The ideal of a gentleman, or, A mirror for gentlefolks : a portrayal in literature from the earliest times / by A. Smythe-Palmer.
- Abram Smythe Palmer
- Date:
- [1908]
Licence: In copyright
Credit: The ideal of a gentleman, or, A mirror for gentlefolks : a portrayal in literature from the earliest times / by A. Smythe-Palmer. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![vertue, and perceiuinge the cause of the aduauncement of their progenitours, endeuoured them selfes by imitation of vertue, to be equall to them in honour and autoritie ; by good emulation they retained stille the fauour and reuerence of people. And for the goodnesse that preceded of suche generation the state of them was called in greke Eugenia, whiche signifiethe good kinde or lignage, but in a more briefe maner it was after called nobilitie, and the persones noble, whiche signifieth excellent, and in the analogic or signification it is more ample than gentill, for it containeth as well all that whiche is in gentilnesse, as also the honour or dignitie there- fore received, whiche be so annexed the one to the other that they can not be seperate. 1531, Sir T. Elyot, The Gouvernour (ed. Croft), vol. ii, pp. 28-9. Gentlemen be those whom their Bloud and Race doth make Noble and Knowne, ’EDyei/et? in Greeke, the Latines call them all Nobiles, as the French Nobles. ^Evyeveta, or Nobili- tas in Latine, is defined, honour or title giuen for that the Ancestors haue beene notable in riches or vertues or (in fewer words) old riches or prowesse remayning in one stocke. Which if the Successors doe keepe and follow they be vere Nobiles, and ’EuyereA : if they doe not, yet the fame and wealth of their Ancestors serue to couer them so long as it can, as a thing once gilted though it be copper within, till the gilt be worne away. This hath his reason, for the etimologie of the name serued the efficacie of the word. Gens in Latine be- tokeneth the race and sirname, so the Romans had Cornelios [etc.], of which who were Agnati and therefore kept the name, were also Gentiles, and remayning the memory of the glory of their Progenitours fame, were Gentlemen of this or that race. 1635, Sir Thos. Smith, Commonwealth of England, ch. xx. PP- 51-3* By experiens we see That gentyll condycyons most commonly be In them that be of noble blode borne. . . So touchying gent5dness I say surely Men of grete byrth use it most commynly. [1535] G Gentylnes and Nobylyte, c. hi.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29008529_0030.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
