A more thorough explanation:

Definition: A franklin is a freeman, a freeholder, or a gentleman.

Examples:

• John was a franklin who owned his own land and was not bound to any lord.
• The franklin class in medieval England was made up of wealthy landowners who were not of noble birth.

The examples illustrate that a franklin was a person who had certain rights and privileges, such as owning land and not being bound to a lord. The term was used in medieval England to describe a specific social class of wealthy landowners who were not of noble birth.