Part 1 (1/2)

Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718)

by Daniel Defoe

I was not above Seventeen Years of Age when the Battle of _Gillycranky_ was fought between the Two Highland Generals, the Lord Viscount _Dundee_ and _Mackay_ And being then a Stripling at the University of _Aberdeen_ and understanding that several Clans were gathering into a Body in defence of King _Jas, and equipp'd my self to observe the Martial Call, I found my self prompted with I arriv'd in a few Days near the Field of Battle, and joyn'dup towards the Mountains to recover theue of Battle The Noviceshi+p I went through in the _Highlands_, was no i I have been since engag'd in for above Twenty Seven Years; during which Tih all those Hardshi+ps which are incident to one who seeks a Preferment in Fire and Shlands_, it was ood Fortune to be under the Tuition of an old Officer, who let me into many of those little Secrets which are not unserviceable to such as Design to make the whole Earth the Theatre of their Life; but what I chiefly valued this old Gentleman's Conversation for, was the Happiness I had to be a Hearer of soreat Master, having furnish'd himself by Fifty Years Practice, with the best Idea's of that kind

Upon a certain Day when our Party were out, so alone in a Cottage with this old Captain, and being desirous to know his Opinion of the Affairs of _Europe_ in general, as also as like to be the Issue of that Cause we had undertaken The old Captain willing to satisfy my Curiosity as far as his Skill would reach, pulled out some Remarks he had made upon the Year 1640 Observe, _says_ he, Child what I say to you, 'tis a Maxi Politicians to keep up Divisions in an Eneine that this will be a short Ga, but depend upon itof _France_ has declar'd hi _James_ II; He is a very powerful Prince, and if he would turn his Forces this Way, and be upon the Defensive near Ho the War to a Period But that Monarch has things in his Head which Iin the Dominions of _Great Britain_, but no decisive Action if _Lewis le Grand_ can hinder it He takes Cardinal _Richlieu's_ Conduct for a Precedent It would have been no difficult Task for the _French_ to have joyn'd their Forces with King _Charles_ I and haveand Parliament; but that Politick Cardinal instead of this Method, had Eerate Matters between them The same Method has been observ'd by that Nation ever since; and if _Lewis le Grand_ does nothi to correct raph in my Observations

This was the first Politick Lesson I was entertain'd with by h at that tihly to comprehend, yet since, a Resemblance of Circumstances has often reviv'd it my Mind; nor could I ever be well reconcil'd to that Piece of Morality, That it was a laudable Practice to set People by the Ears together

The hopes of being releas'd, is the best Support to Men in Misery, and our s under Discipline, if Expectation had not been nourish'd with daily Alar Officer was Romantickly Loyal, and look'd upon every little Hill we scranable Fortress, froue us, as if the Eyes of all _Europe_ were upon us, and the Fate of the Three Kingdo at our Swords Points But the Truth was, I believe, ere unknown to all Mankind, and if those Villages we march'd by you'd but secure the Cattle froer fro assisted frolected no Pains to instill such a Belief into the Generality of the Soldiers, in order to prolong his Reign in that honourable Post he enjoy'd, yet I read it plainly in my old Captain's Forehead, that _France_ was not accusto Chimerical Adventures, and that the most we could expect froshead or two of Brandy to keep the Cause alive, while he was pushi+ng on his Conquests in other Parts of the Globe, in which the Glory and Interest of _France_ was more immediately concern'd For my own Part, as I was resolv'd to pursuethat there was no appearance of _Scotland's_ being a Place of Action, so I advis'd with my old Master what course I should steer to answer the Ends of ht have deterr'dhiain'd that way, having nothing to show for near Sixty Years Service in the War, but a Bundle of Politick Remarks drawn fro to make their Fortune, yet since every Man must spin out his Thread of Life one way or other, and that that was most likely to succeed well to which a Person found himself most inclinable, so he humour'd my present Dispositions; but at the same time, counsell'd htworthy my Curiosity Islands, _says he_, are commonly won and lost in a Day, nor will they afford you that variety of Stratagems which will make you perfect in the Art of War After this I only waited for a fit Opportunity to quit the Service I was in, for though I was no farther engaged than in the Quality of a Gentleman Volunteer, yet a Strain of Honour would not permit me to forsake my Companions, unless some more plausible Reason occurr'd tobefore an occasion offered it self to puttoo and fro our little Army, I ithin Twenty Miles of my Mother's House, (fortherefor first con towith

In conclusion, Things were order'd so, that the old Captain, with et Intelligence, and that Night about Eleven we agreeably surpriz'dthe Loss of her darling Son, whom she suppos'd to be kill'd at the Battle of _Gillycranky_; for she had not justly infore at _Aberdeen_

I had Two elder Brothers, who both inherited thetime absent from Hoary_, the other belonging to the Guards of King _James_ II follow'd his Fate into _France_ and _Ireland_, and afterwards was kill'd in _Ireland_ My father had three small Lordshi+ps, which ere equally to be Sharers of, allowing proportionably for my Mothers maintenance, with a Thousand Pounds to be rais'd to marry our only Sister

Now, as it was ain Experience in the World, so my old Captain put it into my Head to raise a Su me it would prove my best Friend upon all Occasions, for that the World had but a very es to recommend it This Affair took up more Time than my warm Temper could well bear, and the Lawyers threw in so many Delays, that had not the old Captain (ell acquainted with Business) been at ht have lost reement cou'd have been made

But after two Months were expir'd, I found my self Master of fifteen Hundred Pound, the Price of my share of Land after the Deductions 'd with a Banker at _Ae, and to supply n'd to take The old Captain I intended to take along with me to be my Guide as well as Adviser; for I saw so lected, That I judg'd it would be an honourable O the World, not to let hie of Life unrewarded: But as his Years had render'd him incapable to attend me in my Rambles, so Death came in to release him, and this worthy Person was taken from me about Ten Days before the Time I had fix'd for ive the World an Account of hiather from the Gentle hiuarded Modesty

I learn'd from him, That his Father was the Head of a Clan which was one half cut off by _Oliver Cromwell_, and the other half Transported into the _West-Indies_, with the fifteen Hundred _Scots_, that were conde at that time about Twelve Years old, chose rather to share his Fathers Fate, and view the Western parts of the Worlds, than fall into the Hands of a Person ould stain the Beauty of his tender Mind, by giving him an unsuitable Education After he had buried his Father in _Virginia_, he took the Opportunity of a _French_ Vessel to pass over to _Brest_, and so to _Paris_, who by the assistance of a _Scotch_ nobleman, as acquainted with his Family, he pick'd up a liberal Education, andit in his Election whether he wou'd engage himself to the Church or follow the Camp, he chose the latter, and after so the _Gens d'Arns in _Germany_, in the last of which he was taken Prisoner and seduc'd into the Emperors Service by some of his Countrymen, who persuaded hiers than the _French_ In a little time he was observ'd by his Colonel to be a Person of Parts and Resolution, and so was gradually advanc'd from a Cornet to a Captain of Horse; and as a Man of Spirit and Action never wants Opportunity to shew himself, so this Gentleman met with many brave Adventures in the way of Soldiery, which some time he would occasionally recount to me, but they would be too tedious to insert in these Reland_, he desired to throw up his Coested to him, that the Prince stood in need of so Upon this Prospect he pass'd over to _England_, but being destitute of Acquaintance he loiter'd about the Court, till one of the Duke of _Berwick's_ Retinue, who had heard of hi acquainted with him So he was order'd down into _Scotland_ with the Pro soon after, he acted only as a Captain of Foot at the Battle of _Gillycranky_

But to cut short this Digression, the time no near that I was to undertakewhisper'd about in the Neighbourhood that I had been in Ar is, _was too hot a Place for me_; so I sent my Servant to enquire for a Conveniency to pass over to _Flanders_, and in two Days I was provided with a _Roterdam_ Vessel, and so with very little Cere to part with reater, and rather wish'd me expos'd to the Waves, than to the Insults of my Ene about too much to the _North East_, it drove us upon Shore with that violence that ere oblig'd to put in twice to Land, once at _Scarborough_, and again at _Yarmatical Searcher can'd to visitht not to search after any Goods unless the Cargo was design'd for that Port, so I ridded my self of this Spark with a Half-Crown Piece; for I had no ht discover hland_ Expedition, for Fear never wants Apprehensions

After two Days stay in this Port, the Wind proving favourable, ere not very long ina Trip to _Roterdam_, where I only refresh'd myself a few Hours, and pass'd on to _Amsterdam_ to visit my Bank, and settle a Correspondence as to Returns ofin this City thatthe s'd there

The hurry of Business was too Mechanical an Entertainhts of Honour, Sieges, Battles, and other such like Sports The _French_ Arn was to make that Way When I arriv'd there, I found they had surrounded _Mentz_ in order to Besiege it I was glad to begin , not doubting, but a great deal of Bravery would be shohere the Flower of the Houshold was design'd for Action; but before I could e of this Occurrence, I was to ht introduce e At last I rand Molquetains, who being fully inform'd of my Warlike Dispositions, assur'd ain Experience; but when he infors on a sudden, and that I had at present only two Things in Election, either to carry a Musquet in a Coe, or which he wou'd rather advise o to _Strasburgh_ and putthe _French_ Cadets