with maruel and wonder from them springeth the beutie of this inferior world Such proportion we finde in the elements as well in quantitie as qualitie as if of this their proportion the least part were but disproportioned one element would conuert al the other into his proper Nature or els the world would be confounded into Chaos Proportion causeth harmonie in number in bodies beautie in humours health in minde vertue as contrariwise disproportion procureth in numbers discord in bodies deformitie in humors infirmity and in the minde vice But who is it that wil doubt proportion to be the cause of all delights as well sensible as inte ligible in that the good which delighteth is no good if it bring not with it proportion neither is there any thing that desireth to be vnited with good simply but with a good to it selfe proportioned and from hence proceedeth the saying of Heraclytus that euery thing is rauished with his own contentment the which standes in vnion of good to it selfe proportioned and this is that which properly of all things is beloued and desired To conclude as there can not bee good in the vniuersall world without proportion so can ther not in the litle world which is man be any beauty without proportion and as good can not without proportion procure desire so can not beautie without proportion cause loue In that loue is not generate in the louer but by symetrie which the thing beloued hath with the louer by al these and other reasons which might be produced we may conclude that all perfection springeth principally from proportion and therefore that it in humane body is a part more excelent than is the beutie of colours Me thinkes saide the Duchesse the doubt is after such a manner cleered as wee neede not proceede any further and that the palme is due rather to beautifull feature than to faire and well disposed colours It is a thing iust and requisite renowmed Lady sayd Patritio before iudgement to attend the partie for his allegations are not to be contemned and therfore that louer who is made a seruant to beautiful tresses to black eyes to coloured cheekes to rosie lips to a white hand wil alleage in defence of colors that the beautie which is part or rather proper offpring of the most perfect of all beauties sensible ought to bee the selfe same which bringeth principally the name of beautifull to that subiect wherin it is found but colours are such therfore by colours humane body shall principally bee called beautifull that colours be such it is a thing manifest for light is the greatest of all beauties sensible as that which is no other but a beame influence of diuine essence dispersed ouer the wole world as I haue said this being graunted to the most perfect of all bodies sensible which is the sun to the end that by it it might not only be beautifullest of all other creatures but that it should also bee the meane and principal cause of the apparance of all other beauties colours are so conioyned with light and light with colours after such a sort vnited as we terme light a bright color in a body illumined color a shadowed light in a colored body in no poynt differing but that light is a colour without adumbration color a light shadowed whereupon those colors which haue least adumbration as is white haue the greater similitude with the purity of light Light then beeing the greatest beauty of the world and colors part of light and of light created in al reason they ought to obtaine the chiefest place in humane beauty This louer wil further argue if the proper obiect delectable to the sight is no other but beauty colours being more delightsome then proportion or figure should also haue in them greater beautie That colours be such it is proued for colours are proper sensibles of the sight but figure and proportion sensibles common by the opinion as wel of the Perepatetikes as Academikes proper sensibles doo more moue delight sence then common Neither want there philosophers of authority as was most learned Psellus which hold opinion that common sensibles are rather knowne by reason stiried vp by the senses then by the sense thēselues To conclude he will thus reason grounding himself vpon that proposition which runneth currant through all vniuersities and is this that which is the cause that another thing is such is much more the like it self as for example sake If fire be the cause that all other things are hot then shall it of all other things be the hottest I will therefore affirme that if beautie of colours is a cause that the beautie of figure and proportion is apparant then must they likewise needes bee of more apparant beautie as light is of all other beauties the fairest in that light is the cause of the apparance of all beauties sensible and there is no doubt but colours are the cause of the apparance of proportion considering that cōmon sensibles cannot be cōprehended but by sensibles proper by the testimony of women thēselues of whom beauty is the proper ornament the said reasons may be confirmed they being priuie that colours in beauty humane holdeth the cheefest place and are of themselues apt to produce Loue they imploy all their industrie in the beautie of colours by making their haire like the shining colour of gold the cheekes like to white lillies and red roses the lips to rubies the teeth to the orient whitenes of pearle with which beuties shadowing some other of their disproportiōs they yet appeare are called faire kindling notwitstāding by such hart in the harts of mē amarous flames I le further adde the authority of the doctors of the Moysaical law who desirous that mē leauing their bestial appetites shuld be inamored of women set down by publike decree that it shuld be lawful for women to paint their faces and that fathers to daughters brothers to sisters husbands to wiues shuld be enioyned to allow money for the buying of colours these wisemen conceiuing that there is not a beuty more preuailent to imprint loue in humane breasts then that of colors thus wil this intangled louer with the beutie of colors cōclude that colors are the most principal poynts of humane beauty Heere Patritio held his peace and on a sodaine great murmuring did arise one defending one parte and others another which the Queene obseruing she pointed to the Lady Laura Peuerara This is a Gentleman belonging to the Duchesse borne in Mantua to the glorie of that City married to Count Hanibal Turcho one of the principallest Gentlemen of our Citie who as she doth easily with her beautie kindle loue in any one that beholdeth her so with her honest customes and modestie she doth so asswage others flames that al amarous affection is resolued into singular and special reuerence whereupon by all those that know her she is no lesse reuerenced then
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
also to the liuing For the excellent Philosophers and great Captaines nowe long since dead are sayd by Fame to be exalted to the starres but glorie the liuing also enioy Signior Villa was pleased with this answer and the Ladie Tarq. Molza drawing neare a woman of most pregnant capacitie seeing how in that noble assembly there was not anie who would further propound with the fauor of the Queen spoke after this sort It appeareth Sir knight that you haue handled this argument of honour in fauour onely of men as though women therein had no part at al seeing al those aduertisements by which honor is preserued do in a manner pertaine altogether to men and little or nothing to women because for my part I will not be of opinion that a woman looseth her honor if with her proper valor she repel not iniurie or fight not for her Countrie Prince children or husband performing other such like actions as belong vnto fortitude Forbeare not therefore to instruct women how they may preserue their honor And Gualinguo Although in women most gentle Lady all those vertues are found which proportionally are correspondent to the vertues of men notwithstanding it seemeth that for preseruing their honor theyr condition is farre better then mens for Honor feminine is preserued by not failing onely in one of their proper particular vertues which is honestie If a woman therefore replied Lady Tarquinia should committe a thest manslaughter or faile in any other part of Iustice should she not for such a fact be infamous And Gualenguo Although such offences in men and women are by the laws equally punished yet as often as in a woman they are not accompanied with the act of dishonestie they make her not infamous Therefore it was not lawfull with the Hebrewes nor Romaines to refuse their wiues as also at this day the seperation of mariage bed is not permitted but for crime of dishonestie seeing in a woman this offence is so grieuous as with her owne shee staineth also the honour of her husband This is a great matter you acqaint me withal added Molza neither can I perceiue how it may bee the definition of honor remaining firme wherein you conclude that honor is lost through our own and not for anothers defect the adulterie therefore of the wife being of a wife the defect and offence and not of her husband she only ought therefore to bee infamous The wife answered Gua. beeing in her husbands power and vnder his gouernment it appereth shee cannot offend without some fault in her husband as he that either by consent or euill gouernment hath beene the occasion of such a defect and therefore it cannot bee that the adulterous wife should not in some part offend her husbands honour because such a man cannot bee in that good opinion hee first was with them who haue notice of this offence for they iudge him ignorant of small worth and worthy of that contempt his wife and adulterer procure him And if the husband saide Molza knewe not the adulterie of his wife but had thereof all the conuenient care hee might and yet for all this his wife should bee so malitious as hee not ware thereof to set a creast on his head should the husband for this lose his honour A man not beeing able answered Gualenguo to auoide all snares and deceits nor to preuent those thinges whereof he hath no knowledge should not altogether loose his honour notwithstanding it could not otherwise in some sorte be but that he should be touched and shake his reputation with those men who were acquainted with his wises adulterie yet could he not in comparison of honor be excepted against vnlesse it were prooued that he tollerated his wifes dishonestie for some benefit he hoped for in simplicitie or through folly suffering her to go into places dishonest or to conuerse with women of euill name or where there were daunger that shee might committe adulterie for certainly hee is a foole that putteth fire to towe and thinketh it shoulde not burne To retourne therefore to our purpose a woman desirous to preserue her honor ought to haue an eye to preserue her honestie and not onely to bee free from offence but also from suspition of offence the which shee shall conueniently doo if shee accompanie her wordes laughter lookes and carriage of her person with that graue and reuerent maiestie as is beseeming a chaste and modest Matrone and aboue all to auoide the familiar conuersation of any man be his condition whatsoeuer except her father sonne and brother For honor hauing his foundation and proper essence in the opinion of the worlde it is not so much lost for offence as by probable presumptions of offending With this aunswere by the Queene commended and by all these most chaste and vertuous Ladies confirmed they ended the discourse of honor and the Lady Laura Peuerara was called who with singular delight to the hearers sung vnto the Harpe an amorous Sonnet But the court and huutsmen arriued the Queene company retired them selues into the lodging of the Duchesse where with diuerse entertainements they spent the time while Supper which finished and certaine dances exercised the night being wel spent the Duke rose vp and referring ouer his fishing to the day following they all betooke themselues to their rest The fourth daies discourse Wherein is discussed the iniquitie of Combate and single fight for maintenance of reputation with the meane to accommodate quarrels and reduce vnto peace priuate enmities THE whole Court and his Highnesse beeing ready in the morning to haue gone to sea there sodainly rose a most furious winde which hauing incontinently as it were obscured the ayre with thicke and darke cloudes helde the whole company in suspence till dinner time Finally by all those experienced the time being thought vnfit eyther to drawe the nettes or practise other manner of fishing as also to be dangerous for going on the sea the Duke after the tables were taken away and the rayne euen now ready to descend gaue libertie to the Ladies and Gentlemen to betake themselues to that entertainement of time which best stoode with their contentment some therefore went to cardes some to tables other some to chesse and diuers spent the time in plesant discourses Signior Gualinguo was set downe by himselfe alone al melancholy leaning his cheek on his hand which Count Alfonso Turchi perceuing as he who is desirous to vnderstand especially such matters as appertaine to knighthoode going to count Scandiano count Hercules Beuelacqua and count Guido Calcagnini who stood beholding at a window the tempestuous sea Let vs go saide he to Signior Gualinguo who sitteth there altogither idle and procure we him to discourse a little more particularly touching Honour and Combate For although yesterday he entreated thereof yet stoode he altogether vpon generalities not extending himselfe greatly to particulars which in my opinion are of no small importance This motion wel pleased the
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
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
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
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
life of a man And the Philosopher in his Oeconomikes saith that the husbande who esteeneth not his wife is no lesse ingrate then hee which contemneth his benefactor by this inferring that woman is not only a comfort but also to man a special benefit Seeing the honest chaste woman is not only a companion to her husband in his bed contentments but further an ease to his labors in his afflictions a comfort in his infirmities a medicament full of louing and affectionate seruitude neither can man without the assistance of the woman gouerne well his house seeing whatsoeuer the man getteth abroad she faithfully disposeth preserueth in the house But whom will wee beleeue if we giue no credite to experience Do not we our selues find that without women there is no pleasure or sweete contentment to be tasted as they who with their sweetnes temper the bitter of this our life the which without women would be more rusticall and inculte then that of the most wilde sauage beasts they remoouing from our hearts vile and base thoughts ease vexations miseries and those turbulent cares that often accompanie vs and with their great beautie euer representing before our eies the image of diuinity so far off are they from withdrawing vs frō worthie enterprises that rather they stir vp our wits exalt thē to knowledge of greatest highest things But this your deprauatiō is exceeding great Signior Antonio seeing to procure credit to your calumniations you Vse the Philosophers authority in sinister sence who thogh describing the nature of womē he placeth in thē the excesse of some wicked inclination yet doth he not altogither free men from them but which is worse you a prodigal dispēser of their rebukes in their commendations most couetous spend many superfluous wordes in discouering their vices malignantly concealing their are vertues and yet your own conscience knoweth that in the same place by you cited he describeth women to be more merciful than men better retentiue of memory more vigilant more sober And Plato in Menone and in the fift of his Commonwealth esteemes woman in a maner equall in vertue with man who ordained that the gouernment of the Citie the magistracies as well of warre as peace and all other offices should be common betwixt men and women and the Philosopher although he esteeme not woman in euery respect equal with man notwithstanding proportionable he attributeth vnto them temperance iustice fortitude but if without preiudicing truth I shuld grant you that womē naturally were inclining to some vice I would also affirme that they are so much the more to be recōmended by how much subduing their wicked inclinations they liue vertuously Here Varano stayed The Greeke beeing about to reply as hee who wanteth no words the lady Tarquinia Molza smiling said Now for gods sake proceed no further Signior Barisano but bee contented with what you haue hitherto spoken in reproch of women to the end these Ladies who heere round about attend deseruedly prouoked against you after the maner of Baccides make you not a new Orpheus The Greeke laughed said these Gentlewomen most gratious Ladie haue rather cause to thanke me than to be offended For if I had not contradicted Signior Hercules they shoulde neuer haue heard so great commendation as hee hath bestowed on them and I am assured that the more I had charged thē with blame the more had their praises like the Palme tree reached vp euen vnto heauen With these wordes the discourse was concluded and the Queene perceiuing that it would not be long ere the Court returned commaunded the Lady Camilla Mosti and the Lady Camilla Beuelacqua that they shoulde dance when they sodainly taking hands troad two measures to the sound of the lute and danced the Canaries with good grace to the contentment of those that beheld them but the Duke with the rest of the Court arriued the Queene rising vp all departed to the Duchesse lodging where was prepared a most melodious Consort of diuers musicall instruments sweet voyces which consort continued a good part of the supper the tables taken vp some time was spent in diuers sports other pleasant relaxations whē the duke perceiuing the aire ouercast with most obscure cloudes and that the windes with violent blasts threatned continual and powring raines in preiudice of their pleasures in hunting and fishing gaue order to set forwarde the morning following His highnes therefore rising betimes and hearing the ordinarie diuine seruice imbarked himselfe with the excellent duchesse the Lady Donna Marfisa the Lady Donna Bradamante with the dames of the Court in a most sumptuous barke causing the Buccintore to be appoynted for the Ladie Countesse of Sala and the rest of the Court This is a great vessell built with such art workmanship as than that there could not any haue beene made either more beautiful or sumptuous considering it hath Hals Chambers Galleries and seates so that to the beholders it seemeth a most admirable sight and I am certaine that if it had beene in the time when Iason salled to fetch the golden Fleece this and not that of the Argonantes should thither haue set saile The Knights and gentlewomen therfore accommodating themselues in this bake after that with most dilicate vinds they had broken their fast the Lady Countesse of Sala made a motion that there might a Queene be chosen by election not by lot whose Empire should not further extend then the Barke they were in and was to continue for the whole passage to the ende that she by mouing some pleasant discourse might cut off the tediousnesse of the voyage Each one therefore beginning to whisper in the eares of another by little and little with the generall applause of all the Lady Tarquinia Molza a Gentlewoman of Modona was chosen Queene for her rare and extraordinarie wit by the duchesle wonderfully beloued and of all the Court reuerenced who after modest refusall in the ende accepted this honour and Empire Euerie one stoode doubtfull expecting what the new Queene would command for entertainment of that euening when she after some indifferent meditatiō said Amongst al the goods termed external or of fortune me thinks that after honor riches holdes the chiefest place we seeing by experiense that riches in a maner of al men are desired they iudging that nothing is more proportionable to humane felicitie than riches I therfore considering that the other day honor and yesterday nobilitie was very well discussed prouided I thought that this shuld be acceptable to the company I would make election of him who to day should discourse of riches and I beleeue this would not bee greatly from the purpose Signior Hercules Varano hauing by liuely reasons auerred that riches are the supportance stay of Nobilitie Then all the standers by began to say to the Queen among thēselues that this could not but be a most pleasing and profitable discourse and they were