The Roman historie containing such acts and occurrents as passed under Constantius, Iulianus, Iovianus, Valentinianus, and Valens, emperours. Digested into 18. bookes, the remains of 31. and written first in Latine by Ammianus Marcellinus: now translated newly into English. Wherunto is annexed the chronologie, serving in stead of a briefe supplement of those former 13. bookes, which by the iniurie of time are lost: together with compendious annotations and coniectures upon such hard places as occurre in the said historie. Done by Philemon Holland of the citie of Coventrie, Doctor in Physicke.

CHAP. XV. He cloketh not nor concealeth his vices, but with the pencill of hystoricall truth, pain∣teth them to the life, having described the shape and liniaments of his bo∣die, together with his buriall.

HAving recounted summarily his good parts, as many as wee could come to the knowledge of, let us now proceed to his bad. Wher∣as in other affaires hee was comparable with princes that were of the middle ranke, if he had caught hold once of any presump∣tion of affecting or aspiring to the Empire, how untrue or slight soever, in sifting and examining thereof he would never make an end, but without all regard of right or wrong proceeding herein, he went farre be∣yond the monstrous courses of Caligula, Domitian, and Commodus, whose crueltie he taking for a patterne to imitat, in the beginning of his raigne, slew and rooted out al of his owne bloud and kinred. To adde more unto the sorrowes of these poore wretches that were enformed against, as culpable in any point of pety or high trea∣son, his rigour and wrathful suspitions were streined and stretched to the uttermost

in all such cases. And if an inckling were given of any such thing, he addressing him∣selfe to streit inquisition after it, more eagrely than might stand with civile justice, did set such as were fell and dreadfull, to be the examiners and judges of these cau∣ses: and in punishing some, he went about to lengthen out the time of their death, if nature would permit, as one in such points of judiciall trials, more cruel even than Gallienus. For he, being many times forelaid by the trains of traitors indeed, name∣ly, Aureolus, Posthumus, Ingenuus, Valens, surnamed Thessalonicus, and many others, punished otherwhiles verie mildly their hainous faults, that would have cost them their lives: but this man enforced their facts, even those whereof some doubt was made, to seeme by violence of torment most evident and certaine. And in these and such like cases, hee then hated to the death, when most of all hee laboured and endevoured this, to bee reputed just and mercifull. And like as out of a drie wood the sparkes that flie by a gentle blast of wind, with an unrestrainable course, reach to the daunger of countrey townes; even so hee also out of the least matters raised whole heaps of mischiefes and miseries: farre unlike unto that mo∣dest and noble prince Marcus, who, what time as Cassius had mounted up to the imperiall dignitie in Syria, and a packet of letters sent from him to his complices and adherents, was presented unto him, and the bearer intercepted, caused the same sealed as it was, straight waies to be burnt: this did he whiles he abode in Illyricum, for feare, least if the traytors were detected and knowne, hee might offend and dis∣please some of them whom he would not. And as divers of sound judgement are of opinion, it was a signe rather of great vertue in the same prince, to have left the Empire without any bloudshed of those of his traine and privie Counsell, than if he had beene revenged so unmercifully: According to the doctrine also of Tully, in a certaine Epistle to Nepos, taxing Caesar for crueltie: For, Felicitie, quoth hee, is no∣thing else but prosperitie of honest things: Or, that I may define it otherwise, Felicitie is that fortune which helpeth good counsels, which whosoever useth not, can by no meanes be happie: And therefore in wicked and impious counsels which Caesar tooke to, there could be no felicitie: And more happie in my iudgement was Camillus, whiles hee lived in exile, than in the same dayes Manlius, although he might, as he desired, have raigned king. Her aclitus also the Ephesian, affirmeth the same, and advertiseth us, That brave and worthy men have divers times beene overcome (such are the variable events that fortune worketh) even of idle and slothfull cowards. And that this moreover a∣mong other principall prayses is most eminent, when as authoritie placed in high degree, having the desire to hurt, to be cruell and wroth, subdued, and, as it were, put under the yoke, hath erected a glorious trophie of clemencie, in the castle of a victorious mind. Now as this Prince in foreine warres went away with hurt and foyle, so by reason of civile conflicts, wherein he sped well, he bare himselfe proud, and by occasion of the inward ulcers of Common weale, he was all embrued with horrible and filthy bloud: Whereupon, in a perverse purpose rather than just and usuall, he reared with great cost and charges in Gaule and Pannonia triumphall ar∣ches even out of the losse and calamitie of the Provinces, together with the titles of his acts affixed thereto, for men to read, so long as those monuments would be able to stand. Exceeding much addicted he was to his wives, to the small puling voy∣ces of Eunuches, and to some Courtyers, who applauded every word he spake, and observed to honour him, and sooth him up in whatsoever hee affirmed or denyed. The distastfull bitternesse of these times, was made the worse by the unsatiable extortion and snatching of these receivers, & importunat collectors of tributes and

taxes, who drew more hatred upon his head, than money into his coffers. And this seemed unto many the more intollerable, for that he never heard any cause, nor tendered the indemnitie of the provinces, when they were over-layed with taxes, tributes, and imposts, one in the necke of another. Over and above all this, apt hee was to take away againe what hee had once given; and that perfect and syncere religion of the Christians hee blended with foolish and doting superstiti∣ons: and beeing given to search thereinto more intricately, than to settle it with gravitie, hee stirred many schismes and discords, which as they spread more and more, hee maintained with contentious words and disputations: insomuch as, whiles their bishops coursed up and downe by troupes on post-horses, allowed by the State, from Synode (as they tearme it) to Synode, labouring to bring all rites and ceremonies to their owne dispose and will, he thereby cut the sinewes quite of those that kept waggons for hire. As touching his forme and feature of bodie, this it was. His complexion somewhat blacke or browne; the cast of his eye loftie, his sight quicke; the haire of his head soft, his cheekes alwaies sha∣ven, and shining beautifully, from the grafting of his necke to his groine very long; bow-legged and short withall, whereby he both leapt and ran passing well. Well, being thus dead, his corpes being embalmed and chested, Iovianus; who then was Protector ^u Domesticus, had commaundement to attend upon it with royall pompe as farre as to Constantinople, to be enterred close unto the neerest of his bloud: and unto him, sitting upon the Carroch that carried the Reliques (as the manner is unto Emperours) were presented the essayes and proofes of the souldiors corne and victuals, as themselves tearme them, ^x Indicia proba: also publique beasts were shewed, and according to the usuall custome they came upon him, and grew more and more: which together with officious meetings up∣on the way, and other such signes, portended verily unto the sayd Iovianus the Empire; but the same to no effect, and without any port or continuance, as unto one that was the minister of such funerall pompes.

Notes

• Aurelius Anto∣ninus Philosophus
• A••idius.
• by way of usur∣pation.
• Imperio coundem comitantium sine ••ruore c••ssisse That it might be said after his death That his Empire was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the thing that Alexander Sver•••• and other good Emperours aimed at.
• Publica e••i••••alia: I suppose he mea∣neth post-horses, camels, ••••ules, hor∣ses &c. for draught and carriage, in service of the state.