must he endeuor in all his actions not only to be blamelesse but also free from all suspition of offence hauing alwayes his eyes open that hee giue no occasion of scandale or presumption to the worlde to iudge euil for the enuious and malignant take occasion of euery probabilitie to staine the honor of an honest man The Marquesse was satisfied with this answere and the Count of Scandiano a most valorous Knight Mee thinkes sayd he that you sir Knight haue very vniustly placed the adulterer in the number of men dishonored bicause custome is contrary seeing that men are not onely not ashamed to commit adultery but as of an enterprise honourable they haue no sooner performed it as that therof they vawnt and make great boast ney ther is it intended that any one should euer be refused in comparison of honour for being an adulterer notwithstanding that of these the number be infinite I am desirous therefore that you would giue me to vnderstand how it may be that an adulterer should be infamous A man answered the Knight committeth adultery in two sortes in one when he being bound falsifieth the oth of matrimony frequenting with a loose woman And in this although he be worthy of some blame yet looseth he not his honour because he iniurieth none but his owne wife in the other when married or vnbound he vseth the company of a woman married And this man remaineth dishonoured because he finneth extreamely against the vertue of Temperance and faileth in iustice hee beeing a greeuous iniurier or destroyer of an other mans honour the which as I haue saide of all other goods externall is the most pretious and therfore deseruedly by the lawes is there imposed on adultery a greater penalty than on theft because the adulterer endamnifieth in honor and theft but in goodes And although men through euill custome are not ashamed to be esteemed for adulterers yet is this no obstacle but that they are worthy of infamy or that in combate they may not be excepted against when by men honest it shal be obiected vnto them as well as theeues Seeing a man replied the Count looseth not his honour but when hee conuerseth with a married woman I would willingly vnderstand if the like happeneth to a woman which is that she shall not forgo her honor but when she ioyneth with one married for in my iudgement a womans condition in this should not be worse than a mans A woman sayde Gualenguo as in many other things so in this is of harder condition than a man first in that if she be maried with her owne shee also staineth the honour of her husband secondarily for that she being as the Philosopher affirmeth by reason subiect to man committeth the greater iniury considering that the iniurie is greater of an inferiour towardes his superior than of a superior towardes an inferior thirdly because shee may bring into her house other mens children dispossessing the proper childrē of her husband of his goods fourthly for that a woman offendeth extreamely against her owne proper and principall vertue which is honestie A woman therfore cannot after this maner accompany with others than her husband reseruing still her honour but thus dooing shee incurreth infamie Scandiano seemed to bee well resolued When Counte Guido Calcagnino moued this question You saide that he who flying abandoneth his colors forgoeth his honor I further desire to know Whether a valiant souldier seeing all others forsake the colors may with honor flie and remoue himselfe from daunger or ought for maintenance of his honour to remaine dead by his auntient or colours And Gualenguo according to the lawe of Lycurgus and of the valiant Spartanes the souldier should bee bound rather to die than abandon his ensigne for any accident whatsoeuer and therefore the seuere and rigorous mother was wont to deliuer vnto her sonne that went to battell his shield with these words Eyther with this or in this giuing him to vnderstand thereby that either he shuld returne victorious or remaine dead I am notwithstanding of opinion that when an honorable man hath performed his duty in fighting and yet for all this seeth all the other souldiours betake themselues to flight and knoweth himselfe not able to resist the force of the enemies such an one retiring himselfe into safety looseth not his honor but rather they that first fled remaine dishonored If one replied Calcagnino should abandon his friend or companion in danger esteeming himselfe not sufficient to defend him by reason of inequalitie in number should he in this case loose his honor If his friend answered Gualenguo with armes in hand turned himselfe to defence and he on the contrary made away there is no question but he should loose his honour neyther would the excuse of inequalitie help him a whit for the valiant man is not daunted in sodaine daunger but the slaue and villaine I would not haue thought added the Count that a man had beene tyed to do more than hee can but that rather he had bin rash and heady which esteemeth too much of his owne force as one should be who to saue his friend did fight against ten men seueral And Gualinguo he that without any other necessitie should make choise to fight at one instant against ten shuld certainly be rather presumptuous than valiant but an honorable man beeing in company with his friend ought not to forsake him though he sawe himselfe incountred by ten seueral swords but must rather feare the losse of honor than of his life By the selfesame reason replied Calcagnino whosoeuer were in battel he ought to stand though all the restsled The case is much different sayd Gualinguo because he in the field withdrawing himselfe from danger and other men flying doth not abandon but is abandoned whereas contrariwise one that leaueth his friend in daunger is he that forsaketh and is not left or abandoned wherefore he commeth to faile in valour and manifesting that hee esteemeth more his life than his honor hee remaineth infamous Calcagnino held his peace and Counnt Palla Strozza a most valiant souldier doubted after this maner You haue placed him amongest men dishonourable who with his proper valour makes no shew of being touched with an iniurie Put the case one were iustly iniuried should he to auoyde the losse of honor manifest himselfe therewith prouoked Out of doubt hee ought answered Gualinguo and if he knowing himselfe to be in the wrong replied Strozza should offend him iniurying failed he not in iustice and so consequently should hee not loose his honor this honour being principally grounded vpon the opinion of the world Gualenguo returned A man how good or wicked soeuer hee bee must respect none other thing but to preserue this opinion if hee desire to be an honorable man For honour perisheth not before this opinion be lost and opinion cannot be lost before some defect be manifestand made knowne the iniuried therefore notwithstanding he knoweth himself to
noble men and not of priuate condition as also there is another testimoniall of Valente and Valentino that wiues may be honorable though ignoble be enobled according to the nobilitie of their husbands but afterwards if they take an husband of meaner condition depriued of their dignity they follow the quality of their husbands who seeth not that from these lawes and recordes a most infalible conclusion may be drawne that women haue not any part in nobilitie but follow the nobilitie qualitie of man as the shadow doth the body So that of themselues if they haue no nobilitie how can they place it vpon an other Wherefore Signior Hercules laying aside adulation and the ouer great desire you haue of their grace and fauour sincerely confesse the trueth and exclude women as most imperfect creatures from this esteemed and embraced condition which we cal Nobility Signior Barisano most excellent Queen said Varano putting confidence in a poetical vaine fable that women naturally loue where they are not beloued esteeme greatly of such as cōtemne them by reiecting women openly laboureth to satisfie the great desire he hath of them to be beloued and regarded But as in censuring the natural dispositions of womē he is deceiued and as he boldly produceth slaunder for truth so hope I that in vaine he desireth their grace and fauor I affirme therefore that women most beautiful and perfect creatures may not only enoble themselues but further with their proper vertue make another partaker of Nobility that they as to forme man so to accomplish him entirely noble are most necessary I yeeld that nobility principally dependeth on man but so I adde withall that the nobility of a woman so greatly importeth as that he cannot be counted perfectly noble who shal be borne of a base woman neither wil I vse any other armes in subduing you then your owne For it is true that in the seede of man life is potentially conteined which is forme bloud in the womās wombe is the matter wherof the body is formed so that the soule from man and the body from woman haue their original But further also I auerre that if noble forme shal be brought to noble matter the thing compoūded wil be perfectly noble but if the matter be base notwithstāding the forme be noble the compoūd wil not be absolutly noble but shal want one degree of nobility being that of matter Tell me in earnest signior Antonio would you not more respect theimage of Caesar in gold then the same by the selfe same hand engrauen in lead or brasse and this would you do neither for the form which is is the same nor in respect of the artificer being alone but only for the matter which is more beautiful and excellent I graunt you that material and corporal things be lesse excellent then those immaterial and corporeal as also that matter is a cause of imperfection as she is the subiect of alteration transmutation and instabilite in things not permanent notwithstanding comparing of the materiall and corruptible thinges one with another they which haue more pure and better disposed matter do questionlesse proue the much more worthy and excellent things which the Philosopher here confirmeth saying that in all thinges wherein matter is required the better matter shal be the more beautiful and excellent will they fall out and to prosecute their purpose if it be true that the soule followeth the temperature of the body as the learneder sort affirme and as wee our selues haue experience how can you denie that the temperature of the body giuen by woman should not be of great momēt to the framing of nobilitie as well as celestiall influence seeing the minde if it haue a body euill tempered and inclined to vice can hardly be resplendant by those vertues wherevppon nobilitie is grounded You cannot denie and I know it assuredly but that the body made by woman hath parte in nobilitie although it administreth matter seeing wee perceiue that dayly from the qualities of the body as from manifest caracters and demonstrations we vsually prognosticate another mans conditions in that the shape countenance gestures and motions of the body many times procure vs to know a man or a woman not so much as euer seen by vs afore to be noble or ignoble You say that womā is an imperfect man admit I should grant you this which notwithstanding is false yet would I affirme that this imperfection is not substantiall but accidentall for the Philosopher intendeth not that she should be lesse reasonable then man but calleth her imperfect man in that she wanteth but one thing only to be man and this thing is of no importance to humane perfection so that as the being more then woman giueth not perfection to man so doth not the beeing lesse then man bring imperfection to woman although I thinke it as far off from truth that woman is a defect of nature or formed against her intention as I iudge it false and vntrue that nature mindeth not the preseruation of humane kinde which no lesse by womā then by man is made perpetual whereof the philosopher aduising himselfe in the selfe-same booke he addeth that nature inteutiue to vniuersall good with special prouidence fashioneth sometimes male and sometimes female The defects of nature bee no other but monsters and seldome are produced women are so far off from being monsters that of all thinges vnder heauen there is not any one more excellent or beautifull who not seldome and in small number but in farre greater multitude then men are produced into the worlde through singular grace and fauor of louing and gentle nature and by the author himselfe of nature Confesse therfore your offence signior Antonio and demand pardon for your Vlpian in those imperiall recordes by you cited shal not be sufficient to mittigate the least dramme of those punishments which from these Ladyes hang ouer your head in defence of whom against the lawes and recordes by you alledged I will introduce the authoritie of Virgil and a decree of the most prudent Venetian commonwealth for manifestation how great a portion women haue in nobility Virgil speaking of Dranes saith This man his noble raca by mother tooke most sure For by the fathers side base was he and obscure Who seeth not that by these verses Virgil intendeth that women should not only haue a part in nobilitie but further that by themselues they are sufficiēt to giue noble descent The Venetian decree commandeth that the sonnes of a base woman although borne in lawful matrimony shal not be accepted to the trial of nobilitie neither in any sorte be admitted to their magistracies and councels those most prudent and noble Signiors imagining as truly they may that without the nobilite and generositie of mothers nobilitie in children cannot be preserued immaculate If women added the Greeke be incapable of those vertues that make men noble famous how can it be that they should
haue any part in nobilitie except peraduenture you think that the practise of needle and spindle deseruedly ordained to women are amongst all liberall artes the most noble And Varano The needle and spindle vsed of women without auarice as they are noble and commendable exercises so be they no impediment but that they may proportionably be capable of al those vertues as wel to customes appertaining as to the minde which concur with men seeing they want none of those faculties nor any of the instrumēts which the mind imploieth in vertuous operations But if God and nature neuer made any thing in vaine as all the wise affirme then we cannot suppose that vnderstanding senses as wel interior as exterior and also the corpore all instrumentes that women haue like to men bee made in vaine and that they as wel as men may not vse the same instruments for the acquiring of prudence knowledge wisedome and finally for the practising of any liberall art therfore the diuine Philosopher in fauour of women in his common wealth by liuely reason laboureth to prooue that women are apt to al those things whervnto men accommodate themselues as also are capable of heroicall vertue and Plutarch made a book of the vertu excellency of women And although the Philosopher affirmeth that betwix women and men there is the like proportion as betweene sence and reason yet intendeth he not by this that a man should be reasonable a woman depriued of reason but hee dilating of domesticall societie minding to inferre that as sence naturally must obey and reason command so in the best gouernment of an house a woman naturally should obey a man command And this iurisdiction which a man hath ouer a womā saith he ought to be a ciuil not seruile dominion and a little afterwards he addeth that though a woman haue not mortall vertues in that perfection as hath a man yet notwithstanding that shee also is indued with fortitude iustice temperance with that prudence which of it self is sufficient to obey well towardes him that knoweth as well howe to commaunde Although women replied the Greeke haue in them those poyntes by you deliuered yet are they with so many other euill qualities accompanied as that hardly they can effect any thing good As they that are naturally cold of bodies tender soft ouer delicate nature hauing framed them rather for procreation of man than for any other effect seeing in all other respects they are but impedimēts therfore Cato said that if the world could be without woman our conuersation should be like vnto God this great wise man by this minding to inferre that man liuing in the company of so imperfect a creature he could not but leade a miserable life But that you signior Hercules beleeue not that I vtter as we prouerbially say nothing but wind and that I am rather a slaunderer than a reporter of trueth heare what the Philosopher saith describing the nature of women Woman is apt to mourning lamentation and despaire she is enuious slaunderous bitter obstinate pensiue impudent a liar slouthful fearful and easie to be deceiued And the Philosopher in the sixt of his lawes affirmeth that feminine sex is so wicked and by nature so malitious as that hardly it can be brought in subiection vnder the lawes What thinke you of the commendations these Philosophers attribute to women are they not sufficient to shew how worthy they be to haue any part or preeminence in nobility Defend them as much as you wil for you shal neuer make me beleeue that of an asse may be made a gallant courser If at this day answered Varano al writings were not replenished with the praises of women I would contend with magnificent phrase to set foorth the greatnes of their vertue seeing the exāples of heroical vertue in women ancient and of these times is no lesse to be obserued then in men but considering their commendations are already well knowne it is not now my intention to play the Orator onely as a defender of equitie I will affirme so much as may suffice for the brideling of your maledictions It is true and I denie it not Signior Antonio that the author of nature minding to place the flower of beauty in women fashioned them with a beautifull soft and delicate body to the end that together with the sense of sight giuing delight to feeling they might inflame in man that desire which causeth eternitie whereupon as in woman beauty is a great ornament so to be soft and delicate procureth in her no imperfection but if that be true which the Philosopher affirmeth that those delicate of skin flesh are the more pregnant of wit we may conclude that women are more apt than men to science sapience and all those vertues which most of al in men appeare It is also true that Nature intentiue to general preseruatiō in al kinds hath placed a female sex male or the vertue of the one and other but so is it false that woman is produced to no other end than for the fourming of man for to beget their owne likes is the proper end of plāts and creatures vnreasonable but of the reasonable creature felicitie is the proper end which man in this life can neuer enioy without woman which by testimony of the Philosopher is confirmed who in his Oeconomiks saith That man as other creatures is not made onely to bee but to be well and therfore the naturall conuersation of woman is necessary for him not so much to generate as from her to receiue great benefit which being true as doubtles it is so shal it be a special heresy to affirm that a woman is any burden or that without the woman our cōuersation could be happy for this repugneth to reason experience to the authoritie of this great Philosopher who also affirms that the family can not be perfect without woman that as a woman is the halfe of a family so be women the halfe of a Cittie and further in his Oeconomy he saith there can not be any thing more holie or worthier of a wise man than to seeke coniunction with an excellent and commendable wife and by her to bring forth children as also that to a man of sincere minde it is no waies befitting rashly to conuerse with euery woman to the end that of a corrupt wife he beget not children like their mothers by which words it may easily be imagined how highly the Philosopher esteemed the mothers nobilitie generositie in procreation of children Further with the authority of Homer he affirmes that in this life there cannot greater felicity befal men than when the husband and wife gouern their familie with one wil and consent And Hesiodus contrarie to Catoes seueritie sayd that three things to a man were Verie necessary an house a wife and a yoke of oxen minding to testifie that domestical conuersation with a woman was necessarie for the good and happie
and forcible power for the beloued with her beautie concurreth as obiect and there is but seldome conformitie betweene the one and others power And therefore it may easily fall out that the beautie of the affected may bee apte and conformable to mooue the minde of the Louer when in very deede the beautie of the Louer shall not haue the like conformitie in the minde of the beloued or be preualent to kindle in her amorous passion For this cause the Poets fained that Loue had two sorts of darts that is some gilded and others of lead and that those gilded had power to enflame those of lead to congeale freese as also that he pearced louers with his golden shafts when the beloued were for the most part stricken with the leaden ones and therfore Petrarch willing to cleare him selfe sweareth saying If I may saie so much Loue with his golden dart Chargeth on me when those of lead fall to her part Notwithstanding she beloued is bound by election perceiuing the loiall and faithfull seruice of her seruant to retourne the like mutuall affection which not doing she falleth into the errour of ingratitude in that shee beloued receiueth secret honour and commendation by this affection of hir louer she shewing in that most notable perfection such as that it vrgeth him to be enamored to loue and serue her and so much the more she must holde herself bound if she perceiue her selfe beloued with one of those kindes of loue before rehearsed for if shee obserue her selfe affected with this brutish and sordide loue she is no waies bound to answerable affection neither for this shal she be deemed ingrate but rather in hating such a louer she deserueth praise and commendation The Lady Countesse replied no further And Madam Camilla Mosti propounded her doubt which was whether it were better to loue or bee beloued That to loue is better answered Guirino may be affirmed by the Philosophers authoritie for to loue is action and with some contentment being good but from the beloued there proceedeth no action and moreoner it is better to knowe then be knowne and the Louer knoweth but shee affected as hauing loue made to her may bee depriued of knowledge and therefore thinges without life may be beloued but neuer loue finally the louer in louing exerciseth the work of charitie which doth not the beloued And therfore the Philosopher affirmeth that to delight in louing rather than to be beloued is a more commendable thing and a signe of greater excellencie in good custome and fashion On the other side it seemeth that to bee beloued is greater perfection for to loue being the same as to desire proueth want of perfection in the louer wherein she beloued doth abound and further by how much the final cause is more perfect thā the efficiēt so much doth the beloued exceed in perfection the louer in that she affected concurreth as the louing and desired end and the louer is procured to loue in fauour of her affected or to receiue from her some perfection Now clearing this doubt I say that this word to loue may be interpreted in two senses one is to desire vnition with the thing beloued to the ende to obtaine perfection from it the other in desiring to giue vnto the thing beloued some perfection In the first sense as riches is better than pouertie so is it better to be beloued than affect And in this manner are the kindes of humane loue fette downe by me for the louer seeketh vnion with the beloued to obtaine perfection from her beautie where of hee hath want After this sort likewise dooth the creature loue his Creator seeking vnition with him for to participate of his perfection In the second sence it is a thing much more excellent to loue than bee beloued for in the louer wee suppose plenty and in the beloued penury With this loue God loueth the creature and desireth to vnite it with his diuine Maiestie to reach vnto it full perfection With this loue the Prince loueth his subiects and the greater his inferior to giue and not receiue perfection Out of this wee haue spoken you most honourable Lady shall gather this singular conclusion that all loues haue their originall from aboundaunce or defect as the diuine Philosopher affirmeth in his Conuiuio and in his booke called Lyside faining that Poro which signifieth riches is the father and Penia which importeth pouertie is the mother of loue For loue springeth either from the penurie of the Louer or wealth of the beloued or from want in the beloued and superaboundance in the Louer The Lady Camilla commended the answer and all the other Gentlewomen wishing within themselues to be rather rich affected then poore inamored The Lady Lucretia Machiauella propounded this excellent question whether is more feruent the loue of a man towardes a woman or of a woman towardes a man Most gentle Lady aunswered Guirino the reasons are not of small moment by which wee may conclude that women exceede in loue whereof the first is perfection which women receiue frō vnition with man as by the Philosopher it is confirmed where hee entreateth of vniuersall beginnings of things naturall who desirous to shewe the great desire the first matter hath of vnition with forme sayth that shee desireth forme as the female desireth the male and this is in no other respect but because matter requireth perfection from forme as doth the female from the male Woman therefore attayning perfection from man and not man from woman so amorous desire in her is more eminent then that in man But further if wee shall but consider the proper subiect and abode of loue wee shall finde that it is in soft and delicate hearts the which continually are nourished with sweete and pleasing cogitations as diuine Petrarch heere testifieth speaking of loues originall when he sayth From idle mind and want onnesse humane He springes nourisht with thoughts though sweet yet vaine And of vaine folke doth Lord and God remaine Women therefore beeing naturally soft delicate and vsually idle being nourished with sweete and pleasant cogitations and on the contrarie men beeing sterne and for the most part entangled in serious meditations wee may conclude that loue taking greater nourishment in the heart of a woman becommeth also more preualent and vigorous Although I notwithstanding these reasons do hold the contrarie for trueth and that amorous passion is much more vehement in man then in woman and I am mooued thereto by this most probable supposition that the more preualent cause bringeth foorth the more forcible effect The beautie then of woman beeing farre more excellent then that of man as Signior Patritio yester day shewed and beauty being the cause which produceth loue it will follow that the beautie of a woman shall bring forth in mans heart amorous affection much more ardently then shall the beautie of a man in the heart of a woman and therefore reason willeth that the name
who had brought forth Cupide hauing highly commended the beauty of that winged child added sincere loue may well be borne but that he should grow by himselfe alone vnderstand O Venus it can no wayes be Therefore if you desire that this your deare sonne may encrease to his proportionable greatnesse beget and bring forth another like to him for such will the nature of these two brothers bee that in beholding one another both of them will grow alike and looke how much shal diminish in one no lesse will there impaire in the other Venus perswaded by this most wise goddesse produced Anterota Cupides lawfull brother By this fable wee may easily comprehend that loue alone cannot endure in the louers heart and for his maintainance and reduction to his due stature it is necessary be beholde and sport with his brother Anterota Yet Signior Guirino experience teacheth the contrarie answered the Queene for euery day we see diuers enamored without hauing the least signe of interchaungeable affection obstinate altogether in amorous enterprise peraduenture confident in the saying of Dant before repeated By loue beloued cake from loue are not exempt And Petrarch himselfe though his Lauretta were froward and ingrate vnto him notwithstanding as an obstinate Louer burst forth into these verses Yet liue I still in hope remembring this alwayes That moistned drops at length though with some long delaies In tract of time do pearce the free and marble stone And heart so hard none is which will not straight way mone Mou'd with vnfained teares and loues vncessant flame Nor will so freezing colde ' which heates not by the same There be two sortes of Louers not beloued againe answered Guirino the one finding alwaies in his Mistris a pride correspondent to her beautie without receiuing at any time the least signe of loue but euer discouering in her countenance a duskish cloude of disdaine he most vnhappily loueth In the heart of such a Louer most renowned Queene affection cannot continue but giuing place to wrath anger and disdaine flying away it departeth being vnpossible that it alone should wrestle long with reason accompanied by these other most forcible affections The other sorte seeing the brow of their deare beloued sometimes faire and sometimes cloudie the Louer doubtfull within himselfe feeding vppon a sweet aire of hope affecting seruing and entreating maintaineth himselfe long time Such a Louer was Petrarch as he describeth himselfe in the verses recited to your highnes and in other songs and sonnets but especially in the sonnet I finde no peace saying Prisoner I am to such an one as neither opes nor shuts Nor holdes me fast nor yet the snare with loues requitall cuts Guirinos answere was of the Queene accepted and by the standers by approoued for good it seeming to all impossible that where hope cannot bee setled loue should there make any long residence and with this ending the discourse of loue the Queene commanded that they would practise some pleasant conceits of diuination and fortune-telling as amongst women they vse to do and while they were intentiue on this pastime the Duke and Lady Duchesse priuily entring into the pallace they suddēly caused to be put into the chamber where this noble cōpany were assembled a Doe takē quicke in the nets which hopping here there leapt vppon the Gentlewomen Whereuppon verie fearefull of this terrible creature each one without tarrying for another ranne all out into the great Hall whome the excellent Duchesse meeting with the other beautifull Huntresses in a sodain their feare was turned into laughter and after a while the huntsmen arriuing with a mightie winde of hornes and crie of dogges his highnesse commanded that the chase should be brought into the hall which being doone there were many boares layed out whereof some were so great that the women durst not beholde them The rest of the day was spent in discoursing vppon such accidents as fell out in their Game the gentlewomen taking no lesse contentment to heare of that then did the Hunters in recounting their owne exployts in encountring and killing these terrible beastes Euening beeing come his highnesse caused a most pleasant Comedie to bee recited by the Gelosi These bee certaine Coemedians who requested euerie yeare by his highnesse are wont to come in the end of Autumne and hee taketh them along to the sea side as also the whole Carneuale or Shrouetide to their great gaine and contentment of all the Cittie they employ themselues in Commicall representations and are verie apte in imitating all manner of persons and actions humane but especially those which are fittest to procure laughter in which poynte they are so prompt and excellent that they would make Heraclitus himselfe to laugh The Comedie ended they practised certaine pastimes and beeing late his highnesse rose vp and each one departed to their seuerall lodgings The day following was passed ouer by his highnesse in another pleasant and delightsome chase in which they killed Harts and wilde Goats with other beastes to the singular contentation of the Ladies and Gentlewomen which were present At the selfe same time the vsuall companie beeing retired into the accustomed roome the Ladie Camilla Costabili was by chance drawen Queene a Matrone of stately presence and adorned with most gentle customes who not to lette slippe the accustomed wont of entertaining the time and iudging that the entreatie of honor would be delightsome and profitable to euery noble spirite in that honour many times is badly obserued by not knowing the nature therof therfore she commanded Signior Gualenguo a genleman not onely most skilfull in handling his weapon but also learned and very iudicial in thinges appertaining to honor and combate who desirous to please the Queene without other replie began in this maner The third daies discourse VVherein is contained a discussion of Honour A Most not able and eminent subiect doth our Queene this day propound to be entreated of which is Honor it being with humane life in such sort connexed that there is not any condition or qualitie of men to whō the knowledge of honor is not commodious but aboue all others it is so necessarie in a man noble and ciuill as without it being ouershadowed as it were with the obscure darkenesse of ignorance for the most part in steede of honour hee imbraceth infamie This is that ardent heate which enflameth the minde of man to glorious enterprises making him audacious against enemies and to vices timerous And therefore Plato in his Phedro compareth the minde of a man to a Chariot whereof reason is the coach man the affections of the mind the horses desire of honor the whip The diuine Philosopher minding to inferre that reason without honourable desire and feare without reproch are notable to bridle the most fierce passion of the angry and concupiscent faculties and to direct man to vertue I will therefore endeuour my selfe most famous Queene to discourse of Honor seeing your highnesse so
which may manifestly appeare vnto you seeing a man brings nobilitie from his mothers womb but so can he not bring with him either the Empire or Popedome ech of these degrees being disposed by election and not by succession but a man may be borne a Marques a Duke or a King speaking of such principalities and kingdomes as come by succession And though Emperours goe before Kings and the Pope not only before Kings but also before the Emperour himselfe of this nobilitie is not the cause but their dignitie the which noteth in those subiects so great excellencie of vertue as is woorthy of all supereminencie Howe can it be replied Gualinguo but if the Emperour and Pope haue prerogatiue to distribute the greatest titles of nobilitie considering they may make Counties Marquesses Dukes and Kings that they should not be noble yea and most noble themselues And Varano I proued vnto you by liuely reasons that no Prince how mighty soeuer can giue nobilitie although he may adorne and amplifie it with titles enfeosments and honors which be the rewards not so much of nobilitie as vertue but if I shoulde graunt you that the Emperour or Pope might make an other man noble yet coulde you not conclude for this that they were to be recounted in the number of those noble for the Sunne also is of power to produce heate in these inferiour bodies yet the Sunne if wee will giue credite to the Philosopher is not hote himselfe Very wel said Gual I now vnderstand you your meaning is that the Emperor and be noble virtually but not formally to vse these scholastical termes which hath no other signification but that they in one sort more excellent the those noble themselues possesse nobilitie as they that haue the authoritie to create augment Nobilitie and for this I rest satisfied although I desire yet to vnderstand somewhat further whether in euerie one of these orders of nobilitie there bee degrees of more and lesse or if all those that are of the selfe same degree and order be equally noble so that amongst them no precedence occurreth In that those noble of the selfesame order answered Varano when they meete togither cannot set all vpō one seat nor be comprehended in one place circuite being necessarie that one must needes sit on the right hand another on the left one aboue and another vnderneath so is it requisite for the giuing of due place to euerie one that some circumstances of better and worse bee considered which circumstance and difference for all this shall not bee specificall nor change the nature or substance of the thing but rather be vniuersall and general to all the orders of Nobilitie And surely it is verie conuenient that amongst priuate gentlemen there be no account at al made of this difference or precedence for besides the decency for yong men to giue place to the elders it is further liberal education and noble courtesie for one Gentleman to honour another labouring euer to assigne him the superiour place but amongst great princes there is speciall returning made of it and often times question is mooued touching preeminence And what is the difference sayde Gualinguo In my iudgement answered Varano the differences are of two sorts which in al orders of Nobilitie be worthie to be equally counterpeased and whereunto in al reason preeminence is to be giuen one is antiquity of bloud that is the number of worthie predecessors the other is that Nobility which is termed the foure discentes that is of those who discend from foure generations not onely of men but also of women noble and this kind of nobilitie is so highly esteemed in Spaine as that the Catholike King giueth the Knighthoode or order of Saint Iames to none but such noble as besides the demerite of their owne proper vertue proue also this lineal discention Gualinguo replied no more and signior Hercules now weary of discoursing thinking he had sufficiently satisfied the Queenes commaundement would haue giuen place to some other recreation and contentment but the Queene beckened to Signior Antonio Barisano called the Greeke to come before her who being ariued that day stoode by in a corner of the roome to heare this argument and smiling commanded him that hee also should moue some doubt and oppugne Signior Hercules This man is an honorable Cittizen of Scio who after the Turkes occupying of that Iland not being able to endure the hard seruitude of these Barbarians came into Italie and knowne in Ferrara for one learned hee was intertained by his highnes with a stipend and had the publike reading of the greeke tongue committed vnto him and further being of pleasant and iocund conuersatiō as one that taketh great delight in facet iestes being audatious to vtter his opinion in any argument hee is therefore most acceptable to all the nobilitie of the cittie but especially to women hauing therfore done dutie to the Queene he spake after this sort It were easie for me most famous Queene it hauing beene very doubtfull to contradict whatsoeuer hath beene deliuered by signior Hercules but because it wanteth not much of supper time I will only alleadge how I cannot tollerate that women being most imperfect creatures should haue any part in nobilitie as he rather like a sicophant and slatterer then a sincere approouer of truth without any shame at all hath affirmed he to himselfe knowing very wel that he speaketh both against reason and common vse which acknowledge nobilitie from no other but the man and that deseruedly for the female if the philosopher be worthy of credit is no other then an imperfect male framed through the error of nature who intendeth euer to fashion male a woman compared to a man hath the like proportion as there is betwixt sence and reason and to argue somewhat more effectually it is a thing certaine by the same philosopher affirmed that in generatiō of mā male giueth forme and female matter this conclusion also in al vniuersities is receiued that al deformitie and imperfection in any thing generate proceedeth from matter as on the contrary all good properties depend on forme neither for any other respect are incorporeal substances excellenter than those corporeal but that these with matter are conioynd the other from it altogether separate which being true how can it be affirmed that a woman who by administring matter is the cause of al imperfectiō shuld giue to a man the least shadow of nobilitie That a woman hath no part in nobility that she wholy dependeth on the man the lawes and records of Roman Emperors do confirme and amongst other there is a text in Vlpine where we reade that husbandes bring their wiues excellent dignitie as also their fathers doe the like while they com to be maried with men of common sort besides this there is a record of Antony that the women born of Consolar or Pretorian fathers may retaine the gentilitie of their stocke being maried to
therefore hee had assigned a truer cause in saying that humane malice and pertinacie and not riches were the cause of all the abouenamed euilles wee might also prooue by more reasons that pouertie were rather the cause of those inconueniences seeing the want of those things wherewith the rich men abound kindleth desire and greedinesse in the poore that afterwards is the cause of all those euils which euerie day are committed And therefore the Philosopher contrary to your Arcesilaus sayth that pouertie bringeth foorth seditions and maleficences Our Greeke yet further affirmeth that riches is not commodious saying that the richer any one is the more things hee hath neede of but if the definition of riches be true of necessity his position must bee false for where is the heape and collection of all necessarie instruments for sustentation benefit and ornament of humane life there can bee no defect or want of any thing and though riches procure a man to bee iealous ouer him selfe and sometimes putteth him in daunger yet from this reason can wee not conclude that they are wicked but rather the contrarie seeing there is no feare of loosing badde but good thinges which of their owne nature bring the possessor into no danger but rather is procured by mans couetousnesse and deprauation as in like manner lust is the cause that the chastity of a faire woman is hardly secure and yet must we not therefore say that beautie is a wicked thing I grant vnto you also Signior Antonio that in faire apparel sumptuous pallaces the nature of matter Architects wit is rather admired then the rich possesser of these things that splendor brightnes is proper to the iewels gold and not to the man rich who therwith adorneth himself but not withstanding this if the rich man had not made this rich apparel or built a sumptuous house for his own publike benefit neither could the nature of matter nor the Architects wit inuention of thēselues procure admiration as also the beauty splendor of iewels shuld remain buried in the inwardmost caues of the earth except the rich man discouering as it were the treasures of Nature should not offer them to the beholders eies beside this in all these ornaments the beames of magnificence shine which is numbred amongst the principallest vertues heroycall To possesse therefore and vse all these things both how when with conueniēt measure quantity bringeth vnto man a singular decency being truly worthie to be placed in the numbers of goods desired and to be sought after as in like maneral other kind of riches I say likewise that felicity is proper to vs cannot be taken away as also that riches being a good of Fortune remaineth in the power of the same fortune But we must obserue that felicitie may be considered two maner of wayes the first as it dependeth of his proper efficient cause which is vertue the second as it dependeth not only of the efficient but also of al causes instrumentall and the circumstances necessarily conioyned with the cause efficient in the first maner considered it is our own proper cannot be taken away because vertue true productresse of felicitie is not subiect to blowes of fortune neither haue honour riches nor any other externall goodes in it any part In this manner the Philosopher obserueth felicitie in the first of his Ethikes when hee distinguisheth the felicitie of Platoes Idea from Riches honour and those contentments that the vulgar sort esteeme In this manner also did hee consider it in the seuenth of his Politikes where hee sayde Felicitie happeneth not vnto vs through the goods of Fortune but euery one the more hee possesseth of vertue and prudence and after them frameth his opperations the greater is his felicitie and this is prooued by the testimonie of God himselfe who not for any good externall but of himselfe is happie and blessed Felicitie considered after the seconde manner it beeing no other but a collection and heape of humane goodes as well internall as externall which ioyntly together concurre by meane of vertuous action to the enioying of perfect and chiefest contentment although it can not be wholy taken away yet notwithstanding in many circumstances it may be hindred After this maner the Philosopher considereth it in the first of his Rhetorike where he doth not only place the goodes of the minde amongst the parts of felicitie but also the goods of the body and those externall In this sort also doth he obserue it in the seuenth of his Ethickes where he plainely affirmeth that an happy man hath neede of goodes externall and of fortune to the end that in his operations hee may not be hindred which thing saith he being very wel knowne prosperous fortune and felicitie by many come to be termed the selfe-same things We must further note that the Philosopher in the place by you cited Vseth these formall words Chiefe good is our proper owne being such as that hardly it can be taken from vs He denieth not therefore but that felicitie anay be taken away but yet he saith very hardly minding to inferre that it could not bee absolutely remooued but may peraduenture bee defrauded of his circumstances Out of which wee may very well conclude that felicitie should be depriued of her principall instrument wanting riches and that hee which is not rich can not be perfectly happy considering that he cannot exercise the Vertue of liberality beneficence and magnificence which make a man woorthie of honour Me thinkes Signior Antonio saide the Queene your cause is in such sort ouerthrowne as that it booteth you litle to replie any further and I am assured that from these Signiors you should not receiue the least suffragation of pouertie if you were to gather their voyces by scrutanie It would not be a iust and indifferent scrutany most excellent Queene saide the Greeke smiling if the number of the rich were not equally ballanced with as many poore because passion which is euer in the rich predominant and not equitie would giue sentence Notwithstanding I will accept your Maiesties iudgement as a firme decree neither will I further reply expecting that one day I may bee made to conceiue by one that with effects and not words shall prooue that riches are good and worthy of a vertuous man And although other perswasions were not sufficient saide Count Guido Caleagnini yet might experience manifest it vnto you which euery day sheweth that riches is not onely a necessary instrument of felicitie but further that among all worldly goodes it holdeth chiefest place seeing riches without labour dispenseth liberally to him rich of all other goodes which the poore man by vertue can not with great industrie attaine vnto And it seemeth he richly borne is in like manner borne gratious vertuous woorthie to be beloued of euery one and commended the which by you learned being wel and rightly vnderstoode you dedicate your labours not to the vertuous
Queene It is hie time you vse your armes Signior Brancaccio for otherwise I perceiue you in very eminent danger The affection which your Highnesse deseruedly beareth towards souldiers sayde Brancaccio is rather an occasion of your feare than any eminent daunger for if that be true which the other daye Signior Gualinguo shewed that honour is the reward of vertuous actions and signe of beneficence the learned shall not onely not haue precedence of the Souldier but further in honor haue little or no interest at all Considering honour to science improperly and to Art Militarie it properly belongeth in that from Arte Militarie those actions proceede whereof honor is a reward and from the learned there proceedeth no exterior action wherby he may be iudged worthy of honor But behold another reason Signior Patritio grounded vppon the words of your owne Philosopher in the first of his Ethikes where cōparing publike with priuat good he said that is to be beloued which is profitable to one alone but much more diuine excellent is that which benefiteth nations and cities but this being trueth beholde what a good Logitian I am Arte Military is a perfection which doth not help one alone but is a furtherance to Nations and Citties whereas science profiteth none but the possessor of it Therefore Arte Militarie is more excellent and honourable than Science That it is such an helpe and furtherance it is a thing very manifest in that by his Arte Nations and Citties are defended from rauenous and insolent ennemies libertie is preserued and religion protected this causeth obseruance of the Lawes without which the Common wealth would be as a body without a soule Wherefore it was wisely set downe in the Proeme of Institutions that imperiall Maiestie ought not onely to bee garnished with Lawes but also with Armes to be adorned Considering that as the Ciuilians doe affirme right and equitie smally preuaile in a Cittie and if the sworde procure not obseruaunce therof And Cicero in his Oration for Aulus Cluentius Albinus doth affirme that warriours are the defenders and ministers of Iustice And the Philosopher referreth one of the principallest partes of a common wealth to Souldiours As also Paulus Orosius writeth the selfesame beeing by the Philosopher in his Politickes confirmed that the first Common wealth amongst the Graecians ordained consisted of none other than warriours In like manner great Lycurgus knowing that to a common wealth there was not a more excellent or more profitable thing than this most noble Arte directed all his Lawes which hee gaue vnto the Spartaines to the perfection and greatenesse of the Arte Millitarie through which Lawes the Spartaines becomming most excellent warriors they defended maintained not only their owne libertie but further all Greece from the innumerable armie of Xerxes that vniuetsall good is to be preferred before the felicitie of one alone and Arte Militarie before science Marcus Tullius plainely sheweth in the first of his Offices saying in this maner who is he so curious to vnderstand the nature of things that a danger hanging ouer the head of his countrie will not sodainely leaue contemplation though he thought to measure the greatnes of the world or number all the starres and runne to succour We may and ought therefore to conclude that art Militarie as an vniuersall good ought to precede science being but good particular and consequently Souldiours the learned but aboue all others before them which are called Philosophers and wise men who not content with matters terreine like the Giants endeuour to ascende vppe into heauen and make themselues equall with God as also nourished in idlenesse and knowing themselues vnapt to action attaining to Magistracie or honours swelling vppe themselues in pride they retire from ciuil companie into a solitarie life and after hauing beene mewed vp to theyr studies and Bookes they become leane and macerate and not able to determine in what manner the Sunne heateth wholly confounded they waste themselues in melancholie humours But leauing them apart and comming to the excellencie of Arte Militarie it is truely an heape of all those perfections which make a man heroycal in an eminent degree and beginning from the vertue of fortitude this is most proper to Art Military and is no lesse from it inseperable then light from the Sunne By this vertue Horatius Cocles was woorthie of eternall praise who alone vpon the bridge opposed himselfe to the power of al Tuskane for the safety of his countrey And no lesse worthie of honour was Leonidas Spartane who fighting for his country yea for the libertie of al the Greeks with three hundred valiant souldiers sustained at Thyrmopylis for the space of three daies the force of Xerxes armie Temperance as the preseruer of prudence is necessary to the perfection of this arte In that he can hardly subdue his enemie which hath not first an habite in conquering himselfe The act of temperaunce towards the faire women of Daryus was no lesse glory vnto Alexander then were the two victories obtained by valor and fortitude by this vertue Scipio Affricane brought principall glorie to himselfe and benefite to his country who in Spaine beeing a young man of foure and twenty yeeres of age and without a wife restored vnto her husband a most beautifull and noble yong woman returning vnto him for her dowrie the money of her raunsome and by this most vertuous action hee tamed the sierce courage of the Celtyberians which peraduenture by fortitude he had neuer subdued Finally the Romans as we reade triumphed ouer the whole world no lesse by being temperate than valiant The vertue of liberality is altogether necessary in warrelike Arte for by this the generous Captaine alluring the mindes of his souldiours maketh them prone to battel and obtaining of victory By this vertue great Alexander drew the Macedonian Phalanx into the vttermost parts of the East throgh whose valor he triumphed ouer Asia By this Iulius Caesar subdued not only the barbarous nations but also drew vnto himselfe the minds of his own souldiers to spoile themselues and their own country of liberty to make him lord and monarch and certainly liberty may be said to haue bin only proper to Caesar magnificence also is no smal ornament to this our Arte seeing the magnificent captaine by this not onely with his owne men but also amongst strangers acquireth reputation glorie Octauian euer coueting to exceed Mark Antony in those spectacles the one and other presented to the people as in all actions of magnificence so in battels was he euer against the selfe same man victorious and Alcibiades rather by this than any other vertue obtained honours in his owne countrey and abroad magnanimitie is no lesse an adiunct of military profession then is whitnes of snowe for that warrior who hath not a loftie and magnanimous minde shall neuer accomplish glorious enterprises Caesar was of so great a minde as passing by a little obscure village hee saide vnto a souldier