‘Lady Mary Manwaring,’ someone muttered. ‘Old enough to be his mother. He’s been advising her. Guess what he advised?’

‘I shall be remembered,’ Ashmole insisted. ‘I shall have my place in the temple of history.’

‘For what?’ one of the mathematicians demanded and burped slightly. ‘Pardon me. What will earn you your place in the temple of history? Simpling in John’s herb garden? Picking his flowers for potions? I don’t expect to see you gleaming all over gold with the philosopher’s stone in your laboratory. Seems to me that of all of us it will be John’s name which will be remembered.’

John laughed. ‘I just collect,’ he said modestly. ‘I don’t set myself up as a scientist. Of course, I’m bound to wonder how things grow the way they do. I can’t believe that it was all made by God in one week. I can see that man can make new plants, with proper skills. I can see that we can make the earth more yielding, that we can make plants grow better. I have some onions for instance …’

‘Mr Ashmole has an undeniable reputation in astronomy and astrology –’ one of the physicians started.

‘I’m just saying that Mr Tradescant’s onions, or even his tulips, are likely to yield more lasting joy to the people of this country than all of Mr Ashmole’s researches into the history of the masonic order!’

John shook his head. ‘It’ll be the trees if anything,’ he said definitely. ‘The greatest joy a man can have in England is the sight of one of our horse chestnut trees in full bloom. And we have my father to thank for that.’

‘Hush,’ Ashmole said. ‘I never speak of the masonic order.’

‘Mr Ashmole’s work at Brasenose –’

‘Is undeniable. And he is my guest.’ John recalled his duties as host. ‘Pass the bottle, Stephen.’

Johnnie was present at the dinners, but generally kept silent. John, looking down the table, would see his son’s intent, dark gaze move from one man to another, taking in the argument, weighing it, and then smiling in agreement or shaking his head. He was as open as a child though he was now nearly sixteen; but he had the politeness and the discretion not to burst out with his own opinions.