“I know,” said Sir John, addressing Madge, “I know it is not prudent for Malcolm and me to be here to-day; but imprudent things seem to be the most delightful.”

“For men, Sir John,” returned Madge.  “Upon women they leave their mark.”

“I fear you are right,” he answered.  “I had not thought of my visit in that light.  For Mistress Vernon’s sake it is better that I do not remain in Derby.”

“For Mistress Vernon’s sake you shall remain,” cried that impetuous young woman, clutching John’s arm.

After a time, Dorothy wishing to visit one of the shops to make purchases, it was agreed between us that we should all walk out.  Neither Dorothy nor Madge had ever before visited Derby-town.  John and I had visited the place but once; that was upon the occasion of our first meeting.  No one in the town knew us, and we felt safe in venturing forth into the streets.  So we helped Dorothy and Madge to don their furs, and out we went happier and more reckless than four people have any good right to be.  But before setting out I went to the tap-room and ordered dinner.

I found the host and directed him to prepare a dozen partridges in a pie, a haunch of venison, a few links of German sausage, and a capon.  The host informed me that he had in his pantry a barrel of roots called potatoes which had been sent to him by a sea-captain who had recently returned from the new world.  He hurried away and brought a potato for inspection.  It was of a gray brown color and near the size of an egg.  The landlord assured me that it was delicious when baked, and I ordered four, at the cost of a crown each.  I understand that my Lord Raleigh claims to have brought the first potatoes and tobacco into England in ’85; but I know that I smoked tobacco in ’66, and I saw potatoes at the Royal Arms in Derby-town in ’67.  I also ordered another new dish for our famous dinner.  It was a brown beverage called coffee.  The berries from which the beverage is made mine host showed to me, and said they had been brought to him by a sea-faring man from Arabia.  I ordered a pot of the drink at a cost of three crowns.  I have heard it said that coffee was not known in Europe or in England till it was introduced by Rawolf in ’73, but I saw it at the Royal Arms in ’67.  In addition to this list, I ordered for our drinking sweet wine from Madeira and red wine from Burgundy.  The latter-named wine had begun to grow in favor at the French court when I left France five years before.  It was little liked in England.  All these dainties were rare at the time of which I write; but they have since grown into considerable use, and I doubt not, as we progress in luxury, they will become common articles of food upon the tables of the rich.  Prongs, or forks, as they are called, which by some are used in cutting and eating one’s food at table, I also predict will become implements of daily use.  It is really a filthy fashion, which we have, of handling food with our fingers.  The Italians have used forks for some time, but our preachers speak against them, saying God has given us our fingers with which to eat, and that it is impious to thwart his purposes by the use of forks.  The preachers will probably retard the general use of forks among the common people.