Andthatsuchashavemultitudeofpotentkindred，andpopularmenthathavegainedreputationamongstthemultitude，takecouragetoviolatethelawsfromahopeofoppressingthepowertowhomitbelongedtoputtheminexecution。
Andthatsuchashaveagreatandfalseopinionoftheirownwisdomtakeuponthemtoreprehendtheactionsandcallinquestiontheauthorityofthemthatgovern，andsotounsettlethelawswiththeirpublicdiscourse，asthatnothingshallbeacrimebutwhattheirowndesignsrequireshouldbeso。Ithappenethalsotothesamementobepronetoallsuchcrimesasconsistincraft，andindeceivingoftheirneighbours；becausetheythinktheirdesignsaretoosubtletobeperceived。TheseIsayareeffectsofafalsepresumptionoftheirownwisdom。ForofthemthatarethefirstmoversinthedisturbanceofCommonwealthwhichcanneverhappenwithoutacivilwar，veryfewareleftalivelongenoughtoseetheirnewdesignsestablished：sothatthebenefitoftheircrimesredoundethtoposterityandsuchaswouldleasthavewishedit：whicharguestheywerenotsowiseastheythoughttheywere。Andthosethatdeceiveuponhopeofnotbeingobserveddocommonlydeceivethemselves，thedarknessinwhichtheybelievetheyliehiddenbeingnothingelsebuttheirownblindness，andarenowiserthanchildrenthatthinkallhidbyhidingtheirowneyes。
Andgenerallyallvaingloriousmen，unlesstheybewithaltimorous，aresubjecttoanger；asbeingmorepronethanotherstointerpretforcontempttheordinarylibertyofconversation：andtherearefewcrimesthatmaynotbeproducedbyanger。
Asforthepassions，ofhate，lust，ambition，andcovetousness，whatcrimestheyareapttoproduceissoobvioustoeveryman’sexperienceandunderstandingasthereneedethnothingtobesaidofthem，savingthattheyareinfirmities，soannexedtothenature，bothofmanandallotherlivingcreatures，asthattheireffectscannotbehinderedbutbyextraordinaryuseofreason，oraconstantseverityinpunishingthem。Forinthosethingsmenhate，theyfindacontinualandunavoidablemolestation；wherebyeitheraman’spatiencemustbeeverlasting，orhemustbeeasedbyremovingthepowerofthatwhichmolestethhim：theformerisdifficult；thelatterismanytimesimpossiblewithoutsomeviolationofthelaw。Ambitionandcovetousnessarepassionsalsothatareperpetuallyincumbentandpressing；whereasreasonisnotperpetuallypresenttoresistthem：
andthereforewhensoeverthehopeofimpunityappears，theireffectsproceed。Andforlust，whatitwantsinthelasting，ithathinthevehemence，whichsufficethtoweighdowntheapprehensionofalleasyoruncertainpunishments。
Ofallpassions，thatwhichinclinethmenleasttobreakthelawsisfear。Nay，exceptingsomegenerousnatures，itistheonlythingwhenthereisappearanceofprofitorpleasurebybreakingthelawsthatmakesmenkeepthem。Andyetinmanycasesacrimemaybecommittedthroughfear。
Fornoteveryfearjustifiestheactionitproduceth，butthefearonlyofcorporealhurt，whichwecallbodilyfear，andfromwhichamancannotseehowtobedeliveredbutbytheaction。Amanisassaulted，fearspresentdeath，fromwhichheseesnothowtoescapebutbywoundinghimthatassaultethhim；ifhewoundhimtodeath，thisisnocrime，becausenomanissupposed，atthemakingofaCommonwealthtohaveabandonedthedefenceofhislifeorlimbs，wherethelawcannotarrivetimeenoughtohisassistance。ButtokillamanbecausefromhisactionsorhisthreateningsImayarguehewillkillmewhenhecanseeingIhavetimeandmeanstodemandprotectionfromthesovereignpowerisacrime。Again，amanreceiveswordsofdisgrace，orsomelittleinjuries，forwhichtheythatmadethelawshadassignednopunishment，northoughtitworthyofamanthathaththeuseofreasontotakenoticeof，andisafraidunlessherevengeitheshallfallintocontempt，andconsequentlybeobnoxioustothelikeinjuriesfromothers；andtoavoidthis，breaksthelaw，andprotectshimselfforthefuturebytheterrorofhisprivaterevenge。Thisisacrime：forthehurtisnotcorporeal，butfantastical，andthough，inthiscorneroftheworld，madesensiblebyacustomnotmanyyearssincebegun，amongstyoungandvainmensolightasagallantman，andonethatisassuredofhisowncourage，cannottakenoticeof。Alsoamanmaystandinfearofspirits，eitherthroughhisownsuperstitionorthroughtoomuchcreditgiventoothermenthattellhimofstrangedreamsandvisions；andtherebybemadebelievetheywillhurthimfordoingoromittingdiversethingswhich，nevertheless，todooromitiscontrarytothelaws；andthatwhichissodone，oromitted，isnottobeexcusedbythisfear，butisacrime。For，asIhaveshownbeforeinthesecondChapter，dreamsbenaturallybutthefanciesremaininginsleep，aftertheimpressionsoursenseshadformerlyreceivedwaking；and，whenmenarebyanyaccidentunassuredtheyhaveslept，seemtoberealvisions；andthereforehethatpresumestobreakthelawuponhisownoranother’sdreamorpretendedvision，oruponotherfancyofthepowerofinvisiblespiritsthanispermittedbytheCommonwealth，leaveththelawofnature，whichisacertainoffence，andfolloweththeimageryofhisownoranotherprivateman’sbrain，whichhecanneverknowwhetheritsignifiethanythingornothing，norwhetherhethattellshisdreamsaytrueorlie；whichifeveryprivatemanshouldhaveleavetodoastheymust，bythelawofnature，ifanyonehaveit，therecouldnolawbemadetohold，andsoallCommonwealthwouldbedissolved。
Fromthesedifferentsourcesofcrimes，itappearsalreadythatallcrimesarenot，astheStoicsofoldtimemaintained，ofthesamealloy。Thereisplace，notonlyforexcuse，bywhichthatwhichseemedacrimeisprovedtobenoneatall；butalsoforextenuation，bywhichthecrime，thatseemedgreat，ismadeless。
Forthoughallcrimesdoequallydeservethenameofinjustice，asalldeviationfromastraightlineisequallycrookedness，whichtheStoicsrightlyobserved；yetitdoesnotfollowthatallcrimesareequallyunjust，nomorethanthatallcrookedlinesareequallycrooked；whichtheStoics，notobserving，helditasgreatacrimetokillahen，againstthelaw，astokillone’sfather。
Thatwhichtotallyexcusethafact，andtakesawayfromitthenatureofacrime，canbenonebutthatwhich，atthesametime，takethawaytheobligationofthelaw。Forthefactcommittedonceagainstthelaw，ifhethatcommitteditbeobligedtothelaw，canbenootherthanacrime。
Thewantofmeanstoknowthelawtotallyexcuseth：forthelawwhereofamanhasnomeanstoinformhimselfisnotobligatory。Butthewantofdiligencetoenquireshallnotbeconsideredasawantofmeans；norshallanymanthatpretendethtoreasonenoughforthegovernmentofhisownaffairsbesupposedtowantmeanstoknowthelawsofnature；becausetheyareknownbythereasonhepretendsto：
onlychildrenandmadmenareexcusedfromoffencesagainstthelawnatural。
Whereamaniscaptive，orinthepoweroftheenemyandheistheninthepoweroftheenemywhenhisperson，orhismeansofliving，isso，ifitbewithouthisownfault，theobligationofthelawceaseth；becausehemustobeytheenemy，ordie，andconsequentlysuchobedienceisnocrime：fornomanisobligedwhentheprotectionofthelawfailethnottoprotecthimselfbythebestmeanshecan。
Ifamanbytheterrorofpresentdeathbecompelledtodoafactagainstthelaw，heistotallyexcused；becausenolawcanobligeamantoabandonhisownpreservation。Andsupposingsuchalawwereobligatory，yetamanwouldreasonthus：“IfIdoitnot，Idiepresently；ifIdoit，Idieafterwards；thereforebydoingit，thereistimeoflifegained。“Naturethereforecompelshimtothefact。
Whenamanisdestituteoffoodorotherthingnecessaryforhislife，andcannotpreservehimselfanyotherwaybutbysomefactagainstthelaw；asifinagreatfaminehetakethefoodbyforce，orstealth，whichhecannotobtainformoney，norcharity；orindefenceofhislife，snatchawayanotherman’ssword；heistotallyexcusedforthereasonnextbeforealleged。
Again，factsdoneagainstthelaw，bytheauthorityofanother，arebythatauthorityexcusedagainsttheauthor，becausenomanoughttoaccusehisownfactinanotherthatisbuthisinstrument：butitisnotexcusedagainstathirdpersontherebyinjured，becauseintheviolationofthelawboththeauthorandactorarecriminals。Fromhenceitfolloweththatwhenthatmanorassemblythathaththesovereignpowercommandethamantodothatwhichiscontrarytoaformerlaw，thedoingofitistotallyexcused：forheoughtnottocondemnithimself，becauseheistheauthor；andwhatcannotjustlybecondemnedbythesovereigncannotjustlybepunishedbyanyother。Besides，whenthesovereigncommandethanythingtobedoneagainsthisownformerlaw，thecommand，astothatparticularfact，isanabrogationofthelaw。
Ifthatmanorassemblythathaththesovereignpowerdisclaimanyrightessentialtothesovereignty，wherebythereaccruethtothesubjectanylibertyinconsistentwiththesovereignpower；thatistosay，withtheverybeingofaCommonwealth；ifthesubjectshallrefusetoobeythecommandinanything，contrarytothelibertygranted，thisisneverthelessasin，andcontrarytothedutyofthesubject：forhetotakenoticeofwhatisinconsistentwiththesovereignty，becauseitwaserectedbyhisownconsentandforhisowndefence，andthatsuchlibertyasisinconsistentwithitwasgrantedthroughignoranceoftheevilconsequencethereof。Butifhenotonlydisobey，butalsoresistapublicministerintheexecutionofit，thenitisacrime，becausehemighthavebeenrighted，withoutanybreachofthepeace，uponcomplaint。
Thedegreesofcrimearetakenondiversescales，andmeasured，first，bythemalignityofthesource，orcause：secondly，bythecontagionoftheexample：thirdly，bythemischiefoftheeffect：
andfourthly，bytheconcurrenceoftimes，places，andpersons。
Thesamefactdoneagainstthelaw，ifitproceedfrompresumptionofstrength，riches，orfriendstoresistthosethataretoexecutethelaw，isagreatercrimethanifitproceedfromhopeofnotbeingdiscovered，orofescapebyflight：forpresumptionofimpunitybyforceisarootfromwhencespringeth，atalltimes，anduponalltemptations，acontemptofalllaws；whereasinthelattercasetheapprehensionofdangerthatmakesamanflyrendershimmoreobedientforthefuture。Acrimewhichknowtobesoisgreaterthanthesamecrimeproceedingfromafalsepersuasionthatitislawful：forhethatcommittethitagainsthisownconsciencepresumethonhisforce，orotherpower，whichencourageshimtocommitthesameagain，buthethatdothitbyerror，aftertheerrorshownhim，isconformabletothelaw。
Hewhoseerrorproceedsfromtheauthorityofateacher，oraninterpreterofthelawpubliclyauthorised，isnotsofaultyashewhoseerrorproceedethfromaperemptorypursuitofhisownprinciplesandreasoning：forwhatistaughtbyonethatteachethbypublicauthority，theCommonwealthteacheth，andhatharesemblanceoflaw，tillthesameauthoritycontrollethit；andinallcrimesthatcontainnotinthemadenialofthesovereignpower，norareagainstanevidentlaw，excusethtotally；whereashethatgroundethhisactionsonhisprivatejudgementought，accordingtotherectitudeorerrorthereof，tostandorfall。
Thesamefact，ifithavebeenconstantlypunishedinothermen，isagreatercrimethaniftherehavebeenmanyprecedentexamplesofimpunity。Forthoseexamplesaresomanyhopesofimpunity，givenbythesovereignhimself：andbecausehewhichfurnishesamanwithsuchahopeandpresumptionofmercy，asencouragethhimtooffend，hathhispartintheoffence，hecannotreasonablychargetheoffenderwiththewhole。