The Canongate Kilwinning,

THE CANONGATE KILWINNING ,

LONDON , SATURDAY , STARCH 16 , 1867 .

BY ANTHONY O'NEAL HAYE , THE POET LAUREATE . CHAPTER FIRST . The origin of the Lodge , and conjectures as to the date of its institution .

CAKTOJXGATE , KiLwixxncG . { From a Photograph ) . I purpose writing an account of this ancient and noble Lodge , one as famous for lier vicissitudes of fortune , as for tiie brilliant and celebrated men whom she calls her sons . In neither of these

characters has she a rival ; for Avhile her lot has been to suffer greater misfortunes than any other Lodge , her roll of members is one that no other society can equal . The greatest men of the past and present centuries have belonged to her ; and

while Burns , and Hogg , the Efctrick Shepherd , Avere her Laureates , St . Clair of Eoslin , Mackenzie , Monboddo , and Harry Erskine , Avere among her officers , and an Emperor of Eussia Avas brought to the Light in her halls . In the present day

Lord Brougham is a member , and the late Professor Aytoun was a P . M . It is a great subject to treat of , and luckily for my success in the task , the materials are most ample . At the beginning of last century the Lodge

numbered among its members the foremost noblemen aud gentlemen of Scotland who Avere devoted to the Stewart cause . The unsuccessful rising in

1715 , sent those who had escaped death on the battle-field , to the Hanoverian shambles , or into exile 5 and during the confusion attendant on these times , the Avhole early records of the Lodge were lost or destroyed , and no trace can now be found

of them . At length the survivors , a few but trusty band , met , and resumed the meetings of the Lodge , and , on the 13 th February , 173-5 , the minutes are again engrossed , when a committee is appointed to prepare Bye Laws . The loss of

the Lodo-e documents leaves tis in the dark o regarding the real year of foundation of the Lodge , but from the following Minute Ave can form an idea , — " Cannongate , 16 th Feby . 1736 . AM 5736 .

The Lodge having mett occasionally , being duely formed , The Eight Worshipfull named the following Committee to meet upon Munday next , at 6 o'Clock , in the Lodge room , there to inspect the accompts of William Montgomerie , the

Stewart , viz ., Thomas Trotter , Treasurer ; Eobert Blesset , Deputy Master ; David Home , Senr . Warden : Francis Kemptie and Alexander

Lindsay , FelloAV Crafts ; Humphrey Colquhoun and John Oswald , entered apprentices ; That the said accompts maybe audited bythe foresaid Committee , and laid before the Lodge the next monthly meeting . Ls ALSO , it was moved by the Eight

Worshipfull , That there was transmitted to him by the hands of Peter Montgomerie , Esq ., the present Eight Worshipfull Master of Our Antient Mother Lodge of and at Kilwinning , a petition or application signed by the Free Masons in the

Cannongate Lodge of Edinburgh , dated the 6 th day of December 1677 years , with a deliverance thereon , dated att Kilwinning the 20 th of December said year , whereof the Tenor follows :

To the Eight Worshipfull the Master of the Antient Lodge of and at Kilwinning , the humble petition of the Free Masons in the Cannongate of Edinburgh , Avritten the 6 th day of December 1677 , and signed by them . Eight Worshipfull , and

the worthy Brethren of the said Lodge , we had your answer by our truly and Avorthy Brother , William Cochran , and having considered the proposals contained therein , and find them very consonant Avith reason , so Avee send you our

worthy Brother , Thomas Gib , with power to him to present this , our said petition , humbly craving that as we are part of the company belonging to Kilivinning Lodge , your Worship , and the other Members of the said Lodge , would authorise to