Page:Ta Tsing Leu Lee; Being, The Fundamental Laws, and a Selections from the Supplementary Statutes, of the Penal Code of China.djvu/84

Rh The crimes here arranged and ditributed under ten heads, being ditinguihed from others by their enormity, are always punihed with the utmot rigour of the law; and, when the offence is capital, it is excepted from the benefit of any act of general pardon; being likewie, in each cae, a direct violation of the ties by which ociety is maintained, they are expresly enumerated in the introductory part of this code, that the people may learn to dread, and to avoid the ame.

No claue to this ection.

I. The Privilege of Imperial Blood and Connections. — Becaue the members of the augut family of the Sovereign, who rules by the appointment of Heaven, are entitled to peculiar reverence in the adminitration of the laws with regard to them; therefore, this privilege hall extent to all the relations of His Imperial Majety, who are decended from the ame ancetors; to all the relations of the firt, econd, third, and fourth degrees of His Imperial Majety's mother and grandmother; to all the relations of His Imperial Majety's conort, the Empres, within the firt, econd, and third degrees; and, latly, to all the relations of the conort of the hereditary Prince, within the firt and econd degrees only.

II. The Privilege of long Service. — This clas comprehends all thoe ancient ervants of the crown, who are zealouly attached and have been honourably ditinguihed.—Such perons are entitled to privilege, becaue the Emperor has exalted them, and becaue the length of their ervices is a tetimony of their unalterable fidelity.

III. The Privilege of illutrious Actions. — Thoe are entitled to privilege under this clas, who purue the enemy to the ditance of 10,000 lee, cut off the head of the general of the hotile army, tear down