to haue commendacion The matters themselues shall declare our actes abundantly yea though we say neuer a woorde It is not only a thankles benefit but to be abhorred also which is skornefully geuen Chap. 12. CEsar on a time gaue PoÌ„pée the Punicien his lyfe if we maye saye he gaue lyfe that toke it not awaye wheruppon when Pompée bowed downe hymself huÌ„blie to haue reuerenced Cesar For his lyfe pardoned Cesar offred him forth his lyft fote to kisse Whiche presumptuous fact of Cesars they that séeme to excuse saye that he did it not for pride or disdainfulnes of mind but for that he would he shoulde sée the golden buskin he then waâ—e on richelye garnyshed with perle and stone But when all is sayde and the best they can made of it was it not shame enough iudge you that he that semd to be borne to no other end but to chaung y e Romain liberty into the thraldome of the Persians could not find any honester or more decent place of his bodye to offer to so graue a man as Pompée was who had also bene Consul but make him kisse the buskin vpon his foot He made but small accompt of this that so noble and auncieÌ„t a man hauing borne so high dignity and office in y e weale publique debased himself so much as to humble himself to him vpon the ground in the presence of suche an assemblie of so many great personages and men of honor in such sorte that vaÌ„quished enemies to get grace at their Conquerous handes could not doo more What séemed he to doo hereby but to tread as it were dispitefully y e weale publique vnder his féet But some will say that the kyssing of his left foot could auaile but litle to the vndoyng the state of the weale publique Uery truth but he shrewdly shewed his welmening mind Ouermuche had it bene reproche to him to haue delt with so worthye a man as Pompée was in geuing sentence in such sort as he did vpoÌ„ him though after such skornefull wise he had not forced him to kysse his foot Chap. 13. O Folish wantonnes and pride of men that are ones clymen to honour O passynge great follie and madnes that rayggneth in them Howe happie is he that hath not to deale with such nor néedeth to séeke for plesour at their haÌ„des How sone they can tourne benefites to iniuries and plesours to paine What pleasauntnes delight take they in excesse How vnséemelie are all their doynges And how muche the loftiar they séeke to clime somuche the lower they fal down at last Wherby they geue meÌ„ iust cause to thinke that they know not themselfs nor weigh their astates What may it bâ— that puffeth them vp so with pride and insolencie Geue they neuer so muche it is counted but loste I woulde here demaunde of Cesar as I would also of any man ells what it is that they beare theÌ„selues so loftie on What it is that shold chaung into woorse nature both the couÌ„tenaunce and behâ—uiour of men Those plesures giftes or benefites onelye are plesaunt that are geuen or done after a courteous maner and gentle sorte As when one that is farre my better geueth me any thing and yet doth not triumphe ouer me for that his munificence but with all gentlenes and debonairety maketh semblaunce as if he hadde nowhyt plesoured me in suche sort as he did chosing by his owne accorde to doo it and that quickly with expedicion to preuent the time rather then to differre it vntill I had néede Necessarie is it therefore that suche as are disposed to plesour others take good regard that they commit no follie wherby they shal lose the grace of the said benefit which thei haue done and again that they déeme the plesours they haue shewed to be nowhit the gretter for that they are manye in nomber whiche argueth for all that neuer the greatter bounty in them And that in any wise they auoid the desyer of vaine glory for any their suche plesours done which causeth their doinges to be hated whych otherwyse would be loued commended and had in great prite Chap. 14. ANd yet some thinges there are whiche of their owne natures are hurtefull to those that request the same which it is more fréendlines to denie then to grauÌ„te Wherfore in passing our graunt we are to weygh aswell the profitte as the satiâ—fienge the minde of the requesters For many times we make earnest pursute after thinges that are harmeful to vs and can not of our selues discerne howe pernicious they are for vs for that our blind affectioÌ„ for the time dimmeth the clerenes of our iudgement But so sone as that heat beginneth to slake when that burnynge desier whiche erst vanquished discrecion is some what quaild we our selues then dislike and detest the counsailours and fortherers of those euilles For as wée should not geue colde water to him that is in the fyt of a shakyng agewe nor we pon to hym that is besides his wittes no more ought we to graunt the request of euerye one by and by that humblie ernestly with compassion and pytye desireth some thinges of vs For Reason would that we shold take as good regard to thend as to the beginninges of suche plesours as we are to doo and that wée should geue such thinges wherby a man may take plesour not onely when he receiueth them but afterwarde also But some one will saye to himself perhapes well I know that that whiche suche one desireth of me shall not aduauntage nor plesour him but hurte and hindar him yet what should I doo He requesteth it of me so earnestly that I maye not saye him nay Let him sée to his owne safegarde he shall not haue cause to blame me This opinion is verye fals yes marye shall he haue cause to blame thee and that woorthelie For when he shall be better aduised on the matter and that the hoat fit of his shalbe qualified whye shoulde he not hate hym that in his time of follye forthred him to catche his bane To geue the assent to harme one is crewell pytye And as it is a verye charitable acte to saue them that through follies rage woulde without naye mischeue and destroye and vndoe themselues so is it to graunt hurtful thyngs to eche manne for the askynge as sygne apparaunt of pitiefull crueltie Let vs endeuoure to geue suche thynges that the longar they are enioyed and kepte the more plesaunt and profitable they maye appere to be and neuer fayle of their goodnes My money will I not geue to an adulterer for that I woulde not séeme to be a fortherer of his wickednes But if I know preciselye suche follye to haue place in him I will what I maye disswade him from it Neither woulde I geue it to a common quarreller nor one that hath no staye nor gouernement of himself for feare that an other daye he saye Suche one by louing me ouermuch and to tenderlye
not receyue the same As if I were culpable of a fact so apparaunt that it could not be denyed nor auoyded and yet one my verie frinde for the authoritie he beareth or otherwise offreth to dispatche me and saue me harmeles whyche I know well he is able to performe howbeit if he should do it suche clamour woulde aryse thereby that it woulde purchace him heuie displesour at y e Princes hand in this case I ought not to desyer hys benefitt nor admit it if himself should offer it but shoulde rather put my self to stande the iump and dawnger of the matter then that my frind by my meanes to shewe me plesour shold be displesoured or harmed But if you will haue a notable exaÌ„ple of one that refuced proffit commoditie being offred which hitteth our present purpose fully marke theÌ„ the worthy exaÌ„ples of Crecinus Iulius a notable man whom Cesar slew for this onely that he was indéed a maÌ„ of more worthines theÌ„ méet to be about suche a Tyraunt Taking vpon him at a time to set forth certeine spectacles shewes which would grow to his great chargs diuers his freÌ„des for the ease of his burthen wer contributary with their porcions AmoÌ„g the residew one Fabius Persicus sent him an exceding great soÌ„me which Iulius by no meanes would receiue Wherof his freÌ„des hauing knowledge blaming hym much for it Shal I quod he receiue a benefitte or plesour at his handes whom I would not pledge if he dranke to me Not loâ—ge after one Rebellius a noble man for aucthority as of y e order of Consulls but in qualities resembling Persicus sent lykewise a passinge great deale of money to Iulius vrged merueilous ernestly the receipt therof vpoÌ„ him I beseche thée pardon me quod Iulius for not many dayes agoe I refused the lyke offer also made to me by Persicus â— Chap. 22. WEll then if we haue ones deliberated and determined fullye to accept the plesour that is offred let vs in any wyse receiue it ioyfully and declare outwardly what inward mirthe and plesour we conceiue at it That the geuer maye apparauntly sée wée do so to thend he may streight way repe some coÌ„moditie proffit by meane of his said benefit For doutles it is a full cause of reioycing to sée our frindes mery and reioyce But it is a farre more iust cause of reioycing to vs if by our meanes they haue that cause of their suche reioycing and myrth Therfore when we are plesoured let vs apparauntly declare our reioycing without fayning and that not in the presence of hym onely who hath so plesoured vs but ells where also For who that after suche a thankfull maner hath accepted the plesour whyche was done vnto him hath euen in that repayd and discharged the firste dewtie that was to be demaunded for the same Chap. 23. SOme there are y â— neuer wold receyue any benefit or pleasour but pryuatele and in secret Refusing to haue anye present that might recorde it Whereby it appereth howe euill their minde and intent is For how muche a benefitte or plesure done by any one doth more plese and content the fantasie of him to whom it is done so muche the more ought he who receiueth the same to publyshe and spred the respect therof abrode to the coÌ„mendacion of him at whose haÌ„des he receiued the same If thou be ashamed to confesse it and acknowledge the recept therof refuse also to take it Some there are that be content to render thanks for the plesour that hath bene shewed them by stelthe as it were and in a corner priuely But indéed that procedeth not of bashfulnes but is rather to be iudged a flat denyall of that they haue receiued He is well worthie to be déemed an vnthankfull man that acknowledgeth the benefitte he hath receiued and rendreth thankes for the same then onely when no man is present Some in no wise wil haue anye witnesses present when they are to be plesoured that myght testifye the geuing and recept therof nor will geue any writing of their hand to record it Whereby they declare their desier plainly to be that the benefit or plesour that is done to them may be kept as secret as may be They would not haue it publisht openly to thend they may vauÌ„t that they got suche office dignitie preferment or welthe rather by their owne wyt and pollicie then by the meane and liberalitie of any other man And commonlye suche menne as these shew theÌ„selues most slacke and negligent of all others in acknowledging and requiting the dewty whiche of ryght maye be demaunded well at their handes by them to whom they owe both that good a state of their life and their attainement to honour And thus while they refuse to acknowledge that whiche they haue receiued and render that dewtie which is incident thereto they throwe themselues hedlong into a merueilous dauÌ„ger Namelie to deserue the name of Ingratitude and vnthankfulnes Chap. 24. AGain other some there be of so â—uill and vile natures that they doo not onely forget and neglect to doo such dutie as they ought to those who haue benefyted thâ—m but they report moreâ—uer most villanye of those who haue done them moste good So that it is as good to displease some kind of people as to plesour theÌ„ Wherein they séeke after a dispitefull maner matter to cleare them from owing anye dewâ—ie at all Howe muche the more they wrastle agaynst so muche the more it manifesteth their nawghtye and can kard natures and purchaceth commendacion to the parties whome they séeke to deface by bringing to lyght and disclosyng their woorthie actes Whereas indâ—ed wee shoulde endeuour to thuttermost of our power to kep retaigne fast in our memory suche plesours as haue bene done to vs and still renew them by often calling them to our remembrauÌ„ce For impossible it is to requite them if we doo not remember them And if anye benefit or plesour be offred vs we shold not accept it ouer rashelye and rudelye nâ—ither yet refuse it ouer bashfullye For who that at the first offer made of a benefit taketh it as if he cared not much for it whether he had it or not what iudge you he will esteme of it after a while when it waxeth stale sith that the chefest reioycing for the hauing of a benâ—fit if there be any reioycing at all is at the very first acceptauÌ„ce of it An other sort there are that take benefites when they are offred after a lothesome maner As who shoulde saye In faith I néede not greatly this courtesie frendlines whyche you offer me Howbeit sith you will néedes force it vppon me you shall commaund me to take it and vse me herein for this time at your plesour Som other receiue a plesour offred so carelesly that he that gaue it maye in maner stande in doute whether he that receiued it hadde any perseueraunce that he was
good opinioÌ„ of him that with hys good wil we shall at his handes receiue asmuch commodity again if we néede as we presently doo vnto him Whych hope conceiued though we hap to faile to find it satisfied yet is it a most dishonest and vyle part to make complaint therof For why in him that is to discharge suche credit conceyued it is not welthe ne substaunce that are to be required but onely a mindful and thankfull hart For he hath sufficiently requited the benefitte which he hath receiued at an others handes who willingly doth acknowledge himself his debtour But lyke as ther resteth a fault in those whyche shew themselues to be both in word and déed vnthankfull forgetting vtterly and refusyng to requite the plesures that haue bene shewed theÌ„ so riseth there oftentymes on our parts no small cause of this their Ingratitude For as wée finde diuers that are of their owne natures vnthankfull so doo wee our selues make many Ingrat whyche otherwise parhaps would not haue bene so For sometime we cast in their tethe and vpbraid vnto them what wee haue done for them and otherwhile we exact importunatly at theyr handes recompense for suche benefites as wee before haue done vnto theÌ„ Otherwhiles again we shew our selues to be so inconstant of minde that forthwith it repenteth vs of the plesure that we erst dyd And thus complaininge our case and chaungyng our mindes in the torning of a hand we doo not onely disgrace the pleasour wee before shewed and loose the thankes which otherwyse should haue bene dew for the same but also we agreue gretly the party to whom we dyd the same For who is he almost that will shew himself easy to be entreated or that woulde doo any plesour to speake of with only ones beyng desired Who is â—e that vnderstandyng that his Frind being in néede wold request any thing of him but either he bended the browes at it or turned his face asyde or feigned to haue a thousande lettes and a thousande businesses otherwayes Or who is he that by longe proces and manifest feigned excuse hath not sought busyly to shift of the occasion of dealynge for hys frinde whereby he thought he should be troubled or hathe not deuised a nomber of delayes to dispatche himself of suche matters as haue bene vrged vpon hym To be short who is he that beyng very ernestly requested by his frinde to doo him a plesure hath not long tracted the time before he wold assume it on him or ells plainlye made deâ—yall to doo it Or if haples hys promys scaped him with muche a doo and after longe entreatye weryed hath not yet done thesame with such doutes casting and ceremonyes vsing that far better it wer to be quyte deuoid of his suche pleasour then with such a doo to haue it Nowe is there any man iudge you that hath cause to thincke himself beholdyng to such one at whose handes with hart-grutching he hath bene plesured or that hath benefited him to this end only that he may brag therof or for that he woulde be ridd from being any longar disturbed with suche importunat suet If there be any that thinketh he shoulde account himself his dettour whom he hath deluded with delayes annoyed with attendance and weryed with scornefull talke before he would plesour hym he is much deceiued For plesures ought to be requited with lyke minde and will as they are doneâ— and for this cause is it requisite that they be not done negligently For eche one ought to rendre both that whyche he receiued and in suche order as he receiued it Whereupon who that hath shewed plesour after long entreaty or by constraint as it were is worthy after the same sort to be rewarded Wherfore the benefitte or plesour that is done shold not be done slowly or with ouer great deliberacion For as of eche thing that is done the mind of him that doth it declareth the order how it is done so the benefitt that is done slowly and with muche requesting argueth that he who dyd it in suche sort refused long to doo the same Neyther ought plesures to be done iniuriousely and with reproche For as by naturall reason those thinges persist longest and are of longest continuauÌ„ce which ar engrauen déeper in respect of them which haue but a very light imprint so likewise iniuries who naturally haue a déepar séet then benefits parsist also longar and rifar in mynde What reward or guerdon may he iustly claym that wold séeme to plesour a man and yet in verie déed worketh him greuaunce and displesour He doeth sufficiently acknowledge the plesour and good that hath bene shewed him who confesseth the same And albeit that the nomber of vnthankful people be in dede very great yeâ— ought we not this not withstanding to become any whit the slower or lesse willing to doo good For first as I haue saide we augment and encrease thereby the nomber of theÌ„ Moreouer wâ— leaue therby to shew our selues to be folowers of the liuing God who wil not chaÌ„ge we sée his largesse liberality for the hainouse offences sacrileges of such as contemne and despise him but eâ—tendeth his goodnes stil indiffereÌ„tly to those that are suche offendours aswel as to theÌ„ that offended not For as his nature is to doo good to all men I should say to all thinges so with them y â— be good socoureth he also theÌ„ which shew themselues far vnworthy therof Let vs therfore followe him as our guide so farre as our fraile and weke nature will parmit Let vs doo good succour others that without desiring vsury therfore He is wourthy to faile of his purpose who doth a benefit for this cause onely y t he may repe the like again But som one perhaps wil say that I am much deceiued herein To whom I aunswere thus That albeit y t our wyues childreÌ„ do often hap to frustrat deceiâ—e thexpectacioÌ„ which we coÌ„ceiued of theÌ„ yet notw tstanding we may not cesse to foster bring vp our childreÌ„ nor seke therfore to be diuorced from our wiues Againe if it be so y â— we arme our selues to endure the thorough tryall of worldly affaires that for no maner losse in battail or wreck on sea we faint to attempt thesame again of more stroÌ„g reason theÌ„ is it fitting fit for vs to persist coÌ„tinew on in our weldoings FroÌ„ whiche if a man cesse ones for y â— he was not rewarded for y e lyke he hath done toforetime it is to be presupposed y â— that which he then did he did it to no other end but for that he hoped by doing therof to reap the lyke again Whereby right well he excuseth thunthaÌ„kfull man who for this cause only is accused that he doth not requite the plesour that others haue shewed him Sée we not how many there are in the world vnworthy to behold the brightnes of the SoÌ„ne and
hath done it But he that doth perseuer still heaping afresh new benefites vpon them whiche he hath already done shall enforce the receiuer to acknowledge the same at one time or an other wer he neuer so hard harted or currish of nature For who that shalbe so ouerlayed wâ—th benefites shall not haue the hart to lyft vp his eyes agaynst thée but he shal forthwith condemne himself of Inâ—gratitude if he haue not delt with thée accordyngly as he ought which way soeuer he woulde turne him thy benefites shalbe so rife before his eyes that by no meanes he shalbe able to shake them out of minde By thy good desertes and heaping on of benefites geue him cause to thinke that he is thoroughly bound vnto thée Which benefites of what force and effect they are to make good nature in any man I shall herafter declare so sone as I haue shewed my faÌ„tasy in one point or two somewhat different froÌ„ our matter in hand That is to wit For what cause it is said that ther are thre Graces wherfore thy are called sisters why they go linked haÌ„d in hand what is the cause why they are allwayes smylinge and of mery countenaunce what is the Reason why they are euer yong Finally wherfore they are virgins attired with their garmeÌ„tes louse and vngyrt about them and the same so thin that a man may sée through them Of these thrée Ladyes called Graces thopinion of some is that the first of them bestoweth benefites the seconde receyueth the same and then third confesseth the recept and requiteth them Others some there are that by these thrée Graces would signifie thrée kind of benefytes Namely the benefites whych are geuen the benefites whiche are receiued and the benefits which are receiued and repayed togethers But whether of these two opinions is worthiest to be allowed it is not muche materiall to examin and for that I will leue it at large vndiscust Let vs then sée why these thrée Ladyes whom I called Graces do still beholde thone the other and make a ring as it wer eche holding other by the hand Uerely it is for thys cause The gyft that passeth from the geuer yf it keepe dew order from the one to the other it retorneth againe from hym that receiued it vnto the geuer by dew ordely course Which order if it be broken or anye whit discontinued forthwith thereby shoulde it lose all the worthy commendacion whiche the said benefit should requier like as wee sée yf any of these Ladyes should louse hands the facion of the King were broken and streight shoulde lose that name They are alwayes smyling and merye countenaunced for that they should represent to vs thereby that those that are of good natures ought when they bestow benefytes whyche maye sound to the furtheraunce of others no lesse to reioyce and shew themselues wellapaid therat then they should doo who are by them in such sort pleasured They are alwayes yong for this that the remembraunce of benefites ought in no wyse to waxe olde or fade forth of fresh memorye Uirgins they are for this that benefites ought to be pure incorrupted not stayned and to be done without constraint or enforcement They were their garments louse whyche are so clere and thin that a man may sée through to declare that benefites would be also séen and not hidden With those Ladyes Mercury is also by some associated as companion not for that eloquence is anye whyt requisyt to commend the benefyt that is done or the order of doing thesame but only for that it so lyked the paynter to deuise thesame Chrisippus to whom for his great subtilitie of wit diuers attribute no small praise for that he so exquisitely accustometh to sift out the truth of thinges applieng al his whole talke to the matter he treateth of and that with no longer proces of wordes then is requisite for y e thoroughvnderstandyng therof hath yet stuffed his whole booke full of these and suche lyke table so that he speketh hymselâ—e verye litle or nothing at all touchinge themployeng receiuing and rendring of benefites In whyche his booke he doth not onely now and then vse these tales but he doth so thoroughly store it with them that it sauoreth almost of nothing elles but of suche trifles For besides that whych he wryteth of Hecates he reporteth also that these thrée Graces wer Iupiters daughters begotten vpon Eurinome in youth comelines of countenaunce and beawty most excellent and for this cause were they all thrée apointed to haue the keping of Heauen gates and to be attendant on the Lady Uenus Moreouer Chrisippus in his sayde booke noteth also that not without good cause their mother whome I shewed you of was called Eurinome whoÌ„ for that thinterpretacion of her name sheweth her to be riche of great habilitie he feigneth therfore to distribute benefits and freÌ„dly plesures As though the mother of force muste be named after the qualities and condicions of her daughters or ells what name soeuer the Poetes plesed to attribute to any thyng was the very name of the thyng indéed Chap. 4. BUt least I myself offend in that whyche before I obiected against Chrisippus I will ouerpasse thâ—se thynges which as they vary froÌ„ our matter in hande so concerne they it no whytt at all For we haue taken in hande to spéeke of benefytes and to geue preceptes of that whyche aboue all other thynges knytteth and conioigneth the society of mankynd together Wée are I saye to prescribe rules and preceptes for menne to frame their lyues by least that vnder collour of courtesye some fall into excessiue prodigalitie and least that others some by ouernere scauuing and héed takynge in bestowinge of benefites shoulde happen cleane to extinct and lose the ryght waye of liberalitie Whyche as indéed it ought not to excéed so neyther should it be ouermuch skanted but to obserue a iust dew and lawdable meane Touching which matter these are thinstructioÌ„s that we geue That men accept thankfully such benefites as are done vnto them and that gladlye in lykemaner they requite the same We are moreouer to propose vnto them a great contencion which ought to be betwen the geuer and the receiuer of benefites Whiche is that we should not content our selues to render the lyke only of that which we haue receiued at the handes of those that haue pleasured vs but that we should stryue to excell them farre in well meaning and minde to plesour them againe And impossible it is that any man can requite a good tourne except before hand he haue found it For which cause they that do any plesures or employ any benefites are to be aduertised that they make none account of their benefit after they haue ones bestowed it and they that haue receiued thesame to thinke themselues somuch the more endetted to them for so doing Of whyche honest and commendable coÌ„tention this is the whole and thonly end
Unlesse thou makest none accoÌ„pâ— of thyself being in state as thou now art wherfore assure thyself that I will restore thée to thyself farre bettered then I now receiued thée Loe by this gift allmoste of no vallew did Eschines farre surmount the bountifull hart of Alcibiades who was no lesse gentle and courteouse then welthye And in Socrates iudgement passed the largesse and munificence of all his yong companions Chap. 9. HEreby may you well sée that a noble minde is able to find out matter whereby he may declare his liberalitie euen in the extremitie and narowest straytes of al his pouertie In which case Aeschines me semeth might wel haue sayd thus A hard and cruell Fortune Yet hast thou gained nothing herby that thou haste made me thus poore For though I haue nothynge of thyne wherwith I may worthely or at all present my maister I will not yet let to doo my dewty but I will now doo it of mine own And yet should noman thinke that he accompted nothing of himself for that he presented so himself as is sayd For hereby the wytty yong man found occasion to bind Socrates to him after a sort So that to retourne againe to our purpose it appereth that it is not the excellencie or valew of the gyft whyche is to be regarded but the hart with whyche it is geuen and the order of the doing therof The hawty and curious Courtiars who are in office and by meane thereof haue that séeke vnto them will hardly and with muche a doo be spoken with of their sewters aboute anye matter of weight and yet when they are spoken with they fode fourth selly folkes with many fayer wordes and bare promesses whiche in thend standeth them in verye small or no stead And yet of a far worse nature iudge I him to be that with opprobriouse and crewell woordes with a churlish and frowninge countenaunce vttred after a dispytefull sorte displayeth what he hath done for this man or that For therehens commeth it that although we see the poore outwardely make a face and shewe of goodwill towarde the Riche yet inwardly they hatâ— them in theyr hartes to the death And that altogether for their fortune And yet diuers there are of them that hate one an other for doynge some thynges whyche they that reprehende them perhaps woulde doo if they were in lyke power and authoritie Few there are but emproue their Landes to thuttermost to maigntaine their owne auarice They regard nothing but despice othermennes pouertie and séeke to the vttermost all y e meanes they can how to shonne it themselues fearryng nothyng ells but fallyng into penurye For redresse and preuenting wherof they cesse not to molest their vnderlings and inferiours oppressynge theyr poore tenauntes allwayes vexing them that are not able to make resistaunce and kepynge them downe still with might and mayn And yet what can a man well saye agaynste some such pilling of prouinces and makynge the vttermost of suche offyces as thou hast thyself payed derelye for seyng that the CoÌ„mon Law among men whiche proceâ—eth and is grounded vpon naturall reason permitteth thée to sell againe the thing that thou bowghtest Chap. 10. BUt loe the grief to see thinges somuch disordred hath caused me to straye father from my matter in hande theÌ„ I thought to haue done for that sufficient matter to talke of still offred it selfe Wherefore for thys time I make here an end for feare least I deduce the lyke cause of blame to these our dayes Our auncestours and forefathers haue complained them of this hertofore we our selues at this present find vs agreued thereat and I feare very much that our posteritie shall haue lyke cause to be wayle themâ— to sée that good condicions and honest maners amonge men are so corrupted that naughtines hath altogether got their places that wordly affayres fall out eche daye worse and woorse with somuche euill that allmose there can be no more And now are these thinges rooted so and settled as it were in this state that lykely they are so to continew and hold on stil onely now and then perhaps they may chaunce to be tossed to and fro a lytle lyke the waues of the sea which when they haue for a season bene still and quyet with in the shore if there happen to ryse a sodaine flaw or a sharp pyrry of winde streight way they woorke aloft and tosse vp and downe for the time So may it chauÌ„ce to fare with these euill condicions of men For as the times doo alter and channge right so follow they Somewhile shal ye sée Daliaunce and bodily plesure beare chefest sway eftsones againe vnmeasurable festing ryotous banqueting and superfluous féeding shall playe his part Sone after shall all they be exiled forth of place then none shal rule but sumptuous apparelling and trimming the bodie with costly arraye And more then effeminat painting and prankyng the visage the most certaine argument of the fowlenes deformity of the minde with wastful profusion and spending of large patrimonyes and ample enheritaunces Again before a man would almost think it coulde be so all these vices are quyte shut vp as if they had not bene and Tiranny onely taketh place then fall they to Ciuill warres whereby all holy thinges are prophaned Lawes and good order quite extinguished goodnes and god lines wholly abolished DronkeÌ„nes for a time beareth the bel And it shalbe déemed a vertew in him that shall beare most drinke So that a man may sée that vices neyther continew allwayes in one staye but as they are altogether deuoyd of stedfastnes and at variaunce amonge themselues so they force one to geue an other place So that wée maye well pronounce of our selues to our gâ—eat shame and reproche that wée haue bene euill that wee are euill and that we are lyke it greueth me muche to saye it to be euill still For why there shall not fayle to be among vs from time to time manquellars tyrantes theues adulterers encrochers of other mens goodes committers of sacriledge traytours aswel hereafter as heretofore and at this present And yet Ingratitude ought no lesse to be detested then any the vyces that I haue named before as that from whense and by which all those others do procâ—de and haue their rooting Without whiche it is impossible that any euill could spriÌ„g and take his encrease at full as it dothe Wherfore eche one shunne flee it as y e horriblest vice that may happen to anye man And yet if it be thy fortune to byt vpon any that sheweth the Ingratitude forgett and forgeue it stil as the lightest fault that thou mayst finde among all others For the grettest losse that caÌ„ happen to thée hereby pardy is but the losse of thy benefit onely And yet he to whom thou didest it can not accuse thée that thou pleasouredst him not which is the commendablest thing that maye be and deserueth most prayse For as
commemoracion of any thy said plesours paste and done Chap. 7. FAbius verucosus was wont to lyken and compare the benefit whiche any hard natured man with paine dyd to grauely or gréety bread Which notwithstandyng he y t is very hard pinched with hungar féedeth wel on semeth to find sauour swetnes therin though it be â—er so painfull in chewing But what doth not necessity As none wold fede on suche bread y t might chose and could get other so none would accept such roughe benefits vnplesaunt plesours y t might well spare them doo wellenough without Tiberius Cesar being requested on a time by Marcus Aelius his nephew that had bene sometime Pretor of Rome to discharge paye certein his Creditours their det for which he was endauÌ„gered willed to geue him in wriâ—inge both thâ— names of his said Creditours the sommes also He did not now promise to discharge the detts but demauÌ„ded to know his Creditours when he had receyued a note of their names he wrate backe by letre to Aelius not y t he had or wold discharge them but that he had geueÌ„ commaundment they should be discharged with diuers sharpe tauntes and nippes whereby though by hys meanes Aeliuâ— stode acquited of his detts he had yet but small cause to conceiue courtesie in hym He sawst his gentlenes so stronglye and made it so sharpe that it myght séeme clene to dull the tast of Aelius Howbeit I suppose y t Tiberâ—us had a farther meaning therein then was expressed namelye to preuent others from makyng the lyke request to hym as his Nephew did and therfore séemed to deale the roughliar with Aelius to feare others froÌ„ making the lyke attempte But who that mindeth to doo a benefite a right muste deale therein far otherwiseâ— Chap. 8. THerefore when thou mindest to doo anye plesure to any man thou must endeuour thy self what in thee doth lye to cause the same to be most acceptable to him to whome thow doist it For otherwyse thou couldest not saye it was a benefit which thou gauest but rather a good tourne ioyned with a check and rebuke And to say fréelye that whiche I thinke in this behalf Doubtles it is no Royaltiâ— for a Prince to geue any thynge whiche to doo he is enforced by compulsion or for thauoyding of euill report Neyther yet couldâ— Tiberius for all the slye meanes he vsed in writing so sharply to his Neuew wheÌ„ he besought him to discharge certen hys dettes auoyde that whiche as I sayd I dyd iudge he thought to haue forebarred others of For not loÌ„g after diuers there were who made the verye same peticion to him as his Neuew had made before Whom he coÌ„manded openlye in the â—ace of the Senate to declare the cause why they came endâ—tted so to suche and suche their Creditours whiche when they had exponed he willed thâ—re shoulde be geuen to them certaine sommes of money towarde the discharge therof Was this woorthie to be called Liberalitie thynke you No verely but rather an ignominie to his person It maye well be termed a helpe or subsedie graunted by a Prince towarde thalleuiating the payment of a more somme A benefit is suche a thyng that when it is done the doer may well abyde the heariÌ„g it reported agaiâ— without any whyt blushing at it If I be sent to desyer any thyng at a Iudges hand I can there but yeeld the cause of my demaund if I be therto requiered Chap. 9. WHereuppon it is thaduise of all wise men that we shoulde bestowe certaine of our benefites openly again certain of our benefites secretly closely Openly al such as renowme followeth the attainning of theÌ„ Of which kynd are those rewardes that are geuen for feates acheued by Cheualrye suche like dignities promocioÌ„s which are bewtified more commended when a multitude knoweth of theÌ„ And these thinges wherin consisteth neyther renowme nor estimacion but be onelye easers of néede and pouertie and sauers of honestie those I say are to be geueÌ„ secretely that they may be knowen onely to those to whom they are avayleable And yet in some cases we should beguiel him whoÌ„ we helpe that though he haue that that doth serue hys néede yet he should not know at whose bandes he receiued the same at that present nor yet from whens it came Chap. 10. ARchesilaus on a time hauynge a deare Frinde of his fallen in to pouerty and yet for bashfulnes woulde not discouer hys greate néede and were it for thought or for disease fallen sycke Archesilaus seynge and pitieng hys case thought it was then high time of hys owne accord to socour hym though his frynde by no meanes woulde make him priuie to his necessitie Whereuppon takyng with hym a bagge of money went with spéed to this sycke man makynge â—ys errande to vysyt him and beyng sette on his bâ—d besydes hym finding and takynge occasion of Talke preuilie conueyd the bagge of money vnder the pillow of the sickeman without anye woorde speking of it and when he saw hys tyme toke hys leue and departed Wysshynge that hys frende that was more bashefull then wysedome woulde myght yet by chaunce fynde that that myghte serue hys wantte rather theâ— then lacke still or ells be haplye striken out of conceit with himself that any man should know his penurye But here will some one perhaps say What should not he that receiued a benefit know of whoÌ„ he had it I aunswere agaiâ—e That at the fiâ—st though he know not it maketh no matter yet doth that so bestowynge of benefites include a great part of principall beneficâ—nce But when I haue thus benefited him priuilie I will not there cesse I will doo him sondrie other plesures besides I will doo manye moe thinges for him whereby he may gather that it was I that did him that other plesour also tofore And yet though perhaps he neuer know that he had that benefit through me I shall notwithstandyng be sewer myself that I gaue it But thou mayst say perhaps That is but a simple reward Truthe it is if thou didest it to haue gaine therby and to reape recompense But if thou hast as thou shouldest haue respect to this point onelye that that which thou geuest may plesour him to whom thou geuest it thou geue it frée lie without any suche regard takynge Let it suffice thee that thy self art preuy to the gift for els thou shouldest not séeme to take delight in weldoing but that thy desier were to be seene to doo well Thou art not yet satisfied perhaps but wilt stil saye I will néedes haue hym know it Then tell me this Whether thou wouldest he should thinke himself beholding to thée or no Still thou sayesâ— thou wilâ— haue him that receyueth plesour at thy haÌ„des know whense he hath it What if it be more profitable if it be more honest if it be more acceptable for him that is pleasoured not to
plesoured or no. Some againe for anye benefit done vnto them will scantlie or but a litle moue their lyppes to y e geuer whiche is yet far worse and sauoreth muche more of Ingratitude then if they had altogether held their peace and sayd neuer a worde Whereas indéed a man shoulde accordyng to the quantitie or qualitie of the benefit that is done to him commeÌ„d and extolle the same with wordes which maye import his gratefull acceptaunce and vnfayned wellyking of it As to say Syr through the plesour you did me such a time you haue wonne the hartes of moe then you are ware of For there is no man but would that his well doynge shoulde be publyshed and knowen to a great many Again thus Syr you know not howmuche your benefits which you bestowed vppon me stode me in steade howbeit I ne may ne will in any wyse coÌ„ceale it from you but must let you tuÌ„derstand that I was much more plesoured thereby then as then myself wened for And who that vnfainedlie without glosing doth on this sort charge himself can not be iudged to coÌ„ceiue vnthankful lye of the plesour he founde As thus to saye In verie déed I graunt I am in no wise nor respect able to rendre you dew thaÌ„kes according to your desertes yet shall I not cesse ne fail at any time to acknowledge coÌ„fesse my said vnablenes Chap. 25. THere was nothiÌ„g that purchaced Furnius somuch fauour beneuolence at Augustus haÌ„des or y â— brought him to that passe that he might request obtaine what he wolde as dyd that his humble acknowledging with submissioÌ„ of the fauour goodnes bownte whiche Augustus had shewed him his extolling the same without all flatterie For being on a time driuen to be a peticioner for his Fathers lyfe to Augustus obtayning graunt of his request he sayd Truly there is nothing O Cesar that greueth me so muche as that I shall now by thy meanes liue gratefull as hauing shewed part of my dewty to my Father and shall dye ingrate and vnthankfull as not able to requite thye goodnes Sée now what more euident or apparant argument can there be of a mindefull carefull and thankfull hart then to graunt that by no meanes he can be perswaded euer to haue yelded thankes enoughe and dow recompeÌ„se and to confesse plainly to be quyte exempt from all hope of euer beynge able to attayne thereto with these I saye or suche lyke woordes let vs declare and shewe what ernest inward good will we haue to our power to requite the benefites we haue receyued Or if perhappes by woordes wee be not able to vtter it as we ought to doo yet let vs in suche sort as we may declare our vnfained desier to make recompense In whiche behalfe assured lie our minde will not fayle by our face to shew how we are bent that waye Who that receiueth a benefit thankfullie in the verye time of receiuinge it studieth how he should make recompense for it Chrisippus sayeth that lyke as he that is appointed to runne for a wager muste watche diligentlie to get the start of hys fellowe or he that is in prison wayteth when he maye finde best oportunitie to breke pryson and saue hymself so behoueth it hym that hath bene plesoured by all meanes he canne to deuise and study howe he maye fynde conuenient tyme to requite the benefyt he hath receyued and if he happe to find that oportunitie to laye sure holâ— on it that it escape him not Chap. 26. NOw we haue next to consider what it is that causeth menne to shâ—w themselues vnthankful Which in mine opinion ryseth by some of these thinges To wytte ouermuche arrogancie self lykynge of hys owne doinges or substaunce couetousnes or enuye These take I to be the principal heds out from whense Ingratitude floweth and taketh his beyng And to thend we may examine theÌ„ thoroughlye let vs beginne with the firste and so descend from one to an other There is no vnthankful man al most but I warraunt you he wil be thonly iudge of hys cause himself And thens groweth it that what he hath receiued he thynketh it nomore then he hath deserued and so iudgeth it not worth the while to recoÌ„pense as skant worth any suche labour of his And to confirme his opinion and make his tale good Thus will he saye Truthe it is nor I will not denye but suche one dyd this or that for me But how long was it I pray you ere I could obtaine it What labour susteined I about it Howmuche more might I haue benefited miself if I had bestowed y e seruice about suche one or suche one or if I had not troubled miself at all but lyued quietly w t mine owne I wis I had well hoped I should haue bene far otherwise rewarded at his haÌ„des I had bene better to haue bene without his plesours then to haue endured half these troubles as I haue done about the gettyng of them they in thend to be so worshipful as they are Chap. 27. CNeus Lentulus surnamed y e sothesaier was in his time noted to be a maÌ„ of passing great welth vntil such time y â— certein which had bene his boÌ„dmeÌ„ and wer by him enfraunchised despoiled and robbed him This Lentulus as the report went sawe of his own proper goods together at one time ten Millions of Crownes which at those dayes was couÌ„ted infinite as at these days it wer a good rouÌ„d soÌ„me And in that I sayd he sawe them I said very well For indéed he dyd but sée theÌ„ For that only excepted he had no vse of them Of a passing dull doltish wyt he was in all other respectes saue onely in muckering vp of money And for all y t he was an exceding couetous miser and suche a penie father as would part with nothing yet with more ease might an other get money from him theÌ„ he coulde himself bring forth any redy and plaine talk so great an impedimeÌ„t he had in his speche And wheras of dewty and ryght he should haue adscribed all his aduauncement and attainemeÌ„t to welth to Augustus to whome at first he came bare enoughe but what through the greate fauour of Augustus What through money wherewith he made waye for hymself he was nowe become to be as it were a Prince in the Citie And yet for all that neuer ceast he complayning to Augustus howe for his sake he had geueÌ„ ouer his boke and receyued in recompense nothing the lyke plesour nor gaine as he lost by leuing his studie Wherevpon Augustus ouer and besides all that he hadde els done for him dispatcht him also from hauing anye more cause to coÌ„plaine him in that sort Thus maye you sée that couetousnes will not permit a man to shew himself thankful though he haue neuer so great and iuste cause so to doo For to him that is altogether set on hauing impossible
degenerat that vnneth saf sauinge line of bloude and lineall discent wee sauour nowhytte of them Asfor their welthe honours dignities and preâ—errementes to whiche they were aduaunced for their noblenes namely their vertâ—wes were but only signes and shews and rewardes of noblenes Which who that hath by succession of inheritaunce enioyeth as in the Romaine weale publique he that had saued a Citizens lyfe and had merited y â— reward therof a garlande called Corona ciuica might leaue the same to his posteritie Who myght glory therin not for their owne factes but for the actes of an other who therby left to them an example of encouragement of attempting the lyke Contemne noman be he neuer so base and vnnoble of fame and simply preferd by fortunes giftes whether they haue bene bond heretofore or now presentlye are bond or people of farre and straunge contrâ—yâ—s of what estate or degre soeuer they be of lette them fortifie themselues and be of good cowrage Attaine vertewes shew them selues worthie and thinke not but as perfit nobility attendeth them as any other Why shoulde wee be so puffed vp with pryde that we shoulde take scorne to accept benefits and acknowledge the recept of the same at our seruauntes haÌ„des Onely regarding their estate and forgetting their desertes Chap. 27. THis thought I good and necessary to be sayde both for the repressing of the wanton pryde and folly of those men who alltogether hang on fortunes sléeue and also for the mainteinyng the right acceptaunce and trewe vnderstandynge of suche plesour and benefites as seruauntes maye doo to their maisters defendinge the same shewed by Children to their parents For it hath bene dowted by som whether Children can doo to their parentes any gretter benefits then they haue receiued of them Towching whiche matter this I know wilbe graunted that possible it is that Children may attaine to gretter welth aspire to higher promocions then euer their parents did that which is more to be better also which being so it maye be that they may also geue far better thiÌ„ges for that their fortune is better and perhaps their well meaning hart also But some may happen to say Well let the Child geue what he is able to his parentes it is yet lesse then dutie may duly demaund at his hands for that he oweth to them euen all that abilitie of geuyng as which without them he could not haue had So that it is not possible for hym to be ouercome with an other mans benefit wose precedent benefit was y e causer of that that was subsequent But see how greatly they are deceiued that are of this opinion At the first you know well a nomber of thinges take their originall and beginning of other thinges whyche notwithstanding in processe of time out-growe their sayde beginninges farre We sée that séedes are the caâ—ses of many thinges and yet are they the smallest of those thinges which by theÌ„ take their beginninges Behold Rhine Euphrates what are they and all the other notable and famouse Riuers that are ells where if we regarde the heddes onely from whense they â—irste breake out if there be any cause whye they are regarded they take it a great waye of from the head The great churches and Cyties walles stande not without their foundacions and yet that which is the grouÌ„d woorke and staye of all lyeth hyd vnder the ground and is not séene So fareth it in euerye other thynge For the subsequent encrease and groweth shadoweth quite and ouerwhelmeth as it were oftentimes the beginninges of the same I coulde not you saye haue had my being without which I had neuer attained to these thinges if my Father had not begot me nomore could I if after my Fathers begetting and time of my birth my Nurse had not fostred me vp Chap. 28. BUt let vs goe roundly too worke and proue y t though the sonne haue bene benefited by his Father verye muche yet he may rendre asmuche againe and more to Admitte my Father as â—e begatte me wherby he gaue me my beginning so he fostred me vp whereby I tooke encrease also If I render the lyke of the last part I render more then I receiued For in this case he shal haue to reioyce not onely that he is nourished but also that he is nowrished of his soÌ„ne taking more comforth in my naturall minde then delectacion or pleasour in the thing it self whiche he receyueth Again what and if any man should so vse himself that eyther for his eloqueÌ„ce his woorthie knowledge in Ciuill or Martial pollicie he becommeth famous and by the noblenes of his said vertewes shaketh of the darkenes and obscuritye of his base parentage and by meane of hys woorthines causeth the report of his fathers name to be crowned with perpetuall fame might not he worthely be said to haue done an inestimable beneâ—it to his parents Ariston and Grillus doutles long sith had bene raked vp in the duste and bene as if they had neuer bene with out all report if Xenophon and Plato their worthie sonnes had not by their noble memory caused theÌ„ also to be still remembred And wher had the famouse name of Sophroniscus bene now become if Socrates his sonne had not as it were made him liue a new It were ouer tedious and to long to goo about to recount here the names of al those whose names certeinlye hadde neuer continewed vnto these dayes had it not bene that thexcellent vertewes of their sonnes made theÌ„ famouse to their posteritie and as it wer immortalized them An infinite nomber of them assuredly had bene shut vp in the depe dungeon of obliuion if the famous memory of their soÌ„nes had not deliuered theÌ„ froÌ„ that dime darkenes And though perhapps eche benefit y â— the childreÌ„ may doo to their parents seuerally considered and apart by himself be not able to couÌ„teruaile the desertes of their said parentes yet a multitude of them conioyned may be able to matche them passe them also Chap. 29. IT was Scipioes chauÌ„ce to saue his Father in a great and sharp battel which to do he was forst being asyet but a very child to put spurs to his horse and abandone himself into y e thickest of his enemyes before he coulde come to the place wher his Father was And setting light by any neuer so perillouse aduenture that might befal stucke no whit to take to task any y e most beten and practised souldiours of his enemies far vnfit matches for his age or experience of dealing in wars as who that neuer before that time hadde bene in war fare The same Scipio also an other time pleaded his Fathers case at what time he was accused and by his well handeling of the matter discharged him from a great conspiracie of some that pretended his deth He also procured his father to be chosen Consull thrise arowe and aduaunced him to other honours Besydes all