Letter 8025: It is most fitting to protect what belongs to others when we ourselves are bound to confer our own gifts.

25. King Athalaric to John, Most Excellent Referendarius [an official who presented petitions to the king and conveyed his replies]. [1] It is altogether fitting that we should preserve for those people what belongs to another, when it is proper for us to confer our own gifts upon them. For what could you doubt about that munificence, when you understand that you deserve from us the very thing that you received from our predecessors? We therefore declare that the gift is indeed another's, but that the judgment is ours, and that our most swift generosity, as a modern prince, has anticipated so great a bounty. [2] Hence it is that our grandfather of divine memory, prompted by the diligence of your services, is known to have wished to bestow upon you a house belonging to the household of our clemency, situated in the fortress of Lucullanum. The patrician Tuluin, following his disposition, after it had been granted to him by our liberality, transmitted the aforesaid house to your rightful ownership in the best manner by a lawful act. [3] Wherefore our serenity, by the present authority, confirms both the desire of the intention that was begun and the effect of Tuluin's most complete donation, so that the often-mentioned house of patrician memory of Agnellus, situated in the fortress of Lucullanum, together with everything pertaining to it, may remain in the possession of you or of your heirs; and whatever you may prefer to do with it, you shall have free power, removing henceforth the disturbance of any name whatsoever, whether private or public; and if there should be anything ambiguous by any chance or by any inquiry, it is established to have been struck down by the judgment of this our authority. Enjoy, with God's help, your own property, made firm by our authority as well. For others have furnished you with lawful rights, but we confer the quietude of possession and a firmness secure for all ages. [4] But lest perhaps some envious violator of our most distinguished wish should arise, we command that whoever at any time shall attempt to raise any controversy concerning this matter, whether in the name of the treasury or of a private person, shall give to you, or to whomever you wish the house designated above to belong, so many pounds of gold by way of penalty, and shall depart frustrated in his rash attempts and branded with infamy. For he deserves to find this as the fruit of his wish, who is seen to have sought something against our judgment.

XXV. IOHANNI V. S. REFERENDARIO ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Valde dignum est in eis aliena servare, quibus nos oportet propria dona conferre. quid enim de illa munificentia possis ambigere, quando a nobis te intellegis mereri, quod a nostris decessoribus accepisti? profitemur itaque alterius quidem donum, sed nostrum esse iudicium et modernam principis mentem praevenisse tantum velocissimam largitatem. [2] Hinc est quod divae memoriae avum nostrae clementiae domum in castro Lucullano positam, obsequiorum tuorum sedulitate provocatum, constat voluisse largiri. cuius dispositionem secutus patricius Tuluin posteaquam illi nostra est liberalitate concessa, praefatam domum actu legitimo in tua optime iura transmisit. [3] Quapropter serenitas nostra vel inchoatae voluntatis desiderium vel Tuluin plenissimae donationis effectum praesenti auctoritate corroboramus, ut saepe dicta domus patriciae recordationis Agnelli in Lucullano castro posita cum omnibus ad se pertinentibus in tua vel heredum tuorum possessione permaneat, et quicquid de hac facere malueris, habebis liberam potestatem, cuiuslibet vel privati vel publici nominis posthac inquietudinem summoventes: ubi et si quid esset quolibet casu, qualibet inquisitione fortassis ambiguum, huius auctoritatis nostrae iudicio constat explosum. fruere iuvante deo rebus propriis ex nostra quoque auctoritate solidatis. alii enim tibi iura legitima praestiterunt, nos possessionis quietem et cunctis saeculis securam conferimus firmitatem. [4] Sed ne quis forsitan tam egregiae voluntatis nostrae invidus temerator existat, iubemus eum qui ex hac re quolibet tempore vel fisci nomine vel privati movere temptaverit aliquam quaestionem, dare tibi, vel ad quem pertinere volueris domum superius designatam, poenae nomine auri libras tot et frustratum suis ausibus infamatumque discedere. hunc enim voluntatis suae meretur invenire fructum, qui aliquid contra nostrum videtur quaesisse iudicium.