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The History Of Freemasonry.
of parchment of prodigious length which contained some historical matters relative to the ancient Craft , which parchment they did suppose he had taken abroad with him . It was farther said that many manuscripts were lost amongst the Lodges lately modernised , where a vestige of
the Ancient Craft was not suffered to be revived or practised ; and that it was for this reason so many of them withdrew from Lodges ( under the modern sanction ) to support the true ancient system . . . . The Grand Secretary produced a very old manuscri pt , written or copied by
one Bramhall , of Canterbury , in the reign of King Henry the Seventh , which was presented to Bro . Dermott ( in 1748 ) by one of the descendants of the Writer . On perusal , it proved to contain the whole matter in the forementioned parchment , as well as other matters not in that
parchment , " though it strikes us as being curious how any proof of this could be established in the absence of the " fore-mentioned parchment , " which Mr . Morgan was supposed to have taken abroad with him . No . 39 , the " Dowland , " of the 17 th century , is so-called because it was
forwarded by a Mr . James Dowland to the editor of the "Gentleman ' s Magazine" in 1815 , Mr . Dowland describing it as " a curious address respecting Freemasonry , " which not long since came into his possession , and adding : " It is written on a long roll of parchment , in a very clear
hand , apparently early in the seventeenth century , and very probably is copied from a MS . of earlier date , " while Bro . Woodford considers it represents a MS . of about 1500 . No . 40 is styled the " Dr . Plot , " because it was published in that author ' s " Natural History of
Staffordshire , in 1686 . In investigating the claims of the Masons to antiquity , Dr . Plot " particularly alludes to the ' large parchment volum they have amongst them , containing the History and Rules of the craft of masonry . ' Which is there deduced , not only from sacred writ , but profane story ,
particularly that it was brought into England by St . Amphibal , and first communicated to St . Allan , who set down the Charges of Masonry , and was made paymaster and Governor of the King ' s works , and gave them charges and manners as St . Amphibal had taught him . Which were after
confirmed by King Athelstan , whose youngest son Edwyn loved well masonry , took upon him the charges and learned the manners , and obtained for them of his father a free-Charter . Whereupon he caused them to assemble at York , and to bring all the old Booh of their craft , and out of
them ordained such charges and manners , as they then thought fit ; which charges on the said Schrole or Parchment volum , are in part declared ; and thus was the craft of masonry grounded and confirmed in England . It is also there declared that these charges and manners were after
perused and approved by King Sen . 6 and his council , both as to Master and Fellows of the right Worshipfull craft . " No . 41 , an " extract from a MS . not now known , " is assigned to the seventeenth century , and styled the " Hargrove , " because it appeared in Hargrove ' s " History
of the Ancient City of York , " published in 1818 , the author stating his indebtedness for the information was to Mr . Blanchard , the Grand Secretary of the then extinct York Grand Lodge . Bro . Gould says , it " does not agree with any existing MS ., either at York or elsewhere . "
No . 43 , "Masons' Co ., " of the seventeenth century , is the MS . referred to in Sir Francis Palgrave ' s article in the " Edinburgh Review" in April 1839 , in which that learned writer , in describing tbe inventory of the contents of the Masons' Company ' s chest , alludes to " a Book wrote on
Parchment , and bound or sticht in parchment , containing an 113 annals of the antiquity , rise , and progress of the art and mystery of Masonry , " which had not long prior to 1839 been in the said chest . No . 44 , the " Roberts , " of
the seventeenth century , is unhesitatingly set down by Bro . Gould as " a reproduction , or a counterpart , of No . 11 "—in the Havleian MSS . at tbe British Museum—not " only from the fact that there is not another MS . which so resembles it , but also because the differences are so trivial in the
text , and the additions so evidently of an editorial character , that the proofs of such an origin are irrefragable . Woodford and Hughan both concur in this view . " This version was published in 1722 b y J . Roberts , of Warwick Lane , and sold at sixpence . The only known copy was bought
at the Spencer Sale for the late Bro . R . F . Bower , of Keokuk , Iowa , the sum paid being £ 8 10 s . Its title is " THE OLD CONSTITUTIONS Belonging to the ANCIENT and HONOURABLE SOCIETY of Free and Accepted MASONS , Taken from a Mamiscript wrote about Five Hundred Tears Since . " The " Briscoe" of the seventeenth century is No . 45
The History Of Freemasonry.
in order , and respecting it Bro . Gould says , " I am persuaded that substantiall y it is founded on No . 12 , "—in the Harleian MSS . — " the reasons for this view are conclusive to my mind , and have been partially given by Hughan . " It was published by " Sam Briscoe , at the
Bell Savage on Ludgate Hill " in 1724 , the original being assumed to have been " of near 300 years Translation into English . " A copy of it was in the library of tho late Bro . Bower , of Keokuk , Iowa . No . 46 , " Baker , " 17 th century is referred to by Dr . Rawlinson , in a note in his MS .,
explaining the legend of King Athelstan , having caused " a Roll or Book to be made , which declared how this Science was first invented . . . which Roll or Book he Commanded to be made and plainly recited when a man was to be made a Free Mason , that he might fully
understand what Articles , Rules , and Orders he laid himself under , well and truly keep and observe to the utmost of his power , " Dr . Rawlinson stating he had seen one of these
Rolls " in the possession of Mr . Baker , a carpenter , in Moorfields . " No . 47 , " Cole , " has a seventeenth century origin assigned it , because No . 32 , from which it was derived , was derived from No . 8 . It is set down as " the finest
issued m the last century . It was " printed from engraved plates , " and "dedicated in 1728-29 to the Right Hon . the Lord Kingston , Grand Master , " the absence of any date from the title being immaterial , as the dedication determines the period of its publication . The Benjamin Cole
after whom this version is styled , was the publisher of the Grand Lodsre Lists 1745-66 . As regards No . 48 , the " Dodd , " which compares with the sameNos . 8 and 32 , Bro . Gould endorses Bro . Hughan's opinion that this is a reproduction of No . 47 , " with simply a few fanciful changes ,
for which an example had been set by Masonic historians of the period , " Bro . Carson , of Cincinnati , for whom was purchased the copy disposed of at the Spencer Sale , concurring in this view , and adding , " therefore it appears to me that Cole ' s Editions 1728-31-51 , & c , and the Spencer
manuscript now in my collection , and the present reprint , aro substantially , though not identically , one and the same Constitutions . " Its title is "The Beginning and First Foundation of the most worthy Craffc of Masonry , with the Charges thereunto belonging ; " it is said to be "By a
Deceas'd Brother , for the Benefit of his Widow , " and was printed for " Mrs . Dodd , at the Peacock , without Temple Bar MDCCXXXIX . ( Price Sixpence ) . " No . 49 , belonging to the Bedford Lodge , No . 157 , to which it was presented about January 1809 , bv the then Secretary , Bro .
Harris , was published in the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , on the 22 nd and 29 th April of last year . No . 50 , the " Batty Langley , " of the eighteenth century , was " published in the " Builders' Compleat Assistant , " 3 rd edition , 1738 . Batty Langley , a prolific writer , published his " Practical
Geometry " in 1726 , which is dedicated to Lord Paisley , as " the Head of a most Ancient and Honourable Society , " and subscribed himself " your most devoted servant . " In 1736 appeared his " Ancient Masonry ; Both in the Theory and Practice , " dedicated to " Francis , Duke of Lorraine ,
and forty British noblemen , also to all others the Right Hon . and Right Worshipful Masters of Masonry by their humble servant and affectionate brother , B . Langley . '" The last of all is No . 51 , " the Krause , " and is assigned to fche eighteenth century , though Bro . Gould remarks that it
is quite possible that even the eighteenth century is too early a date to assign for its compilation . It is the so-called " York MS . of A . D . 526 , " and was "first announced in 1808 , through a German version having been issued by Berr Schneider , of Altenbnrg , from a Latin translation ,
said to be certified by ' Stonehouse , York , January 4 , 1806 ' ( of whom no trace can be found ) . " However , it seems neither Bro . Hughan nor Bro . Woodford believes it fo be " of any real antiquity . " Moreover , " Dr . George Kloss denied its genuineness , ' and contended that the
Latin translation , which was certified by Stonehouse , had been prepared before 1806 , and that in preparing it an ancient manuscript bad been remodelled on the same basis as the 1738 edition of Anderson ' s Constitutions , because the term " Noachida " is employed in both , but is found
nowhere else . '" Findel , also , though he visited England especially to investigate the matter , found nothing to confirm its claims to antiquity , and returned home more convinced than ever that it was neither a York Charter nor of the year 926 . The character and history of this MS . are reserved for a future chapter . Having enumerated in their several categories the MS . which exist , or have existed , and to which references are
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The History Of Freemasonry.
of parchment of prodigious length which contained some historical matters relative to the ancient Craft , which parchment they did suppose he had taken abroad with him . It was farther said that many manuscripts were lost amongst the Lodges lately modernised , where a vestige of
the Ancient Craft was not suffered to be revived or practised ; and that it was for this reason so many of them withdrew from Lodges ( under the modern sanction ) to support the true ancient system . . . . The Grand Secretary produced a very old manuscri pt , written or copied by
one Bramhall , of Canterbury , in the reign of King Henry the Seventh , which was presented to Bro . Dermott ( in 1748 ) by one of the descendants of the Writer . On perusal , it proved to contain the whole matter in the forementioned parchment , as well as other matters not in that
parchment , " though it strikes us as being curious how any proof of this could be established in the absence of the " fore-mentioned parchment , " which Mr . Morgan was supposed to have taken abroad with him . No . 39 , the " Dowland , " of the 17 th century , is so-called because it was
forwarded by a Mr . James Dowland to the editor of the "Gentleman ' s Magazine" in 1815 , Mr . Dowland describing it as " a curious address respecting Freemasonry , " which not long since came into his possession , and adding : " It is written on a long roll of parchment , in a very clear
hand , apparently early in the seventeenth century , and very probably is copied from a MS . of earlier date , " while Bro . Woodford considers it represents a MS . of about 1500 . No . 40 is styled the " Dr . Plot , " because it was published in that author ' s " Natural History of
Staffordshire , in 1686 . In investigating the claims of the Masons to antiquity , Dr . Plot " particularly alludes to the ' large parchment volum they have amongst them , containing the History and Rules of the craft of masonry . ' Which is there deduced , not only from sacred writ , but profane story ,
particularly that it was brought into England by St . Amphibal , and first communicated to St . Allan , who set down the Charges of Masonry , and was made paymaster and Governor of the King ' s works , and gave them charges and manners as St . Amphibal had taught him . Which were after
confirmed by King Athelstan , whose youngest son Edwyn loved well masonry , took upon him the charges and learned the manners , and obtained for them of his father a free-Charter . Whereupon he caused them to assemble at York , and to bring all the old Booh of their craft , and out of
them ordained such charges and manners , as they then thought fit ; which charges on the said Schrole or Parchment volum , are in part declared ; and thus was the craft of masonry grounded and confirmed in England . It is also there declared that these charges and manners were after
perused and approved by King Sen . 6 and his council , both as to Master and Fellows of the right Worshipfull craft . " No . 41 , an " extract from a MS . not now known , " is assigned to the seventeenth century , and styled the " Hargrove , " because it appeared in Hargrove ' s " History
of the Ancient City of York , " published in 1818 , the author stating his indebtedness for the information was to Mr . Blanchard , the Grand Secretary of the then extinct York Grand Lodge . Bro . Gould says , it " does not agree with any existing MS ., either at York or elsewhere . "
No . 43 , "Masons' Co ., " of the seventeenth century , is the MS . referred to in Sir Francis Palgrave ' s article in the " Edinburgh Review" in April 1839 , in which that learned writer , in describing tbe inventory of the contents of the Masons' Company ' s chest , alludes to " a Book wrote on
Parchment , and bound or sticht in parchment , containing an 113 annals of the antiquity , rise , and progress of the art and mystery of Masonry , " which had not long prior to 1839 been in the said chest . No . 44 , the " Roberts , " of
the seventeenth century , is unhesitatingly set down by Bro . Gould as " a reproduction , or a counterpart , of No . 11 "—in the Havleian MSS . at tbe British Museum—not " only from the fact that there is not another MS . which so resembles it , but also because the differences are so trivial in the
text , and the additions so evidently of an editorial character , that the proofs of such an origin are irrefragable . Woodford and Hughan both concur in this view . " This version was published in 1722 b y J . Roberts , of Warwick Lane , and sold at sixpence . The only known copy was bought
at the Spencer Sale for the late Bro . R . F . Bower , of Keokuk , Iowa , the sum paid being £ 8 10 s . Its title is " THE OLD CONSTITUTIONS Belonging to the ANCIENT and HONOURABLE SOCIETY of Free and Accepted MASONS , Taken from a Mamiscript wrote about Five Hundred Tears Since . " The " Briscoe" of the seventeenth century is No . 45
The History Of Freemasonry.
in order , and respecting it Bro . Gould says , " I am persuaded that substantiall y it is founded on No . 12 , "—in the Harleian MSS . — " the reasons for this view are conclusive to my mind , and have been partially given by Hughan . " It was published by " Sam Briscoe , at the
Bell Savage on Ludgate Hill " in 1724 , the original being assumed to have been " of near 300 years Translation into English . " A copy of it was in the library of tho late Bro . Bower , of Keokuk , Iowa . No . 46 , " Baker , " 17 th century is referred to by Dr . Rawlinson , in a note in his MS .,
explaining the legend of King Athelstan , having caused " a Roll or Book to be made , which declared how this Science was first invented . . . which Roll or Book he Commanded to be made and plainly recited when a man was to be made a Free Mason , that he might fully
understand what Articles , Rules , and Orders he laid himself under , well and truly keep and observe to the utmost of his power , " Dr . Rawlinson stating he had seen one of these
Rolls " in the possession of Mr . Baker , a carpenter , in Moorfields . " No . 47 , " Cole , " has a seventeenth century origin assigned it , because No . 32 , from which it was derived , was derived from No . 8 . It is set down as " the finest
issued m the last century . It was " printed from engraved plates , " and "dedicated in 1728-29 to the Right Hon . the Lord Kingston , Grand Master , " the absence of any date from the title being immaterial , as the dedication determines the period of its publication . The Benjamin Cole
after whom this version is styled , was the publisher of the Grand Lodsre Lists 1745-66 . As regards No . 48 , the " Dodd , " which compares with the sameNos . 8 and 32 , Bro . Gould endorses Bro . Hughan's opinion that this is a reproduction of No . 47 , " with simply a few fanciful changes ,
for which an example had been set by Masonic historians of the period , " Bro . Carson , of Cincinnati , for whom was purchased the copy disposed of at the Spencer Sale , concurring in this view , and adding , " therefore it appears to me that Cole ' s Editions 1728-31-51 , & c , and the Spencer
manuscript now in my collection , and the present reprint , aro substantially , though not identically , one and the same Constitutions . " Its title is "The Beginning and First Foundation of the most worthy Craffc of Masonry , with the Charges thereunto belonging ; " it is said to be "By a
Deceas'd Brother , for the Benefit of his Widow , " and was printed for " Mrs . Dodd , at the Peacock , without Temple Bar MDCCXXXIX . ( Price Sixpence ) . " No . 49 , belonging to the Bedford Lodge , No . 157 , to which it was presented about January 1809 , bv the then Secretary , Bro .
Harris , was published in the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , on the 22 nd and 29 th April of last year . No . 50 , the " Batty Langley , " of the eighteenth century , was " published in the " Builders' Compleat Assistant , " 3 rd edition , 1738 . Batty Langley , a prolific writer , published his " Practical
Geometry " in 1726 , which is dedicated to Lord Paisley , as " the Head of a most Ancient and Honourable Society , " and subscribed himself " your most devoted servant . " In 1736 appeared his " Ancient Masonry ; Both in the Theory and Practice , " dedicated to " Francis , Duke of Lorraine ,
and forty British noblemen , also to all others the Right Hon . and Right Worshipful Masters of Masonry by their humble servant and affectionate brother , B . Langley . '" The last of all is No . 51 , " the Krause , " and is assigned to fche eighteenth century , though Bro . Gould remarks that it
is quite possible that even the eighteenth century is too early a date to assign for its compilation . It is the so-called " York MS . of A . D . 526 , " and was "first announced in 1808 , through a German version having been issued by Berr Schneider , of Altenbnrg , from a Latin translation ,
said to be certified by ' Stonehouse , York , January 4 , 1806 ' ( of whom no trace can be found ) . " However , it seems neither Bro . Hughan nor Bro . Woodford believes it fo be " of any real antiquity . " Moreover , " Dr . George Kloss denied its genuineness , ' and contended that the
Latin translation , which was certified by Stonehouse , had been prepared before 1806 , and that in preparing it an ancient manuscript bad been remodelled on the same basis as the 1738 edition of Anderson ' s Constitutions , because the term " Noachida " is employed in both , but is found
nowhere else . '" Findel , also , though he visited England especially to investigate the matter , found nothing to confirm its claims to antiquity , and returned home more convinced than ever that it was neither a York Charter nor of the year 926 . The character and history of this MS . are reserved for a future chapter . Having enumerated in their several categories the MS . which exist , or have existed , and to which references are