Masonic Notes And Queries.

derived from free stone , or from any Greek , Hebrew , or Coptic word . Leland , indeed , suggests " Freres Maoous , " but gives no authority for such a change of words . I mentioned in my last communication that the earliest references to operative Masons are to be

found in Latin , in fabric rolls , exchequer rolls , wardrobe books , and monastic registers . The earliest name of all , perhaps , given to them is " artifices , " sometimes " operarii , " then " cemenfcarii , " " latomi , or lathomi . "

We hear of the " cemeutarii" iu the Liber G-avderobro Edwardi Primi , " A . D . 1290 , aud of "latomi" in a record of the York Chapter of 1410 , where we read of an allowance made " mutilato latomo , " and of " magister latomus et guardiani et majores latomi . " In 1415 iu the same recordswe read of " lathomi

, , ceu cemeutarii . " It is , however , not a little remarkable that , as early as 1370 , the English word " masonns " is found in au order for the regulation of the operative masonus in the York fabric rolls , which is all in English , though headed " Ordinacio Cementariorum . " Thus the use of the word " masonn " so

early , together with its variation , " masouu , " " massoun , " the words " magonry , " and " macjonerye , " and such constant expressions as "le loge , " "William le Masouu , " all point to the Norman French and then Latin as their actual derivation . * * In the

latter part of the loth century , the word mason , as we have it now , had come into very common use . The use of the compound word free mason has not been traced to an earlier date so far thau 1435 . Some writers seem to wish to limit its recognised use to the revival of Masonry " , in 1715 , but such an assertion is altogether untenable .

That the word free mason was in use long before the revival and applied to tbe operative order admits of no doubt , aud , indeed , of no question , I have not the slightest doubt myself that it points to the connection of Masons with the operative guilds . Operative guilds of Masons existed among the Bomansand

, were introduced by them into this country . Hence Sir F . Palnrave says , " Each city contained various colleges , companies , or guilds of traders or artificers ; and , if I were a Freemason , which I am not , I should perhaps be able to ascertain whether the Lodge of Antiquity at York is , as the members of the Craft

pretend , a real scion from the Bomau stock subsisting : through so many changes . " Vitruvius , tbe great Itoman architect , complains that the members of the building college , or sodality , in his days would not admit strangers into their order , but would only train up their own children or relatives to assist them .

There were guilds also in the Anglo-Saxon times , aud Atlielstan , whom we claim as a patron , was the donor of many charters to the operative guilds or companies in England . The use of the word Free Mason occurs at a time when the guilds wero at their zenith in this country ,

aud I see , therefore , no reason to change the opinion : I have already ventured to put forward , after mature j consideration , that the word Freemason means simply j a Mason , free of his guild , a free man , a member of j the grand assembl y , in former days exempt from i

the service and burdens of the " serfs " and " villain ' around him , because a member of the ancient and free guild of operative Masons . —A MASONIC STUDENT .

" CENTEXAKIES " IN 1 S 69 AND " NOTA . " Whilst thanking "Nota" for directing tho attention of your readers to tho Centenary Lodges of 1869 , I must beg- to question the number ho states that will be entitled to that hemouv . "Nota" says there will be nine in London and three in the provinces who can claim that privilege during the

year ensuing . I make ib only four . By reference to tbe Grand Lodge Calendar , it will be seen that the only lodges stated to have been founded A . D . 1769 are the undermentioned : — 183 , Lodge of Unity , London Tavern , Bishopsgatosfcrect , Loudon . 1 S 7 Royal SussexFreemasons' HallBristol .

, , , 1 S 9 , Lodge of Sincerity , St . George ' s Hall , Stonehouse , Plymouth . " 191 , Lodge of St . John , Queen ' s Hotel , Bury . Hence there will only be one London lodge and three country lodges that can claim the centenary iewel in

1869 . Nos . 184 , 185 , 186 , 188 , 190 , 192 , 193 , and 194 are not , so far as I know , able to produce warrants of anything like so early a date , but approximating nearer to 1780 or 1790 . The explanation of which apparent paradox I CBke to be , owing to the Articles of Union of 1 S 13 having provided for the lodges under the respective Grand Lodges to rank alternately . Hence the last quoted

lodges , having been granted under the "Ancients , " or Athol Grand Lodge , have a higher number accorded them than , their ago alone could have demanded . No lodge under the " Ancients" being of an older date thau about 1740 , while under the "Modern" ( so called , but really the Ancients ) , many possessed warrants of much earlier dates ; e . g .. No . 13 and 5 ai-e not nearly so old as

, , No . 2 , 4 , and 6 . No- 1 was not formed until A-D . 1759 , while the Ancient Lodge of Antiquity , No . 2 , was actually in existence long before the Grand Lodge itself of 1717 . To make sure , I have searched for No . 191 , Bury , in the regular Calendar for A . D . 1810 , but it is not there , but in Ah . im . aii Itczon of the Seceders , A . D . 1807 , it is inserted , and so no doubt with the others . —W . J . Hv & nxx .

THE SCOTCH D W . V . BUCHAN AND THE SCOT D . M . LYON . As Bro . Buchan evidently prefers his own ipse dixit relative to tbe use of the words— " Scotchman" and " Scotsman , " and characterizes all as bad besides , I think Bro . Lyon should not waste his precious time in writing another so complete an answer to Bro . Buchau ' s would-bo criticism as his last . To use an old saying—¦

" It's like throwing water on a duck's buck . " For what is all that Bro- Lyon has said , and of what value can the groat names quoted Iiy him possibly bo . when put side by side with Bro . Buelian ' s autlioratntive drs' / nisition on Scotch orthography ? Simply as Vanity . ' Brethren , let us throw our dictionaries in tho fire , and burn out- well-thumbed volumes of Bros . Burns' and Scotts' works , for they are wrong . Lyon is wrong-, and we are all wrong ; but , Bro . Buchan , -words , wdfacts , shall bo our motto . —Biis : N ' ON VERBA .

Our . jewels in' ovnumonts imply that v .-o try our affections In - justice , imd oar actions by truth ; in the square tries tin ; workmanship of t ! iu mechanic , so we regard our nertal st . it .-, whether din'nilicd by titb'S or nut , whether it be opulent or indigent . In inlirmities , maladies , and wants all mankind are on n level . . Nature , has : i-ivcii us no superiorities but . 'Voin wi-doui and virtue which constitute superiorit from such maxims we

y . make estimates ol' our brethren , when Ins calamities call for counsel niul our -aid . The works of charity are from sympathetic feelings , ami benevolence acts without respect of persons in dividing what she gives . The emblems of -Jiese sentiments is another of the jewels of our institution .