66 ~tft-7· [ajes abattt fargi1Jing wrongs. Pr>p. 4• If a pilferin~ Thief would Ileal your purfe, without any violence which hazardeth your life, (ordinarily) yc.u may nor <ake away his life in the defending of it. Becaufe it isthe work of the Mlgifiratc to puni{h him by pubh,k Jufiice, and your defence nquireth it nor. Prop. 5· All this is chiefly meant, of the voluntary defigned taking away of his life; and not of any lawful action, which doth it accidentally againfi your will. §. 33· On the other fide: Prop. r. If the Lm of the Land allow you to take away a ·mans life in the defending of your purfc, it rcmoveth the fcruple, if the weight of the ·matter alfo do a!~ low it : Becaufe it (uppofeth that the Law taketh the offender te be worthy of death, and maketh you in that cafe the executioner of it. And if indeed the ctime be fuch as defcrvcth~ death, you may be the executioner when the Law allowcth it. Prop. 2. And this is more clear, when the Robber for your money doth affault your life, or is like for ought you fee to do it. Prup. 3• And when gentler means will not ferve the turn, but violence is the only remedy which , is h:f( ) ou, which is like to avail for your ·ddence. Prop. 4· And when the perfon is a vile offender, who is rather a plague •nd burden to the Com– mon·wealth, rhan any necdfary member of it. Ptop. 5· If you ddire not, and defign not his death, but he ru!h upon it himfelf in his fury, while you lawlully defend your own, the cafe is yet lefs quefiionable. Prop. 6. If a Thiet have taken your purfc, though you may not take away his life after to reco– ver ir ( becau[e ir is of lefs value) nor yet in revenge ( becaufe rhar belongeth not to private men ); yet if the Law require: or allow you to purfue him to bring him to a judicial uya1, if you kill him while he refifieth, it is not your fin; becau[e you are but fuppl'cffing fin in your place, according to rhc allowance of the Law. §. 34· Qudl.7. May I kiU or wound another in tht defence or vindica~ion ofmy honour ur good namt l A nfw. ~o: not by private affau1t or violence; But if the crime be fo great that the Law of the Land dorh punilh it with death, if that Law be jufi, you may in fome cafes, fe<k to bring the of– fender fO publick jufiice: But that is rare; and otherwife you may not do it: For. l• Ir bdongeth only to the Magifir•te, and not to you, to be the avenger. 2· And killing a man cm be no meet defence againfi calumny or flander: For if you will kill a man for prevtntion, you kill the innocent: If you kill him afterward, it is no De!fence, but an uflprotitable rcve11ge, which vindiclteth not your honour, but di(honoureth you lllorc, Your pati'– ence is your honour: and your bloody r<venge doth 01ew you to be fo like the Devil, the dellroycr, that it is your grcateHllumc. 3.1t is odious Pride which makcth ~en over·value their reputation among men, ind think that a mans life is a jufi compenfation to ihem for their difhonour! Such bloody Sa,rifices are fit to ap– peafe only the blood-thirfly Spirit ! But what Is it that Pride will not do and jufiifie ? CHAP.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=