ACCESSORY

ACCESSORY, or Accessary, something that accedes, or is added to another more considerable thing, or arises as a natural Consequence therefrom. See ACCESSION.

In this Sense, the Word stands opposed to Principal. See PRINCIPAL.

Accessory, or Accessary, in Common Law, is chiefly used for a Person guilty of a felonious Offence; not principally, but by Participation; as, by Advice, Command, or Concealment. See FELONY.



There are two Kinds of Accessories; before the Fact, and after it. — The first is he who commands or procures another to commit Felony, and is not present himself; for if he be present, he is a Principal. See PRINCIPAL.

The second, is he who receives, assists, or consort with any Man that has done Murder or Felony, whereof he has Knowledge.

A Man may also be accessory to an Accessory, by aiding, receiving, etc. an Accessory to Felony.

An Accessory in Felony shall have Judgment of Life and Member as well as the Principal, who did the Felony; but not till the Principal be first attainted and convicted, or outlawed thereon. Where the Principal is pardoned without Attainder, the Accessory cannot be arraigned; it being a Maxim in Law, Ubi non est principalis, non potest esse Accessorius. But if the Principal be pardoned, or have his Clergy after Attainder, the Accessory shall be arraigned.

In the lowest and highest Offences there are no Accessories;but all are Principals: as in Riots, Routs, Forcible Entries, and other Trespasses, which are the lowest Offences. — So also in the highest Offence, which is High Treason, there are no Accessories. See TREASON.

Accessories in Petty Treason, Murder, and Felony, are not to have their Clergy. — There can be no Accessory before the Fact in Manslaughter; because that is hidden and unpremeditated. See MANSLAUGHTER.

Accessory by Statute, is such a one as abets, advises, aids, or receives one that commits an Offence made Felony by Statute. See STATUTE.

Accessory Nerves, or Accessorius Willisii, or Par accessorium, in Anatomy, a Pair of Nerves, which arising from the Medulla in the Vertebra of the Neck, ascend and enter the Skull, and pass out of it again, with the vagus nerve, wrapped up in the same common Integument therewith; and after quitting the same, is distributed into the Muscles of the Neck, and Shoulders. See NERVE, VAGUS, &c.

In its Ascent towards the Head, it receives Branches from each of the first five Pair of Cervical Nerves, near their rise from the Medulla; and sends forth Twigs to the Muscles of the Larynx, Gula, etc. - Uniting with a Branch of the Intercostal, it forms the Plexus Gangliosus. See PLEXUS.

ACCESSORY