The Prayers Of The Craft.

obtain everlasting life , through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ the Ri ghteous . To whom with Thee , 0 Father ! and Thee 0 Holy Ghost ! be ascribed , as is most justly due , all Glory , Honour , Praise , Power , Mi g ht , Majest y , and Dominion , both now ancl for ever and ever . Amen . "

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

HEKALDIC BADGES . That I hold an opinion of my own on the claims of the Masonic Kni ghts of Malta , is apparent , incidentally , from a recent communication ; but as I desire to prove by investigation rather than argument , I only now allude to this opinion in order that

, whilst referring to the customs of the ori ginal Order of St . John , I may be understood to do so on archjeological grounds only . I proceed , then , to offer a few remarks iu compliance with the invitation of Bro . Haye at page 150 . I agree with Bro . Haye thafc the Grand Masters

of the Hospitallers quartered the arms of the Order ; gules ( not sable ) a plain cross argent . Examples of this occur on the splendid tombs of Giovanni di Valletta , L'Isle Adam , De la Cassiere and Nicolas Cotoner .

It does not so clearly appear in what manner the other grades of the Order were entitled to bear its armorial distinction ; though possibly a careful investigation of individual names mi ght enable some opinion to be formed . In one instance , that of the Prior Christian

Osterkauzen , I find the arms of the Order impaled . In one instance , that of Antoniua de llibas , I find the cross in the first quarter ; and in another case , that of Beon de Luxembourg , the cross appears in the fifth quarter . Out of 154 . examples , the shield of the family arms

of the Knight ( not containing the arms of the Order ) is placed upon an eight-pointed cross with the points extending from behind the shield , in no less than 119 cases . In 15 cases the shield is so placed , but bears the arms of the Order in chief . In 11 cases the arms of the Order are borne in chief

, simply . In six cases the tombs display the family arms _ only , or some other scul ptural design ; and the remaining three are those to which I have before referred .

I may append a few examples of each arrangement : — Shield of arms upon an eight-pointed cross . — Alexandre Benzio , Prior ; Fraucisci Carafe , Prior ; Jean de Fresnoy , Commander ; Henricus cle Chastelet 0 . ; Balduini BulartCAntonius Alifia

Anto-, , ; ; nitis de Pugefc . Cross in chief . —Perdinando Corio , 0 . ; Bonif ' acius de Puget , C . ; Franciscus de llicasolis , C . ; Joannes de Yintimille , C ; Franeiscum Habelam ; Francisco de Panizzes .

Cross in chief , and shield placed upon an eightpointed cross . — Eobin de Gravezon ; Franciscus de Cremaulx ; Bartolomeus Nieolai ; Antonio Lores ; Ludovico de St . Pol .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

From the remains of the Priory of Clerkenwell , of which the restorations were completed in 1504 ' , we find that the arms of the Grand Prior , Sir Thomas Docwra , are displayed with the cross in chief . In the existing branches of the ori g inal Order , the shields of Commanders and Knights of Justice are

augmented with the chief of the Order , placed ou the eight-pointed cross , and surrounded with the collar of beads with badge pendant . Those of Ladies , Knights of Grace , and Honorary Knights , are decorated with the collar and badge only ; and those of chaplains bear the badge pendant from a ribbon .

I have only met with one example of the collar of beads from the tombs at Malta , that of Franciscus Iressemanes . There is no doubt though that it was often displayed with the insignia of the Order . I am unable fully to appreciate the banners of the Masonic Maltese Order as described by the Grand Conclave of England in respect of the initials F . E . R . T . I know of no instance in which the motto " Fortitudo

ejus lihodum tenuit , has been used by the original Order ; indeed , it is at once evident that its construction is of individual application . It is well known to be an old motto of the Counts of Savoy , in allusion to the supposed exploits of Count Amadeus Y . against the Turks at Rhodes . These lettersalternated with love-knotsform the collar of

, , the Order of the Annunciation ( Sardinia ) , founded by Couut Amadeus VI ., of Savoy , the members of which are now chosen from amongst the Knights of St . Maurice and St . Lazarus , ancl from the ancientnobility . I regret thatowing to change of residencemy

, , books and manuscri p ts are mostly packed away , but I think I am right in saying from memory that the Abbe Vertot , the great historian of the Hospitallers , repudiates the claim of Amadeus V . to the exploits in which the motto is said to have ori g inated . My impressiontoois thafc another explanation has been

, , given of the letters F . E . B . T ., and that they have been shewn to have been used hefore the fall of Rhodes in 1522 . I believe I have notes on the subject , but they are not accessible to me without unpacking cases of books .

And now a word as to the decorations used b y the Masonic Templars , upon which the commission under the treaties of convention with Scotland and Ireland will have the difficult duty to decide . The jewel used by the Scottish Templars is an eightpointed cross of black enamel , bordered with a white orle , and charged with a cross pat-tee of red enamel

, the whole surmounted by a Grand Master ' s crown . This is a handsome jewel , and I am told , was at one time worn by the English Templars also . An early jewel of the Baldwin Encampment , Bristol , of which a specimen was kindly lent me by Dr . Bryant , the Provincial Grand Commander , consists of a silver

eight-pointed cross , engraved with emblems of the Templars on the one side , and of the high degrees on the other ; this was a very excellent jewel , and being worn gilt b y Commanders and higher dignitaries , was at once simple and distinctive . The jewel worn by the English Templarswhichever it may have been

, , was discarded some years since in favour of the cross belonging to the Ordre du Temple of France , a white enamelled cross of eight points charged with a cross pat-tee of red enamel , and surmounted by a