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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![{Roman de Rou, 5955-5974). This is perhaps the earliest use of a word so familiar both in French and in English, but which bears such different meanings in the two languages. But whoever was a gentleman in the language of Richard’s Court it is plain that the word took in all who could pretend to any kind of kindred or affinity, legitimate or illegitimate, with the sovereign. 1877, E. A. Freeman, The Norman Conquest (3rd ed.), vol. h p. 255. An early use of the term is as follows : Tuo old gentille men Edrick did forfare, The ton hight Sigiferd, the tother Sir Morgare. 1338, Robert of Brunne, Chronicle, p. 46 (ed. 1810). Vulgar use now hath so altered the genuine sense of Genero- sus, that it frequently denotes any kind of Gentleman, either by birth or otherwise truly enjoying that name as well as Nobilis. But it was long before the constant use of Generosus was with us for the title of Gentleman in our Writs, Counts, Pledings, and such like. Till about Henry VIII the very word Gentilman was often retained for the addition in the Latin, as we see in the Rolls of the precedent times. But then Generosus came to be constantly with us used for a Gentleman of what sort soeuer, if his Title were no greater. —Selden, Titles of Honor, p. 858, ed. 1631. [Sir T. Elyot, The Gouvernour (ed. Croft), vol. ii, p. 28.] The Crusades were probably the great means of inspiring an uniformity of conventional courtesy into the European aristocracy, which still constitutes the common character of gentlemen ; but it may have been gradually wearing away their national peculiarities for some time before. Hallam, Literature of Europe (ed. 1869), vol. i, p. 134. Hauing discoursed of Nobilitie in Generali, the diuision, and vse thereof : giue me leaue in a word to inueigh against the pitifull abuse thereof, which like a plague, I think, hath infected the whole world ; every vndeseruing and base Peasant ayming at Nobilitie : which miserable ambition hath so fur- nished both Towne and Country with Coates of a new list;](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29008529_0033.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
