The Four Old Lodges.

THE FOUR OLD LODGES .

BRO . R . F . GOULD . ( Continued from page 387 . )

§ 7 . —LIST No . 5 . No . in No . in No . in No . in No . in No . in No . in No . in No . in No . in Description 1878 . Description 1736 * 1736 * 1738 * 1710 * 1711 * 1715 * 1750 * 1752 * 1750 . ' *) 1765 (») 1878 Constituted

rHcail of - \ Grand Stewards' Stewards'Lodge 117 117 115 115 115 115 115 115 70 j Without f 25 Juno 1735 ( . a No . J Antiquity King's Arms 111111 111 2 Time Immemorial Bull and Gate 2 Out ( 3 ) Time Immemorial

Royal Somerset Horn 3 3 2 2 2 Ont (?) 2 2 2 4 Timo Immemorial House Friendship Shakspear's Head 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 G 17 Jan . 1721 Bell 5 5 3 ( i ) 3 Ont («) 11 July 1721

British Brannd ' s Head G G 5 5 5 5 5 I 4 8 19 Jan . 1721 Westminster and Rummer 7 7 G G G 6 G 5 5 10 28 Jan . 1722 Key Stono

Daniel ' s Coffee 8 8 7 Out ( = ) 25 April 1722 House Royal Alpha Red Cross Barr ( i ) 998888 8 G S ( ) 1 G May 1722 Tuscan King ' s Arms 10 10 9 9 Out ( ) 9 9 7 7 14 25 Nov . 1722

Fortitude and Old Queen ' s Head 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 8 G ( Ml ) 12 Timo Imtuemorl . " ) Cumberland 27 Feb . 172 * j Old Dundee Castlo 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 9 9 18 1722 Antiquity ( Chat- Off the List ( 2 ) Out 13 12 12 12 12 12 10 10 20 28 March 1723 ham )

( J ) Tho words " Red Cross Barr " havo been pasted over tho original printed description of this Lodgo . ( 2 ) Replaced on the roll as Bury ' s Coffee House , Bridges Street , in 1738 . ( 3 ) In the List of 1738 ( Constitutions ) this vacancy is filled np , the Horn , No . 3 , becoming No . 2 . ( -1 ) An example of tho irregular manner in Avhich vacant numbers were apportioned to Junior Lodges . (•'•) Erased 4 th April 1744 . ( " ) Erased 25 th March 1745 . ( " ) Erased 3 rd April 1747 . Restored 4 th September 1751 .

( s ) This is the order in which the Lodges stand in the Constitutions 175 G , though no numbers aro given . It also corresponds Avith the engraved lists . ( 9 ) With the exception of the Grand Stewards' Lodge , which became No . 60 in 1770 , and No . 47 in 1780 , tho numbers of the remaining Lodges above cited , remained unaltered by the general closing up of numbers in 1770 , 1780 , and 1792 respectively , and wero numbered as at present afc the Union in 1814 . ( ) Nos . G aud 8 of previous list havo changed places . ( ) Placed at the head of list somo time before change of numbers in 1792 .

The Four Old Lodges.

§ 8 . —It is a task of much nicety identifying the old Lodges of to-day with those of a bygone period , since in most cases their early records have been destroyed or lost , and even Avhere this has not happened tho occasions are rare in AA'hicb any histories of the old regular Lodges have been

compiled . In the absence therefore of positive information , ifc is in the generality of instances necessary to Avork " backwards , " and laboriousl y trace the old Lodges of current date from one number to another , and , by the aid of the various lists published from time to time throughout tho

eighteenth century , from tavern to tavern , until , by a concurrence of all essential requirements , in number , place , day of meeting , and date of constitution , the happy result of identification is rendered presumably complete . Names are of great use in connecting the present Avith the past

, whilst dates of Constitution aro equally serviceable in identifying the latter Avith the former ; the period , hoAvever , commencing about 1765 , and ending 1781 , during Avhich the numbers of Lodges Avere tAvice closed up ( 1770 and 1780 ) is tbe hardest to bridge over , since the dates cease

to be given in full , and distinctive names Avere not generally adopted by Lodges until after 177 G , and shortly before 1781 . —( See § 14 ) . Much confusion , moreover , has ensued from the relative positions of Lodges constituted in a particular year being occasionally varied ;

also through many Lodges Avhicb have been temporarily struck off the list being re-entered at one time , according to the date of re-admission , and at another reverting to the dates of their original constitution . On 24 th February

1734-5 , * the folloAving resolution Avas passed by Grand Lodge : — " If any Lodge , within the Bills of Mortality , shall cease to meet regularl y during twelve months successive , its Name and . Place shall be erazeel or blotted out of

The Four Old Lodges.

the Grand Lodge Booh and engraven List , and if they petition to be again inserted and own'd as a regular Lodge , it must lose its former Place and Bank of Precedency , and submit to a New Constitution . " * Under Avhich rule , aided by a disposition of Grand Lodge , to visit Avith heavy

penalties all Lodges Avho Avere irregular m attending the Quarterly Communications , a very wholesale clearing off of defaulting Lodges took place , though the reinstatements

were very numerous . The present Tuscan Lodge , No . 14 , then No . 9 , meeting at the King ' s Arms , NCAY Bond Street , Avas thus struck off in 1745 , reappearing , however , on tho list for 1750 , to be again erased in 17 G 4 . f

On the 25 th November 1774 , + Grand Lodge further resolved " that all Lodges Avho have not contributed or shall neglect to contribute , to the General Charity . . if no remittance is made , or satisfactory excuse given . . , the said Lodges Avill be crazed out of the list of Lodges . "

§ 9 . —Original No . 1 , meeting afc the Goose and Girdiron in 1717 , removed from this tavern betAveen 1723 and 1729 , from Avhich latter year until after 17 G 5 , its descri ption on the lists Avas the King ' s ( or Queen ' s ) arms , St . Paul ' s

Churchyard , !) Avith the additional title in the engraved list for 17 G 3 only , of the " West-India and American Lodge . " In 1775-6 it appears as the Mitre , Eleet-street , but in 1778 had assumed the title of the Lodge of Antiqnity . ^ f At the Union in 1814 , the rank of No . 1 having devolved by lot