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.

After I had given my order for dinner we star