Name: An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers — Section V — Of the Punishment of Receivers of stolen Goods.
Author: Henry Fielding

Quotes from An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (Henry Fielding)

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ So if one Man had bought another's Goods of the Thief, though he had known them to be stolen, if he had given the just Value for them, he would not have become an Accessary [2] . But if he had bought them at an Undervalue, this, Sir Richard Hyde held, would have made him an Accessary. My Lord Hale differs from his Opinion, and his Reason to some Readers may seem a pleasant one; for if there be any odds (says he) he that gives more, benefits the Felon more than he that gives less than Value. However this, his Lordship thinks, may be a Misdemeanor punishable by Fine and Imprisonment ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ Among the Jews who live in a certain Place in the City, there have been, and still are, some notable Dealers this Way, who in an almost public Manner have carried on a Trade for many Years with Rotterdam, where they have their Warehouses and Factors, and whither they export their Goods with prodigious Profit, and as prodigious Impunity. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ If a Pickpocket steal several Handkerchiefs, or other Things, to the Value of Twenty Shillings, and the Receiver of these, knowing them to be stolen, is discovered, and both are indicted, the one as Principal, the other as Accessary, as they must be; if the Jury convict the Principal and find the Goods to be of as high Value as a Shilling, he must receive Judgment of Death ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ Where the Thief can be taken, you are not at Liberty to prosecute for the Misdemeanour.
2. The Thief himself, who must be convicted before the Accessary is to be tried, cannot be a Witness.
3. Without such Evidence it is very difficult to convict of the Knowledge, that the Goods were stolen; which, in this Case, can appear from Circumstances only. Such are principally, 1. Buying Goods of Value, of Persons very unlikely to be the lawful Proprietors. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ If the Thief on his Trial should be acquitted, as often happens through some Defect of Evidence in the most notorious Cases, the Receiver, being only an Accessary, tho' he hath confessed his Crime, or tho' the most undeniable Evidence could be brought against him, must be acquitted likewise. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ Something ought to be done, to put an End to the present Practice, of which I see daily the most pernicious Consequences; many of the younger Thieves appearing plainly to be taught, encouraged and employed by the Receivers. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Henry Fielding, An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (1751)

“ This last Statute is again repeated in the 5th of Queen Anne [7] ; and there the Power of the Court to punish in the Case of Misdemeanour, is farther encreased to any other corporal Punishment, which the Court shall think fit to inflict, instead of Fine and Imprisonment; and, in the Case of the Felony, the Accessary is to receive Judgment of Death; but the Benefit of Clergy is not taken away. Lastly, By the Statute of George II. [8] the Receivers of stolen Goods, knowing &c. are to be transported for 14 Years. ”

Henry Fielding

Summary

Quotes from An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (Henry Fielding)

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature

Henry Fielding

Summary

Quotes from An Enquiry into the Causes of the late Increase of Robbers… (Henry Fielding)

Common terms

Similar works

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature