of the English nobility, which he was,

唯一至高无上的存在
and the greatest single landowner in the kingdom,

他是王国内最大的领主
which he also was, but he was also something special.

但他同时也有一些其他特殊的身份
The king was the 'anointed of God' as they put it,

他们自称君权神授
ritually anointed with sacred oil at the time of the coronation;

在加冕仪式上他们会涂上圣油以示其神圣
the fount of all secular authority in the realm,

这些油意味着领土内的世俗皇权
but also considered to be ruling by the special grace of God.

同时也意味着这种统治代表着上帝
Beneath the crown came Dudley's chivalry

达德利描述的骑士们臣服于王冠下
and that was itself internally differentiated into,

骑士阶级本身也存在内部分化
on the one hand--and your handout will help with this

你们的讲义上有写
-- on the one hand, the peerage,

一方面是有爵位的贵族
and on the other hand the gentry.

另一方面是绅士