Otherwise, as these accidents may happen every day, such a permission would often become a snare to make a great many people fall into the hands of the enemy. Such are the principal effects of an absolute and general truce. With regard to a particular truce, determined to certain things, its effects are limited by the particular nature of the agreement. Hence it follows, that if he, to whom such a truce has been allowed, should take advantage of it to intrench himself, for example, or for some other use, the other party would have a right to prevent him by force. And hence the security of persons is not general, but only for those, who go and come without design to take any thing from the enemy, with whom such limited truce is made.
Every truce obliges the contracting parties from the moment the agreement is concluded.
But the subjects on. both sides are under no obligation in this respect, till the truce has been solemnly notified. Hence it follows, that, if before this notification the subjects commit any acts of hostility, or do something contrary to the truce, they are liable to no punishment. The powers however, who have concluded the truce, ought to indemnify those, who have suffered and to restore things, as much as possible, to their former state. Lastly if the truce should happen to be violated on one side, the other is certainly at liberty to proceed to acts of hostility, without any new declaration. Yet when it is agreed, that he, who first breaks the truce, shall pay a certain fine, if he pays the fine, or suffers the penalty, the other has not a right to begin acts of hostility, before the expiration of the term.