acquiruntur: modò videamus, quibus modis legitimo et civili jure acquiruntur. things are acquired by the law of nations; let us now examine, how they are acquired by the civil law. TITULUS SEXTUS. DE USUCAPIONIBUS ET LONGI TEMPORIS PRESCRIPTIONIBUS. D. xli. T. 3. C. vii. T. 31, et 33. Præcipua usucapionis requisita. 1. Bona fides. 2. Possessio per tempus definitum continuata. 3. Justus titulus. JURE civili constitutum fuerat, ut, qui bonâ fide ab eo, qui dominus non erat, cum crederet eum dominum esse, rem emerit,, vel ex donatione, aliâve quavis justâ causâ acceperit, is eam rem, si mobilis erat, anno ubique uno, si immobilis, biennio tantum in Italico solo, usucapert: ne rerum dominia in incerto essent. Et, cum hoc placitum erat putantibus antiquioribus, dominis sufficere ad inquirendas res suas præfata tempora, nobis melior sententia resedit, ne domini maturiùs suis rebus defraudentur, neque certo loco beneficium hoc conclu datur: et ideò constitutionem super hoc promulgavimus, quâ cautum est, ut res quidem mobiles per triemium; immobiles vero per longi temporis possessionem (id est, inter præsentes decennio, inter absentes viginti annis) usucapiantur. Et his modis, non solùm in Italiâ, sed etiam in omni terra, quæ nostro im By the civil law, whoever had. fairly obtained a thing from one, whom he supposed the true owner, (although in reality he was not) and, if a moveable, had possessed it bonâ fide for one year, either in Italy or the provinces; or, if immoveable, for two years within the limits of Italy, should prescribe to such thing by use: and this was held to be law, lest the dominion or property of things, should be uncertain. But although it was thought by ancient legislators, that these periods were sufficiently long to enable every owner to search after his property, yet a better opinion hath occurred perio gubernatur, dominia rerum, justâ causâ possessionis præcedente, acquirantur. during a long tract of time, will also found a prescription to things immoveable: that is to say, ten years, if the parties are present, (i. e. in the province,) and twenty years if either of them be absent. Property may thus be acquired; not only in Italy, but throughout our dominions, if the possession was honestly obtained at first. De his, quæ sunt extra commercium. I. Sed aliquandò, etiamsi maximè quis bonâ fide rem possederit, non tamen illi usucapio ullo tempore procedit: veluti si quis liberum hominem, vel rem sacram, vel religiosam, vel servum fugitivum, possideat. De rebus furtivis, II. Furtivæ quoque res, et quæ vi possessæ sunt, nec, si prædicto longo tempore bonâ fide possessæ fuerint, ususcapi possunt: nam furtivarum rerum, lex duodecim tabularum, et lex Atilia, inhibent usucapionem; vi possessarum lex Julia et Plautia. Quod autem dictum est, furtivarum et vi possessarum rerum usucapionem per leges prohibitam esse, non eò pertinet, ut ne ipse fur, quive per vim possidet, usucapere possit, (nam his aliâ ratione usucapio non competit; quia scilicet malâ fide possident,) sed ne ullus alius, quamvis ab eis bonâ fide emerit, vel ex aliâ causa acceperit, usucapiendi jus habeat. Unde in rebus mobilibus non facilè procedit, ut bonæ fidei possessoribus usucapio competat. Nam, qui sciens ali § 1. But in some cases, although there hath been possession incontestably bonâ fide, yet no length of time will be sufficient to found a prescription; as when a man holds a free person, a thing sacred or religious, or a fugitive slave. et vi possessis. $ 2. No prescription lies for things that have been stolen; or seized by violence; although they have been possessed bonâ fide,during the length of time required by our constitution: for prescription to things stolen is prohibited by a law of the twelve tables, and by the law Atilia; and the laws Julia and Plautia forbid a prescription to things seized by violence. And it is not to be inferred from these laws, that a thief, or disseizor only, is prohibited from taking by prescription: (for such are also prohibited because they are fraudulent possessors;) but all others likewise; although they shall have purchased such things bonâ fide, or otherwise fairly received them: hence things moveable cannot easily be prescribed to, even by enam rem vendiderit, vel ex aliâ causa tradiderit, furtum ejus committit. Sed tamen id aliquandò aliter se habet. Nam, sihæres rem defuncto commodatam, aut locatam, vel apud eum depositam, existimans hæreditariam esse, bonâ fide accipienti vendiderit, aut donaverit, aut dotis nomine dederit, quin is, qui acceperit, usucapere possit, dubium non est: quippè cum ea res in furti vitium non ceciderit; cum utique hæres, qui bonâ fide tanquam suam alienaverit, furtum non committat. Item, si is, ad quem ancillæ ususfructus pertinet, partum suum esse credens vendiderit, aut si donaverit, furtum non committit. Furtum enim, sine effectu furandi, non committitur. Aliis quoque modis accidere potest, ut quis, sine vitio furti, rem alienam ad aliquem transferat, et efficiat, ut à possessore usucapiatur. Quod autem ad eas res, quæ solo continentur, expedit, jus ita procedit, ut, si quis loci vacantis possessionem, propter absentiam aut negligentiam domini, aut quia sine successore decesserit, sine vi nanciscatur, quamvis ipse malâ fide possideat, (quia intelligit, se alienum fundum occupasse) tamen, si alii bonâ fide accipienti tradiderit, poterit ei longa possessione res acquiri; quia neque furtivum, neque vi possessum, acceperit. Abolita est enim quorundam veterum sententia existimantium, etiam fundi locive furtum fieri. Et eorum utilitati, qui res soli possident, 13 honest possessors: for whoever hath knowingly sold or transferred the goods of another upon whatever consideration, is guilty of theft. But this rule admits of some cases wherein a moveable may be prescribed to: thus if an heir, supposing a particular thing to be hereditary, which in reality had only been lent, let to, or deposited with the deceased, shall have sold, bestowed, or given it as a portion, the bonâ fide receiver may no doubt prescribe; for this can never be reputed stolen, inasmuch as the heir, who aliened it, believing it his own, committed no theft. So if he, who hath the usufruct of a female slave, sell or give away her child believing it to be his property, he does not commit theft; for theft implies an intention to commit it. It may also happen, by various means, that one man may transfer the property of another without theft, and give a right of prescription to the possessor. As to things immoveable the law ordains, that, if any man should take possession of an estate without force, by reason either of the absence, or negligence of the owner, or because he died without heirs, and (although he hath thus possessed the land dishonestly) shall have made livery of it to another, who took it bonâ fide, the land by long possession may be acquired by such taker, who took neither a thing stolen, or seized, by violence: for the opinion of those ancient law principalibus constitutionibus prospicitur, ne cui longa et indubitata possessio debeat auferri. yers, who held, that lands and things immoveable, might be stolen, is now abolished: and it is provided by the imperial constitutions, in favour of those who possess immoveable property, that a long and undoubted possession ought not to be taken away. De vitio purgato. § III. Aliquandò etiam furtiva, vel vi possessa, res usucapi potest; veluti si in domini potestatem reversa fuerit: tunc enim, vicio rei purgato, procedit ejus usucapio. § 3. A prescription may sometimes be founded even to things stolen, or possessed by violence; as, when they fall again into the power of the true owner; for the taint of title being removed, prescription takes place. De re fiscali et bonis vacantibus. IV. Res fisci nostri usucapi non potest: sed Papinianus scripsit, bonis vacantibus fisco nondum nuntiatis, bonæ fidei emptorem traditam sibi rem ex his bonis usucapere posse; et ita Divus Pius, et Divi Severus et Antoninus rescrip serunt. Regula SV. Novissimè sciendum est, rem talem esse debere, ut in se non habeat vitium, ut à bonæ fidei emptore usucapi possit, vel qui ex aliâ justâ causâ possidet. § 4. Things, which appertain to our treasury, cannot be acquired by prescription. But, it is held by Papinian, that a bonâ fide purchaser of escheats not yet certified, may prescribe for them after delivery. The emperors Pius Severus and Antoninus have issued their rescripts, conformable to this opinion. generalis. 5. It is lastly to be observed, that no taint of dishonesty must attach to the article, in order to enable a bonâ fide purchaser or possessor to prescribe for it. De errore falsæ causæ. VI. Error autem falsæ causæ usucapionem non parit; veluti si quis, cum non emerit, emisse se existimans, possideat; vel, cum ei 6. A mistake of the cause of possession shall not give rise to prescription: as when the possessor imagines, he hath purchased, when possi deat. donatum non fuerit, quasi ex donato he hath not purchased: or that the thing was a gift, when it was not given. De accessione possessionis. $7. A long possession beneficially commenced in the lifetime of the deceased is continued in favour of the heir or successor, although he may know that the estate is the property of another; but, if the possession commenced unjustly, it will avail neither the heir, nor the possessor, although ignorant of any fraud. It is in like manner enacted by our constitution, that the time of usucaption shall be continued, (That is from the deceased to his successor in things moveable.) Quando conjunguntur tempora. § VIII. Inter venditorem quoque et emptorem conjungi tempora. divi Severus et Antoninus rescrip serunt, $8. The emperors Severus and Antoninus have enacted, that, the possession of the seller shall enure to the buyer. De his, qui a fisco, aut Imp. Augustæve domo, aliquid accepe runt. § IX. Edicto divi Marci cavetur, cum, qui à fisco rem alienam emit, si post venditionem quinquennium præterierit, posse dominum rei exceptione repellere. Constitutio autem divæ memoria Zenonis benè prospexit iis, qui à fisco per venditionem, aut donationem, vel alium titulum accipiunt aliquid; ut ipsi quidem securi statim fiant, et victores existant, sive experiantur, sive conveniantur adversùs autem sacratissimum ærarium usque ad quadriennium liceat iis intendere, qui pro dominio vel hypotheca earum re $9. It is provided by an edict of the emperor, Marcus, that, the purchaser of anything from the treasury, after five years possession subsequent to the sale, may repel the former owner by an exception of prescription. But the emperor Zeno of sacred memory, hath well provid ed by his constitution, that all those, who by sale, donation, or any other title, have received things from the public treasury, may instantly besecured in their possession, and made certain of success, whether they be plaintiffs or defendants: and those, |