Masonic Notes And Queries.

head quarters iu Scotland , the word mi ght possibly be of Scotch extraction . For this I bad reference to a work published in two vols , folio , iu Edinburgh , in 180 S , with a supplement of 2 vols , folio , published in 1825 , and an abridgment in one vol . Svo ., published in 184 G , in all three of ivhich the word Co / can is given . This work , a book of the greatest value to tbe etymologist , may be thus described—An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish

Language : Illustrating the Words in their different Significations , showing their Affinity to those of other Languages , and especially tbe Northern ; Explaining many Terms which , though now Obsolete in England , were formerly Common , to both Countries ^ S , v .: by John Jamieson , D . D , ; and in that work we have the following definitions : —

" COWAN , S . a fishing-boat , & c . " COWAN - , S . 1 . A term of Contempt , applied to one who does the work of a mason , but has not- been regularly bred . ( Scottish ) . " 2 . Also used to denote one who builds dry walls , otherwise denominated a dry-dlker . ( Scottish ) . " ' A boat carpenter , joiner , coioan ( or builder of stone without mortar ) , get Is . at the minimum and good maintenance . ' ( P . Morven , Argi / leshire Statistical Accountx . . 267 ) .

, p " ' Cowans , masons who build dry stone dykes or walls . ' ( P . Halkirk , Caithness-shire Statistical Account , six ., p . 24 ) . " In the Suio-Gothic , or Ancient language of Sweoden , it is Jcnjon . or htffhon , a silly fellow , hominem imbellum , et cujus capiti omnes tuto ilhidunt , kujon appellare moris est ; ( Hire , Glossarium Siiido-GoiHcum , 2 vols . fol . Upsal , 17 G 9 ) . French ; Coion , or cot / on , a coward , a- base fellow ; ( Cotgrave ' s French English DictionaryfolLoud 1650 ); Qui

, . . fait profession de laebetfe , ignavus , ( Trevoux . Dictioimaire Universal Francois et . Latin , de , 7 vols . fol . Paris 1752 ); The Editors of this Dictionary deduce it from the Latin quietus . But tho term is evidentl y Gothic . It has been imported by the Franks , aud is derived from Kufio-a , supprirnere , insultare . "

The supplement stating ; " COWAX , s . 2 . Applied to one who does the work of a Mason , add COWAXER is the only term used in this sense in Lothian . " " ' So also on referring to DYKER , Jamieson tells us"DIKE , DTK , s . 1 . A wall , whether of turf or stone . ( Derived from the Scottish ) . " 3 A ditchas in lish although obsolete

. ; Eng now . ' DIKEH , DYKER , J . A person whose employment is to build inclosures of stone , generally without lime ; often called a dry diker ( Derived from the Scottish ) . '"" The dyher , as he is called , gets from £ 2 to £ 3 sterling , and sometimes more , for 3 months iu summer . ' ( P . Tarland , Aberdeenshire Statistical Account , vi ., p . 209 ) . From the foregoing it is presumed that Cowan is derived in a twofold

sense , the French application of the term suiting the speculative Mason , the Scottish the operative Mason ; and from the charges above quoted , equally applicable in both senses to the 1 ' ree and Accepted Masons . The Scottish Coioan , according to the operative craft , was a builder of walls of unhewn stone and they ivere piled one on the other , either with or without mortar or mud as is to be seen in Gloucestershire , and the lower part of Oxfordshire at the

present time ; and the stringent law that ordered no master or fellow to set him a mould stone , was made for the purpose of guarding their art from the uninitiated , so that those who only could pile rough materials on each other should not mvacle the trade of a Mason , or one that could both set and square the perfect ashlar . If this meets with the approval of my brethren , lam content : nit n any better derivation can be offered , no one will be more happy to receive it than—MATTHEW COOKE

THE LATE BRO . COL . lVILBHAX , PROV . G . M . r 0 E NOTTS An old member of my mother Lodge ( No . 348 ) informed me that Colonel Wildman on visiting the Lod ge , many years a-m related the following anecdote , as illustrating the beneficial opera-, r , ?\ Mas ° nry m a military point of view . During the battle ol * i \ a . erloo he was unhorsed in one of the charges , and as he lay on the ground a French soldier about to

was despatch him when he made a Masonic sign , and a French officer rushed forward and saved his life ; that they became separated almost immediately , pd that he _ accidentall y met his preserver some time afterwards in a Lodge in Pans greatly , of course , to their mutual delight . — 11 XLLiAii KELLY ,

Leicester-BRO . STEPHEN JONES . fPrv 5 ' ly 0 PP osit the P rinting office" ( Valpy ' s ) » last re-™„ ¦ # T T " ail il 0 Use 0 <» upied b y Stephen Jones , a gentleman with whom I was on familiar terms for many years . He was , f ™? 2 ' . Freemasons' Lodge , and was occasionally employed 1 ?? "' f Publishers to edit and arrange miscellaneous pE'f P V ? - eXeS ' &< \ He &' st B PP eared in 17 S 1 abrid ging Baikess % ? ec (* onS and two years afterwards h 8 name Vas

Masonic Notes And Queries.

attached to an abridgment of Ward ' s Natural History , in o vols . In 1796 he produced ' a-Biographical Dictionary in Miniature , ' a copy of which he presented me . with his autograph ; the first literary work I hacl then received , though I can now enumerate more than sixty volumes . He produced several other publications , which are specified in Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica , the last of ivhich is ' a Pronouncing Dictionary of the English Language , '

a large octavo volume . The third edition of the wort , now before me , has the authors autograph , with the date of 1798 . He also edited a new edition of the ' Biographia Dramatica ; ' this was harshly criticised , when he published a pamphlet , entitled 'Hypercriticism Exposed , ' in a letter to the readers of the Quarterly Recicw , Svo . 1812 . Towards the end of life , my respected friend , a man of mild disposition , strict honesty , great industry , and

unblemished character , was embarrassed in circumstances , applied to , and derived pecuniary aid from , the Literary Fund . Dr . 27 . Drake , in a letter to Cadell and Davies , respecting his large work , ' Shakspere and his Times , ' says , ' S . Jones was the compositor to my Essays on Periodical Literature , and I was perfectly satisfied with his accuracy and attention ; ' whence he strongly recommended him to those publishers to make the index to his two quarto volumes . It extends to six quarto sheets . "—Extracted from tbe Autobiography of John Britten , pp . 301 , 802 ; testimonial edition . —BENJAMIN BANKS .

FREEMASONS' WAGES IN A . D . 1443 . In the third vol . of The Antiquarian Repertory , edited by Francis G-rosse and Thomas Astle , at p . 52 , ive have a table of the " wages of servants , presented A . D . 1443 , xxiii . Hen . vi . —Roi . Pari . vol . v . p . 112 , " ivhich is a petition to the Commons of this present Parliament to regulate the price of labour . The entries that affect the above heading , at the page quoted , are as follows : — " and y at

from tlie Fest of Ester unto Mi ghelmesse 3 -e wages of eny free Mason or maister carpenter excede not by the day iiiitl . with mete and drynk , and withoute mete and drink vd . ob . " A Maister Tyler or Sclatter , rough mason and meen carpenter , and other artificiers concernyng beldyng , bj- the day iiid . with mete and drynk , and withoute mete and drynke iiiid . ob . " And every oyer laborer by the clay iid . with mete and drynk

, ancl withoute mete and drynke iiid . ob . "And from the Fest of Mi ghelmasse unto Ester , a free Mason and a maister carpenter by the day iiid . with mete and drynk , withoute mete and drink iiiitl . ob . "Tyler , meen carpenter , rough mason , and other artificers aforesaid , by the day iid . ob . with mete and drynk , withoute mete and drynk iiiitl ., and every other iverkcman ' and laborer by the

day id . ob . with mete and drynk , and withoute mete and drink iiid . ancl who that lasse deserveth , to take lasse . " The above extract will at any rate settle the fact that the name free Mason was in use in the fifteenth centurv . —ANTIQUAEICS .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

* $ . —¦ [ THE EDITOR does not hold himself responsible for ony opinions entertained by Correspondents . ] FUNERAL OF THE LATE PJROV . G . M . OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE . TO THE EDITOR OP THE FliKESrASO . 'fS' . ILlGA ^ r . VE AXD MASQXIC MmUOn .

SIB AND BROTHER , —Not being entitled to attend the Provincial Grand Lotlge of Nottinghamshire , ancl therefore not in a position to express what I wish to my brethren , I crave of you , as the acknowledged organ of the Craft , a corner in your next issue . It is with feelings of acute pain that I say the Masonic body of this province was not represented at the funeral obsequies of our late Prov . G . M ., whose spirit has gone to meet the Captain of his

salvation , to dwell with him in peace for ever . I do not write these lines out of a spirit of opposition to any brother , but I think a very great mistake bas been made in notrequesting every brother capable of attending to be present , and in a body to testify their respect for one so well beloved—our guide , our monitor , our friend . The circular issued hy the Provincial Grand Lodge on the 21 st

ultimo , without a Provincial Grand Lodge being summoned , was to " decide our actions until further notice . " This circular seemed to interdict the Craft from being present on account of "the family wishing the funeral to be as private as possible , " for it states , " under these circumstances , it is considered most respectful not to intrude upon the funeral solemnities . " Had the interment been strictly private , and taken place at Newstead Abbey , we might ( other brethren are of my opinion )