“And what do you have for your stepmother?” he asks Elizabeth.

She turns to me and presents my gift. It is another translated book and she has embroidered a cover with the king’s name and my own. I exclaim with pleasure and show it to the king. He opens the book and sees the title, written in Elizabeth’s meticulous hand. It is an English translation of a book of theology by the reformist thinker Jean Calvin. Only a few years ago this would have been heresy, now it is a New Year’s present. It defines precisely how far we have come, what Elizabeth is allowed to read, and that reform is the new religion.

The king smiles at me and says, “You must read this to me and tell me what you think of it, and of my daughter’s scholarship.”

* * *

Archbishop Thomas Cranmer comes to me during the period of quiet study in my rooms and says that he would like to read to us the reforms he is going to suggest to the king, for our thoughts and comments. He glances at Princess Mary, who loves the old ways; but she bends her head, and says that she is sure that the good bishop will suggest only godly reforms, and that, anyway, nothing made by man is perfect. Anne of Cleves looks up with interest. She was raised as a Lutheran, she always hoped to bring sincere religious feeling into England. I have to take care not to look triumphant. This is God’s victory: not mine.

There is a small lectern in the corner of my presence chamber where the visiting preachers put their Bibles or their books, and Thomas Cranmer places his sheaf of papers there and looks shyly round at us.

“I feel as if I am about to preach a sermon,” he says, smiling.

“We would welcome a sermon,” I say. “We have had many godly preachers here, and you, dear archbishop, would be one of the greatest.” I take care not to look at Anne of Cleves as I welcome a reformist archbishop to my rooms. If I believed in confession, I would have to admit the sin of pride.

“I thank you,” he says. “But today I want to learn from you. I think my task has been to take the church’s many additions from the old act of the Mass. The challenge is to cut the words and actions of man and keep the intention of God.”