Letter 6016: There is no doubt that the prince's inner circle honors those who serve in it, since essential matters are entrusted...

From: Cassiodorus, on behalf of the King To: A newly appointed Notary (formula) Date: ~522 AD Context: A template for appointing a royal notary, describing the essential qualities of discretion and loyalty required of those who handle the king's secrets. There is no doubt that the prince's inner circle honors those who serve in it, since essential matters are entrusted only to those who are firmly established in loyalty. Everything we do is public in the end, but much of it must not be known until it has been accomplished with God's help. And the more eagerly people desire to learn these things, the more carefully they must be concealed. A king's counsel should be known only to the most serious men. Notaries should imitate the cabinets that hold official records: they should speak only when information is sought from them, and the rest of the time they should pretend not to know what they know. For under the probing gaze of the curious, even a facial expression can betray what the tongue keeps silent. Let innocence be present -- it commends everything -- because royal words deserve to be deposited in a calm mind. Since our watchful concern for good character has identified you as a man of proven morals, we appoint you our notary from the current tax year, so that in the regular course of service you may happily rise to the summit of the primiceriatus [the senior rank of the notarial corps]. This is an honor that makes a man a senator -- one to whom the hall of the fathers is justly opened. For the man who labors in our service through constant night watches rightly deserves to enter the Hall of Liberty as well. There is yet another reward for completed service: if a former primicerius attains the rank of illustris -- whether active or honorary -- he takes precedence over all those who hold the same rank by mere codicil [a letter of appointment without actual office]. From this it is clear that the reward of the primiceriatus is meant to ensure that within the same title, the dignity earned by service outweighs that acquired by other means. You should therefore be encouraged to labor, knowing that such a prize awaits you -- the kind that even the most distinguished men are glad to have found.

XVI. FORMULA NOTARIORUM. [1] Non est dubium ornare subiectos principis secretum, dum nullis aestimantur necessaria posse committi, nisi qui fuerint fide magna solidati. publicum est quidem omne quod agimus: sed multa non sunt ante scienda, nisi cum fuerint deo auxiliante perfecta. quae tanto plus debent occuli, quanto amplius desiderantur agnosci. [2] Regis consilium solos decet scire gravissimos. imitari debent armaria, quae continent monumenta chartarum, ut quando ab ipsis aliqua instructio quaeritur, tunc loquantur: totum autem dissimulare debent, quasi nesciant scientes. nam sollicitis inquisitoribus saepe et vultu proditur, quod tacetur. assit innocentia, quae cuncta commendat, quia in placida mente regia decent verba deponi. [3] Sed quoniam te probatis moribus institutum venatrix bonae conversationis sollicitudo nostra respexit, ab illa indictione notarium te nostrum esse censemus, ut ordine decurso militiae ad primiceriatus feliciter pervenias summitatem. honor, qui efficit senatorem, cui patrum aula reseratur, non iniuria: nam qui nostris curis militat assidua lucubratione, iuste videtur et curiam Libertatis intrare. [4] Additur etiam perfuncti laboris aliud munus, ut, si quoquo modo ad illustratum vel vacantem meruerit pervenire, omnibus debeat anteponi, qui codicillariis illustratibus probantur ornari. unde absolute colligitur primiceriatus meritis datum uti, ut in uno eodemque titulo dispar esset dignitas aequaliter adquisita. animari debes igitur ad labores, quando tibi tale praemium propositum vides, quale se gaudent invenisse summates.