Letter 7027: It is useful always to choose one person for the rest to obey, because if the will of many is left undirected, a...

From: Cassiodorus (formula template) To: [Honorati, Landowners, and Curiales -- regarding the Count above] Date: ~522 AD Context: Brief notification to local notables that a new count has been appointed over their city. It is useful always to choose one person for the rest to obey, because if the will of many is left undirected, a confusion friendly to wrongdoing is bred. Therefore, know that we have granted the countship of your city for the designated indiction to the named individual. Offer him your wholesome obedience, so that he may bring remedy to your affairs and carry out public orders effectively. Know that anyone who conducts himself with commendable devotion may with confidence request similar things from us.

XXVII. FORMULA HONORATIS POSSESSORIBUS ET CURIALIBUS DE COMITIVA SUPRA SCRIPTA. [1] Utile est unum semper eligere, cui reliqui debeant oboedire, quia, si voluntas diversorum vaga relinquitur, confusio culparum amica generatur. itaque civitatis vestrae comitivam per indictionem illam nos illi largitos fuisse noveritis, cui saluberrimam parientiam commodate, ut causis vestris ferat remedium, et iussionibus publicis procuret effectum: scituri quod, si quis se probabili devotione tractaverit, similia de nostris sensibus haud irrite postulabit.