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. IIII. Apronianus P••••fect or Governour of Rome, putteth Poysoners and Sorcerers to death.

WHiles the volubilitie of inconstant fortune produceth these occurrē∣ces in the East parts, Apronianus an upright & severe judge, who then ruled Rome, among other principall and important matter, with which this Praefectship is often troubled, chiefely set his mind and whole endevor upon this, That Sorcerers (who then began to spring

up here and there) being apprehended, and openly convicted, after examinations and trials past, that they had done hurt to some, and having discovered also such as were privie unto them, should be put to death: and so with the perill of a few, for feare of the like measure, to drive the rest away, if happily any lay close hidden And this he did (by report) the more effectually, for that himselfe being promoted by the choice of Iulian, who then abode in Syria, had lost one of his eyes in his journey: and suspecting that he was layd at by these wicked arts and practises, up∣on a just griefe verily, but yet unusuall, he made diligent inquisition after these and other the like: whereupon he was thought of some over-rigorous and cruell, in that he would seeme to looke into these criminall matters in the highest degree, e∣ven in the race of the Amphitheatre, where otherwhiles the commons flocke and conflow together like so many waves. In the end, after many such like offences pu∣nished, he condemned to loose his head Hilarius a chariot-runner, convicted, and that upon his owne confession, That he had put forth a sonne of his, scarce under∣growne, unto a Sorcerer, to be taught certaine secret casts forbidden by law, so as that without the privitie of any one hee might by himselfe have the helpe of some hidden and inward meanes: who, as the executioner had but slender hold of him, slipping suddainely away from under his hand, fled for sancturie to a chapp••ll of the Christians, and being pulled out from thence, had forthwith his head strucken off. But these and such like hainous practises, by order then taken for, to be punished streighwaies, men were warie to commit, and none or very few offendors in these foule and odious crimes insulted over the publicke justice: but in the time ensuing long impunitie nourished lewd enormities, and licentiousnesse grew to so great an head, that a certaine Senatour followed the example of Hilarius; and proved it was against him, even almost by his owne hand-writing, That he had put unto a teacher of these cursed crafts a servant of his, for to be inducted and schooled in these horri∣ble secrets, and was faine to buy out his punishment with a round summe of mo∣ney, as the report commonly went. And this selfesame partie now, delivered and freed from this kind of slaunder that went of him, whereas he should have beene a∣shamed of his life and fault committed, endevoured not to wipe away this staine; but, as if he alone, among many reprochfull persons had beene void of all offence, mounted upon a rich trapped horse, and prauncing over the paved streets, draweth after him, being but one man, many troupes of servants and pages, affecting by a certaine new kind of badge and cognizance, more earnestly to be gazed at: like as wee have heard, that Duillius in old time, after those glorious battailes which hee fought at sea, tooke thus much upon him, as to returne home unto his house after supper with a minstrell piping softly before him. Howbeit, under this Apronianus there was such plentie from time to time of all necessaries, that there could not so much as any grumbling at all be heard for want of victuals: a thing that falleth out continually in Rome.