e is a fool himself." Now go and brag of thy gentility.
This is it belike which makes the [3649]Turks at this day scorn nobility,
and all those huffing bombast titles, which so much elevate their poles:
except it be such as have got it at first, maintain it by some supereminent
quality, or excellent worth. And for this cause, the Ragusian commonwealth,
Switzers, and the united provinces, in all their aristocracies, or
democratical monarchies, (if I may so call them,) exclude all these degrees
of hereditary honours, and will admit of none to bear office, but such as
are learned, like those Athenian Areopagites, wise, discreet, and well
brought up. The [3650]Chinese observe the same customs, no man amongst them
noble by birth; out of their philosophers and doctors they choose
magistrates: their politic nobles are taken from such as be _moraliter
nobiles_ virtuous noble; _nobilitas ut olim ab officio, non a natura_, as
in Israel of old, and their office was to defend and govern their country
in war and peace, not to hawk, hunt, eat, drink, game alone, as too many
do. Their Loysii, Mandarini, literati, licentiati, and such as have raised
themselves by their worth, are their noblemen only, though fit to govern a
state: and why then should any that is otherwise of worth be ashamed of his
birth? why should not he be as much respected that leaves a noble
posterity, as he that hath had noble ancestors? nay why not more? for
_plures solem orientem_ we adore the sun rising most part; and how much
better is it to say, _Ego meis majoribus virtute praeluxi_, (I have
outshone my ancestors in virtues), to boast himself of his virtues, than of
his birth? Cathesbeius, sultan of Egypt and Syria, was by his condition a
slave, but for worth, valour, and manhood second to no king, and for that
cause (as, [3651]Jovius writes) elected emperor of the Mamelukes. That poor
Spanish Pizarro for his valour made by Charles the fifth marquess of
Anatillo; the Turkey Pashas are all such. Pertinax, Philippus Arabs,
Maximinus, Probus, Aurelius, &c., from common soldiers, became emperors,
Cato, Cincinnatus, &c. consuls. Pius Secundus, Sixtus Quintus, Johan,
Secundus, Nicholas Quintus, &c. popes. Socrates, Virgil, Horace, _libertino
parte natus_. [3652]The kings of Denmark fetch their pedigree, as some say,
from one Ulfo, that was the son of a bear. [3653]_E tenui casa saepe vir
magnus exit_, many a worthy man comes out of a poor cottage. Hercules,
Romulus, A