EDIT: Where the hell does the expression "betters" come from to mean those better than you?
According to the OED, it goes back to Old English, meaning both "One's superior in a particular sphere, activity, or personal quality" and "A person of higher rank or social station than oneself. In later use chiefly in pl." It's no surprise that it's so old, and Germanic.
Some examples:
OE Vainglory (1936) 36 He þa scylde ne wat fæhþe gefremede, feoh [read feoþ] his betran eorl fore æfstum.
c1330 (▸?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) l. 1939 (MED), A gode kniȝt and no coward—Anon to Speyne his better nis.
OE Battle of Maldon (1942) 276 Eadweard..gylpwordum spræc þæt he nolde fleogan fotmæl landes, ofer bæc bugan, þa his betera leg.
c1275 (▸?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1872 For hit was swuþe mouchel scome..þat scholde a quene [sc. Cordelia] beon king in þisse londe & heora sunen beon buten þa weren hire beteren [c1300 Otho betere] of þan aldre sustren.
Yes, I'm a very literal person...