Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/127

 many times it was not due. But Justinian, in Two and thirty years time, was not guilty of one of those remissions; the poor people were forced from their Houses and Countreys, with­out any hopes of return, whilest such as were honest, were liable to calumniations, and threat­ned perpetually to be complained of, as not having paid what was due to the Emperor for their Taxes upon their Lands; insomuch, that the unfortunate Creatures were constrained to pass away their Lands to the Emperor, or their Persecutors; not so much out of apprehension of new Taxes, as for the impossibility which they found to support long the unjust exactions, which for many years together they had been forced to pay.

Moreover, though the greatest part of Asia had been ruined by the Arms of the Sarazens, and Persians, and all Europe harassed and infested by the incursions of the Huns, and Sclavonians; the War of the Goths produced sacking and burning of Towns, and devastations of Provin­ces; though the Inhabitants were carried away prisoners with all that they had; and those few who escaped the hands of the Barbarians, were glad to forsake their Countrey, and banish themselves: Yet none of these considerations could work upon Justinian, or prevail with him to remit one tribute or impost to any one Town in the whole Empire, unless it was such as had been taken by the Enemy; and in that case, their exemption was but for a year, whereas, it he should have excused them for seven years Rh