Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	flank_n	left_a	rank_n	1,700	5	11.2856	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48578	The city and republick of Venice in three parts / originally written in French by Monsieur de S. Desdier.	S. Desdier, Monsieur de.	1699 (1699)	Wing L2306; ESTC R34981	188,059	407

great numbers of them are tumbled into the Canal who notwithstanding their being cloathed do seem no more concern'd than if they had fell upon Straw Such as do not Fight on these Occasions use their utmost Endeavours to excite their Parties to behave themselves Gallantly The Venetian Gentlemen encourage the Contenders by sometimes promising them to Reward their Courage It has several times happenned that some of these Nobles have been so zealous for the Reputation of their Factions that through Indignation to those of their Party that have not behav'd themselves to their Minds they have gone from the Bridge and stripping themselves of their Vests have espous'd the Party with the best of their Endeavours by their Example inspiring Courage to the Vanquish'd and bringing them off with Victory or at least by having more Honourably contended for it The Battel-Array is a General Engagement that is made between the two Factions but with all the necessary Precautions that can be taken between the Parties to render the Fight more Equal that so the Glory may be entire to the Victorious When Cardinal Chigi was at Venice Cardinal Delfino that Entertain'd him was very desirous to have shewn him this Diversion and was accordingly a considerable time Negotiating with the Heads of both the Parties to induce them to a general and famous Battel The Difficulties were so great that the Cardinal in Person sollicited those of the Artisans that had the greatest Authority in their Factions He went to their Shops caress'd intreated and promis'd them to bestow a considerable Prize on the Victorious Matters were at length agreed on a Bridge was chosen upon the Key of the Incurables which is very spacious The Steps were made larger that were something smaller than those on the other side of the Bridge and certain Places of the Key were taken in with Planks which otherwise would have permitted more space to the Nicoletti's than it was possible for the Castelans to have The Fury of the Combat wholly possess'd the Thoughts of the People nothing else was discours'd among them insomuch that it seem'd as if the entire Overthrow of one of the Parties was at hand But the Presidents of the Council of Ten with much reason fearing that this Animosity which had hitherto never appear'd so great might be attended with dangerous Consequences thought it absolutely requisite to forbid the Battel So unless these Parties do secretly agree between themselves there is no general Battel or Guerra ordinata to be seen yet when it happens the greatest part of the Combatants provide themseves with Back and Breast-Pieces of Gilt Pastboard which they put over their Naked Bodies both for the finery of the Shew as also to break the force of their Adversaries Stroaks The Victory of this Battel consists in getting Possession of the Bridge for which reason it do's not so much depend upon the dint of Blows as upon the Endeavours of both Parties to drive away their Adversaries Yet that the Dispute may begin upon equal Terms the Combatants put themselves in order The first Ranks are brought close to each other upon the very Center of the Bridge Then they begin to break each others Ranks with the greatest Fury but being well supported and each side alternatively push'd by the other such violent Efforts are usually made by the great number of Contenders that they in the first Ranks are of course born from the Ground or the main Bodies being closer join'd than the Flanks those of both the Right and Left sides are consequently so violently press'd by the Center as they are sometimes forc'd to leap into the Water by Ffties and Sixties at a time In this Condition only the first Ranks of the two Parties are able to Fight who are yet oblig'd to hold their Hands up to have the free Exercise of them The hindmost are sure to get upon their Companions and passing over their Heads go to Attack their Enemies whose Noses and Faces would undoubtedly suffer without any Danger to the Assailants if they of the contrary Party did not take the same Method insomuch that the Fight of this second Story becomes more terrible than the other In which Occasions the utmost Endeavours being repeated with all imaginable Fury to bring each others Flanks into Disorder the greatest Confusions happen at which time they are born by Crowds into the Canal Insomuch that it is really wonderful that these Fights are not terminated with the Death of a great many of the Combatants Besides the Heat of their Contention do's so Animate this Multitude of People and the Indignation of the Inferior Party is so great that they would undoubtedly betake themselves to their Arms if the Order was not very exact and rigorous in preventing the Danger of these Accidents However it has sometimes happen'd that the Pavement of the Key has been torn up to make use of the Stones for want of other Arms whereby it is not without some reason that this Fight is call'd by the Venetians una stragge di Christiani The Rejoycings of the Victorious are continu'd for three Days after the Fight for which purpose a Boat is Adorn'd with Garlands and a great Crown hung in the middle which they conduct with Beat of Drum thro' all the Canals and Quarters of their Party as likewise to the Houses of the Nobles as most espous'd their Cause who always bestow some Money or Barrels of Wine on them to Solemnize the Glory of the Victory By Night they walk up and down with Flambeau's of Straw follow'd by the Boys who run after them on the Keys perpetually Huzzaing the Name of their Faction The Vanquished are on the contrary so mortifi'd as some of them dare not return to their Habitations for their Wives have sometimes not only refus'd them Entrance but driven them away reviling their Cowardize with the most injurious Terms Via di qua infami por chi vituperosi FINIS