The Holy State, Book 5 · Chapter 15
CHAP. 15. The Traytour.
A Traitour *He is either against the Sovereigne Person alone, or against the State wherein he lives. We deal onelyonly in describing the former, because to character the other, exact skil in the Municipal Laws of that State is required, wherein he is charged of treason.works by fraud as a Rebell does by force, and in this respect is more dangerous, because there's lesse stock required to set him up: Rebellion must be managed with many swords, Treason to his Princes person may be with one knife. Generally their successe is as bad as their cause, being either detected before, defeated in, or punished after their part acted; detected before, either by wilfulnesse or weaknesse of those which are privie to it.
A plotter of Treason puts his head into the halter, and the halter into his hand to whom he first imparts it. Maxime 1.He oftentimes reveals it, and by making a foot-stool of his friends head, climbs up the higher into the Princes favour.
2Some mens souls are not strong enough, but that a weighty secret will work a hole through them. These rather out of folly then falsenesse, unawares let fall words, which are taken up by the judicious eares of suc who can spell Treason by putting together distracted syllables, and by piecing of broken sentences. Others have their hearts swoln so great with hope of what they shall get, that their bodyes are too little to hold them, and so betray themselves by threatnings and blustring language. Others have cut their throats with their own hands, their own writings, the best records, being produced against them. And here we must know, That
3Strong presumptions sometimes serve for proofs in point of Treason: For it being a deed of darknesse, it is madnesse to look that the Sunne should shine at midnight, and to expect evident proof. Should Princes delay till they did plainly see Treason, they might chance to feel it first. If this semiplena probatio lights on a party suspected before, the partie himself is the other part of the proof, and makes it complete. And here the Rack, though Fame-like it be
Tam ficti pravique tenax, quam nuncia veri,
is often used; and the wooden horse hath told strange secrets. But grant it passe undiscovered in the plotting, it is commonly prevented in the practising,
By the Majestie, 4Innocency, or Valour of the Prince, or his attendants. Some have been dazeled with the divine beams shining in a Princes face, so that coming to command his life, they could not be masters of their own senses. Innocency hath protected others, and made their enemies relent; and pitie (though a stranger to him for many years before) hath visited a Traitours heart in that very instant. If these fail, a Kings valour hath defended him; it being most true of a King, what Plinie reports of a *Nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 16.lion, in hunting if he be wounded and not killed, he will be sure to eye and kill him that wounded him.
Some by flourishing aforehand, 5have never stricken a blow: but by warning have armed those to whom they threatned. Thus madde Somervile, coming to kill Queen Elizabeth, by the way (belike to trie whether his sword would cut) quarrelled with and wounded one or two, and therefore was apprehended before he came to the Court.
The palsie of guiltinesse hath made the stoutest Traitours hands to shake, 6sometimes to misse their mark. Their conscience sleeping before, is then awakened with this crying sinne. The way seems but short to a Traveller when he views it from the top of an hill, who finds it very long when he comes into the plain: so Treason surveyed in the heat of bloud, and from the height of passion, seems easie to be effected; which reviewed in cold bloud on even terms, is full of dangers and difficulties. If it speed in the acting, generally it's revenged afterwards: For,
7A King though killed is not killed, so long as he hath sonne or subject surviving. Many who have thought they have discharged the debt, have been broken afterwards with the arrearages. As for journeymen-Traytours who work for others, their wages are ever paid them with an halter; and where one gaineth a garland of bayes, hundreds have had a wreath of hemp.