Masonic Facts.

John de Byssopesdon , Chivaler , de une part e Will ' JETeose . Masoune , John de Pesham de Roventon de autre p't , & c . " They bound themselves to finish the work Avithin one year , and Sir John was to pay 25 marks for the whole of the work , at two equal instalments—equivalent to £ 200 present money .

The Hall was to be 40 ft . in length ; ISft . wide ; the end walls 3-g-fb . thick , and the back and front walls 2 | ft . thick . Sir John was to lead the stone , find timber , carpentering , sand and lime . 137 . John de Ditton , Clerk , was Keeper of the Works at Westminster Palaceand the Tower of

, London in 1319 . —Britton ' s Arch . Dictionary , p . 132 . 138 . In Leland's Collectanea , vol . i ., p . 249 , occurs the following respecting Henry the Stone-cutter ( see 126 ) . "Hoc anno 1319 , obitt H . Latomus , qui sub Johanne Abbate de Evesham aulam abbathias

artificiose compusuit . " 139 . The Cloisters of Norwich were commenced in 1297 by by Bishop Ralph de Walpole ( as recorded in an inscription on a stone fixed in the wall ) under the direction and superintendence of Richard do Vjjpenhall . —Britton ' s Cathedrals .

140 . William Boyden erected the Chapel of the Virgin , Sb . Alban ' s Abbey , between 130 S-26 . —Account of St Alban ' s Abbey Church , by the Society of Antiquaries . 141 . Roll 13 , Edward 2 nd , 1320 , Westminster . John de S-adewellmasonfor 35 days ( October 1 st

, , to November 20 th ) , 17 s . 6 d . ; John Est , mason , 13 s . Gd . To John le Tnler , tiler , working about the Penthouse , lohich is for the lodging of the masons , in the hostelry , i . e . astellaria , and about that penthouse which is beyond the vice * above the slating of the

new chapel towards the little hall , about the chandlery , and about various other defects in different houses within the Palace , for 17 days 5 d . per day , within the same time , 7 s . Id . Adam SCIOAV , masons' assistant , 12 days at D \ d ' . 3 s . Gd ,

John de Pabenham , ditto , 23 days , at 3 d ., 5 s . 9 d . Eor two bollis ( bowls ) , for the use of the masons and tiler , 5 d . —Brayley and Britton ' s Anc . Balaee of Westminster .

142 . Alan de Walsingham ,. sub-prior of Ely in 1321 , sacrist , soon afterwards , and Prior in 1341 . He laid the foundation of St . Mary ' s Chapel , Ely Cathedral , for which he is supposed to have furnished designs . Ta-. Lelando Collectanea ( ed . 1774 , ii ., 604 ) , Walsingham is styled " vir venerabilis et artificiosus frater . " Walsingham ' s most celebrated work is , however , the central or louvre tower of Ely Cathedral , completed in 132 S .

142 . In the Caenarvon Castle Rolls , the following entries occur : — 1317 . Excavators , layers , masons , and carpenters , are mentioned , and amongst the incidental expenses is an item . " Eor lyne corde bought for measuring the stonesGd .

, 1321 . There is a charge for a man blowing a horn , for nine weeks , at a Id . per week , to call the men to their work ; also 2 s . Gd . for straw to cover the Masons ' Lodge .

143 . The magnificent Abbey church of St . Ouen Rouen , commenced in 131 S . It is not known -who designed this master piece of Gothic Art . It was completed , however , by Alexandre de Berneval , who died in 1440 , and was buried in the edifice , with an inscri ption on his tomb , of which the following is a copy :-

" Cy gist M Alexandre de Berneval , Maistre des ceuvres de Messonnerie au Baillage de Rouen et cette Eglise , qui trepassa a l'an de grace 1440 , le 5 Janiver . —Hist . Abb . Roy . de St . Ouen , Lib . ii ., p . 197 . In one of the chapels on the north side of the choir there is an incised slabwith a portraiture of the

, architect of the earlier portion of the church . The upper part only is distinct ( Eig . 44 ) , the inscription is effaced , and the name has not been ascertained .

Professor Willis considers the instrument seen in the left hand to be a mitre square , a drawing instrument to lay doAvn an angle of 45 degrees and also a right angle if its rectangular edges are used . The additional lines on the upper part qualify it for a protractor , to lay down different angles , possibly the polygons , which the masons frequently required .

The above instrument appears to have been adapted for the Angles of Polygons of 5 , 6 7 and S sides . Professor Wills has seen no other representation of this instrument . —Archaoloqical Jour ., vol . 7 , p . 390 and p . 401 . 144 . The Cathedral of Bourgeswas erected in its

, present form about 1324 . Eigs . 45 and 46 represent masons at work , and are taken from the the windows of the cathedral . In Eig . 45 there are four masons engaged , the one on the right hand is carrying a stone on his back , to the two men who are erecting the towerone of them

, has a plumb rule in his hand and the other a trowel . The man on the left , has got a heavy setting maul over his right shoulder and something like a 24 in . gauge in his left hand . Eig . 46 represents a mason hewing a section of a pillar , the stone resting on a roller ; in front of him is

a straight edge or rule , and behind is a square . The back of the tool which he is using is notched or jagged . 145 . A York Master Mason ' s Will . —Die decoll , St . John , 1322 . Magister Simon le Masonn , cementarius . Sep . in navi majoris Eccl . Ebor . Lego ,

20 s ., ad opus dietaj Eeclesias . Yolo quod porcus expendatur die sepulturae mem in convocacione vieinorum . Lego x marcas argenti ad celebrandum pro anima mea , etc . Lego omnibus cementariis operantibus in Alstar dimidium Yolo quod Willelmus de Dalby vendat lapides marmoreos pro

tumbis . Alicise uxori mere , acram terras in Bontham reddendo inde unam rosam tempore rosarum . —TorJc Fabric Rolls , published by Surfcees Society , p . 207 . 146 . In the Liberate Roll of 11 , Edward I ., there is a payment of expenses incurred by the Sheriff of Rutland in sending twenty expert masons and their

foreman , by the king ' s command , to assist in the building of Conway Castle . —Archmoloqieal Journal , vol . vii ., p . 237 . 147 . Tbe Collegiate Church of St . Sepulchre at Paris , begun in 1326 , and finished so as to have mass said in it in 1327 by Guerin de Loreignes , whose name Ave discover in an inscription above the portal ,