Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 51.djvu/232

 and again in 1672, 1682, 1689, and 1760. In the advertisement to the edition of 1689 it is said that Lord Chief-justice Vaughan had owned that the groundwork of this book was Selden's.

[For the life generally: the Vita by Wilkins, prefixed to his edition of the works; Wood's Athenæ, s. v. 'Selden;' Aubrey's notes in Bliss's edition of Wood. For early life: epitaph in Temple Church; manuscript fragment of autobiography in Selden MSS. in Lincoln's Inn Library, catalogued xii. (xiii.) No. 42; parish register and parish account-books of West Tarring. For his connection with Inner Temple: the entries in the parliament books under respective dates. For his History of Tythes and the attending circumstances: Selden's Treatises of the Purpose and End, &c.; reply to Tilsley; preface to the three tracts. For his political life: the Eliot Papers in Forster's John Eliot, 2nd edit.; Selden's speeches and arguments in Works; Rushworth, vols. i. ii. vi.; Journals of the House of Commons; the Calendars of State Papers; Whitelocke's Memorials; Clarendon's History, bk. v. For his imprisonments: Vindiciæ; the Eliot Papers, ubi supra; the Calendars, Rushworth, vol. ii. Whitelocke. For his pecuniary affairs: will of the Countess of Kent, in registry of probate division; will and codicil of Selden in Wilkins's Life. For his proceedings in reference to the university of Oxford: Wood's Annals of the University, vol. ii., and correspondence in Wilkins's Life (cf. Notes and Queries, 8th ser. xii. 344). For his sculptures: Prideaux's Marmora Oxoniensia; Chandler's edition of the same work; Michaelis's Ancient Marbles in Great Britain, and Macray's Annals of the Bodleian Library, 2nd edit. For his library: Macray's Annals. Professor Margoliouth has supplied the account of Selden's oriental learning on pp. 219–20.]  SELKIRK, fifth. [See, 1771–1820.]

SELKIRK, ALEXANDER (1676–1721), prototype of ‘Robinson Crusoe,’ born in 1676, was the seventh son of John Selcraig, shoemaker, of Largo, Fifeshire, who had married Euphan Mackie in 1657. Encouraged by his mother, Selkirk—to use the form of name which he adopted—exhibited at an early age a strong wish to go to sea, but owing to his father's opposition he remained at home until 1695, when the parish records show that he was cited to appear before the session for indecent conduct in church. It was found, however, that he had gone to sea, and nothing more is known of him until 1701, when he was again at Largo, in trouble for quarrelling with his brothers, and was rebuked in the face of the congregation. Next year Selkirk sailed for England, and in May 1703 he joined Captain Dampier's privateering expedition to the South Seas. He must have had considerable previous experience, for he was appointed sailing-master on the Cinque Ports, of which Thomas Stradling became captain after the death of Charles Pickering. Various prizes were taken, and Stradling and Dampier parted. In September 1704 the Cinque Ports put into Juan Fernandez, and recovered two men who had accidentally been left on the island some months before. A quarrel with Stradling led Selkirk to resolve to leave the ship, and he was landed, with all his effects, on this uninhabited island. He at once saw the rashness of his conduct, but Stradling refused to take him on board again.

For many days Selkirk was in great distress; but as winter approached he set about building two huts, and in a few months he was reconciled to his lot. The island abounded in goats, and hunting became his chief amusement. After his powder was exhausted, he attained to great skill in running and climbing in pursuit of goats. He made clothes of goat-skins, and tamed cats and goats to be his companions. Knives were formed out of some old iron hoops. Twice ships came in sight, and Selkirk was perceived by one of them; but as this was a Spanish ship Selkirk hid himself, and the ship went on after firing some shots. At length the ships belonging to a new enterprise of Dampier touched at Juan Fernandez (31 Jan. 1709), and, Selkirk having drawn their attention by a fire, a boat was sent on shore and he was taken on board the Duke, commanded by Captain Woodes Rogers [q. v.], who had Dampier as pilot. The character given Selkirk by Dampier caused him to be at once appointed mate. The ships set sail on 12 Feb. Several prizes were taken, and Selkirk was given the command of the Increase (29 March). In January 1710 he was made sailing-master of a new prize, under Captain Dover, and on 14 Oct. 1711, after a long delay at the Cape, they reached the Thames. Selkirk's booty was 800l.

Selkirk had been absent from England for over eight years, more than half of which he had spent on Juan Fernandez, and his adventures excited much interest when described in Captain Woodes Rogers's ‘A Cruising Voyage round the World,’ and Captain Edward Cooke's ‘A Voyage to the South Sea and round the World’ (vol. ii. introduction), both published in 1712. There was also a catchpenny pamphlet, ‘Providence Displayed, or a Surprising Account of one Alexander Selkirk … written by his own hand’ (reprinted in ‘Harl. Misc.,’