Of the variitie ofteoridlynobilitie. 33 3 their bodies, leaning no remembrancebehind them, vnlefl'e it be oftheir fin and fhame: yea this worldly nobility is not onlymomentany, but alfo mutable, and altogether vncer- taine to continue vnto this fhort period oflife, feeing for theirill deferuing they outline their nobility, & their crimes like deadly poilons tainting their blood, do vtterly imbale their honor and reputation. In regard ofwhich mutabilitie, the ancient nobility of Rome were accuflomed to weare moones vpon their fhooes, that being lift vpwith their glo- rie and greatnes offlate, they might haue this fwclling af- Plutarch. de (waged,byhawing continually before their eyes this exam- quaff. Rom. pie ofmutability. And thischangeablenesofellatethey are quæ1L76. cubic&veto by the iufl iudgement ofGod;forit is righteous withhim, that there fallelights feruing for noother end,but to feduce their inferiours, fhouldbequite put outand extin- guifhed, and that their nobility fhouldbe taken from them, when as it is notfo much agrace vnto them,as theya fhame toit. And thus it appeareth that this worldly nobilitie is ofno 4.Sel.9. great worth orexcellencic,hoth in relpe6t ofthe vanitie,andThat vpliart alto the momentanie continuance thereof; whereby it is nob:litreioyned Beare and manifeP, that newly aduanced verrue, or as we with verrue, is call it (fart nobility, ofthe lira head, being io ned ro bepreferred v P y> > y before that with worth and deferr, whereby it is railed, howfocuer it which is defli- bath not the precedence in ciuill meetings, yet without all tuteofit,though comparifon, is to bepreferred in the iudgement and eflima-itbeancient. tion ofall that are good, beforeancient nobilitie, which in the taceoffucceflion hath outlafled vertue, and is contami- natedand defiledwithvice and wickednes.The which how- foeuer it is fcarce acknowledged atnongfl many that pro- feffe Chriflianity,yctwas itplainlydifcerned &confetti(' by Pulebriusmultà the Heathens, who had no other guide then the light ofna- Parariquarx ture.One faith, that it is better to purchale nobilitie b y dc- crear: Afon nob,temin So- , . fert, then to bane it by inheritance. Another faith, that he lon.fucntenr. efieemeth nobilitie chiefely for goodnes, and that he would Eurip. aped account him to be ignoble and bale, who is vniufl and defli- stobeum,Serm, tuteofvertue, though he could derfue his pedigree from 86. better then Jupiter. So ,Flrtrmoditte upbraiding 1phicra'es, a famous
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