mbat?'

16. KING THEODORIC TO THE SENATE OF THE CITY OF ROME.

[Sidenote: Arigern entrusted with the charge of the City of Rome.]

'Some time ago we committed the government of our new Gaulish
Provinces to Arigern, a member of your body, that he might by his
firmness and prudence bring about a settlement in that agitated
country. This he has accomplished to our entire satisfaction, and,
practising the lessons which he learned in your midst, he has also
brought back warlike trophies from thence. We now decide to bestow
upon him the charge of the Roman order.

'He is to see that the laws are vigorously administered, and that
private revenge has no place.

'Receive, O Conscript Fathers, your honoured and venerable member back
into your bosom.'

[It seems probable that Arigern was not appointed 'Praefectus Urbis,'
because in Letter iv. 22 he is associated as Comes with Argolicus,
'Praefectus Urbis.' Was he 'Comes Urbis Romae?']

17. KING THEODORIC TO IDA, VIR SUBLIMIS AND DUX.

[Cf. the name of our own Northumbrian King.]

[Sidenote: Possessions of the Church of Narbonne to be restored to
it.]

'We do not wish to disturb anything that has been well settled by a
preceding King. Certain possessions of the Church of Narbonne, which
were secured to it by grant of the late King Alaric of exalted memory,
have been wrongfully wrested from it. Do you now restore these. As you
are illustrious in war, so be also excellent in "civilitas." The
wrong-doers will not dare to resist a man of your well-known bravery.'

18. KING THEODORIC TO ANNAS, SENATOR AND COMES.

[Sidenote: A priestly Ghoul.]

'Enquire if the story which is told us be true, namely that the
Presbyter Laurentius has been groping for fatal riches among human
corpses. An odious inversion of his functions, that he who should
preach peace to the living has been robbing the dead, and that hands
which have been touched with the oil of consecration should have been
grasping at unholy gains, instead of distributing his own honestly
acquired substance to the poor. If after diligent examination you
find that the charge is true, you must make him disgorge the gold. As
for punishment, for the sake of the honour of the priesthood we leave
that to a higher Power[342].'

[Footnote 342: 'Scelus enim, quod nos pro sacerdotali honore
relinquimus impunitum, majori pondere credimus vindicandum.' The words
seem to be purposely vague, but I think they allude to the judg