Sentence:  He was followed by a <WSD>disputatious</WSD> gentleman, who had the temerity to maintain before the royal misocapnist (the Counterblast had not as yet issued from the monarch's lips, but his anti-nicotian prejudices were well known,) the thesis, that "tobacco must needs be good;" proceeding to his proof "by enumeration or induction, because Kings, Princes, Nobles, Earles, Lords, Knights, Gentlemen of all Countries and Nations, reckoning a number, loved it." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Inclined to argue or debate; provoking debate.