roceede, do rest in longe experience of
things, whereby men waxe olde in ripenesse of witte, and theyr
deedes become worthy of prayse. This Duke Alexander ordred so
wel his estates, and kepte sutch a goodly and plentifull Court,
as the same gaue place to no Prynce of Italy, how great or rich
so euer it was, which noble court he kept aswell for his owne
garde and honor as to shew the naturall stoutnesse of his
corage, not vsing for all that any insolencie or vnseemely
dealing agaynste the haynous and auncient enemies of his
familie. Amongs his gallant troupe of Courtiers, which
ordinarily attended, there was a Florentine gentleman, very
neare the Duke, and the beste beeloued of them all. This yong
Gentleman had a Manor hard by Florence, where he was very well
and stately lodged, which caused him many times to forsake the
City, wyth two of his companions, to recreate himself in that
pleasant place. It chaunced vpon a time, he being in his
fieldish house, besides the which there was a Myll, the maister
of the sayd Myll had a passing fayre daughter, whom thys
Gentleman did well marke and beholde, and with hir beauty
beecame straungely in loue, in whom also appeared some Noble
port, that exceded the bloud and race whereof she came. But
what? The heauens be not to spare distributers of theyr gifts,
but sometimes they diuide them with the least measure, and at
some other times in equall weight or greatest heape, to them
that be of the basest sorte and popular degree, so wel, as to
the greatest and of most noble race. Rome somtimes hath seen a
bondman and slaue, somtimes a Runnegate's sonne, for his wit and
Courage to beare the Scepter in his hand, and to decide the
causes of that lofty people, who by sleyghts and practises
aspired the Empyre of the whole worlde. And he that within our
Fathers remembrance desireth to knowe what great Tamberlane of
Tartarie was, the astonishment and ruine of al the East partes,
shall well perceyue that his originall sorted from the vulgar
sorte, and from the lowest degree that was amongs all estates:
whereby must be confessed, that the goodnesse of nature is sutch
and so great, as she will helpe hir nourice children (whatsoeuer
they be,) the best she can: Not that I meane to infer hereby,
but that the bloud of Predecessors, with the institution of
their Posterity, mutch augmenteth the force of the spirit, and
accomplisheth that more sincerely whereunto nature hath giuen a
beginninge. Now to c