Mark Masonry.

the company he keeps , " but the mere fact of renting a portion of the same premises cannot afford any ground to the surreptitious Mark's men to arrogate to themselves the potential charm of constituting a Masonic Order .

To the foregoing reasons some score of lawful Mark Masters holding under the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland , thanking that body for rejecting- the Memorial , and demonstrating to . the world that the memorialists are no nearer to their

goal , yet feel bound to remonstrate—humbly and respectfully—with the Supreme Grand Chapter , and entreat it not to be importuned into acknowledging a power commenced , and yet existing * , in gross Masonic schism , but to defend and jealously

maintain the status , rights , and privileges they have granted to those Avho Avill never seek to enter a lodge of irregular formation , but will abide by their fealty , and if annihilated , by the AA'arrants under which they held being declared nulland void ,

as members of a Mark Masters lodge , in England , Avill ever hold in hi gh esteem the Supreme Grand Chapter from Avhose legitimate authority they are descended .

This humble and respectful remonstance is thus publicly addressed to the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland in the name , and wifch the sanction of a score of Mark Master . Masons , iu England , Avho equally agree with oue Avho is proud to subscribe himself as—ANTI-SPUMOUS MARK .

Church Bells : Their Antiquities And Connection With Architecture.

CHURCH BELLS : THEIR ANTIQUITIES AND CONNECTION WITH ARCHITECTURE .

Read at the Architectural Museum , by the Rev . JOHN H . SPEKLINO , M . A . ( Continued from Page 298 . ) Bells in the Mediaeval period , like most other productions of that age , are well deserving of

study as works of art . A vast field of beautiful lettering and diapered ornamentation may be gleaned from the belfries of East Auglia . I have not made very extensive researches in tlie northern and Avestern districts of England , but from Avhat I have seen they must yield the palm to Norfolk

, Suffolk , and Lincolnshire . The same must be saicl for the southern counties . I think Ave may safely point to Lynn , in Norfolk , for the earliest specimens of these beautiful castings , many of which are , in their Avay , fully equal to Avhat have come CIOAVII to us in illuminated

MSS . Wo find the names of Thomas and William de Lynn , of Johannes Godyng de Lynn , of the Wambis and Schep families connected with this

Church Bells : Their Antiquities And Connection With Architecture.

art during the fourteenth century , all more or less diffused over East Anglia , and using lettering * and stamps aud diaper nearly identical . One could heartily wish that more specimens of their Avork remained , but the custom of augmenting peals for ringing purposes during the eighteenth

century in all the larger parishes has made terrible havoc amongst them ; the chances of a successful find being UOAV much greater in the inaccessible " village bell-cot than in the stately Avell-ncAvelled tower . The inscriptions on the bells of this period are invariablin single capitalseach

y , capital highly adorned , the initial ones especially so , Avith diapered ornament . Often the human figure is combined in various attitudes to suit the shape of the letter , usually in ecclesiastical costume .

Many of the initial capitals are besides beautifully croAvned . The inscription ahvays begins with a floriated cross , more or less elaborate ; and between each word is a stop , usually ajleur-delys , or sprig of some pattern . The canons are often besides elaborately moulded .

Bells Avith ornamentation of this particular character are not found in the fifteenth century . Whether the Lynn foundry died out , or Avhether it was absorbed in , or removed to Nonvich , I have not yet been able to discover . All Ave knoAV is , thafc AA'ith the fifteenth century arose a very flourishing

foundry in Norwich , conducted for some generations by the Brazier family . They seem to have founded largely , as their bells are still very numerous throughout Norfolk . With them came in a totally different , kind of ornamentation . Black letter was

UOAV used exclusively , and of a very superior character . The capitals were still remarkably beautiful , and , as before , often croAvned . Anew class of initial cross and stops was also produced . The bells from the Norwich foundry may bo readily recognised by tho presence of a shield upon their

croAvn . This shield is of three sizes , and some-Avhat different in detail : on each of them a ducal croAvn betAveen three bells , arranged heraldically , The earliest ; shield had a simply diapered field . Tin ' s AA'as afterwards replaced by an ermine ground in tAvo sizes . This foundry was carried on by

various hands till nearly the middle of the last century . After the Reformation fchey made an attempt to return to the characters of the Lynn foundry ; but whether they ^ had preserved the original stamps , or had copies made from them , I cannot say ; I am inclined , however , to the latter

opinion . Contemporaneously Avith the Noi'Avich foundry Avas another at Bury , probably connected Avith the Abbey . They had a good business in Suffolk and Essex , and a little in Norfolk ; their castings , howeverare rough and inferior to those of the Norwich

, foundry . Their bells may be easily recognised by a shield , consisting of a bell pierced by two keys in saltier , a chief with a ducal crown betAveen tAvo pairs of arrows compounded from the arms of Bury St . Edmund's , together with a rude representation