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 .xxxiii. Chapiter.

THe•• shall I now, and then bestowe 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••••hankfull, but not for his owne 〈…〉〈…〉 (saith he) what if you knowe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whither he be thankfull or vntha••••full? Will you tarie till you maye knowe? Or will you not lette slip y••ur tyme of benefi∣ting? You maye ••ary too long. For (as Plato saieth) it is hard too con∣ie••ture •• mannes mynde. And not too tary is a point of rashe∣nesse. Herevnto I answere: That wee neuer tarye for the ex∣acte bo••ltyng out of thynges, because the triall of truthe is farre of: but wee proceede by that waye, whiche likelihod of truthe leadeth. This is the path that all dueties trace. So doo wee sowe, so doo wee saile, so goe wee on warfare, so Marrie wee wiues, so bring wee vp children: and yet the falling out of them all is vncerteine. Wee aduenture vppon those thinges wherof we thinke there is good hope. For who cā warrane in∣crease too him that soweth, a hauen too him that saileth, victo∣rie too him that g••eth awarfare, a chaste wife too him tha•• marrieth, or godlie children too the Father? Wée followe that waye whiche reason draweth, and not that waye whiche truth draweth. Stande ling••••ing and doo nothing, till thou bée sure of the successe, or meddle thou with nothing till thou bee assu∣red of the truthe▪ and then shal•• tho•• do•• nothing at all, thy life is at a staye. So long as likelihodes of truthe, maye moue mée

too this or that, I will not shrinke too doo a good turne, to suche a one as is likely too bee thankfull.