is no lesse esteemed and reuerenced then the other The Lady Cassandra seeing that Nennio did somewhat take breath to refresh himselfe after his long discourse raising vp her selfe as shee leaned vpon one of her sides and turning towardes him shee saide in this wise Nennio if I did wel vnderstand your speech you formerly concluded that men of skil learning are of the troupe of such as are noble by nobility of the mind and now it seemeth that you would haue them bee in place equal to knights which are by you put in the company of those who are noble by ciuile nobility and ciuile nobility differeth as much from the nobility of the minde as noblenes of blood doth by your own saying wherefore I do not see how this may well passe without controll Whereunto Nennio presently answered wee haue not yet spoken Madam of the dignity that learned men 〈◊〉 obtaine by their skill but onely shewed that learâ—â—â—â—â—d vertous men are perfectly noble Wherevpon to the end that they might euerie where be exalted and reuerenced the princes of the world haue worthily ordained that this dignity by the which they are called Doctors should be added to their perfect nobility that is to say that by the meanes of the sciences they haue learned they may beare the lawrell not that the same doth make them more noble or perfect and here hence it is that whosoeuer hath attained that dignity if likewise with his science and vertue he bee adorned with good conditions he shal not only be enobled with the nobility of the mind but likwise with ciuile nobility which is in the same degree that nobility of blood is as I said vnto you Howbeit doe not perswade your selues that euery man of skill and learning is made a perfect gentleman onlie by vertue of his science for if he be vicious and wicked fraught with bad conditions although he be one of the learnedst men in the world he shall bee helde so much the more base and ignoble Whereupon I conclude that these dignities of knights and Doctors doe march in this last troupe of ciuile nobilitie But whether of these two dignities is most excellent and noble quoth the Ladie Cassandra that which the Doctors doe purchase by their learning or knightes by armes Madam quoth Nennio you propounde a great question peraduenture no lesse doubtfull then that we now discourse of and if we haue been debating of that matter three daies as much time at the least woulde bee required if not more for the well opening of this matter Is it so doubtfull saide shee or doe you make vs beleeue so to spare your labour If that bee the cause I doe in curtesie enioyne you before wee departe from hence to resolue herein Whereunto Nennio replied Madam It is trulie euen as I tell you that not onlie that small time that is lefte vs of this euening but two or three daies woulde scarce suffice to determine thereof As for my selfe I would willingly burne all these torches to night if I might come to a resolution thereof For nothing shoulde seeme painefull vnto me that might bring you pleasure and contentment and though it should yet would I so indure it as it shoulde seeme but a pastime vnto me I giue you great thankes quoth shee of your ready minde to doe me pleasure as indeede to say the troth you haue alwaies shewed no lesse in effectes then your gracious words haue imported But yet let mee intreate if so it please the rest of the company as I doubt not but it wil that some other day be appointed to entreate thereof For such kind of discourses doe bring with them such delight that for mine owne part I could bee contented at all times to heare them Nennio said hereunto If you were as carefull to command me Madam as I am ready to obey you I doubt not but in time you woulde cease to commaund mee Wherefore when opportunity shall serue I will prouide to set my selfe in a readines to determine this other question which you haue propounded as well as my ability will giue me leaue It were good quoth the Lady Laura to heare see the ende of this question which you haue set a broach MadaÌ„ but it is not greatly material nor doth not much coÌ„cern this our discourse wherfore my opinion is that before you make a final end of the coÌ„trouersie you haue in haÌ„d that like as you 3 haue shewed only what nobility is amongst you men so you would take the paines Nennio to declare the nobility of women least wee should seeme to be smally accounted of or altogither forgotten by you Wherefore let it not displease you to let vs vnderstande your opinion therein for I am certaine it will adde both grace and ornament to your former speech It cannot do lesse answered Nennio then adde both grace and ornament thereto for whatsoeuer man doth should of it selfe haue but a bad grace if you vvomen did not with your pleasant company and entertainement make it more delightfull But you shall vnderstand Madam that we haue not forgotten you as you suppose for in this our discourse although we haue brought in no examples of women yet doth it hold for them and whatsoeuer hath beene spoken of vs may be said of you albeit not without some little difference as in few words you shall heare We haue in your nobility most honourable Ladies to consider the salfesame three qualities which vvee haue considered in the nobility of man to wit nobilitie of bloud of the minde and compounded nobility The Originall of the first descendeth of the same beginning from the which the nobility of man doeth proceede from the father and not from the mother as Master Dominico did very aptly declare vnto you the other day in answering the Ladie Cassandra who went about to prooue that in the nobility of man because it is deriued of blood the mothers nobility and not the fathers ought to be considered and therefore I neede not anie longer to stay thereupon beeing true and plaine of it selfe The second which is the nobility of the mind ought likewise in women to bee considered in the vertues of the minde For they ought to set foorth themselues with gentle conditions good behauiour gracious humility simple purenes worthy honesty commendable chastitie giftes fit and proper for Ladies which make them to be esteemed praised honoured pleasing ful of vertue and most noble What grater ignobility or basenes can be attributed vnto Ladies borne of noble bloud then contemned dishonestie vnchaste pudicity disloyall thoughts wandering imaginations leading to ill customes and finallie a life without any consideration Not any in my iudgement So likewise a Ladie cannot if shee woulde seeke the whole worlde finde any better meanes to become noble excellent then the giftes aboue mentioned And therefore we may wel conclude that a Lady not borne of any noble bloud but beautified with good conditions ought farre to be
so worthy an audience to the end the mindes of the assistantes might be more intentiue to discourse of some other question more doubtful then this we are to intreate of it rather becomming thy estate and condition euen at the beginning to keepe silence and yet it may be that this discourse liketh thee better that thereby thou maiest set forth the ancient and honourable stocke of thy predecessors and their great large riches and reuenues Howsoeuer it be that thou maiest not take me to be out of the matter I will returne to our disputation Worthy Gentlemen the doubt vvhich this day is hapned amongst vs is not vnknowne vnto you if so it be that vve ought to call it a doubt for surely a more easie controuersie did neuer rise amongst men VVee shall soone see if Fabricio be more noble then I am or vvhether I am more honourable then hee is He might vvith more reason make a question vvhether the day be more cleerer than the night or the sunne more hote then the Moone and perhaps there might be greater cause to doubt thereat the basenesse of his birth and the vvorthinesse of my bloud being more then sufficiently knovvne vnto you But seeing it is your pleasure that vve shall discourse thereof I will vvillingly yeeld being more constrained thereunto to satisfie your desire then forced by reason not distrusting anie vvhit of obtaining the victorie It lying then vpon me louing Gent. to prooue vnto you that I am a noble man yea farre more noble then Fabricio I will first shew you vvhat nobilitie is which if vve do rightly vnderstand as we ought I doubt not but that our controuersie vvill be finally determined without anie further debating of the matter I affirme that to be true nobilitie for Fabricio thou canst not varie from the opinion of all men vvhich of long time hath beene left by the predecessours vnto the successors as a hereditarie gift the name whereof is as wel imprinted in them as the forme of the body in asmuch as hee that is borne of a noble family so soone as he is broght forth into the world is esteemed amongst the number of noble men which is no lesse apparant then true for asmuch as if we consider any noble man whatsoeuer surely those that descend from him shall be reckoned amongst such as are noble men Who is he so void of reason that doth not account those as noble men who are discended of the stocke of the Sforsi of these of Ests of the Gonsagui and of a number of other most noble races Surely no manne He then is a Noble man who is issued of a noble familie Let vs then consider whether I or thou are sprung of noble parentes to the end that the most noble of vs both may bee knowne Tell me I pray thee and take no scorne to let me know whether thy ancestors were Noblemen or not nay whether they were so much as reckoned amongst gent. which surely I beleeue thou art not able to shew me If then no Nobilitie was lefte thee by thy auncesters how doest thou now take that boldnesse vpon thee to giue thy selfe the tytle of a nobleman By what meanes doost thou seeke to intrude thy selfe into the company of Gentlemen What hope hast thou to bee adiudged the more noble Surely I know not how I should perswade my selfe therein but contrarily you cannot make any doubt but that this nobilitie was left me by my predecessors for both my grandfathers and their great grandfathers and their issue haue still as it were from hande to hand maintained themselues in the order of noblemen forsomuch as they haue alwaies shewed themselues worthie men at Armes and many of them haue beene lords of Castles and of Townes albeit that enuious fortune hath bereft them of the greater part of this substance I will not further inlarge my discourse to recken vp what my predecessors haue beene being certaine that they are no lesse knowne vnto you then to my selfe Wherefore it may well be concluded that I beeing the successour of right Noble men and thou borne of base parentage that I am a Noble man and thou art not and so consequently the ring which this day was giuen by the Lady Virginia belongeth vnto mee as to the most noble of the two Now see Fabricio howe by little and little I haue made it manifest that thou art deceiued Yet if so it were that thou shouldst denie my conclusion which is most true in it selfe I woulde so forciblie work that thou shouldst of necessitie be constrained to yeeld therunto For if they who doe expose their liues to a thousand dangers as it were men banished from their own houses the space of many yeares in the seruice of their king their coūtrey or other princes to purchase to themselues a glorious name euerlastinglie did consider that so soon as they should depart this life their renowm and their glorie should die with them and not remaine to their children and posterity he might surely be accounted foolish that woulde take paines or indure any trauel or disquiet but they waighing that this name which they did get amongst bloudy battails did not onlie adorne their own persons which should indeed be but a smal thing but likewise all their whole stocke after them they did not against their wil but of their own accord enter into such toile labour Whereby it followeth of necessitie that we conclude that the selfe-same renowme and the selfe-same Nobilitie that was in their ancestors whatsoeuer it be is trāsferred to their posteritie Bicause that naturally we haue no better instrumēt nor more perfect means by which the glorie and Nobilitie which is in men may indure longe then their children posteritie by them nobilitie is preserued by them the generositie of families is liuelie maintained Hitherto the words of Possidonio were continued with a wonderful attention and without anie interruption when Fabricio turning himselfe tovvards him spake after this manner Passe on no further Possidonio for I intend to answer thee to that thou hast thus far discoursed thou shalt vnderstand whether this nobilitie vvhich we seeke for doth remaine in bloud or not then thou mayst at leisure proceed for as thou shalt frame thine argumentes so will I likewise answere thee At which offer Possidonio paused but the company vvould not suffer that Fabricio should intermeddle to answer Possidonio his discourse vntill hee had ended that which he should bee able to alledge in his defence Wherefore silence being made Possidonio proceeded after this maner You see moreouer worthy Gent. what operation nature affoordeth to the innobling of man For if wee consider the gifts which it lendeth in the generation of man you shall finde them wholie assembled in our fauour Forsomuch as first it yeeldeth to this that the ingendring of children is permitted to man by meanes of his ovvn bloud and after that it hath brought them forth into the vvorld it laboureth
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
another sort of Nobilitie as some will haue it of so great power that although a man be not descended of noble bloud yet doth it notwithstanding cause him to bee esteemed honourable And that is it worthie companie as I thinke wheron Fabricio when hee will indeuour his best to speake what hee can for his Nobilitie will most of all extend his discourse vpon for he will haue no other prop nor staie to keepe himselfe on foote I meane that hee will wholly rest himselfe vpon learning and therewithall make his resistance Wherefore it shall not be from the purpose vnto that which I haue spoken to adde these fewe wordes by the which I doubt not that without any great trouble vnto you but that I shall shewe you what Nobilitie learning can bring vnto man when I shall haue set downe what I shall thinke thereof which it may bee shall not be farre out of the waye and you may iudge howe greatly Fabricio shall be deceiued I say then worthie companie that not onely hee is a noble man as some doe beleeue who draweth his beginning from a noble stocke as by that I haue alreadie discoursed you may haue vnderstoode but likewise he is esteemed amongst noble men who albeit hee be not descended of noble bloud yet giuing himselfe vnto learning doth gaine some credite and reputation amongst men And this kind of Nobilitie if notwithstanding we ought to tearme it so certainly is recommended as a thing no lesse good then laudable but I doe flatly denie that they doe attaine to perfit Nobilitie except they receiue therewith this Nobilitie of bloud Yet I will say and it may be it is not farre from the trueth that learning is rather an ornament of Nobilitie then cause thereof And will say more according vnto my opinion that it giueth a certaine facilitie or rather a beginning vnto man to become honourable but it doth not indeede make him noble as peraduenture Fabricio thou diddest perswade thy selfe Forasmuch as if in anie matter wee consider learning meerely in it selfe without anie other qualitie or ornament that is required in Nobilitie we shall finde that it doth not make him honourable that possesseth it but hee shall be like vnto a faire pretious stone set in the middest of some base and vile mettall and like as a small candle doth giue but a slender light vnto those that beholde it I say verie small in regarde of a great Torche So doth this kinde of Nobilitie shine in regarde of that other which I lately spoke of And be not thou ouer hard of beliefe heerein for I shall very easily prooue this vnto thee Imagine such a one in thy mind who is graced with good manners learning and knowledge but in bad apparell as there are many such and likewise another void of learning but in braue attire fit for a gentleman and that they be both vnknovvne vnto thee what answer wouldest thou make if my selfe or any other should demand of thee which of these two were a gentleman Surelie as I thinke thou wouldst say the last of them and whosoeuer hath any sound iudgement would not thinke otherwise and this proceedeth of the insufficiencie of learning for as I haue said vnto you it is not of it selfe sufficient at one instant to bring forth the effects of nobilitie I say then that there wanteth somewhat else and it is riches which are an ornament or rather a part of nobilitie which if thou dost conioine with learning it may be that then I will beleeue that he that possesseth both is become noble for then two causes doe concur togither neither of the which of themselues would bee sufficient He then that wil be accounted noble ought aboue al things especially to abound in wealth O how many learned men haue I knowne in my time whoe contemning these goods for so are they rightlie called haue beene and are yet vilely despised themselues Doest thou thinke Fabricio that now I tell thee troth Now I can but imagine what courage thou canst haue seeing the ground more and more to sinke vnder thy feet vvhat leaning stocke wilt thou haue when as that vvhereon thy mind did most of all settle it selfe following thy false opinion doth least of all serue thy turne Learning will not much helpe thee wherefore thou mayest boldlie put thy trust in somewhat else for in thee there is no nobilitie at all to be considered Yet to the end that thy hart may not bee ouercharged vvith melancholie I will grant thee thus much that thou art become noble thorough learning which being supposed as true arguing in this sort I may saie vnto thee It is a matter manifest which can in no sort be denied that dame Nature doth both in dignitie and perfection far surpasse industrious art seeing it doth onely in the operation thereof force it selfe to imitate nature Now this sort of nobilitie which thou wouldst haue in thy selfe is not naturall but artificiall bicause as I haue saide vnto thee thou art not noble by nature but ennobled by the exercise of learning and so consequentlie noble by Art But yet this is not sufficient Fabricio I will yeelde thee many other reasons to shew thee that I am more noble than thou art although that there were Nobilitie in thee Thou canst not in any sort denie mee that as often as two equall thinges doe striue togither but that all honour and reuerence is attributed to the most ancient if then both of vs be noble as I haue alreadie granted thee and doe againe yeeld thee ought not I to be adiudged more noble as hee which descendeth of more ancient nobilitie or contrarilie thy selfe who art but an vpstart Gentleman Surely if thou leanest vnto the truth thou canst not say otherwise But God knoweth what occasion thou hast now to reioice seeing that without taking any further paines I haue granted thee that thou art a Noble man alasse I beleeue this thy mirth will be but small being intermingled with so great sorrow So that not onelie the ground will faile vnder thy feet but likewise the breath in thy mouth nothing remaining for thee hereafter to say Thou shalt see that indeed hereafter quoth Fabricio taking the speech vpon him with a good grace stretching forth and wagging his right hand at Possidonio in a mocking maner yea thou shalt well perceiue whether the breath will faile in my mouth as thou saiest for y u shalt wel feele of what force those new fables are which thou hast this day set to sale in fauour of this thy nobilitie and shouldest yer this haue well perceiued it if it had beene lawful for me to answere thy arguments as I am well furnished with matter Thou canst doe no lesse quoth Possidonio with a smiling countenance then cal them new fables seeing that they doe so newly torment thee but thou shalt finde them true histories against thy selfe Fabricio replied I know not what at which instant the lady Aurelia graced
were let run at two hares and as we gallopped after they being spent yeelded to the mercie of the dogges Wherefore comming to their succour as well contented with our prey we returned home because supper time drew neere After that wee had a little taken breath wee set our selues to supper with great delight vnder the fresh shadowe which being ended the garden being faire delightfull and pleasant there was not one of vs that was minded to depart from thence Wherfore some of vs being risen from the table went to sport our selues in the allies Others sitting still plaied at chesse and at tables so long as they were permitted by day light Afterwards we sate all togither on the thin grasse which was verie coole passing the time in pleasant and merrie talke vntil it seemed a fit houre to go to bed Wherfore euerie one rising went to take his ordinarie rest The second Booke THe ancient Poets by their fables doe sette down that Iupiter being at the mariage of Peleus inuited all the Gods and goddesses thither except Eris the goddesse of discord whereat she being greeuously offended with great industrie she framed y e golden apple and disdainfullie threw it on the table where Pallas Iuno and Venus were set round about the which was written Let this braue and rich apple be giuen to the fairest From hence because each of the goddesses did deeme her selfe to be both faire and gracious did arise a sudden quarrell Iupiter would not determine which of them should haue this guift the one being both his sister and his wife the other two his daughters but sent them to receiue their iudgement of Paris the sonne of Priam who to the end he might giue a right sentence gaue commandement that they should seuerally the one after the other present themselues naked before him Pallas shewing hir selfe promised him that if hee did iudge that she was the fairest she would make him the onely famous man for learning in the world Iune the most rich and Venus offered him the enioying of the fairest ladie in the world in regard of which promise he gaue hir the golden apple from whence afterwards did proceed the destruction of Troy Now let vs consider what fruit may be gathered by the shadowe of fables especially of this which I euen now recited For indeed vnder those vailes we may receiue no lesse pleasant then profitable instruction For somuch as by this fiction the Poets doe meane this that in the procreation of man the celestiall bodies do meet togither and according to their diuers powers doe diuersly bring forth sundry effectes in our bodies Into the which discord doth not enter least the bodie alreadie created should wholie perish Howbeit after that man is once framed and that he hath attained to that age that hee beginneth nowe to discourse within himselfe what kinde of life hee were best to follovve as the most noble in account amongst men whether that which is grounded vppon knowledge which the Philosophers were wont to cal a contemplatiue kind of life or otherwise y t which guideth a man that addicteth himself only to worldly matters which they tearme actiue or else that which consisteth wholy in pleasure which they name delightfull Then straightvvaie discord entreth of which three sortes of liues Soueraine Iupiter will not giue sentence which is the best least that in approuing the one he should condemne the other two and so the life of man should rather be constrained then free but hee leaueth them to the iudgement of man to the end that he may as pleaseth him tie himselfe to that kind of life that shall best like him it may be shewing vs thereby the free choice which is granted to vs by him Of the which notvvithstanding he that is caried away to follow the delightfull kind of life doth bring vnto him selfe vnspeakeable detriment If then a man in his young yeares did enter into consideration of these three maner of liues and by reason did discourse which of them were the most noble and did tie himselfe thereto I doubt not in that small number of yeares we haue to liue but we should take a farre better course and that the life of mortall men should be more pleasing accepted before God and more setled and prosperous for men wheras now we see the greater part to sinke and drowne themselues making choice of that which is worst For if we enter into a generall consideration of all men liuing truelie we shall finde the number of those to be verie small who followe the contemplatiue life as more noble then the other but verye manie who with an ardent desire do embrace either the actiue or delightful which tvvo are so much lesse vvorthy then the other as the body is lesse noble then the minde Of vvhich two partes nature hath framed man the one being subiect to corruption the other eternallie dureable These kind of men see not as hauing their invvard eies vailed how much more worthy desert it is to follovve those thinges that are incorruptible then in vain to labour after the pleasure of the flesh which is but as it were of a daies continuance For vvhich cause the custome of those that liue in that sort is greatly to bee blamed seeing that man doth wholie take delight in those thinges as if it were a naturall matter which bring him intollerable losse albeit at the first shevv they seeme pleasant and delightfull to the body VVhich opinion Possidonio did wholy leane vnto yesterday for grounding himselfe vppon those tvvo kinds of life he did sufficiently set forth the svveetnesse that is felte in them But Fabricio farre differing from him in iudgement vvill this daye endeuour himselfe to shevv that the contrarie therof is the troth as he who follovving a contemplatiue kind of life doth hold this as most certaine that true and perfect nobilitie doth consist in the vertues of the minde But to the ende that I seeme not my selfe to speake that for him which he determineth to relate I intend hencefoorth to giue place to his ovvne words Euery starre was now hidden in the skie fearing the cleere light which the sunne did more and more spread vpon the earth vvhen as vve being risen to exercise our bodies we mounted on horsebacke to take the freshe ayre and as our discourse led vs from one matter to another in the end we perceiued that vve had rid further then we determined wherefore turning back wee pased softly homevvards where the tables were couered for dinner and after wee had first walked a turn or two in the garden in the end we placed our selues at the table and after that wee had satisfied hunger and sate a while we marched to that place where Possidonio discoursed the day before to heare what Fabricio had this day to speake for himselfe who beeing fresh and lustie hauing called vs al together we compassed him round about And when he perceiued we vvere all in
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
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
desiring to knowe who they were wee might see two of their seruantes who brought vs certaine word of other company that were newly come who had expresly taken their iourney thither to visite vs whereof some of them were straightly ioyned vnto vs by kindred others by friendship who had brought their houndes with them to passe the rest of the day merily with vs in hunting But after they saw vs sitting circlewise round about Nennio vnder the shadow of sweete smelling orenge trees after they had saluted vs not without some wonder they demaunded vvhat the cause might bee that we sate round about in that fashion and what plaie we were at but seeing nothing about vs fit for anie pastime it maie be quoth they you are set to tell tales Wherefore we hauing in as few wordes as we coulde tolde them the successe of the matter in question and how that the two daies before were spent in the same discourse with a singular contentment of the whole company They vnderstanding the matter we intreated of did as it were enuie vs and were not a little discontented that they had not beene there at the beginning So they changing their former determination and little caring for hunting it pleased them better to staie with vs then to withdrawe vs from our enterprise begun and almost ended they contenting themselues with the conclusion and end of the question to remedy that which they had lost in hearing the beginning and middest thereof Wherfore they being set and placed amongst vs as conueniently as they might wee turned our lookes our eares and our mindes towardes Nennio who seeing vs set in as good order as we were before without anie further staie added these words following vnto his former speech If the noble men vvhich doe liue at this daie Master Dominico doe vse such violences such theftes such lasciuiousnesse and other such mischiefes as you alleadge they are not worthie of life and as for mee I will iudge them the most vile infamous and reproachfull persons which euer liued on earth although they did descend of most noble parentes For the worthines of their blood is obscured and cleane defaced by their euill conditions whereby maie bee gathered that the worthinesse of blood though at the first it giueth a good impression and addeth grace to a true and perfect noble man yet is it not sufficient to make him perfectlie noble It is then necessarie to grace the nobilitie of blood to adorne his life with worthie and valorous actions and to endow himselfe with qualities fit for a gentleman Master Iohn Francisco saide and what are those qualities and conditions which doe set foorth a gentleman and doe make him perfectly noble They are quoth Nennio these to follow vertue and to flie vice Whereunto Master Iohn Francisco replied and what are those vertues and those vices Nennio answered I esteeme it a superfluous matter to declare it vnto you you knowing them right well as one in whom all vertue shineth and vice taketh no place But to satisfie your minde heerein I say that the qualities and ornamentes which are requisite for the conseruation of nobility to bring a gentleman to soueraigne perfection are many but I wil discourse of those vnto you which seeme vnto me to bee most necessarie A gentleman borne of noble blood ought to be intirely good and therewithall he ought in like manner to bee wise prudent iust and temperate aduised in all his actions according as the degree of his nobilitie doeth require he ought to be couragious and gratious but especially of a sharpe wit quicke iudgement and good vnderstanding in his discourse honest eloquent and modest in as much as in any action whatsoeuer modestie bringeth great ornament vnto man Let him carrie grauitie with him which bringeth credite and reputation amongst men Let him yet bee respectiue reuerent gentle and courteous for by that meanes hee shall become pleasing and amiable to all men and the brightnesse of his nobility shall thereby shine and increase much more Let him seeke to please others in all lawfull matters wherein a generall good will may be gotten Let him doe his indeuour to spread abroade a good reputation of himselfe and to imprint a good opinion of himselfe in the mindes of men Which hee shall easily bring to passe if besides those matters I haue spoken of hee doe take heede to abstaine from those things which doe not only wholly take away but in any thing blot or diminish his credite Let him not be ambitious proud arrogant high minded nor discourteous because that such kinde of behauior is wont to breed lothsomnes hatred euil wil disdaine Let him not be vaineglorious in praising himselfe nor too much affected in his actions Let him auoide the euill speeches of other men But why doe I thus reckon vp particularly that which belongeth vnto him seeing that euery man ought of himselfe to know that which defraudeth him of honour and renowne that which doth increase it Here Nennio paused a while which Master Peter Anthonie perceiuing taking the speech vpon him said thus I would wish Nennio that thou wouldest now shew vnto vs what exercise and conuersation a gentleman hauing these partes in him shall vse Nennio answered that maie easily be gathered from those preceptes I haue giuen for if hee bee good his conuersation and exercise likewise shall be good Yea but I could wish that thou wouldest be pleased to discourse more particularly thereof Whereunto Nennio said It is certaine that the value and excellency of man proceedeth either from learning or armes For the name the glorie and the nobility likewise of so many worthy men and so many valiant knights should long since haue beene extinguished with their body if their minde had not beene graced either with armes or learning To the ende then that he that is borne of noble blood may become excellent and valorous amongst noble men he ought wholly to addict himselfe thereto imploy his whole minde and study therein But I will not particularlie seeke in euery point to handle the qualities fit for a gentleman noblie borne for besides that time woulde not suffer me to doe it he may supply that which wanteth in considering those meanes I haue aboue rehearsed only I will not forbeare to aduertise him of this that in all his actions hee ought to consider the ende and to gouerne himselfe in them with honest mediocrity shewing his worthines with discretion and good iudgment and that he take good heede vnto his conuersation for men will iudge him to be such as his conuersation is and if hee keepe company with wicked and bad persons he shall be reputed as they are These are the true qualities these are the right exercises which he that desireth to become perfectly noble ought to obserue although hee bee not descended of noble bloud But me thinketh we haue staide very long vpon these two sortes of nobilitie Wherefore to the end I may