CHAPTER II.

Of the succession of ascendants.

But, when the deceased leaves no descendants, if a father, or mother, or any other parents, grand-fathers, great-grand-fathers, &c. survive him, we decree, that they shall be preferred to all collateral relations, except brothers of the whole blood to the deceased, as shall hereafter be more particularly declared. But, if many ascendants are living, we prefer those, who are in the nearest degree, whether they are male or female, paternal or maternal; and, when several ascendants concur in the same degree, the inheritance of the deceased must be so divided, that the ascendants on the part of the father may receive one-half, and the ascendants on the part of the mother the other half, without regard to the number of persons on either side. But, if the deceased leaves brothers and sisters of the whole blood together with ascendants, these collaterals of the deceased shall be called with the nearest ascendants, although such ascendants are a father or mother; and the inheritance must be so divided according to the number of persons, that each of the ascendants, and each of the brothers, may have an equal portion; nor shall the father in this case take to himself any usufruct of the portions belonging to his sons and daughters, because by this law we have given him the absolute property of one portion: and we suffer no distinction to be made between those persons, who are called to an inheritance, whether they are males or females, or related by males or females, or whether he, to whom they succeed, was, or was not, under power, at the time of his decease.

Εἰ και πάλης ή μητηρ είησαν. Si et pater aut mater fuerint] By the law of Englund, when a person dies intestate, leaving a father, the father is solely entitled to the whole personal estate of the intestate, exclusive of all others; and anciently, [ie in the reign of Henry the first, vid. . Hen. primi, Wilkins editore, p. 266.] a surviving father, or mother, could have taken even the real estate of their deceased child. But this law of succession was altered soon afterwards; for we find by Glanille, that, in the time of Henry the second, a fa her or mother could not have taken the real estates of their deceased children, the inheritance being then carried over to the collateral line. Vid Glanville, lib. 7. cap. 1, 2, &c. 1 Peere Williams 50. And it has ever since been held as an inviolable maxim, that an inheritance cannot ascend. Co. Litt. 11. a. But this alteration in the law, made since the reign of Henry the first, did not extend to personal estate, so that, before the statute of the first of James the second, if a child had died intestate without a wife, child, or father, the mother would have been entitled to the whole personal estate, exclusive of the brothers and sisters of the intestate; but it is enacted by that statute, "that, if, after the "death of a father, any of his children shall "die intestate, without wife or children, in

"the lifetime of the mother, every brother "and sister, and their representatives, shall "have an equal share with her.” 1 Jac. 2. cap. 17. § 6.

But, should it here be asked, whether the brother of an intestate would exclude the grand-father by the civil law? the novel appears at first sight to answer it very fully in the negative by enacting, “that, if the deceas "ed leaves brothers and sisters together with "ascendants in the right line, these collaterals "shall be called with the nearest ascendants," &c. And indeed the generality of writers, namely, Gudelin, Forster, Ferriere, Domat, and others, all understand this passage, as admitting ascendants and brothers to take jointly; yet a contrary interpretation hath been given by some civilians, of whom Voet is the principal, whose arguments in support of it are therefore here copied at large.

"Illud non satis expeditum est, an etiam "cum avo aut proavo, ubi alius proximior "ascendens non est, fratres germani ejus, "qui defunctus est, concurrere debeant, an "magis avo proavove præferendi sunt, eos

que excludant? Concursum enim ascenden"tium naturaliter gradu remotiorum, quos "nullus intermedius existens excludit, cum "fratribus germanis defuncti turentur pleri "que, moti eo, quod cum proxime ascender

ΚΕΦ. Γ.

Περι διαδοχής των ἐκ πλαγια καλόντων,

Ει ὁ τελεύητας μηδε κατιονας μηδε ἀνιονίας καταλειψη πρωτεις προς την κληρονομίαν καλέμεν της άδελφες και τας ἀδελφας τες ἐκ τε αύτε παίρος και της αὐτῆς μήρος τεχθείας, ως και μέλα

των

CAP. III.

De successione ex latere venientium.

Si igitur defunctus neque descendentes neque ascendentes reliquerit, primos ad hæreditatem vocamus fratres et sorores ex eodem patre et ex eadem matre natos, quos etiam cum patribus ad hæreditatem vocavimus. His autem non existentibus, in secundo ordine illos fratres ad hæreditatem vocamus, qui ex uno parente conjuncti sunt defuncto, sive per patrem solum, sive per matrem. Si autem defuncto fratres fuerint, et alterius fratris aut sororis præmortuorum flii, vocabuntur ad hæreditatem isti cum de patre et matre thiis, masculis et fæminis: et, quanticunque fuerint, tantam ex hæreditate percipient portionem, quantam eorum parens futurus esset accipere, si superstes esset. Unde consequens est, ut, si forte præmortuus frater, cujus filii vivunt, per utrumque parentem nunc defunctæ personæ jungebatur, superstites autem fratres per patrem solum forsan aut matrem ei jungebantur, præponantur istius flii propriis thiis, licet in tertio sint gradu, (sive a patre sive a matre sint thii, et sive masculi sive feminæ,) sicut eorum parens præponeretur, si viveret. Et ex diverso, siquidem superstes frater ex utroque parente conjungitur defuncto, præmortuus autem per unum parentem jungebatur, hujus filios ab hæreditate excludimus, sicut ipse, si viveret, ab hæreditate excludebatur. Hujusmodi vero privilegium in hoc ordine cognationis solis præbemus fratrum masculorum et fœminarum fi

πατερων προς την κληρονομίαν έναλεσαμεν. Τελων δε μη επονίων, ἐν δεύτερα τάξει έκεινες τες άδελφος προς την κληρονομίαν καλεμεν, οἱ τινες ἐξ ἑνος γονέως συναπλοίλαι τῷ τελευτησαντι, είτε δια το παΠρος μονα, είτε δια της μήρος Ει δε τῷ τελειζησαντι ἀδελφοι ὑπείησαν, και έτερs ἀδελφε ἡ ἀδελφης προτελευτησαντων παίδες, κληθήσονται προς την κληρονομίαν έτοι μετα των προς πατρος και προς μητρός θέσεων άρξενών τε και θηλειών και όσοι δηποτη ἂν ώσι, τοσάλον ἐκ της κληρονομίας λήψονται με ρος, ὅσον ὁ αὐτων γονεύς ήμελλε λαμβανειν, εἰ ἐπέζησεν. Οθεν ἀκολυθον ἐσιν, ἵνα, εἰ τυ· χον ὁ προβελευ]ησας άδελφος, ὁ οἱ παιδες περίεισι, δι έκαλερε γονέως τῷ νυν τελεύτησαντι προσωπω συνηπλετο, οι δε περίοντες ἀδελφοι δια τε πατρα μόνο τυχον, ή της μητρω, αὐτῷ συνηπίοντο, προτιμηθωσιν οἱ τοτε παίδες των ίδιων θείων, εἰ και τριτο εἰσι βαθμό, είτε προς πατρος είτε πρΘ μητης είησαν οἱ θείοι, και είτε άρρενες είτε θηλείαι, ώσπερ ὁ αὐτων γονους προετιματο, εἰ περιην. Και ἐκ τῶν ἐναντιων, εἰ ὁ μεν περιῶν ἀδελφος ἐξ ἑκαλερε γονέως συναπλαι τῷ τελευτησαντι, ὁ δε προελεύλησας δι ένας γονέως συνήπτετο, τις τότε παῖδας ἐκ της κληρονομίας ἀποκλειομεν, ὥσπερ καὶ αὐτος, εἰ περιην, ἐξεκλειο. Το δε τοι τον προνομιαν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ταξει της συγγένειας μόνοις παρέχομεν τοις των ἀδελφῶν. αρρενων ή 9ηλείων, υίοις ή θυγατράσιν, ἵνα εἰς τα ίδιων γονέων δικαια ὑπεισελθωσιν· δεν δε liis aut filiabus, ut in suorum parentum

των

άλλο παντελως προσωπως ταυτής της τάξεως ερχομενα, τόλο το δίκαιον συγχωβωμεν. Αλλα και αύτοις τοις των άδελφων παιτι τοτε ταύτην την εὐεργεσίαν παρέ χομεν, ότι μέλα των ίδιων κρίνονται θείων, ἀρρενων τε και θηλείων, είτε προς παῖρος είτε προς μήτρος είεν. Ει δε μέλα των άδελφων τα τελευτησαντος και άντολες, ώς ήδη προειπομεν, προς την κληρονομίαν καλονται, ἔδενι τροπα προς την ἐξ αδιαθετει διαδοχην

της τὸ ἀδελφο ή της άδελφης παιδας και λεισθαι συγχωρώμεν· ἐδε εἰ ἐξ ἑκάτερα γoνως ὁ αὐτῶν πάλης ή μηλης συνήπτείο τα τε λεκληται. Ὁπότε τοινυν τοις τε ἀδελφε και της άδελφης παισι τοιειο προνόμιον δεδωκαμεν, ίνα τον των γονέων επεισίολές τοπον, μονοι τρίτοι όλες βαθμό, μέλα των ἐκ δεντερο βαθμό προς την κληρονομίαν καλωαι· εκεινο πρόδηλον ἐσιν, ότι των θείων τα τελευΤησανος ἀρρενων τε και θηλείων, είτε προς παῖρος είτε προς μήρος είησαν, προτιμωνται, εἰ και ἐκεῖνοι τριτον όμοιως συγγένειας βαθμου έχοιεν.

Εἰ δε μήτε ἀδελφος, μήλι παιδας άδελφων, ὡς εἰρηκαμεν, ὁ τελεύλησας καταλειψει, παλας τὰς ἐφεξῆς ἐκ πλαγις συγένεις προς την κληρονομίαν καλώμεν, κατα την ένος έκασε βαθμό προτιμησιν, ἵνα οἱ ἐγγλέζοι τα βαθμα αὐτοι των λοιπων προτιμωνται· εἰ δε πολλοι τὸ αὐτὸ βαθμό ευρέθωσι, κατα τον των προσώπων ἀριθμον μεταξυ αυτων ἡ κληρονομια διαιρεθησίαι· όπερ in capita οἱ ἡμέτεροι

λέγεσι νομοίο

jura succedant; nulli enim alii omnino personæ, ex hoc ordine venienti, hoc jus largimur. Sed et ipsis fratrum filiis tunc hoc beneficium conferimus, quando cum propriis judicantur thiis, masculis et feminis, sive paterni sive materni sint. Si autem cum fratribus defuncti etiam ascendentes, (sicut jam diximus) ad hæreditatem vocantur, nullo modo ad successionem ab intestato fratris aut sororis filios vocari permittimus; neque si ex utroque parente eorum pater aut mater defuncto jungebatur. Quandoquidem igitur fratris et sororis filiis tale privilegium dedimus, ut, in propriorum parentum succedentes locum, soli in tertio constituti gradu, cum iis, qui in secundo gradu sunt, ad hæreditatem vocentur; illud palam est, quia thiis defuncti masculis et fœminis, sive a patre sive a matre, præponuntur, si etiam illi tertium cognationis similiter obtineant gradum. Si vero neque fratres, neque filios fratrum, sicut diximus, defunctus reliquerit, omnes deinceps a latere cognatos ad hæreditatem vocamus, secundum uniuscujusque gradus prærogativam, ut viciniores gradu ipse reliquis præponantur. Si autem plurimi ejusdem gradus inveniantur, secundum personarum numerum inter eos hæreditas dividatur; quod in capita nostra leges appellant.

CHAPTER III.

Of the succession of collaterals.

If a man leaves neither descendants nor ascendants at the time of his death, we first call his brothers and sisters of the whole blood, whom we have also called to inherit with the fathers of deceased persons.

But, when there are no brothers of the whole blood with the deceased, we call those, who are either by the same father only, or by the same mother. And, if the deceased leaves brothers and also nephews by a deceased brother or sister, these nephews shall be called to succeed with their uncles and aunts of the whole

blood to the deceased; but, however numerous these nephews are, they shall be entitled only to that share, which their parent would have taken, if alive. From whence it follows, that, if a man dies and is survived by the children of a deceas ed brother of the whole blood, and also by brothers of the half blood, then his nephews, [that is, the children of his brother, by the whole blood,] are to be pre ferred to their uncles and aunts; for, although such nephews are themselves in the third degree, yet they are preferred, as their parent would have been, if living. And, on the contrary, if a man dies, and is survived by a brother of the whole blood, and by children of a brother of the half blood deceased, these nephews are excluded, as their father would have been, if he had lived. But among col laterals we allow the privilege of representation to the sons and daughters of brothers and sisters, and no farther; and we grant it only to brothers and sisters' children, when they concur with their uncles or aunts, paternal or maternal: for, when ascendants are called to inherit, we by no means permit the children of a deceased brother or sister to share in the succession; although the father or mother was of the whole blood with the deceased brother But we have so far allowed the right of representation to brothers and sisters' children, that, being only in the third degree, they are called to inherit with those, who are in the second; and this is evident, because brothers and sisters' children are preferred to the uncles and aunts of the deceased, paternal as well as maternal; although they are all in the third degree of cognation.

But, if a deceased person leaves neither brothers nor brothers' children, we then call all the other collaterals according to the,ative of their respective degrees, preferring the nearer to the more remote; and, if many are found in th same degree, the inheritance must be divided according to the number of persons; and our laws distinguish this manner of dividing an inheritance by calling it a division in capita.

Igwlus gis Thu xλngova. Primos ad hæreditatem vocamus.] We must here observe in relation to the distinction between the whole blood and the half blood, that in EngLand the rules of law are different, according to the nature of the estate, which is to be taken; for, in case of lands the whole blood is always preferred, and the half blood is no blood inheritable by descent. 1 Co inst. 14. a. But, in respect to personal estate, the law has not always been fixed and certain; inasmuch as the statute of the 23d of Car. II. [for the better settlement of the estates of intestates] takes no notice of this distinction between the whole blood and the half blood, but directs, that distribution shall be made among all those, who are in equal degree of kindred to the intestate But, it being certain, that brothers and sisters of the half blood are in the same degree with brothers and sisters of the whole blood, it hath been the general opinion, that brothers and sisters of the half blood were entitled, by virtue of

the statute, to an equal share of the intestate's estate, with the brothers and sisters of the whole blood, although there are several precedents of judgments given, since the statute, allowing the half blood to have but an half sare. But the law in this respect has been fully settled ever since the decree of the house of lords in the case of Watts and others versus Crooke, upon an appeal from a decree in chancery, which had been given in favour of the half blood, and was affirmed by the house. Vid. Showers's Cases in Par. 108, and Strahan's Domat. 683. 2 Mod 204. Harris.

Ούδενι τρόπο. Nullo modo.] "Sancimus, st, "si quis moriens relinquat ascendentium aliquem et fratres, qui possint cum parenti"bus vocari, et alterius præmortui fratris fi"lios, cum ascendentibus et fratribus vocen. "tur etiam præmortui fratris filii, et tantam accipiant portionem, quantum eorum futu "rus erat pater accipiere, si vixisset." Vid. Nov. cxxvii. cap. 1. Harris.

END OF THE INSTITUTES.