The more humanity is oppressed by misfortune, the more we should provide by our clemency for the evils with which it is afflicted. Wherefore, whenever any person of noble rank, or any freeman, or even a slave, is confined in prison, or sent into exile, by order of the king; and should afterwards be liberated, or pardoned, and return to his country, and anyone should have claimed any of his property during his absence; the time which he passed in confinement or exile shall not be counted as a part of the thirty or fifty year limitation barring a claim, or action at law; but the time during which he was imprisoned, or absent from the country, and unable to assert his rights, shall be excepted from the period of limitation aforesaid. In all other cases the laws which have already established periods of limitation relating to claims and actions at law, shall remain in force hereafter.
FLAVIUS EGICA, KING.
VII. Within what Time Slaves Belonging to the Crown can Again be Reduced to Slavery.
We hereby repeal the former law by which slaves belonging to the Crown could be reduced to their former condition of servitude, without consideration of the lapse of time, and, in the place thereof, issue the following decree, to wit: that whoever has had in his possession any slaves of the Crown for the space of thirty years, and said slaves have not been transferred to the possession of any other person during that time; or if any such slaves should wander from place to place, without paying any tax for the space of fifty years; said slaves shall under no circumstances be reclaimed by the Crown. But those persons under whose control such slaves were, for either the thirty or the fifty year period aforesaid, must make suitable compensation for their services to the royal treasury; to the end that one and the same law may prevail concerning the slaves of both prince and people.
TITLE III. CONCERNING BOUNDARIES AND LANDMARKS.
| I. | How Boundaries and Landmarks shall be Preserved. |
| II. | Concerning the Destruction and Removal of Landmarks. |
| III. | What is to be Done when a Dispute Arises Concerning Boundaries. |
| IV. | Where One Person makes a Claim to Land Included within the Boundaries of Another. |
| V. | Where any Change was made in the Boundaries of Land During the Time of the Romans, no Claim Based upon Other Boundaries shall Prevail. |
I. How Boundaries and Landmarks shall be Preserved.
We hereby decree that all ancient landmarks and boundaries shall stand as established in former times, and that they shall not be disturbed or removed.
II. Concerning the Destruction and Removal of Landmarks.
Whoever levels any landmarks for the purpose of travel, or dares to remove any established landmarks, for every landmark so fraudulently disturbed, if he is a freeman, he shall pay twenty solidi; and if he is a slave he shall receive fifty lashes, and shall restore said landmark. If any person while plowing land, or planting a vineyard, should involuntarily disturb a landmark, he shall restore the same in the presence of the neighbors, and shall not, thereafter, be liable to any damage or penalty for removing the same.