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shall decaye. A man maye also be noble by reason of the place
where he was borne, as the decretall doe witnes. Somme
men are also reputed noble, because they are so called by com:
mon opinion, but this is no true nobilitie, because thease opinions
are not overtrue yet somme doctors doe saye that such as are
noble for knowledge virtue & good customes ought to be pre:
ferred before them that are noble by birthe & riches. Ian
Andrea writeth that nobilitie of nature is that wch fur:
nisheth the minde of man wth virtue. Somme have bene
noble by priviledge, and this is the nobilitie wch (as before
we saide) Bartholo dooth intreat of. But in noble men
of all sortes it is virtue that is their cheifest bewtie, and
vice that most dooth blemish their honnor. Theruppon
La pollitica saith, he is most noble who is good. Tullio wri:
teth that the virtuous man is to be preferred before his
auncestors, and that his beginnings in honnor is more worthy
memorie, because a mans owne virtue & good manners dooth
make him more noble then the acts of anie his auncestors
The beginner of nobilitie is more worthie commendacion
then such as shall succede, the virtue of suche as begin or are
preferred before the seconde or laste in nobilite wch remaine
as anexample. Boetio affirmeth that dignitie commeth tho:
roughe a mans owne virtue, and not virtue thorough dignitie
Nobilitie of nature dooth not make a man the more acceptable
to God, but his owne virtue. Salustio saith that noble men
in tymes paste were wonte to gaine their nobilitie by their
owne virtue. Valerio writeth of Gneo Scipiono sonne of
Affricano was as it were a monster respecting his fathers
life from whome he did degenerate. ffor wch reason he is
reputed most vile and base that descendeth of noble Parents
and seketh not to be equall wth them in virtue, wch virtue in
noble bloode ought to be greatlie fauoured. The true ornamt
of man is not the dignitie of his auncestors, nor the gorgy:
sousnes of his garments, but his virtue & good condicions.
Therfore the true nobilitie consisteth in knowledge virtue &
good customes, neither for the virtue or vices of a ffather
ought anie Childe to be praised nor dispized. Pollicrato wry:
teth that nobilitie is a singular & onlie virtue of noble
bloude, and a more commendable thinge it is to get nobilite
by a mans owne virtue then to loose that wch his auncestors