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

Chap. 8.

FOr this cause this séemeth no méet matter to come in question of Lawe. And to say the truthe, it were a ve∣rie hard matter and full of difficultie to finde a Iudge able to decide all suche controuersies and dowtes as haply woulde fall out vppon thorough scanning some one of these causes. So that you would wonder to thinke if you déepelye examine and consider the mat∣ter, how much he should haue to do that should geue indifferent and vpright sen∣tence vpon one impleaded for this fact. Admyt the case to be this. There was one that gaue his frinde standing in néed a very great some of money without as∣kyng eyther interest for it or his owne money again. But he that gaue it was a very riche man,* 1.1 and one of suche welthe that he might spare it wellenowgh with out susteyning any damage or detriment by it. There was agayne an other that hauing his frynde in great distresse for

want of the lyke somme of moneye, and pitieng his Frinde asmuche as himself, deliuered him somuch money but it was not his owne of store lieng by him, but for the getting of it redye for his frinde he was fayne ••o sel a peece of his liuelod and enheritaunce. See now the somme in these two Cases is all one. But the benefytte not so, if it be dewly weighed. Agayne this admitte to be the Case. One that had his frinde at suche a strayt that all his goodes were redye to be con∣fiscated and made port sale of, beyng sto∣red so well him self that he had so muche money of his owne spare and doyng him no plesour in his house, lette his Frinde haue it to saue his goodes. An other in lyke maner hauing his frinde at the like extremitie, and not hauyng of hys owne to socour him withall, and yet loth to se his frinde vndone, beyng better able to shift at that pinche then that other who for care and gryef wist not whyther to torne him, went to that manne vp∣pon

his credit, to that other vppon hys bondes and pledges, and in fine gotte to∣gether so muche money as should serue his frindes necessitie. Howe saye yo••, count you the one plesour and thother in this case lyke? There are some benefi∣tes that are accounted great not in res∣pect of the quantitie and valew of them∣selues, but in respect of ••he time whiche they serue so fytlye. A benefytte well and dulye bestowed is accompted as necessarye and as muche to bee este∣med, as breadde geuen to hym that is all moste ••ead for hungar. It is no more but a benefytte to geue aman a contrey throughe whyche runne suche commo∣diouse Ryuers that he maye vse traffi∣que of marchaundise by the same.

And it is a benefitte allso to doo nomo∣re but to shewe hym th••t is passynge thyrsty and néere ded therewith, where ••here is anye sprynge of fayer clere water. Nowe who is he that dare vn∣dertake

aptly to compare these thynges together? It goeth hard when not onely the matter it self, but the difficulties and hard quiddities (as they are termed a∣mōg the old Logicians) are to be narow∣ly sifted and skanned. As sondrye bene∣fits are diuerselie ge••en, so doo they not depend all vppon one point. Suche one did me a plesour, but he dyd it not wil∣linglye, but he reported to others what he had done for me, but he repented him syth of that he had done, and sence that time he hath geuen me more prowd and disdainfull lookes then euer he was vsed to doo. Again it was very long before he would doo that whiche he did, and vsed many delayes in doing of it, whereby I was more hindred, then if he had quyte denyed me when I requested it firste.

Nowe if anye of these benefites so done should come in question as I sayd, howe can any Iudge I praye you indiferently and as he should doo weigh these things, when as the benefit appereth to be done

and yet the talke that paste with it, the countenaūce of the geuer, and the doub∣tes & delayes whiche he made before he would doo it, doo quite destroye and lose the grace of the sayd benefit.

Notes

• * 1.1

  B••ne•••••••• of lyke quontity f••r diffe••rent in qualitie••