and
brought before their Prince, or common weale, or king that he be: it
followeth therefore, that where be many dominions, there rise many
valiaunt menne, and where be fewe, fewe. In Asia is founde Ninus, Cirus,
Artasercses, Mithridates: and verie fewe other, that to these maie be
compared. In Africk, is named (lettyng stande thesame auncient Egipt)
Massinissa, Jugurta, and those Capitaines, whiche of the Carthaginens
common weale were nourished, whom also in respecte to those of Europe,
are moste fewe: bicause in Europe, be excellente men without nomber, and
so many more should be, if together with those should bee named the
other, that be through the malignitie of time extincte: for that the
worlde hath been moste vertuous, where hath been moste states, whiche
have favoured vertue of necessitie, or for other humaine passion. There
rose therfore in Asia, fewe excellente menne: bicause thesame Province,
was all under one kyngdome, in the whiche for the greatnesse thereof,
thesame standing for the moste parte of tyme idell, there could not
growe men in doynges excellent. To Africke there happened the verie
same, yet there were nourished more then in Asia, by reason of the
Carthaginens common weale: for that in common weales, there growe more
excellent men, then in kingdomes, bicause in common weales for the most
part, vertue is honoured, in Kyngdomes it is helde backe: wherby
groweth, that in thone, vertuous men are nourished, in the other thei
are extincte. Therefore he that shall consider the partes of Europe,
shall finde it to have been full of common weales, and of princedomes,
the whiche for feare, that the one had of the other, thei wer
constrained to kepe lively the warlike orders, and to honor them, whiche
in those moste prevailed: for that in Grece, besides the kyngdome of the
Macedonians, there were many common weales, and in every one of theim,
were bred moste excellente men. In Italie, were the Romaines, the
Sannites, the Toscanes, the Gallie Cisalpini. Fraunce, and Almainie, wer
ful of common weales and princedomes. Spaine likewise: and although in
comparison of the Romaines, there are named fewe other, it groweth
through the malignitie of the writers, whom folowe fortune, and to theim
for the moste parte it suffised, to honour the conquerours: but it
standeth not with reason, that betwene the Sannites, and the Toscanes,
whom fought CL. yeres with the Romaine people, before thei wer overcome,
there should no