Masonic Notes And Queries.

brethren had a right to retain unauthorised possession of the property of a brother Mason , directed St . jSTathalan's Lodge to be communicated with about restoring the said Diploma to its legitimate owner . After some correspondence it was transmitted to the Grand Lodge , arid exhibited to the members thereof at this communication , when the Most AVorshipful the Grand Master directed that it should be returned to Marshal Soult , through the Marquess of IS . ormaribythe British Ambassador at Paris ; and the

, Marshal ' s letter of acknowledgment transmitted to the Lodge St . JSfathalan , Tullich-in-Mar , for preservation in its archives , as a far more valuable memorial of a distinguished brother than the possession of his Diploma could be . * CLAIRVOYANCE AND MASONRY . I was introduced to a clairvoyant , and as he was a celebrated impostor , ready to answer any and everything , I

put but three questions to him , —I . Could he see into a lodge of Freemasons , then actually being held and the hour about seven , with several third degrees to be taken , as the summons told me whicli I had in my pocket , and he declared he could— " Well ! what can you see ?"— " Oh ! many gentlemen assembled in dresses , smoking cigars and passing the wine . " This I knew to be false : banquet was ordered at

eight . Question II . "Are any of them sitting with their hats on ? " " Ho could not distinguish ; they had some covering for their heads . " Question III . "AVhat did the principal man in the lodge wear ? " " He had on an elegant robe , and wore a sword and spurs . " Upon receiving these answers I took my leave , communicating to one of the interested parties that the whole affair was an imnosition . —H . E . V ..

THE LATE EEV . STEPHEN ISAACSON . I shall be much obliged to any reader of THE FREEMASONS MAGAZINE who will inform me when , and where , the late Rev . Stephen Isaacson , A . M ., of Christ ' s College , Cambridge , was initiated , and to what degree he afterwards attained . —TAU .

DEATH OE OUR ILLUSTRIOUS BRO . WILLIAM THE THIRD . Macaulay , in the recently published fifth volume of his History of England , thus describes the death of our illustrious Bro . King William the Third . —BRO . PETEE . On the 20 th February , AA'illiam was ambling on a favourite horse , named Sorrel , through the park of Hampton Court . He urged his horse to strike into a gallop just at the spot where a mole

£ been at work . Sorrel stumbled on the mole-hill and went down on his knees . The King fell off , and broke his collar bone . The bone was set , and he returned to Kensington , in his coach , The jolting of the rough roads of that time made it necessary to reduce the fracture again . To a young and vigorous man such an accident would have been a triiie . Hut the frame of AA'illiam was not in a condition to bear even the slihtest shock . He felt that his time was

g was short , and grieved , with a grief , such as only noble spirits feel , to think that he must leave his work but half finished , It was possible that he might still live until one of his plans should be carried into execution . He had long known that the relation in which England and Scotlandstood to each other was at best precarious , and often unfriendly , and that it might be doubted whether , in an estimate of the Britishpower , the resources of the smaller country ought not to be

deducedfrom those of the larger . Recent events had proved that withoutdoubt , the two kingdoms could not possibly continue for another year to be on the terms on which they had been during the preceding century , and that there must be between them either absolute union or deadly enmity . Their enmity would bring frightful calamities , not on themselves alone , but on all the civilized world . Their union would be the best security for the prosperity of both , for the internal tranquillity of the islandfor the just balance of

, power among European states , and for the immunities of all Protestant countries . On the 28 th of February , the Commons listened with uncovered heads to the last message that bore William's sign manual . An unhappy accident , he told them , had forced him to make to them in writing a communication whicli he would gladly have made , from the throne . He had in the first year of his reign , expressed his desire to see an union accomplished between England

and Scotland . He was convinced that nothing could more conduce to the safety and happiness oi' both . He should think it his peculiarfelicity it ; before the close of his reign , some happy expedient could be devised for making the two kingdoms one ; and he , in the most earnest manner , recommended the question to the consideration of of the Houses . It was resolved that the message should be taken into consideration on Saturday the 7 th of March .

But on the 1 st of March humours of menacing appearance showed themselves in the King's knee . On the < tth of March * he was attacked by fever ; on the Sth his strength failed greatly ; and on the Gth he was scarcely kept alive by cordials . The Abjuration Bill and a money bill were awaiting his assent . That assent he felt that he should not be able to give in person . He therefore ordered a commission to be prepared tor his signature . His hand was now too weak to form the letters of his nameancl it was suggested that

, a stamp should be prepared . On the 7 th of March the stamp was ready . The Lord Keeper and the clerks of the Parliament came , according to usage , to witness the signing of the commission . But they were detained some hours in the ante-chamber while he was in one of the paroxysms of his malady . Meanwhile the Houses were sitting . It was Saturday the 7 th , the day on which the Commons had resolved to take into consideration the question of

the union with Scotland . But the subject was not mentioned . It was known that the King had but a few hours to live ; and the members asked each other anxiously whether it was likely that the Abjuration ancl money bills would be passed before he died . After sitting long in the expectation of a message , the Commons adjourned till six in the afternoon . By that time AA'illiam had recovered himself sufficiently to put the stamp on the parchment which authorised his Commissioners to act for him . In the evening , when the House

had assembled , Black Rod knocked . The Commons were summoned to the bar of the Lords ; the commission was read , the Abjuration Bill and the Money Bill became laws , ancl both Houses adjourned till nine o'clock in the morning of the following day . The following day was Sunday . But there was little chance that AVilliam would live through tlie night . It was of the highest importance that , within the shortest possible time after his decease , the successor designated bthe Bill of Rihts and the Act of Succession should

y g receive the homage of the Estates of the Realm , and be publicly proclaimed in the Council ; and the most rigid Pharisee in the Society for the'Reformation of Manners could hardlv deny that it was lawful to save the state , even on the Sabbath . The King meanwhile was sinking fast . Albemarle had arrived at Kensington from the Hague , exhausted by rapid travelling . His master kindly bade him go to rest for some hours , ancl then

summoned him to make his report . That report was in all respects satisfactory . The States General were in the best temper ; the troops , the provisions , and the magazines , were in the best order . Everything was in readiness for an early campaign . AVilliam received the intelligence with the calmness of a man whose work was done . He was under no illusion as to Ins clanger . "I am fast drawing to my end . " His end was worthy of his life . His intellect was not for a moment clouded . His fortitude was the

more admirable because he was not willing to . die . He had very lately said to one of those whom he most loved : " You know that I never feared death ; there have been times when I should have wished it ; but , now that this great new prospect is opening before me , I do wish to stay here a little longer . " Yet no weakness , no queriilousness , disgraced the noble close of that noble career . To the physicians the King returned his thanks graciously and gently . " I know that you have done all that skill and learning could do

for me ; but the case is beyond your art ; ancl I submit . " From the words which escaped hiin he seemed to be frequently engaged in mental prayer . Burnet and Tenison remained many hours in the sick room . He professed to them his firm belief in the truth of the Christian religion , and received the sacrament from their hands with great seriousness . The ante-chambers were crowded all night with Lords mid Privy Councillors . He ordered several of them to be called in , and exerted himself to take leave of them with a few kind and cheerful words . Among ihe English who were admitted were Devonshire and Orinond . But there were in the crowd those

who felt as no Englishman could feel , friends of his youth who had been true to him , and to whom he had been true , through all vicissitudes of fortune ; who had served him with unalterable fidelity when his Secretaries of State , his Treasury , and his Admiralty had betrayed him ; who had never , on any field of battle , or in an atmosphere tainted with loathsome and deadly disease , shrunk from placing their own lives in jeopardy to save his , and whose truth he hadat the cost of Ins own popularityrewarded

, , with bounteous munificence . He strained his feeble voice to thank Auverquerque for the affectionate and loyal services of thirty years . To Albermarle he gave the keys of his closet , and of his private drawers . "You know , " he said , " what to do with them . " By this time he could scarcely respire . " Can this , " he said to the physicians , " last long ? " He was told that the end was approaching . He swallowed ' a cordialand asked for BentiuckThose were his last

, . articulate words . Bentinck instantly came to the bedside , _ bent down , and placed his ear close to the King ' s mouth . The lips of the dying man moved , but nothing could be heard . The King took the hand of his earliest friend , ancl pressed it tenderly to hi .: heart . In that moment , no doubt , all that had cast a slight passing cloud over their long and pure frier . dsV . ' y . v . _ ... forgotten . It was