Ashmole As A Freemason.

ASHMOLE AS A FREEMASON .

The fact that Elias Ashmole , the celebrated antiquary , was initiated in tbe year 16 46 , though not the earliest register of the kind , is of considerable value and interest . The first actual minute of a lodge is of the year 1641 as respects England , but that represented " work" done by a Scottish lodge ( No . 1 , of Edinburgh , with records from 1599 ) , noted by the Masonic Historian of Scotland , Bro . D . Murray Lyon .

The particulars of Elias Ashmole's initiation are to be found in . his diary , now preserved in the Bodleian , Oxford , and ! have also been printed and published in 1717 and 1774 in two books , the first of which is one of the rarest works known relating to Freemasonry . It is far scarcer than the Book of Constitutions of 1723 , or even that of 1738 , and almost ranks with the " Roberts' Constitutions , " of 1722 ( the operative Regulations ) .

Of late years renewed interest has been taken in this extraordinary and most important record , through the researches of Bro . W . H . Rylands , F . S . A ., made known in the " Masonic Magazine" for Dec , 1881 , by far the best account of the subject ever printed ; and also because of the able summary of these researches by Bro . R . F . Gould in his exhaustive

" History of Freemasonry , " vol . 3 , 1887 . An exact facsimile of both entries in the diary of 1646 and 1682 was also published by Mr . W . H . Gee , Oxford , which has added considerably to the interest excited by the examinations and researches of several students and experts , so that now we are thoroughly " posted up " as to all pecularities and differences in the several reproductions of the original MS .

The first edition is entitled Memoirs of the Life of that Learned Antiquary , Elias Ashmole , Esq ., Drawn up by himself by way of Diary , With an Appendix of oriyinal Letiers , Publish'd by Charles Burman , Esq ., London , Printed for F . Roberts , near the Oxford Arms , in Warwick-Lane , 1717 " ( i 2 mo . pp . VIII . —99 ) . The preface is by Charles Burman , aforesaid , is dated " Newington , Feb . 1716-7 , " and states that " The Copy , from

whence these Papers are published , is in the Hand-Writing of Robert Plot , L . D . " The transcript was " also collated a few years since by David Parry , M . A ., of Jerusalem College , in Oxford , and Head Keeper , of the same Place , who corrected from the original Manuscript ( Inter MS . Ashmol . Oxon , 1136 ) some few literal Errors . "

The Diary is a curious combination of sense and non-sense , the follow ing being the important entries referring to the Fraternity of Free-Masons

1646 ( page 15 , Edit . 1717 . ) ' * Octob . 16 , 4 HOY . 30 Minutes post merid . I was made a Free-Mason at Warrington in Lancashire , with Colonel Henry Maiwrnaring of Karticham in Cheshire ; the names of those that were then at the Lodge , Mr . Richard Penket , Warden . Mr . James Collier , Mr . Richard Sankey , Henry Littler , John Ellam , Richard Ellam , and Hugh Brewer . "

1682 ( pp . 66-67 , Edit . 1717 . ) " 1682 , Mar . 10 . About 5 Hor . post merid-. 1 received a Summons to appear at a Lodge to be held the next Day at Masons Hall in London . " " 11 . Accordingly I went , and about noon were admitted into the Fellowship of Free-Masons , by Sir William Wilson , Knight ; Captain Richard Borthwick , Mr . William Wodman , Mr . William Grey , Mr . Samuel Taylour , and Mr . William Wise . "

" I was the Senior Pellow among them ( it being 35 years since I was admitted ) there was present besides myself the Fellows after named , Mr . Thomas Wise , Master of the Masons-Company this present year ; Mr . Thomas Shorthose , Mr . Thomas Shadbolt-Waidsfford , Esq ., Mr . Nicholas Young , Mr . John Shorthose , Mr . William Hanion , Mr . John Thompson , and Mr . William Stanton . We all dined at the Half-Moon-Tavern in Cheapside , at a noble Dinner prepared at the charge of the new accepted Masons . "

On comparing the above with the facsimile , a few differences of a minor character are apparent , also some of the contractions in the original are altered to the words in full , and the portions in italics exhibit the fancy of the Editor or Printer . Under 1682 the word in is added in the third line of the reproduction , following " Hall , " and the word " Noon " should be given as " Noone . " One of the names should be Woodman , and Samuel is spelt " Samitell , " also the final " e " being omitted once or twice , and old forms of printing such words as "Fellowes , " " Dyned , " & c .

The really serious departure Irom the MS . is the addition of the word by after the word Free-Mason , and before the names of Sir William Wilson and five others , who were the six " admitted into the Fellowship , " and not those by whose aid Ashmole was admitted . The second edition is in octavo ( pp . vii ., 399 ) and contains " The Lives of those eminent Antiquaries , Elias Ashmole , Esquire , and Mr . William Lilly ,

written by themselves , & c „ London ; Printed for T . Davies , in Russelstreet , Covent Garden , M . D . CCLXXI V ., " having portraits of the two celebrities named . The life of Ashmole thus reproduced , begins at page 283 , and finishes the volume . Under the entry , of 1646 the name of Richard Ellam is omitted , and the unfortunate word " by" is inserted in the account of 1682 , the italics generally being absent from the edition of 1774 . These two entries in Ashmole ' s Diary are sure indications of speculative

Freemasonry , long prior to the advent of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 , proving to my mind , and I should think to all thoughtful Students , that in 1646-82 there were lodges being held in Warrington , London , and elsewhere , into which gentlemen were admitted , and whose meetings were not utilized for operative purposes . That there were also lodges assembling for trade interests during the same period appears to be equally as clearly established . This being so , the notion that the premier Grand Lodge inaugurated gpeculative Freemasonry is wholly untenable . W . J . HUGHAN .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The following is the business to be transacted on Wednesday , 5 th inst .: 1 . The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 6 th March for confirmation . 2 . The minutes of the Grand Ffstival of the 24 th April for confirmation . 3 . Coram inication from the Most Worshipful Grand Master , submitting and recommending an application from the Body styled "The United Grand Lodge ot Victuri-j , " tor rrcogmtt > n .

4 . Appointment and investiture of President of the Board of General Puruo-es . 5 . Election of members of the Board of General Purposes . 6 . Election of Members of the Colonial Board . 7 . Election of Grand Lodge Auditor . 8 . Election of Members for the Committee of Management of the " Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , "

United Grand Lodge Of England.

9 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following Grants , viz .: — The widow of a brother of the Lodge of Unity , No . 13- ? J , Creditor ! £ 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Tees Lodge , No . 509 , Stockton-on-Tees ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Mount Lebanon Lodge , No . 73 , London ... So o 0 A brother of the Doric Lodge , No . 1193 , Wymonrlham ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Glamorgan Lodge , No . 36 , Cardiff ... ... 50 o 0 A brother of the Lodge of Perseverance . No . 213 , Norwich ... 100 o o A brother of the Doric Lodge , No . 933 , London ... ... .. So o 0 The widow of a brother of the St . Martin ' s Le Grand Lodge , No . 1538 , London ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 o 0 A brother of . the Tuscan Lods'e , No . 14 , London ... ... 50 o o The widow of abrother of the Me-chants ' Lodge , No . 241 , Liverpool 50 o o A brother of the Amity Lodge , No . 137 , Poole ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Lebanon Lodtre , No . 1326 . Feltham ... ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Derwent Lodge , No . 40 , Hastings ... 50 o o A brother of the Witham Lodge , No . 297 , Lincoln ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Villiers Lodge , No . 1194 , Hampton Court ... 60 o o 10 . REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts , at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 17 th day of May instant , showing a balance in the Bank oE England ( Western Branch ) of £ 5863 7 s . 2 d ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash ^" 100 , and for servants' wages £ 100 , and balance of annual allowance for librarv -.-. 10 AS . id .

( Signed ) THOMAS FENN , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 21 st May , 1889 . At the meeting of the Board held on Tuesday , the 21 st May , after the ordinary business had been disposed of , the following resolution was passed , viz . : — That the cordial thanks of the members of the Board of General Purposes be given to V . W . Brother 'lhomas Fenn , the President , for the very able and courteous manner in which he has presided over the meetings of the Board during the past year . ( Signed ) CHARLES BELTON , Vice-President . 11 . The annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , dated 17 th May , 188 9 , will be laid before Grand Lodge . 12 . NOTICE OP MOTIONBy Bro . RAYNHAM STEWART , P . G . D . — That the sum of £ 70 be given from the Fund of General Purposes ; that the money be placed in the hands of the Secretary of the " Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " to supply the inmates of the Institution at Croydon with coals during the winter season . List of brethren nominated for the Board of General Purposes :

CANDIDATES . NOMINATED BY Bro . Harry E . Pollard , W . M . 4 . Bro . Charles Belton . D . G . D . of C , „ William Masters , P . M . 2128 . „ Geo . Cooper , P . G . D . * „ F . E . Pocock , M . D ., P . M . 1891 . ) „ Tom Drew Bear , P . M . 1584 . [ „ Saml . H . Parkhouse , P . M . 511 „ E . C . Mulvey , W . M . 179 . ) „ H . Tipper , W . M . 2054 . „ Edward Letchworth , P . G . D . * „ Capt . T . C . Walls , W . M . 1656 . „ Henry J . Lardner , P . M . 1623 . * „ T . Hastings Miller , W . M . 2192 . ") T r ., , D . „ _ . „ G . Gardner , W . M . 2309 . j » J- L . Mather , P . A . G . D . C . * „ F . E . Pocock , M . D ., P . M . 1891 . ^ * „ Geo . Read , P . M . 511 . „ Tom D . Bear , P . M . 1584 . no / - D r > T *„ T . H . Miller , W . M . 2192 . ' » D . P . Cama , P . G . Treasurer , * „ W . A . Scurrah , W . M . 167 . „ E . C Mulvey , W . M . 179 . „ Gordon Smith , W . M . 14 . „ John C . Radford , W . M . 2243 . „ George Gardner , W . M . 2309 . „ Lord G . Hamilton , M . P .. G . W . * „ J . S . Cumberland , P . M . 2128 . ¦[ " ^ -Col ^ Hon . T . Orde-Powlett , „ T . W . Richardson , P . M . 2029 . „ Capt . T . C . Walls , W . M . 1656 . * „ W . Alfred Scurrah , W . M . 16 7 . „ W . M . Stiles , P . M . 1507 . * „ Joseph Clever , P . M . 181 S . „ James Terry , P . G . S . B . * „ William A . Scurrah , W . M . 16 7 . „ SirR . N . Fo \ v \ er , Bart ., P . G . W . * „ George Read , P . M . 511 . „ Samuel Cochrane , W . M . 3 . * „ Joseph Clever , P . M . 1 S 18 . „ W . H . Saunders , P . M . 1 . 503 . „ Lennox Browne , W . M . 2256 . , „ Harry Tipper , W . M . 2054 . „ Harry E . Pollard , W . M . 4 . „ William H . Rylands , W-M . 2 . ,, Arthur C . Tanqueray , W . M . 33 . „ A . G . Browning , W . M . 2140 . „ J . L . Alex . Monckton , M . A ., W . M . 197 . I „ Robert Turtle Pigott , D . C . L ., * „ William A . Dawson , P . M . 1768 . f P . A . G . D . C . * „ T . Hastings Miller , W . M . 2192 . „ Joseph D . Langton , P . M . 2096 . „ Tom Drew Bear , P . M . 1584 . „ Henry Bishop , P . M . 66 . „ William G . Lemon , P . M . 165 . * „ Joseph Clever , P . M . 1818 . * „ Henry Pritchard , P . M . 1415 . / „ John R . Clipperton , P . M . 66 . „ Asher Barfield , P . G . Treas . * „ George Read , P . M . 511 . „ Howard H . Room , P . M . nS 9 ' * „ T . H . Miller , W . M . 2192 . \ „ Thomas Catling , W . M . 2190 . ( „ Edward Terry , Grand Treas . „ Lennox Browne , W . M . 22156 . J

List of brethren nominated for the Colonial Board : Bro . Col . Frederick Gadsden ( Madras ) , P . M . 434 , nominated by Bro . Charles Belton , Oep-G . Dir . of Cers . ; Bro . Capt . Thomas Charles Walls , W . M . 165 & . nominated by Bro . Henry J . Lardner , P . M . 1623 ; Bros . James Brett , P . M-177 , Col . Frederick Gadsden , P . M . 434 , Reginald St . A . Roumieu , P- j ' 1537 , Albert Escott , P . M . 1539 , Capt . Thomas Charles Walls , W . M ' 1650 , John Speight Cumberland , P . M . 2128 , and Lennox Browne , W . " '' 2256 , nominated by Bro . VV . M . Bywater , P . G . Swd . Br . List of brelhien nominated for the Committee of Management f ° *• Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Wido * of Freemasons : Bros . C . A . Cottebrune , P . M . 733 , Hugh Cotter , P- ' 554 , J . E . Dawson , P . M . 404 , C . G . Dilley , P . M . 1155 , Major A . Durrani