Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n
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A38576
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Erastus, or, The Roman prince being a more full acount of that famous history of the seven wise masters : with many pleasant additions of excellent, and divertive discourses, and songs, not unsuitable to the design of the story.
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1684
(1684)
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Wing E3219; ESTC R31439
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59,877
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160
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a small breach their Pioneers had made insomuch that they dismounted many of the Gauls from their Horse who were never able to mount again Now they were thus far engaged Erastus commanded a single Brigade of his Right Wing to relieve the Waggons so that speedily falling on the Rear of the Gallick Right Wing they did such Execution that in little time almost half of them were slain or wounded or taken Prisoners the rest with great Confusion falling into the Body of their Army This defeat so Exasperated Siwel seeing so great a Body of his Men routed by a handful that he presently came on with the main Body of his Army thinking to crush the small Brigade of Erastus his Troops to Pieces but he little Considered the steady Vallour of the Romans who never thought that worth the name a Victory that had not been obtained at some great disadvantage that the Romans had long before known what it was to Conquer the Gauls and therefore were less apt to be daunted by their Noise or Numbers The Emperor discovering that he had no small â—kill in Martial Discipline or Stratagems of War had chosen out a Brisâ—que Forlorn of about three Hundred tryed Souldiers these were all coated in Male after the Roman manner having Scythian Spears and Symiters of Russian Steel their Horses too had Armor of Proof these he ordered to brake through the Ranks of Siwels Army which they did with such force that their courage levell'd whole Files before them doing such wonders that should they be here related it might be lookt on as a Romance The Violence of their Action soon put the Gallick Army in disorder for they indeed were more used to purchase a Victory with their Mony than their Valour having rarely met with an Enemy that had Courage like the Romans so that Erastus coming up to them with the small Body of his Army soon made himself Master of the Field Whilst Siwel's Right Wing seeing the Fate of â—he rest never stood an Engagement but â—ed the Field But being closely pursued â—y the Left Wing of the Romans there â—ere but few of them escaped to carâ—y home the News of their Overâ—hrow Erastus still where he thought â—here was any one Master of more than â—ommon Courage pickt that person out for â—is Rival and by that means gave seveâ—al of them the Honor to fall by his own â—and but this he did hoping to send the â—nemy of his Country and the principal â—ccasion of this m schief to wash his Crimes 〈◊〉 the Stygian Lake But Siwel had no â—uch design for doubting his Fate too â—ose pursued him he with one or two â—f his Councel sought to flye the Field â—ut falling into the hands of a Party of â—he Romans was by them brought Prisoâ—er to Erastus He was just then retired to his Tent â—iving orders for the disposal of the Prisoâ—ers and the better refreshing his Soulâ—ers after that Dayes Signalizing their Valours Siwel at his approach to the Emâ—eror discovering a mean and degenerous Soul which usually creeps and fawns when unfortunate cast himself at the Feet of the Brave Erastus and with Vn-Princely Cowardize begged for his wretched Life and that with such miserable Submission as largely testifyed the Narrowness of his Soul But this beggarly Action of his rather Inflamed than abated the Iust Indignation of the Roman Emperor so that instead of Treating him with that respect that a manly Bravery alwayes claims of a Generous Enemy he orderd him to be bound in Chains and in that posture he followed the Emperors Chariot in his Marches through the Country So much had the Tyrany and Cruelty of this unworthy Prince Exasperated the minds of his own Subjects against him that still as he passed they denyed him the common Testimonyes of Pitty due to the Miserable but reproached him with his Breach of Faith and Inhumane Oppressions whereby he had Enslaved and reduced his Own Province to a State of Beggary and Vassallage In the mean time with loudest Acclamations they Applauded the Conduct Gallantry and good Fortune of Erastus Thanking the God of Victory that by his hand had redeemed them from the Intollerable Bondage they endured under the cruel Tyrany of the base minded Siwel So natural is it to Mankind to hate a Tyrant and give all possible demonstrations of their Satisfaction and enlarged Ioy under the Sweet Influences of an equal Administration The Generous-Soul'd Erastus still as he passed hrough the Villages and Citties of that Country with a Princely greatness confiâ—med to them those Priviledges which Siwel's Injustice had robbed them of and bestowed on them such other Testimonies of his Royal Favours as bespoke him to be a Prince hearâ—â—ily designing the Weal and happiness of the People and not the rugged Satisfaction of a Tyranical or Ambitious Monarch He Impowred them to choose Governours of their own to see Iustice duely Administred and the Peoples Righ s kept Inviolate Who were to be Responsible to the Imperial Chamber for their neglects therein Thus in a very short time were the Long-growing Evils of those Provinces rooted up and by the great care of that Excellent Emperor the pleasant Plants of Publick Tranquility and a general Peace grew up in the room of them Here was confusion reduced into Order Riotous Debauchery reformed to manly Sobriety and a Philosophical Morality Tyranny and Oppression were Bannished and Equity and Clemency took place The Groans and Tears of the Oppressed Gauls were turned into Tryumphs and Every man had his Life and Labor once more called his Own Having thus happyly setled Affairs in those Parts the Emperour returned in great Tryumph to Rome and was there received by the Senate and Citizens with such a welcom as well shewed the sence they had of their Happyness under his August and propitious Influence I might here relate the Magnificence of his splendid Reception by giving the Reader the particulars of the Trophies Arches Companies Pageants and all the braveryes which Poets usually feign to guild their Romances for indeed the World never saw greater Pomps than those with which the Gallant Romans used to welcom home their Victorious Generals But my designe being rather to Paint an Extraordinary Prince than a Gaudy Pageant I shall omit the Mention of those lesser matters only acquaint the Reader who may be desirous to know what became of the unlucky Siwel He therefore was led to Rome in the manner you have heard and after a few dayes was brought before the Senate where the Consul largely sum'd up the Foulness of his Detestable Life telling him That he had fallen so far below a Prince that he came short of the very Brutes which ordainarily delight to Cherish one another and in their way revenge the injuries offered to their kind but that he contrary to the very dictates of Brutal Nature had not only usurped unto himself the Government of others but had with great Cruelty and Rapine endeavoured to support his
end was set a Royal State for the Emperour whereon he Seated himself and the Senators being set on Chairs covered with Tissue the Noble Emperour made them an excellent Oration in this manner Most Renowned Romans BY Your Kindness and for your sakes iâ— is that I wear this Diadem the Care therefore that results from the Trust You have laid on me hath occasioned my caling You together for I cannot be one of those that think it sufficient if they get the Reignes of Government into their hand and then take no farther care what becomes of the Common-Wealth My Lords I know their are great Duties incumbant on a Crowned Head and the burthen will be too heavy for me unless Assisted by Your Councels You are the most proper Advisers I can possibly Consult with for I think the Interestâ— of the Prince and his People Inseparably Interwoven Let us therefore Joyntly endeavour to promote the Publick good and preserve the Peace of the Empire Our Neighbour Siwel who lately was Our Conquest and held his Crown of the Romans is of late grown formidable in Armes and a great disturber of the Tranquility of his Quiet Neighbours Invading their Teritories and Depopulating their Countryes with Intollerable outrage It is not Consistent with the Grandure or Pollicy of the Roman State to permit such Insolences We are farther Informed that by his Masqued Emisaries he keeps alive and foments a Party amongst those Miscreants who were the Creatures of the Late miserable Emperess Let us therefore Unite our Councels Asume our Courage and Scourge the unsufferable Presumption of this Proud Invador let us discord his Factors here and Oppose his Forces in the Neighbour Provinces that it may not be said Hereafter The ROMAN STATE was lost when ERASTVS sat at the Helm This Incomparable Speech of the brave Young Emperor was received by the Senate is an Oracle their loud Acclamations testifyng the high Approbation they had of their Prince and the Noble Advice he gave them They verily thought all the happy constellations â—f their Great Ancestors had clubd together 〈◊〉 confer the Noble Genius of their several Heroes on Erastus with such profound VVisdom did he search into the Affaires of â—he State with such brave Gallantry reâ—olve to oppose the Power of Prince Siwel â—nd with such Affection Espouse the Inteâ—est of his Country that the Antientest of â—he Senate seemed as amazed at the Maâ—estick Sweetness of his Incomparable Perâ—on and charming Oratory Several of the Senators strained their â—hetorick in Congratulating the happy forâ—ne of the Empire that had in the Throne a Prince of such Excellencies and sublime Endowments as from whom they could not hope for any good but what they might reap by his courage nor fear any ill but what would be prevented by his Wisdom At length the Consul recapitulated and enlarged upon the several Paragraphs of Erastus his Speech and Moved that they might presently put the Matters therein contained upon the Debate But it was soon determined in the Affirmative there being not one Rotten Member in that well Constituted Body that offered to oppose the Publick Interest of the State They therefore resolved to take as many as they could of their secret Enemies into custody and presently to raise an Army to march into Germany there to oppose the Forces of the Revolted Siwel Erastus himself offering to March in the head of the Army Imediate Orders were dispatched to the Keeper of the Magazines that they should provide all sorts of Armes and Amunition for the Expedition Several other decrees past for Publick matters which will not fall under the cognizance of this History We shall therefore continue the Relation of the Engagements between Erastus the Emperor and Siwel King of the Gauls Scarce had the Drums given the signal in the Street of the City that the Senate had determined to enter into a War with the Gauls and reduce them to their formeâ— Obedience to the Roman State but the Forum was thronged with Multitudes from all parts of the City so that in two dayes they had Listed an Army of Forty Thousand which was thought sufficient they still retaining the Tryed Valour of the Noble Romans to oppose a far greater Number of the Gauls Nor were they confined for want of Volunteers to so small an Army for the People offered themselves so readily to promote this War as if they had entertained a Vniversal hatred to that perfidious Nation Long had this Treacherous King Siwel by under-hand Practises sought to undermine and by open Violence opposed at several times the Roman Power and in his Province with great cruelty destroyed many Townes and Families which he thought had Friendship for the Roman State So that Erastus had but two just cause to chastise him for his breach of Faith and evil practises Therefore in few dayes the Army Advanceed to the confines of Gaul and by the suddeinness of their March had entered some Leagues into the Country of Siwel before he had time to draw his Forces together to oppose them The Townes and Villages in their March Ioyfully putting themselves under the protection of Erastus being no longer able to hear the Tyrany of their Savage Master Erastus sent for more Fortes to the Senate which he placed in Garisons to defend the Country from the Cruelty of Siwel and his Forces and being come in a dayes March of the Galick Army he entred into a large Campane Country fit for his designed Engagement where he posted himself and Entrenched his Camp the better to observe the Motion of the Enemy The Gauls were now approached within a Mile of the Imperial Troops and having discovered that Erastus his Force Consisted but of Forty Thousand his own Army being above a Hundred Thousand he resolved according to his wonted Valour to give them Battle the next Morning and accordingly having given notice to his several Quarters they appeared very early on the Plain in half a Mile of Erastus's Camp His Scouts in the mean time had given him notice of the Enemies motion so that his Army was in as great forwardness to Advance as the Gauls were to receive him Therefore drawing his Men out of the Camp he Posted on a convenient side of the Plain in a little more than a Flight-shot of Siwels Army with undaunted Bravery faceing a Foe of almost Treble his Number In the mean time the Gauls had discovered that Roman Baggage was left in the Trenches and guarded but by a few Bow-men and some light Horse with Lanches At this Siwel being ever more inclined to plunder than to fight Commanded his Left Wing to fall down and make themselves Masters of the Imperial Carriages The Emperor though he soon perceived the design gave them opportunity to Advance within Shot of the Trenches which were maintained with extraordinary Courage by that very small Guard not an Arrow they discharged but did its Execution the Lawnce-men with notable Resolution keeping the Horse from entering