Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/128

 together, as his Predecessor Anastatius had done, it would have been no great matter, conside­ring the great misery to which they were re­duced. In short, Cabades invaded the Terri­tories of the Emperor, and returned every way Victorious, but his Son Cosroes produc’d greater Consternation, by Burning and Killing all where ever he passed with his Army. And yet those of the East, who had been expo­sed so often to the Incursions of the Huns, the Persians, and Sarazins, and ruined by their Armies; and the Romans, who being set­led in several parts of Europe, had many times felt the Hostility of the Barbarians; those I say, who had suffered so much for their af­fection to the State, found more cruelty in Justi­nian, then among all the Barbarians; his Edicts and Impositions, compleating that Ruine, which the Enemy had but begun. I shall now re­cite what was the Contents of those Edicts.

Those whose Estates were in Land, were by them obliged to furnish a certain quantity of Provisions for the Souldiers, at their own Charges, every Man paying his part; nor did they consider what was given according to the Prizes of things, but according to a former As­sesment made a long time before; and if at any time they were so unfortunate, not to have so much Cattle or Forrage upon their Lands, as would satisfie for their share; they were con­strained to buy them at any rate, and convey them from the Provincial Magazines, which were very far off, to the place where the Troops