The laws published by Justinian were still successful in the west; where, even in the life-time of the emperor, they were not received universally; and, after the Lombard invasion, they became so totally neglected, that both the code and the pandects were lost, till the 12th century; when it is said, that the pandects were accidentally recovered at Amalphi, and the code at Ravenna. But, as if fortune would make an atonement for her former severity, they have since been the study of the wisest men, and revered, as law, by the politest nations.

was put to the eastern empire in the year of "ponio militiæ duce strenuo expugnatis, Christ, 1453. "translati fuere Florentiam, ubi, pro Au

After the Lombard invasion.] The Lombards entered Italy under Alboinus about the year of Christ 568, in the reign of Justin the second, successor to Justinian.

At Amalphi.]" Eo tempore (anno Dom. 1130) "injustis perturbatisque comitiis, la"cerarat ecclesiam falsus pontifex Petrus "Leonis, Anacletus secundus nuncupatus ab "sua factione; cujus dux erat Rogerius Apu"liæ ac Siciliæ comes, Regis nomine a fal"so pontifice donatus. Adversus Anacle"tum creatus rite ac solenniter fuerat In"nocentius secundus, cui favebat imperator "Lotharius Saxo, summa virtute atque pru"dentia princeps; quo bellum gerente ad"versus Rogerium, Amalphi, urbe Salerno proxima, (quam perperam aliqui locant “in Apulia, Melphiam cum Amalphi confun"dentes,) inopinato reperti fuerunt digesto"rum libri; quos Pisani, qui classe Lotha"rium contra Rogerium adjuverant, præ"mio bene navatæ operæ sibi exorarunt. "Pisis vero post longam obsidionem a Ca

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gusta Medicex domus magnificentia, in museo magni ducis conservantur. Hinc "promiscua Pisanarum et Florentinarum "apud scriptores pandectarum appellatio. "Iisdem temporibus repertum Ravennæ fuit "constitutionum imperialium volumen, "quod codex appellatur; indeque cæteros li"bros juris, imo et digestorum aliud exem. "plar in lucem aliqui rediisse putant: nec "mirum, cum ea urbs longo tempore Ro"manis legibus vixerit, et orientali Roma

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norum imperio diu obtemperavit. No"vellæ vero constitutiones etiam antea per "Italiam vagabantur; utque mea fert opi"6 nio, multi juris civilis libri, postquam incessit homines cupido recipiendi Romani 'juris, agniti potius fuere, quam reperti: nam, et aliquot ante Lotharium annis, jus "civile Justiniani commemoravit Ivo Car"notensis, et libros pandectarum; cum antea, si occurrerent, forsan socordia et ob"livione prætermitterentur." vid. Gravine orig. jur. civ. lib. 1. cap. 140. et Hein. hist. jur. civ. lib. 1. § 412.

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DE

CONFIRMATIONE INSTITUTIONUM.

IN NOMINE DOMINI NOSTRI JESU CHRISTI.

>

IMPERATOR, CESAR FLAVIUS JUSTINIANUS, ALEMANICUS, GOT THICUS, FRANCICUS, GERMANICUS, ANTICUS, ALANICUS, VANDALICUS, AFRICANUS, PIUS, FELIX, INCLYTUS, VICTOR AC TRIUMPH. ATOR, SEMPER AUGUSTUS-CUPIDÆ LEGUM JUVENTUTI S.

De usu armorum et legum.

IMPERATORIAM majesta The imperial dignity should nos

tem non solum armis decoratam, sed etiam legibus oportet esse armatam;, ut utrumque tempus et bellorum et pacis rectè possit gubernari: et princeps Romanus non solum in hostilibus præliis victor existat, sed etiam per legitimos tramites calumniantium iniquitates expellat: et fiat tam juris religiosissimus, quam, victis hostibus, triumphator magnificus.

only be supported by arms, but guarded by laws, that the people may be properly governed in time of peace as well as war; for a Roman empe ror ought not only to be victorious in the hostile field, but should take every legal course to expel the ini quities of men regardless of law; and become equally renowned for a religious observance of justice, as for warlike triumphs.

De bellis et legibus Justiniani.

I. Quorum utramque viam cum summis vigiliis, summâque providentiâ, annuente Deo, perfecimus: et bellicos quidem sudores nostros barbaricæ gentes, sub juga nostra redactæ, cognoscunt: et tam Africa, quam aliæ innumeræ provinciæ, post tanta temporum spatia, nostris victoriis a cœlesti numine præstitis,

B

§ 1. By our incessant labors, and the assistance of divine providence, we have pursued this double path: the Barbarian nations have acknowledged our prowess and submitted to our yoke; even Africa and many other provinces, after so long an interval, are again added to the Roman empire: and yet this vast people are

De compositione Codicis et Pandectarum. II. Et cum sacratissimas constitutiones, antea confusas, in luculentam ereximus consonantiam, tunc nostram extendimus curam ad immensa veteris prudentiæ volumina; et opus desperatum, quasi per medium profundum euntes, cœlesti favore jam adimplevimus.

§ 2. When we had arranged and brought into lucid harmony the hitherto confused mass of imperial constitutions, we then extended our care to the numerous volumes of ancient law; and have now completed, through the favour of heaven (wading as it were through a vast ocean) a work that might have been despaired of.

De tempore, auctoritatibus, fine et utilitate compositionis
Institutionum.

III. Cumque hoc, Deo propitio, peractum est, Triboniano, viro magnifico, magistro, et exquæstore sacri palatii nostri, et exconsule, nec non Theophilo et Dorotheo, viris illustribus, antecessoribus, (quorum omnium solertiam, et legum scientiam, et circa nostras jussiones fidem, jam ex multis rerum argumentis accepimus,) convocatis, mandavimus specialiter, ut ipsi nostrâ· auctoritate, nostrisque suasionibus, Institutiones componerent; ut liceat vobis prima legum cunabula non ab antiquis fabulis discere, sed ab imperiali splendore appetere: et tam aures, quam animi vestri, nihil inutile, nihilque perperam positum, sed quod in ipsis rerum obtinet argumentis, accipiant: et quod priore tempore vix post quadriennium prioribus contingebat, ut tunc consti

§ 3. So soon as by the blessing of God this was accomplished, we summoned Tribonian, our former chancellor, with Theopilus and Dorotheus, men of known learning and tried fidelity, whom we enjoined by our authority to compose the following Institutes, that the rudiments of law might be more effectually learned, by the sole means of our imperial authority; and that your minds for the future should not be burdened with obsolete and unprofitable doctrines, but instructed in those laws only, which are allowed of and practiced: and, whereas Students formerly could scarcely sit down to the imperial constitutions under four years previous study, they may now, (having been thought worthy of our princely care, to which they are indebted for the beginning and end of their legal

Quid in Institutionibus contineatur. V. In quibus breviter expositum est, et quod antea obtinebat, et quod postea, desuetudine inumbratum, imperiali remedio illuminatum

est.

§ 5. Wherein are briefly set forth the laws formerly in use, and those also, which having been oversha dowed by disuse, are now brought to light by our princely care.

Ex quibus libris compositæ sunt Institutiones, atque earum
recognitio, et confirmatio.

VI. Quas, ex omnibus antiquorum Institutionibus, et præcipuè ex commentariis Caii nostri, tam institutionum, quam rerum quotidianarum, aliisque multis commentariis compositas, cum tres viri prudentes prædicti nobis obtulerunt, et legimus, et recognovimus, et plenis simum nostrarum constitutionum robur eis accommodavimus.

§ 6. The four books of Institutes thus compiled by Tribonian, Theo philus, and Dorotheus, from all the institutions of the ancient law, but chiefly from the commentaries, institutions, and other writings of Caius, being presented to us, we read and diligently examined their contents; and, in testimony of our approbation, we have now given them our fullest constitutional authority.

Adhortatio ad studium iris..

VII. Summâ itaque ope, et alacri studio, has leges nostras accipite: et vosmetipsos sic eruditos ostendite, ut spes vos pulcherrima foveat, toto legitimo opere perfecto, posse etiam nostram rempublicam, in partibus ejus vobis credendis, gubernari.

67. Receive therefore and study

these our laws with diligence and alacrity; and show yourselves so competent therein, that when your studies shall be finished, you may entertain a cheering hope of having a part of the government committed to your charge.

D.CP. XI. Kalend. Decemb. D. JUSTINIANO PP. A. III. COS.

Given at Constantinople on the eleventh day before the calends of December, in the third consulate of the Emperor JUSTINIAN, always august. (21st Nov. 533.)