“How were it possible otherwise?” replied the constable, whom the colloquy with the host seemed not to have left in the best of humors.  “Here hath been Increase Faith Higginson twice coopered up in a barrel, once for drunkenness, and a second time on suspicion thereof; Jonathan Makepiece hath lain in the stocks for quarreling with, and using contumacious language toward David Battle; Susannah Silence hath sat tied in a chair, before her door, with a cleft stick upon her tongue, for being too free in the use of that member; divers godly persons have connected themselves with the congregation, and two unworthy Achans been driven therefrom—­the one for incontinence, until he repent thereof, and the other for denying the just power of the elders.”

Arundel could not forbear smiling at this odd enumeration of important events, which his informant observing, and construing into disrespect, immediately added: 

“Have a care, Master Miles Arundel, unto thyself.  I wish thee well, for thou art a proper young man, and, did the inner garnishing correspond with the outer adornment, thou wert indeed a comely vessel of grace; and, therefore, say I unto thee, there be other matters touching thee more nearly than those things whereof I have spoken, and whereat, I know not wherefore, it pleased thee to smile.”

“I pray you to pardon my involuntary offence,” said the young man, “and to believe that my smiling betokened no disrespect.  My mirth was awakened by the comical pictures which thine ingenious answer conjured before the imagination.”

“I trow,” said Master Prout, “they who come under the displeasure of our magistrates, will find their punishments no such comical matters.  There be such things as whippings and nose-slittings, as well as sittings in the stocks, and the like.”

“I know,” answered Arundel, “that your magistrates are no lambs.  Yet of thy complaisance, tell me wherein I am interested in aught that has befallen in my absence.”

“This Sir Christopher Gardiner, the man who is sometimes called ’The Knight of the Golden Melice,’ is a great friend of thine, is he not?” asked Master Prout.

“I account it an honor to call him my friend.  A worthier or more honorable gentleman lives not in the colony.”

“There be different opinions on that head, my young master.  The closer thy friendship, the worse, I fear, it will be for thee.”

“Speak out, Master Prout,” exclaimed Arundel, losing patience.  “If thou knowest any talk prejudicial to the fair fame of the Sir Christopher, let me know it, that the calumniator may be dragged to light, and receive deserved punishment.”

“It would take a long arm to reach his accusers, seeing they are on the other side of the ocean.  Hark ye, young sir—­it is in every one’s mouth that thy famous Knight is an agent of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, who makes unrighteous claim to the lands granted us by his Majesty King Charles, and, moreover, thou art connected with him, in men’s minds, as in some sort an accomplice.”