42 In the Name of our Lord God Jesus Christ, Emperor Caesar Flavius Mauricius Tiberius, Steadfast in Christ, Gentle, Greatest, Generous, Peaceful, Conqueror of the Alamanns, Goths, Antici, Alans, Vandals, Heruls, Gepids and Africans; Devout, Successful, Renowned, Vanquisher, Conqueror, always Augustus, to Childebert, Vir Gloriosus, King of the Franks.

By receipt of your letter through Iocundus, Bishop, and the Chamberlain Cothro, disclosed to us that you in your glory maintain permanent friendship and in fact good relations and filial affection for us and our most inviolable Republic. This and other letters through other legations discloses our sense of responsibility. And it seems wonderful to us if the race of the Franks has virtuous and ancient purpose and declares approval for Roman authority but nothing of this quality as yet is seen in your prominence. Concordance is shown through friendship while in letters by steady, vigorous promises and by dreadful oaths like those of a priest although in time nothing of value has been achieved. And if this is so, through so much distance of the earth and of the sea why do you uselessly hinder your indispensable ambassadors with youthful bluster which introduces nothing of profit but is merely boasting? However, conforming to the amity of the Empire we received the previously mentioned legates although we didn't know them but with credentials we accepted and heard them, intimating by gentle whispers, and we related that by other ambassadors your illustriousness is already made clear. And we advise that if you wish to strive for friendship, vehemently and without delay to discuss all things and not only with debate to expound but to firmly explain just as a king ought to accept and expect similarly our affectionate kindness. Therefore it becomes your glory that these written words please us and now are brought to completion. Through this opportunity more and more the accord of your race is accomplished with our most fortunate Republic and may no contention arise between us. In fact not through unfriendliness mention of agreement is made by us but through the continuance of lasting and undiminished concord. By Manuel. That the divine quality preserve you for many years, from a father most Christian and loving, dated at Constantinople on the first of September by the divine Emperor Mauricius Tiberius always Augustus.

In Nomine Domini Dei Nostri Iesu Christi, Imperatore Caesar

Flavius Mauricius Tiberius, Fidelis in Christo, Mansuetus,

Maximus, Beneficus, Pacificus, Alamannicus, Gothicus, Anticus,

Alanicus, Wandalicus, Erullicus, Gypedicus, Africus, Pius,

Felix, Incleti, Victor ac Triumphator, Semper Augustus,

Childebertho, Viro Glorioso, Regi Francorum.

Littere vestrae gloriae per Iocundum episcopum et Chotronem

cubicularium nobis directe amicalem quidem voluntatem

et paternum affectum circa nos atque sacratissimam rempublicam

nostram conservare vos indicant; hoc, quod et per

alios ligatarios multiplicibus verbis ad nostram pietatem

conscriptum invenitur. Et mirum nobis videtur, si, rectam

habere mentem atque priscam gentis Francorum et dicioni

Romanae unitatem esse conprobatum adfirmans, nihil operis

usque adhuc amicitiae congruum eminentia tua ostendens visa

est: dum in scriptis pollicita atque per sacerdotis firmata

et terribilibus iuramentis roborata, tanto tempore excesso,

nullum effectum perceperunt. Et si hoc ita est, quid per

tanta spatia terrae atque maris inaniter sine responsu necessarios

vestros ligatarios fatigatis, iuvenalis sermonis,

qui nihil utilitatis induxerunt, iactantes? Nos tamen imperialem

benevolentiam sequentis, et praefatos ligatarios

vestros suscipimus, etiamsi non cognovimos, et cum veritate

a te transmissus esse, atque his, quae nunciata ab eis sunt,

placidis auribus intimantes, conpetens eis dedimus responsum,

quod et per alios ligatarios vestros manifestum tuae

gloriae iam factum est. Et optamus, vos, si amicitiam nostram

appetere desideratis, valide atque incunctanter omnia

disceptare et non solum dictionibus enarrare, sed enarrata

viriliter, quomodo regem oportet, peragere atque similiter

nostram piam benevolentiam expectare. Dicit igitur gloriam

tuam, ea quoque, (que) in scriptis inter nos placita sunt,

vel etiam nunc ad effectum perduceret, ut per hanc occasionem

magis magisque vestrae gentis unitas atque felicissimae

nostrae reipublicae conficiatur et nulla inter nos contraversia

oriatur. Non enim pro inimicitiae memorate conventionis a

nobis factae sunt, sed ut amicitia firma et inlibata

permaneat.

Per Manuhel.

Divinitas te servet per multos annos, parens christianissime

atque amantissime. Data Kalendis Septembris Constantinopoli,

Imperatore divi Mauricii Tiberii perpetus

augustus et post consolatum eiusdem annis ....