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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![taken of some one aboue the rest, for some notable act per- formed. 1627, H. Peacham, The Compleat Gentleman, p. 2. This woorde gentelman is a compound worde. . . as much to say, a man of Gentlenes, and (as I thynke) the fayrest name a Gentelman can deserue to haue is to be called and holden an honest [honourable] man, in that by hys honestye he is made Gentle, and by vyce vngentle. Of Gentlemen some be called Gentel Gentel, other Gentel vngentill, the thyrde sorte vngentill Gentell. Gentil gentil is he which is born of noble kynred descendyng of gentle blud . . . having ioyned with hys gentle house, gentle maners and noble condicions, whyche, is the cause of the addicion of thother word called gentle j and so hauing a gentle heart agreing with hys gentill house, he is theieby called Gentill gentle [This gentleman ought to be learned, and haue knowledge in tounges ... to haue in hym courtlye behauour, to knowe how to treate and interteyne men of all degrees, and not to be ignoraunt howe he hymself, ought to be vsed of others. . . . He ought to be fyt for the warres, and iyt for the peace, mete for the court and mete for the country, e.g. Antonius, and Julius Caesar.] Gentle vngentle is that man which is descended of noble parentage, by the which he is commonly called Gentle, and hath in him such corrupt and vngentle maners as to the iudgement of al men hee iustlye deserueth the name of vngentle. . . . This sort of gentry bee al those who are the chyldren of noble parentes and take of them nothinge but the name, not regard- ing to attayne to such noble deedes as made their auncitours Gentlemen, but followynge theyr owne vnbrydeled appytytes, doo thyncke it suffyciente to enjoye the name onely, and to be called Gentlemen.’ Vngentle gentle is hee whych is borne of a lowe degree of a poore stocke, or (as the frenche phrase calleth it) De hasse maison, of a lowe house, whyche man takinge hys begynning of a poore hindered, by his vertue, wyt, pollicie, industry, knowledge in lawes, valiency in armes, or such like honeste meanes becometh a well-beloued and hygh estemed man, preferred then to great office, put in great charg and credict, euen somuch as he becommeth a post or stay of the common wealthe, and so](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29008529_0050.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
