Page images
PDF
EPUB

et ex diverso, si Titius suam plantam in Mævii solo posuerit, Mavii planta erit; si modo utroque casu radices egerit: ante enim quam radices egerit, ejus permanet, cujus fuerat. Adeò autem ex eo tempore, quo radices egerit planta, proprietas ejus commutatur, ut, si vicini arbor ita terram Titii presserit, ut in ejus fundum radices egerit, Titii effici arborem dicamus: ratio enim non patitur, ut alterius arbor esse intelligatur, quam cujus in fundum radices egerit: et ideò, circa confinium arbor posita, si etiam in vicini fundum radices egerit, communis fit.

will belong to Titius: on the contrary, if Titius shall have set his own plant in Mævius's ground, the plant will belong to Mavius; provided in either case, it hath taken root; for, until then, the property remains in him who planted it. But from the instant it hath taken root, the property is changed: so that, if the tree of a neighbour borders so closely upon the ground of Titius, as to take root in it, and be wholly nourished there, we may affirm, that such tree is become the property of Titius: for reason doth not permit, that a tree should be deemed the property of any other, than of him, in whose gronnd it hath rooted: therefore, if a tree, planted near the bounds of one person, shall also extend its roots into the lands of another, it will become common to both.

De satione.

§ XXXII. Quâ ratione autem plantæ, quæ terræ coalescunt, solo cedunt, eadem ratione frumenta quoque, quæ sata sunt, solo cedere intelliguntur. Cæterum sicut is, qui in alieno solo ædificavit, si ab eo dominus petat ædificium, defendi potest per exceptionem doli mali, secundum ea, quæ diximus; ita ejusdem exceptionis auxilio, tutus esse potest is, qui alienum fundum suâ impensâ bonâ fide consevit.

$32. As plants appertain to the soil, in which they have rooted, so grain also is understood to follow the property of that ground, in which it is sowed. But as he, who hath built upon the ground of another, may (according to what we have said) be defended by an exception of fraud, if the proprietor of the ground should demand the edifice; so he, who at his own expense and bonâ fide hath sowed in another man's land, may also be benefited by the help of this exception.

De scriptura.

§ XXXIII. Literæ quoque, licet

$33. As whatever is built upon, aureæ sint, perindè chartis mem- or sowed in the ground, belongs to

branisve cedunt, ac solo cedere solent ea, quæ inædificantur, aut inseruntur. Ideòque, si in chartis membranisve tuis carmen vel historiam vel orationem Titius scripserit, hujus corporis non Titius, sed tu dominus esse videris. Sed, si à Titio petas tuos libros, tuasve membranas, nec impensas scripturæ solvere paratus sis, poterit se Titius defendere per exceptionem doli mali, utique si earum chartarum membranarumve possessionem bona fide nactus est.

that ground by accession; so letters also, although written with gold, appertain to the paper or parchment, upon which they are written. And therefore, if Titius shall have written a poem, a history, or an oration, upon your paper or parchment, then you and not Titius will be deemed the owner of the written paper. But if you demand the books or parchments from Titius, and refuse to defray the expense of the writing, then Titius can defend himself by an exception of fraud: allowing that he obtained possession of such papers and parchments bonâ fide.

De pictura.

§ XXXIV. Si quis in alienâ tabulâ pinxerit, quidam putant tabulam picturæ cedere: aliis videtur, picturam (qualiscunque sit) tabulæ cedere: sed nobis videtur meliùs esse, tabulam picturæ cedere: ridiculum est enim, picturam Apellis vel Parrhasii in accessionem vilissimæ tabulæ cedere. Undè, si à domino tabulæ imaginem possidente is, qui pinxit, eam petat, nec solvat pretium tabulæ, poterit per exceptionem doli mali submoveri. si is, qui pinxit, eam possideat, consequens est, ut utilis actio domino tabulæ adversus eum detur: quo casu, si non solvat impensam picturæ, poterit per exceptionem doli mali repelli: utique si bonæ fidei possessor fuerit ille, qui picturam imposuit. Illud enim palàm est, quod

At,

$34. If any man shall have painted upon the tablet of another, some think, that the tablet should yield to the picture; others, that the picture (whatever the quality of it may be) should accede to the tablet. To us it seems the better opinion, that the tablet should accede to the picture; for it is ridiculous, that the painting of an Apelles, or a Parrhasius, should yield as an accession, to a worthless tablet. But if the painter demand the tablet, from the owner and possessor, without offering the price of it, then such demandant may be defeated by an exception of fraud: but, if the painter is in possession of the picture, the owner of the tablet is intitled to an action called utilis, i. e. beneficial; in which case, if the owner of the tablet de

sive is, qui pinxit, surripuit tabulas, sive alius, competit domino tabularum furti actio.

mands it, and does not tender the value of the picture, he may also be repelled by an exception of fraud, provided the painter obtained possession fairly. But, if he, or any other, shall have taken away the tablet feloniously, it is evident, that the owner may prosecute by any action of theft.

De fructibus bona

§ XXXV. Si quis à non domino, quem dominum esse crediderit, bonâ fide fundum emerit, vel ex donatione, aliave qualibet justâ causâ, æque bonâ fide acceperit, naturali ratione placuit, fructus, quos percepit, ejus esse pro cultura et curâ: et ideò, si postea dominus supervenerit, et fundum vindicet, de fructibus ab eo consumptis agere non potest ei verò, qui alienum fundum sciens possederit, non idem concessum est; itaque cum fundo etiam fructus, licet consumpti sint, cogitur restituere.

fide perceptis.

$35. If any man shall have purchased or by any other means honestly acquired lands from another, whom he believed to be the true owner, when in fact he was not, it is agreeable to natural reason, that the fruits, which he shall have gathered, shall become his own, on account of his care in the culture: and therefore, if the true owner shall afterwards appear and claim his lands, he can have no action against the bonâ fide possessor, for produce consumed. But this exemption is not granted to him, who knowingly keeps possession of another's estate; and therefore, he is compellable to account for all the mesne profits together with the lands.

De fructibus a fructuario et colono perceptis. § XXXVI. Is verò, ad quem usufructus fundi pertinet, non aliter fructuum dominus efficitur, quam si ipse eos perceperit; et ideò, licet maturis fructibus, nondúm tamen perceptis, decesserit, ad hæredes ejus non pertinent, sed domino proprietatis acquiruntur. Eadem ferè et de colono dicuntur.

$36. The usufructuary of lands can gain no property in the fruits, until he hath actually gathered them; and therefore, if he should die, while the fruits, although ripe, are yet ungathered, they could not be claimed by his heirs, but would fall to the proprietor: and so in general, as to farmers.

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

§ XXXIX. Thesauros, quos quis in loco suo invenerit, divus Adrianus, naturalem æquitatem sequutus, ei concessit, qui eos invenerit; idemque statuit, si quis in sacro aut religioso loco fortuito casu invenerit. At, si quis, in alieno loco, non data ad hoc opera, sed fortuitò invenerit, dimidium domino soli concessit, et dimidium inventori: et convenientèr, si quis in Casaris loco invenerit, dimidium inventoris, et dimidium esse Cæsaris, statuit. Cui conveniens est, ut, si

$39. The emperor Adrian, in pursuance of natural equity, allowed any treasure, found in a man's own lands, to belong to the finder : he ordained the same as to things casually found, in a sacred or religious place. But, if a person, not making it his business to search, should fortuitously find treasure in the ground of another, he granted half to the proprietor of the soil, and half to the finder. And so, if any thing is found within the imperial demesnes, half shall appertain to the

quis in fiscali loco vel publico vel civitatis invenerit, dimidium ipsius esse debeat, et dimidium fisci, vel civitatis.

finder and half to the emperor; likewise, if a man find any valuable thing in a place belonging to the treasury, the public, or the city, half shall appertain to the finder, and half to the treasury, the public or the city.

De traditione. 1. Regula, ejusque ratio.

$ XL. Per traditionem quoque jure naturali res nobis acquiruntur nihil enim tam conveniens est natuturali æquitati, quam voluntatem domini, volentis rem suam in alium transferre, ratam haberi: et ideò, cujuscunque generis sit, corporalis res tradi potest, et à domino tradita, alienatur: itaque stipendiaria quoque et tributaria prædia eodem modo alienantur. Vocantur autem stipendiaria et tributaria prædia, quæ in provinciis sunt: inter quæ nec non et Italica prædia, ex nostrâ constitutione, nulla est differentia: sed, siquidem ex causâ donationis, aut dotis, aut quâlibit aliâ ex causâ, traduntur, sine dubio transferuntur.

40. Things are also acquired (according to the law of nature) by tradition or livery; for nothing is more comformable to natural equity than to confirm the will of him, who is desirous to transfer his property to another; therefore corporeal things of whatever kind, may be delivered; and, when delivered by the owner, are aliened. Stipendiary and tributary possessions, (such as those situated in the provinces,) may be aliened in the same manner; for between these and the Italian estates we have now taken away all distinction, so that, on account of a donation, a marriage-portion, or any other just cause, stipendiary and tributary possessions may undoubtedly be transferred by livery.

2. Limitatio.

§ XLI. Venditæ verò res et traditæ, non alitur emptori acquiruntur, quam si is venditori pretium solverit, vel alio modo ei satisfecerit; veluti ex promissore, aut pignore dato: quod, quamquam cavetur lege duodecim tabularum, tamen rectè dicitur et jure gentium, id est, jure naturali, id effici. Sed, si is, qui vendidit, fidem emptoris sequutus fue

$41. Things, although sold and delivered, are not acquired_by_the buyer until he hath either paid or otherwise satisfied the seller for them; as by a bondsman or pledge. And, although this is so ordained by a law of the twelve tables, yet the same rule is rightly said to arise from the law of nations; that is from the law of nature. But if the seller

« PreviousContinue »