Painterly split red and black wax seal on a torn, scorched piece of parchment.

Original artwork, not a still

Thomas Fuller

Better break your word than do worse in keeping it.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The speaker places the consequences of a promise above the duty to keep it. If fulfilling a commitment would do greater harm, breaking that commitment is preferable. The line challenges rigid loyalty to one’s word by asking whether the action it requires would itself be wrong.

Context reviewed

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