Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins (1718)
THE MEMOIRS OF
Alexander Ramkins, &c.
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 James III sold my Books and Furniture of my Lodgings,
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'd my self with a broken Body of Men who were making up towards the
Mountains to recover themselves after the Fatigue of Battle. The
Noviceship I went through in the Highlands, was no improper Foundation
for the course Method of living I have been since engag'd in for above
Twenty Seven Years; during which Time, I have run through all those
Hardships which are incident to one who seeks a Preferment in Fire and
Smoak.
While I strolled about in the Highlands, it was my good 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 some of his Politick Lessons, of which he was a great 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, some upon Foraging, and
others to get Intelligence, I being alone in a Cottage with this old
Captain, and being desirous to know his Opinion of the Affairs of
Europe in general, as also what was 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
Maxim never to be neglected among Politicians to keep up Divisions in an
Enemies Country; you may, perhaps, imagine that this will be a short
Game that is a playing, but depend upon it my Grey Hairs will not see an
end of it. I allow the King of France has declar'd himself a Friend to
King James II; He is a very powerful Prince, and if he would turn his
Forces this Way, and be upon the Defensive near Home, a few Months would
bring the War to a Period. But that Monarch has things in his Head which
I must not mention. There will be great Skirmishing in 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 have made a short Hand of that Contest
between the King and Parliament; but that Politick Cardinal instead of
this Method, had Emissaries in the English Cabinet to exaggerate
Matters between them. The same Method has been observ'd by that Nation
ever since; and if Lewis le Grand does not make a Politick Use of King
James II. without doing him any real Service, I shall be very willing
to correct my self, and cancel that Paragraph in my Observations.
This was the first Politick Lesson I was entertain'd with by my old
Master; which, though at that time my want of Experience did not permit