Treachery is a Sin against Common Faith, Honour, and Human Society, A
Villany, in short, that’s never to be Approv’d, how Convenient soever
in some Cases to be made use of. The _Fowler’s_ here, was a Wise and a
Generous Resolution, upon the _Partridges_ Proposal; for all Traytors are
Mercenaries; and Whoever Betrays One Master for Advantage, will Betray
Another for a Better Price. But as all manner of Treachery is Abominable
in the Sight both of God and Man, and stands Reprehended in this Fable:
So there are Certain Kinds and Degrees of it, that are yet more Execrable
and Odious, One than Another. There is first a Treachery by Complexion,
which was the _Partridges_ Case. Her Heart Fail’d her, and she would
fain have Compounded for her Own Life, by the Betraying of her Fellows.
This was an Unhappy Infirmity, but the Weakness all this while, does not
Excuse the Perfidy, though it may seem in some Measure to Extenuate the
Crime, by the Poor Creatures lying under almost an Insuperable Frailty.
The _Fowler_ however made an Example of her for a Terror to Others. Now
if a Treachery of this Quality be so Unpardonable, what shall we say to
Those _Judases_ that Dip in the Dish with their Masters, and then for so
many Pieces of Silver, deliver them up to be Crucify’d? What shall we say
to Those that Sell their Country, their Souls and their Religion, for
Mony, and Rate Divinity at so much a Pound? And then to Consummate the
Wickedness, Finish the Work with Malice, that they began with Avarice.