Was Shakspeare A Freemason?

nine times . I can find no special meaning m any phrase in whicii it occurs . Banners he knows all about , but not as an internal decoration ; banneret he only uses once ; it was too Frenchified . He makes the " banquet ready i ' the privy chamber , " but that apartment was then ,

as now , of the State , and not of any section of it . Shakespeare , however , gives the Mystic Brethren a capital motto for the entrance door of their secret apartment : — "All dedicated to closeness ! " In the . Tempest , Prospero tells Miranda the cause of their misfortunes . He had

been all dedicated to closeness and the bettering of his mind , having previously said that he was " wrapt in secret studies . " The arts with which those studies led to , all readers ofthe Tempest well know . "Act on the square , " boys , is a favourite

modern maxim ; and Shakespeare , or I greatly err , used the word " square " in that sense . In Timon of Athens we have it that it is not square ( equitable or just ) to take revenge on the innocent for the crime of the evil-doer . But he also employs it to denote a quarrel . In the

Alidsummer Night s Dream , Obcron , king of the fairies , and his queen never meet in the grove or green , by fountains clear or spangled starlight sheen , but they do square or quarrel . Autolycus , in the Winter ' s Tale , as a pedlar , is described by a servant as chanting to , the sleeve-band of an article of lady ' s attire and the work about the

square on ' t . 1 don ' t think there were feminine Alasons in those days . " Conijiass , " ton , is a favourite word , but is not emjiloyed as Air . Parkinson , 1 dare say , would like to find it . When Julia , about to array herself in the weeds of some well reputed jiage , is asked by Pucctta ,

' AVhat compass will you wear your farthingale ?" Ancl when the merry wives of AVindsor speak of the garter ' s compass , in neither is it Alasonically ; indeed Shakespeare mainly applies the word in the meaning of to embrace or comprise . Cube , and gavel , and triangle are not once mentioned .

Apron and rule are . Flavins rates the mechanics of Rome for walking abroad without the implements of tlieir calling ; but " AVhere is thy leather apron and thy rule ? " is addressed to a carpenter and not a Alason . Corn , wine , and oil he does combine . When Gonzalo , in the

Tempest , would reduce the island ' s inhabitants , to a state of idleness , he would have "no use of corn , or wine , or oil ; " but the combination of these products of the earth was older than the days ot Shakesjieare , or ot any English writer . AVhen Dogberry gave the charge to " eomjirehend

all . vagrom men , " or crook-backed Dick , on the eve of bloody Bosworth , directed Norfolk to hie him to his charge , it was hardly in the AIasonic sense of the word . So we m'ay go on until all are tried . Our great writer used language such as Alasons and all who sjieak

at times figuratively , must use . Darkness for ignorance ; light in the sense of truth ; darkness as symbolical of what is untrue : and a thousand other symbolisms might be quoted , all ajit and and beautiful in any system which aimed at inculcating the jmrest morality and the highest

beneficence . But now' comes , jirobably , the most curious fact of all . AVe know how Alasons now , and in times so remote that their history is lost in mist , loved their Bible . Those great cathedral and bridge builders of the middle ages loved unity and brotherhood , but they reverenced their Bible . The divine may find waver

recommended by Shakespeare . He mentions the name of God more than a thousand limes . But in nut a single instance , in all the tens of thousands of phrases he has penned , has Shakesjieare used the word Bible . So , putting it all together , ! doubt , though Air . Parkinson has asserted it , the internal evidence of the great man ' s great works that he was a freemason .

RED ( . Ross or CO \ SYAN ' I i M :.--Since the Crusaders no less than thirty-lour jiriiiivs of the Imperial House of Cimvncnes have been Giand Masters of this Order , and the most illiistri .- . iis men in Ensrland , including the Roval '< i : s * i \ , and

his Lordship the Karl of Bective ( Lord Kenlis is the jiresent C . Sov . ) have been i ' . imid anioii" . st its rulers and soverigns , an order which the Abbe Giuidiniani declared , in 1092 , 10 be the most ancient in the « s-urlcl .

Ancient Templars' Song.

ANCIENT TEMPLARS' SONG .

The following , for which we are indebted to Bro . EMRA HOLMES , Grand Provost of lingland antl Eminent Commander of the Prudence

Encampment of Knights Templar at Ipswich , is a AIS . found amongst some old papers belonging to the Encampment , and will prove of interest to the members of the chivalric degrees .

ANCIENT TEMPLARS' SONG . Copied for the Encampment of Prudence . BY BRO . J S .-VNSU . M . God bless the noble band , AVho grace this happy land

With valiant knights ! Alay the United Three . Of the blest Trinity Cement the unity Of all great lights .

Twelve men were highly'loved , But one a Judas prov'd . Put out his fire ! Alay Simon haunt all fools

AVho vary from our rides . . . . Alay the heads of such tools Rest high 011 sjiires .

'Gainst Turks and Jews we tight , And in religious right We'll breathe our last . Poor pilgrims begging we

Will our Jerusalem see ; All steps , Sir Knights , have ye Gloriously past . Enter'd , pass'd , rais'd , arch d ,

And then like princes march'd Through rugged ways . At length great lights we view . And poor old Simon too ,

Also the word so true , ' Glory and praise . God in his rainbow" gave Colours which now we have .

Black . Red and Blue . These colours emblems are Of royal love most rare ; We are in soul sincere , | ust , good and true .

Sir Knights clap ( sic ) hand in hand , None but KnightsTemjilar stand In circle round .

Alay we all live in love , And every comfort prove . . May manna from above Fall on this " -round .

This ancient song is quoted in a Alasonic document belonging to the Royal Order in Edinburgh , bearing date 1720 or 1730 .- — -J . S . Bro Emra Holmes vouches for the fact that

this manuscript has been in the possession of G . S . Findley , P . E . C ., the Registrar of the Encampment , for many years . Bro . Findley lent it to Bro . Holmes a short time since to cojiy .

New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND .

A" emergency meeting of the" Masonic bod y under the Scotch constitution took place on the 34 th May , at the Masonic Hall , Dunedin . The following brethren were duly installed : —Bros . W . H . Reynolds , as R . AV . . Substitute : Proy ,

G . AL : T . Hislop , as AV . Prov . G . S . AV . ; . T . Gore , as AV . Proy . G . J . W . The ceremony of Installation was performed by the R . AV . Prov . G . AL of New Zealand , S . C , Vincent P yke , in his usual impressive manner . At the con »

elusion of the mystic ceremony , the brethren adjourned for refreshment . The first toast of the evening was " The Queen and the Craft , " which was received ancl' acknowledged with ' all the Masonic honours .

COMPENSATION TO . A BROTHER FOR PERSONAL TNIURTES . —At the Summer Assizes , lately concluded at Liverpool , Bro . Thornton , P . AI , of 673 and 11 S 2 , brought an action against the Liverpool Omnibus ancl Tramways Company

( Limited ) , to recover damages for personal , injuries alleged to have been sustained by him through the negligence of the company ' s servants . Air . Temple , Q . C , and Air . Segar , were counsel for the jilaintiif " , and Air . Russell , Q . C

and Air . Gully , for the defendants . Air . Temple said plaintiff was a licensed victualler , and master joiner and shipwright in Liverpool , and on the 20 th February last , he was going to attend a Alasonic mcetintr at Preston . He hailed a bus '

in St . James ' s-strcet , and it crossed the road to the side on which he was standing , where it stojiped . He ascended to the roof , ancl was just going to take his seat , when , suddenly , the conductor whistled , and the horses made a jerk for-.

ward . The jerk threw the plaintiff" oyer the rails , and he fell to the ground . He was , so seriously injured , that he had been unable to attend ' to ' business as formerly , and it would . be some time before he would lie able to go about

as usual . Bro . Thornton was called , and stated he had been confined to bed for eight weeks , anc } could not now walk without a crutch . " Other evidence having been called , Air . Russell , who

had no witnesses , urged that- there vvas contributory negligence by the p laintiff " , who , he said , ought to have held on b y the rail until he . had taken his seat . The jury found for the plaintiff , damages / "So .

Metropolitan Masonic Meetings.

METROPOLITAN MASONIC MEETINGS .

For the Week ending Friday , September 13 , 1872 . Tlie Editor will be glad to have notice from Secretaries of Lodges anil Chapters of any change in place or time of meeting .

SATURDAY .. SI-: I * T , jr . General Committee Roys' . School , Freemasons' I lall , at 4 . Chapter IJJJ , Rose of Denmark , Star and Garter , Kew Bridge . Star Lodge of Instruction ( 1275 ) , Marquis of Granby . New Cross-road , at 7 ; Bro . C . S . Dilley , Preceptor .

Sphinx Lodge of Instruction ( 1329 ) , Castle Tavern , Cambervvcll-road , at 7 30 ; Bios . Thomas and Wor-.-thington . Preceptors . Mount Sinai Chapter of Instruction , Union Tavern , Airstreet , at 8 ; Comp . Brett , Preceptor . Manchester Lodge of . Instruction , Yorkshire Grey , London Street , Fitzroy-square , at 8 ; Bro Ash , P . M ., Precep-. . tor .

MONDAY , SEPT . 9 . Lotlge 13 fid , Highgate , Gate House Hotel , Highgate . Strong Man' Lodge c f Instruction ( 45 ) , Old Jerusalerti Tavern , St . John s Gate , Clerkenwell , at 8 ; Bro . . lames 'ferry , Preceptor . Camden Lotlge of Instruction ( 704 ) , Adelaide Tavern ,

Ilnvcrstock-hdl , at 8 ; Bro . T . A .. Adams , Preceptor . Eastern Star Lodge of Instruction ( g / j ) , Koyal Hotel , Milecnd-ro . ul , at 7 . 30 ; Bro . E . Gottheil , Preceptor . British Oak Lodge of Instruction , Bank of Friendship Tavern , Mile End , at 7 for 8 .

St . James's Union I . odge of Instruction ( 180 ) , Horse and Groom Tavern , Winsley-street , ( opposite the Pantheon ) , Oxford-street , at 8 ; Bro . J . K . Stacey , Preceptor . Wellington Lodge of Instruction , White Swan Tavern , Deptford , at 8 ; Bro . C . G . Willey , P . M . 1155 , Preceptor .

St . John ot Wapping Lodge of Instruction ( 1306 ) , Gun Taveni , High-street , Wapping , nt 7 ; Bro . T . Mortlock , Precenfor . West Kent Lotlge of Improvement ( 1297 ) , S' - Saviour ' s College , Stansteil-roAd , Forest-hill , at 7 . 30 ; Bro . II . W . Lindus , Preceptor .

' TUESDAY , SEPT . 10 . Lodge " 54 8 / Wellington , White Swan Tavern , Deptford . „ 12 ( 19 , Stanhope , Thicket Hotel , Anerley , Surrey . Sydney Lodge of Instruction , Cambridge Hotel , : Upper Norwood .