_Judges styled Reverend_ (Vol. iv., p. 151.).--Your correspondent. F. W.
J., before he receives an answer to his Query, "When did the judges lose
the title of Reverend and Very Reverend?" must first show that they ever
bore it. By the example he quotes he might as well argue that they bore
the title of "Très Sages," as that of "Très Reverend." The fact is,
that, _as a title_, it was never used by them, the words quoted being
nothing more than respectful epithets applied to eminent men of a past
age, by the editors or publishers of the work.
I very much doubt also whether the style of "The Honorable" is properly
given to the judges.
It would be curious to trace the commencement of the practice of
addressing a judge on the bench as "My Lord." In the Year Books are
numerous instances of his being addressed simply "Syr." Off the bench
the chief alone is entitled to the designation "My Lord," and that
address can be properly given to the puisne judges only when they are on
the circuit, and then because they are acting under a special royal
commission.