English Dictionary

But whilſt he was beſieging this City, there came, unfortunately, a new Army of Tartars from the Imperiall City of Peking , which had order to recover this Province of Kiangſi; and therefore Kinus was forced to raiſe his Siege to oppoſe their entrance by the Northern parts of the Country; And at firſt having a vaſt Army, and uſed to the Tartarian warfare, he fought both valiantly and happily; but not being able to ſuſtain any longer their redoubled violent aſſaults, he was forced to retire for his ſecurity to Nanchang, the chief City of that County; which City the Tartars durſt not venture to take by force, but reſolved to reduce it by a long Siege; for which end they gathered together a Company of Country Clowns to make a large and ſpacious Trench round about the City to the River, and there they placed Ships ſo as no Proviſion could poſſibly enter. This City of Nanchang is great and extremely full of inhabitants, beſides the multitude of Souldiers which defended it at that time; ſo as although Kinus had made great Proviſion for a Siege, yet after ſome moneths he came to great want and pennury; and yet he held it out though many dyed, expecting ſtil some ſuccours from the Emperor Fungley, which could not be sent;