Start in life

           Iwasbornintheyear1632, inthecityofYork, ofagoodfamily, thoughnotofthatcountry, myfatherbeingaforeignerofBremen, whosettledfirstatHull. Hegotagoodestatebymerchandise, andleavingoffhistrade, livedafterwardsatYork, fromwhencehehadmarriedmymother, whoserelationswerenamedRobinson, averygoodfamilyinthatcountry, andfromwhomIwascalledRobinsonKreutznaer; but,bytheusualcorruptionofwordsinEngland, wearenowcalled -naywecallourselvesandwriteourname-Crusoe; andsomycompanionsalwayscalledme. 

           Ihadtwoelderbrothers, oneofwhomwaslieutenantcolonel toanEnglishregimentoffootinFlanders, formerlycommandedbythefamousColonelLockhart, andwaskilledatthebattlenearDunkirkagainsttheSpaniards. WhatbecameofmysecondbrotherIneverknew, anymorethanmyfatherormotherknew whatbecameofme. 

           Beingthethirdsonofthefamily andnotbredtoanytrade, myheadbegantobefilledveryearlywithramblingthoughts. Myfather, whowasveryancient, hadgivenmeacompetentshareoflearning, asfarashouse-education andacountryfreeschoolgenerallygo, anddesignedmeforthelaw; butIwouldbesatisfiedwithnothingbutgoingtosea; andmyinclinationtothisledmesostronglyagainstthewill, nay,thecommandsofmyfather, andagainstalltheentreaties andpersuasionsofmymotherandotherfriends, thatthereseemedtobesomethingfatalinthatpropensityofnature, tendingdirectlytothelifeofmisery whichwastobefallme. 

           Myfather,awiseandgraveman, gavemeseriousandexcellentcounsel againstwhatheforesawwasmydesign.