Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/120

 having taken all their Baggage, they recovered their prisoners, and all the spoil that they had lost: But this victory was very unfortunate to the Peasants, for the Emperor sent Soldiers a­mongst them, who beat, and wounded, and abused them, and eat up the whole Countrey, till they had surrendred the Horses which they had taken from the Barbarians.

When Justinian and Theodora had quit them­selves of John de Cappadocia, they looked out for another to put in his place; but they resol­ved to chuse none; but the worst that they could find, that he might be a faithful minister of the cruelty and oppression which they designed against their Subjects. For this reason they were very curious in examining the spirit and humors of all people about the Court; but finding none of them bad enough, they gave the place (pro tempore) to one Theodotus, who though no Saint, was not so wicked as they desired; at length, after long and diligent search, they found out a certain Syrian, called Peter Barzames; who had been a Banker by profession; this Rascal had got a great sum of Money together by his cunning and juggling, cheating the re­ceivers, and other persons, with the greatest dexterity in the World, nimming their Money as they were telling it, so neatly, it was hard to perceive him; and when he was taken, he had the impudence to swear them down, that it stuck to his singers.

This fellow, as I have discribed him, having listed himself first in the Pretorian Bands, came by