hat, being
before but a bachelor knight, he is now of an higher degree, and allowed
to display his arms in a banner, as barons do. Howbeit these knights are
never made but in the wars, the king's standard being unfolded.[63]

* * * * *

Moreover, as the king doth dub knights, and createth the barons and higher
degrees, so gentlemen whose ancestors are not known to come in with
William Duke of Normandy (for of the Saxon races yet remaining we now make
none accounted, much less of the British issue) do take their beginning in
England, after this manner in our times.

Whosoever studieth the laws of the realm, whoso abideth in the university
(giving his mind to his book), or professeth physic and the liberal
sciences, or beside his service in the room of a captain in the wars, or
good counsel given at home, whereby his commonwealth is benefited, can
live without manual labour, and thereto is able and will bear the port,
charge, and countenance of a gentleman, he shall for money have a coat
and arms bestowed upon him by heralds (who in the charter of the same do
of custom pretend antiquity and service, and many gay things), and
thereunto, being made so good cheap, be called master (which is the title
that men give to esquires and gentlemen), and reputed for a gentleman ever
after, which is so much less to be disallowed of for that the prince doth
lose nothing by it, the gentleman being so much subject to taxes and
public payments as is the yeoman or husbandman, which he likewise doth
bear the gladlier for the saving of his reputation. Being called also to
the wars (for with the government of the commonwealth he meddleth little),
whatsoever it cost him, he will both array and arm himself accordingly,
and shew the more manly courage, and all the tokens of the person which he
representeth. No man hath hurt by it but himself, who peradventure will go
in wider buskins than his legs will bear, or, as our proverb saith, "now
and then bear a bigger sail than his boat is able to sustain."

Certes the making of new gentlemen bred great strife sometimes amongst the
Romans, I mean when those which were _Novi homines_ were more allowed of
for their virtues newly seen and shewed than the old smell of ancient
race, lately defaced by the cowardice and evil life of their nephews and
descendants, could make the other to be. But as envy hath no affinity with
justice and equity, so it forceth not what language t