JAMES has put on formal robes and sat himself on a throne facing his parliament. A sense of a great crowd of men around him, individual voices will shout out of this.

JOHN steps forward and starts to read out the agenda of the parliament.

JOHN. May it please Your Majesty, your graces, my lords and all here present. His Majesty’s Parliament will this day debate the following matters.

One: The request of His Royal Majesty that taxes shall be raised to fund his pilgrimage to the holy site of Amiens.

SANDY, the King’s brother, is the first to mutter from the parliament.

SANDY. Och, not this again…

JOHN. Two: The pressing matter of renewed aggression by the English Navy on our merchant shipping disrupting our trade and causing great deprivation amongst the people of the country…

SANDY shouts again.

SANDY. They can have war if they like! Bloody pirates!

Some assent.

JOHN. Three: The matter of the promise made, at our last parliament, by His Royal Majesty when he vowed to us that he would, in future, be bound by the counsel and advice of the Three Estates of Scotland. He also promised us that he would resume the operation of the crown courts and pay the crown officers that administer them. His failure to do so is creating violence and anarchy throughout the realm! Which forces us, my lords, your graces, forces us…

There is growing uproar under this speech. JOHN is trying to shout over it…

One LORD and COCHRANE are shouting in support of the King. SANDY, another LORD and a BISHOP are shouting against them. All these shouts cut over each other and are repeated (and embellished upon).

COCHRANE. Where’s your respect, eh? Where’s your loyalty? You’re bloody traitors, the lot of you!

SANDY (trying to get his attention). James, James, James… Can you see what we’re coming to here!? Can you not just put a stop to this?

BISHOP. You made a promise before God, before God, King James!

JOHN (shouting over the hubbub).…which forces us to bring the matter again before this parliament in the hope that it may finally be resolved… Quiet! QUIET! Let the King speak! Everyone falls silent, waiting on JAMES. He has remained unmoved throughout this.

JAMES. That wasn’t on the agenda I approved.

JOHN. What?

JAMES. That last bit, promises and that, I never said that was to go on the agenda.

JOHN. It seems wise to your Privy Council…

JAMES. You’re supposed to advise me what to put on the agenda, aren’t you? Not stick things on there because you’re all in love with the sound of your own voices…

SANDY. You made a promise, James…

JAMES (cutting over him). No. Not doing that. Take that one off and we’ll talk about taxes.

LORD ONE. You tell them!