Masonic Notes And Queries.

" The Abbey of St . Coman , in Roscommon was founded by Coman ; and the Cathedral of St . Finian , in Clouard , was founded about the same time ( Anno Dom . 550 ) by St . Finian , a man eminent for piety ancl learning . "The present church ofthe Blessed Trinity , commonly called Christ ' s Church , in Dublin , was built by Sitricus , a Dane , and Donatus , Archbishop of Dublin , Anno 1038 . " JRoderick O'Connor , King of Conaught , was an excellent Mason ; who , among his other works , built ( Anno Dom . 1161 ) a stately-Stone Castle , at Tuam which was called by the Irish the AA onderfiii Castle .

"The priory of St . John the Baptist , at Kilmainham , was founded by Itiehard Strongbow , Earl of Pembroke , Anno Dom . 1174 ; and the Cathedral of St . Bar , or Unbar , was built by St . Bar , at the same time . " John de Courcy , Earl of Kingsail , was an excellent architect ; he ; built the present St . Patrick ' s Cathedral , in Down , and the Priory of St . John the Baptist , St . Mary ' s Abbey of Innis , ancl the Priory of Neddrumwith othersAnnoDom 11 S 3 and the

, many , . . ; Priory of St . John the Baptist , without Newgate , in Dublin , was built by Alured C . Palmer , a Dane , Anno Dom . 1188 . "The present St . Patrick ' s Cathedral , in Dublin , was built hy John Comin , Archbishop of Dublin , Anno Dom . 1190 . The Priory of St . John , in Kilkenny , by AVilliam Marescall , Earl of Pembroke , Anno . Dom . 1211 ; and Felix O'ltnaden , Archbishop of Tuam , xebuilt St . - Mary ' s Abbeyin DublinAnno Dom 1230 and covered

, , . , it with lead . It was first founded by the Danes , in Anno . 984 . "Nor must we forbear to mention Hugh de Lacy , Earl of Ulster , who was likewise an excellent Mason . He founded Carrickfergus , built a friery in Down , Anno Dom . 1232 ; the famous Castle of Trim , the Priory of St . John Baptist , in the territory of Ards , and also several other abbeys and castles , which would be too tedious to mention . Let tbe curious but examine the histories and

antiquities of Ireland , and they will find it able to vie with most kingdoms in ancient abbeys ancl venerable Gothic buildings , according to the architecture of the times wherein they were built . And now in this present age there are many curious buildings erected , and many now erecting throughout the kingdom , after the manner of the Augustan style ; and the city of Dublin is supposed to have as curious and stately buildings , both public and private , as any one city in the world .

"As a catalogue of those curious and stately buildings ivould be too tedious here to insert , so it would be a crime not to mention the two famous Master Masons and curious Architects , in whom centers all that was truly ingenious in Vitruvius , Palladio , Inigo Jones , Sir Christopher AVren , & c , viz : Thos . Burgh , Esq ., Engineer and Surveyor-General of his Majesty ' s Fortifications and Buildings , in Ireland ; and Capt . Edward Lovet Pearce , the contriver ancl projector of that strong , well-contrived ,

noble pile , the Parliament Hall , whose first stone was laid at the south side , on February 3 rd , 1728-9 , by the Lords Justices , together with several of the nobility ancl members of Parliament , attended by the yeomen of the Guard , a detachment of dragoons , and another of foot . In the body of which stone was laid two silver medals , with the effigies of their present majesties , King George and Queen Caroline , and over the medals was laid a plate of copper , on which is inscribed the following inscription : —

" Serenissimus et Potentissimus Hex Georgius Secundus Per Excellent . Dominum Joliannuin Dominum Carteret Baron cle Haivnes Locum tenentem Et per Excellent . Doninus Hugonem Archiepm . Armachan . Thomam Wyndam Cancell .

Guliel . Conolly Dom . Com . Protocul . Justiciaries General es Primuni hujusce Domus Parliament , Lapidem Posuit Tertio Die , Eebruar . Anna Dom . MBCCXXVIII . " And thier excellencies , the Lord Justices , were pleased lo leave on the stone a purse with twenty-one guineas , which the aforesaid

Captain Pearce , the architect , distributed among the Craftsmen , to drink towards the healths of their majesties , the Prince of AA ' ales and the rest of the JRoyal family . "And now , under his present majesty , King George II . ( a Mason kmg whom God preserve ) , while arts and sciences flourish , while noblemen , gentlemen , clergymen and learned scholars of most professions aud denominations have frankly joined to take the charges and to wear the badges of Eree and Accepted Masons , let

all Ereemasons so behave themselves as to be accepted of God , the G . A . O . T . U ., and continue to be , as they have ever been , the wonder of the world ; ancl let the cement of the brotherhood be so well preserved , that the whole body may remain as a well built arch .

THE TOOLS IN DEZMOTl ' s AIIIMAN REZON . In the frontispiece to Dermott ' s Aid-man Rezon there are the figures of Hiram , Solomon , Haggai , and Zerubbabel , with others , these are ail standing on pedestals , the first bearing a plumb rule ; the second , a compass ; the third , a level ; and the fourth , a square . Does this mean to show their relative positions in the Craft as J . W ., G . M ., S . W ., and W . M . ?—Ex . Ex .

QUOTATION REQUIRED . To the King ' s goocl health ; The Nation ' s wealth ; The Prince , God bless ; The Fleet success ; The Lodge no less ; The poetry , if such it may be called , is not very excellent , but as a toast may pass muster . —AUEK .

GRAND STEWARDS' PRIVILEGES . When did the Grand Stewards' Lodge forego one of their proudest privileges , that of " considering " petitions aud relieving distressed brethren ?"—AN ADMIRER OE THE GRAND STEWARDS' LODGE .

THE R . W ., BRO . ARCHIBALD RICHARDSON . Of what family , trade , or profession was Bro . Archibald Richardson , Deputy Grand Master in 1772?—XE . MASONIC BALLS . In what o } 3 inion are Masonic Balls held by the rules of the Oraft ?—J . A . —[ ATe really cannot tell . Bro . JNborthouek , under whom an edition of the Boole of Constitutions

appeared in 1786 , is reported to have called them "pollutions—alien to the principles of the Craft—an ill-advised measure , that has caused divisions amongst ourselves very difficult to heal , and pointed the finger of scorn against the Institution iu a manner very little to its credit . Dancing is a solecism irreconcileable with any one point , part , orsecret , connected with the Institution . If once the Fraternity is so weak and inconsiderate as to give themselves up to such' frivolous and unworthy pursuits , they may bid farewell to Masonry . " ]

BRO . PRESTON ' S EXPULSION . What were the particular circumstances attending the celebrated Bro . William Preston ' s expulsion ?—J . A . —[ We have gleaned the following , which will no doubt satisfy J . A . Bro . William Preston was entered , passed , and raised among the " Antients , " a society which had its ox-igin in __ schism and secession from the Grand Lodof

Engge land . Preston ' s clear perception , however , soon convinced him that his party was not a legally-constituted one , and he left them and applied for , and was received into , membership under the banner of the regular Grand Lodge of England . With the utmost assiduity did he study the principles of our Order , and a bright and successful student was he . Ho saw that the hidden treasures of Freemasonry

required a more general development in order to bo fully understood by the ordinary mind . To effect this was the chief object of his life , and how successful he was every intelligent brother knows . At a certain hour , daily , he applied himself to the drawing of designs , and so perfect were his plans that the Craftsmen , wheresoever dispersed , have been since engaged in executing themand have

, never been at a stand for want of employment . On Thursday , May 21 st , 1772 , in order " to have the counsel aud advice of the Craft , he gave a banquet at his own expense , at the Crown and Anchor , in the Strand , to which he invited all the Masonic wisdom and talent of Great Britain to be present . According to his request , the brethren assembled early , and he was not slow in

announcing to them the object he had in view in convoking them . He said that " Freemasonry in order to preserve its standing must spread its roots and expand its branches far and wide , for the purpose of extending its capabilities to meet the exigencies of the times . " He then laid before them the result of his long and arduous labour ; the present system of lecturing ( a re-construction of the old ) as practised in tho beginning of the present century ; It was discussed , seriatim , approved and adopted . Bro . Preston then became exceedenly popular and was employed as D . G . Sec . under