Meaning Of The Word " Cowan."

tion , and in this sense it is used b y Freemasons . We should , therefore , expect to find a common ground of similarity between the words " Cowan " and " Eavesdropper , " on account of their invariable conjunction . We may add here , by way of deprecation , that our writers too frequently seek explanations of obsolete words in Oriental languages , when the genuine meaning lies closer at home . The word " Cowan" is one of this classandlike the word

, , " Mason , " has descended to the modern Craft as a direct transmission through the Norman French builder of the eleventh century . " Cowan " itself has exactly the signification of eavesdropper , ancl means a listener , or , in one form , a person intently hearing . It is a corruption , by long ancl careless usage , of the Norman French word eeoutant , listening or hearing ; therefore , by the usual tendency of suppressing letter soundswe can trace eeoutantacoutantacouan

, , , , acouant , ancl , perhaps , a-couan , to its present shape cowan , a person listening ; or , as an eavesdropper , stealthily hearing guarded conversation , The word " Cowan" consequently should be classified with such other corrupted Norman French words as Mason , T yler , etc . Bro . Fort seems to derive "Cowan" from " ecouan " or " acouan , " but

there is no evidence of any such use , as far as we know , in Norman-French or the " Langue Romane . " " Cowan , " first used in Scotland apparently , is still , I think , of Norman-French derivation , ancl probably comes from " covenne " or " covine " or " couvine , " all alluding to secret meetings . " Tyler , " which comes from " Tegulator , " again from "Tuillenr , " " fhieulleur , " has also curiously enough a synonym— " covreur " or " convrieur " ! " Escoute " is a

"spy , " and " escouter " is to listen , and "escoutete" is in Latin " auscultator , " a sentinel , or watcher . "Escoutoyer " is to listen , while " faireescout " is to listen attentively . Have we , in these words , the Norman-French origin of Cowan ? Many other students as well as inyself thank Bro . Fort for his interesting rjaper .

Free And Accepted Masons.*

FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS . *

IN a previous article we indicated the origin ancl meaning of the term " Free , " as prefixed to the name " Mason . " In the present paper we propose to consider the origin ancl meaning of the term "Accepted , " the other prtenomen of the Craftsman . Here , as in the former case , we are confronted in the first place with the traditional explanation . The legendary statement is that as Masons were first denominated " Free" bKing Solomonat the building of the First

y , Temple , so they first acquired the name " Accepted " at the building of the Second Temple , from King Cyrus . The one is probably as true as the other . " The most famous modern Constitutions of the Craft are Bro . Anderson ' s " Constitutions ol the Free Masons , " published in 1723 . These are entitled " The Constitution , History ,. Laws , Charges , Orders , Regulations , ancl Usages of the Riht Worshiful Fraternitof Accepted Free Masons" In Anderson ' s

g p y . second , or 1738 , edition of the same work , it is entitled " The New Book of Constitutions of the Ancient ancl Honorable Fraternity of Free ancl Accepted Masons . " Note that in 1723 the Craft were st yled "Accepted Free Masons , " while in 1738 they were termed ( as now ) " Free ancl Accepted Masons . "