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Contents . PAGE The History of Freemasonry in Portugal 121 The Lodge " of Glasgow St . John—By Bro . AV . P . Buchan ... 122 The Grand Masonic Allegory 124 Masonic Jottings—No . 7 127 The Masons' Square in Gloucester Cathedral 127

Masonic Notes and Queries 129 Correspondence 131 Masonic Mems , 133 CKAPT LODGE MEETISGS : — Metropolitan . ' . 133 Provincial 136 Scotland 138 Roval Arch 138

Mark Masonry 13 S Reviews 138 A Lecture—By Bro . James Frederick Spun- 138 Poetry 139 Scientific Meetings for tho Week 140 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 140

The History Of Freemasonry In Portugal,

THE HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN PORTUGAL ,

LONDON , SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 12 , 1870 .

Being an Historical Account of the Origin , Hise , and Progress of tha Grand Orient of Lusitania . Translated from Dr . A- M . de Gunha Bellem ' s " Abridgment of the History of Masonry in Portugal . ' '' ( Continued from page 42 ) . Masonry having been relieved from

persecution on religious grounds , only met with opposition from political motives . The star of the Great Napoleon was on the wane , and after the French Invasion , Portugal endured the protection of the English , the remedy as is often the case being equally harsh and unendurable with the disorder .

Beresford governed the country under the mask of a ridiculous regency . The weak and irresolute King Don Jean VI ., -who lived in idleness in Brazil , forgetful of the country he had left a prey to its foreign enemies on the one hand , and to

those in her midst on the other , the latter being even more implacable than the former . Thus sprung up the liberal party which was organised under the guise of Freemasonry . It was but a political association , which laboured in secret

to secure the sacred gifts of liberty . The Masonic lodge was merely the arena for the discussion of the dogmas of the revolutionary party . Alas ! it required that the blood of illustrious martyrs should nourish the dimnufcive tree of liberty , which

had not the power to put forth its roots , spread its branches , or throw its grateful shade over its devotees , and this seems to be the immutable law , of all conquests in the name of liberty ! In 1816 , Lieutenant General Gomes Freire d'Andrade , who greatly distinguished himself in

The History Of Freemasonry In Portugal,

Russia , and who was at Rousillon in the ranks of the Portuguese army , was named Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Lusitania , having previously been " Venerable " of Lodge " Virtude , " one of the most distinguished lodges , which had been established at Lisbon in 1812 .

In the following year , on the 18 tn October , Bro . Gomes Freire , perished on the gibbet within the walls of a military prison , and eleven of his confreres submitted to the same fate in the " Champ de St . Anne , " their bodies being

afterwards burnt , and their ashes thrown into the sea . May oblivion seize the names of their perfidous judges ( one of whom was a cousin of the general , and the other a priest of God ) , and may they meet with no more mercy than they accorded to their

unfortunate victims , and moi-e especially as one of them was a Mason , initiated in the same lodge as his victims , and who had received from his brethren nothing but kindness and distinction . To this day , tbe 18 th October is observed as a

day of mourning amongst the Freemasons of Portugal . To the offence of being a Mason was also attached the still greater crime of being a liberalist , and Gomes Freire was the noble martyr immolated , that liberty should burst forth with dazzling splendour after an interval of three years *

The executioners spared nothing to render more frightful the sufferings of the victims . Military honours were denied them , and those brave men , who had frequently faced death in honourable warfare , met their horrible fate at the hand of the hangman as degraded malefactors .

By the blessing of providence , the triangle , the emblem of Masonry , was the cross of this new Christianity , and it will for ever command the respect of all Masons . The ashes of the martyr aud those of his companions , which had been cast into

the sea , will be conveyed to distant shores to spread abroad peace and fraternity among Masons , wherever scattered over the world .

The death of their Grand Master , was a severe shock to Masomy iu Portugal . Nevertheless the devoted brothers , in defiance of the decree of the king , who thought himself more secure , after the massacre of the liberals , continued the regular