the forcible abduction or stealing away of man, woman, or child, from their own country, and lending them into another. This crime was capital by the Jewish law: "He that stealeth a man and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, shall surely be put to death." So likewise in the civil law, Exodus xxii. 21. the offence of spiriting away and stealing men and children, which was called plagium, and the offenders plagiarii, was punished with death. This is unquestionably a very heinous crime, as it robs the king of his subjects, banishes a man from his country, and may in its consequences be productive of the most cruel and disagreeable hardships; and therefore the common law of England has punished it with fine, imprisonment, and pillory. And also the statute 11 and 12 W. III. c. 7. though principally intended against pirates, has a clause that extends to prevent the leaving of such persons abroad as are thus kidnapped or spirited away; by enacting, that if any captain of a merchant-vessel shall (during his being abroad) force any person on shore, or wilfully leave him behind, or refuse to bring home all such men as he carried out, if able and desirous to return, he shall suffer three months imprisonment.