Queen Anne Page 6

  Enter DEFOE and GENTLEMEN, alarmed.

  DEFOE. The price of stock is tumbling! The goldsmiths won’t pay gold!

  Great alarm breaks out amongst the crowd again. Many rush to leave.

  HARLEY. Gentlemen! Gentlemen! I urge you to be calm!

  Scene Two

  The Queen’s appartments, St James’s. ANNE is waiting anxiously. Enter MARLBOROUGH.

  ANNE. What news?

  MARLBOROUGH. It’s over. It’s over, ma’am. This time, at least.

  ANNE. Truly?

  MARLBOROUGH. Word has just arrived. They didn’t land. Perhaps they grew uncertain of the promised help upon the shore. Leastwise, two nights ago, afraid of being trapped within the Forth, they sidled past our ships and headed back to open sea. But we pursued them. One of their vessels has been captured.

  ANNE. The Pretender?

  MARLBOROUGH. He was not on board.

  ANNE. Then I thank God for that. For though it seems perverse, I’m sure, I wouldn’t want his fate upon my hands.

  MARLBOROUGH. Some of his most trusted lords are taken. Lord Griffin is amongst them.

  ANNE. Lord Griffin.

  MARLBOROUGH. And we move against those Scottish lords who helped to instigate the plan.

  ANNE. When I was but a little girl he used to lift me up upon his back and run me round and round the Court.

  What would they have done to me?

  Enter GODOLPHIN.

  GODOLPHIN. The word is out. The markets will grow steady now, I’m certain.

  Your Majesty, I know the nation joins with me in giving thanks for your deliverance.

  ANNE. Not all the nation it would seem. What mean the Scots? What is it irks them still? I thought the Union settled now.

  MARLBOROUGH. Your Majesty, I’m mindful of the strain you’ve borne these last five days, and yet I feel compelled to speak. I am, perforce, so often far away, and I rely on Lord Godolphin and on my Duchess too, to appraise me of events at home. And more and more of late, the news they send alarms me to my core. The Jacobites in Scotland – yes, and everywhere – are given great encouragement by Your Majesty’s espousal of the Tory cause.

  ANNE. I…

  MARLBOROUGH. They see the ruptures in our administration. They see the weakness there and they exploit it. And in the glens, or so I’m told, they whisper of your secret love for the Pretender, and say you’d rather have him follow you than any Hanoverian, for he is blood and kin of yours.

  ANNE. But… that’s absurd. I do not even own him…

  GODOLPHIN. It is the Tory hope.

  MARLBOROUGH. You block our strategy at every turn, reject each new appointment we request…

  ANNE. I cannot think this crisis of my making. And I’m appalled that you should think it so.

  MARLBOROUGH. Your Majesty…

  ANNE. Mr Harley says this was a desperate ploy on Louis’s part, a gamble, prompted by so many great defeats…

  MARLBOROUGH. Harley?

  ANNE. He thinks that we should move for peace whilst we are strong.

  MARLBOROUGH. Harley’s more the cause of this than anyone. His secretary is clapped in irons for sending secrets to the French – does that not ring alarms?

  ANNE. But he has never implicated Harley.

  GODOLPHIN. It happened in his office.

  ANNE. This is what I most abhor. This posturing, this taking sides, this laying blame at other doors. You all are in my service, and I am in the service of this land.

  MARLBOROUGH. He leads a faction now against us. And you should know the damage which that does to me abroad. Ma’am, I have to lead each new negotiation with our allies, each new and bloody fight, knowing that I have your full, unqualified support.

  ANNE. You do.

  Pause.

  MARLBOROUGH. I wonder… if it would not be wise… for me to pause, and step aside.

  ANNE. No. I will not let you do it. For if you did, you’d find it swiftly followed by another abdication. For what, pray, is a crown at all, when the support of it is gone? For Britain and for my sake, no.

  MARLBOROUGH. I need hardly tell you what that means to me.

  I must return to Cabinet.

  He kisses her hand, meaningfully.

  ANNE. Brave Marlborough.

  MARLBOROUGH. Your Majesty.

  MARLBOROUGH glances at GODOLPHIN – unspoken communication between the two of them. Exit MARLBOROUGH.

  GODOLPHIN. It doesn’t help that Sarah is so seldom to be seen at court.

  ANNE. That you cannot blame on me. I’ve told her she can come to me whenever she is minded to.

  GODOLPHIN. I think she lacks encouragement from you.

  ANNE. I fear I cannot offer that. Although it mortifies my soul. For when she’s here, she hounds me and berates me so. You’ve seen. And the letters she has lately sent are more than rude.

  GODOLPHIN. I think she fears… that she has been replaced.

  ANNE. Replaced? By whom?

  GODOLPHIN. The servant girl. The one who’s close to Harley.

  Pause. ANNE is shocked.

  ANNE. What nonsense.

  GODOLPHIN. Is it, ma’am? Last week, when I arrived in Court, I saw the Swedish envoy in the hall. I asked him what he wanted and he told me he awaited Mrs Masham, for he would have her speak to you on his behalf.

  ANNE. I never speak to Masham about policy.

  GODOLPHIN. Perhaps. Yet…

  ANNE. You doubt my word?

  GODOLPHIN. Yet people think you do. And there’s the damage done.

  ANNE. This is beneath you, Lord Godolphin. I will not speak to you of this.

  GODOLPHIN. Your Majesty, I am, or I am meant to be, your chief adviser…

  ANNE. But you are not my father or my priest, and I won’t be chastised, accused as though I am a wayward child. And I’d thank you not to write to Marlborough giving him false views about our dealings here.

  GODOLPHIN. I cannot close my eyes and ears. Harley goes about the House speaking vicious lies of us…

  ANNE. This!

  Pause.

  GODOLPHIN. May I suggest, for all our sakes, you rid yourself of Harley.

  ANNE. Is that an ultimatum?

  GODOLPHIN (surprised). No. It’s simply my profound advice. As your counsellor and, I hope, your friend.

  Pause.

  ANNE. Thank you then. Good day to you.

  GODOLPHIN hesitates, uneasy.

  GODOLPHIN. I remain your servant, ma’am.

  Exit GODOLPHIN. ANNE is very still.

  Scene Three

  A corridor, St James’s. Enter GODOLPHIN, walking. Enter a GROOM, a few moments later, a letter in his hand. He sees GODOLPHIN and rushes after him.

  GROOM. Lord Godolphin?

  GODOLPHIN turns, and the GROOM thrusts the letter towards him.

  GODOLPHIN. Good Lord! I thought you meant to stab me, man.

  GROOM. From the Queen.

  GODOLPHIN. The Queen? But I left her not ten minutes since…

  A realisation floods across his face. He takes the letter. He breaks the seal and reads.

  My God. You splice me then indeed, and through the heart.

  The GROOM makes a small bow and starts to leave.

  Wait.

  GROOM. She wanted no reply, my lord.

  GODOLPHIN. But you had better give her this.

  He takes the chain of office from around his neck and hands it to the GROOM.

  For I won’t need it any more.

  The GROOM leaves with the chain. GODOLPHIN is still with shock and sadness.

  Scene Four

  HARLEY’s rooms, the Inns of Court. Evening. MAYNWARING, DEFOE and JEZEBEL, in various guises, are performing a song to a delighted audience.

  COMPANY.

  Oh, the Grand Old Duke of Marlborough

  He had ten thousand men

  He marched them up to the top of the hill

  And none came down again

  And when they were up they were up

  And when they were do
wn they were down

  And when they were only halfway up

  They were falling on the ground.

  Enter SARAH, disguised in a cloak. She watches the performance.

  ‘MARLBOROUGH’.

  Say you, young man.

  ‘OLD MAN’.

  What me, sir?

  ‘MARLBOROUGH’.

  Why aren’t you at the fight?

  ‘OLD MAN’.

  My heart is failing fast, my lord

  And I barely have my sight.

  ‘MARLBOROUGH’.

  But flesh is flesh and blood is blood

  And any now is meet

  Come follow me I guarantee

  You’ll be finished in a week.

  COMPANY.

  And when they were up they were up

  And when they were down they were down

  And when they were only halfway up

  They were dying on the ground.

  ‘MARLBOROUGH’.

  Say you, young maid.

  ‘GIRL’.

  What me, sir?

  ‘MARLBOROUGH’.

  Why aren’t you at the front?

  ‘GIRL’.

  I have no skill for soldiering

  And my talent’s in my… rump.

  ‘MARLBOROUGH’.

  But some can fight and some delight

  And all must play their part

  Fall in, my dear, bring up the rear

  You can keep my weapon sharp.

  COMPANY.

  And when they were up they were up

  And when they were down they were down

  And when they were only halfway up

  They were neither up nor down.

  Oh, the Grand Old Duke of Marlborough

  He had ten thousand men

  He marched them up to the top of the hill

  And none came down again

  And when they were up they were up

  And when they were down they were down

  And when they were only halfway up

  They were rotting in the ground.

  The song ends and is applauded. MAYNWARING, as its author, is warmly congratulated. SARAH approaches MAYNWARING as he divests himself of his wig.

  SARAH. Ingenious, I have to say. You have a catching turn of phrase.

  MAYNWARING. Thank you, Mrs…?

  SARAH. Churchill.

  MAYNWARING. Do you know, you look exactly like… Oh, God. Your grace, I…

  SARAH. And you are?

  MAYNWARING. Arthur Maynwaring. MP.

  SARAH. MP. Well, well. I might have known.

  MAYNWARING. Your grace, I beg you not to take offence. It is a custom, nothing more, amongst we drinking fellows here to sing a silly, stupid… pointless, ill-judged and highly regrettable song from time to time. (Falling to his knees.) Oh, I beg, your grace, forgive me. I am a dolt, I am a fool, there never was a greater cur…

  SARAH. Stop it. Stand up, if you please.

  MAYNWARING. Why, yes, of course.

  SARAH. I liked you better in your mischief, sir. Tell me, will you write a song for me?

  MAYNWARING. For you? Oh, I’d do anything at all. And might I add, I feel… I feel as bold Odysseus felt, beholding first Athene in the splendour of her goddess form.

  SARAH. I have heard fresher metaphors. But there. We’ll work on that. Take me somewhere private, please.

  MAYNWARING. Why, yes, your grace. Most willingly.

  As MAYNWARING and SARAH start to leave, enter SWIFT, who almost collides with SARAH. She sweeps on past him, but he has recognised her. Exit MAYNWARING and SARAH. SWIFT watches them go with great curiosity.

  Scene Five

  The drawing room, Kensington Palace. ANNE is sitting with HARLEY. ANNE is staring at a report which he has given her.

  ANNE. These numbers can’t be right.

  HARLEY. That was my thought too at first, and so I had them verified.

  ANNE. Twenty-four thousand allied soldiers lost, and in one battle. How many of those men were ours?

  HARLEY. Around six thousand, I believe. And yet we’re told it was a victory.

  ANNE. Marlborough warned me it had been a murderous fight. But this. I’d like to see a list of names – all those slain and injured.

  HARLEY. Yes, Your Majesty.

  ANNE. How will we replace them? Do we have any more to give?

  HARLEY. The recruiting officers, so I understand, set about their work with zeal.

  Pause. ANNE is visibly saddened.

  I suppose we must endeavour to believe there is, indeed, no other course, but to ask this… aching sacrifice.

  ANNE. Yes.

  HARLEY. I fear I have some further troubling news. Since inheriting the Treasury from Lord Godolphin, I’ve found our finances to be in what I’d term a parlous state. The cost of war is spiralling. The bankers cannot lend us more – in fact they threaten to foreclose.

  ANNE. Can they do that?

  HARLEY. I’m afraid they can. I’m talking to them, naturally. And in the meantime, with Your Majesty’s approval, I will venture to approach a certain number of financiers, private individuals who…

  Enter SARAH.

  SARAH. Mr Harley. Quelle surprise.

  HARLEY. Your grace.

  SARAH. I thought you would be standing by the gallows, sir. Your secretary hangs today, I understand.

  HARLEY. He is my former secretary.

  SARAH. It will be a relief to you to know that he is silenced.

  HARLEY. No. Yes. He pays the forfeit for his treachery.

  SARAH. I need to speak to you, Your Majesty.

  ANNE. Thank you, Mr Harley. Please return as soon as you are able to.

  HARLEY. Gladly, ma’am. And I will bring the list as you requested.

  (To SARAH.) How goes the work in Oxfordshire? I hear you’re building quite a palace there.

  SARAH. It goes quite well.

  HARLEY. Oh, joy. Good day, your grace. Your Majesty.

  Exit HARLEY.

  SARAH. I don’t know how you can abide to have that odious man about you.

  ANNE. How are you, my dearest Mrs Freeman?

  SARAH. So he it is who takes Godolphin’s place. The kindest man, the finest mind you have these years relied upon, is set aside for him.

  ANNE. I hope my Lord Godolphin is not too greatly discomposed by his dismissal.

  SARAH. He is bereft. He is aggrieved, and rightly so. He stays with me in Hertfordshire. I dare not think of him alone.

  ANNE (quietly). All things cannot forever stay the same.

  SARAH. What was that?

  ANNE. I said, all things cannot forever stay the same.

  Pause. ANNE is looking hard at SARAH now.

  SARAH. Marlborough is considering how he’ll respond.

  ANNE. I know. I’ve read his letter many times.

  SARAH. I think it likely he’ll resign.

  ANNE. I don’t. Marlborough will not leave the war.

  SARAH. Did Harley tell you that? My God, he did.

  ANNE. I thought it for myself.

  SARAH. And what does Mr Harley know about my husband’s state of mind?

  ANNE. I think we ought to make a pact to talk no more of politics. Since I’m so unfortunate as to be unable to agree with you in everything, I fear we are condemned to argue, and it distresses me.

  SARAH. Then perhaps you ought to heed me more.

  ANNE. There are many other things we could discuss.

  SARAH. Like what? The weather? Corsetry? Besides, I think you’d want to know what I have come to warn you of today. (Taking a leaflet from her pocket.) I came on this whilst walking on the Strand.

  ANNE. What is it?

  SARAH. A sort of rhyme. A song, in fact. It has a tune. A group of knaves was singing it and handing copies out to everyone who passed them by.

  ANNE. If it is some cruel lampoon, I do not need to look at it.

  SARAH. I think you should. For this one has a very potent sting. If you’d rather, I can read it to yo
u, ma’am…

  ANNE. No.

  SARAH (reading).

  ‘When as Queen Anne of great renown

  Great Britain’s sceptre swayed,

  Beside the Church, she dearly loved

  A dirty chambermaid.

  Oh! Abigail – that was her name,

  She starched and stitched full well,

  But how she pierced this royal heart

  No mortal man can tell.’

  ANNE. Stop it.

  SARAH. But we reach the most disturbing part.

  (Reading.) ‘However for sweet service done,

  And causes of great weight…’

  ANNE. I said enough.

  SARAH. Very well. Though I feel I ought to tell you that in a final verse it mentions some ‘dark deeds’ she does for you at night.

  Pause.

  ANNE. Why would anyone? Who would…?

  SARAH. I know. It is abhorrent. We must accept, of course, such things occur, but to implicate Your Majesty in such a vile and sordid slur.

  ANNE. It is libel. It is an attack upon my reputation.

  SARAH. I agree. Though, I must say, considering the passion which Your Majesty’s conceived for Mrs Masham, it’s likely you’ll continue to receive affronts of this unpleasant kind.

  Passion… Masham. How curious – they almost rhyme.

  ANNE turns away, distressed.

  My darling Mrs Morley. The people are bound to be confounded – nay, disturbed – by the favour which you lately show that woman. And by her dealings too with Harley, who is mentioned in the song. And if you continue to divest yourself of old and faithful servants…

  Enter ABIGAIL. She is visibly pregnant.

  ABIGAIL. Forgive me. I didn’t realise…

  SARAH. Masham. We were just discussing you. Oh – I see congratulations are required.

  ABIGAIL. Thank you, your grace.

  SARAH. Do you start a dynasty?

  ABIGAIL. I… No. It is my first.

  SARAH. I’m afraid the Queen has had a shock. Perhaps you’d like to comfort her.

  (Holding out the leaflet to ANNE.) Will you keep it, ma’am?

  ANNE. Take it away.

  SARAH. I will then.

  SARAH starts to leave, but as she passes ABIGAIL, she drops the leaflet, as though by accident.

  Oh. I’ll leave you to dispose of it. Though I fear they are abundant on the streets.

  Exit SARAH. ANNE continues to look away. ABIGAIL picks up the leaflet and begins to read it. ANNE turns and sees her doing so.

  ANNE. Don’t look at it.