I  beleeue  that  it  is  not  yet  confessed  that  a  King  or  an
Emperour  can  make  a  Noble  Man.  For  an  Emperour,  a  King
or  a  prince  may  well  make  some  courtier  rich,  or  any  other,  and
bestowe  some  office  upon  him  ;  but  I  doe  not  thinke  for  all  that,
that  he  can  make  him  noble.  .  .  .  For  suppose  that  thou  wert
most  just,  most  wise,  and  most  prudent :  and  that  I  did  desire  to
bee  made  just,  wise,  and  prudent  by  thee,  could  that  possibly
be  done  ?  Truely  all  the  whole  world  togither  could  not  bring
it  to  passe,  if  by  nature  my  mind  were  not  apt  to  learn  such
vertue  ;  for  they  are  gifts  of  the  mind  and  consequently  not
easy  to  be  transported  from  one  body  to  another.  I  wil  then
sale  that  a  prince,  albeit  he  be  the  most  noble,  yet  can  he
hardly  make  another  noble.  Of  which  opinion  the  Emperour
Gismond  was,  who  being  earnestly  entreated  by  one  of  his
loyall  and  faithfull  courtiers,  borne  of  base  parentage,  that
hee  woulde  vouchsafe  to  make  him  noble  :  he  answerd,  I  may
make  thee  free  and  rich,  but  noble  I  cannot  make  thee  ;  as
being  a  gift  not  under  his  commaund,  but  in  the  power  of
Nature.
1595.  G.  B.  Nenna,  Nennio,  A  Treatise  of  Nobilitie,  p.  93.
The  Herald's  Gentleman  159

Generositie  doth  not  account  him  a  gentlemap,  which  is
onely  descended  of  noble  bloud,  in  power  great,  in  iewels
rich,  in  furniture  fine,  in  attendants  braue  ;  for  all  these  are
found  in  Merchants  and  lewes.  But  to  be  a  perfect  Gentleman
is  to  bee  measured  in  his  words,  liberall  in  giuing,  sober  in  diet,
honest  in  lining,  tender  in  pardoning,  and  valiant  in  fighting.
