Considering then with my selfe the trueth of her wordes , and how much man is rather bound to follow vertuous actions then vaine pleasures , which I had addicted my selfe vnto : I vndoubtedly determined , to followe her faithfull counsell , and vtterly to abandon that kinde of life , which by the ill disposition of time , I was forced to leade . Wherein notwithstanding , fortune seemed not greatly to fauour me : for much time ouerpassed not , before that the warre being in some sort appeased , all our companie togither with the ladies and others ( some being tied togither by kindred and allyance : others by knot of friendship ) as well to auoide the scorching heate , as the frequentation of much companie in so contagious a season ; transported themselues to a Grange of ours , seuen miles distant from the towne . There by reason of the conueniencie of a faire house , and of a most pleasaunt and wonderfull delightfull garden , we still remained , spending the time continually in such sports and pastimes , as the season of the yeare , the place and the companie did require .

It happened on a day , that as Fabricio , and Possidonio ( two young gent. of our companie ) walked abroad , they espied a noble ladie comming towardes them , whose name was Virginia , accompanied with an honourable traine , who was going right towardes the citie : whom when they were come neare vnto , they entertained with such reuerence , as was due vnto her , and besought her to make stay in that place , & to dine with vs : Shee seeing her selfe constrained by their earnest entreaties , remained there with them , and was courteously receiued of this pleasant companie . After shee had refreshed her selfe togither with other ladies , she took view of the house , garden , & that which was most worthy to behold , the Gentlewomen , who alwaies accompanied hir foot by foot , vnto the place where the tables were couered for dinner : euery one of vs being serued in very decent & good order , & hauing store of good & delicate meats , & most excellent wine , we passed out dinner very merily , not without many pretie quips . In the end it pleased this noble Lady ( not without great sorrow of the whole company ) to depart from vs , & hauing with most gentle speech taken her leaue of the gentlemen and gentlewomen , she in like sort went her way , after shee had thanked them all ; which notwithstanding , the two yong gentlemen who first inuited her , did still accompanie hir : but after they had gone some prety distance from vs , she would not suffer them to passe any further , but staying herselfe and turning towardes them , shee spake vnto them after this maner . The gratious intertainment , the noble exercise , and pleasant abode of this frolicke companie , haue this day bound my heart vnto them in such sort , that I shall neuer lose the remembrance therof . Wherwithall taking a rich gold ring curiously wrought forth of her bosome , she said : And to the end that you may be as mindfull of me , as is lawfully permitted , I doe bestow this ring vpon him that is the most noble of you two , whom I incharge to weare it in remembrance of me .

The conclusion of hir speech , and her departure were at one instant , leauing the ring in his hands , who when she gaue it did not so willingly accept thereof . Howbeit Possidonio ▪ as one descending of an ancient & noble family , being besides indued with great riches , claimed the gift : but Fabricio , who reckoned himselfe nothing inferiour to the other in nobilitie ( albeit that his ancestors were not of so noble bloud , nor himselfe blessed with so great wealth ) hee pretended with great vehemencie , that the ring belonged vnto him , because that from his youth , hee had been vertuously raised to that substance he possessed , and thereby become wise , prudent and well conditioned . So soone as they were returned to their companie , they straightwaies declared the cause of their variance , shewing them the ring , which was framed in circle wise : on the one side whereof there was the picture of a yong ladie apparelled like a nymph , who held in her hand a royal Crowne , in such sort as if she would haue set the same vpon some bodies head , round about the which was written in Latine Dignus coronabitur ipsa , Let the most worthy be crowned herewith .

On the other side was the pourtraiture of a gallant young man crowned therwith , who held in his hand a green bough not much vnlike vnto an Oliue branch , about the which was ingraued , Victor , & merito coronatus ; I am crowned herewith as the conquerour , and that by desart .

But by reason the controuersie betweene these two young Gentlemen , did grow more and more , who by occasion thereof arriued there vnawares , they were all of one opinion ( to the ende , that whereas this pleasant companie were mette togither onelie for their recreation , that enmitie and hatred might not grow thorough this sodaine accident ) to boult out the troth of this their doubt , they shoulde one after another set downe their reasons , and afterwardes stand to the iudgement of a third person .

A Gentleman called Nennio , ( one of the companie ) was indifferently chosen by them , for that purpose , who after he had heard the reasons debated on both sides , shoulde by his wisedome , giue iudgement and sentence , from which they promised they would not appeale , but friendly rest satisfied therewith . Albeit that the burthen thereof seemed heauie to Nennio , yet did he willingly sustaine it , considering that peace on all sides would follow thereby .

And because that on either part the discourse was intertained with no lesse profite , then pleasure , with pretie subtill argumentes , and wittie conclusions , I determined ( aswell to auoide the heate of the season , as to keepe me from idlenesse ) with my pen ( such as it is , ) to set them downe in writing .

A great part of the day was alreadie ouerpassed , and the sun in his declining , when as both the Gentlemen & ladies by common consent did descend to the most pleasant place of the garden , where we sate orderly in circle-wise vpon the thin grasse , which vnder the shadowy-sweet-smelling trees was defended from the parching heate of the sunne beames . Possidonio , as one desirous to be the first that should enter into the listes , was set in a place somewhat higher than the rest ; who after he saw vs all equally attentiue , and that our eares seemed as it were readie to heare him , gaue this beginning vnto his speech .

Fabricio , If I knewe thee to be of that force , that thou wert able to impugne the least of my reasons , how weake soeuer they may seeme to be , I shoulde imagine my selfe to be in farre greater danger then I am . But contrarily , it cannot anie way sinke into my thought , by what meanes thou art able to resist them , nor with what reason that carrieth with it a resemblance of troth , thou art able to arme thy selfe against me .

Wherfore in my opinion it were far more fit , & more commendable before so worthy an audience ( to the end the mindes of the assistantes might be more intentiue ) to discourse of some other question more doubtful then this we are to intreate of , it rather becomming thy estate and condition , euen at the beginning to keepe silence : and yet it may be , that this discourse liketh thee better , that thereby thou maiest set forth the ancient and honourable stocke of thy predecessors , and their great large riches and reuenues . Howsoeuer it be , that thou maiest not take me to be out of the matter , I will returne to our disputation .

Worthy Gentlemen , the doubt which this day is hapned amongst vs , is not vnknowne vnto you ( if so it be that we ought to call it a doubt ) for surely a more easie controuersie did neuer rise amongst men . Wee shall soone see if Fabricio be more noble then I am , or whether I am more honourable then hee is . He might with more reason make a question , whether the day be more cleerer than the night , or the sunne more hote then the Moone : and perhaps there might be greater cause to doubt thereat , the basenesse of his birth , and the worthinesse of my bloud being more then sufficiently knowne vnto you . But seeing it is your pleasure that we shall discourse thereof , I will willingly yeeld , being more constrained thereunto to satisfie your desire then forced by reason , not distrusting anie whit of obtaining the victorie .

It lying then vpon me ( louing Gent. ) to prooue vnto you that I am a noble man , yea farre more noble then Fabricio : I will first shew you what nobilitie is , which if we do rightly vnderstand as we ought , I doubt not but that our controuersie will be finally determined without anie further debating of the matter . I affirme that to be true nobilitie ( for Fabricio , thou canst not varie from the opinion of all men ) which of long time hath beene left by the predecessours vnto the successors , as a hereditarie gift , the name whereof is as wel imprinted in them , as the forme of the body ; in asmuch as hee that is borne of a noble family , so soone as he is broght forth into the world , is esteemed amongst the number of noble men , which is no lesse apparant then true ; for asmuch as if we consider any noble man whatsoeuer , surely those that descend from him , shall be reckoned amongst such as are noble men .

Who is he so void of reason , that doth not account those as noble men , who are discended of the stocke of the Sforsi , of these of Ests , of the Gonsagui , and of a number of other most noble races ? Surely , no manne . He then is a Noble man , who is issued of a noble familie . Let vs then consider whether I or thou , are sprung of noble parentes , to the end that the most noble of vs both may bee knowne . Tell me I pray thee , and take no scorne to let me know , whether thy ancestors were Noblemen , or not : nay whether they were so much as reckoned amongst gent. which surely I beleeue thou art not able to shew me . If then no Nobilitie was lefte thee by thy auncesters , how doest thou now take that boldnesse vpon thee , to giue thy selfe the tytle of a nobleman ? By what meanes doost thou seeke to intrude thy selfe into the company of Gentlemen ? What hope hast thou to bee adiudged the more noble ? Surely I know not how I should perswade my selfe therein : but contrarily , you cannot make any doubt , but that this nobilitie was left me by my predecessors , for both my grandfathers , and their great grandfathers and their issue , haue still as it were from hande to hand , maintained themselues in the order of noblemen : forsomuch as they haue alwaies shewed themselues worthie men at Armes , and many of them haue beene lords of Castles and of Townes , albeit that enuious fortune hath bereft them of the greater part of this substance . I will not further inlarge my discourse , to recken vp what my predecessors haue beene , being certaine that they are no lesse knowne vnto you , then to my selfe .

Wherefore it may well be concluded , that I beeing the successour of right Noble men , and thou borne of base parentage , that I am a Noble man , and thou art not ; and so consequently the ring which this day was giuen by the Lady Virginia , belongeth vnto mee , as to the most noble of the two . Now see Fabricio howe by little and little , I haue made it manifest , that thou art deceiued . Yet if so it were that thou shouldst denie my conclusion , which is most true in it selfe , I woulde so forciblie work , that thou shouldst of necessitie be constrained to yeeld therunto . For if they who doe expose their liues to a thousand dangers , as it were men banished from their own houses , the space of many yeares , in the seruice of their king , their countrey , or other princes , to purchase to themselues a glorious name euerlastinglie , did consider that so soon as they should depart this life , their renowm and their glorie should die with them , and not remaine to their children , and posterity ; he might surely be accounted foolish that woulde take paines , or indure any trauel or disquiet : but they waighing that this name which they did get amongst bloudy battails , did not onlie adorne their own persons ( which should indeed be but a smal thing ) but likewise all their whole stocke after them , they did not against their wil , but of their own accord enter into such toile , & labour . Whereby it followeth of necessitie that we conclude , that the selfe-same renowme , and the selfe-same Nobilitie , that was in their ancestors whatsoeuer it be , is transferred to their posteritie : Bicause that naturally we haue no better instrument , nor more perfect means , by which the glorie and Nobilitie which is in men , may indure longe , then their children & posteritie : by them nobilitie is preserued , by them the generositie of families is liuelie maintained . Hitherto the words of Possidonio were continued , with a wonderful attention and without anie interruption : when Fabricio turning himselfe towards him spake after this manner . Passe on no further Possidonio , for I intend to answer thee to that thou hast thus far discoursed , & thou shalt vnderstand whether this nobilitie which we seeke for , doth remaine in bloud , or not : & then thou mayst at leisure proceed , for as thou shalt frame thine argumentes , so will I likewise answere thee . At which offer Possidonio paused , but the company would not suffer that Fabricio should intermeddle to answer Possidonio his discourse , vntill hee had ended that which he should bee able to alledge in his defence . Wherefore silence being made , Possidonio proceeded after this maner .

You see moreouer ( worthy Gent. ) what operation nature affoordeth to the innobling of man . For if wee consider the gifts which it lendeth in the generation of man , you shall finde them wholie assembled in our fauour . Forsomuch as first it yeeldeth to this , that the ingendring of children is permitted to man , by meanes of his own bloud ; and after that it hath brought them forth into the world , it laboureth to cause them to bee like vnto those , whose natural bloud is dispersed in their bodies : herehence proceedeth the excessiue loue which the father naturallie beareth to his son , which to speak the troth surpasseth all other loues in this worlde ; as is best knowne vnto them that haue made tryall therof ; the ingendred being deemed a part and member of the ingenderer .