[Footnote*:Amongtheworkswhichhavebeenrecovered,bytheperseveringandsuccessfulendeavorsofM。MaiandhisfollowerstotracetheimperfectlyerasedcharactersoftheancientwritersonthesePalimpsests,GibbonatthisperiodofhislaborswouldhavehailedwithdelighttherecoveryoftheInstitutesofGaius,andthefragmentsoftheTheodosianCode,publishedbyMKeyronofTurin。—M。]
  [Footnote84:Thisexecrablepracticeprevailedfromtheviiith,andmoreespeciallyfromthexiith,century,whenitbecamealmostuniversalMontfaucon,intheMemoiresdel'Academie,tom。
  vi。p。606,&c。BibliothequeRaisonneedelaDiplomatique,tom。
  i。p。176。]
  [Footnote85:PomponiusPandect。l。i。tit。ii。leg。2
  observes,thatofthethreefoundersofthecivillaw,Mucius,Brutus,andManilius,extantvolumina,scriptaManiliimonumenta;
  thatofsomeoldrepublicanlawyers,haecversantureorumscriptaintermanushominum。EightoftheAugustansageswerereducedtoacompendium:ofCascellius,scriptanonextantsedunusliber,&c。;ofTrebatius,minusfrequentatur;ofTubero,libriparumgratisunt。ManyquotationsinthePandectsarederivedfrombookswhichTribonianneversaw;andinthelongperiodfromtheviithtothexiiithcenturyofRome,theapparentreadingofthemodernssuccessivelydependsontheknowledgeandveracityoftheirpredecessors。]
  [Footnote86:All,inseveralinstances,repeattheerrorsofthescribeandthetranspositionsofsomeleavesintheFlorentinePandects。Thisfact,ifitbetrue,isdecisive。YetthePandectsarequotedbyIvoofChartres,whodiedin1117,byTheobald,archbishopofCanterbury,andbyVacarius,ourfirstprofessor,intheyear1140,SeldenadFletam,c。7,tom。ii。p。
  1080—1085。HaveourBritishMss。ofthePandectsbeencollated?]
  [Footnote87:SeethedescriptionofthisoriginalinBrenckman,Hist。Pandect。Florent。l。i。c。2,3,p。4—17,andl。ii。
  Politian,anenthusiast,revereditastheauthenticstandardofJustinianhimself,p。407,408;butthisparadoxisrefutedbytheabbreviationsoftheFlorentineMs。l。ii。c。3,p。117—
  130。Itiscomposedoftwoquartovolumes,withlargemargins,onathinparchment,andtheLatincharactersbetraythebandofaGreekscribe。]
  [Footnote88:Brenckman,attheendofhishistory,hasinsertedtwodissertationsontherepublicofAmalphi,andthePisanwarintheyear1135,&c。]
  [Footnote89:ThediscoveryofthePandectsatAmalphiA。D
  1137isfirstnoticedin1501byLudovicusBologninus,Brenckman,l。i。c。11,p。73,74,l。iv。c。2,p。417—425,
  onthefaithofaPisanchronicle,p。409,410,withoutanameoradate。Thewholestory,thoughunknowntothexiithcentury,embellishedbyignorantages,andsuspectedbyrigidcriticism,isnot,however,destituteofmuchinternalprobability,l。i。
  c。4—8,p。17—50。TheLiberPandectarumofPisawasundoubtedlyconsultedinthexivthcenturybythegreatBartolus,p。406,407。Seel。i。c。9,p。50—62。
  Note:Savignyvol。iii。p。83,89examinesandrejectsthewholestory。SeelikewiseHallamvol。iii。p。514。—M。]
  [Footnote90:PisawastakenbytheFlorentinesintheyear1406;
  andin1411thePandectsweretransportedtothecapital。Theseeventsareauthenticandfamous。]
  [Footnote91:Theywerenewboundinpurple,depositedinarichcasket,andshowntocurioustravellersbythemonksandmagistratesbareheaded,andwithlightedtapers,Brenckman,l。
  i。c。10,11,12,p。62—93。]
  [Footnote92:AfterthecollationsofPolitian,Bologninus,andAntoninusAugustinus,andthesplendideditionofthePandectsbyTaurellus,in1551,HenryBrenckman,aDutchman,undertookapilgrimagetoFlorence,whereheemployedseveralyearsinthestudyofasinglemanuscript。HisHistoriaPandectarumFlorentinorum,Utrecht,1722,in4to。,thoughamonumentofindustry,isasmallportionofhisoriginaldesign。]
  Itisthefirstcareofareformertopreventanyfuturereformation。TomaintainthetextofthePandects,theInstitutes,andtheCode,theuseofciphersandabbreviationswasrigorouslyproscribed;andasJustinianrecollected,thattheperpetualedicthadbeenburiedundertheweightofcommentators,hedenouncedthepunishmentofforgeryagainsttherashcivilianswhoshouldpresumetointerpretorpervertthewilloftheirsovereign。ThescholarsofAccursius,ofBartolus,ofCujacius,shouldblushfortheiraccumulatedguilt,unlesstheydaretodisputehisrightofbindingtheauthorityofhissuccessors,andthenativefreedomofthemind。Buttheemperorwasunabletofixhisowninconstancy;and,whileheboastedofrenewingtheexchangeofDiomede,oftransmutingbrassintogold,^93
  discoveredthenecessityofpurifyinghisgoldfromthemixtureofbaseralloy。SixyearshadnotelapsedfromthepublicationoftheCode,beforehecondemnedtheimperfectattempt,byanewandmoreaccurateeditionofthesamework;whichheenrichedwithtwohundredofhisownlaws,andfiftydecisionsofthedarkestandmostintricatepointsofjurisprudence。Everyyear,or,accordingtoProcopius,eachday,ofhislongreign,wasmarkedbysomelegalinnovation。Manyofhisactswererescindedbyhimself;manywererejectedbyhissuccessors;manyhavebeenobliteratedbytime;butthenumberofsixteenEdicts,andonehundredandsixty—eightNovels,^94hasbeenadmittedintotheauthenticbodyoftheciviljurisprudence。Intheopinionofaphilosophersuperiortotheprejudicesofhisprofession,theseincessant,and,forthemostpart,triflingalterations,canbeonlyexplainedbythevenalspiritofaprince,whosoldwithoutshamehisjudgmentsandhislaws。^95Thechargeofthesecrethistorianisindeedexplicitandvehement;butthesoleinstance,whichheproduces,maybeascribedtothedevotionaswellastotheavariceofJustinian。AwealthybigothadbequeathedhisinheritancetothechurchofEmesa;anditsvaluewasenhancedbythedexterityofanartist,whosubscribedconfessionsofdebtandpromisesofpaymentwiththenamesoftherichestSyrians。
  Theypleadedtheestablishedprescriptionofthirtyorfortyyears;buttheirdefencewasoverruledbyaretrospectiveedict,whichextendedtheclaimsofthechurchtothetermofacentury;
  anedictsopregnantwithinjusticeanddisorder,that,afterservingthisoccasionalpurpose,itwasprudentlyabolishedinthesamereign。^96Ifcandorwillacquittheemperorhimself,andtransferthecorruptiontohiswifeandfavorites,thesuspicionofsofoulavicemuststilldegradethemajestyofhislaws;andtheadvocatesofJustinianmayacknowledge,thatsuchlevity,whatsoeverbethemotive,isunworthyofalegislatorandaman。
  [Footnote93:ApudHomerumpatremomnisvirtutis,1stPraefat。
  adPandect。AlineofMiltonorTassowouldsurpriseusinanactofparliament。Quaeomniaobtineresancimusinomneaevum。
  OfthefirstCode,hesays,2dPraefat。,inaeternumvaliturum。
  Manandforever!]
  [Footnote94:Novellaeisaclassicadjective,butabarbaroussubstantive,Ludewig,p。245。Justiniannevercollectedthemhimself;theninecollations,thelegalstandardofmoderntribunals,consistofninety—eightNovels;butthenumberwasincreasedbythediligenceofJulian,Haloander,andContius,Ludewig,p。249,258Aleman。NotinAnecdot。p。98。]
  [Footnote95:Montesquieu,ConsiderationssurlaGrandeuretlaDecadencedesRomains,c。20,tom。iii。p。501,in4to。OnthisoccasionhethrowsasidethegownandcapofaPresidentaMortier。]
  [Footnote96:Procopius,Anecdot。c。28。AsimilarprivilegewasgrantedtothechurchofRome,Novel。ix。Forthegeneralrepealofthesemischievousindulgences,seeNovel。cxi。andEdict。v。]
  Monarchsseldomcondescendtobecomethepreceptorsoftheirsubjects;andsomepraiseisduetoJustinian,bywhosecommandanamplesystemwasreducedtoashortandelementarytreatise。
  AmongthevariousinstitutesoftheRomanlaw,^97thoseofCaius^98werethemostpopularintheEastandWest;andtheirusemaybeconsideredasanevidenceoftheirmerit。TheywereselectedbytheImperialdelegates,Tribonian,Theophilus,andDorotheus;
  andthefreedomandpurityoftheAntonineswasincrustedwiththecoarsermaterialsofadegenerateage。ThesamevolumewhichintroducedtheyouthofRome,Constantinople,andBerytus,tothegradualstudyoftheCodeandPandects,isstillprecioustothehistorian,thephilosopher,andthemagistrate。TheInstitutesofJustinianaredividedintofourbooks:theyproceed,withnocontemptiblemethod,from,I。Persons,to,II。Things,andfromthings,to,III。Actions;andthearticleIV。,ofPrivateWrongs,isterminatedbytheprinciplesofCriminalLaw。
  [Footnote97:Lactantius,inhisInstitutesofChristianity,anelegantandspeciouswork,proposestoimitatethetitleandmethodofthecivilians。QuidamprudentesetarbitriaequitatisInstitutionesCivilisJuriscompositasediderunt,Institut。
  Divin。l。i。c。1。SuchasUlpian,Paul,Florentinus,Marcian。]
  [Footnote98:TheemperorJustiniancallshimsuum,thoughhediedbeforetheendofthesecondcentury。HisInstitutesarequotedbyServius,Boethius,Priscian,&c。;andtheEpitomebyArrianisstillextant。SeetheProlegomenaandnotestotheeditionofSchulting,intheJurisprudentiaAnte—Justinianea,Lugd。Bat。1717。Heineccius,Hist。JRNo。313。Ludewig,inVit。Just。p。199。]
  [Footnote*:Gibbon,dividingtheInstitutesintofourparts,considerstheappendixofthecriminallawinthelasttitleasafourthpart。—W。]
  ChapterXLIV:IdeaOfTheRomanJurisprudence。
  PartIV。
  Thedistinctionofranksandpersonsisthefirmestbasisofamixedandlimitedgovernment。InFrance,theremainsoflibertyarekeptalivebythespirit,thehonors,andeventheprejudices,offiftythousandnobles。^99Twohundredfamilies^!
  supply,inlinealdescent,thesecondbranchofEnglishlegislature,whichmaintains,betweenthekingandcommons,thebalanceoftheconstitution。Agradationofpatriciansandplebeians,ofstrangersandsubjects,hassupportedthearistocracyofGenoa,Venice,andancientRome。Theperfectequalityofmenisthepointinwhichtheextremesofdemocracyanddespotismareconfounded;sincethemajestyoftheprinceorpeoplewouldbeoffended,ifanyheadswereexaltedabovetheleveloftheirfellow—slavesorfellow—citizens。InthedeclineoftheRomanempire,theprouddistinctionsoftherepublicweregraduallyabolished,andthereasonorinstinctofJustiniancompletedthesimpleformofanabsolutemonarchy。Theemperorcouldnoteradicatethepopularreverencewhichalwayswaitsonthepossessionofhereditarywealth,orthememoryoffamousancestors。Hedelightedtohonor,withtitlesandemoluments,hisgenerals,magistrates,andsenators;andhisprecariousindulgencecommunicatedsomeraysoftheirglorytothepersonsoftheirwivesandchildren。Butintheeyeofthelaw,allRomancitizenswereequal,andallsubjectsoftheempirewerecitizensofRome。Thatinestimablecharacterwasdegradedtoanobsoleteandemptyname。ThevoiceofaRomancouldnolongerenacthislaws,orcreatetheannualministersofhispower:hisconstitutionalrightsmighthavecheckedthearbitrarywillofamaster:andtheboldadventurerfromGermanyorArabiawasadmitted,withequalfavor,tothecivilandmilitarycommand,whichthecitizenalonehadbeenonceentitledtoassumeovertheconquestsofhisfathers。ThefirstCaesarshadscrupulouslyguardedthedistinctionofingenuousandservilebirth,whichwasdecidedbytheconditionofthemother;andthecandorofthelawswassatisfied,ifherfreedomcouldbeascertained,duringasinglemoment,betweentheconceptionandthedelivery。Theslaves,whowereliberatedbyagenerousmaster,immediatelyenteredintothemiddleclassoflibertinesorfreedmen;buttheycouldneverbeenfranchisedfromthedutiesofobedienceandgratitude;whateverwerethefruitsoftheirindustry,theirpatronandhisfamilyinheritedthethirdpart;oreventhewholeoftheirfortune,iftheydiedwithoutchildrenandwithoutatestament。Justinianrespectedtherightsofpatrons;buthisindulgenceremovedthebadgeofdisgracefromthetwoinferiorordersoffreedmen;whoeverceasedtobeaslave,obtained,withoutreserveordelay,thestationofacitizen;andatlengththedignityofaningenuousbirth,whichnaturehadrefused,wascreated,orsupposed,bytheomnipotenceoftheemperor。
  Whateverrestraintsofage,orforms,ornumbers,hadbeenformerlyintroducedtochecktheabuseofmanumissions,andthetoorapidincreaseofvileandindigentRomans,hefinallyabolished;andthespiritofhislawspromotedtheextinctionofdomesticservitude。Yettheeasternprovinceswerefilled,inthetimeofJustinian,withmultitudesofslaves,eitherbornorpurchasedfortheuseoftheirmasters;andtheprice,fromtentoseventypiecesofgold,wasdeterminedbytheirage,theirstrength,andtheireducation。^100Butthehardshipsofthisdependentstatewerecontinuallydiminishedbytheinfluenceofgovernmentandreligion:andtheprideofasubjectwasnolongerelatedbyhisabsolutedominionoverthelifeandhappinessofhisbondsman。^101
  [Footnote99:SeetheAnnalesPolitiquesdel'AbbedeSt。Pierre,tom。i。p。25whodatesintheyear1735。Themostancientfamiliesclaimtheimmemorialpossessionofarmsandfiefs。
  SincetheCrusades,some,themosttrulyrespectable,havebeencreatedbytheking,formeritandservices。Therecentandvulgarcrowdisderivedfromthemultitudeofvenalofficeswithouttrustordignity,whichcontinuallyennoblethewealthyplebeians。]
  [Footnote!:SincethetimeofGibbon,theHouseofPeershasbeenmorethandoubled:itisabove400,exclusiveofthespiritualpeers—awisepolicytoincreasethepatricianorderinproportiontothegeneralincreaseofthenation。—M。]
  [Footnote100:Iftheoptionofaslavewasbequeathedtoseverallegatees,theydrewlots,andtheloserswereentitledtotheirshareofhisvalue;tenpiecesofgoldforacommonservantormaidundertenyears:ifabovethatage,twenty;iftheyknewatrade,thirty;notariesorwriters,fifty;midwivesorphysicians,sixty;eunuchsundertenyears,thirtypieces;above,fifty;iftradesmen,seventy,Cod。l。vi。tit。xliii。leg。3。
  Theselegalpricesaregenerallybelowthoseofthemarket。]
  [Footnote101:Forthestateofslavesandfreedmen,seeInstitutes,l。i。tit。iii。—viii。l。ii。tit。ix。l。iii。tit。
  viii。ix。PandectsorDigest,l。i。tit。v。vi。l。xxxviii。tit。
  i。—iv。,andthewholeofthexlthbook。Code,l。vi。tit。iv。
  v。l。vii。tit。i。—xxiii。Beithenceforwardunderstoodthat,withtheoriginaltextoftheInstitutesandPandects,thecorrespondentarticlesintheAntiquitiesandElementsofHeinecciusareimplicitlyquoted;andwiththexxvii。firstbooksofthePandects,thelearnedandrationalCommentariesofGerardNoodt,Opera,tom。ii。p。1—590,theend。Lugd。Bat。1724。]
  Thelawofnatureinstructsmostanimalstocherishandeducatetheirinfantprogeny。Thelawofreasoninculcatestothehumanspeciesthereturnsoffilialpiety。Buttheexclusive,absolute,andperpetualdominionofthefatheroverhischildren,ispeculiartotheRomanjurisprudence,^102andseemstobecoevalwiththefoundationofthecity。^103ThepaternalpowerwasinstitutedorconfirmedbyRomulushimself;
  and,afterthepracticeofthreecenturies,itwasinscribedonthefourthtableoftheDecemvirs。Intheforum,thesenate,orthecamp,theadultsonofaRomancitizenenjoyedthepublicandprivaterightsofaperson:inhisfather'shousehewasamerething;^!!confoundedbythelawswiththemovables,thecattle,andtheslaves,whomthecapriciousmastermightalienateordestroy,withoutbeingresponsibletoanyearthlytribunal。Thehandwhichbestowedthedailysustenancemightresumethevoluntarygift,andwhateverwasacquiredbythelabororfortuneofthesonwasimmediatelylostinthepropertyofthefather。
  Hisstolengoodshisoxenorhischildrenmightberecoveredbythesameactionoftheft;^104andifeitherhadbeenguiltyofatrespass,itwasinhisownoptiontocompensatethedamage,orresigntotheinjuredpartytheobnoxiousanimal。Atthecallofindigenceoravarice,themasterofafamilycoulddisposeofhischildrenorhisslaves。Buttheconditionoftheslavewasfarmoreadvantageous,sinceheregained,bythefirstmanumission,hisalienatedfreedom:thesonwasagainrestoredtohisunnaturalfather;hemightbecondemnedtoservitudeasecondandathirdtime,anditwasnottillafterthethirdsaleanddeliverance,^105thathewasenfranchisedfromthedomesticpowerwhichhadbeensorepeatedlyabused。Accordingtohisdiscretion,afathermightchastisetherealorimaginaryfaultsofhischildren,bystripes,byimprisonment,byexile,bysendingthemtothecountrytoworkinchainsamongthemeanestofhisservants。Themajestyofaparentwasarmedwiththepoweroflifeanddeath;^106andtheexamplesofsuchbloodyexecutions,whichweresometimespraisedandneverpunished,maybetracedintheannalsofRomebeyondthetimesofPompeyandAugustus。Neitherage,norrank,northeconsularoffice,northehonorsofatriumph,couldexemptthemostillustriouscitizenfromthebondsoffilialsubjection:^107hisowndescendantswereincludedinthefamilyoftheircommonancestor;andtheclaimsofadoptionwerenotlesssacredorlessrigorousthanthoseofnature。Withoutfear,thoughnotwithoutdangerofabuse,theRomanlegislatorshadreposedanunboundedconfidenceinthesentimentsofpaternallove;andtheoppressionwastemperedbytheassurancethateachgenerationmustsucceedinitsturntotheawfuldignityofparentandmaster。