ByasentenceoftheGreekchurch，thelicentiousroverhadbeenseparatedfromthefaithful；buteventhisexcommunicationmayprove，thatheneverabjuredtheprofessionofChistianity。
Hisvigilancehadeludedorrepelledtheopenandsecretpersecutionoftheemperor；buthewasatlengthinsnaredbythecaptivityofhisfemalecompanion。ThegovernorofTrebizondsucceededinhisattempttosurprisethepersonofTheodora:thequeenofJerusalemandhertwochildrenweresenttoConstantinople，andtheirlossimbitteredthetedioussolitudeofbanishment。Thefugitiveimploredandobtainedafinalpardon，withleavetothrowhimselfatthefeetofhissovereign，whowassatisfiedwiththesubmissionofthishaughtyspirit。Prostrateontheground，hedeploredwithtearsandgroanstheguiltofhispastrebellion；norwouldhepresumetoarise，unlesssomefaithfulsubjectwoulddraghimtothefootofthethrone，byanironchainwithwhichhehadsecretlyencircledhisneck。Thisextraordinarypenanceexcitedthewonderandpityoftheassembly；hissinswereforgivenbythechurchandstate；butthejustsuspicionofManuelfixedhisresidenceatadistancefromthecourt，atOenoe，atownofPontus，surroundedwithrichvineyards，andsituateonthecoastoftheEuxine。ThedeathofManuel，andthedisordersoftheminority，soonopenedthefairestfieldtohisambition。Theemperorwasaboyoftwelveorfourteenyearsofage，withoutvigor，orwisdom，orexperience:
hismother，theempressMary，abandonedherpersonandgovernmenttoafavoriteoftheComnenianname；andhissister，anotherMary，whosehusband，anItalian，wasdecoratedwiththetitleofCaesar，excitedaconspiracy，andatlengthaninsurrection，againstherodiousstep—mother。Theprovinceswereforgotten，thecapitalwasinflames，andacenturyofpeaceandorderwasoverthrownintheviceandweaknessofafewmonths。AcivilwarwaskindledinConstantinople；thetwofactionsfoughtabloodybattleinthesquareofthepalace，andtherebelssustainedaregularsiegeinthecathedralofSt。Sophia。Thepatriarchlaboredwithhonestzealtohealthewoundsoftherepublic，themostrespectablepatriotscalledaloudforaguardianandavenger，andeverytonguerepeatedthepraiseofthetalentsandeventhevirtuesofAndronicus。Inhisretirement，heaffectedtorevolvethesolemndutiesofhisoath:\"IfthesafetyorhonoroftheImperialfamilybethreatened，Iwillrevealandopposethemischieftotheutmostofmypower。\"HiscorrespondencewiththepatriarchandpatricianswasseasonedwithaptquotationsfromthePsalmsofDavidandtheepistlesofSt。Paul；andhepatientlywaitedtillhewascalledtoherdeliverancebythevoiceofhiscountry。InhismarchfromOenoetoConstantinople，hisslendertraininsensiblyswelledtoacrowdandanarmy:hisprofessionsofreligionandloyaltyweremistakenforthelanguageofhisheart；andthesimplicityofaforeigndress，whichshowedtoadvantagehismajesticstature，displayedalivelyimageofhispovertyandexile。Alloppositionsunkbeforehim；hereachedthestraitsoftheThracianBosphorus；theByzantinenavysailedfromtheharbortoreceiveandtransportthesavioroftheempire:thetorrentwasloudandirresistible，andtheinsectswhohadbaskedinthesunshineofroyalfavordisappearedattheblastofthestorm。ItwasthefirstcareofAndronicustooccupythepalace，tosalutetheemperor，toconfinehismother，topunishherminister，andtorestorethepublicorderandtranquillity。HethenvisitedthesepulchreofManuel:thespectatorswereorderedtostandaloof，butashebowedintheattitudeofprayer，theyheard，orthoughttheyheard，amurmuroftriumphorrevenge:\"Inolongerfearthee，myoldenemy，whohastdrivenmeavagabondtoeveryclimateoftheearth。Thouartsafetydepositedunderaseven—folddome，fromwhencethoucanstneverarisetillthesignalofthelasttrumpet。Itisnowmyturn，andspeedilywillItrampleonthyashesandthyposterity。\"Fromhissubsequenttyrannywemayimputesuchfeelingstothemanandthemoment；butitisnotextremelyprobablethathegaveanarticulatesoundtohissecretthoughts。Inthefirstmonthsofhisadministration，hisdesignswereveiledbyafairsemblanceofhypocrisy，whichcoulddeludeonlytheeyesofthemultitude；thecoronationofAlexiuswasperformedwithduesolemnity，andhisperfidiousguardian，holdinginhishandsthebodyandbloodofChrist，mostferventlydeclaredthathelived，andwasreadytodie，fortheserviceofhisbelovedpupil。Buthisnumerousadherentswereinstructedtomaintain，thatthesinkingempiremustperishinthehandsofachild，thattheRomanscouldonlybesavedbyaveteranprince，boldinarms，skilfulinpolicy，andtaughttoreignbythelongexperienceoffortuneandmankind；andthatitwasthedutyofeverycitizentoforcethereluctantmodestyofAndronicustoundertaketheburdenofthepubliccare。Theyoungemperorwashimselfconstrainedtojoinhisvoicetothegeneralacclamation，andtosolicittheassociationofacolleague，whoinstantlydegradedhimfromthesupremerank，secludedhisperson，andverifiedtherashdeclarationofthepatriarch，thatAlexiusmightbeconsideredasdead，sosoonashewascommittedtothecustodyofhisguardian。Buthisdeathwasprecededbytheimprisonmentandexecutionofhismother。Afterblackeningherreputation，andinflamingagainstherthepassionsofthemultitude，thetyrantaccusedandtriedtheempressforatreasonablecorrespondencewiththekingofHungary。Hisownson，ayouthofhonorandhumanity，avowedhisabhorrenceofthisflagitiousact，andthreeofthejudgeshadthemeritofpreferringtheirconsciencetotheirsafety:buttheobsequioustribunal，withoutrequiringanyreproof，orhearinganydefence，condemnedthewidowofManuel；andherunfortunatesonsubscribedthesentenceofherdeath。Mariawasstrangled，hercorpsewasburiedinthesea，andhermemorywaswoundedbytheinsultmostoffensivetofemalevanity，afalseanduglyrepresentationofherbeauteousform。Thefateofhersonwasnotlongdeferred:
hewasstrangledwithabowstring；andthetyrant，insensibletopityorremorse，aftersurveyingthebodyoftheinnocentyouth，struckitrudelywithhisfoot:\"Thyfather，\"hecried，\"wasaknave，thymotherawhore，andthyselfafool!\"
TheRomansceptre，therewardofhiscrimes，washeldbyAndronicusaboutthreeyearsandahalfastheguardianorsovereignoftheempire。Hisgovernmentexhibitedasingularcontrastofviceandvirtue。Whenhelistenedtohispassions，hewasthescourge；whenheconsultedhisreason，thefather，ofhispeople。Intheexerciseofprivatejustice，hewasequitableandrigorous:ashamefulandperniciousvenalitywasabolished，andtheofficeswerefilledwiththemostdeservingcandidates，byaprincewhohadsensetochoose，andseveritytopunish。Heprohibitedtheinhumanpracticeofpillagingthegoodsandpersonsofshipwreckedmariners；theprovinces，solongtheobjectsofoppressionorneglect，revivedinprosperityandplenty；andmillionsapplaudedthedistantblessingsofhisreign，whilehewascursedbythewitnessesofhisdailycruelties。Theancientproverb，Thatbloodthirstyisthemanwhoreturnsfrombanishmenttopower，hadbeenapplied，withtoomuchtruth，to\'MariusandTiberius；andwasnowverifiedforthethirdtimeinthelifeofAndronicus。Hismemorywasstoredwithablacklistoftheenemiesandrivals，whohadtraducedhismerit，opposedhisgreatness，orinsultedhismisfortunes；andtheonlycomfortofhisexilewasthesacredhopeandpromiseofrevenge。Thenecessaryextinctionoftheyoungemperorandhismotherimposedthefatalobligationofextirpatingthefriends，whohated，andmightpunish，theassassin；andtherepetitionofmurderrenderedhimlesswilling，andlessable，toforgive。A