of the Danube with infinit other nations Of Pompey the great the son of Pompey Strabo doth recite his triuÌ„phs especially y t which he had in Affrique against DomitiaÌ„ The deliuerance y t Brutus freed his countrey from wheÌ„ he did driue froÌ„ thence Tarquin y e proud with his successors was cause that he was named the father of the Romane liberty the like is said of y e other Brutus Fabius Maximus was likwise rightly called the defender of the commonwealth when he bridled the fierce courage of Anniball of Carthage The wonderful ouerthrow that Claudius Nero gaue y e Carthaginians when he presented Asdrubal his head to his brother do cause vs to remember him not y e bloud nor the generosity of his ancestors The great value of Horatius who gaue the people of Rome their libertie when as hee alone standing on the bridge did resist the Tuscanes The glorious Trophees and many victories which Camillus the great obtained against the Falisci are recommended vnto vs especialâ—y those which in his exile he had against the Gaules who had forcibly taken and burned the citie of Rome Likewise in this his expedition hee gloriously vanquished the Volsci the Latines the Equi the Erinqui with other Nations Of Tyberius Gracchus who also subdued the Gaules Of Paulus Emilius who conquered the Gaules that dwelt on both sides the Alpes Of Paulus Emilius his sonne who hauing brought Liguria into subiection ouerthrewe and tooke Perseus king of Macedonia Of Marcus Claudius Marcellus who surmounted and slue Viridimarus king of the Gaules Of al these there is nothing spoken of their Nobilitie or of their bloud or of their descent The wonderful deeds which both the Scipiones did as well in Spaine as in Affrique and Asia for the which the one was called Scipio Africanus the other Asiaticus doe cleerely manifest their renowne while the worlde doth stand in euerie place and not their familie The value of L. Martius who succeeded those two against Gisgon and Magon gathered the Romaine army togither which was all broken and valiantly ouercame the enemies Likewise the vertues of Scipio Nasica were such that besides the victorious triumphs he obtained ouer his aduersaries he was rightly iudged by the Senate to be the worthiest of the Romaines and that not in regard that hee was descended of the most noble stocke of Rome And if I would so farre forth inlarge my discourse as well I might concerning this matter by true and no fabulous examples surely neither time nor my tongue woulde serue me to expresse them Thou maiest see then Possidonio that so manie auncient trumpets as doe resound in the world do not set forth neither the worthinesse of bloud nor the antiquitie of linage nor the rich pallaces of so many worthy knightes but their notable vertue their wonderful prowesse and their singular greatnesse of courage The bloud of that diuine Plato or of learned Aristotle or of wise Pythagoras of Socrates of Diogenes of Xenophon of Demosthenes of Thales Milesius of Chilon the Lacedemonian of Pittacus of Bias of Cleobulus of Periander whose wisedome did beautifie Greece nor of other Philosophers by whose learning the secrets of Nature haue been opened vnto vs was not so glorious and renowmed as their vertue of great fame What doe wee heare of the birth of Homer the Grecian or of Virgil of Mantna What of that eloquent Cicero What of the offspring of famous Titus Liuius of Padua of M. Varro Or of Crispus Salustius What of the stocke of Plinie of Verrona and of all they who by their learning are at this day renowmed in the world Truely nothing at all But of their diuine skill their arte and vertue all men haue written and spoken Therehence proceedeth that excellencie by the which one man is to bee preferred before another From thence springeth that dignitie which causeth one man to bee distinguished and knowne from another Therehence proceedeth that true knowledge which maketh a Noble man from thence groweth that separation and diuision betweene man and man causing the one to bee esteemed Noble gentle and accomplished and the other ignoble abiect and vile To conclude from thence true nobilitie hath his beginning You may see nowe Possidonio of what small accompt bloud is in matter of Nobilitie It is then necessarie for him whosoeuer hee be that desireth to become Noble to beautifie his minde with good and vertuous actions I say his minde which is as readie and apt to take the impression of Nobilitie as a faire looking glasse which doth as well receiue the beautifull forme of faire Ladies as the ill countenance of ill fauoured women so the minde of man is prepared to receiue either Nobilitie or basenesse For as it adorneth it selfe either with good or bad conditions so doth it present them vnto them Consider a man whose minde is iust couragious temperate prudent pitifull charitable and louing graced with all vertues and another whose minde is vniust vnconstant lauish foolish cruel wicked hatefull and disgraced with all vice wilt not thou iudge the first more noble and perfit albeit he be not descended of some noble parents then the latter And what if some times the first were but meanlie apparelled and the latter did weare costly garmentes wilt thou say that hee were more noble of more accompt and worthy of more estimation no surely as I thinke for I perswade my selfe thou hast now changed thy opinion And that thou wilt not fall into that errour which many doe who beleeue that he ought to be more esteemed more honoured then others who is well apparelled For if thou diddest put costly rayment vpon a porter or some such fellowes backe perhaps he would seeme a farre more proper man then a great manie such gentlemen and yet I hope you will not say hee is a noble man For example heereof take Diogenes the prince of the Senicall sect who went alwaies barefoot with an old patched cloke on his shoulders in this maner was he found in Crania by Alexander the great when he went to visite him as we said of late Such a kinde of habite did not giue commendation either to his wisedome or his nobilitie Epaminondas that famous Prince and leader of the Thebane armies did alwaies weare an old worne gown which because he did neuer vse anie other hee caused it oftentimes to be mended whilest in the meane time he kept his house You may now know hereafter that true and perfit Nobilitie is deriued from no other fountaine then the vertues of the minde and not from the worthinesse of bloud Here Fabricio paused a while and afterwardes followed on his discourse in this maner Consider Possidonio that poore apparell doth not defraud a man of his demerites And like as wee haue concluded that true Nobilitie descendeth from the vertues of the minde and not from the dignitie of bloud So then wee will yet conclude that it doth not worke his effect no not in riches Forasmuch as if
then in arguing to alleadge such reasons as shall bee in fauour of the victorie on Possidonio his behalfe and contrarie to my opinion forsomuch as with little labour I shall refute them So much the more willinglie quoth maister Peter Anthonie both my selfe and others will heereafter speake that which shall seeme best vnto vs especially before the troth be by this your disputation discouered There was then in times past in the famous Citie of Rome this lawe amongst others helde in great reuerence least that the memorable renowme of a valiant knight should with his life take ende that the Images of those who had ouercome the enemies hoast and conquered Kingdomes not before brought into subiection shoulde bee ingrauen and set in the most publike place of the Citie vnder which a remembrance of their actes was written which yet at this day we see in many places And that was done to the end as I may say to preuent nature in y t it could not giue which was to make them immortall by perpetuall commendation as also to the ende that their successours pricked forward with the desire of like glory and renowme like as valorous horses at the sound of the trumpet might not fear the labours of the bodie much lesse the dangers of life to auoid and to repell from their countrey all aduerse accidents hurtfull to the same and to purchase for it all triumphant and prosperous dignity that might bee for the auaile thereof In troth the Images and triumphes inflamed mens boldnesse and gaue them great courage and these eternall remembrances did mooue the hearts of men who are naturally desirous of honour and glorie For it was a thing ordayned among the Romaines at a certaine prefixed time in festiuall manner to visite these bodies and behold these Images What more greater glorie greater triumph may be desired in this world of any liuing man Surely the hart cannot wish nor the toung demand any greater Appliable to this purpose I say that if these men in remembrance of their singular vertue and great courage did attribute such great honour to images vvhether they were marble or mettall how much more did these owe to the liuing children I beleeue no lesse but rather more in asmuch as a fained forme of man is lesse to be esteemed then that which representeth him truely Which may bee apparantlie discerned by any whosoeuer though but of small iudgement For what occasion did the common wealth of Rome set in gouernment the Camilli Fabii Scipiones Emilij Catones and others but for the glory and renowme of their predecessors See we not the same obserued this day among moderne princes It followeth then reasonably that this grace and nobility which is in the predecessors doth deseruedly remaine with the children Scarce had maister Peter Anthony ended his discourse when Possidonio pursued his speach after this maner It should be surely a foolish thing to beleeue that it remained with these immoueable and fained images and not with their children For what profit are they able to bring vnto the commonwealth surely none besides the example which by them is left to posteritie but the offspring of noble men may yeeld lend great helpe vnto it dayly as wee see continually For as much as if wee looke into the estates and common-wealthes of the worlde which are gouerned diuersly shalt thou find Fabricio that the rule and managing of them is graunted to anie other sauing to those that are reckoned to be noble And if you demaund of whence this proceedeth I would answere thee in my opinion it ariseth of no other cause then that the predecessors of him that is noble hauing submitted not onely his goodes but life also to a thousand dangers and hazardes for his countrey it should be great vngratitude nay rather might we iudge it crueltie if that so soone as they receiued their last mortall wound they shoulde slip out of remembrance or that it should denie them the reward worthie their labours Whereupon that they may not incurre so great note of inhumanitie the gouernment of commonwealthes ought to be giuen them as good meanes to preserue them And as they which doe represent the dead members of their predecessors Maister Dominico added hereunto we doe not onlie see this vsed in our time as in the rich and well ordered citie of Venice and elswhere we may perceiue that the gouernment and administration of the estate is giuen vnto gentlemen but as I haue often read the like was done in time past In the citie of Rome at that time more renowmed then any other the Senators were held in great estimation of Nobilitie And if they were accompted in the order of Senators and consequently of true noble men which were descended of Senators We wil then say according to the former reasons that the Children and issue of noblemen are true and perfect noble men These last wordes were scarce ended when as the ladie Camilla whose naturall whitenesse tempered with a vermillion colour hiding her selfe as if shee had somewhat been ashamed her face burning like fire turning toward maister Dominico in whom she put great trust with a womans voice sayde thus It seemeth vnto me that this day you are all opposed to Fabricio seeing that you cease not together with maister Peter Anthonie to alleadge new reasons for Possidonio but beside that hee himselfe in answering them can refute them al I will not forbeare to pay you in such sort as you know Madame quoth hee hereafter I will take heed seeing that you are not pleased that wee shoulde entermeddle in this discourse to the end that this day I doe not against my will incurre a penaltie which I am not able to beare These last words gaue occasion to the companie of laughter whereupon Fabricio without any farther stay sayd Madame let euerie one of them alleadge the most pregnant and strong reasons they can for I shall not want courage sufficient to confute them all doe not you know that the glorie of the conquerour is so much y e greater as the force of the vanquisher doth exceed which was the cause that Possidonio laughing more at Fabricio his speech as making smal accompt thereof then at the young Ladie followed on after this sort We doe not onelie finde this to be true in the gouernment of Cities and Prouinces but likewise in Bishoprickes Cardinalshippes and such other Thou shalt not see Fabricio and if it happen it is verie seldome that these offices and dignities are bestowed vpon anie other then gentlemen By which thou mayest well consider what helpe and profite those do bring vnto vs which are borne of Noblemen more then the fained images of the Romaines held by them in great obseruance for an euerlasting remembrance Consider beside those reasons alreadie recited that with Princes Kinges Emperours Popes and in anie place of estate the noble man by bloud goeth formost and hee which is noblie borne is onelie honoured and to
from whence the Nobilitie of bloud did first spring this is the pathe this is the meanes by the which they did so easily mount vp to the soueraign degree of Nobilitie From hence it grew from hence noble men had their creation And if we would enter into consideration of the behauiour the customes the maner of life of Noblemen of this age surely wee shoulde finde them wrapped in vanities in robberies in cruelties in treasons in wantonnesse in gaming and manie other mischiefes so hard a thing it is for them to shake off this their first nature And so strong was the opinion of men to place nobility in crueltie in robbery in wrong that not onely they did repute those noble who were most fierce and most faithlesse but euen amongst vnreasonable creatures they did holde and doe yet at this day accompt those most noble which are most cruell most rauenous most to bee dreaded most fierce most horrible and most hurtfull to mankinde As amongst birds the Eagle the Grifon the Faulkon amongst beastes of the earth the Lion the Dragon the Tiger the Leopard the Beare the Wolfe the wilde Boare the Serpent amongst the fish of the Sea the Whale the Dolphin and such like Ancient men of that age did beleeue the very same of trees for the most vnfruitfull and those that did bring least commoditie vnto man they did not onely esteeme them moste Noble but they did euen consecrate them vnto the Gods As the leaued Oake to Iupiter the greene Lawrell to Apollo the high Cipresse to Pluto the blooming Mirhe to Venus the imbracing Iuie vnto Bacchus and others vnto other gods We see the ensignes which by antiquitie haue been attributed vnto the gods that they doe euen shewe their crueltie their force and violence forasmuch as they giue thunder to Iupiter to Mars a Launce a Triple forke to Neptune a sharpe axe vnto Bacchus to Hercules a clubbe to Saturne a Sieth which vse hath extended it selfe vnto noble men because they haue chosen in their shields the most cruell and fierce beasts which can be imagined for this man beareth in his armes the rauenous Eagle that other the fierce Lyon some one the strong Bull another the Lion and the Eagle togither some the fearefull Beare others the Hinde some Castles others mountaines this man a Tower that man a Hill some Chaines some Fire all being hurtfull instruments vnto man and this onely to shewe their proud mindes and hawtie thoughtes By this then we may see euen at this day not onely how peruerse and wicked the beginning of nobility is but euen the life and minde of noble men Master Peter Anthony taking the speech vpon him said Yea but I haue seene in many places the armes of noble men which did neither denote fiercenes nor cruelty but were only beautified with roses violets flowers stars croissants and some of them were only distinguished by diuers colours True it is quoth Master Dominico but those armes ought not to be adiudged neither so ancient nor so noble neither do they set foorth such warlike and worthy actions as those I spake of You may now see Madam Camilla whether I had anie thing to say or no against the nobility of blood albeit the other day you did iudge mee to take part with Possidonio and did threaten me because I did in fauour of nobility of blood alleadge some reasons against Fabricio Certainely quoth shee you are this day worthy of your hire and in rewarde of that which you haue spoken the penalty you did incurre the other day shall bee forgiuen you I shall then quoth Master Dominico liue assured out of all suspition seeing that you doe absolue mee Without passing any further Nennio entring againe into his discourse proceeded in this manner Albeit that rule and tyranny ouer other Master Dominico gaue cause in those first ages as it doeth yet at this day that the Lord and the tyrant bee reuerenced of the people and by that meanes become noble yet wee ought not to beleeue that nobilitie is onelie growne by that meanes for I doe finde that manie and diuers haue beene the causes of the beginning thereof Men being greatly multiplied vpon the earth and nations deuided after that renuing of the worlde their life was licentious and lawlesse and the greater part of them did encrease inclining to euill whereof murthers violence and robberies did growe on euery side and there was no bridle for the wickednesse of man Whereupon all men were molested and troubled whether they were good or bad For the establishment then of some means to restraine these loose people to the ende that good men might liue assured and the wicked be punished according to their deserts men did ioine togither and did choose for their Prince amongst those that were good the most wise the most prudent the most iust and of most vnderstanding to whom they did submit themselues and gaue full power to punish outragious excesse and wicked deedes which might heere after happen and condignlie to recompence good men From thence man was first called noble that is to saie notable in vertue aboue others And the most part of the men of that age growing rude of wit grosse of vnderstanding without iudgement and without any ornament of life they who in vnderstanding in iudgement and in politique vertue did surpasse others were seperated from the ignoraunt people and so consequently made noble whose issue that they might not degenerate but conserue themselues in the reputation and nobilitie of their ancestours did striue to followe their steps and vertue VVhereupon they were inrolled in the register of noblemen and from thence by succession it commeth that nobilitie did descend to their posteritie It happened often that townes were oppressed by tirants assieged by potentates and the people extreamely oppressed Wherefore a law was made that whosoeuer could deliuer the common wealth from so many oppressions he his successors should be numbred amongst noblemen and by this meanes many shewing the generositie and value of their courage became noble in this manner You see three mighty causes from the which nobility did spring by the which it doth clearely appeare that it descendeth from the vertues of the minde riches likewise hath beene the cause to make men noble Moreouer many in becomming tyrantes and violently bringing others into subiection haue made that the originall of their nobility as by you M. Dominico hath beene said These are the principall beginnings of nobility from hence noblemen did first spring so that the vertues of the minde tyrannie and riches were the first meanes and way to attaine to nobilitie The companie was so intentiue to heare and their memory vnderstanding so setled vpon Nennio that they had almost lost the remembraunce of themselues when as suddainly the heard they trampling of horses galloping of coursers knocking opening of gates wherefore our sences being awaked our backs turned and we looking towardes the garden gates infinitly
not a vvhole day would be sufficient to reckon them vp Wherfore passe on further and toile not thy selfe about that thou needest take no care for for if thou wilt I wil yeeld vnto thee not only that thou art rich aboue any other but that al the riches of the world be in thy possession I am very certaine Fabricio quoth Possidonio that the troth doth force thee to grant it me Wherfore this my proposition gent. is true that I doe not onely farre surpasse him in bloud but in riches likewise And now vvilt thou yet haue the heart to vndertake to shevve vs y t thy Nobilitie is greater For I possessing al the ornamentes that are to be desired of mortal men I cannot be perswaded that thou hast any courage left to speake any more therof Wherfore it would wel become thee to hold thy peace and to yeeld that thy reasons which are of no force may giue place to mine It were then best for thee not to charge so heauy a burthen vpon so vveake shoulders for hauing to day without varying from the troth alleadged so many vvorthy excellent deeds of my ancestors made account of such great abundance of riches wherhence the perfection of Nobility doth spring I would but know vvhat thou hast to say It may be thou wilt inform vs of the braue combats and valiant battels of thy ancestors Or shew vs vvhat faire palaces plesāt gardens thou hast Wherfore if as thou deemst thou hast any sound iudgment in thee indure not any more that this matter bee further discouered but hence forward pronounce that sentence against thy selfe which we attend from the iudge which being said he paused a little and then followed on his discourse in this sort I would here end my discourse faire Ladies were it not that I haue yet to say that riches are an ornament and part of nobilitie which if it were not a trouble vnto you I would most willingly proue It cannot be troublesome vnto vs quoth one of the Gent. casting vp his eies into the skie seeing that the sunne is as yet aboue the tops of the trees This aunswere pleased likewise the rest of the company to the end Possidonio might follow on his discourse wherefore taking the speech vpon him he continued in this manner Ought not we gentlemen to esteeme of the grace and ornament which riches do bring to Nobility Vnto the which it hapneth like as to a garden which besides all other dainties is bewtified with diuers flowers which nature doth bring foorth which ornament the night by the darkenesse thereof dooth hinder nay it perswadeth sometimes that it is rather an obscure valley then a garden and yet doth it stil remaine the same it is then the cleerenesse of the day that maketh it shew faire and ioyfull Euen the very same may be said of riches For if a man who is issued of noble bloud high discent wanteth them it wholy darkneth the sunshine of his nobilitie whence it proceedeth that hee is no more accounted noble but one of the vulgar sort We will then affirme that riches necessarilie are the cause of all ornament of nobilitie And this needeth not to seeme straunge vnto you for experience from whence wee take all this assurance may make vs full certaine thereof For if wee consider all those that are borne of any worthy family and as I am greeued to thinke thereon surely wee shall finde manie of them who are constrained to maintaine life and soule togither as they say to plough the ground or otherwise forced thorough contemptible pouertie to serue other men or els to auoid miserie against their willes to take some other vnfit calling vpon them And any man may of himselfe iudge the generall occasion of so insupportable a mischiefe which proceedeth from no other cause then for want of riches But this euill should seeme but a small moment if it were not cause of a farre greater Seeing that from thence doth spring blemish in bloud diminishing of renowne increase of infamie a generall dishonor of a mans house and finally not only losse of Nobilitie but therewithall of life it selfe Who wil afterwards presume anie more to call such a one by the title of a gentleman Such a one I say who for want of wealth and riches hath derogated from Nobilitie in vsing some base trade and vocation But what shall I say more he becommeth thereby in the end the fable of the world and as a miseserable wretch is pointed at by the common sort and made a laughing stocke Doth it seeme vnto thee Fabricio that these thinges are worthy to be accompted of surely no but they are rather to be preferred before a mans owne life And this I onely speake in that which concerneth the commoditie of priuate persons but what shall I say of generall or publicke estates wherof we see at this day so many goe to ruine for there are verie few commonwealthes or communalties as we do terme them which do not for want of that which is necessarie sincke to the ground on euery side Howe manie Palaces howe many Churches howe manie Cities doe there dayly fall to the ground as ruinous which because the estate of men cannot sustaine them cannot be vpheld What shall I say of this king or of that Prince who being not of abilitie to resist the force of the enemie that assayleth them for want of supply of money do leese their kingdomes their powers and their crowne you should not heare of so manie ouerthrowes you should not see so many slaughters neyther shoulde you round about you feele so manie cruell actes if they did abound in wealth you may then henceforth iudge whether riches be an ornament and part of Nobilitie or not And like as when they faile they are cause of great inconueniences yea of more then I haue this day acquainted you withal So likewise where they abound they doe bring with them honour and glory For therof first of all doth arise a glorie farre exceeding al other as that which proceedeth of liberalitie which likewise giueth as great renowne and honour to a gentleman as can possiblie be spoken of And who is so ignorant that knoweth not y t without wealth such a glorie of liberalitie cannot shew forth it selfe as doth issue there-from Surely all men may wel perceiue it Doe not the ancient stocke and families conserue themselues in their nobilitie by meanes of riches doth not the nobilitie of y t man extend it selfe the more who doth liberally giue helpe to his friends or to any other that hath need of succour doth not their nobilitie increase with their lordlike garments their great rich banquets their great number of seruauntes their faire horses their pleasant gardens and such other thinges Thou canst not deny this Fabricio Now tell me what man is he that can easily effect these thinges if he want wealth Surely it is a thing not to be beleeued Riches do
driue all sadnes and sorrow from the mind they expell all melancholie thoughtes from the imagination they keepe the bodie from wearisome labour they increase sweete friendship they cause in man waighters of honor and renowne and finally they are the occasion of all high fame and glorie Who is he then so void of reason who hearing these things so conformable vnto trueth doth not iudge riches not onely to be an ornament of Nobilitie but an inseparable part therof Which thing you may the better consider by that which experience teacheth seeing that no man can mount vp to anie degree of vertue or nobilitie but riches must open the gap and make the way Who will denie but that it had been impossible for so manie noble men and knights as we daily see to haue made any entry to vertu nobility but by their riches much lesse to haue euer come either to y e end or midst thereof O how many fine wits men of great vnderstanding haue there been are yet in the world who employing their whole study in matters belōging to their house which they would not haue done but haue takē another course if they had wherwithal to maintain thē selues who haue ended their liues miserably whereas nature had made them apt fit to learn some worthy vertue If then riches are the beginning the middle of euerie laudable action as I haue plainly made demonstration it followeth necessarily that this nobility which is conioyned with wealth is y e soueraigne good consequently that he who is indued with this nobilitie is chiefly noble now Fabricio as I haue shewed heeretofore being depriued heereof his Nobilitie whatsoeuer it is is lame and faultie and consequently is not true nor absolute But I will not nowe further enlarge my speech on his subiect least in the end I should seeme troublesome vnto you in asmuch as it is a matter more then manifest that riches doe stead a man more in nobilitie then I am able to speake of Wherefore in few wordes to end my discourse and bring it to the last conclusion it may clearely appeare vnto you that true and perfit nobilitie doth consist in bloud and riches which seeing it is so as I haue with no lesse strong then true reasons prooued a great while it followeth that I am true and prefectly noble as one in whom all those partes are sufficiently assembled and consequently the ring giuen doth belong vnto me as to the most noble Possidonio hauing spoken in this maner turned himselfe towardes Nennio proceeding farther in this wise Thou canst not Nennio be of any other opinion for thou knowest well what is fit to be done and hast alwaies been pleased to followe the steps of a iust Iudge albeit there needed not a man of that wisedome to decide this question if any doubt ought to be made therof being of it selfe most apparant and out of all doubt for it had been an easie matter for a man of a slender capacitie to decide this controuersie especially hauing vnderstoode so manie reasons as haue been alleadged by me Amongst the which that I may now come to finall conclusion I remember yet this one I consider her estate from whom this variance did arise to be noble as is not vnknowne vnto you I weigh likewise that her gift is pretious rich and worthy a noble man Finally I regard the wordes shee vttered in giuing it her will being that in remembrance of her the most noble of vs two should possesse it What occasion should mooue her to giue it vnto the most Noble Surely no other but that shee was honourable and the present likewise fit for a person honourable I being then descended of a most noble stocke and hauing all the partes which are required in a perfect noble man and the same qualities being in her it remaimaineth that the rich iewell be giuen vnto me and not to him who is not worthy of such a present What contentment should she receiue being a ladie of great honour if one that were inferiour to her in calling should remember her Truely none at all because her will agreeable vnto reason was that she shuld be had in remembrance of a man of worth and of honor Let Fabricio then leaue the pursuite thereof and not suffer any more wordes to be made of the matter nor stay if he regard his credite vntill sentence be giuen for I doe certainly assure you that if the gratious and gentle ladie Virginia had giuen the ring vnto the most vnworthy as shee gaue it to the most noble of vs both which was neuer her intent I would without any contradiction haue yeelded it vnto him and without anie maner of question with mine owne hands would haue hanged the same about his necke Let him not then be obstinate or opiniatiue to debate the matter when there is no cause especiallie when nothing els then detriment and shame can redound thereof I will nowe Nennio make an end of my speech and leaue the matter wholly in your handes being certaine that you will determine thereof in such sort as shal be conformable vnto Iustice and that you will in no wise oppose your selfe against the will of the noble ladie Here Possidonio ended his discourse which he continued all the while the sunne did shew vpon the earth vntill the euening Wherefore wee being risen from our places with a generall consent we referred Fabricio his discourse vntill the next day both because time woulde not haue sufficed and it would likewise haue been ouer troublesome vnto vs by reason of Possidonio his long speech Thus we cōming forth of y e garden some of the yong gentlemen and ladies did highly commend that which Possidonio had related vnto vs. But whether he had spoken wel or no we being entred into the house our horses according to our dayly custome were presently made readie And we being mounted on them two of our seruantes amongst y e rest went along with vs of the which one of them led two grayhoundes and two braches in his hand and the other carried a faulcon as we were vpon the way we had not rid past a mile before we had viewe of a young phesant which did flie somewhat aloft At the which letting the faulkon flie extending her winges in the ayre she wrought so high a pitch y t you would haue thought she had touched y e skie and as she made her point to stoupe her head towardes the earth and her traine towardes the skie the phesant tooke a thicke hedge for couert which was the cause that the faulcon leesing the sight thereof seemed as it were ashamed thereat Immediatly one of the young men let flie another faulcon which hee carried on his fist hauing first sprung the phesant from her couert which as one afraid had not made any great flight but the faulcon presently seized on it In the meane time whilest we continued this hawking the two grayhoundes which followed vs
and sinceritie of spirit You did afterwards Maister Dominico following on your matter tel vs the manifest folly of Herode Ascalonita wherunto I neede not answere any thing else but that some madnes entred into his minde in such sorte to execute his foolish fantasie What shal I say vnto you concerning the temeritie of Equitius and the presumption of others alledaged by you who being descended of base bloud did seeke to ennoble themselues in the worthy families of other men Surely if you consider their end you shall finde that they receiued condigne punishment for their foolish conceit some of them being banished others dying in prison others hanged as a recompence of their vnaduised enterprise Wherfore we ought not to sette their follies before vs as examples to followe Besides they sought not how to ennoble themselues as you affirme but to succeed in the kingdome patrimonie of those whose successours coulourably they pretended themselues to be But why did you not bring him for an example who was more familiar with god then any other mortal man who did not vaunt himselfe that he was descended of the bloud royal but did deny that he was born of Pharao his daughter desiring rather to be persecuted as one of the people of God then to take vpon him the glory of the royall bloud and to possesse the riches of Egypt And Gordius the father of Midas who is reported to be the richest king that euer was who from the estate of a husbandman became king of Phrigia between the limites of the lesser and the greater Asia built a Citie called Gordium where he consecrated a temple to Iupiter in the which not being ashamed of his obscure birth neither forgetting his base calling he offered the plough sharde which manie times hee had tilled the ground withall and the harneis hee was woont to couple his oxen togither to the yoke to the end that in all ages it might be manifest to all men what vocation he had been of Such examples ought in deed to be recommended vnto vs not those recited by you How weake then worthy Gent. the reasons are that Possidonio yesterday with many wordes set forth you may alreadie partly iudge as I will better approoue vnto you by the sequele of my discourse Forasmuch as speaking of Nobilitie he was forced to descend vnto vertue whence true and perfit Nobilitie is deriued whereof he discoursed I know not what but hee made such large flightes a farre off as the first Faulcon did yesternight about the phesant the reason was because he perceiued that the cleere light therof did ouermuch bleare his eies Wherefore like as the warrier who finding himselfe ouermatched with weapons which he cannot weild leaueth them to take others which he may manage with greater facilitie Euen so fell it out yesterday with Possidonio For hauing armed himselfe with vertue and knowing not how to vse it he had his sodaine recourse vnto riches hee skirmished so liuely with them that he hath not onely thereby made himselfe more noble then I am but then any other man likewise But now I being come to prooue what force those weapons haue I doubt not but I shall make it manifest that they are farre more weake and of lesse defence then the other He grounded himselfe vpon two propositions the one was that a learned and vertuous man hath no nobilitie in him as if that learning serued to no purpose to make a man noble if he want such riches as are required to be in a gent. because they are no lesse necessarie in nobilitie then bloud is The other was that declaring what goodes were hee forced himselfe to prooue that they were riches Nowe before I enter into the first proposition I will make manifest vnto you what trueth is in the last to the end you afterwardes may with more ease know the veritie of the other Thou wouldest then Possidonio haue riches to be goods thou deceiuest thy selfe greatly for if they were goodes they would cause the man that possesseth them to become better and more perfit then he is for such is the propertie of that which is good but riches doe not effect this For if these certaine goodes did make a man more perfect wee must of necessitie conclude that man should be lesse perfect then the thing by which he is made more perfit which if thou grauntest for true it shoulde followe that gold siluer pretious stones trees and other liuing creatures depriued of reason for these thinges and such like are riches should be more perfect and more Noble then man which should be too great a follie to think much more to vtter We will then conclude that riches are no goodes Moreouer it is a matter verie euident that of a good thing can nothing followe but that which is good but of these thy riches what good may euer insue Nay rather all venemous branches doe spring from that root They are not then good but the cause of all euill Which may euidently be seene by the vnbrideled desire Marcus Crassus did beare vnto riches which was the cause that he robbed the temple of Ierusalem and not only of his owne death but of Marcus his son and y e ruine of the Romaine armei For he being chosen Consul by the Romaines against the Parthians and conducting the army he came into the Prouince of Iudea and being at Ierusalem hee tooke from the holie temple of Salomon 8000. talentes of gold and tooke away a golden beame which amounted to the waight of 300. pound to the which the pretious vailes of the temple shining with a wonderfull beautie and incredible arte were hanged and to be short he tooke al the ornamentes which were of any value Hee passing with this pray into Parthia beeing more bent to pillage to heape vp gold then to ouercome the enemies in the end was driuen to that necessitie that with small adoe he was the cause of his sons death and the discomfiture of the armie the Romaines being then sore beaten and villanously murthered by that people his owne head his right hand was cut off presented to Herod king of the Parthians who in asmuch as in his life time he had so much bin affected to the loue of gold to the end that after his death hee might glut himselfe therwith Herod caused gold to be melted poured into his mouth Likewise the riches of Ptolomy king of Cypres were cause of his death For hee vnderstanding that the Romaines were determined to bring his kingdom into the forme of a Prouince take possession of his great treasor he thought to drown thē in the sea rather then they shuld come into the hands of his enemies but his mind being buried in his treasor y e miserable wretch could not indure to see them lost in y t sort but rather made choise after that Cato Portius was to that end sent into Cypres by the Senate to take away his own
life by poyson then to drown his wealth in the sea So that it cannot be denied but that riches are the cause of all euill For besides the mischiefe I haue alreadie recited that commeth by the greedie desire of them we see which my tongue hath horror to tell that the father is the murtherer of his sonne the brother of the brother and one friend of another I wil not to this purpose alleadge thee any examples either out of auncient or moderne histories being a thing that thou mayst now a dayes heare out of the mouth of euery man and a matter so manifest that euery where we haue tidinges thereof Men doe on all sides set vpon eche other and are in warre continually for this pelfe We see in euerie place abhominable treasons and conspiracies to attaine vnto riches This is not all that may be said thereof but much more for the rich man is alwaies in feare that being pursued by some enuious person he be not at sometime or other murthered If he eate he feareth poison if he walke abroad terror attendeth on him he quaketh at the name of warre he standeth in dread of water of aire of fire and to conclude he is neuer without feare And this happeneth because he knoweth that riches vanish away as lightly as the smoke before the winde what shall I say more The rich man is alwaies a thirst with an vnquenchable drought as hee that is tormented with a quotidian ague For if he be wealthy he coueteth still to possesse more so y t the whole world cannot suffice to glut his greedie desire Who is then so vnaduised to terme such a one rich who miserable man is no otherwise tormented then Tantalus who sitting in the middest of fresh and cleere running streames seeth most pleasant and delightfull fruite rounde about him and his heart burning to eate and drinke of them and yet hee cannot God forbid that such a one should be called rich but rather poore and needie aboue all other men Surely if riches were so necessarie the wise Athenians woulde neuer haue decreed and ordained for a law that whosoeuer became rich within their Citie shoulde for ten yeares space be banished Athens esteeming it to be farre more profitable to voide the Citie of such persons then to let them remaine there The Athenians knew well what infections riches doe bring with them which was the cause that as some plague they banished them out of Athens Now thou seest Possidonio what good these thy goodes doe bring Fabricio proceeded in like maner to the handling of his other argumentes when as M. Peter Anthony as it were taking the word out of his mouth saide thus vnto him Truely Fabricio that which thou hast spoken of riches hath brought me into a great doubt For hearing what thou hast discoursed therof on the one side it seemeth vnto me to be true and yet on the other side I am perswaded it is not wholly so Forasmuch as euerie day and in all places the most part of mortall men do some after one maner some after another giue themselues to the getting of gold and siluer yea not onelie the base and vulgar sort but likewise men of great credite and reputation old and yong men and those that are most wise in worldly matters Others carelesse of their owne life doe indeuour to enrich themselues vpon the sencelesse waters of the sea and doe daily scoure the coasts of the East countries the shores of the west parts and from North to South and South to North and leaue no place vntouched where they may inrich themselues Others to that purpose doe follow bloudy battels and some men doe manfully labour both night and day to get wealth These men in woodes mountaines those in vallies and plaines Others seek to come by riches by dangerous robberies Others by diuelish vsurie Wherefore if as thou sayst riches were cause of so great euill surely no man that loueth his welfare would against his will purchase his owne bane with so many cares and intollerable disquiet So that I seeing so strong reasons on both sides it is hard for mee nay a thing impossible to bolte out the trueth It is an easie matter to resolue this thy doubt aunswered Fabricio For auncient authours haue left vs in writing that riches whosoeuer first had the sight thereof is a thing most deformed wearing on the naturall visage thereof a masque of most fine gold denoting thereby that it is faire in apparence but foule within wherefore they who trauell so many Countries and take such paines to seeke it are enamoured with the outward shewe which blindeth the eyes of the vnderstanding so that they can hardly discerne how hurtfull the inward deformitie thereof is Which maketh man who is forgetfull of himselfe to addict his minde thereto Which Paulus Emilius perceiuing when he ouercame Perseus king of Macedonia and gloriously triumphed ouer him hee did not onely forbeare to touche the infinite treasure of the king but likewise to see it although he might haue been possessor of a wonderfull bootie Pompey the great hauing taken by force the temple of Ierusalem whereof I lately made mention found there an inestimable treasure and did not onely abstaine from taking the spoile thereof as Marcus Crassus did afterwardes but also from touching it as hee which knew well what hurt riches did bring And hee who before-hand knoweth the secrets of man as hee who made them that by the apparent beauty of riches man would easily contemne true and eternall treasure hath often put vs in minde in his infallible doctrine that here on earth man shoulde not heape vp riches as a corruptible thing and subiect to a thousand hazardes M. Peter Anthonie knew not well what to reply to his answere which pleased him aboue measure shewing that he was thoroughly satisfied therewith Wherfore Fabricio following on his discourse proceeded in this maner Gentlemen besides that riches are goodes Possidonio would haue them conioyned to Nobilitie by such necessitie that if anie noble man whatsoeuer were depriued thereof hee should no more be accompted noble amongst men His meaning is then that so long as a noble man enioyeth wealth he shall be honourable and afterwards be of base accompt O foolish opinion and deceitful beliefe Doest not thou consider Possidonio that this thy Nobilitie is light as the winde and dependeth of Fortune euen as hee who being on the maine sea hath lost both sterne and saile togither at a clappe Forasmuchas if those small nūber of souldiers which are now left to guard the towne did spoile thy treasure surely thou shouldest in one instant leese both thy wealth and thy nobility And as often as this were true that riches did make a man noble it should necessarily follow that an vsurer or a theefe beeing borne a gentleman shoulde become more Noble then he was before by meanes of his substance which he should gaine vnlawfully which howe farre it disagreeth from
the trueth I need not further to manifest vnto you This is the great glorie which riches bringeth to Nobilitie of the which Possidonio thou wouldest that liberalitie should proceede wherein thou art as much deceiued as in that which hath alreadie been spoken of because true liberalitie springeth not from riches but from the loue of the minde Which Philip of Macedonia that I may not further inlarge my discourse to perswade you therein did manifestly prooue when hee seeing Alexander his sonne ouerlauishe to certaine Princes of his kingdome whose loue hee sought to winne vnto him by liberall giftes in aduising him like a father he wrote vnto him that hee ought not to hope for anie faithfulnesse in those friendes who are purchased by presentes which when we want to send then doe they faile vs likewise but that hee ought to gratifie them with loue and sinceritie of heart wherein true liberalitie consisteth This king was well acquainted of what efficacie liberalitie which proceedeth from riches was Thou seest then Possidonio that the Nobilitie which yesterday thou diddest affirme to bee true and perfite is nowe fraile vaine and none at all I say then that it is neither the stately pallaces nor pleasant gardens nor fertill fields nor well fashioned apparell nor aboundance of golde or siluer as thinges which haue no stabilitie in them which doe make a man Noble but vertue whiche shineth in the minde There doth the perfection of nobility remaine there the bright glorie of man doth giue light Nay let warres spring amongst mightie Potentates let floudes of waters fall from heauen let the riuers and the Sea both togither swell let the fire bee kindled in these riches which thou callest goods for all this this kind of Nobilitie will neuer shrink nor become lesse because it is incorruptible which the philosopher no lesse replenished with nobilitie then wisdome may easilie perswade thee I meane Bias who seeing Priene his country vtterly brought to ruine and many bearing away their substance from thence and hee being asked why he did not carrie part of his goods with him aunswered I alwaies carie all my riches with me and trulie he did charge his mind not his shoulders with them as others doe and his wealth was not discerned with the eies of the body but with the eies of his mind But nowe that I haue sufficiently answered the reasons which thou diddest alleadge in the behalfe of riches for by this which I haue said thou mayst imagine how they make for thee now I say it shall not be from the purpose if I return to the other proposition which I left vnspoken of to wit that in a learned and vertuous man there can bee no nobilitie if hee want riches which are required in a gentleman bicause that learning is of it selfe vaine to ennoble any man What Possidonio dost thou affirme that learning is a vain thing in nobilitie and that science and knowledge are vaine Dooest thou holde that that is vaine which doth infuse the true light into nobilitie O wonderfull vndiscreetnesse ful of meere follie O most erroneous opinion worthy of all blame But why doe I so much maruell if a blind man cannot discerne the right waie Well thou shalt before we depart from hence wel perceiue what force learning and knowledge are of in nobilitie And truely if they had not beene worthy great estimation Philip the Macedonian king whose force and power was knowne to all Greece woulde not so soone as he had a sonne borne haue written to Aristotle the onely learned and wise philosopher in that sort he did Knowe thou Aristotle that I haue a sonne born vnto me for the which I render immortal thanks vnto the Gods not so much for that he is borne as because his birth hath happened in the daies of thy life for asmuch as I hope that being instructed and trained vppe by thee hee will proue a worthy successour of vs and our kingdome Weigh with thy selfe how the mind of a good prince vvas full of ioy because his sonne was borne in his time whose knovvledge and learning did not onely with the sound thereof fill all the worlde but euen pierce the cloudes He being a good father did desire to adorn his son with learning and science as treasures of far more inestimable value then his nobilitie his kingdome and riches were the greatnesse and the Nobilitie of his Sonne when as Alexander the Great was scarcely borne vnto him And Alexander himselfe hauing vnderstood that Aristotle his maister had published his vvorks abroad especiallie those which did intreat of naturall causes he was much offended therewith and saide Wherin shall we excel other men if those Sciences wherof we make profession are common to euery man Surely I had rather passe other men in learning knowledge then in riches and in Lordly dominion O vvordes most worthy of so great a Prince who preferred knowledge before all things in the world This was hee vvho going from Corinth to visit the Philosopher Diogenes in his tubbe enuyed his glorie saying vnto him that if he had not beene Alexander he vvould haue desired to haue beene Diogenes and that not bicause of the worthinesse of his Nobilitie but in regard of his great learning and wisedome vvhich would neuer haue happened that Alexander shoulde haue desired being not that which he was but to haue beene Diogenes You may novv see what power learning is of Possidonio what force the Sciences haue for if Alexander the great the ruler of all the East part of the world did so much loue and affect them as I haue giuen you to vnderstand it is not to be beleeued that they are vaine in the ennobling of man And Paulus Emilius hauing ouercome Perseus king of Macedonia as I lately tolde you took only out of all his treasure two bookes to instruct his children withal thereby likewise you may perceiue how farre greater the estimation of learning then of riches is and whether they bring not greater glory to a noble man then it dooth Whereby thou mayest vnderstand that in arguing vainely yesterdaie thou diddest alleadge such things as were not worthie the recitall But I will not gentlemen particularly call to minde euery seueral argument which hee heaped togither For he might alledge many more which notwithstanding by the answeres I haue already made woulde bee soone ouerthrown as reasons nothing at al sauoring of troth Tel me Possidonio doost thou indeed iudge thy weapons to be of as great force as thou didst beleeue Alas how foolish is this thy opinion and thy self more sottish if thou yet remaine therein VVel I hope by this resistance that I haue made y t I haue hitherunto satisfied you in euery point Yea but qd the lady Laura with a feminine readines where haue you forgot that which he saide when as he granted if my memory serue me wel that thou wert likewise a man of honor but in regard that his nobilitie is more ancient than
the seruants perceiuing he so dainly called one of his fellowes who brought a brase of dogges with him which hee let slip at these wild beasts we being mooued with the crie of y e dogs and noyse of the hunters wee looked out at the windows which were next the garden where we might see this vvar already begun vvhich vvas pursued vvith an infinit pleasure of vs all For vve might see them runne vvith great svviftnesse the beasts flying and the dogs follovving but y e chiefest sport vvas the many turnings in the garden and the crooked alleies by vvhich the beasts did fetch many a skip turne to saue their liues from the deadly pinching of the dogs And after they had some 3. or 4 times rounded the garden the hart y e bridge being yet cleane dovvn the gate open vvith a light skip got into the thicket again the kids follovved the dogs after which one of the seruants perceiuing he drew vp the bridge least they shuld come out again But longing after the sport vve came down vvith each of vs a cudgel in our hand you may gesse vvhat these beasts did vvherof there vvas great store in the vvood vvhen they savv y e dogs follovv them They ran euerie way somtimes thorow y e thickest places somtimes right forth vvhilest vve vvere intentiue after this sport we might espy 3. seruants coÌ„ming out of y e vvood vvith the 2. kids the hart 2. yong hares vvhich had been slain in this vvar Wherefore imagining this pray to be sufficient after the ordinarie rate after y t commandement was giuen to take vp the dogges who were not yet out of breath we came forth of the woode and shortly after sate downe to supper according to our woonted order where wee supped verie pleasantly the winde blowing verie freshly vpon vs after supper wee fell in talke of this sodaine hunting which fell out vnlooked for Wherein wee continued vntill the starres were seene in the skie hauing beforehand taken order that Nennio should the next day followe with his discourse at the same time that Possidonio and Fabricio had done theirs and then we entred into the house where after we had walked a little seeing it a fit houre to go to bed the torches being lighted vve vvere brought euerie one vnto his lodging The third Booke AS often as waighing with my selfe I consider howe great the weakenes is which nature yeeldeth vnto maÌ„ I cannot surely imagin whence it shoulde proceed that al men what soeuer doe oftentimes feele a certaine motion of bloud which spreadeth it selfe about the heart when as they do only call to minde but the verie name of Nobilitie which they possesse and that much more when they are told thereof by some other Nay there are some who without measure coueting that title doe puffe vp their mindes esteeming that to be the greatest fauour of all other Other some there are without doubt of a more damnable opinion who are mounted vp to that height of pride by the onely remeÌ„brance likewise of that name hauing no thought to the difficultie of the effect thereof that they doe verilie perswade themselues such is the deâ—eiueable beliefe of mortall men that the whole worlde is at their commandement and surely they deeme themselues to be equal to no other then to God himselfe and by this conceite they being led away they despise all vertue Surely this doth draw me into great doubtes For as I say if I enter into consideration of mans weakenes and do waigh wherof he is made I see nothing therein but vile filthinesse And nature did not onely giue this vnto man at his first creation but likewise in the dissolution of this mortall life it made the same farre worse Seeing that the weake and fraile members of man as it is euident of it self so soone as the spirit is separated from the bodie how soone they are changed into wormes into earth loathsom smels O miserable life of man and of short continuance But in truth this ought to be smally regarded although it be a great argument of y e frailty of man if we did note not only in the beginning the end of the life of man but euen in the midst therof matters of greater woonder because we see that all thinges vnder the heauens doe make continuall warre ech one against themselues and all togither bid most cruell battaile against man alone The aire oftentimes is assailed with darcke cloudes with flashing lightning and threatning thunder and all these are ordained to vexe man The water against the fire The fire against the water and both togither do fight against man Moist thinges against drie thinges and drie thinges against moist and both most and drie warre against man The South striueth with the North and the other windes and all of them togither blowing with great impetuositie in the depth of the swelling seas with great force do often deceiue y e vain affections of man What shal I say more One man doth conspire against another If then the life of man be after so strange a maner wrapped in so many miseries and in so many dangers I cannot wel imagine what cause he hath to wax so proud with this title of Nobilitie which is giuen him And as for my selfe I know not els what I should say vnto you but that such men being on high lifted vp with a superfluous desire of glory do let theÌ„selues be carried away with their vaine appetites like vnto a bird which flying in the aire hath no assurance O foolish Nobilitie if so we ought to call it or rather deceitfull shadow For we are not able to comprehend what aid this Nobilitie no lesse desired then reuerenced of mortal men may bring vs for asmuch as it neither bringeth wisedome nor knowledge incomparable gifts which are sent vs from God neither doth it make vs more iust or more prudent which are qualities that consist in the soule It may be that it is an aide vnto the body No surely in my opinion for it doth not giue neither greater beautie nor greater strength nor greater grace thereunto by all which reasons we may easily gather into how great errour these maner of men doe so foolishly fall Yet will I not say but that sometimes Nobilitie is cause of great good as it is indeed when it is true Nobilitie but that which at this day beareth sway in y e most part of men is not onely cause of any good but contrarilie of great euill For if we would without imagination passe thorow all the Cities that are in the world we shuld find very few or it may be none at al where there are not factions diuisions between gent. and the common sort from whence afterwards do bud hatred quarrels so many murthers as we may heare of euery where Amongst many histories I might here recite to you how y e people of Rome by reason of y e discords which did