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. 1. As the Alemans make new preparation for wars, Carietto and Serenianus encounter them with a power of armed men: And when both of them were slaine in fight, Iovinus a brave captaine gave the Alemans, leaping for joy of victorie, three battailes. Valens sendeth over the head of Procopius unto Valentinian ly∣ing at Paris.

WHiles these things which we have reported, upō divers occur∣rences passe in the East empire, the Alemans after grievous losses, & sore blows, which in their often conflicts with Iuli∣an being Caesar they had sustained, having at length resumed their strengh, though unequal to that which they had before, for the cause aforesaid being now much feared, invaded the limits of Gaule. And immediatly after the * 1.1 Kalends of Ianu∣arie, when the rigorous and bitter Winter weather froze hard all over the ycie tracts, a number of them went forth by plumpes, and stragled abroad at their plea∣sure. To encounter the formost companie of these, Carietto Lieutenant generall for both the Germanies, a man most forward to give battaile, went out, taking to

him for his companion in this painefull service, Severianus a Lieutenant likewise, but of no valour, and aged besides, who at Calydona had the command of the Di∣vitenses, and the ^a Tungricanes. The Romans therefore having joyned their for∣ces together, marched with their squadrons embattailed close and thicke one by a∣nother; and when they had with sure speed passed over the bridge that stood upon a little river, no sooner saw the Barbarians afarre off, but they assayled them with arrowes and other light darts, which they againe for their parts valiantly shot backe as fast. But when the troupes met and fought with drawne swords, the battaile of our men sore shaken with the fierce charge of the enemies, found no meanes either to resist, or to fight manfully, as being for feare all of them put to flight, when they once saw Severianus unhorsed, and shot into the mouth with a casting weapon. Ca∣rietto likewise himselfe, at last, whiles verie venturously with opposition of his bo∣die, and words from his mouth in a chiding accent delivered, he stayeth them, and laboureth with bold standing to it a long time, to wipe away so shamefull a disho∣nour, was wounded mortally with a dart and so dyed. After whose death the ban∣ner of the Eruli and Batavi was caught away, which the barbarous enemies lea∣ping and dauncing with many a friske, erected often and shewed on high, but af∣ter great conflicts it was recovered againe. When knowledge was taken with ex∣ceeding great sorrow, of this overthrow, Dagalaiphus to make amends for this dis∣honourable foile, was sent from Paris. But whiles he a long while trifled out the time, and alledged, That himselfe was not able to set upon the barbarous ene∣mies, so scattered and spred in sundrie parts, and was soone after sent for to take upon him the dignitie of a Consull together with Gratian, who as yet was but a privat person, Iovinus Generall of the Cavallarie addressed himselfe to this busi∣nesse: and being well appointed and readie in battaile ray, having a most watch∣full and warie eye to both the sides of his armie as it marched, drew neere unto a place named * 1.2 Scarpona: where sodainely and unlooked for, he surprised the greater multitude of the sayd Barbarians, before they were armed, and in the tur∣ning of an hand flew them everie one. This worthy and notable captaine leading forth his souldiors (rejoycing for this glorious battaile, which cost them no losse of bloud) for to defeat likewise the other companie behind, and marching softly on, was enformed by a trustie espial, That the forces of these spoyling brigands ha∣ving rifled the villages neere at hand, rested hard by a river: and approaching then anone, and lying close hidden in a darke vale set thick with groves and woods, be∣held how some of them were washing and bathing themselves, others busie in co∣louring the hayre of their heads yellow, and making the same shine like gold, (as their manner is) and some againe drinking garaus. Thus having met with a verie seasonable time of advantage, all on a sodaine he gave the signal by sound of trum∣pet, and brake into the campe of these robbers. The * 1.3 Germans on the contrarie side, in bragging wise rapping out nothing but vaine sounds and noyses of threats, were not permitted (the conquerour pressed so hard upon them) either to make readie their armes and weapons scattered here and there, or to put themselves in or∣der of battaile, nor so much as to plucke up their spirits and resume strrength. A number therefore of them pierced through with javelins and swords, were slaine, besides those who ran away, and with good footmanship gat into the crooked and narrow lanes, and there hid themselves. Iovinus now fleshed and more embolde∣ned with this happie exployt, which vertue and fortune together had atchieved, leading on his souldiors, and sending out before a diligent scout-watch to discover

the coasts, made hast with a running campe to charge upon the third regiment of them which remained. And having sped himselfe apace in this journey, he found them all neere to the * 1.4 Catelauni most readie to joyne battaile. When as therefore he had encamped himselfe within a rampier in a place convenient, and as the time would give leave refreshed his men with meat and sleepe, at the verie dawning of the day he arraunged his armie displayed at large with politique skill in an open plaine, to the end that the Romans, inferiour in number, yet equall in puissance, ta∣king up so large a ground, might seeme to match the enemies in multitude. When as therefore the trumpets had sounded the battaile, so that they began to fight close hand to hand, the Germans affrighted with the strange sight of our glittering ban∣ners, stood still. Who being for a while daunted, but soone after taking heart again, so that the conflict held unto the end of the day, our men with great force pressing hard upon them, had gained the honour of a brave day, without any losse at all, but that Balcobaudes Tribune of the ^b Armaturae, a man made altogether of big words, but cowardly withall, when as now the evening came on, reculed in disorder: whom if the rest of the cohorts had followed and gone away, the matter would have growne so farre forth to an heavie issue, that there could not possibly one have remained alive to tell what had beene done. But our souldiors standing to it with resolute and fierce courage, quit themselves so well with strength of armes, that ha∣ving sore wounded foure thousand of the enemies, they left other six thousand dead in the place: but they themselves lost not of their fellows above two hundred, and two hundred likewise and no more were hurt. Thus therefore when by the nights comming the battaile was ended, and the wearied bodies of our men refre∣shed, our brave leader toward day-light having stretched forth his armie in forme of a foure square battaile, and found that the barbarous enemies taking vantage of the darkenesse, were secretly slipped away and gone, secure of any ambushments, followed through the open champian grounds and easie plaine wayes, riding over them as they lay along halfe dead, who by reason that the sharpe cold aire drew their wounds together, were killed with extremitie of paine. After this when hee had gone further in his returne finding no enemie, he learned that the king of those regiments of the enemies, with some few taken by the ^c Hastarij (whom himselfe had sent out another way to ransacke the tents of the Alemans) was hanged on a gibbet. Hereupon in his anger he purposed to punish the Tribune, that durst doe such a deed without the advice of an higher power; and verily had condemned him, but that it appeared by evident proofes, that this foule and cruel fact was com∣mitted in the souldiors hot bloud. After this, as he returned toward Paris, upon the exploiting of this brave service, the Emperour with great joy met him, and after∣wards named and elected him Consull: and this, I assure you, augmented the mea∣sure of his joy, For that the verie same time he had received the head of Procopius, sent over to him from Valens. Besides all this, there were many other skirmishes fought, lesse worthy the relation, in sundrie tracts of Gaule, which here to set down were superfluous labour, considering that neither the proofe and issue thereof brought any great matter of gaine and importance, nor beseeming it is to draw our an hystorie in length by such base and slight particulars.

Notes

• * 1.1

  the first day of the yeare.
• * 1.2

  Scarpaigue, Ortel.
• * 1.3

  or Dutch.
• * 1.4

  About Chalous in Champaigne.