Honorifics for peasants and commoners

[magycmyste]

Ok, I've started work on another of my projects - this one set in an alternate world that is mostly generic fantasy (i.e. medieval Europe) with a backstory based on the fall of Atlantis and Ancient Greece.

Does anybody know any honorifics used in either medieval Europe or Ancient Greece (or modern Greece, for that matter? I could work with that) to address commoners, peasants, or basically people without any real standing or nobility? I feel like I overuse sir,madam, and ma'am. I'm looking for something to replace Mr. and Mrs. in modern usage.

The very specific situation I'm looking at right now involves a group of three of my main characters (T, F, and A). A and F are keeping an old woman busy while T is treating her husband of an illness). I'm trying to figure out how A and F would address the old woman politely (so "Old Lady!" is pretty much out.

This feels like something I ought to know (well, for medieval European-style fantasy, anyway), and have probably seen in books before, but I'm completely blanking out now.

Thanks in advance for the help!

EDIT: Wow, thanks for al the help, guys! I think I've got what I need for this now. Whoo!!

Comments

[magycmyste]

That's it! Mistress and Master were the terms I was blanking out on! Though, like you said, Grandmother probably is more appropriate here.

Although, now, I'm still tempted to try to make up a couple of terms based on those.

Thanks!