the senior officer, was in the practice, when Robin was in that
state, of reading the proclamations himself.--On this occasion,
however, James happened to be absent on some hue and cry quest, and
another of the officers (I forget which) was appointed to perform
for him. Robin, accustomed to James, no sooner heard the other man
begin to read, than he began to curse and swear at him as an
incapable nincompoop--an impertinent term that he was much addicted
to. The grammar school was at the time skailing, and the boys
seeing the stramash, gathered round the officer, and yelling and
shouting, encouraged Robin more and more into rebellion, till at
last they worked up his corruption to such a pitch, that he took the
drum from about his neck, and made it fly like a bombshell at the
officer's head.

The officers behaved very well, for they dragged Robin by the lug
and the horn to the tolbooth, and then came with their complaint to
me. Seeing how the authorities had been set at nought, and the
necessity there was of making an example, I forthwith ordered Robin
to be cashiered from the service of the town; and as so important a
concern as a proclamation ought not to be delayed, I likewise, upon
the spot, ordered the officers to take a lad that had been also a
drummer in a marching regiment, and go with him to make the
proclamation.

Nothing could be done in a more earnest and zealous public spirit
than this was done by me. But habit had begot in the town a
partiality for the drunken ne'er-do-well, Robin; and this just act
of mine was immediately condemned as a daring stretch of arbitrary
power; and the consequence was, that when the council met next day,
some sharp words flew from among us, as to my usurping an undue