THey that haue written heretofore of Common-wealthes , haue brought them into thrée most simple and speciall kindes or fashions of gouernment . The first , wher one alone doth gouerne , is called of the Gréeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the second , Monarchia . where the smaller number , commonly called of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the thirde where the multitude Aristocratia . Democratia . doth rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . To rule , is vnderstoode to haue the highest and supreme authoritie of commaundement . That part or member of the common wealth is sayd to rule which doth controwle , correct , and direct all other members of the common wealth . That part which doth rule , define and commaund according to the forme of the gouernment , is taken in euerie common wealth to bée iust and lawe : As a rule is alway to be vnderstoode to be straight , and to which all workes bée to be conformed , and by it to be iudged : I doe not meane the Lesbians rule , which is conformed to the stone : but the right rule whereby the Artificer and the Architect doe iudge the straightnes of euery mans worke , he to be reckoned to make his worke perfectest , who goeth néerest to the straightnesse .

NOw it doeth appeare , that it is profitable to euerie common wealth ( as it is to euery thing generallie and particularly ) to be kept in her most perfect estate . Then if that part which doeth beare the rule , doe commaund that which is profitable to it , and the commandement of that part which doeth rule on that sort , is to be accepted in euery Common wealth respectiuely to be iust ( as we haue said before : ) it must néedes follow , that the definition which Thrasimachus did make , that to be Iust. iust , which is the profite of the ruling and most strong part ( if it be meant of the Citie or Common wealth , is not so farre out of the way , ( if it be ciuilly vnderstoode ) as Plato would make it . But as there is profitable , and likelihode of profite , so there is right , and likelyhode of right . And as well may the ruling and soueraigne part commaunde that which is not his profite , as the iust man may offend ( notwithstanding his iust and true meaning ) when he would amend that which is amisse , and helpe the Common wealth , and doe good vnto it . For in asmuch as hee attempteth to doe contrarie to the Lawe which is alreadie put , he therefore by the law is iustly to be condemned , because his doing is contrarie to the law , and the ordinance of that part which doeth commaund .

BUt this matter yet taketh an other doubt : for of these maner of rulings by one , by the fewer part , & by the multitude or greater number , they which haue more methodically , and more distinctly & perfectly written vpon them , doe make a subdiuision : and diuiding each into two , make the one good and iust , and the other euill and vniust : as , where one ruleth , the one they call a king , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a tyrant : where the fewer number , the one they name a gouerning of the best men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or Remp. optimatum , the other of the vsurping of a few Gentlemen , or a few of the richer & stronger sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or Paucorum potestatem : and where the multitude doth gouerne , the one they call a Common-wealth by the generall name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or the rule of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the other , the rule or the vsurping of the popular , or rascall and viler sort , because they be mo in number , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .

IN Commonwealths which haue had long continuance , the diuersities of times haue made all these maners of ruling or gouernment to be séene : As in Rome , kings , Romulus , Numa , Seruius : tyrants , Tarquinius , Sylla , Caesar : the rule of best men , as in time when the first Consuls were : and the vsurping of a few , as of the Senators after the death of Tarquinius , and before the succession of the Tribunate , and manifestly in the Decemuirate , but more perniciouslie in the Triumuirate of Caesar , Crassus , and Pompeius : and and afterwarde in the Triumuirate of Octauius , Antonius , and Lepidus : The common welth and rule of the people , as in the expulsing of the Decemuiri , and long after , especially after the law was made , either by Horatius , or ( as some would haue it ) Hortentius , quod plebs sciuerit , idpopulum teneat : And the ruling and vsurping of the popular and rascall , as a little before Sylla his reigne , & a little before Caius Caesars reigne . For the vsurping of the rascalitie can neuer long indure , but necessarily bréedeth , & quickly bringeth foorth a tyrant . Of this hath Athens , Syracuse , Lacedemon , and other old auncient ruling Cities had experience , and a man néede not doubt but that other common wealths haue followed the same rate . For the nature of man is neuer to stand stil in one maner of estate , but to grow from the lesse to the more , and decay from the more againe to the lesse , till it come to the fatall end and destruction , with many turnes & turmoyles of sicknes and recouering , seldome standing in a perfect health neither of a mans body it selfe , nor of the politike bodie which is compact of the same .

SO when the common wealth is euill gouerned by an euill ruler and vniust ( as in the thrée last named which be rather a sicknes of the politike bodie , than perfect and good estates ) if the lawes be made , as most like they be alwayes to maintaine that estate : the question remayneth , whether the obedience of them be iust , and the disobedience wrong ? the profite and conseruation of that estate right and iustice , or the dissolution ? and whether a good and vpright man , and louer of his Countrey ought to maintaine and obey them , or to séeke by all meanes to abolish them ? which great and hauty courages haue often attempted : as Dion to rise vp against Dionysius , Thrasibulus against the xxx . tyrants , Brutus and Cassius against Caesar , which hath bin cause of many commotions in common wealthes , wherof the iudgement of the common people is according to the euent and successe : of them which be learned , according to the purpose of the doers , and the estate of the time then present ▪ Certaine it is that it is alwaies a doubtful and hasardous matter to meddle with the changing of the lawes and gouernment , or to disobey the orders of the rule or gouernment , which a man doeth finde alreadie established .

NOw although the gouernments of common wealthes be thus deuided into thrée , and cutting ech into two , so into sixe : yet you must not take , that ye shall finde any common wealth or gouernment simple , pure and absolute in his sort and kind , but as wise men haue deuided for vnderstandings sake , and fantasied foure simple bodies which they call elements : as fire , ayre , water , earth , and in a mans bodie foure complections or temperatures , as cholericke , sanguine , phlegmatique , and melancholike : not that yee shal finde the one vtterly perfect without mixtion of the other , for that nature almost will not suffer : but vnderstanding doth discerne ech nature as in his sinceritie : so seldome or neuer shall you finde common wealths or gouernment , which is absolutely and sincerely made of any of them aboue named , but alwayes mixed with another , & hath the name of that which is more , and ouerruleth the other alwaies or for the most part .

WHere one person beareth the rule , they define that to be the state of a king , who by succession or election , commeth with the good will of the people , to that gouernment , and doeth administer the Commonwealth by the lawes of the same , and by equitie , and doeth séeke Rex . the profite of the people as much as his owne . A tyrant they name him , who by force commeth to the monarchy against the will of the people , breaketh lawes alreadie made , at his pleasure , maketh other without the aduise Tyrannus . and consent of the people , and regardeth not the wealth of his Commons , but the aduauncement of himselfe , his faction and kinred . These definitions doe containe thrée differences : the obteyning of the authoritie , the maner of administration therof , and the butte or marke whereunto it doeth tend and shoote . So as one may be a tyrant by his entrie and getting of the gouernment , and a king in the administration thereof . As a man may thinke of Octanius , and peraduenture of Sylla . For they both conming by tyranny and violence to that state , did same to trauaile very much for the better order of the common-wealth : how be it either of them after a diuers maner . Another may be a king by entrie , & a tyrant by administration , as Nero , Domitian , and Commodus : for the Empire came to them by succession , but their administration was vtterly tyrannicall , of Nero after fiue yeares , of Domitian and Commodus very shortly vpon their new honor . Some both in the comming to their Empire , and in the butte which they shoote at , be kings , but the maner of their ruling is tyrannicall : as many Emperors after Caesar and Octauius , and many Popes of Rome . The Emperors claime this tyrannicall power by pretence of that Rogation or Plebiscitum , which Caius Caesar , or Octauius obtained , by which all the people of Rome did conferre their power and authority vnto Caesar wholly .

The Pope groundeth his from Christ ( cui omnis potestas data est in coelo & in terra ) whose successor he pretendeth to be : yet the generall Councels make a strife with him , to make the Popes power either Aristocratian , or at the least legitimum regnum , & would faine bridle that absolutam potestatem . Some men do iudge the same of the Kings of Fraunce and certaine Princes of Italie and other places , because they make and abrogate lawes and edictes , lay on tributes and impositions of their owne will , or by the priuate counsell & aduise of their friends and fauourers onely , without the consent of the people . The people I call that which the worde Populus doeth signifie , the whole body , and the thrée estates of the Common wealth : and they blame Lewes the xi . for bringing the administration royall of Fraunce , from the lawfull and regulate raigne , to the absolute and tyrannicall power and gouernment . He himselfe was wont to glory and say , he had brought the crowne of Fraunce , hors de page , as one would say , out of Wardship .

OTher doe call that kinde of administration which the Gréekes doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not tyrannie , but the absolute power of a king , which they woulde pretende that euery king hath , if he would vse the same . The other they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Royall power , regulate by lawes : of this I will not dispute at this time . But as such absolute administration in time of warre when all is in armes , and when lawes hold their peace because they cannot be heard , is most necessarie : so in time of peace the same is very dangerous , as well to him that doeth vse it , and much more to the people vpon whom it is vsed : whereof the cause is the frailtie of mans nature , which ( as Plato saith ) can not abide or beare long that absolute and vncontrouled authoritie , without swelling into too much pride and insolencie . And therefore the Romanes did wisely , who woulde not suffer any man to kéepe the Dictatorship aboue sixe monethes , because the Dictators ( for that time ) had this absolute power , which some Gréekes named a lawfull tyrannie for a time . As I remember , Aristotle , ( who of all wryters hath most absolutely & methodically treated of the diuision and natures of common wealthes . ) maketh this sort of gouernment to be one kind of kings . But all commeth to one effect : for at the first , all kings ruled absolutely , as they who were either the heads and most ancient of their families , deriued out of their owne bodies , as Adam , Noa , Abraham , Iacob ▪ Esau , reigning absolutely ouer their owne children and bondemen , as reason was : or els in the rude world amongst barbarous & ignorant people , some one then whom God had endued with singular wisdome to inuent thinges necessarie for the nourishing and defence of the multitude , and to administer iustice , did so farre excell other , that all the rest were but beastes in comparison of him ; and for that excellencie willingly had this authoritie geuen him of the multitude , and of the Gentiles when he was dead , & almost when he was yet liuing , was taken for a God , of others for a Prophet . Such among the Jewes were Moses , Iosua , and the other Judges , as Samuel , &c. Romulus and Numa amongst the Romanes , Lycurgus and Solon and diuers other among the Gréekes , Zamolxis among the Thracians , Mahomet among the Arabians : And this kinde of rule among the Gréekes is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which of it self at the first was not a name odious : But because they who had such rule , at the first , did for the most part abuse the same , waxed insolent and proud , vniust and not regarding the common wealth , committed such actes as were horrible and odious : as , killing men without cause , abusing their wiues & daughters , taking and spoyling all mens goods at their pleasures , and were not shepheards as they ought to be , but rather robbers and deuourers of the people , whereof some were contemners of God , as Dionysius , other while they liued like deuils , and would yet be adored & accounted for Gods : as Caius Caligula , and Domitian : that kind of administration , and maner also , at the first not euill , hath taken the signification & definition of the vice of the abusers , so that now both in Gréeke , Latine , and English , a tyrant is counted he , who is an euil king , and who hath no regard to the wealth of his people , but séeketh onely to magnifie himselfe and his , and to satisfie his vicious and cruell appetite , without respect of God , of right , or of the law : bicause that for the most part , they who haue had that absolute power , haue beene such .

THat which we cal in one sillable king in English , the old Englishmen , and the Saxons , from whom our tongue is deriued , to this day call in two sillables , cyning , which whether it commeth of cen or ken , which betokeneth to know and vnderstand , or can , which betokeneth to be able , or to haue power , I cannot tel . The participle absolute of the one we vse yet , as when we say , a cunning man , Vir prudens , aut sciens : the verbe of the other , as I can do this , possum hoc facere . By old and auncient histories that I haue red , I do not vnderstand that our nation hath vsed any other generall authoritie in this realme neither Aristocratical , nor Democratical , but onely the royall and Kingly maiestie which at the first was deuided into many and sundrie kings , ech absolutely reigning in his Countrey , not vnder the subiection of other , till by fighting the one with the other , the ouercommed alwayes falling to the augmentation of the vanquisher and ouercommer : at the last the Realme of England grew into one Monarchie . Neither any one of those kings , neither he who first had all , tooke any inuestiture at the hands of the Emperor of Rome , or of any other superiour or forraine Prince , but held of God to him self , and by his sword , his people and crowne , acknowledging no Prince in earth his superiour , & so it is kept and holden at this day . Although king Iohn ( by the rebellion of the Nobilitie , ayded with the Daulphin of Fraunce his power ) to appease the Pope , who at that time possessing the consciences of his Subiectes , was then also his enemie , and his most gréeuous torment ( as some histories doe witnes ) did resigne the crowne to his Legate Pandulphus , and tooke it againe from him , as from the Pope , by faith and homage , and a certaine tribute yerely . But that acte being neither approoued by his people , nor established by Acte of Parlement , was foorthwith , & euer sithens taken for nothing , either to binde the king , his successors or Subiects .

THen if this be a societie , and consisteth onely of freemen , the least part therof must be of two . The naturalest , and first coniunction of two , toward the making of a further societie of continuance , is of the husband & of the wife , after a diuers sort , each hauing care of the familie : the man to get , to trauaile abroade , to defende : the wife , to saue that which is gotten , to tarie at home , to distribute that which commeth of the husbandes labor , for the nutriture of the children , and family of them both , and to kéepe all at home neate and cleane . So nature hath forged ech part to his office : the man sterne , strong , bold , aduenturous , negligent of his beautie , and spending . The women weake , fearefull , faire , curious of her beautie , and sauing . Either of them excelling other in witte and wisdome , to conduct those thinges which appertaine to their office , and therefore where their wisdome doeth excell , therein it is reason that ech should gouerne . And without this societie of man and woman , the kinde of man could not long endure . And to this societie men are so naturally borne , that the Prince of all Philosophers , in consideration of natures , was not afraide to say , that a man by nature is rather desirous to fellow himselfe to another , and so to liue in couple , than to adherd himselfe with many . Although of all things , or liuing creatures , a man doeth shew him selfe most politike , yet can he not well liue without the societie and felowship ciuill . He that can liue alone , saith Aristotle , is either a wilde beast in a mans likenes , or els a god rather than a man . So in the house and family is the first and most naturall ( but priuate ) apparance of one of the best kindes of a common wealth , that is called Aristocratia , where a few , and the best doe gouerne , and where not one alwaies : but sometime , and in some thing one , and sometime and in some thing another doth beare the rule . Which to maintaine for his part , God hath geuen to the man great witte , bigger strength , and more courage , to compell the woman to obey by reason , or force : and to the woman beautie , faire countenance , and swéete words , to make the man to obey her againe for loue . Thus ech obeyeth and commandeth other , and Domus , seu familia . they two together rule the house . The house I call here the man , the woman , their children , their seruants 〈◊〉 and frée , their cattle , their housholdstuffe , and all other things which are reckoned in their possession , so long as all these remaine together in one , yet this cannot be called Aristocratia , but Metaphorice , for it is but an house , and a little sparke resembling as it were that gouernment .

BUt for so much as it is the nature of all thinges to encrease or decrease : this house thus increasing and multiplying by generation , so that it cannot wel be comprehended in one habitation , and the children waxing bigger , stronger , wiser , and thereupon naturally desirous Prouining , or propagation , is when a man layeth a branch of a Vine or Osier , or any other tree into the ground , so that it taketh roote of it self , and may liue though it be cut clean from the first roote or stock . Pagus . Oppidum . Ciuitas . Regnum . to rule , the father and mother sendeth them out in couples as it were by prouining or propagation . And the childe by mariage beginneth as it were to roote towards the making of a new stocke , and thereupon another house or familie . So by this propagation or prouining first of one , and then another , and so from one to another , in space of time , of many houses was made a stréete or village : of many stréetes and villages ioyned together , a Citie or Borough . And when many cities , boroughs and villages , were by common and mutuall consent for their conseruation ruled by that one and first father of them all , it was called a nation or kingdome . And this séemeth the first and most naturall beginning and source of cities , townes , nations , kingdomes , and of all ciuill societies . For so long as the great grandfather was aliue and able to rule , it was vnnaturall for any of his sonnes or ofspring to striue with him for the superioritie , or to goe about to gouern , or any wise to dishonour him , from whom he had receiued life and béeing . And therefore such a one doeth beare the first and naturall example of an absolute and perfect king . For he loued them as his owne children and nephewes , cared for them as members of his owne body , prouided for them as one hauing by long time more experience then any one , or all of them . They againe honoured him as their father of whose body they came , obeyed him for his great wisdome and forecast , went to him in doubtful cases as to an Oracle of God , feared his curse and malediction as procéeding from Gods owne mouth . Hée againe vsed noriture : for ech paine put vpon them , he estéemed as layd vpon himselfe .

BUt when that great Grandfather was dead , the sonnes of him , and brethren among themselues , not hauing that reuerence to any , nor confidence of wisedome in any one of them , nor that trust the one to the other , betwéene whom ( as many times it fareth with brethren ) some strifes and brawlinges had before arisen : To defende themselues yet from them which were Walsh and strangers , necessarilie agréed among themselues to consult in common , and to beare rule for a time in order , now one , now another : so that no one might beare alwayes the rule , nor any one be neglected . And by this meanes , if any one fayled during his yeare or time by ignorance , the next ( being either wyser of himselfe , or els by his brothers error and fault ) amended it . And in the meane while , at diuers and most times when vrgent necessitie did occurre , they consulted all those heads of families together within themselues , how to demeane and order their matters best for the conseruation of themselues , and eche of their families , generally and particularly . Thus a few , being heads , and the chiefe of their families , equall in birth and nobilitie , and not much different in riches , gouerned their owne houses , and the descendents of them particularly , and consulted in common vpon publike causes , agréeing also vpon certaine lawes and orders to bée kept amongst them . So the best , chiefest , and sagest did rule , and the other part had no cause to striue with them , nor had no cause nor apparance to compare with any of them , neither for age nor discretion , nor for riches or nobilitie . The rulers sought ech to kéepe & maintaine their posteritie , as their sonnes and nephewes , and such as should succéede them , and carie their names when they were dead , and so render them being mortall by nature , immortall by their fame and succession of posteritie : hauing most earnest care to maintaine still this their cousinage and common familie , aswell against forraine and barbarous nations , which were not of their progenie , tongue , or religion , as against wilde and sauage beastes . This séemeth the naturall sourse , and beginning or image of that rule of the fewer number , which is called of the Gréekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and of the Latines optimatum respublica .

NNow , as time bringeth an ende of all things , these brethren being all dead , and their ofspring increasing dayly to a great multitude , and the reuerence due to the old fathers in such and so great number of equals fayling by the reason of the death or doting of the Elders : eche owing their merites of education apart to their Fathers and Grandfathers , and so many arising , and such equalitie among them , it was not possible that they should be content to be gouerned by a fewe . For two things being such as for the which men in societie and league doe most striue , that is , honour and profite , no man of frée courage can be contented to be neglected therein , so that they were faine of necessitie to come to that , that the more part should beare the price away in election of Magistrates and Rulers . So that either by course or by lot ech man in turne might be receiued to beare rule , and haue his part of the honor : and ( if any were ) of the profite which came by administration of the commonwealth . For whosoeuer came of that olde great Grandfathers race , he accounted himselfe as good of birth as any other . For seruice to the commonwelth , all , or such a number had done it , as they coulde not bée accounted few . And if a few would take vpon them to vsurpe ouer the rest , the rest conspiring together would soone be masters ouer them , and ruinate them wholly . Whereupon necessarily it came to passe , that the common wealth must turne and alter as before from one to a few , so now from a few , to many and the most part , ech of these yet willing to saue the politicke bodie , to conserue the authoritie of their nation , to defend themselues against all other , their strife béeing onely for empire and rule , and who should doe best for the common wealth , whereof they would haue experience made by bearing office and beyng magistrates . This I take for the first and naturall beginning of the rule of the multitude which the Gréekes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : the Latines some Respublica by the generall name , some populi potestas , some census potestas , I cannot tell howe latinely .

BY this processe and discourse it doth appeare that the mutations & changes of fashions of gouernement in common wealthes be naturall , & doe not alwaies come of ambition or malice : And that according to the nature of the people , so the common wealth is to it fit and proper . And as all these iii. kindes of common wealths are naturall , so when to ech partie or espece and kinde of the people that is applied which best agréeth , like a garment to the bodie or shoe to the foote , then the bodie politicke is in quiet , & findeth ease , pleasure and profite . But if a contrarie forme be giuen to a contrary maner of people , as when the shoe is too litle or too greate for the foote , it doth hurt and encomber the conuenient vse therof , so the frée people of nature tyrannized or ruled by one against their willes , were he neuer so good , either faile of corage and wexe seruile , or neuer rest vntil they either destroy their King and them that would subdue them , or be destroyed themselues . And againe , another sort there is , which without being ruled by one Prince , but set at libertie cannot tell what they should doe , but either through insolencie , pride , and idlenes , will fall to robberie and all mischiefe , and to scatter and dissolue themselues , Graeci . Romani Samnits . Vandali . Dani. Norwegi . Sueti . or with foolish ambition and priuate strife consume one another , and bring themselues to nothing . Of both these two wee haue histories inow to beare witnesse ▪ as the Gréekes , Romanes , Samnites , Danes , Uandalles , and others . Yet must you not thinke that all common wealths , administrations and rulings , began on this sort , by prouining or propagation , as is before written : but many times after a great battaile and long warre , the Captaine who led a multitude of people , gathered peraduenture of diuers nations and languages , liking the place which he hath by force conquered , tarieth there , and beginneth a common wealth after this maner , & for the most part a kingdome . As the Gothes & Lumbardes in Italie , the Frenchmen in Gaule , the Sarasins in Spaine and part of France , the Saxons in great Britaine , which is now called England : of which , when that one and chiefe Prince is dead , the nobler sort consult among themselues , and either choose another head & king , or deuide it into more heads and rulers , so did the Lumbards in Italie , and the Saxons in England : or take at the first a common rule and popular estate , as the Zwitzers did in their cantons , and doe yet at this day , or els admit the rule of a certaine few , excluding the multitude and communaltie , as the Paduans , Ueronenses , and Uenetians haue accustomed .

TO make all things yet cleare before , as we shal goe , there aryseth another diuision of the partes of the common wealth . For it is not enough to say that it consisteth of a multitude of houses & families , which make stréetes & villages , and the multitude of the stréetes and villages make townes , and the multitude of townes the realm , & that fréemen be considered only in this behalfe , as subiects and citizens of the commonwealth , and not bondmen , who can beare no rule nor iurisdiction ouer fréemén , as they who be taken but as instruments & the goods and possessions of others . In which consideration also we doo reiect women , as those whom nature hath made to kéepe home and to nourish their familie & children , and not to meddle with matters abroade , nor to beare office in a citie or common-wealth no more than children and infants : except it be in such cases as the authoritie is annexed to the bloud and progenie , as the crowne , a dutchie , or an erledome ; for there the bloud is respected , not the age nor the sexe . Whereby an absolute Quéene , an absolute Dutches or Countesse , those I call absolute , which haue the name , not by being maried to a king , duke , or erle , but by being the true , right and next successors in the dignitie , and vpon whom by right of the bloud that title is descended : These I say haue the same authoritie although they be women or children in that kingdome , dutchie or erledome , as they should haue had if they had bin men of full age . For the right and honour of the bloud , and the quietnes and suertie of the realme , is more to be considered , than either the tender age as yet impotent to rule , or the s●re not accustomed ( otherwise ) to intermeddle with publicke affaires , being by common intendment vnderstood , that such personages neuer doe lacke the counsell of such graue and discréete men as be able to supplie all other defectes . This ( as I saide ) is not enough : But the diuision of these which be participant of the common-wealth is one way of them that beare office , the other of them that beare none : the first are called magistrates , the second priuate men . Another the like was among the Romanes of Patrity and plebei , the one striuing with the other a long time , the patrity many yéeres excluding the plebei from bearing rule , vntill at last all magistrates were made common betwéene them : yet was there another diuision of the Romanes , into senatores , equites and plebs : the Grekes had also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . The French haue also at this day , les nobles , & la populaire , or gentils homes & villanies : we in , England diuide our men commonly into foure sortes , Gentlemen , Citizens , yeomen , artifiters , and labourers . Of gentlemen the first and chiefe are the king , the prince , dukes , marquifes , earles , viscountes , barrens , and these are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the nobilitie , and all these are called Lords and noblemen : next to these be knights , esquires and simple gentlemen .

DUkes , marquises , earles , vicounts , and barons , either Nobilitas maior . Eldest sonnes of dukes are not earles by birth , but lords and take their place aboue earles ; and so are earles eldest sonnes in respect o● barons . be created by the Prince , or come to that honor by being the eldest sonnes , as highest and next in succession to their Parents . For the eldest of Dukes sonnes during his fathers life is called an Earle : an Earles sonne is called by the name of a Uicount or Baron , or els according as the creation is . The creation I call the first donation and condition of the honour ( geuen by the Prince for good seruice done by him , and aduauncement that the Prince will bestowe vpon him ) which with the title of that honor is commonly ( but not alwayes ) geuen to him and to his heires , males onelie : Esquires of honor , or Lords . the rest of the sonnes of the Nobilitie , by the rigour of the lawe be but Esquires , yet in common spéeche , all Dukes and Marquises sonnes , and the eldest sonne of an Earle be called Lords . The which name commonlie doeth agrée to none of lower degrée than Barons , excepting such onely , as be thereunto by some speciall office called . The Baronny or degrée of Lords doeth aunswere to the dignitie of the Senators of Rome , and the title of our Nobilitie to their patricii : when patricii did betoken senatores , aut Senatorum filios . Census Senatorum was in Rome , at diuers times diuers , and in England no man is created a Baron , except he may dispend of yerely reuenue one thousand pounds , or one thousand markes at the least . Uicounts , Earles , Marquises and Dukes more , according to the proportion of the degrée & honour , but though by chance he or his sonne haue lesse , he kéepeth his degrée : but if they decay by excesse , and be not able to maintaine the honour ( as Senatores Romani were amoti Senatu ) so sometimes they are not admitted the vpper house in the Parlement , although they kéepe the name of Lord still .