Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/121

 by degrees to that perfection of wickedness, that he was always the first who offered his service to Theodora, when ever any of her im­pious resolutions were to be put in execution. Upon this score they put him in the place of Theodotus, who succeeded John of Cappadocia, as not being able to make choice of another man, so proper to assist in their barbarous de­signs.

The first thing he did, he cheated the Soldier of his pay, and he did it without the least shame or fear in the World. His next exploit was, to expose to sale the Offices and Commands, with the greatest infamy that ever Man did, selling them much cheaper to any that was ready for an ill action; abandoning the goods and the lives of the people of the Provinces, to them who bought the Governments, and transferring to them, all the power which the Emperor had granted him of pilling and plundering with impunity, as soon as ever they had paid their Money; so that, what ever they received of the blood and lives of the Subject, was imme­diately conveyed into the Coffers of the Em­peror.

There were likewise Diabolical Councils and Conventions about the destruction of Cities, held in the cheif Courts in Constantinople, and (if I mistake not) by publick allowance; for from that time, Officers were created with the title of Collectors, and distributed into the Pro­vinces, to raise Money under pretence of Justice; but in reality to reimburse themselves of what Rh