Mother Kilwinning.

and at the renewal of the Canongate Kilwinning charter in June , 1736 , the precise words , " receive , enter , and pass , " are employed to denote the extent of the privilege conferred by it ; but on the next recorded occasion of granting a charter , the terms now in use to denote the giving of the three craft degrees are adoptedas we shall presently show .

, By petition of date Jan . IS , 1738 , presented to Mother Kilwinning by Sir "William Maxwell of Calderwood , Master , his son Jo ., and two Wardens , a charter is craved on behalf of the then existing Lodge of East Kilbride to enable them " to enter , pass , and raise" members to their lodge , —Avhich petition having ,

on the Sth of the following month , come under the consideration of a pro re nata meeting , it was resolved to grant the desire thereof , and erect " him ( Sir William ) and others his associates into a ffree lodge under the name and Denomination of the Lodge of East Kilbryde , comprehending the parishes of

Easter Kilbryde , Cambusland , Carmunnock , and Blantyre . Depending upon and as parts and pendicles of this Lodge . . . ancl appoint a charter to be draAvn up accordingly , written on parchment , signed by the said Eight Worshipful Master ( Sir David Cunninghame of Corsehill ) and the two "Wardensand

, such others as can be conveniently got . " The petitions for charters which follow that just noticed pray in general terms to be erected into a lodge , and the charters granted define in the same general way the privileges they confer .

Among the lodges known to have been erected by Mother Kilwinning , but whose constitution does not appear to have been recorded in the books of the parent lodge , stands that of the Kilmarnock—a lodge closely identified with the history of the unfortunate "William Earl of Kilmarnockwho suffered

decapita-, tion for the part he took in the rebellion in 1745 , and associated also in some degree with the Masonic life of Coila ' s Bard , Avhose prayer for its prosperity has made it to be knoAvn and read of in every region of the earth : —

Avithin this dear mansion , may wayward contention , Or withered envy ne'er enter , May secrecy round , be tbe mystical bound , And brotherly love be the centre . " At Kilwinning are still preserved the petition of Lord Kilmarnock for a charter of erection for a Mason lodge at Kilmarnockand a letter conveying to the

, Mother Lodge the thanks of his lordship and others for their personal attendance at Kilmarnock for the purpose of constituting the new lodge . Copies of these documents we append ; and through the courtesy of the worshipful the Master of No . 22 ( Bro . John SteA * enwriter ) Ave are enabled also to present a

A'er-, , batim - copy of the original charter granted to that lodge : it is written upon seven folio pages of thick foolscap paper , and to all intents and purposes marks the Lodge of Kilmarnock as having originally been a purely operative one . " Petition—Masons of Kilmarnock to the Lodge of

Kilwinning : 1734 . " To the honourable Master & "Wardens of the right worshipful and most ancient Lodge of Kilwinning . " The petition of the Masons in and about the toun of Kilmarnock subscribing "Humbly Sheweth "That we being Masons belonging to the said Worshipful and most ancient Lodge of Kilwinning ,

are at great loss by our distance from the seat of the said lodge in not getting Cultivate in due manner the ends and purposes of masonrie , nor keeping useful correspondence in a regular lodge , — " May it therefore please the honourable Masters and "Wardens of the Said right Avorshipful and most ancient lod

ge to Constitute a lodge in the toun of Kilmarnock , with such liberties and priviledges as in . your wisdoms shall be thought fitt to the intent above mentioned , Depending always on the Said , worshipful and most ancient lodge of Kilwinning , and your petioners shall ever pray .

" Kilmarnock . Eo : Paterson "Will : Park Eobert Hunter Hugh Ker Patrick Smith " Wm . Hunter Eobert Parker Edward Kerr Francis LaAvson John Calls . "

The petitioners designate themselves as belonging to the Kilwinning Lodge . Possibly some or all of them may have been made Masons by individual members of thai lodge resident in the town of Kilmarnock ; but it is questionable Avhether their names had been regularly " buiket ; " for it is seven years

after the constitution of the Kilmarnock Lodge that Ave find the Earl of Kilmarnock ' " created a member of the Lodge of Kilwinning . " The charter issued in response to the prayer of "Kilmarnock ' s " petition is as follows : — " At Kilwinning the 14 th day of Novr . 1734 .

" The Statuts ancl Ordienances to be observed be the Master Massons in the Toun and Parosh off Kilmarnock , sett doun be Dicken , "Wardan , and Masters of Craft belonging to the Lodg of Killwinning , ar as follows :

" Item That they observe and keep all the good ordienances sett doun oft and before concerning the priviledgesofftker Craft be there Predissesors of Good Memorie , " And Specalie " That they be true to on anoather and live

Charitablie togather as becom ' s true breatheren and Copartenars off Craft . "Item That they be obedient to there dickens , Avardans , and Masters in all things Concerning there Craft . " It . That they be honest , faithfull , and dilligent in

there Callings and deall uprightly with the Masters and ouners of the work that they shall take upon hand , be it task mett or file or Aveekly wedges . " It . That non take upon hand any work great or small which he is not able to performe , under the paine of fourtie pound Scotsor els the fourth peart

, of the worth of the Avork , and that by and Attoure an Condigne amends and satiesfaction to be made to the ouner of the work at the Sight and discreation of the dicken and wardan , or in case of absence to two or three masters of the Lodge . " It . That no Master Shall take another Masters

Avork over his head affter that the first master his aggreed Avith the ouner of the work eather be Contract or be verball Condition , under the pain of fourtie pound Scots . " It . That no Master Shall take the working of any Avork that other Masters his Avrought at before till the time that the first Avorker be satiesfied for the work they have Avrought , under the pain forsaid .