Original subtitles

Dr Priestley did name a suspect he considers a Spanish spy.

Secretary Farlow, the same man who so hastily

boarded a ship to Bermuda as if he'd ran away.

You must show Massinger that you are master here

by taking a share of the sheriff's profits.

I thought you were friends with the sheriff, Jocelyn?

Tell the governor I'll do as he asks.

I'll bait Chacrow into betraying his own people.

I've seen my brother plotting with the marshal.

- I'm married to a traitor. - Silas?

It was me that told Chacrow.

Don't ask me why I told the truth,

ask yourself why you turned traitor

to people who saved your life.

- Promise you will not love me. - There is no need for such a promise.

Master Read witnessed me going to visit Christopher after dark.

So, why are you so convinced that Christopher is a Spanish spy?

Because he is a highly regarded apothecary.

So why does he come here

at exactly the same time as the Spanish covet our colony?

Synced & corrected by kinglouisxx www.addic7ed.com

Thomas.

Meet Simeon Peck.

Marvellous fellow.

We became acquainted in Bermuda.

Did ever I see such a bright blaze of a capotain hat?

Who might wear such a delight?

It ain't for me, sir, it's for my mistress, Widow Castell.

Nicholas, why have you brought such a bauble back to Jamestown?

Thomas must accommodate Simeon

at all costs, he will prove most beneficial to us.

I witnessed what happened to you

when you accommodated your two young favourites in London,

debts and ridicule.

This will be different. I promise you.

Ma'am, I never been so muddled.

The secretary smiled at me.

- Secretary Farlow has returned? - Yes, ma'am.

And he has the most comely gentleman with him

and he complemented your hat.

A comely gentleman?

Master Sharrow,

have you seen Secretary Farlow this morning with another gentleman?

I do believe they went to the apothecary, ma'am.

The secretary is hardly off the ship

with his companion and Widow Castell is chasing after him.

If ever a woman so meddle in the matters of men?

Don't you know how to bring a man hell?

Whatever falsehood that widow has upon her,

she ain't a traitor to her own people.

What is it you believe that you know about me, James Read?

Only this,

it's not just you that will pay. Your wife will.

Dr Priestley,

my companion is a man of science,

he wishes to avail of your apothecary.

Doctor.

Might you have an aludel for condensing vapours,

a Moreshead still, an alembic and a retort?

I have all of those, sir.

I will require also oil of vitriol, vitriol romano, litharge,

milk of sulphur, plumbago, salammoniac...

And doubtless more ingredients

which you yourself will provide, sir.

Widow Castell,

we are conducting a delicate business with Dr Priestley.

Excuse the intrusion.

I dearly wish to welcome our intriguing visitor.

Simeon Peck, madam.

Oh, but now I can see why such a dazzling hat was required.

It must mean, sweet madam,

that we might exchange compliments and ply the art of vanity.

(SHE LAUGHS)

We will return to conclude our employment another day, Dr Priestley.

Christopher, why do you not ask what their purpose is?

Because I know what they are about.

Oh?

Why won't you tell me, there might be some advantage in it?

No, Jocelyn. Still you seek triumph in every encounter.

With Farlow, yes.

I must prove that he is the devil who sold himself to the Spanish.

We must seek out every ounce of intelligence

to see what tricks he is at.

Tell me why they were here, Christopher.

No.

Must I lay my hopes before you with a trowel?

Will you make me plead, Jocelyn?

You loved me.

I saw it.

I felt it.

You confided to me your every hurt.

I felt trusted, chosen.

Desired.

Now, I might as well kiss at smoke.

Jocelyn, why have you vanished?

- I do not know. - Oh, but you do know.

For the first time

I do not delight in your sweet deceits.

Temperance Yeardley told me

on the day that my husband died

I must remarry and quickly

because a woman has no place in this world without a man.

Every instinct makes me fight against such a confinement.

That is my true devotion.

Milk of sulphur,

plumbago,

salammoniac.

(SCOFFS) Alchemy.

(CHATTER)

Blacksmith,

we will be in need of a goodly amount of lead from you.

My process requires an assistant skilled in metals.

Will you serve me, sir?

When the time is right, Read, you will avail Master Peck.

How beguiling your enterprise sounds, sir.

Go to, woman,

another occasion to seek quarrel and offence.

Did they ask you for lead, Master Read?

Is it true that such a base metal can be turned into gold?

Your question is fit enough but I have another one for you.

Why should I answer?

Mercy told me that you witnessed

my visit to Dr Priestley after dark. I wish to explain.

What need is there for you to recount to me

for what you choose to do when the moon's out?

I didn't say "need".

I will not lie to you, the matter was political.

Will you marry him?

You are no business of mine.

I believe that Christopher will answer...

No, that's a political reply. How will you answer him?

- It ain't no business of mine. - James...

Look, my true question,

and it will torment me for not asking,

is if you weren't a woman of standing...

The answer is no, never.

You know, there are some that believe that common metal

is imperfect...

and corrupted, and diseased.

But what's inside of it

is its true nature,

prima materia and the alchemist,

he may discover the process for purifying it.

And to extract what is noble and what is precious.

I only ever wish to offer you comfort.

I believe you...

that such was your intention,

but comfort was not worth tasting.

Winganuske, you work so quickly.

I can't keep up. Does it not hurt your back?

_

Water.

_

James Read called me a traitor.

What did you tell him?

Silas, the day you disappeared, I was in such distress, I...

I did speak with James Read

but I would never see anything against you.

How else would he know?

Well, then I must have said that, I don't remember.

Have you no loyalty to your own husband?

No, I will not be judged for this one failing,

not when you were the cause of it.

He's threatened to speak out.

If you wanted to harm you he would have done so by now.

Why him?

Why James Read?

Because he helped me.

Silas...

Did we not see them on the street before us,

our own secretary and his pretty fashion mongoose?

(LAUGHTER)

I swear I saw them nuzzling.

(LAUGHTER)

It was a task to keep me eyeballs in me head.

(LAUGHTER)

- Verity. - Hey!

Mind how you fleer and jest.

There's fellas here who had sweethearts and kissing companions

of their own before the women arrived.

Mm?

And you can decipher this?

That which may fashion itself in the mirror of wisdom

becomes itself in the tincture.

So it is fixed and formed in magic, and brought into being.

(CHUCKLES)

Sir, I was apprentice to your harness Valentinas Andrea.

Simeon.

Master Peck is a man of true genius,

he speaks five languages, Latin, Russian, Arabic,

he has written a book about ancient Rome.

And he knows the inside of a ladies hat.

(SPEAKS LATIN)

And you have seen base metal...

turned to gold?

I promise you, Governor,

that the art of alchemy

brings wondrous transformations.

There's nothing but folly and foul trickery

to deceive and thieve any who let themselves be duped.

Then gentleman,

I will not fritter your time and beliefs on my enchanted arts.

Wait, no. Hold, hold. Hold hard, sir.

Why have you come to Virginia to conduct your work, Master Peck?

I was possessed of a dream. It's cinnabar.

The red mineral renowned for its marvellous properties

of scientific transformation might be found here in profusion.

A dream, Governor.

Are we to give this man trust and reputation

- built on such smoke and offal? - Marshal, hold your railing.

Yes, you rob yourself of credibility you're so married to bombastry.

We must hold this occupation most secret.

Tell none but those of us that are here tonight.

We would not wish to stir up unnecessary

excitements amongst the settlers.

(HUBBUB)

Sir, if you are seeking the secretary

he is cuddled with the sweet apple of a friend.

Just at the back there.

We have a law here in Virginia

passed in the year of 1610.

Thomas, do not bite so.

No man shall commit the horrible

and detestable sin of sodomy.

He that can be lawfully convicted of such abomination

and evident proof made there of...

- You know this law well, Marshal. - ...they shall be whipped.

They shall beg for public forgiveness before the congregation.

Let any act of bestial buggery be discovered.

(LAUGHS)

Do you find this matter so amusing, Master Peck,

that it brings you to laughter?

If you do not hear that sound, sir, I do.

It is the death knell.

Thomas, you must let Simeon be

for the short while that we might gain the riches he will afford us.

Do you not see, I do this for you?

To save you from this dangerous intoxication.

I need no such protection.

I am the guardian of my own fate.

He will beguile you.

I see it and you will stoop and be lost.

(BIRDS AND INSECTS CHIRPING)

(GASPS)

(LAUGHS)

(GIGGLING)

♪ The heavens are known to hide... ♪

(BREATHING SHAKILY)

Maria.

Was there some trouble

between you and Pedro just now in the field?

Not trouble, ma'am.

- It was fooling. - Oh, fooling.

Maria has made a pipe, ma'am.

It is cut so fine it is too good to smoke from.

- Let me bring it to show the lady. - I will fetch it.

There is a growing fondness between you and Maria, Pedro.

- Who is it for? - I made it for you, ma'am.

I will treasure it. Thank you.

Why did you say it was for her?

James Read.

When I spoke to you about my fears,

I took you for a trusted friend.

Why would you use what I told you as a weapon against my husband?

I know Silas would only do what his heart told him was true.

And I could never do anything to bring harm to you.

Then why did you make such a threat?

Some twisted idea of chivalry, perhaps.

There's a strange fellow.

You see the book?

That man asked me for lead. He's an alchemist.

Look, the secretary's got his stick,

that usually means he's about to give the world a whack.

(LAUGHS)

You can see everything from here.

What did you mean by "twisted chivalry"?

Alice, I have a compulsion biting at me so fiercely...

The Widow Castell.

You live cheek by jowl.

Our best hope is that it's our friends who learn our secrets.

She's been kind to me,

there's only suffering for you in this.

- (SCOFFS) - Leave her be.

That... that's the decision I've made.

20 or more times,

but I can't shake it off.

Didn't you have the same spell's grip for me once?

You shook that off.

You can do it again.

No, that... that was a man's innocent heart.

This is madness.

I know it.

But it seems I want to be mad.

I spoke with James Read.

Our business with him is finished now.

If we might have an afternoon under a tree

to show you my true feelings?

The ship will come any day now

with payment for our tobacco that we sent to England.

Soon we will know the best of times.

This is what we worked for.

I will buy you a hat.

- (LAUGHS) - Or shoes.

Or any little treasure

that will show you how my heart sings when I see you.

Gentlemen.

Master Peck here

needs to conduct some experiments.

Medical explorations for which he will require

various minerals, roots and plants.

Dr Priestley is the man that might assist you best, sir.

We require such specimens

that might only be obtained with the aid of the naturals.

Who better to approach them than you brothers?

What is it you're looking for, gentlemen?

Master Peck would be most grateful for a supply of puccoon, masquepen,

dogwood, sassafras, cinnabar, chickweed, potash galena.

Well, we will speak with the Pamunkey,

see if they might aid us.

I envy you, Mistress Sharrow, bearing a child.

That mother's bliss that might bring a babe into this world.

Bring us the items, you'll be amply rewarded. Come.

James Read told me that Master Peck has a book of alchemy.

The list of items Farlow spoke of...

that was a voice with something to hide in it.

Do you think perhaps they only want one thing? Cinnabar.

I saw it on Master Peck's face as the secretary spoke.

If they want to make gold,

then why should we help them do that?

Let them believe their dung-brained wonders

if they're going to pay us well.

Henry.

Our fight...

was necessary.

It was all the anger I've ever felt.

But it's done now.

I still respect you as the older brother.

No, that is not how it is.

We both know now which of us can kill the other.

And that determines everything.

I will serve you.

I will oblige you.

Till the time comes when it might turn again.

Mercy, come. Come here.

- Ma'am, are we spying? - Hush, child.

Ma'am, I ain't ever spied on no one before.

And why are we spying?

You are to look and to see, and to witness.

So that you might testify.

Ah, Nicholas Farlow, you look so splendid lying there.

(CHUCKLES)

I delight in every part of you.

And I delight in you, dear Simeon.

The urge's forbidden... by law.

No one would need ever know.

I will know.

Nicholas.

I have seen how your eyes devour me

when you think I'm not aware you are looking.

I know the looks of men when they admire me.

When they desire me.

But you love me.

Will you deny it?

'Tis forbidden.

- Did you not hear the marshal say it? - The marshal's not here.

I want to surprise you.

I dare do not.

But we might hold one another

in all tenderness and sweet shameless intimacy.

(GRUNTS)

I am the secretary of the Company Of Virginia.

A respected and wealthy man of position.

I will not be destroyed by mere emotion.

Can I pity you, your paltry heart?

(SOBBING)

We are not done, Nicholas.

I will love you and you will love me.

I will show you what is possible between two souls.

Ma'am, what is a paltry heart?

- And do I have a paltry heart? - Hush, child.

I trust no one has distressed you?

I must prove Farlow to be the Spanish spy here.

I cannot stop until he's caught and tried.

Why do you insist on saying you must,

why should the responsibility of evidence fall onto your shoulders?

I must. Do you hear me?

Then tell me why, or I will never again believe a word you say

or even a look on your face.

You have no cause other than your hatred of Farlow.

Because the governor believes it is you who is this spy.

(SCOFFS)

Well, what would make him believe such a thing?

I told him it was so.

I thought I could forgive you anything, Jocelyn.

- Christopher... - Stay away from me.

Please.

Stay away from me.

I cannot be near you for one more moment.

Henry's sorry, Chacrow.

He made a mistake and he will repay you

to win back your respect.

Not so long ago, Henry Sharrow spoke for himself.

When I saw this man

with fierce bravery.

I was never afraid.

Now...

I must be watchful.

He ain't done with you yet, brother.

The Pamunkey caught you once,

they'll come after you again.

I won't betray myself a second time.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

More ale!

Oops.

Rutter.

Did you have yourself a hairy sweetheart? A kissing companion?

I can't be certain.

Maria. Maria.

I've never seen you in the settlement after dark.

Let me show you.

Come on.

Where did you get this?

Someone placed it in our shack

so that we might be blamed for stealing it.

Give it to me, give it to me.

You go home to your bed.

I'll deal with this.

Do you know who it was?

I guessed it. You leave it with me.

- Uh, no. No. - (GROANS)

You do have a thirst upon you this evening, Simeon.

If emotion cannot reach the secretary of the colony of Virginia,

a respected man of position,

then perhaps wine can.

Nicholas, might I join you?

Of course. (CLEARS THROAT)

Please, Thomas, I meant to invite you.

Tarty Thomas.

(HICCUP)

(LAUGHS)

Wet suckets?

Come along now, Nicholas, into your mouth.

Mmm.

Delicious wet suckets.

The Sharrows will soon provide us with cinnabar.

Then Master Peck might conduct his experiment.

Kissing comfits? (LAUGHS)

Kissing comfits.

I believe that Master Peck is suffering from the effects of strong wine.

- Oh, wine, is it? - 'Tis no burden.

He is drunk now but soon this same man will...

conjure for us supreme riches.

I am trying to fathom if you truly believe this biscuit-brained foolery

that makes gold out of spells and magic bottles of brew,

or if you are blinded by lily-soft cheeks and kissing comfits?

Believe... Believe I worship the possibility.

Suppose he fails, Nicholas? What will you say then?

What will you do then?

Who will you be... then?

(SOBBING)

Get out of my house!

I was just... I'm sick. I've been retching.

Some food has poisoned me.

(ARGHH!)

Do you tell yourselves that you might at last ruin me

now that you find me weeping, Widow Castell?

(SNIFFLES, EXHALES)

Well go ahead, tell him. Tell the governor.

I suppose that he would hang me for being weak.

If you believe that you know the business of this colony,

you fool yourself.

Why do you suppose that I was in Bermuda?

It was Yeardley's bidding.

So you can tell the governor that you found

the secretary on his knees.

It will make no difference.

He already possesses me.

That is why he so keenly refuses to suspect you

- as the Spanish spy. - (SCOFFS)

No.

No, he already knows who that is.

I do not ask, I am no wiser than you are.

I did come here to ruin you.

But when I saw a man so distressed,

what I felt was pity.

I prefer your hatred, Widow Castell.

Please restore it to its full lustre before you leave.

It's better left, Veri.

I know well enough how these came to be in the negro's shack.

And I will not let Pedro take the blame.

I may be a thief but I ain't infected with your horse-piss morality.

(GASPS)

I am sick of the likes of you vermin and negroes,

and Sharrows ogling my every intention!

The Sharrows will not prosper!

The bloodsucking Yeardley and his shine-shoe recorder, the little prick!

And pick and pick at my business until there was nothing left, huh?!

- Verity. - (GASPS)

You brought only the one thing, I asked you for several.

Cinnabar, do you want it?

- It is a fine rock. - We will name the reward for it.

First let us discover if it serves our purpose.

No.

We have fetched it, it is here,

if you want it, you will agree to our trade.

We want that fine horse of yours, Secretary Farlow.

No, I will give you a promissory note.

A horse is a small price to pay for gold.

There is more of the mineral if you should want it.

Will you trade the horse?

Mistress Sharrow.

I've never heard a man say he hankers to bear a babe before.

- I meant it. - I do believe you.

There's been times I wished I was a man but...

I've never heard men wish to be women.

I do not wish to be a woman, Mistress Sharrow.

Why are you not afraid of the marshal?

Because the law cannot crack me.

You may be of assistance to me, Mistress Sharrow.

- Can I call upon you? - What could I...

You're an honest sort and courageous enough to look.

- And you are a woman. - (BOTH LAUGH)

Gentlemen,

our calling today is the science of God.

We must set out the room according to cosmic conjunctions.

And then we'll go about creating philosophic mercury.

- The philosopher's stone. - (DOOR OPENS)

Madam, this is not a matter for women.

Oh, but it is!

The combination of substances

and the union of opposites,

the mystical marriage of the lunar feminine

and the solar masculine,

this is the foundation of the mystery we pursue.

So too the most vital aspect of what we conduct here.

Words, cast to heaven that they might serve

as invocations, feminine invocations.

Will you assist us, Widow Castell?

So, Silas says to him, Secretary Farlow, we will have your fine horse

or you can dance on your toes for this cinnabar.

- We ain't giving it to you. - (LAUGHS)

When Sharrows trade there ain't nothing better in this world.

Woo-ooo! Woo!

Salt, mercury, sulphur.

The precious three.

First, calcination.

The humbling by fire.

Dissolution.

A world without hierarchy,

the order of things breaks down, but all might be reborn.

After calcination, dissolution,

separation, conjunction.

We stand between the sun and the moon,

masculine and feminine,

bodies joined into one.

WIDOW CASTELL: Spirit above, matter below,

fruits of sun and moon.

For pure, self-moving source.

WIDOW CASTELL: For pure, self-moving source go fore.

Lift up the light so that all things unite.

Let us be mad.

- Mad. - Mm, madness.

Coagulation.

Red pulvis solaris.

Distillation.

The elixir, prima materia.

Where is the gold?

It is here.

This is merely the first experiment, Governor.

Many more will follow.

Master Peck needs sufficient time to make riches.

Will we admit now that this is no more than a charlatan's dance

and cast this man out of Jamestown?

Master Peck,

you do not appear to be a man beset by defeat.

I have heard it said that alchemists deliberately fail,

let themselves be seen as hopeless frauds

to dissuade those hungry to believe,

thus keeping their true miracles to themselves.

There is deceit, sir,

but not in order to rob those anxious for gold.

Rather to conceal the true purpose of this marvellous art.

The transformation of man.

Let me show you.

Widow Castell, I beg your assistance.

- Sharrow. - Here you are.

You cannot wear a woman's apparel.

I can if a women I be.

Do you claim, sir,

to be transformed from a man to a woman by the process of alchemy?

What stands before you, Governor,

is the living, breathing quicksilver proof,

the true art is not cheap riches

but the miracle of human metamorphosis.

Dr Priestley,

we will require an examination.

Governor,

I would beg that such an inspection be also conducted by a woman.

Pepper.

We'll have Alice read it, it's just some words.

If you might lie down,

- that I might examine you, sir. - Madam.

Is it possible, Doctor?

Sir, I must ask,

the morning that Samuel was killed.

You heard he was abroad on the governor's business.

Why has it taken you so long to find the courage to ask me, Jocelyn?

Is there nothing here that you do not know?

The taverner runs his mouth off to more than just friends.

I saw the way you spoke to the doctor today.

You do not truly suspect him to be the spy, you never have.

Did you force that idea upon me to distract me?

If you know who it is, why do you not denounce them?

It's time you are married, Jocelyn.

I'll speak to the doctor.

Sir.

It appears that Simeon Peck has a dual nature.

She is a woman and a man.

Then you might wear your dress, sir, madam,

but you will no longer practice alchemy in Jamestown.

James Read.

No one knows metal better than you do.

What you witnessed, Master Peck's process, any merit in it?

Some things are meant to be as they are.

If all could be gold then gold itself would be no treasure.

I believe that nature is best left beyond a man's grasp.

Quite the philosopher today, Read.

For a blacksmith.

What about the human transformation, doctor?

I suspect, sir, that Simeon has always been a hermaphrodite.

Then why the pretence?

You see, Nicholas,

I will be your woman for you.

No law can forbid us.

Do you imagine your being a woman might make this innocent?

I need the law...

I love the law.

The law is all I have to save me...

from my appetite.

There is not enough love in you

nor any man,

nor woman might cede me.

If you have a care for me...

you will leave Jamestown on the first ship.

(SOBBING)

When will you marry Mistress Castell, Doctor?

She seems to cherish being a widow, sir.

Then we must take that comfort away from her.

Will you read this for us, Alice?

I'll try.

Um...

I...

It seems that before it reached England,

the ship was seized by privateers and...

all our cargo was lost.

What was the nature of these bandits? Does it say?

Spanish, Dutch, English?

The captain of the Royal Moon reported them to be Dutch.

Did any mariners die in the defending of the ship?

- None. - Look again at the letter, Alice.

Does it say if Governor Yeardley's cargo was also lost?

No, it doesn't say that.

Ours is stolen but his is safe.

Ain't that suspicious?

If Yeardley believes he's seen the last of the Sharrow's anger

then he will need new eyes.