Irish. Jas. II. Tirconnell. James II. 43. The Cyprian Army was not a little disheartened by this sudden Irish. Retreat of Amasis; for, as Nothing animates the Cyprians more than to be led on to Assault, soe Nothing can discourage them more than to retire from an Enemy; and this is comon to all new-raised Troups, and particularly such as are not soe well officer'd: for Coridon employed but very few but Creatures of his own, tho' never soe unfitt to comand. But we must confess the Measures taken all along by Amasis were noe way agreeable to the Rules of true Prudence and good Politicks, or to the ancient and modern Maxims of War; for, as it is a received Principle among Conquerors to hasten the Decision of the Quarrell by Battle whilst theire Army is fresh, hearty, and numerous, soe it is the known Intrest of those who are uppon the Defensive, to follow contrary Methods, and to delay comeing to a generall Engagement, untill the Invaders may be had at a cheap Rate, when Fatigues, Diseases, and other 43. Trepida hæc et insperata incompositi agminis fuga haud parum animorum ardorem, diminuit, repressitque; id enim propemodum omnibus comparatum, et Cypria potissimum genti a natura insitum est, ut dum in adversum tendunt ducunturque, pugnam lacessunt, hostem voce, manu, armis provocant, irritari contingat, accendique, et fortius insurgere; retro autem cedendo, terga insequentibus dando, sese tumultuose recipiendo, velut quadam degeneris confessione pavoris, atque ipsa trepidatione, cadant animis, et elanguescant. Et hoc sanè omnium fere commune est, qui subitaneo et præpropero delectu ad arma excitantur, cum præsertim inscitia Ducum Præfectorumque laborant, quos Coridon plurimùm non peritiæ aut spectatæ virtutis ergò, sed studio ac favore in eum gradum attollere ac promovere consueverat. At enimvero fatendum est Amasim in hoc rerum suarum articulo ab antiquorum bellatorum vestigiis, et imperatoriis superiorum temporum exemplis multum ubique aberrasse; nec aut veteres, aut recentes bellorum rationes ullibi observasse. Nam ut solemnis aliena invadentium mos est premere, instare fortunæ, aleam belli præcipitare, viribus adhuc integris, et militum alacritate ac numero prevalentibus; ita sua defendentium summopere interest contrariam his viam insistere, declinare, tergiversari, pugnandi occasiones subterfugere, donec absumpto primo impetu subsidat ardor, senescat virtus, marceat et enervetur hostis, et tandem morbis, itinerum molestiis, aliisque incommodis, quibus in Incomodities which they are to expect in an Enemy's Country, will make them notably decay, both in Courage and Number, and when they are soe harrassed that they may be easily defeated without any great Hazard; and the Victory which is obtained without Bloodshed and Loss of Men brings more Reputation to the Generall, for it is wholly attributed to his own Conduct; whereas his Captains and Soldiers must share with him in the Glory of gaining a Battle. It was therefore the Interest of Amasis not to fight at that Time, but to retire to Salamis, and joyne Jas. II. Dublin. the Rest of his Troups, left for the Garde of that City, where he might have three Parts of the Kingdom at his Back, to furnish him with all Necessaryes; Theodore haveing only the Province of Lapithia (which Will. III. Ulster. was then ruined and laid desolat) to furnish him with Provisions; for he could not expect much out of Cilicia, for both the Cilician and Lycian England. EngFleet were about that Time defeated by the Navy of Antiochus, which Louis XIV. gave him the absolute Dominion of the Seas. Notwithstanding all these Reasons which should oblige Amasis to prolong the Warr, he was James II. hostico commorantes alteri, conflictarique necesse est, multum et militarium Virorum robori et multitudini decedat; atque ita demum fessi malis, et gravibus debilitati laboribus absque ullo grandi discrimine, acie fundi fugarique possint: et ea quidem victoria, quæ sanguine et strage hominum non stetit, uberiorem Imperatori laudum materiam parit; ipsius enim pervigili curæ et sagacitati tota tribuitur; cum interim ex præliorum eventu indulgentiâ fortunæ, locorum opportunitas, aliorum Ducum industria, militumque manus haud exiguam gloriæ partem decerpant, sibique vindicent. Regi itaque ea tempestate in tutiora recipiendus erat exercitus, certamenque aliquantisper detrectandum, regrediendumque demum Salamina, ubi eam copiarum partem, quam urbi præsidio reliquerat, iis, quas ducebat legionibus adjungeret; et velut in otio e tribus regni partibus, quæ a tergo in securos aditus patebant, commeatus et alia, quæ usui forent tuto inveheret: cum interim Theodoro Lapithia tantum, et hæc ipsa hostili incursu exhausta vastataque, ad supplendas militum necessitates superesset; præterea vix eo anno quidquam e Cilicia sub-* sidii expectandum erat, cum paucos ante dies Cilicum Lyciorumque classes navali prælio ab Antiocho fusæ maritimæ rei imperia illi cessissent. Quanquam vero tot morarum causæ Amasim ad protrahendum bellum invitarent, tamen lish. Dutch. Jas. II. Leinster. William III. Ulster. fatally resolved (without staying for all his Forces) to putt his Title to three Kingdoms uppon the Event of one Day. 44. Amasis encamped upon the Salaminian Side of the River of Lapithus, which anciently divided that Province from Lapithia. It was foordable in severall Places, and noe Trench cast up for the Defence of those Foords. Theodore was no sooner arrived than he pitched his Camp on Lapithia Side the same River. The first Day was spent in discharging from both Camps the great Engins of Warr, comonly used to batter the Walls of Townes and Castles, which destroyed a great many Men and Horses in Theodore's Camp. But they were sent away that Night to Dublin. Jas. II. Salamis, Amasis haveing ordered his Men to pull down their Tents, and prepare for a March, which was noe sooner done than countermanded. William III. nescio, quo 44. Jam castra metatus erat Amasis ad Salaminiam, Lapithi amnis ripam, qui olim provinciam illam a Lapithia media aquarum divortio disterminabat. Fluvius, crebris intercursantibus vadis meabilis, facilem trajecturis aditum præbebat, nec tum ullis molibus, aut aggerum impedimento hosti præclusa erat via. Theodorus mox superveniens adversum fluminis latus, et collium prominentia, castris latius quam pro numero in speciem protensis, occupavit. Prima dies insumpta missilibus, aliisque telorum generibus mittendis, ejaculandisque per violentos tormentorum machinarumque bellicarum succussus, quorum impetu monia urbium turresque horribili solent fragore quassari; et ingentem sane hominum jumentorumque stragem ea in Theodori castris edidere. At Rex, cui mens cædibus abstinere, et Cilicum cruori, quantum fas esset, parcere, nihil infestis increpantium vocibus, nihil strictis in jugulum ac micantibus gladiis motus, graviora hæc bellici apparatus instrumenta, quæ et maximo suis adjumento et hostibus amnem transvadare conantibus terrori esse poterant, sub noctem Salamina præmitti mandat, jussis militibus, ut vasa raptim colligerent, et sub primam lucem ad iter capessandum in procinctu essent: 'nec multo post mira levitate contraria imperantur, militique ut pugnæ se accingat, præcipitur. Consiliis ita in incertum fluctuantibus, et insolitâ Regis inconstantiâ non parùm militarium animorum alacritati decessit, dubitantium, cum dilucesceret, proficiscendumne, an dimicandum esset. 45. This Irresolution of the King discouraged the Army, who, next Day, being the first of the fifth Month, was furiously attacked by the July, O. S. Theodorites, who, after a hot Dispute, forced a Passage over the River, Williamites. and fresh Supplys pouring after them, the Amasian Troups, comeing Jacobite. down in small Partyes to support those who garded the River, were still beaten back; and Amasis, instead of comanding the whole Army, James II. which was then drawn up, to advance, ordered them to march on to Sala- Dublin. mis, exposeing them to be all cutt off by the Enemy, who pursued them in the Reare. [The soldiers groaned, and, with ill-suppressed murmurs, complained, that a certain victory had been wrested from them, that the enemy was suffered to escape out of their hands, and, above all, that their comrades had been basely abandoned to the weapons of the enemy; moreover, when they thought of themselves, with death roaring around them, and dangers, from which scarcely any human aid could deliver them, staring them in the face, indignation was the predominant feeling, whilst they murmured that so many swords should be sheathed without 45. Ita solliciti ac vacillantes noctem eam insomnem duxere. At Theodorita, quiete ciboque refectis artubus, orto jam sole, sublato ingenti clamore, magnoque impetu in adversos detonuere: cumque diù acriter utrimque pugnatum esset, tandem viam sibi trans flumen vi et armis aperuerunt. Nec id defensorum socordiæ imputandum, sed vel ignaviæ vel inscitiæ Ducum, cum qui amnis in præsidio agitabant, paucitate laborantes, ac subeuntium multitudine retroactos, nullo novo subsidio reficerent; et hosti, superante numero, recentes integræque cohortes e propinquis castris subinde mitterentur. At Rex quem totâ mole belli in suorum auxilium descendere, et instructam aciem in exultantem lætis successibus hostem educere oportebat, omnes qui nihil jam nisi prælium, arma, sanguinem spirabant, nec quidquam minus, quam fugam suspicabantur: ex inopinatò terga vertere, et quanta possent celeritate, Salamina contendere jussit. Ingemuit miles, ac certam sibi ereptam victoriam, hostem e manibus elabi passum, ad hæc, miserandum commilitonum casum, qui inter infesta undique tela turpiter deserebantur, haud occulto fremitu conquestus est: dehinc in se conversis cogitationibus, licet mors circumstreperet, et tot pericula, vix humana ope evitabilia, ob oculos versarentur, indignatio tamen eminebat mussantium tot exertos mucrones, non tentatâ saltem fortuna, recondi: Dublin. Kinsale. French. Dublin. James II. a blow. 46. The Courage and Valour of Amasis, whereof he gave a thousand Demonstrations by Sea and Land, made the World conclude that this Flight was not altogether occasioned by an Act of Pusilanimity, but pro quem fugientum terga protecturum? Quem publicum certissimæ cladis discrimen aversurum? Quàm pronum insequentibus profugos cædere, et laxatis semel ordinibus, obruere effusos, instare lateribus, extremum agmen carpere? ipse nec vocibus his vulgi, nec monitu Ducum motus, cum selectis equitum turmis intentissimo cursu præcessit; et cum eâdem nocte Salamina accessisset, non expectato copiarum adventu, proximâ luce trepidum iter arripuit, nec ante substitit, quàm Marium, arcem mari imminentem, appelleret, centum leucarum spatio ab iis campis, in quibus improspere pugnatum erat, distantem. Nec ibi moratum est: continuo Syram navem in anchoris stantem conscendit, ac prosperâ navigatione usus, primus acceptæ cladis, et adversi prælii Nuncius Antiocho et Syris fuit. At priusquam Salamine discessisset, armorum, qui tum aderant, Ducibus præcepit, dimisso milite, sibi suisque rebus quibus commodissime possent conditionibus consulerent. 46. Præsens semper et intrepidus inter pericula casusque difficiles animus, specimenque virtutis mille fortitudinis experimentis spectatæ, et rerum, quas superioribus bellis terra marique sub fraternis gesserat auspiciis, gloriâ, omnibus argumento erat, Amasim non degeneri aliquo metu, aut ignavâ perculsum for |