The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 18
CHAP. 18. The good Yeoman
IS a Gentleman in Ore, whom the next age may see refined; and is the wax capable of a gentile impression, when the Prince shall stamp it. Wise Solon (who accounted *Herodotus lib. 1. pag. 12Tellus the Athenian the most happy man for living privately on his own lands) would surely have pronounced the English Yeomanry, a fortunate condition, living in the temperate Zone, betwixt greatnesse and want, an estate of people almost peculiar to England. France and Italy are like a die, which hath no points betwixt sink and ace, Nobility and Pesantry. Their walls though high, must needs be hollow, wanting filling-stones. Indeed Germany hath her Boores, like our Yeomen, but by a tyrannicall appropriation of Nobility to some few ancient families, their Yeomen are excluded from ever rising higher to clarifie their bloods. In England the Temple of Honour is bolted against none, who have passed through the Temple of Virtue: nor is a capacity to be gentile denyed to our Yeoman, who thus behaves himself.
Maxime 1He wears russet clothes, but makes golden payment, having tinne in his buttons, and silver in his pocket. If he chance to appear in clothes above his rank, it is to grace some great man with his service, and then he blusheth at his own bravery. Otherwise he is the surest landmark, whence forreiners may take aim of the ancient English customes; the Gentry more floting after forrein fashions.
In his house he is bountifull both to strangers, 2and poore people. Some hold, when Hospitality dyed in England, she gave her last groan amongst the Yeomen of Kent. And still at our Yeomans table you shall have as many joints as dishes: No meat disguis'd with strange sauces; no straggling joynt of a sheep in the midst of a pasture of grasse, beset with sallads on every side, but solid substantiall food; no serviters (more nimble with their hands then the guests with their teeth) take away meat, before stomachs are taken away. Here you have that which in it self is good, made better by the store of it, and best by the welcome to it.
He hath a great stroke in making a Knight of the shire. 3Good reason, for he makes a whole line in the subsidie-book, where whatsoever he is rated he payes without any regret, not caring how much his purse is let blood, so it be done by the advise of the physicians of the State.
He seldome goes farre abroad, 4and his credit stretcheth further then his travell. He goes not to London, but se defendendo, to save himself of a fine, being returned of a Jurie, where seeing the King once, he prayes for him ever afterwards.
In his own countrey he is a main man in Iuries. 5Where if the Judge please to open his eyes in matter of law, he needs not to be led by the nose in matters of fact. He is very observant of the Judges item, when it follows the truths inprimis; otherwise (though not mutinous in a Jurie) he cares not whom he displeaseth so he pleaseth his own conscience.
He improveth his land to a double value by his good husbandry. 6Some grounds that wept with water, or frown'd with thorns, by draining the one, and clearing the other, he makes both to laugh and sing with corn. By marle and limestones burnt he bettereth his ground, and his industry worketh miracles, by turning stones into bread. Conquest and good husbandry both inlarge the Kings Dominions: The one by the sword, making the acres more in number; the other by the plough, making the same acres more in value. Solomon saith, The King himself is maintained by husbandry. Pythis *Plutarch. de virtut. mulierum, exemplo ultimo.a King having discovered rich mines in his kingdome, employed all his people in digging of them, whence tilling was wholly neglected, insomuch as a great famine ensued. His Queen, sensible of the calamities of the countrey, invited the King her husband to dinner, as he came home hungry from overseeing his workmen in the mines. She so contrived it, that the bread and meat were most artificially made of gold; and the King was much delighted with the conceit thereof, till at last he called for reall meat to satisfie his hunger. Nay, said the Queen, if you employ all your subjects in your mines, you must expect to feed upon gold, for nothing else can your kingdome afford.
7In time of famine he is the Ioseph of the countrey, and keeps the poore from sterving. Then he tameth his stacks of corn, which not his covetousnesse but providence hath reserv'd for time of need, and to his poore neighbours abateth somewhat of the high price of the market. The neighbour gentry court him for his acquaintance, which he either modestly waveth, or thankfully accepteth, but no way greedily desireth. He insults not on the ruines of a decayed Gentleman, but pities and relieves him: and as he is called Goodman, he desires to answer to the name, and to be so indeed.
8In warre, though he serveth on foot, he is ever mounted on an high spirit: as being a slave to none, and a subject onelyonly to his own Prince. Innocence and independance make a brave spirit: Whereas otherwise one must ask his leave to be valiant on whom he depends. Therefore if a State run up all to Noblemen and Gentlemen, so that the husbandmen be onelyonly mere labourers, or cottagers, (which *Bacons Henry. 7. pag. 74.one calls but hous'd beggers) it may have good Cavalry, but never good bands of foot; so that their armies will be like those birds call'd Apodes, without feet, alwayes onelyonly flying on their wings of horse. Wherefore to make good Infantry, it requireth men bred, not in a servile or indigent fashion, but in some free and plentifull manner. Wisely therefore did that knowing Prince, King Henry the seventh, provide laws for the increase of his Yeomanry, that his kingdome should not be like to Coppice-woods, where the staddles being left too thick, all runs to bushes and briers, and there's little clean underwood. For enacting, that houses used to husbandry should be kept up with a competent proportion of land, he did secretly sow Hydra's teeth, whereupon (according to the Poets fiction) should rise up armed men for the service of this kingdome.