Templar Funeral Service.

pleases them to continue so doing—why in won't hurt us , or Freemasonry either . ] ANCIENT EREEMASONRT . " J . J . E ., P . M . 77 , " writes : — "A friend has furnished me with the following copy of a MS . ( modernised ) taken from the oriinalwhich is in the

g , Bodleian Library , in the handwriting of King Henry VI ., on Masonry , about the 14 th or loth century . " Will "J . J . E . 's " friend kindly furnish a clue to the collection , in the Bodleian , where this MS ., in the handwriting of King Ilenry VI , alowl the 14-th or 15 tk century , is to be found ? It looks very like

another version of the spurious Locke MS ., and it certainly is not made any clearer by "J . J . E . ' s " statement that the King wrote it about the 14 th or 15 th century , lleury VI . reigned from 1422—61 . He might have written it in the fifteenth century , but certainly could not have done so in the 14 th , seeing he was not born at its expiration . —MATTHEW COOKE .

_ The note of "J . J . E ., P . M . 77 , " relative to " Ancient Freemasonry , " and to the modernised copy of a MS . furnished him by a friend , has taken me to my own collection on the subject . Sometime back I turned my attention to the question of this MS ., which is mentioned in all Masonic works , but could

find nothing certain or satisfactory . I applied among others to the sub-librarian of the Bodleian Library , the Eev . Alfred Nachman , who thus writes in reply : — " I believe that the MS . on Masonry , said to have been transcribed by Leland , is a myth . " I remember Dr . Bandinel making thorough search for it to no

purpose , and he seldom gave a case up till it was hopeless . The tract in the " Gentleman's Magazine " purports to be printed from a small pamphlet published at Frankfort iu 17-1-8 . I much suspect the truth even of that . At least I can find no trace of

it m any German bibliographical work . In Hudderford's " Life of Leland , " mention is made of the MS ., in these words : — " It also appears that an aucient MS . of Leland ' s , has long remained in the Bodleian ; but no reference is giveu , and in the appendix the tract is reprinted from the " Gentleman ' s Magazine . " I should be gladthereforeif the

, , friend of " J . J . E . " would give me a reference to the original from which he has taken the modernised copy , and which is still , he tells us , in the Bodleian library , in the haudwriting of Henry VI ., about tlie 14 th aud 15 th century . If this statement is correct the value of the document can be soon settled . I

confess that I have the greatest doubts as to the genuineness of the supposed MS ., and can only regard it as'the " pious fraud" of some well meaning , but mistaken , brother in former days . —A . F . A . WOOHEORD , E . G ., Svvellington , Leeds , March 7 , 1 SG 4 .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

The Editor U not responsihU for the opinions expressed by Correspondents , A MODEST EEQTJEST . 10 IH . E EOTTOE OE THE EPEESASOITS' MAGAZIKE A ! TD MASONIC JIIKROE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —AS I understand the direct sanction of the M . W . the Grand Master to your insertion of reports of Masonic proceedings in Craft Lodges , furnished you by your regular and

acknowledged correspondents , is limited to the extent that the lodge shall not , as a lodge , have declared against the publication of any of its proceedings , I wish you clearly to understand the position in which you now stand with the Glamorgan Lodge ( No . 36 ) . Be it known , then , to yourself and to the Masonic

world , that the official communication which appeared in your last week ' s MAGAZINE under the heading " A Modest Eequest , " was the ( illegitimate ) offspring of a lodge composed , besides the W . M . and Past Mastersof ONE officer and EIVE members . I trust ,

, therefore , that the expression of such a " hope , " said to be that of " the W . M ., Officers , and brethren , " will have its due weight , particularly when I inform you that at the next meeting a proposition will be made to the effect that the minutes of the former

crowded lodge be not confirmed , the debate upon which , should an assembly worthy the name of a lodge take place , I will communicate . One word in reference to a comment I have heard upon the apparently discourteous reply vouchsafed

this weighty communication , and that will be to express an opinion , by no means singular , that you only obeyed the dictates of our grandest parallel , and answered a foolish request " according to its folly . " Yours truly aud fraternally , A CORRESPONDENT . Cardiff , 7 th March , 1864 .

TO TFIE EDITOE OF THE PHEE 3 IASOX 8 ' 3 UGAZIXE AXD MASOHIC MIKEOE . SIR AND BROTHER , —As an old and perfectly independent member of Lodge 43 , although not fond of rushing into print , allow me to assure you and your readers that the sentiments conveyed in the " Modest Eequest" of our Secretary last week , do not at all

represent the feeling ofmyself , or , I believe , of a majority of the brethren , but are only the opinions of a small body , who have for the last few years been doing everything likely to destroy good feeling iu the lodge , to whom , however , we are indebted for the flourishing

Bute Lodge , aud whose mouthpiece our " absent " Secretary was made . Let us hope that during his mastership next year things will take a turn , as I am sure , if he does not sell himself to a clique , he will be able to do much to save the lodge .

I have not been a regular attendant at the lodge lately , but am given to understand , upon good authority , that the reports you have inserted , by whomsoever written , have contained only an accurate account of the proceedings ; and that one of the opponents of the Masonic press has admitted , in open lodge , that they

certainly have steered very close to the wind . I trust , therefor ? , you will not take the " Modest Eequest " of tbe Secretary as the ultimatum of the lodge , but wait for a resolution passed by a majority assembled in something like a large lodge . Yours truly and fraternally , AN ENEIIX OE MASONIC CLIQUES . Cardiff , Sth March , 18 G 4 .