Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	find_v	great_a	read_v	2,892	5	5.5522	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47710	Memorable accidents, and unheard of transactions containing an accout of several strange events: as the deposing of tyrants, lamentable shipwrecks, dismal misfortunes, stratagems of war, perilous adventures, happy deliverances, with other remarkable occurrences, and select historical events, which have happened in several countries in this last age. Translated from the French, printed at Brussels in 1691. and dedicated to his present Majesty William King of England, &c. Published in English by B.B.	B. B.; Léonard, T.	1693 (1693)	Wing L1100A; ESTC R217274	108,650	193

Memorable Accidents AND Unheard of Transactions CONTAINING An Account of several Strange Events As the Deposing of Tyrants Lamentable Shipwrecks Dismal Misfortunes Stratagems of War Perilous Adventures Happy Deliverances with other remarkable Occurrences and Select Historical Events which have happened in several Countries in this last Age. Translated from the French Printed at Brussels in 1691. and Dedicated to His present Majesty William King of England c. Published in English by R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1693. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO HIS Brittanick Majesty SIR THough Your Majesty be wholly busied in the greatest Affairs of State in the most Illustrious Assembly that was ever held I presume nevertheless to believe that You will not be offended that I take the liberty to interrupt You for a moment and offer unto Your Majesty this small Treatise the reading of which can only surprize those that are ignorant of Your Majesties Life for since this containeth the most celebrated Events of History extracted out of the Writings of the most famous Authors all the World will own that the Miracles which make Your Character surpass the greatest and most astonishing Exploits here related It is for this cause Sir that my silence will better express the profound Veneration that I have for the Grandeur of Your Majesties Actions than all the Elogies wherewith the ardor of my Zeal were able to Inspire me Nevertheless Sir if I may be perswaded to judge of Your Intentions by Your Proceedings all that Glory which shineth so bright in the Eyes of Men is not that which dost most affect You by so many Great and Heroick Actions You aspire to something yet greater You know Sir that Kings who are truly so esteem not Soveraign Power but as a thing ever ready to furnish them with opportunities of meriting the Love of Nations by being Authors of the Publick Happiness Your Majesty hath this Great Truth Ingraven upon Your Heart and if in the beginning of Your Reign we have admired in Your Majesty the Hero and the Conqueror we hope ever to Adore the Restorer of the Common Liberty of Europe I am with a profound respect SIR Your Majesties Most Humble and Most Obedient Servant T. LEONARD TO THE READER HOW great soever the Diversion and Pleasure be that we find in Reading Romances nevertheless true History hath all the advantage over it that Truth hath over a Fable If we search Books for Examples whereby to regulate our Behaviour those that we know to be false can they ever gain any Empire over our Minds For Example Can the Heroical Actions that we read in Cleopatra have so great Authority over us as to engage us to imitate them And shall we set imaginary Persons for a Model before us It is not so with History and the reading thereof produceth more certain Effects When a Man whose Inclinations are Warlike observeth there that a private Soldier hath by his Valour rais'd himself to the greatest Dignities he conceiveth as high an Idea of the Success as a great Merit is capable of he perswadeth himself that he may Atchieve the like Adventures since they have been before really perform'd and this thought authoriz'd by the Truth of History is able to determine him to the boldest Exploits This is it Reader which hath oblig'd me to publish this Collection the Events of which I have selected out of the General and Particular Histories Memoirs Voyages and other most famous Works that have lately appeared I hope it will meet with a favourable acceptation because it containeth Adventures as rare as any that are to be found in Romances here you are entertain'd with Shipwracks overthrown Fortunes Revolutions of Kingdoms and the surprizing Effects of the Commotions of all the Passions In fine this Collection evidenceth that Virtue is of both Sexes of all Ages Countries and Conditions Memorable Accidents AND Unheard of Transactions In several Nations in this last Age. The Shipwrack THE King of Portugal had sent to the King of Siam a very splendid Embassy To answer the civility of this European Prince the King deputed three great Mandarins in Quality of his Ambassadors with six other younger Mandarins and a considerable Retinue to go to the Court of Portugal We embark'd for Goa in the year 1684. where we abode eleven months and departed thence for Europe in a Portugal Vessel Jan. 27. 1686. but on the 27th of April we unhappily run aground on the Cape of the Needles and that in this manner That very day several Mariners were order'd to ascend the Masts to observe the Land that we descry'd a little towards the right hand by their relations the Captain and Pilot judg'd that it was the Cape of Good Hope so without observing themselves whether the Mariners spoke truth or not they continu'd their course till two or three hours after Sun-set when they believ'd they had already past the Land we had before discover'd then changing the course they bore a little more towards the North. I know not what presage of the misfortune that threatned us had so fill'd me with restless thoughts that I could not so much as close my eyes to sleep I then came out of my Cabbin and amus'd my self with beholding the Ship that seem'd to fly on the top of the waters Casting my eyes a little further I perceiv'd on a sudden a very dark shadow near our right side this sight struck me with terror and immediately I said to the Pilot Is it not the Land that I see As he approach'd to look we heard them crying out in the Fore-castle Land Land before us we are lost The Pilot run to the Helm to change the course but we were so near the shore that the Ship in veering struck thrice with her Poop upon a Rock which made her stand still without any manner of motion They run to the Poop but not one drop of water had yet enter'd Immediately they made all efforts possible to save themselves from Imminent ruine by felling the Masts by the board and unloading the Vessel but they had not time for the Wind drove the Ship upon the shore These Mountains of Water breaking into foamy Billows upon the points of the Rocks that jutted out into the Sea lifted up the Vessel to the Clouds letting her fall on a sudden upon the Cliffs with such violence that she could not hold out long You might have heard her already cracking on all sides some parts of her falling off from the rest and at last this great Mass of Wood being for a while thus dreadfully shaken and toss'd from Wave to Rock was dash'd to pieces with a horrible noise The Poop bore the first shock and accordingly was the first part that bulg'd To no purpose they cut down the Masts and threw over-board the Guns and all that lay in their way all their precautions were in vain for the ship struck upon the Rocks so often and