with some few only behind: who neither with fair words nor threates could stopp them. Auduin not knowing the Enemy was in the same case, sent an Embassage to the Enemy for truce. The Ambassadors, finding the Gepades to have had the same for∣tune
with themselves, demanded of Thorisin, whether his people were gone; they are fled (quoth Thorisin) none pursuing, and so are the Lombards, sayd they: since you deal truly with us, we will conceal nothing from you. And since God is pleased that these nations shal not perish, and hath cast on us both this sav∣ing fear, let us concur with that gracious sentence, and make an end of the war.
Be it so, quoth
Thorisin, and so a Cessation was concluded for two years, and in the mean time to send their Heralds, mutually and fully to compose the differences: but not being able to end the same, they fell again to the way of hostility. The
Gepados feared that the
Romans would joyne with the
Lombards, and therefore they sent to the
Cuturgurians, Hunnes inhabiting on this side the Lake of
Maeotis, to assist them in this war against the
Lombards. They sent them twelve thousand men, comman∣ded by
Chinialus, an experienced Souldier. But one year of the Cessation being yet to come, and the
Gepaedes having no occasion to use such a multitude, perswaded them in the interim, as upon the by, to invade the
Romans, who keeping no exact Guards upon the
Ister, into
Illyrium and
Thrace, the
Gepaedes transported the
Hunnes into the Empire; who spoiled the country, and sackt the Towns. The Empe∣rour hereupon sent to the
Ʋfurgurians, Hunnes planted beyond the Lake of
Maotis, blaming their unjust lying still, it being most unjust to neglect their freinds perish∣ing; alleadging how the
Cuturgurians being their neighbours, and receiving great pensions yearly from
Constantinople, ceased not to wrong them, but made daily in∣roades and spoiles upon them: & they, the
Cuturgurians getting no share of the same, were carelesse of the
Romans their ancient freinds, and saw them spoiled and ransackt by the
Cuturgurians, without vindicating them from those oppressions. The
Vtur∣gurians upon this remonstrance of the Emperour, and of the many presents they had received from him, and upon receit of more mony now, were won to invade the
Cuturgurians country. They passed the
Tanais, accompanied with two thousand
Tetraxite Goths, who dwelt neer them, and the army was commanded by
Sandill, a wise and a valiant man, and experienced in many warrs. The
Cuturgurians in∣countred them in a battell long fought; but were routed, and many were slain. And the
Ʋturgurians took their wives and children captives, and went home. During the battell, some thousands of
Romans, who had been taken captives by the
Cuturgu∣rians, slipt away, and recovered their native countries unfollowed, and getting so in that which most concerned them, the benifit of the others victory. The Empe∣rour sent
Aratius to
Chinialus, Generall of the
Cuturgurians, to tell him the newes of his own country, and to perswade them with mony to quit the
Roman territory, who hearing what the
Ʋturgurians had done, took the mony, and came to this ac∣cord:
That without killing, or taking prisoners, or other hurt doing, they should retire home through the Roman
Subjects, as freinds: That if they could continue in their country, they should observe saith to the Romans,
if they could not, they should come back, and have townes given them by the Emperour in Thrace;
and being Confederates with the Romans,
should guard the provinces from all Barbarians
whatsoever. Of them al∣ready two thousand were come into
Roman Land with their wives and children, after receiving that overthrow, from the
Ʋturgurians; and were led by
Sisinnion, who served formerly under
Belisarius, against
Gelimer, and the
Vandales. They be∣came servants to the Emperour, and were seated in
Thrace. Sandill, King of the
Ʋ∣turgurians grew angry at this; that he should punish the
Cuturgurians of the same Race, and expell them for wrongs done to the
Romans, and that now the Empe∣rour should entertain them to live among the
Romans, and better then ever they did. He sent Ambassadors to the Emperour to expostulate; but without Letters: for the
Hunnes know no letters, nor Grammer, nor breed their Children in the toiles about learning. The Ambassadors having accesse to the Emperour, told him as they were directed.
That their King Sandill bade them say, that he heard an old saying, when hee was a boy, how a Woolfe may change the colour of his haire, but not his nature, which will ne∣ver be mended: that he knew by his own experience also, as a rusticall Barbarian could observe it, how shepheards breed their Dogs in their houses from little Puppies, who have