The History of the Worthies of England, Part 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. A Catalogue of all the Gentry in ENGLAND, made in the Reign of King HENRY the Sixth, why inserted in our Book.
AFter we have finished the Catalogue of the worthy Natives of every Shire, We present the Reader with a List of the Gentry of the Land, sollemnly returned by select Commissioners into the Chancery, thence into the Records in the Tower on this occasion.
The Commons in Parliament complained, that the Land then swarmed with Pilours, …obbers, Oppressers of the People, Man-stealers, Fellons, Outlaws, Ravishers of Women, Unlawful Haunters of Forrests and Parks, &c. Whereupon it was ordered, for the suppressing of present and preventing of future mischeifs, that certain Commissioners should be impowered in every County, to summon all persons of Quality before them, and tender them an Oath, for the better keeping of the Peace, and observing the Kings Laws both in themselves and Retainers.
Excuse me, Reader, if I be bold to in…pose my own Conjecture, who conceive, what ever was intended to palliate the Businesse, The Principal Intent was, to detect and suppress such who favoured the Title of York; which then began to be set on foot, and afterwards openly claimed, and at last obtained the Crown. 2. Even-done,
Of the method general used in this Catalogue.
The first amongst the Commissioners is the Bishop of their Diocesse, put before any Earl, partly because he was in his own Diocesse, partly because giving of Oaths (their proper work) was conceived to be of Spiritual cognisance.
Besides the Bishop, when there were three (as generally) Commissioners, the first of them was either an Earl, or at least (though often intituled but Chivaler) an Actual Baron, as will hereafter appear: And which will acquaint us partly with the Peerage of the Land in that Age.
Next follow those who were Knights for the Shire in the Parliament foregoing, and, if with the addition of Chivaler or Miles, were Knights by dubbing, before of that their Relation.
All Commissioners expressed not equal Industry and Activity in prosecution of their trust. For besides the natural Reasons, that in all Affairs, some will be more rigorous, some more Remiss by their own Temper, some more, some less fancyed their Imployment, insomuch as we find some Shires;
1. Over done, as Oxford and Cambridge-Shires, whose Catalogues are too much allayed, descending to persons of meaner quality.
2. Even done, as generally the most are, where the Returns bear a competent proportion to the Populousness and numerousnesse of the Counties.
3. Under done, as Shropshire, York-shire, Northumberland, &c. where the Returns do not answer to the extent of those Shires.
4. Not done. Which I sadly confess, and cannot help, being Twelve in number as hereafter will appear.
I dare not conjecture the cause of this Casualty, whether in such Shires, the Oaths were never Tendred, or tendred and not taken, or taken and not returned, or returned and not recorded, or recorded and not preserved, or preserved but misplaced in some Roll, which hitherto it hath not been my hap to lite upon.
It is possible that some disgusted the Kings Design, as who under the pretence of keeping the peace, indevoured to smother and suppress such, who should appear for the Title of York, whereof more in the Respective Countyes.
May the Reader be pleased to take notice, that in the Reign of Henry the Sixth, de such a place, began then to be left off, and the addition of Knight and Squire to be assumed. Yet because no Fashion can be generally followed at first, such additions are used in the Returns of some Shires, and neglected in others.
In some Counties we have the Names of a few Mechanicks, returned with their Trades, Brasier, Smith, Ironmonger, &c. Who no doubt were considerable, either in themselves, as Robustious Persons, or in their Servants as Numerous, or in their popular and tumultuous Influence of others. And grant these passing under the name of Valecti, (whereof formerly) it appears by the penalty imposed on their Recusancy of the Oath, that they were substantial … which stood (and propably could make others go) on their own Account.
Some Clergymen, not only Regular, as Abbots and Priors, but secular Parochial priests, are inserted in some Returns. These some will say might well be omitted, as nothing Informative to the Gentry of the Land, because dead Stakes in the Hedge, then unconcerned in posterity, because forbidden marriage. However I have here presented as I found them, intending neither to mingle nor mangle, conceiving that if I were found guilty either of Omissions or Alterations, it might justly shake the credit of the whole Catalogue. Indeed if the word Superstition importeth not Trespassing on Religion, and if the bare signification be adequate to the Etymology thereof, a Super Stando, for standing in his own opinion too curiously, on a thing which in the Judgement of others, may not Merit so much Exquisitenesse, I here voluntarily confess my self Superstitious in observing every Punctillo according to the Original.
May the Reader be pleased to take notice that in mens proper names, some letters of like sound, are confounded in vulgar pronunciation, as V for F. Fenner and Venner, K. and C. Kary and Cary; F. and Ph. as Purfrey and Purphrey, though the name be the same in both. Sometimes the name is spelled, not truly, according to Orthography, but according to the common speaking thereof, which melteth out some essential Letters, as Becham for Beauchamp.
Again there is such an allusion betwixt the forms of some letters (nothing symbolyzing in sound) that as they are written (though not in ordinary) in Record-hand, they may easily be mistaken by Writer or Reader, through the similitude of their Character, as,
| m | e | n | f | n | l | g |
| w | o | u | s | r | t | y |
This hath put us many times to a stand, and sometimes to a loss, what letter, it hath been. But we have in all particulars conformed our Transcript to the original in all possible exactness, though afterwards taking the boldness to interpose our opinion in our observations.
A later List might be presented of the English Gentry, towards the end of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, but such would be subject to just exception. For, as the Gibeonites, though by their mouldy bread, and clouted Shooes, pretending to a long peregrination, were but of the Vicinage: So most of those Gentry, notwithstanding their specious claim to Antiquity, will be found to be but of one Descent, low enough in themselves, did they not stand on the vantage ground, heightned on the Rubbish of the Ruines of Monasteries.