Concerning those things which yearly pertain to the cities (whether they be civic revenues, or fruits, derived from public or private moneys, which are either left, or given, or by some other arrangement devised or instituted for them by certain persons — whether they pertain to public works, or to the grain supply, or to the public aqueducts, or to the heating of the baths, or to the harbours, or to the building of walls or towers, or to the repair of bridges and roads, or finally to any public purposes), both from public and from private sources, as has been said, we ordain that there come together into one place the most religious bishop and three men of good repute, who excel the rest in that city, and that they inspect each year the works done;
and let them take care both that those who administer or who have administered these things measure them and render an account, and that in the keeping of the records they show the completion of the works, or the administration of the grain-purchasing (sitonica) and bath moneys, or whatever is expended on fortifying roads, or on aqueducts, or on other things. All which things we will never be diminished at all. But in the keeping of the records let it appear whether he who administered these things is discharged or still bound, and whether he has paid what he owed; and thus there shall be security for him who undertook that charge. For we will send, when it shall please us, whomever it shall be convenient, to inspect the accounts rendered by them;
and when he shall have found them rightly made, he shall render a reckoning whereby provision shall be made for those very persons and for their heirs and successors, nor shall any occasion for other accounts or controversies be left. But let all things be done diligently, the holy Gospels having been set forth; for we will order an inquiry to be made when it shall please us. It behoves, therefore, the most religious bishop, and those who render the accounts with him, to take diligent care that the works prescribed at great expense each year be done out of the public fruits and revenues, to be repaired.
But if he who administers these things should be unwilling to submit to the accounts, and should not heed the most holy bishop of that place, and those owners (possessores) who are appointed for that purpose, and who summon him to render accounts, let him be compelled to do it through the most distinguished governor of the province and the cohort which is wont to obey him: and let him be compelled without any loss, in every way, to submit his accounts to the most religious bishop and to the chief men of the city; and let whatever shall appear to be owed by him be paid back to the city. §1. But we take away all liberty from our governors of sending into the lands inspectors, or auditors, or assessors for the execution of the public accounts.
But if anything of this kind should be done without our knowledge — if indeed a sacred form (rescript) should have issued to some persons by surreption — let it be lawful for the most religious bishop of that city to receive the sacred form, yet to report back to us, so that we may ascertain whether it was made by our command to that governor, or by surreption; so that, if it should appear to have been made by surreption, what was done may become invalid, and he who sought it may incur peril. But if any decree, or admonitory letter, or some precept, or writing of accounts has been issued by any of our prefects, and concerning any of the aforesaid matters it be permitted, we will that by all means the bishop of that region, and the chief men of the cities, be set in charge of those affairs.
But let it be lawful for the governor of the province, and for the owners themselves and the citizens, to reject the orders, and not to furnish even an obol on that account. But if in this matter the most holy bishop should be negligent, he shall have the Lord our God as his adversary, and shall await imperial vengeance, if he should pass it over with servile silence unworthy of his priesthood. §2.
But if anyone in the province should announce the processions of magistrates or consuls, or general forms of the most glorious prefects, or of any other of our magistrates, or a constitution, or a sacred admonitory writ, or general letters, or should adjudge the erection of imperial statues, let it not be lawful to receive more than six gold coins for each proclamation, or for each form, or constitution, or sacred admonitory writ, or general letters, or erection of statues, in the several provinces to which he has received letters; and, although there be many cities in that province, nothing more shall be furnished than those six coins. But if he should receive anything more, he shall restore fourfold thereof;
and let it be lawful for the bishop of that city to forbid this. The same penalty, however, of ten pounds of gold is also imposed on the governor of the province, and on the office subject to him, and on the bishop, if they should permit those persons to demand more, and should not by all means forbid it. §3. For to none whatsoever of our magistrates do we permit to issue forms of this kind throughout the provinces concerning the cleaning of channels (rivi), or of sewers, or concerning the demolition of buildings from the walls, or of stalls from the porticoes, or of those which are called 'produla', or concerning the overthrow of rubble-heaps and half-demolished columns, or concerning images, or anything else devised by another arrangement, or even concerning any civil controversies whatsoever.
But let it be lawful for the bishop and for those who are the chief men of that city, and for the governors of the provinces, and for the owners and citizens, when any form is intimated, indeed not to defer to it, but to forbid and restrain every exaction and every force which may arise therefrom. And let the same penalty afflict the most holy bishops, unless they shall have forbidden it. §4. But it also behoves the bishop, and the father of the city, and the other owners of good repute, to provide that no low-grade or public place be improperly possessed by anyone near the walls of the city, or in the public porticoes, or in the streets, or in any other place whatsoever; nor let a public place be handed over to anyone without our sacred form. §5.
Let the same persons inquire concerning the distribution of waters, which by any sacred form pertains to each, so that this one may not have more, nor that one less, than is due to him. §6. Nor indeed would we suffer our subjects to be burdened by reason of suretyship, or beyond the form of the mandate; but if indeed they possess suitable immovable property, let them only furnish an oath, and let them be enrolled; but if they have it not, up to the estimation of the amount, let them provide suretyship without any loss.
But if the collectors should doubt concerning the trustworthiness, the means, or the security of the sureties, let the most religious bishop, and the fathers of the city, and the defender come together in that same place, and let them decide whether the surety seems suitable up to the amount in question; and the collector shall be bound to accept him as surety, who shall furnish nothing for the suretyship or the oath — except if, by our private order or that of any greater magistrate, it be decreed that the person is to be led away (arrested), and that the surety is not to be believed. For then it shall be lawful for the collector not to accept the surety, but to do this without any detriment.
Moreover, the same penalty is imposed against the most religious bishop and the most illustrious governor of the province, if they have suffered any of these things to be transgressed, or if, when the transgression has occurred, they have not immediately reported it. — § 7. Nor let them allow more than the portion fixed by our constitution to be received as fees (sportulae), nor let any assessment be made in the cities for any cause, except only for those which we have enumerated above — the issuing of notices of processions, of constitutions, of the sacred and general admonition, or of the official form, or of letters, and of all matters of this kind concerning which we have previously decreed:
likewise those things which the citizens may wish to do for their own preservation and welfare — for some public works perhaps, or for the grain-supply (sitonia), or for any other cause whatsoever that all approve to be done for the honour of the city, whereby the commonwealth is assisted. But against those who shall attempt to transgress these things, and if the most religious bishops have not reported it to us, let those measures be observed which we have previously enjoined. — § 8. And the bishops most beloved of God of the several cities, when they have learned all that has been ordained by us concerning these matters — both concerning the exactions of the billeting-officers (metatores), and concerning the prohibition of plunder, and concerning the other things contained in our sacred constitution which has been issued concerning them all — ought to impose a fitting limit. Given on the 8th day before the Kalends.