bent improbos intestabilesque esse, possunt in numerum testium adhiberi. can be admitted a witness to a testament. De servo, qui liber existimabatur. § VII. Sed, cum aliquis ex testibus, testamenti quidem faciendi tempore, liber existimabatur, postea autem servus apparuit, tam Divus Adrianus Catoni, quam postea Divi Serverus et Antoninus rescripserunt, subvenire se ex suâ liberalitate testamento ut sic habeatur firmum, ac si, ut oportebat, factum esset; cum, eo tempore, quo testamentum signaretur, omnium consensu hic testis liberi loco fuerit, nec quisquam esset, qui status ei quæstionem moveret. De pluribus testibus § VIII. Pater, nec non is, qui in potestate ejus est: item duo fratres, qui in ejusdem patris potestate sunt, utique testes in uno testamento fieri possunt: quia nihil nocet, ex unâ domo plures testes alieno negotio adhiberi. De his, qui sunt in § IX. In testibus autem non debet esse is, qui in potestate testatoris est. Sed, si filiusfamilias de castrensi peculio post missionem faciat testamentum, nec pater ejus rectè adhibetur testis, nec is, qui in potestate ejusdem patris est. Reprobatum est enim in eâ re domesticum testimonium. 7. If a witness, was regarded as free at the time of attesting, but afterwards appeared to have been then a slave, the emperor Adrian, in his rescript to Cato, and afterwards the emperors Severus and Antoninus by their rescript decreed, that they would aid such a defect in a testament, and confirm it equally as if the witness, at the time of sealing, was, in the estimation of all men, taken to be a free person, no one having made a question of his condition. ex eadem domo. $ 8. A father, and a son under his power, or two brothers, under the power of the same father, may be witnesses to a testament: for nothing prevents several persons of the same family, being witnesses to the transaction of another person. familia testatoris. 9. No person under power of the testator can witness the testament. And if the son of a family devise his military estate after his dismission from the army, neither his father, nor any one under power of his father, can be a witness to the will. For, in this case, the law does not allow of a domestic testimony. De hærede SX. Sed neque hæres scriptus, neque is, qui in ejus potestate est, neque pater ejus, qui eum habet in potestate, neque fratres, qui in ejusdem patris potestate sunt, testes adhiberi possunt; quia hoc totum negotium, quod agitur testamenti ordinandi gratiâ, creditur hodie inter testatorem et hæredem agi. Licet autem totum jus tale conturbatum fuerat, et veteres quidem familiæ emptorem, et eos, qui per potestatem ei conjuncti fuerant, à testamentariis testimoniis repellebant; hæredi autem, et iis, qui per potestatem ei conjuncti fuerant, concedebant testimonia in testamentis præstare: licet ii, qui id permittebant, hoc jure minimè abuti, eos debere suadebant: tamen nos eandem observationem corrigentes, et, quod ab illis suasum est, in legis necessitatem transferentes, ad imitationem pristini familiæ emptoris, meritò nec hæredi, qui imaginem vetustissimi familiæ emptoris obtinet, neque aliis personis, quæ ei, (ut dictum est,) conjunctæ sunt, licentiam concedimus sibi quodammodo testimonia præstare ideòque nec ejusmodi veteres constitutiones nostro codici inseri permisimus. 10. No heir nominated in the will, nor any person in subjection to him; nor his father, under whose power he is; nor his brothers under power of the same father, can be admitted witnesses; for the whole business of completing a testament, is at this day considered as transacted between the testator, and the real heir. But formerly there was great confusion; for although the ancients would never admit the testimony of the emptor familiæ, (nominal purchaser) or the supposed heir, nor of any one allied to him by subjection, yet they admitted that of the real heir, and of persons connected with him by subjection; and the only precaution taken, was, to exhort those persons not to abuse their privilege. We have corrected this practice; preventing by the coercion of law, that, which the ancient lawyers endeavoured to prevent by persuasion only: for we admit neither the real heir, who represents the emptor familia of the ancients, nor any person allied to him as a witness, to the testament, by which he is nominated. It is for this reason, that we have not suffered the old constitutions to be inserted in our Code. De legatariis et fideicommissariis, et his, qui sunt in eorum familia. $ XI. Legatariis autem et fideicommissariis, quia non juris successores sunt, et aliis personis eis conjunctis, testimonium non dene 11. But we refuse not the testimony of legatees and trustees, or of persons allied to them, because they are not successors by law: nay, gamus: imò in quâdam nostrâ contitutione et hoc specialitèr eis concessimus; et multo magis iis, qui in eorum potestate sunt, vel qui eos habent in potestate, hujusmodi licentiam damus. by our constitution, we have specially granted them this privilege; and we allow this still more readily to persons under their subjection, and to those, to whom they are subject. De materia, in qua testamenta scribuntur. § XII. Nihil autem interest, testamentum in tabulis, an chartis, membranisve, vel in alia materia fiat. § 12. It is immaterial, whether a testament be written upon a tablet of wax, upon paper, parchment, or any other substance. De pluribus codicibus. $ XIII. Sed et unum testamen- § 13. Any person may execute tum pluribus codicibus conficere quis potest, secundùm obtinentem tamen observationem omnibus factis: quod interdum etiam necessarium est; veluti si quis navigaturus et secum ferre et domi relinquere judiciorum suorum contestationem velit vel propter alias innumerabiles causas, quæ humanis necessitatibus imminent. counter-parts of the same testament observing the prescribed forms. This is sometimes necessary; as when a man going a voyage, is desirous to carry his will with him, and to leave a counter-part at home for his better security. Innumerable other reasons for doing this may arise, according to the various necessities of mankind. De testamento nuncupativo. § XIV. Sed hæc quidem de testamentis, quæ scriptis conficiuntur, sufficiunt. Si quis autem sine scriptis voluerit ordinare jure civili tes tamentum, septem testibus adhibitis, et suâ voluntate coram eis nuncupatâ, sciat, hoc perfectissimum testamentum jure civili firmumque constitutum. $ 14. Thus much may suffice concerning written testaments. But if a man wishes to dispose of his effects by a nuncupative or unwritten testament, he may do so, if in the presence of seven witnesses, he verbally declares his will; and this will be a valid testament according to the civil law. TITULUS UNDECIMUS. DE MILITARI TESTAMENTO. D. xxix. T. 1. C. vi. T. 21. In militum testamentis solemnitates remissæ.. SUPRADICTA diligens observatio in ordinandis testamentis militibus, propter nimiam imperitiam eorum, constitutionibus principalibus remissa est. Nam, quamvis ii neque legitimum numerum testium adhibuerint, neque aliam testamentorum solemnitatem observaverint, rectè nihilominus testantur, videlicèt cum in expeditionibus occupati sunt: quod meritò nostra constitutio introduxit. Quoquo enim modo voluntas ejus suprema inveniatur, sive scripta, sive sine scriptura, valet testamentum ex voluntate ejus. Illis autem temporibus, per quæ, citra expeditionum necessitatem, in aliis locis, vel suis ædibus, degunt, minimè ad vindicandum tale privilegium adjuvantur. Sed testari quidem, etsi filii-familiarum sint, propter militiam conceduntur: jure tamen communi, eâdem observatione et in eorum testamentis adhibenda, quam in testamentis paganorum proximè expo suimus. The before-mentioned strict observance of formalities, in the construction of testaments, is dispensed with by the imperial constitutions, in favour of all military persons, on account of their unskilfulness in these matters. For, although they should neither call the legal number of witnesses, nor observe any other solemnity, yet they may make a good testament, if they are in actual service. This was introduced by our ordinance with good reason; so that in whatever manner the testament of a military person is conceived, whether in writing, or not, it prevails according to his intention: but, when soldiers are not upon an expedition, and live in their own houses or elsewhere, they are by no means intitled to claim this privilege; but a soldier, on account of his profession is allowed to make a testament, although he is the son of a family: observing however, according to the general law, all the formalities, which are required of others in this respect. Rescriptum Divi Trajani. I. Planè de testamentis militum Divus Trajanus Catilio Severo ita rescripsit. Id privilegium, quod militantibus datum est, ut quoquo modo facta ab his testamenta rata $1. The emperor Trajan wrote, as follows, in his rescript to Catilius Severus concerning military testaments. The privilege, given to military persons, that their testa sint, sic intelligi debet, ut utique prius constare debeat, testamentum factum esse: quod et sine scriptura, et a non militantibus quoque, fieri potest. Si ergo miles, de cujus bonis apud te quæritur, convocatis ad hoc hominibus, ut voluntatem suam tes· taretur, ita locutus est, ut declararet quem vellet sibi hæredem esse, et cui libertatem tribueret; potest videri sine scripto hoc modo esse, testatus, et voluntas ejus rata habenda est. Caterum, si (ut plerumque sermonibus fieri solet) dixit alicui, ego te hæredem faciò, aut, bona mea tibi relinquo, non oportet hoc pro testamento observari. Nec ullorum magis interest, quam ipsorum, quibus id privilegium datum est, ejusmodi exemplum non admitti. Alioqui non difficulter post mortem alicujus militis testes existerent, qui affirmarent, se audisse dicentem aliquem relinquere se bona, cui visum sit: et per hoc vera judicia subverterentur. ments, in whatever manner made, shall be valid, must be thus understood; it ought first to be apparent that a testament was made in some manner; for a testament may be made without writing, by persons not military. And therefore, if it appear, that the soldier, concerning whose goods question is now made before you, did, in the presence of witnesses, purposely called, declare what person should be his heir, and to what slaves he should give liberty, he shall be reputed to have made his testament without writing, and his will shall be ratified. But if it is only proved, that he said to some one, as it often happens in discourse, I appoint you my heir-or-I leave you all my estate, such words do not amount to a testament. Nor are any persons more interested than the soldiery, that words so spoken should not amount to a will; otherwise, witnesses might without difficulty be produced after the death of any military man, who would af firm, that they had heard him bequeath his estate, to whomever they please; and the true intentions might be defeated. |