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. IX. Valentinian invadeth and warreth upon the Quadi. He is terrified with many strange sights, denouncing his end: He receiveth the Quades embassadours, and at a speech of theirs is so forcibly strucken, that with the losse of his voice, having a dead sweat comming all over him, he died with∣in a while after.

NOw, whiles the Emperour abode at Carnuntum, for three Summer moneths together, he provided himselfe of armour and victuals, rea∣die (if fortune were any thing favourable unto him) with the first op∣portunitie to invade and overrun the Quadi, authors of an horrible tumult and commotion. In which * 1.1 towne, Faustinus the sisters sonne of Viventius Praefect of the Praetorium, serving in qualitie of a Notarie in the warres, was after torture executed by the hangmans hand under Probus, who had the hearing and determining of his cause: called into question and indicted he was, for that he had slaine an asse, thereby to practise secret arts, as some averred, who layed that to his charge: but as he vouched himselfe, for to stay the falling and shedding of the haire off his head, another matter also was mischievously framed against him, namely, That when one Nigrinus desired him by way of mirth to make him Notarie, he laughing at the fellow, cried out and sayd: Make me Emperor, if thou wouldest have that at my hands. And this meere jeast being untowardly and in a wrong sence ex∣pounded, cost both Faustinus himselfe and Nigrinus also, with others, their lives. But to proceed, after that Merobaudes was sent out before with a warlike power of foot∣men, whereof he had the conduct, for to wast and burne the Barbarian territories, with whom was joyned in commission Lieutenant Sebastian, Valentinian removed his campe forward neere to * 1.2 Acincum; and when he had set his ships together, a∣gainst what suddaine chance might befall, and with all the quicke speed that might be planked them over in manner of a bridge, he passed over another way into the countrey of the Quadi, who lay verily in espiall waiting for his comming from the high craggie mountaines, whither most part of the countrey, uncertaine & doubt∣full what accidents would happen, together with their wives and children, liefe and deare unto them, were retyred; but altogether amazed and astonied, when contrarie to their expectation they saw the Emperours ensignes displayed within their countrey. Having therefore advaunced forward with a forced pace, as occa∣sion served, after he had killed up the people of all ages indifferently one with ano∣ther (whom as they stragled then abroad this suddaine rode surprised) as also burnt their houses, he returned with the safetie of all them whom he led forth with him: And in like sort, when he had made his abode in Aciencum in the latter end of Au∣tumne he sought convenient Wintering harbours along those tracts, which were wont to be frozen all over with the coldnesse of the weather: neither could he meet with any convenient seat but * 1.3 Sabaria, although it was a place at that time of no strength, and with continuall calamities from time to time sore afflicted. Where∣upon aboundoning the towne for a while, although it was of great importance, he thence removed lustily, and coasted along the rivers banke: and when he had forti∣fied the castles and forts with a competent garrison, he came to * 1.4 Bregitio, and there fatall destinie, framed long agoe for the princes rest, denounced unto him his last end, with many a prodigie betokening the same. For very few dayes before, the

blazing starres burned forth, which commonly are fore-runners of the fall of prin∣ces, the originall cause whereof I have declared alreadie: and at Sirmium, the lightening, with a suddaine clap of thunder shot out of the clouds, set on fire part of their * 1.5 Counsell-house and Palace. Likewise at Sabaria, whiles himselfe as yet there remained, an Owle sitting upon the top of the kings Baines, and singing out in a dolefull note, could by no expert hand of those that shot arrowes and flung stones, be made to fall, albeit they layd hard at her, striving a vie, who should do the feat. Semblably, when from the citie afore side he marched to give battell, he would needs goe forth at the same gate by which he entred in, to the end that he might ga∣ther some good pręsage of his speedie returne backe againe into Gaule: also, when the place that lay forelet and neglected with heapes of rammell therein, was scou∣red and made cleane, an yron dore happened to fall downe, which made up fast the passage out of it; and a multitude of people laying all their power and strength thereto, was not able to remove it: and so while he spent a day thereabout in vain, upon constraint he was faine to goe out at another gate. And that very night which went next before the day that should bereave him of his life, he saw (as men com∣monly doe in their sleepe) his wife, being absent, sitting with her haire loose about her eares, and clad in poore and mournefull array: which was imagined and estee∣med to be his owne fortune, now readie to depart from him in foule attire and ha∣bite. As he was setting forward from thence in the morning betimes, somewhat sad and with a frowning countenance, when the horse which was brought unto him, would not suffer him to get on his backe, but contrarie to his manner rose up with his forefeet aloft, his inbred crueltie was soone up, and (as he was by nature fell) he commaunded the right hand of the souldior, that was yeoman of the Stir∣rop, to be cut off which had put him beside, as he was readie to mount his accusto∣med beast; and died for it in dolorous manner had the innocent young man, but that Cerealis, Tribune of the Stable, with the danger of himselfe, put off and deser∣red so cursed an act. After this came the embassadours of the Quadi, in humble wise requesting pardon, with the finall abolishing of all that was past: which that they might obtaine without any barre or impeachment, they promised both their young trained souldiors, and some behoofefull things also for the Romane State. Whom, because it was thought good to receive and entertaine, yea, and to suffer for to returne, with graunt of truce which they required (for, any longer to trouble and molest them, neither want of victuals, nor the adverse time of the yeare would permit) they were conducted by Equitius, and admitted into the Consistorie. And when enfeebled for feare and daunted, they stood with their bodies bowing and stouping forward, after they were commaunded to deliver their errand, they aver∣red constantly those usuall and ordinarie shewes of excuses, and bound the same also with an oath, protesting. That no trespasse had beene committed against our part by common consent or counsell of the nobles of the land, but looke what had beene rudely and uncivilely done, the same happened by the meanes of cer∣taine out-lying robbers in the borders, and confining upon the river. This more∣over they added, avowing the same to be a sufficient reason to assoyle them of all that was done, in that the fort which was begun and going up neither justly nor conveniently, did set the hearts of the rusticall and wild peasants on fire, and made them so fierce and stout as they were. Hereat the Emperour in a mightie passion of anger, and as he began to make answere thereto, pussing and swelling very much, all to rated and in a high straine of chiding reprooved the whole na∣nation

as unmindfull of benefits received, and unthankfull: but being by little and little pacified and enclined to milder tearmes, behold, as if he had beene shot into his vitall parts with a dart, and bereft at once of his speech, he was seene all on a light fire: and sodainely the bloud being pent and restrained, as he stood all in a cold and deadly sweat, for feare he should sinke downe and fall in the sight of exi∣led persons, the servants of his privie chamber came running together about him, and so he was led into an inward parlor. Where being laid upon a bed drawing yet some small remaines of vitall breath, without any empairing at all of his intelle∣ctuall facultie and power, he knew all that stood by him, such as his chamberlaines had with great celeritie gotten together about him, least any man might suspect that he had beene secretly murdered. And for as much as by reason of the exces∣sive heat of the midriffe that knit his bowels together, there was of necessitie a veine to be opened, there was not a Physitian or Chirurgian to be had, upon this occasi∣on, that he had sent them all sundrie wayes scattering abroad to cure the souldiors which lay sicke of the pestilence: yet was there one found, who notwithstanding that he had pricked his veine once or twice, yea and oftner too, could not draw forth so much as one drop of bloud, so scorched were his inward parts with exces∣sive heat: or as some thought, for that his bodie was dryed up, by reason that cer∣taine passages therein, which now we tearme ⁱ Haemorrhoides, were closed up and growne to a verie hard crust, they were so bound up with cold. Well, such was the violent and infinit rage of his disease, that he perceived the prescript houre of his death was now come, and as he assaied to speake somewhat, and give something in charge, as the yex that often shooke his flankes and small guts, the gnashing of his teeth, and the moving of his armes, laying about him as if they had beene figh∣ting at hurlebats, plainely shewed, being now overcome and speckled here and there with ^k wan and blew spots, he yeelded up his ghost, after it had long strugled for life, in the five and fiftieth yeare of his age, and when he had raigned 12 yeares lacking 100 dayes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Carnuntum.
• * 1.2

  Petro Varadin. Nigr.
• * 1.3

  Stain, or Stainam Angern.
• * 1.4

  Bregnir••, or 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.5

  C••ris.