Countly

[T]he old republic sold titles for a pittance to whoever could pay for them, though such a person might not even have had the education of a gentleman. […] It was natural, therefore, that a lord of Crema should fear being confounded with this countly canaglia, and sink his having any thing in common with such a crew.

The countly finances came again into their former state; the tournaments ceased; knights and varlets disappeared; the castle became again a hermitage; and the countly family once more returned to its frugal meals of boiled potatoes.

In the course of the next three hundred years a great number of illustrious princely and countly houses died out; […]