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beginneth Le dolce rime d’amore solea truovar i mei pensieri
he speketh of an Emperor who saide that nobilitie is auntient
riches accompanied wth good customes. But Dant repro:
veth the opinion of this Emperor, saienge, that sith riches be
vile they cannot make a man noble, althouth percase they con:
tente the minde of man Bartholo saith that riches doe helpe
towardes nobilitie and magnificens, wch is assuredlie a virtue
whereuppon it may be concluded, that they maye helpe towards
nobilitie but not helpe to preserue it. One other auctho:
ritie affirmeth that the auntient virtue and good customes
doe make nobilitie. And theruppon Dante concludeth, that
of a vile or base father a gent cannot descende. It may be
presumed generallie men be either all noble, or els all vnno:
ble as was or first ffather Adam. ffor in the person of
one man nobilitie cannot begin. And other holde opinion yf
good customes and auntient riches maketh a man noble. But
the poett reproveth this opinion. yet Bartholo dooth allowe
it saienge, that of a base ffather, a noble sonne cannot des:
cende. But yf this sonne doth liue the space of twentie
yeares, continuenge his good customes, then he shalbe re:
puted noble. wheruppon the opinion growe firste, that who so
descended from a noble ffather or graundfather, sholde also
be reputed noble. yet the poet dooth disallowe, because it maye
be suppozed that, that ffather or graundfather were not
borne noble, And none are noble, but those yt discende from
Personns noble. Dant misliketh this opinion sayenge, that who
so receaveth nobilitie from his auncestors and dooth not keepe
it ought to be reproued. But Bartholo affirmeth that yf of
a noble ffather discendeth a virtuous sonne he shalbe noble, but
yf he be not virtuous, he shalbe dishonnored & not noble. he
saith further that a man may have nobilitie by nativitie
alleadging the the proverbs of Solomon, wch saye, that the ffathr
is the glorie of the Children. And the booke of Ecclesiasti:
co saith, happie is that lande, that hath a kinge descended
of a Royall race. Bartholo writeth that nobilitie of birth
continueth not longer then the thirde discente, and who so is
borne after the thirde degre is not noble. The poet Dant
thought otherwise, sayenge that wheresoever virtue was, ther
was also nobilitie, meaninge that virtue made a man happie