The foresight which We have displayed in the affairs of the Empire from the beginning of Our reign, and the solicitude which We entertain for the government which God has entrusted to Us, is manifest to all Our subjects. For, having found the public oppressed with many debts, and reduced to the direst penury, We Ourselves have assumed much indebtedness; have released the State from all kinds of charges; and have quieted the army, which was on the verge of revolt because of lack of subsistence. We have repelled, as far as possible, the insults and incursions of the barbarians, which threatened the existence of the Empire, and, in short, what have We not done up to this time for the relief of Our subjects? Now We desire, by means of this law, to make them participate in still greater benefits, by releasing them from all the taxes which they owe.

  Therefore, extending this act of Our benevolence to all Our subjects, We release them from everything which they owe to the government for the time that has elapsed since the eighth indiction to that of the present cycle; and We desire that, up to this date, no taxes shall be demanded of them, whether the said taxes are payable to the general or private office of Your Glory, to the magistracies of the Imperial Praetors of Illyria, to that of the Most Glorious Justinianian Prefect of the soldiers stationed in Mysia and Scythia, to the Imperial Treasury, to Our private Treasury, or to Our Imperial Patrimony, or, finally, to the Most Magnificent Superintendent of the Households. We release all our subjects from the taxes which they owe either in gold, silver, or any other commodities, which have been incurred since the aforesaid indiction, and such taxes shall not be collected from tenants, lessees, emphyteutas, or even the possessors of property.

  We except from the exercise of Our liberality all sums of money due to soldiers and allies, for the reason that Our subjects will not profit by this, but the officials alone, who are charged with the distribution of the public money, will do so. Such property also will be exacted which, publicly subject to the order of soldiers or allies, and consisting of gold, silver, or other articles, has already been delivered by Our subjects to receivers, collectors, or their representatives, for these things shall be transferred to the magistracies entitled to them. Nor do We accord the benefits of the present law to other persons who, having obtained from Our subjects any sums in gold, or other property, since the eighth indiction, and have not paid them into the Public Treasury (when this should have been done) ; and We desire that the payment of the same shall be made, for if, induced by humanity, We deem it advisable to release Our subjects from liability for the taxes which they owe, We do not grant this favor to persons who, having received the public money, desire to defraud the Treasury, or those who are entitled to it out of the same. But if, with a view to anticipating Our munificence displayed in the remission of taxes, any receivers have wrongfully exacted of Our subjects either bonds or sureties, or have changed their public obligations into private ones, or have planned or executed some other fraudulent act of this description, they shall not derive any advantage from it, and must return the bonds to those from whom they received them. All persons should give thanks to God and to Us, some of them because, owing taxes, they have deserved Our indulgence; and others for the reason that while they owe nothing more of this kind, they have been relieved of all care, and will no longer (as frequently happens) be harassed by receivers, on account of taxes previously due; and will no longer be compelled to pay on property which has been lost through their bad faith; but Our subjects shall enjoy perfect security up to the beginning of the eighth indiction, and Our present liberality shall be extended to them all.

  Your Glory will, by means of edicts published in this Royal City, communicate to all persons the provisions which it has pleased Us to include in this pragmatic law.