Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/157

 Livers in Gold, they were condemned to pay it, the poor men not being able to rake out of the darkness of Antiquity any objection that might defend them. This put the whole Town of Emesus in strange consternation, especially the principal Citizens, who were more highly inraged against their Accusors, because the dan­ger was directed more particularly against them. But when all the Inhabitants of that Town were ready to be involved in this common ruine, God Almighty prevented it in his mercy. One day Longinus having ordered Prisous (the Author of this detestable invention) to bring him all his Claims, that he might see how they were grounded; observing him unwilling, and to make more difficulty then was necessary, he grew angry, and in his passion, gave him a Box on the Ear, as hard as he could strike. The wretch swounded with the stroke (which came unex­pectedly, and from the strongest Man in the World) fell backward upon the ground; and apprehending Longinus had had some light of his forgery, he confest the whole business, whereby all being discovered, the Suits which were commenced were stopped, and all their Processes ceased.

Justinian was not contented to subvert the Laws of the Empire every day, but he must in­terfere with the Jews, and abolish such of theirs, as were the very Fundamentals of their Religi­on. In a word, if Easter fell out sooner in their Kalander, then the Christians (which might very well happen, because their ways of Rh