Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	age_n	old_a	year_n	4,796	5	5.3056	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42291	Spanish letters: historical, satyrical, and moral; of the famous Don Antonio de Guevara Bishop of Mondonedo, chief minister of state, and historiographer royal to the Emperor Charles V. Written by way of essay on different subjects, and every where intermixt with both raillerie and gallantry. Recommended by Sir Roger L'Estrange, and made English from the best original by Mr. Savage.	Guevara, Antonio de, Bp., d. 1545?; Savage, John, 1673-1747.; L'Estrange, Roger, Sir, 1616-1704.	1697 (1697)	Wing G2182A; ESTC R216443	91,517	200

to grow great The one to share what you have with the Poor and your Friends the other always to lay up for Old Age The on● to be very Circumspect in talking the other to value your self much upon your Tongue The one to believe only in Christ the other to make it your business only to get Money If upon these Twelve Conditions My Lord you are willing to be a Roman much good may it do you but no doubt at the day of Judgment you will rather wish you had been a Plowman in Spain than Ambassador to the Holy See I will say no more but pray God to keep you and give both you and me an happy end Granada Iuly 20. 1525. LETTER XVIII To Doctor Micer Sumier Regent of Naples in Answer to several Moral Questions Magnificent SIR but Importunate Friend NEither is it Untrue nor am I Sorry for Saying and Affirming that as I make it my Business to Serve you you do nothing but Study to Plague me which is demonstrable in that you now send me a-new Questions never thought on nor I believe ever so much as heard of before Nevertheless I am of Opinion you do not so much Ask out of a desire to have 'em Answer'd as to try my Ability and therefore must tell you that on one hand your Letter caus'd me a great deal of Mirth and on the other no less Disquiet you being in some places extreamly Pleasant when in others extravagantly Curious I would not have you Proud because I say you are Curious since you do not fail to shew at the same time you have little else to do As it must be allow'd you are Prudent in most you say so it will as easily be granted you are over-capricious in what is said to you for should I take the same liberty as you have done no doubt you wôuld soon conclude I had either too much leisure or too little Judgment Nevertheless where you seem'd to Write but in Jest I am resolv'd to Answer you in good Earnest imitating herein the ancient Orators who were always wont to exert their Eloquence most where they found the least Occasion You first Ask me Sir How one Man shall do to know another so that he may either safely receive or carefully avoid him I Answer 4 ways By his Undertakings Productions Words and Companions For the Man that by Nature is Proud in Business Negligent in Words a Lyar and who keeps bad Company I am sure is neither fit to be Trusted nor proper to be Believ'd You Ask me How many things in this Life can have no Equal I Answer Four which are our Liberty Learning Health and Good Works For Liberty lightens the Heart Learning enriches the Mind Health preserves the Body and Virtue saves the Soul You Ask me What are those things that most easily deceive a Man and soonest ruin him I Answer Four Desire of having much Inclination to know much Over-experience of the World and too great Presumption of ones Abilities For too much Knowledge ends in Madness too great Wealth creates Pride Living long makes Men Negligent and Self-conceit renders 'em Unmindful of their Frailties You Ask me Sir What is to be requir'd in a good Judge I Answer Four Qualities That he hear with Patience Answer with Prudence Condemn with Justice and Execute with Mercy For he that is impatient in Hearing Foolish in Answering Partial in Sentencing and Cruel in Executing I am sure is rather fit to stand at the Bar to be Tried than sit on the Bench to Determine You Ask me What makes a Man Discreet in his Behaviour and Wise in his Words I Answer Four things Reading many Books Travelling many Kingdoms Suffering many Hardship and Managing great Affairs For to raise a Man to the true Estimation of Wisdom he must have seen the World been conversant in Books Undergone Troubles and Exercis'd no Ordinary Employments You Ask me What are those things a Man thinks himself frequently possess'd of and yet generally wants ' em I Answer they are Four Many Friends Much Knowledge Great Wisdom and Extraordinary Power For there is none so Great but may be Vanquish'd so Wise that do not sometimes Err so Knowing but are often Ignorant nor so Happy but have many Enemies Therefore we may well be said to have fewer Friends than we imagine To know less than we Fancy and in fine to have both our Power and even our Wisdom but very imperfect You Ask me Sir What frequently ruines a Man and from which he rarely recovers I Answer To Neglect his Business Forsake the Councel of a Faithful Friend To meddle with what he has nothing to do and lastly To spend more than his Income For he that is Negligent in what he Undertakes Rejects the Advice of his Wise Friend Concerns himself in anothers Affairs and Spends more than he has shall soon have a downfal and find no body to raise him You ask me what are those things a a Man would rather die than suffer I Answer in my Opinion they are Four Poverty in old Age Sickness in Prison Infamy after Honour and Banishment from his own Country For to be Poor when old Sick in Prison Infamous when Honour'd and Banish'd without hopes of return A Brave Man would sooner accept a Virtuous Death than such a Miferable Life You ask me Sir Who are those that both God Abhors and Man Abominates I Answer a Proud Beggar a Rich Miser an Old Leacher and Young Rakeshame For where Youth loses its Modesty Age its Chastity Riches its Charity and Poverty its Humility there can be no Virtue Cherish'd much less Practis'd You ask me Sir Who are those that may properly be said to have true Friends I Answer Four sorts of Men which are the Eloquent Liberal Powerful and good Natur'd For they who speak with a Grace give with a free Heart are wise in their Commands and Courteous in their Conversation shall live in every Bodies esteem and never want Friends You ask me What are the greatest troubles of this Life I Answer the Death of ones Children Loss of ones Estate Prosperity of ones Enemies and weakness of ones Friends For it must needs be a grear Torment to Bury a Child one has bred lose an Estate one has got be subject to an Enemy or have a Fool to ones Friend You ask me Sir What are those tryals wherein a Man commonly loses his Patience I Answer to Serve and not Please to Ask and not Receive to Give without Thanks and Hope without Success For a Mans endeavours to be ill Rewarded his Petitions Rejected his Debts with-held and Hopes Frustrated he may indeed Suffer but nevertheless can never prevail with his Tongue to conceal ' em You ask me Sir What are those things that sooner cease to be than care to be satisfied I Answer Four the Ears with Hearing Hands with Hoarding Tongue with Talking and Heart with Coveting For be a Man never so Old and Diseas'd his Ears are

a whole Country Old Men at your years must not only give good Example but also good Advice for as it is the Nature of Youth to wander it ought to be the Property of Age to walk uprightly and councel others to do the like Old Men at your years must be meek modest and peaceable for if once they occasion'd Disturbances and Broils they are now by all means to promote Unity Old Men at your years are to instruct the Ignorant and support the Weak and where they cannot Relieve they ought at least to Comfort for many times an Afflicted Heart receives greater Consolation from Words well spoken than whatever can possibly be given Old Men at your years must busie themselves in setling Affairs at home and bewailing their Sins abroad for he may very well be assur'd of his Salvation who in his Life-time does what he ought and at his Death the best he can Old Men at your years should be very sparing of Words and brief in Relations neither must they be addicted to tell Romances or repeat Drolls for if young People on this acc●unt are term'd Wild and Lewd Old assuredly will be esteem'd Mad-Men and Buffoons Old Men at your years should avoid all manner of Litigiousness and if possible buy off Law-Suits at any rate thereby to save themselves much trouble for Young People only endure such Fatigues whilst Old cannot help fretting incessantly at the least Disappointment Old Men at your years must converse with People of good Inclinations and no ill Conditions in whom they may safely Repose and with whom they may securely Discourse nothing in this World being so great ease to the Heart of Man as pleasing Conversation Old Men at your years must seek out and choose Virtuous Persons for Friends and be very careful such as they pitch upon and converse with be neither over-given to talk nor importunate in asking Friendship and Importunity being for the most part incompatible Old Men at your years ought not to entertain any other vain or Worldly thoughts than those of Managing their Estates and looking after their Families for he that does not mind his Estate will certainly starve and who neglects his Family will as surely never want Misfortunes Old Men at your years are oblig'd only to be clean and decently Dress'd for where gayety is commendable in Youth in Age it is greatly to be despis'd Old Men at your years must very cautiously avoid quarrelling with Enemies or wrangling with Neighbours bec●use where they happen to have abusive Language given 'em the mischief is they may have Sense enough to resent but have not strength sufficient to revenge Old Men at your years must be very Charitable and Compassionate for as raw young Fellows being infatuated with the Affairs of the World think it enough they are call'd Christians Old Men who have had more Experience and are undeceiv'd may assure themselves God will never have Mercy where they want Charity Old Men at your years ought to have Pious Books to improve their time and History to divert them for since Age will neither permit travel nor labour they must otherwise of necessity be all day idle and thoughtful therefore 't were much better they should employ their time in reading than tiring themselves out with reflecting on times past Old Men at your years are to avoid sitting in Councel or medling with Government because the Business there is for the most part manag'd by turbulent Youths and byass'd Persons Men of Sense being seldom or never believ'd and ancient People as rarely regarded Old Men at your years when either advis'd with must not be rash loud nor positive because Youth is only permitted to be Headstrong where Age is always to be govern'd by Reason Old Men at your Age must be sober peaceable and chaste and rather value themselves on their Virtues than Years for in these and all other times Men have been still more Respected for good Lives than living long Old Men at your years after taking necessary care of their Souls must next have regard to their Bodies for as Galen says Old Age is of that wonderful Nature it is neither an absolute Disease nor perfect Health Old Men at your years must endeavour to have a House airy and open to the Sun that it may be both wholesome and pleasant for I am of Opinion no Money is better laid out than what an ancient Person parts with that way Old Men at your years must not only be sure to live in a good House but also to lie on a good Bed and take care as the one be made soft the other be kept warm for an ancient Man being always tender and sickly takes more harm by a little Air at a Cranny than he did when young in a Frosty Night Old Men at your years must beware they have but few Dishes on their Table as also that the Meat be tender and well season'd for otherwise if they eat much and love variety they will always be sickly and seldom be at rest for tho they may have Money wherewithall to buy they rarely have Stomachs sufficient to digest Old Men at your years must have a warm Bed a Room well hung a soft Fire and Chimney that does not smoak for the Life of Old People depends chiefly on being cleanly keeping themselves warm and living easie Old Men at your years must be cautious of living over Water standing on moist Ground and sleeping in windy Places because being tender as Children and naturally infirm the Air penetrates their Pores and Dampness soon seizes their Spirits Old Men at your years upon pain of Death must be moderate at Dinner and abstinent at Supper because their Stomachs being weak and cold cannot digest two Meals a day when that greedy old Person who presumes to do the contrary will both belch much and sleep little Old Men at your years to prevent Sicknesses and growing fat and unweildy must lighten themselves sometimes with Exercise otherwise perhaps they may once happen to be seised by an Astma which will so choak 'em up they shall rather seem to blow than breath Old Men at your years should be very cautious of giving ill Language to Servants and must bear sometimes with Failings and besides pay 'em duly their Wages and this that they may live easie and not dissatisfied for otherwise they will be negligent in performing their Duty and very often subject to Steal Old Men at your y●ars must make it their chief business to go to Church but if any one thinks much of this Injunction I require it no oftner of him than he went to see his Mistress when young To conclude Old Men at your years must endeavour to wear their Cloaths neat Linnen clean keep their Houses decent and Beds sweet for he who is Ancient and would be esteem'd Wise if he desires to be healthy and live contented must keep his Body free from Lice and Mind from Disgusts At the end of your

his Judgment for in all he Writ or said he made it his Chief business to lessen Hypocrates and cry up himself insomuch that he was the first that wrested Physick from t●e Protection of Reason and plac'd it in Custody of Opinion This Physician dying there grew great contentions amongst the Grecians which of the two Methods was best that of Hippocrates or the other of Chrysippus But at length they agreed in this that they would neither follow one nor admit the other affirming that Honour and Life ought never to become matter of dispute Thus the Grecians continued another hundred Years without Physicians till Aristrato Nephew to the great Aristo●le arose and Rescued Physick from Oblivion and this not that he was more Learned than his Predecessors but rather more Fortunate This Man recover'd the Credit of Physick by curing A●tiochus the first of an Infirmity in his Lungs in return of which the King gave him his Daughter 1000 Talents of Silver and a Gold Cup So that he not only hereby gain'd great repute thro' all Europe but also considerably enrich'd his Family But nevertheless he first brought a Scandal upon this Profession it having been never before known that any Cur'd for Hire or set a price upon their Art all before him contenting themselves either with Friendship or Charity This Man Dying his Disciples soon became more Covetous than Wise and had greater skill in draining Purses than relieving Maladies insomuch that the Senate of Athens was once more set at work to forbid any Physick being Read or for the future Practis'd among ' em What other Interruptions Physick underwent Another hundred Years was Physick exploded in Europe till the Philosopher Euperices restor'd it in the Kingdom of Trinacria Sicily But he and a Quack happening to quarrel about curing K. Chrysippus who then Reigned in that Island it was Universally agreed that for the future no mixt Potions should be us'd but only Simples Prescrib'd A long while was Sicily and the greatest part of the World without knowledge of the Art of Physick till Herophilus a Man of great skill both in that Art and Astrology started up in Rhodes Many affirm this Person was Master to Ptolemy and others that he was but his Scholar However 't is certain he left many learned Astrogical Treatises and Educated a great number of Famous Pupils This Physician was of opinion the Pulse was not to be consulted in in the Arm but Temples saying it never failed to shew it self there when it was sometimes conceal'd in the Wrist This Secret was so Sacred among the Rhodians that they maintain'd and Practis'd it always as long as their Doctor and his Disciples liv'd yet at length it came to be neglected altho' the Physician was never forgot For after his and his Scholars Deaths they would neither suffer themselves to be cur'd nor admit any Practisers among 'em and this for fear they might vary from their great Masters Authority or out of an aversion they had to new Opinions After all these Physick lay dead for almost 800 Years as well in Europe as Asia till the great Philosopher and Physician Asclepiades appear'd in the Island Mitilene formerly Lesbos a Man Learned enough but withal extreamly Fortunate This Person opposed consulting the Pulse in the Wrist as now Practised and was for those in the Temples or Nostrils which was not thought so extravagant but the Asian Physicians made frequent use of 'em a long time after During all this we do not read of any Physician in Rome or Italy for 't is well known the Romans were the last of all the World that had Clocks Buffoons Barbarians and Physicians introduc'd among ' em Four Hundred and Six Years and Six Months was the great City of Rome without either Physician or Surgeon and the first we read of was Antonius Musa a Grecian The occasion of whose coming thither was a Sciatica the Emperor Augustus had in his Thigh which he having totally Eradicated and Cur'd the Romans in Gratitude rais'd him a Porphyry Statue in the Campus Martius Prodigious Wealth might this Man have got and arriv'd to the Fame of a great Philosopher had he been contented not to go beyond his Profession his hard Fate proceeding from a pretence to Surgery where his business was Physick For it being often necessary in that Art to cut off Arms Legs Fingers sear Flesh and apply Cupping glasses the Romans not accustomed to see such Cruelties or undergo such Tortures instead of Recompencing his knowledge at length Ston'd and dragg'd him Dead thro' the City When they had thus handled this unfortunate Man they immediately resolv'd never to admit Physician or Surgeon more among 'em which continued till the Reign of Infamous Nero who in his return from Greece brought Physicians and Vices good Store along with him During whose Reign and his Successors Galba Otto and Vitellius Physick was of great esteem in Italy but after their Deaths the good Emperor Titus banish'd both Orators and Physicians his reason being the former were destroyers of good Customs as the latter Enemies of health He added farther I Banish Physicians to prevent Vice for 't is well known where they reside for the most part the people are very wicked The great Cato Uticensis was very Jealous of this Profession especially where they were like to inhabit the Roman Empire for once writing to his Son Marcellus from Greece he says thus In yours and my Case it is evident the the Love of a Father out-does the Duty of a Son for where you have forgot to write to me I not only frequently take care to send you Letters but also provide for your Necessaries If you will not converse with me as a Father pray write to me as a Friend and where you cannot respect my Gray Hairs have at least regard to my good Works You know Son Marcellus I have been now five Years successively in Greece and resided for the most part in Athens where are the most Famous Philosophers and Celebrated Academies in the World If you would know my opinion of these Grecians it is this They talk much and do little call all others Barbarous and themselves only Learned are Friends to those who will be guided by 'em but Enemies to such as will not Dissemble Injuries but never forgive 'em are constant in Hate but variable in Love Hide-bound when they give and Covetous when they get And in a Word Son Marcellus they are naturally Proud and Imperious where they Command and Slavish when th●y Ob●y This is what the Philosophers Teach and People Practise wherewith I thought fit to inform you that you might have no Inclinations to leave Rome to c●me hither for you know well the Prudence and Staidness of our Country would suit but ill with the Levity and N●velties of Greece The day our Sacred Senate shall permit th● Greek Ar●s and Sciences to enter Rome ou● whole Republick will be inevitably ruin'd for where the Romans have

the greater part will be sure to wait upon Fortune All Acquaintance are not proper for Friends for tho they may be honest enough yet they are generally indiscreet and where we may be allow'd to have a respect for their Persons it will not be prudence to trust 'em with our Secrets These and many other Qualities are to be requir'd in a true Friend all which tho you may find in my Mouth yet I would not advise you to expect ' ●m in my Heart and therefore you would do wisely neither to think of me for your Lord nor choose me for a Friend for as to one I am not powerful enough and the other not good enough No more but God Preserve you and give me Grace to serve and obey Him Logronio May 3. 1526. LETTER V. To the Abbot of Monserrat in which he Treats of the Oratories of the Ancients together with some few Reflections on the Court. Most Reverend and Holy Abbot THe Eleventh of May a Monk of yours Father Roderigo gave me your Reverences Letter which I not only receiv'd with Joy but also Read with Pleasure and that because sent from so Noble a Friend and brought by so good a Brother Of the Emperor Aurelian 't is reported that the Consul Domicius his Dispatches were so very troublesome to him he would run 'em over slightly indeed but never take any farther notice of 'em when on the contrary those of the Censor Annius Turinus he not only Read deliberately but speedily Answered with his own Hand In truth Sir there are some Men so very troublesome in Conversation and impertinent in Writing that one would sooner chuse to endure a Calenture than either hear them Talk or Read their Letters But this is not to be wondered at since the various Constitutions and Conditions of Men often occasion the Heart to desire what it should hate and be indifferent in what it should Love I mean I am always too negligent to hear from Monserrat and yet am still pleas'd at Court You desire to know Reverend Father if the Ancients had Oratories like us and where they were to be found in which I will satisfie you as to what I have Read or can at present Remember The Oracle of the Sicilians was Bacchus Of the Rhodians Ceres of the Ephesians their great Diana of the Philistines Belus of the Greci●ns Delphos of the Numidians Iuno of the Romans Berecinthia of the Thebans Venus and lastly of the Spaniards Proserpine whose Temple was in Cantabria now Navarre What we Christians call an Hermitage they then nam'd an Oracle which was always plac'd in some Remote part or City of great Veneration There one Priest always attended close lock'd up for they that went on Pilgrimage thither were to kiss the Walls and pay their Devotion without entring except the Priests only and Foreign Ambassadors Near this Oracle were Trees planted within it Lamps continually burning and the Roof of it was all of Lead At the Door stood a great Image to receive Devotion near which was an Altar placed for Sacrifice and a House built to lodge Pilgrims Plutarch exceedingly commends Alexander the Great because where-ever he Conquer'd he order'd Temples to pray in and Oracles to Visit. King Antigonus once Page to Alexander and Father of Demetrius thô he was blam'd by Historians for being Arbitrary and Dissolute yet they greatly magnifi'd him for his Devotion in going once a Week to the Temple and once a Month to the Oracle The Senate of Athens honour'd Plato much more after his Death than when he was Alive and their Reason was because he at length retir'd from Study and Books to the Oracle of Delphos where he Liv'd Dy'd was Buried and afterwards ador'd for a God Archidamas the Grecian Son of Agesilaus having govern'd the Common-wealth of Athens 22 Years and moreover obtain'd many Signal Victories both by Land and Sea at length caus'd a Famous Oracle to be Built upon the steep Mountains of Argos where he ended his Life as also chose a Sepulchre Of all the Oratories of the Ancients that in the Isle of Delphos was the most Famous for thither all Nations had recourse brought most Offerings and there made most Vows and received most Answers from their Gods When Camillus had overcome the Samnites the Romans vow'd to make an Image of Gold and send it to theirOracle Whereupon the Ladies tore off the Chains from their Necks Bracelets from their Arms and the very Rings from their Fingers to promote so Pious a design whereby they receiv'd great Honour as also some Privileges I thought fit to give you these Examples Reverend Father that you might know 't is no new thing to have Oratories and Oracles The difference betwixt ours and theirs being the one was appointed by Men and the other chosen by God I never pass by your thick Woods daring Mountains frightful Precipices and gaping Gulphs but I immediately dispose my self to Devotion and would to God I could continue the same here But woe is me Wo is me Father Abbot that the older I grow the worse I am for in Wishes I am only a Saint where in Works I still continue a Sinner I know not whether it be because Friends advise me Parents importune me Enemies misguide me Business hinders me Caesar imploys me or the Devil tempts me that the more I resolve to retire from this bad World the more I find my self engag'd in it But is there any sincere Pleasure in the Court No certainly For here we suffer Hunger Cold Thirst Weariness Poverty Sadness Trouble Disgrace and Persecution and this because we have no body to deprive us of our Liberty or take account of our Ease Believe me Father Abbot Your Country is much safer to live in both for Soul and Body than ours here for at Court 't is better to Hear than Act See than Reflect and Suffer than Resent At Court he that is Poor is soon forgot and hethat is Rich is quickly Persecuted At Court the Poor Man has nothing to Eat and the Rich rarely any Vertues to boast of At Court there are few Live satisfi'd yet all are Ambitious of it At Court every body is for displacing and no body for obeying At Court none care for dying there yet all are for keeping there At Court most do what they should not but few what they ought At Court all rail at it yet none care to leave it and lastly I affirm what I have oftentimes Preach'd that the Court is only fit for Laicks that may get by it and Youth that can abide by it If on these conditions Reverend Father you have a mind to come hither I am ready to change with you for Monserrat when you please But nevertheless as my Friend must tell you at the same time you 'l sooner repent being a Courtier than I an Abbot From the Hands of Father Roderigo I receiv'd the Spoons you sent and return you a Book in Exchange So that as I shall

The difference between which was that the Meridones were hardy Gaditani resolute Saguntini fortunate but the Numantians both hardy resolute and fortunate all together None of the Roman Generals who waged War in Spain for a Hundred and eighty years could ever subdue the Numantians or so much as cared to fall out with them Of all the Cities in the Worlds this only never acknowledged Superior nor admitted Lord. Numantia stood somewhat high and was but half fortified had no Towers was not very populous and had no riches yet none durst make her their Enemy but all rather chose her for their Friend and the reason was because the Fortune of the Numantians was still superior to the Power or Policy ôf the Romans During the Wars between Rome and Carthage and the Factions of Rome among themselves there was no King or Kingdom but ingaged on one side or other except the haughty Numantia only which always answer'd those that solicited her Assistance That she was not to be made a Party under any Head but rather they to follow her as Supream In the first Punick Wars the Numantians could never be brought to follow the Carthaginians or assist the Romans for which reason or rather without any the Romans resolv'd to make War upon Numantia and that not through any fear of their Power but meer envy of their Fortune The Romans besieged Numantia the space of Fourteen years without intermission during which the Numantians sustain'd great damage and the Romans lost several brave Commanders such as Caius Crispus Trebellius Pindarus Rufus Venustus Escaurus Paulus Pilius Cincinnatus and Drusus Nine Consuls of very great Note as also Experienc'd Generals These Nine and many other Romans being slain it happen'd the Twelfth year after this Siege that Anneus Fabricius a Roman General concluded a League and Amity with 'em and agreed upon a Truce till the Articles could be Ratified from Rome But the Senate perceiving this Capitulation tended altogether to the Honour of their Enemies and was a perpetual Disgrace to them caused the Prudent Consul to be immediately put to Death and the War as instantly continued The next year which was the Thirteenth of the Siege they sent Scipio their Consul with a fresh Army against Numantia The first thing he did was to banish the Camp all useless Men and debauch'd Women saying That Pleasures allow'd are more dangerous to a great Army than known Enemies Scipio besieg'd this City a year and seven months in all which time he never gave any assault or made the least attack but only busied himself to cut off their Relief and Provisions One of Scipio's Officers one day asking him Why he never attack'd them within the Town nor fell upon those that came out he answered Numantia is so fortunate and the Numantians so very successful that we may well hope to tire out but must never expect to conquer their Fortune The Numantians made frequent Sallies on the new-come Romans and one day of all the rest the Fight continued so long and bloody it might well have been term'd a pitch'd Battle and the Romans were so hard put to it that had not the Fortune and Conduct of Scipio been on their side that day the Glory and Power of Rome had undoubtedly ended in Spain Scipio therefore perceiving the Numantians grew bold and the Romans slackned drew back about a mile and half from the Town to the end that he might not be so subject to surprize so that the distance being greater he might thereby receive the less damage The Numantians thus having lost many of their Men and Provisions growing short at length unanimously made a Vow to their Gods never to break Fast unless on Roman Flesh nor drink Wine or Water till they had tasted of their Blood It was monstrous then to see as it is still to hear how they every day sallied to hunt Romans as if they had been going to shoot Rabbets and how they did afterwards as savourily eat and drink their Flesh and Blood as if it had been Beef or Mutton Then it was the Consul Scipio daily sustained very great Losses for besides that the Numantians prey'd on the Romans like Wild Beasts they likewise fought no longer like Enemies but as Men in despair No Numantian ever gave Roman Quarter nor so much as suffer'd 'em to be Buried but as soon as any were kill'd they immediately carried 'em where they were flea'd quarter'd and weighed out in the Market so that with them a Dead Roman was then more worth than a Live one Scipio was often perswaded intreated and importuned by his Officers to raise the Siege and return home but he was always so far from consenting that he would not so much as endure to hear it propos'd And this because as he came from Rome a Priest had bid him not be discouraged or desist tho' he should run great hazards for that the Gods had decreed the end of the fortunate Numantia should be the beginning of his Glory How Scipio took Numantia Scipio perceiving he could neither gain the Numantians by fair means nor subdue 'em by force caused a vast Trench to be made round the Town which was seven Fathom deep and five in breadth so that no Relief could possibly come to 'em neither could they make any Sallies He often courted 'em to try the Clemency of the Romans and rely upon his Word But they always answered That having lived free Three Hundred Thirty three Years they were resolv'd not to die Slaves The Clamours of the Women in the City were sent up to Heaven the Priests called upon their Gods and all the Men cried out to the Consul Scipio to suffer them to come out and fight like Men and not to be shut up and starved like Beasts Also the more to move him they said Is it becoming you O Noble Scipio who are a Roman Youth Brave and Resolute to keep us here pen'd up like Sheep which is only a Stratagem of Policy when it would rather redound to your immortal Glory if you let us come out and overcame us in Fight When the Numantians saw themselves thus miserably inclosed and their Provisions daily consuming The ablest among 'em met and Killed all the old Men Women and Children then gather'd the Wealth of the Town and Temples into one great heap in the Market-place and having themselves first taken Poison immediately fired every corner of the City so that the Riches Houses Temples and Inhabitants of Numantia perished altogether in one Day Prodigious were the Actions of the Numantians in their Lives and no less wonderful at their Deaths for they left not Scipio any Riches to Plunder nor so much as a Man or Woman to Triumph over During all the time this Famous City was Besieged no Numantian was ever made Prisoner by the Romans for they all chose rather to die than take quarter Now when Scipio saw the City on Fire and entring it found all the Inhabitants Dead