PART XII
Noble Gentlemen,
Who are ennobled by time and not by favour, give me leave, since we are sociably met here in this town, that I remember you of our happy condition of life we live in, as on our own lands, amongst our own tenants, like as petty kings in our little monarchies, in peace, with moderate plenty and pleasure; our recreations are both healthful and delightful, which are hunting, hawking, and racing, as being far nobler pastimes than carding, dicing, and tennis-playing; for whereas gamesters meet for covetousness, we meet for love, they leave most of their gettings to the box, we bring most of our gettings to our tables, and whereas we make ourselves merry with our games, they make quarreis with theirs. Thus we live more friendly than gamesters and more happily than great monarchs, we neither quarrel, nor fear usurpers.
Noble Gentlemen,
The Gentleman that formerly spoke said we were petty kings, making our tenants our subjects; but if they be as subjects, they are rebellious subjects, not paying us our rents duly nor truly; besides, they are apt to murmur at the least increase of our farms, although they sell their commodities they get out of our lands at a double rate; and as for our pleasures, as hawking, hunting and racing, they may be sociable, but they are very chargeable, for hawks, hounds and horses, with their attendance, will devour a great estate in a short time, besides open house keeping in Christmas time; all which makes gentlemen beggars and beggars gentlemen, for the servants and tenants grow rieh but their masters and landlords become poor, the one sort buyeth, the other sort selleth, and the title of a gentleman is buried in the ruin of his estate.
Review the options below to login to check your access.
Log in with your Cambridge Higher Education account to check access.
If you believe you should have access to this content, please contact your institutional librarian or consult our FAQ page for further information about accessing our content.