"Ah, friends," he cried jovially, "I am glad to find so many good fellows met together. Councillor Neale, I will ask a word with you later about the bill of goods consigned to you." The councillor cast down his eyes as sheepishly as though all must know the goods were of doubtful repute. "Cornwaleys, _The Reformation_ sails in a day or two, and I advise you to prepare your message of loyalty to the Lord General Cromwell without delay." Cornwaleys would have given a hundred pounds rather than that any should know he had planned to make his future safe by riding two horses, and making his submission to Parliament while he threw up his cap for the King. The other men about the board cowered. The whizzing of the lash was in the air, and every back quivered with the expectation that it might feel the next blow. But having vented his spleen in these unpleasantries, the great man grew affable, and turning to the wall where a large placard was posted, he exclaimed,-- "Ha, Sheriff, here is a letter addressed to thee and me by our worshipful Governor _pro tem_. Let us read it out for the benefit of the company, who have not book-learning enough to decipher it for themselves. 'Tis writ in a shaking hand, too, especially the word 'treason,' and in truth it is as well it should be a trifle vague, for who shall write 'treason' firmly nowadays, when the war has left it so dubious who is our lawful master that none can say but a year hence the very name of this tavern shall be changed from _The King's Arms_ to _General Cromwell's Legs_?" A titter ran round the room. "Hush, gentlemen! He who laughs makes himself sharer in the jest, and a jest at royalty is treason--at least, so says our king-loving Governor. Listen!" And in a sing-song voice Ingle began to read aloud from the placard,-- "20th January. "PROCLAMATION. "I do hereby require, in his Majesty's name, Richard Ingle, mariner, to yield his body to Robert Ellyson, sheriff of this county, before the first day of February next, to answer to such crimes of treason as on his Majesty's behalf shall be objected against him, upon his utmost peril of the law in that behalf; and I do further require all persons that can say or disclose any matter of treason against the said Richard Ingle to inform his Lordship's attorney of it at some time before the said court, to the end it may be then and there prosecuted. "G. BRENT. "You see, gentlemen, the proclamation grants me till the first of February to deliver myself up; therefore my good friend Ellyson yonder must needs keep his hands off these ten days. Landlord, bring out your ale, and all good fellows shall drink with me a health to--let me see; shall it be Charles, or Oliver? And everlasting damnation to the enemies of--shall we say the King, or the Parliament?"