§. 3. The sequel.
A pleasant spectacle was this to the overpressed Common wealth, but there must be some more trouble before she can enjoy the pleasure. Such storms as these, though they come suddainly, and without expectation, yet are they not so suddainly, pasted and calmed again.
The German Souldiers were the first that had notice of the Princes death, and they are the only men that will avenge it: Men not only conditioned like himself, in bar∣barousness and headlong cruelty, but also in love with those conditions, because they found acceptance and reward with him. These men upon the report, rise up in re∣venge, and in searching for the murderers of Caesar, you must expect some innocency will be murdered. They first light upon Asprenas, a man that indeed had a finger in the business, but it is like it is more than they knew, yet howsoever he must pay for it because he cometh in their way, and so the shedding of his own blood answereth the Omen that he had but even now by the blood of the sacrifice. Next cometh Bar∣barus Norhanus to handling, because next to hand, and after him Anteius whose curiosi∣ty was his destiny, for coming to look upon the corps of the slain Tyrant, he was made a corps himself: When the rumor of what had passed came into the Theatre, it mo∣ved different passions according to their different affections. Some could not believe the news it was so good, others would not, because it was displeasing, hoping better, than that they had lost so great a patron of their unruliness and sporting. But when the Souldiers came in thither after the rumor, with the heads of Asprenas, Norbanus and Anteius in their hands, then imagine what case they were all in there, expecting to be all involved in the same fatal end, by the same fatal fury, though they were not of the same opinion and affection to the fact that had lately passed. But this fear and fury was with as much speed as wit, and indeed were both finely calmed and remo∣ved by one Aruntius; for coming in among them in a mourning weed, as if for Caius, he plainly, and dolefully, and assuredly averred that he was dead. One would have thought that this should have increased the raging of the Souldiers far more than be∣fore, but it had the clean contrary effect, as his policy had wittily foreseen. For when they knew certainly that he was dead, of whom they expected a reward for this their outrage in his quarrel, and when they considered what the people might do now he was dead, who so hated him while he was alive, they sheathed their swords and their fury together, and withdrew themselves from the Theatre, and the peoples fear from the people fairly and quietly both at once. By a carriage of as much valour as this was of ingenuity, did Valerius Asiatic••s calm the tumult of the