I turned round and gave him a warning look. ‘I am in your hands,’ Leeman said fiercely. ‘And know that I will soon be killed.’ He swallowed hard. His angry tones held the defiance of a martyr, but his voice also trembled slightly. Yes, I thought, he is afraid; like all men he fears the flames.

‘Indeed,’ he continued. ‘I am what your boy calls an Anabaptist. I understand baptism may only be allowed once one has come to true knowledge of God. And that just as the Pope is the Antichrist, seducing men’s hearts while living in pomp and magnificence, so earthly princes and their elbowhangers are likewise thieves and must be overthrown if Christians are to live as the Bible commands!’ His voice rose. ‘With all goods held in common, in true charity, recognizing we are all of the same weak clay, and that our only true allegiance is to Our Lord Jesus Christ.’ He leaned back, breathing hard, staring at us defiantly.

‘That’s some lecture,’ Barak said sardonically.

‘So,’ I began quietly, ‘you would overthrow the King, who is said to be, by God’s decree, Supreme Head of the Church in England?’

‘Yes!’ he shouted. ‘And I know I have just committed treason with those words, and could be hanged and drawn and quartered at Tyburn. As well as burned for heresy for what I said about the Mass.’ He took a deep, shuddering breath. ‘Best to get it all out now. I can only die once. It is what I believe, and because of that I will be received in Heaven when you kill me.’

‘I told you earlier, Leeman, that we are not necessarily your enemies. If you can help guide us to the Queen’s book, I may be able to help you.’ I looked at him closely before continuing. ‘You come from the gentle classes. You must do, to have been appointed to the position of status and trust you held. So what brought you to your present beliefs?’

‘You would have me incriminate others?’ Leeman took another breath. ‘That I will not do.’

‘You have no need to. Master Myldmore has already told us all about your group. We have him safe. We know the names – the three who came with you tonight: Curdy who was killed, Vandersteyn who got away in the boat, and McKendrick who fled. And Master Greening and the apprentice Elias, both of whom were murdered.’

A look of astonishment crossed his face. ‘Elias, too, is dead?’

‘Yes, and by the description and methods of the killers, by the same hands that murdered Greening.’

‘But we thought – ’ He checked himself and whispered, ‘Then Elias is in heaven, by God’s mercy.’

I pressed on. ‘We also know, through Myldmore, how Anne Askew’s Examinations came into the hands of your group. And my enquiries at court led me to you as the man who stole the Queen’s book.’