oppressors, stripped the wealthy of their estates upon false accusations and forged crimes, and went partners with common whores in their gains of prostitution; and what is worse, in the estates of those whom those wretches falsely accused of rapes and adulteries. And yet, that he might appear as pious as he was orthodox, he built out of these rapines and plunders many stately and magnificent churches; many religious houses for monks and nuns, and hospitals for the relief of the aged and infirm. Evagrius[222] also charges him with more than bestial cruelty in the case of the Venetians, whom lie not only allowed, but even by rewards encouraged to murder their enemies at noon-day, in the very heart of the city, to break open houses, and plunder the possessors of their riches, forcing them to redeem their lives at the expence of all they had. And if any of his officers punished them for these violences, they were sure to be punished themselves with infamy or death. And that each side might taste of his severities, he afterwards turned his laws against the Venetians, putting great numbers of them to death, for those very murders and violences he had before encouraged and supported. ----- Footnote 217: Evag. l. 3. c. 11. Footnote 218: Paul. Diacon. c. 16. Footnote 219: Cod. de Hæret. Novel. 42. c. 1. Footnote 220: Platin. Footnote 221: Evag. l. 4. c. 30. Footnote 222: c. 32. ----- [Illustration] SECT. VII. _The second council at Constantinople; or fifth general council._