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. IIII. Other examples of Tragoedies acted in Constantius his Theatre. The confident and fortunate libertie that Vrsulus an honourable person used in defence of the truth. The stupiditie of Constantius maketh way to civile trou∣bles and calamities: whereof there be examples laid open worth the observation.

NOw let me returne from whence I have digressed. After that Marcellus (as I have said) had taken the foile, and Serdica (the place of his nati∣vitie) was destroyed; within the Emperours * 1.1 Campe many horrible acts, under pretence of maintaining his imperiall majestie were com∣mitted: For if one had sought for counsell unto any of these cunning men or wi∣sards about the squeaking of a rat, the meeting of a weazill in the way, or for any such praesaging signe; or if hee had used any old womans charme and enchant∣ment to mitigate paine (a thing that by the warrant of physicke may be avowed) the partie being hereof enformed against (how and by what meanes he could not guesse) and therupon in all hast endited and arraigned, suffered death for it. A∣bout the same time the report went, there was a certain man named Danus, whom his wife onely upon a feare and terror had accused of slight matters, guiltie indeed or unguiltie whether hee were, I list not to avouch; but for want of defence hee was by Rufinus insulted over and beguiled: who gave information of some parti∣culars that he knew, by Gaudentius, a Pursivant or Intelligencer, and by Africanus the * 1.2 Consulare governour then of Pannonia, when they had given notice of the principall in the office belonging to Praefectus Praetorio, whiles also * 1.3 hee as chiefe actor by way of vow and earnest promise, twice, as the speech went, induced and brought the wavering and fickle minded woman, after hee had filthily lyen with her, into danger of doing her selfe hurt, and persuaded her, by packing a number of lyes together, for to accuse her guiltlesse husband of treason, and namely to forge thus much, That he had stollen a purple garment or covering out of Dioclesi∣ans sepulchre, and with the privitie of some hidden it. Having thus framed these matters to the utter destruction of many, * 1.4 himselfe (in hope of greater booties) hies apace to the Emperours campe, there to raise false slaunders after his wonted manner. Knowledge being taken of this thing, commaundement was given, That Mavortius, then * 1.5 Lord chiefe Iustice under the Emperour, a man of high re∣solution, should with streight inquisition looke throughly into the crime, having joyned with him in commission to heare the case, Vrsulus * 1.6 high Treasurer to the Emperour, a man likewise of commendable severitie. After this matter therefore was aggravated according to the condition and good liking of those times, when nothing upon the torture of a great many could be found, and the Iudges were at a fault, and to seeke what to do; at length the truth (which had beene over-much oppressed and smoothered) breathed againe, and upon the very point of necessitie the woman confesseth Rufinus to be the author of all this machination, neither sup∣pressed shee the filthie adulterie committed: and howsoever presently with con∣tempt of lawes much debate and canvasing there had been to and fro, yet at length by order and justice both of them had sentence of condemnation given, to dye. Constantius having intelligence hereof, fared and fumed; lamenting also, that the protector (as it were) & defendor of his life was perished, sent out horsemen post,

and commaunded in th reatening manner Vrsulus to returne unto the Counsell. And he verily rejecting those that would have stayed him, brake through them fearelesse: and being entred into the Consistorie, with free speech and bold heart declared what had beene done: and thus having stoutly stopped the mouthes of all flatterers, that they had not a word to say, delivered both the Pręfect or Iustice abovesaid and himselfe out of a great danger. Then happened that in Aquitaine which fame bruited farther abroad: A certaine craftie cousener being invited to a sumptuous feast (whereof there be many in these countries) seeing a paire of fine * 1.7 linnen counter-points, with two buttons so exceeding * 1.8 large, as that by the skill of the servitors they might meet and close together, and a table spred with the like naperie, carrying in both hands the fore-part of his cloke, the whole furniture with∣in, as the clothes had adorned and set it out, together with the principall things; a rich patrimonie (I assure you) he * 1.9 swoopt away. With like malicious naughtinesse a certaine Pursivant or Intelligencer employed in Spaine, bidden semblably to a supper, when he heard the boyes that were bringing in lights at evening crie out as the manner is, Vincamus, i. Let us winne, making a wicked and hainous interpreta∣tion thereof, brought to ruine and destroyed that noble house. These and such like prankes were played every day more and more, for that Constantius beeing ex∣ceeding timorous, feared alwaies, that he was the marke they shot at, even as Denis that tyrant of Sicilie: who upon the very selfe-same infirmitie taught even his owne daughters to play the barbers, because he would not commit his face to any stranger for to be shaven & made smooth; and that little house or rowme in which he was wont to lie, he environed about with a deep ditch, and made over it a draw∣bridge, that might be unjointed & taken asunder every peece, the dis-joined planks and pinnes whereof he carried over with him when he went to bed, and the same he set together againe in their joynts when he was to goe forth in the morning be∣times. To these trumpets that sounded the al'arme of civile troubles, the great men likewise in the Emperours house gave blast, to the end that they might beg the goods of condemned persons, and unite them to their owne. For as it appeared by manifest proofes, Constantine was the first of all that opened the iawes of these fa∣vourites: but Constantius was he that fed them fat with marrow of the provinces. For under this Emperour the heads and principals of every state and degree were infi∣nitely enflamed with a greedie desire of riches, without respective difference of ju∣stice and right: among the ordinarie * 1.10 Iudges, first Rufinus, * 1.11 Lord chiefe Iustice, and among the militarie and martiall men, Arbetio, * 1.12 Master or Generall of the Horsemen, and * 1.13 Provost of the bed-chamber, Vrsicinus also, Praefector * 1.14 Captaine of the Knights order, and in the * 1.15 citie Anitius, the * 1.16 Quaestor, or Treasurer: who aiming in his posteritie at a prince-like and royall port, could never be satisfied with extraordinarie possessions. But the Persians in the East, by theeving and robberie, rather than (as their usuall manner was) by encountring in the field and by battaile, raised booties both of people and of cattell, by which sometimes they gained, as comming upon a suddaine, and otherwhiles over-matched with multitude of soul∣diors, they lost. Now and then also they were not permitted once to have sight at all of that which might be carried away. Howbeit, Musonianus * 1.17 Lord chiefe Iustice, in those parts, furnished (as I have said before) with many good arts, yet a corrupt man, given to briberie, and for money easie to be turned from the truth, by means of certaine spies suborned and sent out of purpose, cunning artisans in deceiving and jugling, enquired after the projects and plots of the Persians, joyning with

him in such consultations Cassianus * 1.18 Lord ^g Warden in the marches of Mesopo∣tamia, a warrior hardened in sundry services and daungerous exploits. Who not∣withstanding plaine intelligence giuen unto them by the faithfull relation of the said spies, agreeing all in one talke, that [king] Sapor in the utmost marches of his kingdome, after much slaughter and bloud shed of his people could hardly re∣pell the nations that infested his dominion; yet by the meanes of base and obscure souldiers in secret conferences, they were in hand with [the * 1.19 Lord Warden] Sa∣por, who lay very neere unto our province, that if oportunity might serve, he would by letters advise the king to make a firme peace, now at length with the Romane Emperor; whereby, he being secured on every side, might tame and subdue his enemies that continually molested him. Sapor the saide * 1.20 Warden condescended hereunto, and having gotten thus much, and trusting thereupon, enformeth the king, that Constantius much encumbred with most grieuous warres, by way of en∣treaty required to haue a peace. And whiles these letters were sent unto the Chio∣nites and Halani, in whose confines king Sapor wintered, a long time passed be∣tweene.

Notes

• * 1.1

  or Court: for militarie tearmes were allegorically there taken up.
• * 1.2

  Consularem.
• * 1.3

  I greatly suspect this place to be ve∣ry corrupt and de∣fective: untill ther∣fore a more perfect copie may be foūd, it must passe in this manner.
• * 1.4

  Rufinus.
• * 1.5

  Praefectus Prato∣r••o.
• * 1.6

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.7

  Toralium, or ta∣ble cloth.
• * 1.8

  Neither is this passage as sound as it should be.
• * 1.9

  Evertit, or Ever∣rit.
• * 1.10

  That exercise cl∣vile jurisdiction.
• * 1.11

  Prafectus Pratorio
• * 1.12

  Equitum magister
• * 1.13

  Prafectus cubicul••
• * 1.14

  Equestris 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Prafectus.
• * 1.15

  Rome.
• * 1.16

  Quaestor.
• * 1.17

  Prafectus Prat••rio
• * 1.18

  Duce.
• * 1.19

  Ducem, or Marquesse.
• * 1.20

  Dux, or Marques