Odger's English Common Law

Chapter II.
PUBLIC RIGHTS.
Under this term we group those absolute rights which
every one in the realm possesses—which do not depend upon;
the ownership of property, or the tenure of any office, or thef
existence of any contract between the parties. First among
these stands the right of personal security.
" The right of personal security consists in a person's
legal and uninterrupted enjoyment of his life, his limbs, his
body, his health and his reputation, to each of which he has
a natural inherent right, which cannot be wantonly destroyed,
infringed or restricted without a manifest breach of civil
liberty." 1 Every citizen enjoys the right of personal liberty ;
he is entitled to stay at home or walk abroad at his pleasure
without interference or restraint from others. Any confinement
or detention, for which no legal justification can be
shown, is a " false imprisonment."
Ancillary to the right of personal security is the right of
self-defence. Every man may repel unlawful force by force ;
and this whether such unlawful force be directed against him-
self or against his wife, child or servant, and probably if it
be directed against any weak or helpless stranger.
Again, every one who is inside a house i3 entitled to use
force to prevent the forcible entry into that house of any one
who has no right to enter it. " Every man's house is his
castle." This right is not confined to the occupier of the
house or even to his family or servants. Any stranger, who
is lawfully present in the house, may exercise this right.
And even where no attack is being made upon a man or
upon his wife, child or servant, still he may always interfere
to prevent any one from committing treason or any felony, or
i 1 Bla. Com. 129.