To exhort young men to those qualities, which do make noble and gentlemen, is to haue them so excellently qualified, as they maye honest their countrey, and honour themselues. To encourage noble young gentlemen to maintaine the honour of their houses, is to wish them to apply such vertues, as both make base houses bigge in any degree, and tofore did make their families renowmed in theirs. If abilitie will attaine, and idlenesse do neglecte, the ignominie is theirs: if want of abilitie appeare to be so great, as no endeuour can preuaile, God hath set his seale and men must cease to muse, where the infirmitie is euident, and thinke that euery beginning is to haue an ende. Hereby I take it to be very plaine both what the termes of noble and gentle do meane, and what they infer to be in those parties to whom they are proper. For as _gentility_ argueth a courteous, ciuill, well disposed, sociable constitution of minde in a superior degree: so doth _nobilitie_ import all these, and much more in an higher estate nothing bastarded by great authoritie. And do not these singularities deserue helpe by good and vertuous education?
[Sidenote: The causes and rgoundes of nobilitie.]
What be the groundes and causes of _nobilitie_, both the _efficient_ which make it, and the _finall_ for whom it serues? Concerning the _efficient_. Though the chiefe and soueraigne Prince, of whom for his education I will saye somwhat herafter, be the best and fairest blossom of _nobilitie_, yet I will not medle any further with the meane to attaine vnto the dignitie of the crowne, then that it is either come by, by conquest, which in meaner people is called purchace, and hangeth altogether of the conquerours disposition: or else by discent, which in other conueyances continueth the same name, and in that highnesse continueth the same lawes, or altereth with consent. Neither will I speake of such, as the Prince vpon some priuate affection doth extraordinarily prefer. _Alexander_ may auaunce _Hephestio_ for great good liking, _Assuerus Hester_, for great good loue, _Ptolome Galetes_ for secret vertue.[61] And vpon whom soeuer the Prince doth bestow any extraordinarie preferment, it is to be thought that there is in them some great singularity, wherewith their princes, which can iudge be so extraordinarily moued. Neither will I say any more then I haue said of _nobilitie_ by discent, which enioyeth the benefite of the predecessours vertue, if it haue no priuate stuffe: but if it haue, it doth double and treble the honour and praise of auncestrie.