The conspiracie of Catiline, written by Constancius, Felicius, Durantinus, and translated bi Thomas Paynell: with the historye of Iugurth, writen by the famous Romaine Salust, and translated into Englyshe by Alexander Barcklaye

¶ How Metellus renewed the warte agaynst Iugurth, and how Mari∣us was creat consull and assygned to execute the warre of Numidy at the pleasure of the comens against the wyll of all the noble men of Rome. The .xliii. Chapter.

WHan Metellus by suche as sledde bitwene the two parties vnderstode of the chance of Bomilchar and of his treason disclosed, he began than agayne to contende with Iu∣gurth: with open warre and therto hasted all thyng necessary and expedient. And considryng that Marius was cōtinually cryeng on hym for the sayde licence and congy to depart to Rome and also greuous, hatefull, and contrary to hym: aduysyng hym not much necessary but lytell mete in so sharpe a besynes. And se∣yng hym yll wyllyng to euery thing he graunted hym lycēce at last: to depart toward Rome as he before had often requyred and demaunded by peticion.

¶ But as I haue sayd longe before, the letters whiche were sende to Rome to the commens by fauourers of Marius were well accepted. For whan the commentie had ouersene them, and by them vnderstode the praising of Marius, and the dispraysyng of Metellus. They were al inclined vtterly to the auaūcement of Marius and detraccion of the other. The noblenes of Metellus the capitayne whiche was before to his great worshyp and honour tourned now to enuye and hatered against hym. But the lownes and vnnoblenes of Marius en∣creased to hym fauour specially of the cōmentie whiche were come of vnnoble bloude, as he was. But the dili∣gente fauour of bothe the parties (that is to say of the states which helde with Metellus: and of the commens that helde with Marius) dyd measure and gyde euery

thing rather than the good or yll disposcions of the two aduersaryes Metellus or Marius. For the cōmens to dye for it cōcluded to exalte Marius. And thestates in the same maner labored to kepe hym vnder because he was vnnoble borne, and to exalte none saue thē whiche were come of noble progeny. Farthermore the masters & head officers of the cōmenty which loued debate at e∣uery assēble & congregaciō of the cōmens, sore blamed Metellus & dispised his deedes, desiring of the cōmens that Metellus might lose his head: saying that he was so worthy for that he prolonged the war in Numidy a∣gainst Iugurth more than nede was. But in despising & accusyng Metellus, they forgat not to cōmend Ma∣rius & exalte hym with wordes somwhat to much, and more thē he was worthy in many pointes. In so moche that the people wer so gretly inclined to him with their fauour, that al the craftes men & laborers of the citie, & also of the contrey which had no liuynge saue in the la∣bour of their handes, left their worke & busines & folo∣wed Marius, frequēting and resorting to his cōpanie. And set more by his auancement & honor, then by their owne profet or auantage, trusting that after if he obtey¦ned the said honor, they shuld haue their liuing by him. And thus shortlye to speke, the estates & noble men be∣yng sore astoined, the cōsulshyp was cōmitted to Mari¦us a newe gentleman whose predecessours before hym to suche dignitie could neuer attayne, and were counted vnworthy. Thus that thyng which many yeres before that tyme could neuer be done nor brought about, was now brought to effecte: that is to saye the consulshyppe which was y^e most excellēt dignitie of Rome was now in hādes of y^e cōmense, & cōmitted to a mā of base birth

Shortly after this, the protectour of the commenty na¦med Lucius. Maulius enquired & demaunded of the people whom it wold please them to send into Numidy to fynyshe the warre with Iugurth. The most parte of the commentie answered that Marius shuld haue that office and busines: how be it a lytle before that tyme the Senatoures had assigned by their ordinaunce the pro∣uince of Numidie to Metellus for his worthy deedes: wherfore now this ordinance was frustrat & void. For the cōmēty wold haue their statuts executed & fulfilled.