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The words you choose to address someone,
are always based on your familiarity with the person and where both of you stand on the
social scale.
For example: An Earl might address a fellow Earl as Sir,
Lord, Cousin, etc. depending on the circumstances.
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If they are quite familiar
with each other, they may call each other by name. However, the peasants, as well as the
working class, will always address them as My Lord, My Lady, My Lord Earl, or something
similar to this proposed form of address.
When you are addressing nobility, the form in which you
address them is very particular. My Lord or My Lady, is commonly used when you are unsure
of their name or title. The King and Queen are always called Your Highness, Your Majesty,
or Your Grace. You may use His/Her Majesty while referring to them in the third person,
but this must never be used when addressing them directly. Your Grace is also
used when addressing a Duke or Duchess. In referring to persons of the religious
order, ArchBishops and Bishops are referred to as Your Grace, and Sir Priest is generally
used with lower members of the clerical order. Master would be used while addressing
Sextons or Deacons, or if they are obviously from a lower economic class, they would then
be addressed just as Goodman.
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Sir, Madame, Master, or Mistress, can always be
used for someone who you know is not nobility, but is dressed very well. You can use
Master/Mistress with professions, names, traits, or any other fitting adjectives.
Sir, Madame, Master, or Mistress, can always be used for someone who you know is not
nobility, but is dressed very well. You can use Master/Mistress with professions, names,
traits, or any
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other fitting
adjectives. For example: Sir John, Madame Elizabeth, Master Blacksmith, Mistress
Weaver, Master Knock-Knees, Mistress Horse-Teeth, just to name a few! It is also
highly recommended to frequently use the words good and kind when addressing someone. They
too may be used in conjunction with names, titles, or professions. Good fellow, Kind
Mistress, Good Elizabeth, Good Constable, or Kind Minstrel.
An older man or woman, is often referred to as Father or
Mother. Someone who belongs to your social standing, or maybe slightly above yours, can be
called Goodman or Goodwife. Cousin, is used when addressing someone of your same social
status with whom you are familiar with, or a relative to.
When addressing children, there are many forms that may be
used. My lad or My lass, are the most common, but Young Sir and Fair Maiden are also
appropriate as well. In times where their particular status is uncertain, you should use
Young Lord, or Young Lady.
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Your Honour or Your Worship is used with
Knights and Esquires, as well as with officeholders such as bureaucrats, constables, and
judges.
Often, you will refer to religions outside
of Catholicism, mainly Puritans. Puritans were plentiful during this time, and
were found to be the same class as either the working
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class or the peasants. Puritans
would usually refer to themselves as Brother or Sister, while other people might
address them as Good Puritan, if they were unsure of their name.
Wench, which seems to be everyone’s favorite term,
refers to a serving woman, a woman of ‘low morale’, or a woman of obviously low
economic status. This form of address is acceptable when it is appropriate. This would be
only a slightly demeaning term when coming from a social equal, but when it comes from a
higher class, it is very demeaning, and is taken, and usually meant in a very negative
way.
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