"Sit you down, sir," cried the bluff yeoman heartily, and, opening a cupboard in the wall, he took out a couple of Venetian flasks, and some tall glasses of a pale green veined with threads of opal hue, placed them on the table, and with them a leaden box, and a couple of thick-stemmed pipes with tiny bowls. "Now, sir," he continued, "that's old sherry sack, and that's metheglin of my daughter's make. Here, Janet," he shouted, "bring a big jug of ale from the second cask;" and in due time a good-looking, well-shaped girl bore in upon an old silver salver a battered flagon of clear ale, whose coolness was shown by the pearly dew rapidly deposited on the bright silver sides. "Your good health, and welcome, sir," said the yeoman, lifting the great silver flagon, raising the lid with his thumb, and taking a hearty draught. "Hah!" he ejaculated, drawing a long breath, as he set down the vessel. "I don't suppose you would care to drink our common ale, my own brewing, though, and strong. But you do not drink, sir. Which shall it be?" and he stretched out his hand to push the flasks towards his guest. "Business first, Master Cobbe," said Sir Mark haughtily, as, taking his sheathed sword from where it hung, he rested it across his knees; "I have somewhat to say." "Will you smoke, then?" cried the sturdy yeoman, reaching his hand to the little pipes, and pushing the leaden box towards his guest. "I never smoke, sir; I agree with his Majesty that it is an evil, noxious, and diabolical habit." "I do smoke, and I don't agree with his Majesty," said Cobbe, gruffly, as he proceeded to fill his pipe by means of a little silver stopper, for a child's finger would hardly have passed into the bowl. "I must request, sir, that you will refrain from smoking until I leave your house," said the visitor sternly. Jeremiah Cobbe's face grew red with anger, but he smothered his annoyance, laid down his pipe, took a fresh draught of ale, let the lid fall with a clink, and threw himself back in his chair. "Go on then, sir," he cried. "I shall be glad to hear what business you have to settle with me. If it is for half-a-dozen culverins for his Majesty's army, or by the good Peter, I have it, he has got to know about my new howitzers, and he has sent to see. Now, how the holy 'postle did he get to know about them?" "My good fellow, have the kindness to listen to me," said Sir Mark. "Good fellow, eh!" cried Cobbe, flushing again, and smiting the table with his fist. "But there, go on, sir, go on; you are a messenger to me from the King." "His Majesty," said Sir Mark, leaning back in his chair, and half-closing his eyes, as he gazed imperiously at the other, "has had it brought to his knowledge that you, Jeremiah Cobbe, of Roehurst, in the county of Sussex." "Right," said the other nodding. "--Have for years past, and in divers manners, carried on here a forge for cannon castings."