of late and of many more worthy Roman Consuls of whoÌ„ the auncient histories are repleat Enuy which did proceed from the nobles did bring Pompey after his Empires and triumphes to remaine in his house or in his Grange he seldome daring to shevv himselfe publikely abroad Q. Metellus shewed the hatred which he did beare vnto Q. Pompeius when as he savv that after he had brought both of the countries of Spain into subiection Pompey succeeded him which was most odious vnto him For he licensed the greater part of the souldiors to depart caused the victuals to be spoiled the weapons of the armie to be broken did forbid that any man should giue the Elephants meate and to conclude left not any thing wherwith Pompey might defend himselfe against the enemies So great was the enuy vvhich possessed the mind of Cato of Vtica because that Cesar had in Egypt defeated the partakers of Pompey who were fled into Afrike after his death that he slue himselfe in Vtica Enuy likewise moued Themistocles that valiant captaine to persecute that worthy and iust Aristides both of them being noble men of Athens But why do I so inlarge my discourse to recount to you so many ancient histories Turne your eies if you so please vpon euery town and euery place of the vvorld inhabited by noble men and those of the common sort and you shall finde no place exempt where there is not rooted amongst noble men one with another amongst the nobilitie the comminaltie hatred persecution enuy ambition ignorance and pride These are the fruites which nobilitie of bloud doe giue to the mind which likewise doth not bring any other grace to the body because it neiâ—her maketh them more fair nor more liuely nor more strong nor more witty nor more aduised nor more apt then other men who are borne of base bloud forsomuch as therein nature worketh equally and not the nobility of bloud Certainlie quoth Maister Iohn Francisco it seemeth that it bringeth foorth in all places not onely vnsauorie fruit but most venemous and noisome A bad root answered M. Dominico cannot produce good fruit now nobility of bloud being brought into the world of a malicious root what goodnesse can it yeeld Surely none at all M. Io. FraÌ„cisco said what is that root so dangerous and venemous whence nobility of bloud proceedeth I would tell you quoth he but that I should displese Nennio in interrupting him It shal not displease me answered Nennio to hear you so that you doe promise mee to tell vs from whence the roote of this Nobilitie of bloud doth proceed vpon which condition it shall please me well to haue your opinion so that you may boldly go forwardes that being said M. Dominico turning himselfe towards M. Iohn Francisco began to speake in this maner It is an euident matter that the great Architect of the world created man pure simple not spotted with vice and perfectly good but it is not to bee beleeued that he made him either noble or ignoble Man then himselfe was the inuenter and beginner of this Nobilitie Hee being cause thereof Nobilitie beganne in the first age to be noted in those and they were esteemed Noble who either by force or fraude did surmount others Cain the first man who was borne in the world did ouercome his brother Abel and slew him and he was the first who by deceit and crueltie did vsurpe the name of Nobilitie in that thorough furious audacitie hee brought other men into subiection whereupon hee was equally honoured and reuerenced by them and reputed honourable more then any other After him did succeede Enoch Irad and others who descending from Cain that proud murtherer and vsurper of other mens goods so consequently noble they were likewise esteemed noble But Seth the third brother of Cain a iust and good man and y e first in the world who called on the name of God he was not so much esteemed and reputed amongst men but was adiudged of a soft nature abiect and vile with all his posteritie and by this meanes nobilitie tooke beginning By succession of time it pleased the great gouernor of heauen and of earth for the wickednesse which were generally committed on the earth corrupted by man who made no accompt of God to destroy the world by the opening of waters of fountaines of the depth yea of the water gates of heauen which hee would not first close vp or stoppe before that euerie liuing soule was destroied except Noe who was so highly in his fauor with the familie of those that did descend of Seth the ignoble Of this Noe afterwardes amongst others did Cham descend who shewed himselfe vnreuerent and wicked towardes his father Nemrod did succeed of his Line a man verie mightie and puissant and full of wickednesse He gaue the first beginning to the accursed vice of Tyrannous dominion and by Tyrannie he ruled the kingdome of Babylon of Arad others Wherupon thorow his might and tyrannie being become king hee was adiudged most noble Nowe great men grewe to such temeritie that they constrained those who at that time were rude and grosse not onely to repute them as noble but to adore them as Gods Hereupon their heires and successors were in a maner esteemed as Demy-Gods And so the opinions of the first men who to make a nobleman did ground themselues vpon murther and crueltie and in tyrannising ouer the people did as it were from hand to hand in such sorte extend their dominion that we may truely conclude that Nobilitie of bloud proceedeth euen from the first age of the worlde from this generall roote The generations of men being increased in the world and kingdomes possessed it was the pleasure of kings and princes that they who did most of al content them and fitted their humours best should be seperated from the common people in giuing them especiall priuiledges graces and preheminences which were not graunted to the vulgar sorte Wherefore they and their successors were held by the first people of the worlde as men well pleasing God and because they were seuered from the multitude and reuerenced more then others they were called Notable which is as much as Noble And for this cause the men of y e world being extreamely desirous of honor and of glorie and seeing that such was the meanes to become noble manie to the ende they might obteine this glorie of nobilitie did seeke to become pleasing vnto kinges and Princes Some in shewing themselues cruell murtherers of their enemies others in boldly ransacking the people others to gratifie their prince did giue them either their wife or their daughter in pray some to delight him did feede him with dishonest pleasures others with flatterie with treason with money with other horrible wickednesse and wretched deuises to winne his fauour by the which they did afterwardes obtaine priuiledges of Nobilitie for themselues and their posteritie This is the birth M. Iohn Francisco this is the beginning
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
wee would maintaine this opinion of thine that riches are not onely an ornament but rather necessarie to the bringing forth of perfit nobilitie it shoulde followe that pouertie should make a man base and abiect and as an enemie of true Nobilitie it ought to be banished but hee is greatly to be blamed who is of this opinion Forasmuch as pouertie is not to be contemned nor eschued for such is the passion it bringeth vs as is the mind that receiueth it For if the mind of man be addicted to y t which is contrarie vnto it that is vnto riches it breedeth no delight nor pleasure but cruell bondage and infinite labour and as a traitour to rest and quietnesse doth miserably afflict the thoughtes of man And of this beleefe art thou Possidonio for because thy minde longeth after riches thou perswadest thy selfe that pouertie is cause of all mischiefe whereas in deede the euill ariseth of thy vnbrideled affection which is buried in riches and not of pouertie But if the mind of man be not drowned in riches pouertie shall be verie pleasant and delightfull vnto him and his minde shall be ioyfull and at libertie Democritus beeing nourished with pouertie gaue as a gift vnto the common wealth of Athens his infinite wealth imagining hee might farre better followe his studie with pouertie then seruilie subiect himselfe vnto riches Like vnto him were Diogenes and Anaxagoras What shall I say of Phocion of Athens especially worthie all honour and glorie who albeit hee had twentie seuerall times been Emperour of the Athenians yet did hee in such sort loue pouertie that the Ambassadours of Alexander the great comming vnto him and bringing as a present a great quantitie of golde they found his wife kneading of dowe and himselfe drawing water whereby they deemed him to be verie needie and yet notwithstanding he did refuse so rich a gift esteeming that to liue with pouertie did bring greater tranquilitie vnto man then to possesse great treasure Surely more ioyfull and worthie of greater glorie was the life of Aristides the Athenian with his welbeloued pouertie then the condition of Callias his fellowe Citizen with his aboundant wealth And tell mee Possidonio what vilenesse did the pouertie of Quintus Cincinatus and Attilius Serranus men of excellent Vertues bring vnto them Who tilling the grounde and sowing their corne were worthilie chosen by the Senate to be the conductors of the Romaine armie and those selfesame hands which did guide the plough became rulers of chariots of triumph The apparant pouertie of M. Curius a man of singular value was no reproch vnto him but rather made him worthy of eternall glorie who after he had triumphed ouer the Samnites and the Sabines returned to his poore cottage which was not capable of his greatnesse whither the ambassadors of the Samnites bringing vnto him a great summe of golde to make their pacification with the Romaines they found him sitting before the fire vpon a country stoole eating in a woodden dish and neuerthelesse he sent back their treasures after them saying y t he desired rather in his pouerty to command ouer those that were rich then to become rich himselfe words well beseeming his magnanimitie of courage Equall to this man in poorenesse and stoutnesse of mind was Fabricius Lucinus who likewise refused the guiftes of the Samnites neither yet were the treasures of Pirrhus king of Epire which were offered vnto him with the fourth part of his substance sufficient to make him loose one iot of his value albeit he was very poor So manifest was Attilius Regulus his pouertie that he coulde no more gouerne the empire in Affrike because at Rome his children hadde not wherewithall to maintaine themselues But tell me Possidonio doost thou deeme that these men for all their pouertie were not noble God forbid nay contrary the singular vertue of their minde made them most noble Whereby thou mayst plainely perceiue that if nobilitie may remaine with pouertie and pouertie with nobilitie together in one subiect whie diddest thou yesterday persuade the contrarie esteeming that pouertie could aswell agree with Nobilitie as fire and water togither And that his felicity is greater if so bee man can attaine to any on earth whose mind resteth contented with pouertie then his happines who hath attained to the height of worldly welth and lordly authoritie the disposition of Alexander the great may serue for proofe who commaunding ouer the greater part of the worlde because Anaxagoras told him that there were many worldes hee lamented greatly in his presence that he had not fully as yet conquered one And Apollo may serue for witnesse heereof whoe beeing demaunded by Giges king of Lidia a prince of mighty power and wealth if there were any man on earth more happy thē he was by Oracle made answer that Aglaus Sofides the poorest man of all Arcadia was more happie because euen vntill his latter age hee had liued with contented pouertie with a mind ful of quiet By the which wee may vnderstand that pouerty bringeth no reproch vnto nobilitie and consequently that riches are not the ornament nor any necessary parte thereof If then worthines of bloud be not necessary in matter of nobilitie as with most euident reasons and manie plain examples of diuers who albeit they were discended of noble and royall bloud were yet iudged ignoble as this day I haue plainly shewed vnto you and if riches how infinite soeuer doe not giue any grace or ornament therunto as by the examples of many Noble and valiant Captaines I haue shewed vnto you vvhat manner of Nobilitie is then in Possidonio Of what estimation shall wee account him And if that pouertie bringeth no contempt to the greatnes of perfect nobility but contrarily doth exalt it and that likewise the basenesse of bloud of our predecessors is no let vnto vs to becom noble as not only by most pregnant proofs but also by manifest examples of so many Popes kings Emperours Consuls Pretors as by my discourse you haue heard I haue caused you this day to vnderstande who although they did descend of base parents yet did they neuerthelesse by their deserts mount vp vnto the soueraigne degree of nobilitie It follovveth necessarilie that my nobilitie is farre more worthye and farre more perfect then Possidonios is And if these examples bee not sufficient vvholie to mooue you at the least let the example of Ventidius Bassus perswade you who drawing his birth from a base and poore stocke was in his young yeares taken vvith his mother by Pompeius Strabo when hee brought the Ascolains into subiection and before his Chariot was with other bondmen ledde captiue thorough Rome but hee growing into further age that hee might the better haue wherewithall to maintaine his estate hee gaue himselfe to buy Mules and with them to carrie trauellers by the vvaie by meanes whereof he passed with Cesar into France where he beganne to shew the greatnesse of his courage he hauing during the