The Early Organisation Of The "Ancient" Masons.

Very little need be said of the third list . It is to be regretted that it contains so many blanks , and that after " No . 52 " it should be almost worthless . However , this is perhaps to be accounted for by the fact that in 1756 an improved system of registering lodges , and the members belonging to them , appears to have been begun . Still , the list has a certain value if only it does no more than make it apparent that some of the lodges confallen into

stituted prior to thc date when it was' commenced had already abeyance or dropped out of existence . With these few introductory remaiks let me describe more fully the material contents of the lists in the order of their appearance in Morgan ' s Register , as begun by that brother and continued by Dermott . The first part of list No . 1 contains , though not in their numerical order of sequence , Lodges Nos . 2-11 , and covers , as regards time , the period from

the 17 th July , 1751 , to the 12 th June , 1752 , the last entry , that of Lodge No . ' , being apparently in Dermott ' s handwriting , he having succeeded Morgan as Grand Secretary some months before its date of Constitution . First come Lodges Nos . 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , all dated 17 th July , 1751 . These are followed by No . 7 , warranted 29 th July ; No . 10 , warranted ist February , 1752 ; No . 9 warranted 30 th January ; and No . 8 , warranted 29 th January ,

, 1752 ; and last of all is No . 11 , warranted 12 th June , 1752 . The meeting places of these 10 lodges are described as being : No . 2 , the "Turk's Head , Greek-street , Soho , " there being written over this description " Now the Rising Sun , Suffolk-st ., Haymarket ; " No . 3 , " Criple , Little Britain ; " No . 4 , " Cannon , Water Lane , Fleet-street ; " No . 5 , " Plaisters Arms , Gray ' s Inn Lane ; " No . 6 , " Globe , Bridge-street , Covent Gardn . " These were

the lodges which met at the Turk ' s Head , Greek-street , in General Assembly , on the aforesaid 17 th July , 1751 . No . 7 , the first lodge warranted after that meeting , met at the " Fountain , Monmouth-st ., 7 Dials , " but was excluded from the roll for " disobedience of the 21 st Rule of the Grand " on the 27 th December , 1752 . No . 10 , meeting at the "Duke's Head , Winfield-st ., Spittle Fields , " was excluded for similar disobedience on the same date . No . 9 met at the " Ship and Anchor , Anchor-st ., Spittle Fields ; " No . 8 at the " Temple and Sun , Sheer Lane , Temple Bar ; " and No . 11 at the " Thistle and Crown , Church Court , Strand . "

The second part of the list , which , however , for general purposes , must be taken as forming part and parcel of the first , contains three of the above lodges , one being repeated twice , and five new ones , the words " Removed to the" separating the two sections of the list . The order is as follows : No . 2 , " Rising Sun , in Suffolk-street , Haymarket ; " No . 4 , "Temple and Sun , Sheer Lane , Temple Bar ; " No . 12 , warranted 15 th September , 1752 , and meeting at the " Vernon , B : Gate-street Without ; "

No . 5 , " Horse Shoe , on Ludgate Hill ; " No . 2 , " Thistle and Crown , Churchcourt , Strand ; " No . 14 , warranted 4 th November , 1752 , and meeting at the " Carlisle Arms , Qn .-street , Soho ; " No . 13 , warranted 13 th November , 1752 , and meeting at the " Mitre , Broadwall , Southwark ; " No . 15 , warranted 7 th December , and meeting at the " Marshalsea Tap House ;" and No . 16 , warranted the nth December , 1752 , and meeting at the * ' Plaisterers Arms , Little Gs . Inn-lane . " This part is in Dermott's

handwriting , and must be looked upon as a series of memoranda irregularly jotted down , rather than as a regularly compiled " List of Lodges . " This irregularity , however , does not detract from its value ; indeed , for reasons which I shall explain hereafter , it enhances it rather than otherwise . However , we have here a list in two sections of 15 lodges , 10 of them having been warranted after the date of the General Assembly at the Turk's Head .

List No . 2 contains 36 lodges arranged regularly as regards numerical order of sequence , and , with one exception , as regards dates of Constitution . The list is headed 27 th December , 1752 , that being the day on which " Grand Lodge " ordered the exclusion of Nos . 7 and 10 , as stated above , and commenced the compilation of the new roll . The period covered by this list extends from 17 th Julv , 1751 , to the 19 th August , 1754 , the order

of the lodges being as follows : Nos . 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , of 17 th July , 1751 , No . 3 being described as meeting at the " Crown , " in St . Paul ' s Churchyard , and the others as before ; new Nos . 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , being old Nos . 8 , 9 , 10 , and 11 ; No . 12 , old No . 11 ; Nos . 11 and 12 , old Nos . 13 and 14 , the order of which , had their dates of Constitution been observed , should have been reversed ; and Nos . 13 and 14—old Nos . 15 and 16 . Thenceforward the

list moves on regularly , new Nos . 15 and 16 having been warranted on the 9 th and 10 th January , respectively , 1753 , and the following 13 lodges in the course of the same year , namely , No . 17 , Scot ' s Arms , Haymarket , on 13 th March ; No . 18 , Vernon , Bpgate-street , 4 th May ; No . 19 , Fountain , in Monmouth-street , 7 Dials , 15 th May ; Nos . 20 , 21 , 22 , meeting respectively at the Hampshire Hog , Goswell-street , the One Tun in the Strand ,

and the King's Head , Little Suffolk-street , and warranted on gth , loth , and isthjuly ; No . 23 , White Lion , Hemming's Row , 10 th October ; Nos . 24 and 25 , both warranted respectively 17 th October , and both meeting in Bristol , the former at the Edinburgh Castle , Marsh-street , and the latter at the Unicorn , West-st ., Lalford ' s Gate ; Nos . 26 and 27 , warranted respectively on Sth and 9 th November , and meeting—No . 26 at the Rosemary

Branch , Rosemary Lane , and No . 27 at the Prince of Wales Head , Capelstreet , Rosemary Lane ; and Nos . 28 and 29 , both warranted 15 th November , and meeting No . 28 at the Royal Oak , Charing Cross , and No . 29 at the George , Piccadilly . The remaining eight lodges are of 1754 creation , Nos . 30 and 31 dating from 7 th and 9 th January , respectively , and meeting , the former at the Goat Pav'd Alley , St . Jas . 's Market , and the latter at the

Prince of Wales Hotel , Butcher Row , Tower Hill No . 32 , at the Black Horse , Boswell Court , Strand , warranted 18 th February ; No . 33 , Star and Garter , Strand , 13 th March ; Nos . 34 and 35 , dated iSth and 19 th April , respectively , No . 34 meeting at the Star and Garter , Pan ton-street , Haymarket , and No . 35 in the King's Bench Prison ; and Nos . 36 and 37 ,

warranted 14 th and 19 th August , and severally meeting at the Blue Ball , Horse Alley , Moorfields , and the Red Cow , Hoiywell-street , Strand . Thus in the 20 months from end of December , 1752 , to end of August , 1754 , 23 new lodges were added to the roll , 21 of them being held in London , and the remaining two in Bristol .

List No . 3 dates , as regards the beginningof its compilation , from the 24 th June , 1755 . All the lodges in List No . 2 are entered in this No . 3 , but the columns provided for the days and places of meeting are left vacant in the case of the following—as if , the warrants still remaining on the roll . lhelodges themselves had for a time fallen into abeyance , as we know was constantly

happening with many of the "Ancient" lodges—Nos . 9 , , 16 , 18 , 19 , 26 , 28 . 29 , 33 , and 34 . The list is then continued in regular numerical sequence , provision being made for lodges ranging to No . 64 , but the columns lor dates of Constitution and days and places of meeting are not always filled in , or filled in only in part . No . 38 is described as constituted on the 6 th October ,

The Early Organisation Of The "Ancient" Masons.

1754 , and meeting on the 1 st and 3 rd Tuesday , but the place is not given . No . 39 , constituted iSth June , 1 755 , meets at St . Ann's Church and Mitre in Manchester ; and No . 40 , on the 20 th August following , at the Cock , Bridge-street , Warrington , on the 3 rd Monday in every month . Against No . 41 is written only the words " Honywood ' s Regt . " Nos . 42 and 43 , warranted 19 th November , and 3 rd December , 1755 , respectively , are

bracketed together as belonging to Coventry . No . 44 , of 17 th December , and No . 45 , of 27 th December , 1755 , are also bracketed together , and have " Nottingham " and " Bristol" written one under the other , beyond the bracket . Nos . 46 to 50 , both inclusive , are London lodges , No . 46 , of the nth February , and No . 47 of the 24 th February , 1756 , meeting , the former at the Cross Keys , Bear-street , Leicester-fields , and the latter at the Crown , Crown-court , Fleet-street ; No . 48 , 10 th March , at the Horse Shoe and

Last , St . James's-street ; No . 49 , of 30 th March , at the King ' s Head , Drury-lane ; and No . 50 , of 13 th May , at the Plough in St . Martin's-lane . No . 57 , constituted 19 th May , 1756 , is described as of Liverpool , and No . 52 , of same date , as in " General Stewart ' s Regiment . " Nos . 53 to 61 , both inclusive , are all vacant , except that in the case of No . 60 , " Worcester " is entered against it . No . 62 , warranted 13 th April , 1757 , is given as meeting at the ** Punch Bowl , Peck-lane , Nottingham , " and Nos . 63 and 64 are vacant as regards particulars .

I trust the reader will be able to follow me in my description . I have no doubt the lists will be reproduced in their original form in Bro . Lane's forthcoming work , but as I have no desire to anticipate him in this matter , I have contented myself wilh furnishing only what is essential . In my next paper I shall describe the Register of Members , so far as it may be necessary in order to illustrate my deductions from these newly * discovered materials and the earlier minutes of proceedings as entered in Dermott's Transaction Book .

" Harodim " Freemasonry.

" HARODIM " FREEMASONRY .

Bro . Hudson , the energetic Prov . G . Sec . of Durham , has lately come across the early Records of the Phcenix Lodge , No . 94 , Sunderland . They had wandered to Whitby , but Bro . Hudson recognised them , and has forwarded to me several curious particulars , which he has transcribed from the valuable book . The original By-Laws are in the volume , headed " Constitution , 7 th October , A . D . 1755 , A . L . 5755 , No . 207 , " the date being that of the warrant . The following is the preamble to the seventeen rules : " We

whose names are hereunto subscribed and sett , being Brethren and Members of the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons in Sunderland , do hereby consent and agree to conform to the sundry articles hereinafter mentioned and contained . " The number of the lodge was changed to 169 in 1770 , and 136 in 17 S 1 , becoming 121 in 1792 , but at the " Union , " was altered to 146 , again altered to m in 1832 , and has been 94 from 1 S 63 . The volume contains a list of members from 1755 to 1 S 11 , so it isa valuable record in many respects .

Some of the entries are most remarkable , especially in reference to the " Harodim" Degree , the first of which is dated December 1 , 1756 , and the last , so late as September 28 , 1 S 09 . The first brother who is mentioned as taking the Degree , was initiated on February 7 th . 1756 , " passed " May 4 , I 756 , and "raised" on November 21 , 1756 , the" Harodim" being conferred on him December I , 1756 . Quitea number joined the " Harodim" between

1756 and 1809 , the list of members , so Bro . Hudson informs me , comprumg 326 names on the Lodge Roll . The " Koyal Arch " was also worked , for a Bro . Arlot is recorded as taking the E . A . October 2 , 1782 , the F . C . October 16 . 17 S 2 , and the M . M on the same day . Then the " Harodim " was given him on September 19 , 1787 , and the " Royal Arch " on October 17 , 1787 ; there being other entries that are similar in character .

Singular to state on July 6 th , 1797 , some of the members of the " Phcenix " Lodge applied for the use of the Hall for working the Royal Arch Degree , "for which a warrant of Constitution has been law ully obtained . " Consent was given by the lodge ; but it was expressly stated that " the said Royal Arch Chapter is not to be considered as connected with this or the Sea Captain ' s Lodge in any manner whatever . " Doubtless this minute refers to the " Strict Benevolence " Chapter , No . 103 , Sunderland ,

under the Grand Chapter of the " Moderns , " granted in 1797 . It was the fourth so chartered in Durham ; but evidently the Phcenix in 1797 were not aware that their lodge had sanctioned the Royal Arch and other Degrees years before the foregoing application was made . In later minutes of the lodge ( then known as St . George ' s , " but afterwards as the " Phcenix " ) , the Book commencing in 1778 and running on to 1806 , the " Harodim" is also noted .

Dec . 7 , 1787—General Lodge— "Bros . Douglas , Hall , Smith , and Armstrong proposed to enter the Herodim Degree the first Herodim night . " Sep . 19 , 17 S 7—" Harodim Lodge night—Bro . T . Arlott raised into the Harodim " [ noted in other volume ] . Oct . 16 , 1793— " Masters' Lodge for Chapter in Herodim—Bros . G . R . Worke and Davis raised into the Order of the Herodim . "

Jan . 3 , 1795— "Harodim Lodge , " when four were " raised . " Under the " Harodim" in register book on 19 th Dec , 17 S 7 , occurs R . Markham "passed the bridge , " and in the following year and 1790 there is mention of brothers who "took the Herodim and the Royal Arch . " The misfortune is , we cannot tell of what the " Harodim , " or " Herodim " consisted , and literally know no more about its peculiar ceremony now than when it was first noticed .

The ' « Order of Harodim , " started by Preston and others , doubtless owed its name to the Durham Masonic Degree , though the former was not at all of a secret character ; in fact , was not a degree , but a union of Freemasons for Ritualistic purposes in connection with Craft Masonry . One of

the allusions in the early records suggests the possibility of the original Masonic Harodim , partaking somewhat of the character of the " Royal Order of Scotland H . R . D . M ., " & c , but I cannot speak positively on the subject , the one stray reference being but a slender thread to hang any such theory upon .

I believe Bro . Hudson has discovered the earliest allusion to this Degree of "Harodim . " Bro . Wm . Logan has also traced the oldest reference known to the Mark Degree of December 21 , 1773 ( " Mark Mason " ) , and there is the " dignity of a Highrodiam , " July 1 , 1746 , which Bro . Logan thinks might sound like " Heredom , " owing to peculiar pronounciation of Swallwell . All references , be it noted , hailing from the province of Durham . I should like much to hear of any other references to these and other additional Degrees from 1740 to 1760 . W . J . HUGHAN .