Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/142

 Moreover, from the time in which Justinian made bold with the Senators, and seized upon their Estates, and other great Citizens in Con­stantinople, which were as Wealthy as they, the Advocates and Lawyers were become very in­considerable, as not having Work for any one Hearing; so that they whose number and esteem was formerly very great, were now grown but few, and they not only despised by all the World, but destitute of all Necessaries, having nothing left them, but their old Institution to distinguish them from other people. Nor was Justinians Malice peculiar to the Lawyers; the same kind of Severity he used upon the Physi­tians, and all other Professors of Learning, re­trenching their Fees, and taking away their Pensions, which had been given by the Primi­tive Emperors, and payd constantly. As to the Revenue of every Town, which had been given by their Predecessors, for Exhibition of publick shows, or supplying publick Necessities, he made no Bones to ingross them to himself, by which means the Physitians, and other Lear­ned Professors, lost their subsistance. No pub­lick Buildings were Erected, no Lights in the Night for the convenience of Passengers; No Feasting; nor rejoycing among the Citizens; baiting of wild Beasts, Comedies, and the pa­stimes of the Cyreus, were layd aside along time by Justinian, whose Wife had been bred and advanced from those very Theaters which he destroyed; at length when he had put down these shews in all the other Cities, he suppressed them