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. II. The vertues of Iulianus, beseeming a magnanimous prince, Ammianus Marcellinus exactly describeth.

CAesar, a prince right puissant and of wonderfull action, was no sooner freed from this feare, but in that constant carefulnes which he alwaies carried, he provided for his souldiors, that after their long travaile they might have some rest, though but short, yet sufficient to refresh their strength: albeit those lands, soulely out of order by reason of extreame want (as having beene so often wasted) affoorded but small meanes meet for the main∣tenance of life. But when with watchfull diligence order was taken also in this be∣halfe, his mind being lifted up with a sprinckling of more plentifull hope of pros∣perous successe, he bent the same to the practise and performance of many worthie parts. The first thing therefore that he did (hard though it were) was this, that he enjoyned unto himselfe temperance, and kept the same still living, as if he had been tied to the ^d Sumptuarie lawes; which being from the Oracles of Lycurgus (that is to say, The shing les or tables of wood called Axones) brought over to Rome, long time observed, and beginning to grow out of use, Sylla the Dictator by little and little restored, making this account, and that out of the prophesies or sage sayings of Democritus, That Fortune setteth out a sumptuous and superfluous table, bat Ver∣tue, a scant and frugall. For Cato Tusculanus also, who in regard of his severe and precise life came to be surnamed Censorius, wisely defining of this point: Great care thou hast (quoth he) of trim furniture, and as great carelesnesse of vertue. Fur∣thermore, reading continually as he did a little booke, which Constantius sending his sonne in law to the Vniversitie, had written with his owne hand, setting down an order over-liberally, What should be the expence of Caesars boord; he expresse∣ly forbad, That Fesant, and the daintie meat made of the mother and udder of a young sow that newly farrowed, should be called for and served up to the table, as

contenting himselfe with the course meat and such as came next to hand of a com∣mon labouring souldior. Hereupon it happened, that hee divided the nights ac∣cording to a tripartite or threefold function, For sleepe, for affaires of State, and for his booke: a course that Alexander the Great, as we read, used to take. But this our prince did the same more stoutly of the twaine. For Alexander having a bason or pan of brasse set beneath by his beds side, held with his arme stretched out of the bed, a silver ball, that as sleepe came upon him, and had let loose the stiffe sinewes of his joints, by the ringing sound that the said ball made when it fell downe, he might breake off his sleepe: But Iulian, without any such devise or meanes, wake∣ned as oft as he would; and rising alwaies at midnight (not out of a featherbed, or from under coverings of silke, glittering againe with sundrie bright colours, but from a quilt or tapistrie carpet spred on the ground, or some homely rugge, which the simple common people tearme Susurna) secretly did his devotions, and prayed unto Mercurie, who (as we are taughtout of the learning of Theologie) is the swift intelligence of the world, stirring up the motion of our minds; and in so great want of things, upon sure advertisements provided for the Commonweale. After which high and serious businesses ended, he turned himselfe to the exercise of his wit: and a man would not beleeve with how great and ardent desire in seeking af∣ter the profound knowledge of principall matters, and in gathering together cer∣taine forage and stoovet (as it were) for to feed his mind, climbing up still unto higher points of learning, he by way of wise disputation ran through all parts of Philosophie. But yet how effectually and fully soever he got the furniture hereof, he did not cast at his heeles the meaner sciences, as having an indifferent good in∣sight into Poetrie and Rhethoricke (as may appeare by the uncorrupt elegance and mildnesse of his Orations and Epistles, joyned with gravitie) as also into the ma∣nifold histories both of our owne and also of forraine acts. Besides all this, he was able to discourse and deliver his mind sufficiently in the Latine tongue. If then it be true which divers writers report, That king Cyrus, Simonides the Lyricke Poet, and Hippias Elêus that most quicke and eagre Sophister, had excellent memories, for that they attained thereto by drinking certaine medicines; we are to thinke veri∣ly, that this man also being then come to his full growth, dranke up a whole tunne of Memorie, if possibly it might any where be found. And these truly were the nightly signes of his modest temperance, and other vertues. But as touching that which he delivered by way of gallant speech, or pleasant conceit; or how he behaved himselfe in the preparation for fight, or in the very conflict of bat∣taile it selfe; as also, what enormities in the civile State he resormed by his mag∣nanimitie and the libertie that he tooke, it shall be shewed particularly in due place. Whē he was compelled, being a student yet in Philosophie, to exercise the first es∣sayes and introductions to militarie knowledge, as a prince, & learned the artificiall feat of footing with measures the warlike dance in armes, to the musicke of the fife and flute; he often naming Plato, came out alowd with this old proverbe, This is right, A pack-saddle on a Cowes backe; surely this is no burthen fit for my shoulders. When by a certaine solemne order or custome there were certaine Messengers or Pursivants brought into the Consistorie, to receive gold, among others, one of their companie tooke it not, as the manner is, within the lap of his mantle spred abroad, but with the hollow ball of both hands: and with that, These Pursivants or Intelligencers (quoth the Emperor) can skill how to catch, and not to latch [mony.] Being given to understand by certaine parents, That their daughters, young vir∣gines,

were forcibly ravished, he passed a decree, That hee who had abused them, upon conviction should be confined and sent away. Now, when the said parents of the maidens complained of the indignitie they suffered, in that the partie was not put to death, this answere he made: Thus farre forth (quoth he) let the lawes blame my clemencie: but as for an Emperour, hee ought to excell others in the lore of a most mild and gracious mind. Hee was on a time about to goe foorth to a certaine warlike journey or expedition, and many called upon him by the way for justice, as having sustained some wrongs; whom he put over and commended to the ru∣lers of provinces, to have their complaints heard: and after his returne, he enqui∣red what every one of them had done, and according to his gracious mercie that naturally he had, he mitigated the punishments of their offences. Last of all, set∣ting aside his victories, whereby he put to flight or defeated the Barbarians, whom he slew in battaile, without touch many times of any contumacie, hereby most of all it appeareth, what good he did unto the Gaulois, labouring (as it were) for life in extreame penurie, in that when he entred first into those parts, hee found there was demaunded by way of tribute five and twentie pieces of gold for every poll, but at his departure thence, seven onely for full satisfaction of all duties: in regard whereof, they rejoyced with cheerefull mirth and dauncing, as if the cleere Sunne after ugly darkenesse had shone upon them. To conclude, wee know, That unto the very end of his Empire, and to his dying day, he observed this one thing right profitably, that in matter of paying tribute he remitted not the overplus remaining and arrerages, by way of indulgences, as they call them: for well he wist, that in doing so, he should somewhat mend and better the estate of the rich; whereas well knowne it is, that the poore every where, in the very beginning of the taxes and imposts, are compelled to make full payment, without any easement or relaxation at all. Howbeit, amid these courses and waies that hee tooke, to rule and governe with moderation, which good princes are to strive to imitate, the rage and furie of the barbarous nations brake out into a flaming fire: and like as wild beasts, wont to live of ravine and prey when keepers be slacke and negligent, use not to depart and leave their wont when these are removed, no not if stronger be set in their place, but growing outrageously wood for hunger, without regard of life, run upon whole heards and flockes of cattell: even so they also, when all was spent which they had gotten by spoyle and pillage, as hunger urged them, divers times raised and drave booties away, and otherwhiles againe, before they could meet with ought, came short and died for it.

Notes

• Rhetris.
• Wherein those Oracles or Lawes were written.
• His wives sonne.
• Vulvam & sume••
• Ag••••••ibus in ro∣bus.
• For their pay or reward.
• Dictorū exordia.