Pomponius, Decrees of the Senate, Book III. The Emperor Hadrian published a Rescript with reference to those who had stolen the property of the persons whom they were serving as slaves, and afterwards demanded their freedom, the words of which Rescript are as follows: “As it is not just that a slave, in expectation of his freedom, should take property belonging to the estate of his master, where freedom is to be granted him under the terms of a trust, so it is not necessary to seek for any reason to delay the grant of his freedom.” Hence, in the first place, an arbiter should be appointed, in whose presence it should be determined what can be preserved for the heir, before he can be compelled to manumit the slave.