An Old Masters' Lodge.

distinguished initiates . He drew attention to the fact that Gerald de Courcy , 24 th Baron Kingsale , inherited the oldest existing substantive title in thc Peerage , together with the singular honorary distinction known as the " De Courcy privilege . "

The Hon . James King , " heir to one of thc Restoration Peerages conferred by Charles II , succeeded to the title of Lord A'ingsfon , just a year after his introduction into Masonry . His career into Freemasonry is without parallel . " Lord Kingston was Grand

Master of Ireland in 1730 , and re-elected in the following year , also in 1735 and 1745 . His Lordship was also " the third and last Grand Master of the decaying Grand Lodge of Munster . " Sir Winwood Mowat was a Scottish Baronet , and Sir Thomas

Mackworth hailed from Rutland . Capt . Molloy " came of a Roman Catholic Stock , " and the Family lost their estates , so he and his brother took service abroad . - Michael O'Brien probably was connected with the legal profession , and resided in Gray ' s Inn . The special value , however , of this minute is that it

records where and when Lord Kingston was initiated , a fact hitherto unknown . The Irish Masonic Historian also notes that " The prominence of Irish names in the Minutes of the Lodge at the Swan and Rummer is remarkable , but not altogether unprecedented . "

, / s- j / 6 ? 50 ' m / ' // oC ^ us / fodLte * s / v : m ^*~*

f ^ c / Ly ) £ /& 4 >«^ tfX ^^ e , Jt ! -WL j < J & Xft + J , f ^ h ^/' / Af ^ ft ?* - // 1 m A ^/ iL > Cl /» -tr / . C- £ M It- * , A j ** 2 , ff / f < r tX ' " « ' *»• * w * r *~ Sts ^ l & l / lii ^ iJ . - <**/ £ '' " * - ' " ' '* - * " jc" * , Z . t ^ ' cjrfet * ry // x ; - fl * 4 . £ / t ttrts tf , rr > J ) o # 4 v ic *~* rt / i / f > i . O , ^ v-J If & Kfr £ / £ to * s /* iP 2 £ ^ +. * / Cr * 0 ^* d & /

A / JifatwA ^ h P /> VL // £ fa , ^ y .. . TY-t ^ f tfcrrsC „« . ^ // S £ l ^ . ykM ^ ^^ y ^ M ^

j <\ + ~\ e £ i . cyf >~ w 4 8 . S $ fc / fi ^««~ cS *~ w / # ?*»* ' & £ * 6

J &^J &U 4^^My^'^y io . \ - AS / JJ . / .,, I . / , ^ , / 4 * J < ~ ZXz . « -r h ' / " ^

^ i / ^ , i . jy ^ t ^^ : /^ ^ ' ^^^ *~&^ j ; ~ y JL . / AC , i ^ 4 d ^ t ^//( L 4 ^ ^ : ^^^^ d ) d / . C / f ^ -a * A « - ** " ¦& * 2 4 ** Us < rfAih

& t ^^^ - ^ y A ^> ^* /¦ ¦ ' y ^/^&< " < yn ** ar '"/> CT' / raSWy t ^ r . ^ t ~ . ™ ry , -y-- / ., fl *

r ) , // u . ~/» ji ! dt ^™* drf + & " *""& &*} e / S **^ J * ^/ t ^ t ^' ^ ry £ 4 / fi n ' .-fcryii ( r ' y . 2 0 > tty ' r > ' & > f ~\ / iittS , !/ - / $ S > " /& v ** " ?// n-r-. -m , ; ,-. ^ ' tff . JcAMfcjy

2 0 I / tiJ $ i / WAKftr ^ * to ^ Zss / 6 &^ -y ^ > - ' ^ " £ ry ,

/ cd £ d <* S $ }&> *> * " A ^ -if- &**&* " < t ' 7 / /• / f \ <* - « -y A . «¦ $ ¦ ' ¦ rf- /"' - e >? t > i * f . ' iL 4 ru ** ri wVfiOv ^ ^

A d joining member on January 31 st , 1727-S , described as ' Springet Penn , Esq , " calls for a few words b y way of introduction to my readers . This gentleman belonged to a lodge that assembled at "the Ship , below thc Royal Exchange , " on I 7 3-4 . and " was admitted a Brother of this Lodge " ' on the

day noted , having then attended as a visitor . Bro . Springelt * f " . was appointed Deputy Grand Master by the Hon . James Y "rien , on St . John ' s Day , in winter , 1726 , of " the Grand Lodge for the Province of Munster . " For additional particulars , Dr . Crawley ' s invaluable " Ca-mcntaria Ilibernica" ( 18 95 ) , should he consulted .

_ Many visitors attended from time to time , some holding very high rank in the Craft . Thc Grand Master was again present on tlie 26 th March following , with the noblemen lately initiated , and Dr . Desaguliers ( P . G . M ., & c ) , who often attended and presided . Others also might be mentioned , such as Bro . lohn Pine ,

An Old Masters' Lodge.

Engraver of the curious Lists of Lodges , & c , from the " Horn , Westminster" ( now No . 4 ) ; Bro . VV . Bunion ( . 7 . 67 . IF . 1726 ); Bro . Alex . Choke { D . G . M . 1727 ) ; Bro . George Payne { P . G . M . ) Bro . Jos . Higmore { J . G . W . 1727 ); Bro . Nail * . " Blackerby ( D . G . M . 1727-30 ); Bro . Thos . Balson { D . G . M . 1731-3 ); Bro . Wm .

Read { G . See . I 727-33 ); Bro . Jno . Rcvis { G . Sec . 1734-56 ); " Capt . James Comerford , Prov . G . M . of Andalusia" { from 1731 ); all of considerable interest , because of the neriod . and one

in particular will be recognised for his un-Masonic character , viz ., " Mr . Sam - Pritchard , Harry y Sth bead , of 7 Dyalls ( Sep . 25 th 172 S ) . " _ 1 laving Lord Kingston Grand Master , as a member , doubtless led to so many distinguished visitors being present ,

While his lordship was thc actual Ruler of the English Craft , Bro . Martin 0 ' Connor , the first W . M ., was appointed Junior Grand Warden , which was a compliment to the " Lodge . It never seems to have selected a name , many others being in a like position .

At one of the assemblies , when thc Earl of Inchiquin , Grand Master , was present , eight gentlemen " were admitted , " or initiated ; tbe meeting having been fixed for the purpose " and the Rt . Worshipfull the Grand Master was pleased to declare Doct r Deasguliers , Depty . Grand Master for the night . "

A silver jewel , costing £ l 16 s . 6 d ., was ordered to be paid for on July 12 th , 1727 , but it is not stated for what purpose the decoration was intended , save that " it was for the use of the Lodge . " Particulars , and especially sketches , of early Lodge lewcls are very welcome , and if the originals can be seen so

much the better . The small number and simple character of these decorations early last century , offer a striking contrast to thc plentiful and elaborate decorations of the present time . Then , to wear a Masonic Jewel must have been a distinction , but now one is better distinguished by wearing none or only

those absolutely necessary . To show how memoranda of accounts were sandwiched in between the minutes , the following facsimile of p . 62 will suffice . It will be observed that lord Kingston's name heads the List , March 26 th , 1729 , followed by the

oldest P . M . of the Lodge , who was J . G . W . I have not traced any payments by his Lordship , but there is no Treasurers' Book preserved ( if there were any ) , and thc financial entries arc not complete .

( ' , j £ i 4 VI C * A . ^ t ^ - " - " ^ -- * " ** - ^A*)L^^Vo^,' ^^^tfff ^ Oljfxj tf ^ - 1 / it- ^ t- 0 6 0 " J £ ~ ' fa-- « 7 *** / L — ° ^ « - MCA- ** - "" C — : ° c °

: /// / . 0 e <* - fiy l /^ ^ y ' ^ - ^ ~ o f , iv ^ v ^' -V ** " ^ - — ' , /•

? yr *(? t /' *) F ' "f f ' l-- ~~ " 0 Co trJ-fiW **/ ^ " ~ 0 C * ' \ w ^ naJ . " - " . i \ . Q _

JtftfJSbgim ^ * - ' "" " " 0 ' : 6- 0 ' w * 3 ««« ^ . - - — - ———A / T ^' Z ?) Q . - ' _ ^ t ? 1 - ^ ^ - &^}< f ^ W << Xc ^< t cL ^_ « , . * ,

^¦ i . ' ^^ " ^ r 7 ^ . 7 " ' - 1 x . * £ ) ^ flJ ^/ v atv & fa y &^ hrv ) en . V 0 v Oe ^ tZtetYtt ^ ftv t % ( 1 ** 1 fsvrf ' f j ion < yrt ^// MM * 'ft "" v '¦ )

d' fj ^ Y ^ - 'h-.-d / ~ £ C ~ - - J Qrv ^ iJ * -Vt /^ Jr , ^ ' ** " * - *

. & , / 10 ' ¦¦ cadi . — ft IP C ^ c - i yi- -V r <' 7 >^ " ^^ - . ^ 7

fWL c ' c &>^ d z" /&*•• ^>? £ u

Ihe "Rev . Mr . Adison was to be 'admitted a Brother of this Lodge " on July 16 th , 1728 , when , by request ofthe members , the Rev . Dr . Desaguliers favoured the brethren by attending " at the making , " but the reverend gentleman did not put in an appearance . On Aug . 28 th , " Mr . Jam - Ransom , of Dublin /'

visited , and "gave him by consent of thc Lodge 2 / 6 , " Bvo . I fen . Pritchard was relived with the sum of 10 / 6 from the Box , in the following year . The " Box " was not always clastic enough to meet all the claims , the expenditure of £ 4 1 is . 6 d . at this same meeting , in refreshment , because of the presence of the guests , leaving £ 1 os . iod . to pay . Thc term " St . John ' s" frequentl y