We hereby repeal the former law by which slaves belonging to the Crown could be reduced to their former condition of servitude, without consideration of the lapse of time, and, in the place thereof, issue the following decree, to wit: that whoever has had in his possession any slaves of the Crown for the space of thirty years, and said slaves have not been transferred to the possession of any other person during that time; or if any such slaves should wander from place to place, without paying any tax for the space of fifty years; said slaves shall under no circumstances be reclaimed by the Crown. But those persons under whose control such slaves were, for either the thirty or the fifty year period aforesaid, must make suitable compensation for their services to the royal treasury; to the end that one and the same law may prevail concerning the slaves of both prince and people. TITLE III. CONCERNING BOUNDARIES AND LANDMARKS. =I.= _How Boundaries and Landmarks shall be Preserved._ =II.= _Concerning the Destruction and Removal of Landmarks._ =III.= _What is to be Done when a Dispute Arises Concerning Boundaries._ =IV.= _Where One Person makes a Claim to Land Included within the Boundaries of Another._ =V.= _Where any Change was made in the Boundaries of Land During the Time of the Romans, no Claim Based upon Other Boundaries shall Prevail._ =I. How Boundaries and Landmarks shall be Preserved.= We hereby decree that all ancient landmarks and boundaries shall stand as established in former times, and that they shall not be disturbed or removed. =II. Concerning the Destruction and Removal of Landmarks.= Whoever levels any landmarks for the purpose of travel, or dares to remove any established landmarks, for every landmark so fraudulently disturbed, if he is a freeman, he shall pay twenty _solidi_; and if he is a slave he shall receive fifty lashes, and shall restore said landmark. If any person while plowing land, or planting a vineyard, should involuntarily disturb a landmark, he shall restore the same in the presence of the neighbors, and shall not, thereafter, be liable to any damage or penalty for removing the same. =III. What is to be Done when a Dispute Arises Concerning Boundaries.= Whenever a dispute arises concerning the boundaries of land, search shall be made for the old landmarks; that is to say, the mounds of earth, or squared stones, which, in ancient times, were made or placed in order to define the boundaries of lands; or for any stones which have been buried, and are carved to show that they were intended as landmarks. Should any of said landmarks be wanting, search must then be made for such trees as might have been marked in former times, to define the boundaries between different tracts of land. =THE GLORIOUS FLAVIUS RECESVINTUS, KING.=