after they had had another grave Consultation what plausible Excuses it were best to give out to palliate their unwise Conduct and ill Success separated themselves and Nasonius return'd into Vtopia Where no sooner arriv'd but he found the Complaints made by the Hydra and the Vtopian Sea-Officers against Tornano were very high and heavy They alledged that this backwardness had cost the English many rude Blows but had cost the Hydra Eighteen or Nineteen Ships for which they demanded Vengeance and Justice against him Tornano put in his Plea which was bandied to and fro till the severe heat by degrees somewhat cooling his Tryal came on and as Nasonius had promised tho' with much regret of the Hydra he was acquitted To comfort Nasonius and to keep up his Heart for his ill success in Inferiana Dame Fortuna granted him the happy reduction of Lyrania by the Panym Knight Ginglero Not for his own sake whom she mortally hated but for Ginglero's as being of all the Panym Officers the most Courteous Civil and of best Conduct This Knight led his Armies through the Land of Lyrania and took divers of their Towns and Forts At length they came into a pitch'd Battle The Lyranian Army was at that time Commanded by the Politick and Valiant Luyslandian Giant hight Rutheno who with the Noble Gigantick Knight Lucanio so encouraged the Lyranian Soldiers that they thrice beat back the Panym Army and now were the Horse coming up to secure an intire Victory under the Leading of the Giant Rutheno when a Cannon Bullet did unfortunately light on that noble Giant and bereaved him of his Life which so daunted his Army his Valour giving Heart and Courage to them all that the Panyms got the Victory killed many of the Army and the rest retired into the strong City of Shannonopolis but the Places being Fifty Miles from the Sea so that no Relief or Provision could come to them by Sea or Land they with the allowance of King Eugenius Capitulated but upon such good terms that he by yielding to it as he did according to his usual Piety both preserv'd all his Subjects in Lyrania from utter Destruction and withal it was stipulated that they should have all their Liberties Immunities and Priviledges restored to them And moreover that as many Soldiers as would should be transported into Luslandia of which there went twenty Thousand All which was advis'd by the Wisdom of the Politick Giant Gallieno who consider'd that the Loyal Lyranians that Capitulated would still retain the same Principles and be ready to serve King Eugenius upon any fit Occasion and withal that this new Army of valiant Souldiers when well cloath'd and paid all which in great paâ—t they wanted in Lyrania would do Eugenius and himself more Service in Luyslandia than they could ever have done had they remained in Lyrania which they performed accordingly as shall be seen hereafter About this time or rather before it the Green-headed Knight Sabaudiero was prevailed upon by the Associates to rise up in Arms with them against the Noble Giant Gallieno Nasonius promised him whole Indies of Money and that he would maintain too at his own cost many Troops to assist him The Associates also unanimously promised him that in the winding up of the War when they came to divide the Spoil they would add some part of Luyslandia to his Dominions having very politickly divided it among 'em e're they had got a foot in 't This Project was carried so secretly that never was any mystery of State so carefully conceal'd However the Necromantick Giant Gallieno had not only by his Familiar Spirit got light of it but had moreover by a strange Charm got an exact Copy of their Agreement Upon knowledge of which he sent the Valiant Giant Sabaudocrato into his Country e're he was ready who took all Montania otherwise call'd Sabaudia and was about to fall into Alpiana when Sabaudiero confident of the impossility it should take Air sent Ambassadors to King Gallieno falsely protesting he was his most humble Servant and meant nothing but Peace and Amity towards him Now did many sober Men admire at this strange action of Gallieno as breeding himself causeless and needless Enemies when he had so many already For one could imagine that Sabaudiero should be so unworthy and ungrateful to his Uncle the great King Gallieno who ever favoured him and had formerly assisted him against his own Rebellious Subjects as without any cause given him to joyn with his Enemies who sought nothing but his desctruction which made Men think it very harsh in King Gallieno to invade his Nephew's Dominions and to refuse to withdraw his Armies till Sabaudiero had put two of his chief Cities as Cautionary Towns into his Hands 'Till at length King Gallieno when he saw his time shewed the Copy of Sabaudiero's Agreement with the Associates to let the World see how false and hollow-hearted he was to pretend Peace by his Ambassadors and yet at the same time to have conspir'd against his Uncle his Friend and his Ally to bring him if he could to utter Ruin But it was the Luck of this ill-contriv'd Association to be supported by the violation of all the nearest Tyes of Nature and Honour and all Laws both Divine and Humane Yet did the Noble Gallieno so moderate his Resentment as not to let Sabaudocrato destroy all his Country as he could easily have done pitttying the folly of his Youth too easily led aside by his Secratary who had a great Ascendant over him and had received as 't is said for such treacherous Services an hundred Thousand Pound from the Associates but chieftly from Nasonius who was still very profuse in laying out the easy got Money of Vtopia upon Projects of his own for which they that gave it never intended it Wherefore the Luyslandian Army continued still in Montania and Alpiana took and Garrison'd divers of the principal Cities and Forts But of this more heareafter CHAP. XI Of the Annus mirabilis Or the Campaign of the Year when the Associates with their utmost efforts intended to invade the mighty Giant Gallieno on all sides and to destroy both Him and his Root and Branch and also of the infallible Prognosticks of his Ruin ALL Men though never so dull are taught Wisdom by their frequent Misfortunes and by their often experiencing what occasioned them they learn how to prevent them for the future Wherefore these subtil Politicians the Associates though they were but bad Reflecters came at length with much ado to discover after Gallieno had with many repeated Victories beat it into their Heads that two things especially had given him great Advantages over them viz. his being early in the Field e're they were ready and his Carrying the War still into his Enemies Countries Hereupon after many Consultations they fully and und unanimously resolved to bereave him of both these Advantages and get them to themselves But as nothing is more
rediculous than an Ape because it is like a Man and yet is not a Man so nothing is so mirthful and pleasant as Mimical and Ape-Politicians who would seem such by imitating the true ones and yet are Politicians at all However they muster'd up and encreased their Forces and bent their utmost Endeavours both to be before-hand with Gallieno in the earliness of their Preparations and also to enter Luyslandia on all sides as well by Sea as by Land and teach him to let the invading of others alone hereafter and to study his best Arts to defend his own Country It was agreed amongst them than an hundred Thousand Men led by Nasonius should invade his Territories bordeering upon Inferiana that the Regomanians should fall into Alsatia that Don Ibero Formalitosa should enter Luyslandia on the side of Calatonia that Sabaudieâ—o should make Incursions into Delphicoris where his Frontiers were least Fortified and lastly that Nasonius and the Hydra should make a Descent upon his Coasts take his Sea-Port Towns burn his Ships in their Harbour and pillage and spoil all the Country before them So that now Nasonius did not doubt but that Victoria seeing her Gallant so beset on every side would of her own accord come over to him and renounce her Faith and Troth to King Gallieno for ever To facilitate these great Undertakings they had prevail'd with Don Ibero to create the valiant Duke of Bawwawia Governour of Inferiana who had formerly won much Credit by fighting so successfully against the Half-Moon of the great Emperor Magog who accepted his Proffer though some Men too severe said that in doing so he sold all his Wit and former Reputation to the Iberians in taking upon him so troublesome and hazardous an Employ insomuch that he had left little or none to himself as the Event shew'd For he has made no Figure at all of a Souldier nor done any thing worthy the least note ever since he became Formalitoso's Underling However this served to keep up the drooping Hearts of the Inferianians ready to sink under the ill Success and bad Conduct of Nasonius As Astrologers consort it with Thieves to know what they have stollen that they may get Credit by telling how it was lost and how to retrieve it So it is a common thing with all Politicians to give half light of any Success they think themselves assured of to some Star-gazing Conjurer or Apocaliptical Fortune-Teller of some Reputation with the Common-People that when they read it foretold and afterwards see it come to pass they may conceit it was laid by Divine Providence and that that Person who is to bring it about is highly in Heaven's Books in that God would deign to signifie it thus to the admiring World before-hand Now Nasonius who was the very Idea of deep Policy knew right-well of what Consequence such a Prediction would be and therefore resolved to send for his Astrologer Sydrophell who had heretofore done him great Service in the same kind when he first intended to invade his Father Fugenius's Kingdoms Sydrophell when the Messenger came near hand was sitting in a dark brown-Study what he should say in his next Almanack by way of Star-Prophecy and yet not lose his Credit by being quite mistaken He saw no symptoms of Hope to prognosticate good luck to Nasonius and was to hearty to the Cause to tell bad Wherefore he left off that Quest and betook himself to invent some neat and profitable sleights of gulling the Credulous People and to make 'em believe he knew almost any Event by consulting the twelve Signs of the Zodiack As by Aries how may Cuckolds should be made next Year and who in particular By Taurus who was the first Bull that leap'd their Heifer By Gemini who should have two Children at a Birth or meet with double-hearted People By Cancer who should deceive them with false Pretences and delude them by Crawling backwards while they seemed to go forwards By Leo who should be a valiant Souldier and come to high Preferment for his feats in Arms. By Virgo who should be Married that Year and whether the Person courted for a Spouse be a Virgin c. He was got thus far in his Caelestial Speculation when the Messenger from Nasonius knock'd at the Door and summoned him at attend him where when he was arrived Sydrophell said Nasonius Thou knowest that formerly I caused an hint to be given thee when I had assurance of it my self of driving my Father Eugenius out of his Kingdom and thou didst acquit thy self well in prognosticating it very exactly both to my great credit and advantage and thine own Now I have such another Job for thee Ask me no questions nor hint thou heardst any thing from me for thy Life I do tell thee and assure thee that the Luyslandian Tyrant Gallieno will be quite pull'd down this Summer and therefore Prognosticate it boldly Let me alone replied Sydrophell I will make it so credible and so plain to all those silly Fools that understand nothing by the Position of the Planets and the unintelligible Schemes I shall erect that none of them all shall in the least suspect that I needed any Sublunary Advertisement of it nor is it for my credit they should So with a lowly bow he departed blessing his kind Stars which had shined so propitiously upon him as to offer him such pregnant occasions to make himself more famous than Booker Lilly or any of the rest of that Canting Tribe for now he made account that not only his Almanacks that related such grateful News but that when his Predictions succeeded all his future Writings would be snatcht up faster than they could be Printed To work then he went and foretold the doleful downfal of King Gallieno with so much Asseveration that if their were any Truth in Heaven that poor King was by the Nasonian Party given for lost already And to make this the more credible the Panym Star-gazer Monsieur Helmontius who had fled from Luyslandia to the Hydra did as we may suppose by the same Inspiration in which case it is no wonder if good Wits Jump with all imaginable assurance Prognosticate the same How exactly their Star-Prophecies were fullfilled will be seen in the Sequel The Spring was now come and Nasonius as was his custom having again drain'd a Mass of Money out of the Pockets of his poor Slaves the Vtopians took the Field very early with an hundred Thousand of Associate Souldiers at his Heel and was now tickled with the Conceit how he should firk King Gallieno But when it came to the Tryal instead of his invading Luyslandia King Gallieno came himself into Inferiana and laid Siege to the strongest City and Fort that remain'd there call'd Sambrina e're Nasonius once thought or dreamt of it It was very obvious to imagine that King Gallieno would set down before that Place and it had been easy for Nasonius he being first in the Field
to have possessed himself of the Posts and Avenues which gave the Luyslandians passage thither But as if the senceless Spirit Fatuitosa had intended to make a property of him and his Associates too it never once entred into their heads in all their Consultations to provide against so great a Mischief However when the Siege was already laid then as if he awak'd out of a Dream with some sudden noise he began to bustle up and bestir himself and march'd directly thither with his whole Army in a most formidable manner threatning to fight the Giant Gallieno and raise the Siege immediately But the politick Giant Grandorsio had by his Skill in Magick so postured his Army to cover King Gallieno who with another Army push'd on the Siege That Nasonius and his great Officers could not for their Lives tell how to come at them with any Safety or how to set upon him without hazarding their whole Army So they very soberly stood still and look'd on whilst King Gallieno and his Souldiers did with incredible Valour and Dexterity make themselves Masters of Sambrina Some were of opinion that this was an high point of Policy thus to stand still and view that by making their Observations how wisely King Gallieno went to work they might learn to take his Towns afterwards Others said they came to bear Witness that the Town was surely taken because they were very nigh and saw it with their own Eyes But the Nasonians imputed it to the Luyslandian Witches or to King Gallieno's Skill in Conjuration by which he caused a Storm upon the River Mahaignia which sunk some of their Bridges and Boats by which they should pass and by some Charm had so stupified their bethinking Faculties that they had forgot to provide or look afterward to make more But the wisest saw and said plainly that all those were but Pretences and that had they pass'd the River and attack'd the Giant Grandorsio in all liklyhood it had cost Nasonius the greatest part of his Army So King Gallieno being now possessed of that strongest City and Castle feasted his Nobility and the Lady Victoria and the next day he sent an Herauld to Nasonius offering him Battle within two days if he pleased to accept it Nasonius return'd him this Politick Answer That he would fight when himself saw fit Well then said Gallieno smiling I see Nasonius has nothing to say to me so I will leave him to the Mercy of Grandorsio and immediately returned to Tutelia with his Lady Victoria now more than ever endear'd to him by seeing his Warlike Courage and Conduct The Congratulations of his Subjects and triumphs they had prepared for him were very Noble and Magnificent But the noble King Gallieno would needs divest himself of that Merit and give the Honour of that Action to the Amazonian Lady Victoria who was in his Company all the while he took it And to that end he caus'd a large Medal to be Coin'd representing Nasonius with his Army looking on whilst Gallieno with his took Fambrina with this Motto about it Amat Victoria Testes Thus Paraphras'd in English Victory of her brave and valiant Deeds No more Authentick Witness could have chose Than this which Hist'ry's Credit far exceeds An hundred Thousand tamely viewing Foes CHAP. XII How Nasonius and the Hydra fought against half the Fleet of King Gallieno together witht the Reasons given by Jupiter why King Gallieno's Fortune should for the time receive some small Check ABout this time Nasonius and the Hydra with a vast Fleet of near an hundred Men of War prepared to infest King Gallieno by Sea fearing he should Land the good King Eugenius in Vtopia where those of his Subjects who had remain'd Loyal and others who became so by seeing their past Errors and present miseries were ready to joyn and receive him But Fatuitosa had so besotted Nasonius and his Council that when Eugenius's Forces came to the Sea-Coast they weakly imagined they were drawn thither meerly to hinder their making a Descent upon Luyslandia But when the Project was about to be put in Execution Dame Fortuna who was never constant in any thing an had ow'd King Gallieno a Spite for a long time for engrossing the Lady Victoria for her fickle nature hated that either Love or Success in War should be permanent and withall enrag'd that his Providence and Forecast made him so perpetually Victorious went to the Throne of Jupiter and to the Fates and complained heavily that her Deity would become neglected and Providence it self grow into Contempt if humane Courage and Policy should render the Designs of Mortals thus continually successful wherefore she earnestly besought them for Hers and their own Honours sake to give some Check to the too contant Successes of King Gallieno The matter was debated in the Senate of the Gods and it was unanimously voted that it was unworthy the Caelestial Deities and would seem as if they were Envious of Gallieno's high Merits should they hinder Wisdom and Valour from having their due Rewards and Successes Especially since Gallieno did humbly attribute all his Victories to the Overseers of the World and never failed to give Thanks accordingly But Jupiter standing up which made all the rest with a reverent Silence expect his final Determination deliver'd himself on this manner It is decreed by the Fates and I have signed the Decree and bid it stand irrevocable that Gallieno's well meant and wisely laid Designs shall in this juncture receive some small Check Not for his own sake for none but Fortuna who is blind her self could think his Merit ought not to be cherished with deserv'd success much less for King Eugenius's whose magnanimous Patience and Heroick Vertue under so many afflictions as well as his noble hearted Charity and Love to his People tho' Rebellious gives him a most deserved Title besides that of Justice to regain his Hereditary Right But for the sake of Traiterous Vtopia and to punish their Crying Sins of dis-allegiance and Ingratitude by the same Man whom of their own Head but not by me they have fondly set up to be their King which makes 'em incapable of so great a Mercy as the restoring to them so Fatherly and good a Prince Now that you may see how just this Decree of mine is of denying ' em yet as a deliverance from their Oppression I will make known to you how obstinately and willfully blind both Nasonius and they are in their wicked and malicious Errours and what I have done to signifie my displeasure at their disloyal and ungrateful Proceedings enough to make any repent of their Sins but such as are hardened in them I will not speak of the prodigious Mortallity of their Souldiers and Land nor of their Seamen at Sea nor divers other such but I will recount some of those disasters which pointed at their particular Persons I sent an horrible Tempest at Nasonius's first setting forth by that first
stayed and a great number of Souldiers were put in to defend it yet they drank so plentifully of the Sacred Liquor out of the mighty Vessel that they had little mind to defend their Works but easily quitted them upon every Attempt and in the end suffer'd the City to be taken by Storm making either none or a very mean defence whereupon the Luyslanders committed great Slaughter as is always done where a Place is taken by Assault got great Riches and broke the huge Vessel profanly letting all the Sacred Liquor run about there were some few who fled into the Castle but being threatned with an Assault they submitted upon easy terms and thus Allemano-Mastix became wholly Master of the place to dispose of at his pleasure The Regomanians were enrag'd at the taking their Holy City and the affront offer'd to the God Bacchus and Rabadenero being now reinforc'd with his late Supplies resolv'd to give Battle to Allemano Mastix to revenge this Injury But he led them a wild-goose Chase while they followed stamping and swearing and knew not where to find and yet durst not march very fast lest they should fall into some of his Ambuscades and so make the matter still worse for they were as afraid of his Craft as they were of his Valour and thus both Parties standing on their Guard and seeking their advantage they were both too wary to do any thing further and therefore we will now leave them playing at Bo-peep and return to great Giant Grandorsio While Matters stood thus with the Associates and their Heads and Hearts were full of Troubles the restless Giant Grandorsio was contriving how he might further distress and vex them and vvell remembring that he had been much annoyed by a strong Enchanted Fort called Caroloregium he thought this his time to be revenged of it and well knowing that none now durst appear to interrupt him or were able to hinder his Design he marched thither and sat down before it The nevvs of this bold Attempt made the Associates at their Wits end and though they could do nothing yet to set as good a Face on the matter as might be they met to consult what to do Nasonius who was always forward and though Bashful in the Face of an Enemy yet bold as any whatsoever when they were far enough off made this Proposal That he might gather together all the scattered Forces and drain all that could be spared out of Garrisons and go and raise the Siege They replied that they were not at present able to bring such a considerable force into the Field as might venture to encounter Grandorsio and a miscarriage in the Attempt might be the loss of their other Garrisons Nosonius insisted upon it as his Priviledge and Prerogative that no Town ought to be taken but that he with an Army ought to stand and look on or at least be within hearing Answer was made that he had forfeited that Priviledge by not being present at the taking of Huana when he had an Army and might have been there and looked on his Belly full if he durst Great wrangling there was and many things were argued to and fro but in the end it was very gravely concluded that it was not safe for them to attempt any thing but they would trust to the strength of the Place and leave Grandorsio to do what he could whom in the bitterness of their Soul they bloodily cursed whilst he like the Fox fared the better for it Caroloregium was a Place strong both by Nature and Art it seemed to be Dedicated to Mars as thriving best in the time of War and having few Inhabitants besides Souldiers it was not easily to be approached as being Scituate at the meeting of two Rivers and in the open part in a great measure guarded by a wonderful Enchanted Pond or Lake many mighty Spells had been formerly set upon it by the great Necromancer Archimedes and the haughty Don Ibero Formalitoso setting no small value upon it had put in the choicest of his Souldiers to defend it and commanded all his Conjurers to use their utmost Skill to strengthen it against all attacks so that by many it was thought impregnable But all this could not discourage the hardy and daring Grandorsio from his Undertaking yet in pursuing his Design he met with many difficulties and was longer held in play than some who thought themselves wise layed wagers he would When his Men drew near the Lake strange and terrible Flashes of Fire would rise out of the Water and lamentably Scorch and Burn them when they endeavoured to fill it up with Billets either the flashing Fires in a Moment consumed them or the Lake swallowed them up so that they thought it had no bottom Grandorsio being thus at a loss sent to his old Friend that Devil of a Conjurer Archimedes who by the Messenger sent him this Answer that he should mind his Batteries and his Bombs but not trouble himself about the Lake nor any way concern himself as to it for he would take Care of that in a very short time to his Satisfaction that he should be able to walk over it dry-shod Having received this Answer he bestowed no more pains that way but with his Batteries and his Bombs so plied the Town that he scarce gave the Besieged any Rest and on the other hand they were not wanting to themselves but returned Cannon for Cannon and with continual Firing gaul'd or cut off the approaching Men and as opportunity served made sudden Sallies and destroyed the Works as well as Persons of the the Besiegers Grandorsio seeing their Resolution and knowing that none could appear in the Field to disturb him made slower approaches and with greater safety to preserve his Men But in the end with his Flying Fireballs he so burnt the Town that it was little but a heap of Ruines and the Besieged were forced to secure themselves by retiring into certain Enchanted Cells made by Magick Art adjoining to their Walls and Fortifications and to their farther grief the roaring Cannon had frighted a part of their Wall so that there appeared a Breach whereat several Souldiers at a time might enter While Grandorsio was about this Work the Conjurer Archimedes was not idle or forgetful of his Promise for being one of general Acquaintance and having dealings with all sorts of Devils he employed certain Subterranean Spirits who made such Cavities and Conveyances under ground that suddenly to the amazement both of Besiged and Besiegers the Pond or Lake appeared dry Nevertheless the Besieg'd still seem'd obstinate and all their Charms and Conjurations did not yet fail them for violent Flashes of Lightning and certain Fiery Spirits seemed to guard the Breach that none could enter but in the end their Breaches being daily made wider the way to them laid plain and open and there being no hopes of relief they Capitulated to whom Grandorsio granted very honourable Conditions which being accepted and
AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE OF THE WARS Between the Mighty GIANT GALLIENO And the Great KNIGHT NASONIUS And His ASSOCIATES ridentem dicere verum Quis vetat Doublin Printed in the Year 1694. AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE OF THE WARS c. CHAP. I. How the Mighty Giant Gallieno dealt with other Princes and how they joined in a Confederacy against him SOmetimes in the famous and rich Country of Luyslandia reigned a mighty Giant by name Gallieno by some called also Grandissimo who for his great Prowess and War-like Exploits became Terrible to all his Neighbours in so much that no Man tho' never so hardy was able to compare with him in Feats of Arms or by plain Force or Policy to Encounter Him He had already Subdued the fair Countries of Lothoringia Alsatia Millesia with part of Trapezond Calatonia and Inferiana and made Inroads into other Places and was now grown so formidable as all Men stood in great dread of him This Gallieno was moreover a great Necromancer for he had at his devotion many Familiar Spirits who gave him notice of the Strength and all the Secret Designs of other Princes So that nothing could be hid from him that he desired to know He had also by the same wonderful Art got all his Cities and Castles inchanted so that no mortal Power was able to take them and a damnable Spell set round about his Dominions in so much that scarce any Enemy could enter them or if he did he could not stay there long and wish'd afterwards he had never come there at all After which having as he thought made all things Safe and Sure he surceased from War and led his Life in Quiet and Pleasure right-glad of the many Conquests he had made But it fortuned that as he slept one night in his Bed he saw in his Dream many Armed men of several Nations come against him on all sides threatning him with their Swords Pikes and Guns as if they meant to kill him Whereupon awaking and calling up Mephostophilo one of his familiar Spirits and asking him what it meant he answered and said unto him My dread Lord This is no Dream but the very Truth which I have revealed unto you in your sleep There are many Nations who envying your Greatness are now bandying against you in Council to bereave you of what you have got by force of your Arms and of your own Inheritance to boot Which as soon as Gallieno heard he sent for all his Under-Giants and Great Officers to Surprize their Towns before they could be in a readiness to oppose him which they did accordingly especially in Trapezond otherwise called Regomania Now the chief Princes and Potentates who had joined into an Association against Gallieno were these Austriaco the Great Emperour of Trapezond Don Ibero Formalitoso the Proud the Duke of Bawwaw Tricongio with many other Potentates of Regomania and lastly the dreadful many headed Monster called Hydra whose property it was to spit out Flames of Fire in the midst of the Water I do not mean that Hydra which in times of Yore as Historical Romances do inform us was quell'd by the Famous Champion Sir Hercules for this was a Water Hydra of another kind and living under the Sea was for that reason of great repute in the Court of the Sea-God Neptune who was a great Friend to it on all Occasions except when it's Demerits or the blustering Affronts of God Eolus do put him into an ill humour Now this Monster Hydra was mightily afraid of the Great Giant Gallieno having heard by Tradition that he was descended of the Race of the most Valiant Knight Sir Hercules but especially since he had by his Necromancy got the trick of spitting Fire on the water as well or better than it self Wherefore tho' this Hydra was half Panim yet those Christian Princes were glad of its Assistance against the Giant Gallieno as dreading his great Prowess and standing in great fear of his Necromantick Policy Besides the Monster Hydra was Powerfully abetted by one of the Idol-Goddesses they chiefly worshipped called Mammoneta to which they were particularly devoted and often Sacrificed to her some of their Children and Relations by exposing them to the Throw in Storms as their Heathenish Custom was to the bottom of the Sea for her sake And yet this many-headed Monster Hydra was all this while as being born and bred in the Sea more Fish than Flesh It had the Head and Face of a Man the Beard of a Goat the Neck of a Bull and the Belly of a Hog but was of the nature of a Herring of which for the most part it fed It had also a slight Cross on the Forehead tho' the mark of it was for the most part half worn out but no sign at all of Christianity any where else Yet for Neptune's sake and the assistance they hop'd from Mammoneta even those Christian Princes were right-glad to have the Monster Hydra on their Side and indeed it was no shallow Monster but as Crafty and Politick as any of them all and knew how to watch for its Advantage very Sedulously especially when there was any Mony to be got or kept CHAP. II. How Nasonius the Famous Knight of the Hydropick Land got into high Esteem there and how he disgusted Fortuna in attempting to ravish the Amazonian Lady Victoria NOW so it fortuned that in times of Yore the Hydra Commonwealth had great Wars against their own King Don Ibero against whom they had rebelled and tho' they had very many Heads yet being more Fishermen than Souldiers they had never a good one fit to lead an Army or at least none so good as the noble Kt. Nasonius who in all Justs and Tournaments had behaved himself right-valiantly and won much Renown For which reason those of his Family and their Descendents were out of meer necessity by the Hydropick Commonwealth chosen to be their Generals in War which they call the Hydra-holder by which means they came to that Power that one of them attempted to Sear one of the Heads of the Hydra and that was the greatest of them call'd Emporiana but living under water it gush'd forth such Floods upon his approach that it quench'd all his Irons Now in the time of the War with the Giant Gallieno it happened that Hydra had for its General a hardy Knight of the Nasonian Family who was for a particular Reason very visible to be seen Height Nasonious who had behaved himself so craftily that tho many of the Heads hated him for his high and proud Humour yet there was some others that Loved and more that feared him the which bred much difference between the Heads yet all of them having but one Body they never fell to open VVars with one another This Famous Knt. Nasonius being as great VVarriors used to be exceeding Amorous and much given to court fair Ladies had a long time made Suit to Dame Fortuna not regarding her want of
however their Souldiers being well disciplin'd and of late somewhat flushed and eager they presumed of the advantage in the Stoutness and Valour of their Men and therefore resolved to give Battle nor did Sabaudocrato at all decline it Both sides seeming thus eagerly bent upon it the Generals drew up their Forces in Battle-Array in a large Plain where all advantages for Ground Numbers and all other matters except Brains were so equal on both sides that there was likely to be as fair a Tryal of Skill as had been known in many Ages The on set was fierce on both sides and for sometime it seem'd doubtful which way the victory would incline After some time the Left wing of Sobaudocrato made the Right Wing of Sabaudiero where the Altianians were to give way but to make amends for that the Left Wing of Sabaudiero where the Iberians and Regomanian were made the Right Wing of Sabaudocrato to go back in some disorder so that still there seem'd to be no great odds but Sabaudocrato wisely foreseeing the Danger and knowing where his Battle was weakest had so posted the good Knight Prioro that he might in time of need come to their Succour which he did just in the nick of time and thus re-inforcing and rallying them again the Ibeâ—ians and Regomanians were slaughtered in great numbers and being overpower'd were forced to retreat and Sabaudiero not succouring his Left Wing it was utterly routed and now they were no longer able to stand the best Men retired in as good order as they could but the greatest part of hiâ— Forces lay at the Mercy of the Luyslanders who in their Fury made Mortal Havock of them which Sabaudiero beholding in Compaâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 prevailed with Sicamber a Valiant but Wicked Knight the 〈…〉 old Refugio to try if he could bring them off which with a strong detachment of Horse he attempted and covered the retreat of many but in the Action was himself mortally Wounded and within a few days died So short an Enjoyment had he of the Fruits of his own and his Father's Treachery The Forces of Sabaudiero thus utterly broken he durst no more appear in the Field but put what were left into his Garrisons to strengthen them in hope they might hold out Winter now drawing on then fled out of his Dominions for Safety of his Life and to sollicite the Associate Princes to supply him with fresh Succours CHAP. XVIII How the great Giant Allemano Mastix took the goodly City Necariana and how the Giant Grandorsio took the strong Enchanted Fort called Caroloregium and what Measures and Resolutions the Associates and Nasonius took thereupon THis Disaster which happened to Sabaudiero was upon many accounts very grievous and prejudicial to all the Associates for it was a strange Blow to their Reputation and People in all places made it their sport and cast out bitter Scoffs against them that those who had so boasted of their Strength in Montania and told the World how sure they were of Victory should be so miserably beaten by those whom they despised but which was worse they were forced to sit still and look on while the Enemy in all places ravaged and spoiled and did what he list for they were not able to bring any Army into the Field to face an Enemy unless a small Force upon the great River Rhenusia from whom they themselves did expect little good and they were not a little afraid that Sabaudiero would clap up a Peace with Gallieno the way to which seem'd the less difficult by reason of the near Relation between them and the Inclinations Gallieno had always shewn towards it and that would utterly break all their Measures and make their bad Condition desperate But still to increase their Sorrow and Shame Misfortunes and further Losses attended them in all places the great Allemano-Mastix had been a sore scourge to them upon the flood Rhenusia but to encounter and if possible drive him away they had sent the puissant Knight Rabadenero who was a villanous Fighting Fellow and had done Wonders against the Half-Moon but he finding that the Scene was alter'd when he came against the brave Luyslander posted himself securely and would by no means be drawn to sight for which many commend his Wisdom of which he had scarce ever before given any Testimony for that he was inferiour in number and had to do with equally disciplin'd Men Allemano-Mastix covetous of Glory had an aching Tooth to try what this mighty Man at Arms could do and would sometimes make him fair offers sometimes ravage his Country before his Face and was always by one means or other provoking or tempting him to Battle but Rabadenero would by no means be drawn to run the hazard Whilst the eager Luyslander was working his Brains to compass his design it came into his Head that there was a fair City hight Necariana Dedicated to the God Bacchus which God the Regomanians adore above all others for that he was both a Stout Fighter and a Good-Fellow in this City the Bacchanalia or Feasts of their beloved God were kept in which there was no great store Victuals but a World of Drink and to that end and purpose a vast Vessel was made or rather built at the publick Charge which might contain Wine enough to serve all the Comers to the Feast from all Quarters this Vessel was in all those parts known by the name of Decumandolium Necarianum and upon the Front or head thereof was written in Letters of Gold this Motto EX LVXET POCVLA SACRA For this or the like Reason I suppose that when they were mellow with their Festival Cups their dull Souls were enlightned or their Eyes saw double which they took to be a great advantage and therefore hated Sobriety because it always bereav'd them of half the Goods they had or which at least they thought they had whilst their Brains swam in Liquor Allemano-Mastix concluded with himself that they would never suffer this Sacred Place and the Consecrated Vessel to be taken but would rather fight it desperately at any disadvantage and therefore to draw them to a Battle for otherwise he valued not the place he went and Besieged Necariana giving out that if he took it he would break the Decumandolium all to pieces so that they should not be able to celebrate the Feast of their darling God Bacchus The noise of this Siege presently slew through all Regomania and all Persons were mightily concerned for their Holy City and impatiently urged Rabadenero to relieve it but he knowing his own want of Forces and with whom he had to do could not be prevail'd on but that he might let them see it was not his fault he earnestly sollicited all Parties concern'd for Supplies but they came so slowly that it had been to as much purpose if they had not come at all for a great part of the Inhabitants fled away at first carrying their Riches along with them and though many