Michel de Montaigne

“ For in the latter we are directly bandied against the rules of reason, which nature hath imprinted in us; and in the former, it seemeth, we may call the same nature, as a warrant, because it hath left us in such imperfection and defect. So as divers nations have judged that no man should blame us for anything we doe against our conscience. ”

“ I have heretofore heard a Prince, who was a very great Captaine, hold opinion, that a souldier might not for cowardise of heart be condemned to death: who, sitting at his table heard report of the Lord of Vervins' sentence, who for yeelding up of Bollein, was doomed to lose his head. Verily there is reason a man should make a difference bet ween faults proceeding from our weaknesses and those that grow from our malice. ”