to rule. The Queen may
never admit that you're her son now that
you've offended her so.

HENRY
I don't care any longer.

EDWARD
My dear Harry. I'm just glad you're going
to live. I spoke to the Queen and this
new Cecil on your behalf and she has
decided to spare you the ax. But Essex
must die, someone must take the blame.

HENRY
I will not accept such a deal. He was my
only friend and I must stay loyal to him.

EDWARD
There is little choice in the matter. The
trial is set for tomorrow and the verdict
is decided. The Essex party is finished.
Even Francis Bacon volunteered to prosecute
against you and his old friend Essex.
Son, Essex's career is over and I'm your
only advocate left, poor lawyer though I
am. James will abandon his pact with us
now that this Robert Cecil is in charge
of government. Oh, it's like my two old
enemies have been combined: Lord Robert
and the pimp Cecil, a mangled phrase come
to life in this hunchback. I beg you to
accept the terms this monster has offered
you. The Queen is becoming too confused
to stand up and save you on her own.

HENRY
I can't abandon Essex. We will die
together.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
97.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
I love you for you loyalty to him. But it
will happen despite what you wish. I'm so
very proud of you. All right, I'll give
your reply to Cecil, but knowing better
how this new prison is shaped, you'll see
me in my house, before you see me in
heaven.

CUT TO:
Scene 33
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, 1603 -- NIGHT
(DOCTOR, EDWARD (WITH LIMP), QUEEN, RALEGH, R.CECIL)

EDWARD
Elizabeth, you still have time to make
our son King. I beg you to right this
wrong. I know why you haven't yet chosen
a successor: it must be because you want
it to be our son. How could you want it
to be Mary's son after all we have fought
for? James is a good enough man, but to
have a son, of your own blood, lose to
the son of Queen Mary? You wouldn't want
Mary to win? Henry has proven himself
strong and honourable, and will make a
great King. Listen to it, Henry the Ninth,
it will be Shakespeare's last and finest
play, but this time it will be of your
authorship.

Edward slumps from sickness. Ralegh comes over to Edward and helps
him.

RALEGH
Edward. I think it's time you rested. The
Queen can't speak. Go to sleep. I'm sure
she heard you. Come now.

They exit leaving R. Cecil and a doctor

R.CECIL
Doctor, check the Queen for signs of life.

The Queen awakens as the doctor examines her.

QUEEN
Edward?

R.CECIL
Please leave us doctor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
98.
Edward the Great

Doctor leaves.

R.CECIL (CONT'D)
Yes, Elizabeth?

QUEEN
My throne has always been the throne of
Kings and none but my next heir of blood
and descent ought to succeed me. Send for
Henry from prison, I concede to your wish.
Go to it, Edward.

R.CECIL
Yes, Elizabeth.

He doesn't move, but looks nervously about.

QUEEN
For many years did we sit and talk like
this, Edward. I'm glad you came back to
me. I missed you terribly at court. Though
I'm not proud of the way I treated you at
times, I'm glad that during these last
twenty years I never again turned my back
on you. Has Henry been summoned?

R.CECIL
Yes, Elizabeth.

QUEEN
Good. I'm so sorry Edward. I'm so sorry.
My vow has been to a lie, and a dishonour
to everyone in my life. But the lie was
for my suitors benefit. How could a foreign
prince propose marriage to anything but a
virgin? I trapped myself as the game
went on. Forgive me. Forgive me.

R.CECIL
My dear Elizabeth, I forgive you.

Holds her hand.

QUEEN
It will be all right. Won't it? Henry
will take my throne now. Thank you, Edward,
Mary has truly lost now.

The Queen dies. R.Cecil checks her life signs.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
99.
Edward the Great

R.CECIL
Doctor! The Queen!

Doctor checks with mirror.

R.CECIL (CONT'D)
Is she alive?

DOCTOR
There is not a breath left in our noble
Queen.

R.CECIL
Report it to the court and have the nobles
come to witness it.

R.Cecil rummages around the room looking for papers and finds
some and hides them. The members of the court arrive, including
Edward and Ralegh.

R.CECIL (CONT'D)
Thank you for coming. I spoke to the Queen
just before she passed from our loving
England and she told me, "I will that a
King succeed me, and who could that be
but my nearest kinsman, the King of Scots?"
The Privy Council will decide on the
matter, but the Queen's dying voice has
lighted on James.

CUT TO:
Scene 34
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, 1603 -- DAY
(EDWARD (WITH LIMP), JAMES)

Edward, as Lord Great Chamberlain, is required to perform certain
rituals for the coronation of James as King. He carries them out
as they talk.

JAMES
Thank you my Lord Edward for dressing me
today. This ancestral office must be
painful for you to perform.

EDWARD
My body is holding up today.

JAMES
I mean...to dress me for my coronation
when you've sacrificed so much to have
Henry become King.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
100.
Edward the Great

EDWARD
I bare no ill feelings toward you. You
did all you could to honour our alliance.
At least Henry is free again and high in
your favour.

JAMES
This young Cecil controls the state and I
am little but a foreigner at present. I
could do nothing more for you than to
become King.

EDWARD
There is nothing to apologize for.

JAMES
I will do all in my power to show you and
Henry the respect you deserve. Henry will
have lands and honours exceeding what
I've all ready given, and for you I've
decided to return your stolen lands to
your family, to reappoint you to the Privy
Council and to continue your pension as
before. And your son by mistress Vavasor:
I've decided he will be knighted for his
own gallantry in Flanders. If there is
anything else you think would be fitting,
I would like you to just ask it of me.

EDWARD
Thank you James. There is one thing. I
know that I have not long to live and
there was something I had planned to do
when either I or Henry became King. As
you know I've been polishing the plays
for some years but never publishing them.
There is one play I would like to give to
the public before I die. Hamlet is my
story. I would like it printed as I planned
to do as King consort to Elizabeth, or as
father to a King, that is using the Royal
Coat of Arms.

JAMES
If that is your most profound desire, it
will be done, and at my expense.

EDWARD
Thank you, your majesty.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
101.
Edward the Great

JAMES
Now to this confounded English ceremony.

CUT TO
Scene 35
INT / VERE HOUSE, HACKNEY, 1604 -- DAY
(BRIDGET, DOCTOR, EDWARD, HORATIO, HENRY, LIZ, R.CECIL (WITH
HUNCHBACK), SUSAN)

Edward is in another room dying of the plague. His wife and
children wait in the front room for a change in his condition.

All are crying in their own way.

HENRY
I hate this waiting. There's nothing but
silence in there.

LIZ
If only the doctor could ease his pain.
Come to me son.

Her ten year old son by Edward goes to her.

BRIDGET
Why doesn't father call us in?

HENRY
It doesn't bear discussion. He will call
us when it's time. I'm told we too might
be infected with the plague if we spend
too much time with him.

SUSAN
I love him so. How can he die like this?

All crying quietly.

HORATIO
He spoke to me last night of you Susan
and you as well, Bridget. He now wants
both his daughters and your husbands,
Pembroke and Montgomery to help preserve
his manuscripts along with the rest of
us. No doubt after your father passes
away, your uncle Cecil will attempt to
destroy the manuscripts and letters.

SUSAN
He won't do that.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
102.
Edward the Great

BRIDGET
-- Never, he loves father's verse. I've
heard him say so.

HORATIO
Still, Edward asked me to organize their
preservation and now that you are both
married and away from your uncle, he's
asked that you help.

R.Cecil arrives with his men.

HORATIO (CONT'D)
{To the family} 'Speak of the devil' seems
inadequate just now. (To R.Cecil.) We
seem always to be unprepared for your
arrival, Robert.

R.CECIL
Hello Horatio.

LIZ
Welcome my lord Cecil. Congratulations on
becoming Earl of Salsbury.

R.CECIL
Thank you Countess. I came to see how my
brother is keeping in this sad time. Hello
Southampton. (nods) Hello my Lords and
Ladies.

LIZ
Edward is as good as can be expected. I
will tell him you've come.

Liz leaves to get Edward

BRIDGET
Welcome uncle. I hope you're not
disappointed; father is too sick with the
plague to let anyone near.

Edward comes out helped by his wife and doctor. He is covered in
black boils and is in pain.

EDWARD
What are you here for Robert? As the
part of death you may be too late, I
stopped existing some time ago.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
103.
Edward the Great

R.CECIL
His Majesty is worried that your plays
may be lost if you die. He's requested
that I collect the manuscripts for safe
keeping in the royal library.

EDWARD
They're quite safe where they are.

R.CECIL
Nevertheless, it's my duty to bring them
back to the King.

EDWARD
(Laughs) Aren't you a pester for a
pestilent jester. My true family will
publish them when you've gone.

R.CECIL
Look for the papers men.

BRIDGET
Uncle, what are you doing?

R.CECIL
Sit down Bridget, and you too Susan. We're
on orders from the King.

EDWARD
Finish your performance without me Robert.
I have no interest in villianry any longer.
(Collapses) I have nothing to add to the
vagaries of Nature. Nature owns me and
has always done with me what she will.
(puss comes out of boil) See, I am already
being reclaimed. There was a time when I
thought the Queen and I were the Moon and
the Sun. Perhaps it was not too vain to
think so. We mortals, when our guts are
split open, are the glitter of nature,
and stand only to be fed back to the
overwhelming all, back to the Sun and
Moon and to the farthest star. Come nature,
come universe, its time to digest this
spent corpse. (Dies)

All wail, but Cecil and his men.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
104.
Edward the Great

R.CECIL
Bridget, Susan come to your uncle now!
Place everyone else under arrest. And
seize every one of his papers.

Chaos ensues as the men do as ordered.

CUT TO:
Scene 36
INT / WHITEHALL PALACE, 1604 -- DAY
(JAMES, LORD, R.CECIL (WITH HUNCHBACK))

James has summoned Robert Cecil to court to explain the arrests

JAMES
(To attendant Lords) That damned Cecil!
How could he be so callous? Oh poor Edward
to die is such horrid circumstances. And
to have his life's whole enterprise stolen
from him as his dying gift from this world.

LORD
-- and his family and friends arrested.

JAMES
Ask Robert Cecil ... Oh what title did I
give him?

LORD
Earl of Salsbury.

JAMES
-- Ask the Earl of Salsbury to enter.
We'll soon put it aright.

R. CECIL
Your Majesty, I have succeeded in
discovering Lord Oxford's papers and
manuscripts. With your permission I would
like to sort them for destruction.

JAMES
Don't be too hasty my lord. I have a favour
to ask of you.

R. CECIL
Yes?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
105.
Edward the Great

JAMES
I understand that your business with these
papers is of the highest import to my
reign and to the reign of my heirs. I
believe, however, that the manuscripts
should be outside your concern. The
references to the court are too overgrown
to be clearly read. I suggest you return
the manuscripts to Edward's family. The
letters will remain with us. His art is
of the greatest import to our nation and
I would like very much for his poetry to
survive.

R. CECIL
But your Majesty!

JAMES
Now, Now, Robert. This is my most fervent
wish. Secondly, I have released from
prison, Edward's friends and family,
including Southampton. I think you may
have gone too far in arresting the whole
lot of them, to put it mildly. Now, let's
forget all this trouble Robert, and let's
all remember Edward fondly. I have decided
to produce eight of Shake-speare's --

All titter

JAMES (CONT'D)
-- plays at court in Edward's memory.
I've already asked that Southampton act
in "Love's Labour's Lost" and he has
gracefully consented. You know Robert,
Edward and I became close during this
last years. Many times we discussed the
sea wrecks that lay strewn about this
court and how each was a tragedy that
defied conventional frames. We wished it
could be otherwise but knew we must play
it the way it was written for us. As it
is for all of us, for Edward there was no
greater tragedy than his own. His
humiliation at the hands of the Queen was
too much. I told him often that he was
strangely abused by her. I did try to
make right all that abuse, but I could
never accomplish so much in all my
lifetime. Now it is England who has gained
(MORE)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
106.
Edward the Great

JAMES (CONT'D)
the fruit of so bent and long suffering a
tree, a tree that is still ever-bearing
fruit so that we might nourish ourselves
and our young, even in the driest and
bleakest season. Never was a greater gift
of that nature given in England. Edward
the Great, when his state was wholly
ruined, when his walls has crumbled down,
when his battle arm had grown too weary
to defend even himself, his heart and
mind remained to give the lie to all our
own vainglorious death rattles here at
court. Bring out the sack I requested. I
want to toast Edward with his own drink.
To Edward the Great!

All repeat the salute as the curtain closes. All give a bitter
reaction to the sack/wine.

JAMES (CONT'D)
To Edward the Great.

CUT TO:
Scene 37
INT / STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, 1623 -- MORNING

{DROSHOUT, JAMES, JONSON}

A long look at the engraver Droshout as he is copying the bust of
Shakspere. The bust is different from the first scene in that the
pillow is now a bag of grain and there is no pen in the hands. He
works quietly for a half minute or longer, then King James enters
in disguise with his entourage including Ben Jonson. The whole
group has their backs to the camera through much of the scene.
The bust is the focus.

JAMES
Come in, Come in. Let's not mill about
outside and catch the attention of these
Stratford peasants. Is this our engraver?
How is the work coming young man?

DROSHOUT
Very well, your majesty.

JAMES
Good. I want you to come back to London
with us when you've made an adequate
rendering.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
107.
Edward the Great

DROSHOUT
Yes, your Majesty.

JAMES
Jonson? Jonson, come here. So is this
the man you met and satirized some quarter
of a century ago?

JONSON
Yes, Your Majesty. As you can see from
the look of his tomb, this fool Shakspere
got his coat of arms after all.

JAMES
Yes. As in your plays.

JONSON
Yes, your majesty. Look how he holds that
bag of grain: he must have turned the
money given him to stay out of London
into a small fortune. I've heard it said
he was the greatest hoarder of grain in
the shire during the former shortages,
and that he stole the common pasture with
some hired roughnecks. When he died some
six years back, there was barely a tear
shed or a notice given. Your majesty, no
one here thinks he's a poet; I was thinking
that we leave his tomb basically as it
is. We can add a marker suggesting he's
the poet but leave it to the printing of
the folio to do the job we need done.

JAMES
Very good Ben. Make it so. You've done
well for yourself too since you met this
Shakspere. Not that I'm suggesting anything
untoward, but don't you feel at all
remorseful that Edward may forever be
hidden behind this mask?

JONSON
His late countess, all his children and
friends all maintained his invisibility.
I'm only a servant to their wishes, and
yours. He will have all his plays published
finally and this shadow will hide his
face, but I will not be unequivocal in
the folio's preface, it will be full of
(MORE)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
108.
Edward the Great

JONSON (CONT'D)
clues. Some day his presence will be felt
again and my riddles will be solved.
Peacham and Davies and many others are
giving Edward his due credit with their
own puzzles. Some day it will be commonly
known, I have no fear. Besides how long
can this illiterate grain dealer be given
unlimited credit before his banker
forecloses?

JAMES
{Aside} Forever if the records are lost,
as these strange Cecils made sure. {To
Jonson} When you were suffering in prison
for the "Isle of Dogges", William Cecil
had attempted to pass off this grain dealer
as the poet. Now we end up doing exactly
as he wished...the power he has even over
so long a time. We are even forced to do
his pimping now. The Cecil's were a
imposing pair. When Robert Cecil finally
died, I began to feel free again, and
finally I understood how oppressive they
were to Edward. When Edward's Countess
died soon after Robert Cecil I honoured
both the Countess and Edward by producing
fourteen of his plays. I thought I could
make up for that oppression, but here I
am smothering him again and again and
again for my heirs sake, all this while I
dispatch his own.

To engraver

JAMES (CONT'D)
Finish up young man. Let's all go back to
London. This figure will stand for
Edward's life and work. It angers me to
look upon it. Like Queen Elizabeth
depending upon her lie of virginity, I,
and so many, depend upon this lie of Shake-
speare. Do your business, Ben. Do your
business. The time has nearly come to
pass off this tragedy into the hands of
oblivion. Let's give Nature a chance. She
knows her business better then we.

FADE OUT:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
109.
Edward the Great

THE END