Euphues his censure to Philautus wherein is presented a philosophicall combat betweene Hector and Achylles, discouering in foure discourses, interlaced with diuerse delightfull tragedies, the vertues necessary to be incident in euery gentleman: had in question at the siege of Troy betwixt sondry Grecian and Troian lords: especially debated to discouer the perfection of a souldier. ... Robertus Greene, in artibus magister.

¶ Achilles discourse of Liberalitie.

ORpheus, whose musicke was so swéete, that the poets faine his melody appeased the passionate ghosts from

their auailes, when hee went for Euridice, say that he was so bashfull in his science, though the most exquisite that euer was, as hee blushed to tune his Harp before Mercurie: whereas Hypercion an vnskilfull musition, shamed not to trouble him with his daunces: ignoraunce hath euer the bouldest face, blinde Bayard is formost in the front, and thy which worst may, will formost desire to hold the candle: I speake this, sith my selfe whom yeares and experience would haue wisht to be silent, by too ouer rash censuring of a soul∣diers estate, fondly thrust my selfe into the opinions of ma∣ny, re••embling herein Mineruaes Owle, that se••ks not ••o shrowd hir deformity in the Temple. But forward mindes, if not offensiue, may forecraue pardon: actions well ment ought to bee well taken: honor iudgeth with partiallity in being opinatiue towards straungers: maiestie wincketh at follies, and sooner will Iupiter beare with a fault, then Vulcan: the higher thoughts the sooner pleased, which con∣sid••red, I am the more bolde in such an audience to hazard my credit on the sequell of their verdites, and rather be coū∣ted a little too rashe, then too much vnruely; hoping therefore my discourse shall be fauored with your honorable patience: thus to the purpose.

Hermes Trismegistus, whom some for his diuine pre∣cepts, haue thought to bée the sonne of Mercurie, made such account of this vertue of liberality, that hee doubted not to call it the heauenly influence, y^t the gods most niggardly had in••used into the mynds of men this, resembling their deities, that they grudged not to impart what Fortune franckly had bestowed vpon them. For the Philosopher that coue∣teth in his Ethicks to ••en downe a platfourme for the per∣fecting of humaine lyfe, amongst other vertues, placeth this as forerunner of them all: inferring his argument for proofe (a contrarijs) if sayth hee, couetousnes be the root•• of all ill, from whence procéedes as from a fountaine of mis∣hap, the ruine of common wealthes, the subuersion of E∣states, & the wrack of ••economicall societies: if from thence doth issue iniustice, bribery, the slaine of conscience, slaugh∣ters,

treasons, breach of amity, confusion of mynde, and a million of other mischieuous enormities: how pretious a Iewell, how diuine a motion, howe swéete a vertue is Li∣berality, that preserueth all these in a true and peaceable concorde: Prodigality, which without care wasteth what time and diligence by longe trauell hath purchased, is such a Moath to eate out the labours of men, that our Predeces∣sours called it a fire of the minde, which is so impatient in heate, as it ceaseth not while any matter combustible is pre••ent, to burne necessary things to very dust and cynders: through this commeth pouertie, want, distresse, and in the ende dispaire: whereas liberality, the contrary to this vyce kéepeth such a direct meane betweene both, as it preserueth Fortune, Fame, and Honor in their iust and equall propor∣tion: So exquisite are the principles to be obserued in this vertue, as it suffiseth not to attaine to the perfection of it by giuing, onely respecting the circumstances of time, person, and quality: but in receiuing, standeth a principall point of liberality: for if eyther wee take from him that can ill spare it, or more then desert afordes, or without a resolution to be gratefull, did wee our selues giue mountaines, yet wée can∣not bee honored with the title of liberality, in that by gréedy receipt of vntimely gifts, wee bewray certaine sparks of in∣satiable couetise: which Lisander noted very well, who be∣ing presented by certaine of his poore neighbours with sun∣dry presents, sent them all home, but with great thanks: saying ••s one of his friends, seest thou not how liberall Li∣sander hath bene too day, in bestowing so many good giftes vpon poore men: nay I haue not (quoth his friend) seene thee giue any thing at all: But I haue (answered Lisan∣der) returned those presents, which I could not haue taken without their hinderance: meaning that preiudiciall gifts are rubbed with dishonor, and bring with them hatred and infamy. Theocritus an auncient Poet of ours, calleth libe∣rality the theefe that most secretly stealeth away the mindes of men: his reason is this, that all estates for the most parte•• adicted to couetousnesse and greedy desire of gaine, cast their

eyes euer after that obiect that glistereth most with riches, and set their opinions and censures with partiality on those whom Fortune hath fauored with many treasures: such sayth hee (as most bee) that are blinded with this couetous desire, are tyed so stricktly to the purse of a liberall man, as hee may at his pleasure drawe to what hee purposeth to im∣ploy their vses: In such estimation haue our predecessors had this vertue, that they accounted not that day amongst the tearmes of their yeares, wherein they did not liberally bestow some benefits.

But to touch more particularly a perfect dyscourse, and to prooue that it is necessarie in a souldier, let vs note the ende of martiall desires, which I remember, once I hard Thes••us deuide into thrée partes: the first and principall, honor generally aymed at by all, but specially belonging to the Captaines, yet due to the meanest souldier for his prow∣esse: The second, the conquest, which fortune imparteth as hir fauour to the generall, and f••me to the rest of the soul∣diers: the last, desire of spoyle and treasures gotten with the sworde, and so hardly attayned with the hazard of lyfe: this ought the common sorte of mercenary Souldyers to haue as their due, as a recompence for their perills, and an incourage to such warlike indeuours: for if the conquest and honor bee allotted to the Captaine, what great iniustice is it to deny the rest, the benefit of a litle momentanie pelfe: which mooued a worthy Captaine of Thebes, when he had obtained a victory against the Lacedemonians, of all the spoile only to take one sword, distributing the rest amongst his souldiers: saying, fellowes in armes, this I challenge, sith I wronge it out of the hand of mine enemy: what soe∣uer els, is yours, as the reward of your trauels: for the The∣ban Senators warre for honor, not for treasure. The mer∣cenary man that beareth armes for hier, and for his ordina∣rie pay, fear••th not to venture his life in the face of his ene∣my, hauing but his wages he hath but his bare due, so that if hope of spoyle and the bounty of his Captaine did not in∣courage him in his attempts, hee would both doubt the dan∣ger

of his person, and scorne for so little gaine to runne vp∣pon such ••minent perrills: which caused Zoroastes in his great warre against the Egyptians, to giue riche gyftes to the meanest of his souldiers, promising the spoiles of Egypt for the guerdon of their valour: his liberallity taking such effect, as hee returned with conquest: The great Monarche of the world, whose name I neede not rehearse, did see that liberality was such a glory in a Captaine, and such a spur to a souldier, that at his departure out of Greece, with resol••∣tion to make a generall conquest of the whole worlde: hee gaue to his Captaines & other men at armes, all his riches, treasures and possessions, reseruing onely for him selfe, the hope of the prowesse. For what doth the wisedome of the Captaine by long and swéete orations, and sundry pollicies? what doth the fortitude of a generall, by hazarding him selfe among the thickest of his enemies preuaile: on••ly in these two points, hee aymeth at his owne profit, the ouerthrow of his enemy, and perhaps a little incourageth his souldiers: but what reapes the mercenary and popular man, if withall he be coueto••s, but scarres, wounds, and penary: nay what doth the Captain•• get if with a deepe in-sight he looketh in∣to the souldiers minde, but a dissimuled loue, a secret hate, an intended contempt, and a forced courage rather to defend themselues from perill, then to hazard their liues for his saf∣ty: whereas the Captaine that is liberall, not only in paying thei•• wages (which I count it a sacriledge to deny,) but in imparting the spoyle (which I hold as their due) so ti••th the mindes of his souldiers to him with an vnfayned affection, that they count no perill too dange••ous, no attempt too hard, no nor force not of death to signifie their leue and d••sire to recompence his liberality. I remember I haue red of Cas∣sius a Barbarian prince, which intending warres to the Li∣bians, comming with a small power into Libia, passed with litle resistance euen to the very paui••ion of their king•• where after a small skirmish, he tooke him prisoner, and vsed him princely, blaming his souldiers that woulde not aduenture more desperatly for the safty of their prince: after, passing

into the Citty, in sacking his pallace, hee founde such infi∣nite treasure as might haue hiered a multitude of merce∣nary men for the defence of his countrey. Wherevpon, no••ing the couetize of the man, he so hated him, that shutting him in his treasurie amongst all his gold, hée pyned him to death: saying he was worthy of all mishap, that would not continually keepe ten Legions of souldiers to eate vp such riches: by which wee see what contempt a couetous Cap∣taine incurreth by his niggardize: whereas liberality is an ornament both to wisedome and fortitude, & such a pretious Iewell, as no value may suffice to estimate. To confirme which, as Hector and Helenus haue done, I meane to re∣hearse a Tragedy, so your honorable presence shall fauour mee with patience. Achilles séeing by their countenance they expected no lesse, began his tale in this manner.