Page:Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian 1674.djvu/64

 Pockets. Justinian received many persons into the number of his friends, suffered them to ex­act upon the people, and commit many extor­tions to the detriment of the State; but when they had peeled what they could, and heaped up any considerable treasure, as soon as Theodora gave the sign, they immediately declined in fa­vor. At first Justinian would promise to protect them, and to encourage them not to fear, for he would stick by them; but by degrees his kind­ness began to abate, and at length he referred them to those who had none for them at all; for then it was Theodora began to play her pranks, and exercise her cruelty towards them; and the Emperor, as if he had known nothing that was against them, took their estates into his possession, and kept them most injuriously when he had done.

By this pretended discord (which was only a copy of their countenance, and done only to amuse the World) having divided the hearts of their Subjects, they established themselves more strongly in their power and tyranny. When Justinian was arrived at the Empire, he began to subvert, and perfectly to confound the affairs of the Empire, introducing things forbidden by the antient Laws, and forbidding those which the Laws had formerly injoyned; as if he had assumed the Imperial Mantle, and put the Diadem upon his Head for no other end, but to change the face of the Government. In short, he abolished all the Laws, all the Customs of the Magistrate, and all the Military pline,