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. V. The most wicked and abhominable practises of Palladius, the worker of all these so many troubles and calamities, to put oyle into the fire. The wittie wyles also and craf∣tie fetches of Heliodorus, who together with Palladius framed all these mischiefes, are described: whereupon ensue new tragoedies.

DVring all this time, Palladius, that plotter and worker of all miseries, whom we said at the first to have beene attached by Fortunatianus, and one for his very basenesse of condition even in the lowest degree, rea∣die to enter rashly into any action, by heaping one calamitie upon ano∣ther, had filled the whole State and Empire with teares and sorrowfull lamentati∣ons. For having gotten licence to nominate whom he would, without respect of calling and degree, as tainted with unlawfull and forbidden arts, like to an hunter skilfull in marking the secret tracts and muces of wild beasts, enclosed many a man within his lamentable net and toyle: some, as stained with the skill of poysoning and sorcerie; others, as privie and accessarie to those that plotted and practised treason. And to the end, that not so much as the very wives might be allowed and have leisure to bewaile their husbands miseries, straightwaies there were certaine suborned and sent out: who being come to some speciall houses of marke, rifling the household stuffe, and perusing the writings of any one condemned to suffer, should privily foist in some old wives charmes, or ridiculous love-spels & enchant∣ments, devised and forged to bring innocent folke to mischiefe. Which being read in court before the Iudges, where no law, no religion, or conscience, no equitie made difference betweene truth and lyes, without pleading in defence of them∣selves, they had their goods taken from them, yea, and without touch and attaint of any fault, young men and others indifferently, after they had beene lamed in all their lims, were had away in chaires to execution. Hence it came to passe through∣out the East Provinces, that all men for feare of the like, burnt their libraries and closets, such a generall terror possessed every one. For to speake more plainely to the purpose, we all in those daies crept as it were in Cimmerian darkenesse, fearing and faring for all the world like to those guests of Denis the tyrant of Sicilie, who whiles they crammed themselves full with viands, more irkesome and unpleasant than any hunger whatsoever, quaked to see from the embowed roofes aloft of the rowmes wherein they sat at meat, swords fastened onely to horse haires, & hanging just over the napes of their neckes. Then it was also, that Bassianus (by birth of a noble house, by calling a Notarie, and by his place serving in the warres with the formost, called into question, as if he had gone about to fore-know high matters of State although himselfe avouched, That he sought onely whether his wife should be delivered of a boy or girle? how ever he escaped death, through the great and earnest suit of his friends that stucke close unto him) was stripped out of a rich live∣lode and inheritance that he had. Among the crashing noises of so many ruines and overthrowes of mens estates, Heliodorus that divellish deviser and framer (toge∣ther with Palladius) of all mischiefes, the Mathematician or Astrologer (as the common people tearmeth him) being wrought and made sure aforehand by close conferences out of the Emperours house, put forth now his poysonfull and dead∣ly sting, egged on by all procurements and allurements of courtesie, to utter what

he either knew or could forgoe: for both cherished he was right charily with the finest food, and also money good store he got by way of contribution, to bestow liberally upon his harlots and mistresses; yea, and every where as he went, he carri∣ed up his head, I warrant you, with a surly and stately looke, dread of all men: but bearing himselfe more big upon this affiance, that to the stewes and brothel-house, which (as himselfe would) was kept with much libertie, he used to come openly and continually, being Provost over all the offices belonging to the bed chamber, bringing with him the writs and writings of the publicke father of the countrey, like to breed sorrow and griefe ynough to many. And by the meanes of him as an Oratour and advocate at the barre, Valens was taught and instructed before hand, what he should place in the formost parts of his Oration, that he might thereby proceed and profit more easily, as also with what figurative devices he should give the attempt upon brave and goodly places.