Letter 5006: King Theodoric to the Royal Stablemaster.

VI. King Theoderic to the Count of the Stables [Stabularius Comitiacus]. [1] A petition is to be received which is not opposed to the public interests, and the wishes of private persons are to be embraced which seek a remedy in such a way that they do not seem to generate loss for us. And so, from the complaint of the most distinguished man John, we have learned that Thomas received certain estates of our household, that is, this one and that one, and that he has now become a debtor to our interests for ten thousand solidi, and that through various deceptions he does not pay the amount owed; which has likewise been made plain to us by the report of our nobles. [2] Therefore we have judged that the case must be safeguarded by such a remedy, namely, that you shall, under this condition and by fixed notices, attach the entire property of the aforesaid Thomas to the public treasury, so that, if by the Kalends of September that which is reasonably set forth has not in the least been discharged by Thomas, the aforesaid property shall be handed over to John, the most distinguished man, who has promised his debt to the gain of our treasury. But if the aforesaid Thomas should perhaps be able to settle his obligation within the appointed time, let all that was taken from him be restored to him undiminished, in such a way that neither does our treasury seem to bear losses, and we are recognized to have furnished to our subjects the customary justice. For we could still defer further, if it were of any benefit to put up with so utterly negligent a man, whom over so long a span of time we have always found unprepared.

VI. STABULARIO COMITIACO THEODERICUS REX. [1] Suscipienda precatio est quae publicis utilitatibus non repugnat et amplectenda desideria privatorum, quae sic remedium quaerunt, ut nobis non videantur generare dispendium. viri itaque clarissimi Iohannis querela comperimus Thomatem domus nostrae certa praedia suscepisse, id est illud atque illud, et nunc decem milia solidorum reliquatorem nostris utilitatibus extitisse et per diversas ludificationes non implere debitam quantitatem, quod apud nos quoque procerum nostrorum suggestione perclaruit. [2] Ideoque causam tali credidimus remedio muniendam, ut universam substantiam supradicti Thomatis sub hac condicione fixis titulis publico debeas applicare, quatenus, si intra kal. Septembrium diem quod rationabiliter exponitur a Thomate minime fuerit exsolutum, praedicta substantia Iohanni viro clarissimo contradatur, qui eius debitum lucre nostro promisit aerario. quod si obligationem suam praedictus Thomas solvere intra praefinitum tempus fortasse potuerit, universa ei quae sublata sunt illibata reddantur, ita ut nec fiscus noster sustinere videatur incommoda et nos cognoscamur subiectis solitam praestitisse iustitiam. possemus enim adhuc ultra differre, si quid prodesset neglegentissimum sustinere, quem per tam longum temporis spatium semper invenimus imparatum.