Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
enemy_n	city_n	great_a	siege_n	1,089	5	8.9397	5	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

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

three Years There is no Pleasure Content nor Satisfaction in this World but which are allayed with some inconveniencies for in one Day we often pay for all we have Feasted on and enjoy'd in many My Lord you have good reason to value your Gentleman Mosen Rubin who I find by the date of yours Travell'd hard and Slept but little for when I receiv'd it 't was so very fresh the Ink was scarce dry You write me to inform you what is the cause that I who am born of an ancient Family am of a tall Stature make such long Memento's at Mass and Preach such tedious Sermons should be so short in my Letters especially my last from the Monastery of Fresdelval which you say had not above Four Sentences and Eight Lines But however in this you now write you furnish me with sufficient occasion not to be so short in my answer therefore if I be rather tedious impute it more to my desire to comply with you than gratifie my own wishes As to your Quaeres first touching the antiquity of my Family your Lordship well knows my Grandfather's Name was Don Beltran de Guevara my Fathers the same my Unkles Don Ladron de Guevara and mine Don Antonio de Guevara and you are not likewise ignorant there were Earls in our Family before Kings in Castile This Family of Guevara came formerly out of Britany and is now divided into Six distinct Houses which are the Count de Onate at Alava Don Ladron de Guevara at Valdallega Don Pedro Veler de Guevara at Salinas Don Diego de Guevara at Paradilla Don Carlos de Guevara at Murcia and Don Beltran de Guevara at Morata all which are Men of worth as to their Persons though they possess but indifferent fortunes so that is plain those of my Family value themselves more on their antient descent than greatness of Estates For a Man to be well descended from Noble Progenitors and an antient stock is a great addition to his Honour and no impediment to his Salvation For as Infamy inclines Men to despair Honour always stirs 'em up to mend Christ would not come from the Tribe of Benjamin which was the least but the mighty ones of Iuda the greatest and Noblest There was a Law among the Romans called Prosapia of Genealogies which ordained in case there happen'd any Dispute about the Consulship those who descended from the Silvij Torquati and Fabricij should be always preferred and the reason was because they were the most Antient and Renowned Families in Rome Those descended from Lycurgus at Lacedemon Cato at Utica Agesilaus in Licaonia and Thucidides in Galatia did not only enjoy especial Priviledges in their own Countries but were also honour'd by all Nations and that not so much for Merit of the the Living as Deserts of their Ancestors the Dead It was also a Law establish'd in Rome that none of the Race of the Tarquini Escauri Catilinii Fabati and Bitini should ever have any Command or so much as live within the Walls of that City and this only in hatred to King Tarquin the Consul Escaurus Tyrant Catiline Censor Fabatus and Traytor Bitinus all who had been great Oppressors and Enemies of their Country This I have thought fit to mention My Lord in regard it is a great shame to be Vicious when well Descended when on the contrary To be both well Bo●n and Act well is a great Honour for Men are altogether unlike Wine which sometimes tastes of the Cask and sometimes of the Grape Valour never to fly Generosity in giving Modesty in speaking Resolution in daring and Easiness in forgiving are Qualities and Virtues seldom met with in base Extraction whilst they are very common amongst Honourable Families As the World now goes when every body is prying into and over-looking his Neighbours Concerns methinks it is a great happiness to be well descended for he will still have something to value himself upon when others may want the contrary to upbraid him with You say My Lord that of Body I am tall slender and very streight upon which Properties I may rather boast than think the worse of my self for tall dry and streight Timber is always most esteem'd and sold dearest Had bigness of Body been displeasing to God he would never have made Pallas the Numidian Hercules the Grecian Milo the Italian Sampson the Hebrew Pindar the Theban Hemonius the Corinthian nor Goliah the Philistian all who were of such vast and prodigious Bulks that others in comparison look'd like Locusts The first King of Israel from the Shoulders upwards was taller than any in his Kingdom Iulius Caesar was tall and lean tho not over Beautiful Of the Emperor Augustus it is said he was so very tall he gather'd Fruit from high Trees standing on the Ground It is also Recorded of Sylla that he us'd to stoop at all Doors he came in at Livy relates Scipio Africanus was so large of Stature that as none equall'd him in Courage so no body exceeded him in Height Plutarch writes of Alexander the Great that according to the Grandeur of his Heart the World seem'd to have enough in him and he thought all the World too little for him Of two Inconveniencies to be tall or very short the least is that of the former since a long Coat is soon cut shorter when that which is too short can never ●e pieced without being scandalous Alonso Enriquez Alvar Gomez Salaya Valderravano and Figueroa are all Men of small Stature but no small Courage when-ever I meet them about Court they seem to be always Proud Peevish and Angry but which I do not at all wonder at since little Chimneys are soonest apt to smoak I met t'other day in the Monastery De los Toros de Guisardo with a very little Fryar who because I call'd him three times successively chid me very severely whereupon I told him he had but very little Patience To which he surlily answer'd I had much less good Manners I intreated him earnestly to give me some Drink and cease Chiding To which he answer'd Though you see me you do not kn●w me and I must inform y●u so little as you think me yet I am as hard as Steel and if such great unweildly Fellows as you speak to me by day they as certainly dream of me at night for I was measur'd but lately and my Heart seem'd to be by five yards longer than my Body To this I replied It is very requisite Father your Heart should be five yards in length since your whole Body is not above two cubits and half in height Upon this indeed the Frier gave over quarre●ling yet left me without my Drink Believe me My Lord short Peices is soonest burst small Towns are easiest besieg'd many People drown'd in shallow Seas more lost in narrow Ways streight Cloaths soonest rent little Men are soonest angry and small Beasts not so strong or graceful as large For the Elephant Dromedary Ox Buffalo

Archbishop of Sevill and Don Antonio Manriquez Duke of Najara upon their choosing him to Decide a Controversie between them Wherein he wittily exposes their Ignorance declares which was Numantia and which Saguntum and moreover relates both the Origin and Destruction of the Former Very Illustrious Lords DON Iohn Manriquez delivered me two different Letters from your Lordships whereby you give me to understand you have chosen me Judge in a Controversie between you and which you have not only argu'd your selves but also stifly maintain'd on both sides My Lords I admit your choice and will be Arbitrator in your Dispute upon condition neither appeal from my Judgment but shall pay Costs and a Fine In the first place I must blame and almost chide your Illustrious Lordships for being so positive and obstinate in your way of arguing for where Persons of your Rank may be allow'd to Discourse they are by no means to Wrangle Genti●ity and Wrangling are incompatible in a generous Person when Folly and Positiveness are nearly allied To a Philosopher it belongs to prove and even to be obstinate in his Assertions but a Gentleman must always defend without being positive A Man of Courage Resolution and Valour will never be passionate till he draws his Sword for he well knows that a great Talker seldom proves a brave Performer But to come to our purpose you write that all your Dispute was about deciding whether of these two Cities Siguenza or Monviedro was the great Numantia You also inform me you have not only argued but laid a good Wager about it whereupon My Lords I must tell you with due Reverence to so great Personages that if one understands no better what belongs to Praying and the other to Fighting than you are both acquainted with ancient Histories it is pity as one is Archbishop of Sevill the other should be Duke of Najara As much difference as was between Elia and Tyre Bizantium and Memphis Rome and Carthage Agrippina and Cadiz is there between Numantia and Saguntum for the ancient Numantia was built in Castile when the noble Saguntum was seated near Valencia Numantia and Saguntum were two most ancient Cities in Spain very famous and renowned of different Factions distinct Kingdoms in Places far distant disagreeing in Names and far more different in Inclinations Saguntum was built by the Greeks Numantia by the Romans Saguntum was always in Amity and Confederacy with Rome and moreover a Mortal Enemy to the Carthaginians when Numantia was neither Friend nor Confederate with either it never submitting to any but always continu'd a Sovereignty of it self Saguntum was seated four Leagues from Valencia where Monviedro now stands and whoevér says the Town of Siguenza in Castile was formerly Saguntum may perhaps have Dream't but never Read it Being Inquisitor at Valencia I went often to Monviedro as well to visit the Christians there as Baptize the Moores and considering the uncouthness of its situation antiquity of the Walls distance from the Sea the grandeur of its Buildings and stangeness of the Tombs any Man might easily perceive Monviedro was the same with Saguntum and the Noble Saguntum what is now Monviedro Among the ruinated Buildings in the Fields of that City are found many Stones with Inscriptions and Epitaphs of the Hannonians and Asdrubalians who all died at the Siege thereof and which were two famous and renowned Families in Carthage Near Monviedro also was a Town in those days call'd Turdetani now Torrestorres whose Inhabitants being Mortal Enemies to the Saguntians Hannibal join'd with 'em and by their assistance besieg'd reduc'd and burnt Saguntum to Ashes which was neither then offer'd to be reliev'd by the Romans nor ever after rebuilt Thus it is plain My Lords your Dispute was about which was Saguntum and not which Numantia for Soria and Zamora contest for Numantia whilst Monviedro and Siguenza lay claim to Saguntum To conclude then and draw an inference from what has been said after considering the Merits of your Cause and hearing what each has alledged for himself I pronounce and declare for my definitive Sentence that as the Archbishop of Sevill was not in the right so the Duke of Najara was in the wrong and therefore adjudge each of them to forfeit a good strong Mule for the use of him who shall make appear which was the great Numantia who the Founder in what place and after what manner built how long it stood and how came to be destroyed And all this because it is an Antiquity pleasing to read worthy to be known grateful to relate tho exceeding grievous to hear Of the Great City Numantia in Spain The Great Numantia was founded by Numa Pompilius second King of the Romans in the Eight and fiftieth year after the building of Rome and Eighteenth of his Reign so that from Numa the Founder it undoubtedly took its Nomination It was an usual thing in those times for Founders to give their own Names to the Cities they built so Hierusalem took hers from Salem Antiochia from Antiochus Constantinople from Constantine Alexandria from Alexander Rome from Romulus and Numantia from Numa Rome had but Seven Kings whereof the first was Romulus and last Tarquin but the best of all the Seven was this Numa Pompilius he being the first that introduced Religion into Rome enclosed the Vestals built Temples and gave Laws to his Subjects The Seat of this City was near the Banks of the River Duero and not far from the Springs thereof on an Eminence not mountainous but little rais'd It had no Towers nor Walls but only a very deep and broad Ditch to surround it The Inhabitants whereof being about 5 and 6000 two parts of which were employ'd in War and the third Till'd the Ground To be always in action was accounted with them very commendable and idleness and laziness as much condemn'd and what is yet more Praise-worthy they were not covetous of Riches but extreamly ambitious of Honour The Numantians naturally were rather Flegmatick than Cholerick Patient Subtle Crafty and given to Dissimulation so that what at one time they connived at the same they reveng'd at another In this City there was but one Tradesman and he was the Farrier for Goldsmiths Drapers Brokers Fruiterers Inn-keepers Fishmongers Bakers Butchers and the like were not permitted to live among them saying every one ought to furnish himself with those Necessaries and not be beholding to another They were so resolute and desperate in Battle they never turned their Backs or ever gave ground being always resolv'd rather to dye than fly They were not permitted to go to War without leave of their Government and such as went must serve all together on one side for where one Numantian happen'd to kill another he was infallibly put to death when he came home The Romans accounted four sorts of People in Spain hard to Subdue viz. The Meridones of Merida the Gaditani of Cadiz the Saguntini of Monviedro and Numantians being those of Soria