The line of liberalitie dulie directinge the wel bestowing of benefites and reprehending the comonly vsed vice of ingratitude. Anno. 1569.

Chap. 19.

THere was on a tyme one sent purposely to kil a Ti∣rant. And beinge come in place where he was:* 1.1 with his naked sword strake him And supposing he hadde geuen him hys deathes wound fled incontinent for be∣ing apprehended. Nowe it chaunced so that the blow did light vpō a great swel¦ling whiche the sayd Tiraunt had vpon his bodye, whiche was growen so peril∣louse that al the expertest Phisicians he had, durste not vndertake to cure it and warrant his lyfe. And yet by the chaunce that he was cut so in that place, the cor∣ruption that there was longe gathered and festred purged so, that in short while he recouered his parfytte helthe of that place by meane of that blow, whom all hys most practysed Phisicians had be∣fore geuen vp, as past al recure. And yet dyd not the Tirant yéeld him any than∣kes for that by his cuttinge him he was restored to his helthe, neyther dyd he de∣serue

any. So you may perceiue hereby that a man may somtimes doo that acte to an other that maye be great proffet to him and turne to his great good, and yet not allwayes to be accompted of, as of a benefit. Except it doo procéed of a méere good will from the very first beginning, it is not to be called a benefit. For ple∣sour that proueth so but by happe hazard and chaunce medely, is rather to be dée∣med an iniurye well prouing, then a be∣nefit well mente. There was on a time (as the vsage was oft in Rome) in the Theatre (a place apointed for people to stande vppon and beholde the spectacles and shewes,) diuers men that had sen∣tence of death past on them put, and cer∣t••ine crewell wild bestes let in vnto thē, there to fight those cōdemned men with the beastes in the presence of the Ro∣mains, and there eyther acquite them∣selues by slayeng the bestes or elles be slaine themselues there in presence of the people. Amonge the residew of the

condemned men there was one brought who before time had the keping of a cer∣teine great Lyon, whiche beast also as it fortuned was brought in place and put in among the other beastes vnto the cō∣demned men standing at their defence. And when the Lyon had a while romed him about the place in his stately pace vewing and notyng eche one that stode in his daunger, forthermore he remēbred him that sōmetime had bene his keper and maister: and therwithall soudainlye caste himself betwene him and thother crewell bestes and defended him against all their assaultes. And what thynke you of this helpyng? Was not this suppose you woorthy to be called a benefit? No verelye. For neyther of these that I haue tolde you of, dyd that whiche they dyd, for thys that they mynded at the fyrst beginninge it should proue so wel, or for that they ment it shoulde woorke anye plesour to them to whom they dyd it. So that in thys respect you may••

very well matche the wild and saluage beast, and him that was sent ••o slea the Tiraunt together. Both he and the Liō were causers of sauing of lyfe, and yet neyther that one nor that other could be sayd to doo any benefyt. A man is not to be sayd to receiue any thyng as a bene∣fit whiche is so forced vpon him that he can not refuse it. Neyther is he to be said to owe plesour to him to whome wil∣lingly he would not be beholdynge. If thou minde to plesour me, let me first be at frée libertye to chose whether I will accept or refuse thine offer at my plesure & then if I will accept it, doo thy plesour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Some re¦ceiue Ple∣sours and ye•• are to thīke thē selu••sbō•• for ••he ••ame.