Goodman was once a polite term of address, used where Mister (Mr.) would be used today.
They are perhaps best known today as the forms of address used in Arthur Miller's historical fiction The Crucible, and in Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "Young Goodman Brown".
In his 1577 work, Description of England, William Harrison wrote: "The third and last sort is named the yeomanry, of whom and their sequel, the labourers and artificers, I have said somewhat even now.
; by which addition they are exempt from the vulgar and common sorts.
Cato calleth them 'Aratores et optimos cives rei publicæ,[1]' of whom also you may read more in the book of commonwealth which Sir Thomas Smith some time penned of this land.