inricheth him with the spoile of enemies If all this bee too little putte too further that he contineweth him in extraordinarie offices and in the gouernement of Prouinces ad also that by ouerthrowing of moste mightie 〈…〉 without fellowe being the founder and mainteiner of the Romaine Empire that was too comme from Easte too West aduaunceth the noblenesse of his noble Father Shewe mee the matche of this Scipio and there is 〈…〉 of begetting shal bee 〈…〉 and vertewe of suche a one I am not able too saye whither too thâ— greater welfare or too the greater honour of his countrie ¶ The .xxxiiii. Chapiter MOreouer if all this bee too little admitte that somme man haue discharged his Father from tormentes and taken them too himself For you maye inlarge the weldooinges of a sonne as farre as you list considering that the benefiting of the Father is simple and easie yea and also delightfull to the dooer What neede wee many woordes The father giueth life he knowes not too whom And in dooyng of it he hath a Copartner he hath an eye too the Lawe of fatherhod too the reward of fathers too the continewance of his house and familie and vntoo all thinges rather than him too whom he did it What if a man hauing obteined wisedome doo teache thesame too his father For wée wil reason vpon that point also whither hath he doone more for his Father in teaching him too liue a blessed life or his Father more for him in giuing him life onely Whatsoeuer thou dooest will somme menne saye and whatsoeuer thou art able too bestowe it is by the benefite of thy father As well maye my Schoolemaâ—ster claime it for his benefite that I haue profited in the liberall Sciences vnder him and yet wée excell those that haue taught vs such thinges at leastwise those that haue taught vs our first principles And although no manne can atteine any thing without them yet is not all that a manne hath atteined inferiour to them There is greate difference betweene the firste thinges and the greatest thinges The firste thinges are not by and by comparable too the greatest thinges because the greatest can not bee atteined â—ntoâ—â—â—ithout the first thinges ¶ The .xxxv. Chapter NOw it is tyme for me to bring somewhat out of myne owne store if I maie so terme it He that bestoweth suche a benefite as may bee bettered may bee surmounted The father hath giuen his sonne lyfe but there are thinges better than lyfe Ergo the father maie be surmounted bycause there is some better thing than the benefite that he hath bestowed Yea if one that hath giuen a man lyfe bee once or twyce deliuered from perill of death for it he hath receyued a greater benefyte than he gaue Ergo if the Sonne saue his father oftentymes from daunger of death the father receyueth a better turne than he bestowed He that receiueth a good turne receiueth so much the greater good turne as he hath more neede of it But he that liueth hath more neede of lyfe than he that is not yet borne as who can finde no waÌ„t at all of it Ergo the father receiueth a greater benefite in his sonnes sauing of his life than the sonne receyueth in his fathers begetting of him But thou sayest still that the fathers benefites cannot bee ouermatched by the sonnes benefites Why so Bycause he hath receyued lyfe of his father whiche if he had not receyued he could haue doon no good turnes at all This care of the father is comon too all menne that haue preserued anie bodyes life for they could not haue requyted if they had not receyued lyfe By the same reason it is not possible too reward a Phisician aboue his desert for a Phisician is woont too giue life nor a mariner if he haue saued a man from shipwrecke But the benefytes as well of these men as of all others that by anie meanes haue giuen vs lyfe may bee surmounted Ergo the benefites of parentes may bee surmounted also If a man haue bestowed suche a benefite vppon mee as hath neede too bee furthered by the benefytes of manie men and I bestowe suche a benefite vppon him as should neede the help of noman I haue bestowed a greater than I haue receiued The father giueth his chyld suche a life as should haue perished out of hand if there had not folowed manie thinges too mainteine it But if the sonne saue his Fathers life he giueth him suche a life as wanteth the helpe of no man as too the continewance of it Ergo the Father that hath receiued life at his sonnes hande hath receiued a greater benefite than he gaue ¶ The .xxxvi. Chapiter THese thinges diminishe not the reuerence towardes Parentes ne make their Children woorse too them but rather better For by Nature Uertewe is desirous of praise and preaceth too outgo the formest The childs loue wil be the more chereful if it goe on too requite benefites with hope of surmounting If this may comme too passe by the mutuall consent of the Fathers and the Children for asmuche as there bee many thinges wherein wee maye bee vanquished too our owne behoofe what luckier incounter what greater felicitie can there bee to Parentes than too bee driuen too confesse theÌ„ selues ouermatched by their Children in weldooyng If wêe bée not of this opinion wee giue our Children cause of excuse and make them the â—lower too render thankfulnesse whereas wee ought rather to spurre them foreward and too say Gotoo good sonnes there is an honorable wager layed betweene the Fathers and the Sonnes whither they shall haue giuen or receiued greater benefites They haue not therefore wonne the wager because they haue begunne firste Onely plucke vp a good harte as becommes you and faint not that ye may ouercomme them that would bee glad of it In so goodly an enterprise you cannot want Capiteines too incorage you too doo as they haue doone afore you and too haste you foreward in their owne footesteppes too the victorie whiche they haue often heretofore gotten of their Parentes ¶ The .xxxvii. Chapiter AEnaeas ouermatched his father For wheras his father had borne him a Babe when he was a light and safe cariage he tooke vp his father heauie with age and caried him through the thickest preace of his enemies and through the ruines of the Citie falling doune about him at what tyme the deuout old man holding his holie Relikes and housholdgods in in his armes loded him with another burthen heuyer than himself Yet bare he him in the fyre yea and what is not naturall loue able too doo he bare him thorough and shryned him too be woorshipped among the Founders of the Romaine Empyre The yoongmen of Sicilie ouermatched their Father For when Mount Aetna bursting foorth with greater force than was accustomed had cast foorth his fyre intoo the Townes intoo the Feeldes and into the greatest parte of the Ilande they caught vp their Parentes and men beléeue that the â—â—ames
neede of other mennes helpe And aâ—for the Goddes they should bestowe none of these their manifold giftes whiche they power out vppon vs Night and Day without ceassyng For their owne nature suffizeth them in all thinges and maynteynehâ— tthem in abundaunce in safetie and in impossiblitie too bee annoyed Therefore shall they doo good too none if the onely cause of dooing good bee the regarde of themselues their owne profite Too looke about one not where it may bee best bestowed but where it may bee bestowed too most aduauntage and from whence it may bee taken away with most ease is not beneficialnesse but vsurie But forasmuchas suche dealing is farre of from the Goddes It foloweth that they bee rightly liberall For if the onely cause of dooing good bee the profit of the dooer Sith God can looke for no profite at our hande there is no cause why God should doo vs any good ¶ The fourth Chapter I Knowe what aunswere is made too this Surely God dooth no good turnes at all but is carelesse and regardlesse of vs and being quyte giuen from the world buzieth himself about other matters or whiche seemeth too the Epicure too bee the souereine felicitie about nothing nor is aâ—ie more inclyned too benefiting than too dooing wrong He that so sayeth thinketh not y â— God heereth the voyces of them that pray nor of them y t euerywhere lift vp their hands too heauen in making their vowes bothe priuate and publike Whiche thing doutlesse had neuer comme too passe neither would all the world haue agreed too bee so mad as too make sewt vntoo deaf Goddes and helplesse Idolles except they had felt their benefytes in verie deede one whyle freely bestowed anotherwhyle giuen vppon prayer and the same too bee greate sent in dewe season and by their tymely comming ridding men froÌ„ greate miseries that manaced them And who is so muche a wretch or so smally regarded who was euer borne too so hard a destinie and too so sore penance that he hath not felt this so greate bountifulnesse of God Looke vppon the miserablesâ— of them euen when they lameÌ„t and bewayle their owne cace and yee shalnot finde them altoogither voyde of the heauenly benefytes yea Yee shall fynd none that hath not drawen somewhat out of that most bountifull fountaine Is it a small thing that is giuen indifferently too all men in their birth Or too let passe the things that are distributed afterward in vnegall proportion did nature giue a small thing when shee gaue herself ¶ The .v. Chapiter DOoeth not God bestowe benefytes from whence theÌ„ hast thou these thinges wherof thou art owner whiche thou giuest whiche thou Denyest whiche thou keepest whiche thou catchest From whence comme these inumerable thinges that delyght the eyes the eares and the minde From whence is this abundance that furnisheth euen our ryotous excesse For not only our necessities are prouyded for but euen our pleasures also are tendered Whence haue wee so manie trees bearing sundrie sortes of frutes so manie wholsome herbes and so manie diuersities of meates seruing for all seasons through the whole yeare insomucheas the verie foode that commeth of the earth wee wote not how were able too finde an vnpurueying sluggard What should I speake of all kynde of liuing thinges some breeding vppoÌ„ the drye and hard ground some within the moyst waters and some sent doune from aloft too the end that euery peece of nature should yeeld some tribute vntoo vs what should I say of Riuers some with moste pleasaunt wyndlasses inuironing the féeldes and othersome passing foorth with houge streames able too be are shippes and intermedling themselues with the sea Wherof some at certeine ordinarie dayes take woonderfull increace so as the soodein force of the somers flud moysteneth the groundes that are situate vnder the Droughtie and burning clymate What shall I say of the veynes of medcinable waters what shall I say of the boyling vp of whot Bathes euen vppon the verie shores And what of thee ô Mighti Lare and Benacus which swell â–ª With roring Bilowes like the Sea wheÌ„ windes doo make it fel ¶ The .vi. Chapiter IF a man had giuen thee a feawe Acres of Ground thou wouldest say thou haddest receyued a benefite at his hand denyest thou the vnmeasurable hougenesse of the broade earth too bee a Benefite If a man should giue thee Monnie and fill thy Chest for that is a greate matter with thee thou wouldest call it a benefite and thinkest thou it no Benefite that GOD hath hoorded vp so manie Metalles and shed foorth so many streames vppon the Sandes in ronning doune whereuppon they carie with them a houge masse of Gold Siluer Brasse and Yron hidded euerywhere and also that he hath giuen thee cunning too fynde it out by setting markes of his couert riches vppon the vpper part of the Earth If a man should giue thee a house wherein there were a little glistering Marble and a roofe shyning with gold or vernished with colours wooldest thou call it a meane benefite God hath builded thee a greate house out of perill of burning or falling wherein thou seest not little peeces and thinner than the Chizell itself wherewith they were heawen but entier huge Masses of moste Preciouse stone whole through out of sundrie and seuerall woorkemanship the small peeces whereof thou woonderestat the roofe of whiche house shyneth after one sorte in the day tyme and after another in the nighttyme and dooâ—t thou now denye that thou hast receiued anie benefite at all Agein whereas thou settest greate store by these thinges whiche thou hast thinkest thou whiche is the point of a thanklesse persone that thou art beholden too nobodie for them from whence haste thou this breath which thou drawest from whence hast thou this light whereby thou disposest and orderest the dooinges of thy lyfe from wheÌ„ce hast thou thy blud by whose mean thy lyuely heate is maynteyned from whence haste thou these thinges whiche with their excellent taste prouoke thyne appetyte euen more than thy stomacke can beare from whence hast thou these intycementes of pleasure euen till thou bee weerie of it from wheÌ„ce hast thou this ease wherin thou welterest and witherest awaye wilt thou not if thou bee thankfull say God giues this ease and he shal bee my God for euermore His altars shal my tender Lambes imbrew ful oft therefore For he it is that makes my Neate to wander as yee see And giues mee powre on OteÌ„ Reede to pype with merry glee God is hee not that hath sent out a feawe Oxen but whiche hath dispersed whole herdes of all maner of Catell intoo the whole world which giueth pasture too the flockes that stray here and there in all quarters which giueth Somerféede and Winterféede one vnder another which not only hath taught men too playe vppon a reede and after some maner too sing a rude and homely song vntoo it but also hath deuysed so many artes
of the vse of my benefite Agein I haue saued a mans children from shipwrecke or pluckt them out of the fyre and deliuered them home too him afterward either siknesse or vnfortunaâ—e mischaunce takes them away from him yet the thyng that I gaue in them contineweth euen without them All the thinges therefore that wrongfully vsurp the name of a good turne are but instrumentes wherby the frendly good will vttereth it self The same happeneth in other thinges likewise insomuch that the shewe of the thing is one where and the thing it self another where The general of an Army rewardes some Souldier with garlondes for skaling or for reskewing What preciowsenesse hath the Garlond or Crowne it felf what hath the Robe what hath the Scepter what hath the Chayre of Estate what hath the Chariot None of all these thinges is honour but the Badge of honour Euen so the thing that is seene is not a benefite but the signe and token of a benefite ¶ The .vi. Chapter WHat is a benefite theÌ„ It is a frendly good deede giuing gladnesse auâ— taking pleasure in giuing foreward and redie of it owne occord too doo the thing that it dooeth And therfore it is not material what is doon or what is giuen but with what mind For the good turne consisteth not in the thing that is doone or giuen but in the verye intent of the dooer or giuer And that there is greate difference betwixt the sayd thinges a man may perceyue euen by this that the benefite it self is qnestionlesse good but the thing that is doone or giuen is neyther good nor bad It is the meening that aduauÌ„ceth small thinges and ennobleth bace thinges that imbaceth greate thinges and disgraceth thinges of estimation For the thinges that are coueted are of their owne nature neither good nor euill the matter standes altogether vppon the directing of them by the mynd which hath the rule of them and which giueth all thinges their ryght names Then is it not the good turne it self that is nombered or delinered like as also the honoring of God consisteth not in the flaughter of beastes bee they neuer so fat and glistering with Gold but in the deuout and ryght meening of the woorshippers Therfore are good men religious though they offer but Bran in Earthen vessells wheras on the othersyde euill men escape not the blame of vngodlinesse though they imbrewe the Altars with neuer so much blud ¶ The .vii. Chapter IF good turnes consisted in the thinges and not in the very will of wel-dooing thaÌ„ should they bee so much the greater as the thinges be greater which wee receyue but that is not so For oftentymes wée bee most beholden too him that gaue vs smal thinges howbéeit with greate good will that with his hart did match the welth of Kinges that gaue but little howbeeit gladly which forgate his owne pouertie too releeue myne who had not only a good will bâ—t also a desyrounesse too help mee who thought himself too receyue a good turne when he did oâ—e who gaue without mynding too receyue and receiued as though he had not giuen who both sought and also preuented occasion too doo mee good Contrariwise vnacceptable as I sayd are the thinges eyther that bee wrong out or that slip from the bestower seeme they neuer so greate in the déede dooing or in the outward apparance And much more welcome is the thing that is giuen quickly than the thing that is giuen with full hand It was a small thing which that man bestowed vppon mee but he was able too doo no more Agein it is a greate thing that this man gaue mee but he cast douts but he made delayes but he syghed when he gaue it mee but he gaue it disdeinfully but he blazed it abrode and he ment not too please him too whom he gaue it he gaue it too his owne vaynglorie and not too mee ¶ The .viii. Chapter AT such tyme as manie men eche one according too his abilitie offered manie thinges vnto Srcrates Aeschines being a poorescholer of his said Syr I fynd nothing of sufficient worthinesse too bestowe vppon you and by that meanes I feele myself too bee poore Therfore I giue vntoo you the only thing that I haue euen myself This present such as it is I pray you take in good woorthe and consider that wheras others haue giuen mutch vntoo you they haue left more too themselues To whom Socrates answered And why is not the gift that thou haste giuen mee greate as well as theirs vnlesse perchaunce thou thinke thy self little woorth I will doo my indeuer therefore too restore thee too thyself better than I receyued thee In this gift Aeschines surmouÌ„ted the mynd of Alcibiades matched with equall riches and also the bountifulnesse of all the the welthy yoong men ¶ The .ix. Chapter YOu see how the hart may fynd wherwith too bee liberal euen in the vtter distresse of pouertie He sâ—emeth too mée too haue sayd thus O fortune thou haâ—t woonne nothing by making mee poore For I will neuerthelesse fynd out a gift meete for this man and bycause I cannot giue him of thyne I will giue him of myne owne And there is no cause why yee should thinke he made small account of himself he gaue himself in exchauÌ„ge for Socrates Like a wittie fellowe he fouÌ„d the meanes how too win Socrates too himself We must not haue respect how greate thinges bee what maner of persone he is that giueth them Some fineheaded felowe graunteth accesse euen vnto such as are vnmeasurable crauers and féedeth their importunate desyres with faire words mynding not too help them at all in deede Buâ— yit worse is he too bee liked of who being churlish in speeche and sowre in countenance vttereth his cace with disdeine For men doo both fawne vppon him that is in prosperitie and also enuye him yea and they hate him that dooth but as themselues woold doo if they could Some men bycause they haue dishonested other mens wiues and that not priuely but openly are content too lend their owne wyues vnto other men If there bee anie man that wilnot suffer his wyfe too setfoorth hirself too sale in hir Coche aud too bee iaunced from place too place as a gazingstock for all men too toote at he is a Rudesbie a Cloyne and a cankred Carle yea and a hatingstocke among greate Ladies If there bee any that hath not blased himself by some louer or lent his Ring too another mannes wyse him doo the braue Dames call a Hodipâ—â—ke a sorie Leacher and a singlesoaid louer Heeruppon commeth it too passe that whoredome is counted honest wedlocke and in the opinion of vnwyuing Bachelers noman hath wedded a wife but he that hath inuegled hir from hir Husbond Furthermore they onewhyle striue to wasâ—e whatsoeuer they can rap and rend and anon with like couetouseness they stryue as fast too scrape toogether agein the thinges they haue scatered They set all at six and at seuen
it is loste also Faultie are those eyes that cannot awaye with the lyght but starke blynde are those that see not at all Not too loue ones Parentes is a point of wickednesse But not too knowe them is starke madnesse Who is so thanklesse as he whiche hauyng suche a thing as he ought too bestowe in the foremoste parte of his mynde where it might alwayes bee redie at hand hath laied it so farre backe and cast it so farre of as he knoweth not of it at all It should seeme he thought not often of requityng that could vtterly forget it ¶ The second Chapter TOO bee short too the requityng of a good turne there néedeth trauell and tyme and abilitie and fauorable Fortune But he that beareth it in mynde is thankfull without coste He that performeth not this wherevntoo he néedeth neither painstaking nor welth nor good Fortune hath no couert to shroude himself withall For neuer ment he too bee thankfull whiche did cast a good turne so farre of that he bestowed it out of sight and remembraunce Like as the thinges that are occupied and daily handled are neuer in perill of rusting whereas the thinges that come not in sight but lye out of the way as superfluous doo gather soyle by continewance of tyme Euen so whatsoeuer is occupied newe burnished by often thinking vppon is neuer worne out of memorie whiche lofeth not any thing saue that whiche it hath not often looked backe vntoo ¶ The third Chapter BEsides this there bee other causes also whiche droune mennes greatest desertes in vs. The first and theefest is that beeyng alwaies busied about newe desires wee neuer consider what wee haue but what wee would haue settyng our whole mynde not vppon that whiche is obteined but vppon that whiche is coueted For whatsoeuer wee haue in possessioÌ„ is nothing woorth Now then it followeth that assoone as the desire of new thinges hath made a man set light by that which he hath receiued alredie the bestower of them must also growe out of estimation Wee loue some man and faâ—ne vppon hym and protest him too bee the founder of our welfare so long as the thinges that wee had at his handes dooe like vs. Anon after there steppeth intoo our conceit a greater likyng of other thynges and our mynde ronnes vppon them as the maner of men is after greate thynges couetyng still greater streight waie is forgotten whatsoeuer wee termed heretoofore by the name of a benefite And wee looke not vppoÌ„ those thinges that haue preserued vs before others but only vppoÌ„ those thinges wherein other men haue had the Fortune too outgo vs. But it is not possible for any man bothe too repine and too be thankfull For to repine is the propertie of hym that findeth faulte and is discontented but too giue thankes is the propertie of him that is well pleased Moreouer although none of vs know but the tyme that is alredie paste yet dooe feawe or none caste backe their minde too thynges past By meane hereof it faules out that Schoolemaisters and their weldooynges go too the grounde togither because wee leaue our whole childhod behynde vs. By meanes hereof it commes to passe that the thinges whiche are bestowed vppon vs in our youth are lost bycause our youth neuer comes too hand agein Noman accounteth that whiche hath bin as a thing past but as a thing lost And therfore flyghfull will the rememberance bee of thinges that are too come ¶ The .iiii. Chapiter IN this place I must hold with Epicuras who contineually complayneth of our vnthankfulnesse for thinges past bycause that what good turnes so euer wee receiue wee call none too rememberance nor account them among pleasures wheras notwithstanding there is no pleasure more certein than that whiche cannot bee taken awaie anie more Present good thinges are not yet whole and full some mischauÌ„ce maie cut them of Good thinges too come doe hang in vncerteintie But that which is past is layd vp in safetie How then can that man bee thankfull towardes suche as doo him good who bestoweth all his life iu gazing vppon thinges present and in gaping after thinges too come It is myndfulnesse that maketh a man thankfull He that hangeth moste vppon hope groundeth least vppon myndfulnesse ¶ The .v. Chapter MY Liberalis like as some thinges once perceiued doe sticke fast in memorie and in some thinges the once lerning of them is not enough too make a manne cunnyng in them for the knowledge of them decaieth if it bée not coÌ„tinewed by exercise I meane Geometrie and Astonomie and suche other thynges as are slipperie by occasion of their subtiltie Euen so the greatnesse of some Benefites suffereth them not too bee forgotten and some beyng lesse though they bee verie many in number and bestowed at sundrie tymes doo slip quite awaye because as I said wee doo not record them from tyme too tyme nor willyngly bethinke vs how muche wee are in eche mannes dette Herken what speeches sewters cast forthe Euery man saies he will beare it in mynde while he liueth Euery man protesteth and voweth himself too bee at commaundement and whatsoeuer other lowely terme he can deuise too indaunger himself withall But within a while after thesame persones eschew their former woordes as too bace and scarce gentlemanlike and finally they comme too that point whiche as I suppose euery of the leudest and vnthankfullest caÌ„ come vntoo that is to say too forget it For euen as vnthankfull is he that forgetteth as he is thankfull that beareth in mynde ¶ The .vi. Chapter BUT heere rizeth a question whither this hatefull vice ought too bee vnpunished or whither the lawe that is put in vre in schooles ought also too bee executed in Comonweales so as a man might haue his Action ageinst an vnthankfull persone whiche séemeth indifferent Iustice for all men Why not Seeing that Realmes vpbrayd Realmes with the thinges they haue doon for them and picke quarelles too the successors for the thinges that were bestowed vppon their predecessors Our aunceters béeing as a man may perceiue men of noble corage demaunded onely monnie of their enemies As for benefites they bestowed them frankly and bare the losse of them as frankly There was neuer yet action graunted ageinst an vnthankfull persone in any Nation sauyng in the Realme of Macedonie And this is a greate reason why none should haue bin graunted because that whereas wée haue giuen consent too the punishment of all other missedéedes so as bothe for manslaughter witchcraft vnnaturall murther and breache of ReligioÌ„ there are in sundrie places sundrie punishmentes and in all places some This fault whiche is ryfeste of all is euerywhere misliked but nowhere punished Yet doo wee not acquite it But forasmuche as the triall of so vncertein a matter would bee verie hard wee haue but condemned it too bee hated leauing it emong those thinges whiche wee put ouer too the vengeaunce of the Goddes ¶ The .vii. Chapiter
good as my woord Otherwyse whatsoeuer is altered settes mée frée too take deliberation new agein and dischargeth mee of discredit I promis you too bee your aduocate and afterward it appeereth that the same cace tendeth too the preiudice of my Father I promis to go a iourney with you and wooâ—d is brought mâ—e that the waye is layd with Thâ—eues I should haue come too some presente buisinesse of youres but my â—â—ildes â—â—â—â—nesse â—r my Wyues labour kéepe mee at home If yee will bynd the credit of him that promiseth al thinges must continewe in the same state as they were at the promismaking But what greater alteration can there bée than if I haue found thee an euill and vnthankfull man Looke what I promised thee as too a woorthie that will I withhold from thee as from an vnwoorthie yea and I shall haue good cause too bee angrie with thee for deceyuing mée ¶ The .xxxvi. Chapiter NEuerthelesse I will looke vppon the thing that thou claymest and see how greate it is The maner of the thing promised shall counsell mee If it bee but a small thing I will let thée haue it not because thou art woorthie but for my promis sake And yet will I not doo it as too pleasure thée but as too redeeme my woord and I will wring myself by the Eare. My rashnesse in promising I will punish with my losse Lo say I too my self too the intent it may gréeue thee and that thou mayst bee better aduysed ere â—hou speake hereafter I will giue thee a Barnaâ—â—e as wee â—erme it But if it bee too greate a thing I wil not bee so costly as Mecoenas sayeth as too buye myne owne blame with a â—undred Sestertiâ—sses For I will compare the oddes of both toogether It is somewhat woorth too bee as good as a mans promis agein it is muche woorth not too bee too precyse in pleasuring an vnwoorthie Persone So greate a matter as this must bee considered accordingly If it bee a lyght thing weâ— may wincke at it But if it may bee eyther greatly too my losse or greatly to my shame I had leuer blame myself once for denying it than conâ—inually for performing it All the whole wâ—ight of the matter reâ—teth I say vppon this point namely at how muche I am woorthie too bee amerced for my woords For if it hee muche I shalnot onely withhold the thing that I promised rashly but also I shall call that barke agein which I haue bestowed amisse He is out of his wittes whiche performeth for his errour sake ¶ The .xxxvii. Chapter PHilip King of Macidonie had a tall souldier and a stoute man of his handes whose seruice hee had founde profitable in many voyages He had diuerse tymes rewarded him with parte of the booties for his hardinesse And because hee was a man that had his soule too sell he euermore kindled his corage with often payes This man suffering shipwreck was cast a land on the Mannor of a certein Macedonian Who hauing woord thereof came running to him out of hand and recoueryng life of him conueyed him home too his saied Manour and laied him in his owne bedde refreshed him ill at ease and halfe deade tended him thirtie daies at his owne charges recouered him and at his departure gaue him wherewith too beare his charges by the waye And the other said oftentymes vntoo him I will requite thy kyndenesse if euer I maye comme where I maye see my King and Capitein He told Philip of his Shipwrecke but he spake not a woorde of his succour but by and by desired him too giue him a certeine mannes Landes The manne was euen he that had bin his hoste euen he that had taken him vp and recouered him Yee maye see by the waye how Kinges now and theÌ„ and specially in warre giue many thinges with their eyes shet One iuste manne is not of power enough ageinst so many armed lustes A man cannot doo the dueties of a good man and of a good Capitein bothe at once How shall so many thousandes of vnsatiable men bee satisfied What should they haue if euery man maye keepe his owne So did Philip saye too himself when he gaue commaundement for the putting of him in possession of the gooddes that he had craued The manne that was violently thrust from his possessions did not putte vp the wrong with silence like a cloyne and holde him well appaied that he himself had not bin giuen awaie toâ— But wrate a letter vntoo Philip bothe râ—ugh and full of libertie At the receite whereof Philip was in suche a chafe that without delaye he commaâ—â—ded Pausanias too restore the first owner to his goodes agein and too imprint vppon that leawde Souldier that vnkinde guest and that couetous seabeaten wretch suche markes as might witnesse him too bee an vnthankfull Gueste Beleeue me he that could finde in his harte too strip his hoste out of all that euer he had and too driue him like one that had suffered Shipwrecke too the same shore where he him self had lyen was worthie too haue had those Letters not Imprinted but ingrauen vppon his face But let vs see what measure had bin too bee kepte in his punishement In deede the thing that he had moste wickedly intruded vppon was too bée taken from him ageine And who would haue bin sorie for the punishemeÌ„t of him whose facte was so heinous as no manne could haue pitied him had he bin neuer so pitifull ¶ The .xxxviii. Chapiter MUste Philip bee as good tâ—o thee as his promise Euen though there bee cause too the contrary Though he should doo wrong Though he should doo a wicked deede Though by that one facte of his he should barre all Shipwreckes from the shore It is no point of lightnesse for a maÌ„ to forsake a knowen and condemned error â— man ought rather too confesse plainly and too saye I missâ—â—â—â—ke the caâ—e I am deceiued For it is a point of wilfull pride and folie too bee so heddie as too say Looke what I haue once spoken bee what it bee maie I will abide by â—t and make good my woorde It is no dishonestie too alter a mannes mynde â—hen the matter requireth Goe too if Philip had mainteined the Sâ—â—ldier iâ— possessioâ— of those groundes whiche he had gotten by his Shipwrâ—cke had he not barred all out castâ—s froÌ„ succour and â—eleef Nay saieth Philip yet were it better that thou shouldest beare aboute these Letters printed in thy moste shamelesse forheade for all menne to gaze vppon throughout the boundes of my kingdome Shewe thou how sacred a thing the table of hospitalitie is Let euery man â—eade this dâ—erée of myne in thy face for a waâ—â—aÌ„t y â— it shall not bee preiudiciall for any manne too succour afflicted persones in his house So shal this constitution of myne bée more auailable than if I had ingraâ—ed it in Brasse ¶ The .xxxix. Chapiter WHat thinke you â—hen sayeth he by our fouÌ„der Zeno for