DIRECTIONS for SUPERSCRIPTIONS and TERMS of
ADDRESS.
To the ROYAL FAMILY.
To the King's Most Excellent Majesty: Sire; or May it please your Majesty.
To his Royal Highness Prince of Wales: May it please your Royal Highness, and in like manner to any of the royal family, altering what is to be changed.
To the NOBILITY.
To his Grace L. Duke of D. My Lord Duke, your Grace.
The real names are to be substituted, and titles in the place of the initial letters, all through these directions:
To the most Noble P. Lord Marquis of C. My Lord Marquis, your Lordship.
To the Right Honourable J. Earl of B. My Lord, your Lordship.
To the Right Honourable G. Viscount M. My Lord, your Lordship.
To the Right Honourable T. Lord O. My Lord, your Lordship.
![[HAND]](hand.gif){kind=small}
The
wives of noblemen are addressed in terms equal to their husbands
rank, and the title of Lord and Right Honourable is
given by courtesy to all sons of Dukes and
Marquisses, and to the eldest sons of Earls, and the
title of Lady to all their daughters: the younger sons of
Earls are all Honourable and Esquires.
The sons of Viscounts and Barons are stiled Esquires and Honourable, and their daughters are directed to as the Honourable Mrs. N. N. but without other stile; they have, however, rank among the first gentry, without title.
The King's commission confers the title of Honourable on any gentleman in a place of honour and trust.
The stile of Right Honourable is due to no Commoner but such as are members of his Majesty's most honourable privy council; except the three lord mayors of London, York, and Dublin, and the lord provost of Edinburgh, during office.
Every considerable servant to the King, upon the civil or military list, or to any of the royal family, is stiled Esquire, pro tempore.
To the PARLIAMENT.
The Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament of Great Britain assembled. My Lords; May it please your Lordships.
The Honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, in Parliament of Great Britain assembled. Gentlemen, May it please your Honours.
P.C. The Right Honourable Sir G. H. Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons; Sir.
P.C.
denotes a Privy Counsellor, and therefore Right
Honourable.
To the CLERGY.
The Most Reverend Father in God, W. Lord Archbishop of C. My Lord, Your Grace.
The Right Reverend Father in God, E. Lord Bishop of L. My Lord; Your Lordship.
The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of G. Lord Almoner to his Majesty.
The address of Bishops Wives is only Mrs.
The Rev. Mr. or Dr. (according to their degree) A.B. Dean of C.___,Chancellor of D. ___, Archdeacon of E. ___, Prebendary of F. ___, Rector of G. ___, Vicar of H. ___, Curate of J.
The
proper address to these last gentlemen is in general only
Sir. Deans and Archdeacons are called Mr. Dean, and
Mr. Archdeacon.
To the OFFICERS of his MAJESTY'S
HOUSEHOLD.
They are generally addressed to according to their rank and quality, but sometimes according to the office; as My Lord Steward, My Lord Chamberlain, Mr. Comptroller, Mr. Vice-Chamberlain.
In
superscriptions of letters that relate to gentlemen's employments,
their stile of office ought never to be omitted.
To the COMMISSIONERS and other OFFICERS on the CIVIL
LIST.
The Right Honourable R. Earl of W___, Lord Privy Seal. ___, Lord President of the Council. ___, Lord Great Chamberlain. ___, Earl Marshall of England. ___, one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, &c.
The Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners. ___ of the Treasury. ___ of Trade and Plantations. ___ of the Admiralty, &c.
If
there be a Nobleman, or even a Commoner, who is a
Privy Counsellor, among any set of Commissioners, it will
be proper to stile them collectively, Right Honourable. The
usual address then is, Your Lordships.
The Honourable Commissioners of ___ his Majesty's Customs. ___ Revenue of Excise. ___ Duty on Salt. ___ for his Majesty's Stamp-duties. ___ For Victualling his Majesty's Navy, &c.
These
blanks are also to be filled up as before with names and
dignities, and made so many several directions, repeating always
the general stile preceding the blank, for distinction here
printed in the Bold character.
To The SOLDIERY.
The Honourable A.B. Esq. Lieutenant General. ___, Major General. ___ Brigadier General of his Majesty's Forces. Sir; Your Honour.
The Right Honourable J. Earl of S. Captain of his Majesty's ___ first troop of Horse Guards. ___, Band of Gentlemen Pensioners. ___, Band of Yeoman of the Guard, &c.
The Honourable Colonel T. To Major F. To Captain A. &c. Sir.
To the Principal Officers of his Majesty's Ordnance. Your Honours.
To A.B. Esq. Lieutenant General. ___, Surveyor General of the Ordnance, &c.
To the OFFICERS of the NAVY.
To his Grace C. Duke of D. Lord High Admiral of Great Britain. Your Grace.
The Right Honourable G. Lord Viscount T. Vice or Rear Admiral of Great Britain.
The Honourable Sir P.Q. Admiral of the Blue. ___, Vice Admiral of the Red. ___, Rear Admiral of the White. Sir; Your Honour.
Captain R.L. Commander of his Majesty's ship Balloon, riding at Spithead.
To the AMBASSADRY.
His Excellency Sir A.B. Bart. his Britannic Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Ottoman Porte. Your Excellency.
His Excellency C.D. Esq. Ambassador to his most Christian Majesty. Your Excellency.
His Excellency the Baron de E. his Prussian Majesty's Resident at the Court of Great Britain. Your Excellency.
Signor F.G. Secretary from the Republic of Venice, at London. Sir.
Signor H.J. Secretary from the Great Duke of Tuscany, at London.
K.L. Esq. his Britannic Majesty's Consul at Smyrna.
To the JUDGES, LAWYERS, &c.
The Right Honourable E.L.T. Baron of A. Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. My Lord, Your Lordship.
P.C. The Right Honourable Sir L.K. Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. ___, of the Common Pleas. My Lord; Your Lordship.
P.C. The Right Honourable Sir R.P.A. Master of the Rolls. Sir; Your Honour.
The Honourable sir J.E. Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
The Honourable G.S. Esq. one of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas. Or, To Judge S.Sir. Or, may it please you; Sir.
Sir S.M. his Majesty's Attorney. ___, Solicitor. ___, Advocate General. Sir.
Y.Z. Esq. Serjeant. ___, Barrister, or Counsellor at Law. Sir.
Mr. E.B. Attorney at Law. Sir.
Upon
the circuits, and when they sit singly, every one of the
Judges are addressed to and treated with the same respect
and ceremony as the Chief Justices.
To the LIEUTENANCY and MAGISTRACY.
The Right Honourable S. Earl of B. Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the County of H.
P.E. Esq. High Sheriff for the County of C. Mr. High Sheriff; Sir.
The Right Honourable Sir A.B. Knight, Lord Mayor of the City of London. My Lord; Your Lordship.
The Right Worshipful C.D. Esq. Alderman of Tower Ward, London.
The Right Worshipful Sir E.F. Recorder of the City of London.
The Worshipful G.H. Esq. Mayor of C. Mr. Mayor; Sir; Your Worship.
The Worshipful J.K. Esq. one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of S. Your Worship.
L.M. Esq. Deputy Steward of the City and Liberty of W. Mr. Deputy; Sir.
To the GOVERNORS under the CROWN.
His Excellency J. Lord C. Lord Lieutenant of the Kingdon of Ireland. My Lord Lieutenant; Your Excellency.
Their Excellencies the Lords Justices of the Kingdom of Ireland. Your Excellencies.
The Right Honourable J. Earl of L. Governor of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. My Lord; Your Lordship.
The Right Honourable C. Lord Viscount D. Constable of the Tower.
His Excellency J.H. Esq. Captain General and Governor in Chief of the Leeward Caribbee Islands, America. Governor; Excellency.
The Honourable Sir F.N. Esq. Lieutenant-Governor of South Carolina.
The Honourable Sir J.G. Deputy Governor of Portsmouth.
The Honourable G.P. Esq. Governor of Fort St. George, Madras, in the East Indies.
The Worshipful the President and Governors of Christ's Hospital, London.
The
second Governors of Colonies, appointed by the King, are stiled
Lieutenant-Governors; those appointed by Proprietors, as the
East India Company, &c. are called Deputy-Governors.
To INCORPORATED BODIES.
The Honourable the Court of Directors of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East-Indies.
The Honourable the Sub-Governor, Deputy-Governor, and Directors, of the South-Sea Company.
The Honourable the Governor, Deputy-Governor, and Directors, of the Bank of England.
The Master and Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners.
To the GENTRY.
The Honourable Sir C.W. Bart. at B. near L.
The Honourable Sir W.S. Knight, at G. in Suffolk.
R.Y. at M. in Chester: or, to Mr. Y &c.
The
Wives of Knights and Baronets are called Lady W. or Lady
S. But the Wives of Esquires, and other Gentlemen, only
Mistress, &c.
With regard to the order of precedency, it may be observed in general, that persons of every degree of honour or dignity take place according to the seniority of their creation, and not of years, unless they are descended of the blood-royal; in which case they have place of all others of the same degree. Precedency is either of courtesy, or, de jure, of right. The former is that which is due to age, to estate, &c. which is regulated by custom and civility. The latter is settled by authority, and where broken in upon, gives an action at law. With regard to the precedency among women, we may observe, that women, before marriage, have precedency by their father; with this difference between them and the male children, that the same precedency is due to all the daughters that belongs to the eldest. By marriage, a woman partakes of her husband's dignities; but none of the wife's dignities can come, by marriage, to her husband, but are to descend to her next heir. If a woman has precedency by creation or birth, she retains the same, though she marries an inferior; but if a woman nobly born marry any nobleman, as a baron, she shall take place according to the degree of the husband only, though she be a duke's daughter. A woman, privileged by marriage with one of noble degree, shall retain the privilege due to her by her husband, though he should be degraded by forfeiture, &c. The wife of the eldest son of any degree takes place of the daughters of the same degree, who are always immediately have place after the wives of such eldest sons; and both of them take place of the younger sons of the preceding degree. And this rule holds, not only in comparing degrees, but also families of the same degree amongst themselves.
This came from a document printed in 1791 in London. Having had a photocopy of it for some years, I have no idea who wrote it or where I found it.