ERANT ante prædictam successionem olim et aliæ per universitatem successiones; qualis fuerat bo norum emptio, quæ de bonis debitoris vendendis per multas ambages fuerat introducta; et tunc locum habebat, quando judicia ordinaria in usu fuerant; sed, cum extraordinariis judiciis posteritas usa est, ideò cum ipsis ordinariis judiciis etiam bonorum venditiones expiraverunt: et tantummodò creditoribus datur officio judicis bona possidere, et, proùt utile eis visum est, ea disponere: quod ex latioribus digestorum libris perfectius apparebit. Erat et ex senatus-consulto Claudiano miserabilis per universitatem acquisitio, cum libera mulier, servili amore bacchata, ipsam libertatem. per senatus-consultum amittebat, et cum, libertate substantiam. Quod indignum nostris temporibus esse existimantes, et à nostrâ civitate deleri, et non inseri nostris digestis

concessimus.

There were many other kinds of universal succession before that, which we treated of in the foregoing title; as the bonorum emptio ; which was introduced with many intricacies for the sale of debtor's estates, and continued as long as the ordinary judgments were in practice; but, when the extraordinary judgments were used, the emptio bonorum and the ordinary judgments ceased together. Creditors can now possess themselves of the goods of their debtors and dispose of them, as they think proper, by the decree of a judge. These points are treated of more at large in the books of our digests. There was also, by virtue of the Claudian decree, another universal acquisition called miserabilis : for example, if a free-woman had debased herself by cohabiting with a slave, she lost her freedom by the before named decree, and, together with her freedom, her estate and substance. But, this was, in our opinion, unworthy of our reign, and ought to be expunged; hence, we have not permitted it to be inserted in the digests.

RE contrahitur obligatio, veluti mutui datione. Mutui autem datio in iis rebus consistit, quæ pondere, numero, mensurâve, constant ; veluti vino, oleo, frumento, pecunia numeratâ, ære, argento, auro, niâ quas res, aut numerando, aut metiendo, aut appendendo, in hoc damus, ut accipientium fiant. Et, quoniàm nobis non eædem res sed aliæ ejusdem naturæ et qualitatis redduntur, indè etiam mutuum appellatum est; quia ita à me tibi datur, ut ex meo tuum fiat: et ex eo contractu nascitur actio, quæ vocatur certi condictio.

An obligation may be founded on the thing itself; as by the delivery of a loan or mutuum: and this may be of any thing, having weight, number, or measure, as wine, oil, corn, coin, brass, silver, or gold; which being thus delivered, become the property of the receiver: and since the identical things lent cannot, but others of the same nature must be returned in lieu of them, this loan is therefore called a mutuum; for for in this case I so give, that what is mine may become yours: From this contract arises the action, certi condictio.

§ I. Is quoque, qui non debitum, accepit ab eo, qui per errorem solvit, re obligatur; daturque agenti contra eum propter repetitionem condictitia actio: nam perindè ei condici potest, si apparet, eum dare aportere, ac si mutuum accepisset. Undè pupillus, si ei sinè tutoris auctoritate indebitum per errorem datum est, non tenebitur indebiti condictione, non magis quan mutui datione. Sed hec species obligationis non videtur ex contractu consistere; cum is, qui solvendi

1. He also to whom another hath paid by mistake what was not due, is bound by the thing received, so that an action of condiction lies for the recovery at the suit of him, who paid or delivered it erroneously. And this action may be brought si apparet, eum dare opportere; as if the receiver had accepted it as a mutu

um.

Hence a pupil, to whom a payment hath been erroneously made without the authority of his tutor, is not subject to the condictio indebiti, any more than to the certi con

animo dať, magis voluerit negotium distrahere, quam contrahere.

dictio. And yet this species of obligation does not seem founded in contract; since he, who pays in contemplation of debt, appears more willing to dissolve, than to make a con

tract.

§ II. Item is, cui res aliqua utenda datur, id est, commodatur, re obligatur, et tenetur commodati actione. Sed is ab eo, qui mutuum accepit, longè distat: namque non ita res datur, ut ejus fiat; et ob id de eâ re ipsa restituendâ tenetur. Et is quidem, qui mutuum accepit, si quolibet fortuito casu amiserit, quod accepit, veluti incendio, ruina, naufragio, aut latronum hostiumve incursu, nihilominùs obligatus manet. At is, qui utendum accepit, sanè quidem exactam diligentiam custodiendæ rei præstare tenetur: nec sufficit ei, tantam diligentiam adhibuisse, quantam suis rebus adhibere solitus est, si modò alius diligentior poterat cam rem custodire. Sed propter majorem vim, majoresve casus, non tenetur, si modò non ipsius culpâ is casus intervenerit: alioqùi si id, quod tibi commodatum est domi, peregrè tecum ferre malueris, et vel incursu hostium prædonumve, vel naufragio, amiseris, dubium non est, quin de restituendâ eâ re tenearis. Commodata autem res tunc propriè intelligitur, si nullâ mercede acceptâ vel constitutâ, res tibi utenda data est: alioqui, mercede interveniente, locatus tibi usus rei vide

§ 2. He also, to whom the use of any particular thing is granted or commodated, is bound by the delivery of the thing, and is subject to the action commodataria. But such person widely differs from him, who hath received a mutuum: for a commodatum, or thing lent, is not delivered, to the intent that it should become the property of the receiver; and therefore he is bound to restore the identical thing received. There is also another difference; for he who hath accepted a mutuum, is not freed from his obligation, if by any accident, as the fall of an edifice, fire, shipwreck, thieves, or the incursions of an enemy, he hath lost what he received: but he, who hath received a commodatum, or a thing lent for his use only, is indeed commanded to employ his utmost diligence in keeping and preserving it; and it will not suffice, that he hath taken the same care of it, which he was accustomed to take of his own property, if it appear, that a more diligent man might have preserved it; yet, if the loss was occasioned by superior force, or some extraordinary accident, and not by any fault, he is then not obliged to make it good; but if a man chuse to travel abroad, with that

tur; gratuitum enim debet esse commodatum.

which hath been lent him at home, and should lose it by, shipwreck, or the incursion of enemies, or robbers, it is not doubted, but he is bound to make restitution, or pay an equiva lent. A thing is properly said to be lent or commodated, when one man permits another to enjoy the use of it, and receives nothing by way of hire: otherwise the thing is let, and not lent; for a commodatum, ör loan, must be gratuitous.

III. Præterea et is, apud quem res aliqua deponitur, re obligatur, teneturque actione depositi; quia et ipse de eâ re, quam accepit, restituendâ tenetur. Sed is ex eo solo tenetur, si quid dolo commiserit culpæ autem nomine, id est, desidiæ ac negligentiæ, non tenetur. Itaque securus est, qui parùm diligentèr custoditam rem furto amiserit: quia, qui negligenti amico rem custodiendam tradit, non ei, sed suæ facilitati, id imputare debet.

§3. A person intrusted with a deposit, is bound by the delivery of the thing, and is subject to an action of deposit, because he is under an obligation of making restitution of that very thing, which he received. But a depositary is only thus answerable on account of fraud; for where a fault only can be proved against him, such as negligence, he is under no obligation; and he is therefore secure, if the thing deposited be stolen from him, even although it were carelessly kept. For he, who commits his goods to the care of a negligent friend, should impute the loss, not to his friend, but to his own want of

caution.

IV. Creditor quoque, qui pignus accepit, re obligatur; quia et ipse, de eâ re, quam accepit, restituendâ, tenetur actione pigneratitiâ. Sed, quia pignus utriusque gratiâ datur, et debitoris, quo magis pecunia ei credatur, et creditoris,

§ 4. Acreditor also, who hath received a pledge, is bound by the delivery of it; for he is obliged to restore the very thing, which he hath received, by the action called pigneratitia. But, inasmuch as a pledge is given for the mutual service of both