BACHELOR, was anciently a denomination given to those who had attained to knighthood, but had not a number of vassals sufficient to have their banner carried before them in the field of battle; or if they were not of the order of Bannerets, were not of age to display their own banner, but obliged to march to battle under another's banner. It was also a title given to young cavaliers, who having made their first campaign, received the military girdle accordingly. And it served to denominate him who had overcome another in a tournament the first time he ever engaged.—The word bachelor, in a military sense, is derived by Cujas from baccularius, a kind of cavalry, anciently in great esteem. Du Cange deduces it from baccalaria, a kind of fees or farms, consisting of several pieces of ground, each whereof contained 12 acres, or as much as two oxen would plough: the possessors of which baccalaria were called bachelors. Caleneuve and Altaferra derive bachelor from baculus, or bacillus, "a staff," because the young cavaliers exercised themselves in fighting with staves. Martinus derives it from baccalaureus, i. e. bacca laurea donatus, in allusion to the ancient custom of crowning poets with laurel, baccis lauri, as was the case with Petrarch at Rome in 1341. Alciat and Vives are of the same opinion: nor is this etymology improbable.