‘I came today as much for my father as for the king. I came because my father would have wanted to know that when the king came to his palace, the gardens were weeded. It would have been a matter of duty for him. It was a matter of pride for me. If I had freely chosen my way I would have been for the rights of working men and against the king. But I could not choose freely. I was in his service, and there have been some days – most days – when even seeing him as a fool I pity him from the bottom of my heart. Because he is a fool who cannot help himself. He does not know how to be wise. And his folly has cost him everything he owned.’

‘I thought he was a great man, like a hero,’ Johnnie remarked.

‘Just an ordinary man in an extraordinary place,’ John said. ‘And too much of a fool to know that. He was taught from birth that he was half-divine. And now he believes it. Poor foolish king.’

John and Johnnie stayed the month working at Oatlands. The cook that Parliament had sent with the king needed fresh vegetables and fruits from the kitchen garden and by picking and choosing from the overgrown beds the two Tradescants were able to send fresh food up to the house each day. The king was surrounded by a small court and his imprisonment seemed more like a guard of honour. He hunted, he shot at archery, he ordered John to roll the bowling green smooth so that they could play at bowls.

John was considering paying for some boys to help with the weeding and planting in winter greens, when the news came that the king was to be moved to Hampton Court. Within a few hours the horses were saddled and the retinue was ready to move on.

The king was in the garden, waiting to be told that his escort was ready. John found he could not keep away from the excitement of great events, and took his pruning hook to the climbers on the far wall of the royal court.

The king, strolling around with two of his courtiers, came upon John and paused to watch him work as the two men stood aside.

‘I shall see you repaid for this,’ he said simply. He smiled a sly little smile. ‘Sooner perhaps than you think.’

John jumped from his ladder and dropped to one knee. ‘Your Majesty.’

‘They may have defeated my army, but now they tear themselves apart,’ the king said. ‘All I must do is wait, p … patiently wait, until they beg me to come to the throne and set all to rights.’

John risked an upward glance. ‘Really, Your Majesty?’