Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson
Chapter 10 : * 25E.3. st 5. c. 2; 5 El c. 11; 18 El. c. 1; 8 and 9 W. 3.c. 26; 15. and 16 G 2. c. 28

* 25E.3. st 5. c. 2; 5 El c. 11; 18 El. c. 1; 8 and 9 W. 3.

c. 26; 15. and 16 G 2. c. 28; 7 Ann. q. 25. By the laws of aethelstan and Canute, this was punished by cutting off the hand. 'Gifse mynetereful wurthe sleaman tha hand of, the he that fil mid worthe and sette iippon tha rnynet smithlhan.'

In English characters and words 'if the minler foul [Criminal] wert, slay the hand off, that he the foul [crime]

with wrought, and set upon the mint-smithery.' LI,iEthelst.

14. 'And selhe ofer this false wyrce, tholige thaera handa the he thaet false mid worhte.' 'Et si quis prater hanc, falsam fecerit, perdat manum quac.u.m falsam confecit.' LI.

c.n.u.ti, 8. It had been death by the LI. aeihelredi, sub fine.

By those of H. 1. 'Si quis c.u.m falso deuario inventus fueril--fiat just.i.tia mea, saltern de dextro pugno et de testiculis.' Anno 1108. 'Opera prelium vero est audire quam severus rex fuerit in pravos. Monetarios enim fere omnes totius Angliee fecit ementulari, et ma.n.u.s dextras abscindi, quia monetam furtive corruperant.' Wilkins ib. et anno 1125.

When the Common law became settled, it appears to have been punishable by death. 'Est aliud genus crirninis quod sub nomine falsi continetur, et tangit coronam domini regis, et nlfimum indncit supplicium, sicut de illis qui falsam fabricant monetasn, et qui de re non reproba, faciunt reprobam; sicut sunt retonsores deriarinruno' Bract. L. 3. c 3. -- 2. Fleta, L. 1. c. 22 -- 4 Lord Hale thinks it was deemed petty treason at common law. 1 H. P. C. 220, 224. The bringing in false money with intent to merchandise, and make payment of it is treason, by 25 E. 3. But the best proof of the intention, is the act of pa.s.sing it, and why not leave room for repentance here, as in other cases of felonies intended? I H P. C. 229.

** Clipping, filing, rounding, impairing, scaling, lightening, (the words in the statutes) are included in 'diminis.h.i.+ng;' gilding, in the word 'casing;' coloring in the word 'was.h.i.+ng;' and falsifying or marking, is counterfeiting.'

Whosoever committeth Arson,* shall be condemned to hard labor five years in the public works, and shall make good the loss of the sufferers threefold.**

*43 El. c. 13. confined to four counties. 22 ^ 23 Car. 2. c.

7; 9 G. 1. c. 22, 9 G. 3. c. 29.

** Arson was a felony at Common law--3 Inst. 66; punished by a fine, Ll. aethelst. 6. But LI. c.n.u.ti, 61. make it a 'scetus inexpiable.' 'Hus brec and baernet and open thyfth and asbereniorth and hlaford swice after woruld laga is boileds.' Word for word, 'House break and burnt, and open theft, and manifest murdher, and lord-treachery, after world's law is bootless.' Bracton says, it was punished by death. 'Si quis turbida seditione iricendium fecerit nequiter et in felonia, vel ob inimicitias, vel praedandi causa, capital puniatur pcena vel sententia.' Bract. L. 3.

c. 27. He defines it as commissible by burning 'cedes alien as.' Ib. Britton, c. 9. 'Ausi soitenquis de ceux que felonise-ment en temps de pees eient a litre blees ou autre messons ars, et ceux que ser-rount de ceo alteyniz, soient ars issint que eux soient punys par mesme cele chose dount ils pecherent.' Fleia, L. I. c. 37. is a copy of Bracton.

The Mirror, c. 1. -- 8. says, 'Ardours sont que ardent cilie, ville, maison home, maison beast, ou auters chatelx, de lour felonie en temps de pace pour haine ou vengeance.' Again, c.

2. -- II., pointing oul the words of the appellor 'jeo dise que Sebright, &c. entiel meas. on ou hiens mist de feu.'

c.o.ke, 3 Inst. 67. says, 'The ancient authors extended this felony further than houses, viz. to stacks of corn, waynes or carts of coal, wood, or other goods.' He defines it as commissibie, not only on the inset houses, parcel of the mansion-house, but the outset also, as barn, stable, cow- house, sheep-house, dairy-house, mill-house, and the like, parcel of the mansion house.' But 'burning of a barn, being no parcel of a mansion-house, is no felony,' unless there be corn or hay within it. Ib. The 22 k. 23 Car. 2. and 9 G. 1.

are the princ.i.p.al statutes against arson. They extend the offence beyond the Common law.

If any person shall, within this Commonwealth, or, being a citizen thereof, shall without the same, wilfully destroy,* or run** away with any sea-vessel, or goods laden on board thereof, or plunder or pilfer any wreck, he shall be condemned to hard labor five years in the public works, and shall make good the loss of the sufferers threefold.

* Ann. st. 2. c. 9. 12 Ann. c. 18. 4 G. 1. c. 12. 26 G. 2.

c. 19.

** 11 h 12 W.3. c.7.

Whosoever committeth Robbery,* shall be condemned to hard labor four years in the public works, and shall make double reparation to the persons injured.

* Robbery was a felony at Common law. 3 Inst. 68. 'Scelus inexpiable,' by the LI. c.n.u.ti. 61. [See before in Arson.] It was punished with death. Briit c. 15, 'De robbours et de larouns et de semblables mesfesours, soitaussi ententivernent enquis--et tauntost soient ceux robbours juges a la morl.' Fleta says, 'Si quis conviclus fuerit de bonis viri robbatis vel asportatis ad sectam regis judicium capitale subibit.' L. 1. c. 39. See also Bract. L. 3. c. 32 -- I.

Whatsoever act, if committed on any mansion-house, would be deemed Burglary,* shall be Burglary, if committed on any other house; and he who is guilty of Burglary, shall be condemned to hard labor four years in the public works, and shall make double reparation to the persons injured.

* Burglary was felony at the Common law. 3 Inst. 63 It was not distinguished by ancient authors, except the Mirror, from simple House-breaking, ib. 65. Burglary and House- breaking were called 'Hamsockne.' 'Diximus etiam de pacis violatione et de immunitatibus domus, si quis hoc in posterum fecet.i.t ut perdat ornne quod habet, et sit in regis arbitro utrum vitam habeat.' 'Eac we quasdon be mundbryce and be ham socnum,sethe hit ofer this do tha:t he dolie enlles thces the age, and sy on Cyninges Jome hwsether be life age: and we quoth of mound-breach, and of home-seeking he who it after this do, that he dole all that he owe [owns], and is in kings doom whether he life owes [owns].'

LI. Eadmundi, c. 6 and see LI. c.n.u.ti. 61. 'bus btec,' in notesion Arson, ante. A Burglar was also called a Burgessor.

'Et soit enquis de Burgessours et sunt tenus Burgessours trestous ceux que felonis.e.m.e.nt en temps de pees debrusornt esglises ou auter mesons, ou murs ou portes de nos cytes, ou de nos Burghes.' Britt. c. 10. 'Burglaria est nocturna diruptio habitaculi alicujus, vel ecclesise, etiam murorum, portarurnve civitatis aut burgi, ad feloniam aliquam perpetrandam. Noclanter dico, recentiores se-cutus; veteres enim hoc non adjungunt.' Spelm. Gloss, verb. Burglaria. It was punished with death. Ib. citn. from the office of a Coroner. It may be committed in the outset houses, as well as inset, 3 Inst. 65. though not under the same roof or contiguous, provided they be within the Curtilage or Home- stall. 4 BI. 225. As by the Common law all felonies were clergiable, the stat. 23 H. 8. c. 1; 5 E. 6. c. 9. and 18 El. c. 7. first distinguished tfiem, by taking the clerical privilege of impunity from the princ.i.p.als, and 3 & 4 W. M.

c. 9. from accessories before the fact. No statute defines what Burglary is. The 12 Ann. c. 7. decides the doubt whether, where breaking is subsequent to entry, it is Burglary. Bacon's Elements had affirmed, and T. H. P. C.

554. had denied it. Our bill must distinguish them by different degrees of punishment.

Whatsoever act, if committed in the night time, shall const.i.tute the crime of Burglary, shall, if committed in the day, be deemed House-breaking;* and whosoever is guilty thereof, shall be condemned to hard labor three years in the public works, and shall make reparation to the persons injured.

* At the Common law, the offence of House-breaking was not distinguished from Burglary, and neither of them from any other larceny. The statutes at first took away clergy from Burglary, which made a leading distinction between the two offences. Later statutes, however, have taken clergy from so many cases of House-breaking, as nearly to bring the offences together again. These are 23 H. 8. c. 1; 1 E. 6. c.

12; 5 k 6 E. 6. c. 9; 3 & 4 W. M. c. 9; 39 El. c. 15; 10&11 W. 3. c.23; 12 Ann. c. 7. See Burr. 428; 4 Bl. 240. The circ.u.mstances, which in these statutes characterize the offence, seem to have been occasional and unsystematical.

The houses on which Burglary may be committed, and the circ.u.mstances which const.i.tute that crime, being ascertained, it will be better to define House-breoking by the same subjects and circ.u.mstances, and let the crimes be distinguished only by the hour at which they are committed, and the degree of punishment.

Whosoever shall be guilty of Horse-stealing,* shall be condemned to hard labor three years in the public works, and shall make reparation to the person injured.

* The offence of Horse-stealing seems properly distinguishable from other larcenies, here, where these animals generally run at large, the temptation being so great and frequent, and the facility of commission so remarkable. See 1 E. 6. c. 12; 23 E. 6. c. 33; 31 El. c. 12.

Grand Larceny* shall be where the goods stolen are of the value of five dollars; and whosoever shall be guilty thereof, shall be forthwith put in the pillory for one half hour, shall be condemned to hard labor**

two years in the public works, and shall make reparation to the person injured.

* The distinction between grand and petty larceny is very ancient. At first 8d. was the sum which const.i.tuted grand larceny. LI. aelhelst. c. 1. 'Ne parcatur ulli furi, qui furtum manutenens captus sit, supra 12 annos nafo, et supra 8 denarios.' Afterwards, in the same king's reign, it was raised to 12d. 'Non parcaturalicui furi ultra 12 denarios, et ultra 12 annos nato--ut occide-mus ilium et capiamus omne quod possidet, et inprimis sumamus rei furto ablatse pretium ab hserede, ac dividatur postea reliquum in duas partes, una pars uxori, si munda, et facinoris conscia non sit; et residuum in duo, dimi-dium capiat rex, dimidium societas.'

LI. aethelst. Wilkins, p. 65. VOL. I. 17

** LI. Inse, c. 7. 'Si quis furetur ita ut uxor ejus et infans ipsius nesciani, solvat 60. solidos pcenae loco. Si autem furetur testantibus omuibus haere-dibus suis, abeant omnes in servilutem.' Ina was King of the West Saxons, and began to reign A. C. 688. After the union of the Heptarchy, i. e. temp. aethelst. inter 924 and 940, we find it punishable with death as above. So it was inter 1017 and 1035, i. e. temp. c.n.u.ti. LI. c.n.u.ti 61. cited in notes on Arson. In the time of William the Conqueror, it seems lo have been made punishable by fine only. LI. Gul. Cohq. apud Wilk. p. 218. 220. This commutation, however, was taken away by LI. H. 1. anno 1108. 'Si quis in furto vel latro-cinio deprehensus fuisset, suspenderetur: sublata wirgildorum, id est, pecu-nia.r.s.e redemptions lege.' Larceny is the felonious taking and carrying away of the personal goods of another.

1. As to the taking, the 3 & 4 VV. M. c. 9. -- 5, is not additional to the Common law, but declaratory of it; because where only the care or use, and not the possession, of things is delivered, to take them was larceny at the Common law. The 33 H. 6. c. 1 and 21 11. 8. c. 7., indeed., have added to the Common law by making it larceny in a servant to convert things of his master's. But quaere, if they should be imitated more than as to other breaches of trust in general.

2. As to the subject of larceny, 4 G. 2. c.32; 6 G. 3. c. 36 48; 43 El. c. 7; 15 Car. 2. c. 2; 23 G. 2 c. 26; 31 G. 2. c.

35; 9 G. 3. c. 41; 25 G. 2. c. 10. have extended larceny to things of various sorts, either real, or fixed to the realty. But the enumeration is unsystematical, and in this country, where the produce of the earth is so spontaneous as to have rendered things of this kind scarcely a breach of civility or good manners in the eyes of the people, quaere, if it would not too much enlarge the field of Criminal law?

The same may be questioned of 9 G. J. c. 22; 13 Car. 2. c.

10; 10 G. 2. c. 32; 5 G. 3. c. 14; 22 h 23 Car. 2. c. 25; 37 E. 3. c. 19. making it felony to steal animals ferte natures.

Petty Larceny shall be, where the goods stolen are of less value than five dollars; and whosoever shall be guilty thereof, shall be forthwith put in the pillory for a quarter of an hour, shall be condemned to hard labor one year in the public works, and shall make reparation to the person injured.

Robbery* or larceny of bonds, bills obligatory, bills of exchange, or promissory notes for the payment of money or tobacco, lottery tickets, paper bills issued in the nature of money, or of certificates of loan on the credit of this Commonwealth, or of all or any of the United States of America, or Inspectors' notes for tobacco, shall be punished in the same manner as robbery,or larceny of the money or tobacco due on or represented by such papers.* 2 G. 2. c. 25 --3; 7 G 3. c. 50.

Buyers* and receivers of goods taken by way of robbery or larceny, knowing them to have been so taken, shall be deemed accessaries to such robbery or larceny after the fact.

* 3 &. 4 W. & M. c. 9. -- 4; 5 Ann. c. 31. -- 5; 4 G. 1. c.

11. -- 1.

Prison breakers,* also, shall be deemed accessaries after the fact, to traitors or felons whom they enlarge from prison.**

* 1 E. 2.

** Breach of prison at the Common law was capital, without regard to the crime for which the party was committed. 'c.u.m pro criminis qualitate in carcerem recepti fuerint, conspiraverint (ut ruptis vinculis aut fracto carcere) evadant, atnplius (quam causa pro qua recepti sunt exposuit) puniendi sunt, videlicet ultimo supplicio, quamvis ex eo crimine innocentes inveniantur, propter quod inducti sunt in carcerem et imparcati.' Bracton L. 3, c. 9. -- 4. Britt. c.

11. Fleta, L. 1. c. 26. -- 4. Yet in the Y. B. Hill. 1 H. 7.

2. Hussey says, that, by the opinion of Billing and Choke, and all the Justices, it was a felony in strangers only, but not in the prisoner himself. S. C. Fitz. Abr. Co-ron. 48.

They are princ.i.p.al felons, not accessaries, ib. Whether it was felony in the prisoner at Common law, is doubted. Stam.

P. C. 30. b. The Mirror c. 5. -- 1. says, 'Abusion est a tener escape de prisoner, ou de bruserie del gaole pur peche mortal 1, car eel usage nest garrant per nul ley, ne in nul part est use forsque in cest realme, et en France, ems [mais] est leu garrantie de ceo faire per la ley de nature'

2 Inst. 589. The stat. 1 E. 2, 'de fragentibus priso-nam,'

'restrained the judgment of life and limb for prison- breaking, to cases where the offence of the prisoner required such judgment.'

It is not only vain but wicked, in a legislator to frame laws in opposition to the laws of nature, and to arm them with the terrors of death. This is truly creating crimes in order to punish them. The law of nature impels every one to escape from confinement; it should not, therefore, be subjected to punishment. Let the legislator restrain his criminal by walls, not by parchment. As to strangers breaking prison to enlarge an offender, they should, and may be fairly considered as accessaries after the fact. This bill saying nothing of the prisoner releasing himself by breach of jail, he will have the benefit of the first section of the bill, which repeals the judgment of life and death at the Common law.

All attempts to delude the people, or to abuse their understanding by exercise of the pretended arts of witchcraft, conjuration, enchantment, or sorcery, or by pretended prophecies, shall be punished by ducking and whipping, at the discretion of a jury, not, exceeding fifteen stripes.*

*'Gifwiecan owwe wigleras mansworan, owwe morthwyrhtan owwe fule afylede eebere horcwenan ahwhar on lande wurthan agytene, thonne fyrsie man of earde, and claensie lha.

theode, owwe on earde forfare hi mid ealle, buton hi geswican and the deoper gebetan:' 'if witches, or weirds, man-swearers, or murther-wroughters, or foul, defiled, open wh.o.r.e-queens, ay--where in the land were gotten, then force them off earth, and cleanse the nation, or in earth forth- fare them withal, buton they beseech, and deeply better.'

LI. Ed. et Guthr. c. 11. 'Saga; mulieres barbara fact.i.tantes sacrificia, aut pestiferi, si cui mortem intulerint, neque id inficiari poterint, capitis pcena esto.' LI. Aethelst. c. 6. apud Lambard. LI. Aelfr. 30. LI.

c.n.u.ti. c. 4. 'Mesmo eel jugement (d'etrears) eyent sorcers, et sorceresses,' &c. ut supra. Fleta t.i.t et ubi supra. 3 Inst. 44. Trial of witches before Hale, in 1664.

The statutes 33 H. 8. c. 8. 5. El. c. 16 and 1. Jac. 1. c.

12. seem to be only in confirmation of the Common law. 9 G.

2. c. 25. punishes them with pillory and a year's imprisonment 3 E. 6 c 15. 5 El. c. 15. punish fond, fantastical, and false prophecies, by fine and imprisonment.