Petition of a tenant farmer to return to his estate and be excused dues TM 36070OxyrhynchosVI

To my good benefactor and master, entreaty and supplication from Pieous, your slave, from the hamlet of Kinea. The love of the poor and love of Christ of your most glorious lordship, having gone out over all the land, have caused many to take refuge with it, who on approaching obtain justice and every mercy. Therefore I too, the wretched one, approach in tears, informing you about myself that I am a registered farmer (enapographos georgos) of your most glorious lordship, and that three years ago my animals died and I abandoned my farming, as has been said, three years ago, and stayed abroad. And remaining abroad for this same period of three years so that I might find […] sustenance and that I might be supported with my children […] of the estate […] […] I beg and beseech your most glorious lordship to order that I may enter the estate and that I not be required to pay for what I did not sow, so that henceforth I may be able to work on the same estate and support my wretched children. And I shall send up my prayers to the Lord Christ for the life of your most glorious lordship. For I am unable, master, to pay for what I do not sow. For there are those who sow and are able to pay. And I inform you of this too, that the steward (pronoetes) came to the estate and plundered all my paltry belongings on account of this matter. And I beg to obtain your mercy. For I call the Lord God as witness that I do not have a morsel or dry crust of bread to eat with my children, despite the present abundance. And for this reason I have fled for refuge to it (your lordship), so that I may be counted among all those who have received benefits from it, most glorious benefactor, master, lord.