Translation: from P.Oxy. 1 Paniscus, strategus of the Oxyrhynchite nome, to Asclepiades, basilicogrammateus of the same nome, greeting. At the last sale of taxes held by myself and you in the presence of the customary officials, the farmers of the tax on sales and the farmer of the tax payable to the record office not only refused to bid, on the plea that they had incurred sufficient loss already, but seemed likely to abscond. I accordingly thought it best to write to his excellency the praefect on the matter. He replied requesting me to examine the terms under which the taxes had previously been farmed, and as far as possible to lighten the burden of the farmers, in order to prevent the disappearance of those who were being pressed to bid. I have therefore already sent you the copy of his letter to inform you, and to acquaint you with the fact that in your absence, as the taxes have been refused by the present farmers and no one else at all has come forward to undertake the responsibility, though the taxes have been put up to auction several times, I have taken declarations by the farmers of the tax upon sales and those payable to the record office.....