Masonic Notes And Queries.

Ashmolean Museum , and now deposited in the Bodleian Library , Oxford ( Clarendon Press ) . The Ashmolean MSS . were in 1845 catalogued by Mr . Black , who thereby did good service , especially to genealogical and historical inquirers . But the catalogue had no index . The MSS ., having been transferred tc > the B ;> dleian , the catalogue of them has been made more useful , and the MSS .

themselves more available , by an admirable index , containing references to all names of persons , and to every su'ject noticed in the very minute catalogue which Mr . Black prepared . Great credit is due to the Rev . W . D . Macray for the time , labour , and care he has bestowed on the compilation of this useful volum-.-, anel equal credit to the authorities of Oxford for printing it . " And in thc 5 'h

series , vol . X . of A ' erfct and Queries , November 23 rd , 18 7 8 , p . 401 , there appears the following note hy the Rev . W . O . Macray , the compiler of the index above noticed : " Ashmole MS ., 1792 . In Mr . Black's Catalogue of the Ashmolean MSS . ( Oxford , 1 S 4 . O , thc following is the entry made uneler this number . The MS . numbcretl 6 53 8 ( i . e . so numbered in the old catalogue of 169 ; . where it is also

marked 50 in sequence to Dugdalc ' s MSS . ) cannot now be found " . It was in folio , and thus described in 1697 . " Here follows a description of the missing Mi . alluded to , and Mr . Macray then goes on to say " From the time that Mr . Blake thus wrote the volume has , hitherto , remained undiscovered , not having come to light when the Ashmolean MSS . were removed from the Museum to the

Bodleian in 1 S 60 . Now , however , in the course of arranging and binding various MS . papers of Jo . Aubrey , which formed part of the Museum collection , the missing book has happily been found among these papers , and is at length restored to its place . " Mr . Macray then proceeds to describe this once " missing book " of MSS ., and concludes with a list of its contents , which he says " will , it is thought , he

acceptable to those who may possess Mr . Bl ick ' s valuable catalogue . " These interesting notes appear to furnish the information that the Ashmolean MSS ., which had been formerly preserved in the Ashmolean Museum , were catalogued by Mr . Black in 1845 , and were removed from the Museum to the Bodleian Library in i 860 . The catalogue , as also the index , having been printed by the

authorit cs at Oxford ( Clarendon Press ) , can doubtless be obtainc I without much difficulty . The information which is furnished in the notes I have quoted , and which is confirmed by the direct authority and testimony of the Rev . W . D . Macray , the compiler of the index to thc citalo-jue of the MSS ., appears to be so explicit and

categorical that I am disposed to think it may be definiti' -i'ly accepted as conclusive that the Bodleian L'brary is really the depository of these much valued documents , notwithstanding the statement of our respect-d brother , Mascnic Student ( who I think has been misinfermed ) , that " they are not at Oxford . "

B . BROUGHTON . Bradford , 17 th March , 1880 . Prov . G . J . W . West Yorks .

OLD NAMES OF REGIMENTS . In answer to an appeal for infoi mation on this point by Bro . Gould , in the " Historical Memoirs" of the Duke of Cumberland , published in 1767 , in the list of the British regiments at Fontenoy occur the following names and numbers : 1 st , St . Clair ; 3 rd , Howard ; 8 th , Onslow ;

ntb . Sowle ; 12 th , Duroure ; 13 th , PulU-ney ; 18 th , Major General Howard ; 20 th , Bligh ; 21 st , Campbell ; 23 rd , Sturke ; 25 'h , Earl o ? Rothes ; 281 ' n , Bragg ' s ; 31 st , Handasyde ; 32 nd , Skelton ; 33 rd , Johnson ; 34 th , Cholmondeley ; 43 rd , Lord Sempill . An old Army List about the mii ' . dle of tbe last century would give the names , though I fancy the names varied from time to

time . MASONIC STUDENT .

SWEDENBORG AND FREEMASONRY . I quite agree with Bro . Woodfonl as to the evidence respecting the initiation of Swedenborg being of a most unsatisfactory character . In fact there is really no eviefence yet submitted of his having been a Freemason at any time . Certainlv the statement of his having been initiated in one of the Swedish Templar Lodges , in 1706 , is simply

absurd , and utteily unworthy of credence . There were no "Templar Lodges " at that period , ami as yit there is no evidence r . f the ordinary Masonic Degrees being worked so early in the last century . Bro . licswick claims that Swcdeiiborg ' was made a Mason of the " Scottish Rite " i " 1706 , receiving the " Chapter Degr . es . " The Scottish Rite was unknown then . To speak plainly , if the

statement by Bro . Beswick is all our esteemed Bro . Mackenzie has to offer in confirmation of Swedenborg having been a Freemason , then we may as well think no more about the matter , for the assertion is utterly devoid of evidence . In the Freemason for August 261 ) 1 , 1871 , will be found a sketch by me cf Bro . Beswick ' s "Life of Swedenborg , & c . " The work is able in many respects , and

exceedingly well written , but we all search in vain in its pages for one fact respecting Swedenborg as a Freemason . The whole of the statements in the book as to the Masonic Craft in relation to that great man are purely visionary , and , believing as I do that such is the case , I consider the " Swedenborg Rite " in its historical basis an utter failure , and wholly unworthy of support . W . J . HUGHAN .

The City Masonic Benevolent Association.

THE CITY MASONIC BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION .

We have been requested to publish the following report : "The Committee in making their final report to the

members of thc Association have to congratulate them upon its successful termination . During the four years of thc existence of the Association £ 87 j ; 16 s . have been received from it ' s members , the whole of which ( except £ 6 15 ' s . which has been returned to the

The City Masonic Benevolent Association.

representative of a deceased member ) has been paid into funds of the three Masonic Institutions , enabling the Committee to obtain for the members eighty-one Life Governorships . Of these ; Lite Governorships , forty were for thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , twenty-one for the Royal Masonic Girls' School , and twenty for the Royal Masonic

Bovs' School . Thc working cxper . sts for the whole of the period have been very small , amounting only to £ 2 5 s . for printing , books , postage , and banner ' s cheque books . After defraying all expenses there remaincel a balance of £ 23 is ., which your Committee unaninously agreerl to elivi'Ie as follows : £ 15 7 s . 4 el . to Bro ' . Newton , the

Secretary , and £ -, 13 s . 8 d . to Bre > . G . Ward Verry , the Treasurer ; both amounts to be paid to the Masonic Institutions in the names of those brethren respectively . During thc time of the working of the Association one death occurred ; the amount paid in by that member was returned to his children without any deduction whatever . Your Committee cannot conclude their report without

expressing their unqualified thanks to Bro . Newton and Bro . Verry for their untiring energy in bringing the Association to so successful an issue , and your Committee feel sure that every member will join them in wishing those brethren may he long spared to continue their valuable services trTihc good of cur Benevolent Institutions . ( Signed ) S . H . RAWLEY .

CHS . LACEY . f . J . BERRY . F . BROWN . A . ELLIS . I . S . FRASER . C . H . WEBB .

THE T REASURER IN ACCOUNT WITH THE CITY MASONIC BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION . Dr . £ s . d . To Subscriptions from Members for 18 7 6 ... 234 7 o „ „ 18 77 ... 225 o o „ „ 1878 ... 200 19 o

1879 ... 213 10 o

£ 873 16 o Cr . £ s . d . By Life Governorships , 1 K 7 S 73 o o „ „ » i 877 - ° r , 10 o „ „ „ 18 7 8 216 5 c „ „ „ > 8 79 347 o o

,, Repayment to late Bro . Watt ' s family ... 6 15 o „ Books , Piinting , Postage , Banker's Cheque Books , for 4 years ... ... £ 4 1 o Less Books sold ... ... 1 16 o

250 Balance ... ... ... ... 23 1 o £ 873 16 o

Truro Cathedral.

TRURO CATHEDRAL .

The following correspondence appears in a provincial contemporary : Sir , —Doubtless Mr . Harry Hems can fully explain his reasons for the statement made by him in his letter , to which Mr . Emra Holmes has taken exception . I write simpK to object to Mr . Holmes ' s extract from Preston's

work being given as if it were a matter of fact , whereas it is a tradition only , and , in all probability , one manufactured during the last century . There is no evidence whatever of the foundation stone of St . Paul ' s Cathedral having been laid by the Freemasons , or of Sir Christopher Wren at that time being a Freemason . The statement , ilso , that Grand Master Rivers was in attendance on ( he

King on that occasion is also entirely wrong as re'pects the character in which he attended ( even if he were present else , about which I say nothing ) . There was no Grand Master appointed until the following century , thougli several writers speak of Grand Masters long before then , including Moses , Joshua , anil others . Wc live now , biwever , in an age when such absurd

statements are duly relegated to thc region of fiction . The Masonic title of Grand Master is a modern one , and peculiar to the society of Freemasons after its revival during the second decade of the 18 th century . The " mallet" is likely enough the implement used on the occasion referred to , and as now preserved so carefully by the " Lodge of Antiquity ; " but this fact being admitted

in no way invalidates the stater . ent made b y Mr . Hems . There is no record of the foundation stone of any building for ecclesiastical purposes having been laid by the Grand Master ( for the time being ) of the Freemasons in this country : so that the contemplated ceremony on the 20 th May will be unique . Should the Grand Master desire the attendance of the Craft on that occasion—no invitation

has yet been announced—doubtless many of the brethren will attend , but simply as Freemasons , however , not as Episcopalians or Nonconformists , or as belonging to any religious sect , for all men are eligible to he-come candidates for our mysteiies irrespective of their creed , e-lime , or colour . —Yours truly , W . J . HUGHAN . Truro , 1 oh March , 1880 .

Sir , —Mr . Hughan writes to your contemporary thai Preston ' s assertion as to St . Paul ' s was probably manufactured dining the last century . . As Masons we all have a great respect for Bro . J . W . Hughan ' s views on Masonic questions , fen without doubt he is one of the most learned Masonic writers of thc day . At the ; same time he is no more infallible in our , opinion than the Pope , anil until he can prove distinctly that the

Truro Cathedral.

foundation stone of St . Paul ' s was not laid with Masonic honours I am content with the authority 1 have quoted . Preston states that King Charles II . laid the stone with Masonic ceremonial as a . fact , and not as . a tradition , and he was a hundred years nearer the light than we are now . Mr . Hughan knows very well that in the early part of last century many valuable MSS . relating to the Craft w .-re

destroyed by over scrupulous Masons for fear of their ; . 'etting into improper hands , and it may be that a record of the huildiug of St . Paul's was amongst the number . When Preston wrote , Masons would be still living whose fathers or grandfathers probably assisted at the ceremony , and there would be little difficulty in proving or disproving at that lime a story which is now too old to gainsay on

the mere ipse dixit of even a Masonic luminary like my esteemed friend Bro . Hughan . I know it has been the fashion of late years to decry Preston , Hutchinson , and Dr . Oliver , the fathers of our present school of Masonic authors , but time has shown in one or two notable instances that their supposed ignorance was knowledge , that the Masonic data they gave were more reliable than

we gave them credit for , and that in some instances the documents whose very existence has been called to question by the critics of the day have within the last few years been brought to lig ht to confound thc sceptical Masons who believed only in facts , meaning lodge minutes , and ignored traditiein , the oral testimony sometimes more reliable than the written . Preston mentions the Wilson MSS .,

which , however , has been known only by name until the last few years . These old charges which date from the time of Henry VIII . have within the present decade , I believe , been discovered . I merely mention this instance as showing that Preston , generally , had a foundation for most of his statements , and I make no doubt the Masons did really assist when the first stone of St . Paul's was laid in 1673 . EMRA HOLMES .

Sir , —Perhaps Mr . Hughan will object to the following extract , but I have no doubt it will be interesting to those who have read tne correspondence on the ahove subject that has appeared in your valuable paper . I quote from " Constitutions of the Antient Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons , containing their Historv , Charges , Regulation , & c , compiled by order of the Grand Lodge from

their old Records and Traditions , by James Anderson , D . D ., a new edition raised and brought down to the year 1784 , under the direction of the Hall Committee , b y John Noorthorirk , Freemasons' Hall , May 1 st , 1784 . " Page 141— " Charles II . was magnificently restored , etc ., May , 1660 . In his travels he had been made a Freemason . " Paue 144— "Under the Royal favour and

protection , Henry [ ermyn , Farl of St . Alban , wis chosen Grand Master of Masons . " Page 145— " Mr . Christopher Wren and Mr . John Web were at this period Grand Wardens . " Page 146— "Thomas Savage , Earl Rivers , succeeded St . Alban as Grand Master in June , 1666 . who appointed Sir Christopher Wren his deputy . " Page 15 , 9—" The King , with Grand Master Rivers , his architects and

craftsmen , nobility anil gentry . Lord Mayor and Aldermen , Bishops and clergy , & c , in due form levelled the footstone of thc present Cathedral , designed by Deputy Grand nfaster Wren , in 16 73 , and was by him conducted as master of the work and surveyor , with his wardens , Mr . Henry Strong and his son . " Page 192— " . . . The lodges met , ( 1685 ) and elected Sir Christopher Wren Grand Master , who appointeil Mr . Gabriel Cibber and Mr . Edward

Strong Grand Wardens , and while carrying on St . Paul ' s he annually met those brethren lhat could attend him to keep up good old usages . '' I am afraid ir would occupy too much of your valuable space , or I would send you "a chronological table of p-itrons , Grand Masters , rfficcrs , & C , in England fiom the time of the Anglo-Saxons" down to 17 83 , from the same work . —Yours truly , P . M . March 12 th , 1880 .

North Africa.

North Africa .

CRYPTIC MASONRY . The M . P . G . M . has chartered the Ninth Council of Roval and Select Masters on the roll of the Grand Council of England , viz ., the " Raymond Portal " Council at Tunis , North Africa . The Council was du ' y opened on the 8 th February , 1 K 80 . Comps . A . M . Broadley , P . M ., P . Z .

1717 , is thc first T . I . M . ; Dr . Pcrini , W . M ., and H . 1717 , the first DM . ; and Captain Robert A . Johnstone , 1717 , first P . d . of W . At the first sitting of the Council four candidates were eluly greeted as M . E ., R ., S ., and S . B . Masters . Comps . S . Sessing was appointed Recorder , and J . E . L . Barker , W . M . 1835 , Conduitorof the Council . A letter was read from the Grand Recorder , in which it was

announced that the M . P . G . M . had appointed Bro . Broadley P . G . M . of the Cryptic Degrees for Tunis and Malta . It was decided to translate the ritual into French and Italian . As soon as this is done many of the members of the Ancient Carthage Chapter , No . 1717 , and the Mark lodges , Nos . 222 and 254 , have signified their desire to obtain the interesting Degrees of Cryptic Masonry .

TUNIS . —Kingston Lodge ( No . 222 ) . —A very successful meeting of this Mark lodge wss held on the 13 th in- ^ t . Piescnt : W . Bros . G Pentecost , W . M . ; A . M . Broadley , PG . M ., I . P . M . ; Dr . Pcrini , S . W . ; Professor Souiller , J . W . . M . de Gal ' ais . M O . •Professor Clement , S . O . ; A . Bokobsi , J . O . ; Dr . Pace-Williams , Sec ; J .

Barsolii , " reas . ; S . Sessing , S . D . ; G . B . Cassar , J . D . ; C . Foggetta , D . of C . ; A . ' Andrv , A . D . of C . ; D . Euriquex , R . M . ; Commaneler Brifger , Org . ; J . Bocca-a , I . G . ; J . Eymon , Tyler ; Bros . T . F . Read ,-, Chevalier Tulin de la Tunisic , General Elias Musali , J . E . Gessel , J . Chaigne ; and visitor , Bro . R . Cardona . Rotino , 254 . The lodge being duly opened , the P . G . M . assumed the gavel , and