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. VIII. Whiles Valens is farre removed by occasion of warre against the Gothes, Procopius putting forward his intended businesse, is by tumultuarie acclama∣tions saluted Emperour.

WHen Winter was spent, Valens speeding himselfe apace toward Sy∣ria, and being now entred the marches of Bithynia, was enfor∣med by the relation and reports made from the Lord-marchers, That the Gothes, a nation at that time unfoyled and not med∣led with, and the same most cruelly banding together, were put∣ting their forces in readinesse, to invade the confines and bor∣ders of Thracia. This beeing knowne, to the end that himselfe in person might without any let goe forward whither he meant, commaunded a sufficient aid of horse and foot both to bee sent unto those places, wherein it was feared there would be any rodes of the barbarous enemies. When the prince therefore was

farre remooved, Procopius worne away with long miseries, supposing any grie∣vous death more easie and tollerable than the painefull afflictions which he en∣dured, threw at a venture the dye, and hazarded at one cast all perils whatsoever: and in a desperate resolution leading the way, nothing at all afraid now to suffer any extremities, setteth in hand with a most bold enterprise. The ^g Divitenses and Tungritani of the younger sort and later enrolment, appointed among others to make hast unto the urgent service in Thracia, and purposing to abide after the so∣lemne manner two dayes in Constantinople, he hastened to sollicite by the me∣diation of some out of the same companies with whom he was acquainted (be∣cause it was a perillous and difficult matter to speake with them all) and made choice of some few to put in trust: who beeing woon through the hope of great rewards, promised and bound it with a religious oath, to doe whatsoever he wil∣led them; yea, and gave their word for the favour also and assistance of their fel∣low souldiors, among whom themselves carried a great sway, and might do much by persuasion, as having the greatest pay, and being of best desert. According to appointment, and when it was faire day light, the said Procopius distracted into sun∣drie cogitations, went to the Baines ^h Anastasianae, so called of Constantines sister, where he knew the militarie ensigns were bestowed, and being enformed by those that were privie to their secret counsels, that all of them, upon an association made in the night, agreed to side with him, with assurance of safe conduct being gladly admitted unto them, environed he was with a multitude thronged together of vendible or sale souldiors, by way of honour I must needs say, but yet pent up a∣mongst them as one besieged: who, like as the Praetorian cohort in times past, after the death of Pertinax, received Iulianus, cheapening (as one would say) the imperiall dignitie, and making offer what price he would give for it: even so they also, bent to every thing that would yeeld them advantage and profite, defended Procopius, plotting to enter upon an unfortunate soveraignetie. He stood therefore among them as one halfe pined and consumed (a man would have taken him to have been a ghost raysed from the dead) by reason that a rich regall mantle would no where be found, clad in a coat beset with embossed gold, like unto one of these kings * 1.1 servants, arrayed from the heele to the share in manner of a nice and pretie page, wearing also purple shooes and hose: and as he bare a javelin or speare in his right hand, so he carried in the left a pretie piece of purple cloth; so as one would have thought, that in a stage-play within the Theatre, either some notable image and counterfeit through the tapistrie curtaines, or else a mocking delusion to make folke laugh, suddainely came forth and appeared. Well then, being thus after a ridiculous manner lifted up to this degree, in disgrace (as it were) and mockerie of all honours, and by way of servile flatterie having made a speech unto the authors of this benefit and advancement of his, yea, and promised unto them great riches and dignities for this hansell and first fruits (as it were) of his Empire, foorth hee went in procession into the streets, guarded with a multitude of armed men: and there in stately port he marched on with the ensignes borne aloft upright, enclo∣sed on every side with a dreadfull noyse of shields and targuets, clattering in dole∣full wise: which they, for feare least from the high houses they should bee pelted with stones or broken tyles, fitted close and thicke to the crests of their helmets. As for himselfe, going timorously as he did, the people neither withstood nor fa∣voured: howbeit, ravished they were with a suddaine pleasure and joy in such a noveltie, a thing naturally given to most of the vulgar sort: and this was the rather

set on foot, because (as I said before) all folke with one mind detested Petronius, growing on to such wealth by violent meanes: as who raised up against divers or∣ders and degrees of citizens new troubles and suits; yea, and revived bils and wri∣tings of debt long since buried. When as therefore the said Procopius was moun∣ted up to the Tribunall, and by reason that all the people looked downe on the ground, and stood astonied (which silence of theirs gave suspition of some mis∣chiefe toward) supposing there was prepared now (as he feared) a readier way to his death, by reason of a trembling that went over all his joints (being of himselfe not readie of speech) he stood a long time silent. Yet after he had now begun to say somewhat with an interrupt and dead voice, whereby he pretended his neere alli∣ance unto the bloud and line imperial, with a low whispering of some few that were hired thereto of purpose, and afterwards with tumultuarie noises and cries of the common people, being named Emperour, disorderly & in great hast he went to the * 1.2 Curia: where finding none there of * 1.3 Senators degree, but some few, and those ig∣noble and base persons, he went apace, but with a most unfortunat and wicked foot, and so entred the palace.

Notes

• * 1.1

  yeomen of the guard.
• * 1.2

  the Senate house.
• * 1.3

  claris••••morum.