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CReatures 1 are cherished onely for the vse we haue of them: when the Iade can worke no longer, we take his skin; when the Silk-worme hath wouen her web, we let her flie or die. As people deale with brute beasts, so deale Princes with that brutish and beastly sort of people, that betray their Prince or countrey to them: they cherish them but for their ends; they loue the treason, but not the traitor: 2 whose surest and sorest scourge is his owne conscience.
Barnardino da Corte a Pauese, and an old seruitor of the Duke, by him greatly aduanced, is put in trust by his Master with the keeping of the impregnable castle of Millan, before Ascanio the Dukes owne brother, who offered to vndertake the charge. At his departing from the citie, he leaues with him three thousand sol∣diers vnder trustie Captains; with prouision of victuals, muniti∣on, and mony, for many moneths, hoping ere long to returne out of Germanie with great succours. This Castellan not enduring one shot of the Cannon, or any appearance of danger, sels the place within twelue daies after the Duke was gone, for a great summe of mony: a conduct of one hundred Lances: and a pension for life: besides many other fauours and priuiledges. An act so in∣famous and hatefull, as euen the French themselues to whom he betraid it, abhorred him and shunned his company & fellowship, as if he had bin some venemous serpent. Insomuch as playing at cards, they wold call for Barnardino da Corte, when they were to pul for a traitor, (a sort in their pack, as Knaues are in ours) to his per∣petuall reproch. With the shame hereof, & sting of a guilty consci∣ence, he was so tormēted, as within few daies he lāguished & died.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Proditiones, non proditores amo.
Amo prodituros, non proditores.
Rem amant, non reum.
Le più volte, come s' egli s' era seruito dell' opera loro à bastanza e sazio; in luo∣go di quelli, messo in opra de gl' altri, vsaua egli stesso di spegnere quei vecchi, & perniziosi, et di giâ venuti al colmo.
Camillus pueris virgas dedit, quibus proditorem agerent in vrbem.
Sic virginem, quae Sabinis Romae portas prodidit: dum pretium rei petit, illi ipsi clipeis obruebant.
Gl'essecutori delle sceleratezze di molta importanza, sono da' Prencipi ris∣guardati, come se tali seruigij gl'improuerassero.
Les Lacedemoniens condamnerent leur Capitain Phaebidas, d'auoir empieté la Cadmée, contre la Teneur du Traitté fait auec les Thebains, & neantmoins ils retendirent la place.
Quand ceux qui aiment les Trahisons ne se peuuent plus seruir des Traistres, ils en tiennent peu de conte: Ce que met les Traistres en desespoir, dont s'ensuit l' honteuse mort, qu'ils ont bien merité.
Plut. de Phil.
Stob. de eod Lip. pol. l. 4. Am. Tac. hist l. 4. de Tiber.
Liui. l. 5. Flor. l. 1.
Am. in Tacit. an. lib. 15. Bodi. rep. l 5. è Plutarch.
Am. Plu. Art
Illo nocens se damnat, quo peccat die.
Heu conscientia, animi grauis seruitus.
Vt primùm quis improbè egit, iam obstrictus poenae tenetur, & suauitate flagitij veluti esca illico deuorata, conscientiam intrà vrgentem plectentem{que} habens, fluctuat.
Sicut malefici cum ad supplicium educuntur, quisque suam effert crucem, sic vi∣tiositas ex sese fabricatur singula tormenta.
La conscienza è potentissimo & certissimo flagello di chi fa male.
Sen. in fine. Ibid. Plut. de his qui serò pun.
Plut. ibid.
Por. in Guic.