As many persons induced either by gratitude or through disinterested benevolence make donations, it has seemed to Us proper to decide under what circumstances they should, or should not, be valid. The ancient authorities, when discussing this question, came to the conclusion that every donation in excess of five hundred aurei, which had not been entered upon the public registers, should be void; even though the donee produced evidence that it had been written down in the donor's own hand. I do not know why this peculiar provision was adopted. For when a donation has been reduced to writing, and thereby is proved to be genuine, I do not see what can be added to it in order to render it more certain. We, therefore, in enacting the following provision, which We are aware does not apply solely to donations, decree that every gift in excess of five hundred aurei, where it has been reduced to writing, shall be valid, but shall be void for any sum in excess of that amount if it is not in writing, even though the donee may have received the article given in the presence of witnesses. For every donation estimated at five hundred aurei is good in law where it is proved by the statements of three witnesses; hence it must, in this manner, be determined whether the donations are valid or of no force or effect.