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Templars And Freemasons
TEMPLARS AND FREEMASONS
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ORDERS IN THE CITY OF YORK .
WE acknowledge , with thanks , tho receipt of a highly interesting paper on this subject , by E . Sir Knight T . B . Whytehead , E . P ., which that worthy Sir Knight road on the 11 th ult ., before the members of the Ancient Ebor Preceptory , No . 101 . To say that it is highly interesting would laardl y be paying a jnst compliment to the
author , Avho is known for his ability and diligence in making researches into Avhatever is of moment to tho cause of Masonic study . His theory is a very ingenious one , and though AVO cannot say he has succeeded in establishing it , still it involves no very serious improbabilities . What he
suggests may have taken place , though there is no direct evidence in support of it . Bro . Whytehead begins by mentioning the leading facts connected Avith the establishment in 1118 of the Order of the Temple , its rapid increase in numbers , Avealth and power , and its doughty deeds of
heroism in Palestine . He then passes on to the period when , by reason of its influence , it had come to be regarded as " a dangerous factor in the political squabbles " of the clay , ^ and " the avaricious King of France , and the unprincipled Pope Avho occupied the chair of Jupiter
Capitolinus of Rome , " combined together to Avork its destruction . How and by Avhat means they succeeded in France , is a well known fact in history . In England , too , in the reign of the feeble EdAvard II ., it was suppressed , though not with the same violence as in the neighbouring
kingdom , Avhile in " Portugal and Scotland the Knights found altars of refuge , and there the brethren Avere protected . " However , it is to the suppression of the Order in England to which the author directs his attention principally . In 1309 Clement V . issued two Bulls to Archbishop
Greenfield , ' then occupying the metropolifcical chair of St . Peter at York , one excommunicating the Order in the Province of York , and the other commanding the Archbishop to institute an enquiry into the conduct of the Knights , in concert with the Bishops of Durham ,
Lincoln , Chichester , and some other leading ecclesiastics . " We aro further told that " the King of France also Avrote , urging the Archbishop to action . " Greenfield , hoAvever , was a good as well as a sensible man , and he " wrote declining to act against the Knights , and objecting
to the interference of other ecclesiastics in the affairs of his Province . " The year following , however , he seems to have changed his mind , for Ave read "he thought it advisable to take some steps in the matter , and called a
Council , in May , to examine tho Templars then immured in York Castle . " There Avere Knights who had been taken at certain Preceptories or houses in the West , East and North Ridings , to the number of twenty-four , their names beinsr as follow : —
Wm . tie Grafton ( senior ) Preceptor of Ribstan ; Ralph de Roston , Thomas cle Stannford , Henry de Kereby , Thomas do Belleby , of Ponhill j Robert de Langton , Wm . cle la Fenne , Preceptor of Flaxflotej Richard de Kesewyk , Stephen do Radenhalgh , Priest of
Westordale ; Michael de Lowseby , priest of Sorenty ( Diocese of Durham ) ; Godfrey de Arches , Preceptor of Newsham ; John cle Walpole , Ivo cle Etton , Henry de Craven , Roger de Hngyndon , Henry de Ronclyf , Galfred cle Wylton , Walter cle Gaddesby , Richard do Ripon , Thomas de Thresk , Wm . do Midleton and Walter do Clifton .
The examination ended in nothing . They denied the monstrous charges made against them . A further capture of Knights was made at a later date : — William do Grafton ( junior ) , John cle Usflet , Edmund cle Latimer , John de Poynton , Richard Engayne , Ralph de Baleford , Stephen de Stapelbrigg , and Walter le Rebel .
But the result of this examination Avas the same . In 1311 a Provincial Council Avas assembled to examine into the whole matter , and in the result the Knights submitted to its authority , and readily acquiesced in the sentence passed upon them , Avhich Avas , not to the effect that they should be
tortured or burnt , but that they should be sent to reli gious houses to do penance for their errors . Here they conducted themselves Avith so much propriety that , in 1312 , they
Avere all released , though many elected to remain and lead monastic lives . Bro . Whytehead then lays stress on the following point , which may , indeed , be regarded as the germ of his theory . He says : — And here is one point which I think should not be lost sight of in the attempt which , I ana about to make to link the history of our
Templars And Freemasons
Order with that of Freemasonry in England , and especially at York . Wo havo seen that the Archbishop of York spread his protecting cegis , as it were , over tho fraternity , and disposed of them in religi . oua houses . Wo know that tho science of Architecture or Freemasonry ( synonymous terms in thoso clays ) was preserved amongst
the monastic mediaeval builders . Wo know that these Knights , undergoing penance , would most likely be ordered to perform severe menial work , such as assisting tho Masons . What then more probable than that finding themselves so nearly allied in religious belief and mystic observance , the Masonic Fraternity should have taken
the Knights under their fostering care , and permitted and even aided them , in secret , in their ceremonies . It is in York , I believe , that we ha . ve the oldest evidence of tho connection between Templary and Masonry , and there seems to me to bo a greater probability of such au association existing in York and its neighbourhood than elsewhere , for tho reasons I havo already set forth .
Ho then very properly reminds his readers that , though tho Order Avas suppressed , " it does by no means follow that it Avas extinguished ; " and his idea is , that many members of the body continued to Avork—of necessity , in secret ; that for greater security they may have allied themselves Avith
the architects or Freemasons of those days , and as these are the operative predecessors of our present speculative Freemasons , so there is , through this connection of the Templars of the 14 th century Avith the architects or operative Masons of the same period , a direct connection between ancient and modern Templary .
On tho Continent there aro several bodies claiming to be descended , from the Order , but none I think with better ground than , if as good as , ourselves . There is a great gap in tho history of the Order from
the time of its suppression up to towards the close of the last century , bnt we mnst remember that its secrecy was essential to its existence , and that the history of Freemasonry itself is not , so far as actual records go , of a very much clearer description .
He then passes to the modern Templars , and , as showing the intimate connection betAveen Freemasonry and Templary during the latter part of last century , he gives the folloAving copy of an old certificate , still preserved in the archives of the York Lodge .
"GRAND LODGE OF ALL ENGLAND . Be it known to all our Masonic Brethren throughout the Avhole earth that Mark Anthony Robinson , of the City of York , Yeoman , hath been initiated into our Mysteries in the undermentioned Degrees by Us particularly attested . And We recommend him ( after duo examination ) to be received into any Lodge of Free and Accepted Maceons of the same Degrees . Given at the City of York , under the seal of the Grand Lodge of All England , the thirtieth day of December , A . D . 1779 , A . I .
5779 . Admitted to tho first Degree on" ) Francis Smith Deputy G . M . tho 26 th day of January A . D . > John Coupland Senior G . W . 1779 . ) Thomas Bevvlay Junior G . W . Raised to the second Degree on } William Siddall G . M . the 20 th day of February A . D . > John Conpland Senior G . W . 1779 . ) Thomas Bewlay Junior G . W .
Raised to the third Degree on } William Siddall G . M . tho 27 th day of September A . D . >• John Coupland Senior G . W . 1770 . ) Thomas Buwlay Junior G . W . Raised to the fourth Degree , or" ) William Siddall . Royal Arch M . iceon . on the 27 th > John Coupland . day of October A . D . 1779 . ) Thomas Bewlay . Knight Templar the 29 th day of ) Q
November A . D . 1779 . j ' ' JOHN BROWNE .
Grand Secretary . " In confirmation of this Christian degree being part of ancient Freemasonry , there is given the following extract from the minute-book of the G . L . of England at York : — ( At an Emergency Meeting of the Grand Lodgo of All England , held
Tuesday , 20 th June , 1780 ) . "It was ordered That the Grand Lodge of All England , comprehending five degrees or orders of Masonry , shall from and afier St . John ' s Day next , be assembled five times in a quarter , to wit , one
night in the degree of Eutered Apprentice , one night in the Fellow Craft ' s degree , ono night in the Master ' s degree , one night in the degree or order of Knight Templnr , and one night in the most sublime degree of Royal Arch * * "
and also from the same book a record bearing 18 th February of the same year , marking the proceedings of the " Grand Lodge of Knight Templars , " and the formation and raising of the Royal Encampment when Sir Francis Smyth was " elected to aud invested in the high dignity of Grand
Master and Grand Commander of the Order of Knight Templars in England . " On this occasion a Bro . Francis Clubley , Avho had been approved at a previous Encampment , Avas initiated , and made a Knight and Companion of
the Order , and " admitted a member of the Royal Grand Encampment of All England . " It was afterwards ordered hat no one be admitted to the Order who had not passed "the other degrees in Freemasonry , " and unanimously
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Templars And Freemasons
TEMPLARS AND FREEMASONS
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ORDERS IN THE CITY OF YORK .
WE acknowledge , with thanks , tho receipt of a highly interesting paper on this subject , by E . Sir Knight T . B . Whytehead , E . P ., which that worthy Sir Knight road on the 11 th ult ., before the members of the Ancient Ebor Preceptory , No . 101 . To say that it is highly interesting would laardl y be paying a jnst compliment to the
author , Avho is known for his ability and diligence in making researches into Avhatever is of moment to tho cause of Masonic study . His theory is a very ingenious one , and though AVO cannot say he has succeeded in establishing it , still it involves no very serious improbabilities . What he
suggests may have taken place , though there is no direct evidence in support of it . Bro . Whytehead begins by mentioning the leading facts connected Avith the establishment in 1118 of the Order of the Temple , its rapid increase in numbers , Avealth and power , and its doughty deeds of
heroism in Palestine . He then passes on to the period when , by reason of its influence , it had come to be regarded as " a dangerous factor in the political squabbles " of the clay , ^ and " the avaricious King of France , and the unprincipled Pope Avho occupied the chair of Jupiter
Capitolinus of Rome , " combined together to Avork its destruction . How and by Avhat means they succeeded in France , is a well known fact in history . In England , too , in the reign of the feeble EdAvard II ., it was suppressed , though not with the same violence as in the neighbouring
kingdom , Avhile in " Portugal and Scotland the Knights found altars of refuge , and there the brethren Avere protected . " However , it is to the suppression of the Order in England to which the author directs his attention principally . In 1309 Clement V . issued two Bulls to Archbishop
Greenfield , ' then occupying the metropolifcical chair of St . Peter at York , one excommunicating the Order in the Province of York , and the other commanding the Archbishop to institute an enquiry into the conduct of the Knights , in concert with the Bishops of Durham ,
Lincoln , Chichester , and some other leading ecclesiastics . " We aro further told that " the King of France also Avrote , urging the Archbishop to action . " Greenfield , hoAvever , was a good as well as a sensible man , and he " wrote declining to act against the Knights , and objecting
to the interference of other ecclesiastics in the affairs of his Province . " The year following , however , he seems to have changed his mind , for Ave read "he thought it advisable to take some steps in the matter , and called a
Council , in May , to examine tho Templars then immured in York Castle . " There Avere Knights who had been taken at certain Preceptories or houses in the West , East and North Ridings , to the number of twenty-four , their names beinsr as follow : —
Wm . tie Grafton ( senior ) Preceptor of Ribstan ; Ralph de Roston , Thomas cle Stannford , Henry de Kereby , Thomas do Belleby , of Ponhill j Robert de Langton , Wm . cle la Fenne , Preceptor of Flaxflotej Richard de Kesewyk , Stephen do Radenhalgh , Priest of
Westordale ; Michael de Lowseby , priest of Sorenty ( Diocese of Durham ) ; Godfrey de Arches , Preceptor of Newsham ; John cle Walpole , Ivo cle Etton , Henry de Craven , Roger de Hngyndon , Henry de Ronclyf , Galfred cle Wylton , Walter cle Gaddesby , Richard do Ripon , Thomas de Thresk , Wm . do Midleton and Walter do Clifton .
The examination ended in nothing . They denied the monstrous charges made against them . A further capture of Knights was made at a later date : — William do Grafton ( junior ) , John cle Usflet , Edmund cle Latimer , John de Poynton , Richard Engayne , Ralph de Baleford , Stephen de Stapelbrigg , and Walter le Rebel .
But the result of this examination Avas the same . In 1311 a Provincial Council Avas assembled to examine into the whole matter , and in the result the Knights submitted to its authority , and readily acquiesced in the sentence passed upon them , Avhich Avas , not to the effect that they should be
tortured or burnt , but that they should be sent to reli gious houses to do penance for their errors . Here they conducted themselves Avith so much propriety that , in 1312 , they
Avere all released , though many elected to remain and lead monastic lives . Bro . Whytehead then lays stress on the following point , which may , indeed , be regarded as the germ of his theory . He says : — And here is one point which I think should not be lost sight of in the attempt which , I ana about to make to link the history of our
Templars And Freemasons
Order with that of Freemasonry in England , and especially at York . Wo havo seen that the Archbishop of York spread his protecting cegis , as it were , over tho fraternity , and disposed of them in religi . oua houses . Wo know that tho science of Architecture or Freemasonry ( synonymous terms in thoso clays ) was preserved amongst
the monastic mediaeval builders . Wo know that these Knights , undergoing penance , would most likely be ordered to perform severe menial work , such as assisting tho Masons . What then more probable than that finding themselves so nearly allied in religious belief and mystic observance , the Masonic Fraternity should have taken
the Knights under their fostering care , and permitted and even aided them , in secret , in their ceremonies . It is in York , I believe , that we ha . ve the oldest evidence of tho connection between Templary and Masonry , and there seems to me to bo a greater probability of such au association existing in York and its neighbourhood than elsewhere , for tho reasons I havo already set forth .
Ho then very properly reminds his readers that , though tho Order Avas suppressed , " it does by no means follow that it Avas extinguished ; " and his idea is , that many members of the body continued to Avork—of necessity , in secret ; that for greater security they may have allied themselves Avith
the architects or Freemasons of those days , and as these are the operative predecessors of our present speculative Freemasons , so there is , through this connection of the Templars of the 14 th century Avith the architects or operative Masons of the same period , a direct connection between ancient and modern Templary .
On tho Continent there aro several bodies claiming to be descended , from the Order , but none I think with better ground than , if as good as , ourselves . There is a great gap in tho history of the Order from
the time of its suppression up to towards the close of the last century , bnt we mnst remember that its secrecy was essential to its existence , and that the history of Freemasonry itself is not , so far as actual records go , of a very much clearer description .
He then passes to the modern Templars , and , as showing the intimate connection betAveen Freemasonry and Templary during the latter part of last century , he gives the folloAving copy of an old certificate , still preserved in the archives of the York Lodge .
"GRAND LODGE OF ALL ENGLAND . Be it known to all our Masonic Brethren throughout the Avhole earth that Mark Anthony Robinson , of the City of York , Yeoman , hath been initiated into our Mysteries in the undermentioned Degrees by Us particularly attested . And We recommend him ( after duo examination ) to be received into any Lodge of Free and Accepted Maceons of the same Degrees . Given at the City of York , under the seal of the Grand Lodge of All England , the thirtieth day of December , A . D . 1779 , A . I .
5779 . Admitted to tho first Degree on" ) Francis Smith Deputy G . M . tho 26 th day of January A . D . > John Coupland Senior G . W . 1779 . ) Thomas Bevvlay Junior G . W . Raised to the second Degree on } William Siddall G . M . the 20 th day of February A . D . > John Conpland Senior G . W . 1779 . ) Thomas Bewlay Junior G . W .
Raised to the third Degree on } William Siddall G . M . tho 27 th day of September A . D . >• John Coupland Senior G . W . 1770 . ) Thomas Buwlay Junior G . W . Raised to the fourth Degree , or" ) William Siddall . Royal Arch M . iceon . on the 27 th > John Coupland . day of October A . D . 1779 . ) Thomas Bewlay . Knight Templar the 29 th day of ) Q
November A . D . 1779 . j ' ' JOHN BROWNE .
Grand Secretary . " In confirmation of this Christian degree being part of ancient Freemasonry , there is given the following extract from the minute-book of the G . L . of England at York : — ( At an Emergency Meeting of the Grand Lodgo of All England , held
Tuesday , 20 th June , 1780 ) . "It was ordered That the Grand Lodge of All England , comprehending five degrees or orders of Masonry , shall from and afier St . John ' s Day next , be assembled five times in a quarter , to wit , one
night in the degree of Eutered Apprentice , one night in the Fellow Craft ' s degree , ono night in the Master ' s degree , one night in the degree or order of Knight Templnr , and one night in the most sublime degree of Royal Arch * * "
and also from the same book a record bearing 18 th February of the same year , marking the proceedings of the " Grand Lodge of Knight Templars , " and the formation and raising of the Royal Encampment when Sir Francis Smyth was " elected to aud invested in the high dignity of Grand
Master and Grand Commander of the Order of Knight Templars in England . " On this occasion a Bro . Francis Clubley , Avho had been approved at a previous Encampment , Avas initiated , and made a Knight and Companion of
the Order , and " admitted a member of the Royal Grand Encampment of All England . " It was afterwards ordered hat no one be admitted to the Order who had not passed "the other degrees in Freemasonry , " and unanimously