worthies

Worthies is a historical term used to designate notable and esteemed individuals, often grouped as a collective to highlight their achievements or influence. The word functions as a plural form of "worthy" and is commonly employed in literary and antiquarian contexts rather than as a formal title. In early modern and Elizabethan English writing, authors frequently compiled lists of the "worthies" of a region, city, or country to illustrate its cultural and political leadership. One influential tradition associated with this usage is the compilation of "the worthies" of England by regional scholars and antiquaries, which sought to foreground eminent figures from various counties and professions as a way of mapping national character.

The form and scope of such lists varied, ranging from poets and scholars to statesmen and clergy, and they were often embedded in biographical essays, itineraries, and local histories. In modern scholarship, the term is used descriptively to refer to groups of notable individuals in a given context rather than as a fixed, canonical category. Today, "Worthies" may appear in discussions of biography, regional history, and cultural memory, where the emphasis is on recognition of influence and achievement across different domains.