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Article A MASONIC HEEO: ← Page 3 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Masonic Heeo:
permitted to ejnigrate . Employment in my profession I found in abundance , and soo ^ ^^ a competency for age , had I escaped the cniel grasp of the bloodthirsty inquisitors . These tyrants detain at the post office the letters of all about whom they entertain suspicions . Mine they from time to time intercepted , hoping to discover some all ^
to Freemasonry , I being notorious as one of the most zealous professors of that art . Not disco vering , however , any passages which struck at tile Romish religion , or tended to disturb the government , yet still bent upon the discovery of the Masonic secret , they resolved to seize one of the leading Brethren , and I was selected , being the Master of a Lodge . With nie they associated the Warden , Mr . Alexander James Moil ton , a diamond cutter , born in Paris , and a Romanist . He had been settled six years in Lisbon , where hewas jeweller to the court .
* " The reader must know that our Lodges in Lisbon were not held at taverris , & c ., hut alternately at the private dwellings of chosen friends ; there we used to dine together , and practice the ceremonies of oiir Graft . Ignorant at the time that Masonry wa & m ^ no attempt at secrecy , and were soon denounced by the treacherous zeal of
a lady residing in a house opposite to mine , who , at confession declared we were Freemasons ; that we debarred women from pur assemblies , and consequently , could be nothing less than dangerous revolutionary conspirators . The officers of the Inquisition were soon on the alert . My friend , Mr . Monton fell the first victim , he being seized in manner following : —
" A jeweller and goldsmith , who besides was a familiar of the Holy Office , came to his house , saying he was commissioned to inquire the expense of resetting a diamond weighing four carats . They agreed about the sum ; but as this was artifice merely , in order that the familiar might become acquainted with Monton ' s person , he declined leaving the jewel until after consulting the owner , and hearing his opinion of the arrangement .. I happened to be present , which greatly delighted the inquisitor ,
who had got the unexpected sight of both his victims at once . He went off , requesting both of us to call on him the next day . Business not permitting me to accompany him , Monton went alone to receive the diamond said to be worth a nundred moidores . c Where is your friend , Costos , said the traitor , for he had the day before showed him several stones , which he pretended to be desirous I should polish . Monton replied that I was on change , and he would fetch me . But the inquisitor and his five
subalterns , afraid of losing half their prey , beckoned him into the hack shop , and after several signs and tokens had passed between him and his myrmidons , he rose up , whispered a few words in private , and retiring behind a curtain , demanded his visitor ' s name and surname , telling him he was a prisoner in the king's name . Unconscious of any crime for which he could justly incur his Portuguese majesty ' s displeasure , he gave up his sword the moment it was demanded of him . Next , they threw themselves
upon him to prevent escape , commanding that lie should ma . ke no noise , and began to search him . Finding he had no other weapon , they asked whether he wished to know in Avhose name he was detained . < Yes / said Monton . 'We seixe you , ' said the guards , in the king ' s name , and in that of the most Holy Inquisition : and in its name we forbid you to
speak , or even so much as to murmur . ' Then , a door at the bottom of the shop , which looked into a by-lane , flew open , and the prisoner , accompanied by the commissary , was dragged towards a small chaise with the blinds close drawn down , so that were any friends near , they might remain ignorant of his fate . " Their next device was to spread a report that he had absconded with
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Masonic Heeo:
permitted to ejnigrate . Employment in my profession I found in abundance , and soo ^ ^^ a competency for age , had I escaped the cniel grasp of the bloodthirsty inquisitors . These tyrants detain at the post office the letters of all about whom they entertain suspicions . Mine they from time to time intercepted , hoping to discover some all ^
to Freemasonry , I being notorious as one of the most zealous professors of that art . Not disco vering , however , any passages which struck at tile Romish religion , or tended to disturb the government , yet still bent upon the discovery of the Masonic secret , they resolved to seize one of the leading Brethren , and I was selected , being the Master of a Lodge . With nie they associated the Warden , Mr . Alexander James Moil ton , a diamond cutter , born in Paris , and a Romanist . He had been settled six years in Lisbon , where hewas jeweller to the court .
* " The reader must know that our Lodges in Lisbon were not held at taverris , & c ., hut alternately at the private dwellings of chosen friends ; there we used to dine together , and practice the ceremonies of oiir Graft . Ignorant at the time that Masonry wa & m ^ no attempt at secrecy , and were soon denounced by the treacherous zeal of
a lady residing in a house opposite to mine , who , at confession declared we were Freemasons ; that we debarred women from pur assemblies , and consequently , could be nothing less than dangerous revolutionary conspirators . The officers of the Inquisition were soon on the alert . My friend , Mr . Monton fell the first victim , he being seized in manner following : —
" A jeweller and goldsmith , who besides was a familiar of the Holy Office , came to his house , saying he was commissioned to inquire the expense of resetting a diamond weighing four carats . They agreed about the sum ; but as this was artifice merely , in order that the familiar might become acquainted with Monton ' s person , he declined leaving the jewel until after consulting the owner , and hearing his opinion of the arrangement .. I happened to be present , which greatly delighted the inquisitor ,
who had got the unexpected sight of both his victims at once . He went off , requesting both of us to call on him the next day . Business not permitting me to accompany him , Monton went alone to receive the diamond said to be worth a nundred moidores . c Where is your friend , Costos , said the traitor , for he had the day before showed him several stones , which he pretended to be desirous I should polish . Monton replied that I was on change , and he would fetch me . But the inquisitor and his five
subalterns , afraid of losing half their prey , beckoned him into the hack shop , and after several signs and tokens had passed between him and his myrmidons , he rose up , whispered a few words in private , and retiring behind a curtain , demanded his visitor ' s name and surname , telling him he was a prisoner in the king's name . Unconscious of any crime for which he could justly incur his Portuguese majesty ' s displeasure , he gave up his sword the moment it was demanded of him . Next , they threw themselves
upon him to prevent escape , commanding that lie should ma . ke no noise , and began to search him . Finding he had no other weapon , they asked whether he wished to know in Avhose name he was detained . < Yes / said Monton . 'We seixe you , ' said the guards , in the king ' s name , and in that of the most Holy Inquisition : and in its name we forbid you to
speak , or even so much as to murmur . ' Then , a door at the bottom of the shop , which looked into a by-lane , flew open , and the prisoner , accompanied by the commissary , was dragged towards a small chaise with the blinds close drawn down , so that were any friends near , they might remain ignorant of his fate . " Their next device was to spread a report that he had absconded with