16. Therefore if haply, (which whether it can take place, I know not; and rather think it cannot take place; but yet, if haply), having taken unto himself a concubine for a time, a man shall have sought sons only from this same intercourse; neither thus is that union to be preferred to the marriage even of those women, who do this, that is matter of pardon.48    Veniale For we must consider what belongs to marriage, not what belongs to such women as marry and use marriage with less moderation than they ought. For neither if each one so use lands entered upon unjustly and wrongly, as out of their fruits to give large alms, doth he therefore justify rapine: nor if another brood over, through avarice, an estate to which he has succeeded, or which he hath justly gained, are we on this account to blame the rule of civil law, whereby he is made a lawful owner. Nor will the wrongfulness of a tyrannical rebellion deserve praise, if the tyrant treat his subjects with royal clemency: nor will the order of royal power deserve blame, if a king rage with tyrannical cruelty. For it is one thing to wish to use well unjust power, and it is another thing to use unjustly just power. Thus neither do concubines taken for a time, if they be such in order to sons, make their concubinage lawful; nor do married women, if they live wantonly with their husbands, attach any charge to the order of marriage.

CAPUT XIV.

16. Uti concubina propter filios majus peccatum, quam uxore uti propter incontinentiam. Itaque si forte, quod utrum fieri possit ignoro, magisque fieri non posse existimo; sed tamen si forte ad tempus adhibita concubina filios solos ex eadem commixtione quaesiverit: nec sic ista conjunctio vel earum nuptiis praeponenda est, quae veniale illud operantur. Quid enim sit nuptiarum, considerandum est, non quid sit nubentium et immoderatius nuptiis utentium. Neque enim si agris inique ac perperam invasis ita quisque utatur, ut ex eorum fructibus largas eleemosynas faciat, ideo rapinam justificat: neque si alius ruri paterno vel juste quaesito avarus incumbat, ideo culpanda est juris civilis regula, qua possessor legitimus factus est. Nec tyrannicae factionis perversitas laudabilis erit, si regia clementia tyrannus subditos tractet; nec 0385 vituperabilis ordo regiae potestatis, si rex crudelitate tyrannica saeviat. Aliud est namque injusta potestate juste velle uti, et aliud est justa potestate injuste uti. Ita nec concubinae ad tempus adhibitae, si filiorum causa concumbant, justum faciunt concubinatum suum; nec conjugatae, si cum maritis lasciviant, nuptiali ordini crimen imponunt.