and mocke them, thynking
themselues to good to be loked vpon, or to be once moued of
vertuous loue, scornfully casting their face at one side, as
though the suters were vnworthy their company? Howe many
likewyse be possessed and ouerwhelmed with pryde by reason
Nature more propicious vnto them then other, be descended of
some great parentage, that will accompt a great iniurie done
vnto them, if any gentleman except he be rych, do make sute to
loue them? Again a great number of women (I speake of them whose
minds do not so mutch aspire to fame or honour as they seeke
their delights and brauerie to be mainteined) bee of this
trampe, that they care not whether theyr louers bee discrete,
well condicioned, vertuous and gentle, so that theyr pursses be
full of money, or theyr shapes amiable, not waying the valour
and good conditions of the minde, ne yet a thousand other
qualities that ought to garnish a Gentleman, whereby all
vertuous Gentlemen dayly do growe beautiful, and be enriched
wyth greater perfections. Some there be that fixe their minds
vpon those, that be of goodly personage, although void of good
behauiour, louing rather a piece of flesh with two eyes, than an
honest man well furnished with vertue. Thynk not yet for all
thys, that herein men ordinarily bee more wyse than women,
althoughe they ought to bee accomplished with greater witte: but
to say the truth, they all be spotted with one kind of pitch,
that warfare here in the large campe of this present worlde:
whereof it commeth to passe, that light loue as we see to beare
no good foundation, and to haue no longe continuance, euen so
the end and conclusion to consume like the beauty of the floure.
And therupon many times it chaunceth, that when loue is not
grounded but vpon transitorie beauty, which doth dissolue like a
windy cloude, the little heat thereof doth not wax more hote,
but rather congealeth to frost, and many times conuerteth into
hatred and mischiefe most cruel. A worse thing yet than this is
in common practise: There be many that wyll needes bee counted
and called gentlemen, bycause they come of Auncient and Noble
race, and being growen vp to man's state, doe appeare in shapes
of men, but are altogether without approued manners, vtterly
ignorant what the nature of Gentle is, accomptyng themselues to
be ioly fellowes, when in company of other as bigge beastes as
them selues, they contriue theyr time and make their bragges,
vaunting that Sutch a