Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Latomia.
societies ; those of the builders or masons he termed " Collegia fabrorum—Collegia artificum . " In the course of time these societies spread throughout all the provinces of the Roman empire , particularly those who were incorporated as the builders of towns , bridges , and ships ; they had their own authorities , laws , priests and household gods . At the birth of Christ each Roman legion had its own artificers & c .
, Julius Ciesar and other Roman generals are said to have greatly favoured the corporations of builders or masons in Britain ; and these societies made considerable progress during the reign of the Emperor Karausius , 286—293 , A . D . Albanus , steward to Karausius , afterwards St . Alban , appears to have been appointed superintendant over the builders or masons , of whom he formed the first Grand Society , or Lodge . It is , however , doubtful whether or not Albanus procured a
patent from Karausius , by virtue of which the incorporated societies were entitled to form a constitution of their own , by which they could themselves punish the offences of their fraternity . The Saxon conquest was unfavourable to the society , who fled to AVales , and the islands of Anglesea and Man . The papacy also was opposed to them , and caused many differences and much disunion ; thus during several centuries they declined . At length Athelstan ascended the throne in ffe 4 , and ordered the establishment , as arranged
by Albanus , to be restored . Prince Edwin , brother to Athelstan , joined the brotherhood , and procured for them many important privileges and immunities , as also a patent by which they were empowered to make their own laws , and perform other acts . By virtue of this patent , the Freemasons were collected together at York in 926 , A . D ., where a Grand Lodge was established . The original MS ., containing the laws , duties , & c , is said to be still in existence , in the archives of the Grand Lodge at York . *
Until this grand convocation at York , under Prince Edward , the order was nearly exclusively confined to England , but afterwards Freemasonry began to spread rapidly ; many kings and princes joined its societies—of course not as operative , but as speculative , or Free and Accepted Masons ; and many sumptuous edifices arose at Cologne , Vienna , Magdebourg , Milan , Paris , and at other places . The Operative Freemasons , before they commenced their labours ' , invariably stipulated for the retaining of their privileges , and these
privileges were invariably confirmed by the Popes , from Nicholas III . 1278 , to Benedict XII . 1342 . They were also much favoured by Rudolph I ., Maximilian , Charles V . and Ferdinand , and afterwards collected at Strasbourg and founded a Grand Lodge . In 1707 Masonic fraternities were forbidden in Germany , and the order would probably have been altogether discontinued , hail there not existed four Lodges in London , who decided upon re-modelling its arrangements and government . Brother James Anderson was selected for this task , who formed a new Constitution . t
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Latomia.
societies ; those of the builders or masons he termed " Collegia fabrorum—Collegia artificum . " In the course of time these societies spread throughout all the provinces of the Roman empire , particularly those who were incorporated as the builders of towns , bridges , and ships ; they had their own authorities , laws , priests and household gods . At the birth of Christ each Roman legion had its own artificers & c .
, Julius Ciesar and other Roman generals are said to have greatly favoured the corporations of builders or masons in Britain ; and these societies made considerable progress during the reign of the Emperor Karausius , 286—293 , A . D . Albanus , steward to Karausius , afterwards St . Alban , appears to have been appointed superintendant over the builders or masons , of whom he formed the first Grand Society , or Lodge . It is , however , doubtful whether or not Albanus procured a
patent from Karausius , by virtue of which the incorporated societies were entitled to form a constitution of their own , by which they could themselves punish the offences of their fraternity . The Saxon conquest was unfavourable to the society , who fled to AVales , and the islands of Anglesea and Man . The papacy also was opposed to them , and caused many differences and much disunion ; thus during several centuries they declined . At length Athelstan ascended the throne in ffe 4 , and ordered the establishment , as arranged
by Albanus , to be restored . Prince Edwin , brother to Athelstan , joined the brotherhood , and procured for them many important privileges and immunities , as also a patent by which they were empowered to make their own laws , and perform other acts . By virtue of this patent , the Freemasons were collected together at York in 926 , A . D ., where a Grand Lodge was established . The original MS ., containing the laws , duties , & c , is said to be still in existence , in the archives of the Grand Lodge at York . *
Until this grand convocation at York , under Prince Edward , the order was nearly exclusively confined to England , but afterwards Freemasonry began to spread rapidly ; many kings and princes joined its societies—of course not as operative , but as speculative , or Free and Accepted Masons ; and many sumptuous edifices arose at Cologne , Vienna , Magdebourg , Milan , Paris , and at other places . The Operative Freemasons , before they commenced their labours ' , invariably stipulated for the retaining of their privileges , and these
privileges were invariably confirmed by the Popes , from Nicholas III . 1278 , to Benedict XII . 1342 . They were also much favoured by Rudolph I ., Maximilian , Charles V . and Ferdinand , and afterwards collected at Strasbourg and founded a Grand Lodge . In 1707 Masonic fraternities were forbidden in Germany , and the order would probably have been altogether discontinued , hail there not existed four Lodges in London , who decided upon re-modelling its arrangements and government . Brother James Anderson was selected for this task , who formed a new Constitution . t