Si ager vectigalis, id est emphyteuticarius, petatur
(Concerning actions for the recovery of land which has been perpetually leased, namely, emphyteutic land.)
1 Paulus libro vicensimo primo ad edictum. Agri civitatium alii vectigales vocantur, alii non. vectigales vocantur qui in perpetuum locantur, id est hac lege, ut tamdiu pro his vectigal pendatur, quamdiu neque ipsis, qui conduxerint, neque his, qui in locum eorum successerunt, auferri eos liceat: non vectigales sunt, qui ita colendi dantur, ut privatim agros nostros colendos dare solemus. 1Qui in perpetuum fundum fruendum conduxerunt a municipibus, quamvis non efficiantur domini, tamen placuit competere eis in rem actionem adversus quemvis possessorem, sed et adversus ipsos municipes,
1 Paulus, On the Edict, Book XXI. Some lands belonging to towns are called “vectigales”, and others are not. Those are styled vectigales which are leased perpetually, that is to say, under an agreement that so long as the rent is paid for them it shall not be lawful to take them away from those who leased them, or from their successors. Lands are not of this description which are leased for cultivation under the terms by which we are accustomed to rent them privately for that purpose. 1Where parties lease land from municipalities in perpetuity, although they do not become the owners of the same it is established that they are, nevertheless, entitled to an action in rem against a possessor, and even against the members of the municipality themselves:
2 Ulpianus libro septimo decimo ad Sabinum. ita tamen si vectigal solvant.
2 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XVII. Provided, however, they always pay the rent.
3 Paulus libro vicensimo primo ad edictum. Idem est et si ad tempus habuerint conductum nec tempus conductionis finitum sit.
3 Paulus, On the Edict, Book XXI. The same rule applies where they have made a lease for a specified time, and the term agreed upon has not yet expired.