The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

Of Fidelitie, forswearing and of Treason. Chap. 39.

ARAM.

SVch is the corruption of our age, wherein impietie and malice are come in the place of ancient innocency, that vertue seemeth very vnfit to be receiued and imployed in affaires, seeing the gate is quite shut vp against her. So that a man might aptly say, that whosoeuer should thinke to bring backe againe, amiddest the peruerseliues and corrupt ma∣ners of this present time, the vprightnes and integritie of ancient behauiour, he did as much as if he offered fruits out of season, which being faire in sight, were notwithstanding vnfit to be vsed. Neuerthelesse wee must not doubt to bring her in sight, and to maintaine her with all our power, who knoweth how to cause her enemy Vice, both to reuerence and feare her, and in the end also to triumph ouer him, mauger all the power and vnderproping, which he receiueth from the wic∣ked In the midst therefore of so many trecheries and treasons, wherof men glory now a daies, let vs not be afraid to paint them out in their colours, thereby giuing honour to fidelity, which is a part of iustice, or rather Iustice it selfe: which I leaue to you my cōpanions to make plain vnto vs.

ACHITOB,

It is the impietie to violate faith. For God who is truth, •• detesteth all lying: and is a terrible reuenger of the contempt of his name. To loue or to hate openly (saith Cicero doth better be∣seeme a noble heart, than for a man to hide and to dissemble his will and affection.

ASER.

Guile and fraud (saith Seneca) are meete weapons for a cowardly and base minded man. Therefore we must take good heed (as Pittacus said) That fame speake not euill of vs to them vnto whom we haue giuen our faith. But it belongeth to thee AMANA to handle this matter.

AMANA.

Amongst the famous and great personages of old time, no vertue was more com¦mended, or straightlier kept and obserued than Faith and Fidelity, which they affirmed to be the foundation of iustice, the indissoluble bond of friendship, & the sure supporter of humane society. Of this faith we mind now to speake, not touching at all that religious & sacred faith, concerning the holy misteries of true piety, which is a singular gift of God his Spirit, and peculiar to those that appertaine to his eternall election. This therfore which respecteth the mutuall conuersation and promises of men, hath bin alwaies kept vnuiolable of honorable men, and ought to be so amongst vs: because he that giueth his faith, laieth to pawne whatsoeuer is most pretious & diuine in his soule So that if he forget himself so much as to break & violate the same, he committeth manifest impiety shewing that he careh not to offend God by abusing his name to colour his lying. It were a great deale better neuer to take God to witnes, than to forsweare him in mockery, seeing the Scripture so oftē forbiddeth vs to take his name in vain, to sweare falsly by it, or in any sort to defile the same. It is true that this question hath alwaies bin, & is at this day more thā euer in cō∣trouersie: namely, whether a man is bound to performe that which he hath promised and sworne to by compulsio, or no? And this sentence is receiued & approued of many, that nothing but our wil bindeth vs to performe those things, which necessity forceth vs to promise. But to speake ac∣cording to truth, & without any particular passion, we say, that true & perfect magnanimity suf∣fereth vs not to promise any thing, & to pawn our faith therunto, except we were willing to per, some it, because no vertuous & wise mā ought to forget himselfe so far, as to do or to promise any thing contrary to his duty for any necessity, no not for death it self. Neither is there any thing wherby a foole is soner discerned frō a wise mā, tha by promises: forasmuch as an vndiscret man lightly promiseth whatsoeuer you wil, & oftētimes more than is required of him: but a man of good iudgmēt weigheth his spech with sēce & reason, before he gage it to any body, and hauing once giuē his word, he reuoketh it not, what losse or dāmage soeuer may insue therof; as he that esteemeth a great deale more of the honor of truth & fidelity, thā of his own life beeing touched with vntruth & periury, If it were lawfull for euery one to alleadge necessity or constraint,

thereby to cloake the breach of faith, to whom might a man trust in any matter? Who doubt∣eth but that all agreements made betweene men, whether in time of warre or of peace, or in any particolar affaires betweene party and party, are grounded vpon a benefite, which euery one supposeth to bee necessary and profitable for himselfe, and so consequently that they ought not to be kept? Who doubteth but that the breach of them may easily bee coloured with the like necessity, and so vnder this goodly pretence of false right and equity, should be allowed? But what? May we be iudges of our selues, and in our owne cause? First our aduerse parties, to whom we are bound must be called, and must agree of Iudges to determine of our promises, whether they were lawfull or vnlawfull, forced and necessary or no: accor∣ding to the law, which releaseth a man of his promise if it be vniust or vnreasonable, or if it bee too burthensome vnto him, or if hee were circumuented by deceit, fraud, error, force, iust feare, or grieuous hurt. But when we are both iudge and party and in steade of iustice seeke after force and violence, it is soone seene, that all shew of excusing the breach of faith giuen, is onely grounded vpon malice and subtilty. This did Lysander Admirall of the Lace∣daemonians vsually practise, who made no reckoning of iustice but when it was profitable accounting onely profite to be honesty, and saying, that children must be deceiued with the play of cocke all, and men with oathes. Which kind of dealing argueth a man to bee in truth, woorse in behauiour towards God than towards his enemies: because he that begui∣leth his enemie through the meanes of fidelity sworn vnto him, doth sufficiently testifie, that he feareth him, and dares not discouer vnto him that which lieth hid in his heart: and in the meane time he hath no reuerence or feare of the diuine Maiesty from which nothing is hid, but vseth that for a couering and maske of his wickednesse. Wee must (saith Cicero) keepe that promise inviolable, which we haue made to our enemie, albeit the mishaps of war haue constrained vs to yeeld vnto it. How much lesse therefore ought we to breake our faith giuen to our friendes, and to those of whom we neuer receiued any thing but profite and pleasure? Through this neg¦lect of faith we fill our soules with lying, nourishing and delighting them therein, and separa∣ting them far from the truth (the fountaine of all goodnes) to lie vnto our neighbours, to de∣ceiue and beguile them in those things which we are able to performe, thereby destroying the bond of humane society, yea of nature it selfe, which bindeth vs both to will and to pro∣cure their good. This is that which Epenetus the Lacedaemonian would teach vs, when hee said, that liers were the cause of all the sinnes and crimes in the world. And therefore Plutarke also saith, That to lie is a seruile vice worthy to be hated of all, and not to be pardoned in any, no not in slaues themselues. All they (saith Cicero) that speake one thing, and meane another, ought to bee taken for faithlesse, wicked and malicious men: whereas a good man will neither faine nor dissemble in any sort, either to buy better cheape or to sell dearer. It is not the point of a plaine, open, and sincere man or of him that is iust and vertuous, to conceale from the buyer the fault of that thing which he selleth, but rather of a malicious, deceitfull, crafty, subtile, and wicked man. And if this bee a vice & sin, not to declare the fault of that thing which is sold, how shall they be termed, who vse a thousand words and lies to set foorth their merchandice? Whereas good men haue al∣waies bin very scrupulous & precise in keeping the truth from all kind of pollution, as that which ought to be as well in the heart as in the mouth, in the works as in the words of euery honest man. But if lying procure blame and dishonor to all men, it doth much more to kings & princes. For seeing they are placed in such authority, that they may do what pleaseth them. what need they to lie? If Machiauell and his followers fauourers of tyranny, had well weighed that which we read in infinite places of Scripture, that God wil ouerthrow dissemblers & liers with al their lies & subtleties, hardly could they commend dissimulations, deceits, trecheries, and such like pranks, wherewith they seeke to poison the noble minds of good princes, to cause them to degenerate both from their naturall disposition, & from the steps of such ver∣tuous men as haue gone before them. And to this purpose I remember a decision of right concerning princes, which deserueth to be grauen in letters of gold within their lodgings & palaces: namely, That if the prince go against his promise, it ought to be reckoned amongst the cases that fall out by chance, neither may any man suppose the contrary. For the obligation is double: the one in respect of naturall equity, which will haue couenants & promises kept: the other in regard of the Prince his faith, which he must obserue inuiolable, although he receiue losse thereby, be∣cause he is the formal Warranty vnto all his subiects, of that fidelitie which is amongst them selues: so that no fault is more detestable in a prince then periury. For if he that is debtor and pledge for iustice be disloiall, there is no more trust to be giuen to him in all his othes: but if he be vpright, his bare word ought to be vnto him for a law, & his faith for an oracle, God him

selfe (saith the master of the Sentences) is bound by his promise. Gather together, (saith hee) all the nations of the earth, that they may iudge betweene me and my people, if there be any thing which I ought to haue done, and haue not performed it. What is he then that will call into question, whether a prince is bound to that which he hath sworne to and promised, see∣ing all soueraigne power is no lesse bound to the lawes of God & of nature, than the simplest that is subiect thereunto? If faith ought not to be kept with enemies, it is not to be giuen vn∣to them: and if it be lawfull to capitulate with them, it is as necessary to keepe promise. Yea we may furt her adde, that periury is not to be reuenged or called in question, after that peace and agreement together is made: otherwise there would neuer bee any assurance of peace or end of periury. From the selfe same fountaine of the profanation of faith, & custome in lying, (it being the property of vice to ingender another vice for a punishmēt of it selfe) proceedeth that pernicious plague of kingdomes and common wealths, I meane Treason, hated of God and men, wherewith periured persons being bewitched, feare not to betray themselues, so they may betray others also, and their countrey. Whereupon they become odious to euery one, euen to those who vsed them to serue their own turnes in disloyall and wicked actions, and in the end they receiue the reward due to their execrable impieties. For this is the com∣mon affection that men beare towards such people, to seeke them out (which notwithstand∣ing is not the property of a noble heart) when they stand in neede of them, as they that want gall, or the poyson of some venemous beast: afterward to giue them ouer and reiect them be∣cause of their wickednesse. If a man be called slothfull he may become diligent: If talkatiue holde his peace: if a glutton temperate himselfe: if an adulterer, abstaine: if furious, dissem∣ble, if ambitious, stay himselfe: if a sinner, amend: but he that is once called a traytor, there is no water to wash him cleane, nor meane to excuse himselfe. Now let vs come to the exam∣ples of the auncients, and know what zeale they bare to fidelity, and hatred to periurie and treason, as also what recompence commonly followed and accompanied such things, and with what reward noble minded men did requite those that were disloyall and traiterous. At∣tilius Regulus a Romane of great credite, being taken prisoner in the Carthaginian warre, and sent to Rome vpon his faith to intreat about a peace and the exchange of captiues, so soone as he arriued, gaue cleane contrary aduice in the Senate: shewing that it was not for the pro∣fit of the Common wealth to make such an agreement. Afterward, hauing resolued with himselfe to keepe faith with the enemie, hee returned to Carthage, where hee was put to death very cruelly. For his eie lids being cut off, and himselfe bound to an engine, hee died with the force of waking. Demaratus king of Sparta, beeing in Persia with the king, against whom a great man of Persia had rebelled, was the meanes of their reconciliation. After∣ward this barbarian king hauing his saide vassall in his power, would haue bene reuenged of him, thinking to put him to death. But the vertuous Lacedemonian turned him from it, declaring vnto him that it would redound to his great shame, not to know, how to punish him for his rebellion when he was his enemie, and now to put him to death being his seruant and friend. A reason truly well worthy to be marked, but very slenderly put in vre at this day. Augustus hauing made proclamation by sound of trumpet, that hee would giue 25000 Crownes to him that should take Crocotas, ringleader of the theeues in Spaine, hee offred himselfe to the Emperor, and required the sum promised by him, which hee caused to bee paide him, and pardoned him withall, to the end no man should thinke that hee would take his life from him, thereby to frustrate him of the promised recompence: as also because hee would haue publike faith and safety kept to euery one that came according to order of Iu∣stice: although in truth he might haue proceeded and giuen out processe against him, Cato the elder being in war against the Spaniards, was in great danger by reason of the multitude of enemies who sought to inclose him round about. And not being then in possibility to bee succoured of any but of the Celtiberians, who demanded of him 200. Talents (which are 120000. crownes) in hand for their wages, the Councell tolde him, that it was not by any means to be gotten presently, but yet promised to furnish them with such a sum, & that with∣in any time which they would appoint: otherwise that it was more expedient not to meddle with them. But this wise and well aduised captaine vsed this occasion to very good purpose, by resoluing with himselfe and with his souldiess, either to ouercome their enemies, or else to die (after they had agreed with the Celtiberians) that the Romane glory should not be stai∣ned by the falshood of their promises. For (quoth he to his souldiers) if we get the battle wee will pay them, not of our owne, but at the charges of our enemies: but if wee loose the victory, none will bee left aliue either to pay, or to demand any paiment There was no talk among the councel of these noble

Romanes, how they might deceiue their enemies, or those whose seruice they were vrged to vse, but they determined rather to die, than to be wanting in their promise. Likewise we may note, that as their enterprises thus grounded had good successe, so periurie and violating of right were through the vengeance of God pursued for the most part with vnhappy effects, contrary to the platformes and desires of periured and faithlesse men: or at the leastwise that themselues were speedily punished for their wickednesse. And therefore when Tissaphernes, lieutenant to the king of Persia had broken a truce, which he had made with the Grecians, they gaue him thankes by his owne Herald, because he had placed the Gods, in whose name the truce was sworne, on their side. And indeed he smally prospered after that in his enter∣prises. Cleomenes king of Lacedemonia, hauing taken a truce for seauen daies with the Argi∣ans, assaulted them the third night after, knowing that they were in a sound sleepe, and dis∣comfited them: which he did vnder this crafty subtletie, because (forsooth) in the foresaid truce mention was made of the day only, and not of the night. Whereupon the Grecians noted this as a iust iudgement of his periurie and breach of faith, in that he was my raculous∣ly frustrated of his principall intent, which was, by the meanes of that ouerthrow to haue suddenly taken the citie of Argos. For the women being full of wrath and iust griefe for the losse of their husbands, by the cowardly treacherie of this Lacedemonian, tooke those wea∣pons that were in the said Towne, & droue him from the wals, not without great murder & losse of the greatest part of his armie. Whereupon within a while after he became furious, and taking a knife he ript his body in smiling manner, and so died. Carcalla the Emperor traue∣ling with his armie towards the Parthians, vnder pretence of marying the daughter of Arta∣banus their King, who came for the same purpose to meete him, he set vpon him contrary to his faith, and put him to flight with an incredible murder of his men. But within a while after being come downe from his horse to make water, he was slaine of his owne men: which was noted as a iust punishment sent from God for his vnfaithfulnesse. The Corinthians saw be∣fore their eyes their cities raced to the ground, because they had offered violence to the Ro∣mane Embassadors, contrary to the law of nations. The Emperor Iustinian receiued infinite losses and dammages for breaking his faith with the Barbarians, and for violating the peace which he had made with the Bulgarians. Which thing procured him so great hatred of his owne subiects, by reason of the vnluckie exploits of warre which followed after, that being returned to Constantinople, Leontius vsurped the kingdome vpon him, sending him into banishment after he had cut off his nosethrils. Rastrix Duke of Cleueland, hauing falsified his faith with Lewes king of Germanie, was put to the worst and vanquished: and being prisoner, his eies were put out for a marke of his faithlesse dealing. But what neede wee search in antiquitie for testimonies of the fruites which commonly proceede from the breach of faith, seeing examples are dayly before our eies to our cost? What doe wee behold at this day but a doubling, yea a heape of all miseries, because faith, which is so preci∣ous and exquisite a thing that it admitteth no comparison, hath so often beene valued at so small a price? The history hereof is but to common, and the truth too apparant (to the great hurt of euery one) to stand vpon the proofe thereof, whereas it ought rather to bee buried from all memorie, if it were possible, as well to deface all spots of infamy, for which we are bla∣med of nations farthest off, as to take away the distrust that one hath of another, which is so great amongst vs, that it hath beene one principall cause of kindling the fire of diuision so often in this desolate kingdome. But to leaue such a pittifull matter subiect, let vs consider what honour and entertainement men in olde time gaue to traitors, who are now adaies so welcome to the greatest. Lasthenes hauing holpen Philip king of Macedonia to become ma∣ster of the citie of Olynthum, whereof hee was an inhabitant, and complaining to the king that certaine called him traitor, he receiued this onely answer that the Macedonians were na∣turally rude and grosse, calling a spade a spade, and all things else by their proper name. When Caesar Augustus heard Rymetalces king of Thracia (who had forsaken Antonius to ioyne with him) boast of his fact, the monarch drinking to others, said with a loud voice: I loue treason well, but I loue no traitors. And in truth what man of any good iudgement will trust him? Hee that betraieth his Prince, his benefactor, his citie, his country, his kinsfolke and friends into their hands to whom he is nothing so much bound, how may not he betray them also another time? This did Agis, sonne of Archidamus king of Sparta very well signifie to the Ephories, who had commanded him to take the yong men of the citie with him, and to goe to the countrey of one whom they would make knowne vnto him, who had promised to guide & bring them within the castel of his city. What (quoth he vnto them) is it a reasonable

matter to commit the safety and life of so many valiant yong men to one that betraieth his countrey? Pausanias, captaine of the Lacedaemonians, hauing receiued fiue hundred talents of gold of king Xerxes, promised to betray the city of Sparta vnto him. But his enterprise be∣ing discouered, Agesilaus his father pursued him into a temple where hee thought to haue saued himselfe, and causing the gates thereof to bee walled vp, suffered him to die there of of hunger: and afterward his mother cast his body to the dogs, and would not bury it. The like befell to Cassius Brutus, who would haue sold Rome: his father handling him after the same sort. Darius king of Persia, caused the head of his sonne Ariobarzanes to be cut off because he sought to betray his army to Alexander. Brutus did the like to his children, who had con∣spired against their countrey, that king Tarquinius might reenter into Rome. Mahomet hauing taken Constantinople through the cowardlinesse and treason of Iohn Iustinian of Genua, after he had made him king according to promise, he cut off his head within three daies. A meete recompence for such a wretch, who was the cause of so great a plague to christendome, whereby the Emperor Constantinus, the Patriarke, and all the Christians were slaine. The Empres with her daughters, and with the noblest damsels she had, were led before Maho∣met, and after a thousand villanies offered vnto them, their bodies were cut in peeces. True it is that histories are diuerse touching this fact of Iustinian. For some say, that perceiuing him∣selfe to be hurt in fight, he fled: whereupon most of all the men of war were discouraged: and that after he had saued himselfe in the Ile of Chios he died, either of his wound, or for griefe and sorrow, because he was the chiefe cause of so great a mischiefe to Christendome. Neither may we passe ouer in silence the heroicall fact of Sultan Solyman the last that died, but pro∣pound it to princes as a patterne of the hatred and punishment of periory and treason. For sending a Bascha of his into Valona to passe into Italy both by sea and land, this Generall lan∣ded at the hauen of Castro, whereat the inhabitants being astonished, yeelded themselues vnto him vnder his oath and fidelitie, whereby hee promised that they should depart, their liues saued, with bag and baggage. Neuerthelesse this Barbarian slue them all, except those whom he saw were fit to serue for slaues. But after his returne to Constantinople, the great Seignior being aduertised of his disloialtie, caused him to be strangled, and sent backe all his prisoners with their good, into Italy. Truly an act worthy such a Prince, who, if he had beene endued with the true knowledge of God and of his Church, deserued the first place amongst the great ones of his time. Now to end our discourse, let vs learne to know the excellency of faith, which is such a thing, that whosoeuer laieth it in pawne, bindeth his safety, his honour, and his soule to him, vnto whom he giueth it, and committeth manifest impiety against God, when he breaketh and violateth the same: vnlesse he had vowed it for the performance of some wicked deede, with which both diuine and humane law dispence. Let vs know also, that it is the beginning and foundation of a great and notable vertue to bee giuen to truth, that it was of such credit amongst the Ancients, that in Cato his time, when any man rehear∣sed a strange thing and hard to beleeued, this prouerbe went of him, (because he was knowne throughout the whole course of his life to be a louer of truth) This is not credible, although Cato himselfe should speake it. And thus by the examples of so many famous men, let vs in such sort be stirred to hate lying, whereof Satan is the father and author, that following the counsell of Saint Paul, we speake the truth euery one to his neighbour, who is euery one that needeth our helpe, and let all faining and dissimulation be banished from vs, and all roundnesse and integrity of heart and manners appeare in all our actions: let vs hate periurie and treason, per∣iured and traiterous persons, knowing that faith being taken away, the whole foundation of Iustice is ouerthrowne, all bonds of friendship broken, and all humane society confounded.

Notes

• Of the cor∣ruption of ou•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. When vertue seemeth to be out of season.
• What f••••••h & fidelity ••s.
• O•• the viola∣ting of faith.
• Leuit. 19. 12. Deut •• 11, Mat. 5. 34.
• Whether a for¦ced promise is to be keept.
• A wise man must neuer promise any thin•••• ••••ainst duty.
• Psal 15. 4.
• Lysander a forsworne & deceitful man
• We must keep promise with our enemie.
• Of the neg∣lect of fidelity cometh a cu∣stom of lying
• It is wicked∣nes to cōceale the fault of that which a man selleth.
• Lying in a prince is most odious.
• The promise of a nutrice is tyed with a double hand.
• Of the word & faith of a prince.
• Of Treason.
• Notable ex∣amples.
• A. Regulus.
• Demaratus.
• Augustus.
• Cato.
• Periured and faithlesse per∣sons haue alwaies had ill successe. Tissaphernes.
• Cleomenes.
• Caracalla.
• The Corin∣thians.
• Iustinianus the Emperor.
• Rastrix Duke of Cleue∣land.
• The cause of the present miserie of France.
• Examples of the entertain∣ment which the Ancients gaue to trai∣tors.
• Lasthenes.
• Rymetalces.
• Agis.
• Pausanias.
• Ariobarzanes.
• Iustinian of Genua cause o•• the ••••••ing of Constanti∣nople.
• A famous & heroicall ••act o•• ••ultan So∣lyman.
• Cato com∣mended for his truth.
• Eph. 4. 25 Luk 10. 37.