'Let your Magnitude put all this to rights promptly, otherwise our famine will be imputed, not to bad seasons, but to negligence[241].'
[36.] King Theodoric to Theriolus, Vir Spectabilis.
Guardianship of children of Benedictus.
'We wish you to take the place of the late Benedictus in the city of Pedon.
'As we never forget the services of the dead, we wish you to undertake officially the guardianship of the sons of the said Benedictus.
'We always pay back to our faithful servants more than we have received from them, and thus we do not go on the principle "equality is equity," because we think it just to make them more than an equal recompence.'
[37.] King Theodoric to Crispianus.
Justifiable homicide.
'Murder is abominable, but it is right to take into account the circumstances which may have provoked to homicide. If the slain man was trying to violate the rights of wedlock, his blood be on his own head. For even brute beasts vindicate their conjugal rights by force: how much more man, who is so deeply dishonoured by the adulterer!