Positions

by Richard Mulcaster

But bycause I meane briefly to runne through this title of nobilitie, which concerneth the worthiest part of our state and country, whatsoeuer cauelling the enemies of nobility pretend, whose good education must be applied according vnto their degrees and endes, to the commoditie and honour of our state and countrie: Before that I do meddle with their traine, and shew what is most for them, and best liked in them, I will examine those pointes which by good education be best got, and being once got do beawtifie them most, which two considerations be not impertinent to my purpose, bycause I tender their education, to haue them proue best.

The method of the discourse that followeth.

My first note in nature of methode must needes be, what it is to be a gentleman, or a nobleman, and what force the tearmes of nobilitie or gentrie do infer to be in the persons, to whom they are proper. Then what be the groundes and causes of gentrie and nobilitie: both the efficient which make them, and the finall why they serue, wherein the rightnes of their being consisteth, and why there is such thronging of all people that way.

Gentlemanly exercise.

But ear I begine to deale with any of these pointes, once for all I must recommend vnto them exercise of the bodie, and chiefly such as besides their health shall best serue their calling, and place in their countrie. Whereof I haue saide, methinke, sufficiently before. And as those qualities, which I haue set out for the generall traine in their perfection being best compassed by them, may verie well beseeme a gentlemanly minde: so may the exercises without all exception: either to make an healthfull bodie, seeing our mould is all one: or to prepare them for seruice, wherein their vse is more. Is it not for a gentleman to vse the chase and hunt? doth their place reproue them if they haue skill to daunce? Is the skill in sitting of an horse no honour at home, no helpe abroad? Is the vse of their weapon with choice, for their calling, any blemish vnto them? For all these and what else beside, there is furniture for them, if they do but looke backe: and the rather for them, bycause in deede those great exercises be most proper to such persons, and not for the meaner. Wherefore I remit them to that place.

What is it to be a nobleman or a gentleman?

What is it to be a nobleman or a gentleman? and what force do those termes of nobilitie and gentilitie infer to be in those persons, whereunto they are proper? All the people which be in our countrie be either gentlemen or of the commonalty. The common is deuided into marchauntes and manuaries generally, what partition soeuer is the subdiuident. Marchandize containeth vnder it all those which liue any way by buying or selling: Manuarie those whose handyworke is their ware, and labour their liuing. Their distinction is by wealth: for some of them be called rich men, which haue enough and more, some poore men, which haue no more then enough: some beggers which haue lesse then enough: There be also three kindes in gentilitie, the gentlemen, which be the creame of the common: the noblemen, which be the flowre of gentilitie, and the prince which is the primate and pearle of nobilitie. Their difference is in authoritie, the prince most, the nobleman next, the gentleman vnder both. And as in the baser degree, the begger is beneth all for want of both abilitie to do with, and vertue to deserue with: so the prince being opposite to him, as the meere best, to the pure worst, is of most abilitie to do good, and of most vertue to deserue best. The limiting of either sort to their owne lystes, will bewray either an vsurping intruder vpon superioritie, or a base degenerat to inferioritie, either being rauished with the others dealinges, and neither deseruing the degree that he is in. To be vertuous or vicious to be rich or poore, be no peculiar badges to either sort, but common to both, for both a gentleman, and a common man may be vertuous or vicious, both of them may be either rich or poore: landed or vnlanded, which is either the hauing or wanting of the most statarie substance: Examples neede not in familiar knowledge. And as the gentleman in any degree must haue forreine abilitie for the better executing of his lawfull authoritie: so there be some vertues which seeme to be wedded properly to that side: As great wisedom in great affaires: great valiancy in great attemptes: great iustice in great executions and all thinges excellent, in a great and excellent degree of people. The same vertues but in a meaner degree in respect of the subiect, whereon they be employed: in respect of the persons, which are to employ: in respect of circumstance, wherefore they are employed: and all thinges meaner be reserued for the common: of whom I will speake no more now, bycause this title is not for them, though they become the keepers of vertues and learning, when nobilitie becomes degenerate. Hereby it is euident that the tearme of nobilitie amongst vs, is restrained to one order, which I named the flowre of gentilitie: and that the gentlemen be in degree next vnto them. Whereof where either beginneth, none can dout, which can call him a nobleman that is aboue a knight. So that whosoeuer shall vse the tearme of gentilitie, speaking of the whole order opposite to the common, doth vse the ground whence all the rest doth spring, bycause a gentleman in nature of his degree is before a nobleman, though not in the height: as nobilitie employeth the flowre of the gentlemen, which name is taken of the primacie and excellencie of the oddes, and where it is vsed in discourse it comprehendeth all aboue the common. When the Romaine speaketh of the gentleman in generall, nobilitie is his terme, being in that state opposite to the common, wherein they acknowledged no prince, when that opposition was made. For generosus which is our common tearme signifieth the inward valure, not the outward note, and reacheth to any actiue liuing creature though without reason, wherein there doth appeare any praisworthy valiance or courage in that kinde more then ordinarie, as in Alexanders horse and Porus his dog. Therefore whether I vse the terme of nobilitie hereafter or of gentilitie, the matter is all one, both the names signifying the whole order, though not one of ground, nobilitie being the flower and gentilitie the roote. The account wherof how great it is, we may verie well perceaue by that opinion, which the nobilitie it selfe hath vsually of it. For truth being the priuate protest of a gentleman, honour of a noble man, fayth of a Prince, yet generally they do all ioine in this. As they be true gentlemen. Such a reputacion hath the name reserued euen from his originall.

Now then nobilitie emplying the outward note of inward value, and gentilitie signifying the inward value of the outward note, it is verie easie to determine, what it is to be a nobleman, in excellencie of vertue shewed, and what it is to be a gentleman to haue excellent vertue to shew. Whereby it appeareth that vertue is the ground to that whole race, by whether name so euer ye call it, wisedome in pollicie, valiance in execution, iustice in deciding, modestie in demeanour. There shall not neede any allegations of the contraries, to grace out these vertues, which be well content with their owne gaines and desire not to glister by comparison with vices, though different colours in contarietie do commend, and thinges contrarie be knowne in the same moment. For if true nobilitie haue vertue for her ground, he that knoweth vice, can tell what it bringes forth. Whether nobilitie come by discent or desert it maketh no matter, he that giueth the first fame to his familie, or he that deserueth such honour, or he that enlargeth his parentage by noble meanes, is the man whom I meane. He that continueth it in discent from his auncestrie by desert in his owne person hath much to thanke God for, and doth well deserue double honour among men, as bearing the true coate of right and best nobilitie, where desert for vertue is quartered with discent in blood, seeing aunciencie of linage, and deriuation of nobilitie is in such credit among vs and alwaye hath bene.

Of infirmities in nobility by discent.

And as it is most honorable in deede thus to aunswere auncestry in all laudable vertues, and noble qualities of a well affected minde: so the defect in sufficiencie where some of a noble succession haue not the same successe in pointes of praise and worthinesse, either naturally by simplenesse, or casually, by fortune: though it be to be moaned in respect of their place, yet it is to be excused in respect of the person. Bycause the person is, as his parentes begate him, who had not at commaundement the discent of their vertues, which made them noble, as they had the begetting of a child to enherite their landes. For if they had, their nobilitie had continued on the nobler side. But vertues and worthinesse be not tyed to the person, they be Gods meere and voluntarie giftes to bestow there, wheras he entendes that nobilitie shall either rise or continue, and not to bestow, where he meanes to abase, and bring a linage lowe. Wherefore to blame such wantes, and raile vpon nobilitie as to much degenerate, is to intrude vpon prouidence. Where we cannot make our selves, and may clearly see, that he which maketh, hath some misterie in hande, where he setts such markes.