as a goddesse to be revenged of such as ioy in wicked deeds will in the end bring such prowd swelling and fierie spirits to dead sparkes and embers as my selfe have found by experience and as I easily am induced to beleeve by the knowledge I have out of auncient histories What remaineth then but that we withstand these tempestuous whirlewinds that are raised and by speedie remedies represse and quell the rage of this warre new sprung up before it bee growne to greater strength For there is no doubt to be made with the favour of that most high God assisting us by whose eternall sentence unthankefull persons are alreadie condemned but that the edge of the sword so impiously prepared will be turned upon them to their utter destruction who not provoked with iniuries but made greater by many benefites have thus risen up to endanger the innocent For as my mind presageth and iustice readie to further good counsels doth promise I dare undertake that if they come once to buckle in close fight they will for starke feare grow so benummed that they shall not be able to endure the ardent light brandishing and sparkling out of your eies or the first noise of the outcrie at the ioyning of battaile After these speeches uttered hee drew them all to his mind and when they had answered the same with kind words and loving acclamations they shooke their speares in angrie wise and called to bee led foorth out of hand into the field against the rebell Whereupon the Emperour turning his feare into the joy soone after dissolved the assembly commaunded Arbetio whom he knew alreadie by former proofes to bee above all others a fortunate man in appeasing of civile warres to goe before him in his journey with the m Lancearij and n Mattiarij the companies of the light armed souldiors likewise Gomoarius with the Laeti who was to be opposed against them that should come into the straits of Succi one whom in this respect he preferred before others because hee was mischievously bent against Iulian as who had beene despised and disgraced by him in Gaule CHAP. XIII Constantius after this being disquieted with dreames and as hee thought for saken of his tutelar Genius and frighted withall by a certaine unluckie and ominous token whiles hee came unto a village neere Antioch fell mortally sicke and dyed HIs fortune thus sticking standing still in this tumultuous state of adversities shewed by signes as openly almost as if they had spoken plaine That the painfull end of his life was at hand For both terrified he was in the night time and before also that hee fell fast asleepe he saw the ghost of his father as offering unto him a faire babe Againe when he had taken the said babe unto him and bestowed it in his bosome it strucke from him and flung a great way off the ball which himselfe carried in his right hand Now this betokened nothing else but a change in the State although the interpreters answered pleasing things to him After this he confessed unto his familiars that kept neerest unto him daily bare him companie at the table That now as one forlorne he saw no more any secret apparition in cheerefull and pleasant forme but he thought it stood hard by him in poore and mournefull maner and supposed it was That a certaine tutelar Genius allotted unto him for the protection of his life had forsaken him readie to depart verie shortly out of the world For the Divines out of their learning say That all persons new borne saving alwayes the stable firmnesse of the destinies have to accompanie them some such powerful spirits to guide as it were governe their actions and yet the same appearing to veriefew even those whom many kinds of vertues have made great and famous And this doctrine both the Oracles and also excellent authors have taught us among whom is Menander likewise the Comical Poet in whom are read these two o Senarie-Iambick verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Angell hath each man his birth once past Which him directs whiles lively breath doth last Semblably out of those everlasting verses of Homer wee are given to understand That they were not gods of heaven that communed with valiant men neither stood by or helped them as they fought but familiar Genij or angels that conversed with them by meanes of whose especiall helpe it is said that Pythagoras Socrates Numa Pompilius the former Scipio and as some thinke Marius and Octavianus the first that had the name of Augustus given unto him excelled likewise that great p Hermes Tris-Megistus Apollonius also Tyaneus and Plotinus who adventured by discoursing upon this Theme by way of argument both mystically and profoundly to shew the first beginnings when these Genij become linked to mens soules which being once received into their bosomes they protect as long as they may and instruct them in many high points in case they perceive them to bee pure and by the immaculat societie of the bodie severed from the filth of sinne Well Constantius with all speed being entred Antioch and minding earnestly to addresse himselfe as his manner was against the troubles of civile warres after he had put all things in readinesse hastened to go forth into the field although a number secretly in mumbling maner were exceeding much against it For no man durst either openly dissuade him or say nay Toward the later end of Autumne he put himselfe in his journey and when he was come to a certaine countrey Manor not far from the said citie to wit three miles off named Hippocephalus in the morning when it was day light he espied the dead bodie of a man slain lying on his right hand with the head severed from the shoulders stretched out along just against the West side And being afrighted with this ominous signe himselfe as the destinies hastened his end went on apace the more resolutely and came to Tarsus where hee got a light ague but supposing that all danger of this crasinesse of his might bee shaken off by stirring in his travaile he came by difficult and cumbrous wayes to Mopsuestia the utmost station of Cilicia as men go this way scituaâ— under the foot of the mountaine Taurus And when the next morrow he would have gone forth the grievousnesse of his disease growing upon him had so impaired his strength that he was staied there and so by little and little the unkind and excessive heat of the fever so inflamed the bloud within his veinâ—s that his bodie burning in maner of a furnace or oven would not suffer a man so much as to touch it When as therefore all meanes of medicines failed drawing toward the howre of death hee bewailed his end While his memorie and sences were yet sound and perfect he ordayned by will as the report went Iulian to succeed him in his imperiall place After this when his wind grew
cold Northren wind through whose lands there runneth a river named Arias sufficient to beare ships and maketh a huge lake carrying likewise the same name Moreover this selfesame Aria hath a number of townes in it among which these be much resorted unto and of great name Bitaxa Orbitana Sotera Nisibis and Alexandria from whence it is a thousand and five hundred stadia sayling to the Caspian sea Next unto these places are seated the Paropamissadae who on the East side look toward the Indians and to Caucasus on the West they themselves also enclining to the breaches and ends of the hils through whose countrey runneth the river Ortogordomaris bigger than all the rest which ariseth from the Bactriani And these people have also some cities among them of which more famous than the other are Gazaca Naulibis and Ortospana from whence if a man sayle along the shore unto the bounds of Media next lying to the Caspia portae he shall find two thousand and two hundred stadia Vnto this nation aforesaid joyne the Drangiani linked together by hils They goe under the denomination of Arabians because from them they descended and among other townes of theirs they vaunt much of twaine Prophthasia and Ariaspe which are rich indeed and highly renowmed Next overagainst them Arachosia sheweth it selfe bending toward the right side and lying just upon the Indians which a river much lesse though it be arising out of Indus the greatest of all others whence those countries tooke their name watereth plentifully and maketh the marish named Arachotoscrene Here also among other base cities are Alexandria Arbaca and Choaspa In the most inland part of Persis lyeth Gedrosia on the right hand reaching to the borders of the Indians made more fruitfull by the river Artabius beside other of smaller streame and there have the Barbitane mountaines an end out of the foot and bottome whereof spring other rivers that intermingle their waters with Indus loosing their owne names in regard of that which is the greater And here also there be cities among these cities beside the Islands Sedrasyra and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The womens Haven are esteemed better than the rest Least therefore whiles shewing in particular the Bayes along the maritime coast that flow hard upon the borders of Persis we should wander overfarre from our purpose sufficient it shall bee thus much to say that the sea passing along from the Caspian mountaines by the North side unto the straits aforesaid is reckoned to containe nine thousand stadia but the South side from the mouthes of the river Nylus unto the frontiers and entrance of Carmania is by measure foureteene thousand stadia CHAP. XII The bodies of the Persians their manners lawes and arts as well of peace as of warre their decking and trimming especially with pearle as touching the breeding and nature whereof a briefe discourse AMong these so many and dissonant nations the people also and the places be of diverse and sundrie sorts But to describe in generall their bodies and manners they be in manner all slender and lanke somewhat blacke or of a swart palish colour their eyes looking grim as those of Goats doe their browes bending like unto halfe circles doe meet wearing their beards not unseemely and the shag haire of their heads long but all of them one with another indifferently even at their meat and upon feastivall holydayes are seene with swords by their sides Which ancient manner of the Greeks the Athenians first layed away as Thucydides a most sufficient author recordeth Most of them were wont excessively to bee given unto fleshly lust and hardly contenting themselves with a number of concubines they cannot skill of the unnaturall abuse of boyes and every man according to his wealth contracteth marriages more or fewer whereupon among them their love and affection distracted and dispersed by so sundrie lusts is to their children cold or dull They eschew no lesse than a very bane and plague all exquisite fare and lavish expence at the table but especially the greedie desire of drinking neither is amongst them setting aside the kings boord any set dinnertime but every mans bellie is his dyall or clocke which when it strikes they fall to whatsoever comes next hand neither doth any man after he hath once satisfied hunger engorge superfluous meats And wonderfull it is to â—ee how strait laced carefull and warie they are that whiles they passe now and then among their enemies hortyards and vineyards they neyther desire nor touch ought for feare of poyson and secret arts More than this there is hardly seene a Persian either when he stands making of his water or when he goeth aside to ease his bellie so precisely declineth he these and other businesses of the like kind for feare of shame But so dissolute they be and with the loosenesse of their joynts and wandering pace they keepe such a flinging of themselves and jetting in their gate that a man would take them to be meere effeminate whereas indeed they be most fierce warriors but rather wylie in cunning slight than hardie in manly fight and afarre off they are very terrible full of vaine words speaking after a brainesicke and wild manner big boasters shrewd and mischievous given to threats alike in adversitie and prosperitie craftie prowd cruell challenging and taking upon them power of life and death both over their servants and the meaner sort also of the common people They flay off the skins from men alive either by peecemeale or all whole neither is it lawfull for a servant among them that waiteth and standeth at the table to open his moâ—th to speâ—â—e or to spit so muzzeled and bound up are all their lips with prickly and sharpe pointed skinnes The lawes with them are mightily feared among which for severitie and rigour those exceed that are enacted against unthankfull persons and traiterous revolts and others there are as detestable and to be abhorred by vertue whereof for the offence of one man all the kinred must die To sit in judgement and decide controversies are such appointed as are for worldly experience tried and of approoved integritie who also little or nothing at all need the counsell of others whereupon they laugh at our custome which otherwhiles setteth eloquent Orators and most learned in the common lawes at the backe of unlearned Iudges to prompt them For that another Iudge was forced to sit upon the skin of that Iudge who was condemned for unjustice and doing wrong it was eyther a fained tale devised by those in old time or if it were an auncient received custome it hath had an end and is no more put in practise For militarie furniture and discipline for continuall flourishes of encamping and using their armour and weapons which I have oftentimes described dreadfull they were even to the greatest armies boldly and confidently presuming upon the prowesse of their Cavallerie in which service all their nobilitie gentrie and
Romanes and made rodes all abroad To which expedition the Emperour being gone forth came to the Rhaetiae and Campi Canini And after long and sage consultation had this was thought to be a course both honest and profitable to all That Arbetio Generall of the Horsemen taking part of the footmen and coasting along the sides of the lake Brigantia with the stronger power of the armie should march on thither presently to affront and encounter the Barbarians the description of which place I will briefely set down as farre as my reason will give me leave Betweene the winding of high hils Rhene running in and out with a mightie strong streame holdeth on his course through the Lepontij and runneth by the downe-fals of water in manner of Nilus with a swift current swelling immediately from his first head where he beginneth and so with store of his owne water violently passeth forward in one single channell and no more And now by this time augmented with snow melted and resolved into water and rasing as it goes the high bankes with their curving reaches entreth into a round and vast lake which the Rhaetians dwelling thereby call Brigantia carrying in length foure hundred and threescore stadia and in breadth well neere as much whereto there is no accesse by land for the thicke growne shadie and unpleasant woods unlesse it be where that auncient and sober valour of the Romans made a broad way whiles both the nature of the ground and rigour also of the ayre impeached the Barbarians This Mere therfore the river with frothing whirlepooles breaking into and running through the still and standing water thereof cutteth quite in the middest as it were just betweene two equall sides throughout to the very end and like unto an element severed apart by an everlasting discord without encreasing or diminishing one whit the streame that it carried in saving both name and strength whole maketh an end of his race neither afterwards suffereth he the meeting or fellowship of other rivers but entreth of himselfe into the gulfe of the maine Ocean And that which is a very great wonder neither is the lake once stirred with that violent streame running through it nor yet the river stayed in his hastie course for all the muddie filth of the lake and howsoever they be confounded together yet are they not mixed into one bodie which if the very sight did not prove to be so a man would not beleeve by any meanes they could be parted one from the other Thus Alpheus rising in Arcadia for love he beareth to the fountaine Arethusa cutting quite through the Ionian sea runneth forward as fables doe report to the very confines of his beloved Arbetio not expecting untill the messengers came to bring word of the Barbarians comming although he knew that the beginnings of warres were usually very sharpe fell within the danger of a privie ambush and with this suddaine and unlooked for mischiefe was strucken as it were stone dead Meane while were the enemies discovered leaping forth of their starting holes and without any intermission shot sticked with many kinds of darts whomsoever they could find for neither was any of our side able to resist nor to hope for other meanes to save their lives but by speedie flight Wherefore our souldiors being wholly bent to the avoiding of wounds in a disorderly march scattering one from another to and fro offered their backes to take all blowes and harmes Howbeit the most of them dispersing themselves through the narrow lanes and rid out of present danger by helpe of the darke night upon the returne of the day light after they had refreshed their strength betooke themselves every man to their owne rankes and files In this so heavie and unlooked for mischance a very great number of souldiors and tenne Tribunes besides were missing upon which defeature the Alemans taking more heart to them and very stoutly every day approching neere unto the Romanes fortifications whiles the morning mists dimmed the light ran up and downe braving with their drawne swords grating their teeth and letting flye big and prowd menaces Then on a suddaine the Targuetiers who sallied forth when by reason of the troupes of enemies affronting them they were driven backe and at a stand provoked all their fellowes with one mind and resolution to fight it out But when the greater part of them were affrighted by the example of the foyle so fresh and lately received and Arbetio supposing all behind would be safe ynough held off three Tribunes at once lustily issued forth Arintheus deputie colonell of the Armature also Seniauchus who had the charge of the horsemens troupes d belonging to the Comites and Bappo leading the e Promoti together with those that the Emperor had committed to his conduct The common cause as well as their owne particular put them forward whiles they joyntly altogether resolved to resist the force of the adverse part after the example of the auncient inhabitants bordering upon the river and so comming upon their enemies not by way of a set battaile but in running skirmishes after the maner of Brigands they put them all to shamefull flight who dispersed and in disarray upon the opening of their rankes whiles they make hast to escape with their heavie load encumbred were forced to disarme and lay their bodies bare and so with many a blow and thrust of swords and speares down they went and were slaine and many of them slaine horse and man together even as they lay seemed still to sit fast upon their backes At which sight all those issued by heapes out of the campe who made doubt before to goe forth to battaile with their fellowes and now unmindfull of taking heed to save themselves they beat downe and trode under foot the barbarous sort unlesse they were such as made shift by running away to escape death trampling upon the heapes of dead bodies and embrued with the bloud of their slaine enemies Thus when the battaile was done and ended the Emperour with triumph and joy returned to Millaine there to winter CHAP. 1111. The wicked designements of some principall courtiers against Silvanus a most valiant warrior and captaine AFter this there ariseth in the afflicted state of the Commonwealth with like mischiefe unto the provinces a tempestuous whirlewind of new calamities like to have destroyed all at once had not Fortune the governesse of humane chaunces dispatched a trouble exceedingly feared by a quicke and speedie issue What time as Gaule through long neglect endured grievous massacres pillages and wasting by fire so long as the barbarous nations licentiously made havocke and no man did set to his helping hand Silvanus Colonel of the Infanterie moved with anger hereat and of power sufficient to redresse these outrages first made head against them and Arbetio was earnest by all meanes possible he could to have this service set forward with all speed to the end
guard firmely founded the securitie of Gaule leaving no cause of terror and feare behind us at our backes we came into Pannonia to the pleasure of eternall God purposing to strengthen whatsoever was like to run to ruine and decay And when all things were prepared accordingly as yee know in the middle of Spring we went in hand with most weightie and important affaires First that when we were about to frame a bridge close ioynted no voleyes of shot might impeach us which worke being with small ado finished after we had seene and overrun our enemies lands the Sarmatians who stubbornely in a wilfull mind went about to withstand us unto death we overthrew and subdued without any losse of our owne men The Quadi also in semblable malapartnes whiles they came to aid the Sarmatians and fell upon the squadrons of our noble legions we hewedin pieces who after miserable damages sustained having found by experience in all their braving rodes and minatorie attempts of resistance of what force our valour was did cast away all fence of armour and those hands which they had prepared and fitted for fight they carried pinnioned behind at their backes and seeing no other meanes to save their lives but in prayer and petition they fell prostrate at the foot of a mercifull Emperour whose battails they had often found to have come unto afortunat end After these were sequestred and set aside with like valour we vanquished the Limigantes also and when a number of them were slaine the others to avoid the danger were driven to flye for refuge unto their starting holes among the blind marishes And when these exploits were likewise brought to an happie conclusion the time was come when we were to use seasonable mildnesse and clemencie The Limigantes we forced to flit into places farre removed for feare they might any more bestirre themselves to doe our men mischiefe and most of them we spared Over those that were free we set as ruler Zizais who was to be devoted and faithfull afterward unto us reputing it a greater matter to create than to present unto the Barbarians a king and this honor added much unto the solemnitie of his creation that he was appointed unto the same people a ruler who had before time elected and accepted him A foure-fold reward therefore which one expedition hath performed we have acquired and the Common-wealth together first by working due revenge upon hurtfull and mischievous robbers and after by taking of our enemies so many prisoners as may satisfie you abundantly For with those things ought vertue and prowesse to stand contented which it hath woon by painefull sweat and strong hand as for our selves our owne travailes and fortitude will be sure to save for us much wealth and ample riches which are great treasures even the patrimonies of all men whole and sound For this is it that beseemeth the mind of a good prince this suiteth well with prosperous successes Finally I my selfe also carrie before me the spoile of our enemies name even the addition in my style of Secundus Sarmaticus which yee all with one accord without arrogancie be it spoken have worthily and for desert conferred upon me After this speech ended the whole assembly with more than wonted alacritie as having their hope of greater matters and gaine bettered by way of joyfull applause and festivall acclamations rose up to resound the praises of their Emperor and at last after open declaration made according to the maner That Constantius was invincible repaired with joy unto their pavilions And the Emperour being brought backe unto his pallace and refreshed with two daies repose returned with triumphant pompe to Sirmium the militarie bands and companies also retyred to their appointed places of abode In these very daies Prosper Spectatus and Eustachius sent as embassadours unto the Persians as I have shewed before went unto the king being returned to Ctesiphon producing the Emperors letters and presents and they demanded as things then stood whole and sound a peace and mindfull of their commission and what directions they had in charge they never left the due regard of the good and majestie of the Romane Empire avouching boldly that the covenant of amitie was to be established no otherwise but with this condition That there should be no motion at all made of troubling the state of Armenia and Mesopotamia When therefore they had staied there a long time seeing the king most obstinately set and hardened against the admitting of any peace unlesse the Seignorie of these countries were awarded unto him they returned without effecting their businesse After this were sent to obtaine the self-same thing with like strength and validitie of conditions Lucillianus a lieutenant and Procopius at that time a Notarie who afterwards entangled and tied fast with a certaine knot of violent necessitie rose up in open rebellion and aspired to the imperiall diademe THE XVIII BOOKE CHAP. I. Iulianus Caesar having set aside all cares of warre hath a watchfull eye to the safetie of Gaule and seemeth a maintainer and lover of justice after this renewing warre against the Alemans he buildeth and storeth his garners seven cities he taketh in and repaireth THese acts in one and the same yeare were in sundry parts of the world atchieved But in Gaule now that the State stood in better tearmes than before and Eusebius together with Hypatius brethren were styled with the high titles of Consuls Iulian renowmed in the place of his Winter abode for contriving of his affaires to so good successe having sequestred and layed aside for the meane time all cares of warre with no lesse regard disposed and ordered many things to the behoofe and welfare of the provinces observing diligently That no man should be surcharged with the burthen of tribute That no one mans greatnesse or power should over-weigh and oppresse another nor they be in place of authoritie whose privat estate grew by the fall and decay of the Common weale ne yet that any Iudge should without punishment swerve from equitie And this redressed he with small travaile and little adoe for that himselfe deciding quarrels and controversies especially when the greatnesse either of causes or persons s required was a constant and irremoveable discerner of right and wrong And albeit there be many commendable examples of his in such like controversies yet it shall suffice to put downe but one to the patterne or likenesse whereof his other deeds or sayings are to bee considered Numerius ruler but a while before of Narbonensis Gallia being accused for theft he heard after an unusuall censorious rigour openly at the barre before his Tribunall and admitted to the audience of his triall whosoever were willing to bee there who when he pleaded unguiltie and put by all matters objected against him by a bare deniall and could not in any one point be convinced Delphidius a most sharpe Oratour who layd sore against him for want of proofes and evidences in a great chafe
into their hands whole provinces even those that in all the former warres unlesse it were in Gallienus his time were untouched and by reason of long peace very wealthie of which enterprise and exploit he promised with the leave and grace of God to be a most meet and sufficient leader This counsell of his being commended and with one accord of them all confirmed they generally bent and set their minds to such things as were with speed to be gathered together and put in readinesse and so all Winter long preparation was made of victuals souldiors armour with other munition and meanes requisit for a warlike expedition shortly to be taken in hand We in the meane while having staied a while on this side the mountaine Taurus in our comming by commandement toward the parts of Italie made hast untill we drew neere to the river Hebrus that runneth downe from the Odrysian hils and there we received the princes letters commaunding us without all excuse making to returne into Mesopotamia that without any officers attendance where wee were to take charge of no dangerous expedition now that all the power of commaund was transferred unto another a thing plotted and contrived by these busie polititians and pragmaticall Statists about the Emperour of purpose that in case the Persians frustrate of their expectation retyred into their owne countrey this should be reputed a doubtie piece of service exploited by the new captaine but if fortune otherwise should come adverse and crosse an imputation of treason to the State might be layed upon Vrsicinus Being thus without all reason tossed to and fro after we had stood doubtfull a good while what to do we returned found Sabinianus full of disdaine a man of meane stature base minded and of small courage hardly able without shamefull feare to abide the light noise of a companie met at a feast much lesse the rustling and clattering of an armie in battaile howbeit because the discoverers sent out in espiall affirmed most constantly the fugitives avouched no lesse That the enemies made hote preparation every way whiles this silly fellow idle and slouthfull as he was slept his businesse we approched Nisibis readie to provide good and necessarie meanes for feare least the Persians making no semblance at all of siege should surprise the citie at unawares CHAP. VIII The Persians with a great power make an excursion upon the Romanes with varietie of fortune as commonly it is seene NOw whiles within the walls every thing with all speed was putting in readinesse we might discover smoke and light fires all the way along from Tigris by Castra Maurorum by Sisara and the rest of the marches even to the very citie shining more thicke than usually they had done and that continually an evident proofe that the enemies having passed over the river were broken forth and fell to wast and spoile the countrey Whereupon least the passages should be intercepted with a running march we made speed forward and when we were come within two myles we espied a well-favoured boy with a chaine about his necke and as we guessed eight yeres of age pitifully crying in the middest of an high way the sonne as he said himselfe of a free-borne gentleman whom his mother when in a terrible affright for the enemies so neere at hand she fled being encumbered with other carriage for hast left all alone behind her This child whiles I at my captaines commandement who tooke pitie of him and was much moved at the sight carrie before me upon my horse and bring backe unto the citie the Brigands having cast a trench and tampier round about the circuit of the wals ranged at randon all abroad And for that I was terrified with the troubles and calamities that commonly follow siege after I had set down the boy within a posterne gate halfe shut with all the speed I could make I returned all windlesse for hast toward the regiment of our men as they marched there I escaped hardly of being taken For when a wing of our enemies horsemen followed after one Abdigidus a Tribune as he fled with his camp-slave and having overtaken the said servant now that his master was by flight slipt away had asked him as I passed in great hast by Who was appointed to be the Iudge or Governour and heard how Vrsicinus who a little before had entred the citie was going toward the mountain Izalla and therewith slaine the partie who answered them to a thing that they never demaunded a number there were which pursued us in hote chase and never rested whom after I had out-stript such was the fleet pace of my horse under mee and found our men laid securely along at their ease hard by Amudum a weake hold whiles their horses were scattered here and there about at their forage I stretched forth mine arme at length and swinging the skirt of my cassocke on high round about my head by this usuall signe shewed That the enemies were at hand and so joyning with them rode amaine with my horse readie by this time to tyre Now the thing that terrified us was the full Moone shining all night long and the flat levell and plaine fields not able to affoord us if we had been distressed and put to our shifts any borough to shelter us as where there was not a tree nor shrub to be seen nor aught at all besides short grasse and low weeds This stratageme therefore was devised namely to set upon an horse backe a burning lampe and to tie the same fast about him for falling and so to let him as he caried the same go loose by himselfe without a rider and take the left hand way whiles we in the meane time marched toward the mountaine tops situate on the right to this end that the Persians weening it to be a tallow linke giving light before the captaine softly marching might take their course that way especially which if wee had not fore-seene wee should have beene taken prisoners and brought in subjection to our enemies Being escaped out of this danger when we were come to a certain woodie place set with vines and apple-trees named Meiacarire so called of cold fountaines now that all the inhabitants were slipt away and gone wee found in a nouke remote farre out of the way one souldior lying hid alone by himselfe who being presented unto our captain after he had faltred in his speech for feare so that his words hung not together and was therefore suspected being further affrighted with menaces revealeth the whole truth sheweth That he was borne at Paris in Gaule that whiles he served in a troupe of horsemen and was afraid to be punished for a foule fact in times past committed he fled his countrey and turned Persian and since that time being for his honest behavior and cariage well approved wedded a wife begat children and sent as a spie into our parts related many a time true tidings but now
was speaking these words hee departed out of sight not turning his backe but as he slipt away modestly stepped backward and shewed still his breast afront CHAP. XII The troupes of the Romane horsemen discomfited and put to flight after the losse of the most part and a number slaine hardly recover Amida WHiles these occurrents happen in the compasse of one halfe houre the souldiors of our rereward who kept the upper part of the hill crie out That there was another multitude of men of armes in complete harneis seene behind which with all the speed they could make came forward and approched And then as it commonly falleth out in dangerous extremities we being to seeke against what mischiefe we either ought or were able to make head as the preasse of so huge a multitude came still upon us and put us to it our rankes were broken throughout and we on all sides made shift every man for himselfe the next way he could to flie And whiles each one endevoreth for his owne part to get out of this great danger dispersed here and there out of ray we become entermingled among our enemies traversing the ground for to meet us at every turne and so fighting manfully now without any desire at all to live driven wee are unto the bankes of Tigris that stood on high as it were cut out of a rocke From whence some being thrust headlong stucke fast there with their armour and weapons encumbring them where the river is shallow and yeeldeth foords others were swallowed up and drowned in holes and whirlepits some joining in skirmish with the enemies fought with variable event others againe affrighted with their thicke bands and squadrons made hast to the next wolds of the mountaine Taurus Among whom our leader himselfe being known and environed round with a number of fighting men together with Aiadaltha a Tribune and one lacquey by swift horsemanship escaped As for my selfe whiles I wander out of that way which the rest of my companie tooke and looke about me what I were best to doe I meet with Verennianus one of the guard or Protectores with me in ordinarie shot through the thigh with an arrow which whiles I assayed at my fellowes earnest request to plucke forth seeing my selfe hemmed in on every side and the Persians going before mee I came apace climbing up as fast as my wind would permit me toward the citie situate on high on that side where we were assayled and whereto there was no passage but by one very narrow assent and the same exceeding streight by reason that among the cloven hils there were certaine huge mounts erected of purpose in the way to make the foot-paths more narrow Here entermingled pell-mell with the Persians running forth in the same brunt with us to the higher ground stood wee and stirred not untill the Sunne rising the next day and so thicke thrust together that the dead bodies of the slaine borne up with the multitude could no where find rowme to fall downe insomuch as a certaine souldior just before my face having his head divided and cloven with the maine stroke of a sword so as it lay in even halves on both shoulders stucke pent in streight on every side in manner of a stake and albeit many sorts of casting-weapons and darts were from the bulwarks discharged and shot by all kinds of engines and artillerie yet by reason we were so neere under the walls we avoided this danger and so at length I entred into the citie at a posterne gate which I found full by occasion that a sort of both sexes men and women conflowed thither out of the parts bordering upon it for it happened also at the very same time that a number of people which used every yeare in places by the cities side to traffique for forraine commodities were then met together and so encreased the multitude of the rurall folke Meane while were heard every where sundrie and confused noyses whiles some bewayled those that were dead and lost others carried about them mortall wounds and many called upon divers of their deerest friends whom for these streights they could not see CHAP. XIII The description of Amida a right strong towne the munition and garrison therein Sapor having taken into his hands certaine fortified Piles with great clemencie entreateth the captives of both sexes and namely the virgins consecrated and devoted to the Christian Religion commaunding them to be kept safe THis citie being in times past very small Constantius then Caesar to the end that the inhabitants there-by borderers might have a most safe place of refuge what time as he built Antoninupolis another town encircled with large walls and faire towers and by setting there an armourie to hold engines for batterie and other artillerie to be planted upon the wals made it dreadfull to the enemies and would needs have it called after his owne name And verily on the South side watered it is beneath with the curving streame of Tigris that ariseth neere unto it what way it standeth against the East wind it hath for prospect underneath the plaines of Mesopotamia where it is exposed to the North and hath the river Nympheus neighbouring thereto shaddowed it is with the tops of the mountaine Taurus which divide the nations beyond Tygris and Armenia asunder as it is opposite to the West wind it joyneth upon Gumathen a fruitfull countrey in cattell and for tillage as plentifull wherein standeth a village named Abarne well knowne for the naturall hote bathes of medicinable and holesome waters Now in the very middle and heart of Amida under the citadell there issueth out a rich and plenteous fountaine and the same potable verily but otherwhiles by reason of hote vapours reaking out of it of a strong and stinking savour For a garrison in defence of this towne there served alwayes by appointment the fifth Legion together with no small troupe of the naturall inhabitants but then there were sixe Legions which partly with speedie journeyes by running before had out-gone the Persians who in multitudes invaded those parts and approched the place stood to the defence of the most strong wals it had namely the Magnentiaci and Decentiaci whom after the civile warfare ended as being deceitfull and of a turbulent spirit the Emperour forced to come into the East where was no feare but of forraine warres also the d Tricesimani and Decimi e Fortenses likewise the f Superventores and g Praeventores together with Aelianus now Lieutenant who being as then but new untrained souldiors at the motion and persuasion of the said Aelianus as then one of the Protectores sallied out of Singara as I have recorded alreadie and slew a great number of the Persians as they lay along fast asleepe There was also at this piece of service the greater part of the h Comites Sagittarij to wit certaine troupes of horsemen so tearmed wherein serve all the barbarous souldiors free borne for good armour
ran all rashly foorth a huge deale of casting-weapons flew from the wals and as we might well thinke none were discharged in vaine falling as they did amongst a number of men that stood so thicke together For considering we were beset round with so many dangers we bore our selves in fight right fiercely not because we would save our lives as I said but for that wee desired to die manfully and from the beginning of day untill twy-light in the evening the victorie swayed to no side but still there was fighting on all hands more fiercely than advisedly For there arose hideous outcries of one terrifying and frighting another so that for heat of courage hardly could any man stand his ground without receiving some hurt or other And at length as the night made an end of slaughtering so the satietie of painefull travails yeelded to both parts a longer respite and cessation of fight For when as wee had time given to rest that little strength which remained in us continuall labour and want of sleepe consumed quite and withall the bloudshed upon the ground and the wan faces of them that lay a dying made us exceedingly afraid and verily the narrow and streight rowme within the circuit of the citie which was none ywis of the greatest would not permit so much as the last comforts yet of burying the dead considering that there were enclosed within the same legions and a confused sort of strangers and citizens one with another of both sexes besides some other few souldiors raised to the number in all of twentie thousand Well every man cured his owne wounds according as they were curable or could meet with leeches ynow to looke unto them considering that some were so grievously wounded that with the spending of their bloud to the last drop they gave up their vitall spirits strugling still for life others being stabbed into the bodie with sharpe pointed weapons lay along on the earth and when they had given their last gasps were throwne forth dead There were againe who had so many deepe gashes and holes on every side in their lims that their skilfull and learned chiruâ—gians forbade them once to goe about the cure for feare least the grievous handling of them taking no effect their poore afflicted soules should be more tormented lastly divers there were who with the plucking out of arrowes where the cure was doubtfull abid torture more dolorous than death CHAP. III. The care that Vrsicinus had for helping the besieged whiles Sabinianus slept till he snored againe remaining still as dead among the Sepulchres The Plague infesteth the Amidens and after some few dayes by fall of smallshowers ceaseth WHiles the fight continued thus at Amida with full resolution and purpose of both sides vrsicinus taking it heavily that he depended upon the will and pleasure of another mans authoritie oftentimes advertised Sabinianus being then in greater place of government and command over the souldiors but keeping still among the Sepulchres That putting in readinesse and order all the skirmishing souldiors they should closely make speed by the bottome and foot of the hils that having by the meanes and helpe of light armour if fortune were any thing favourable unto them intercepted the stations they might set upon the enemies night-watches which taking a mightie compasse about had invested the walls or by often provocation and urging find them occupied that so stoutly plied the siege Which projects of his Sabinianus stood against as hurtfull and dangerous pretending verily in shew the Emperors letters openly giving commaundement That what service soever might bee done should be performed every where without hurt or touch of souldior but secretly in the bottome of his heart root retaining that which he was charged many a time in the court to doe namely to disappoint his predecessor so much inflamed with the love and desire of glorie of all meanes and occasions to win honour though the same might tend to the benefit of the State such hast was made even with the utter destruction of the provinces that this warlike knight might not be reported the author or copartener of any memorable exploit And therefore much abashed and dismayed with these hard fortunes as booting nought by sending spies often unto us although the wayes were layed so by streight watch and ward that hard it was for any man to enter into the towne and gaining as little by devising many good and profitable courses he resembled for all the world a Lyon for big bodie and grim looke terrible but not daring to goe and deliver out of danger his whelps enclosed within net and toyle as having his clawes taken from him and lost his teeth But within the citie where the number of dead bodies lying thicke scattered along the streets was greater than of such as were to performe that last dutie of buriall to mitigate so many miseries beside came the pestilence occasioned by a contagious infection of puttified carkasses breeding by this time vermine in them and maintained with hote vapours and sundrie diseases of the common multitude These kinds of maladies whence they use to arise I will briefely declare The Philosophers and renowmed Physicians have written That excesse of cold of heat of moisture or drinesse breedeth plagues Whence it is that those who dwell hard by fennie moorie and wet grounds are subject to coughes to the falling sicknesse and such like contrariwise they that confine upon hote countries are dried up with the heat of fevers But looke how much more powerfull than other things is the substance of fire so much is drought i more quicke to kill Hereupon it came to passe that when Greece was employed painefully in a warre continuing tenne yeares that a k stranger might not goe away unpunished for breaking the bond of a kings marriage by such a maladie that reigned and came by the arrowes of Apollo who is deemed to be the Sunne a number perished and as Thucidides sheweth That wofull calamitie which in the beginning of the l Peloponnesiacke warre vexed the Athenians with a grievous kind of sicknesse crept by little and little from the hote climate of Aethyopia and so set foot in Attica Others are of opinion That the ayre like as waters use to be infected and corrupted with the stinke of dead carkasses or such like is the greatest cause of most diseases or at leastwise that the suddaine alteration and change of aire breedeth lighter m sicknesses Some also affirme That the aire thickened by some grosse exhalation of the earth and thereby resisting the letting forth of the subtile matter that useth to breath out of the pores of the bodie killeth some for which cause all other living creatures besides men which continually looke downe to the ground Homer once said and we our selves know by many experiments afterwards die thereof at first The first kind of this contagious maladie is called n Pandemus which causeth those that dwell in drie places to be troubled
tragicall actors accompanying and bringing him on the way Andronicus afterwards well knowne for his liberall studies and excellencie in Poetrie was brought into the judgement place who carrying a cleere and secure conscience when he could not be touched with any suspitions and presumptions laied against him standing still to his purgation and that very stoutly was acquite Semblably Demetrius a Philosopher sirnamed Cythras a man verily farre stept in yeares but having still a good strong bodie and as stout a mind being hardly layed unto and charged That divers times he had offered sacrifice could not denie the fact but the fault impleading That from the very prime of his youth he had used so to do for to please and pacifie God and never sounded nor searched into high matters for he did not so much as know any man that affected or desired it Continuing therefore a long time set fast on the racke when surely grounded upon a firme confidence he persisted fearelesse and without varying in his answeres alleadged and pleaded still the same suffered he was without any further harme received to depart unto Alexandria where he was borne And these verily with some few others the righteous hand of God which helpeth and assisteth Truth delivered out of extreame and present dangers But whiles these criminations and endictments spred still further and further by intricate and intangling snares without end some after their bodies were piteously mangled died therof others despoyled of their goods were condemned to suffer further punishment and Paulus all the whiles was the prompter and succentor of these cruell enterludes which out of a spence or budget of craftie devices he brought forth in open shew to do hurt and whereof he acted many upon whose will and pleasure I may in manner boldly say depended the life of as many as went on the ground For if a man wore about his necke any remedies against the Quartane ague or some other paine or could be charged by the information of evill-willers to have passed by a monument in the evening as one that were a witch or sorcerer and collected the horrors of sepulchres and vaine illusions of spirits and ghosts walking and wandering thereabout pronounced hee was to deserve death and he died for it And verily the matter was thus for all the world carried and handled as if many a man had sollicited u Clarus the x Dodonaean trees and the Oracles of y Delphi which were so famous in times past and all to procure the death and destruction of the Emperour Whereupon the Palatine cohort of courtiers about him curiously and finely faining naughtie devises of flatterie affirmed flatly That he should from henceforth be exempt from all evils that commonly befell other men giving it out alowd with open mouth That his fortune had appeared at all times powerfull and surely effectuall in confounding and destroying of his adversaries And verily that there was such streight inquisition into these matters no man of wisedome and discretion findeth fault For we doe not denie that the life and safetie of a lawfull prince who is a protector and defendor of good men and from whom we seeke for means of others safetie ought with joint diligence and endevour of all men to be fenced and maintained For whose redeeming with might and maine when upon violence and abuse offered to his majestie he standeth upon his guard and defence the laws z CorneliÄ™ have exempted no person of what estate and degree soever from examination by way of torture though the same were with losse of bloud But on the other side it becommeth not princes unmeasurably to rejoyce and take pleasure in the wofull cases of subjects least they should seeme governed by licentiousnesse and not by authoritie And the example of Tully ought in this point to be followed who when it was in his power to harme and to spare as himselfe affirmeth sought for causes of forgivenesse and not occasions of punishment which is the proper dutie of a discreet and considerate Iudge At the same time in Daphne that pleasant and sumptuous place neere unto the citie Antioch was borne a monster horrible to be seene and reported an infant with two mouths two teeth a beard foure eyes and two exceeding little eares which birth so mishapen and deformed foretold that the Common-wealth was turning into a foule and ill favoured state Now such strange and uncouth monsters as these are many times brought forth into the world signifying and praesaging the events of sundrie things which because they are not openly as in old time expiated they passe away as unheard of and unknowne And even in these dayes the Isauri who had beene long time quiet after they had done some acts according to the contents of the former storie and attempted the siege of the citie Seleucia reviving by little and little as serpents are wont in the Spring season to leape out of their holes came downe the craggie straits and desart wields and then putting themselves close into thicke companies and squadrons as robbers and brigands sore troubled and disquieted the borderers and withall as mountainers passed beside the fore-fences and stations of our souldiors unseene and by meanes of their dayly practise ran easily to and fro over rockes and through grounds full of bushes For the appeasing of whom either by maine force or reasonable persuasions Lauritius was sent as ruler with the dignitie also of a Comes added to his style a man politicke and of a civile carriage who reformed most enormities by threatening rather than by rigorous dealing insomuch as for a great time while he governed the province there happened nothing that was reputed worthie of punishment THE XX. BOOKE CHAP. 1. Lupicinus is sent from Iulianus into Britannie for to represse the troubles and commotions there Vrsicinus by the slanderous calumniations of those in the Court depressed and throwne underfoot laid away his girdle of knighthood and is commaunded to betake himselfe to a private life THis was the order and processe of affaires throughout Illyricum and the East But in the tenth yeare of Constantius his Consulship and third of Iulianus when by the out-rodes of Scots and Picts savage nations the peace was broken in Brittannie and the places neere unto the limits appointed for marches wasted so that the provinces wearied with a multitude of calamities past heaped upon them were affrighted Caesar keeping his Winter in Paris and distracted into sundry carefull thoughts was afraid to goe and succour those beyond the seas as Constantius had done before time according as I have declared least he should leave Gaule without a ruler especially at such a time when the Alemans were stirred up to make cruell warres He thought it good therefore to send into these parts for to set all things in order Lupicinus at the same time Colonell of the Infanterie a warlike man I assure you and skilfull in feats of armes but prowd withall carrying a stately looke setting up his
resolution of the Praefect prevailed with all his might striving againe refusing to yeeld obedience to those things which with reason were required Howbeit in the time of these delayes of Lupicinus absent and the souldiors mutinies Iulian destitute of the helpefull counsell of the prowd Praefect and waving in doubtfull tearmes what to doe supposing this to be his best course determined to hasten them forward on their journey by the ordinarie way beeing all departed out of the stations wherein they wintered This being knowne one among the companies of the Petulantes closely let fall upon the ground a libell which with many other contents carried this tenor also Thus we verily are driven and confined as guiltie and condemned persons unto the furthest parts of the earth and those who are most leife and deere unto us shall bee slaves enthralled againe unto the Alemans those I say whom after mortall foughten fields we have freed from their first captivitie Which script being brought unto the Court and read Iulian considering their reasonable complaints commaunded them with their whole families to goe into the East graunting them a warrant to take up post-horses and waggons And when doubt was made a long time which way they should journey thought good it was and that through the motion of Decentius the Notarie that the folke should passe along by Paris where Caesar yet abode as not removed yet any whether And so they did indeed CHAP. IIII. Iulian endevoureth to satisfie the desire of Constantius But the captaines and souldiors breaking out into a mutinie take armes and with lowd voice salute Iulianus by the style of Augustus yea and force him to assent thereto and accept of a diademe set upon his head NOw as the same approched and were comming the prince met them in the places and villages neere the cities side and as his manner was by commending those whom he knew putting every one in mind to doe valiantly with mild words he animated them to goe cheerefully unto the Emperour whose power was very ample and large where also they should get most condigne rewards for their travailes and paines And the more honourably to entreat them that were thus to depart so great a way from him hee invited the chiefe and principall of them to a feast and willed them confidently to preferre what lawfull petition they could readily thinke of wherein he might pleasure them Who being thus liberally entertained tooke their leave of him malecontent and very sorrowfull in regard of a twofold griefe for that a certaine unkind fortune thus severed them both from so temperate a governour and also from their native soyle And thus possessed with this anxietie they retyred unto their usuall campe No sooner began it to bee night but they brake out into an open brawle and now when they were once set on and their blouds up according as every man found himselfe aggreeved with the unexpected occurrent they take weapon in hand and so with a mightie noyse to the palace they all went and having compassed it round about so as no man could escape them and get away with hideous and terrible clamours they cried unto Iulianus by the name of Augustus urging him with all speed to come forth unto them but beeing compelled to stay untill it was day-light they forced him at length to goe forth Whom when they saw iterating the same great noyse and shout with a most firme and settled consent they styled him Augustus and he for his part upon a resolute and grounded mind withstood them all and some one while shewing himselfe to be wroth and highly displeased otherwhiles stretching forth his hands requesting and beseeching them That after so many most happie and fortunate victories no undecent and unseemely part should be committed nor any unseasonable rashnesse and breaking out rayse matter and cause of discord And when in the end by mild speeches he had appeased their tumult thus much moreover he added and sayd Let your angrie mood I pray you cease for a while without dissention or seditious seeking of alteration that which yee demaund shall easily be obtained For as much as yee are possessed thus with the sweetnesse of your native countrey and feare to go into strange lands which yee are not acquainted with returne yee now even out of hand unto your owne home see you shall nothing beyond the Alpes because it is displeasant unto you and hereof I will assoyle you by a competent satisfaction before the Emperour a prince capable of reason and most prudent withall After these words they set up a lowd crie on all sides God save Augustus nathelesse when with one uniforme zeale and heat of affection they all preassed on him still and that with an exceeding earnest noyse mixed with reprochfull and reviling tearmes Caesar was enforced to condiscend unto them And so being set upon a footmans shield and borne up aloft in sight and with great silence of the people declared Augustus hee was willed to bring forth a white band or diademe and when he said that he never had any they called for one of his wives that she used about her necke or head but because he affirmed That it was not meet he should be fitted at his first entrance into the Empire with any womans ornament or attire they sought for an horse trapping to the end that being handsomely adorned therewith he might make some shew yet obscure though it were of higher authoritie But when he still avouched that it also was but base and unseemely one named Maurus who afterwards being a Comes or captaine of the discoverers in espiall received a foile in fight at the straits of Succi at this time serving in qualitie of a pikeman tooke the collar from about his owne necke which he wore as an b Ensigne bearer and boldly did it upon Iulians head who being thus driven to an extremitie and perceiving now that hee could not avoid present danger if he persevered still to make resistance promised unto them all throughout five c aurei apeece and every one a pound of silver besides These matters thus passed he no lesse troubled with care than before and foreseeing with quicke conceit what might afterwards come hereof neither wore the dâ—ademe nor durst go abroad any where ne yet negotiate any serious businesses were they never so urgent But whiles Iulianus affrighted with sundrie accidents betooke him thus to a privat retyrednesse a certaine Decurie of the Palace which is a degree and place of dignitie stepping a great pace to the Petulantes and Celtae where they quartered crieth out in turbulent manner Oh shamefull indignitie that he who but the day before was by their iudgement declared Augustus and Emperor should now be secretly murthered No sooner was knowledge taken hereof but the souldiors who were moved alike as well with what they knew not as what they knew some brandishing and shaking their casting-weapons others ready to fight with naked
of a Christian bishop by force winneth the besieged citie fareth cruelly against the townesmen and having given the attempt upon Virta a most strong fenced citie and relinquished this vaine enterprise at length departeth BVt the day following when a truce by common assent after manyfold travaile and paines taken was graunted what time as a great terror was presented round about the walls and the Persians feared no lesse a Christian bishop shewed by certaine signes of gesture and by beckening that he was willing to goe foorth and upon faithfull promise of returne in safe conduct he came as farre as to the kings pavilions where after leave given to speake his mind in a mild manner of speech he persuaded with the Persians to depart home now that both parts had received in common lamentable losses saying withall that greater sorrowes yet were to bee feared which happily would come unto them But hee stood discoursing of these and such like points in vaine such was the fell and outrageous furie of the king who withstood the motion stoutly swore That he would not depart before the towne and fortifications about it were destroyed yet was the bishop somewhat suspected untruly as I thinke though commonly it was by many men vouched That in secret conference and talke hee informed Sapor what parts of the wall he should assault as weake within-forth and easie to be battered And this seemed to carrie some likelyhood with it for that afterwards the enemies engines were evidently seene with a great shout and joyous leaping of the assaylants to play lustily upon the undefensible places and such as for very age and rottennesse began to leane and were readie to fall as if some that knew the inward secrets of the citie had given direction And albeit the narrow wayes yeelded difficult accesse unto the walls and the Rams fitted for batterie were hardly set forward for feare of stones throwne by hand and arrow-shot that kept them off yet ceased not eyther the brakes or scorpions wherof these discharged stones thicke the other sent out darts as fast and together with them baskets and panniers burning besmeared over with pitch and k Bitumen by the continuall fall whereof comming still downe the hill the sayd engines of artillerie stucke fast as fixed and rooted deepe within ground and beeing thus set fierie darts and burning linkes together throwne lustily with a good arme and star hand set them on a light fire But although the case stood thus and many on both sides were slaine yet the assaylants were more hotely set to rase and destroy the towne both by naturall situation strong and also by great workemanship of mans hand fortified ere the middest of Winter as being persuaded that the kings rage would not be allayed before And therefore neither the effusion of much bloud nor the number of them that were shot into the bodie and deadly wounded could reclayme the rest from like boldnesse But when they had a long time maintained fight with much hurt and mischiefe gotten thereby at length they exposed themselves to extreame and present dangers and as they drave their Rammes what with the weightie stones comming thicke from the wals and what with sundrie fireworkes debarred they were from going forward Howbeit one Ram higher than his fellowes covered over with wet bulls hides and therefore in lesse danger of mishap by flames or darts going before all with much straining and endevour crept to the wall and so with his mightie sharpe pointed head entring betweene the joints of the stones and having losened the same overthrew a tower which beeing fallen with a wonderfull crashing noyse they also who stood upon it with so suddain a ruine thereof were throwne downe and so eyther breaking their bones or overwhelmed with rubbish died sundry deaths and those unlooked for thus the armed multitude having found a more safe ascent rushed in Then as the hideous noyse which the Persians made yelling and crying out on every side thundered and resounded in the fearefull eares of the townesmen thus over-matched the fight grew hote and more close within the wals whiles our enemies in squadrons fought at hand considering that standing with their bodies one against another thicke and having their swords drawne on both sides there was not one spared that stood in the way In conclusion the besieged resisting a long time with much adoe and to the mischiefe of both sides were at length with the pressing hard of the huge multitude disranked and scattered by heapes after which the angry enemies put to sword whomsoever they could find the small babes were plucked from their mothers bosomes the mothers also themselves killed and no man regarded what he did And yet in the meane time this bloudie nation more greedie of pillage than of carnage loaden with all kind of rich spoyles and leading away an exceeding great number of prisoners went backe with much rejoycing to their tents The king for all he was puffed up with extraordinarie joy as one who a long time burned in desire to win Phaenicha a strong fenced piece and of great importance departed not thence before that hee had right strongly repayred that part of the wall which was shattered layed up there in store plentie of victuals and bestowed in it a garrison of armed men such as for their birth were of good note and for skill in martiall feats renowmed For he feared as it fell out indeed least the Romanes taking to the heart the losse of such mightie strong holds would addresse themselves by maine force to besiege the same Vaunting therefore and bearing himselfe more big and fed with hope to win whatsoever he could go in hand with after he had surprized and taken in other meaner piles he determined to set upon Virta a sort of great antiquitie insomuch as it is thought to have beene built by Alexander king of Macedonia seated verily in the utmost part of Mesopotamia but encircled with wals as it were winding in and out and pointed with hornes and by reason of sundry devices and meanes made unaccessable Which when he assayed by all the skill and art he had one while alluring the defendants with goodly promises otherwhiles threatening to hang and crucifie them sundry times going in hand to raise up bankes and mounts and bringing engines against it pertaining to a siege after more wounds and losses received than given he gave over his vaine enterprise and in the end departed These were the acts atchieved that yeare betweene Tygris and Euphrates Which when Constantius had learned by the relation of many messengers fearing the Parthian expeditions whiles he wintered in Constantinople with greater care he furnished the frontiers with all warlicke provision setting also armour together and new trained souldiors strengthening likewise the legions with supplies of strong young men for that the set battailes of legionarie souldiors oftentimes sped well in all the warres and services of the East parts besides all this he sought for
the Scythians aid either for money or love that in the mid Spring setting forth on his journey out of Thracia he might forthwith seize into his hands the places that were suspected CHAP. IX Iulianus in good regard of himselfe by a long Epistle endevoureth to pacifie the mind of Constantius MEane while Iulian having placed his wintering harbour at Paris much fearing what would be the end of these begun enterprises was sore perplexed as who by casting and tossing many matters in his mind considered That Constantius would in no wise like of his doings in whose conceit and eye he was reputed as a vile base and contemptible person Advising well therefore the fearefull beginnings of all innovations and changes in the state of an Empire he resolved to send unto him embassadours who should declare what occurrents had happened and withall he dispatched letters agreeable unto them wherin more plainely he advertised and shewed what was done and what ought afterwards to be done although he supposed that hee had heard all a good while before by the report of Decentius long since returned as also by gentlemen of the Chamber newly come againe backe out of Gaule who had carried unto Caesar certaine solemne presents And albeit he was not unwilling hereunto yet wrote he nothing in arrogant tearmes least he might be thought suddainely to have revolted Now the tenour of his letters went in this wise My faithfull allegeance according to my purpose no lesse in my accustomed behaviour than in covenants of agreements I verily for my part carrying alwayes one and the same mind have for the time hitherto kept and performed as by many effectuall proofes hath evidently appeared And ever since that you created me Caesar and exposed me to the terrible noise of battailes contenting my selfe with the place of commaund wherein I was set like a trustie servitour and officer filled your eares evermore with newes of prosperous atchievements performed to my wish and hearts desire attributing nothing at all to mine owne perils and adventures whereas by dayly examples and continuall proofes it is well knowne that where the Germanes were spred abroad and intermingled every where I was in painefull travailes of all others seene first and in my repose and refection last But if I may with your good leave say so much in case there be any chaunge and alteration now as you thinke there is hence it commeth The souldiors spending their yeares in many warres and those right dangerous without reaping any fruit of their service effected that in tumultuous manner at length which long since they determined as impatient to serve under a Commaunder in a second place seeing that by a Caesar they could have no recompence made for their long labour and many victories To whose anger for that they neither found augmentation of dignities nor touched their yearely wages this also is fallen out unlooked for to aggravate the matter That beeing men acquainted with cold and frozen countries they were commaunded to come to the utmost parts of the East world and drawne away needie and bare apart from their wives and children Whereupon they being enraged above their wonted manner in the night assembled themselves together and beset the palace with loud voices and those often reiterated styling Iulian by the name of Augustus This set me in a trembling I confesse and I withdrew my selfe and thus so long as I could keepe me out of the way I sought to save my selfe with holding my peace and hiding my head But when they would give me no time nor respite to consider upon the matter fenced as I may so say with the wall of a free and pure heart I went forth and stood in the sight of them all supposing this their tumultuous rising might eyther by authoritie of countenance or gentle words be allayed Howbeit they grew into a wonderfull heat and went so farre as that because I assayed to overcome their stubborne obstinacie by entreatie they instantly menaced death as it seemed by their violent assaults following one in the necke of another In the end being overcome and reasoning thus with mine owne selfe that if I were once stabbed some other perhaps willingly ynough would be declared prince I gave my assent yet hoping still to assuage this their franticke and armed violence This is the very order and manner of my proceedings which I beseech you to entertaine with a peaceable and gentle construction Neither thinke that any thing hath beene done otherwise nor admit malicious persons and evill willers readie to whisper in your eares pernicious matters such I meane as are wont for their owne gaine and advantage to make debate and variance betweene princes but putting aside flatterie the very nourice of vices set your mind upon iustice the most excellent vertue of all others and receive unfainedly and bona fide these equall conditions which I propose vnto you reasoning and reckoning thus in your mind That these things are behoofefull to the Romane state and to us who in neerenesse of bloud and in the height of supreme fortune are conioined And pardon me I pray you I desire not so much that such things should be done which with reason are required as that profitable and honest courses should of you be approved whose commaundements even henceforth still I purpose right willingly to embrace such I meane as need requireth to be performed To be short I will allow unto you Spanish horses for your chariot and chosen piked young men to be entermingled among your Gentiles and Scutarij some of them being a race from the barbarous nations discended on this side Rhene or at leastwise out of those that yeeld themselves and revolt to our side and this promise I to doe not onely in a thankfull mind but also with willing heart so long as I live For Praefects of the Praetorium you shall of your clemencie give unto us those who for their equitie and deserts are knowne worthie of the place The residue as well ordinarie civile Iudges as messengers of warre affaires likewise Pentioners to guard my person who are to be promoted meet it is they be left unto my will and pleasure For a folly it were where as it may be prevented before hand to admit those to the guard of an Emperours person whose behaviour whose mind and affection is not knowne This one thing verily I may be bold without all doubt to avouch The Gaules having beene with long troubles and most grievous misfortunes vexed neither will of their owne accord nor can by compulsion send young souldiors into strange and remote countries least if their youth being utterly spent they be afflicted anew and calling to remembrance as they do what is past in a desperate feare of dangers hanging over their heads be readie to perish Neither will it be convenient that from hence aid souldiors should be sent for to oppose against Parthian nations considering that as yet the violent rodes and invasions of
effect all and that in two regards First because he feared the adverse part which he had offended and then because hee made hast by the meanes of this so good an opportunitie to commend his doings unto Constantius who he made no doubt would get the victorie For no man then there was of the contrarie opinion but fully of the same mind This Gaudeâ—tius being thither come and carrying in mind the charge which the Prince had given him after he had by letters instructed Cretio a lieutenant what was to bee done as also the rest of the commaunders and made choyce of the stoutest souldiers from all places yea and brought over out of both the Mauritaniae nimble and light appointed skirmishers kept most straitly the sea coasts that lay opposite unto Acquitanie and Gaule Neither failed Constantius of his purpose by this policie For so long as he lived none of the adverse part set foot in those lands although there was a number of armed men that observed the coast of Sicilie reaching from Lilybaeum to Pachynus readie soone to sayle over if the passage had beene cleere and open Constantius having disposed of these and other small and lighter matters as he thought considering how things stood expedient for him was advertised by messengers and letters from his captaines that the forces of the Persians being all assembled together under the conduct of their proud king leading the way before were now marching neere unto the edge of Tigris and doubtfull it was whither they went to breake out and make invasion At which newes being much moved to the end that making his abode neerer he might prevent their attempts he departed with all speed out of his wintering harbour and sending from all parts for his horsemen and strength of infanterie wherein he trusted he passed over Euphrates by Capessana upon a bridge of ships and went to Edessa a citie stored with victuals and strongly fenced waiting there a while untill either his owne discoverers or else some fugitives brought him word that the enemies encamped forward Meane while Iulian departing from the Rauraci after hee had dispatched his businesse which ere while we shewed sent backe into Gaule Sallustius promoted to be Praefect and commaunded Germanianus to hold the roome of Nebridius Semblably the Mastership of the armour he committed unto Nevita fearing Gumoarius an old traitor of whom he had heard say that whiles he had the leading of the Scutarij he secretly betrayed Veteranio his Prince and Soveraign Also to Iovius he gave the Questorship of whom I have made mention in the acts of Magnentius and unto Mamertinus the charge of the Treasure and revenewes Dagalaiphus he ordained Captaine of his h domesticall traine and others according to his owne will and pleasure whose good deserts and faithfull service hee well knew over the souldiers Being therefore to make his journey through the Martian woods and the wayes joyning upon the banks of the river Ister being as among sudden occurrents exceeding uncertaine what to doe hee feared especially this one thing least having so few in his traine to accompanie him he should grow despised and offend the multitude readie to repugne and repine against him To prevent this inconvenience he with good forecast tooke this wise course For dividing his armie into divers regiments he sent some under the leading of Iovinus and Iovius to march with speed along the knowne wayes of Italie and others he committed to the conduct of Nevita Generall of the horse to the end that being thus spread sundrie wayes they might be thought an infinit number and so fill all places with the feare and terrour of them For even thus did Alexander the great and after him many other skilfull leaders when the case so required Howbeit hee gave charge unto them that thus were gone forth in their march to stand well upon their guard as if the enemie forthwith were readie to encounter them and to keepe watch and ward by night in their stations and sentinels least they might by some outrode at unawares be set upon Which businesses beeing thus as it was thought well digested following that manner whereby he had oftentimes broken through the Barbarians tracts and presuming confidently upon a continued traine of successes hee went on still farther and farther And when he was come to the place whence he understood the river was navigable he embarked in fisher boats whereof as hap was he found good store and along the chanell of the river he passed as closely as possibly he could keeping himselfe therfore secret for that finding no misse of fine viands but contenting himselfe with slender and course dyet hee passed beside the good townes without forth securely laying for his rule to follow that notable saying of old Cyrus who turning in by the way to an hostelrie and being asked of his host What good cheere he should provide for him answered Bread onely for I hope quoth he to sup neere unto some river CHAP. VII The fame of Iulians comming chaseth away certaine captaines of the adverse part Lucillianus thinking to make head against him is sodainly taken prisoner and in few words rebuked and chastised The straits and passes of Illyricum and Thracia with great celeritie intercepted by Iulianus are fortified BVt fame which with a thousand tongues as folke say multiplies the report of things exceedingly was with much talke spread through all the Illyrians That Iulian having overthrown a number of kings in Gaule vanquished an armie of manie nations and bearing himselfe proud of his sundrie successes was comming neere at hand at which rumor Taurus Praefect of the Praetorium being stricken with feare departed quickly auoyding him no lesse than a foreine enemie and ryding away speedily with change of post-horses allowed by the State after he had passed over the Iulian Alpes in the same trice had Florentius the Praefect likewise away with him Howbeit Lucillianus a Comes who at that time in those countries had the charge and commaund of the forces moved with some sleight intelligences as touching the stirre and trouble that Iulian made having his abode at Sirmium and gathering souldiers together as many as the speedie execution of the businesse in hand would permit to bee sent for out of their proper stations intended to make head against him when hee should come but he like a firebrand or casting dart set on fire hastening swiftly as if hee flew to the finall end of his appointed journey was no sooner come to Bononia which standeth 19. miles from Sirmium but in the old of the Moone therefore shining not the greater part of the night he leapt all on a sodaine out of his ship tooke land and presently sent Dagalaiphus with a companie of light appointed men to call Lucillianus unto him or to take him away perforce if he made resistance who being even then at his
modest and noble prince Marcus who what time as Cassius had mounted up to the imperiall dignitie in Syria and a packet of letters sent from him to his complices and adherents was presented unto him and the bearer intercepted caused the same sealed as it was straight waies to be burnt this did he whiles he abode in Illyricum for feare least if the traytors were detected and knowne hee might offend and displease some of them whom he would not And as divers of sound judgement are of opinion it was a signe rather of great vertue in the same prince to have left the Empire without any bloudshed of those of his traine and privie Counsell than if he had beene revenged so unmercifully According to the doctrine also of Tully in a certaine Epistle to Nepos taxing Caesar for crueltie For Felicitie quoth hee is nothing else but prosperitie of honest things Or that I may define it otherwise Felicitie is that fortune which helpeth good counsels which whosoever useth not can by no meanes be happie And therefore in wicked and impious counsels which Caesar tooke to there could be no felicitie And more happie in my iudgement was Camillus whiles hee lived in exile than in the same dayes Manlius although he might as he desired have raigned king Her aclitus also the Ephesian affirmeth the same and advertiseth us That brave and worthy men have divers times beene overcome such are the variable events that fortune worketh even of idle and slothfull cowards And that this moreover among other principall prayses is most eminent when as authoritie placed in high degree having the desire to hurt to be cruell and wroth subdued and as it were put under the yoke hath erected a glorious trophie of clemencie in the castle of a victorious mind Now as this Prince in foreine warres went away with hurt and foyle so by reason of civile conflicts wherein he sped well he bare himselfe proud and by occasion of the inward ulcers of Common weale he was all embrued with horrible and filthy bloud Whereupon in a perverse purpose rather than just and usuall he reared with great cost and charges in Gaule and Pannonia triumphall arches even out of the losse and calamitie of the Provinces together with the titles of his acts affixed thereto for men to read so long as those monuments would be able to stand Exceeding much addicted he was to his wives to the small puling voyces of Eunuches and to some Courtyers who applauded every word he spake and observed to honour him and sooth him up in whatsoever hee affirmed or denyed The distastfull bitternesse of these times was made the worse by the unsatiable extortion and snatching of these receivers importunat collectors of tributes and taxes who drew more hatred upon his head than money into his coffers And this seemed unto many the more intollerable for that he never heard any cause nor tendered the indemnitie of the provinces when they were over-layed with taxes tributes and imposts one in the necke of another Over and above all this apt hee was to take away againe what hee had once given and that perfect and syncere religion of the Christians hee blended with foolish and doting superstitions and beeing given to search thereinto more intricately than to settle it with gravitie hee stirred many schismes and discords which as they spread more and more hee maintained with contentious words and disputations insomuch as whiles their bishops coursed up and downe by troupes on post-horses allowed by the State from Synode as they tearme it to Synode labouring to bring all rites and ceremonies to their owne dispose and will he thereby cut the sinewes quite of those that kept waggons for hire As touching his forme and feature of bodie this it was His complexion somewhat blacke or browne the cast of his eye loftie his sight quicke the haire of his head soft his cheekes alwaies shaven and shining beautifully from the grafting of his necke to his groine very long bow-legged and short withall whereby he both leapt and ran passing well Well being thus dead his corpes being embalmed and chested Iovianus who then was Protector u Domesticus had commaundement to attend upon it with royall pompe as farre as to Constantinople to be enterred close unto the neerest of his bloud and unto him sitting upon the Carroch that carried the Reliques as the manner is unto Emperours were presented the essayes and proofes of the souldiors corne and victuals as themselves tearme them x Indicia proba also publique beasts were shewed and according to the usuall custome they came upon him and grew more and more which together with officious meetings upon the way and other such signes portended verily unto the sayd Iovianus the Empire but the same to no effect and without any port or continuance as unto one that was the minister of such funerall pompes THE XXII BOOKE CHAP. I. The death of Constantius once knowne Iulianus as yet a young man of good growth with exceeding applause of all men is received by the Constantinopolitanes WHiles the mutable and rolling chances of Fortune worke these occurrents in divers parts of the world Iulian among many affaires which he projected in Illyricum pried continually into the bowels of beasts and gazing withall at the flight of birds longed to know before hand what end all accidents would have but when he had received doubtfull and darke answers he rested still uncertaine of the future And at the length Aprunculus Gallus the Oratour a skilfull Soothsayer and promoted afterwards to be governour of the province Narbonensis told him the events instructed before hand as himselfe said by the inspection of a liver which hee had seene hidden within a duple skin And when as Iulian feared for all that least this might bee devised to humour his desire and was therefore sad and heavie himselfe espied a much more certaine praesaging token which evidently shewed the death of Constantius For at the very same instant when the said Constantius died in Cilicia it happened that the souldior who with his right hand lifted him up to his horse backe caught a fall and lay along on the ground whereupon he cried out by and by in the hearing of many That He was fallen who had raysed him up to his high place of dignitie And albeit he knew these were gladsome signes yet standing fast still as it were upon his guard he kept himselfe within the bounds of Dacia fearing even for all this many accidents for he thought it no point of wisedome to trust in conjectures which peradventure would fall out contrarie Whiles hee stood thus doubtfull and in suspence behold all on a suddaine there came as embassadours sent unto him Theolaiphus and Aligildus with tidings That Constantius was deceased and saying moreover That by the last words he spake he nuncupated him successor in his imperiall throne Which being knowne after he was exempt from dangerous broyles
point of dangers and extremities the pitching of his tents for holesomenesse and safetie his fore-fences corps de guard and frontier stations without in the fields ordered wholly with good reasons and considerations As for the countenance and authoritie that hee carried it was so great that being most entirely loved yet was he dread withall and howsoever he seemed a fellow in perils and painefull toyles yet in the hotest conflicts he could commaund idle cowards to be punished and being as yet but Caesar he could without pay rule his souldiors even when they were opposed against savage nations as hath beene said erewhile and making a speech on a time to his souldiors all armed when they snuffled and became unruly he threatened That he would betake himselfe to a private life againe unlesse they left their mutinies To be short this one proofe of his authoritie insteed of many it shall be sufficient to know That upon an exhoâ—tation he gave in a mild and submissive kind of Oration unto the Gallicane souldiors inured onely to frosts and acquainted with the river Rhene he drew them along with him after wide and spacious countries travailed through by hote Assyria even as farre as to the confines of Media To speake of his felicitie so conspicuous and notable it was that being carried after a sort upon the very shoulders as it were of fortune who continued a pretie while a good Pilot and directresse unto him with traines of victorious courses he overcame infinit difficulties And after that he was gone out of the West climate so long as he lived upon the earth al nations rested in quietnesse and peace as if a certain Mercurie of this world had with his rod enchanted and appeased them Last of all of his liberalitie there be many and those most true testimonies among which these may goe Very light and easie tributes were by him levied the taxe or imposition of coronets was pardoned many debts growne great by continuance of time were remitted and forgiven the suits about the princes revenues those of private persons were indifferently heard customes and tols were restored unto cities together with their lands all but those which the governours in the foregoing times had alienated as it were lawfully by sale And that he was never a covetous hoorder up of mony which he thought indeed was most safely kept in the owners hands he would otherwhiles give out That Alexander the Great being asked Where his treasure lay answered kindly Among my friends CHAP. VI. Hereto is annexed a briefe recitall of his vices HAving thus set downe in order the good parts in him so many as wee could know let us come now to relate his vices although they have beene lightly noted alreadie He was by nature over-dull and slow but this infirmitie he tempered with a very good and wise course that he tooke suffering himselfe to be corrected and reformed whensoever hee did exorbitate and swerve from the way of honestie Full of words he was and very seldome stood his tongue still given too much to hearken after praesages so as in this behalfe he seemed to equall the Emperour Hadrian rather superstitious than a devout observer of any religion killing for sacrifice without any spare an infinit number of beasts insomuch as men judged if he had returned from the Parthians there would not have beene Oxen ynough for his sacrifices like for all the world unto that Marcus Caesar upon whom I have heard went this by-word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— White Oxen to Marcus Caesar greeting If thou win the victorie wee are all but dead Ioying much in the applause of the common sort he was an immoderat seeker for praise even from the least things that were in a desire of popularitie affecting oftentimes to speake with vile and base persons Howbeit for all these imperfections it might have beene deemed that as himselfe used to speake That Iustice of the old world whom taking offence at mens vices Aratus extolleth up to heaven and there placeth whiles he was Emperour did returne againe to the earth but that in doing some things according to his owne will and pleasure otherwhiles he seemed farre unlike himselfe For he made and enacted lawes nothing grievous and those absolutely commaunding or forbidding certaine things to be done except some few among which he shewed himselfe in this one unmercifull for that he prohibited k professors in Rhethoricke and Grammer to teach Christians for feare they should forsake their religion which was idolatrie And this also was an intollerable act of his that he suffered some unjustly to be tied and incorporated to the companies of municipall societies even meere strangers or such as either by vertue of priviledges or birth were farre removed from these fellowships And verily for feature and shape of bodie this it was meane of stature the haire of his head lying smooth and soft as if he had kembed it wearing his beard which was shagged and rough with a sharpe peake devant his eyes had an amiable cast with a quick and shining aspect bewraying pusillanimitie his eyebrows comely his nose passing streight his mouth somewhat with the greatest and his nether lip parted a fat necke and bending forward his shoulders big and broad from the crowne of his head unto the very toe nayle ends carrying a just proportion and uniforme knitting of his lineaments whereby he was both strong and swift of foot And for as much as backbiters laid to his charge That he raised new troubles and warres to the great damage and hurt of the Commonwealth let them know that by evident instruction of the truth That it was not Iulianus but Constantius that kindled the Parthian broiles whiles he gave â—are oversoone to the lyes that Metrodorus brought unto him as erewhile I have at large related in a thirstie desire of revenge grew to indignation as where divers times our militarie bands had bin taken captive our cities rased to the grouÌ„d our forts either ransacked or pulled downe our provinces impoverished by great expences and where the Parthians as appeared by their threats tending to effect sought to have all even from Persia to Bithynia and the coasts of Propontis And in Gaule whiles the warres by a continued traine grew every day more than other when the Germanes were spred over our provinces and now that the Alpes were at the point to be broken through for the wasting of Italie and the people had suffered many and those horrible outrages there was nothing left but teares and frights where both the remembrance of calamities past was grievous and the expectation of those at hand more wofull All which enormities this young gentleman being sent into the West parts in shew and title of Caesar and coursing the kings he there found like base slaves reformed in manner every one with such celeritie as is wonderous to be spoken And therefore to the end he might with like endevour and
we related before were fled into a fort named Vaccatum Then the day following according as the place wold permit we encamped in an even valley enclosed round about within the circuit as it were of a wall all save one place to goe forth at and the same lying open with sharpe stakes pitched on every side and standing out in maner of so many sword points And when the enemies saw this out of the woods and forests they let flie at us sundrie sorts of dartes and casting weapons reviling us also in reproachfull tearmes as perfidious traitors and murderers of a most valorous and excellent Prince for they had heard as the very fugitives reported by occasion of an headlesse rumor that ran abroad how Iulian was slain by the hand and weapon of a Roman In the end also certaine cornets of horsemen having broken through the s gate Praetoria were so bold herewith as to come neere unto the verie Princes pavilion but after many of their own side slaine were repulsed with maine force Being gone from thence the next night after we entred upon Charcha a place in this regard safe for that by reason of the high banks of the rivage being by mans hand raised to the end that the Saracens might not from thenceforth over-runne Assyria there was not one as before time that trobled our squadrons in their march And when as on these verie Kalends of Iulie we had marched thirtie stadia and drew neere to a citie named Duâ—a by reason that our horses were wearie their riders in the hindmost taile going on foot had forth with beene environed by a multitude of Saracens and slaine everie man but that the more vigorous and lighter appointed troupes of our horsemen rescued them in daunger Now the reason why wee were thus infested and troubled with the Saracens was for that being debarred by Iulian to receive as in times past many salaries and gifts and making thereof complaint unto him they could get no other answer but this That a warlike and vigilant Commaunder used to have yroâ— and not gold CHAP. IX The Roman souldiors wearied with so often assaults of the Persians instantly crave leave notwithstanding Iovianus stood against it to passe over Tigris whom for all that they wrestled with hunger Sapor feared IN this place so obstinatly persisted the Persians in molesting us we spent and lost foure dayes For marched we forward at any time they followed us hard at heeles and with their many provocations drew us backe made we a stand as prest to fight they would by little and little retyre and thus vexe us with long delayes And now by this time as usually meere forged rumors are wont to give content unto those that feare the worst by occasion of a flying report That the frontiers of our limits were not farre off the armie with open mouth called importunatly to have leave graunted for to passe over Tigris Against whom the Empâ—â—our and the great captaines opposing themselves and shewing how the river swelled now at the rising t of the Dog-staire praying them not to hazard their lives in the dauâ—gerous streame and whirlepooles thereof affirming that a number of them were unskilfull in swimming and adding moreover that the enemies foâ—ces had gained alâ—eadie on both sides the skirts of the river overflowne But when as he redoubled these reasons oftentimes and gainsaid them but all in vaine so that the souldiors crying out alowd in maine heat and big words threatened to doe their worst the Emperour made proclamation to stay the march and that the Gaules practised swimmers should first before all others take the river to the end that when they had been swallowed up or carried away with the mightie streame the wilfull stubbornesse of the rest might be daunted or if they had performed the deed safely the passage might on all hands be attempted more boldly And to this businesse were fit men chosen such as from their childhood had beene enured to swim over the greatest rivers of all others in their own native countries who taking advantage of the stil darke night being let forth at once as it were out at a casement sooner than a man would have thought raught the banke on the further sides and having troden under foot and cut in peeces many of the Persians who being then bestowed to keepe the coasts were in quiet securitie fast asleepe with holding up their hands and shooting of darts they gave signal how their adventure had taken effect and sped This being espyed a farre off our souldiors hoâ— set upon their passage stayed onely for this that the masters of the works promised to frame bridges of budgets or bottels made of the beasts hides that were slaine Which while these projects are gone in hand with and enterprised in vaine king Sapor both absent a far off and also when he was come neerer was advertised by the true reports of his discoverers sent out fugitives comming in what valiant acts our men had done what shameful foyles and overthrowes his owne had taken and that of Elephants there were more killed than the king could ever remember had bin before time also that the Roman armie hardened with uncessant travailes and paines after the death of their glorious Prince sought not as he gave it out to save their selves but to be revenged and were minded to end these instant dangers and painfull troubles either by an absolute victorie or by a memorable death In these regards he cast in his mind many and those fearefull consequences namely how our forces spread all over the provinciall nations might as he had experience thereof be assembled with a small watchword knowing also that his owne people after the losse of the greatest part of the common souldiors was sore dismayed and affrighted and finding withall that in Mesopotamia there was left an armie of the enemies behind not much lesser And above all these things that which daunted his perplexed and carefull mind was this That five hundred of their men swimming together at one time had passed in safetie over the river when it was risen high and having killed the Warders of the coasts stirred up the rest of their consorts to the like bold and hardie exploit Meane while when the surging and swelling waves would not suffer the said bridges to be framed and all things meet for meat were consumed our souldiors having spent two daies in a miserable case pinched with hunger and chafed with anger grew into a rage making hast to loose their lives like men by the edge of the sword rather than by famine the basest and most cowardly kind of death that is CHAP. X. The embassage of Sapor for the concluding and confirmation of a peace Iovianus for want of skilfull policie provideth badly for the Roman armie and whatsoever the embassadors of Sapor asked without any strife he yeeldeth to Vpon pledges on both sides taken that peace dishonourable to the Roman Empire and name
perils whatsoever and in a desperate resolution leading the way nothing at all afraid now to suffer any extremities setteth in hand with a most bold enterprise The g Divitenses and Tungritani of the younger sort and later enrolment appointed among others to make hast unto the urgent service in Thracia and purposing to abide after the solemne manner two dayes in Constantinople he hastened to sollicite by the mediation of some out of the same companies with whom he was acquainted because it was a perillous and difficult matter to speake with them all and made choice of some few to put in trust who beeing woon through the hope of great rewards promised and bound it with a religious oath to doe whatsoever he willed them yea and gave their word for the favour also and assistance of their fellow souldiors among whom themselves carried a great sway and might do much by persuasion as having the greatest pay and being of best desert According to appointment and when it was faire day light the said Procopius distracted into sundrie cogitations went to the Baines h Anastasianae so called of Constantines sister where he knew the militarie ensigns were bestowed and being enformed by those that were privie to their secret counsels that all of them upon an association made in the night agreed to side with him with assurance of safe conduct being gladly admitted unto them environed he was with a multitude thronged together of vendible or sale souldiors by way of honour I must needs say but yet pent up amongst them as one besieged who like as the Praetorian cohort in times past after the death of Pertinax received Iulianus cheapening as one would say the imperiall dignitie and making offer what price he would give for it even so they also bent to every thing that would yeeld them advantage and profite defended Procopius plotting to enter upon an unfortunate soveraignetie He stood therefore among them as one halfe pined and consumed a man would have taken him to have been a ghost raysed from the dead by reason that a rich regall mantle would no where be found clad in a coat beset with embossed gold like unto one of these kings servants arrayed from the heele to the share in manner of a nice and pretie page wearing also purple shooes and hose and as he bare a javelin or speare in his right hand so he carried in the left a pretie piece of purple cloth so as one would have thought that in a stage-play within the Theatre either some notable image and counterfeit through the tapistrie curtaines or else a mocking delusion to make folke laugh suddainely came forth and appeared Well then being thus after a ridiculous manner lifted up to this degree in disgrace as it were and mockerie of all honours and by way of servile flatterie having made a speech unto the authors of this benefit and advancement of his yea and promised unto them great riches and dignities for this hansell and first fruits as it were of his Empire foorth hee went in procession into the streets guarded with a multitude of armed men and there in stately port he marched on with the ensignes borne aloft upright enclosed on every side with a dreadfull noyse of shields and targuets clattering in dolefull wise which they for feare least from the high houses they should bee pelted with stones or broken tyles fitted close and thicke to the crests of their helmets As for himselfe going timorously as he did the people neither withstood nor favoured howbeit ravished they were with a suddaine pleasure and joy in such a noveltie a thing naturally given to most of the vulgar sort and this was the rather set on foot because as I said before all folke with one mind detested Petronius growing on to such wealth by violent meanes as who raised up against divers orders and degrees of citizens new troubles and suits yea and revived bils and writings of debt long since buried When as therefore the said Procopius was mounted up to the Tribunall and by reason that all the people looked downe on the ground and stood astonied which silence of theirs gave suspition of some mischiefe toward supposing there was prepared now as he feared a readier way to his death by reason of a trembling that went over all his joints being of himselfe not readie of speech he stood a long time silent Yet after he had now begun to say somewhat with an interrupt and dead voice whereby he pretended his neere alliance unto the bloud and line imperial with a low whispering of some few that were hired thereto of purpose and afterwards with tumultuarie noises and cries of the common people being named Emperour disorderly in great hast he went to the Curia where finding none there of Senators degree but some few and those ignoble and base persons he went apace but with a most unfortunat and wicked foot and so entred the palace CHAP. IX Valens hearing of this bold action of Procopius chaungeth his purpose Procopius by sundry craftie devices and in the end by an armie levied and assembled provideth for himselfe SOme marvaile I assure you that such ridiculous beginnings unwisely and rashly taken in hand have broken forth in the end to the wofull calamities of Commonweale as ignorant perhaps of former precedents supposing the same to have happened then first and never before Thus Andriscus the Adramytene a base fellow and of the meanest condition raysed up to the very name of Pseudophilippus was the cause of the third grievous and bloudie Macedonian warre Thus whiles Macrinus the Emperour abode in Antioch Heliogabalus i came forth of Emesa and became Antoninus So also by an unexpected assault made by Maximinus was k Alexander together with Mammaea stabbed to death In Affrick the elder Gordian haled by force to usurpe the Empire for very trouble and anguish of imminent dangers strangled himselfe with an halter and ended his life Well procured there were and taken in to the doubtfull issue of this strange occurrence some against their wils and some willingly marchants of trifling cates and such as gave attendance within the palace or had given over to wait those also who having beene enrolled souldiors had betaken themselves now to a more quiet life And there were againe who supposing all conditions of life better than the present State slipped away secretly from the citie and with speedie journeyes made hast unto the Emperours campe All these Sophronius then a Notarie Praefect afterwards of Constantinople out-stript and prevented by riding most swiftly and turned backe into Galatia Valens readie then to depart from Caesarea in Cappadocia intending now that the hote and sultring constitution of the weather in Cilicia was allayed to goe through and that with speed to the habitation and seat of Antioch him I say he averted from his journey after he had declared the whole order of the proceedings aforesaid unto him much troubled and
and shame but bringeth with it both end of life and paine together But when wicked and impious purposes have right and lawes for their pretence and the Iudges sit them downe with a false colour and set upon them either of a Catonian or Cassian sentence and whatsoever is done is done according to the will of a great ruler or magistrat puffed up with pride and to satisfie his pleasure matters of great importance even of life and death are weighed and considered accordingly there must the issue needs fall out to capitall mischiefe in the highest degree For as any one in those dayes was in any respect powerfull or toward the Court and burning in greedie desire to seize upon other mens goods although he were openly knowne to accuse an innocent person yet was he welcommed as a familiar and faithfull friend shortly to be enriched with other mens misfortunes For the Emperour readie ynough to doe hurt lying open to all accusers and procuring deadly informations proceeded most fiercely to sundrie sorts of punishments and therein tooke delight ignorant as hee was of that worthie saying of Tully who sheweth That unhappie are they who thinke they may lawfully doe all things This implacable rigour in a most righteous cause verily but foulely blemishing a victorie exposed many innocent folke to the tormentors hand and either brought their heads bending under the racke or layed them along with the stroke of the grim executioner for whom it had beene better to have lost tenne lives apeece in fight if by nature they could have had so many than thus faultlesse as they were with their sides gashed and rent and their whole estates groning as it were to suffer punishment as traitors having their bodies all torne and mangled before which is more dolorous than all the deaths in the world After this when as his crueltie overcome with so many wofull executions became assuaged men of higher place and calling endured proscriptions and banishments and such like which although they be grievous yet seeme to some but light and to the end that another person might be enriched a man of noble birth and happily for his deserts become very wealthie stripped and turned out by the head and shoulders of his livelod and thrust into exile either pined away and died for anguish or else was faine to live upon the devotion and benevolence of others neither was there any end of these mischievous practises untill the prince and his favourites were satisfied with their goods and bloud CHAP. XIIII Fearefull tremblings or quakings of the earth at one and the same time throughout the whole earth WHiles this usurper Procopius whose manifold acts and death I have declared was yet living upon the twelfth day before the kalends of August whiles Valentinian was the first time Consull with his brother most fearefull earthquakes suddainly happened that shooke the whole earth the like to which neither fabulous tales nor true reporting records of antiquitie deliver unto us For a little after Sunnerising the whole weightie and stedie masse of the earthly globe shooke with flashes of lightening most fiercely shot going before very thicke the sea also driven aside with the waves and billowes tumbling out backward went away so that the deepe gulfes being discovered and layd bare a man might have seene many sorts of swimming creatures sticking in the mud also the vast vales and mounts which nature had set farre away under the huge waters saw as men thought that day the beames of the Sunne After therefore that many ships were bedded fast as one would say in drie ground and a number of people straggled at their pleasure in the small remaines of water o take upfishes and such like with their hands the waves of the sea disdaining as one would say and loth to put up this repulse rose up all at once and turned againe and violently among the surging shallowes beating upon the islands and promontories of the continent reaching farreinto the sea overflowed and laid levell an infinit sort of things in cities yea and houses where any were found And therefore in this furious discord of the elements the surface of the world being covered represented straunge and wonderfull sights For the mightie masse of the sea being returned backe againe when it was least looked for killed and drowned many thousands of people and with the swift and violent whirling of the tydes running backe certaine ships after the swelling of this liquid substance or element was abated were seene sunke to the verie ground yea and by reason of shipwrackes many dead bodies lay along either on their backes or groveling Other mightie shippes also driven out by violent winds setled upon the tops of palaces as it happened at Alexandria and two miles almost off farre from the shore were some of them flung as we our selves in passing by beheld one of Laconia neere unto the towne Metson almost rotten for age THE XXVII BOOKE CHAP. 1. As the Alemans make new preparation for wars Carietto and Serenianus encounter them with a power of armed men And when both of them were slaine in fight Iovinus a brave captaine gave the Alemans leaping for joy of victorie three battailes Valens sendeth over the head of Procopius unto Valentinian lying at Paris WHiles these things which we have reported upō divers occurrences passe in the East empire the Alemans after grievous losses sore blows which in their often conflicts with Iulian being Caesar they had sustained having at length resumed their strengh though unequal to that which they had before for the cause aforesaid being now much feared invaded the limits of Gaule And immediatly after the Kalends of Ianuarie when the rigorous and bitter Winter weather froze hard all over the ycie tracts a number of them went forth by plumpes and stragled abroad at their pleasure To encounter the formost companie of these Carietto Lieutenant generall for both the Germanies a man most forward to give battaile went out taking to him for his companion in this painefull service Severianus a Lieutenant likewise but of no valour and aged besides who at Calydona had the command of the Divitenses and the a Tungricanes The Romans therefore having joyned their forces together marched with their squadrons embattailed close and thicke one by another and when they had with sure speed passed over the bridge that stood upon a little river no sooner saw the Barbarians afarre off but they assayled them with arrowes and other light darts which they againe for their parts valiantly shot backe as fast But when the troupes met and fought with drawne swords the battaile of our men sore shaken with the fierce charge of the enemies found no meanes either to resist or to fight manfully as being for feare all of them put to flight when they once saw Severianus unhorsed and shot into the mouth with a casting weapon Carietto likewise himselfe at last whiles verie venturously with opposition of his
bodie and words from his mouth in a chiding accent delivered he stayeth them and laboureth with bold standing to it a long time to wipe away so shamefull a dishonour was wounded mortally with a dart and so dyed After whose death the banner of the Eruli and Batavi was caught away which the barbarous enemies leaping and dauncing with many a friske erected often and shewed on high but after great conflicts it was recovered againe When knowledge was taken with exceeding great sorrow of this overthrow Dagalaiphus to make amends for this dishonourable foile was sent from Paris But whiles he a long while trifled out the time and alledged That himselfe was not able to set upon the barbarous enemies so scattered and spred in sundrie parts and was soone after sent for to take upon him the dignitie of a Consull together with Gratian who as yet was but a privat person Iovinus Generall of the Cavallarie addressed himselfe to this businesse and being well appointed and readie in battaile ray having a most watchfull and warie eye to both the sides of his armie as it marched drew neere unto a place named Scarpona where sodainely and unlooked for he surprised the greater multitude of the sayd Barbarians before they were armed and in the turning of an hand flew them everie one This worthy and notable captaine leading forth his souldiors rejoycing for this glorious battaile which cost them no losse of bloud for to defeat likewise the other companie behind and marching softly on was enformed by a trustie espial That the forces of these spoyling brigands having rifled the villages neere at hand rested hard by a river and approaching then anone and lying close hidden in a darke vale set thick with groves and woods beheld how some of them were washing and bathing themselves others busie in colouring the hayre of their heads yellow and making the same shine like gold as their manner is and some againe drinking garaus Thus having met with a verie seasonable time of advantage all on a sodaine he gave the signal by sound of trumpet and brake into the campe of these robbers The Germans on the contrarie side in bragging wise rapping out nothing but vaine sounds and noyses of threats were not permitted the conquerour pressed so hard upon them either to make readie their armes and weapons scattered here and there or to put themselves in order of battaile nor so much as to plucke up their spirits and resume strrength A number therefore of them pierced through with javelins and swords were slaine besides those who ran away and with good footmanship gat into the crooked and narrow lanes and there hid themselves Iovinus now fleshed and more emboldened with this happie exployt which vertue and fortune together had atchieved leading on his souldiors and sending out before a diligent scout-watch to discover the coasts made hast with a running campe to charge upon the third regiment of them which remained And having sped himselfe apace in this journey he found them all neere to the Catelauni most readie to joyne battaile When as therefore he had encamped himselfe within a rampier in a place convenient and as the time would give leave refreshed his men with meat and sleepe at the verie dawning of the day he arraunged his armie displayed at large with politique skill in an open plaine to the end that the Romans inferiour in number yet equall in puissance taking up so large a ground might seeme to match the enemies in multitude When as therefore the trumpets had sounded the battaile so that they began to fight close hand to hand the Germans affrighted with the strange sight of our glittering banners stood still Who being for a while daunted but soone after taking heart again so that the conflict held unto the end of the day our men with great force pressing hard upon them had gained the honour of a brave day without any losse at all but that Balcobaudes Tribune of the b Armaturae a man made altogether of big words but cowardly withall when as now the evening came on reculed in disorder whom if the rest of the cohorts had followed and gone away the matter would have growne so farre forth to an heavie issue that there could not possibly one have remained alive to tell what had beene done But our souldiors standing to it with resolute and fierce courage quit themselves so well with strength of armes that having sore wounded foure thousand of the enemies they left other six thousand dead in the place but they themselves lost not of their fellows above two hundred and two hundred likewise and no more were hurt Thus therefore when by the nights comming the battaile was ended and the wearied bodies of our men refreshed our brave leader toward day-light having stretched forth his armie in forme of a foure square battaile and found that the barbarous enemies taking vantage of the darkenesse were secretly slipped away and gone secure of any ambushments followed through the open champian grounds and easie plaine wayes riding over them as they lay along halfe dead who by reason that the sharpe cold aire drew their wounds together were killed with extremitie of paine After this when hee had gone further in his returne finding no enemie he learned that the king of those regiments of the enemies with some few taken by the c Hastarij whom himselfe had sent out another way to ransacke the tents of the Alemans was hanged on a gibbet Hereupon in his anger he purposed to punish the Tribune that durst doe such a deed without the advice of an higher power and verily had condemned him but that it appeared by evident proofes that this foule and cruel fact was committed in the souldiors hot bloud After this as he returned toward Paris upon the exploiting of this brave service the Emperour with great joy met him and afterwards named and elected him Consull and this I assure you augmented the measure of his joy For that the verie same time he had received the head of Procopius sent over to him from Valens Besides all this there were many other skirmishes fought lesse worthy the relation in sundrie tracts of Gaule which here to set down were superfluous labour considering that neither the proofe and issue thereof brought any great matter of gaine and importance nor beseeming it is to draw our an hystorie in length by such base and slight particulars CHAP. II. A portenteous prodigie seene in the town Pistoriensis presaging bloudie seditions as Rome especially and that among the Christians for the strife and contention of Damasus and Vrsicinus about the bishopricke AT this time or a little bfore there appeared a strange and portenteous sight in Thuscia d Annonaria and what might the end and effect thereof be the skilfull and learned in such prodigious signes were altogether ignorant For in the towne Pistoriensis neere the third houre of the day in the sight of many an Asse
unto the river Cyrus Aspacuras requested at his hands That since they were cousin germanes and sisters sonnes they might raigne joyntly together alledging this for himselfe That he could neither surrender nor turne unto the Romane side because his sonne Vltus was kept still among the Persians as an hostage Whereof the Emperour being informed to the end he might by policie and wisedome appease the troubles which were like to rise from this affaire also condiscended to a division of Hiberia namely that Cyrus the river which ran through the middest thereof might divice it so that Sauromaces should hold for his part that side which bordered upon the Armenians and the Lazi and Aspacuras the other which bounded upon Albania and the Persians Sapor sore aggrieved hereat and crying out That indignitie was offered unto the articles of agreement in that contrarie to the tenor of the said covenant Armenia was succoured that the embassage which hee had sent about the redresse of this enormitie came to nothing and that without his assent and privitie concluded it was that the kingdome of Hiberia should be divided as if now the dores had beene fast locked against all friendship layed for the aid of the neighbour nations about him and put his armie in readinesse to the end that when the faire season of the yeare came about he might overthrow all that fabricke which the Romanes had framed for their owne behoofe THE XXVIII BOOKE CHAP. I. The most miserable state of Rome citie under Maximinus the Praefect whose parentage and rising is described WHiles this perfidious and disloyall dealing causeth in Persia as I have beforesaid unexpected troubles on the kings behalfe and warres revived in the East parts begin againe sixteene yeares and upward after the death of Nepotianus Bellona provoked upon very small occasions to the working of wofull calamities raged throughout Rome and set all in combustion which I would to God had beene for ever buried in silence least happily there be attempted sometime the semblable like to doe more harme by generall examples and precedents than by delinquencies And albeit from the exquisite narration of this bloudie hystorie feare might justly pull me backe many and sundrie causes duly considered yet presuming confidently upon the modestie of this present age I will summarily lay open every particular that is memorable Neither will I be loath and thinke much briefely to shew which of those accidents that have befallen unto ancient writers it is that I might feare In the first warre of the Medes when the Persians had spoyled Asia besetting the cities herein with huge and puissant forces yea and threatening the defendants thereof with terrible torments and dolorous death they brought the people thus shut up and besieged to this extremitie that they all sore afflicted with great and grievous calamities after they had killed their owne deare wives and children and throwne their mooveable goods into the fire cast themselves also by heapes after them striving a vie who might be for most in that commune flame that consumed them and their countrey together This argument soone after Phrynicus digested and penned in a swelling tragicall style and brought it upon the Stage in the Theatre of Athens and having for a while good audience with contentment when his high and loftie Tragoedie went on still and wrung forth many a teare the people supposing that he had insolently inserted these grievous afflictions also of theirs among Stage-playes not by way of consolation but in reprochfull manner to put them in mind of the miseries that their lovely citie and countrey supported with no helpes of protectors and defendors had sustained in heat of indignation condemned and confined him to Miletus For Miletus was a colonie of the Athenians transported and planted among other Ionians by Nileus the sonne of that Codrus who by report in the Dorique warre devoted himselfe to death for his countrey But let us come to our purposed historie Maximinus governour of Rome in times past in place of vice-Praefect was very obscurely borne at Sopianae a towne of Valeria and his father of no better calling than a clerke belonging to the Presidents office discended from the race of the Carpi whom Diocletian removed from out of their auncient habitations and brought over into Pannonia This Maximinus after he had bestowed some meane studie in the liberall Sciences and become a disnoble advocat and defendor of causes when he had also governed Corsica and Sardinia likewise ruled Thuscia From whence being advaunced to the office and charge of Rome-cities a purveyor for corne and victuals by reason that his successour stayed long in his journey kept in his hands still the rule of that province also And at the first he demeaned himselfe very circumspectly and wisely in three respects first for that the words were fresh and rife in his eares spoken by his father who was passing skilfull in that which the flight of Augurall fowles or the singing of birds fore-signified implying thus much That he should mount to high regiments but die in the end by the executioners hands Secondly because having gotten a man of Sardinia whom himselfe afterwards by deceitfull trecherie and craftie guile murthered as commonly the rumor ran one who was very cunning in raising hurtfull spirits and solliciting the presages of such ghosts and spectres fearing least so long as he remained alive he should be detected he was more gentle and tractable Lastly because creeping as he did a long time below like a serpent lying under the ground he could not as yet raise any great matters of bloudie and capitall consequence CHAP. II. The beginning of Maximinus his crueltie His Patron and his complices Without any words of vulgar persons mention is made of the punishments inflicted upon Marinus Cethegus and Alypius NOw the very beginning from whence he displayed and spred himselfe abroad arose upon such an occasion as this Chilo late a deputie Praefect and his wife named Maxima having complained unto Olybrius Praefect of the citie for that time being and avouching that their lives were assayled and endangered by poysons obtained at his hands a commission That the parties whom they suspected should forthwith be apprehended and clapt up fast in prison to wit Sericus an Organist or maker of instruments Asbolius a professor of wrestling and Campensis a b Soothsayer But whiles this businesse waxed coole by reason that Olybrius was visited with long and grievous sicknesse those aforesaid who had given information of these things beeing impatient of delayes preferred a petition and craved That the matter in controversie might be made over unto the Praefect of the victuals aforesaid for to bee examined accordingly Which for expedition sake was soone graunted Maximinus therefore having received matter to worke mischiefe upon discharged and uttered his inbred rigour that stucke close unto his cruell heart as oftentimes doe these savage beasts exhibited in the Amphitheatres
in the secret feat of cheators craft like unto Cato Porcius for the repulse of a Praetorship which repulse was neither suspected before nor feared goe with a set gravitie very sad and melancholicke because at a great feast or assemblie some Proconsular person was placed above him Some there are that lye in wait for weake and crasie persons old or yong it skilleth not such as have buried their children or live single yea and those also that have wives children both for in this case there is no difference observed enticing and drawing them on by wonderfull wyles and craftie devices to make their Wils now these folke no sooner have ordained their last Testaments and left that which they had to those whom they were ruled by in making their Wils but immediatly they peake aside and die Another yee shall have who after some dignitie and promotion obtained walketh portly with a big and bolne necke of his owne and upon such as were of his familiar acquaintance before he casteth a crooked and overthwart looke a man would thinke who sees him that a new M. t Marcellus were returned from the winning of Syracusa Many there be among them that denie there is any high power above in heaven to governe us here neither goe they forth of dores nor take their dinner nor thinke they can bath in safetie before they have curiously looked into their u Ephemerides where for example is the Planet of Mercurie or what degree of the signe Cancer the Moone holdeth as she runneth her course in the heaven Another if he perceive once that his creditour calleth hard upon him for debt runneth presently to a chariotier that dares do any thing very audaciously and taketh order to have the partie charged as a Sorcerer wherupon he goes not away before he hath delivered up the obligation or specialtie yea sustained great losse therwith Neither is this all He fetcheth him in voluntarily to acknowledge himselfe indebted unto him and assoileth him not On another side the wife beating night and day as the old proverbe sayth upon the same anvill urgeth her husband to make his Will and the husband as instantly importuneth his wife to do the same Then skilfull Lawyers are retained on both parts for coūsell the one in the bed chamber the other his concurrent in the dining rowme to handle and debate their controversies And to the same are brought in and suborned interpretors of bowels and Soothsayers to calculate their nativities promising largely on the one side Praefectships dignities and burials of rich dames on the other inviting the women as it were to the funerals obsequies of husbands signifying covertly that necessaries ought to be provided for the same Neither know they any thing in the world to be good but that which is commodious and gainefull Thus love they their friends as they love cattell I meane those best of all from whom they hope to receive the most profit And when these folke come to borrow any thing you shall see them as humble and demisse as Mitio or x Laches in the Comoedie but are they forced once to make repayment so loftie and big as you would take them to be those tragicall y Heraclida Ctesiphon and Themenus CHAP. X. The slouth vanitie and base behaviour of the common people THus much of the Senatours degree Now come we to the idle and base commons Among whom you shall have some going even without shooes bare foot yet fine and goodly to be known by their trim and elegant names to wit Cimessores Statarij Semicupae and Serapini with others beside namely Cicimbricus Gluturinus and Trulla likewise Lucanicus Pordaca Salsula and an innumerable sort of such These spend all their life and living at the wine taverne and at dice-play in brothel-houses also in wanton pleasures and seeing of delightsome sights and games the great Cirque or Shew-place is their temple and habitation the very Hall that they frequent and all the hope they relie upon And a man may see every where in the market places quarrifours streets and meeting places or assemblies many companies of them gotten together frapling one against another pro contrà whiles some hold this others that as the manner is Among whom these that have lived with greater authoritie than others a long time even to satietie of yeares use oftentimes to crie out along the Burses Lombards and Pawnes That the Commonwealth and all were lost if at the games and trials of masteries following he that each one taketh part with performeth not his race formost and gaineth the goale first Now when the wished-for day of the chariot-running beginneth to peepe before the cleare beames of the Sunne appeare they all make hast abroad and hye apace that with their quicke speed they may outgoe the very chariots that are to strive for the prize about the successe and event whereof a number of them whiles they side and wish favourably divers wayes in great perplexitie sit up and watch whole nights Come from thence to the base sports of the Theatre those actors upon the stage there are sure to be hissed out in case they have not with some money bought the favour of the abject multitude And if it chaunce that one of them misse the shout and noyse of the commons by way of approbation then in imitation of the barbarous people of z Taurica out they crie That all strangers and forrainers ought to be expelled even forrainers I say by whose aid they have at all times beene supported and stood upright and this doe they in foule and absurd tearmes farre different from the affections and minds of those auncient commons many of whose wittie and pleasant conceited speeches stand upon record For now a dayes this device is found out to serve in stead of studious resound of their prayses who be worthie thereof that by certaine persons framed and appointed to speake in every shew or spectacle exhibited you shall have them unto the Enterlude-rhymer the Baiter the Chariotier and Stage-player of every sort likewise unto the Iudges and Magistrats as well the higher as the inferiour yea and unto the Dames come out continually with this bald note Let him learne by thee But what it is that should be learned no man is able to declare Among these there be a number given wholly to gourmandise and belly cheare who like smell-feasts tracing the steame and sent of meat and listening to the shrill voices of women from the very cocke-crow in manner of Peacockes crying for hunger and emptinesse tripping a tiptoe lightly upon the ground are at hand in every great mans Hall readie even to gnaw their owne fingers ends whiles the dishes of meat be cooling others againe looking and prying over the pot ynough to overturne ones stomacke of raw meat waiting wistly untill it be through sodden So as a man would thinke that with other Anatomists Democritus were there searching the intrayles of beasts cut up to
grey all over with ashes he determined to bestow there for a time the first and second legions that whiles they were casting up at one side the heapes of dead embers they might keepe a garrison there least by a second assault of the Barbarians it should bee wasted againe Which newes being carried divers wayes abroad by true rumors the rulers of the Province and Vincentius the Tribune came forth of their lurking holes wherein they had bestowed themselves and at length without feare repayred with speed unto the Generall CHAP. XII Firmus starting from his promised allegeance forceth Theodosius to take armes Certaine horsemen of the Romanes who had revolted to the rebels are thrust downe to the lowest degree of warre-service Afterwards Theodosius executeth others with losse of their heads And then by occasion that the enemies were with many overthrowes brought upon their knees and weakened he politikely delivereth out of daunger a small companie of his owne men WHom when Theodosius had seene and received with joy making his abode still at Caesarea upon verie diligent search made for the truth of everie thing he understood for certaine that Firmus under colour of a well-willer and suppliant in a covert policie reached at this to come in manner of a sodaine tempest upon our armie fearing no hostilitie and to put it in disray The General therefore turning from hence came to a free borough towne named Sugabarritanum seated upon the rising of the mountaine Transcellensis where he found the horsemen of the fourth cohort of archers which had revolted unto the rebell and to shew that hee was content with some mild punishment he thrust them all downe to the lowest degree of war service and both them and also part of the Constantian footmen he commanded to come to Tigaviae with their Tribunes one of whom had done upon the head of Firmus a chaine for a diademe Whiles these things are a doing Gildo and Maximus returned leading with them Belles a Prince of the Mazices and Ferinus Prefect of that nation who had ayded the faction of him that had troubled the the common peace .... to produce them bound Which being performed according to appointment himselfe went forth at breake of day and finding them in the armie enclosed round about What thinke yee quoth he my devoted fellowe souldiors ought to be done with these wicked traitours and when they cryed all with one voyce and required That they who served among the 1 Constantiani should loose their life-bloud for it he following their desire delivered them after the old manner unto the souldiors to be massacred As for the principall of the archers aforesaid he cut off their hands the rest he beheaded after the example of Curio that most fierce valiant captain who by this kind of punishment made an end of the Dardanians stoutnesse which after the manner of the m Lernaean serpent otherwhiles sprung up new againe But malicious backebiters as they commend that auncient fact so they condemne this as cursed and over rigorous saying That the Dardanians were mortall enemies and justly deserved those punishments that they sustained whereas the souldiors serving under their colours when they all happened to fall into one errour should have beene dealt with in a milder kind of correction Whom I knowing that I doe answer and give to understand That this cohort both by fact and example were rebellious As touching Belles and Fericius aforesaid whom Gildo brought as also Curandius Tribune of the archers he commaunded them to be killed in this regard for that neither himselfe in person would ever encounter with the enemies nor exhort his souldiors under him to fight And in this wise proceeded Theodosius cōsidering this sentence of Tully That wholesome rigor and severitie surpasseth the vaine shew of clemencie After this he went forth and came before a fort named Gaionatis having a strong wal round about it which was the most safe sure place of refuge for the Moores with violent push of the Ram this he cast down when he had slain all the inhabitants therin laid the wals even with the ground he went forward to the castle Tingitanum by the hill Ancorarius set upon the Mazices assembled there together who now also discharged darts backe again that flew as thicke as haile when as on both sides they had skirmished the Mazices not able to abide our hot charging so violently with men munition a warlike nation though they were and fierce thus beaten down in sundry slaughters in a foule fright brake their arraies and as they fled amaine were killed all save those who making shift to escape by humble suit afterward obtained pardon peace which the time so requiring was granted Suggena their leader ...... who succeeded Romanus appointed to goe into Mauritania Sitifensis there to take order for the placing of garrisons himselfe lifted up still with these accidents past marcheth against the nation of the Musones whom their owne privitie and guiltinesse of robberies and murders had gathered together to joine in action with Firmus who as it was hoped would shortly attaine unto greater maters And when he was entred wel forward on his way neere unto the burrough-towne Addense he had certaine intelligence that a number of nations how different soever they were in fashions and language yet in one accord of heart agreed to rayse and begin cruell warre whereto they were incited and encouraged with verie great hope of rewards from a sister of Firmus named Cyria who abounding in wealth and in a wilfull resolution of a woman purposed with all her power and endevour to helpe her brother Theodosius therefore fearing to adventure himselfe upon an unequall match and least if encountring an huge multitude with a few for he was but three thousand and five hundred strong he might loose them all keeping a meane betweene shamefull flight and eagre fight gave ground and retyred softly by reason that the multitude pressed sore upon him and so gat away Vpon which event the barbarous people taking an exceeding good heart .... and lost hee had them all to the last man but that those nations seeing the ayds of the Mazices before whom marched certaine Roman corporals were mightily troubled and affrighted and supposing they had beene many battailons readie with violence to charge upon them tooke them to their heeles and so opened the passages and wayes for our men to get out which before were quite stopped up CHAP. XIII Theodosius by a wise policie and militarie holding off assailing his enemies forceth Firmus by flight to shift for himselfe abandoning his campe that was ransacked followloweth him in chase and when he had vanquished the Isaflenses who received and harboured him and put certaine of the principall enemies to death bestoweth his owne people in safetie WHen Theodosius afterward leading his souldiors safe was come to a Burgade named Mazucanum after he had burnt up some few revolters dismembred and maimed others after the
as auncient hystories make report that tooke a fee for the defence of a cause Semblably among the Romans also the Rutilij Galbae and Scauri men for their life behaviour and frugalitie approved and after them for sundrie yeares together of the age ensuing many that were Censors and Consuls in their time yea and had triumphed to wit the Crassi Antonij the Philippi and the Scaevolae with a number more beside after most fortunat conduct of armies after victories atchieved and trophees erected flourished in the performance of civile offices betweene citizen and citizen even for their stipends and gaining by their goodly prizes plaid the laurell garlands of the Barre and Common place enjoyed glorious honours in the highest degree After whom Cicero the most excellent of all who oftentimes with the thunderbolts of his commaunding speech delivering some that were oppressed and cast downe out of daungerous flames of judgement affirmed That men haply might be undefended altogether without blame and reproofe but negligently defended without a sinfull act they could not possibly be CHAP. VI. A little table representing to the life these ravenous Harpyes and a sorting or division of them into certaine formes or rankes BVt now adayes you may see throughout all those tracts divers in that kind verie violent and most ravenous men such as goe swouping and flinging over all the Courts and Halls of justice yea and closely do beset rich mens houses who like unto hounds of Sparta or Crete by following with a quicke sent everie cause as it were by the tract and footing come at length to the verie dennes thereof The first companie of these are they who by sowing sundrie controversies and quarels have their hands in a thousand actions bonds for apparance at the Law-day haunting the doores of widowes and entries of childlesse parents These desirous to entertaine privie grudges betweene friends kinsfolkes and allyes that are at variance for some small matters of no moment and importance goe about to make them hate and detest one another And in these their vices they waxe not more calme and mild as others doe by processe of time but get greater head and grow stronger who also among the unsatiable extortions of the poore for to enveagle and deceive by their subtile orations the integritie of Iudges whose name sprung of Iustice draw forth the keene blade of their wits In this their obstinat course of dealing their rashnesse seemeth to resemble libertie their headie boldnesse constancie and a certaine vaine flowing tongue of thiers eloquence through the violent force of which arts as Tully affirmeth a foule shame it is that the upright conscience of a Iudge should be deceived For thus he saith And whereas there ought nothing to be in a Commonwealth so pure and sincere as the giving of vayce or the sentence of a Iudge I cannot see how he that hath corrupted the same with a peece of money should deserve punishment and he that doth the like with eloquence goe away with prayse And verily in my conceit he seemeth of the twaine to doe more harme who corrupteth a Iudge by his eloquent speech than he that doth it by plaine â—riherie for that no mâ—â— is able to corrupt a wise man with money but with eloquence he may full well The second sort of these men are they who professing skill of right and law which the difference of statutes and ordinances opposite one unto another hath quite fored one atriâ— their mouthes were muzzeled and made up with their continuall silence are like their owne shadowes These resembling them that calculat and foretell folkes destinies by their nativities and horoscopes or wisards that expound Sibyls Oracles composing their grave countenance to a sad and solemne habit make even their drowsie yawning and supine negligence saleable And these fellowes because they would be thought to have a deepe insight into the lawes have altogether in their mouthes f Trebatius Caesellius and Alfenus and their whole talke is of the lawes of the Aurunci and Sicani such as long since are growne out of knowledge and many hundred yeares ago even with Evanders mother buried And if thou shouldest devise and say That wilfully thou hadst murthered thine owne mother they are readie to beare thee in hand and promise that they have read many hidden booke-cases and presidents that affoord meanes to acquit thee provided alwayes that they perceive thee to be well moneyed A third crew there is of those who to the end that in this turbulent profession they may get a name whetting their mercenarie tongues to the beating downe of truth by their shamelesse foreheads and base bawling make open way for themselves to passe whither they list who taking the opportunitie of the Iudges cares in many matters distracted linking and entangling causes with insoluble quirkes and quilits endevour by long demurres to have controversies depending still and by their intricat questions that of purpose they foist in hold off and delay judgements which when they proceed well and fall out aright they are the verie shrines and temples of equitie but if they be wrong and unjust they are both deceitfull and blind pits whereinto if any man fall and be caught he shall not be able in many five yeares together to to get forth sucked drie in the meane while even to the verie marrow CHAP. VII The last sort of them that uphold this profession of Lawyers impudent froward wilfull and unlearned is here in lively colours depainted THe fourth and last ranke is impudent overthwart stubborne and withall unlearned those I meane who having broken loose over-soone from the Grammer schoole run to and fro in all corners of cities studying for scoffes and frumping flours not for meet pleas to helpe any cause who also haunting rich mens houses lay for to get part of exquisit dainties at their suppers and meales Who when they have once betaken themselves to secret and privat gaines and given their minds to get money everie way it skills not how set any innocent and harmelesse persons together by the eares and make them for nothing goe to law and being admitted into the court and that seldom happeneth for the defence of a cause at the verie instant time when they should come to plead at barre they are faine to be instructed from the verie mouth of the client that is defendant what is the name and nature of the cause that he hath taken in hand And these are so full of their confused circumlocutions that a man would thinke he heard g Therfites with a frapling and bawling clamor to come out with a mishmash and hotchpotch of most distastfull and unsavorie stuffe But when they are once driven to a nonplus and want matter to maintaine their allegations then turne they all their speech to an unbridled libertie of rayling and foule speaking in which respect for their reproachfull and reviling tearmes which continually they would give even to
and so neither entring upon the rampier and trench nor rifling their enemies tents for the most part they decide the quarell And in this respect a man may well say they fight like most sharpe and eagre warriours for that a farre off with casting weapons with sharpe poynted bones in stead of heads and those fastened and fitted with wonderfull cunning but neere at hand laid here and there with yron ........ and whiles their enemies ward and observe the mischievous venues of their pointed weapons they entangle and bind them fast within cords that they fling from them to the end that when their limmes as they make resistance be thus ensnared they might bereave them of all power either to ride or goe There is not one among them that eareth the ground or at any time layeth hand to the plough tayle For all of them without any set habitation without house or home without law or setled order wander here and there like alwayes to those that are in flight together with their wagons in which they dwell Wherein also the wives weare garments of hairie wooll and lye with their husbands Aske any among them Where he was borne there is not one of them can directly answer as being in one place begotten borne in another farre off and brought up yet farther In truce-time treacherous and unfaithfull inconstant upon everie gale of rumor readie to rise and upon new hopes passing mutable in one word putting all upon the issue of most violent furie Like unto inconsiderat and unreasonable creatures utterly ignorant of what is honest or unhonest doubtfull double and darke in their speeches Awed at no time with reverent regard either of religion or superstition burning exceedingly in greedie desire of gold So variable and prone to anger that in one and the same day at severall howers they will many times revolt from their allyes without any quarell and provocation and in like sort be pleased reconciled and become friends againe without the mediation of any to mitigate their mood This kind of men so quicke and nimble so untamed and unreclaimable burning in monstrous desire to rob and spoyle forrainers after they had by spoyle and slaughter of the neighbour inhabitants made foule worke and havock went on as farre as to Achaia CHAP. II. The Massagets Neuri Vidini Geloni Agathyrsi Melanchlaenae Anthropophagi and Alani who they were and their manners NOw remaine the Massagetae who whence they are descended or what lands they doe inhabit because the course of our storie is devolved upon them meet it is to declare The ambiguous Geographicall description being shewed which a long time ....... many and sundrie ..... found out at length the inward secrets of the truth ..... Ister flowing with a bigge streame of straunge waters running into him passeth by the Sauromatae reaching as farre as to the river Tanais which boundeth Asia from Europe When you have crossed over it there inhabit the desart wildes of Scythia stretched out an infinit way the Alani so called after the name of the mountains and having by little and little in many victories vanquished the nations bordering upon them brought them at length to be endenized and naturalized in their owne name like as the Persians also did Among these the Neuri possesse the mid-land places dwelling neere unto those high topped hills which being steepe up-right and frozen all over are subject to the nipping North-east wind Beyond them are the Vidini and Geloni verie fierce and savage nations these use to flea off the skinnes of those enemies whom they have slaine and thereof make for themselves garments and for their horses caparisons a warlike people I assure you Confining with the Geloni are the Agathyrsi the skinne of whose bodies also their haire is speckled all over with blew coloured spots And verily the meaner sort have markes of that kind small and standing here and there thin but the noble men and gentrie broader with a colour set upon them and thicker one by another Next beyond these we have heard that the Melanchlaenae and Anthropophagi dwell scattering in divers places these use to live by eating the flesh of men and womens bodies whom all the borderers forsooke for this abhominable feeding and went farre from them into the remote parts of the land And therefore the whole tract that lyeth North-east untill you come unto the Seres is become inhabitable In another quarter neere unto the place where the Amazons are seated dwell the Alani mounting East-ward and those be spred into mightie and great nations bending and bearing toward the tracts of Asia which people as I have heard stretch out in breadth as farre as to Ganges a river that cutteth the Indian land through the mids and carryeth his streame into the South sea And there the Alani being divided into both parts of the world the sundrie nations of which people it skilleth not now to reckon up albeit they keepe a great way asunder and wander like unto the Nomades in those enoâ—me and huge cantons yet in processe of time they grew into one name and generally they be all tearmed Alani In their manners custome and meanes of savage living they be in manner all one For they have no cottages at all nor any care to handle the plough but live of flesh and plentie of milke sitting upon waines which being made of the bended covers of barkes they carrie with them along the desert wildernesse that holdeth on still without end And when they are come to any places of greene grasse placing their carres in a round forme they fall to their victuals and feed as wild beasts doe Now when their food and forrage is spent they carry as one wold say whole cities upon those carts and above in them their males and females engender together in these are borne their infants in these they have their breeding and education These and no other have they for their habitations continually and whither soever they goe there they take to be their native dwelling and homestall As they drive their heards and flocks before them they let them have their pasturage but especially of their horses they have an extraordinarie care The fields there be evermore greene and full of grasse with places here and there betweene set thicke with trees bearing apples and other fruit and therefore what way soever they goe they are at no default either for food or fodder the reason hereof is the moist ground and the courses of many rivers running hard by All those therefore that for age or sex be not serviceable in the warres keepe about the verie wagons or carts aforesaid and are busied in easie kind of worke but the lustie youth that have growne up from their verie childhood in the practise of riding thinke it a base thing to goe on foot and they be all for militarie knowledge expert and politique warriours Whereupon the Persians also who by their first originall
into cruell captivitie And after them virgines of ripe yeares and chast wedded wives with blubbered faces weeping and bewayling their extreame miseries were led away wishing by death though dolorous and painefull to prevent the abusing and defiling of their bodies shortly after Among which calamities when a gentleman rich and free but a little before was dragged and haled like a beast he complained of thee ô Fortune as unmercifull and blind withall that didst in the turning of an hand appoint and betake him violently wrung out and sequestred from his beloved wife deere children and sweet house and home which he saw before his face turned into ashes and altogether ruinat either to be mangled and dismembred lim after lim or under whips and torments to serve as a slave the cruell and bloudie conqueror The Barbarians yet like unto so many savage beasts broken out of their cages when they had overrun a great way in that large countrey went to a towne named Dibaltum where finding Barzymeres a Tribune of the Scutarij with those souldiors of his owne with the d Cornuti also and other companies of footmen pitching their tents him they set upon being an approved and well experienced warrior who presently as the necessitie of so imminent a danger required commaunded That the trumpet should sound the battaile and after he had strengthened the flankes brake through before with as many as were readie appointed to battaile by valiant resistance had made his part good departed out of the field on even hand but that a troupe of horsemen running violently upon him when he was very much out of breath wearie beset him round about And thus with the slaughter of many Barbarians whose overthrow was not seene in so great a multitude he was slaine This exploit after this manner performed the Gothes doubtfull what they should doe afterward sought for Frigeridus intending where ever they could find him to overthrow and beat him downe as the onely strong barre that stood in their way And therefore after they had taken more liberall and finer food as also slept a little him they followed like a sort of savage beasts as being given to understand That by direction from Gratianus he was returned into Thracia and encamped neere unto Beroea where he lay in espiall to discover the doubtfull events of things And verily the Gothes for their parts rode up and downe and made hast to put their designes in execution But Frigeridus that knew well ynough how both to governe and also to preserve his souldiors either suspecting what their intent was or plainely informed thereof by relation of those discoverers whom he had sent out returned through the high mountains and thicke growne woods into Illyricum much emboldened by a passing good hand that Fortune unlooked for presented unto him For in his returne as he marched softly on with his souldiors marshalled in good array into squadrons he prevented Farnobius a great lord of the Gothes as he with his troupes of robbers and spoyle-makers raunged up and downe the countrey at his pleasure and leading with him the Taifali drawne but lately into his societie who if it be worth the telling whiles our souldiors were dispersed upon the fearefull invasion of strange and unknowne nations had passed over the river with full purpose to ransacke and spoyle the places void of defendants Vpon the suddaine discoverie of their companies this most politicke captaine prepared to joyne battaile with them and so charging upon all the sort of those nations discomfited these bold brigands who still stucke not to give out many threats and put them he had every mothers sonne to the sword but that after Farnobius a terrible trouble-maker before time was with many others slaine he was importuned very much and intreated to spare as many as remained alive and all those he sent away with life to occupie and husband the lands about Mutina Rhegium and Parma townes in Italie This nation of the Taifali I have heard say was filthily given and so much abandoned to the horrible sinnes of beastly living that with them it was an usuall matter to have boyes and men companie together in that foule and abhominable act of wantonnesse which is not to be named spending the prime and flower of their youth in such uncleane and unnaturall abuse Furthermore if any one of them growne now to riper yeares could alone by himselfe either take a wildboare or kill a savage and cruell beare freed he was from this stinking puddle and sinke of pollution CHAP. X. The Lentienses a people of Alemaine with a mightie armie break into the Roman Seigniories In this battaile Gratian hath the upper hand and few remained alive such as escaped by flight who being coursed in the mountaines make humble supplication and obtaine peace and are suffered without any harme to goe into their native countries THese were the calamities that in the later end of Autumne when Winter drew fast on the cruell whirlewindes of troubles swouped and hudled together throughout Thracia Which rage of the time as if the Furies were disposed to raise tumults in all places going on still to countries also farre off spred it selfe all abroad And now the Lentienses a people of Alemaine bordering upon the coasts of Rhetia by way of craftie and treacherous rodes having broken the league lately made invaded and assayled our marches Which calamitie began first upon such a mischievous occasion as this One of this nation serving under the Emperor in qualitie of a Squier of the bodie by occasion of some weightie businesse was rerurned home into his owne countrey and as hee was over lavish and a blab of his tongue when many of his countrey-men asked him What newes in Court he telleth them That Gratianus sent for by his uncle Valens was shortly to make a warlike expedition toward the East to the end that they with their joynt and double forces might repell the inhabitants upon the borders conspired to destroy and root out the Romanes Which intelligence when the Lentienses had with great affection received being also themselves as it were bordering neighbours and seeing how these matters went as they are swift and quicke of dispatch gathered themselve into thicke plumpes for to rob and spoyle and so as the Celtae and Petulantes together were marching neere the Rhene in the moneth of Februarie when by reason of hard frosts it was all of an yce and passable on foot after they had sore distressed them not without some losse of their owne with maine strength forced them to turne backe But these Germans being constrained thus to retire and knowing that the most part of our armie was gone into Illyricum before the Emperour who shortly would be there grew more hotely incensed And conceiving greater projects assembled all the inhabitants of their townes and villages together and so having raised an armie of fortie thousand armed men or threescore and ten thousand
of the horsemen And for as much as by carefull espiall intelligence was given That the enemies intended with strong guards to stop the passages by which necessarie provision of victuals was conveyed to meet with this project and designe of theirs in some competent manner there were sent betimes archers on foot and a troupe of horsemen to keepe the opportunities of the straits which were hard by And when for three daies next ensuing the Barbarians marched gently for feare of a sallie keeping the by-waies fifteene miles from the citie held on their journey to the station called Nice by reason that the fore-riders and discoverers upon what error I wot not affirmed That all the said parcell of the maine multitude which they had seene were not past ten thousand the Emperour in a certain gare and violent heat made hast to encounter them And therefore marching in a foure square battaile he came to the very suburbs of Hadrianopolis where having encamped himselfe within a rampier fenced with a pallisado and a ditch waiting impatiently for the comming of Gratianus he received Richomeres the lieutenant and captaine of the Domestici sent before from the Emperour with letters importing thus much That himselfe also would soone after be there According to the tenour and contents of which letters being requested to attend a little while for his comming who should be partaker with him of al perils and not rashly to commit himselfe alone to the doubtfull hazard of darts he called to counsell divers great officers of the field and consulted what was needfull to be done And when some moved and set on by Sebastian were very instant forthwith to give battaile the Generall of the horsemen named Victor a warrior but yet a warie delayer of time for a vantage gave his opinion and many more were of the same mind That he should expect his fellow Emperour to the end that by augmenting his power with the forces out of Gaule the swelling pride of the Barbarians now in the flaming heat might more easily be suppressed Yet for all this the mischievous resolution of the prince together with the opinion of the courtiers altogether set upon flatterie who advised him to make all speed and hast possible for feare that Gratian should have part of that victorie which as they thought was in manner woon alreadie to his hand tooke place and prevailed Now whiles preparation was made of all things necessarie for to strike a battaile a Christian Elder or Presbyter as themselves tearme him sent in embassage with other meane persons from Fritigernus came unto the Emperours campe and being mildly received in the end presented the said Fritigernus his letters requesting in plaine tearmes That unto him and his people whom the violent rodes of savage nations had driven as banished folke out of their native habitations there might be graunted Thracia and no more to be inhabited together with all the cattell and corne promising if he might obtaine so much perpetuall peace and concord Moreover the said Christian as being privie unto his secrets and a trustie counsellour tendered unto him other private missives of credence from the same king who in craft and sundrie wylie casts being exceeding politicke informed Valens as one shortly to be a friend and confederate That otherwise it was not in his power to assuage the cruell mood of his countreymen or to draw them to any conditions for the good of the Roman State unlesse he otherwhiles would shew unto them neere at hand his hoast in armes and so by the dread of his imperiall name reclaime them from their pernitious desire to fight And thus verily the embassadours nothing at all regarded in doubtfull tearmes what would be the issue of their embassage departed CHAP. XIII Fritigernus the principall leader of the Gothes requireth to have host ages given on both sides that with more safetie there might be a treatie of peace but by the unreasonable and hurtfull endevour of some Romanes they betake themselves againe to armes BVt betimes in the morning on that day which in the yearely Kalender appeareth to be the fifth of the Ides of Augustus the banners in great hast were advaunced and the carriages with all bag and baggage bestowed neere unto the wals of Hadrianopolis together with a sufficient defence of the legions For all the treasure and other princely ensignes imperiall ornaments together with the Praefect and the Consistorians were inclosed within the compasse of the wals At the length therefore upon the eight day after the enemies carts and carriages having dispatched a great way of rough and stonie ground what time as it drew on apace to the parching heat of noone were discovered which by the relation that he had of the discoverers were couched and set in order round in forme of a circle And while the barbarous people as their manner is kept an hideous cruell and fearefull howling the Romane captaines marshalled their souldiors in order of battaile and when the right wing of the horsemen was placed before the greatest part of the footmen lay behind and beset the wayes But the left wing of the horsemen considering a great number of them were yet disparkled asunder being with much difficultie brought together marched a main pace And whiles the same wing was in displaying and stretching out there being none as yet to trouble the same behold the Barbarians were terrified with the horrible noyse that the armour counterfeited and the clattering which in threatening wise the shields made and for that part of them abiding farre off with Alatheus and Safrages being sent for were not yet come they dispatched embassadours to covenant and conclude peace Whiles the Emperour contemned the basenesse and meane condition of these embassadours requiring That the better sort of them as sufficient persons should be sent to ratifie and confirme what articles were to be agreed upon they in the meane while of purpose held off and trifled out the time to the end that during these fraudulent cessations of armes their horsemen might returne who they hoped would shortly become and that our souldiors enchafed with the heat of Summer with drie chawes might become faint heartlesse considering that the fields all over as wide and large as they were shone again with fire which the same enemies set a burning with wood and other drie fuell put under for that very purpose And here was not all for beside this there fell out another mischiefe also namely that both men and beasts were grievously distressed for hunger In this mean time to helpe the matter well Fritigernus as one who wisely could guesse and cast what might be and fearing the doubtfull fortune of warre sent upon his owne head one of the common sort as an herault to treat of peace craving That certain of the nobilitie and elect persons should forthwith be sent unto him as hostages being himselfe resolved without all feare to abide the violence of
that had two Kids which Goat chanced to breake a faire horne that â—t had against a tree the said nymph tooke it up garnished it with all manner of flowers and filled it with apples and other fruits and presented it to the lips of the infant Iupiter whereupon Cornu Amalthaeae is proverbially put for plentie and abundance and so commonly to be called Cornu copiae γ Adonia As touching these holy daies somewhat I have written alreadie and ominous they were accounted for the lamentation that women made all the citie over At such a time the Athenians did set forth a fleet to the Sicilian warre and foretold it was by the Wisards That they should have an unfortunat voyage of it Coelius Rhodigin δ The diversitie of pointing which I find both here and in the 25 booke as touching this matter according unto sundry impressions yeeldeth a twofold sence namely That he prohibited either Christian professors such as were Grammarians Rhetoricians to read and teach in publicke schooles or the same professors although they were Gentiles to teach the Christians for the words will carrie both constructions And as it appeareth by the Ecclesiasticall writers his purpose indeed was That the Galilaeans children for so he termed Christians might not be learned least they should gall and pricke the Ethnicks with their owne quils and as we say beat them at their owne weapon His feare likewise was that the Gentiles and Painims by hearing Christian professors in Grammar and Rhetoricke should be drawne away from the worship of their gods i. idols as it appeareth in the said 25. Booke if you read ne transirent à numinum cultu ε Infulio natus ut ferebatur apud Epiphaniam c. I am here forced even against my will to be after a sort Criticus not of any desire that I have to touch the credit of a learned man who hath taken paines to do good but to find out a truth Ortelius in his Thesaurus sayth That Infullio or Infulio was the native countrey of this Georgius but alledgeth this onely place to prove it not citing any other Author that ever made mention of such a place so called To graunt that it was so there followeth an absurditie and a meere contradiction in the sentence where it is said That at Epiphania a towne of Cilicia he was borne and more than that a very Soloecisme and incongruitie of Syntaxis For if Infulio be the proper name of a place it can be no construction in Grammar to say Infulio natus i. borne in or at Infulio as every Schoole-boy can tell I must conjecture therefore that in this word Infulio wee are to seeke for Georgius his father whether his proper name were Infulius or that he was by calling Infulius i. a maker or seller of Infulae i. ornaments that Bishops and Prelates wore on their heads or labels pendant on either side of a Mitre or some such things the rather because he sayth ut ferebatur i. as the report goeth for that there may be more doubt made whose sonne one is than where hee was borne which is here expressely said to bee apud Epiphaniam and two places surely there could not be of his birth But most of all maketh for my conjecture the comparing of this passage with many other in this Author where there can be no doubt made of the father and native countrey both namely in the eight and twentieth booke and first chapter Maximinus c. apud Sopianas Valeniae oppidum obscurissimè natus est patre tabulario praesidalis offiâ—ij Also in the five and twentieth booke and fift chapter Natus apud Constantinopolin c. And who can make exception against this Latine Telamone Amyntore nati Now if any one will not beleeve that Infulius may be such a trades-man or artificer as I speake of for that the analogie of our Latine tongue will not very well beare it and yet that might be tollerable in our Author and because forsooth he findeth it not in any Dictionarie let him read this Booke advisedly and he shall meet with not so few as an hundred words that are in no Dictionarie and which our great Lexicographers have either shly or ignorantly passed by and left behind them and say there were no such word at all in that sence yet Infulius must needs be the proper name of his father and Infulio cannot possible be his place of nativitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ζ Thiodamas or Theodamas Lindius or Lydius Hercules comming with his wife Deianira and his sonne Hillus into the countrey of the Dryopes beeing in great distresse for want of victuals craved meat at Theodamas his hand which he rudely denied whereupon Hercules killed one of his Oxen for food Then Theodamas raysed the countrey upon him but in the end was subdued Apollon Argonaut As for Pygmaei Plinie sayth lib. 7. cap. â— in his Naturall Historie They are a people dwelling in the utmost mountaines of India Some derive this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a Cubite for that they be no higher but without the analogie of derivation rather yet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which among other significations is the measure from the elbow to the fingers clutched Pollux Yet S. Hiâ—rome upon Ezechiel sayth they take the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying fight or wrestling at which they were most nimble and very great warriors Petulantes were a companie of souldiors serving in the East together with the Celtae Some thinke they tooke that name of a place but Pierius is of opinion they were so called of their malapart behavior considering that in a field Gules they gave for their armes a dog or c. which is as he saith Symbolum petulantiae militum and well it may so be if we consider how they demeaned themselves to Iulian in casting forth a libell lib. 20. cap. 3. And in this very place it is said That their Confidentia i. audaciousnesse creverat ultra modum Apollinis Daphnaei fanum He was so called of a most pleasant grove or wood neere unto Antioch called Daphne containing 89 stadia where his Image answerable to that of Iupiter Olympiacus was worshipped Iul. Capitol Deae Coelestis I read of Deus Coelestis a god of Africke Vlpian Tit. 12. whom Lactantius cap. 15. de falsa Religione sayth the Moores called Vranus and is the same that Coelus the father of Saturne Why therefore may not Vesta be this goddesse κ Cercops is a subtile and flattering beast like a dog using to wag the taile much and yet bite Hesychius whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth to flatter Coelius Rhodiginus λ He is compared to a brother of Otus and Ephialtes the sonnes of Neptune who as Homer writeth were at nine yeres of age nine cubits broad and nine fathome long His verses are in the 11 Booke of Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
that he might lay upon the shoulders of his concurrent now absent and whom it grieved him not a little to continue still quiet the charge of a weightie and dangerous affaire The Clerke or Master of the princes sumpter-horses and carriages named Dynamius had requested of him commendatorie letters unto divers of his friends as one that would seeme most inward unto him and of his familiar acquaintance Having obtained this request for the other suspecting no harme had simply graunted it he kept the letters by him therby to worke some mischiefe in time convenient Whiles therefore the Colonell aforesaid was employed for the good of the Common-wealth in traversing the countrey up and downe in Gaule and repelling the Barbarians distrusting themselves already put in feare the same Dynamius being of a stirring and vnquiet spirit like unto a wilie fox and practised in deceit deviseth a godlesse and fraudulent plot having as an abettor under hand and privie thereunto as the flying rumors went Lampadius the Praefect and Eusebius who had been Treasurer f of the Exchequer and was commonly knowne by the sirname of Mattiocopa together with Aedilius late Master g of the Rolls or Records whom the said Praefect had taken order for to bee substituted Consuls as his neerest friends and having with a spunge wiped out the rewes of the letters and left the subscription onely untouched he writeth above it another text farre different from the true and originall copie to this effect as if Silvanus in darke tearmes requested and exhorted his friends conversing within the palace or living private among whom was Thuscus Albinus also and many more to aid him now enterprising higher matters and intending shortly to climbe up to the imperiall throne Thus plotted hee this counterfeit packe at his pleasure meaning thereby to endanger the life of the innocent man Now was Dynamius also appointed as chiefe Commissioner to search into these matters for the Emperor who craftily working and contriving these and such like things entreth alone into the most inward and privie roome of the Consistorie hoping by taking advantage of his time to bind fast ynough the right watchfull keeper of the Emperours life and estate And after he had read in the Consistorie the contents of the said letters so craftily and cunningly patched together the Tribunes were commanded to ward and those private persons to be brought out of the provinces whose names the letters imported And streightwaies Malarichus Captaine of the companie or band of Gentiles calling to him his colleagues tooke on exceedingly and cryed out That men employed in the State and appointed to place of command ought not thus to be circumvented through factions and cunning casts he requested withall That himselfe leaving as pledges his neerest allies and deerest friends and having Mallobaudes Tribune or Captaine of the Armature his suretie to undertake for him that he should speedily returne might have commission to goe and bring with him Silvanus who had not gone about once to attempt any such matter as those most bitter wait-layers had raised of him or on the other side he promising the like for his part besought that Mallobaudes might be suffered to take a speedie journey and himselfe would performe as much as he undertooke For he protested thus much of his owne assured knowledge that in case any stranger were sent of this errand Silvanus a man of his owne nature very timorous even where there was no matter of great feare might happily worke some trouble in the quiet State And albeit the advise he gave was expedient and necessarie yet spake he as it were to the winds in vaine For through the counsaile of Arbetio sent there was with letters to call him Apodemius a cankred enemie of long time to all good men who lighting upon the prince in Gaule and swerving from the directions agreed upon and given unto him at his setting forth without sight of Silvanus or warning him by deliverie of letters to come there remained and joyning unto him an Auditor or Receiver as if the said Colonell of the Footmen had beene alreadie out of protection and at the point to bee put to death in very hostile rage abused his tenants retainers and servants In this time neverthelesse whiles the presence of Silvanus was hoped for and Apodemius troubleth the peace Dynamius that hee might by a stronger argument maintaine the truth of his wicked plot dispatched other letters made of purpose agreeable in all points to those which he had presented unto the Emperour by the Pręfect unto the Master of the Worke house or Forge at h Cremona in the name of Silvanus and Malarichus by which the said Master was put in mind as one privie unto their secret designes to provide all things with expedition Who having read the same sticking and doubting a good while what this should meane for he remembred not that these persons whose letters he had received ever communed with him about any such secret businesse returneth the very same missives by the carrier who brought them and a souldior with him unto Malarichus praying him to explaine his meaning openly and not to write in so darke tearmes for he assured him that himselfe being somewhat rude and a simple man understood not what was so obscurely signified unto him Malarichus when hee had quickly found out thus much being even then sorrowfull and sad and grievously bewailing the hard hap both of himselfe and of Silvanus his countryman taking to him the Frankes who flourished in numbers at that time in the palace spake now more boldly and made an uprore for that the traine laid and the faiterous plot was come to light by which it must needs be graunted that their bloud was sought These matters beeing knowne the Emperour gave order whiles those of the i Consistorie and all the men of warre in generall considered of the businesse there should be further enquirie and search made And when the Iudges had ynough thereof and began to loath the thing Florentius the sonne of Nigrianus in place then of under k Master of the Offices viewing diligently the writing and finding certaine remaines of the old prickes or accents over the letters perceived then that of the former contents new furbished there was another made farre different from the tenor of that which Silvanus had endited and the same set to in lieu thereof according to the will and pleasure of a packe of false forgers Therefore after this mist of fraud and deceit was scattered and dispatched the Emperour being truely enformed by a faithfull relation made unto him commaundeth the Praefect after he was deprived of his authoritie to be brought judicially into question and have his triall accordingly but by the painefull travaile and consent of many he was acquit As for Eusebius late Treasurer of the princes Exchequer being stretched on high upon the racke he said