There’s No Trusting of Those that Say One Thing, and Do Another,
Especially if they follow Fair Words with Foul Deeds. Here’s a Case of
Honour, and of Conscience, Both in One, upon the Matter of Hospitality,
and of Trust. The Laws of Hospitality are Sacred on the One Side, and so
are the Duties we Owe to our Country on the Other. If we Consider the
Trust, Faith must not be Broken; If the Common Enemy, his Councel is
not to be kept. The _Woodman_ did as good as Tacitely promise the _Fox_
a Sanctuary; but not being _Sui Juris_, he promis’d more than he could
Warrantably Perform; for a _Subsequent Promise_ to _Conceal_ the _Fox_,
could not Discharge him of a _Prior Obligation_ to _Destroy_ him. ’Tis
true, it would have been more Generous to have don’t at first, and while
he had as yet No Colour of any Tye of Honour upon him to Preserve him.
The _Fox_ begg’d for Protection, which he had No Reason to Expect. First
it was upon Force, and Necessity, not Choice. Secondly, It was at his own
Peril, without any Conditions for his own Security. Thirdly, He Committed
himself to the Mercy of a Man that was bound to Kill him. Fourthly, The
very Address was scandalous; for he must needs have an Ill Opinion of the
Countryman, so much as to Imagine that he could be Wrought upon to Betray
his Country for the Sake of a Beast. But let the Rest be as it will,
there’s no Excuse for the _Woodman’s Double Dealing_.