Masonic Notes And Queries.

The following ordains Craftsmen to wear the tokens of their several trades upon their breasts at the procession on Candlemas Day : — 1 st February , 1484 . " The first dai of Februar , the yer of God m cccc Ixxxiiij , it is ordanit and decretit be the alderman and counsalethat the talyeours * ' and al utheris

, craftismen within the toune , sal , in tyme to cum , beyr thare takyinis of thare craft apon thare beristis , t and thare best aray on Cauddilmes day at the OfFerand ; and quha that contervinis , and dois nocht , sal tyne thare fredum for a yer . " 23 rd January 1496 .

, "The saide day , it was statut and ordanit he the alderman , bailyeis , and consale , for the honor and defenss of the tone , that everie craftsmen within this burghe sale ger malt ane standart for thar craft . "

30 th January , 1505 . " The said day , it was fundin by the aid lovabile consuetud and ryt of the burgh , that in the honor of God and the blissit Virgin Mary , the craftsmen of the samyn , in thar best aray , kepit and decorit the procession one Candilmes day yerlie ; quhilk auld and louabile consuetudthe prouestbailliesrilie avisit

, , , p , ratifeit , and approvit the said ryt ; and atour statut and ordanit that the said craftsmen , and thair successors , sale perpetualie in tyme to cum , observe and keipe the said procession , als honorabily as thai can : And thai sale , in order to the Offering in the Play , pass tua and ij togidr socialie ; in the first the fiesshoris ,

barbouris , baxturis , cordinaris , skineris , couparis , wriehtis , hat makars [ and ] bonat makars togidr , walcaris , litstaris , wobstaris , tally eom- 'is , goldsmiths , blaksmithis and hammermen ; aud the craftsmen sal furnyss the Pageants ; the cordinaris , the Messing ; wohstaris and walcaris , Symeon ; the smyths [ and ] goldsmiths , iij Eiiugis of Cullane ; the litstaris , the Emnei'Olir : the TlTnsnns . tlifi Thrift TTniel - itis : HIP

J . l ~ 1 ~~ - ' 7 talyors , our Lad y , Sanct Brid , and Sanct Elene ; and the skynners , the Tua Bischopis ; and tua of ilke craft to pass with the pageant that thai furuyss to keip thair geir ; and gif ony persone or persouns happinis to failye and brek ony poynt befor writin , and beis convict tharof , [ he ] sale pay xl sh . to Sanct

Meholas werk , and the balyeis unlaw unforgeyiu : And to the observing and keping of the samyn , ale the said craftsmen was oblist , be thair handis uphaldin . " The following is an older minute upor the same subject in which the " masons " are not given by name ; hut are , perhaps , included with the " hammermen , " while another query rises , who at this time are really included in ' the brither of the gilde ? "J

5 th September , 1442 . " Thir craftes vndirwritten sal fynd yerly in the offerand of our Lady at Candilmes thir personnes vnderwritten ; that is to say , — The littistares sal fynd , The empriour and twa doctouresand alsmony honeste

, squiares as thai may . The talyoures sal fynd , Our lady Sancte Bride , Sancte Helone , Joseph , and alsmony squiares as thai may .

The skynnares sal fynd , Two bischopes , four anrpeles , and alsmony honeste squiares as thai may . The webstares and walkares sal fynd , Symon and his disciples , and alsmony honeste squiares , & c .

The cordinares sal fynd , The messyngear and Moyses , and alsmony honeste squiares , < fec . The flesehovares sal fynd , Twa or four wodmen , and alsmony honeste squiares , & c The brethir of the gilde sail fynd ,

The knyghtes in harnace , and squiares honestly araiit , & c . The baxsteiris sal fynd , The menstralis , and alsmony honest squyares as thai may . " The following extract shows that the crafts formerly were just as particular about their place or position in the procession as any of our present lodges of Freemasons could be : —

" 21 st May , 1554 . " The said day , Andro . Bisset , dekin bf the wrychtis ,. "William Jamesoune , deltyne of the masonis , and Jerome Blak , dekin of the cowneris , comperit in judgment , and exponit to the bailies , quhow that Johnne Jenour , thair official " , at thair comand , had

chargit thame , and thair haill craftis , to pass in order upoun Corpus Xri day now approcheand , in the processioun , by the aid maner and ordor ; that is to say ,, to pass be thame selffis , and with the sklateris , all togidder , havand ave honest baner and Pagane of their awin , imroediatlie befor the smythis , as thai

allegit , all togidder , under ane baner and Pegane ; . and producit ane statitut maid theruppone , of the dait the xxii day of May , the yeir of God m . v ° xxxi yeir - . * And Williame Hobertsone , dekin of the smythis , comperit in judgement , and allegit thai war in vse of gangging be thame selffis in the said processione , vnder thair awin baner , hindmaist and nixt the Sacrament , and the saids wrychtis , masouns , f cow-