The Private Life of Henry VIII. Page #5

---

[Burps]

And you, Master Cromwell,

you may tell my loyal guild of barbers...

to mind their own business

and leave me to mine.

Am I the king

or a breeding bull?

[Coughs]

Are you all dumb?

I've known brighter funerals.

Have we no singers

in the court?

If it please Your Grace,

I will sing for you.

What will you sing?

Whatever pleases Your Grace,

if I know the song.

Do you know

"What Shall I Do for Love"?

Yes, indeed.

- Good music, do you think?

- Yes, and lovely words.

Hmm. Did you know

that I wrote them both?

How should I not?

It is my favorite song.

Hmm. Let's hear it, child.

[Ballad]

Alas

What shall I do

For love

For love, alas

For love

What shall I do

Since none so kind

I do you find

To keep you near me

Unto

Alas

Very good, my child.

[Group Murmuring]

Thomas. Who's the girl?

Katherine Howard, Your Majesty.

Oh, I remember.

[Exhales, Belches]

So, Master Cromwell, you would

have me make a fourth marriage.

If Your Majesty

would but consider it.

Consider it?

I would consider it the victory

of optimism over experience!

[Laughing]

[All Laughing]

[Loud Laughing]

[Laughing, Coughing]

But we need more heirs.

I've given you three...

two daughters and a son.

I grant you,

the daughters show little promise.

Mary may grow to wisdom...

but Elizabeth will never learn to rule

so much as a kitchen.

Ah, but the boy's my second self.

True, sire, but a third self,

or even a fourth...

would make all safe.

- What's your project then?

- The duchess of Cleves.

- Got a portrait of her?

- No.

Send Holbein over to paint her

and Peynell to watch Holbein.

Your Grace has no faith

in German painters.

Yes, but I have no faith

in German beauty.

[Laughs]

Peynell!

Your Majesty?

I want you to go over to Cleves.

[Exhales]

I might marry the duchess.

I will not marry your king.

I will not! I will not!

I will not!

But there's not a princess in Europe

who'd not be eager for such a match.

- What? That bluebeard?

- Oh, Princess.

What else is he?

His first wife divorced,

his second chopped, his third dead.

A pretty prospect for the fourth.

But she will not be Anne of Cleves,

and that you may tell him.

- As you will, Princess.

- And why "Princess"?

Last night you called me Anne.

Last night I forgot everything.

Today...

Today forget everything

but last night.

How can I paint Her Highness

if she will not sit?

When the light is good, she's always

in the garden with Master Peynell.

[Laughs]

Natuerlich.

He talks with the tongue,

but also with the eyes, that young man.

Until he came,

she would not hear of this marriage.

But now all goes well.

I think so. Isn't it?

For the marriage, maybe.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes