Montgomery manuscripts

The Montgomery Manuscripts. 411
those admonitions being also formerly urged by my father, took deeper root in my consideration ;
when after Dunbar fight I was sent by him into Holland, & philosophy studys enjoyn'd me. Now
I began to see evidently from how happy an estate I had fallen ; for I wanted both a Tutor & a
servant, & was gone among strangers of another speech, not any way related to me, or my friends,
but as my father had purchased their kindness ; & made provision (left in their hands) for me,
These were M r Alex' Petry at Delft & D r Adam Stewart at Leydan. 33
When I Left Scotland I took shipping at Inverness, with an Issue and a pea in the nap of my
neck ; (w ch from a year old till then) had been kept there.
You have heard that my father sent me from Dundee, 34 with John Wilson merch 1 , who Laded
y" Dutch ship wherein wee weighed Anchor for Holland or Zealand, but after ten days being at
sea a great storm arose, & drove us past our course to Amelandt. 35 Wee were (when the storm shipwrack.
ceased) sailed among gullets and sandbeds, & part of our keele was beaten off, & wee came to
Anchor two hours before day ; it was but 5 faddom, and y" first of y e ebb, when wee first struck : I
therefore persuaded y e master to fire his two Gunns, to signify our distress ; & great fishing boats
came before break of day & disloaded our vessel, from which was stolen the silver-hilted sword w th my losses,
which our 3 d visct. had begirt me, 36 it being the first I had of that value, and also I lost the cloth
w^ my father sent with me to be made in Clothes for mee.
This Amlandt is an Island of a German Lord (to whom I made a Latin speech in behalf of
our mercht) he is independant on any Prince or State : for he sends his Ambassadors (Tradesmen
or merchants) to all Sovraigns nighbors, when they are engaged in Warrs, & still obtains a new.
trality, and Freedom of Traffick among them all. His seniory (w ch is like a chipp in Porridge) not
being worth their feare or Covetousness ; so as to be concerned which way he Leane. He lives
wisely, & solitary, & plentifully.
We were now transported from his (nine mile long & narrow sandy) Island in a Gabart to
Daventer in West frisland ; thence I fared to Amsteldam & so to Leydan, in whose University my
station was sett, to acquire Philosophy, fencing, dancing &c with the Dutch & French Linguas :
and I had for companion A young French Gentl" ; we learned together, & had D r Stewart for
Teacher, & his sons for helpers : 37 our conversation was most in Latin ; I taught him Dutch, and
he bettered my French.
33 At Leydan.— See pp. 334, 335, supra. 37 p or helpers. — The christian names of Dr. Stewart's
3* From Dundee. — The passage in the memoir of sir sons were David and Charles. The author, during his
James Montgomery recording this circumstance does not residence at Leyden dedicated one of his Disputations, or
appear in the volume printed in 1830, and is most pro- exercises, to Dr. Stewart and his sons, as follows: —
bably lost. _ Celebenimo, Doctissinw, Spectatissimoqite viro,
35 To Amelandt. — Ameland is one of a series ot islands r> Adamo Stcuarto, in inclyta
which extends along the coast from the extreme point of Lugd. Bat. Acad. Prof, ardm.rrio
North Holland, once forming a part of the main land mm"ay'"tam^^£i^^'"'' 1
from which they have been detached by the violence of TominfbuTc'llemtTe^reZ'^ndo,
the Zuyder-Zee. The passage between Ameland and the Mee Non
Frisian coast is dangerous, from its numerous shoals. The Eruditisdmis, &> clarissimis Juvenibus,
channel is called a m* or ford. The island, which £ DgUiagQL. A. M. Plutosopho
belongs now to the Dutch province of r nesland, is about rt, Carolo Steuarto, Philosophic
twelve miles in length. It contains some good pasture &> Theologia:, nee non lingimmm
land. The inhabitants, about 3,000 in number, live divtnarum fmtisamo, arnica
principally by fishing and making lime of the sea-shell " ,eis '" e£err utEt
found on the coast. Doctrina morumque candore pra
3 6 Had begirt me. — Seep. 177, supra. itantisa'mis adolescentibut.