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. III. The most ugly and lothsome face described, of the court and armie of Iulianus: the same Princes impietie, his hatred and deceitfull dealing against Christ and Christians.

AFter this the Prince turned his whole favour and affection toward his Courtiers, even all that were or could bee, not ywis as a Philosopher that professeth the search into the truth. For he might have beene com∣mended, if he had retained, though few, yet some at least wise that were of mode∣rat behaviour, and knowne for their honest conversation. But confessed it must be, that he highly maintained the most part of them as the verie seed-plot of all vices, in so much as they infected the Commonwealth with their lewd lusts and wicked desires, and did hurt to many, more by example, than by libertie of sinning: For some of them fed with the spoyles of churches, and out of everie occasion smel∣ling after lucre, being raysed from base beggerie to so high a leape of great wealth and riches, held no measure either in profuse largesse, or in poling, or in wasting, as those that alwayes had beene accustomed by extortion and pillage to get other mens goods into their hands. Hence budded forth the beginnings of loose and li∣centious life; hence sprung perjuries: no regard was there of reputation, but such was their witl••sse pride, that they stained their credit with dishonest and shamefull gaines. Among which enormities grew also the foule sinks and deepe gulfes of wastfull banquets, and in stead of triumphes for victories, feasting with triumphes. Then came up the wearing of silkes and velvets without all spare: then encreased the artificiall skill of weaving and embroderie, together with the curious cunning of cookerie: then were large plots for sumptuous and richly decked houses layd for, the spatious modell of which, if the Consull Quintius should have possessed in lands he had lost even after his Dictatorship the glory of his povertie. To these ble∣mishes and staines in Court, were adjoyned the enormious transgressions of disci∣pline in campe, when the souldiour instead of a joyfull shout, studied to sing wan∣ton sonnets: neither had the armed man, as before time, a stone to couch himselfe upon, but feathers and delicat winding beds: now were their drinking pots more weightie than their swords, for they shamed now to drinke out of earthen vessell. Moreover, there was now seeking for houses built of marble, whereas wee find it written in auncient records, That a souldiour of Sparta was sharply chastised, for that during the time of warre abroad, he durst be seene within house. Moreover, the souldiours in those dayes were to their allyes and countrey-men so stout, and withall so given to extortion but contrariwise to their enemies so false harted, and cowardous, that having by ambitious suits and idlenesse gotten wealth, they could most skilfully distinguish the varietie that was in gold and pretious stones: farre o∣therwise than we find in records of later date. For well knowne it is, that in the time of Maximian Caesar, when a fort or campe of the king of Persia was rifled, a certaine common souldiour after he had met with a Parthicke sacbell, wherein were perles, upon simplicitie, for want of skill and knowledge, threw out the gemmes, and went away sufficiently contented with the beautie onely of the lether bagge. It fortuned about the same time, that a certaine Barber being commaunded to come and pole the Emperours head, entred in arrayed in rich and costly apparell, whom when Iulian saw, he was much astonied, I (quoth he) commaunded not a * 1.1 ^f Receiver,

but a Barber to be sent for: Howbeit the said party being demanded, What he might dispend by his art? answered, He got everie day as much as came to the ^g allow∣ance for twentie men in victuall, and as much for horse-provender (which they commonly terme ^h capita) also he had a good stipend or salarie by the yeare in mo∣ney, over and beside many commodious suits and requests graunted unto him. Whereat being moved and displeased, he discharged away all such, together with Cookes and others of the like sort (who were wont to recive in manner the same fees) as those whom he had little need of, and gave them licence to passe whither they would. And albeit from the verie first instructions of his childhood, he was gi∣ven much to the worship of idols and ⁱ heathen gods, & as he grew by little & little elder, became zealously affected to the same, as standing infeare of many things, yet some points thereto appertaining he practised as secretly as possibly he could. But when those matters being past and gone which he feared, & he perceived once the time of libertie was come wherein he might do what he list, then discovered he the secrets of his heart, & by verie plaine and absolute decrees ordained, That the tem∣ples should be set open, that beasts for sacrifice should bee presented before the al∣tars, and that the worship of the * 1.2 gods should be put in ure againe. And to effe∣ctuat and strengthen these designes of his so digested, the Christian bishops which were at dissention, together with the people divided into schismes, he admitted in∣to his pallace, and gave them this admonition, That having appeased and ended all civile discords among themselves, everie man confidently should professe and fol∣low his owne religion, without any impeachment whatsoever: which he did with a stiffe and constant purpose, to this end, that as this libertie encreased discentions, he might not afterwards feare the multitude of them according in one mind, as having found by experience, That no savage beasts are so noisom and hurtful to men, as Christians are to themselves, and for the most part of them mortall and deadly. And oftentimes he would come out with these words, Heare me, whom the Alemans and Frankners have heard, thinking to imitat the speech of that auncient Prince Marcus. But little marked he, that the case was much altered: For, the sayd Marcus, when he travailed over Palestina, in his way to Aegypt, beeing oftentimes disquieted with the odious and stinking sturres of the tumultuous and unruly Iewes in griefe of heart is said to have taken up this exclamation, ô Marcomans, ô Quadi, ô Sarmatians, I have at length found others more unquiet than you.

Notes

• * 1.1

  or Auditor.
• * 1.2

  i. Idols, or hea∣then gods.