Chap. 0065 AN ACT AGAINST ACCESSARIES TO CRIMES AND FELONIOUS ASSAULTERS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and Rouse of Bepresenta-tives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That if any person shall aid, assist, abet, counsel, hire, command or procure any person to commit the crime of murder or rape, sodomy, arson, robbery or burglary, he is, and shall be considered as an accessary before fhe fact to the principal offender or offenders, and being thereof convicted, shall suffer the like punishment as is by law assigned for the crime to the commission of which he shall be so accessary.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That whosoever shall knowingly receive, harbour, conceal, maintain, assist, or relieve any person or persons who have committed any of the crimes beforcnamcd, he

is, and shall be considered as an accessary after the fact, and being convicted (hereof, he shall be punished by setting on the gallows the space of one hour, with a rope about his neck, and the other end thereof thrown over the gallows, by tine, imprisonment, by setting in the pillory, by confinement to hard labour, and binding to the good behaviour, or to one or more of these punishments, according to the nature and aggravation of the offence.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That whosoever shall make an assault with an intent to commit murder, rape or sodomy, and be thereof convicted, shall be sentenced to be set on the gallows with a rope about his or her neck, and the other end thereof cast over the gallows, to be set in the pillory at one or more times or places, not exceeding three, to be whipped not exceeding thirty-nine stripes, be fined, suffer imprisonment, and binding to the good behaviour, or to any one or more of these punishments, according to the nature and aggravation of the olfence. March 15, 17S5.