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. X. The birth and rising of Valentinian: His growth and progresse: His acts and whole course of life briefly run over.

NOw is it time to unfold, as divers times we have done, and from the nativitie of this Princes father, by way of a briefe collection to dis∣course of his acts even to the death of himselfe: not leaving out the distinct difference of his vices or good parts, which his high place and dignitie shewed, that is alwayes woont to lay naked the inward dispositions of the mind. Gratianus the elder was borne at * 1.1 Cibalae a towne in Pannonia, of ignoble and base parentage, sirnamed from his verie childhood Funa∣rius, because that he, as yet but a stripling, as he carried a rope about with him to sell, shrunke not five souldiors, that with great endevor were in hand to snatch the same violently from him: following herein Milo ^l Crotoniates, from whom as hee held many times and clasped close either in his right hand or his left any apples, no man was ever able with might and maine to wrest them away. For the cleane strength therefore of his mightie bodie, and the skill he had in wrestling, as the manner is of souldiors, being verie well knowne unto many, after the dignitie

borne of a Protector and a Tribune, he managed in Affrica the office of ^m Comes reicastrensi: whereupon being touched with the suspition of theft, and departed thence, long after in the like place he had the rule of the Britaines armie; and at the last discharged honestly of his militarie othe, returned home to his privat house: and notwithstanding that he lived farre remote from all stirre and noyse of the world, yet was he fined by Constantius with the losse of his goods, for this cause, that in the heat and broyle of civile warre, he was said to have entertained and lod∣ged Magnentius, as his guest, what time as by his lands and possessions hee made hast to his intended designes. In regard of whose deserts, Valentinian [his sonne] from the verie prime of his youth commendable, with the helpe also of a long traine of his owne vertues, being adorned at Nicea with the investure of Imperi∣all Majestie, tooke his brother Valens unto him as fellow Emperour: who in respect of brotherhood in the whole bloud, sorted and accorded most joyntly with him; a * 1.2 man that carried himselfe in a meane betweene reproachfull and prayse-worthie acts, which I will in convenient place declare. Valentinian therefore after many dangerous troubles past, whiles he led a privat life, was no sooner entred upon his Empire, but he visited the castles scituat neere unto great rivers & violent streames, as also Gaule, that lay exposed to the Alemans rodes and invasions, who began the more boldly to revive and stirre againe, upon knowledge of the Emperour Iulians death, whom onely of all the men in the world they stood in awe of. And for this good cause also was Valentinian much dread, because he both reenforced his armies with strong supplies, and also fortified Rhene on either side with high castles and fortresses, that the enemie making rodes & breaking out upon our province, might no where be undiscovered. And to let many-particulars passe which he did by the authoritie of a staied and well grounded governour, as also what abuses he refor∣med either by himselfe or his industrious captaines, after he had assumed his sonne Gratian into the societie of his power and high place, he privily stabbed (because openly he could not) Vithigabius, a king of the Alemans, the sonne of Vadomarius, a young prince in his verie flower and first downe of his cheekes, for stirring up the people to insurrections and warres. Also in a battaile against the Alemans neere unto * 1.3 Solicinium, a place where he was forelaid and like to have lost his life, he might have put then to the sword everie man of them, but that by vantage taken of the darke night some few of them made quicke speed and escaped. And yet a∣mong these politike and warie exploits, by a treacherous stratageme (I must needs say) but advantageous to him, he slew the Saxons, that now were growne to feare∣full outrage; a nation at all times making sodaine rodes and invasions, and then ar∣rived at the Maritime tracts, with the spoyles whereof they were returned almost loden: these robbers, I say, and brigands then by force defeated, he stripped of all their bootie and pillage. And in like manner the Britaines, who were not able to endure such troupes of enemies overrunning them, he restored to their libertie and quiet peace, with hope of better dayes, suffering not one in manner, of the foresaid brigands to returne home into their countrey. With semblable valour, and for∣tunat successe whereas one Valentinus, a banished person in Pannonia, went about in these provinces to trouble the common peace, he suppressed him, before his plotted designe grew to any strong head. After this he delivered Affricke out of great daungers, being much troubled with a sodaine mischiefe, what time as Fir∣mus not able to abide the greedinesse and pride of the militarie men, raised the na∣tions of Mauritania, who upon everie small gale are forward ynough to enter∣taine

all commotions and discords. And with like fortitude he had revenged the lamentable losses and calamities of Illyricum, but that prevented by death he left that serious businesse unfinished. And albeit these atchievements which wee have related, were performed by the service of his excellent captaines, yet full well it is knowne, that himselfe also, as he was of a quicke and nimble conceit, yea and throughly grounded with long experience of warfare, atchieved many acts beside, among which this might have more notably appeared, in case he could have taken alive king Marcianus, who in those dayes was verie terrible, according as with great industrie he had assayed, after he understood with sorrow and griefe that he was e∣scaped to the Burgundians, whom himselfe had annexed unto the Alemans. Thus much may serve for a briefe discourse as touching the acts of this prince.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Palma. Lazio.
• * 1.2

  Valens.
• * 1.3

  Solms, Herold••••.