Harold Lamb

“ Straightway the throng in the tavern dwindled as the Orfordnesse folk went out to stare at the vessels and their crews.
“Enough!” cried Master Thorne, hobbling to his feet and seizing his stick. "We have tarried too long. Come, Ralph, we must greet these worshipful gentlemen; aye, and talk with them concerning the course they will sail and the charts. Now I wonder what charts they would have? What, will you not come?” ”

“ CHAPTER IV THE MAD COSMOGRAPHER IT IS ever the way of crowds to mock what they can not understand. And the good folk of Orfordnesse were in no wise different from other crowds; children thumbed their noses at old Master Thorne; young men sharpened their tongues with witticisms at his expense at the White Hart tavern ”

“ Thorne emptied his mug and looked in to it thoughtfully. Durforth must have changed horses several times during the three days ride from London to reach Orfordnesse ahead of him. He had not known until then that D'Alaber's companion was one of Sir Hugh's gentlemen, and captain of a ship.
“Where did you speak Durforth?” he asked.
“At the cottage.” The old cosmographer lifted his head and nodded proudly. “Aye, he had heard of my poor work. Master Durforth is a skilled navigant. He spared some praise for my charts of the northern seas, and did ask my aid in a vexatious problem.” ”