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be all alike. having thus ended the definition of nobilitie enforced
by this aucthoritie, we finde by the opinion of other doctors yt
Nobilitie is cause of nine things. ffirste of wisedome, wherin
consisteth the true nobilitie, as witnesseth the booke of wisedom, be:
cause the wise man is aboue ye iudgement stats & kings. ffor wch
reason the Iudgs are called most noble, and the lawes doe make
a man noble and reverenced of Princes, as the Ciuill lawe
saith. Cassiodoro saith, there is no fortune that can decrease
the noble knowledge of learninge. Also Solomon writeth
wisedome is better then all precious Ringes. Wheruppon the
lawiers are called greate, and ought not to be called of anie bro:
thers but lordes as the ciuile lawe willeth And Augusto Ce:
sare as Orotio Augustino writeth did before bid them to be
called Signori, as nobilitie proceedinge of virtue. The cheif
nobilitie before God as Salustio & Hieronimo affirme is to
be noted for virtue. And the virtuous worke doe make men
glorious in this lief. Seneca telleth that the true virtue
wthout nobilitie is nothinge but the operation of virtue in man
and this includeth the nobilitie wch pceedeth of good customes
wheruppon I saye that a man thorough vice chaungeth his
nature & becommeth vile, & virtue exalteth the nobilitie
of nature. Therfore who so is norne of a ffather noble by
office or dignitie, shall have in him the honnor of his fathers
birthe wch is nobilitie, and this nobilitie sometimes commeth
from the sonne to make the ffather noble, and the dignitie of
the sonne maketh the ffather to be estemed as Cato writeth
who became noble thorough his sonne, wch proveth that nobili:
tie of virtue is to be preferred. It is saide also a man may be
noble thorough the riches of his auncestors The lawe doothe
resemble honnor to great aboundaunce of welthe, wch maketh
the riche man honnored. Cassiodoro thinketh, a man is more
or lesse noble as he is more or lesse welthie. But this is
not the true nobilitie, for the worthines of money is not to
be compared wth true nobilitie, though perhapps riches doe
couer the imperfections of a man. Yet Ambrosio saith that
no man can be reputed worthie of honnor but only the riche
man, but the nobilitie and glorie of Riches is vaine, and virtue
is good & eternall. Liuio writeth that where wisedome &
welthe doe meete, that nobilitie is to be desired Ecclesiastico
reporteth that wisedome wth riches is the more proffitable
and who so trusteth in Riches thinkinge therby to have nobylitie