TITLE III. CONCERNING THE GIFTS OF PATRONS.

I.Where Anyone who has been Placed under the Control of Another, or of the Son of that Person, Deserts either his Patron, or the Children of the Latter.
II.Concerning Arms given to Bailiffs who have been Appointed for the Defence of Anyone, and the Acquisitions of said Bailiffs.
III.Concerning Property Acquired through the Appointment of a Patron, or which has been Donated by Him.
IV.Concerning Property Accepted and Acquired through the Office of Patron.

I. Where Anyone who has been Placed under the Control of Another, or of the Son of that Person, Deserts either his Patron, or the Children of the Latter.

Where anyone, having a client under his protection, gives him arms or anything else, such gifts shall be the absolute property of the client. If the latter should desire to select another patron, he shall have full authority to do so, for one cannot restrain a freeborn man because he happens to be under his control; but, in such a case, everything to which the patron is entitled shall be given to him. The same rule shall apply to the children of a patron as well as to those of him who was under his protection; and the former shall have a right to any donations that have been given to the latter. Where a client abandons his patron without the latter’s consent, he shall be required to restore to him any property which the patron may have given to the parents of the client. And if anyone who has been placed under the protection of another, should acquire any property while he is under such control, half of said property shall belong to the patron or his children, and the other half shall remain in the possession of him who earned it. Where a client leaves a daughter and no sons, in such case we decree, that the daughter shall remain under the protection of the patron. If the patron should provide a husband for her, of equal rank, and anything should be given to her father or her mother, it shall belong to her by right of inheritance. But if, contrary to the will of her patron, she should select for herself a husband of inferior rank, whatever has been given to her father by the patron or by his relatives, shall be restored to said patron or to his heirs.[26]

ANCIENT LAW.

II. Concerning Arms given to Bailiffs who have been Appointed for the Defence of Anyone, and the Acquisitions of said Bailiffs.

Arms given to bailiffs for purposes of defence, can under no circumstances be reclaimed by the donor, but whatever property a bailiff acquired, while in office, shall remain in the possession of his patron.[27]

III. Concerning Property Acquired through the Appointment of a Patron, or which has been Donated by Him.

As has been hereinbefore stated, if anyone, while under the protection of another, should acquire any property while living with him, and should prove unfaithful to his patron, or wish to abandon him; the patron shall be entitled to half the property so acquired, and the other half shall belong to him by whose exertions it was obtained, and whatever the patron has given him he shall be entitled to keep.

ANCIENT LAW.

IV. Concerning Property Accepted and Acquired through the Office of Patron.

As has been stated elsewhere, if anyone should abandon his patron and claim the protection of another, and he to whom he applies should give him land, the patron whom he has deserted is entitled to any land, and to whatever else he himself may have given him.