The Falconer and the Partridge

148. THE FALCONER AND THE PARTRIDGE. A falconer having taken a partridge in his nets, the bird begged hard for a reprieve, and promised the man, if he would let him go, to decoy other partridges into his net.
“No,” replies the falconer, “I was before determined not to spare you, but now you have condemned yourself by your own words; for he who is such a scoundrel as to offer to betray his friends to save himself, deserves, if possible, worse than death.” [more info]

The Falconer and the Partridge

090. THE FALCONER AND THE PARTRIDGE. A falconer having taken a partridge in his nets, the bird begged hard for a reprieve, and promised the man, if he would let him go, to decoy other partridges into his net.
“No,” replies the falconer, “I was before determined not to spare you, but now you have condemned yourself by your own words; for he who is such a scoundrel as to offer to betray his friends to save himself, deserves, if possible, worse than death.” [more info]

The Fowler and Partridge

090. THE FOWLER AND PARTRIDGE.
The Partridge caught for life the man woud bribe
By whedeling to his Netts her heedless tribe,
No, thou deserv'st, said he, a Double Doom
Who woudst betray thy friends to martyrdom.
Morall
Traytors who men impeach a life to gaine,
If they be honest tis against the graine.
[more info]

The Faithless Partridge

41. THE FAITHLESS PARTRIDGE. A falconer one day caught a partridge in his net. As he was taking it out to kill it, the bird begged earnestly that his life might be spared, promising that if this were granted him, he would in return help the falconer by enticing other partridges into the net.
"No!" answered the falconer, when the bird had finished speaking, "even if I had meant to spare your life before, I would not do it now: your own words have condemned you, for he who is such a wretch as to offer to betray his friends in order to save himself, deserves if possible to die a hundred deaths." [more info]

The Partridge and the Fowler

288. THE PARTRIDGE AND THE FOWLER. A FOWLER caught a Partridge and was about to kill it. The Partridge earnestly begged him to spare his life, saying, “Pray, master, permit me to live and I will entice many Partridges to you in recompense for your mercy to me.” The Fowler replied, “I shall now with less scruple take your life, because you are willing to save it at the cost of betraying your friends and relations.” [more info]