Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editor's preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- Editor's introduction
- Glossary
- List of subsequent editions and translations
- VINDICIAE, CONTRA TYRANNOS
- Preface
- The First Question
- The Second Question
- The Third Question
- The Fourth Question
- Postscriptal poem by Alphonsus Menesius Benavides
- Index of Roman and canon law citations
- General index
The Fourth Question
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 November 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editor's preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- Editor's introduction
- Glossary
- List of subsequent editions and translations
- VINDICIAE, CONTRA TYRANNOS
- Preface
- The First Question
- The Second Question
- The Third Question
- The Fourth Question
- Postscriptal poem by Alphonsus Menesius Benavides
- Index of Roman and canon law citations
- General index
Summary
Whether neighbouring princes may by right, or ought, to render assistance to subjects of other princes who are being persecuted on account of pure religion, or oppressed by manifest tyranny?
Now another question follows, and in resolving it conscience [conscientia] is more necessary than knowledge [scientia]. It would plainly be redundant if charity maintained its proper place in this age. But because, as habits now are, nothing at all is dearer or more rare amongst men than this charity, it seems that we should also briefly examine this question. Tyrants, both of souls and of bodies, both of the church and of commonwealth or kingdom, can be constrained, driven out, and punished through the people. We have already proved each of these points by reason. But both the deceit of tyrants and /217/ the ingenuousness of subjects are so often such that scarcely are the former discovered before they have ravaged, scarcely do the latter give a thought to their own safety before they have virtually perished; and having been reduced to such dire straits, from which they are unable to emerge by their own strength, they are forced to appeal to that of others. Because this is the case, we must investigate whether Christian princes may by right render succour to those who protect [tuentibus] the cause of religion, either of the commonwealth and kingdom of Christ, or of their own particular kingdom.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Brutus: Vindiciae, contra tyrannosOr, Concerning the Legitimate Power of a Prince over the People, and of the People over a Prince, pp. 173 - 185Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1994