The vvoorke of the excellent philosopher Lucius Annæus Seneca concerning benefyting that is too say the dooing, receyuing, and requyting of good turnes. Translated out of Latin by Arthur Golding.

¶The .xviii. Chapter.

SOme men not onely bestowe good tur••es skornfully, but also receiue them skorn∣fully: which is not too bee committed. For now wee will passe too the other part, and shewe how men ought too behaue themsel∣ues in receiuing good turnes. Therfore where a dewtie consisteth of twoo parties: there is required as much of y^• one as of y^e other. When a man hath looked what maner a one a Father ought too bee; he shall vnderstand, there remaynes as muche woorke for him, too see what maner a one the Sonne ought too bee. There ••e certein dewties requisite in the Husbond; and no lesse is looked for in the wife. As much as these doe require one of another, so much also doo they owe one another; and are to bee measured all by one rule, which (as Hecaton sayeth) is hard. For al honest thin∣ges are hard too atteine vntoo, and so are the thinges that ap∣proche neere too honestie. For they must not only bee doone, but they must bee doone with reason. Shee must be our guyde too followe all our lyfe. All thinges both small and great must bee doone by her aduyce: according as shee counselleth, so must wee giue. The first thing that shee will teache vs, is that wee must not take at all mennes handes. Of whom then shall wee take? Too answer thee in feawe wordes, of them too whom it may beseeme vs too giue. For certesse wee ought too bee more precyse in seeking too whom wee may make ourselues det∣ters, than on whom wee may bestowe. For although there fo∣low none other discommoditie; (as there folowe verie many) Yet is it a greate corzie too bee in daunger too such a one as thou wouldest not. Contrariwise it is the greatest pleasure in the world, too haue receyued a good turne at such a mannes hand, as thou couldest fynd in thyne harte too loue, euen after he hath doon thee wrong. But for a man too be driuen too haue him of whom he hath no liking; it is too an honest and shame∣fast

mynde, the greatest miserie that can bee. I must alwayes put you in remembraunce, that I speake not of perfect wyse men: which lyke whatsoeuer they ought too doo, which haue their willes at cōmaundement, which bynd themselues wher∣vntoo they liste, and performe whatsoeuer they haue bounde themselues vnto: but of vnperfect men, which haue a desyre too folowe honestie, but their affections are stubborne in obeying. Therfore he must bee a chozen man, at whose hand I should re∣ceyue a benefyte. And truely I ought too bee more heedfull too whom I indette my self for a benefyte, than for monie. For too him that lendes mee monny, I must paye no more than I haue taken: and when I haue payd it, I am free and dischar∣ged. But vntoo the other I must pay more: and when I haue requyted him, yet neuerthelesse I am still beholden to hym. For when I haue requyted I must begin new agein, & freend∣ship warneth mee too admit no vnworthie persone. So is the Law of benefites a most holy law, wherout of sprinketh frend∣ship. Some man will say, It lyes not alwayes in myne owne power too refuse: I must sommetyme take a good turne whi∣ther I will or no. A cruell and testie Tyraunt profers mee a gift, & if I refuse it, he wil thinke I hold skorne of hym. Shal I not take it? Put the same cace of a Murderer or a Pyrate, as of a Tyrant that hath a murdering and theeuish hart: what shall I doo? He is not worthie that I should bee beholden too him. When I say thou must make choyce too whom thou wilt bee beholdē; I except force and feare, in whose presence choyce hath no place. If it bee free for thee, if it bee at thine owne dis∣cretion too take or refuze: then aduize thyselfe what to doo. But if constreint barre thee of thy libertie, thou must vnder∣stand that thou dooste not receiue, but obey. Noman is bound by the receyuing of that which he might not refuse. Wilt thou know whither I bee willing or no? then set mee at liberty too bee vnwilling if I list. But what and if he haue giuen thee lyfe? It makes no matter what it bée that is giuen▪ except it bee gi∣uen willingly too one that is willing too haue it. Although thou haue saued mee, yet art thou not therefore my Saui∣our.

Poyson hath some tymes healed a man; and yet is it not therefore counted a wholsome thing. Somme thinges doo a man good, and yet they bynd him not.