re admiration of learning and knowledge
among the common sort), I force not what they say hereof; for, whether it
do please or displease them, all is one to me, since I refer my whole
travel in the gratification of your Honour, and such as are of experience
to consider of my travel and the large scope of things purposed in this
treatise, of whom my service in this behalf may be taken in good part:
that I will repute for my full recompense and large guerdon of my labours.
The Almighty God preserve your Lordship in continual health, wealth, and
prosperity, with my good Lady your wife, your Honour's children (whom God
hath indued with a singular towardness unto all virtue and learning) and
the rest of your reformed family, unto whom I wish farder increase of his
holy spirit, understanding of his word, augmentation of honour, and
continuance of zeal to follow his commandments.

Your Lordship's humble servant
and household chaplain,
W. H.

ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND.

CHAPTER I.

OF DEGREES OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND.[54]

[1577, Book III., Chapter 4; 1587, Book II., Chapter 5.]

We, in England, divide our people commonly into four sorts, as gentlemen,
citizens or burgesses, yeomen, and artificers or labourers. Of gentlemen
the first and chief (next the king) be the prince, dukes, marquesses,
earls, viscounts, and barons; and these are called gentlemen of the
greater sort, or (as our common usage of speech is) lords and noblemen:
and next unto them be knights, esquires, and, last of all, they that are
simply called gentlemen. So that in effect our gentlemen are divided into
their conditions, whereof in this chapter I will make particular
rehearsal.

The title of prince doth peculiarly belong with us to the king's eldest
son, who is called Prince of Wales, and is the heir-apparent to the crown;
as in France the king's eldest son hath the title of Dauphin, and is named
peculiarly _Monsieur_. So that the prince is so termed of the Latin word
_Princeps_, since he is (as I may call him) the chief or principal next
the king. The king's younger sons be but gentlemen by birth (till they
have received creation or donation from their father of higher estate, as
to be either viscounts, earls, or dukes) and called after their names, as
Lord Henry, or Lord Edward, with the addition of the word Grace, properly
assigned to the king and prince, and now al