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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §40.5.50.pr

Priority in Conflicts Between Bequest and Trust Freedom

Passage 6463 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

In cases of conflict between a bequest and a manumission by trust of the same slave, the latest written instruction generally prevails; however, if the testator's intention is unclear, the grant of freedom is to be preferred.

[MARCIANUS libro septimo institutionum. ] §40.5.50.prSi seruus legatus et per fideicommissum manumissus sit, Ceruidius Scaeuola consultus putabat nouissimam scripturam ualere, siue libertas sit siue legatum, quia, cum libertatem datam postea placeat adimi, et per legatum constat posse adimi: sed si in obscuro sit, qua mente post libertatem legauit eundem seruum, in obscuro libertatem praeualere.
[MARCIANUS in the seventh book of Institutes.] If a slave has been bequeathed and also manumitted by a trust, Cervidius Scaevola, on being consulted, was of the opinion that the latest writing is valid, whether it be freedom or a bequest, because, since it is accepted that freedom once granted can afterwards be revoked, it is well established that it can also be revoked by a bequest; but if it is obscure with what intention he bequeathed the same slave after the freedom, in case of obscurity, the freedom prevails.
quae sententia mihi quoque uerior esse uidetur.
This opinion seems to me also to be more correct.

Notes

  1. §40.5.50.prnouissimam scripturam — Refers to the 'latest writing', meaning the clause written last in the testament. Based on the Roman law principle of honoring the testator's final intentions, a subsequent instruction revokes or prevails over a prior, contradictory one.
  2. §40.5.50.pret per legatum — The conjunction et here functions adverbially as 'also' or 'even'. It emphasizes that, among other methods, 'also by means of a bequest' freedom once granted can be revoked (adimi).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §40.5.50.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:40.5.50.pr

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