Early Freemasonry In Ireland.

Bro . R . F . Bower , of Iowa , U . S . A . The fact , however , of the initiation of this lady eA'en though the date is uncertain , is beyond question , and the few additional particulars herein noted as to Lodge No . 95 are valuable . The date of the present Warrant of the Lodge is 1771 , according to the authorised Calendar of the G . L . of Ireland , so it is not the original charter by which the members now work , though the same No . No . 1 Lodge , Cork , has a Warrant of 1731 , but it evidently existed before then , as the

Eecords testify , the year 1731 simply having reference to the period of the first issue of Warrants by the then new Grand Lodge . The Earl of Barrymore AVBS W . M . in 1770 hnA'ing for his Wardens Sir Robert TEson Deane and Governor Jefferys . In 1773 each member of the Lodge " agreed to provide a uniform of Irish cloth , the colour garter-blue with crimson Avaisteoat and breeches , " in order " to encourage Irish manufacture , ' * ancl doubtless at that time the Brethren were much admired when clothed and arrayed as Masons in such gorgeous and striking attire .

Bro . Milliken maintains , that as the first Irish Lodge Ave have a Avritten account of Avas held in Cork , in the extreme south , and caEed the " Provincial Grand Lodge of Munster , " there must have been a " National Grand Lodge from a remote period , " from Avhich this Provincial of Munster must have derived its powers , the Prov . G . L . " granting Warrants , and performing all the functions of a National Grand Lodge , perhaps from necessity , on the cessation of a superior power . " We have already indicated our opinion as to this matter ,

and shall now proceed to notice another statement of Bro . Milliken ' s . Lord Kingston , who Avas installed Grand Master of England in December , 1728 , ' Was " in the folloAving year Provincial Grand Master of Munster , " and as Ave knoAV , during his lordship ' s year of office the Parliament House in Dublin " was about to be built , when Lord Cnrtaret , the Viceroy , with his suite , attended b y the Corporation and garrison , and a number of gentlemen Freemasons , marched in procession and laid the footstone of the building Avith the usual formalities on the third of February , 1729 . " The folkwing , however , is new to us , ancl is so likely to be the correct version , that Ave are inclined to accept it : —

' Ihe l'reemason gentlemen dined together , and there being no Lodge in Dublin , resolved , as was the case in London iu 1717 , to erect a Grand Lodge in Dublin , and invited the Grand Provincial of Munster , Lord Kingston , to take the Grand National Chair of Ireland , Avhich honour his lordship readily accepted , gratified at being the person seleeted to revive the National Grand Lodge . "

It is curious to note that in the Calendar of the G . L . of Ireland , 1878 , one of the Prov . G . Masters of Munster is given as Grand Master of the G . Lodge , viz ., Col . O'Brien , M . P ., 1726 . The eventful history of the Grand Lodge of Ireland since its advent we need not stay now to consider , neither need AA'e allude to the recent investigations of Bro . Neilson into the character and value of the Records of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Munster , now happily traced , ancl a copy of Avhich only AA'as sold at the " Great Spencer Masonic Sale" recently ; for these questions are all receiving their due attention at last , after a lapse of many years of gross disregard of our Masonic MSS . and then important testimony .

Before closing Bro . Milliken ' s interesting work , we should Eke to reproduce the foEoAving in these pages as to No . 13 Limerick , Avarranted in 1732 : — "TAVO small vessels were captured by' La Furet , ' a French privateer ( in 1812 ) , commanded by Captain Marincourt . One of the vessels was from the port of Youghal , and commanded by Captain CampeE of that toAvn ; the other b y Captain Joseph Webb of Pool . On their being discovered to be Freemasons theyAA'ere sent home on parolehaving iven their Avords as Masons to get Bro .

^ , g Joseph Gautier , then a prisoner of war in England , released ; or should they fail in performing then promise , they bound themseb'es to proceed to France Avitkrn a given time , and surrender themselves prisoners of Avar . Captain Marincourt and the 'La Furet' became prize to the British frigate ' La Modeste , ' and in consequence of his Masonic conduct was released unconditionally . Lodges No . 13 , 271 , and 952 , of Limerick , prepared a vase , of one hundred pounds valueto be presented to Brother Marincourtwhose lamented death

, , after his release prevented their brotherly intent . In ignorance of his death , the vase AVaS sent to France , where it remained seven years , and ultimately travelled back to Limerick , AA'here it remains an ornament in Lodge No . 13 , and a memorial of the sublime friendship existing betAveen Freemasons . "