Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—*—ORIGIN OF MASONRY . Our friend , Bro . W . P . Buchan , states in the last number of THE FREEMASON , at page 627 , "Sofar as I can at present judge , London in 1717

neither saw the revival nor the origin of our system of Freemasonry , but its institution and inauguration . " In the former page of this excellent organ of the Craft , Bro . " Lupus " has favoured us with

an excellent sketch of Freemasonry in connection with non-operative or speculative members , and we have long before this ( as have also other

writers ) made known evidence of a similar character to that quoted by Bro . " Lupus , " all of which directly give a flat contradiction to what Bro . Buchan has stated . Unless Bro . Buchan

rests his assertion on the word our . If so , our system not being started before 1717 , could not be said to be reidved but only instituted then . But , I ask , what was it a system of ? Freemasonry ! Freemasonry , we are prepared to

pi ; ove ( and in fact have already done so ) , was as speculative in some lodges before the revival in 1717 as it was after that date , and though in some respects the system of Freemasonry subsequently adopted differed considerably from the

Freemasonry that flourished before the revival , the differences did not consist in the absence of its speculative character in the earlier stage , and its creation in the later period ; but mainly in the establishment of Grand and Prov . Grand

Lodges , appointment of Grand Officers , and the arrangement of the secrets of the Craft into distinct degrees . Unless Bro . W . P . Buchan ( a most zealous

Mason , I freely admit ) is prepared to disprove such statements as the foregoing , I submit it is idle to talk of our system . XV . J AMES HUGHAN .

On looking over the pages of a popular periodical the other day , my eye happened to alight on the following . Thinking it might be acceptable for insertion in the columns of your very excellent journal , I have done myself the

pleasure of extracting the same . J AMES BALLANTINE . " FREEMASONRY . —The mission of Freemasonry is peace . It is the guardian of the social arts , and it sheds abroad the sunshine of harmony . If , as a

statesman , it could not prevent bloodshed , it has ever been active as a physician , healing the wounds of war . Whenever the passions of men have been influenced to madness , and frenzy ran riot in their

blood , overthrowing in an hour the labour of centuries , Masonry has stood like a statue among fallen columns—pointing , with a star-jewelled finger , to the ways of pleasantness and to paths which lead to peace . "

ggTaurus asks , " Why in the reports of Masonic meetings certain lodges in Scarboro' are generally termed ' select ? '" As there are various lodges held here , would it not have been better to have named the particular lodge against which his

query is directed ? As a member of the " Old Globe , " I can with truth affirm that the only " selectness " to which it aspires is that of

admitting none but just and upright men of sound judgment and strict morals , and also that which is secured by the excellency and accuracy of its working . P . M . 200 .

THE APRON—THE BADGE OF OUR ORDER . As all the usages of Freemasony were originally operative , the apron which we wear as speculative Masons has been derived clearly from the apron which our operative forefathers

wore in their actual and active work in the lodge . It is not for us , who accept bona fide the continuity and identity of the Order , or who perhaps rather had , that the old operative Grand Assembly has been merged into the speculative

Grand Lodge ; it is not for us , I say , to prove that the brethren by whom Elias Ashmole was received into that Lodge at Warrington wore aprons as we do , but it is for Bro . Buchan , who apparently does not believe in the identity existing between the operative and speculative

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

brotherhood , to prove that the members of the lodge at Warrington did not wear aprons like our own . Bro . Buchan is seeking to prove a negative , and the onisproband ! rests surely upon him . We would , on the contrary , contend that the

former identity of the constitutions , traditions , symbols , customs , and terminology between the Masons of the past and the present is quite sufficient warrant for us to hold , unless indeed direct evidence to the contrary can be adduced

that we follow in this , as in all other matters , the usages and peculiarities of the operative brotherhood . Once , no doubt , the apron was the customary and necessary clothing of every Craftsman ; now it is only the ornamental badge of our speculative Order : —

1 . The quotation which Bro . Buchan seems to doubt , is , however , quite correct ; the reference to the Quarterly Review may be erroneous . The quotation was originally taken from a local history of "Hengrave , " in Suffolk , written or edited by a person of the name of Gage , if my

memory is not quite in error , and is also to be found in one of the larger county histories . I will look up my notes , and hope next week or the week after to give Bro . Buchan " chapter and verse . " I may add that Mr . Parker mentions the same extract in an historical essay on architecture , published or delivered some years

ago . 2 . Bro . Buchan , who apparently admits that gloves may have been given to the Masons , seems nevertheless to doubt the fact . There is , however , nothing oftener mentioned in fabric

rolls " compati" than the giving of aprons and gloves to the masons , a ' tunic" or " toga" also to them , and a robe to the Master Mason . In the " Compati de Jarowe , " 1370 to 1408 , such items are of annual occurrence . They will also

be found in the York fabric rolls under the expenses of 1371 , and in the fabric rolls of Durham , Westminster , and Exeter , as quoted by various writers . In Gardiner ' s history of Dimwhich we are told by an extract from another

fabric roll that "Adam Bowie , " the Master Mason , " paid forty shillings for the yard and a cade full of Herrynge each year in time of work , besides a gown . " 4 . Though I do not often agree with Bro .

Buchan , I think with him that a " properly tyled lodge , " in the extract of which mention is made , means a lodge properly covered with tiles ; in fact , " weather tight , " and not what we

understand to-day by a lodge properly tyled . The lodge , as Brother Newnham rightly says , was used for other purposes besides pure manual work ; and of this there is plenty of evidence .

6 . There are four Acts—one in Edward III . another in Henry VI ., another in Henry VII ., and another in Elizabeth's reign , which have always been held to relate to the operative Masonic Order . The Act of Edward III ., Statutes

of the Realm , vol . 1 ., page 3 67 , only mentions " labourers and artificers , " but has always been said to have originated from the fact that the Freemasons , impressed by royal order to the Sheriffs to work at Windsor Castle under Wm .

Wykeeham , refused the wages offered , with drew from their engagements , and openly declined to return . The next Act is that of Henry VI ., Statutes of the Realm , vol . ii ., page 227-1425 , in which the '' early combinations and

confederacies made by Masons in their general assemblies and chapters " are alluded to , and where no doubt " such chapters or congregations " are declared illegal . There is an Act of Henry VII ., 2 Henry VII ., c . 3-4 , often

overlooked " agaynst unlawful assemblyes , and which forbids the " givyng and recevyng of wordes , signes , and tokens unlawfully , " and as the Masons at that time were the only body in England to whom these words apply , they have

always been held to relate to them and their secret organisation . The Act of the 5 th Elizabeth , 1562 , which is said to repeal the previous Acts , and to exonerate the Masons from the

penalties of the earlier statutes , does not mention the Masons by name , but by implication . Taking the Act of Henry VI . into account , as to imply that , the Masons did meet in Grand Assembly , we may fairly assume that these Acts

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

related mainly to them , and that there > vas a very great difference and distinction between them and other craft guilds . I stop here to-day , though I should have been glad to say a little more on the interesting communications of Bros . Newnham , " Lupus , " . and Hughan . A MASONIC STUDENT .

It is obvious from the last communication of " W . P . B . " that your other correspondents on the same subject are fighting with shadows . " W . P . B . " advances his own ( fallacious ) belief only : he offers no authorities in support of his

own view , but industriously demands proof from all who differ from him . And , now , let us see whether , when his demands are met , the proofs are received in the candid and generous spirit which should be exhibited by those whose object

should be in common . These , then , are the criticisms with which interesting information is met by " W . P . B . " -. The word " white " ( apron ) may be an interpolation ; the gloves ( the word " white" is avoided here as no doubt

inconvenient ) "may have been at times even given to work with . " This is rather mild : "A tiled lodge may mean a lodge covered with tiles . " Is this the description of contrary argument with which proofs offered in a spirit of honest

inquiry should be received ? And is this the mode in which "W . P . B . " should treat the results of others' researches when he has no results to offer from his own ? I say that the

word " white " is not interpolated ; and I say so because my note , which was made from one of the leading journals ofthe day , accurately agrees with that of Bro . Newnham , which came from another source . Your readers will know how to

appreciate a suggestion that the workmen stipulated for the use of " white gloves " in the performance of their daily task ; and probably they will think the expression " properly tiled " in the minute book of a speculative lodge hardly admits of the feeble explanation that it may have had reference to protection against wind and rain .

" XV . P . B . " disposes of the chapters and congregations of " some Centuries ago " in a complacent and self-satisfactory manner quite cheering to behold . These little gatherings , he kindly explains , " were mere meetings of the

Operative Masons for the purpose of discussing wages , work , & c . " Thus does " W . P . B . " glide over these little difficulties with a graceful indifference which will , perhaps , almost induce your

readers to think him a veritable Rosicrucian , in possession of the true elixir vitce , and who , a small matter of some centuries ago , attended the congregations , and possibly even presided in the chapter .

I now come to a personal question . I said , at page 593 , that an Act of Parliament had been passed expressly to prevent the meeting of Masons in chapters and congregations , and I may here parenthetically remark that I am not

accustomed to back up arguments with statements I cannot support , or to offer positive assertions upon the foundation only of my own belief . All these authorities ( of which your readers will no doubt fairly judge ) certainly

ought to be within the knowledge of so positive a correspondent as "XV . P . B . ; " but this does not appear to be the case , and he so far impugns my statement as to " challenge " to produce statutory evidence passed before last century , " which did

not apply to other crafts connected with building , or which may not have applied to the wrights , & c , as well as to the Masons . " This will at once be seen to be an unfair qualification of the challenge , as compared with my statement ,

because it is perfectly well-known , that " other crafts connected with building" were included in the ancient Masonic guild . Still although , as I regret , I have not the present leisure to search my nots <; , or the statutes of England , to

any great extent ; yet I will sufficiently and fairly meet the challenge of " XV . P . B . " by the following transcript , from an original black letter copy ( now before me ) of the 3 rd Henry VI .,

cap . 1 , ( A . VNO . 1425 ) : — " CAI > First , whereas by the ycerely congregations MASONS alu ' confe- 'eracies made by the Masons in ' ' their generall cliaptersfand assemblies , the good course andjclfect ofthe Statutes of laborers be openly