=I.= _Concerning Donations to the Church._ =II.= _Concerning the Preservation and Restoration of Property Belonging to the Church._ =III.= _Concerning Sales and Gifts of Church Property._ =IV.= _Concerning Church Property in Charge of Those Devoted to the Service of the Church._ =V.= _Concerning the Repairs of Churches, and Divers Other Matters._ =VI.= _Concerning the Arbitrary Conduct of Bishops._ =VII.= _Emancipated Slaves of the Church, who are still Bound to Render it Service, shall not be Permitted to Marry Persons who are Freeborn._ =THE GLORIOUS FLAVIUS RECESVINTUS, KING.= =I. Concerning Donations to the Church.= If we are compelled to do justice to the merits of those who serve us, how much greater reason is there that we should care for the property set apart for the redemption of our souls and the worship of God, and preserve it intact by the authority of the law. Wherefore, we decree that all property which has been given, either by kings, or by any other believers whomsoever, to houses devoted to Divine worship, shall eternally and irrevocably belong to said churches.[23] =II. Concerning the Preservation and Restoration of Property Belonging to the Church.= We are of the opinion that it vitally concerns the interests of our kingdom, to provide by our laws that the temporal rights of the church shall be protected. Therefore, we hereby decree, that, as soon as a bishop has been consecrated, he shall straightway proceed to make an inventory of the property of his church in the presence of five freeborn witnesses; and to this inventory the said witnesses shall affix their signatures. After the death of a bishop, and as soon as his successor has been consecrated, the latter shall require a second inventory of the church property to be made; and if it should appear that said property had, in any way, been diminished, then the heirs of said bishop, or those to whom his estate was bequeathed by will, shall make up the deficiency. If a bishop should sell any of the property of the church, his successor shall lay claim to that property, along with all its rents and profits, and restore it to the church, after having returned the price paid for it to the purchaser, and no reproach shall attach to such proceedings. And we hereby decree that this law shall be observed in every respect by priests and deacons, as well as by bishops. =ANCIENT LAW.= =III. Concerning Sales and Gifts of Church Property.= If a priest or bishop, or any other member of the clergy, should sell or give away any of the property belonging to the church, without the consent of the other ecclesiastics, we declare that such a transaction shall not be valid, unless said sale or donation should have been made in accordance with the holy canons.