at
war with each other. They were distinguished on the Continent by
their bravery; but in adopting the trade of mercenary soldiers, they
necessarily injured their national character. The tincture of learning,
which most of them possessed, degenerated into pedantry; their good
breeding became mere ceremonial; their fear of dishonour no longer kept
them aloof from that which was really unworthy, but was made to depend
on certain punctilious observances totally apart from that which was
in itself deserving of praise. A cavalier of honour, in search of his
fortune, might, for example, change his service as he would his shirt,
fight, like the doughty Captain Dalgetty, in one cause after another,
without regard to the justice of the quarrel, and might plunder the
peasantry subjected to him by the fate of war with the most unrelenting
rapacity; but he must beware how he sustained the slightest reproach,
even from a clergyman, if it had regard to neglect on the score of duty.
The following occurrence will prove the truth of what I mean:--

"Here I must not forget the memory of one preacher, Master William
Forbesse, a preacher for souldiers, yea, and a captaine in neede
to leade souldiers on a good occasion, being full of courage, with
discretion and good conduct, beyond some captaines I have knowne, that
were not so capable as he. At this time he not onely prayed for us, but
went on with us, to remarke, as I thinke, men's carriage; and having
found a sergeant neglecting his dutie and his honour at such a time
(whose name I will not expresse), having chidden him, did promise to
reveale him unto me, as he did after their service. The sergeant being
called before me, and accused, did deny his accusation, alleaging, if he
were no pasteur that had alleaged it, he would not lie under the injury,
The preacher offered to fight with him, [in proof] that it was truth
he had spoken of him; whereupon I cashiered the sergeant, and gave his
place to a worthier, called Mungo Gray, a gentleman of good wort

William Babington Maxwell (18661938) was a British novelist. He was a son of novelist Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Though nearly 50 years old at the outbreak of the First World War, he was accepted as a lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers and served in France until 1917.

Cyrus Townsend Brady (December 20, 1861 January 24, 1920) was a journalist, historian and adventure writer. His most well-known work is Indian Fights and Fighters. He was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1883. He was also a deacon in the Episcopal church. His first wife was Clarissa Guthrie, who died in 1890. His second wife was Mary Barrett.

Rebecca Sophia Clarke (1833-1906), also known as Sophie May, was an American author of childrens fiction. Using her nieces and nephews as inspiration, she wrote realistic stories about children. She wrote 45 books between 1860 and 1903. The most popular being the Little Prudy books. She lived most of her life in her native town of Norridgewock, Maine, where she lived out her life with her sister, who was also a successful author.