made
King of Syria. How much better is it to be born of mean parentage, and to
excel in worth, to be morally noble, which is preferred before that natural
nobility, by divines, philosophers, and [3662]politicians, to be learned,
honest, discreet, well-qualified, to be fit for any manner of employment,
in country and commonwealth, war and peace, than to be _Degeneres
Neoptolemi_, as many brave nobles are, only wise because rich, otherwise
idiots, illiterate, unfit for any manner of service? [3663] Udalricus, Earl
of Cilia, upbraided John Huniades with the baseness of his birth, but he
replied, _in te Ciliensis comitatus turpiter extinguitur, in me gloriose
Bistricensis exoritur_, thine earldom is consumed with riot, mine begins
with honour and renown. Thou hast had so many noble ancestors; what is that
to thee? _Vix ea nostra voco_, [3664]when thou art a dizzard thyself: _quod
prodest, Pontice, longo stemmate censeri_? &c. I conclude, hast thou a
sound body, and a good soul, good bringing up? Art thou virtuous, honest,
learned, well-qualified, religious, are thy conditions good?--thou art a
true nobleman, perfectly noble, although born of Thersites--_dum modo tu
sis--Aeacidae similis, non natus, sed factus_, noble [Greek: kat'
exochaen], [3665]"for neither sword, nor fire, nor water, nor sickness, nor
outward violence, nor the devil himself can take thy good parts from thee."
Be not ashamed of thy birth then, thou art a gentleman all the world over,
and shalt be honoured, when as he, strip him of his fine clothes,
[3666]dispossess him of his wealth, is a funge (which [3667] Polynices in
his banishment found true by experience, gentry was not esteemed) like a
piece of coin in another country, that no man will take, and shall be
contemned. Once more, though thou be a barbarian, born at Tontonteac, a
villain, a slave, a Saldanian Negro, or a rude Virginian in Dasamonquepec,
he a French monsieur, a Spanish don, a signor of Italy, I care not how
descended, of what family, of what order, baron, count, prince, if thou be
well qualified, and he not, but a degenerate Neoptolemus, I tell thee in a
word, thou art a man, and he is a beast.

Let no _terrae filius_, or upstart, insult at this which I have said, no
worthy gentleman take offence. I speak it not to detract from such as are
well deserving, truly virtuous and noble: I do much respect and honour true
gentry and nobility; I was born of worshipful parents myself, in an ancient