The
diuision of the parts and persons of the common wealth. To make all thinges yet cleare before, as we
shal go, there ariseth 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 stretes &
villages, & the multitude of the stretes & villages make townes, and
the multitude of townes the realme, & that freemen be considered only in
this behalf, as subjects & citizens of the commonwealth, & not bondmen
who can heare no rule nor jurisdiction ouer freemen, as they who bGaken but as
instruments & the goods and possessions of others. In which consideration also we do reject
women, as those whom nature hath made to keepe home and to nourish their
familie and children, and not to medle with matters abroade, nor to beare
office in a citie or common wealth no more than children and infantes: exFept it be in such cases as the authoritie
is annexed to the blood and progenie, as the crowne, a dutchie, or an erledome,
for there the blood is respected, not the age nor ye sexe. For the right and honour of the blood, 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 sexe not accustomed (otherwise)
to intermeddle with publicke affaires, beig by common intendment understood,
that such personages neuer do lacke the counsell of such graue and discreete
men as be able to supplie all other defectes.
This (as I sayde) 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 bears none: the first
are called magistrates, the second priuate men.... We in England diuide our men commonly into foure sortes,
gentlemen, citizens and yeomen artificers, and laborers. Of gentelmen the first and chiefe are the
king, the prince, dukes, marquises, earles, vicountes, barrons, and these are
called... the nobility, and all these are called Lords and noblemen: next to these be knightes, esquiers and
simple gentlemen.
Of
the fourth sort of men which doe not rule. The fourth sort or classe amon`est
us, is of those which the olde Romans called capite censij proletari, or operae
day labourers, poore husbandmen, yea marchantes or retailers which haue no free
lande, copiholders, and all artificers, as Taylers, Shoomakers, Carpenters,
Brickmakers, Bricklayers, Mason, &c.
These haue no voice,!no authoritie in our common wealth and no account
is made of them but onelie to be ruled, not to rule other, and yet they be not
altogether neglected. For in cities and
corporate townes for default of yeomen, enquests and Juries are impaneled of
such manner of people. And in villages
they be commonly made Church-wardens, alecunners, and manie times Constables,
which office toucheth more the common wealth, and at the first was not imployed
uppon such lowe and base persons...