THE INSTITUTES OF JUSTINIAN.

INTRODUCTION-CONFIRMAtion of the institutes.

Of the Use of Arms and of Laws. 1. Of the Wars and Laws of Justinian. 2. Of the Compilation of the Code, and the Pandects. 3. Of the Time, the Authors, the Object and Utility of these Institutes. 4. Division of the Institutes. 5. What they contain. 6. Books from which they were compiled-Confirmation of them. 7. Exhortation to the study of Jurisprudence.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.-The Emperor CESAR FLAVIUS JUSTINIAN, Alemanicus, Gothicus, Francicus, Germanicus, Anticus, Alanicus, Vandalicus, Africanus,-Pious, Happy and Glorious, Triumphant Conqueror, always August

To the Youth desirous of the Knowledge of the Laws-Sends Health.

The imperial majesty should not only be illustrated by arms, but armed also with the authority of laws; so that in war, as well as in peace, the empire may be rightly governed. A Roman sovereign should not only be victorious in battles, but should use every lawful means to expel iniquities from the state, and become as renowned for a most religious observance of justice, as for splendid triumphs over his vanquished foes.

§ 1. By the utmost labour, vigilance and foresight, and with the favour of God, we have happily pursued this double path: the Barbaric nations, subjected to our yoke, acknowledge our warlike atchievements; Africa, with innumerable other provinces, reunited after so long an interval to the Roman domain and our empire, bear testimony of our heaven-bestowed victories: and now the whole world is ruled by the laws made and promulgated, as well as those collected and digested by our authority.

§ 2. When we had arranged the imperial constitutions, which before were confused and contradictory, in a lucid and harmonious order, we then extended our care to the immense

INSTITUTIONES D. JUSTINIANI.

PROŒEMIUM DE CONFIRMATIONE INSTITUTIONUM.

De Usu Armorum et Legum. 1. De Bellis et Legibus Justiniani. 2. De Compositione Codicis et Pandectarum. 3. De Tempore, Auctoritatibus, Fine et Utilitate Compositionis Institutionum. 4. Diviso Institutionum. 5. Quid in Institutionibus contineatur. 6. Ex quibus Libris compositae sunt Institutiones, atque earum recognitio, et confirmatio. 7. Adhortatio ad studium Juris.

In nomine Domini nostri Jesu Christi.-Imperator, CESAR FLAVIUS JUSTINIANUS, Alemanicus, Gothicus, Francicus, Germanicus, Anticus, Alanicus, Vandalicus, Africanus, Pius, Felix, Inclytus, Victor ac Triumphator, semper Augustus

Cupida Legum Juventuti S.

Imperatoriam majestatem non solum armis decoratam, sed etiam legibus oportet esse armatam; ut utrumque tempus et bellorum et pacis recte 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.

§ 1. Quorum utramque viam cum summis vigiliis, summaque providentia, 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, iterum ditioni Romanæ, nostroque additæ imperio, protestantur. Omnes vero populi legibus tam a nobis promulgatis, quam compositis, reguntur.

§ 2. Et cum sacratissimas constitutiones, antea confusas, in luculentam ereximus consonantiam, tunc nostram extendimus curam ad immensa veteris prudentiæ volumina; et opus des

volumes of the ancient jurisprudence; and wading, as it were, through that ocean, by the favour of heaven we completed the digest, a work the execution of which had been despaired of.

§ 3. As soon as this, through the blessing of God, was accomplished, we convoked the eminent Tribonian, a man of consular dignity, master of the offices, and formerly quæstor of our sacred palace, together with Theophilus and Dorotheus (personages illustrious for their universal talents, their knowledge of jurisprudence, and their well-tried fidelity in our service), and particularly commanded them to compose these institutes, conformably to our instructions; so that you might be enabled to learn the first principles of the law, not from obscure ancient fables, but by the splendour of imperial authority; that your minds should not be burdened with any thing useless or obsolete, but instructed in those laws only which are recognized and observed; and that, although four years were formerly scarce sufficient to prepare the student for reading the imperial constitutions, you might enter upon the study of them at once: and you are deemed worthy of this high honour and felicity, that both the beginning and the end of your legal learning will be communicated to you by the voice of your prince.

§ 4. After we had, with the assistance of the same exalted Tribonian, and other illustrious and most eloquent men, completed the fifty books of the Digests or Pandects (in which the whole ancient law was comprised), we ordered that the institutes should be divided into four books, which may serve as the first principles of jurisprudence.

§ 5. In these are briefly expounded the laws which were formerly in force, and those also which, having fallen into ob scurity through desuetude, have been restored to light by our imperial providence.

§ 6. Which books,-compiled from all the Institutes of the ancient jurisconsults, but principally from the commentaries, institutes and collections of our beloved Caius,-having been presented to us by the three above-mentioned wise and enlightened jurists, we read and examined them attentively; and

peratum, quasi per medium profundum euntes, cœlesti favore jam adimplevimus.

§ 3. 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 nostra 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 constitutiones imperitorias legerent, hoc vos a primordio ingrediamini, digni tanto honore, tantaque reperti felicitate, ut et initium vobis, et finis legum eruditionis, a voce principali procedat.

§ 4. Igitur post libros quinquaginta Digestorum, seu Pandectarum (in quibus omne jus antiquum collectum est, quod per eundem virum excelsum Tribonianum, nec non cæteros viros illustres et facundissimos, confecimus), in quatuor libros easdem Institutiones partiri jussimus, ut sint totius legitimæ scientiæ prima elementa.

§ 5. In quibus breviter expositum est, et quod antea obtinebat, et quod postea, desuetudine inumbratum, imperiali remedio illuminatum est.

§ 6. Quas, ex omnibus antiquorum Institutionibus, et præcipue 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 plenissimum nostrarum constitutionum robur eis accommodavimus.

§ 7. Summa 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.

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

we have now given to them the fullest force and validity of our constitutions.

§ 7. Receive then these our laws, and study them with the utmost care and alacrity; and so distinguish yourselves by the knowledge of them, that when your legal studies are completed, you may cherish the fair hope of being entrusted with a share in the government of our empire.

Given at Constantinople, on the eleventh day before the calends of December (21st November, A. D. 533), by the Emperor Justinian, always August, in his third consulate.

TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS.

The Editor of this Journal expects to procure a number of very valuable MSS. from some of the most eminent members of the bar in the state of Virginia.

From Mr. DAY, of Connecticut, whose reputation as a reporter and an annotator is well established, he has received several communications, which arrived too late for this volume.

By the politeness of the family of the late JAMES A. BAYARD, Esq. he is favoured with the perusal of the law papers of that distinguished advocate and statesman, from which a variety of decisions in the courts of Delaware may be collected, which will prove particularly interesting to practitioners in that state.

The Editor returns his thanks to one of the members of the same bar, for his communication respecting certain judgments pronounced on circumstantial evidence, which he will endea vour to lay before the readers of this Journal, at no distant period.

These are among the materials of which our seventh volume will be composed. The latter part of the sixth volume will contain an important decision in the state of Virginia.