EBAST’S PLEAS OF THE CROWN. 
809 
Art. VI. A Treatise of the Pleas of the Crown. By Enwarp Hype East, Esq. of the 
Inner Temple. 
MR. EAST very modestly observes 
in the preface to this valuable work, that 
he would not have presumed to have 
ventured on a new arrangement and dis- 
cussion of a subject already so ably and 
authoritatively treated of by Lord Hale 
and Mr. Serjeant Hawkins, had he not 
been possessed of additional materials. 
But that the lapse of ninety years since 
the last of those authors published his 
book, and the accumulation of matter, 
both from statutes and adjudged cases, 
had rendered a revision of this most in- 
teresting branch of our law so highly de- 
sirable, that he thought it would prove 
an acceptable offering to the members 
of his profession, however far the execu- 
tion of it might fall short, in point of 
ability, of those models which they had 
been accustomed to contemplate. 
The sense entertained by the profes- 
sion of the magnitude and importance 
of Mr. East’s undertaking, and their con- 
fidence in the care and ability of the 
author, were most forcibly displayed in 
all private collections and notes being 
immediately laid open to him, and in his 
being permitted freely to avail himself 
of the private labours of judges so highly 
distinguished as Foster, Yates and Gould, 
and Buller. But in addition to these va- 
luable sources of information, he was al- 
lowed to consult the book which has 
been long kept for the use of the judges, 
andinwhich are entered those caseswhich 
have been reserved for their opinion, 
with their determinations upon them. 
Thus aided, with a mind ever bent 
upon the subject, and enriched by the 
learned and liberal communications of 
the ablest lawyers of the time, Mr. East, 
after fifteen years preparation, brought 
forth his work ; a work’whose execution 
must be as gratifying to his friends as it 
is valuable to the public, and which will 
hand down his name to distant times 
with those who have most contributed 
by their writings to the honour of their 
profession. . 
In the course of the preface a very in- 
teresting memoir is given of the late 
Justice Buller, which will be read with 
avidity by the numerous admirers of that 
most extraordinary man. 
A short index is given.of the general 
heads; one of cases, and another of no 
less than four hundred and fifty-six sta- 
tutes, which are cited and referred to 
in the work, 
2 vols. Svo. pp. 1126. 
These two volumes contain the fol- 
lowing chapters, whose respective lengths 
and importance we have marked by re- 
ference to the pages. 
Chap. 1. Offences against religion, 
morality, and the church establishment, 
p- 1to 36; 56 pages. 
2. High treason and other incidental 
offences immediately against the alle- 
giance due to the king, p. 37 to 138; 
102 pages. 
3. Misprision of treason, p. 139 and 
140; 2 pages. : : 
4, Offences relating to the coin and 
to bullion, p. 141 to 1975 57 pages. 
5. Homicide, p. 198 to 375; 178 
pages. 
6. The respective duties of the vill, 
the coroner, and others, upon a homi- 
cide committed, p. 376 to 391; 16 pages. 
7. Mayhem or felonious maims, p. 
392 to 403; 12 pages. 
8. Felonious, malicious, and unlawful 
assaults upon the person, with intent to 
kill, wound, or otherwise injure the party, 
or to rob him, or obstruct him in the ex- 
ecution of his duty, p. 404 to 427; 24 
pages. ‘ 
9. False imprisonment and kidnap- 
ping, p. 428 to 432; 5 pages. 
10. Rape, and the wilful carnal know- 
ledge of female children, p. 433 to 449; 
17 pages. 
11. Forcible or fraudulent abduction, 
marriage, or defilement, p. 450 to 462; 
13 pages, 
12. Polygamy or Bigamy, p. 463 to 
472; 10 pages. 
13, Offences touching clandestine and 
illegal marriages, p. 473 to 479; 7 pages, 
14. Sodomy, p. 480; 1 page. 
15. Burglary, p. 481 to 523; 43 pages. 
16. Larceny and robbery, p. 524 to 
791; 268 pages. 
17. Piracy, p. 792 to 812; 21 pages, 
18, Cheats, p. 815 to 889; 27 pages. 
19. Forgery, p. 840 to 1003; 164 
pages. 
20. Falsely personating another, p, 
1004 to 1011; 8 pages. 
21. Arson, p. 1012 to 1035; 24 pages, 
22. Malicious or fraudulent mischief, 
p- 1036 to 1103; 68 pages. f 
23. Threatening letters or writings, p, 
1104 to 1126; 23 pages. 
The aim of the author at a very com- 
“prehensive and systematic arrangement 
will immediately appear from this state 
ment, ‘That circumstance which consti. 
