Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718) Read online

kill'd at the Battle of _Gillycranky_; forshe had not justly inform'd herself of the precise Time I ran away fromthe College at _Aberdeen_.

  I had Two elder Brothers, who both inherited the martial Spirit of ourFamily, had been a long time absent from Home; one of them was prefer'din the Emperor's Army in _Hungary_, the other belonging to the Guards ofKing _James_ II follow'd his Fate into _France_ and _Ireland_, andafterwards was kill'd in _Ireland_. My father had three small Lordships,which we were equally to be Sharers of, allowing proportionably for myMothers maintenance, with a Thousand Pounds to be rais'd to marry ouronly Sister.

  Now, as it was my Intention to Travel and gain Experience in the World,so my old Captain put it into my Head to raise a Sum of Money upon theCredit of my Land, assuring me it would prove my best Friend upon allOccasions, for that the World had but a very mean Opinion of Merit whenstrip'd of other Advantages to recommend it. This Affair took up moreTime than my warm Temper could well bear, and the Lawyers threw in somany Delays, that had not the old Captain (who was well acquainted withBusiness) been at my Elbow to forward Things, I might have lost myVocation of being a Soldier before any Agreement cou'd have been made.But after two Months were expir'd, I found my self Master of fifteenHundred Pound, the Price of my share of Land after the Deductions madefor my Mother and Sister; Twelve Hundred Pounds I lodg'd with a Bankerat _Amsterdam_, the other Three was employ'd for an Equipage, and tosupply my Necessities in the Tour I design'd to take. The old Captain Iintended to take along with me to be my Guide as well as Adviser; for Isaw so many Perfections in him, which the ungrateful World hadneglected, That I judg'd it would be an honourable Omen in one that wasbeginning the World, not to let him leave the Stage 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 fromme about Ten Days before the Time I had fix'd for my Travels. However, Imust not let his Memory die, but give the World an Account of him as faras I cou'd gather from the Gentleman when he was disposed to Answer toQuestions concerning himself, in which he always behaved himself with awell guarded Modesty.

  I learn'd from him, That his Father was the Head of a Clan which was onehalf cut off by _Oliver Cromwell_, and the other half Transported intothe _West-Indies_, with the fifteen Hundred _Scots_, that were condemn'dthither to Slavery by the Protector. My Friend being at that time aboutTwelve Years old, chose rather to share his Fathers Fate, and view theWestern parts of the Worlds, than fall into the Hands of a Person whowould stain the Beauty of his tender Mind, by giving him an unsuitableEducation. After he had buried his Father in _Virginia_, he took theOpportunity of a _French_ Vessel to pass over to _Brest_, and so to_Paris_, who by the Assistance of a _Scotch_ Nobleman, who wasacquainted with his Family, he pick'd up a liberal Education, and madehimself Master of the _French_ and _Latin_, and having it in hisElection whether he wou'd engage himself to the Church or follow theCamp, he chose the latter, and after some Months spent in the Academy,he enter'd himself among the _Gens d'Arms_, and made very usefulObservations in two or three Campaigns in _Germany_, in the last ofwhich he was taken Prisoner and seduc'd into the Emperors Service bysome of his Countrymen, who persuaded him the _Germans_ were moreaccustom'd to advance Strangers than the _French_. In a little time hewas observ'd by his Colonel to be a Person of Parts and Resolution, andso was gradually advanc'd from a Cornet to a Captain of Horse; and as aMan of Spirit and Action never wants Opportunity to shew himself, sothis Gentleman met with many brave Adventures in the way of Soldiery,which some time he would occasionally recount to me, but they would betoo tedious to insert in these Remarks. When King _James_ II came tothe Crown of _England_, he desired to throw up his Commission, it beingsuggested to him, that the Prince stood in need of some old experienc'dOfficers to model an Army he was raising. Upon this Prospect he pass'dover to _England_, but being destitute of Acquaintance he loiter'd aboutthe Court, till one of the Duke of _Berwick's_ Retinue, who had heard ofhim at the Siege of _Buda_, made the King acquainted with him. So he wasorder'd down into _Scotland_ with the Promise of a Colonels Commission,but the Revolution following soon after, he acted only as a Captain ofFoot at the Battle of _Gillycranky_.

  But to cut short this Digression, the time now drew near that I was toundertake my intended Ramble, and indeed it was high time; for it beingwhisper'd about in the Neighbourhood that I had been in Arms for King_James_ II. _Home_, as the saying is, _was too hot a Place for me_; so Isent 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 withvery little Ceremony took leave of my Mother, who though she wasunwilling to part with me, yet she prefer'd the lesser Danger to thegreater, and rather wish'd me expos'd to the Waves, than to the Insultsof my Enemies at Home.

  The Wind blew very fresh, but tacking about too much to the _NorthEast_, it drove us upon Shore with that violence that we were oblig'd toput in twice to Land, once at _Scarborough_, and again at _Yarmouth_.

  At this latter Place, a Pragmatical Searcher came aboard us with an Airof Authority as if he design'd to visit my Trunks; but one of theSailors informing me that this was stretching his Commission, for heought not to search after any Goods unless the Cargo was design'd forthat Port, so I ridded my self of this Spark with a Half-Crown Piece;for I had no mind to enter much into a Parley with him lest he mightdiscover my _Highland_ Expedition, for Fear never wants Apprehensions.After two Days stay in this Port, the Wind proving favourable, we werenot very long in making a Trip to _Roterdam_, where I only refresh'dmyself a few Hours, and pass'd on to _Amsterdam_ to visit my Bank, andsettle a Correspondence as to Returns of money.

  I met with nothing in this City that made any Impression upon me tostay any longer than settling the small concern of Money I lodg'd there.The hurry of Business was too Mechanical an Entertainment, for one whoseHead was filled with high Flights of Honour, Sieges, Battles, and othersuch like Sports. The _French_ Army at this time lay upon the _Rhine_,and my Design was to make that Way. When I arriv'd there, I found theyhad surrounded _Mentz_ in order to Besiege it. I was glad to begin myfirst Campaign with so glorious an Undertaking, not doubting, but agreat deal of Bravery would be shown where the Flower of the Housholdwas design'd for Action; but before I could make any Advantage of thisOccurrence, I was to make my self known to some Person of Character whomight introduce me so as to be a Spectator of that noble Siege. At lastI met with a _Scotch_ Gentleman, who rid in among the grand Molquetains,who being fully inform'd of my Warlike Dispositions, assur'd me he wouldput me into the readiest Method he cou'd to gain Experience; but when heinform'd me that I must not pretend to great Things on a sudden, andthat I had at present only two Things in Election, either to carry aMusquet in a Common Foot Regiment, during the Siege, or which he wou'drather advise me to (in case I had Money to be at that expence) to go to_Strasburgh_ and put my self under Discipline for six Weeks or twoMonths among the _French_ Cadets.

  I must confess this was a great balk upon a double account: It not onlydepriv'd me of the Satisfaction of seeing the Siege carried on, but itwas a sensible check to my aspiring Humour, to think what Drudgery I wasto undergo before I could be regarded by the World; but when I reflectedon what I had often heard the old Captain (I buried in the _Highlands_)say upon this Head, it made me easier under the Disappointment, and thenext Day I went on to _Strasburg_, and enter'd my self among the Cadets.'Tis in the Nature of a College, where young Gentlemen are instructed inthe Rudiments of War.

  During my stay at _Strasburg_ I omitted no opportunity of improvingmyself as to the _French_ and _High Dutch_ Fortifications, and otherParts of the Mathematicks which were useful in War. I was also presentat some Lectures of Politicks which were given to those more advanc'din Years, in which they handled the Interest of Nations, and broughtdown their Reflections to the present Times. This I look'd upon as anexcellent Method of educating young Officers; for it qualify'd them tobe serviceable to their Country under a double Capacity; that is, aswel
l to Argue as to Fight for it, and defend it equally with theirTongue and Sword.

  I remember an Antient Marquis who had a Superintendency over thisAcademy, entertaining us one Day with the Motives of the present War,and running up the Cause to its Original, laid it before us in thismanner: _That the Monarchs of France wou'd look upon themselves asinjur'd by the rest of the Princes of_ Europe, _till the imperial Diademwas restor'd to_ France, who were _first Possessors of it in the Personof_ Charles the Great; _that they had made several pushes in all Ages torecover it, but without Effect; that while the_ English _had footing in_France, _they were too lazy to extend their Conquests upon the Empire ofthe_ West; _and when they had chased out