History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN CORNWALL .

LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBER 13 , 1866 .

By > b Bro . "WILLIAM JAMES HUGIIAK , 18 ° , & c , ( Continued from page 26 S . )

We have searched in various " Books of Constitutions " from 1723 to 17 ( 39 , but cannot discover any authority for hanging the Master ' s and Wardens ' jewels to gold lace . The subject of clothing or regalia is not mentioned in the " Constitutions " of 1723 but in the edition of 1756 , by the Rev John

, Entick , M . A ., we are informed that on " March 17 . , 1730-1 , Masters and Wardens of particular lodges may line their white leather aprons with Avhite silk , and may hang their jeAvels at white ribbons about their necks" ( page 311 ) . This resolution of Grand

Lodge is recorded in Scott ' s edition of the " Constitutions , " 1759 , verbatim . In reference to the "handsome red ribbon , " the lodge must have considered that the article on Stewards of Grand Lodge applied to the individual lodges also , and assuredly

the appearance of the members so decorated must have been most pleasing to all . " On March 17 , 1730-1 , the Stewards for the year were alloAved to have jewels of silver ( though not gilded ) pendant to red ribbons about their necks , to bear white rods ,

and to line their white leather aprons with red silk " ( Book of Constitutions , 1756 , page 305 ) . This is the first time that mention is made of

summonses being sent to the members . It would appear from the 4 th minute that the aprons were all white leather for the Master , Wardens , and brethren , with the distinction of " white lining " for the three principal officers , and being bound round with white silk , and lined with red silk for the

Stewards . " If so , the lodges of the present day under the Grand Lodge of Scotland have as much authority for allowing their members to Avear the different bindings to their aprons for distinguishing each , as those under the Grand Lodge of England have to

uniformly bind their aprons with blue , and both have departed from the ancient custom of having white aprons only . Tlie words " proposed themselA r es" frequently occur , and refers to the desire of the possessor of one

degree wishing promotion to the next , Avhich custom is still observed in spirit up to the present time . The arms of a Ereemason in 1752 were of a very different nature to those adopted , and retained by the " United Grand Lodge of England . " The ancient

arms " are to be found in the frontispiece to the "Book of Constitutions" for the use of the lodges "in the vulgar year of Masonry 5756 , " . D . 1756 ,

and are also contained in the admirable chart entitled the " Stream of English Masonry , " by Bro . Dr . John Pearson Bell , which we favourably noticed in the EESEJIASOH ' S' MAGAZINE of September 22 nd , 1866 . On April 9 th , 1752 , "Brother Simon brought the seal to the lodge . Ordered the Treasurer to pay him

two guineas . " Eor the information of such of our brethren who are tallow chandlers , we may state that the Treasurer paid one pound three shillings for the candles previously referred to ; and whilst on the topic of

expenses , we observe that Brother Meluss Avas paid twelve shillings for the Treasurer ' s jewel , aud that the Treasurer Avas ordered on the 30 th of April to pay Brother John Williams , the Tyler , 7 shillings weekly during his illness , until further orders . All honour to our brethren of Falmouth for looking so carefully and generously after the wants

of the Tyler during his illness . We are of the opinion that the services of a trustAvorthy and honest Outer Guard cannot be too highly valued , and should such an one ' s circumstances become altered for the Averse , and sickness occur , he is a legitimate annuitant of the lodge he tyled . We feel glad in stating that

Bro . Williams soon recovered , and was enabled to attend the next festival to return thanks for the practical benevolence of the Love and Honour Lodge . April 30 , 1752 , the Secretary was " ordered to write to the Grand Secretary to thank the G . M . for

constituting our brethren at Helstone into a regular lodge . " We intend referring to this lodge at the proper time , and content ourselves UOAV by simply stating that it did not continue very long in acti \ -ity , although subsequently it Avas resuscitated , and is in existence now , only with a latter charter of constitution .

The next minute that occurs of special import is dated May 28 , 1752 . " This day the Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull Lord Carysfort , our Grand Master ' s deputation to our Brother Wm . Pye , Esq ., appointing him ProA'incial Grand Master for the county of Cornwall was read , and the thanks of

the lodge was ordered to be returned to the Grand Master and the rest of the Grand Officers for the honour conferred ou us . " The first Provincial Grand Master was appointed in 1726 , and up to this time , including Brother

William Pye , Esq ., there had been nearly forty of such deputations granted . "The jeAvels , collars , and ribbons that Avere sent for from London , were this day brought to the lodge as Avere also the officers' aprons . " It was also

" unanimously agreed that every brother proposing any person shall deposit ten shillings and sixpence , which ten shillings and sixpence shall be forfeited i f he does not attend the lodge at the time proposed ,