" 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 Coke, and all the justices,
it was a felony in strangers only, but not in the prisoner himself.
S. C. Fitz. Abr. Coron. 48. They are the principal 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
mortell, car cel usage nest garrant per nul ley, ne in nul part est
use forsque in cest realme, et en France, eins [mais] est leu
garrantie de ceo faire per la ley de nature." 2 Inst. 589. The stat.
1. E. 2. de fraugentibus prisonam, 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.
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