Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

violate and broken , in subvertion of the law , and to the great damage of all the commons . Our said Soueraigne Lord the King , willing in this case to prouide remedy , by the aduise and " assent aforesaid , and at the especiall request of the said commons , hath ordained and stablished , that such chapters and congregations shall not be from

henceforth holden , and if any such be made , they that cause such chapters and congregations to be assembled and holden , if they therefore be conuict shall bee iuoged for felons . And that all the other Masons that come to such chapters and congregations bee punished by imprisonment of their body , and make fine and raunsome at the King ' s will , "

Here we have a complete answer to the challenge in a public statute which related to Masons alone , and which plainly proves that something rather more than " mere , meetings " for the orthodox purpose of " W . P . B . " were , at all events , supposed to require legislative interference . I

have a recollection of an early statute which has reference to secret obligations , and of another ( Edw . VI ., ) which prohibits any molestation of " Freemasons ; " but my leisure is much occupied with other archaeological investigations which

demand completion , and as I am unable to properly look up the subject , I find it necessary to say that this hastily written communication be my last , even if I thought it necessary to further invoke the substance of the past in opposition to the shadow of the present . LUPUS .

There is considerable sense in the saying " First catch your hare before you cook it ; " and in the case of this pretended quotation from Vol . XXIV . of the Quarterly Review , things are not looking very promising as to making a good catch of it . I admire the candour of Bro . Newnham in admitting

that his original authority" was Mackey ' s Lexicon , page 59 , for that work is so full of mistakes that unless what is said in it can be otherwise proven I place little value upon very much that is in it . However , the proof wanted as to the white lambskin apron being used , as implied , before 1717 has

not as yet been forthcoming ; and until I am properly satisfied I shall say little about the 1708 quotation . As to the old 15 th-century MS . Bro . " Lupus" makes so much of , 1 greatly fear he is interpreting it wrongly . I have Bro . Cooke ' s work before me , and what is said simply refers to

operative Masonry . And as to this " youngest son " taking an interest in the practice of Masonry to his advancement in knowledge ; for of knoiolcdge he was a master . "Speculatyf" in i 4 Sodid not necessarily convey the same idea as "Speculative" in 1 S 70 , for tlie meaning and use of many words have

greatly altered in that time . The age of both the Cooke and Halliwell MSS . appears to he between 1400 and 1500—or near 1500 . //" the son of Athelstan learned the practice of the science , ' for of Speculative he was a master "—that shows that he took an interest both in the cutting ofthe stones by the masons and in the drawing of the plans by the

architects or overseers ; most certainly not that he knew aught of our Freemasonry . In fact , so far ns I can judge , our system of Freemasonry has no essential connection with operative masons . And to sum up—for all I have seen as yet , the 1717 theory stands where it did when 1 first upheld it . XV . P . B .

Masonic Miscellanea.

Masonic Miscellanea .

—o—BRO . Buss , Prov . G . T . Middlesex , will represent the Knights of Rome and Constantine at the forthcoming festival ofthe Royal M . 15 . Institution , and we hope will bc well supported .

THE brethren of the four Masonic Lodges in Sunderland having formerly established as an institution their annual summer pic-nics have turned their attention to a winter gathering , and have resolved to hold a ball annually , with a view of promoting social intercourse between the members

ofthe different lodges and their families . The first of these re-unions was held in the Athenaeum , in that town , on Wedncsda ) -, the 30 th ulf . The company began to assemble about nine o'clock , and dancing commenced about half-past—the M . C , ( Bro . W . H . Crooks , P . G . S . ) , leading off the ball

with Mrs . Harrison—and was kept up with great spirit to the strains of a very efficient band under the leadership of Bro . Watson ( P . G . O . Northumberland ) , till near four o ' clock . The musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . Forrest , O ., 949 . The room was tastefully decorated with trophies of Hags , shields and mirrors , under

the superintendence of Bros . J . S . Gain , 80 , and W . H . Sharp , W . M . 94 , The arrangements of the dressing rooms , & c , were under the supermtendance of Bro . Fryer , 97 . Bros . J . Tillman , P . M . 949 , P . P . G . S . W . ; J . H . Coates , S . D . 949 ; R . Humphrey , J . D . 97 ; and F . Maddison , So , ably officiated as Stewards . Avery enjoyable evening was spent by all .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

ep . The Editor is not responsible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents .

A CORRECTION . ( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In your report of the centenary celebration at Bournemouth , I am represented as " D . P . G . M . of a neighbouring province , " and as proposing the health of R . W . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , Prov . G . M . of Hants .

In justice to the distinguished brother who did discharge that pleasurable duty , and who fills the honourable position of which I am said to be the occupant , and who doubtless would feel much inindignant regret at being confounded with one

occupying so subordiate and humble an office as myself , I would beg you to accept the correction that the toast was proposed by Brother J . M . P . Montagu . D . P . G . M . of Dorset , and not by Yours fraternally , FREDK . BINCKES . London , 5 th December , 1870 .

THE MASONIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION .

( To the Editor of The Freemason . ) SIR , —I have for some months past been living out of the world , and it is only recently ( through the courtesy of Bro . Pymm , W . M . 749 ) that I have seen the letter signed " Crux" in your issue for October 22 nd . I have no doubt that the Council and Bro . Hyde

Pullen can answer fully on behalf of the Masonic Archaeological Association for all that may have been done or omitted to have been done by themselves . My sole object at present is to deal only with that part ofthe letter in which I am specifically mentioned . When I was first asked to take the joint

secretaryship of the association I accepted with great diffidence , but promised to give , and have given , all the time I could without detriment to myself or connections . The affairs of the society were said to have been in great confusion in consequence of a fire which occurred at Bro . Pullen ' s house having consumed all the books , printed forms of receipt ,

and papers relating to the society . The only data I had to guide me in any way were two long lists , headed respectively " List of Members" and " Masons to bc invited to the Meetings , " numbering jointly about 400 names . There was also a tin box of memoranda relating to the affairs of the society at Salisbury-street , but which has never been in my

possession . I was appointed joint lion , secretary in May , ' 69 , at the last meeting held in that session . A few days after my taking the duty , 1 received a written memorandum from the late publisher of the I ' reemason ' s Magazine ( Mr . Rust ) , asking me to return per bearer a receipt for one year ' s subscription , and he would

remit me the cash ' - '( luring the day . . Shortly afterwards proceedings were taken at liow-strcet against Mr . Rust . I mentioned the matter of my receipt to Ilro . Smith and others at the time , although , unfortunately , I had forgotten the name and address placed on the receipt . On thc 2 Sth March , 1870 , 1 received from "Crux "

a letter , of which the following is a copy :- — Dear Sir and llrothciy—Last year , being desirous of joining M . A . S ., I paid a sum of ros . 6 d . to Mr . Kust , publisher of the Lrecmisoiis Magazine , who sent me the enclosed card as a rccoipl , willi your nam , ; as signature . Since that time matters have transpired to which I need not allude , which have raised foiiic doubt in mind , whether lhe receipt is "i .-nume . The f ; ict lhat a meeting

ofthe M . A . S . has been held , of which 1 did not receive the notice usual on such occasions , has strengthened my suspicions . Will you be so good as lo let me know whether my name has been entered as a member or not , and in any case return me lhe unclosed card . I am , dear Sir and liriithcr , Yours faithfully and fraternally , " TiniMAs "CRUX . "

This letter was not sent to my address , but to 19 , Salisbury-street , and came duly to hand . I append copy of my reply , written and sent 29 th March : — Dear Sir and IJroiher , —I am much obliged to you for your nolo of yesterday ' s date . The receipt yon sent me is in my handwriting , and was obtained under the following ciruinstances . A messenger from the Freemason ' s

Magazine come to me with a note from the lale publisher to tlie effect , lhat il I would send a receipt for a yearly subscription , cash would be relumed within an hour . I need not say th . it 1 never saw lhe cash in ihe transaction , and 1 have Mr . Rusl ' s note by me , and was discussing lhe mailer v .-ilh llro . H y de Clarke recently . However ,

having dune , however imprudently , an unwise thing in Riving a receipt without having had the cash , t must , iu honour make the < r , v / , •_ ¦ _ . /_ ¦ and be content if needs be lo lose the money , and blame my own . ii .-lf only in the matter . I am , i : ie ., & c . I am sorry to say , however , that I did not comply with " Crux's " request , as I find the said receipt

Original Correspondence.

folded up in bis letter and my draft reply . For this omission I must apologise . I should have sent tickets to " Crux" in due course in April , but on account of Good Friday we had no meeting that month . In May , this year , I was obliged through unavoidable misfortunes to leave London for a time . I relied on my co-secretary to do duty for me , and

really knew nothing of what has been done since . I find in looking over my cash receipts and disbursements , that I have received from all sources the sum of , £ 16 16 s . 6 d ., and disbursed on behalf of the Association Jfzi 12 s . Sd ., leaving me a creditor to the amount of £$ 16 s . 2 d . ; or deducting 10 s . 6 d ., the amount of Crux ' s subscription , which

I am entitled to lose , £ 5 5 s . Sd . If "Crux" will intimate any wish in the matter , the money will be returned to him . There is enough cash in hand of the bankers to discharge any outstanding accounts that may be against the Society , and I have written to Bro . Hyde Pullen to call a meeting of the Council for

that purpose . I have only dealt with that part of Crux's letter which concerns myself personally . That the letter which I wrote to " Crux" was posted I am certain ; that I was careless in giving a receipt at all I freely admit .

Whether it is fraternal thus to rush into print to make attacks , I must leave for more experienced brothers than myself to decide . I can but reiterate that I am only dealing with that part of the letter which concerns myself personally , and I am willing that any brothers of the Craft shall determine whether I have deserved the hard remarks made in

your . I am , Sir , your obedient servant , WILLIAM T . MARCHANT .

THE "ENCYCLOPEDIAMETROPOLITANA . "

( To the Editor of lhe Freemason . ) DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Nothing , 1 am sure , would give me greater pleasure than to oblige Bro . Hughan with the article " Freemasonry " from the " Encyclopedia Metropolitan .- ! , " but for the reason ' that as the work extends to twenty volumes , and the article in question covers about ten folio pages ,

I am afraid that not only Bro . Hughan but our worthy editor would be tired of the length of it ; however , if it is generally desired that I should give it in extenso instead of of occasional notes , I will endeavour to do so . The manuscripts refeered to are the " Harleian Manuscripts , 1942 and 2054 , " and seems to have been entirely overlooked by Masons .

rhcy contain copies of the Orders and Constitutions of the Fraternity , and are about the dates of the middle of the / 7 th century , and therefore probably the oldest Masonic manuscripts in existence . The latter belonged to a lodge at Chester ( apparently of operative Masons ) , and contains a list of its members . The charges themselves are sensible and

plain , and many of them , indeed , are retained to this day ; but the short history at the commencement will satisfy lhe most eager Masonic antiquary - . — " If you ask mee how this science was first invented , my answer is that before ye General Deluge , which is commonly called Noah's Flood , there was a man called Lemech , as you may read in the 4 th

of Genesis , whoe had twoc wifes , the one called Adah , the other Zillah . By Adah he begot twoc sones , J ( s ) abcll and Juball . By Zillah hce had a sonnc called Tuball and a daughter named Naahmah . These fower children founded ye beginning of all ye craft in ye world . Jabell Found Geometry , and he divided flocks of sheep and lands . He

first built a house of stone and timber . Juball found out the smyths' trade or Craft , asve of gold , silver , copper , iron , steel , & c . "—MS . 1942 . From this clue respecting these old papers , it is not unlikely thot some of our London brethren may find something worth their while in examining them . I dare say it is the same manuscript as the one

referred to by Bro . Lupus , as the greater portion of his extracts are to be found in the work from which I am now quoting . Bro . Buchan is rather harsh in dealing with his contemporaries , as they can hardly bc called opponents . He reminds me of the old religious

discussers : " Proofs , cried they , where are your proofs I" It is very easy to contradict , but where written authority is wanting , we must not throw tradition quite aside . Abler pens than mine I have no doubt will be able to give light to those who are in darkness . I remain , yours fraternally ,

CHAS . G . FORSYTH . Hamilton , December 6 th , 1870 .

Bur . AKKAST . — Ei'ps ' s COCOA . — Grateful and Cuniforiii . ;; . —The very agreeable character of this preparation ha 9 re iuU _ red it a general taviincite . The Civit Serzu ' ce Gazette remarks : - " Uy u thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of dijjestiu . i and nutrition , and by a careful application oi the line properties of well-selected cocoa , . Mr . Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which mty save us many heavy doctors' bills / - Each packet is labelled—TAMES KITS AND CO ., IIomo ; opathic Chemists , Loudon . Also , makers of Epps's C'acaoinc , a very light , thin evening beverage . —[ Advt . ]