Freemasonry In England.

Answ . Not so . Thay onlyehe liaueth richt , and occasyonne more then odher menne to kunne , but many doth fale yn capacity and manye more doth ivante industrye , that ys pernecessaiye for the gaynynge all kunnyiige . " Quest . Are maconnes guder menne then odhers ? "Answ . Some maconnes tire not so vertuous as some odher menne : but ,

yn the moste parte , they be more gucle then thay would be yf thay war not maconnes . " " Quest . ' . Doth maconnes love eiclther odher myghtyly as bceth sayde ? "Answ . Tea verylyche , and yt may not odherwise be .- forgude menne , and true , keunyuge eider odhev to be soche , doeth always love the more as thay be more gude .

" Here . endethe the questyonnes and aunsweres . " Even during the King ' s minority there ivas a good Lodge under the Grand Master CMcheley , held at Canterbury , as appears from the Latin register of William Molart , Prior of Canterbury , in manuscript , in which are named Thomas Stapylton , the Master , and John Morris , custos de la lodge laihomorum , or Warden of the Lodge of Masons , with fifteen fellow

crafts ancl three entered apprentices , all named there . And a record in the reign of Edward IT . says : — " The company of Masons , being otherwise termed Freemasons , of nnnticnl standing and good recoiling , by means of affable ancl kind meetings , dyverse tymcs , and as a loving brotherhood used to do , did frequent this mutual assembly in the tyme of Henry VI ., in the twelfth year of his most gracious reigu . "

Grand Master CMcheley , held also a Lodge at Oxford , where he built All Souls College , and Bernard , now St . John ' s College , & e . On Ms death the King appointed William . Wane Gleet to the office .

NOTES . (]) . 'John Leylaiide' was appointed by King- Henry VIII ., at the dissolution of the monasteries , to search for and save such books tuut records , as ivere valuable among them . He was-a man of great labour and industry . ( 2 ) . 'His Highness . / meaning- the said King- Hsury VIII . ; our kings had not then the title of majesty .

( 3 ) . r V / iiat mote ytt be ' .--That is , what may this mystery of Masonry he ; the answer imports that- it consisted in natural , mathematical , and mechanical knowledge . Some part of which , as appears by what fbiloivs , ihe masons pretend to have taught the rest of mankind , anil some part they still conceal . ( 4 ) ( 5 ) . ' Fyrste menne yn the este , ' & c . —It would seem by this that Masons believe that there wove men in the East before Adam , who is called the ffyrste marine in the t

Wes ; and that arts and sciences began in the East . Some authors of great uote for learning have been of tho same opinion , and it is certain that Europe and Africa ( which iu respect of Asia may he . considered Western countries ) , ivere wild ancl savage , long after arts and politeness of manners were in great perfection in China and the Indies . ( 6 ) . ¦ The Venetians , ' & c . —In the times of monkish ignorance it is no wonder that the Phoenicians should be mistaken for the Venetians . Or perhaps that the

people were not taken one for tho other , similitude of sound might deceive- the clerk who first took down the examination . The Phoenicians Avere the greatest voyagers among the ancients , and were in Europe thought to be the inventors of letters , which , perhaps , they brought from the . East with other arts .