law should not animadvert upon such offenders by reason of their nonage, the kingdom would come to confusion.[1] Experience makes us know, that every day murders,[2] bloodsheds, burglaries, larcenies, burning of houses,[3] rapes,[4] clipping and counterfeiting of money, are committed by youths above fourteen and under twenty-one; and if they should have impunity by reason of such their minority, no man's life or estate would be safe. In my remembrance, at Thetford, a young lad of sixteen years old was convict for successive wilful burning of three dwelling houses, and in the last of them burning a child to death, and yet had carried the matter so subtilly, that by a false accusation of another person for burning the first house, an innocent person was brought in danger, if it had not been strangely discovered: he had judgment to die, and was executed accordingly." 1 Hale. P. C. p. 25.
- ↑ At this moment London is infested by numerous bands of infant depredators, who in desperate hardihood, skill, perseverance, and combination, emulate the oldest criminals; female infants are permitted to walk the most public streets at mid-day, whose apparent age might bring their criminal associates within the statute 18 Eliz. The new vagrant act may give an useful stimulus to the police on this point, however vexatious and impolitic it may be on others.
- ↑ Alice de Walborough, æt. 13, was burnt for murdering her mistress.
- ↑ At Abingdon assizes, Feb. 23, 1629, before Whitlock justice, one John Dean, an infant between eight and nine years, was indicted, arraigned, and found guilty of burning two barns in the town of Windsor; and it appearing upon examination that he had malice, revenge, craft, and cunning, he had judgment to be hanged, and was hanged accordingly. Note, 1 H. P. C. p. 25. At Dorchester assizes, March 1794, Elizabeth Marsh, aged 15 years, was convicted of the murder of John Nevil, her grandfather, at Morden, and was executed.
- ↑ Giles East, a boy under 17 years of age, was convicted at the Kingston Assizes of carnally knowing a girl of 9 years of age, (stat. 18 Eliz.) and was executed Jan. 20, 1823.
