AMonge the nomber and those great vices with raygne among men that lyue discorderly & are not guyded with the rule of Honestie , I dare well saye there is no one that bréedeth so muche hurt as this : That we knowe not dewly how to bestow vppon others , nor to receyue at others handes , suche benefites and plesures as eyther we doo our selues , or els by others are done to vs . By meane wherof , it foloweth that benefittes euilly bestowed , are in lyke maner euilly repaied and of such ouer late we complain when we find them not as we would wish them recompensed . For those benefits accompt I as loste , whiche are so bestowed without dew regard . And certes it is no whit to be merueiled at , though amonge all the faultes of men which in déed are excedinge great and welnigh innumerable , there is not to be founde any one ryfer and more in vse then vnthankfulnes : Ingratitude the m●st common vice & the cause why . whiche vndowtedly I sée doth happen through diuers causes . The first and chefest is , for that wee haue no respect on whom we bestow our benefites . But if we wer to lend money to any one , doutles we would enquere diligently before hand , what maner of man he were , of what credyt & habilitie . Neyther is any plowman so vnwise we se to sow his corn on ground which he knoweth to be barren . But our benefites which far excell any other thynge that we can geue , we bestow héere and there without any consideracion before had , whether they are dewly employed , and vpon suche as deserued thesame or not . And verely I can not say whether is more discortesie to be thought in him that is to be plesured if he refuse a benefit when it is profered , or in him that doth the pleasour to requier recompense for that which he hath done . But if we mynd to benefitte any man , we ought before hand to conceiue this good opinion of him , that with hys good wil we shall at his handes receiue asmuch commodity again if we néede , as we presently doo vnto him . Whych hope conceiued though we hap to faile to find it satisfied yet is it a most dishonest and vyle part to make complaint therof . For why , in him that is to discharge suche credit conceyued , it is not welthe ne substaunce that are to be required , but onely a mindful and thankfull hart . For he hath sufficiently requited the benefitte which he hath receiued at an others handes , who willingly doth acknowledge himself his debtour . But lyke as ther resteth a fault in those whyche shew themselues to be both in word and déed vnthankfull , Uery vnthankfulnes , in worde & dede and the causes . forgetting vtterly and refusyng to requite the plesures that haue bene shewed them , so riseth there oftentymes on our parts no small cause of this their Ingratitude . For as wée finde diuers that are of their owne natures vnthankfull , so doo wee our selues make many Ingrat whyche otherwise parhaps would not haue bene so . For sometime we cast in their tethe and vpbraid vnto them what wee haue done for them : and otherwhile we exact importunatly at theyr handes , recompense for suche benefites as wee before haue done vnto them . Otherwhiles again we shew our selues to be so inconstant of minde that forthwith it repenteth vs of the plesure that we erst dyd . And thus complaininge our case and chaungyng our mindes in the torning of a hand , we doo not onely disgrace the pleasour wee before shewed , and loose the thankes which otherwyse should haue bene dew for the same , but also we agreue gretly the party to whom we dyd the same . For who is he almost that will shew himself easy to be entreated , or that woulde doo any plesour to speake of , with only ones beyng desired ? The true descripsion of him that dothe no pleasour but by importunat request . Who is ●e that vnderstandyng that his Frind being in néede wold request any thing of him , but either he bended the browes at it , or turned his face asyde , or feigned to haue a thousande lettes and a thousande businesses otherwayes ? Or who is he that by longe proces and manifest feigned excuse , hath not sought busyly to shift of the occasion of dealynge for hys frinde whereby he thought he should be troubled , or hathe not deuised a nomber of delayes to dispatche himself of suche matters as haue bene vrged vpon hym ? To be short , who is he that beyng very ernestly requested by his frinde to doo him a plesure , hath not long tracted the time before he wold assume it on him , or ells plainlye made de●yall to doo it . Or if haples hys promys scaped him with muche a doo and after longe entreatye weryed , hath not yet done thesame with such doutes casting and ceremonyes vsing that far better it wer to be quyte deuoid of his suche pleasour , then with such a doo to haue it ? Nowe is there any man ( iudge you ) that hath cause to thincke himself beholdyng to such one at whose handes with hart-grutching he hath bene plesured , or that hath benefited him to this end only that he may brag therof , or for that he woulde be ridd from being any longar disturbed with suche importunat suet ? If there be any that thinketh he shoulde account himself his dettour whom he hath deluded with delayes , annoyed with attendance and weryed with scornefull talke before he would plesour hym , he is much deceiued . For plesures ought to be requited with lyke minde and will as they are done● and for this cause , is it requisite that they be not done negligently . For eche one ought to rendre both that whyche he receiued , and in suche order as he receiued it . Whereupon , who that hath shewed plesour after long entreaty , or by constraint ( as it were ) is worthy after the same sort to be rewarded . Wherfore the benefitte or plesour that is done , shold not be done slowly or with ouer great deliberacion . For as of eche thing that is done , the mind of him that doth it declareth the order how it is done so the benefitt that is done slowly and with muche requesting , Benefits ought not to be done slowly & vpon request . argueth that he who dyd it in suche sort , refused long to doo the same . Neyther ought plesures to be done iniuriousely and with reproche . For as by naturall reason those thinges persist longest and are of longest continuaunce which ar engrauen déeper in respect of them which haue but a very light imprint , so likewise iniuries who naturally haue a déepar séet then benefits , parsist also longar and rifar in mynde . What reward or guerdon may he iustly claym , that wold séeme to plesour a man , and yet in verie déed worketh him greuaunce and displesour ? He doeth sufficiently acknowledge the plesour and good that hath bene shewed him , who confesseth the same . And albeit that the nomber of vnthankful people be in dede very great , The multitude of ingrate pleople shold not make vs the slower to doo good● ye● ought we not ( this not withstanding ) to become any whit the slower or lesse willing to doo good . For first as I haue saide , we augment and encrease thereby the nomber of them . Moreouer w● leaue therby to shew our selues to be folowers of the liuing God , who wil not change ( we sée ) his largesse & liberality for the hainouse offences & sacrileges of such as contemne and despise him , but e●tendeth his goodnes stil indifferently to those that are suche offendours aswel as to them that offended not . For as his nature is to doo good to all men , ( I should say to all thinges , ) so with them that be good , socoureth he also them which shew themselues far vnworthy therof . Let vs therfore followe him as our guide , so farre as our fraile and weke nature will parmit . Let vs doo good & succour others , & that without desiring vsury therfore . He is wourthy to faile of his purpose who doth a benefit for this cause onely , that he may repe the like again . But som one perhaps wil say that I am much deceiued herein . To whom I aunswere thus . That albeit that our wyues & children do often hap to frustrat & decei●e thexpectacion which we conceiued of them , yet notwithstanding we may not cesse to foster & bring vp our children , nor seke therfore to be diuorced from our wiues . Againe if it be so that we arme our selues to endure the thorough tryall of worldly affaires , & that for no maner losse in battail , or wreck on sea , we faint to attempt thesame again , That we shold persist on in weldoing . of more strong reason than is it fitting & fit for vs , to persist & continew on in our weldoings . From whiche if a man cesse ones for that he was not rewarded for the lyke he hath done toforetime , it is to be presupposed y● that which he then did , he did it to no other end , but for that he hoped by doing therof , to reap the lyke again . Whereby right well he excuseth th unthankfull man , who for this cause only is accused , that he doth not requite the plesour that others haue shewed him . Sée we not how many there are in the world vnworthy to behold the brightnes of the Sonne , and yet he casteth his beames aswell vppon them , as vpon the good menne . How many are there I praye you that exclaim againste nature , cursing her that euer she suffred them to be borne into the worlde , and yet geueth shée of●pring to this vnthankfull sort that wished erst not to haue bene , and for all their vnkindnes permitteth them to lyue . It is the propertie of a stowt and princely courage , and of a worthie man not to pursew and follow after the frute & reward which follow benefites & plesure shewed , but to regard the worthines on●ly or the same good déedes themselues , so that though he happen to light vppon some vnthankfull persons , yet he dismayeth no whit thereat , but séeketh to bestow the residew of his benefites vppon suche as wil more thankfully accept the same . For in all this world who is he that benefiteth a multitude , and among them all , findeth not some that will frustrate his expectacion ? But vppon this point dependeth the force and efficacie of a benefitte , Wheri● consiste●h the force of a benefyt . when the geuer therof loketh not after any rewarde for the same . Of which benefit in suche sort bestowed , a noble hart hath therby alredy reapt sufficient recompence . Undoutedly it is so farre vnséemely that the want of findyng plesour for the lyke shewed should dismay vs from perseuering in so honest a thing , that out of question if I wer exempt from all hope that I should euer finde any one that would beare in mind and acknowledge the plesour whiche I should doo to hym , I would yet rather wishe to find no one of my plesures requited , then for anye ingratitude that I might haue shewed me , I woulde su●cesse from doing good wherein I might . For who that will not applie himself to benefit others , is farre worse to be iudged of , then any vnthankful person . And to conclude , this is my opinion . He that neyther will acknowledge nor render the benefites whiche he hath receyued , is no more to be blamed then he that being requested refuseth in dew time and season to plesour him that standeth in necessitie .

Immesurable geuinge is commendable in no thynge . IN the first line immoderat and bestowing of plesours without dew regard before had vpon whom they are imploied , is reprehended . For indéed we shuld geue nothing after such a careles sort . But of our benefites especialy , we should not be so lauash : for yf they happen at anye time to be geuen vnaduisedly , and without dew consideracion , forthwith thereby they lose the name of benefites by dew right , & wolde rather be termed by some other name . The second line is straung , as that whiche with the wel bestowing of one only benefit and good déed , recomforteth the grief which might haply grow by the losse of a nomber . Marke wel I pray thée and tell me if it be not mete & agreable with the worthines of him that may doo good , that we exhort and moue him thoroughly to perseuer in weldoing and plesouring of all men , notwithstanding that it be not his chaunce to employ any of his benefites so , that he may think them wel bestowed . For verely I suppose that that is not to be much acompted of whiche is in th end of the second verse ( to wit ) That he shal lose a nomber of his benefites . For why no benefit is lost . For he who is to doo anye benefitte , muste beforehand when he mindeth to bestowe any suche benefit , make this accomp● , that he looketh not to receiue any thyng again for that whiche he is to doo . The reason whiche moueth men to plesour one an other is plaine and single . Grutche not to bestow thie benefites . If he that doth receiue them yeld thée the like , take it for aduauntage . If th●u hap not to find the like , but contrarywise Ingratitude for thie benefites , yet art thou no whit damnified hereby . For thou must thus thinke with thyself . That whych I gaue , I dyd it as fully resolued and determined before hand to geue it , and to that end that I might accompt it geuen , without looking to receiue anye the lyke againe . None shoulde note in his booke of Remembraunces the plesours and benefites which he doth to others . Benefit●s done shold not be remembr●d by him that dyd them For the niggish and gréedy vsurer wée sée dothe not alwayes obiect to his dettour the very hower when his det was dew . The honest frāckharted man neuer taketh regard to the plesures which he hath done , when they are ones past , nor mindeth them any more , except he that receyued them by his acknowledging and thankesge●ing reuiue the memorye of them . For if he shoulde otherwise doo , and requyer recompense ( as I saide ) for them , then might they not iustly be said to be geuen , but lent as it were for a season onely . And questionles there can be none so foule and dishonest vsury of anye thing , as to loke for recompense for that plesour that ones hath passed thée . Howsoeuer thou hast bene considered by them to whom thou hast heretofore done good , yet c●sse not thou to doo good still . And persuade thyself that those benefites are of all others best bestowed , that are done to vnthankful persons . For eyther shame , or the lyke néede , or feare shall at one time or other cause than to acknowledge the benefits precedent , and shew themselues thankefull at length . Ceasse not therfore to benefit still . Strayn thine abilitie : playe the part of a good manne . Helpe hym with thine own goodes . Ayd him with thy worde & credit . Assyst that other with thy fauour . Let him haue thine aduise . Geue him some of thy holsome councell .

THere is not one amonge the very brute bestes that hath not perseuerance of suche good as is done vnto him● Brute bests acknowledge good done to them . Againe , there is not one of them so wild and sauluage of nature , and hard to be made tame , but diligence and paines taking with them , causeth them to forget wholly their olde feritie , and loue them that kéepe them . The Lyons keper may handle him with suche securitie , that without al perill he thrusteth his hand in his mouth . The Elephant of nature most hauty and crewel , to his Foster yet humbleth himsel● in most lowly wyse . Somuche preuayleth and of such efficacie are benefites , that the continuall doing and renewing of them , maketh the very brute bests deuoyd of all Reason and vnderstandyng , kepe them rife in memorye . The lyke effect whereof they shall also woorke assuredly in th unthankfull man . Who though perhaps he forgat one good torne done to him , he will not so neglect the second : or if he shew himselfe to haue sklenderly remembred those two , yet dowtles the third shall enforce hym too call to mind the former twayn which he had erst forgotten . He may well be sayd to haue loste the benefit whyche he dyd , that forthwith thinketh it lost so sone as he hath done it . But he that doth perseuer still heaping afresh new benefites vpon them whiche he hath already done , shall enforce the receiuer to acknowledge the same at one time or an other , wer he neuer so hard harted or currish of nature For who that shal be so ouerlayed w●th benefites shall not haue the hart to lyft vp his eyes agaynst thée , but he shal forthwith condemne himself of In●gratitude , if he haue not delt with thée accordyngly as he ought , which way soeuer he woulde turne him , thy benefites shal be so rife before his eyes , that by no meanes he shal be able to shake them out of minde . By thy good desertes and heaping on of benefites , geue him cause to thinke that he is thoroughly bound vnto thée . Which benefites of what force and effect they are to make good nature in any man , I shall herafter declare , so sone as I haue shewed my fantasy in one point or two , somewhat different from our matter in hand . That is to wit , For what cause it is said that ther are thre Graces , Thre graces . wherfore thy are called sisters , why they go linked hand in hand , what is the cause why they are allwayes smylinge and of mery countenaunce , what is the Reason why they are euer yong . Finally wherfore they are virgins , attired with their garmentes louse and vngyrt about them : and the same so thin that a man may sée through them . Of these thrée Ladyes , called Graces , th opinion of some is , that the first of them bestoweth benefites : the seconde receyueth the same , and then third confesseth the recept , and requiteth them . Others some there are that by these thrée Graces , would signifie thrée kind of benefytes . Namely the benefites whych are geuen : the benefites whiche are receiued , and the benefits which are receiued and repayed , togethers . But whether of these two opinions is worthiest to be allowed , it is not muche materiall to examin , and for that I will leue it at large vndiscust . Let vs then sée why these thrée Ladyes whom I called Graces , do still beholde th one the other , and make a ring as it wer eche holding other by the hand . Why the .iii Graces holde one thother by the hand Uerely it is for thys cause . The gyft that passeth from the geuer , yf it keepe dew order from the one to the other , it retorneth againe from hym that receiued it vnto the geuer by dew ordely course . Which order if it be broken or anye whit discontinued , forthwith thereby shoulde it lose all the worthy commendacion whiche the said benefit should requier : like as wee sée yf any of these Ladyes should louse hands , the facion of the King were broken , and streight shoulde lose that name . They are alwayes smyling and merye countenaunced , Whi thei laughe . for that they should represent to vs thereby , that those that are of good natures ought when they bestow benefytes whyche maye sound to the furtheraunce of others , no lesse to reioyce , and shew themselues wellapaid therat , then they should doo who are by them in such sort pleasured . Whi thei are yong & Uirgins They are alwayes yong , for this that the remembraunce of benefites ought in no wyse to waxe olde or fade forth of fresh memorye . Uirgins they are , for this that benefites ought to be pure , incorrupted , not stayned , and to be done without constraint or enforcement . They were their garments louse , whyche are so clere and thin that a man may sée through , why thei are so aparelled . to declare that benefites would be also séen and not hidden . With those Ladyes Mercury is also by some associated as companion : not for that eloquence is anye whyt requisyt to commend the benefyt that is done , or the order of doing thesame , but only for that it so lyked the paynter to deuise thesame Chrisippus to whom for his great subtilitie of wit diuers attribute no small praise for that he so exquisitely accustometh to sift out the truth of thinges , applieng al his whole talke to the matter he treateth of , and that with no longer proces of wordes then is requisite for the thoroughvnderstandyng therof , hath yet stuffed his whole booke full of these and suche lyke table : so that he speketh hymsel●e verye litle or nothing at all touchinge th employeng , receiuing , and rendring of benefites . In whyche his booke , he doth not onely now and then vse these tales , but he doth so thoroughly store it with them , that it sauoreth almost of nothing elles but of suche trifles . For besides that whych he wryteth of Hecates , he reporteth also that these thrée Graces wer Iupiters daughters begotten vpon Eurinome : in youth , comelines of countenaunce , and beawty most excellent , and for this cause were they all thrée apointed to haue the keping of Heauen gates , and to be attendant on the Lady Uenus . Moreouer . Chrisippus in his sayde booke noteth also that not without good cause their mother whome I shewed you of , was called Eurinome , whom for that th interpretacion of her name sheweth her to be riche & of great habilitie , he feigneth therfore to distribute benefits and frendly plesures . As though the mother of force muste be named after the qualities and condicions of her daughters , or ells what name soeuer the Poetes plesed to attribute to any thyng , was the very name of the thyng indéed .

NOw therfore likewise as I passed ouer the thinges that were superfluouse , & concerned not our purpose , right so it is requisite & very necessary that I shew the way how wee shall learn to acknowledge the good and plesour that we haue receiued of others . For som one that hath at time of his néede receiued money at an others hand thinketh that he oweth that or somuch money as he receiued . one other being p●eferred to the dignitie of a Consull iudgeth he dothe owe the enioyeng of his Consulship to him by whose meanes he was so preferd . Som other being rewarded with a spiritual promocion supposeth he is to rendre the same . Other like wyse that by the procurement of some or other haue attayned the rule and gouernement of a Prouince , adscribe the same as dew to that person at whose handes he receiued his saide office . Indéed truthe it is that eche of these who hath receiued any such or lyke thing at an other bodyes hand , is to thinke himself of dewtye bounde , and endetted for the same to them at whose handes or by whose meane they had or receiued any suche benefits or plesours . Howbeit if we will néerely examine the nature of benefites , and lyst to sée what a benefit is , we shall then find that anye those thynges aboue named or anye the lyke of them are not to be called benefites , but onely the signes and shewes of benefits . Wher is the very seate and pla●e of benefits . For no benefyt may be handled with the hand , but hath his seat and abiding place in the minde alone . And there is great diuersitie betwene the benefyt it self , and the matter or substaunce by which the benefit is represented . Whervpon we must know that neither siluer , nor gold , nor land , nor offices , nor fées , nor any thing ells what soeuer our dearest frindes bestow vppon vs ought to haue the names of benefites , sith as I sayde they consist onely and wholly in the minde of the bestower of them . Neuertheles the rude and ignorant people suppose that thinge onely that is séene with the eyes , geuen with the hand , subiect to our senses , and in our possession , to be the benefyt● And asfor the fréendly minde which indéed ought chefely to be had in pryce and regarded , that weigh they nothyng at all . Wherein how muche they are deceyued , eche one may wel and easyly discerne . For why , those thinges whyche we possesse , whiche we sée , and whi●hewe so gredely hunt after , are very vncertein and transitory . The mutabilitie of fortune , the daunger of the time , the violence and force of enemyes may quickly bereft and depriue vs of all these things . But the trew benefit still persisteth , and decayeth not , Benefits neuer decay . no though all that perrish and be lost quite that was geuen vs . That onely shoulde be called a benefyt , which no violence , no force , no misfortune is able to vndoe , plucke from vs , or make frustrate . As by way of example . I reskewed a frind of mine from Pyrates and robbers on sea : and when I had deliuered him on this sort and was gone other enemyes toke him and caste him . In prison . In this case , they that so toke him depriued him not of the benefit whiche I did to him , but the vse therof only , Again . I deliuered a nomber of men from drowning or burning . Of which company sith that time , certain of them dyed by sicknes , certein of them by other mysfortunes ended their liues . I say yet notwithstandyng the benefit I did to them remaineth stil and decaieth not , no though the parties be dead themselues to whom it was done . Then appereth it that all those things which falsly abuse th apellacion or name of benefites , ought rather to be called frendly tournes , or such thinges by which the fréendly mind doth declare it self . The like wherof is to be gathered in other matters , wheras otherwhiles a word is vsed only significatiuely to represent as it wer the truth of things , by signification or colour of sence , & otherwhiles is vsurped for the thing it self . As you may sée here . The Chefetain of the band rewardeth such as he hath approued valiant after the feat wherin he hath experimented his said valiauntnes sontime with a Chain or collar of gold , otherwhiles with a garland properly appointed for suche as geue the onset at skalynge the walls at any séege , Corona muralis . & otherwhiles with a garland assigned to him that saueth a Citisens life in warres . Whiche eyther Chain or garland if a wan will consider apart by it self , Corona Ciuita . and not hauynge anye relacion to anye farther thinge , what great excelencie or preciousenes consisteth in them ? What great magnificence or worshyp resteth there I praye you in the Senatours gowne trayling on the ground , purfled and embrowdred round about , if we consider it onely in that it is a gown or hath this or that facion ? There is no one of these that is the honour it selfe , but the onely signes and shewes of honour . In lyke maner none of those can be sayde a benefit that is discerned with the eye , but are onely mere tokens of benefites .

THen mayst thou well demaunde of me what it is that I call a benefit . The trew descripsion whereof admit this to be . The discripsion of a benefyt . A benefyt is a courteouse and frendly deed whyche beyng done geueth cause of reioycing to others , and conceiueth plesure it self in doing the same thing , redy of it self without constraint to doo that whiche it doth : So that it appereth it maketh no matter what the thing is that is geuen or done : For that ( as it is sayd . ) The benefit consisteth not in the thyng that is geuen or done , but onely in the minde of the geuer . And that there is a great diuersitie betwene these twayne , thou mayst easely know hereby . The benefyt allwayes is simply and of his owne nature good . The hart al one commendeth al things But the thing that is geuen or done , is of it self commonly neyther good nor euill . It is the minde that extolleth and commendeth thynges of small valour , and of no regard , and disgrateth & quyte debaseth other some thinges of estimacion and great price . The thyngs which we séeke and pursew after so ernestlye , are of themselues neyther good nor euill . The diuersitie of their qualities ryseth onely vpon the mindes of them that haue the rule and disposynge of the same : by whyche disposing , they purchace eyther their commendacion or the contrarye . Then maye we thus conclude . That a benefit is not that thing whiche is geuen with the hand . Lyke as thinges offred vp in sacrifice be thesame neuer so fatte and fayre , or richely adourned with gold and ryche iewelles , yet the diuine honour dothe not rest nor consiteth in anye of the same oblacions , but onely in the well meaninge and disposed myndes of the sacrificers . For the immolations and offringes of godly , deuout , and wel-disposed persons God accepteth wel and in good part be the gift neuer so simple . Yea though it were but a courtsye of Corne and that in an earthen vessell , whereas wycked men shall not escape the punyshement of their impiety and the reuenge thereof , no though they offer vp neuer so plentiful and the same riche sacrifices .