Letter 3025: We take pleasure in assigning men of proven moral character to public duties, so that the faithful service of good...

We take pleasure in assigning men of proven moral character to public duties, so that the faithful service of good men increases our advantage. Therefore, knowing the sincerity of your character through excellent credentials, we commit to you the audit of the siliquaticum tax [a sales tax on transactions] for the first, second, and third indictions in the province of Dalmatia, which we had entrusted to faithful administration under royal authority. Whatever trace of fraud is found through your investigation, the loss to the public treasury must without question be recovered -- because we seek not merely profits, but the opportunity to assess the character of our subjects. Furthermore, we order you to investigate with diligent probing the iron mines of Dalmatia, where the softness of the earth gives birth to the hardness of iron, and what is cooked by fire is transformed into durability. From this, with God's help, comes the defense of the homeland; from this, the utility of agriculture is secured, extending to human life with manifold benefit. Iron commands gold itself and forces the wealthy to serve the poor who are steadily armed. It is fitting to explore this resource with careful investigation -- through it, profits are generated for us and destruction prepared for our enemies. Be diligent in the aforementioned audit and restrained in public business, so that our reasonable profit may procure advancement for you.

XXV. SIMEONIO V. C. COMITI THEODERICUS REX. [1] Amamus publicis actionibus personas inserere morum probitate conspicuas, ut per obsequia fidelium nobis crescat utilitatis augmentum. proinde sinceritatem animi tui per praeclara documenta noscentes siliquatici titulum, quem fidae dominicatus iure dederamus discussioni indictionis primae, secundae vel tertiae per provinciam Dalmaticam, ordinatio tibi nostra committit: ut quolibet fraudis vestigio damnum publicum te fuerit explorante repertum, procul dubio nostris aerariis inferatur: quia non tantum lucra quaerimus, quantum mores subiectorum deprehendere festinamus. [2] Praeterea ferrarias praedictae Dalmatiae cuniculo te venitatis iubemus inquirere, ubi rigorem ferri parturit terrena mollities et igne decoquitur, ut in duritiam transferatur. hinc auxiliante deo patriae defensio venit: hinc agrorum utilitas procuratur et in usus humanae vitae multiplici commoditate porrigitur. auro ipsi imperat et servire cogit locupletes pauperibus constanter armatis. convenit itaque hanc speciem diligenti indagatione rimari, per quam et nobis generantur lucra et hostibus procurantur exitia. esto ergo de antefata discussione sollicitus et in publicis utilitatibus temperatus, ut nostrum rationabile compendium crescendi tibi procurare possit augmentum.