Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718)

by Daniel Defoe

hewas hang'd upon the Beam, in one Corner of his Chamber. The Merchant hada great Curiosity to find out the Pedigree of this Romantick Gentleman,but you'd get no Authentick Account. I told him I was inform'd at_Antwerp_, that he was Footman to a Person of Quality, and that he hadrobb'd his Master, and fled into the _Netherlands_ to escape Justice,which made him always unwilling to think of returning Home.

  The Peace of _Reswick_ was a ratifying King _James's_ Abdication, andenrolling in the _French_ Archives, what was before declar'd in theConvention at _Westminster_. It was now no Time to expostulate with_Lewis_ XIV. why he had concluded a Peace without mentioning the Personupon whose Account he had began the War? The Titular King of St._Germains_, and the Real one at _Whitehall_, were not irreconcileable,and the continuation of the Pension was regarded as an unquestionablemark of the _French_ King's Sincerity, and the unthinking Crew spokewell of the Master that cramm'd them, never dreaming that they were butfatten'd for Slaughter, and that under the Disguise of Succouring theirPersons, he might Prey upon their Interest. The _Spanish_ Monarchy waswhat _France_ had in their Eye by the Peace of _Reswick_, and theRestoring of King _James_ was decreed to be the Motive of a War whenthey came to a Rupture. Upon the Decease of the King of _Spain_, _Lewis_XIV diverted Europe with a fresh Scene of Politicks. He convinc'd 'em,that what he had done at _Reswick_ was a meer Decoy to gain Time andBreath, and bring greater Designs about. The Allies saw clearly he hadbeen jugling with two Sham Treaties of Partition, but was underhandworking to engross the Whole, and that the Son and Father at St._Germains_ were always to serve to the same Purposes, and stand in thefirst Line of his _Manifesto_, to make the War plausible, and raiseFactions in the Territories of _Great-Britain_. This was Fact, for nosooner were _Things_ ready in _Spain_ and _Flanders_, but King _James_II departed this Life, which opportunity the _French_ Monarch snatched,and in a studied Royal Transport, exalted the young StriplingsExpectations at St. _Germains_ by a solemn Protestation, that he wou'dnever sheath his Sword till he saw him upon the Throne of his Ancestors,by which I suppose he understood no more than that titular Inaugurationwhich was settled upon his Father at the Peace of _Reswick_. For had notthe Affair of the _Spanish_ Monarchy prompted _France_ to this generousDeclaration in Favour of the Son, 'tis highly probable the _Gallick_Sword wou'd have rusted in the Scabbard, as it was lock'd up by theTreaty of _Reswick_, nor had it been now drawn but upon a morebeneficial Provocation, than restoring King _James_, for if it was theInterest of _France_ to let the Father sit down quietly with the Title,nothing cou'd supervene to give the Son the Reality. Upon this Basis theWar was renewed again on both Sides, and the Juggle was kept on with theCourt of St. _James_'s, and great Pains were taken by the Emissaries of_France_, to buoy up King _James_'s Friends both at home and abroad,that _Lewis_ XIV was Sincere, and wou'd exert himself sooner and laterin their Cause.

  The World needs not be put in Mind what Service King _James_ II, Troopsdid to _France_ during the War, every Action spoke their Bravery, butthe grand Reform that was made upon the Peace was a sorry recompence fortheir Service. _France_ wou'd not entertain 'em, and a Halter was theirDoom if they return'd Home. This was an odd way of obliging King_James_; I speak not so much upon my own account, (though I was reduc'dat the same Time) because I had a Sufficiency elsewhere to keep me fromStarving; but it was but a melancholly sight to behold poor Menstrolling upon the Road, not knowing which way to direct their Course,and begging Alms through those Towns in which a little before they hadTriumph'd in Victory. But the Rod is often thrown away and burnt afterthe Child is Whip'd. Upon this Occasion it was that I took leave of_Mars_, resolving to make use of this Interval of Peace, to satisfy anold Curiosity to see _England_, a Place as yet I never had beheld. SomeAcquaintance I had contracted at _Dunkirk_, made me willing to takeShipping there, besides the hopes I had of decoying a pleasant Gentlemanfor my Companion, and upon my Arrival I found him in a good Humour, sowe set Sail about three in the Morning, and came under _North ForelandPoint_ about seven the same Day. The Master of the Vessel, though he wasan old Coaster, was not willing to trust himself among the Flats in adark Moon, so we lay at Anchor all Night, and in the Morning by peep ofDay, the Wind being pretty favourable, we weigh'd and pursu'd our Voyageup the River; but being a little too soon for the Tyde, we struck upon aSand Bed, and oblig'd to remain ther till the Rise of the Water. I wasall alone in the Master's Cabin when this Accident happen'd, but beingvery intent upon a Book, I was not sensible whether we mov'd or stoodstill. A Lady who was with the rest of the Passengers upon Deck cominghastily down, Sir, said she. Do you sit quietly here and we are struckupon a Sand-Bed? Madame, said I, I did suppose such a Thing, but theTyde will cast us off. You suppos'd such a Thing, said she, Why, Sir, weshall certainly be drown'd, come let us to Prayers. I was not very muchaccustom'd to the Sea, yet I imagin'd there could be no great Danger aslong as we had a flowing Tyde, and that it did not blow a Storm: Had theWater been ebbing and a Storm ensu'd upon it, 'tis probable our Ship,being none of the strongest, might have been beaten to Pieces amongthose Sands. However, I step'd upon Deck to see how Things went; therewas a profound Silence every where, the Passengers were scatter'd hereand there looking one at another, but not speaking a Word; the Masterwas walking with his Arms across without Fear, but not without Concernin his Countenance: I ask'd him how he came to be mistaken in the Tyde?he answer'd, Accidents would happen'd sometimes, but there was noDanger. Then running on in a Strain of Sailors Cant, he said, God was atSea as well as at Land, that the Lord wou'd protect 'em if they did butput their Trust in him, and love him as they ought. In the middle ofthis moral Lesson, the Ship was gently wafted off the Sands by the Tyde,and Sails being abroad spread, the Ship sail'd merrily along. 'Twassurprizing to observe the Alteration in every bodies Countenance; theWomen began to Laugh and Giggle; the Men began to rally one another forwant of Courage; the Sailors began to raise their Note higher andhigher, and the Master of the Ship turn'd his Sermon into a Volley ofOaths and Curses against his Crew; and thus in an instant, from aprofound Silence we recover'd our selves again to Noise and Hurry. ThatDay brought us to _Gravesend_, where we took Boat, and so arriv'd safeat _London_, though I was not very well pleas'd with those small BoatsPeople usually pass in from _Gravesend_ to _London_, for I understoodthey were often Overset by sudden Gusts of Wind which blow from theShoar.

  _London_ is a Place above my Description, and though I lost no Time thesix Months I remain'd there, to view what Curiosities were to be seen,yet 'tis probable many Things worthy of Observation escaped myDiligence. I took a particular care not to make my self Public, butpass'd at my Lodgings under Disguise of a Merchant, yet abroad I actedthe Marquess, not to be depriv'd of the Means of introducing my selfinto the best of Company. I found they were much divided in _England_ asto the _French_ Politicks; some were of Opinion that _Lewis_ XIV wasserious in King _James_'s Cause, but these were Persons who had noNotion of Foreign Affairs, and judg'd of Matters according to theirfirst Appearance; for others who had studied the Interest of Nations,and how their Pretensions he in regard of one another, had no Notion ofthe _French_ King's Sincerity, either towards King _James_, or any otherPrince he dealt with, and there is not one Instance I have mention'd inthese Memoirs, in order to demonstrate the Infatuated State of the Courtof St. _Germains_, but I heard it frequently urg'd to the same purpose,by the most intelligent Persons, as well Friends as Enemies to King_James_. While I was diverting my self at _London_, I receiv'd a Letterfrom _Paris_, that there was a Lieutenant Collonel's Place vacant, whichI might easily be promoted to in Case I wou'd be at the trouble to, makeuse of what Interest I might reasonably Command. But I quicklyunderstood, that by my Interest was meant my Money, so employing my_Amsterdam_ Stock that way, I might very probably by a _French_ Piece ofCivility, live to want both my Money and a Commission. I return'd athousand Thanks to my Friends for their Diligence in my Absence, buttold 'em, I had rather wait till another War broke out, and their wouldbe more choice of Promotions, and I might please my self, becau
se I wassomewhat curious what Regiment I engag'd in.

  It was a tedious Journey to go into _Scotland_ by Land, otherwise I wasvery much disposed to see my own Country once more, and apprehendingbesides, there might be some Danger upon account of being engaged in the_French_ Service during this late War. I laid these Thoughts aside, andcontented my self with making a small Tour Twenty or Thirty Milesdistance from _London_, in which Progrination I saw _Windsor_,_Greenwich_, _Hampton-Court_, and some other Places of Note. But in oneof these Jaunts, I had like to have paid very dear for my Curiosity. TheNeighbourhood of _London_ is much infested with Highwaymen, and if