* At the Common law, the offence of House-breaking was not distinguished from Burglary, and neither of them from any other larceny.  The statutes at first took away clergy from Burglary, which made a leading distinction between the two offences.  Later statutes, however, have taken clergy from so many cases of House-breaking, as nearly to bring the offences together again.  These are 23 H. 8. c. 1; 1 E. 6. c. 12; 5 k 6 E. 6. c. 9; 3 & 4 W. M. c. 9; 39 El. c. 15; 10&11 W. 3. c.23; 12 Ann. c. 7.  See Burr. 428; 4 Bl. 240.  The circumstances, which in these statutes characterize the offence, seem to have been occasional and unsystematical.  The houses on which Burglary may be committed, and the circumstances which constitute that crime, being ascertained, it will be better to define House-breoking by the same subjects and circumstances, and let the crimes be distinguished only by the hour at which they are committed, and the degree of punishment.

Whosoever shall be guilty of Horse-stealing,* shall be condemned to hard labor three years in the public works, and shall make reparation to the person injured.

* The offence of Horse-stealing seems properly distinguishable from other larcenies, here, where these animals generally run at large, the temptation being so great and frequent, and the facility of commission so remarkable.  See 1 E. 6. c. 12; 23 E. 6. c. 33; 31 El. c. 12.

Grand Larceny* shall be where the goods stolen are of the value of five dollars; and whosoever shall be guilty thereof, shall be forthwith put in the pillory for one half hour, shall be condemned to hard labor** two years in the public works, and shall make reparation to the person injured.

* The distinction between grand and petty larceny is very ancient.  At first 8d. was the sum which constituted grand larceny.  LI.  AElhelst. c. 1.  ’Ne parcatur ulli furi, qui furtum manutenens captus sit, supra 12 annos nafo, et supra 8 denarios.’  Afterwards, in the same king’s reign, it was raised to 12d.  ’Non parcaturalicui furi ultra 12 denarios, et ultra 12 annos nato—­ut occide-mus ilium et capiamus omne quod possidet, et inprimis sumamus rei furto ablatse pretium ab hserede, ac dividatur postea reliquum in duas partes, una pars uxori, si munda, et facinoris conscia non sit; et residuum in duo, dimi-dium capiat rex, dimidium societas.’  LI.  AEthelst.  Wilkins, p. 65.  VOL.  I. 17

** LI.  Inse, c. 7.  ’Si quis furetur ita ut uxor ejus et infans ipsius nesciani, solvat 60. solidos pcenae loco.  Si autem furetur testantibus omuibus haere-dibus suis, abeant omnes in servilutem.’  Ina was King of the West Saxons, and began to reign A. C. 688.  After the union of the Heptarchy, i. e. temp.  AEthelst. inter 924 and 940, we find it punishable with death as above.  So it was inter 1017 and 1035, i. e. temp.  Cnuti.  LI.  Cnuti 61. cited in notes on Arson.  In the time of William the Conqueror, it seems lo