Class in English Society.
In the 16th and 17th century several men set about defining English society. They described it as being divided into four levels of social class. These layers were later increased as society polarised still further.
At the top, after the monarch, were Gentlemen. These were men and families of blood and breeding this consisted of the peerage, dukes, earls, marquises, viscounts and barons, knights, baronets (this rank was introduced in 1611) and esquires.
Knights were not born but made. Knighthood was the reward for valour in war or for support of the monarch in some significant way. However not all gentlemen were wealthy enough to be knighted. Gentle status could be achieved however, by gaining a university degree, by appointment to government or military office or by a man who was sufficiently wealthy to live without undertaking manual labour.
The aristocracy were distinguished by their inherited titles and privileged position in law. The lowest rank was the baronets. They were drawn from families who were entitled to display arms for three generations and possessed land with an annual value of at least �1000. They had no legal privileges and no seat in the House of Lords.
Beneath them were the merchants�; professional men; lawyers�; clergymen; burgesses and citizens with freedom of their town and Persons of Office. Citizen was an occupational status; they had sufficient substance to hold office. Burgesses and merchants, no matter how wealthy they were, and many did make themselves very wealthy at that time, with the booming wool cloth trade, were still listed beneath gentleman. However with money to buy large tracts of land and build large houses they founded families, dynasties that became gentlemen.
Then there were the tradesmen, yeomen farmers� shopkeepers and minor office holders. Yeoman was a status rather than an occupational description. These were substantial farmers with good houses, land with an annul income above 40 shillings, who travelled �to get riches�. Many had subordinate roles in local government. Some of them might see their sons set up as gentlemen.
Bottom of the scale were the labouring classes; cottagers, agricultural labourers, common seaman and soldiers who had neither voice nor authority.
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