NO ONE SHALL RETAIN THE LAND OF A FARMER GIVEN BY WAY OF SECURITY FOR A LOAN, NOR SHALL CREDITORS RECEIVE EXCESSIVE INTEREST FROM FARMERS.

  An evil greater than excessive impiety and avarice exists, which We consider necessary to remedy by a general law, that shall be applicable not only for the present, but for all time to come. For We have ascertained that certain persons in the province which you govern have not hesitated, when there was a scarcity of grain, to lend a small amount of seed to farmers, in order to obtain possession of their land, the consequence of which is that the majority of the unfortunate farmers have been obliged to take to flight; that many have perished from hunger; and that a horrible contagious disease, not less terrible than the invasion of the barbarians, has been added to their other misfortunes.

  Therefore We order that, where persons who have lent farmers any quantity of dried fruit, and have received from them security for their loans, they shall return said security without being able to retain the land of the debtors, under the pretext of such loans, whether the agreement was reduced to writing or not; that creditors shall only be authorized to take, by way of interest, the eighth part of a measure annually for each measure furnished, where dried fruit has been lent; or one siliqua a year for each aureus, where the loan is of money. Moreover, creditors shall, in the future, be content with the said eighth part of a measure annually for every measure lent, or with one siliqua annually for every aureus lent, no matter what may be the amount of the loan. They shall be compelled to return everything which they have taken in pledge, whether it be land or other property of the debtor, for instance, cattle, sheep, or slaves. This provision of the present law affords everyone an example of humanity and forbearance, and, at the same time, provides for the necessities of indigent debtors and the interests of creditors.

  Your Illustrious Highness will take measures to have this constitution carried into effect, and every creditor is hereby notified that if he dares to do anything contrary to its provisions, he will be deprived of the right to recover what he has loaned, and he who has sustained the injury shall be compensated, either by being released from liability, or by knowing that his creditor has lost his property.