Letter 3008: VARIAE, BOOK 3, LETTER 8

VIII. KING THEODERIC TO VENANTIUS, MAN OF SPECTABLE RANK, CORRECTOR OF LUCANIA AND BRUTTIUM. [1] The principle of justice urges that there be demanded from each man what is established as enjoined upon him, and that public moneys be sought insistently, lest negligence should burden the debtor more heavily. For if remissness creeps into the issuing of reminders, contempt must inevitably envelop everyone. And in a certain manner cruelty is born of kindness, if you neglect to admonish a man, and afterwards are compelled to exact from him. Useful, therefore, is the care of giving warning beforehand, since thereby occasion is withdrawn from offenses and the field is cleansed of unlawful deeds. [2] On this account, from the report of the illustrious man, the Count of the Sacred Largesses, we have learned that some time ago, according to ancient custom, the exaction of the binae and ternae [the two-percent and three-percent levies] was delegated to you. Wherefore by the present words we admonish you to fulfill the appointed terms in accordance with the trust of the office of canonicarius [collector of the canonica, the regular tax], lest, whatever loss the public treasury has suffered, you be compelled to discharge it from your own property -- you by whom neither was reverence shown to so great a command, nor the good faith of your own promise fulfilled.

VIII. VENANTIO V. S. CORRECTORI LUCANIAE ET BRUTTIORUM THEODERICUS REX. [1] Iustitiae ratio persuadet ab unoquoque postulari quod ei constat iniungi et pecunias publicas instanter quaerere, ne debitorem neglectus debeat ingravare. nam si remissio in ammonitionibus veniat, cunctos necesse est contemptus involvat. et quodam modo nascitur de pietate crudelitas, si quem neglegis ammonere, postea cogaris exigere. utilis ergo cura est praedicere, quando et occasio subtrahitur delictis et locus emundatur illicitis. [2] Quapropter illustris viri comitis sacrarum largitionum suggestione comperimus pridem tibi secundum morem veterem exactionem binorum et ternorum fuisse delegatam. unde te praesentibus commonemus affatibus, ut secundum canonicariae fidem tempora debeas constituta complere, ne, quicquid dispendii assis publicus sustinuerit, de proprio exsolvere tu cogaris, a quo nec tantae iussioni est habita reverentia nec fides suae promissionis impleta.