eover, we find that
Pliny, and other ancient authors, report a multitude of rescripts of
the emperors from the time of Augustus. See Hugo, Hist. du Droit Romain,
vol. ii. p. 24-27.--W.]

[Footnote 37: Totam illam veterem et squalentem sylvam legum novis
principalium rescriptorum et edictorum securibus truncatis et caeditis;
(Apologet. c. 4, p. 50, edit. Havercamp.) He proceeds to praise the
recent firmness of Severus, who repealed the useless or pernicious laws,
without any regard to their age or authority.]

[Footnote 38: The constitutional style of Legibus Solutus is
misinterpreted by the art or ignorance of Dion Cassius, (tom. i. l.
liii. p. 713.) On this occasion, his editor, Reimer, joins the universal
censure which freedom and criticism have pronounced against that slavish
historian.]

[Footnote 39: The word (Lex Regia) was still more recent than the thing.
The slaves of Commodus or Caracalla would have started at the name of
royalty. Note: Yet a century before, Domitian was called not only by
Martial but even in public documents, Dominus et Deus Noster. Sueton.
Domit. cap. 13. Hugo.--W.]

[Footnote 40: See Gravina (Opp. p. 501--512) and Beaufort, (Republique
Romaine, tom. i. p. 255--274.) He has made a proper use of two
dissertations by John Frederic Gronovius and Noodt, both translated,
with valuable notes, by Barbeyrac, 2 vols. in 12mo. 1731.]

[Footnote 41: Institut. l. i. tit. ii. No. 6. Pandect. l. i. tit.
iv. leg. 1. Cod. Justinian, l. i. tit. xvii. leg. 1, No. 7. In
his Antiquities and Elements, Heineccius has amply treated de
constitutionibus principum, which are illustrated by Godefroy (Comment.
ad Cod. Theodos. l. i. tit. i. ii. iii.) and Gravina, (p. 87--90.)
----Note: Gaius asserts that the Imperial edict or rescript has and
always had, the force of law, because the Imperial authority rests upon
law. Constitutio principis est, quod imperator decreto vel edicto,
vel epistola constituit, nee unquam dubitatum, quin id legis, vicem
obtineat, cum ipse imperator per legem imperium accipiat. Gaius, 6
Instit. i. 2.--M.]

[Footnote 42: Theophilus, in Paraphras. Graec. Institut. p. 33, 34,
edit. Reitz For his person, time, writings, see the Theophilus of J. H.
Mylius, Excurs. iii. p. 1034--1073.]

[Footnote 43: There is more envy than reason in the complaint of
Macrinus (Jul. Capitolin. c. 13:) Nefas esse leges videri Commodi et
Caracalla at hominum imperitorum voluntates. Commodus was made a Divus
by