Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/106

 them; so that in Justinians Reign, the Land was not only besprinkled, but overflown with the Blood of the Romans, and all other Na­tions in the World.

These were evils which succeeded upon the War at that time in the Territories of the Ro­man Empire, but we shall find as many murders committed in the Cities, if we consider what was done by the Factious, who had their quar­rels and combats quite thorow the Empire; and indeed, how could it be otherwise, seeing no man was punished as he deserved; because one faction adhered to the Emperor, and neither the one, nor the other, had patience to be at quiet: One of them finding themselves backed and supported by the Emperor, puffed up with vanity, believed they might hazard all securely, the other knowing the Emperor was their Enemy, grew desperate upon an opinion that they could be no worse, because they had nothing left already to loose. Hereupon they meet frequently in small Parties, and fought se­veral little Battles; sometimes they met in Squadrons to fight, and sometimes hand to hand in single duels; sometimes also they would lie in wait for one another, and murder one an­other as they found opportunity. There was not a day passed, but a thousand cruelties were exercised on both sides for two and thirty years together, and continued without any inter­mission: Oftentimes the Governor of the Town would put some of them to death, but for the most part, his severity was exercised against the