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
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
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
glasse Nowe this your beautifull Image is transported by meane of the most subtile vitall spirites and imprinted in the inward organe that is the intrinsecate part of the braine which also becommeth like vnto her and from thence receiued into my soule my soule her selfe taketh of you the whole similitude so that we may say that while I see and behold youpresent my soule wholy transfigured into you is no other but the true pourtraiture of your selfe This which by proofe is verified in exterior sense is also as true in sense interiour which is that vertue of the sensitiue facultie called fantasie or imagination which is of force to contemplate and perceiue obiectes although they be absent by those imaginations which remaine imprinted in the interior organ or member whensoeuer therfore our soule imagineth any thing she becommeth like vnto it and further spiritally transformeth her selfe into the thing imagined the same that happeneth to sense falleth out likewise to vnderstanding vnderstanding beeing in a manner altogether like to sense for while the vnderstanding conceiueth and beholdeth anything it is transformed into it and becommeth the same and therefore happie are those who employ the beautifull gift of the minde to contemplate diuine and high things for in that state they become diumitie it selfe By this which I haue expounded vnto you most honorable Lady you may easily comprehend the transformation of the louer into the beloued For it is not a reall but a spiritall transformation For the true louer bearing always the representation of the beloued imprinted in his soule and neuer ayming his thoughtes but towardes his beloued obiect in that state hee commeth to bee transformed into it Whereuppon the diuine Philosopher in his Conuiuio describing the force of Loue saith that Loue with such a strong knotte knitteth louers together that of twoo hee maketh one alone willing to inferre that those who absolutely giue themselues ouer in prey to amorous passions are after such a sorte ententiue on their louing cogitations as it may be affirmed that the soule disioyned from the body liueth in the beloued therefore no meruaile though the bodies of Louers depriued of vitall vigor do consume and languish The which heere Petrarch auerreth of himselfe in these Terzetti of this Sonnet At euery pace I turne my selfe about saying Sometimes amidst my mournings sad and dull A doubt ariseth how these members can Liue so remote from spirite wonderfull But answered Loue remembrest not thou man That this is priuiledg'd to Louers art From other qualities humane apart With this answer the Ladies and Knights remained very well satisfied who expected with great desire to vnderstand this meruailous Metainorphosis And his Mistris Lucretia Calcagnina a Matron adorned with all gentle fashion made her doubt in this sorte It happeneth oftentimes that after a long and colde conuersation bet wixt man and woman in the ende either one with the other or both of them are enflamed with loue reciprocall the which as it is true so bringeth it that into doubt by you spoken that the Louer is presently enamoured as conformable beautie discouereth it selfe vnto him for I would reason thus either that the beautie so often contemplated is to the Louer conformable or not if it be conformable wherefore doth it not in a moment cause loue but if there be no such conformity how can it procure this after long time cleare mee this doubt When Guirino Two manner of waies gratious Lady may your doubt be resolued First I alleadge that in diuers respects how long soeuer their conuersation be it may happen that to the Louer those beauties may be concealed which were more apt to enamour him seeing a fine foote a beautifull leg a faire arme a quicke and liuely gate or other excellencies of the body hitherto couered sudainly or by chance perceiued may kindle amorous flames I will also affirme that not onely the singularities of body but those of the minde also may procure loue and because these do not so sodainely discouer themselues to the eye of the soule which is the reasonable part and that by little and little with long obseruation seeth and beholdeth therefore not so sodainely but after long conuersation they enslame the louer so soone as he knoweth them and after he is enflamed with that which before with his bodily eyes he sawe and was not there with contented then with delight he reioyceth and is glad for as the beauty of the body is of force to conceale from the louer the defects of the minde and to make them appeare lesse waightie so the perfections of the minde after they haue with sweete and honest contentment fastned on the louer are of vigor to transforme the deformities of the bodie beloued and make it to the louer seeme beautifull or at least not brutish This aunswer was taken for sufficient when the Ladie Countesse of Sala I would willingly know sayd she whether a louer at one time may loue two mistresses and this my question ariseth in hauing seene diuers times by experience that they are seldome louers who are content with one loue alone No seruant most honourable Lady answered Guirino can serue two Masters neither can one Louer at the same instant serue more then one inistris which by many reasons is manifest And first because the beauty of two subiects is either equall or else we discouer the difference of more or lesse If they be equall neither of the one nor of the other can he become louing for finally loue being no other but desire and desire of it selte being vndetermined it is necessary that placed between two obiects it should be determined by the better or the worse by the more beautifull or more deformed other wise it would be alwaies immoueable and therefore Iohn Baccone a Philosopher and most learned diuine was wont to say that if the horse were in away equally distant from two barly fieldes of like goodnesse he should be in danger to die for hunger for his appetite would not be moued more to the one then to the other corne Hee therefore who were in the presence of two women equally faire not being able to bend his desire mooued through knowledge of sence more to the one then the other should rest immouable and consequently would loue neither the one nor the other but if there were a difference of more lesse desire inclining it selfe would bee enflamed with the more beautifull and the other should take no place but further if the Louer transformeth himselfe into the beloued as before wee saide not being able to transforme himselfe into two but into one subiect only so shall he bee able to loue but one subiect alone to conclude as that which hath taken place within is an impediment to the other but exterior which would surprise him so that obiect which shall haue taken the possession of the louers heart will forbid any other that attempteth to pearce thereinto the which Petrarch
be iustly offended must labour that the worlde haue no notice of it and this hee shall do by reuenging the iniurie in proper valor for by not failing in volour his defect in iustice shal be concealed but on the contrary if he shal beare the iniury not to commit an vniust fact the world wil iudge that hauing wanted valour he also failed in iustice and that therefore he is woorthy of iniurie and contempt By this your conclusion added Strozzi a great inconuenience would follow that one to auoide the losse of honor ought to maintaine an vniust quarrell a thing not approued by any of these who haue intreated of honor and combate they holding it for sure that to fight hauing the wrong on our side is no other but to prouoke the iust iudgement God in that by many experiences it is wel known that they who haue maintained the wrong haue either beene slaine or vanquished by their enemie although he in force were inferior vnto them where vpon they affirme that he which acknowledgeth his offence requireth pardon is lesse dishonorable then he that moued by a diabolical spirit obstinately seeketh to couer it within the listes All they answered Gualinguo which hetherto haue written of honor and combate are fallen into manifest errours by not hauing entirely knowen the nature of this honour for maintenance whereof there is euery day braules and wherevppon combate is grounded for then amongst other things they would not haue saide that an honorable man ought not to maintaine an vniust quarell for preseruation of his honor and notwithstanding what they said is conformable to a Christian who neuer ought to enter into an action which offendeth God yet for al this it is not conuenient for them who value the honor of the worlde for such like men desiring to be honored must indeuour by right and wrong not to lose that opinion and supposition wherewith they are borne but questionlesse this is as oftentimes lost as a man manifesteth to the world that he hath failed in iustice or valor And how can it be further vrged Strozza that an honest man going against his own conscience should maintaine an vniust quarell An honest man saide Gualinguo can neuer maintaine an vniust quarell for reason will euer with him be at hand but an honorable man may well fight being in wrong to auoide the losse of honor Then an honest man an honorable man be not all one added Strozzi and Gualinguo By the foundations I laide it may bee cleare vnto you that an honest man and an honorable bee not the selfe same things and in this they haue beene deceiued that write in the argument of honor and combate for it may bee that an honorable man shall not likewise be honest as also that one may be a man honest and not honorable as wee haue sufficiently declared What intend you by a man honorable saide Strozzi By a man of honor answered Gualinguo I meane all those whatsoeuer they bee good or wicked who haue not lost the good opinion that the worlde conceiued of them Therefore I conclude that an honorable man is tyed in right or wrong by his own proper valor to repell an iniury and also to maintaine an vniust quarell lest he remaine dishonored Strozzi saide no more And although this position at the first appearance seemed to all the standers by a paradox yet was it by the greater part of the Gentlemen approoued for most true When Count Hercules Beuelacqua vnto whom by order it belonged to propound seeing honor saide he is both in right and wrong to be maintained I would willingly vnderstand if an honorable man after he hath valiantly fought within the listes and brought to that point as he cannot longer defend himselfe ought rather to yeeld then permit that his enimie kill him This answered Gualinguo is not a doubt of small importance and the opinions of famous and learned men be in this point diuers the greater part affirming that the combatant ought rather to die then yeeld for in any case a man of honor shuld alwaies preferre death before infamous safetie And this the Philosopher testifieth in the 3 of his morals saying A valiant man ought much more to feare infamy then death and also in another place of his Morals that an honourable man should rather choose a short life honourable then a life long but contumelious And vpon this foundation the Stoikes in some cases permitted the violent killing of ones selfe to auoyde a dishonorable life As also the Lacedemonians who in fortitude and warlike valor excelled alother Grecians commaunded their souldiers that they should neuer yeeld they holding it for certaine that they which died with weapon in hand might rather be esteemed slaine then subdued therefore their great captain Leonidas who with three hundred souldiers defended Thermopolis against the innumerable armie of Xerxes was not ouercome but killed neither were the three hundred Fabians vanquished but slaine Diuine Plato esteemed it so contamelious a thing to yeeld as that in his commonwealth he ordained that there should be no redemption for him that yeelded but that hee might bee set as a prey to the enemy and in the twelfe of his lawes he made one most seuere against those who in bataile surrendred themselues as varquished affirming that free men should more feare to bee made slaues then haue any dreade of death it selfe He therefore that yeeldeth within the lists to his enemie remaining his slaue and depriued of honour whereas being killed he may rather be accounted slaine then subdued it seemeth that brought to that necessity he ought rather to endure death thē euer to yeeld himself yet for al this I hold the cōtrarie opinion to be true I am moued by this firme foundation For in Combat the cause is no lesse lost by death then by submissiō but betwixt submission and death there is this difference that he who yeeldeth looseth onely his honour but the other remaining dead looseth both honour life and that is worse his owne soule neither will any denie me but that hee had rather choose one alone then all these three euilles togither and no man is bound to do more then his force wil extendvnto Whereas it is a rash part and altogither aduerse to nature and humane conditiō for no benefit to suffer death without obtaining by the same any thing honest I will further affirme that hee which in the Lists hath not failed in valour although vrged by necessitie hee yeeldeth himselfe hee remaineth not wholly dishonoured nay and sometimes it happeneth that the vanquished with men of vnderstanding retaineth a better opinion then the victor in that the vertue of the mind is knowne rather in aduerse then prosperous fortune and a man giueth testimony of himselfe and his valor in blood wounds and eminent danger of death Finally I will further alleadge that a man not beeing borne so much for himselfe as for his Country
one wicked without giuing scandale of himselfe seeing hee is woorthy of honour that doth good for honesties sake and to a party henest You said replied Signior Scipione that a man might many waies be beneficiall that is to the body goods and soule put we the case that a good man by doctrine good examples and admonitions do cure vpon the sicke soule of one wicked reducing him to better life and that hee for such a benefit shuld erect vnto him a statue as they do who hauing escaped a shipwrack erect altares and statues to God religion should not this be honour to a vertuous man Without doubt it shuld that most great said Gualinguo in that of al benefits hee hath performed the greatest which is the health of the soule Then inferred Gilioli a man wicked may performe a most special honor yet not long since you denied it I said answered Gualinguo that a depraued man could not giue honour but hee which hauing receiued the health of his soule doth honour honoureth not as hee was wicked but as hee is a good man and therefore the honour he offereth is not to bee despised for though it bee not honest that a good man should further the bodie or goods of one wicked yet is it most honest to procure vnto him the health of his soule and whosoeuer performeth such a benefit maketh himselfe worthie of honour Signior Scipione vsed no further speech When Signior Alessandro Andriasi You sir Knight haue defined this honor whereof we intreate to be the rewarde of beneficence if this definition were true it would follow that the inferior could not honour the superior for as it is proper to the superior to giue and not receiue rewarde so is it proper to the inferior to receiue and not giue And Gualenguo rewarde may be considered after two sortes which be as it is profitable or as it is honorable as profitable it concurreth not with the definition of honor but as it is honorable it therein taketh place In this sort therefore considered it may be thus giuen by the inferior as vnto him also from the superior for the recognisance of vertue is common both to the one and other Yet is there this difference by reason that what by the greater is giuen to the inferior besids being a note and testimonie of vertue it sheweth also supereminencie in the superior and therefore requireth thankefulnes and gratitude but that from the inferior to the greater containing dutie is a signe of humilitie and is called reuerence This excellent destinction pleased all the standers by and Andriasi replying no further Signior Galiazzo Fiaschi I remember said he amongst other matters I saw in the booke of Posseuino this conclusion that honor consisteth more in desert then possession where of I doubt and vpon this expect your opinion And Gualenguo Posseuino or the author of that booke as many other thinges so doth he maintaine this conclusion against Aristotle from whom he sheweth himselfe altogether dismembred and seperate for if it were true that honor consisted rather in deseruing thē possessing thereof that likewise shuld be salfe which the Philosopher affirmeth in the first of his Ethickes That honor is not our owne but depēdeth more of the honorer then him honored neither could honor be recounted amongst goods externall or of fortune for though it be in our power to make our selues worthy of honor yet is it not in our power to receiue or possesle it seeing through the ingratitude or ignorance of them in whose hands iust distributiō lieth we are oft times deceiued Therfore conformable to this Cicero cited this notable sentence Vertue for guide but Fortune for companion I would haue Minding to infer that if the vertuous man haue not Fortune for his companion he cannot haue pessession of honor and that vertue without fortune is of it selfe vnto it insufficient the opiniō of Cicero was held for truth When Caualier Guirino Seing you sir Knight haue concluded with the Philosophers and Ciceros authoritie that honor consisteth rather in possession thē desert I desire to vnderstād further whether a vertuous prudent mā ought to seek demand that honor whereof he knoweth himselfe meritorious or holding his peace to attend while fortune accompany his valor and defect with honorable charge leauing al other meanes In that by one reason it seemeth he should not for in seeking after them he incurreth suspect of ambition which ought to be abhorred of an honest man on the other side by not laboring and suing after it hee is in danger to be thereof depriued and consequently not to be known for vertuous considering that honor is the ensigne of vertue as by effect wee see that som are esteemed of valor by enioying magistracy titles and other such like honors notwithstanding that in them selues they haue not the least shadow of vertue Then Gualinguo It is the propertie of a vertuous and wise man not to shew himselfe desirous of honor neither to seeke or craue it but directing all his actiōs to honestie by this mean to make himselfe worthie of honor yet ought he not to liue so contemptibly as after the manner of Diogeues Cinicke to manifest that he holdeth honor in scorne but rather whensoeuer occasion presenteth it selfe he ought with modestie to accept of those honors that befit him that he incurre not the vice of pusillanimitie If it be true replied Guirini that honor is deserued by vertue and by fortune acquired I cannot see why a vertuous man may not seek at the hands of for tune the honor he deserueth considering that fortune is not moued except she be sought vnto vrged we being wont for this cause to say that she is not fauorable to the timerous and slothfull but to the bolde and aduenturous and it is an opinion approued by all the Philosophers that a wise man is the framer of his owne fortune And I know some gentlemen which to others also are wel inough knowne vertuous prudent and of great desert yet for that they haue as wee sayde bin euer colde and not vrged fortune nor sought the honors they deserued liue in their Cittie without any renoume wherevpon by Court impostors this their modesty is esteemed pusillanimitie not to say plain stupidity whereas on the contrary euery day we see men of smal desert raised to great honors by hauing beene audacious and assaying all means as wel lawfull as vnlawful but specially in procuring to themselues their fauor that could bestow on them honor or riches And if wee do but thinke vpon the examples as well of the ancientes as men of these times we will conclude that valiant men ought to seek and hunt after honors that they may be known to be the men they are For beginning from the Romaines as they were vertuous of great valor so did they demaund and by all meanes affect honors vnto them it not seeming sufficient to deserue it except they
only Iwil say that the moral philsopher determineth not of this honor he being of himselfe and alone as a thing vnperfect hardly capable of humane felicitie and consequently lesse ought to censure or entreate of vniust combate seeing vppon this honour is altogeather gorunded and hath his foundation You replied the Counte Scandiano euer terme Combate vniust yet haue you made no demonstration of the iniustice thereof and notwithstanding this I haue seene some places cited out of Aristotle by those that are learned out of which they gather that combate is iust and ought to bee permitted especially in the first of his Rhethoricke where hee admitteth reuenge which not beeing granted saith hee diuers inconueniences woulde ensue and in the fift of his Moralles hee saith that Cittizens must endeuour to repell offence in that to suffer iniurie is a kinde of seruitude And Homer whose poeme by opinion of the diuine Philosopher is the seeing glasse of humane life and author of combate maketh Paris and Menelaus to fight hand to hand at defiance as also Hector and Aiax the which by Virgil Ariosto hath bin obserued neither wanteth there of the grauest authors who writing labour to make it iust and worthy to bee admitted as a thing profitable to preseruation and recouerie of honor and to liue well in a Cittie amongst whom is Doctor Paris de puteo and Posseuino neither are their arguments to bee dispised and for my part I esteeme them preualent If by others and especially by most learned Susiue saide Gualinguo it were not prooued against Doctor Paris de puteo and Posseuino that Combate is a thing most vniust I would labour to make you conceiue the iniustice thereof but this man hauing philosophically and learnedly entreated thereof in a booke of his owne intituled of the iniustice of Combate referring you ouer to that I will speake no further of it Although excellent Susius saide Beuelaqua hath plentifully spoken thereof as you say yet wil it be acceptable to vnderstand also something from you in this point seeing at this inslant we haue not Susius booke about vs. That you may not account me luskish ssothfull said Gua. beholde I desire to gine you satisfaction Combate is repugnant to nature contrary to laws diuine and ciuill To Nature it repugneth because shee entendeth generation and preseruation Combate to kil and destroy it is contrary to lawes diuine and ciuill because neither by the one or other law it is permitted that a particular man shuld dispose either of his own or of another mans life considering that the law respecteth a particular man not as of himselfe but as belonging to the country Prince vnder whose dominion he is subiect Secondly it is vniust because it contendeth to prooue the vertue of the minde with force and dexteritie of body which meane is by it selfe insufficient for if with force of body the vertue of the mind were necessarily conioyned a country man or porter or some other more base might easily be more honorable vertuous then one noble Thirdly in combate the knowledge of truth and equitie is referred to the arbitrement of fortune a Iudge most vncertaine and to the sword depriued of reason therefore it is vniust neither auaileth it any thing to saye that in combate God fauoureth the iust for if that were true he should neuer ouercome that had wrong on his side and yet we see by experience that the lier by being more strong and fortunate hath ouercome him with truth on his side so that to ordaine combat is rather a tempting of God then by such a meanes to draw from God iust iudgement Finally it was neuer by any common wealth accepted or approued of neither by any auncient State that for cause of honor or wants of proofe in investigation of truth they should haue recourse to combate nor Aristotle Plato or any other philosopher or Law-giuer did euer approue or so much as know this monstrous maner of conflict and although Aristotle affirme in the places by you cited that reuenge ought to be made that supportation of iniury is a kinde of seruitude yet he meaneth not this should be performed by an vniust meane but by a meane iust as the laws command for as it is not lawfull to recouer goods from the theese by proper force so ought it not to be lawful by the same meanes to recouer honor no lesse in the one thē other case we ought to haue recourse to the magistrate Of the same opnion was Plato for hee decreed in the eleuenth of his lawes that the iniuried by wordes shoulde not offend the iniurier but rather with modestie excuse himselfe of the vice obiected vnto him in Crito that we shuld not iniury others thogh by them we had bin offended for vpon what occasiō foeuer wee offend another it is always euill done In Gorgia hee sheweth howe wee shoulde serue our turnes with rhetoricall Arte to accuse malefactors that they might bee chastised Out of which positions this conclusion may be drawne that the iniuried is not by himselfe to worke reuenge seeing that would euer be but euill done but to accuse the iniurier to the magistrate who stands to preserue vniuersall good What wil you answer replied count Scand to Paris de Puteo who proueth the iustice of combate from the vniuersall iustice of warre by God permitted as wee reade in so many places of the scripture by him cited as also the reasons of Posseuino who affirmeth that Combate is lawfull seeing by that meanes a man may recouer the most pretious of al other goods which is honor Paris de Puteo answered Gualinguo was a good doctor in his profession of the Lawe although he were somewhat harsh in expressing his conceits and was the first that aduaunced this argument of Combate giuing precepts therof not withstanding enclining to euill custome hee laboured to shew that combate had in it some poynt of iustice but he reasoning from vniuersall warre to this particular battaile which wee call Combate cannot formally conclude seeing this not only is not comprehended vnder that general kind but is further from it altogether diuerse And therefore we must obserue that generall warre is lawfull for no other respect but because men are not placed vnder the gouernement of one Prince alone neyther are all states gouerned by the selfe same lawes for if it were otherwise it shoulde not be lawfull for one people to warre against another neither for augmentation of state or any other occasion considering that by the highest Prince Law and Iustice euery differêce would be determined and if any people or citrie should attempt to right themselues by armes as contemners of the Laws and rebels to the Prince they should be incontinently punished but for that the dominion of the earth is diuided into diuerse principallities they hauing no superiours make Mars Iudge of their controuersies and put ouer their right to Armes Warre is therefore lawfull
the vertue of his many predecessors which is truely that that produceth glorie in him noble being termed Nobility Whereupon as the vertue of the most guttering sunne-beames is of force to make things obscure visible so the vertue of many discendants of a most bright beame may illustrate an obscure linage how hase or vile soeuer as the sunne-beames are not in the thing illumined as in proper obiect so the glorie of predecessors is not in him noble as in his particular subiect but hee together with others of the same bloud dof enioy the resplendant brightnesse of their predecessors Is Nobilitie replied Guirino bee a vertue of stocke or kinde a the Philosopher sayth dependeth on antiquitie of bloud wee receiuing bloud from the bodies of our predecessors I cannot see howe it should rather bee a gift of Nature then Fortune beeing to be recounted rather among those goods within our selues then amongst other externall And Varano A man noble is begotten by Nature seed Fortune for Fortune is no other but a concourse of diuers causes whereof the most neare is a cause vndetermined Man as man is deriued from nature and seede but in respect of nobility from Fortune for it is a thing contingent and no wayes knowne vnto Nature that a man shoulde bee borne whose predecessors haue beene renowned and glorious Tell me in earnest added Guirino is it not the intention of nature to make man as all other things in such perfection as that hee may easily attaine his proper ende This proposition sayde Varano is necessary and alwayes true that nature guideth by infallible prouidence maketh euer the best of all things if shee bee not hindered And Guirino If therefore in him noble there is greater perfection then in all other conditions and that Nature alwayes intendeth that perfect me thinkes it necessarily followeth that hee should bee borne Noble not by Fortune but by intention of Nature and consequently that Nobilitie is the gist of Narure and not of Fortune You may perceiue Signior Guirino sayde Varano that this your conclusion is not necessarie for all propositions of a syllogisme are not euer true and necessary for though in him Noble greater perfection is supposed then in others yet many times the contrarie falleth out as euerie day experience plainely teacheth and therefore I deseruedly found fauâ—t with Mutius his definition that is that Nobilitie is not the perfection of euery thing in his kind but rather an inward supposition of vertue as hath bin said which dependeth on the glory and fame of his predecessors Guirino replied no further And Count Hanib all Turcho You Signior Hercole if I carry wel in mind said that he cannot be noble who is not borne legitimate if that were true in would follow that the son of a noble father mother might be ignoble this seeming inconuenient for if it be true that Nobilitie as the Philosopher affirmeth is a vertue of kinde it hath originall from seed and not from marriage for mariage in respect of nature is a thing accidentall neither can it augment or diminish perfection in seed and to stand vppon naturall example as to generate a couragious horse it sufficeth to put together a noble Stallion and a goodly Mare so to make one noble without other marriage the vnion of a noble man and woman shall be sufficient And Varano Although matrimonie is not essentiall hauing respect to generation and that the vnion of male and female sufficeth yet is it necessary for the framing of one perfectly noble considering that one perfectly noble is he that hath had all his predecessors renouned and famous as also with vice immaculate In that therfore it cannot be denied but the bastard hath had his father and mother contaminate with the vice of intemperance as those who came together contrarie to honestie and repugnant to that the lawes both diuine and humane command although many of his predecessors were noble yet must he needs confesse that himselfe is not perfectly noble but that he wanteth an ounce of arriuing to perfect nobilitie and I say perfect nobilitie because it is not denied but that bastards also may haue some part in nobilitie and in vertue bee like to their grandfathers and great grandfathers And if bastards were legitimate added Count Haniball should they not supplie the ounce they want and become perfectly noble Wise Lawgiuers sayd Varano to auoyde the vice of intemperance hauing depriued bastards as well from succession of their fathers goods as of any other good of fortune beeing those who contrary to the disposition of the lawes and commandements of God were begotten it was prouided to mitigate seuerity of lawe that by cheefe Princes who bee the lawes superiours they might by priuiledge bee admitted to succession So that legitimation may make them capable of riches but not of perfect nobilitie I am satisfied saide Count Haniball And Count Hercules Beuelacqua I haue seene said he while I was in the French Court priuileges of nobilitie giuen by that king to persons ignoble yet deseruing well of the crowne of France as also other men most noble to be deptiued of nobilitie for their contrary demerites how which should bee done I cannot see if nobilitie were restrained to those families who pretend themselues descended of ancient blood declare vnto vs therfore if Princes may giue or take away from another nobilitie And Varano It is a conclusion approoued by Doctors of the law that Princes by their authoritie may not onely giue nobilitie by writing and priuileges but may also secretly giue vnto another those degrees which appertaine to men noble by inuesting him with some noble infeofment as also that it is in their power to depriue nobles of their degrees of nobilitie And Bartolo a principall doctor writeth that if a man should liue a thousand yeares replenished with chiefe vertue yet could he neuer be noble while by the Prince some dignitie or nobilitie were bestowed on him by which he might be distinguished from the common people Notwithstanding I am of opinion that this Doctor together with others haue greatly etred in no other respect but that speaking and discussing of nobilitie they haue neuer defined it but confounded it with titles magistracies dignities and other preemenencies all which bee partes of honour and rewardes of those actions which depend on the vertue of one alone And I cannot but wonder at Mutius a man certainly both learned and iudiciall who after hauing confounded diuers kindes of nobilitie mooueth this question who is more noble hee that is descended of ancieut bloud or another enobled by his Prince and he answereth it by these formall wordes If the Prince giue nobilitie to another for true testimonial of vertue he shall be most noble but if it be placed throgh humor or appetite he borne of ancient bloud shal be more honorable we must therfore affirme according to Mutius that to bee noble and worthy of honor is the selfesame beeing most
battel victorie the end and armes the instrument These are all the perfections most famous Queene which may bring a man to his end beeing felicitie of which no doubt those are the most excellent and worthy of greatest honor that more readily may make a man happy If therefore I shall shew that learning and habites speculatiue haue greater parte in felicitie than art Militarie I beleeue the learned shall haue wonne the day If that be true which all the piudent affirme that of things created the same exceedeth all others in perfection which draweth nearest to diuine bountie and dooth of it most participate Out of question the man learned in bountie and dignâ—tie will be superiour to the souldier in that hee learned is endewed with that vertue which maketh a man like to things diuine For science and sapience which be incident to the learned by meane of contemplation make a man companion with God vniteth him with chiefe good and true felicitie The Philosopher confirmeth the same in the tenth of his Ethickes where hee sayeth that those who busie their mindes in contemplation addict themselues to the studie of good letters and are than al others by God better beloued because they adorne that parte of the minde which hath greatest similitude with things diuine whereuppon God kindleth the light of his diuine grace in their soules comforting them with highest ioy and true beatitude As also otherwhere commending Metaphy sicke hee saith that though it be not profitable yet notwithstanding it is worthy of supreme honor as that which raiseth our vnderstanding from earth to heauen exalting it to the knowledge of high diuine things and therefore he worthily affirmeth that the wiseman gonerneth the starres as he that far remote from a vulgar life being of himselfe sufficient liueth most happy M. Tullius in first of his Tusculanes sayth that Philosophie is a gift giuen by God and that in this world there can bee nothing more sweete or excellent what thing is to be desired more excellent or worthier of a man then sapience this by administring the knowledge of al things diume and humane procureth the mind to be setled and replenished with cheefe ioy if this be not a thing worthie of commendations what is to be commended And Architas Tarentine sayth that wisedome amongst al other things humane is most excellent and is as sight among the sences vnderstanding in the same soule and as the Sunne amongst the stars sacred Philo sophie procureth not the felieitie of one particular alone but further assisteth the happie liuing of an whole Cittie as diuine Plato affirmeth in his Meneseno saying to the Philosopher and no other appertaineth the gouernment of a Cittie and in the fift of the Common-wealth Those Cities cannot be happie where Philosophers doo not gouerne and the gouernours sufficiently know Philosophie but hee saide not where art Militarie and excellent warriours gouerne For the arte of warre hath not onely no parte in felicitie but rather is contrarie vnto it considering that it destroyeth humane generation and is so much the more imperfecter then science in that the ende of arte Militarie may bee preuented by fortune as often times it falleth out which in science taketh no place and it is most certaine that where Fortune swayeth vnderstanding little preuaileth and where vnderstanding preuaileth not there is a manifest signe of imperfection Further I alleadge that by howe much the minde is more excellent then the bodie by so much are the actions thereof more excellent then those of the bodie which beeing true euen so must they learned needes be more excellent then Souldiours Considering the actions of the learned haue no need of any corporall vertue and those of Souldiours are most principally exercised with bodily force the philosopher proueth that our mind is diuine and immortall in no other respect but because it hath his operations distinct from the body The learneds operations therefore beeing from the bodie disioyned they must needs haue in them something diuine and be truly worthy to be placed amongest the things most honourable the which notwithstanding by Souldiers cannot be affirmed whose actions beeing wholly intermixed with the body haue in them that imperfection which the body bringeth to the minde and all matter to his proper forme I could produce many other arguments to shew that Armes euer ought to yeelde to Learning as good Marcus Tullius affirmeth and grant the Laurel garland to the tong and eloquence of the learned which notwithstanding for breuitie sake I passe ouer And onely in our behalfe I wil set downe some examples for manifestation that good letters are of force to exalt men vp euen vnto heauen and to place them amongst the Gods Lisanias a Noble man of Arcadia as Leontius the Greeke declareth beeing in Sciences most profound went to Athens and stirred vp such admiration in those people then rude and barbarous as that they made him not their King but worshipped him as a god and hauing dedicated vnto him a Temple was the first that was called Iupiter Apis the sonne of Toroneus and Niobe he passing from Argos to Aegypt by meane of the Sciences he attained that reputation as besides being made king he was helde and worshipped for a god And so great was the reuerence towards him as that by publike Edict there was a capitall punishment sette downe against whomsoeuer should be so hardy as to call him a mortall man Belus who as Paulus Orosius declareth seigniorized in the vttermost confines of Aegypt for being an Inuenter and teacher of celestiall doctrine was iudged so worthy as vnto whome there should be built a Temple in Babylon and it was called the Temple of Iupiter Belus Hermes sonne to Phylo a meane man of Arcadia and Proserpina his owne daughter to auoyde the infamie of his incestuous originall going into Aegypt and being in the sciences profound but especially in Geometry Arithmeticke Astrology was held for a God being called the sonne of heauen and day as he that descending from heauen in the daye light came to bee noted and known I most illustrous lady with these few simple reasons authorities examples haue endeuoured to confirme our cause which of it selfe is so firme and secure as there is no need of Rhetorical arte for sustentation of it I assure my selfe Signior Brancaccio in his own conscience wel knowes that he defendeth an vniust quarrell although like an honorable Knight hee entreth nowe the fielde not to loose his honor I can be wel content Signior Patritio said Brancaccio that you may confirme the possession of honour seeing that can not be lost which hitherto is not possessed It is now long since aunswered Patritio that reason stoode to the arbitrement of Armes against whose violence learned men could make no resistance but now brought to the tribunall of Iustice I hope the matter wil otherwise succeed and that at last the learned shall be established intheir proper place and dignitie Then the
were not as great a scholler as a souldiour you could neuer in this conflict haue shewed your selfe so aduenturous a Champion and yet for al this the victorie shal not remaine on your side though you haue lightly wounded mee for with more mortall blowes I haue pierced you I vnderstande you sayde Brancaccio you would inferre that your arguments remaine yet firme and vnshaken wherevnto I haue not yet made any answer and by commending Armes that I haue not a iotte obscured the glory of Letters Therefore from that I haue alleadged it may be gathered that your first foundation goeth to ground for honour is not a reward of perfection which procureth the felicitie of him alone that possesseth it but is a reward of beneficence that helpeth others and that it may appeare howe your reasons conclude not against Souldiours I will sette downe the difference which your Philosopher maketh betweene prayse and honour touched the other day by Caualier Gualinguo Prayse saith hee is that speech which noteth singularitie of vertue and is proper to habite whereuppon wee vsually commend Praxiteles and Phydias for the habite of sculpture which they had in excellencie but honour agreeth not properly to habites but vertuous opperations For it is the true reward of excellent action in that if one had vertue and should bee idle hee might rather bee praysed then honoured Nowe vertuous opperations beeing in two kindes some internall as to contemplate and others externall as to practise armes it is a thing manifest that honour cannot belong to internall opperation for internall action being knowne to none but to him onely that worketh it cannot stirre vp any to honor it It must needs therefore bee the reward of externall action which beeing manifest not only to the worker but also to others moueth and vrgeth the honourer who knoweth it to giue honour thereunto And therefore the Philosopher saith well that honour rather consisteth in him honouring then in him honoured minding to make knowne that to attaine to honourable action it is necessarie that the action bee knowne for vertuous by the honourer The actions therefore of men learned Signior Patritio as your selfe haue concluded being actions intrinsecall and only of the minde as by you learned only they are known and vnderstood so you by your selues may inwardly honor them but these not manifest to others you shall rather bee worthie of praise then honour And on the cōtrarie the opperations of vs Martialists grounding their internal beginning in the mind and discouering themselues to the eyes and eares of others by meane of valor and vertue of our bodies as well of prayse as likewise of highest honour wee are thought worthie neither can fortune bee an impediment of our glorie although sometimes shee hinder victorie For art Militarie as diuers others also hauing two endes the proper ende thereof is victorie And therefore Haniball obscured not a whit his warlike honor by the last battaile hee lost in Affricke hee according to Scipioes iudgement not hauing failed to performe all that which belonged to a most expert warriour for the obtaining of victory neyther vnto you Signior Patritio will it be any blemish to haue beene subdued by me this day in combate for though you haue not perswaded yet notwithstanding haue you spoken in all excellencie touching perswasion Signior Patritio further alleaged that arte Military had no parte in felicitie and much lesse in honor seeing it is a consumer of humane kinde and in this hee is deceiued hauing beene by vs declared that it is a good which vniuersally assisteth nations and citties by procuring vnto them obseruation of lawes and defending them from ennemies and therefore Marcus Tullius saith well that of necessitie warre must bee made to liue in peace Your Philosopher also commendeth the making of war vndertaking it for defence of our countrie to procure safetie to them with whom we haue war This is conformable also to the holy scripture where wee reade that God permitteth yea and commanndeth war saying to the Hebrew people Arme you and confound these Philistines enemies to the people of God and in Ieremy also we may obserue that God said Prepare your shields and helmets put on your breastplates ride your horses and take vp your lances against your enemies gathering your selues all together to bartaile and accursed be he who shal not shed bloud against the enemies of the people of Israel And in the Machabees we reade that God euer moued and stirred vp the people to battaile against the enimies of Israel And therefore Dauid in the Psalmes writeth Blessed bee the Lord who instructeth our handes to battaile And in all the Bookes of the Kings wee finde that God commaunded battaile for the chasticement of rebelles ouerthrowing of tyrantes and for the occasion of peace in the worlde Wherefore it would be both a lawful and commodious war if christian princes did arme their people against the cruell sword of the East and enemies of the elect and chosen people endeuoring to abate the pride of so outragious a tirant and by force of armes to reduce those nations to better life worship diuine then as they now liue with all sauage customes And although it cannot be done without effusion of humane bloud and some acte of iniustice notwithstanding of it no reckoning were to bee made seeing without fire and sword such a Phisition could not heale the like impostume And not to passe ouer any thing whereof our aduersarie boasteth I say that Lysanias Belus Hermes Apis and other such were deified not so much for the knowledge wherwith they were adorned as throgh the action of beneficence For as these opperations may by euerie one bee comprehended and conceiued so internall actions especially to luskish and stupide people being concealed and hidden they cannot bee honoured And this is a thing so manifest as it booteth not herein to make any other or further replication Signior Brancaccio hauing thus argued it seemed to the Queene and all the standers by that the victorie remained on the Knights parte when Signior Renato Cati standing vp on his feete Bee it lawful for mee sayd he most famous Queene to defend our cause seeing Signior Patritio rather a partialist then faithfull Champion of al the learned contemning the preualent armes of Ciuilians hath onely drawne out against him the weak tempred sword of contemplatiue Philosophie yet hee infallibly knoweth that these sort of learned though worthie of praise and commendations yet neuerthelesse are they poore naked and contemptible This indeede we see euerie day saide Patritio for no other cause but because the foolish multitude is intentiue on base gaine and discerneth not the vertue and demerite of honour It is proper to the Ciuilians thrise excellent Queene said Brancaccio smiling to confound the lawes wherefore no maruaile though Signior Cati a most famous Ciuilian hath broken the Law of combate by Champion sodainly as a warriour fresh in breath commeth to assaile
defaced an infinite number of Citties and Castles Signior Brancaccio further in fauour of Souldiers alleadgeth the authoritie of Lycurgus the diuine Philoso pher who placeth warriors amonst the principallest members in his common wealth Touching Lycurgus I referre my selfe ouer to that which the Philosopher affirmeth in his Politickes seeing hee by most effectuall reasons sheweth that the lawes of Lycurgus comonwealth of the Spartanes is in the number of dishonest euill ordained cōmonwealths As for Plato he in his second and fourth bookes of his commonwealth setting downe the duetie of Souldiers speaketh thus Wee haue placed in the Cittie Souldiers as dogges who to the principall Cittizens are to obay as to Pastors of citties and there is no doubt but by principall Cittizens those are intended who administer equitie and iustice as the Lawyers doo and to noble and geneious dogges this diuine Writer resembleth the souldiers saying that like good dogges they should be vigilant to obserue the enemies ready to prosecute and follow them and hauing ouertaken valiant to set vppon them Out of this place of Plato may be gathered conformable to my opinion that all other warre is vniust but that which in defence of our countrie is vndertaken seeing hee ordaineth souldiers for no other end but to garde the citie and he that of them maketh other imployment abuseth them and our mortall enemy Cato animating vnto the vertue of fortirude saith fight in defence of thy countrie and not to acquire another mans dominion and empire As therefore it cannot be denied most famous Lady but that armes are for behalfe of the lawes and vnto them subiect so must wee conclude that souldiers are farre inferior to professors of the lawes considering that in a cittie the one be as pleaders Rhethoritians the other as porters and guardians and this vnto me seemeth so manifest a thing as that it cannot bee contradicted But because I perceiue by the gestures motions of his person that our obstinate aduersary long since impatient of attention is most defirous to speake I will here pawse assuring my selfe that he considering he wanteth neither voice tong nor wordes wil neuer giue place to manifest reason but confident in his eloquence he will attempt to retort the vpright and sincere iudgement of our most gratious Queene Eloquence preuaileth greatly in lawyers saide Brancaccio and so far that many times it hazardeth the good conscience of a sincere equal Iudge wherof I doubting to the end that the entire impartial indgement of our illustrous moderatrix may remaine vnspotted and immaculate I will make it knowne that Signior Cati hath done like that incircumspect Greek who to terrifie the Troians putting off his own armed himself with the armes of fearce Achilles Notwithstanding before I laye open his sophistications it is necessary that somewhat more amply difcoursing of that which to a warrior appertaineth I play the Philosopher searcheth out the secrets of Nature and infallible prouidence of God it cannot be denied most famous Lady but that Nature is vnto man a scepmother and to the other creatures a most kinde and tender mother for she hath not onely made them strong of body but with naturall garments so couered and naturall armes so fortified them wherewith most fierce they proudely go forward without fearing offence and such creatures as shee hath produced them weake and vnarmed so hath shee prouided them swift feete or light feathers and wings to the ende that flying or running away they might withdraw themselues from danger Man should haue been naked vnarmed and of al other creatures weakest and exposed to all kinde of iniurie if by fingular grace of the heauens there had not beene granted vnto him the excellent gift of the minde and light of reason the which what Nature hath denied him it doth doubly suppeditate This at one instant adorned him with armes and armed him with lawes to the ende that by armes hee might securely walke amongst the most cruell beasts and by lawes leade a perfect ciuill life It is therefore to affirme that lawes descend from heauen and armes were drawnefrom the deepe for both the one and the other were woorkes of reason and equitie and consequently were both celestiall inuentions And as it is true that laws without armes cannot consist so is that false which the aduersarie affirmeth that to take armes out of the world were a bringing in of that felicitie which most of all in this mortal life is desired for without armes the lawes would not onely bee vaine and friuolous but a man botne to rule ouer Creatures beeing weake and vnarmed shoulde bee a prey to more terrible beastes neither should they against them haue any greater defence then haue the little Pigmeans against the Cranes But admit wee grant without preiudice to truth that Lawes are more noble then Armes yet for all this cannot Signior Cati conclude that the Ciuilians Doctrine is of greater esteeme then Arte Millitarie nor that Generals of Armies are to giue place to Doctours of the Lawes For if such a prerogatiue should bee graunted it must not concurre with the Ciuilians or Lawyers but with the Law giuers considering that those who establish Lawes be great Princes or commonwealths most prudent men or for some heroycall vertue most excellent as were Draco and Solon who gaue Lawes to the Athenians and Lycurgus the Lacedemonians Lawgiuer Numa Pompylius that prescribed lawes to the Romaines Faleus to the Carthaginians Mercurius Tresmygistus to the Egyptians Zoroastres to the Persians and Bactrians Minos to the Cretans Charondas to those of Tyre Zalmosi to the Tartarians Hippodamus to the Milesians Plato to the Cicilians and other such like But to dilate alittle touching that doctrine whereof the Ciuilians do so insult as Signior Patritio numbring vp the Sciences and Artes liberall hath not placed it in his Catalogue so thinke I it a thing very difficult to find any place for it amongst habites speculatiue actiue Among the Sciences it cannot be recounted For Science beeing nothing else but to vnderstand the thing by his proper and infallible cause The Ciuilian demaunded of that he knoweth can alleadge no other cause but that the Lawes say so or Doctors thus affirme It cannot also properly be termed an Art except after the same manner as Petrarch calleth it that is an Arte of selling words and lies For though she be conuersant about the Lawes as the proper argument of her doctrine yet can she not alter nor transforme them into diuers formes as other Artes doe their matter and subiect For Lawes by the Ciuilians cannot be transinuted but by great Princes and Lawgiuers which the Lawyers obseruing and not knowing with what other title to honour this their science haue tearmed it knowledge of equitie or iuris prudentia which signifieth no other but that wise dome which is conuersant in administring equitie and iustice according as the Lawes commaund Nay but I will further affirme that this their