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.In this way, the Normanaristocracy demonstrated their piety to God and also indicated to their Saxonpeasantry that they were inEngland for good.In time, the new Norman churchesbecame a conservative English tradition and the French-speaking overlordsbecame a conservative English aristocracy such were the foundations of theDennys family."It's one of the first Church of England buildings put up after King HarryPage 219 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlsplit fromRome.A truly English church, it is not forty years old.The toweris handsome, is it not?" Walsingham traced the outline with his hand.Thestepped tower was Norman-square with buttresses on the lower corners.It wasfirm and solid and proclaimed to the world that, like the Norman aristocracy,the Anglican religion was here to stay.Dee's property ran all the way back beside the church.Outhouses and barnsclustered around a rectangle to make a small courtyard behindDee 's cottage.Walsingham unclipped the gate and his party entered the courtyard.Chickensand pigs rooted around in the yard.Alerted by a servant,Dee greeted them atthe back door of the cottage."Welcome, Sir Francis, welcome, and Lady Dennys.I believe that this is the first time that you have visited Mortlake.HerMajesty was kind enough to visit me earlier this year when I was unwell,although she remained in her carriage of course.So two lovely ladies havevisited my humble dwelling this year."Deewas doing his best to be gallant, reflected Simon.But, from theexpression of Lucy's face, he had a great deal of ground to make up.Lucyfailed to give him the "English kiss" on entering."I regret my mother cannot greet you," saidDee."Her health has failed thisyear and she is bedridden." The party entered the cramped dwelling.It was atleast a hundred years old and the frame had started to warp, giving the placea lopsided look.A baby cried somewhere in the back of the house."My sonArthur has a lusty voice.My wife is attending him.""Indeed," said Walsingham."My household and I live simply in a fewrooms, most of the other space isdevoted to my collection of books and artefacts.I keep the most valuableitems here in the cottage with me."Dee walked to a bookshelf and pulled out atome, which he handled reverently."This is Johannes de Burgo'sTreatise onMagic , which I acquired when inLouvain.It is written in Spanish using theHebrew alphabet.I thought originally it was in code and spent some littletime trying to codebreak it before realising my error."Deeshook his head and smiled at his own stupidity.Simon noticed thatDeechanged character completely when discussing his beloved collection.Deereplaced the book and moved along the shelf."Now this is theSecretum Secrotorum that I bought inPadua.It is anonymousbut I believe it to have been written by Aristotle.""TheSecretum Secrotorum ," Simon was impressed."It concerns the magic ofimmortality, does it not, Doctor?""Indeed, Master Tunstall.It contains the first mention of the Fountain ofYouth.We will talk more on this later."Dee paused for effect.The philosopherhad a tendency to talk as if delivering a lecture."Actually, I found manyuseful works inItaly including volumes on Plutarch, Euclid, and Apollonius.Oh,and this work on the Cabala mysteries.""Now this is interesting."Dee pointed to a slim book."This is thefamousLiber Experiementorum by the Spanish mystic Ramon Lull.""Do you not have a copy of Copernicus'De Revolutionibus , Doctor?" Walsinghamsaid."Two actually," saidDee with false modesty."I also have copies ofBoethius'Consolations of Philosophy , Norton'sOrdinal of Alchemy, andPage 220 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlPtolemy'sTetrabiblios.""This collection must have cost a fortune," William said in awe, speaking forthe first time."Indeed, it did," said Walsingham, dryly."The secret service paid for mostof it.""I believe the Service has had value for money," saidDee , stiffly."And I trust that situation will continue," said Walsingham, pointedly."Where do you keep the rest of the collection?" asked Simon."There is notroom here for four thousand items."Deemoved to the window and opened it."Behold myExterna Bibliotheca ," hesaid, gesturing to the barns and outhouses arranged around the yard."That oldcow shed contains my volumes on alchemy, the Armenian Church,Africa , botany,barques, calvados, and chastity.The barn, there, holds works on demonology,dreams, dragons, earthquakes, entomology,Etruria ,Exeter , and my navigationartefacts.The whitewashed stone house has falconry, fabrics, gambling, games,gymnastics, horticulture, houseflies, Islam, jesters, Jews, and logic.In theshed, the one with the shuttered windows, are volumes on marriage, mythology,the European nobility, oils, ointments, and pharmacy.The labourer's cottagehas my collection concerning rhetoric, saints, surveying, ticks, tides,toffee, veterinary studies, weather, women, and zoology.""You hold books about women?" asked Lucy."One of the more intractable areas of investigation in my experience,"saidDee , apparently with a straight face.Lucy sniffed, eloquently."I suggest we move to the barn where I can explain my interpretation of themore mysterious of the works that you brought back fromEssex.If you willfollow me?"Dee showed the party out into the yard.He strode to the barnvigorously and promptly forgot where he had put his key.Walsingham tapped hisfoot whileDee searched.Eventually, he discovered the offending item andunlocked the barn door.Simon noticed that the lock was modern and secure.Inside, long rows of stacks filled with books formed long isles.One smallarea was clear, containing a reading table and chairs.Dee 's collection ofnavigational artefacts was positioned behind.William was fascinated by a set of globes of the world."You like them,Captain?" askedDee."I confess that I have never seen finer," said William, admiringly.Deeflushed with pleasure."They were a gift from an old friend, GeraldusMercator.""I see you also have a compass and a cross-staff
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