¡¶lect09¡·

ÏÂÔر¾Êé

Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©

lect09- µÚ2²¿·Ö


°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·­Ò³£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡






designation¡¡of¡¡'leader¡¡of¡¡the¡¡herd¡£'¡¡You¡¡must¡¡call¡¡the¡¡forefinger






the¡¡'arrow'¡­finger£»¡¡the¡¡goat¡¡the¡¡'browser¡¡upon¡¡leeks¡£'¡¡There¡¡are






lawyers¡¡alive¡¡who¡¡can¡¡recollect¡¡when¡¡the¡¡English¡¡system¡¡of






Special¡¡Pleading£»¡¡now¡¡just¡¡expiring£»¡¡was¡¡applied¡¡upon¡¡principles






not¡¡remotely¡¡akin¡¡to¡¡these¡¡and¡¡historically¡¡descended¡¡from¡¡them¡£






¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡description¡¡given¡¡by¡¡Gaius¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Legis¡¡Actio¡¡Sacramenti






is¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡a¡¡lacuna¡¡in¡¡the¡¡manuscript¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡once¡¡occupied






with¡¡an¡¡account¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Judicis¡¡Postulatio£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡evidently¡¡a






modification¡¡of¡¡the¡¡older¡¡Sacramental¡¡Action¡¡by¡¡which¡¡this






ancient¡¡remedy¡¡was¡¡adapted¡¡to¡¡a¡¡particular¡¡class¡¡of¡¡cases¡£¡¡The






text¡¡of¡¡the¡¡treatise¡¡begins¡¡again¡¡with¡¡a¡¡description¡¡of¡¡the






Condictio£»¡¡which¡¡is¡¡said¡¡by¡¡Gaius¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡created£»¡¡but¡¡which






is¡¡believed¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡only¡¡regulated£»¡¡by¡¡two¡¡Roman¡¡statutes¡¡of






the¡¡sixth¡¡century¡¡of¡¡Rome¡¡¡¡the¡¡Lex¡¡Silia¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Lex¡¡Calpurnia¡£






The¡¡Condictio£»¡¡which¡¡afterwards¡¡developed¡¡into¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most






useful¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Roman¡¡actions£»¡¡originally¡¡derived¡¡its¡¡name¡¡from¡¡a






notice¡¡which¡¡the¡¡plaintiff¡¡gave¡¡the¡¡defendant¡¡to¡¡appear¡¡before






the¡¡Praetor¡¡in¡¡thirty¡¡days£»¡¡in¡¡order¡¡that¡¡a¡¡Judex¡¡or¡¡referee






might¡¡be¡¡nominated£»¡¡and¡¡immediately¡¡£¨as¡¡I¡¡myself¡¡think£©¡¡on¡¡this






notice¡¡being¡¡given£»¡¡the¡¡parties¡¡entered¡¡into¡¡a¡¡'sponsio'¡¡and






'restipulatio£»'¡¡that¡¡is£»¡¡they¡¡laid¡¡a¡¡formal¡¡wager¡¡£¨distinct¡¡from






the¡¡stake¡¡called¡¡Sacramentum£©¡¡on¡¡the¡¡justice¡¡of¡¡their¡¡respective






contentions¡£¡¡The¡¡sum¡¡thus¡¡staked£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡always¡¡equal¡¡to¡¡a






third¡¡of¡¡the¡¡amount¡¡in¡¡dispute£»¡¡went¡¡in¡¡the¡¡end¡¡to¡¡the¡¡successful






litigant£»¡¡and¡¡not£»¡¡like¡¡the¡¡Sacramentum£»¡¡to¡¡the¡¡State¡£¡¡Lawyers






wondered£»¡¡Gaius¡¡tells¡¡us£»¡¡that¡¡such¡¡an¡¡action¡¡should¡¡be¡¡needed






when¡¡property¡¡could¡¡have¡¡been¡¡recovered¡¡by¡¡the¡¡older¡¡and






unmodified¡¡procedure¡£¡¡Many¡¡technical¡¡answers¡¡to¡¡this¡¡question






have¡¡been¡¡given¡¡by¡¡modern¡¡commentators¡¡on¡¡Roman¡¡law£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡will






see¡¡whether¡¡a¡¡better¡¡explanation¡¡of¡¡it¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡obtained¡¡by






approaching¡¡it¡¡from¡¡another¡¡side¡£






¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Gaius£»¡¡leaving¡¡the¡¡Condictio£»¡¡proceeds¡¡to¡¡discuss¡¡two¡¡of¡¡the






Legis¡¡Actiones£»¡¡the¡¡Manus¡¡Injectio¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Pignoris¡¡Capio£»¡¡which






cannot¡¡be¡¡made¡¡to¡¡square¡¡in¡¡any¡¡way¡¡with¡¡our¡¡modern¡¡conception¡¡of






an¡¡action¡£¡¡The¡¡Manus¡¡Injectio¡¡is¡¡expressly¡¡stated¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been






originally¡¡the¡¡Roman¡¡mode¡¡of¡¡execution¡¡against¡¡the¡¡person¡¡of¡¡a






judgment¡¡debtor¡£¡¡It¡¡has¡¡considerable¡¡historical¡¡interest£»¡¡for¡¡it






was¡¡undoubtedly¡¡the¡¡instrument¡¡of¡¡the¡¡cruelties¡¡practised¡¡by¡¡the






Roman¡¡aristocracy¡¡on¡¡their¡¡defaulting¡¡plebeian¡¡debtors£»¡¡and¡¡thus






it¡¡gave¡¡the¡¡first¡¡impetus¡¡to¡¡a¡¡series¡¡of¡¡popular¡¡movements¡¡which






affected¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Roman¡¡Commonwealth¡£¡¡The






Pignoris¡¡Capio¡¡also£»¡¡possibly¡¡under¡¡a¡¡slightly¡¡altered¡¡name£»¡¡was






a¡¡mode¡¡of¡¡execution¡¡in¡¡later¡¡times¡¡against¡¡property¡¡after¡¡decree£»






but¡¡this¡¡was¡¡not¡¡its¡¡original¡¡purpose¡¡as¡¡a¡¡Legis¡¡Actio¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡at






first¡¡a¡¡wholly¡¡extra¡­judicial¡¡proceeding¡£¡¡The¡¡person¡¡who






proceeded¡¡by¡¡it¡¡seized¡¡in¡¡certain¡¡cases¡¡the¡¡goods¡¡of¡¡a






fellow¡­citizen£»¡¡against¡¡whom¡¡he¡¡had¡¡a¡¡claim£»¡¡but¡¡against¡¡whom¡¡he






had¡¡not¡¡instituted¡¡a¡¡suit¡£¡¡The¡¡power¡¡of¡¡seizure¡¡could¡¡be






exercised¡¡by¡¡soldiers¡¡against¡¡public¡¡officers¡¡bound¡¡to¡¡supply






them¡¡with¡¡pay£»¡¡horse£»¡¡or¡¡forage£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡could¡¡also¡¡be¡¡resorted¡¡to






by¡¡the¡¡seller¡¡of¡¡a¡¡beast¡¡for¡¡sacrifice¡¡against¡¡a¡¡defaulting






purchaser¡£¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡thus¡¡confined¡¡to¡¡claims¡¡of¡¡great¡¡urgency¡¡or¡¡of






highly¡¡sacred¡¡obligation£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡afterwards¡¡extended¡¡to






demands¡¡for¡¡overdue¡¡arrears¡¡of¡¡public¡¡revenue¡£¡¡I¡¡am¡¡indebted¡¡to






Mr¡¡Poste¡¡for¡¡the¡¡observation¡¡that¡¡the¡¡ideal¡¡institutions¡¡of






Plato's¡¡Laws¡¡include¡¡something¡¡strongly¡¡resembling¡¡the¡¡Roman






Pignoris¡¡Capio£»¡¡and¡¡here¡¡again¡¡it¡¡is¡¡a¡¡remedy¡¡for¡¡breach¡¡of






public¡¡duties¡¡connected¡¡with¡¡military¡¡service¡¡or¡¡religious






observance¡£






¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡I¡¡take¡¡the¡¡Pignoris¡¡Capio¡¡as¡¡the¡¡immediate¡¡starting¡­point¡¡of






all¡¡which¡¡I¡¡am¡¡about¡¡to¡¡say¡¡on¡¡the¡¡subject¡¡of¡¡Ancient¡¡Civil






Procedure¡£¡¡First¡¡of¡¡all¡¡let¡¡us¡¡ask¡¡whether¡¡Gaius¡¡himself¡¡gives¡¡us






any¡¡hint¡¡of¡¡its¡¡meaning¡¡and¡¡significance¡¡in¡¡the¡¡primitive¡¡Roman






system¡£¡¡The¡¡clue¡¡is¡¡slender£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡me¡¡sufficiently






traceable¡¡in¡¡the¡¡statement¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Pignoris¡¡Capio¡¡could¡¡be






resorted¡¡to¡¡in¡¡the¡¡absence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Praetor¡¡and¡¡generally¡¡in¡¡that






of¡¡the¡¡person¡¡under¡¡liability£»¡¡and¡¡also¡¡that¡¡it¡¡might¡¡be¡¡carried






out¡¡even¡¡when¡¡the¡¡Courts¡¡were¡¡not¡¡sitting¡£






¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Let¡¡us¡¡go¡¡back¡¡for¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡to¡¡the¡¡parent¡¡Legis¡¡Actio¡¡¡¡the






L¡£¡¡A¡£¡¡Sacramenti¡£¡¡Its¡¡venerable¡¡forms¡¡presuppose¡¡a¡¡quarrel¡¡and






celebrate¡¡the¡¡mode¡¡of¡¡settling¡¡it¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡a¡¡passing¡¡arbitrator






whose¡¡interposition¡¡is¡¡simulated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Praetor¡£¡¡But¡¡suppose






there¡¡is¡¡no¡¡arbitrator¡¡at¡¡hand¡£¡¡What¡¡expedient¡¡for¡¡averting¡£






bloodshed¡¡remains£»¡¡and¡¡is¡¡any¡¡such¡¡expedient¡¡reflected¡¡in¡¡that






ancient¡¡procedure¡¡which£»¡¡by¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡of¡¡its¡¡existence£»¡¡implies






that¡¡the¡¡shedding¡¡of¡¡blood¡¡has¡¡somehow¡¡been¡¡prevented£¿






¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡I¡¡dare¡¡say¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡at¡¡the¡¡outset¡¡appear¡¡to¡¡be¡¡making¡¡a






trivial¡¡remark¡¡when¡¡I¡¡say¡¡that¡¡one¡¡method¡¡of¡¡gaining¡¡the¡¡object






is¡¡to¡¡lay¡¡a¡¡wager¡£¡¡Even¡¡now¡¡this¡¡is¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡commonest¡¡ways¡¡of






postponing¡¡a¡¡dispute¡¡as¡¡to¡¡a¡¡matter¡¡of¡¡fact£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡truth¡¡is






that¡¡the¡¡tendency¡¡to¡¡bet¡¡upon¡¡results¡¡lies¡¡extremely¡¡deep¡¡in






human¡¡nature£»¡¡and¡¡has¡¡grown¡¡up¡¡with¡¡it¡¡from¡¡its¡¡remote¡¡infancy¡£






It¡¡is¡¡not¡¡everybody¡¡who£»¡¡when¡¡his¡¡blood¡¡is¡¡hot£»¡¡will¡¡submit¡¡to






have¡¡a¡¡quarrel¡¡referred¡¡to¡¡a¡¡third¡¡person¡¡present£»¡¡much¡¡less¡¡to¡¡a






third¡¡person¡¡absent£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡will¡¡constantly¡¡do¡¡so£»¡¡if¡¡he¡¡lays¡¡a






wager¡¡on¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡if£»¡¡besides¡¡being¡¡found¡¡in¡¡the¡¡right£»¡¡he¡¡has¡¡a






chance¡¡of¡¡receiving¡¡the¡¡amount¡¡staked¡£¡¡And¡¡this¡¡I¡¡suppose¡¡






differing£»¡¡I¡¡own£»¡¡from¡¡several¡¡high¡¡authorities¡¡¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡true






significance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Sponsio¡¡and¡¡Restipulatio£»¡¡which¡¡we¡¡know¡¡to






have¡¡been¡¡of¡¡the¡¡essence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ancient¡¡Roman¡¡Condictio£»¡¡and¡¡of






the¡¡agreement¡¡to¡¡appear¡¡before¡¡the¡¡Praetor¡¡in¡¡thirty¡¡days¡£¡¡The






Legis¡¡Actio¡¡Sacramenti¡¡assumes¡¡that¡¡the¡¡quarrel¡¡is¡¡at¡¡once






referred¡¡to¡¡a¡¡present¡¡arbitrator£»¡¡the¡¡Condictio¡¡that¡¡the






reference¡¡is¡¡to¡¡the¡¡decision¡¡of¡¡an¡¡arbitrator¡¡after¡¡thirty¡¡days'






interval£»¡¡but¡¡meantime¡¡the¡¡parties¡¡have¡¡entered¡¡into¡¡a¡¡separate






wager¡¡on¡¡the¡¡merits¡¡of¡¡their¡¡dispute¡£¡¡We¡¡know¡¡that¡¡the¡¡liability






to¡¡an¡¡independent¡¡penalty¡¡attached¡¡to¡¡the¡¡suitor¡¡by¡¡Condictio






even¡¡when¡¡it¡¡had¡¡become¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most¡¡important¡¡Roman¡¡actions£»






and¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was¡¡still¡¡exacted¡¡in¡¡the¡¡age¡¡of¡¡Cicero¡£






¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡yet¡¡another¡¡primitive¡¡contrivance¡¡by¡¡which£»¡¡in¡¡the






absence¡¡of¡¡a¡¡present¡¡arbitrator£»¡¡a¡¡quarrel¡¡may¡¡be¡¡prevented¡¡from






issuing¡¡in¡¡bloodshed¡£¡¡The¡¡claimant¡¡willing¡¡to¡¡go¡¡to¡¡arbitration






may£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡absence¡¡of¡¡his¡¡adversary£»¡¡or¡¡if¡¡he¡¡be¡¡the¡¡stronger£»






in¡¡his¡¡presence£»¡¡take¡¡forcible¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡his¡¡moveable






property¡¡and¡¡detain¡¡it¡¡till¡¡he¡¡too¡¡submits¡£¡¡I¡¡believe¡¡this¡¡to






have¡¡been¡¡the¡¡true¡¡primitive¡¡office¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Pignoris¡¡Capio£»¡¡though






the¡¡full¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡my¡¡opinion¡¡will¡¡not¡¡be¡¡before¡¡you¡¡till¡¡I






have¡¡tracked¡¡the¡¡same¡¡institution¡¡through¡¡the¡¡twilight¡¡of¡¡other






legal¡¡systems¡£¡¡Among¡¡the¡¡Romans£»¡¡even¡¡at¡¡the¡¡date¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Twelve






Tables£»¡¡it¡¡had¡¡become¡¡£¨to¡¡employ¡¡Mr¡¡Tylor's¡¡phrase£©¡¡a¡¡mere






survival£»¡¡confined¡¡to¡¡cases¡¡when¡¡the¡¡denial¡¡of¡¡justice¡¡was






condemned¡¡by¡¡superstition¡¡or¡¡by¡¡a¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sternest¡¡public






emergency£»¡¡and¡¡this¡¡was¡¡a¡¡consequence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡exceptionally¡¡rapid






development¡¡of¡¡Roman¡¡law¡¡and¡¡procedure£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡the¡¡exceptionally






early¡¡date¡¡at¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Roman¡¡tribunals¡¡became¡¡the¡¡organs¡¡of¡¡the






national¡¡sovereignty¡£¡¡You¡¡will¡¡see¡¡hereafter¡¡how¡¡much¡¡reason






there¡¡is¡¡for¡¡thinking¡¡that¡¡the¡¡progress¡¡of¡¡most¡¡societies¡¡towards






a¡¡complete¡¡administration¡¡of¡¡justice¡¡was¡¡slow¡¡and¡¡gradual£»¡¡and






that¡¡the¡¡Commonwealth¡¡at¡¡first¡¡interfered¡¡through¡¡its¡¡various






organs¡¡rather¡¡to¡¡keep¡¡order¡¡and¡¡see¡¡fair¡¡play¡¡in¡¡quarrels¡¡than






took¡¡them£»¡¡as¡¡it¡¡now¡¡does¡¡always¡¡and¡¡everywhere£»¡¡into¡¡its¡¡own






hands¡£¡¡To¡¡this¡¡period£»¡¡long¡¡forgotten¡¡among¡¡the¡¡Romans£»¡¡those






peculiar¡¡rules¡¡pointed¡¡back¡¡which¡¡survived¡¡along¡¡with¡¡the






Pignoris¡¡Capio£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡provided¡¡for¡¡its¡¡exercise¡¡out¡¡of¡¡court






and¡¡during¡¡the¡¡judicial¡¡vacation¡£






¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡I¡¡turn¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Teutonic¡¡societies¡¡for¡¡vestiges¡¡of¡¡a¡¡practice






similar¡¡to¡¡that¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Romans¡¡called¡¡Pignoris¡¡Capio¡£¡¡They¡¡seem






to¡¡be¡¡quite¡¡unmistakeable¡¡in¡¡that¡¡portion¡¡of¡¡our¡¡own¡¡English¡¡law






which¡¡is¡¡concerned¡¡with¡¡the¡¡power¡¡of¡¡Distraint¡¡or¡¡Distress¡¡and






with¡¡the¡¡connected¡¡legal¡¡remedy¡¡known¡¡as¡¡Replevin¡£¡¡The¡¡examples






of¡¡the¡¡right¡¡to¡¡distrain¡¡another¡¡man's¡¡property¡¡which¡¡are¡¡most






familiar¡¡to¡¡you¡¡are£»¡¡I¡¡dare¡¡say£»¡¡the¡¡landlord's¡¡right¡¡to¡¡seize






the¡¡goods¡¡of¡¡his¡¡tenant¡¡for¡¡unpaid¡¡rent£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡right¡¡of¡¡the






lawful¡¡possessor¡¡of¡¡land¡¡to¡¡take¡¡and¡¡impound¡¡stray¡¡beasts¡¡which






are¡¡damaging¡¡his¡¡crops¡¡or¡¡soil¡£¡¡The¡¡process¡¡by¡¡which¡¡the¡¡latter






right¡¡is¡¡made¡¡effectual¡¡retains¡¡far¡¡more¡¡of¡¡the¡¡ancient






institution¡¡than¡¡does¡¡distress¡¡for¡¡rent¡£¡¡For¡¡the¡¡peculiar¡¡power






of¡¡the¡¡landlord¡¡to¡¡distrain¡¡for¡¡rent£»¡¡while¡¡it¡¡remains¡¡an






extrajud
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£ ÔÞһϠÌí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü