How far the fear a violent resistance, to raise the posse, in order to remove a force in making an entry into, or detaining of, lands. Also it seems to be the duty of a sheriff, or other minister of justice, having the execution of the king's writs, and being resisted in endeavouring to execute them, to raise such a power as may effectually enable them to overpower any such resistance; yet it is said not to be lawful for them to raise a force for the execution of a civil process, unless they find a resistance; and it is certain that they are highly punishable for using any needless outrage or violence. (c) It seems to be agreed, that the injury or grievance complained object must be of, and intended to be revenged or remedied by a riotous assembly, must relate to some private quarrel only; as the inclosing of lands in which the inhabitants of a town claim a right of common, or gaining the possession of tenements the title whereof is in dispute, or such like matters relating to the interests or disputes of particular persons, in no way concerning the public. For the proceedings of a riotous assembly on a public or general account, as to redress grievances, pull down all inclosures, or to reform religion, and also resisting the king's forces, if sent to keep the peace, may amount to overt acts of high treason by levying war against the king. (d) of a private nature. As to the degree of violence or terror. It seems to be clearly agreed, that in every riot there must be some such circumstances either of actual force or violence, or at least of an apparent tendency thereto, as are naturally apt to strike a terror into the people; as the shew of armour, threatening speeches, or turbulent gestures; for every such offence must be laid to be done in terrorem populi. (e) But it is not necessary, in order to constitute this crime, that personal violence should have been committed. (ƒ) Upon these principles, assemblies at wakes, or other festival times, or meetings for the exercise of common sports or diversions, as bull-baiting, wrestling, and such like, are not riotous. (g) And upon the same ground also it seems to follow that it is possible for three persons or more to assemble together with an intention to execute a wrongful act, and also actually to perform their intended enterprize, without being rioters; as if a man assemble a number of persons to carry away a piece of timber or other thing to which he claims a right, and which cannot be carried away without a number of persons, this will not of itself be a riot, if the number of (c) 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 65. s. 2. 19 the town of Kingston; and the second, Vin. Abr. Riots, &c. (A) 4. for a common nuisance in kicking (d) 4 Blac. Com. 147. 1 Hawk. P. about a foot-ball in the said town. C. c. 65. s. 6. (e) 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 65. s. 5. (g) 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 65. s. 5. But And in Sir Anthony Ashley's case, 1 Roll. R. 109. Coke, C. J. said, that the stage-players might be indicted for a riot and unlawful assembly: and see Dalt. Just. c. 136. (citing Roll. R.) that if such players by their shews occasion an extraordinary and unusual concourse of people to see them act their tricks, this is an unlawful assembly and riot, for which they may be indicted and fined. 19 Vin. Abr. Riots, &c. (A) 8. persons are not more than are necessary for the purpose; and if the act intend if there be violence and tumult. But if there be violence and tumult, it has been generally The legality or holden not to make any difference whether the act intended to be illegality of done by the persons assembled be of itself lawful or unlawful; ed to be done from whence it follows that if three or more persons assist a man not material to make a forcible entry into lands to which one of them has a good right of entry; or if the like number, in a violent and tumultuous manner, join together in removing a nuisance or other thing, which may be lawfully done in a peaceable manner, they are as properly rioters as if the act intended to be done by them were ever so unlawful. () And if in removing a nuisance the persons assembled use any threatening words, (such as, they will do it though they die for it, or the like,) or in any other way behave in apparent disturbance of the peace, it seems to be a riot. (/) But the violence. and tumult must in some degree be premeditated. For if a number of persons, being met together at a fair, market, or any other lawful or innocent occasion, happen on a sudden quarrel to fall together by the ears, it seems to be agreed that they are not guilty of a riot, but only of a sudden affray, of which none are guilty but those who actually engage in it, because the design of their meeting was innocent and lawful, and the subsequent breach of the peace happened unexpectedly, without any previous intention. (m) But if there be any predetermined purpose of acting with violence and tumult, the conduct of the parties may be deemed riotous. As where it was held that although the audience in a public theatre have a right to express (i) Dalt. c. 137. 5 Burn. Riot, s. 1. () 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 65. s. 7. The law will not suffer persons to seek redress of their private grievances by such dangerous disturbances of the public peace; but the justice of the quarrel in which such an assembly may have been engaged will be considered as a great mitigation of the offence. And Per Cur. in 12 Mod. 648. Anon., if one goes to assert his right with force and violence, he may be guilty of a riot. (1) Dalt. c. 137. 5 Burn. Just. Riot, s. 1. where it is said, that if there is cause to remove any such nuisance, or to do any like act, it is safest not to assemble any multitude of people, but only to send one or two persons, or if a greater number, yet no more than are needful, and only with meet tools, in order to remove it; and that such persons tend their business only, without disturbance of the peace, or threatening speeches. (m) 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 65. s. 3. How far the violence and tumult must be premeditated. Though the parties assembled in the first instance for an inno cent purpose, they may afterwards be guilty of a riot. Any person taking part in rioter; all are principals. a riot is a the feelings excited at the moment by the performance, and in this manner to applaud or to hiss any piece which is represented, or any performer who exhibits himself on the stage;` yet if a number of persons, having come to the theatre with a predetermined purpose of interrupting the performance, for this purpose make a great noise and disturbance, so as to render the actors entirely inaudible, though without offering personal violence to any individual, or doing any injury to the house, they are guilty of a riot. (n) Even though the parties may have assembled for an innocent purpose in the first instance, yet if they afterwards, upon a dispute happening to arise amongst them, form themselves into parties, with promises of mutual assistance, and then make an affray, it is said that they are guilty of a riot, because upon their confederating together with an intention to break the peace, they may as properly be said to be assembled together for that purpose from the time of such confederacy, as if their first coming had been on such a design; and it seems to be clear that if, in an assembly of persons met together on any lawful occasion whatsoever, a sudden proposal should be started of going together in a body to pull down a house, or inclosure, or to do any other act of violence, to the disturbance of the public peace, and such motion be agreed to, and executed accordingly, the persons concerned cannot but be rioters; because their associating themselves together, for such a new purpose, is in no way extenuated by their having met at first upon another. (0) If any person, seeing others actually engaged in a riot, joins himself to them and assists them therein, he is as much a rioter as if he had at first assembled with them for the same purpose, inasmuch as he has no pretence that he came innocently into the company, but appears to have joined himself to them with an intention of seconding them in the execution of their unlawful enterprize and it would be endless, as well as superfluous, to examine whether every particular person engaged in a riot were in truth one of the first assembly, or actually had a previous knowledge of the design. (p) And the law is that if any person encourages, or promotes, or takes part in riots, whether by words, signs, or gestures, or by wearing the badge or ensign of the rioters, he is himself to be considered a rioter; for in this case all are principals. (9) It has been ruled, however, that if three or more, being lawfully assembled, quarrel, and the party fall on one of their own company, this is no riot; but that if it be on a stranger, the very moment the quarrel begins, they begin to be an unlawful assembly, and their concurrence is evidence of an evil intention in them that concur, so that it is a riot in them that act, and in no more. (r) The inciting persons to assemble in a riotous manner appears also to have been considered as an indictable offence. (s) Concerning some acts done in a tumultuous and riotous manner, Statutes. especial provision is made by particular statutes. c. 5. s. 4. churches, houses, By the 1 Geo. 1. st. 2. c. 5. s. 4. "if any persons unlawfully, 1 G. 1. st. 2. "riotously, and tumultuously, assembled together, to the dis- Rioters pull"turbance of the public peace, shall unlawfully and with force ing down, &c. "demolish or pull down, or begin to demolish or pull down, any hour,&c. "church or chapel, or any building for religious worship, cer- guilty of "tified and registered (according to the 1 W. & M. sess. 1. c. 18.) felony with"or any dwelling-house, barn, stable, or other outhouse, that out clergy. "then every such demolishing, or pulling down, or beginning to "demolish, or pull down, shall be adjudged felony without benefit "of clergy, and the offenders therein shall be adjudged felons, "and shall suffer death, as in case of felony, without benefit of "clergy." () Principals in the second degree are within this statute: and where a jury found by a special verdict that the defendant was present at a riot, and encouraged and abetted the rioters in beginning to demolish and pull down a dwelling house, by shouting and using expressions to incite them, it was held that he was a principal in the second degree, and as such ousted of his clergy, though he did no act himself. (u) By the eighth section of this statute no person is to be prosecuted, by virtue of the act, for any offence committed contrary to it, unless the prosecution be commenced within twelve months after the offence committed. 9 G. 3. c. 29. &c. mills, clergy. The 9 Geo. 3. c. 29. s. 1. reciting the fourth section of the 1 Geo. 1. st. 2. c. 5. and that doubts had arisen whether it extended to the pulling down and demolishing of mills, enacts, "that if any person or persons unlawfully, riotously, and tumul- guilty of fe"tuously, assembled together, to the disturbance of the public lony without peace, shall unlawfully and with force demolish or pull down, "or begin to demolish or pull down, any wind-saw mill, or other "wind-mill, or any water-mill, or other mill, which shall have "been or shall be erected, or any of the works thereto respectively belonging; that then every such demolishing or pulling down, or beginning to demolish or pull down, shall be adjudged felony without benefit of clergy, and the offenders "therein shall be adjudged felons, and shall suffer death as in "case of felony, without benefit of clergy." The fourth section provides, that no person shall be prosecuted by virtue of the act 420. (8th ed.) the 1st count of which is for inciling persons to assemble, and that in consequence of such incitement they did so; and the second count states the inciting, and omits the assembling in consequence of it. See a similar precedent in 2 Chit. Crim. L. 506. and the principles stated, ante, p. 44, el sequ. (1) The sixth section of this statute makes provision for recovery of damages done to any church, &c. by action against the inhabitants of the hundred, or in some cases against the inhabitants of a city; and section 11. provides for the recovery of such da mages in Scotland. (u) Rex v. Royce, 4 Burr. 2073. 33 G. 3. c. 67. s. 1. Seamen, &c. riotously assembled who shall forcibly prevent the loading, &c. of any vessels, &c. to be committed to prison. 52 G. 3. c. 130. Rioters pull ing down, &c. buildings, engines, &c. for any offence committed contrary to it, unless such prosecution be commenced within eighteen months after the offence committed. (a) 66 66 '66 The 33 Geo. 3. c. 67. s. 1. reciting that seamen, keelmen, &c. had of late assembled themselves in great numbers, and had committed many acts of violence; and that such practices, if continued, might occasion great loss and damage to individuals, and injure the trade and navigation of the kingdom, enacts, "that if any seamen, keelmen, casters, ship-carpenters, or other per"sons, riotously assembled together to the number of three or more, shall unlawfully and with force prevent, hinder, or obstruct, the loading or unloading, or the sailing or navigating, of "any ship, keel, or other vessel, or shall unlawfully and with "force board any ship, keel, or other vessel, with intent to prevent, hinder, or obstruct, the loading or unloading, or the sailing or navigating of such ship, keel, or other vessel, every seaman, keelman, caster, ship-carpenter, and other person,' (being lawfully convicted of any of the offences aforesaid upon any indictment found in any court of oyer and terminer, or general or quarter sessions of the peace for the county, division, district, &c. wherein the offence was committed) shall be committed either to the common gaol or to the house of correction for the same county, &c. there to continue and to be kept to hard labour for any term not exceeding twelve calendar months, nor less than six calendar months. The fourth section provides, that the act shall not extend to any act, deed, &c. done in the service or by the authority of his Majesty. The seventh section enacts, that offences committed on the high seas shall be triable in any session of oyer and terminer, &c. for the trial of offences committed on the high seas within the jurisdiction of the Admiralty. And by the eighth section it is provided, that no person shall be prosecuted by virtue of the act for any of the offences therein mentioned, unless such prosecution be commenced within twelve calendar months after the offence committed. (w) 66 The 52 Geo. 3. c. 130., reciting the 1 Geo. 1. st. 2. c. 5., and the 9 Geo. 3. c. 29. and several other acts, and stating that it was expedient and necessary that more effectual provisions should be made for the protection of property not within the provisions of used in trades the said acts, makes the burning certain buildings, &c. used for or manufacto- manufactories a capital offence; and then enacts,-"That_if any ries, guilty of felony withperson or persons unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously, asout clergy. "sembled together in disturbance of the public peace, shall un"lawfully and with force demolish or pull down, or begin to de"molish or pull down, any erection and building, or engine, which "shall be used or employed in the carrying on or conducting of any trade or manufactory, or any branch or department of any "trade or manufactory of goods, wares, or merchandize, of any "kind or description whatsoever, or in which any goods, wares, "or merchandize, shall be warehoused or deposited; that then 66 (a) As to the indemnification of persons injured by such destruction of mills, &c. see 41 G. 3. c. 24.; and where the damages are under 30%. the 3 G. 4. c. 33. (w) This statute was at first only temporary, but was made perpetual by 41 Geo. 3. c 19. |