As your Majesty commanded me when I left for France, I was appointed as your representative to marry Princess Margaret on your behalf. In the famous city of Tours, I have negotiated and arranged this marriage. Behold the fruits of my labor and service to England.

So when you sent me to France, you made it pretty clear what I needed to do—marry off Princess Margaret in your name. I did it. In Tours. Got the whole thing arranged. Here's what I managed to pull together for England.

france—done marriage—done queen margaret—here for you did my job

Suffolk, you may rise. Welcome, Queen Margaret. I can find no better sign of love to show you than this affectionate kiss. Your face captivates me, but even more—your speaking voice and dignity move my very soul. You seem like grace itself, dressed in human form.

Come on, Suffolk, get up. Welcome home, Margaret. Honestly, I don't know how to show you how much I already like you better than this kiss right here. Your face is stunning, but listening to you speak? It's like—God's grace wrapped up in a person.

welcome i'm in awe of you this kiss says it all

Great King of England and my gracious lord, my mind has thought constantly of you, day and night, imagining what you might be like. Every thought I have had has been about serving your honor and preparing my heart to love you. If I fall short of your expectations, know it was never through want of devotion.

My lord, my king—I've been thinking about you nonstop since we met. Every minute I was wondering what you'd think of me, what you'd want, how to be the queen you need. If I'm not exactly what you imagined, just know I'm trying.

been thinking of you all the time hoping i'm enough for you

Her beauty alone is astonishing, but her dignified speech is what truly ravishes my heart. Her words, clothed in wisdom and royal majesty, make me so lost in admiration that I forget where I am and who I am.

Yeah, she's beautiful—that's obvious. But when she talks? That's what gets me. She sounds wise, she sounds like a queen, and honestly, I just kind of lose myself listening to her.

her voice her words i'm completely lost

We all thank you.

Thanks to all of you.

thanks everyone

If it please your grace, my lord Protector, I have here the articles of peace that have been negotiated between our sovereign lord and the King of France. These terms, once accepted, will bind both kingdoms to lasting peace.

My lord, if you don't mind, I've got the peace treaty right here. All the official terms we worked out between you and the King of France. Once you sign off on these, that's it—peace is sealed.

here's the treaty peace between england & france sign and it's done

William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, acting as ambassador for Henry, King of England: that the said Henry shall agree to make peace and release all claims to the territories of Anjou and Maine, which shall be returned to the French king. Furthermore, no dowry shall be required from France...

So, uh, William de la Pole—now Duke of Suffolk—he spoke for you, Henry, and basically he agreed: we're giving back Anjou and Maine. All of it. To the French king. And we're not even getting a dowry payment...

suffolk made a deal we give france anjou & maine no payment coming back what

Uncle, what is the matter?

Uncle, what's wrong?

uncle? what happened?

Pardon me, gracious lord. A sudden pain has seized my heart, and my eyes have grown dim with grief. I cannot—I must step back for a moment.

Sorry, my lord. Something just hit me—like a physical blow. I can't see straight. I need a second.

sudden pain i can't see i can't breathe forgive me

Uncle of Winchester, please continue reading.

Cardinal, just keep going.

keep reading

The territories of Anjou and Maine shall be released and delivered to the King of France, and the Queen shall be sent to England without any dowry payment...

So Anjou and Maine get handed over to France, Margaret comes to you with no money, and that's the deal...

territories → france no dowry for the bride that's the price

These terms please us well. Lord Marquess, kneel down. We hereby create you the first Duke of Suffolk, and grant you these honors in recognition of your service. Rise up, Duke of Suffolk.

Great terms. Really. Look, get down on one knee. I'm making you the Duke of Suffolk now—first one ever. You earned this. Get up, Your Grace.

these are perfect get on one knee you're a duke now first ever rise up, your grace

Brave peers of England, pillars of this state, to you I must make clear the depth of my sorrow. Your own grief should match mine, for the peace we have just accepted is a surrender, not a negotiation. England has lost through Suffolk's ambition what it took our fathers years to win. Normandy, which our fathers conquered and held—that fertile land is now gone. Maine and Anjou—English blood was spent on those territories. And for what? For a marriage that brings us no alliance, no money, no strategic advantage. This is not peace. This is capitulation disguised as diplomacy. I tell you, England is diminished, and the man responsible sits here honored and elevated.

Listen, all of you—you strong men who are supposed to hold this country together—I need to tell you what just happened. And you should be as furious as I am. What they're calling peace is actually a disaster. Suffolk and his ambitions just made us hand over everything our fathers fought to keep. Normandy? Gone. It took years of war to get that land, and we just gave it away. Maine and Anjou—English soldiers died taking those. And for what? A queen? No money coming with her, no real allies, nothing. We got nothing out of this deal except getting robbed while watching the robber get a medal.

everything we fought for normandy—gone maine—gone anjou—gone and suffolk gets promoted? this is betrayal

Nephew, why do you speak with such passion and in such elaborate language? Is France not a prize to keep?

Nephew, what's with all the drama? Are you saying we shouldn't even try to hold onto France?

too much passion we're keeping france right?

Yes, uncle, we will try to keep it if we can. But now it is impossible. Suffolk, you new-made duke, have spoken away the very lands that make a dukedom worth holding. Tell me, how shall we defend England if we have already surrendered the gateway to France?

Right, we'll try to keep it. But we can't. You know that. Suffolk—fancy new duke over here—you just gave away the actual territory that makes a duke mean anything. How are we supposed to defend England now when we don't even control the approach to France anymore?

we can't keep what we don't have suffolk gave it away duke of nothing how do we defend england now

By God who died for all of us, these counties were the keys to controlling Normandy. But why are they being given to the French? These are the very places England won through strength and held through courage.

I swear to God, those territories were the whole point—they were how we controlled Normandy. And we're just handing them over? These are places England conquered, places English soldiers held.

those territories were everything the keys to normandy we won them we held them now they're gone

I grieve because these lands are now lost forever. If there were any hope of winning them back, my sword would be drawn immediately and would not rest until those territories were retaken. But I see no such hope, and that is my deepest sorrow.

I'm grieving because they're gone for good. If there was even a chance we could take them back, I'd have my sword out right now and I wouldn't stop until we got them back. But there's no chance, and that's what breaks my heart.

they're lost forever if i could fight to get them back i would but there's no hope

Let Suffolk be suffocated for dimming the honor of this warlike island. France should have paid tribute to us, and instead, we are giving England away piece by piece. This is shame, and history will remember it.

Suffolk should choke on his own ambition for destroying this nation's honor. France should be paying us. Instead, we're just handing England over like it doesn't matter. This is shameful. This will be remembered.

suffolk destroyed us frankly destroyed england this is shame history won't forget

A clever jest, and one I would never have believed—that Suffolk should demand payment from England to cover the costs of his own peace treaty. We have given away our lands and now must pay for that loss?

Oh, that's hilarious. And I didn't think it could get worse. But Suffolk wants England to pay for the privilege of losing half our territory? We give up our lands and then have to pay for that deal? Really?

he's asking us to PAY for giving away our lands the joke's on us literally

My Lord of Gloucester, you are growing too angry. It was the King's pleasure that this peace be made.

Lord Gloucester, you need to calm down. The King wanted this peace treaty. He made the decision.

you're too worked up the king wanted this let it go

My Lord of Winchester, I know what drives you. It is not my words that displease you—it is my presence itself. You have always sought to undermine me, and you will use this treaty as another weapon against my position. But I will speak the truth as I see it, regardless of your scheming.

Cardinal, I know you. It's not what I'm saying that bothers you—it's that I'm the one saying it. You've always wanted me gone, and you're going to use this whole thing to try to push me out. Well, I'm not going to be quiet about what I think just because you want me to.

you don't like my words you don't like ME you've always hated me and this is your chance to get rid of me

So there goes our Protector in anger. It is known to you all that he is my enemy—nay, more, an enemy to the common welfare of this realm. He stands in the way of better governance. He uses his position to block necessary reforms. And what if his outburst today proves to be the moment when his instability becomes a danger to the King himself? I speak only out of concern for the security of the realm and the King's person.

Look at him storm out. For those of you who don't know it, Gloucester is my enemy—worse, he's the enemy of what's good for this country. He blocks everything, he blocks progress, he abuses his power. And listen, what if this little tantrum today is just the beginning? What if his instability actually threatens the King's safety? I'm only saying this because I care about the kingdom and protecting Henry.

he's my enemy he's the realm's enemy he's unstable what if he threatens the king? i'm just saying for the kingdom's sake

Why should he protect the realm when he is old enough to govern himself? Cousin Somerset, do you not agree that the King needs counsel from those who share his vision, not from an old man clinging to a fading role?

Why does he even need a Protector? The King's old enough to run things himself. Somerset, you see it the same way, right? Henry needs advice from people who actually agree with him, not some aging guy desperately holding onto power.

king's old enough he doesn't need a protector he needs better advisors not just gloucester

This weighty matter cannot wait. I will go directly to the Duke of Suffolk and begin coordinating our action.

This is too important to drag out. I'm going straight to Suffolk to start moving against Gloucester.

no time to waste going to suffolk let's move now

Cousin Buckingham, though Humphrey's pride and his position cause us grief, we should still be careful not to move so openly against him that we create sympathy for him among the nobles. We must be subtle, patient, and gather allies before we move.

Look, Gloucester's got too much pride and he's taking up too much space, yeah. But we can't be too obvious about it or people will actually feel bad for him. We need to be smart, gather support quietly, and make sure we have the numbers before we make a move.

need to be careful can't move too fast if we're obvious people will defend him gather allies first

Either you or I will become Protector, Somerset, even if Humphrey resists, even if the Cardinal objects. We will have that power.

One of us is going to be Protector, Somerset. Whether Gloucester likes it or not. Whether the Cardinal helps or gets in the way. We're taking that position.

you or me protector soon we're taking it

Pride comes first, and ambition follows after. While these men scheme for personal advancement, our nation crumbles. It is incumbent upon those of us who still see clearly to gather the nobles and defend England. The King cannot do this himself—he is too trusting, too kind. We must protect him from his own blindness. We should leave immediately and rally the true lords of England to our cause.

You see the pattern? Pride comes first, then ambition takes over. These guys are all fighting for power while England falls apart. Those of us who still think clearly need to get the noble houses together and protect this country. The King can't do it himself—he's too trusting, too naive. We have to save him from himself. We need to leave and start gathering allies right now.

pride, then ambition every factional fight england's falling apart we have to act we have to gather now

As God help Warwick, so does he love the land and the common good of the country.

I swear by God—I love this land and I care about what's best for everyone in it.

i swear i love england i care about the people

And York agrees with that sentiment—though York has the greatest cause of all to pursue his own advancement.

And I agree with that too—although I've got way more reason than anyone else to be thinking about my own power.

i agree but i've got other plans bigger plans for myself

Then let us make haste and protect England's central interests.

Then we need to move fast and take care of what matters for this country.

move fast protect england

To protect the main! But father, the territory of Maine is lost—that Maine which by sheer military force Warwick won and held. I would have kept it to my grave with my sword drawn.

Protect the main, right? But wait—Maine is gone. That territory I personally won, that I held with my own military strength. I would've died fighting to keep it, and instead we just handed it over.

maine is gone i won it i would've died for it and we gave it away i can't—

Anjou and Maine are given to the French. Paris is lost. Normandy's position grows unstable. The King is weak and easily swayed. Margaret, his new queen, is ambitious and has already begun to form alliances. The noble houses are fracturing into factions. Suffolk has made himself a power through the King. The Cardinal schemes. Buckingham and Somerset maneuver. Salisbury and Warwick gather strength. And I watch, and I plan. For I have a claim to this throne that runs deep—deeper than Henry's, if one traces the line carefully. My father was Richard, Duke of York. His father was Edmund, Earl of Cambridge. Edmund was the son of Edward, Duke of York. And Edward was the son of Edward the Third, who was, after all, King of England. I am of the blood royal. Henry was born to his crown through a weaker line. Let these nobles tear at each other. Let them bleed their armies and their treasuries. Let Margaret poison the court with her ambition. Let Suffolk fall and the Cardinal scheme his final scheme. When England is broken and exhausted, I will step forward. I will not fight for a faction. I will fight for the throne itself. This kingdom will be mine. Not through the permission of these fractured lords, but because I am willing to seize what they have lost through their incompetence and their greed. I have already begun to lay the groundwork. I gather allies in secret. I speak of loyalty to the King even as I prepare for his displacement. I will be patient, and I will be ruthless. And when the moment comes—and it will come—I will take the crown. The Wars of the Roses have not yet begun, but they are written in the blood of this moment. I see the future clearly. And in that future, I am King.

Anjou and Maine are gone. Paris is gone. Normandy's already falling apart. The King's weak and doesn't know what he's doing. Margaret's got her own agenda. Every major house is building alliances against every other one. Suffolk's hooked into the King. The Cardinal's scheming. Buckingham's plotting. Somerset's maneuvering. Salisbury and Warwick are gathering strength. And I'm here, watching everything, making plans. See, I've actually got a claim to this throne that's older and stronger than Henry's if you trace it properly. My father was Richard, Duke of York. His father was Edmund, Earl of Cambridge. Edmund's father was Edward, Duke of York. And Edward was the son of Edward the Third—actual King of England. I'm of actual royal blood. Henry got his throne through a weaker family line. So let all these nobles tear themselves apart. Let them waste money and soldiers on fighting each other. Let Margaret push her own power. Let Suffolk go down, let the Cardinal play his games. When this kingdom is broken and bleeding, that's when I move. I won't be fighting for some faction. I'll be fighting for the crown itself. And I'll have it. Not because these fractured lords give it to me, but because I'm actually willing to do what they won't—take power. I'm already setting it up. Building alliances quietly. Talking about loyalty to the King while I'm preparing for him to be out of the way. I'll wait. I'll be patient. But I will be ruthless. And when the moment comes—and it will—I'll take the throne. The roses—York and Lancaster—they'll go to war. It's coming. I can see it. And in that future, I wear the crown. England will be mine.

everything's falling apart they're all fighting francia's gone the king's useless magaret's ambitious suffolk's rising everyone schemes let them let them destroy each other when it's all broken i'll pick it up i have a claim i have the blood i have the will the throne is mine they don't know yet but it will be