Letter 6017: VARIAE, BOOK 6, FORMULA 17

XVII. FORMULA OF THE REFERENDARII [officers who report cases to the sovereign]. [1] Although each office is illustrious in proportion as the sight of our presence illuminates it, since he always receives honor who fittingly gains our conversations, nevertheless no one merits our discourse so much as he who is recognized to be a referendarius. Through him the orders of cases are set forth to us, through him we learn the petitions of those who appeal, and to those same persons we return our responses, that we may unbind matters that have been shackled. [2] It is a great thing in this contest to serve the discernment of the prince, and on the instant so to advocate the griefs of others that he may seem to satisfy the wishes of those who complain. For what kind of thing is it, in our tumultuous public processions, to be confounded by no confusion, or to be in the least impeded by such great clamors? He must needs draw out from the troubled what he can convey to us in a manner conducive to appeasement, and report more distinctly than he had been able to hear it. [3] It is an arduous thing to compose the sayings of the trembling and to speak the truth: the petitioner does not so much dread the outcome of his own business as this man sustains peril in the report. If he should say anything too little, he is alleged to be an enemy; he is cried out against as bribed. The master of the business can, under the protection of fear, turn his own words about, but the one reporting is not permitted to alter anything. Indeed our judgments must be held with such carefulness of memory that nothing may appear to be diminished, nothing added. For the most part, with us listening, you are about to speak our words, and, constrained by a difficult condition, you lie subject to our judgment, while you strive to expound the cases of others. [4] Wherefore our choice establishes you as referendarius: but do you bring to our commands the purity of conscience and the truth of the tongue. Indeed our converse grants you a marvelous erudition, which, while through you it sets others in order, adorns the quality of your mind. For beneath us it is not permitted to be unskilled, since after the manner of a whetstone we render intellects splendid, which we polish by the constant practice of cases. [5] Wherefore report to all that we have commanded those things which you either ought to have received or were able to receive. You so prove our things if you repeat back just things. Love that which glorifies us. Let your will be such as you see our purpose to be. To the highest degree we desire you to be such men that through you we may even correct the judges. We exact from you a particular tribute of our own, namely that, just as we mingle our utterances with you in familiar fashion, so also our reputation may especially merit affection from you.

XVII. FORMULA REFERENDARIORUM. [1] Quamvis tantum sit clara unaquaeque dignitas, quantum eam praesentiae nostrae conspectus illuminat, dum semper honorem suscipit, qui nostra colloquia decenter adquirit, nemo tamen sermones nostros tantum meretur quam qui referendarius esse dinoscitur. per eum nobis causarum ordines exponuntur, per eum interpellantium vota cognoscimus et ipsis responsa reddimus, ut negotia compedita solvamus. [2] Magnum est in hoc agone principali servire prudentiae et ad subitum sic dolores alienos asserere, ut conquerentium videatur vota satiare. quale est enim in tumultuosis processionibus nostris nulla permixtione confundi aut minime tantis clamoribus impediri? necesse habet a turbatis exquirere, quod nobis possit placabiliter intimare et distinctius referre quam potuisset audire. [3] Arduum est trepidantium dicta componere et verum dicere: non tantum interpellator formidat negotii sui casum quantum sustinet iste in relatione periculum. si quid minus dixerit, inimicus asseritur, redemptus clamatur. negotii dominus timoris patrocinio potest sua verba convertere, referenti autem non licet aliquid immutare. sententiae vero nostrae tanta memoriae cautela tenendae sunt, ut nihil minus, nihil additum esse videatur. nobis plerumque audientibus nostra dicturus es et difficili condicione constrictus iudicio nostro subiaces, dum alienas causes explanare contendis. [4] Quapropter referendarium te electio nostra constituit: sed tu puritatem conscientiae et veritatem linguae nostris iussionibus adhibeto. eruditionem vero mirabilem collocutio tibi nostra concedit, quae dum per te alios ordinat, qualitatem tuae mentis exornat. sub nobis enim non licet esse imperitos, quando in vicem cotis ingenia splendida reddimus, quae causarum assiduitate polimus. [5] Quapropter illa cunctis iussisse nos referte, quae aut debuistis aut potuistis accipere. nostra sic probatis, si iusta redicitis. amate quod nos glorificat. sit velle vestrum quale videtis nostrum esse propositum. ad summum tales vos esse cupimus, ut etiam per vos iudices corrigamus. peculiare de vobis aliquod vectigal exigimus, ut sicut vobiscum familiariter miscemus affatus, ita et nostra opinio specialiter a vobis mereatur affectum.