Bye-Laws Of The York Lodge: No. 236.

mention is made of the Lodge , the Master , Wardens , Master Wardens , Masons , Fel-IOAVS and Apprentices : and Ave may fairly infer , from such independent evidence , that the Freemasons of those clays Avere a recognised body , with an organization , habits ancl customs similar to those Avhich UOAV prevail amongst the Order throughout the world .

From time immemorial the great body of Freemasons Avere not only careful to instruct the members of their fraternity in the secrets ancl practices of the Craft as operatives , but further imposed on them the observance of a strict and peculiar system of morality in their dealings one

Avith another . They were charged " to honour God ancl his Holy Church ; to be true to their Sovereign Lord the King , his Heirs aud lawful successors ; to keep secret the obscure ancl intricate parts of the Science ; to exercise the most scrupulous

Chastity ; to duly reverence their FelloAvs , that the bond of Charity and mutual love might continue steadfast ancl stable amongst them . '' The Master Mason will readily obseiwe that this is in perfect harmony Avith the obligations of the Fraternity in

the present clay . Some of the obligations are so quainr ancl peculiar to the condition of an earliet age , that it is thought desirable to give a few of them entire , as they are not only curious and interesting , but prove that

Ancient Freemasonry contained the same spirit of Brotherly Love , Relief ancl Truth , as is enjoined and practised by the Fraternity in modern times , viz . : — " You shall not slander any of your felloAVS behind their backsto impair their

, temporal estate or good name . " " You shall not ( except at Christmas time ) use any laAvless games , as dice , cards , or the like . "

" You shall not go out to drink by night , or if occasion happen that you must go , you shall not stay past eight of the clock , having some of your fellows , or one at the least , to bear you Avitness of the honest place you were in , and your good behaviour , to avoid scandal . "

" You shall set strangers at work , having employment for them at least a fortnight , and pay them their Avages truly ; and if you want Avork ( i . e . if you have none ) you shall relieve them Avith money to defray their reasonable charges to the next Lodge . "

At York the wages Avere paid fortnightly , and the pledge book AA-BS observed once a year at least , when , the Avorkmen swore to obey the orders Avhich the Chapter had ordained for their management . Up to the beginning of the 18 th century ,

the Lodge of York continued to hold its Annual Assembly , " Toius Anglice , " ancl Avas the conservator of the Primitive Constitutions and Charges . We are inclined to think that from 1600 to 1700 there Avas a regular meeting of

, Freemasons at York , on an operative foundation , though whether as a private Lodge or Grand Lodge , Ave cannot IIOAV say . There are evidences of a Lodge there in 1643 , and there is a missing Book of 1705 which yet may turn up . Penton

, seem to have seen it and copied from it , and according to him it Avas a Minute Book of the Lodge , though not Avhat we call a Grand Lodge , but simply a Private Lodge with that name . This is , hoAvever , at present not clearancl much may be said on

, both sides . The advance of Masonry in the South of England did not interfere with the Fraternitv in the North , nor did the

institution of a Grand Lodge in London ( 1717 ) alienate any- allegiance AvhicliAvas considered at that time and long after to be due to the Mother Lodge of the Avhole Kingdom . Brotherly communication continued betAveen those Masons who were ranged under the banner of the Grand Lodge of All

England ancl those who rendered allegiance to that of Loudon , Avhich Avas styled by the less honourable and distinctive title of the Grand Lodge ' of England . From this time to the close of its career in 1792 Avith one intervalthe Grand

, , Lodge of All England continued its meetings , and a large number of subordinate Lodges Avere constituted : indeed the establishment of the Grand Lodge in London seemed for a long time to have no other effect than to stimulate that of York to

increased activity : during this period large numbers of the leading gentlemen of the city ancl neighbourhood joined its banner . The minutes from 1712 to 1734 contain names belonging to the principal families in the North of Fnglandsuch as : —Sir

, Walter HaAA'ksAvorth , Goo . BoAves , Robert Fairfax , Chas . Fairfax , T , Jenkyus , M . P ., Thos . Chaloner , Ralph Gray me , Ed . Bell , Charles Bathurst , Francis Drake , Thomas