ROBBERY, is a felonious taking away of another man's goods from his person, or presence, against his will, putting him in fear, on purpose to steal the same. The value is immaterial.
If a man force another to part with his property, for the sake of preserving his character from the imputation of having been guilty of an unnatural crime, it will amount to a robbery, even though the party was under no apprehension of per sonal danger. If any thing is snatched suddenly from the head, hand, or person of any one, without any struggle on the part of the owner, or without any evi dence of force or violence being exerted by the thief, it does not amount to rob bery. But if any thing be broken or torn in consequence of the sudden seizure, it would be evidence of such force as would constitute a robbery ; as where a part of a lady's hair was torn away by snatching a diamond pin from her head, and an ear was torn by pulling off= car•ring ; each of these cases was determined to be a robbery.
By 7 George II. c. 21, if any person shall, with any offensive weapon, assault, or by menaces, or in any forcible or vio lent manner, demand any money or goods, with a felonious intent to rob another, he shall be guilty of felony, and be transported for seven years.
If any person, being out of prison, shall commit any robbery, and afterwards dis cover two or more persons who shall commit any robbery, so as two or more be convicted, he shall have the King's pardon for all robberies he shall have committed before such discovery.
High•way robbery differs from robbery only in this, that there is a reward of 40/. for the apprehending of the offender, and the horse which the robber rides is for feited.