[3653]_E tenui casa saepe vir magnus exit_, many a worthy man comes out of a poor cottage.  Hercules, Romulus, Alexander (by Olympia’s confession), Themistocles, Jugurtha, King Arthur, William the Conqueror, Homer, Demosthenes, P. Lumbard, P. Comestor, Bartholus, Adrian the fourth Pope, &c., bastards; and almost in every kingdom, the most ancient families have been at first princes’ bastards:  their worthiest captains, best wits, greatest scholars, bravest spirits in all our annals, have been base. [3654]Cardan, in his subtleties, gives a reason why they are most part better able than others in body and mind, and so, per consequens, more fortunate.  Castruccius Castrucanus, a poor child, found in the field, exposed to misery, became prince of Lucca and Senes in Italy, a most complete soldier and worthy captain; Machiavel compares him to Scipio or Alexander.  “And ’tis a wonderful thing” ([3655] saith he) “to him that shall consider of it, that all those, or the greatest part of them, that have done the bravest exploits here upon earth, and excelled the rest of the nobles of their time, have been still born in some abject, obscure place, or of base and obscure abject parents.”  A most memorable observation, [3656]Scaliger accounts it, et non praetereundum, maximorum virorum plerosque patres ignoratos, matres impudicas fuisse. [3657]"I could recite a great catalogue of them,” every kingdom, every province will yield innumerable examples:  and why then should baseness of birth be objected to any man?  Who thinks worse of Tully for being arpinas, an upstart?  Or Agathocles, that Silician king, for being a potter’s son?  Iphicrates and Marius were meanly born.  What wise man thinks better of any person for his nobility? as he said in [3658]Machiavel, omnes eodem patre nati, Adam’s sons, conceived all and born in sin, &c.  “We are by nature all as one, all alike, if you see us naked; let us wear theirs and they our clothes, and what is the difference?” To speak truth, as [3659]Bale did of P. Schalichius, “I more esteem thy worth, learning, honesty, than thy nobility; honour thee more that thou art a writer, a doctor of divinity, than Earl of the Huns, Baron of Skradine, or hast title to such and such provinces,” &c.  “Thou art more fortunate and great” (so [3660]Jovius writes to Cosmo de Medici, then Duke of Florence) “for thy virtues, than for thy lovely wife, and happy children, friends, fortunes, or great duchy of Tuscany.”  So I account thee; and who doth not so indeed? [3661]Abdolominus was a gardener, and yet by Alexander for his virtues made King of Syria.  How much better is it to be born of mean parentage, and to excel in worth, to be morally noble, which is preferred before that natural nobility, by divines, philosophers, and [3662]politicians, to be learned, honest, discreet, well-qualified, to be fit for any manner of employment, in country and commonwealth, war and peace, than to be Degeneres Neoptolemi, as many brave nobles are, only wise