call the Park; and here it was that our new Guest, like another Phaeton, though under Pretence of Weariness, not Ambition, got Leave of the very last Carter to the Train to take a Nap in his Waggon.  One who had entertain’d a Jealousy of him, and had watch’d him, gave Information against him; upon which he was seiz’d and brought to me as Captain of the Guard.  I caus’d him to be search’d; and upon search, finding Match, Touchwood, and other dangerous Materials upon him; I sent him and them away to the Provoe.  Upon the Whole, a Council of War was call’d, at which, upon a strict Examination, he confess’d himself a hir’d Incendiary; and as such receiv’d his Sentence to be burnt in the Face of the Army.  The Execution was a Day or two after:  When on the very Spot, he further acknowledged, that on Sight or Noise of the Blow, it had been concerted, that the French Army should fall upon the Confederates under those lamentable Circumstances.

The Peace of Riswick soon after taking place, put an End to all Incendiarisms of either Sort.  So that nothing of a Military Kind, which was now become my Province, happen’d of some Years after.  Our Regiment was first order’d into England; and presently after into Ireland:  But as these Memoirs are not design’d for the Low Amuzement of a Tea-Table, but rather of the Cabinet, a Series of inglorious Inactivity can furnish but very little towards ’em.

Yet as little as I admir’d a Life of Inactivity, there are some Sorts of Activity, to which a wise Man might almost give Supineness the Preference:  Such is that of barely encountring Elements, and wageing War with Nature; and such, in my Opinion, would have been the spending my Commission, and very probably my Life with it, in the West Indies.  For though the Climate (as some would urge) may afford a Chance for a very speedy Advance in Honour, yet, upon revolving in my Mind, that those Rotations of the Wheel of Fortune are often so very quick, as well as uncertain, that I my self might as well be the First as the Last; the Whole of the Debate ended in somewhat like that Couplet of the excellent Hudibras: 

Then he, that ran away and fled, Must lie in Honour’s Truckle-bed.

However, my better Planets soon disannull’d those melancholy Ideas, which a Rumour of our being sent into the West Indies had crowded my Head and Heart with:  For being call’d over into England, upon the very Affairs of the Regiment, I arriv’d there just after the Orders for their Transportation went over; by which Means the Choice of going was put out of my Power, and the Danger of Refusing, which was the Case of many, was very luckily avoided.

It being judg’d, therefore, impossible for me to return soon enough to gain my Passage, one in Power propos’d to me, that I should resign to an Officer then going over; and with some other contingent Advantages, to my great Satisfaction, I was put upon the Half-pay List.  This was more agreeable, for I knew, or at least imagin’d my self wise enough to foretel, from the over hot Debate of the House of Commons upon the Partition Treaty, that it could not be long before the present Peace would, at least, require patching.