Then what auayles to haue a Princely place, A name of honour or an high degree, To come by kinred of a noble race? Except we princely, worthie, noble be! The fruite declares the goodnes of the tree, Do brag no more of birth or linage than, For vertue,[653] grace, and manners make the man. 3. My selfe might bragge, and first of all begin, _Mulmucius_ made and constituted lawes, And _Belinus_ and _Brenne_ his sonnes did win Such prayse, their names to be immortall cause.[654] _Gurgunstus Readbeard_ with his sober sawes, The sonne of _Beline_ and my Grandsyre grand, Was fortunate what ere he tooke in hand. 4. His sonne my grandsire _Guintheline_ did passe For vertue’s praise, and _Martia_ was his wife, A noble Queene that wise and learned was, And gaue her selfe to study all her life, Deuising lawes, discust the ends of strife Amongst the _Britaynes_ to her endlesse fame: Her statutes had of _Martian_ lawes the name.[655] 5. My father eke was sober, sage, and wise, _Cicilius_ hight, King _Guintheline_ his sonne, Of noble Princes then my stocke did rise, And of a Prince of _Cornwall_ first begonne: But what thereby of glory haue I wonne? Can this suffice to aunswere eke for mee, I came by parents of an high degree? 6. Or shall I say, I was forsooth the King?[656] Then might I liue as lewdely as I lust, No sure, I cannot so auoide the sting Of shame that prickes such Princes are vniust. Wee rather should vnto our vertues trust, For vertue of the auncient bloud or kinne, Doth onely praise the parties shee’s within.[657] 7. And nobles onely borne (of this bee sure) Without the vertues of their noble race, Doe quite and cleane themselues thereby obscure, And their renowne and dignities deface: They doe their birth and linage all deface, For why, in deede they euer ought so well In vertues graue, as titles braue excell. 8. But oft (God wot) they fare as erst did I, They thinke if once they come of Princely stocke, Then are they placed safe and sure, so hie Aboue the rest, as founded on a rocke: Of wise mens warnings all they make a mocke: They counsayles graue as abiect reedes despise, And count the braue men gratious, worthy, wise. 9. This kingdome came to mee by due discent, For why my father was before mee King, But I to pleasure all and lust was bent, I neuer reckte of Iustice any thing, What purpose I did meane to passe to bring,[658] That same t’accomplish I with all my might Endeuourde euer, were it wrong or right. 10.