Cicero,  Opera  (ed,  Delphin),  vol.  vii,  p.  3,016.
How  male  they  clayme  the  rewarde  that  properly  longeth  to
vertue  if  they  lacke  the  vertue  that  the  rewarde  longeth  to  ?  .  ..
For  neuer  the  more  noble  be  we  for  theyr  nobleness,  if  our
selfe  lacke  those  things  for  which  they  were  noble.  But  rather
the  more  _worshipfull  that  our  auncesters-_wer^  the  rn_ore_  vyle
and  shamefull  be  we,  ij  .we  declyne  from_ths_  steppes  of  theyr
worshipful  liuingr'  The  cleare  beautie  of  whose  vertue  maketh
the  darke  spot  of  our  vyce  the  more  euidentlye  to  appeare,  and
to  be  the  more  marked.
Sir  T.  More,   Works  (ed.   1557),  vol.  i,  p.   1.
Nobylitie  begyns  to  fade,

And  Carters  up  do  sprynge,

Then  whiche,  no  greater  plague  can  hap,

nor  more  pernicious  thynge.
Menalcas  :  I  haue  knowen  my  selfe,
within  this  thyrtye  yeare,
Qf  Lordes  and  Auncient  Gentlemen


i8o  Ancestry

A  hundreth  dwellynge  theare,
Of  whom  we  Shephardes  had  reliefc
Suche  Gentlenes  of  myndc,
Was  placed  in  theyr  noble  Hartes,
As  none  is  nowe  to  fynde.
But  Hawtynes  and  proude  Disdayne
hath  nowe  the  chiefe  Estate,
For  syr  John  Straw,  and  syr  John  Cur,
wyll  not  degenerate.
And  yet,  they  dare  account  them  selues
To  be  of  Noble  bludde.
But  fisshe  bred  up,  in  durtye  Pooles,
wyll  euer  stynke  of  mudde.
I  promyse  the[e]   Menahas  here,
I  wolde  not  them  cnuye.
Yf  any  spot  of  Gentlenes
in  them  I  myght  espye.
For  yf  thyr  Natures  gen  tell  be,
thoughe  byrth  be  neuer  so  base.
Of  Gentlemen  (for  mete  it  is)
they  ought  haue  name  and  place :
But  when  by  byrth,  they  base  are  bred,
and  churlisshe  harte  retaine,
Though  place  of  gentlemen  thei  haue
Yet  churles  they  do  remayne.
