Mother Kilwinning.

which he was urged " to lose no time in doing diligence . ' " Ultimately the greater portion of these documents were exchanged for coin , which being put into the box , increased the finances of the lodge from a few shillings to nearly £ 90 sterling . Against only one of the lodge ' s debtorsa Saltcoats brotherwas it

neces-, , sary at this balancing of their affairs to resort to extreme measures : the sum owing was five guineas , of which , when recovered , 8 s . M . fell to be paid for a "decreet . "

Come we now to the rescusitation of another of the old Kilwinning lodges , whose original charter is believed to have been granted some time towards the end of the 17 th century , although the Kilwinnning records are silent upon this point . In May , 1729 , a meeting of Mother Kilwinning was held specially to

treat with a deputation of brethren from Linlithgowshire , charged with obtaining from Kilwinning the recognition of the Lodge of Torphichen as a branch of the Mother Lodge—a petition to that effect having some months previously been forwarded to Kilwinning . As that document is a gem in its

way—showing as it does the high repute in which the Lodge of Kilwinning was held out of Ayrshire , and at the same time enli ghtening us as to the benefits expected to flow from a favourable consideration of its prayer—we present it verbatim et liberalim : —

" East Oalder , Deer . 12 , 1728 . " The which day , we the undersubscribing Masons of the Lodge of Tarphichen , in the sheriffdoom of Linlithgow , having met for our selves and for the remanent members of onr brotherhood , and Taken to our serious consideration © the great loss we have sustained and are still at through the neglect of our ancient Order formerly

maintained in the honourable society of our Craft and airt . Considering Also that we can do nothing till such time wo shall obtain authority and jiower to our Constitution from the honourable fraternity and society of the ancient lodgo of Kilwining , of whom we acknowledge our selves to hold all our rights and privileges . Therefor with all reverence and submission we hereby

commissionafc and delegat thrie of onre number ... of our number trustie our name , with full power to treat with the honourable president and remanent worthy members of the society and brotherhood of the ancient lodge of Kilwinning , that ye may grant us a power of constitittkrae ancl acting in our society under you in all things , to the recovering and maintaining of good order and

suppressing immoralities and licenciousness in our constitution © , and hereby acknowledging our selves uncapable for the time to be advantagious to you our honourable ¦ superiours , yet hoping by our legal constitution from you and the good order it may produce amongst us that ye shall reap your expected consolatione from our good order and comelconversationaccording to

y , your prescribed rule , which in the lord we promise to observe , craving pardon of the honourable society for this trouble : so saluting you , we subscribe our names for our selves and absent brethren for the time .

" ffellow Crafts . " Enter Prentices . "William Tennent Wm . Christie Thomas Olerkson John Hill David Liddel Thomas Young James Livingstone Robert Marshel Sammuel Purdie Michael Potter James Aikman James Calder

George Young John Livingston . " John Thorntonne Maine James Steill John ruglan J . Binning ( One name illegible ) .

The privilege prayed for was granted in the following terms : —¦ " According to ane petition given in to us by a company of Masons at Tarpichen for a privilege from our lodge , and in answer to their petition , we have granted themalibertietohold a communitie together at Tarpichen ; and we ( May 15 , 1729 ) , in name of tho rest of the

members of the said lodgo of Tarpichen , do hereby oblige ourselves to pay yearly to us in Kilwinning the sum of -one shilling Scots yearly for holding , if called forth from us : in witness whereof subscribed by us ,

"JOHN SHAW THOMAS WALLACE . " Tbe Lodge of Torpichen is again introduced to notice through the minute of the Mother Lodge ' s proceedings of date March 30 , 1737 . It does not appear that this daughter of Mother Kilwinning took

part in the formation of Grand Lodge ; but having in the year succeeding that event decided upon joining and becoming subject to the newly-constituted grand body , they were led to apply for a certificate from the Mother Lodge confirmatory of their being " one of the ancient branches of that lodge . The api _> lication

proceeds : — "To the Eight Worshipful Patrick Montgomerie , Esquire , Master of the ancient lodge of and at Kilwinning , and the Worshipful Wardens and other members of the said Lodgo of Kilwinning ; " The petition of the Riht Worshiful and Honourable

g p Walter Sandilands , Esquire , Master of the also ancient Lodge of Torphichen-Kilwinning , for himself and in name and behalf of the Worshipful Wardens and other members of the said Torphichen-Kilwinning Lodge , aud as being authorized and empowered by them to the effect underwritten ;

" Humbly sheweth , " That from the best information of some of the oldest members of our said lodge , weo had a charter of erection from our said ancient mother lodge of and at Kilwinning , of a very ancient date , which we persuade ourselves will be yet standing upon your records . The charter itself , or ane extract thereof , by some

mismanagement or neglect of the then custodiers thereof , is , and has been for some years past , fallen by and amissing . Aud as wee always were , and are still , part of the company belonging to our said Mother Lodgo of Kilwinning , and have always kept a brotherly correspondence with , the same , and stand bound and obliged to defend the rights and privileges thereofand never to do thing

, any prejudicial thereto . Wee did apply to our said Mother Lodge by petition , dated the 27 fch of December , 1728 , for additional powers to meet together in a lawfull lodge , and to receive , enter , and pass any qualified persons as free and Accepted Masons ; and to receive enty moneys from them , aud make by-laws and statutes amongst ourselves for the good ordinance ancl government of our

trade and Graft ; and by your deliverance thereon of the above date you were pleased , not only to grant the desire of our said petition , but also to promise to furnish us with what other necessary things we wanted betwixt and the 15 th day of May then next , as the petition and deliverance , therein extant , bear . And sicklike , agreeable to the forsaid application aud deliverance , two of

our members of Torphichen Kilwinning Lodge , having paid into your box tho sum of thirty pounds Scots money , besides the expenses of ane entertainment , they waited in person upon the Right Worshipful Master and Worshipful Wardens and other members of our said Mother Lodge of Kilwinning , and obtained from them , an extract of certain of your original statutes and ordinances , with a new power , warrant and commission to