Communia praediorum tam urbanorum quam rusticorum
(Rules common to both urban and rustic estates.)
1 Ulpianus libro secundo institutionum. Aedificia urbana quidem praedia appellamus: ceterum etsi in villa aedificia sint, aeque servitutes urbanorum praediorum constitui possunt. 1Ideo autem hae servitutes praediorum appellantur, quoniam sine praediis constitui non possunt: nemo enim potest servitutem adquirere vel urbani vel rustici praedii, nisi qui habet praedium <ed. minor nec quisquam debere, nisi qui habet praedium>.
1 Ulpianus, Institutes, Book II. We designate buildings urban estates, and where buildings belong to a house in the country, servitudes of urban estates can also be created there. 1These servitudes are said to belong to estates because they cannot be created without them; for no one can acquire a servitude over an urban or rustic estate, unless he himself has an estate.
2 Idem libro septimo decimo ad edictum. De aqua per rotam tollenda ex flumine vel haurienda, vel si quis servitutem castello imposuerit, quidam dubitaverunt, ne hae servitutes non essent: sed rescripto imperatoris Antonini ad Tullianum adicitur, licet servitus iure non valuit, si tamen hac lege comparavit seu alio quocumque legitimo modo sibi hoc ius adquisivit, tuendum esse eum, qui hoc ius possedit.
2 The Same, On the Edict, Book XVII. With reference to the removal or drawing of water from the river by means of which, or where some one establishes a servitude over a reservoir, certain authorities have doubted whether these servitudes actually existed; but it was stated in a Rescript of the Emperor Antoninus to Tullianus that, although a servitude might not be valid in law, nevertheless, if the person in question acquired it under an agreement of this kind, or by any other legitimate means, he who was in possession of such a right should be protected.
3 Gaius libro septimo ad edictum provinciale. Duorum praediorum dominus si alterum ea lege tibi dederit, ut id praedium quod datur serviat ei quod ipse retinet, vel contra, iure imposita servitus intellegitur.
3 Gaius, On the Provincial Edict, Book VII. Where the owner of two tracts of land conveys one of them to you under the agreement that the tract which he conveyed shall be subject to a servitude in favor of the one which he retained, or vice versa; a servitude is understood to be lawfully imposed.
4 Iavolenus libro decimo ex Cassio. Caveri, ut ad certam altitudinem monumentum aedificetur, non potest, quia id, quod humani iuris esse desiit, servitutem non recipit: sicut ne illa quidem servitus consistere potest, ut certus numerus hominum in uno loco humetur.
4 Javolenus, On Cassius, Book X. It is not possible to provide that a monument shall only be built to a certain height, because what has ceased to be controlled by human law cannot be subject to a servitude; just as no servitude can be created providing that only a certain number of bodies shall be buried in one place.
5 Idem libro secundo epistularum. Proprium solum vendendo an servitutem talem iniungere possim, ut mihi et vicino serviat? similiter si commune solum vendo, ut mihi et socio serviat, an consequi possim? respondi: servitutem recipere nisi sibi nemo potest: adiectio itaque vicini pro supervacuo habenda est, ita ut tota servitus ad eum, qui receperit, pertineat. solum autem commune vendendo ut mihi et socio serviat, efficere non possum, quia per unum socium communi solo servitus adquiri non potest.
5 The Same, Epistles, Book II. I sell land which belongs to me alone; can I impose a servitude upon it to the effect that it shall be servient to myself and my neighbor? In like manner, if I sell property which I own in common with another, can I provide that it shall be subject to a servitude for the benefit of myself and my joint-owner? I answered that no one can stipulate for a servitude for the benefit of anyone but myself; and therefore the addition of the neighbor must be considered superfluous, as the entire servitude will belong to him who stipulated for it. Again, when the land held in common is sold, I cannot subject it to the servitude for the benefit of myself and my joint-owner, for the reason that a servitude cannot, through the act of one of the joint owners be acquired for the benefit of land held in common.
6 Ulpianus libro vicensimo octavo ad Sabinum. Si quis duas aedes habeat et alteras tradat, potest legem traditioni dicere, ut vel istae quae non traduntur servae sint his quae traduntur, vel contra ut traditae retentis aedibus serviant: parvique refert, vicinae sint ambae aedes an non. idem erit et in praediis rusticis: nam et si quis duos fundos habeat, alium alii potest servum facere tradendo. duas autem aedes simul tradendo non potest efficere alteras alteris servas, quia neque adquirere alienis aedibus servitutem neque imponere potest. 1Si quis partem aedium tradet vel partem fundi, non potest servitutem imponere, quia per partes servitus imponi non potest, sed nec adquiri. plane si divisit fundum regionibus et sic partem tradidit pro diviso, potest alterutri servitutem imponere, quia non est pars fundi, sed fundus. quod et in aedibus potest dici, si dominus pariete medio aedificato unam domum in duas diviserit, ut plerique faciunt: nam et hic pro duabus domibus accipi debet. 2Item si duo homines binas aedes communes habeamus, simul tradendo idem efficere possumus, ac si ego solus proprias binas aedes haberem. sed et si separatim tradiderimus, idem fiet, sic tamen, ut novissima traditio efficiat etiam praecedentem traditionem efficacem. 3Si tamen alterae unius propriae sint aedes, alterae communes, neutris servitutem vel adquirere vel imponere me posse Pomponius libro octavo ex Sabino scripsit. 3aSi in venditione quis dixerit servas fore aedes quas vendidit, necesse non habet liberas tradere: quare vel suis aedibus eas servas facere potest vel vicino concedere servitutem, scilicet ante traditionem. plane si Titio servas fore dixit, si quidem Titio servitutem concesserit, absolutum est: si vero alii concesserit, ex empto tenebitur. a quo non abhorret, quod Marcellus libro sexto digestorum scribit, si quis in tradendo dixerit fundum Titio servire, cum ei non serviret, esset autem obligatus venditor Titio ad servitutem praestandam, an agere possit ex vendito, ut emptor servitutem imponi patiatur praedio quod mercatus est: magisque putat permittendum agere. idemque ait et si possit venditor Titio servitutem vendere, aeque agere permittendum. haec ita demum, si recipiendae servitutis gratia id in traditione expressum est: ceterum si quis, inquit, veritus, ne servitus Titio debeatur, ideo hoc excepit, non erit ex vendito actio, si nullam servitutem promisit.
6 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXVIII. Where anyone has two houses and sells one of them, he can state in the conveyance that the house which he does not sell is subject to a servitude in favor of the one which he does sell; or, on the other hand, that the one which is sold must serve the one which is retained; and it makes little difference whether the two houses are adjacent or not. The same rule applies in the case of rustic estates, for where a man has two tracts of land, by conveying one of them he can impose a servitude upon it for the benefit of the other. But where he conveys two houses at the same time, he cannot impose a servitude on either for the benefit of the other; for he cannot acquire a servitude for the house of another, or impose one upon it. 1Where anyone disposes of a share in a house or in a tract of land, he cannot impose a servitude upon either, because a servitude cannot be imposed or acquired with reference to a share. It is evident that if he divides a tract of land into two parts, and alternates one part of what has been divided, he can impose a servitude upon either one of them; because neither is a part of an estate, but is an estate itself. This also may be stated with reference to a house, where the owner divides one building into two, by constructing a wall through the middle of the same, (as many persons do); for in this instance it must be considered as two houses. 2Moreover, suppose that we are two men who own two houses in common, by joining in the conveyance we can accomplish the same result that I alone could do, if I had two houses of my own. But even if we make separate conveyances the same thing will take place; for it is established that the last conveyance renders the former one effective. 3If, however, one of said houses belongs to one of two persons, and the other is the common property of both; then Pomponius, in the Eighth Book on Sabinus, states that I cannot acquire a servitude in favor of, or impose one on either. 3aIf anyone states in a contract of sale that the house which he sold shall be subject to a servitude, it is not necessary to convey the house free; wherefore he can either create a servitude for the benefit of his own house, or grant one to his neighbor; provided this is done before the delivery of the property. It is clear, if he stated that a servitude was to exist for the benefit of Titius, and he grants a servitude to Titius, the transaction is concluded; but if he grants a servitude to another party he is liable on the ground of sale. This is not in contravention of what Marcellus says in the Sixth Book of the Digest, namely: that where anyone, in the transfer of real property, says that it is subject to a servitude for the benefit of Titius, while in fact it is not, but the vendor is bound to convey the land to Titius; can the vendor bring an action on sale to compel the purchaser to permit the servitude to be imposed on the land which he contracted for? He thinks the better opinion is that he should be permitted to bring the action. He also says that if the vendor is able to sell the servitude to Titius, he must still be permitted to bring suit. This is with the understanding that the statement was made at the time of delivery, for the purpose of retaining the servitude; but if, as he says, the vendor feared that Titius was entitled to the servitude, and therefore reserved it, an action on sale will not lie, if he made no provision for the servitude.
7 Paulus libro quinto ad Sabinum. In tradendis unis aedibus ab eo, qui binas habet, species servitutis exprimenda est, ne, si generaliter servire dictum erit, aut nihil valeat, quia incertum sit, quae servitus excepta sit, aut omnis servitus imponi debeat. 1Interpositis quoque alienis aedibus imponi potest, veluti ut altius tollere vel non tollere liceat vel etiam si iter debeatur, ut ita convalescat, si mediis aedibus servitus postea imposita fuerit: sicuti per plurium praedia servitus imponi etiam diversis temporibus potest. quamquam dici potest, si tria praedia continua habeam et extremum tibi tradam, vel tuo vel meis praediis servitutem adquiri posse: si vero extremo, quod retineam, quia et medium meum sit, servitutem consistere, sed si rursus aut id, cui adquisita sit servitus, aut medium alienavero, interpellari eam, donec medio praedio servitus imponatur.
7 Paulus, On Sabinus, Book V. Where one house is conveyed by a party who has two; the description of the servitude should be expressly set forth; for if it is only mentioned in general terms that the house is subject to a servitude, the statement will be inoperative, because it is uncertain what kind of a servitude it reserved, or any kind of servitude may be imposed. 1Where a house which belongs to another party is situated between the two, a servitude can be created; as for instance, that the height of one of them may, or may not be raised; or even where a right of way is owing, that it shall only become operative if a servitude should subsequently be imposed on the intervening house; just as a servitude can be imposed on tracts of land belonging to several owners, even at different times. Although it can be stated that if I have three tracts of land which are adjoining, and I convey that at one end to you, a servitude can be acquired either for the benefit of your tract, or for that of both of mine; but if it is acquired for the tract most distant from you, which I have retained, the servitude will stand, because the intermediate tract is mine. But if I subsequently alienate either the tract for whose benefit the servitude was acquired, or the intermediate one, the right will be interrupted until a servitude is imposed on the intermediate tract.
8 Pomponius libro octavo ad Sabinum. Si cum duas haberem insulas, duobus eodem momento tradidero, videndum est, an servitus alterutris imposita valeat, quia alienis quidem aedibus nec imponi nec adquiri servitus potest. sed ante traditionem peractam suis magis adquirit vel imponit is qui tradit ideoque valebit servitus.
8 Pomponius, On Sabinus, Book VIII. If I have two houses, and convey them at the same time to two parties, it should be considered whether a servitude imposed on either of them is valid, since a servitude cannot be imposed on, or acquired for, the house of another; but where this is done before delivery, he who conveys the property acquires the servitude for, or imposes it on, his own property, rather than that of another; and therefore the servitude will be valid.
9 Idem libro decimo ad Sabinum. Si ei, cuius praedium mihi serviebat, heres exstiti et eam hereditatem tibi vendidi, restitui in pristinum statum servitus debet, quia id agitur, ut quasi tu heres videaris exstitisse.
9 The Same, On Sabinus, Book X. If I have become the heir to someone whose land is subject to a servitude in my favor, and I sold the land to you, the servitude must be restored to its former condition, because it is understood that you are, so to speak, the heir.
10 Ulpianus libro decimo ad Sabinum. Quidquid venditor servitutis nomine sibi recipere vult, nominatim recipi oportet: nam illa generalis receptio ‘quibus est servitus utique est’ ad extraneos pertinet, ipsi nihil prospicit venditori ad iura eius conservanda: nulla enim habuit, quia nemo ipse sibi servitutem debet: quin immo et si debita fuit servitus, deinde dominium rei servientis pervenit ad me, consequenter dicitur extingui servitutem.
10 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book X. Whatever a vendor wishes to reserve for himself by way of servitude, must be reserved in express terms, for a general reservation such as the following: “Any persons entitled to servitudes may certainly retain them”, has reference to strangers, and not to the vendor for the purpose of preserving his rights, for he has none, because no one owes him a servitude. Again, if I was entitled to a servitude, and the ownership of the land afterwards became vested in me, it is held that the servitude is extinguished in consequence.
11 Pomponius libro trigensimo tertio ad Sabinum. Refectionis gratia accedendi ad ea loca, quae non serviant, facultas tributa est his, quibus servitus debetur, qua tamen accedere eis sit necesse, nisi in cessione servitutis nominatim praefinitum sit, qua accederetur: et ideo nec secundum rivum nec supra eum (si forte sub terra aqua ducatur) locum religiosum dominus soli facere potest, ne servitus intereat: et id verum est. sed et depressurum vel adlevaturum rivum, per quem aquam iure duci potestatem habes, nisi si ne id faceres cautum sit. 1Si prope tuum fundum ius est mihi aquam rivo ducere, tacita haec iura sequuntur, ut reficere mihi rivum liceat, ut adire, qua proxime possim, ad reficiendum eum ego fabrique mei, item ut spatium relinquat mihi dominus fundi, qua dextra et sinistra ad rivum adeam et quo terram limum lapidem harenam calcem iacere possim.
11 Pomponius, On Sabinus, Book XXXIII. Right of access is granted to parties entitled to a privilege of this kind, for the purpose of making repairs to places which are not subject to the servitude, where such access is necessary, and it is not expressly mentioned in the grant of the servitude in what way access should be permitted. Therefore, the owner of land cannot make the ground religious along a river, or above one; if, for instance, the water should be conducted under ground, lest the servitude might be extinguished; and this is correct. You have, however, the right to conduct the water through a lower or a higher channel, except where it has been provided that you should not do so. 1If I have the privilege of conducting water through a channel near your land, the following rights are implied: I can repair the channels; I and my workmen can, for the purpose of repairing the same, approach as near as possible to the place; and I can also require the owner of the land to leave me sufficient space to approach the channel on the right and left banks of the same, and to throw down dirt, loam, stone, sand, and lime.
12 Paulus libro quinto decimo ad Sabinum. Cum fundus fundo servit, vendito quoque fundo servitutes sequuntur. aedificia quoque fundis et fundi aedificiis eadem condicione serviunt.
12 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XV. Where one tract of land is subject to a servitude for the benefit of another, and either one is sold, the servitudes pass with the property; and where buildings are subject to servitudes for the benefit of tracts of land, or vice versa, the same rule applies.
13 Ulpianus libro sexto opinionum. Venditor fundi Geroniani fundo Botriano, quem retinebat, legem dederat, ne contra eum piscatio thynnaria exerceatur. quamvis mari, quod natura omnibus patet, servitus imponi privata lege non potest, quia tamen bona fides contractus legem servari venditionis exposcit, personae possidentium aut in ius eorum succedentium per stipulationis vel venditionis legem obligantur. 1Si constat in tuo agro lapidicinas esse, invito te nec privato nec publico nomine quisquam lapidem caedere potest, cui id faciendi ius non est: nisi talis consuetudo in illis lapidicinis consistat, ut si quis voluerit ex his caedere, non aliter hoc faciat, nisi prius solitum solacium pro hoc domino praestat: ita tamen lapides caedere debet, postquam satisfaciat domino, ut neque usus necessarii lapidis intercludatur neque commoditas rei iure domino adimatur.
13 Ulpianus, Opinions, Book VI. The vendor of the Geronian Estate set out in the contract for the Botrian Estate which he retained, that no tunny-fishery should take place near it. Although a servitude cannot be imposed on the sea by private contract, since by nature it is open to all, still, as the good faith of the contract demands that the conditions of the sale should be observed, the persons in possession or those who succeed to their rights are bound by the provisions of the stipulation or the sale. 1If it is known that there are stone-quarries on your land, no one can cut stone there either as an individual, or in the public service, without your consent, where he has no right; unless a custom exists in said quarries that, if anyone should wish to take stone from them he can do so, provided he first pays the usual compensation to the owner; and even then he can only take the stone after giving security to the owner that the latter shall not be prevented from using such stone as he needs, nor the enjoyment of the property by the owner be destroyed by the exercise of his right.
14 Iulianus libro quadragensimo primo digestorum. Iter nihil prohibet sic constitui, ut quis interdiu dumtaxat eat: quod fere circa praedia urbana etiam necessarium est.
14 Julianus, Digest, Book XLI. The creation of a right of way is not prevented by stating that it can only be used during the day; because, in fact, this is almost necessary in the case of property situated in towns.
15 Paulus libro primo epitomarum Alfeni digestorum. Qui per certum locum iter aut actum alicui cessisset, eum pluribus per eundem locum vel iter vel actum cedere posse verum est: quemadmodum si quis vicino suas aedes servas fecisset, nihilo minus aliis quot vellet multis eas aedes servas facere potest.
15 Paulus, Epitomes of the Digest of Alfenus, Book I. Where one party has granted another a right of passage or of driving cattle through a specified place, it is certain that he can grant either of these rights to several persons through the same place, just as, where anyone has imposed a servitude on his own house in favor of his neighbor, he can, nevertheless, impose a similar servitude on the same house in favor of as many other persons as he wishes.
16 Gaius libro secundo rerum cottidianarum sive aureorum. Potest etiam in testamento heredem suum quis damnare, ne altius aedes suas tollat, ne luminibus aedium vicinarum officiat, vel ut patiatur eum tignum in parietem immittere, vel stillicidia adversus eum habere, vel ut patiatur vicinum per fundum suum vel heredis ire agere aquamve ex eo ducere.
16 Gaius, Diurnal, or Golden Matters, Book II. A testator in his will can direct his heir not to raise the height of his house, in order to avoid obstructing the light of an adjacent building, or charge him to permit a neighbor to insert a beam into his wall, or to allow the rain water to fall on his premises from his roof, or permit his neighbor to walk or drive through his land or conduct water from it.
17 Papinianus libro septimo quaestionum. Si precario vicinus in tuo maceriam duxerit, interdicto ‘quod precario habet’ agi non poterit, nec maceria posita donatio servitutis perfecta intellegitur, nec utiliter intendetur ius sibi esse invito te aedificatum habere, cum aedificium soli condicionem secutum inutilem faciat intentionem. ceterum si in suo maceriam precario, qui servitutem tibi debuit, duxerit, neque libertas usucapietur et interdicto ‘quod precario habet’ utiliter cum eo agetur. quod si donationis causa permiseris, et interdicto agere non poteris et servitus donatione tollitur.
17 Papinianus, Questions, Book VII. Where a neighbor builds a wall across your land with your permission, he cannot be proceeded against by means of the interdict Quod precario habet; nor, after the wall has been built, is it understood that the grant of a servitude is complete; nor can the neighbor legally claim that he has a right to hold the wall without your consent; since the building follows the condition of the land, and this renders the claim invalid. But where a party who was subject to a servitude for your benefit builds a wall across his own premises with your consent, he will not obtain freedom by usucaption; and proceedings can be brought against him on the interdict Quod precario habet. If, however, you should permit him to build a wall by way of gift, you cannot apply for the interdict, and the servitude will be extinguished by the donation.
18 Paulus libro primo manualium. Receptum est, ut plures domini et non pariter cedentes servitutes imponant vel adquirant, ut tamen ex novissimo actu etiam superiores confirmentur perindeque sit, atque si eodem tempore omnes cessissent. et ideo si is qui primus cessit vel defunctus sit vel alio genere vel alio modo partem suam alienaverit, post deinde socius cesserit, nihil agetur: cum enim postremus cedat, non retro adquiri servitus videtur, sed perinde habetur, atque si, cum postremus cedat, omnes cessissent: igitur rursus hic actus pendebit, donec novus socius cedat. idem iuris est et si uni ex dominis cedatur, deinde in persona socii aliquid horum acciderit. ergo et ex diverso si ei, qui non cessit, aliquid tale eorum contigerit, ex integro omnes cedere debebunt: tantum enim tempus eis remissum est, quo dare facere possunt, vel diversis temporibus possint, et ideo non potest uni vel unus cedere. idemque dicendum est et si alter cedat, alter leget servitutes. nam si omnes socii legent servitutes et pariter eorum adeatur hereditas, potest dici utile esse legatum: si diversis temporibus, inutiliter dies legati cedit: nec enim sicut viventium, ita et defunctorum actus suspendi receptum est.
18 Paulus, Manuals, Book I. It has been settled that several joint-owners, even where they do not join in the conveyance, may impose or acquire servitudes, on the ground that former acts are confirmed by more recent ones; so that it is the same as if all of them had made the grant at the same time. Therefore, if he who first granted the servitude should die, or dispose of his share in any other way, and afterwards his joint-owner should make a grant, the entire transaction will be void; for when the last one makes the grant the servitude is not considered to be acquired retroactively, but it is held to be the same as if when the last one made the grant all of them had done so; consequently, the last act will remain in abeyance until the new joint-owner makes a grant. The same rule applies where a grant is made to one of the joint-owners, and afterwards some such occurrence as those above mentioned with reference to the person of another joint-owner takes place. Hence, on the other hand, if any of these things should happen to one of the joint-owners who has not made a grant, all of them will be compelled to make a new grant; for only so much time is conceded to them as to enable them to make a grant even at different times, and therefore the grant cannot be made to one person, or by one person. The same rule applies where one party grants a servitude and another bequeaths it by will, for if all the joint-owners bequeath a servitude, and their estates are entered upon at the same time, it may be said that the servitude is properly bequeathed; but if the estates are entered upon at different times, the legacy does not legally vest; for it has been established that the acts of living persons may be suspended so far as their operation is concerned, but that those of deceased persons cannot.