Woman To Woman

ELIZABETH
How dare you come,
I set you free to go home
So you could mother your son
Yet you sail and you roam
And you insult me

You have a man-
His passion set him apart
He traded his life for yours
For him I softened my heart
And you insult me

Now worst of all
A woman sails up the thames
"The Pirate Queen" is your ship
That mad effron'try condemns
You most of all

BINGHAM
(spoken)
Grace O'Malley, at last...
The Irish sow on English ground

(more dialogue)

ELIZABETH
(spoken)
So you risk death and my displeasure to speak for your people?
Then speak

GRANIA
Thank you, Your Majesty
It's true you sent a mother to her son
But can't a mother and a woman stand to plead when wrongs are done?
I come to speak for Ireland's need
I ask for dignity no more
Your leaders plunder there for greed
I do not think it's what you planned
Woman to woman, as it were
I ask for justice for my land

There is a time
There is an hour
For those in power
And those they have aggrieved
To put aside all pride
End what has been
Put women's hearts to use
And finally find a true
Achieved
My Queen

(spoken)
Shall I go on?

ELIZABETH
(spoken)
Proceed

GRANIA
I'll tell you now of Irish woes
My child goes hungry every night

ELIZABETH
I do not have a heart of stone
But you defiled my precious fleet

GRANIA
All of our crops get sent to you
How long before we starve outright?

ELIZABETH
You lose a war, you pay a price

GRANIA
Sadly, the men you put in charge
Despoil us everywhere we go
And disrespect our women so
To me, the most egregious crime

ELIZABETH
If this is true, then rest assured, they will be dealt with in good time

BOTH
There is a time
There is an hour
For those in power
To move beyond their ken

A time for women to behave as men
When men aren't men

GRANIA
My Queen...
Who knows the truth that we may glean

ELIZABETH
Let us have a chair set down for Grace

GRANIA
Neither as Chieftain

ELIZABETH
Nor as Queen

BOTH
Woman to woman
Face to face