The prouerbes of the noble and woorthy souldier Sir Iames Lopez de Mendoza Marques of Santillana with the paraphrase of D. Peter Diaz of Toledo: wherin is contained whatsoeuer is necessarie to the leading of an honest and vertuous life. Translated out of Spanishe by Barnabe Googe.

The sixth Chapter of Liberalitie and Franknesse. (Book 6)

62.

Be franke and free at all assayes, with speede bestowe thy gift: The goodliest grace in giuing, is to be short and swift. Well vnderstand the qualitie of that thou doest bestowe, Which seene, thou shalt be able soone the quantitie to knowe.

The Paraphrase.

AS Seneca sayeth in his booke of Bene∣fites, wee are not borne to liue onely to our selues, but to benefite and profite our kinsmen, our friendes, our neighbours, yea, and euerie other person that we can. Sith nature, as the ciuill law saith, hath linked all men in a consanguinitie and duetie eche to other. And therefore we are bound being of abilitie, to be liberall and bountifull to such as liue in wante and necessitie, though as the Doctours say, it ought to bee done

by order and degrees, as first to consider our parents, next our children, then our kind∣red, and after them our friends, and so tho∣rowout as they be in degree. And if so bee we haue some of our kindred that be of the householde of fayth, and others that be not, the Apostle willeth vs (if our power be not sufficient to serue them both) rather to re∣lieue those that be of the fayth, then the o∣thers, and this great vertue, Liberalitie hath, as Aristotle writeth in the fourth of his Ethickes, certaine circumstances: As that hee that giueth ought, to consider to whom he giueth, and to what end he giueth, and to looke that the things which hee gi∣ueth, be not of the basest of his substance, as Caine did, who offered vnto God the verie worst and vilest of his flocke, whereas Abel offring the best that hee had, his Sacrifice was accepted, & Caines refused. Likewise, he is to consider, to whom he giueth. For to giue to such as haue no neede, is to cast a∣way that, which is giuen. It must also be knowne, whether the partie to whom we giue, be able to woorke, and can by his la∣bour sufficiently maintaine himselfe. For to giue to such a one, were to rob another, that

is not able to labour, nor hath any meane to gette his liuing, and yet, as the lawiers say, if a man be well borne and descended of a good house, so as he cannot, considering his parentage, without great shame & dis∣paragement, giue himself to anie base trade of life, although he be of abilitie for bodie to trauell and labour, yet is it a good turne to relieue him, because he is in the same case with him that can neither labour nor hath means to get his liuing,* 1.1 for with his honesty he cannot abase himselfe to any vile occupa∣tion, and therfore is to be considered. More∣ouer we ought to regard the manner and in∣tent of our liberalitie, which ought not to bestowed for anie vaunt or vayneglorie, as appeareth by the exāple in the Gospel, where our Sauiour, beeing present in the temple, there cōmeth in together, to offer, a proude wealthy Pharisey, and a poore ver∣tuous widdowe. The riche Miser offereth of his great substance, great and precious presentes: the poore widowe turneth out of the bottome her purse, and her hart, a poore sillie Farthing. Our Lord demaundeth, which of the twayne had offered most, and gaue sētence with the poore widow, because

the mind of the giuer, who onely gaue it in respect of the seruice of God, & not for anie vaunt, or vaineglory, as the riche man did. Beside al this, we ought to geue that, which we geue, with a willing & a cheerful minde, as the Apostle saieth, For the Lorde doeth loue a cheerfull giuer, and such a one, as is not slacke nor slowe in the bestowing of his benefites. For he giueth double, as the cōmon prouerb is, that giueth soone: & as So∣lomon saith in his prouerbs, Say not vnto the pore man, go, & come againe to mor∣row, when it is in thy hand to helpe him presently. For as Aristotle in the fourth of his Ethicks saith, Liberality standeth not in the giuing of many & sumptuous gifts, but in the habit of him that giueth, whatsoeuer it be that is giuē: that is to say, in the cheer∣full & bountiful mind of the giuer, which all are here briefly comprehended by the Mar∣ques: Be franke and free. &c.

63.

By worthy liberalitie great Alexander wan His fame and high renowne, when all the worlde he ouerran.

And likewise Titus for his franke∣nes great, and actes of fame. Amongst the worthy conquerours obteind a woorthy name.

The Paraphrase.

ALexander king of the Macedons, and one of the 3. monarchies of the world, was a Prince of great liberality and frank∣nes, of whom Seneca writeth in his Booke of Benefites, That when as a poore minstrell came vnto him, & beseeched him to bestowe a pennie vpon him, the king presently gaue him a whole towne, and when the poore felow, halfe astonied, tolde that so greate a gifte was not fitte for him: Alexander an∣swered him, hee did not regarde what was meete for suche a fellowe to receiue, but what was seemely for so greate a Prince to geue. Titus was Emperour of Rome, a Prince of a noble minde, and of greate liberalitie, who as it is re∣ported by Eutropius in his life, and other auncient Authours had proclaimed, that whosoeuer had anie sute vnto him, what soeuer it were, it should be graunted, & when

some of his counsell misliking it, had tolde him, that it woulde bee a meanes to discre∣dite him, when hee shoulde not be able to performe that which he promised. He aun∣sweared them, that it was not conuenient, that any person shoulde departe from the face of a Prince with a discomforted and heauie hearte. It is also reported of him, that beyng set at Supper, and calling to re∣membrance that he had not bestowed any thing vpon any man that day, looking with a discontented countenaunce, hee saide vnto those that were with him, Alas my friends, I haue vtterly lost this day: meaning that the time is neuer well spente of Princes, wherin they are not geuing to some bodie.

64.

But Midas with his masse of golde, was had in great disdayne, And he and al his treasures thought to be but fond and vayne, The fowle vnprincely answeare of Antigonus the king, With stayne vnto his state, his name to infamie did bring.

The Paraphrase.

MIdas, as Ouid in his Metamorpho∣sis declareth, was king of Phrigia, who receiued with great interteinement the Gods, Iupiter, and Mercury, as they hap∣pened to come by him, who willing to make him some recompence for his good will towardes them, bade him to aske of them whatsoeuer hee most desired. Midas being a most miserable wretch, and coue∣tous as the Diuell, desired of them, that whatsoeuer he touched, and whatsoeuer tou∣ched him, might presently turne into golde: which was by and by graunted him, where∣by he became in a short time to bee wonder∣full riche, but when the foole was in the middest of his Paradise, the very drinke and meate that should sustayne him, turning into gold, he died, (as it is reported) of fa∣mishment. The moral of this tale, I here meane not to meddle with, because it hath been touched by many greate and learned Philosophers and Poets. It suffiseth to knowe, that it noteth and reprooueth the shamefull and most wicked vice of co∣uetousnesse and filthie auarice. Antigonus

the king is greatly blamed of Seneca, in his booke of Benefites: of whom he writeth, that when a poore man desired of him a great quantitie of golde, he made answer, that it was a great deale too much, and not meete for him to require: and when the poore soule desired him to giue him but a pennie, he answered againe, how that was too small a thing for a king to giue. And thus not re∣garding how foully this dishonorable nig∣gardlines, & pinchpining doth blemish the name of a Prince, the couetous Antigonus made these answers to the poore miserable felow, which deserue for euer to be recorded, as a foyle & counter shewe to the noble Em∣perours Alexander and Titus.

65.

I lyke not him thats prodigal, nor such I list to prayse: And yet the man that well deserues, I hurt not any wayes. The troth is, that I much mislike to liue in neede and want: But ten times more a miser, that is couetous and scant.

The Paraphrase.

THE Prodigall man, as Aristotle in the fourth booke of his Ethikes sayth, is he that spendeth more then is needefull, & where it is needelesse. Who, perceyuing the vertues of the li∣berall man, that spendeth that which is meete, and where it behoueth, and that the couetuous miser is condemned, for not spending that, which hee ought: taketh himselfe straightwayes for a liberall and a vertuous Gentleman: and sayeth, that hee vseth monie, as it ought to bee vsed. And this is a vice greatly to bee auoy∣ded, for the meane betwixte these two extremes of Prodigalitie, and Couetuous∣nesse, is the vertue Liberalitie. Howe∣beit, true it is, as Aristotle sayeth, the lesser vice of the twayne, and more to bee borne withall, is Prodigalitie. For the prodigall man profiteth those to whom hee geueth, although hee hurteth him∣selfe: But the Churle and the miser nei∣ther profiteth himselfe, nor anie man els.

Besides hee that is prodigall, will sooner come to be vertuous, and liberal, thē the co∣uetous, for two reasons. The one is, that by reason of his greate expenses falling in to neede and want, he will quickely see what hurt he receiueth by too much spending, and will from that time forwarde learne to bee wiser, and to keepe his money the better. The seconde is, that with the time of his spending, hee waxeth aged, and people in their olde yeeres be more sparing and thrif∣tie, then in their youth, because the hope of gaming is nowe taken from them, whiche in youth doeth alwayes encourage them. But, the couetous person cānot be brought to the vertue, by neither of these reasons. For the older he waxeth, the more miser he waxeth, and therefore if wee mislike a man, that by reason of his prodigalitie commeth to be poore, we ought a great deale more to detest a Misar that by couetousnes groweth to be rich. For as Salust saith in his booke of Catiline, Couetuousnesse hath vtterly ba∣nished both faith and honestie, and cleane destroyed all artes and knowled∣ges. Whereby it hath brought in pride & crueltie, contempt of God, and a generall

Merchandise of suche thinges as shoulde freely bee geuen. Couetousnesse is al∣wayes infinite, and neuer satisfied with a∣bundaunce, nor diminished with want. And therefore Though the prodigall bee to bee mislyked in necessitie, and want: yet ten times worse, a miser that is coue∣tous and scant.

66.

The great Darius easllyer was, destroyde for all his might, And of his valiant aduersary subdued, and put to flight: Then might Fabricius moued be, with couetous desire, Whose hart with filthy auaryce coulde not be set on fire.

The Paraphrase.

FRabricius, beside a number of other his noble, vertuous, and worthie actes, excelled in the vertue of liberalitie, of whō it is reported by Valerius in his nienth booke, that when he was presented by the state of Beneuento, with a great masse

of monie, hee returned the embassadoures with their treasure home agayne, as one that contented himselfe with the benefite of his Temperance, and helde himselfe satisfied with that small wealth which hee had, supposing it to bee a sufficient riches: For hee did alwayes saie, that riches con∣sisted not in much hauing, but in little co∣ueting.

67

To helpe a man in miserie, our dutie vs doeth binde: And not to doe it when we may, is odious and vnkinde. A noble minde will neuer stayne it selfe with such a blotte, Nor suffer such a great offence, nor such a filthie spotte.

The Paraphrase.

THE Prophet Dauid saieth in his Psalter: Blessed is that man, that hath compassion vppon the poore and

the needie: For in the time of his neces∣sitie, the Lorde shall deliuer him. And Solomon in his Prouerbes sayth, That who so hath pitie vppon the poore, and relieueth, them lendeth vppon vsurie to GOD, who shall restore him with great gayne, that which hee hath disbursed. And therefore the Prouerb saieth, To helpe a man in miserie, our dutie vs doth bind. Where Duetie is taken for a woorke of Mercie, as Seneca accounteth it in his Booke of Dueties, and farther it saith, Not to succour when we may, is odious and vnkind. For as Solomon in his Prouerbs saith, Whosoeuer stoppeth his eare at the crie of the poore, shall crie for helpe him∣selfe, and not be hearde. And therefore it is not to bee thought of a noble minde, but if hee see a man in miserie or distresse, hee will followe the aduise of the Prophet Esaie, who saith: Breake thy breade to the hungrie, and carrie home to thy house the sorowfull and the poore, where thou seest a man bare and na∣ked, cloth him, and despise not thine own flesh, Solomon saith in his Prouerbes, He

that hath pitie vpon the poore, shalbe hap∣pie. And this is the meaning of this Pro∣uerbe. A noble minde wil neuer staine, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A right Spa∣nish stomacke.