Letter 9016: It is a welcome thing to publicize what will benefit everyone, so that what might have been a private wish becomes a...

It is a welcome thing to publicize what will benefit everyone, so that what might have been a private wish becomes a universal joy. Concealing benefits, on the other hand, is itself a kind of injury. Some time ago, the most distinguished Senate -- wishing to remove the stain of a most shameful suspicion from its own splendor -- wisely decreed that no one should pollute himself with abominable greed during the consecration of a most blessed pope, with penalties established for anyone who dared attempt such a thing. And rightly so, because the true merit of the elect is only sought when money is not. We have praised and strengthened this initiative by sending our own decrees to the most blessed pope -- decrees that surpass the earlier measures in their brilliance -- so that profane ambition may be removed from the honor of the holy Church. We wish you to bring this to the attention of the Senate and Roman people without any delay, so that what we desire everyone to uphold may be fixed in the hearts of all. Moreover, so that this imperial benefaction may endure both for the present age and for ages to come, we order that both our decrees and the Senate's resolutions be fittingly inscribed on marble tablets and placed before the atrium of the Blessed Apostle Peter [St. Peter's Basilica] as public testimony. For it is a worthy place -- one that will both display a glorious reward for its guardian and present to future readers what may stand to the praise of all...

XVI. SALVENTIO V. I. PRAEFECTO URBIS ATHALARICUS REX. [1] Grata res est cunctis profutura vulgare, ut generale fiat gaudium, quod potuit esse votivum. alioquin laesionis causa noscitur, si beneficia potius occulantur. dudum siquidem senatus amplissimus ab splendore suo cupiens maculam foedissimae suspicionis abradere provida deliberatione constituit, ut in beatissimi papae consecratione nullus se abominabili cupiditate pollueret, poena etiam constituta, qui talia praesumere temptavisset: non iniuria, quia tunc electi vere meritum quaeritur, cum pecunia non amatur. [2] Quod nos laudantes et augentes inventum ad beatissimum papam direximus constituta, quae his antelata praefulgent, ut ab honestate sanctae ecclesiae profanus ambitus auferatur. hoc vos ad notitiam senatus et Romani populi volumus sine aliqua dilatione perducere, quatenus cunctorum figatur cordi, quod cupimus omnium studio custodiri. [3] Verum ut principale beneficium et praesentibus haereat saeculis et futuris, tam definita nostra quam senatus consulta tabulis marmoreis praecipimus decenter incidi et ante atrium beati Petri apostoli in testimonium publicum collocari: dignus enim locus est, qui et gloriosam mercedem nostram et senatus amplissimi laudabilia decreta contineat. in quam rem illum direximus, quo redeunte noscamus impleta quae iussimus. incertum enim videtur habere quod praecipit, cui rerum effectus tardius innotescit.