An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)
History
An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)
English literature
Such of those parts as hung in the wind, as Neuters, (whereof
were no small number that had lurked in caves all the tempest,
watching but where should come the victory, that for example of the
evil were nothing inferior to the arrantest traitors but rather for
a number of respects much worse), began to appear very cheerful,
giving themselves great thanks for handling the matter so finely,
that conveying themselves out of the way by their policy could avoid
charge and peril so wittily. And as they met with such as had served
faithfully, with whom they durst be frank, they spared not to open
their mouths largely, pouring out such language as could be but
lamentable, or rather odible, to every true ear, to understand any
subject so far perverted from his allegiance and duty that, for gain
or security of their own persons, would rejoice in sitting still as
indifferent where the Crown is a party; or to persuade security to
themselves, be they never in so strong a hold, where their Sovereign
is in peril. Which, all things rightly weighed, seemed a strange
persuasion to account either gain or saving in sparing some part of
the accidents by sitting still to adventure the loss of the principal
whereupon life and the whole dependeth; or by affecting a little
corruption inordinately, to lose both honest fame and good opinion
of his country [_County_]; which every honest man ought to seek to
preserve as tenderly as the well-doing of himself and his whole
posterity.
Thus may we evidently see the divers effects of divers inclinations
according to truth and untruth of perfect obedience prevailing in
men's hearts. These Neuters, or counterfeits (that would be neither
open foes nor adventurous friends; but as wily vultures, hovering
in the wind to catch and gripe some part of the prey, although they
would no part of the fray) persuaded themselves to save that which
in their opinion the true hearty subject should lose by giving such
adventure; that was security of body and goods. Which grant they
saved; yet, in the just judgment of the honest, they deserved thereby
the same blot of infamy that is due to the open enemies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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