Codicil

Some addition to, or qualification of, a last will and testament. 1 Redf. Wills, 287. _ This term is derived from the Latin codicillus, which is a diminutive of codex, and in strictness imports a little code or writing,— a little will. In the Roman civil law, codicil was defined as an act which contains dispositions of property in prospect of death, without the institution of an heir or executor. Domat, Civ. Law, pt. ii. bk. iv. tit.

1. i 1; Just, de Codic. art. i. § 2.

So, also, the early English writers upon wills define a codicil in much the same way. "A codicil is a just sentence of our will touching that which any would have done after their death, without the appointing of an executor." Swinb. Wills, pt. i. § v. pi.

2.

COEMPTIO (Lat.) In civil law. The ceremony of celebrating marriage by solemnities. The parties met and gave each other a small sum of money. They then questioned each other in turn. The man asked the woman if she wished to be his materfamilias. She replied that she so wished. The woman then asked the man if he wished to be her pater-familias. He replied that he so wished. They then joined hands; and these were called nuptials by eoemptio. Boethius, Coemptio; Calv. Lex.; Taylor.