Freemasonry In North Wales And Salop.

FREEMASONRY IN NORTH WALES AND SALOP .

( Continued from page 306 . )

OUR last paper dealt with the Shrewsbury Lodges and their fortunes . In this wo purpose giving a few particulars of Freemasonry as it exists in Oswestry , another town in Salop , the name being generally set down as a corruption of " Oswald's Tree . " This Oswald was a Cbristian Ivinpf of Nortbumbria , who , in a field where now

stands the town of Oswestry , w as defeated and slam on the 5 th of August 642 , in a battle with the pagan Penda , King ofMercia . The latter had the body of his fallen foe cut into pieces , which were affixed to stakes placed in different parts of the field . The Anglo-Saxon chronicler , the

venerable Bode , recounts instances showing the miraculous properties of tho earth taken from this field , while Oswald was admitted by the Romish Church into the list of their saints , and a church was raised to commemorate his martyrdom . In the vicinity of the town , at a place called by

the Welsh " Cae Naef , " that is , " Heaven ' s Field , " is a remarkably fine spring of water , bearing the name of Oswald's Well , and over which as recently as the year 1770 were tho ruins of an ancient chapel , also dedicated to him . The first charter was granted to the town in the

reign of Henry II . by the lord of the manor , William Earl of Arundel , and his son having taken part with the barons against King John , the latter , in tho year 1212 , marched on the town and reduced it to ashes . A similar fate befel it later , at the hands of Llewcllyn , ; Prince of North Wales ;

but in 1277 Edward I . caused it to bo surrounded by a wall and ditch , some portions of the former still remaining , though tho four gates were removed in 1769 . The charter granted by Richard II . in 1397 exempted the burgesses from all customs throughout the kingdom , the liberty of

the city of London being excepted . They also acquired during this reign , among other privileges , that of compelling the inhabitants of tho eleven towns within the hundred to bi'ing their cattle , corn , victuals , and wares into the market-place before sending them to any other market

or fair . The Welsh tenantry of the hundred were also bound by their tenure to keep watch and ward for three days and three nights at the gates of the town during the fairs of St . Andrew and St . Oswald , but it being found that they ravaged and plundered the place instead of

protecting it , they were very properly relieved of this duty , and were required instead to pay a sum of money to Englishmen for the safe custody of the town . So much for early history . Now it is a flourishing and populous town , and the chief depot of tho Cambrian Railway . No

wonder , then , that we should find a brace of promising Lodges working as nearly an possible after the manner we have described at Shrewsbury . The elder of the twothe St . Oswald , No . 1124 , founded in the year 1866—is very strong , and capable of imparting a vast amount of

energy , and setting an admirable example to others which are less favoured in respect of members and means . It can boast on its roll of members the Marquis of Londonderry , Sir

Watkin W . Wynn , Bart . M . P ., the Grand Master of the Province , and Mr . Stanley Leighton , M . P ., and it includes among its Past Masters and Officers several of the best and ablest Masons in the Province . Amon

must be singled out for especial notice Bro . W . H . Spanll , who is both Grand Secretary and Grand Scribe E . of the Province . Brother Spaull is a thorough good Mason , and a more learned one does not exist anywhere . He is a man of

Freemasonry In North Wales And Salop.

retired habits , abominating all attempts at display . To such a one it may easily bo imagined that tho mere parrot-like recitals of ritual are most objectionable , and that ho courts discussion or , at all events , the consideration of , the abstruser and more mystic elements of Freemasomy . In a

well-organised and well-governed Province the position of Prov . Grand Secretary must be as nearly as possible a sinecure ; but this is tho reverse with Bro . Spaull , who is constantly receiving letters from tho brethren on every variety of subjects , and even on matters which it would bo impossible to

answer , or rather , which , in his capacity of only P . G . Sec , he conld not take upon himself to answer . Another distinguished member is Worshipful Bro . Corfield , who is zealous as well as able , who has the best interests of tho Fraternity at heart , and to whom , if ho had the

opportunity , nothing would give greater pleasure than to break through and remove the barrier of exclusiveness , so opposed to the principles of tho Craft , which many among the members of this Lodge are apt to set up . Bro . George Owen , one of the Past Masters , has also rendered

signal services to the Lodge , being highly esteemed for his knowledge of ritual , as well as for the generosity of his disposition and his readiness on all occasions to do everything for the welfare of the Province . Bros . Woods and Walker and Dr . Beresford are likewise among the supports

of the Lodge , while Bro . John Thomas has distinguished himself by the rapid progress ho has made in tho acquisition of Masonic knowledge . The number of members is about forty . Tho sister Lodge , the Fitzalan , No . 1432 , was founded in the year 1873 , and can only boast , therefore , of

a five years' existence . It has gone through many vicissitudes of fortune , and has not always been free from anxiety as to its future . The best men have not always been appointed officers , but , in spite of this and other drawbacks , it is in a fair way to prosper , thanks to the zealous

efforts of Bros . Beresford , A . Walker , John Thomas , and E . B . Smith , who aro among its Past Masters . The last mentioned brother , in particular , who has had great experience in London as a Mason , is an invaluable aid to tho Fitzalan . His knowledge of the best principles for

governing a Lodge , his zeal , and his ample acquirements render him especially fitted for the post of Secretary of a young and aspiring Lodge . No doubt , in time , the Fitzalan will become sufficiently powerful to be recognised by tho St . Oswald , and then the members of the latter will not

suppose it derogatory from their position to interest themselves in the welfare of their junior . More especially is this likely to be the case since we fiucl that , though the

younger of the two Lodges , it has attached to it a R . A . Chapter , so that R . A . Masons need not now journey to Shrewsbury or Welshpool , to which , latter place we are about to betake ourselves .

Welshpool , with which are associated the Lords of Powys and their Castle , and which , like every other border town of England and Wales , was the frequent scene of strife and bloodshed when , as yet , the Principality was not subject to the Kings of England , should be properly written

as two words . It is named from its vicinity to a lake or "Pool , " the " Welsh" being added to distinguish it from Poole in Dorsetshire . So , at least , wo remember to havo read in some topographical dictionary . But be it as it may , Welshpool has a Lodge of Freemasons , No . 998 ,

which bears the same name , aud though numbering only some thirty-five members , is a model of discipline , and , in fact , an examplar in all tilings to its fellow Lodges in the Province . The pride of Welshpool—speaking , of rnnrso , Masonically—is its having been the birthplace of ono of