Knowingly to send any letter without a name, or with a fictitious name, demanding money, or any other valuable thing, or threatening (without any demand) to kill or fire the house of any person, is made felony without benefit of clergy. And sending letters, threatening to accuse any person of a crime punishable with death, transportation, pillory, or other infamous punishment, with a view to extort from him any money or other valuable chattels, is punishable by statute 30 Geo. II. cap. 24. at the discretion of the court, with fine, imprisonment, pillory, whipping, or transportation for seven years.