tlemen along with him. Lord Bacon has remarked, that the
English nobility, in his time, maintained a larger retinue of
servants than the nobility of any other nation, except, perhaps, the
Polanders.[*]

Civil honors, which now hold the first place, were at that time
subordinate to the military. The young gentry and nobility were fond
of distinguishing themselves by arms. The fury of duels, too, prevailed
more than at anytime before or since.[**] This was the turn that the
romantic chivalry, for which the nation was formerly so renowned, had
lately taken.

* Essays De profer, fin. imp.

** Franklyn, p. 5 See also Lord Herbert's Memoirs.

Liberty of commerce between the sexes was indulged, but without any
licentiousness of manners. The court was very little an exception to
this observation. James had rather entertained an aversion and contempt
for the females; nor were those young courtiers, of whom he was so fond,
able to break through the established manners of the nation.

The first sedan chair seen in England was in this reign, and was used
by the duke of Buckingham; to the great indignation of the people, who
exclaimed, that he was employing his fellow-creatures to do the service
of beasts.

The country life prevails at present in England beyond any cultivated
nation of Europe; but it was then much more generally embraced by all
the gentry. The increase of arts, pleasures, and social commerce,
was just beginning to produce an inclination for the softer and more
civilized life of the city. James discouraged, as much as possible, this
alteration of manners. "He was wont to be very earnest," as Lord Bacon
tells us, "with the country gentlemen to go from London to their country
seats. And sometimes he would say thus to them: 'Gentlemen, at London
you are like ships in a sea, which show like nothing; but in your
country villages you are like ships in a river, which look like great
things.'"[*]

He was not content with reproof and exhortation. As Queen Elizabeth had
perceived with regret the increase of London, and had restrained all new
buildings by proclamation, James, who found that these edicts were not
exactly obeyed, frequently renewed them; though a strict execution seems
still to have been wanting. He also issued reiterated proclamations,
in imitation of his predecessor; containing severe menaces against the
gentry who lived in town.[**]

* Apophthegms.

** Rymer, tom. xvii. p. 632.