The Ancient Styles and Designations of Persons. 307 
Mister. 
‘On the third Bell at Broad-Hinton, Wilts, is inscribed “ Mister 
Richard Midwinter, Mister Robert Alcocke, William Purdue,! 
1664 ;” and on the fifth Bell, ‘Come when I call to serve God all. 
William Purdue! 1664. Mister Thomas Alcocke Minister and 
Sara his wife.” In the nave of Broad-Hinton church is a gravestone 
with the following inscription: ‘Here lyeth the body of Mr. 
Thomas Alcock Minister of this Parish from 1629 who departed 
this life the 23 of November 1664.”’ 
THE Rev. Mr. 
This was the style used to clergymen till within the last thirty 
years. Before that time our Secretaries, if then in Holy orders, 
would have been addressed as ‘The Rev. Mr. Jackson” and “ The 
Rev. Mr. Lukis,” instead of as now, “The Rev. J. E. Jackson,” 
and “The Rev. W. C. Lukis.”’ 
Mr. 
This is a contraction for Magister, Master, and Mister. In Sir 
Henry Ellis’s Letters Illustrative of English History, “ Mr.” 
occurs as early as the reign of Henry the 8th, probably a contrac- 
tion of “ Master,” and this is the more probable as in a letter of 
Queen Elizabeth to Sir William Cecil he is styled “Mr. of our 
Court of Wards and Liveries.” 
It is also worthy of remark that even at the present day “ Mr.” 
is in some instances prefixed to a name of office although the 
person addressed may be a knight. Thus the Right Honorable Sir 
Charles Manners Sutton, K. G. C. B., while Speaker of the House 
of Commons, was addressed as “ Mr. Speaker,” although he was a 
Knight Grand Cross of the Bath; and the present Attorney and 
Solicitor General are styled “Mr. Attorney General” and “Mr. 
Solicitor General,” although the one is Sir Alexander Cockburn 
and the other Sir Richard Bethel. 
On the tombs of clergymen “ Mr.” is sometimes put before the 
name. 
! William Purdue was a bell-founder at Salisbury, 
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