therefore hee had assigned a truer cause in saying that humane malice and pertinacie and not riches were the cause of all the abouenamed euilles wee might also prooue by more reasons that pouertie were rather the cause of those inconueniences seeing the want of those things wherewith the rich men abound kindleth desire and greedinesse in the poore that afterwards is the cause of all those euils which euerie day are committed And therefore the Philosopher contrary to your Arcesilaus sayth that pouertie bringeth foorth seditions and maleficences Our Greeke yet further affirmeth that riches is not commodious saying that the richer any one is the more things hee hath neede of but if the definition of riches be true of necessity his position must bee false for where is the heape and collection of all necessarie instruments for sustentation benefit and ornament of humane life there can bee no defect or want of any thing and though riches procure a man to bee iealous ouer him selfe and sometimes putteth him in daunger yet from this reason can wee not conclude that they are wicked but rather the contrarie seeing there is no feare of loosing badde but good thinges which of their owne nature bring the possessor into no danger but rather is procured by mans couetousnesse and deprauation as in like manner lust is the cause that the chastity of a faire woman is hardly secure and yet must we not therefore say that beautie is a wicked thing I grant vnto you also Signior Antonio that in faire apparel sumptuous pallaces the nature of matter Architects wit is rather admired then the rich possesser of these things that splendor brightnes is proper to the iewels gold and not to the man rich who therwith adorneth himself but not withstanding this if the rich man had not made this rich apparel or built a sumptuous house for his own publike benefit neither could the nature of matter nor the Architects wit inuention of thēselues procure admiration as also the beauty splendor of iewels shuld remain buried in the inwardmost caues of the earth except the rich man discouering as it were the treasures of Nature should not offer them to the beholders eies beside this in all these ornaments the beames of magnificence shine which is numbred amongst the principallest vertues heroycall To possesse therefore and vse all these things both how when with conueniēt measure quantity bringeth vnto man a singular decency being truly worthie to be placed in the numbers of goods desired and to be sought after as in like maneral other kind of riches I say likewise that felicity is proper to vs cannot be taken away as also that riches being a good of Fortune remaineth in the power of the same fortune But we must obserue that felicitie may be considered two maner of wayes the first as it dependeth of his proper efficient cause which is vertue the second as it dependeth not only of the efficient but also of al causes instrumentall and the circumstances necessarily conioyned with the cause efficient in the first maner considered it is our own proper cannot be taken away because vertue true productresse of felicitie is not subiect to blowes of fortune neither haue honour riches nor any other externall goodes in it any part In this manner the Philosopher obserueth felicitie in the first of his Ethikes when hee distinguisheth the felicitie of Platoes Idea from Riches honour and those contentments that the vulgar sort esteeme In this manner also did hee consider it in the seuenth of his Politikes where hee sayde Felicitie happeneth not vnto vs through the goods of Fortune but euery one the more hee possesseth of vertue and prudence and after them frameth his opperations the greater is his felicitie and this is prooued by the testimonie of God himselfe who not for any good externall but of himselfe is happie and blessed Felicitie considered after the seconde manner it beeing no other but a collection and heape of humane goodes as well internall as externall which ioyntly together concurre by meane of vertuous action to the enioying of perfect and chiefest contentment although it can not be wholy taken away yet notwithstanding in many circumstances it may be hindred After this maner the Philosopher considereth it in the first of his Rhetorike where he doth not only place the goodes of the minde amongst the parts of felicitie but also the goods of the body and those externall In this sort also doth he obserue it in the seuenth of his Ethickes where he plainely affirmeth that an happy man hath neede of goodes externall and of fortune to the end that in his operations hee may not be hindred which thing saith he being very wel knowne prosperous fortune and felicitie by many come to be termed the selfe-same things We must further note that the Philosopher in the place by you cited Vseth these formall words Chiefe good is our proper owne being such as that hardly it can be taken from vs He denieth not therefore but that felicitie anay be taken away but yet he saith very hardly minding to inferre that it could not bee absolutely remooued but may peraduenture bee defrauded of his circumstances Out of which wee may very well conclude that felicitie should be depriued of her principall instrument wanting riches and that hee which is not rich can not be perfectly happy considering that he cannot exercise the Vertue of liberality beneficence and magnificence which make a man woorthie of honour Me thinkes Signior Antonio saide the Queene your cause is in such sort ouerthrowne as that it booteth you litle to replie any further and I am assured that from these Signiors you should not receiue the least suffragation of pouertie if you were to gather their voyces by scrutanie It would not be a iust and indifferent scrutany most excellent Queene saide the Greeke smiling if the number of the rich were not equally ballanced with as many poore because passion which is euer in the rich predominant and not equitie would giue sentence Notwithstanding I will accept your Maiesties iudgement as a firme decree neither will I further reply expecting that one day I may bee made to conceiue by one that with effects and not words shall prooue that riches are good and worthy of a vertuous man And although other perswasions were not sufficient saide Count Guido Caleagnini yet might experience manifest it vnto you which euery day sheweth that riches is not onely a necessary instrument of felicitie but further that among all worldly goodes it holdeth chiefest place seeing riches without labour dispenseth liberally to him rich of all other goodes which the poore man by vertue can not with great industrie attaine vnto And it seemeth he richly borne is in like manner borne gratious vertuous woorthie to be beloued of euery one and commended the which by you learned being wel and rightly vnderstoode you dedicate your labours not to the vertuous
one to repell force with force he carrieth also with him the caracter of iniustice And how caÌ„ this be replied Tassone if to suffer iniury as the Philosopher affirmeth is free froÌ„ vice to offer it is vitious vniust The Philosopher saith wel answered Gualinguo but yet this taketh not away my positioÌ„ for thogh the suffring of iniurie be without vice yet giueth it some testimonie of vice in the patieÌ„t for that by this act of supporting iniury he sheweth himself worthie of contempt and consequently vniust and wicked for only the wicked man is worthy to be ignominious Seeing honor is not lost added Tassone but through want of iustice and defect of valor is a kind of iniustice this word Valor in the definition of honor seemeth to be superfluous The common sort said Gualinguo not knowing that iustice comprehendeth al vertues iniustice al vices and ordinarily distinguishing between base actions and those of iniustice to make men learned as also vnlearned conceiue the nature of this our honor the word valor is not only not superfluous but necessary and so much the more by reason common opinion holdeth base cowardly men more infamous then those vniust and in euery one want of valor is more obserued then that of iustice Nay said Count Hercules the abuse is growne so far as all men valiant of person are esteemed honest men although in the rest they be most dissolute This hapneth answered Gualinguo because the common sort which know not the inward vertues of the mind measureth the goodnes and valor of a man from the force of his body not from the power of his mind little obseruing that as man by the vertue of the mind exceedeth the creatures so in strength of body by many beasts he is excelled Tassone said nothing else but count Hercules Mosti obiected tel me sir knight if this our honor once lost may be recouered again Let euerie one take heed said Gualinguo of loosing his honor for being once iustly lost it can neuer be recouered and I said iustly because lost otherwise it may rather be termed honour suspended then lost as it happeneth to those honest men who by false suggestions enter into the euill opinion of the world seeing it may come to passe that time in the ende discouering the trueth they may recouer their good name You impose too seuere a law vpon honor Signior Gualinguo replied Count Hercules in that it onely being once lost you giue out it cannot be recouered for my part I iudge it scarce reasonable that one bad action cannot by many other good be recompensed for this is no other but to bring an offender into extreame desperation by which meane honour that in a man ought to be the principall cause of doing well would be an occasion for him to multiplie his flagitions without euer reforming them By my definition of honour deliuered you should bee out of doubt answered Gualinguo that honour iustly lost cannot be recouered For if it be true that honour is a firme opinion in him that honoureth that he honoured hath neuâ—â— led in iustice nor valor one that hath only failed once is known for the man cannot come within the compasse of this definitioÌ„ because then it should not be conuertible with the defirite and would be no other but as if we should ascribe a reasonable soule to an asse But if men added Mosti should turne to haue as good an opinion of such an one as at the first might he not recouering the priuiledge of honour come within this definition If we should grant said Gualinguo that an asse had winges we might conclude that hee were a birde and fowle therfore I say vnto you that this case in him can hardly be admitted who hath iustly lost his honor because they who haue notice of his defect althogh they would yet could they not of such an one retaine so good an opinion as at the first if they lost not also theyr owne memories the which is hard or at least verie difficult For men for the most parte being enuious and maleuolent they are vnmindfull of vertuous actions keeping them close but they reserue fresh in memorie another mans misdeedes and continually with their tongues blaze it abroad and touching this seuere and strict law of honor I say it is seuere but yet iust and likewise those lawes be iust though austere that cut off the liues of malefactors or their meÌ„bers the which things though they be irrecouerable yet cannot these chasticements hold malefactors in but if the feare of losse were recompenced with the hope of recouerie who seeth not how great the number of wicked men would bee and of those ready to worke mischiefe The law of honor then is the cause of wel doing not of multiplying flagition because the greater sort of men hold their honor so deare as that they dare not do euill for feare of the losse therof knowing that it once only being lost can neuer be recouered But for al this I do not affirme that a maÌ„ who hath ceased the honor of the world should vppon this multiply in flagitions without euer reforming himselfe but rather the coÌ„trary that a maÌ„ after the recouery of the former good opinion cannot do better then manifest to the world in all his actioÌ„s ensuing that he is peniteÌ„t turned to a better life for though it may wel be that he shall hardly be able to returne to his first degree of honor yet he may become a good man shun continuall reproach And how should it come to passe replied Mosti that proouing a good man he should not likewise become honourable I pray you tell me is not an honest man worthy of honor If you deny this you frame a paradox against the Philosopher who affirme that onely the honest man is woorthy of honour An honest man answered Gualinguo is two maner of wayes vnderstood One is he that neuer crackt his credit but is wel knowne for such an one and this man is truely worthy of honor and deseruedly honored The other is he who hauing once or twice failed and knowne for such an one in the end amendeth and becommeth good this man is not absolutely woorthy of honor neither can he be counted honorable but only in comparison of a man impious Count Hercules was content with this last distinction when Count Gherardo Beuelacqui I saw saide he in the booke of Posseuiuo intituled of Honour amongst many other this one notable disputation whether honor consisteth in the honorer or him honoured and notwithstanding he greatly laboreth to ressolue this difficultie yet my conceit was not therewith satisfied for by one reason it seemes to haue residence in the honorer seeing in him is placed that opinion which you auerre to be honor On the other side it appeareth rather to be in him honored seeing he giueth denomination to the subiect and that as milke for the whitenesse is in
with maruel and wonder from them springeth the beutie of this inferior world Such proportion we finde in the elements as well in quantitie as qualitie as if of this their proportion the least part were but disproportioned one element would conuert al the other into his proper Nature or els the world would be confounded into Chaos Proportion causeth harmonie in number in bodies beautie in humours health in minde vertue as contrariwise disproportion procureth in numbers discord in bodies deformitie in humors infirmity and in the minde vice But who is it that wil doubt proportion to be the cause of all delights as well sensible as inte ligible in that the good which delighteth is no good if it bring not with it proportion neither is there any thing that desireth to be vnited with good simply but with a good to it selfe proportioned and from hence proceedeth the saying of Heraclytus that euery thing is rauished with his own contentment the which standes in vnion of good to it selfe proportioned and this is that which properly of all things is beloued and desired To conclude as there can not bee good in the vniuersall world without proportion so can ther not in the litle world which is man be any beauty without proportion and as good can not without proportion procure desire so can not beautie without proportion cause loue In that loue is not generate in the louer but by symetrie which the thing beloued hath with the louer by al these and other reasons which might be produced we may conclude that all perfection springeth principally from proportion and therefore that it in humane body is a part more excelent than is the beutie of colours Me thinkes saide the Duchesse the doubt is after such a manner cleered as wee neede not proceede any further and that the palme is due rather to beautifull feature than to faire and well disposed colours It is a thing iust and requisite renowmed Lady sayd Patritio before iudgement to attend the partie for his allegations are not to be contemned and therfore that louer who is made a seruant to beautiful tresses to black eyes to coloured cheekes to rosie lips to a white hand wil alleage in defence of colors that the beautie which is part or rather proper offpring of the most perfect of all beauties sensible ought to bee the selfe same which bringeth principally the name of beautifull to that subiect wherin it is found but colours are such therfore by colours humane body shall principally bee called beautifull that colours be such it is a thing manifest for light is the greatest of all beauties sensible as that which is no other but a beame influence of diuine essence dispersed ouer the wole world as I haue said this being graunted to the most perfect of all bodies sensible which is the sun to the end that by it it might not only be beautifullest of all other creatures but that it should also bee the meane and principal cause of the apparance of all other beauties colours are so conioyned with light and light with colours after such a sort vnited as we terme light a bright color in a body illumined color a shadowed light in a colored body in no poynt differing but that light is a colour without adumbration color a light shadowed whereupon those colors which haue least adumbration as is white haue the greater similitude with the purity of light Light then beeing the greatest beauty of the world and colors part of light and of light created in al reason they ought to obtaine the chiefest place in humane beauty This louer wil further argue if the proper obiect delectable to the sight is no other but beauty colours being more delightsome then proportion or figure should also haue in them greater beautie That colours be such it is proued for colours are proper sensibles of the sight but figure and proportion sensibles common by the opinion as wel of the Perepatetikes as Academikes proper sensibles doo more moue delight sence then common Neither want there philosophers of authority as was most learned Psellus which hold opinion that common sensibles are rather knowne by reason stiried vp by the senses then by the sense thēselues To conclude he will thus reason grounding himself vpon that proposition which runneth currant through all vniuersities and is this that which is the cause that another thing is such is much more the like it self as for example sake If fire be the cause that all other things are hot then shall it of all other things be the hottest I will therefore affirme that if beautie of colours is a cause that the beautie of figure and proportion is apparant then must they likewise needes bee of more apparant beautie as light is of all other beauties the fairest in that light is the cause of the apparance of all beauties sensible and there is no doubt but colours are the cause of the apparance of proportion considering that cōmon sensibles cannot be cōprehended but by sensibles proper by the testimony of women thēselues of whom beauty is the proper ornament the said reasons may be confirmed they being priuie that colours in beauty humane holdeth the cheefest place and are of themselues apt to produce Loue they imploy all their industrie in the beautie of colours by making their haire like the shining colour of gold the cheekes like to white lillies and red roses the lips to rubies the teeth to the orient whitenes of pearle with which beuties shadowing some other of their disproportiōs they yet appeare are called faire kindling notwitstāding by such hart in the harts of mē amarous flames I le further adde the authority of the doctors of the Moysaical law who desirous that mē leauing their bestial appetites shuld be inamored of women set down by publike decree that it shuld be lawful for women to paint their faces and that fathers to daughters brothers to sisters husbands to wiues shuld be enioyned to allow money for the buying of colours these wisemen conceiuing that there is not a beuty more preuailent to imprint loue in humane breasts then that of colors thus wil this intangled louer with the beutie of colors cōclude that colors are the most principal poynts of humane beauty Heere Patritio held his peace and on a sodaine great murmuring did arise one defending one parte and others another which the Queene obseruing she pointed to the Lady Laura Peuerara This is a Gentleman belonging to the Duchesse borne in Mantua to the glorie of that City married to Count Hanibal Turcho one of the principallest Gentlemen of our Citie who as she doth easily with her beautie kindle loue in any one that beholdeth her so with her honest customes and modestie she doth so asswage others flames that al amarous affection is resolued into singular and special reuerence whereupon by all those that know her she is no lesse reuerenced then
thinke better on it I affirme that loue is no other but a forcible perturbation of humane mind stirred vp by some knowne beautie through a secret conformitie of Nature which the louer hath towards the thing beloued resoluing with himselfe in desire to be vnited with this beautie in loue corporeal That loue is violent perturbation of our soule and minde it may be confirmed by the authority of Plato in his Conuiuio where he termeth loue a great spirit or Daemon and if the authoritie of so great a Philosopher were not sufficient yet might these noble Ladies giue ample testimoniall thereof who peraduenture haue felt more then once and often doo feele the same in whose delicate chaste breasts be the most liuely and feruent flames of loue as likewise these amorous yong Gentlemen amongst whome peraduenture more then one may be found who at the presence of such a splendor and beautie murmuring to himselfe may say If this be not blind loue what may I then call this my fit But Loue if that it be O God what manner of thing is it There is no doubt but among al the passions and affections of minde loue holdeth the cheefest place there being no other affection that maketh alteration as well in the body as minde then loue doth as Petrarch wittily expresseth describing in a sonnet his amorous passion when hee sayth I find no peace and yet to warre dare not be bold I feare and hope I burne and yet like ice am cold And in another place I feare and tremble frie and freeze That to procure loue it is necessarie that beautie as a cause efficient should be knowne it may be proued by the Philosophers authoritie in the ninth of his Moralles where he affirmeth that it is impossible any one should bee enamored without hee be first drawne vnto it by beautie and the reason also hereof is in readinesse in that knowledge euer goeth before affection which is no other but a sodaine motion of the sensatiue facultie cordial spirits procured by a delectable or odious apprehension resoluing either into desire of vnion or seperation whereupon ensueth either pleasure or greefe I haue also placed that little clause as necessarie in the definition of loue through a secret conformitie of nature that the louer hath with the beloued For it is not possible that any should be enamored except in finding a woman conformable in beautie to his owne proper disposition the which is testified by the testimony of Plato in Lyside where he cōcludeth that we are enforced to loue that which is cōformable to our nature as also by the authoritie of diuine Petrarch in the second Stanza of that excellent Sonnet in the sweete time of my first years where hee saith I say that from the day Loue first assailed mee Were many yeares yspent and fast away did flee So that my youthful hue I changde for graue and sage With frosen thoughts my heart was burdend by that age Which had my heart to Adamant conuerted quite Nor teares my breast did wet with cruel loues despight I broke not yet my sleepe and what was not in me I deemde most strange in others when I did it see Alas what am I now and what haue sometimes beene By end the life at euening wee the day esteeme This cruell boy marke wel of whom I do complaine That vntill then my garments onely did remaine Hit with his dart he therefore with his wity snare A mighty Dame did catch when she was vnaware With whom I neuer could or euer can preuaile By force wit penitence but with these three do faile These two haue me transformde into this state you see Of me a liuing man making a Laurel tree Which planted in cold ground without leaues cannot be Here Petrarch sheweth that hauing in his dayes seene many faire women as it is likely hee neuer was enamored but rather had an heart made of Adamant till by that mightre Dame hee was surprised whose Beautie was conformable to his owne proper Nature and therefore this sweete conformitie is one of the principallest and most essentiall causes of Loue which hath his originall of no other thing then from the celestiall influences in humane generation because these infuse seperately into euery thing as well without life as liuing and especially into mans bodie a peculiar and particular temperature by which euery man is in some thing different from another in complection From whence springeth diuers inclinations and appetites in that it cannot bee denied but that the sensible faculty hauing alwaies his operation ioyned with the body followeth the temperature of the body and therefore it is no maruaile as the Poet sayth if euery one be transported by his particular delight and that the beauty which is apt to rauish the minde of one scarcely toucheth another This loue which is no other but that most vehement passion wee spoke of resolueth into a desire of vniting it selfe in reciprocall loue with the thing beautiful and here let vs obserue that though a man hath the greater parte of his affections common with other creatures yet is he from them verie different for in other creatures affection desire action if they be not hindered they moue as it were in one moment in that they want reason which should struggle with sence But in man though affection fodainely mooueth yet it is not so readily transformed into desire or quickely mooned to action in that this cannot be without the consent of reason the which as a mistris oftentimes permitteth not affection to breake forth into desire or so incontinently to proceede to action If therfore loue be willing to resolue into desire of necessity reason must thereunto consent it beeing shee that perfectly knoweth the hope which is the true foundation of this desire Therefore when any rare beautie or pulchritude conformable to our appetite discouereth it selfe it is not in our power at that instant to resist amarous affection but if this beauty be placed in too high a subiect as in a Princesse hope of vnition and loue reciprocall failing in vs by the light of reason affection is not conuerted into amarous desire but rather into speciall reuerence By this true conclusion we may coniecture how vainely it was spoken by our Poet Although thou hast thy heart placed full high aboue Waile not though die thou doost and languish in her loue For it had beene a truer sentence to haue said Who placed hath his heart mounting too neare the skie May well lament if he languish through want and die That loue changeth himselfe into desire of aunswerable affection these amorous and valiant Gentlemen will serue me with most certaine and infallible testimonie who stirred vp by such a desire to make themselues woorthy of the reciprocall loue of their affected mistresses couet euer to performe gentle and liberall actions and there is no doubt but in the heart of euery noble louer the principallest desire is to be beloued
and forcible power for the beloued with her beautie concurreth as obiect and there is but seldome conformitie betweene the one and others power And therefore it may easily fall out that the beautie of the affected may bee apte and conformable to mooue the minde of the Louer when in very deede the beautie of the Louer shall not haue the like conformitie in the minde of the beloued or be preualent to kindle in her amorous passion For this cause the Poets fained that Loue had two sorts of darts that is some gilded and others of lead and that those gilded had power to enflame those of lead to congeale freese as also that he pearced louers with his golden shafts when the beloued were for the most part stricken with the leaden ones and therfore Petrarch willing to cleare him selfe sweareth saying If I may saie so much Loue with his golden dart Chargeth on me when those of lead fall to her part Notwithstanding she beloued is bound by election perceiuing the loiall and faithfull seruice of her seruant to retourne the like mutuall affection which not doing she falleth into the errour of ingratitude in that shee beloued receiueth secret honour and commendation by this affection of hir louer she shewing in that most notable perfection such as that it vrgeth him to be enamored to loue and serue her and so much the more she must holde herself bound if she perceiue her selfe beloued with one of those kindes of loue before rehearsed for if shee obserue her selfe affected with this brutish and sordide loue she is no waies bound to answerable affection neither for this shal she be deemed ingrate but rather in hating such a louer she deserueth praise and commendation The Lady Countesse replied no further And Madam Camilla Mosti propounded her doubt which was whether it were better to loue or bee beloued That to loue is better answered Guirino may be affirmed by the Philosophers authoritie for to loue is action and with some contentment being good but from the beloued there proceedeth no action and moreoner it is better to knowe then be knowne and the Louer knoweth but shee affected as hauing loue made to her may bee depriued of knowledge and therefore thinges without life may be beloued but neuer loue finally the louer in louing exerciseth the work of charitie which doth not the beloued And therfore the Philosopher affirmeth that to delight in louing rather than to be beloued is a more commendable thing and a signe of greater excellencie in good custome and fashion On the other side it seemeth that to bee beloued is greater perfection for to loue being the same as to desire proueth want of perfection in the louer wherein she beloued doth abound and further by how much the final cause is more perfect thā the efficiēt so much doth the beloued exceed in perfection the louer in that she affected concurreth as the louing and desired end and the louer is procured to loue in fauour of her affected or to receiue from her some perfection Now clearing this doubt I say that this word to loue may be interpreted in two senses one is to desire vnition with the thing beloued to the ende to obtaine perfection from it the other in desiring to giue vnto the thing beloued some perfection In the first sense as riches is better than pouertie so is it better to be beloued than affect And in this manner are the kindes of humane loue fette downe by me for the louer seeketh vnion with the beloued to obtaine perfection from her beautie where of hee hath want After this sort likewise dooth the creature loue his Creator seeking vnition with him for to participate of his perfection In the second sence it is a thing much more excellent to loue than bee beloued for in the louer wee suppose plenty and in the beloued penury With this loue God loueth the creature and desireth to vnite it with his diuine Maiestie to reach vnto it full perfection With this loue the Prince loueth his subiects and the greater his inferior to giue and not receiue perfection Out of this wee haue spoken you most honourable Lady shall gather this singular conclusion that all loues haue their originall from aboundaunce or defect as the diuine Philosopher affirmeth in his Conuiuio and in his booke called Lyside faining that Poro which signifieth riches is the father and Penia which importeth pouertie is the mother of loue For loue springeth either from the penurie of the Louer or wealth of the beloued or from want in the beloued and superaboundance in the Louer The Lady Camilla commended the answer and all the other Gentlewomen wishing within themselues to be rather rich affected then poore inamored The Lady Lucretia Machiauella propounded this excellent question whether is more feruent the loue of a man towardes a woman or of a woman towardes a man Most gentle Lady aunswered Guirino the reasons are not of small moment by which wee may conclude that women exceede in loue whereof the first is perfection which women receiue frō vnition with man as by the Philosopher it is confirmed where hee entreateth of vniuersall beginnings of things naturall who desirous to shewe the great desire the first matter hath of vnition with forme sayth that shee desireth forme as the female desireth the male and this is in no other respect but because matter requireth perfection from forme as doth the female from the male Woman therefore attayning perfection from man and not man from woman so amorous desire in her is more eminent then that in man But further if wee shall but consider the proper subiect and abode of loue wee shall finde that it is in soft and delicate hearts the which continually are nourished with sweete and pleasing cogitations as diuine Petrarch heere testifieth speaking of loues originall when he sayth From idle mind and want onnesse humane He springes nourisht with thoughts though sweet yet vaine And of vaine folke doth Lord and God remaine Women therefore beeing naturally soft delicate and vsually idle being nourished with sweete and pleasant cogitations and on the contrarie men beeing sterne and for the most part entangled in serious meditations wee may conclude that loue taking greater nourishment in the heart of a woman becommeth also more preualent and vigorous Although I notwithstanding these reasons do hold the contrarie for trueth and that amorous passion is much more vehement in man then in woman and I am mooued thereto by this most probable supposition that the more preualent cause bringeth foorth the more forcible effect The beautie then of woman beeing farre more excellent then that of man as Signior Patritio yester day shewed and beauty being the cause which produceth loue it will follow that the beautie of a woman shall bring forth in mans heart amorous affection much more ardently then shall the beautie of a man in the heart of a woman and therefore reason willeth that the name
that haue intreated of matters with out defining them haue rather bred in the mindes of others grosse ignorance then distinct absolute knowledge Seeing that from good definition the solution of all doubtes which occurre in science springeth Into this error many ancient Philosophers and diners moderne writers are fallen and amongst others touching this subiect we now haue in hande the error of Mutius Iustinopolitane a witte questionlesse verie rare is inexcusable who refusing the Philosophers definition of Nobilitie hath himselfe thereof giuen no definition at all which may make it distinct in kinde from other things wherefore labouring to shewe contradiction and error in Aristotle hee hath discouered himselfe to bee but vaine and rather a professor of the lawes then a good Philosopher But further lette vs obserue lines which beginning from one center extende to the circumference in the same center are both one thing and diuers so al things created as from God they take their beginning bee all one but in respect to diuers formes they be ordained they bee diuers If wee therefore consider things created in their beginning which is God not only men as these wise men affirme but all other thinges also are equally good noble and excellent but if wee consider them according to their exterior formes and kinds they are betweene themselues verie diuers and therefore the Philosopher in his Diuine Philosophie sayth that kindes bee like numbers minding to inferre that as numbers in vnitie bee the selfe same thing neither dooth the one exceede the other in perfection but when from vnitie they are seperate and fashioned in kinde one is then more perfect and excellent then another So all the kindes of things in their beginning are the same but once framed into forme are diuers further more let vs note and from hence groweth the error of the Stoicke and his followers that this bountie excellence and this their originall Nobility as by proper vertue it cannot be acquired so may it not by vice bee lost and therefore Lucifer considered in his first instant nature is no lesse perfect and noble then other angels for his sinne doth not procure but as other angels so he hath had his originall from God Which errour they had very wel preuented if they had beene circumspect and sought after the definition of Nobilitie which is an esteemable condition that in some indiuidualles of humane kinde is found for willing to haue defined it they should not haue saide that Nobilitie was an excellent qualitie in al things created depending on their beginning which is god the father of all thinges and that in those thinges it is preserued when they abandon not the first roote and stocke nor practise not Vice for they might haue perceiued that in this definition there is a notable error and most speciall inconuencience the error is that they hauing to define a particular qualitie which in humane kinde is obserued defined a common qualitie which is not onely found in diuers kindes but also in many things differing more thē in kinde the inconuenience is great for if their definition were good an Asse should bee of farre better condition then man in whom as neither vertue nor vice can concurre so could he neuer degenerate from his first stocke original and so consequently should euer bee noble as on the contrarie a man sometimes vertuous sometimes vitious should now be noble and anone after ignoble Mutius saith that Nobilitie consisteth in perfection in kinde determining to inferre that those thinges which in their kinde are perfect bee truly noble the which beeing true that creature from whose flesh the Iews abstaine being perfect might be numbred amongst those noble he addeth afterward as greatly in himselfe perplexed that althogh he descended from ancient linage be noble yet is not he so discended only noble for by this meanes saith he we shuld infringe the power of nature and vertue that they coulde not generate a new nobilitie Mutius therefore contendeth to proue that there be three sortes of nobilitie of the first conformable to the Perepateticke hee maketh antiquitie of bloud the auther of the second nature drawing neere to Seneca who affirmeth in the place by mee cited that he is more noble then another whose disposition is better and witte more apt to liberall artes of the third sort he maketh vertue productresse following the opinion of Boetius that hee is noble who degenerateth not from his originall and applieth himselfe to vertue This man questionlesse in his profession learned did not marke that he deuiding nobilitie into two diuers kindes hath not shewed nor defined the neerest kinde wherein they agree for if he had examined his definition he might easiely haue foreseene that they not being to bee reduced vnder vniuocall kinde and very hardly vnder analogie no more could different kindes be fashioned after such a manner as he framed them hee hath therefore Vainly alleaged that nature or the intention of nature may generate nobilitie for as wee haue declared nature of her selfe is the cause of reason and by accident of nobilitie for if she distribute nobilitie as well as reason all men as they are reasonable so should they be noble but in that the cause of nbilitie is fortune being a cause contingent of men wee see some noble others ignoble That vertue is the cause of nobilitie we grant but not the vertue of one alone as he affirmeth but rather the vertue of many we grant also that nature in respect of her selfe is to all a kinde and louing mother notwithstanding let vs adde that she working by seed manifesteth herselfe a step-mother to some considering seed from the heauens places nourishment and sathers receiueth diuers disposition sometimes good some times bad wherevpon indiuidualles of the same kinde but especially in humane kinde as they are of diuers temperatures so in them ditters inclinations and in their mindes different effects and affects are discouered from whence it proceedeth in reason that some are esteemed of noble race and others of ignoble some ingenious others stupide some preuaile with force of mind and are truely worthy to command and others be as it were lumpish sturdy with whome seruitude better befitteth Vnto which the diuine Philosopher alluding saith that in the generation of men there is a mixture in some of gold and those are alwaies worthy to command others haue commixtion with siluer and these are fit sometimes to obey sometimes to commaund the third and last sort participate with yron Wherefore as of al others most vile they are euer fit to serue and neuer to command Consormable to his master was the great Perepatitian who shewed by most euident reasons that by nature the Lord and seruant was allotted Nobilitie therefore is not contrary to the lawes of Nature Because Nature made all thinges necessary common to all and those which are accidentall and contingent shee left them subiect to instabilitie for if wee see by experience that in
felicity which is the ende of man should bee infinite whereupon man not being able euer to attaine vnto it fully of all other things created he onely should faile of his proper end I conclude therefore that as without riches there can bee no perfect felicitie so the excesse of riches either hurteth or helpeth not at all and that mediocrity is an apt instrument vnto vertue and an happie life These reasons are so well grounded said Turcha as that in them I remaine fully satisfied Out of doubt added Gualinguo whosoeuer cannot practise vortue with moderate riches will much lesse practise it with excesse seeing superaboundance of riches is farre more proportionable to vice then vertue And ordinarily in them most rich those euil dispositions are discouered which by the Philosopher are ripped vppe in his Rhetorick seeing in that place he vnderstandeth it by them superaboundantly rich and not by the other rich with mediocrity considering that in them insolence pride intemperance many other vices abound wherof immeasurable riches is the proper nourishment I beleeue sayd Count Hercules Beuelacqua that so it is but yet further I desire to vnderstand whether hee is rich that possesseth or he that vseth them for of this I am doubtful in that I see diuers who notwithstanding they make thereof no vse yet are they esteemed most rich Vain is possession without vse answered Tassone as the diuine Philosopher affirmeth in Eutimedo therefore to be rich consisteth not only in possession but also in vsing riches he that shuld say more in vse then possessiō might not peraduenture speak much amisse in that he which maketh no vse of them is in no other respect different from one poore but that the poore man is poore through necessitie and hee through will and election and therefore many not knowing that to bee rich consisteth principallie in vsing of wealth are deceiued not foreseeing thus much by forbearing the vse of them impouerash themselues Nay and I promise you I am of opinion sayde Counte Hercules that these sorte of men are much more miserable then the poore for the poore desire Riches to supplie their wants and these men hunt after them to the end that in aboundance they might yet liue in want neither can I imagine the cause and reason of so great follie Auarice saide Tassone springeth from a firme hope of long life and neuer thinking to die for who is so foolish that would spare to day if he beleeued to die to morrow But a man promising vnto himselfe long life as if hee were to liue euer storeth vp riches mony infinitely hoping that one day he shal reioyce in them and in this vaine hope feeding himselfe with aire he liueth like a Camelion and finally in the middest of abundance dyeth in want How can it be said count Scipio Sacrati that to be in hope of long life should make a man couetous we seeing by experience that auarice is a particular vice to old men who hourely expect death Olde men saide Tassone do not expect but feare death as they that are much more desirous of life then yong men and therefore Marcus Tullius saide that there was not any one so de crepite which did not yet promise vnto himselfe some yeares of life but for another cause also old men are couetous for bloud in them comming to refrigerate not being able to ioye any more in those contentmentes wherein youth is commonly prodigall as also hauing many times proued want in times past fearing the like should happen to them againe they addict themselues to the heaping vp of mony reposing in it all their ioy and contentment Hauing obserued said the Count of Scandiano these men that greedie of riches are called couetous I finde them after such a manner intentiue to the heaping vppe of mony as that it excepted all other riches seemeth vnto them nothing worth which maketh mee beleeue that in the possession of mony confisteth true riches seeing by the meanes of mony wee may iuioy all other riches yea and it appeareth that they who are monied be in a certaine maner Tyrantes ouer others as though all thinges shoulde obey vnto mony And therefore Phillip the father of great Alexander was wont to saye that there was not any fortresse so great and well munified but if an affe laden with golde might but aproach it woulde bee expugnable It cannot be denied saide Tassone but that mony is very commodious and in a certaine maner necessary to liue well being impossible or at least wise very difficulte to liue in common societie without exchange or permutation of thinges considering that oftentimes one hath need of that whereof another aboundeth now in that there can be no iust permutation but by meanes of mony as the other day Caualier Gualinguo declared it being that which maketh all contracts iust equal in this respect mony is truly worthy to be esteemed and placed in the number of riches notwithstanding in it selfe considered it is no true nor sincere riches as that which of it selfe supplieth not the wants of nature considering that one possessing it may die for hunger thirst colde or any other want no lesse then hee that hath it not which is confirmed by the fable of Mydas And there vpon it proceedeth that the riches of mony is of all other insatiable yea the more the heap therof augmenteth the more likewise increaseth desire for mony serueth nature to no vse at all as doth bread wine fruite and al other riches wherewith humane life is sustained and ordained the superfluitie of which things causeth lothsomnesse and sacietie Thinke you not saide Signior Gualinguo that mony of it selfe without other helpe deserueth to be esteemed being compounded of so noble a matter as is gold or siluer The which gold is so resplendant and beautifull as therefore it was consecrated to the Sunne as also that being most secure and temperate from all corruption it was in like manner dedicated to Iupiter whereupon no maruaile if any one beholding it hee remaine surprised and taken Although siluer and gold answered Tassone of alother mettals be the fairest and most beautifull yet are they least profitable wherfore hauing respect to that which more benefiteth humane life wee may make better account of iron although of all other mettall it be the grossest seeing of iron and with iron the instruments of all trades are made and iron maketh men valiant amiddest the most cruell wilde beasts sinally in the cittie and within our owne houses it maketh vs secure which beeing knowne to wise Solon he aduised Craesus to change his aboundance of golde shewed vnto him by that foolish King for ostentation into iron prognosticating that if he presently did it not his golde kingdome selfe would be a prey to Cyrus who emptie of golde but laden with yron and full of valour came to assault him I conclude therefore that mony in it selfe is of small or no