TITLES.

In St. Mary's Churchyard, on the north side, there is an altar tomb, or as some call it, a table tomb, with an inscription to the memory of Mr. Jonathan Flower, who died in 1845. The inscription is interesting as the title "Mr." is not usually found on a tombstone nor on a headstone. In the old Church registers here, as elsewhere, the rank or position of certain people residing in the parish is given. Male members of the Moundeford family, for instance, are described as "Esquire;" an Esquire ranks next below a Knight but above a Gentleman. Other people of position in the parish, such as members of the Wace family, formerly of Feltwell, are described as "Gentleman;" that is a person entitled to bear a Coat of Arms. Next below a Gentleman in the social scale was a Yeoman; Osbert Rudland, of Cromwell's time, is described so; a Yeoman was a landowner who cultivated his own land but was not entitled to bear a Coat of Arms. During the 18th century, e.g., 1700 to 1800, and the beginning of the 19th century, several people are entered in the Church registers as Mr., or it may be, as Mrs., to show that they were people of some standing in the parish but not of high rank. In times gone by the utmost importance was attached by people to their rank or social position, but times are changed. To-day the title of Esquire is used almost indiscriminately; and the title of Gentleman is not a matter of a Coat of Arms; it is the respect in which people are hold that entities them to be spoken of as Gentlemen or Gentlewoman.

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