Masonic Notes.

avour the tongue ot good report has not been heard , and to be especially careful to enquire , in the case of those who offer themselves as candidates from a distance , why they have not sought admission into the lodges in their immediate neighbourhood .

* * * Bro . Lieut .-Col . Newton was also and especially well advised when he pointed out that a lodge which is thus jealously guarded by its principal officer " will reflect more credit on its Master , even if his caution has

rejected every candidate during his year of office , than will attach to one who , to feed his own importance or to swell the muster roll , admits indiscriminately all who offer themselves . " Such advice as this should be carefully pondered in these days , when we hear of Masters

announcing it as their determination to beat the record as regards the number of candidates elected into their lodges . It is enough to increase the muster rolls of lodges , but not so easy to ensure that the candidates shall be worthy of acceptance .

Correspondence.

Correspondence .

r We do not hold ourselves responsible foe the opinions expressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play tc all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . 3

THE LANSDOWNE MS . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , Some time since Bro . Yarker called attention in your columns to the enhanced interest attaching to the Lansdowne MS . in the light of certain theories of mine on the early history of Freemasonry in Britain .

I am sorry that none of my more learned brethren have followed the matter up , but as they have not , perhaps you will kindly afford me space for a few remarks on the text of the MS . The real value of it to the student lies in its variant version of the Edwin Athelstan story . This it is which really differentiates the text from others and justifies

Dr . Begemann ' s classification of it . In other respects its difference from other copies of the Old Charges , are rather apparent than real , and are due in at least four instances to careless copying . There is , however , no evidence of this in the York legend , and the reading is therefore a noteworthy one , as I pointed out in my paper on the Alban-Athelstan legend . But taken

as a whole , the MS . is a very imperfect representative of its original . Were it not for the evidence afforded by other charges—the Harleian , 2054 , and the Sloane MSS . for instance—of how carelessly educated men could write , and of the rubbish they could subscribe , one would hesitate to accept the statement that the Lansdowne is the work of Sir Henry Ellis . Why men

should take the trouble to copy out one of these lengthy documents at all , and not bring more intelligence to bear upon it , nor even take the precaution of reading it over and correcting it , is not the least of the mysteries which puzzle the student of Freemasonry . Some of the mistakes might be accounted for by imperfect hearing , on the suppostion that

the scribe wrote from dictation , or was embody , ing an imperfectly transmitted oral tradition ; but there are other mistakes so plainly the result of misreading and careless copying , that the former theory is inadmissible . The critic of the Lansdowne MS . can come to no other conclusion than that the scribe was either very absent-minded or unintelligent .

There is a palpable error in the Lamech legendone that makes nonsense of the text as it stands , although the matter is not one of vital interest to the student . We are told with an artlessness worthy of Falstaff that " by his first wife Ada , Lameth begat a son and a daughter , and these four children found the beginnings ot all crafts and sciences . " The allied

" Hughan ' text , with which others are in substantial agreement , gives us the clue to the error . The copy read : " By the first wife Ada he begat two sons , the one called J aba ! and the otlur Jubal , and by the other wife Sella he begat a son and a daughter . " The scribe ' s eye taken off the text for a moment , upon resuming lighted on the second " begat , " instead of the first , and caused him to omit the words italicised .

But there are , unfortunately , omissions in the MS . of a much more serious character . We are conscious of C 1 . nlu-. 10 n before we reach the end of the first sheet of the original . The Euclid charges are given in mistake for the Nimrod ones . Turning to kindred MSS . ; igaui for light , ive Discover an omission of some 500 wurus in the Lansdowne copy ; the result apparently of

sheer carelessness . In what 1 take to be typical texts , the Nimrod and the Euclid charges are prefaced respectively by almost the same words , viz ., "he gave them a charge in this manner , " and " he gave them a charge after this manner . " The copyist , perhaps returning to his work alter a considerable interval , " took up his parable at the wrong place—at the

second ' manner' instead of the earlier one—and omitted the highly important intervening passage . " Again , the Charles Martel legend is inaccurate , too , 1 fear , and will not bear the weight that has been attached to its slightly variant reading . It seems at a first glance to avoid the apparent anachronism of making Charles Martel contemporary with Naymus Gr . ecus . But holding , as I do this

Correspondence.

anachronism to be only apparent , the Lansdowne reading , if established , would , it seems to me , help us very little in interpreting the Charles Martel legend . It has , however , been cited in evidence against my own contentions . Had my critics compared the Lansdowne version with that given in other MSS . closely related to it they would , perhaps , have modified their

opinions . I feel satisfied that the variation in the Lansdowne MS . is only a transcriber's error , and of precisely similar character to those already noted . The Hughan and Cama MSS ., the two Sloanes , and the Harleian , 2054 , show us plainly how it occurred . The recurrence of the word " Craft" misled the Scribe , and the passage that now reads " And he "

( i . e . Cbarles Martel ) " was a man that loved well the said Craft , and took upon him the rules , " & c , ought , almost certainly , to read " And he was a man that loved well the said Craft , and went unto this Naymus Gracus , that is above said , and learned of him the Craft , and took upon him the rules , & c . " The italicised words have been omitted through careless tracing of

the lines as before . The Clerke—a related versionhas "Science" instead of "Craft" in both cases , but otherwise supports the typical " Hughan" reading , given above . Another omission , though of less importance , occurs in the Alban story , if I mistake not . Comparing the Lansdowne reading , as before , with others to which

the MS . shows strong affinities , it seems probable that after the words " untill St . Albanos" we should insert "time and in his days the King of England , that was a Panem , did wall the town about that is now called St . Albans . " The transcriber , as before , " lost his place , " and mistook the second "St . Albans " for the first .

A few minor errors may also be noted , though a complete catalogue of them is out of the question . («) " The first is Grammer ( not Gamer as in the Q . C . transcript ) , and that teacheth a man to spell . " Spell should plainly be speak . ( b ) " And first wrought houses of stone , and he and his brother , & c . " The true reading is " of stone and

tree , and his brother , " & c . ( c ) " Nineveh , or the city of the East port , " should probably be other cities of the East parts , just as we commonly say , " in foreign parts . " The MSS . of the Sloane family have " East Asia , " which is a still less intelligible reading . Can it be by any possibility an imperfect echo of an "est Asshur" in one of the

Latinised Watson-Cooke type of charges ? ( d ) " 24 , 000 workers of stone . " By hook or by crook— " ffower and twenty thousand , " as the Harleian , 2045 , has it , has been substituted , for four times twenty thousand ; a score and four , for four score . ( c ) " And he had a son that was called A man . " "A

man is probably a perversion of the " Aynon , which some MSS . give as the name of the chief architect— " Amou , " may have been an intermediate version of the name , but the division of it into two words in the Lansdowne , suggests to my mind that the exemplar copy was indistinctly written , and the " if" virtually obliterated .

(/) "Nor have been abroad" ( Singular Articles , No . 9 ) , is an amusingly softened form of " nor be a bawd , " which the context suggests , and the Hughan MS . shows to have been the original form . There are many other little points one would like to dwell on—points which appear to me to make for my own theories , but my letter is already too long , and they must be reserved for another time . —Yours very truly ,

CHARLES C . HOWARD , W . M . 2036 , ( E . C ) , C . C . 2076 ( E . C . ) Picton , N . Z ., October 31 .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1017 ] AN OLD ATHOL WARRANT . No . 140 . Kelly , Grand Master . Richd . Swan , S . G . W ., Wm . Dickey , D . G . M ., Richd . Swan , for Wm . Clarke ., J . G . W . To all whom it may concern We the Grand Lodge of the most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons ( according to the old

Constitutions granted by his Royal Highness Prince Edwin , at York , Anno Domini Nine hundred twenty and six , and in the Year of Masonry Four thousand Nine hundred twenty and six ) , in ample Form assembled , viz . The Right Worshipful and Right Honorable Thomas Erskine , Earl of Kelly Ld . Viscount fen / on Baron of Pittenweim in Great Britain , Grand Master

of Masons ! The Worsniplul Mr . William Dickey Deputy Grand Master , the Wurshiptul Mr . Richard Swan , Senior Grand Warden , and the Worshipful Mr . William Clarke , Junior Grand Warden ( with the Approbation and Consent of the Warranted Ludges held within the Cities and Suburbs of London and Westminster ) Do hereby authorise and impower our Trusty

and Well-beloved Brethren , viz . Thomas Todd , one of our Master Masons , William Burn , his Senior Warden , and brands Collingwood , his Junior Warden , to form and hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masonsaforesaid , at the Masons Arms in the Town of Ford and County

of Northumberland ( To be known by the Title of Sr . ' John Ilnssey Delavel s Lodge upon the first Monday of every Kallendar month on all seasonable Times and lawful Occasions . And in the said lodge ( when duely congregated ) to admit and make Free Masons , according to the most and honorable Custom of the Royal

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Craft in all Ages and Nations throughout the known World . And we do hereby farther authorise and impower our said Trusty and Well-beloved Brethren Messrs . Thomas Todd , William Burn , & Eras ' Collingwood ( with the Consent of the Members of their Lodge ) to nominate , chuse , and install their Successors to whom they shall deliver this Warrant

and invest them with their Powers and Dignities as Free Masons , & c . And such Successors shall in like Manner nominate , chuse , and install their Successors & c , & c , & c . Such Installations to be upon ( or near ) St . John ' s Day during the Continuance of this Lodpe for ever . Providing the above-named Brethren and all their Successors always pay due Respect to this

Right Worshipful Grand Lodge , otherwise this Warrant to be of no Force , nor Virtue . Given under our Hands and the Seal of our Grand Lodge in London this Twentifourth Day of January in the Year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred Sixty and six and in the Year of Masonry Five thousand Seven hundred Sixty and six .

Lau . Dermott Grand Secretary Note—This warrant is registered in the Grand Lod < rP Vol . 5 th . Letter E . S This is another of the extinct Lod ge warrants and is copied from a photograph of the ori ginal kindly placed at my disposal by Bro . Hughan . The document is printed , except those parts set out above in italics which filled in the wellknown

are up - handwriting of Laurence Dermott , whose characteristic signature at the foot is very conspicuous . Students may note that the lodge appears to have borne a distinctive name which was unusual with the " Ancients " at that period . I invite special attention to the date—24 th January 1766—all former records having it noted , as of 24 th June in that year . JNO . LANE . 1018 ]

CURIOUS MASONIC MEDAL . In reference to the medal which Bro . Shackles describes in a recent number of the Freemason , I may inform him that in the Museum of the Supreme Grand Council , 33 , there is a silver-gilt medal of the same design ( Coombe ) . It is inscribed : Presented by the

Lodge of Fortitude , to Bro . John Crompton Bishop , P . M ., A . D . 1 S 04 . These medals strongly resemble that engraved in the " History of the Royal Union Lodge , No . 246 , " and described by Bro . Hughan , of which an example is found in the Grand Lodge Museum , and the writer possesses a third . M . C . PECK .

Reports Of Masonic Meetings.

REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGS .

Cratt Masonry

METROPOLITAN MEETINGS . Moira Lodge ( No . 93 ) . —The 137 th anniversary meeting of this lodge was held at the Albion Tavern , Aldcrsgate-street , on the Sth inst . Present : Bros . G . Greiner , I . P . M . ; M . F . Tweedie , S . W .: Ernest Greiner , J . W . ; T . L . Wilkinson , P . M ., Treas . ; R . F .

Gould , P . M ., P . G . D ., Sec ; M . A . Tweedie , S . D . ; J . M . Mitchell , J . D . j R . I . Woodhouse , Chap , and 10 . ; Harold Carter , P . M . ; Adam Pringle , P . M . j Bertram Noakes , P . M . ; H . F . Auldjo , P . M . ; G . C . Andrew , P . M . ; W . Kidner , P . D . G . S . of W . China ; J . P . Murrough and H . L . Riseley . Visitors : Bros . Col . G . Noel Money , C . B ., Prov . Grand Master Surrey ; Thomas Fenn , P . B . G . P . ; Edward Letchworth , Grand

Sec ; Peter de Lande Long , P . G . D . ; Dr . Ralph Gooding , P . G . D . ; Witham M . Bywater , P . G . S . B . ; J . P . Richards , P . M . 1584 ; Charles T . Tyler , P . M . 1395 ; G . A . K . M . Heysham , S . D . 1572 ; J . H . Jenks , S ; Lewis Lewis , 2410 ; Cyril Plummer , 4 ; the Rev . J . H . Smith , P . P . G . Chap . Leicester and Rutlandshire ; G . R . Ousey , P . M . 59 ; H . W . Noakes , J . W . IQ S * ; J . Webb , 12 S 7 ; Henry C . Barker , 21 ; W . Harris ; Luke

Hansard , P . M . 1500 '; T . H . Gardiner , I . P . M . IIJO ; C . W . Skinner , 2000 ; and Thomas Savage , 173 . A candidate for initiation was balloted for , and duly elected , after which lira . Michael Forbes Tweedie , S . W ., was installed as Master for the ensuing year by Bro . R . F . Gould , P . G . D . The Wardens' chairs during the ceremony were respectively occupied by Bros . Lonsr , P . G . D .,

and Gooding , P . G . D ., and the functions of I . G . and D . C . discharged , for the same period , by Bros . Bywater , P . O . S . U ., and C . T . Tyler , P . M . 1395 . Therebeingno I . P . M ., owing to the lamented death of Bro . J . P . Fearfield in February last , the duties of that office were kindly undertaken by Bro . Col . Noel Money , C . B ., Prov . G . M . Surrey , the following are the ollicers for the year , those pre-ent

oeing duly invested : Bros . E . Greiner , S . W . ; M . A . Tweedie , J . W . ; T . L . Wilkinson , P . M ., Treas . ; K . F . Gould , P . M ., Sec ; J . M . Mitchell , S . D . ; Rev . R . I . Woodnouse , Chap , and J . D . ; Wickham Noakes , P . M- > Stwd . ; and George Couchtnan , Tyler . An excellent banquet was afterwards served , and the customary toasts followed , the vV . M . happily dilating upon

tne services of the Grand Ollicers , and in proposing their health , solicited a few words each in response from the Prov . Grand Master of Surrey , the President of the Board of General Purposes , and the Grand Secretary , whose several speeches were listened to with great attention , ana greeted with much applause .

I he toast of the evening , " The Memory of Earl Moira , the Patron of the Lodge , " was given by the Treasurer in a powerful address literally overllowing with the eloquence for which he is renowned . To this succeeded " The Health of the W . M ., " who observed , in reply : Bro . acting Immediate Past Master