Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/160

 Eudemon, whom I mentioned but now, died not long after, without either Children or Will, but his heirs general were numerous. About the same time, the cheif Eunuch of the Court called Euphratas, died likewise without dispo­sing of any thing of the great riches which he possessed, because he left a Sisters Son, who was in Law to be his heir: But the Emperor got both their estates into his hands, giving only a third part to their heirs; and that was the way he expressed his tenderness for the Laws, and his moderation to the Children of those Persons, who had been his great Favorites whilest they were living. He seised likewise all the estate of Irenaeus, who had been dead a long time without any right, or so much as reasonable pretence. And there was another thing hapned about this time, which I cannot omit.

There was at Ascalone, a person called Anato­lius, without contradiction the cheif Man in the Senate of that Town, whose only Daughter, Mammilianus (who was of the same quality in Cesaria) had married, and by her had the inheritance of his estate. There was an antient Law, by which it was provided, That when ever a Senator died without Issue-male, the fourth part of his estate should go to the use of the Senate, and the rest to the heirs at Law. In this case also, Justinian gave great testimony of his good nature; for he decreed, That for the future, when any Senator died without Issue­male, the Custom should be inverted, the fourth part only descending to the heirs, and the three other