Duke of Suffolk quotes from The Tudors

Someone told me taking infusions was the worst thing.

King Henry

Trust me. It will make you feel sick, but it's better than the sickness it prevents.

Margaret, you and I must stay in the king's good graces or we are nothing. Let him marry who he wishes.

Princess Margaret

That was always your philosophy, wasn't it Charles? So very cynical. Is that why you keep company with that devil Boleyn?

Charles Brandon

You liked him enough once, when he helped us back to court... Or were you just being cynical?

Princess Margaret

I didn't see all of his game. Now I do. I despise him.

Charles Brandon

So do I. But I hate Wolsey more. It's a marriage of expedience.

Princess Margaret

Rather like ours.

Charles Brandon

No, I loved you.

Princess Margaret

You don't know the meaning of the word, Charles. You can love, perhaps for a year, a month, a day, even for an hour. And in that hour I do believe you love as well and deeply... as any man. But after that hour, you love not! You love another, and then another. Your love is most generous where it is most hurtful.

Aren't you supposed to be running the country?

I leave that to Norfolk. He's had more practice. And in any case, meetings with ambassadors - infinitely tedious. They're all liars, hypocrites and middle-aged men.

Would you prefer them to be women?

Charles Brandon

My friend, if all ambassadors were beautiful women I'd be serving my country day and night.

I'm going to have to attend on the king and that bitch of his at her coronation! What didWolsey used to call her? "The Black Crow".

Can you not plead some indisposition?

I could, even though the king has made me high constable for the day, but if I did, His Majesty would remove my head. And then, I should be genuinely indisposed!

[flirtingly] Very well. So keep your head. It's a pretty head in any case, and I don't want to lose it either. [serious] But store up your knowledge and your anger. Don't act impulsively; it's always a mistake. But one day, with others so disposed, use them both...and if you can, bring her down, and destroy her.

Henry VIII

What of the others!?

Smeaton, Brereton, Norris and George Boleyn have been found guilty, and are to be executed tomorrow.

Henry VIII

You know what Cromwell told me? He told me she'd had to do with over a hundred men. A hundred fucking men, Charles! [angrily] You know what? My daughter, Mary, owes God a great deal for escaping the hands of that poisoning whore! Oh she planned to have her poisoned, Charles, it's true. Just like she poisoned Catherine. We have proof. And her baby. Her baby was deformed; did you know that, Charles!? [horrified, Brandon shakes his head] So how could it have been mine!? Perhaps Elizabeth isn't even mine! That fucking bitch! [Henry breaks down in tears as Brandon tries to comfort him]

I think your faction is engaged in a fight to the death with Bishop Gardiner and his.

[nods] I will not hide the truth from you, Your Grace. The King's infirmity, and the youth of my nephew, make the question of succession urgent. The stakes could not possibly be higher.

And you desire to know, I assume, on which side of the argument I belong?

Your Grace, whether you will it or not, you carry a great weight of confidence and influence with the King and everyone knows that. But fewer people know that your wife the Duchess and my wife Anne, together with the Queen are as close on matters of religion as it is possible to be, and this close affinity has emboldened me now to approach Your Grace.

[angrily] Surely, your wife has told you that the Duchess and I are estranged, thus her affinities are not necessarily my own, and you do me a great disservice to assume that they are! [Hertford looks taken aback by his anger]

Your Grace, forgive me-

I do forgive you...I forgive you even for hounding poor, proud Surrey to his death, for it was his fault. [Hertford again looks taken aback] But as to religion, I have never read the Gospels and never shall. I am sure they enlighten you, but I prefer them to remain mysterious. And as to the promise of a better world, I can only say that England was merry before, and all things considered, I'd put all things were as they used to be, in times past.

[disappointed] Your Grace, if I do not have your support, may I ask if you will act against me?

I'm not sure if this is any answer, my Lord Hertford, but I've always been drawn to a phrase used by the French peasants: "Praise the God of all, drink the wine, and let the world be the world".