Gai. ii. §§ 89-90: Non solum autem proprietas per eos quos in potestate habemus adquiritur nobis, sed etiam possessio; cuius enim rei possessionem adepti fuerint, id nos possidere videmur: unde etiam per eos usucapio procedit. § Per eas vero personas quas in manu mancipiove habemus, ... an possessio adquiratur, quaeri solet, quia ipsas non possidemus.'

a a

BOOK III.

Pt. 1. Ch. I.

Possession is only possible in corporeal things, single or compound, not in so-called 'universitates' of things. § 73Paul. Possideri autem possunt, quae sunt corporalia ;-nec possideri intelligitur ius incorporale. -1. 3, pr., D. h. t., and l. 4, § 27, D. usurp. 41, 3.2

Iavol. Qui aedes mercatus est, non puto aliud, quam ipsas aedes possidere. Nam si singulas res possidere intelligetur, ipsas aedes non possidebit separatis enim corporibus, ex quibus aedes constant, universitas aedium intelligi non poterit.-1. 23 pr. eod.3

Pomp. non tamen universi gregis ulla est usucapio, sed singulorum animalium sicuti possessio, ita et usucapio.-1. 30, § 2 eod."

Now it is not only ownership which is acquired for us by those we have under power, but also possession; for we are considered to possess that of which they have acquired possession; wherefore usucapio enures through them also. But it is a question whether possession is acquired through such persons as we hold in manu or in mancipio, because they themselves are not possessed by us.

2 All can be possessed that is corporeal ;-not even is the possession of an incorporeal right supposed.

He that has bought a house in my opinion possesses nothing but the house itself. For if one would suppose he possesses the single things, he will not possess the house itself; for if the single things of which the house is composed be separated from one another, the idea of the universality of the house will not be possible.

4 There is, however, no usucapion to the whole herd, but just as the single animals are possessed, so also are they acquired by usucapion.

But the notion of Juristic possession is transferred analogically to those real rights in which also, as with Ownership, a mere de facto exercise of their subjectmatter is possible, and appears to need protection, as in particular with servitudes: iuris quasi possessio.'" Iavol. Ego puto usum eius iuris pro traditione possessionis accipiendum esse; ideoque et interdicta veluti possessoria constituta sunt.-D. 8, I, 20.61

The Roman Law distinguishes the following kinds of Possession.

1

(1) Naturalis (corporalis) possessio,' or DETENTION, that is, the bare actual control over a thing. without animus possidendi' (tenere, in possessione esse), which affords no claim to protection by Law.

Ulp. Aliud est possidere longe aliud in possessione esse; denique rei servandae causa, legatorum, damni infecti non possident, sed sunt in possessione custodiae causa.-l. 10, § 1, D. h. t.2

Id. Fructuarius et colonus et inquilinus sunt in praedio et tamen non possident.-D. 43, 26, 6, 2.3

Id. Naturaliter videtur possidere is qui usumfructum habet.-1. 12 pr., D. h. t.*

(2) JURISTIC OF Interdict-possession, that is, possession with animus possidendi' (possessio in the narrower sense), by Law protected through Interdicts. The prerequisite of protection by Interdicts (with

I am of opinion that the exercise of that right is to be taken as the delivery of possession: on which account also interdicts, as those that are possessory, have been established.

2 It is one thing to possess, quite another thing to be in possession; thus people do not possess in order to preserve a thing, or on account of legacies, or because of injury apprehended, but are in possession for caretaking.

3 The usufructuary, the tenant-farmer and the lodger are on the estate, and yet do not possess.

He that has the usufruct is regarded as having natural possession.

the exception of the interdictum unde vi) against the disturber of the possession is, that the possessor have acquired the possession of the thing from the adverse party neither with violence, nor clandestinely, nor by entreaty (vitiosa possessio)."

Paul. Si inter virum et uxorem donatio facta sit, cessat usucapio. . . . Possidere autem uxorem rem a viro donatam Iulianus putat. (D. 41, 6, 1, 2);-licet illa iure civili possidere non intelligatur (24, 1, 26 pr.).'1

Id. Si vir uxori cedat possessione, plerique putant possidere eam : quoniam res facti infirmari iure civili non potest.-1. 1, § 4, h. t.2

Ulp. Deiicitur is qui possidet, sive civiliter sive naturaliter possideat, nam et naturalis possessio ad hoc interdictum pertinet.-Denique et si maritus uxori donavit, eaque deiecta sit, poterit interdicto uti: non tamen si colonus.-D. 43, 16, 1, §§ 9-10.3

BOOK III. Pt. I. Ch. I.

a Supra.

detis.'

Id. Perpetuo autem hinc interdicto insunt Se. 'uti possihaec quod nec vi nec clam nec precario ab illo possides.-D. 43, 17, 1, 5.*

с

:

A special kind of Juristic possession is that 'bona fide' and rightful possession (resting upon a 'iusta

1 If a gift have been made between husband and wife, usucapion is suspended. . . . Julian is of opinion that the wife possesses the thing given her by the husband;-although by the civil Law she is supposed not to possess.

2 If the husband give up possession to the wife, most are of opinion that she possesses; because a matter of fact cannot be impeached by the civil Law.

3 The possessor is ejected whether his possession be by civil Law or be natural, for this interdict has to do with natural possession also. The wife besides will be able to make use of this interdict whose husband has made her a present, and who has been ejected; but not the tenant-farmer.

Now inherent in this interdict are the following points: that your possession is neither by force, nor clandestine, nor upon sufferance by him (i.e., the opponent).

c Sc. adver

sario.

BOOK III.

Pt. I. Ch. I.

a § 80.

causa ') which affords the possibility of usucapion,a and is exhibited as 'incipient ownership'-Usucapion Possession. This is civilis possessio' in a special sense; in other words, Possession in the legal sense, or that which rests upon a recognised ground of Law,

The origin of the theory of Juristic possession is indeed to be sought in the distribution of the partyfunctions in proceedings taken by vindicatio' (Pro§ 91 (D. 6. 1, prietary Action).b

24); Gai. iv. 16.

Gai. iv. § 148: Retinendae possessionis causa solet interdictum reddi, cum ab utraque parte de proprietate alicuius rei controversia est et ante quaeritur, uter ex ligatoribus possidere et uter petere debeat.1

Iust. iv. 15, 4: Namque nisi ante exploratum fuerit, utrius eorum possessio sit, non potest petitoria actio institui, quia et civilis et naturalis ratio facit, ut alius possideat alius a possidente petat. Et quia longe commodius est possidere potius quam petere, ideo plerumque et fere semper ingens existit contentio de ipsa possessione. Commodum autem possidendi in eo est, quod, etiamsi eius res non sit qui possidet, si modo actor non potuerit suam esse probare, remanet suo loco propter quam causam, cum obscura sint utriusque iura, contra petitorem iudicari solet.2

1 The interdict for retaining possession is commonly granted when there is a dispute between two parties upon the ownership of a thing, and there is a preliminary question which of the litigants ought to be looked upon as in possession, and which should be plaintiff.

2 For unless it have been previously ascertained to which of them the possession belongs, a proprietary action cannot be brought, because grounds as well of civil as of natural Law require that one must possess, the other must make his claim against the possessor. And in that it is much more convenient to possess than to make a claim, there arises for the most part, and nearly always, a great contest for the possession itself. The advantage of possession consists in this, that even if the

ACQUISITION AND LOSS OF OWNERSHIP.«

§ 77. OUTLINE.

The several grounds of acquisition admit of being variously classified.

BOOK III. Pt. 1. Ch. I.

a Cf, Markby, ch. xii. ;

Holland,

pp. 156, sqq.

(a) Adquisitiones rerum singularum' and 'per universitatem; the principal case of which is § 17. succession by inheritance. In the following account we have to do only with those first mentioned. (B) 'Original' and 'derivative' grounds of acquisition.c

(y) Adquisitiones civiles' and 'naturales,' i.e., grounds of acquisition according to ius civile and according to ius gentium.

(8) Such species of acquisition as are necessary, that is, conditioned by already existing ownership in a thing, and ensuing without the knowledge and will of the acquirer (e.g., acquisition of fruits); and such as are voluntary, i.e., resting upon one-sided will or contract (e.g., Usucapion, Tradition).

Gai. ii. §§ 97-8: Videamus . . ., quibus modis per universitatem res nobis adquirantur.— Si cui heredes facti sumus, sive cuius bonorum possessionem petierimus, sive cuius bona emerimus, sive quem adoptaverimus, sive quam in manum ut uxorem receperimus, eius res ad nos transeunt.1

We meet in the Roman jurists with catalogues of the species of acquisition.

thing do not belong to the possessor, yet if the plaintiff cannot prove that it belongs to him, the possession remains unchanged; therefore also if the rights of both parties are uncertain, judg ment commonly goes against the plaintiff.

If we

1 Let us see how things are acquired by us in a mass. have become any one's heirs, or have applied for possession of some one's estate, or have bought a bankrupt's estate, or have adopted any one, or have received some woman into manus as our wife, such person's fortunes" pass to us.

e Ibid.

d The liabilities as well as the assets.