Clerical Forms of Address

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Issues of Rank
in Age of Intrigue


Preferment
Precedence
Forms of Address
Peerage
Gentry
Hereditary Peerages
Baronetcy and Knighthood
Rights and Privileges of Peers
Courtesy Titles
Peeress in Her Own Right

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Just as members of the peerage and their immediate relations are addressed a certain way, there are also proper forms of address for members of the clergy in both the Catholic Church, Church of England, and the very Calvinist Church of Scotland as well.

Church of England

The hierarchy of the Church of England is surprisingly similar in certain respects to the clerical hierarchy of the Catholic Church. However, instead of a Pope, the head of the church is the current ruling monarch (in our case, Charles II). Similarly, there are no cardinals in the Anglican hierarchy, they having been replaced instead by the Archbishop of Canterbury who is the primate of the church: the highest-ranking clerical official and ranking only beneath the current ruling monarch. Beneath the Archbishop of Canterbury and the king is one other archbishop and a bevy of bishops and lesser clergymen. Please refer to the table below for proper forms of address.

Forms of Address: Anglican Clergy
PositionAddressed on LetterSalutation in LetterAddressed in Speech
Archbishop of CanterburyThe Most Rev. and Rt Hon. The Lord Archbishop of CanterburyDear ArchbishopYour Excellency or Archbishop (if, for example, you were the king)
Archbishop of YorkThe Most Rev. The Lord Archbishop of YorkDear ArchbishopYour Grace or Archbishop
Diocesan bishop in Privy CouncilThe Rt Rev. and Rt Hon. The Lord Bishop of LondonDear BishopMy Lord or Bishop
Diocesan bishop not in Privy CouncilThe Rt Rev. The Lord Bishop of DurhamDear BishopMy Lord or Bishop
BishopThe Rt Rev Bishop of DorkingDear BishopBishop
PriestThe Rev. John Smith or Father John SmithDear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith or Dear Father SmithMaster Smith or Father John Smith/John/Smith or Vicar/Rector/Curate/Chaplain &c. as applicable
Priest who also holds a doctorateThe Rev. Dr John SmithDear Dr SmithDr Smith


Keep in mind that archbishops and diocesan bishops are guaranteed a seat in the House of Lords as "Lords Spiritual" which is why they are addressed with the forms "Your Grace" and "My lord".

Roman Catholic Church

This is extremely simplified, but will do for the purposes of the game. At the head of the Catholic Church is the Pope, followed by cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, monsignors, priests, and a handful of lesser clergy. For the correct method of addressing each, please refer to the table below:

Forms of Address: Catholic Clergy
PositionAddressed on LetterSalutation on LetterAddressed in Speech
PopeHis Holiness, Pope Clement X (abbreviated: H.H. Clement X)Your Holiness or Most Holy FatherHoly Father or Your Holiness or Most Holy Father
CardinalHis Eminence, John Cardinal Doe, Archbishop of Erewhon ("Cardinal" goes between first and last names)Most Revererend Eminence or Most Eminent CardinalYour Eminence
PatriarchHis BeatitudeYour BeatitudeYour Beatitude
ArchbishopThe Most Reverend John Doe, Archbishop of ErewhonYour ExcellencyYour Excellency
BishopThe Most Reverend John Doe, Bishop of ErewhonYour ExcellencyYour Excellency
MonsignorThe Reverend Monsignor John DoeDear MonsignorMonsignor
PriestThe Reverend Father John DoeDear Father or Reverend and Dear Father DoeFather or Reverend Father or Your Reverence. (Though it is common, it's not proper to address a priest using his first name, as in "Hi, Father John!)


There are no English Catholic Bishops, Archbishops, or Cardinals in the game. Wealthy Catholic families may employ a personal priest and/or confessor, and the Queen is allowed her own priest and confessor.

Church of Scotland

The most Presbyterian of the three churches, it is very Calvinist and as such, does not have a rigid Church hierarchy. There are only two distinctions: the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly and then the rest of the clergy.

Forms of Address: Church of Scotland
PositionAddressed on LetterSalutation on LetterAddressed in Speech
Lord High Commissioner to the General AssemblyHis Grace The Lord High CommissionerYour GraceYour Grace
ClergyThe Rev. John SmithDear Master SmithMaster Smith