Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/156

 the Notary, who drew up the Writings, signed them in Mamians days, and was a Man of known honesty, and vertue; he put his Papers into the hands of those who managed the affairs of the Church of Emesus, upon condition he should go snips, and have such a share of the Money as should be agreed off betwixt them­selves: But there being a Law in force, expresly contrary to their design, because it reduced all Processes to the Prescription of thirty years, unless in Cases of Mortgage; and several others where the Prescriptions were to extend but to forty years; they concluded to go to Constanti­nople, and give a round sum to the Emperor, to favor them in their pernicious design of ruin­ing their Fellow Citizens.

Being arrived at his Court, they did as they had resolved, and the Emperor having got his Money, put forth a Decree, by which he requi­red, That affairs which related any way to the Church, should not be restrained to the ordinary Prescription, but that any thing might be re­covered, if claimed within a hundred years; and this he commanded should be observed quite thorow the Roman Empire, but more particular­ly in the City of Emesus; and not long after he sent Longinus thither, a high spirited, and exceeding strong man, whom he made Governor of that City, on purpose to see that new Ordi­nance put in execution. At first, the Officers of the Church of Emesus, having prosecuted some of their Fellow Citizens upon their pre­tended obligations, for a sum of Two hundred Livers