Not a too liberal dietary for a soldier.

How did they recruit for the army? for, during the long war which lasted nearly the whole of Anne's reign, men had to be furnished to fill the cruel gaps made by slaughter, wounds, and disease. First of all, a recruiting officer, with his sergeant and drummer, would be quartered in some country town, and 'beat up for recruits.' Of a recruiting officer we get some notion in Spectator 132, and in Farquhar's play. Let Sergeant Kite himself tell us the qualifications for a recruiting sergeant. 'So that if your Worship pleases to cast up the whole Sum, viz. Canting, Lying, Impudence, Pimping, Bullying, Swearing, Drinking, and a Halbard, you will find the Sum Total amount to a Recruiting Sergeant.' The Queen's shilling, once being taken, or even sworn to have been taken, and attestation made, there was no help for the recruit, unless he was bought out.

In 1703 these means seem to have failed, for men could not be got in sufficient quantities without the inducement of a bounty. 'This is to give Notice, That his Grace the Duke of Schombergh is raising a Regiment of Dragoons for Her Majesty's Service; all such Persons who shall have a mind to List themselves therein, may repair either to his Grace's in Pall Mall, or to Mr. Brerewood in Norfolk Street, in the Strand, near Temple Bar, Agent to the same, where such Persons as have been formerly in the Army and are still fit for Dragoons, shall receive 40.s. in hand for Levy Money, besides all fitting Accoutrements, and such as have not been already in the Service shall have 30.s. and Accoutrements.'

In 1706 an Act was passed (4 & 5 Anne, cap. 21) 'For the better recruiting Her Majesty's Army and Marines,' which gave the power to justices, assisted by their subordinates, 'to raise and levy such Able bodied Men as have not any lawful Calling or Imployment or visible Means for their Maintenance and Lively hood to serve as Soldiers.' A volunteer was to have a bounty of 40s. given him, and 'shall not be liable to be taken out of Her Majesty's Service by any Process other than for some Criminal Matter.'

This shows to what straits they were reduced for men, and the following exemplifies the class of recruits that were then going into the army: 'Smith, who some time was half hanged[625] and cut down, having accused about 350 pickpockets, housebreakers, &c. who gott to be soldiers in the guards, the better to hide their roguery, were last week upon mustering the regiments drawn out, and immediately shipt off for Catalonia; and about 60 Women, who lay under condemnation for such Crimes, were likewise sent away to follow the Camp.'[626]

The Act of 1706 either fell partially in abeyance, or did not fulfil its requirements, for in the Gazette of Jan. 26/29, 1707-8, is a proclamation by the Queen calling attention to it, and promising, for the better carrying of it out, and 'for the greater Incouragement of all Parish Officers to perform the Duty injoin'd them by that Act, That such Parish Officers, for every Person they should bring before the Magistrate, who should be Impressed should Receive the Sum of Twenty Shillings; and that every Volunteer, for his better Incouragement to come into our Service, and List himself according to the Intention of the said Act, should Receive the sum of Four Pounds, and also that such Volunteer should be Discharg'd after Three Years Service, if he deserved it.'

This was the outcome of a fresh Act (7 Anne, cap. 2).

Of course these men deserted in shoals, but that they had always done, from the first year of the Queen's reign. The reward offered, by their officers, for their apprehension generally ranged from one to two guineas, and occasionally they were entreated to return, of their own free will, when they would be forgiven. Once only can I find that a severe example was ever made of them, and that was in 1703. '6 Dec. This day a Soldier of Colonel Gorsuck's Company was shot in Hide Park for Desertion.' Probably they ran the gauntlet, as did that soldier in 1702: 'Yesterday a Soldier ran the Gantlet (as he well deserved) in St. James's Park, for speaking some reflecting words on his late Majesty, and is to run twice more.'

In the last year of Anne's reign there were some wicked drummers, whose story is told very graphically in the Post Boy, Feb. 11/13, 1714. 'John Needham, Constable and Beadle of the Ward of Farringdon within, warding at Ludgate the Sixth Instant, (the Queen's Birth Day) by Order of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen; was sent for to the Crown Tavern on Ludgate Hill, to make a Gentleman Easy, who was in Drink. The Constable having made him and the rest Friends, the Gentleman would have him to the Queen's Arms Tavern, a little below, where they drank a Glass of Wine together: But the Constable hearing some Drums beat, ran into the Street, with his long Staff in his Hand, and the Gentleman with him, who saw a very great Tumult of disorderly Persons arm'd with huge Clubs, and several with Cleavers &c., and innumerable Lights, and Streamers. Among the rest came Three of H— M——'s Drummers beating their Drums; whereupon the Gentleman ran up to the Drum Head, and ask'd, Who they were for? They said, The House of Hanover. He repli'd G— D— you, what before the Queen is dead? Drummers, I'll give you Sixpence, beat a Point of War for Queen Anne, here by the Constable. But the Constable said, No, let them go into the Tavern, and beat out of the Crowd, and they shall have Money and Wine too. So he made way for them with his Staff, and they went into the Tavern, where they beat and drank till the Tumult was gone by. After which, the Constable had them up to Ludgate, and from thence to the Compter. The next Evening, about Four a Clock, he carry'd them before Sir William Withers, who demanded their Names, and those of their Colonels, which are as follows, Thomas Hawes under Colonel P——tt; Charles Bannister under Colonel E——ll; and William Taylor under Brigadier F——s belonging to the F—— R—— of G——'s. And after Sir William Withers had examin'd them, and the said Constable, and another Constable (whose Hat the Rioters beat off, because he did not pull it off to them, tho' he was on his Duty with his long Staff in his Hand) he was of Opinion their Crime would amount to High Treason, and was so much the blacker, because they were the Q——'s own S——ts, and therefore Committed them to Newgate.'

In cases, however, of civil commotion, the train bands were generally called out. These citizen soldiers were ever the laughing stock of the wits of their day, and Steele cannot help having his joke upon them.[627] 'The Chief Citizens, like the noble Italians, hire Mercenaries to carry arms in their Stead; and you shall have a fellow of desperate fortune, for the gain of one half Crown, go through all the dangers of Tothill Fields, or the Artillery Ground, clap his right jaw within two inches of the touch-hole of a Musquet, fire it off, and huzza, with as little concern as he tears a pullet.'