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ACT ONE
Scene One
Darkness.
The rasp of a breath – in – out.
A bed. Upon it a body – little more than bones in an orange wig. Squatting at the bed’s edge, a hunch-backed figure: ROBERT CECIL. He is always watching. Now he addresses us.
CECIL. In truth the King never dies. The King is dead, the cry goes up – Long live the King. Continuity – Tradition – The line unbroken to the crack of doom – English things.
As he continues to speak, CATESBY, dressed in red (as he always will be) emerges bearing a bundle, which is a child in his arms. He lays it on the ground.
In truth of course kings do die – some childless – and in the days of their passing, the hours grow thick – shadows walk – and hope is reckless.
CATESBY sets light to the bundle. It burns with instant ferocity and at once the space is crowded. At the centre of the crowd a pale young man in a white shift stands on a cart. There are knives amongst the onlookers and burning braziers. The pale young man speaks. The crowd is volatile.
SOUTHWELL. I am come to perform the last act of this miserable life. Almighty God, pardon and forgive me all my sins – as You are my witness, I never intended any evil against Her Majesty
ARCHBISHOP. Do you deny you are a priest of Rome?
SOUTHWELL. No – but I am no enemy to the Queen.
ARCHBISHOP. Do you acknowledge her as your lawful prince?
SOUTHWELL. I do.
ARCHBISHOP. You did not say this at your trial
SOUTHWELL. because you did not seek a priest or a traitor – only blood – and you shall have it – freely as my mother gave it to me – and if it’s not enough, there will come as many more as willing as myself.
TOPCLIFFE. If the King of Spain or the Pope entered this land by force, intending to establish the religion you claim to be the true Catholic faith – would you resist them?
SOUTHWELL. I am a priest – I may not fight.
ARCHBISHOP. Would you counsel others to defend Her Majesty?
SOUTHWELL. I would counsel all men to maintain the right of their prince.
TOPCLIFFE. And has the Queen no right to maintain our religion and to forbid yours?
SOUTHWELL. No – she does not.
ARCHBISHOP. So if the Pope came to establish your religion you would not defend the Queen against him? I charge you before this assembly and before God.
SOUTHWELL. I am a Catholic priest, your Grace – I would never fight – nor counsel others to fight against my religion – O Christ, I will never deny you for a thousand lives.
TOPCLIFFE. Robert Southwell / – you are a traitor to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Queen of England, Wales, Ireland and France. Carry out the sentence.
SOUTHWELL. ‘Whether we live, we live unto the Lord: or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.’
A noose is lowered. SOUTHWELL kisses it and it is placed around his neck.
Domine, in manus tuas, commendo spiritum meum.
The cart is pulled away – the body dangles. He looks upwards, beatific, and repeats ‘In manus tuas, commendo spiritum meum.’
In another place CECIL is going over accounts. Although they are not in the same location, CECIL and TOPCLIFFE talk to each other.
CECIL. Coals, sixpence; horse to bear him to the gallows, twelvepence; wright’s axe for heading, four shillings.
TOPCLIFFE. Cut him down.
The crowd move in.
CECIL. Leave him. Hand axe and cutting knife for ripping and quartering, fourteen pence.
TOPCLIFFE. Leave him longer he’ll be dead.
CECIL. Leave him. Four hooks for hanging the quarters on the four gates, three shillings and eightpence. A mason for setting the hooks in the gates, tenpence a day. Fire and coals for melting the lead to set the hooks, eightpence.
The body’s movements have stopped.
Take him down.
A swarm of people gather around the body as it is brought down.
TOPCLIFFE. Getting soft, Cecil. Your father would never have shown a Jesuit such tenderness.
CECIL. My father knew the English animal, Topcliffe – so does the Queen. We’re an island people – the sea has got into our blood – we rush to violence and then yearn for fair play. I hate a Jesuit like any man –
The EXECUTIONER rips the heart out of the body and holds it aloft.
but let the Pope make his saints – he doesn’t need our assistance.
Scene Two
Continuous. A stag charges into the space followed by a yelping, barking chase. KING JAMES kills the stag, smearing his face with blood. He wears armour. QUEEN ANE is there with her women. She is pregnant. THOMAS PE...
