The boke named the Gouernour, deuysed by syr Thomas Elyot knight

¶ What very nobilitie is, and wherof it toke fyrste that denominati∣on. Capitulo. iiii.

NOwe it is to be feared, that where maiestie approcheth to excesse, & the mind is obsessed with inordinate glo∣rie, lest pryde, of al vices mooste horryble, shulde sodeynly entre and take prisoner the harte of a gentyllman called to auctoritie. Wherfore in as moch as that pestilence cor¦rupteth all sences, and maketh them incu∣rable by any perswation or doctryne, ther∣fore such persons, from theyr adolescency, * 1.1 ought to be perswaded and taught the true knowledge of very nobylytie, in fourme fo∣lowynge or lyke.

¶ Fyrst that in the begynnynge, whan pri∣uate possessions and dignitie were giuen by the consente of the people, who than had all thynge in commune, and equalitie in de∣gree and condition, Undoutedly they gaue the one and the other to him, at whose ver∣tue they meruayled, and by whose labour and industrie they receiued a commune be∣nefyte, as of a commune father, that with equal affection loued them. And that prōp∣titude or redynesse in employinge that be∣nefyte was than named in englyshe gentyl∣nesse, as it was in latine BENIGNITAS,

and in other tonges after a semblable signi∣fycation: and the persons were called gen∣tyll menne, more for the remembraunce of theyr vertue and benefyte, than for discre∣paunce of astates.

¶ Also it fortuned by the prouidēce of god, that of those good menne were ingendred good chyldren, who beinge broughte vp in vertue, and perceyuynge the cause of the aduauncement of theyr progenytours, en∣deuoured them selfes by imitation of ver∣tue, to be equall to them in hon our and au∣ctoritie: by good emulation they reteyned stylle the fauour and reuerence of people. And for the goodnes that proceded of su∣che generation, the astate of them was cal∣led in greke EVGENIA, whiche signifyeth good kynde or lynage: but in a more briefe maner, it was after called nobilitie, and the persoues noble, which signifieth excellent, and in the analogie or significatiō it is more ample than gentill, for it conteyneth as wel all that, whiche is in gentilnesse, as also the honour or dignitie therfore receyued, whi∣che be so annexed the one to the other, that they can not be seperate.

¶ It wolde be more ouer declared, that where vertue ioyned with great possessiōs * 1.2 or dygnytie, hath longe contynued in the blode or house of a gentyll man, as it were

an inheritaunce, there nobilitie is most she∣wed, and these noble men be most to be ho∣nored: for as moche as continuaunce in all thinge that is good, hath euer preeminence in prayse and comparyson. But yet shall it be necessary, to aduertise those persōs, that do thynke, that nobylitie may in no wyse be but onely where men can auaunte theym of auncient lignage, an auncient robe, or great possessions, at this day very noble men do suppose to be moch errour and foly. Wher∣of there is a familiar example, whiche we beare euer with vs: for the bloode in our bodies beinge in youthe warme, pure, and lustye, is the occasion of beautie, whiche is euery where commended and loued, but in age beynge putryfied, it leseth his prayse. And the goutes, carbuncles, kankers, le∣pryes, and other lyke sores and sycknesses, whiche do procede of blode corrupted, be to al men detestable. And this persuasion to any gentilman, in whom is apt dysposition to very nobilitie, wyll be sufficient, to with∣drawe hym from such vice, wherby he may empayre his own estimation, and the good renoume of his auncetours.

¶ If he haue an auncient robe, lefte by his * 1.3 auncetour, let hym consider, that if the first owner were of more vertue than he is, that succedeth, the robe beynge worne, myns∣sheth

his prayse, to them whiche knowe or haue harde of the vertue of hym that fyrste owed it. If he that weareth it be vyclouse, it more detecteth howe moch he is vnwor∣thy to weare it, the remembraunce of his noble auncetour makynge men to abhorre the reproche gyuen by an yuell successour,

¶ If the fyrst owner were not vertuouse, it condemneth him that weareth it of moche folyshenesse, to glorie in a thynge of so base estimation, which lacking beautie or glosse, can be none ornament to hym that weareth it, nor honorable remembrance to hym that fyrste owed it.

¶ But nowe to confirme by true histories, that accordynge as I late affirmed, nobili∣tic * 1.4 is not only in dignitie, auncient lignage, nor great reuenues landes or possessyons, let yong gentylmen haue often tymes tolde to theym, and (as it is vulgarely spoken) layde in theyr lappes, how Numa Pompi∣lius was taken from husbandry, whiche he * 1.5 exercised, and was made king of Romayns by electyon of the people. What caused it suppose you, but his wisedome and vertue, whiche in him was very nobilitie: and that nobylitie broughte hym to dygnitie? And if that were not nobylytie, the Romaynes were meruaylousely abused, that after the dethe of Romulus theyr kynge, hauinge a∣monge

them a hundred senatours, whome Romulus dyd set in auctoritie, and also the blod royal, and olde gentylmen of the Sa∣bynes, who by the procurement of the wi∣ues of the Romains, beīg their doughters, inhabited the citie of Rome, they wold nat of somme of them electe a kynge, rather than aduaunce a ploughman and straunger to that autoritie.

¶ Quintius, hauing but .xxx. acres of land, * 1.6 and beinge ploughman therof, the Senate and people of Rome sente a messager to shewe hym that they had chosen hym to be DICTATOR, whiche was at that tyme the highest dignitie among the Romains, & for thre monethes had auctoritie royal. Quin∣tius herynge the message, lette his plough stande, & went into the citie, & prepared his hoost, agein the Samnites, and vanquished them valiantly. And that done, he surren∣dred his office, and being discharged of the dignitie, repaired ageyne to his ploughe, and applied it diligently.

¶ I wold demaund nowe, if nobilitie were only in the dignitie, or in his prowesse, whi∣che he shewed agaynst his ennemies. If it were only in his dignite, it therwith cessed, and he was (as I mought say) estsones vn∣noble, and than was his prowesse vnrewar∣ded, whiche was the chiefe and origynall

cause of that dignite: whiche were incon∣gruent and without reasō. If it were in his prowesse, prowesse consistynge of valiaunte courage and martial polycie, if they styl re∣mayne in the personne, he maye neuer be with out nobilitie, whiche is the commen∣dation, and as it were the surname of vtue.

¶ The two Romaynes, called both Decii, were of the base astate of the people, and * 1.7 not of the greate blode of the Romaynes, yet for the preseruation of theyr countrey, they auowed to dye, as it were in a satisfa∣ction for all theyr countrey: and soo with valyaunte hartes they perced the hoste of theyr ennemies, and valiauntly fyghtynge dyed there honourably, and by theyr exam∣ple gaue suche audacitie and courage to the residue of the Romaynes, that they em¦ployed so their strengthe agaynst their en∣nemyes, that with lyttell more losse, they opteyned victorye.

¶ Ought not these two Romaynes, which by theyr death gaue occasiō of victorye, be called noble? I suppose no man that kno∣weth what reason is, wyll denie it.

¶ More ouer, we haue in this realme coy∣nes, which be called nobles, as lōg as they be sene to be golde, they be so called: but if they be counterfayted, and made in brasse, coper, or other vile metal, who for the prit

onely, calleth them nobles? wherby it ap∣pereth, that the estimation is in the metall, and not in the prynte or ••ygure.

¶ And in a horse or good greyhounde, we prayse that we se in them, and not the beau∣tie or goodnes of theyr progenie. Whiche proueth, that in estemyng of money and ca∣tell, we be led by wysedome, and in appro∣uynge of man, to whom beastes and money do serue, we be onely induced by custome.

¶ Thus I conclude, that nobylytie is not after the vulgare opynion of menne, but is onely the prayse and surname of vertue. Whiche the lenger it continueth in a name or linage, the more is nobilitie extolled and meruayled at.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Adolescē∣cye, is the age next to the state of man. Nobilitie begunne.
• * 1.2

  Nobilitie auncient.
• * 1.3

  Aunciente robes.
• * 1.4

  Nobilitie wherin it is.
• * 1.5

  Numa klg of Romais
• * 1.6

  Quintius Dictator.
• * 1.7

  Decii and theyr a∣••owe.