He states in his history, that "sir and madam were originally
names given to none, but the king, his brother, and their wives, both in
France and England. Yet now the ploughman in France is called sir and
his wife madam; and men of ordinary trades in England sir, and their
wives dame, which is the legal title of a lady, and is the same as madam
in French. So prevalent hath pride and flattery been in all ages, the
one to give, and the other to receive respect"
The Quakers banished also the word master, or mister as it is now
pronounced, from their language, either when they spoke concerning any
one, or addressed any one by letter. To have used the word master to a
person, who was no master over them, would have been, they considered,
to have indicated a needless servility, and to have given a false
picture of their own situation, as well as of those addressed.
Upon the same or similar principles they hesitated to subscribe
themselves as the humble or obedient servants of any one, as is now
usual, at the bottom of their letters. "Horrid apostacy, says Barclay,
for it is notorious that the use of these compliments implies not any
design of service." This expression in particular they reprobated for
another reason. It was one of those, which had followed the last degree
of impious services and expressions, which had poured in after the
statues of the emperors had been worshipped, after the titles of
eternity and divinity had been ushered in, and after thou had been
exchanged for you, and it had taken a certain station, and flourished
among these.
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