The rest of the sons of the nobility by
the rigour of the law be but esquires; yet in common speech all dukes'
and marquesses' sons and earls' eldest sons be called lords, the which
name commonly doth agree to none of lower degree than barons, yet by
law and use these be not esteemed barons.
The barony or degree of lords doth answer to the degree of senators of
Rome (as I said) and the title of nobility (as we used to call it in
England) to the Roman _Patricii_. Also in England no man is commonly
created baron except he may dispend of yearly revenues a thousand
pounds, or so much as may fully maintain and bear out his countenance
and port. But viscounts, earls, marquesses, and dukes exceed them
according to the proportion of their degree and honour. But though by
chance he or his son have less, yet he keepeth this degree: but if the
decay be excessive, and not able to maintain the honour (as _Senatores
Romani_ were _amoti a senatu_), so sometimes they are not admitted to
the upper house in the parliament, although they keep the name of
"lord" still, which cannot be taken from them upon any such occasion.
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