‘Some plants from the garden at New Hall, and a couple of rarities from the Ile de Rhé,’ Tradescant replied carefully, conscious of the danger of this conversation. ‘He gave me some things from his own collection of rarities. Anything he did not need, anything he already had. I was collecting for him for many years.’

‘I’ll come and see it,’ the king said. ‘I’ll bring the queen. I have some things you might l … like, some gloves and things.’

Tradescant bowed low. ‘I should be honoured.’

When he rose up the king was looking at him as if they shared a secret. ‘He was a very very great man, wasn’t he?’

‘Yes,’ Tradescant agreed, looking at the king’s melancholy face and sparing him the truth, as everyone always did. ‘He was the greatest lord in England and the most fit for his high office.’

The king nodded and turned away without another word. Tradescant, unseen, knelt again as the king strolled off. When the king had gone he got awkwardly to his feet; his bad knee was painful in the cold weather.

While John was at Oatlands, J stayed at Lambeth. Jane was now complete mistress of the house and the place was run with godly care. The day started with prayers for the household which J read aloud and then any one of them, from the youngest kitchen maid to the senior gardener, would pray extempore, saying what he or she wished to the congregation and to their own personal God. The household went about their work all day and then came together again in the evening, before bedtime, for another brief session of praying together. Imperceptibly, the dress of the household altered, the servants naturally copying Jane’s modest muted style.

J rather thought that his father would complain when he finally returned home, but there was no explosion of disapproval.

‘You must run the house as you wish,’ he said equably to Jane. ‘You are the mistress here now. You must order what you wish.’

‘I think it is what everyone wishes,’ Jane said eagerly.

John gave her a little knowing smile. ‘But what if it were not?’ he asked. ‘What if the cook and the kitchen maid, Peter, and the two gardeners and their lad all agreed that they would rather have some dancing and some singing and a cup of ale instead? That they wanted to wear green and scarlet and ribbons in their hair? Would you provide it?’

‘I would reason with them,’ Jane said stiffly. ‘And wrestle with their souls.’

‘So people are free to do as they wish as long as they choose right?’

‘Yes,’ she said; and then, ‘No, not exactly.’