The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 03 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
_Imprisonment_, is when a man is by public authority deprived of
liberty; and may happen from two divers ends; whereof one is the safe
custody of a man accused; the other is the inflicting of pain on a man
condemned. The former is not punishment; because no man is supposed to
be punished, before he be judicially heard, and declared guilty. And
therefore whatsoever hurt a man is made to suffer by bonds, or
restraint, before his cause be heard, over and above that which is
necessary to assure his custody, is against the law of nature. But the
latter is punishment, because evil, and inflicted by public authority,
for somewhat that has by the same authority been judged a transgression
of the law. Under this word imprisonment, I comprehend all restraint of
motion, caused by an external obstacle, be it a house, which is called
by the general name of a prison; or an island, as when men are said to
be confined to it; or a place where men are set to work, as in old time
men have been condemned to quarries, and in these times to galleys; or
be it a chain, or any other such impediment.
[Sidenote: Exile.]
_Exile_ (banishment) is when a man is for a crime, condemned to depart
out of the dominion of the commonwealth, or out of a certain part
thereof: and during a prefixed time, or for ever, not to return into it:
and seemeth not in its own nature, without other circumstances, to be a
punishment; but rather an escape, or a public commandment to avoid
punishment by flight. And Cicero says, there was never any such
punishment ordained in the city of Rome; but calls it a refuge of men in
danger. For if a man banished, be nevertheless permitted to enjoy his
goods, and the revenue of his lands, the mere change of air is no
punishment, nor does it tend to that benefit of the commonwealth, for
which all punishments are ordained, that is to say, to the forming of
men’s wills to the observation of the law; but many times to the damage
of the commonwealth. For a banished man, is a lawful enemy of the
commonwealth that banished him; as being no more a member of the same.
But if he be withal deprived of his lands, or goods, then the punishment
lieth not in the exile, but is to be reckoned amongst punishments
pecuniary.
[Sidenote: The punishment of innocent subjects is contrary to the law of
nature.]