The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 24
CHAP. 24. The true Gentleman.
WE will consider him in his Birth, Breeding, and Behaviour.
He is extracted from ancient and worshipfull parentage. Maxime 1When a Pepin is planted on a Pepin-stock, the fruit growing thence is called a *Draitons Polio…bion, p. 298.Renate, a most delicious apple, as both by Sire and Damme well descended. Thus his bloud must needs be well purified who is gentilely born on both sides.2
If his birth be not, at leastwise his qualities are generous. What if he cannot with the Hevenninghams of Suffolk count▪ *…eavers su… mon. pag. 854.five and twenty Knights of his familie, or tell *Idem. p. 818.sixteen Knights successively with the Tilneys of Norfolk, or with the Nauntons shew where their Ancestours had *Idem p 758.seven hundred pound a yeare before or at the conquest; yet he hath endeavoured by his own deserts to ennoble himself. Thus Valour makes him sonne to Caesar, Learning entitles him kinsman to Tully, & Piety reports him nephew to godly Constantine. It graceth a Gentleman of low descent & high desert, when he will own the meannesse of his parentage. How ridiculous is it when many men brag, that their families are more ancient then the Moon, which all know are later then the starre which some seventy years since shined in Cassiopea. But if he be generously born,3 see how his parents breed him.
He is not in his youth possest with the great hopes of his possession. No flatterer reads constantly in his ears a survey of the lands he is to inherit. This hath made many boyes thoughts swell so great they could never be kept in compasse afterwards. OnelyOnly his Parents acquaint him that he is the next undoubted Heir to correction, if misbehaving himself; and he finds no more favour from his Schoolmaster then his Schoolmaster finds diligence in him, whose rod respects persons no more then bullets are partiall in a battel.
4At the Vniversity he is so studious as if he intended Learning for his profession. He knowes well that cunning is no burthen to carry, as paying neither portage by land▪ nor poundage by sea. Yea though to have land be a good First, yet to have learning is the surest Second, which may stand to it when the other may chance to be taken away.
5At the Innes of Court he applyes himself to learn the Laws of the kingdome. Object not, Why should a Gentleman learn law, who if he needeth it may have it for his money, and if he hath never so much of his own, he must but give it away. For what a shame is it for a man of quality to be ignorant of Solon in our Athens, of Lycurgus in our Sparta? Besides, law will help him to keep his own, and besteed his neighbours. Say not, that there be enough which make this their set practice: for so there are also many masters of defence by their profession; and shall private men therefore learn no skill at their weapons.
As for the Hospitality, the Apparell, the Travelling, the Companie, the Recreations, the Marriage of Gentlemen, they are described in severall Chapters in the following Book. A word or two of his behaviour in the countrey.
6He is courteous and affable to his neighbours. As the sword of the best tempered mettall is most flexible; so the truly generous are most pliant and courteous in their behaviour to their inferiours.
7He delights to see himself, and his servants well mounted: therefore he loveth good Horsemanship. Let never any forrein Rabshakeh send that brave to our Jerusalem, offering to lend her *2. Kings. 18.23.two thousand horses, if she be able for her part to set riders upon them. We know how Darius got the Persian Empire from the rest of his fellow Peeres, by the first neighing of his generous steed. It were no harm if in some needlesse suits of intricate precedencie betwixt equall Gentlemen, the priority were adjudged to him who keeps a stable of most serviceable horses.
He furnisheth and prepareth himself in peace against time of warre. 8Lest it be too late to learn when his skill is to be used. He approves himself couragious when brought to the triall, as well remembring the custome which is used at the Creation of Knights of the Bath, wherein the Kings Master-Cook *M. Selden in his titles of Honour, pag. 820.cometh forth, & presenteth his great knife to the new-made Knights, admonishing them to be faithfull and valiant, otherwise he threatens them that that very knife is prepared to cut off their spurres.
If the Commission of the Peace finds him out, 9he faithfully discharges it. I say, Finds him out; for a publick Office is a guest which receives the best usage from them who never invited it. And though he declined the Place, the countrey knew to prize his worth, who would be ignorant of his own. He compounds many petty differences betwixt his neighbours, which are easier ended in his own Porch then in Westminster-hall: for many people think, if once they have fetched a warrant from a Justice, they have given earnest to follow the suit, though otherwise the matter be so mean that the next nights sleep would have bound both parties to the peace, and made them as good friends as ever before. Yet
He connives not at the smothering of punishable faults. 10He hates that practice, as common as dangerous amongst countrey people, who having received again the goods which were stollen from them, partly out of foolish pity, and partly out of covetousnesse to save charges in prosecuting the law, let the thief escape unpunished. Thus whilest private losses are repaired, the wounds to the Commonwealth (in the breach of the Laws) are left uncured: And thus petty Larceners are encouraged into Felons, and afterwards are hang'd for pounds, because never whipt for pence, who, if they had felt the cord, had never been brought to the halter.
11If chosen a Member of Parliament he is willing to do his Countrey service. If he be no Rhetorician to raise affections, (yea Barnabas was a *Acts 14.12.greater speaker then S. Paul himself) he counts it great wisdome to be the good manager of Yea and Nay. The slow pace of his judgement is recompenced by the swift following of his affections, when his judgement is once soundly inform'd. And here we leave him in consultation, wishing him with the rest of his honourable Society all happy successe.