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"Sed juris rationibus convenientius videtur, avum proavumve defuncti, a fratribus ejus germanis in successione excludi: quia imperator in dicta Novella 118. emphatice dixit, fratres et sorores cum proximis gradu ascendentibus vocari; qualis mentio proximorum gradu inutilis plane ac superflua esset, si non per gradu proximos denotarentur illi, qui in primo lineæ ascendentis gradu sunt; cum juris certi atque indubitati sit, nunquam in ascendente linea locum esse juri repræsentationis, per quod remotior subintraret in locum proximioris defuncti ; atque adeo suffecisset, si generaliter expressum esset, fratres cum ascendentibus vocari. Ne dicam hoc ipso, quo in linea ascendente repræsentatio personæ proximioris admissa non est, fieri non posse, ut avus vel proavus de functi, qui a patre vel matre defuncti certo certius excluditur, concurreret cum fratribus, qui cum patre matreque defuncti concurrunt. Quibus accedit, quod sententia, de avo defuncti cum germanis ejus fratribus concurrente, ad absurda ducit. Si enim verum est, quod in casu quo fratres et sorores cum proximis gradu ascendentibus ita concurrant, ut hæreditas inter eos secundum personarum numerum dividenda sit, ac ascendentium et fratrum singuli æqualem habeant portionem secundum d. Nov. 118. eveniret necessario, ut remotiores ascendentes ob defectum proximiorum cum fratribus defuncti concurrentes plus fratribus nocituri essent, quam proximiores; dum, positis duobus fratribus germanis defuncti, pater et mater concurrens duas tantum partes æquales auferendo efficerent, ut fratres singuli quartam hæreditatis fraternæ partem capiant; quatuor autem avi aviæque existentes, viriles totidem partes occupando, non nisi sextam singulis defuncti fratribus relicturi essent; sicuti tantum partem decimam duo fratres singuli essent habituri, si cum proavis atque proaviabus (quales octo esse possunt) deberent concurrere. Quam autem a ratione id alienum sit, ut magis aliis concursu suo noceant remotiores, quam quie jusdem lineæ proximiores sunt, nemo, ut opinor, non sponte satis agnoscit. Denique tantum concursum esse fratrum cum patre et matre, non vero cum aliis ascendentibus remotioribus, ubi pater materque deficit, aperte probant verba Novel

læ 118. dum illic diserte cautum, si cum

ascendentibus inveniuntur fratres aut sorores ex utrisque parentibus conjuncti defuncto, eos cum proximis gradu ascendentibus vocari, si aut pater aut mater fuerint: unde sequitur, eos non omni casu, nec promiscue cum omnibus ascendentibus, venire; sed si puter aut mater fucrint: ideoque mox igitur subjicitur, in hoc casu patrem nullum usum, ex filiorum aut filiarum portione, posse sibi penitus vindicare, nulla avi facta mentione; cum tamen id aro æqua interdicendum fuisset, si et avus cum defuncti nepotis fratribus succedere potuisset, dum fratres succedentes que potuissent in avi quam in patris potestate esse. Ut proinde nihil in contrarium efficiat, quod, in jure, proximus dicatur, quem nemo antecedit; cum id tum demum admitti debeat, quando nulla inde abusurditas profluit; prout in hoc casu futurum, supra monstratum est. Vid. Joannis Voet. com. ad Pandectas, tom. 2 lib. 38. t. 17 § 13.

But this question seems now to be settled in England in consequence of three determinations; the first of which was given in the Exchequer in the case of Poole v. Wilshaw on the 9th of July, 1708-the second in the case of Norbury v. Vicars, before Mr. Fortescue, master of the rolls in November 1749:

and the third was delivered on the 14th January, 1754, in the case of Evelin v. Erelin, by the lord chancellor, who decreed in favor of the brother in exclusion of the grand-father, having founded his opinion partly in deference to the former determinations; partly in consideration of the present common law computation of degrees, relative to real estates; and partly upon the benefit, which must accrue to the public by preferring a younger man to an older, the brother of a deceased person to the grand-father, propter spem accrescendi.

And it was also declared to be the opinion of the court, that, if the point in question had been res integra, and solely determinable by the Roman law, the decree would still have been the same; which declaration, from so high an authority, must have great weight in ascertaining of the Novel, and must incline civilians in general to think more favorably for the future of Voet's arguments, which were particularly quoted and much relied upon by the court.

ΚΕΦ. Γ.

δι

Περί διαδοχής των ἐκ πλαγια κατιόντων. Ει τοίνυν ὁ τελευτήσας μηδε κατιόντας μηδε άντοντας κατάλειψη, πρώτες προς την κληρονομιαν καλεμεν τας άδελφος και τας ἀδελφας τες ἐκ τε αυτε πατρος και τῆς αὐτῆς μήτρος τεχθέντας, ως και μετα των πατέρων προς την κληρονομίαν έκαΣεσαμεν. Τέτων δε μη ίποντων, ἐν δευτερα τάξει εκείνες τες αδελφες προς την κληρονυμίαν καλομεν, οἱ τινες ἐξένος γονέως συ νάπτονται τα τελευτήσαντι, είτε δια το πατρος μους, είτε δια της μητρος. Et de τα τελευτησαντι ἀδελφοι υπείησαν, και στερν ἀδελφε ἡ ἀδελφης προτελευτησαντων παιδες, κληθήσονται προς την πληρονομίαν έτσι μετα των προς πατρος και προς μητρος θείων ἀρρεηων τε και θηλείων και, όσοι δή ποτη ἂν ὦσι, τοσέτον ἐκ της κληρονομίας λήψονται μέρος, όσον ὁ αὐτων γονεύς ήμελλε λαμβάνειν, εἰ ἐπέζησεν. Οθεν ἀκολεθον ἐςιν, ἵνα, εἰ τυχον ὁ προτελευτησας ἀδελφος, ε' οἱ παιδες περίεισι, δὲ ἑκατέρω γόνεως τῷ νυν τελευτήσαντι προσώπω συνηπτετο,όι δε περιόντες ἀδελφοι δια το πατρος μους τυχον, ή της μήτρος, αὐτῷ συνήπτοντο, προτιμήθωσιν οἱ τετε παίδες των ἔδιων θείων, εἰ και τριτε εἰσι βαθμό, είτε προς πατρος είτε προς μητρος είησαν οἱ Θείοι, και είτε άρρενες είτε θηλείαι, ώσπερ ὁ αὐτων γονεύς προετιματο, εἰ περιην. Και ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων, εἰ ὁ μεν περίων ἀδελφος ἐξ ἑκατέρα γονείς συνάπτεται το τελευτήσαντι, ὁ δε προτελευτήσας δὲ ἑνος γονέως συνή πτετο, της τότε παίδας εκ της κληρονομίας αποκλείομεν, ώς περ καὶ αὐτος εἰ περίην, ἐξεκλείετο. Το δε τοιστον προνόμιον ἐν ταυτη τη τάξει της συγγενειασ μόνοις παρεχομεν τοις των αδελφων, ἀρρενων ή θηλειών, υἱοις ή θυγατράσιν, ἵνα εἰς τα των ίδιων γονέων δικαια έπεισελθωσιν· ε δενι δε άλλο παντελως προσωπῳ, ἐκ ταύτης της τάξεως ερχομενα, τότο το δικαιον συγχωρεμεν Αλλα και αύτοις τοις των αδελφων παισι τότε ταύτην την

CAP. III:

De successione ex latere venientium.

Si igitur defunctus neque descenden tes neque ascendentes reliquerit, primos ad hæreditatem vocamus fratres et sorores ex eodem patre et ex eadem matre natos, quos etiam cum patribus ad hæreditatem vocavimus. His autem non existentibus, in secundo ordine illos fratres ad hæreditatem vocamus, qui ex uno parente conjuncti sunt defuncto, sive per patrem solum, sive per matrem. Si autem defuncto fratres fuerint, et alterius fratris aut sororis præmortuorum filii, vocabuntur ad hæreditatem isti cum de patre et matre thiis, masculis et feminis : et, quanticunque fuerint, tantam ex hæreditate percipient portionem, quantam eorum parens futurus esset accipere, si superstes esset. Unde consequens est, ut, si forte præmortuus frater, cujus filii vivunt, per utrumque parentem nunc defunctæ persona jungebatur superstites autem fratres per patrem solum forsan aut matrem ei jungebantur, præponantur istius filii propriis this, licet in tertio sint gradu, (sive a pater sive a matre sint thii, et sive masculi sive faminæ,) sicut eorum parens pra poneretur, si viveret. Et ex diverso, siquidem superstes frater ex utroque parente conjungitur defuncto, præmortuus autem per unum parentem jungebatur, hujus filios ab haereditate excludimus, sicut ipse, si viveret, ab hæreditate excludebatur. Hujusmodi vero privilegium in hoc ordine cognationis solis præbemus fratrum masculorum et feminarum filiis aut fliabus, ut in suorum parentum jura succedant; nulli enim alii omnino personæ, ex hoc ordine venienti, hoc jus largimur. Sed et ipsis fratrum filiis tunc hoc beneficium conferimus, quando cum propriis judicantur thiis, masculis et feminis, sive paterni

εὐεργεσίαν παρεχομεν, ότε μετά των ίδιων κρίνονται θείων, ἀρρενων τε και θηλείων, είτε προς πατρος είτε προς μητρος είεν. Ει δε μετα των αδελφων τα τελευτησαντος και άντοντες, ὡς ήδη προειπομεν, προς την κληρονομίαν καλώνται, ε'δενι τρόπω προς τὴν ἐξ ἀδιάθετε διαδοχήν τες τε ἀδελφε ή της άδελφης παιδας καλείσθαι συγχωρεμεν. ε' δε εἰ ἐξ ἑκατέρα γονεως ὁ αὐτων πατηρ ή μητης συνήπτετο τω τελευτήσαντι. Οποτε τοινυν τοις τα άδελφε και της αδελφης παισι τοιέτο προνόμιον δεδώκαμεν, ίνα τον των γονεων ὑπεισιόντες τόπον, μόνοι τριτε ὄντες βαθμο, μετα των ἐκ δεύτερο βαθμο προς την κληρονομίαν καλώνται· ἐκεῖνο προδήλον ἐςιν, ότι των θείων τα τελευτήσαντος ἀρρενων τε και θηλείων, είτε προς πατρος είτε προς μητρος είησαν, προτιμώνται, εἰ και ἐκεῖνοι τριτον όμοιως συγγένειας βαθμον ἔχοιεν.

Εἰ δε μήτε ἀδελφος, μήτε παίδας αδελφων, ὡς εἰρηκαμεν, ὁ τελευτήσας καταλειψει, πάντας τὰς ἐφεξῆς ἐκ πλαγια συγγενεις προς την κληρονομίαν καλεμεν, κατα την ένος έκαςο βαθμό προτιμησιν, ἵνα οἱ ἐγγυτεροι τῷ βαθμω αύτοι των λοιπων προτιμώνται· εἰ δε πολλοι τε αυτο βαθμό ευρεθώσι, κατα τον των προσωπων ἀριθμον μεταξυ αυτων ἡ κληρονομια διαιρεθήσεται· όπερ in capita οἱ ἡμετεροι λέγεσι νόμοι.

sive materni sint. Si autem cum fratribus defuncti etiam ascendentes, (sicut jam diximus) ad hæreditatem vocantur, nullo modo ad successionem ab intestato fratris aut sororis filios vocari permittimus; neque si ex utroque parente eorum pater aut mater defuncto jungebatur. Quandoquidem igitur fratris et sororis fliis tale privilegium dedimus, ut, in propriorum parentum succedentes locum, soli in tertio constituti gradu, cum iis, qui in secundo gradu sunt, ad hæreditatem vocentur; illud palam est, quia thiis defuncti masculis et feminis, sive a patre sive a matre, præponuntur, si etiam illi tertium cognationis similiter obtineant gradum. Si vero neque fratres, neque filios fratrum, sicut diximus, defunctus reliquerit, omnes deinceps a latere cognatos ad hæreditatem vocamus, secundum uniuscujusque gradus prærogativam, ut viciniores gradu ipse reliquis præponantur. Si autem plurimi ejusdem gradus inveniantur, secundum personarum numerum inter eos hæreditas dividatur; quod in capita nostræ le ges appellant.

CHAPTER III.

OF THE SUCCESSION OF COLLATERALS.

If a man leaves neither descendants nor ascendants at the time of his death, we first call his brothers and sisters of the whole blood, whom we have also called to inherit with the fathers of deceased persons.

But, when there are no brothers of the whole blood with the deceased, we call those, who are either by the same father only, or by the same mother. And, if the deceased leaves brothers and also nephews by a deceased brother or sister, these nephews shall be called to succeed with their uncles and aunts of the whole blood to the deceased; but, however numerous these nephews are, they shall be entitled only to that share, which their parent would have taken, if alive. From whence it follows, that, if a man dies and is survived by the children of a deceased brother of the whole blood, and also by brothers of the half blood, then his nephews, [that is, the children of his brother, by the whole blood,] are to be preferred to their uncles and aunts; for, although such nephews are themselves in the third degree, yet they are preferred, as their parent would have been, if living. And, on the contrary, if a man dies, and is survived by a brother of the whole blood, and by children of a brother

of the half blood deceased, these nephews are excluded, as their father would have been, if he had lived. But among collaterals we allow the privilege of representation to the sons and daughters of brothers and sisters, and no farther; and we grant it only to brothers and sisters' children, when they concur with their uncles or aunts, paternal or maternal: for, when ascendants are called to inherit, we by no means permit the children of a deceased brother or sister to share in the succession; although the father or mother was of the whole blood with the deceased brother. But we have so far allowed the right of representation to brothers and sisters' children, that, being only in the third degree, they are called to inherit with those, who are in the second; and this is evident, because brothers and sisters' children are preferred to the uncles and aunts of the deceased, paternal as well as maternal; although they are all in the third degree of cognation.

But, if a deceased person leaves neither brothers nor brothers' children, we then call all the other collaterals according to the prerogative of their respective degrees, preferring the nearer to the more remote; and, if many are found in the same degree, the inheritance must be divided according to the number of persons; and our laws distinguish this manner of dividing an inheritance by calling it a division in capita.

HOWTOUS TOOS Tyv zingovoular. Primos ad hæreditatem vocamus.] We must

here observe in relation to the distinc

tion between the whole blood and the half blood, that in England the rules of law are different, according to the nature of the estate, which is to be taken; for, in case of lands the whole blood is always preferred, and the half blood is no blood inheritable by descent. 1 Co. inst. 14. a. But, in respect to personal estate, the law has not always been fixed and certain; inasmuch as the statute of the 23d of Car, II. [for the better settlement of the estates of intestates] takes no notice of this distinction between the whole blood and the half blood, but directs, that distribution shall be made among all those, who are in equal degree of kindred to the intestate. But, it being certain, that brothers and sisters of the half blood are in the same degree with brothers and sisters of the whole blood, it hath been the general opinion, that brothers and sisters of the half blood were entitled, by virtue of the statute,

to an equal share of the intestate's estate, with the brothers and sisters of the whole blood, although there are several precedents of judgments given, since the statute, allowing the half blood to have but an half share. But the law in this respect has been fully settled ever since the decree of the house of lords in the case of Watts and others versus Crooke, upon an appeal from a decree in chancery, which had been given in favor of the half blood, and was affirmed by the house. Vid. Showers's Cases in Par. 108. and Strahan's Domat. 683. 2 Mod. 204. Harris.

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THIS amounts to an imperial constitution, giving a Sanction, to this compilation by Tribonian and his associates.

In nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi. This is elsewhere used, as in the second and third confirmations of the digests, in the confirmation of the code and of several of the novels. In nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi, ad omnia consilia omnesque actus semper progredimur. Cod. 1. 27. 2. pr. Hence the usual solemn form of beginning last wills and testaments, IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. That the ancient Romans, seldom entered on a business of importance sine consilio deorum et ope invocata, I am aware; but I suspect this practice, was rather of Christian origin: 3 Coloss. 17. "Whatever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, and the father by him." See Dr. Taylor's observations on the proemium of the Institutes, Elem. Civ. Law. qto. 28. This form of testamentary introduction, cannot be necessary, unless under some precise and positive institution; of which I know none in the English or American law. I refer to Taylor, (loc. cit.) for a full dissertation on the titles assumed by the emperor, of which the following is a concise account.

Emperor. Imperator. Originally conferred on victorious generals, but first assumed as an imperial title by Augustus Cæsar.

*Cæsar. A name that belonged to the family of Julius Cæsar as a *402 Cognomen; and adopted by the emperors from Augustus to Nero. It was then given to the next in succession (destinati imperio) who were denominated nobilissimi Casares: it was reassumed by the emperors, on the removal of the government from Rome to Byzantium.

Flavius. Borrowed from the Vespasian family, and retained by many of the

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