The African Lodge.

further that you do from time to time cause to be entered in a book kept for that purpose , an account of your proceedings in the Lodge , together with all such rules , orders , and regulations as shall be made for the good government of the same , that in no wise you omit once in every year to send to us or our successors , Grand Masters , or to Rowland Holt , Esq ., onr Deputy Grand Master for

the time being , an account in writing of your said proceedings , aud copies of all such rules , orders , and regulations as shall be made as aforesaid , together with a list of the members of the Lodge , and such a sum of money as may suit the circumstances of the Lodge and reasonably be expected , towards the Grand Charity . Moreover , we hereby will and require you , the said Prince Hall , as soon as convenientl beto send an account in writing of

y may , what may be done by virtue of these presents . " Given at London , under our hand and seal of Masonrv . this 29 th day of September , A . L . 5784 , A . D . 1781 . " By the Grand Master ' s command , " R , HOLT , D . G . M . u Attested , AVM . AVHTIE , G . S . " [ Seal of ( lie Grand Lodge of Masons in London . ]

' - RECEIPT OE PAYMENT . —Rec . 28 th February , 1787 , of Capt . Jas . Scott , five pounds , fifteen shillings , sixpence , being the fees on the warrant of constitution for the African Lodge at Boston . " For the Grand Lodge of the Society of Free and Accepted Masons . " £ 5 15 s . Gd . " AVM . AVHITE , G . S . "

[ According to the American papers , there is a body of coloured Masons who still act under this warrant , though it has long since disappeared from the roll of English Lodges . —ED . ]

The Romance Of Misfortune

THE ROMANCE OF MISFORTUNE

FROM the annual report of the New York Masonic Board of Relief , for 1859 , we make the following interesting extract : — "A young lady of refinement , on the 7 th of April , 1858 , marries in England , and on the 1 st of May following this couple arrive iu New York , with previous preparation , for successful settlement in Rochester . His means , though large by the common estimate of this country , were small for the son of a wealthy English The desire

gentleman . to economise was natural and strong , and made the importunities of a fellow countryman easily successful in inducing Iiim to take a house in Cedar-street . At half-past ten , P . M ., on the 4 th of May , on a night boat to Albany , tho lady repairs to her berth ; the husband unable to procure one for himself , promising to remain at the cabin door . At four , A . M ., she arises and requests the maid to call her husband , but the cabin door is locked

. At five the agent calls for her tickets , and is told ' my husband has them . ' A moment passes , the agent calls again , and then how that young , innocent and confiding heart is torn by these words of death , 'I cannot find your husband—he is overboard . ' AVe need not stop to describe the scene of overwhelming grief ami crushing agony that followed . During that hour of suffering to an innocent being , so sadly and suddenlbereaved in forei

y a gn land , among strangers , there was one who , as master of that ill omened craft , with a tearless eye and a heart of stone , could belch forth his command , ' Be still . ' But he was not a Mason . But there was another there whose sympathy , too deep for tears , found expression in effectual and Masonic aid . After days of ineffectual effort to find the miss-in " husband and brother , the unfortunate widow was returned to iHeYorkwhere her

w , case was finally laid before the Board of Relief , on the 17 th of May , 1858 , but not until by the counsel of suspected advisers , she had determined to leave for Europe at once ( if the means could be obtained , for all was lost with her nusband ) , with acquaintances who were returning , saddened and discouraged by her misfortunes . " The hope of yet finding her missing husbandwith the most

, solemn pledges of protection and support , were alone sufficient to change her purpose , and so far remove her fear of troubling others , as to induce her to take up her temporary home with the author of this report . " The _ British consul and other high officials were consulted ; a detective was employed , and on the morning of the 20 th the Dotty was found iloatiug in the river

near Kewburg . Boacon Lodge , at Mateawan , near Fishkill , caused the remains to be buried m the most beautiful part of their rural cemetery . But on the 21 st , ere the announcement could be made , with the return of some relics found upon the person , confidence having supplanted tear and excitement , nature in its relaxation had yielded

The Romance Of Misfortune

to mental derangement . Upon the return of comparative health , after the lapse of weeks , she was accompanied to the grave , and sent on her way free toward the bosom of home . " Could the fraternity of New York have witnessed the scene of that last visit at the grave , when , alone with the author of this report , she repaired to the sacred spot to weep and pray , and have witnessed her

embrace the very earth ; or could they departure for Europe , and seen how , standing upon the upper deck , supported on either side by the highest officers of a noble steamer , the chief of them a Mason , her gratitude was evinced by tears and exclamations , waving back her thanks from the utmost limit of vision , every heart would have rejoiced in the glory of Masonry , and every tongue would have cried out , ' Let it be established for ever ! ' "

Archeology.

ARCHAEOLOGY .

CURIOUS MANUSCRIPT . A VKiir curious manuscript was presented to the Antiquarian Society of Yorkshire in 1818 . It contains sundry rules to be observed by the household of Henry VIII ., and enjoins the following singular particulars : —None of his higlmess ' s attendants to steal any locks or kej-s , tables , forms , cupboards , or other furnitureout of noblemen ' s or gentlemen ' s houses where he goes to

, visit . No herald , minstrel , falconer , or other , to bring to the court any boy or rascal , nor to keep lads or rascals in court , to do their business for them . Master cooks not to supply such scullions as go about naked , nor lie all night on the ground before the kitchen fire . Dinner to be at ten , and supper at four . The Knight Marshal to take care that all such unthrifty and common women as followed the court be banished . The proper officers

arc , between six and seven o ' clock every morning , to make the fire in , and straw , his higlmess ' s privy chamber . Officers of his higlmess ' s privy chamber to keep secret everything said or done , leaving hearkening and inquiring- where the king is , or goes , he it early or late , without grudging , or mumbling , or talking of the king ' s pastime , kite or early going to bed , or any other matter . Coal only allowed to the king ' s 'sand Lady Mary ' s

cham-, queen , bers . The queen ' s maids of honour to have a diet loaf , a maneliet , a gallon of ale , and a chine of beef for their breakfasts . Among the fishes for the table is a porpoise , aud if it is too big for a horse load , a further allowance is made to the purveyor . The manuscript ends with several proclamations . One Is to take up and punish strong and mighty beggars , rascals , and vagabonds who hang about the court .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

WAS TIIE FIRST NAPOLEON A FREEMASON ? IN reply to " Inquirer , " I can inform him that the Emperor Napoleon the First was a Freemason , and initiated into the Order in consequence of rumours from the Roman Catholic priesthood at that epoch , that Freemasonry was held under the garb of secret societies , in order to conspire against the government . " Napoleon , to assure himself of the truth or falsehood of these reports , beinitiatedand visited several Lod

came , ges iu Paris in disguise , but was recognized ; at all events , he was perfectly satisfied of the false accusation . By referring to " Clavel on French Masonry , " "Inquirer" will gain more information than I can give him . — AV . II . BERNIIARD , S . P . R . C . and K . T . NAPOLEON TIIE FIRST A MEMBER OF THE ORDER . I notice in a recent number of the Magazine ask if the

^ , you Emperor Napoleon was a Mason . There was an old . Frenchman in the State of Indiana , some ei g hteen months since , that asserted he had sat in a Lodge with the Emperor Napoleon . —E . D . C . WAS THE EMPEROI ! NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE A FREEMASON ? I am unable to reply to the above query satisfactorily , but I feel pretty certain that he was . I base my opinion on the fact

that , in the year 1805 , the Empress Josephine assisted the Baroness Deitrich to perform the part of Grand Mistress of an Androgyne Lodge named the Lodge of Free Knights and Ladies of Paris , which held a most brilliant and enchanting festival at Strasbourg . Knowing how jealous the emperor was of the empress keeping any event from his knowledge , and how very particular he was in respect to her associationsit to me

, appears to be very unlikely he would have permitted her to have been a Masoness if he had not himself been a Mason . —CHAS . T . IVAS THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON IIUONAl'ARTE A FREEMASON ? IN answer to the above inquiry consult D nfay ' s Confessions dc