ARCHIVES OF GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND.

AMONG the more important features that present themselves on commencing a new series of "The Freemasons' Quarterly Review," is to cast a retrospective glance at the proceedings of the order; and, in tracing them from the earliest system or code, to bring before our readers such striking points as may be worthy of consideration. We commence with the English Constitution, and shall either introduce, as may be found most convenient, the records of the Scotch and Irish Grand Lodges, or reserve them for separate articles. It is also our intention to enter into some occasional remarks on the annals of private Lodges-commencing with the Grand Stewards' Lodge; but, as we do not pledge ourselves to an exact record in numerical order, we shall be obliged by the contributions of Brethren of any Lodge who may possess sufficient "esprit de corps" to bring the recollections of a past age before the observation of the present.

1723. The first printed Book of Constitutions was published in 1723, by James Anderson, M.A., Master of Lodge No. 17, under the sanction of the Grand Lodge, during the Grand Mastership of the Duke of Wharton and his Deputy, J. T. Desaguliers, L. L.D., F. R. S.

1746. The second appeared in 1746, although, by the author's preface, James Anderson, D.D., it appears to have been prepared in the year 1738 -by direction of the Grand Lodge, under the Grand Mastership of the Marquis of Carnarvon.

1756. The third appeared in 1756; the name of Dr. Anderson was continued in the title, but the work was stated to be revised and enlarged by John Entick, M.A.

1767. The fourth appeared in 1767, as by Dr. Anderson, and as revised by John Entick, M.A., but with alterations and additions by a Committee of Grand Lodge.

1784. The fifth appeared in 1784; still as Dr. Anderson's, edited by John Noorthouck.

1815. The sixth appeared in 1815, after the union of the two English 1827. Lodges, and a smaller edition of the same, page for page, with a few alterations, in 1827. This Book of Constitutions was intended to have been in two parts; the first, an examination into the original landmarks, principles, and history of the order generally; the second, to be merely the legislative arrangements of the Grand Lodge of England. Why the second part was published, and the first never saw the light,* it will be our duty to speak as we approach the times of the late Bro. William Williams, the P.G. M. for Dorset, than whom a more estimable Brother never adorned the annals of Freemasonry.

1841. After five years of promise, a revisal of the Constitutions was published this year. The promise was broken to the hope-the hand of power was strengthened, and that of the Craft proportionably weakened. We shall treat of this in due time. The book is before the Craft, and can speak for itself.

* It was in consequence of a humorous allusion to this circumstance in Grand Lodge that the writer of this article was indebted for his first introduction to the late Earl of Durham, who presided on the occasion.

The first Book of the Constitutions, by Anderson, is the parent of a numerous progeny, and is decidedly entitled to lasting respect. The difficulty lay in the first arrangement, and future editors had but to improve as time and circumstances gave them the opportunity; and this appears to have been observed pretty fairly until 1784, when Bro. Noorthouck, who considerably enlarged, and in some measure improved the book, yet omitted some important parts, and gave a prejudiced view of others.

The general contents of the various editions may be thus enumerated :— I. The History of Masonry from the Creation, till the true old Architecture, demolished by the Goths, was revived in Italy.

II. The History of Masonry in Britain, from Julius Cæsar to the accession of King James the First to the crown of England.

III. The History of Masonry in Britain, from the union of the two crowns to the year 1756.

IV. Proceedings of the Society to the close of 1783.

V. Regulations and Laws of the Grand Lodge.

"There exists, among Masons, a disputed period of four years in the computation of time, which is said to have been caused by Dionysius Exiguus, a Roman abbot, who began the Christian era four years later than just; but this point having been corrected, Masons should conform to the vulgar computation."

"PRINCE EDWIN, brother of King Athelstan, summoned all the Free and Accepted Masons in the realm to meet him in a congregation at YORK, who came, and formed the Grand Lodge under him as their Grand Master, A.D. 926."

A.D. 1425. 3 Hen. VI. chap. 1, title, “Masons shall not confederate in chapter and congregation." This act is very severe against Masons, who, however, appeared to be in nowise frightened at it; and at length the king himself is said to have been admitted into the order, according to an examination into its mysteries in his own handwriting, as recorded by · Mr. Locke.

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King William the Third was privately made a Freemason, and encouraged Grand Master Wren in his great work, (St. Paul's Cathedral).” A.D. 1693. Occasional Lodges were held, and old Masons living in 1730 remember to have attended them in full formality.

A.D. 1716. Sir C. Wren's disability, by age and infirmity, to act as Grand Master having depressed the order, the few Lodges meeting in London regularly (four in number), met for the purpose of reanimating the Brethren, at the Apple-tree, in Charter-street, Covent-garden, where, having placed the oldest Master Mason present in the chair, they constituted themselves a Grand Lodge, revived the quarterly communication, resolved to hold an annual assembly and feast, and choose a Grand Master from among themselves, until they should have the honour of a noble Brother at their head.

A.D. 1717. The first revived feast was held at the Goose-and-gridiron, St. Paul's-churchyard, at which Mr. ANTHONY SAYER, gentleman, was elected Grand Master;* and Mr. Jacob Lamball, carpenter, and Captain Joseph Elliot, Wardens.

A.D. 1721. The Duke of Montagu was the first nobleman who was elected Grand Master of the revived Grand Lodge.

Dec. 21. Fourteen learned Brothers were appointed to examine Brother Anderson's manuscript of the Constitution Book, and to make report. 1722. March 25. Report approved. Book ordered to be printed.

* A portrait of this Brother is extant, and is esteemed a good likeness.

Duke Wharton was next elected Grand Master, who appointed Dr. Desaguliers (Past Grand Master) as Deputy Grand Master; and Joshua Tunson, and James Anderson, M.A., Grand Wardens. The Earl of Dalkeith succeeded as Grand Master. Six STEWARDS were appointed to keep cowans from the feast, who were publicly thanked.

The Sword was at this time borne by the Lodge to whom it belonged.+ 1724. The number of Stewards increased to twelve.

1726. No Steward appointed, but Bro. E, Lambert undertook to provide the customary feast.

1728. Inconvenience having arisen from want of Stewards, 12 Brethren were appointed, on the suggestion of Bro. Desaguiliers, who were publicly thanked for their attention.

1729. Grand Master, LORD KINGSTON, presented some handsome presents to the Grand Lodge. At this period, the annual feasts were usually held at the halls of some of the city companies, and the quarterly meetings at the Devil Tavern.

1730. The Deputy Grand Master, Blackerby, acquainted the Lodge that the DUKE OF NORFOLK, Grand Master, was in Venice, but that he had sent three kind presents, viz. :

1. Twenty pounds to the Masonic Charity Fund.

2. A large folio book most richly bound; on the frontispiece, the Norfolk arms, with those of Masonry illuminated.

3. The old trusty sword of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, worn also by his successor in war, Bernard, Duke of Saxe Weimar, with both their names on the blade. The scabbard most richly adorned, and to be the Grand Master's sword of state for the future.+

At this time, the Grand Secretary was empowered to have the minutes of the Grand Lodge etched, previously they were actually written by him and lent to every Lodge!

1731. First Board of Grand Stewards; who each nominated and presented their successors for the approbation of the Grand Master.

1733. A chest of the best arrack presented to the Grand Lodge, by Capt. R. Farwinter, P. G. M. for India.

1734. Bro. ANDERSON ordered to prepare a new Book of the Constitutions. The Freemasons' Vade Mecum condemned by Grand Lodge, as a silly and piratical thing.

1735. The Stewards' Lodge constituted. Sir R. Lawley, Bart., the first Master. §

1736. The curious bye-laws of the Lodge at Exeter were read and applauded.

SYMPTOMS OF DISUNION.

GRAND MASTER MONTAGU's good government inclined the better sorts to continue him; and therefore they delayed the Feast; but

PHILIP, DUKE OF WHARTON, lately made, and not the Master of a Lodge, assembled a number of Brethren at Stationer's-hall, June 24, 1722, who, having no grand officers present, put into the chair the oldest Master Mason, (not the present Master of a Lodge), who proclaimed aloud

"PHILIP WHARTON, DUKE OF WHARTON, GRAND Master of MASONS, and Mr. Joshua Tunson, blacksmith, and Mr. William Hawkins, mason, Grand Wardens."

Noble Brethren and others disowned Duke Wharton's authority; and at length the breach was healed by the Duke of Montagu's summoning the Grand Lodge to meet on the 17th January ensuing; when DUKE WHARTON promising to be true and faithful, proclaimed

him aloud as

GRAND MASTER!

And thus ended the unpleasant matter.

This, however, does not appear in the Book of Constitutions, but in another work of good authority.

Now by the Grand Sword Bearer.

The ornaments of this scabbard were, in 1837, so worn as to be scarcely traceable; the scabbard was elegantly reproduced. The faded remains of the original ornaments are in possession of the writer.

Some curious proceedings of this period will be narrated, when we come to notice the

G.S.L.

Perhaps Bro. Denis Moore, the present Prov. Grand Secretary, can oblige us by some information on this point.

1737. April 13. Seventy-five Lodges were represented, so much had Masonry increased.

Nov. 5. H. H. R. Frederick, Prince of Wales, was made an Entered Prentice and Fellow-Craft, at an occasional Lodge, held at his palace at Kew, by the Rev. Dr. Desaguiliers. The Prince was afterwards made a

Master Mason at an occasional Lodge.

It was customary to make collections for charity at the Grand Lodge. 1739. A scheme proposed to place out Masons' sons apprentices; rejected, as affecting too much the Fund of Charity.

Grand Secretary's jewels presented by the Grand Master, Marquis of Carnarvon.

Lodges moving, to pay 2s. 6d. to the Society's engraver, and ls. for the trouble of insertion.

Examination on the irregular making of Masons; transgressors pardoned on the expression of contrition.

Dec. 12. Twenty pounds awarded to a Brother who had been cruelly treated by the inquisition at Florence, on the sole account of his being a Mason.

1740. A petitioner for charity to be five years a member of a regular Lodge. Three Stewards complained of, for assisting at irregular makings.

Feb. 24. Committee of nine to examine into the proceedings of the Lodge at Calcutta.

1741. June 24. Order against printing proceedings.

No brother to belong to more than one Lodge within the bills of mortality.

1751. Lodge No. 2., previously erased, restored as a mark of respect to Bro. Payne, late Grand Master.

1752. Nov. 30. Ordered, that to render the Masons' Charity as extensive as possible, all foreign Brethren, of what nation or profession soever, should, after proper examination, be relieved with a certain sum immediately.

1752. The Grand Treasurer to be elected from Past Stewards, and to be considered a Grand Officer, ex officio.

1754. New Book of Constitutions ordered.-Twenty Lodges erased for neglect.

1775. Complaint against soi-disant Ancient Masons. *

April 8. Treasurer reported that he had in hand 727. 11s. 10d., 3004. India Bonds, and 631. 8s. 6d. received on the night.

1756. Copper-plate for certificates not to exceed 127. 12s.

1757. Names of recusant Masons to be printed and published.-A letter read from Bro. Capt. De Court, commander of the French ship, St. James; taken by H.M.S. Windsor, then a prisoner-of-war, wishing the Grand Master to procure his liberty: but there being no cartel settled, it was ordered to relieve him with twenty guineas, if, on enquiry, he was found worthy of assistance.

1758. India Bonds sold; and Consols purchased at 95.

1760. Fifty pounds awarded to the Brethren in Prince Ferdinand's army; whether English, Hanoverian, or Hessian.

THE LATE BRO. RICHARD SMITH,

DEPUTY PROVINCIAL GRAND-MASTER FOR BRISTOL.†

"A LIGHT

"has been withdrawn from Freemasonry! The spirit of a Brother, who when living was without his parallel, has flown to eternity, and found rest! Bro. Richard Smith did not excel in any par

* The commencement of the Athol Society; of which, hereafter.

† Died January 24 1843.

ticular pursuit-he was in all things the master-spirit. Do we mourn for him?-No; for his memory is so dear to us, that we can cherish it with a fondness that we could hardly describe for a living man. His conduct and character were so excellent, and his bright example so pure, that we rather rejoice at his having attained the grand climacteric whereby he had been permitted to do so much good on earth; and that, sudden as was his death, the assurance that he was prepared by a life of purity, was a guarantee that he could at a moment's notice surrender his trust, pure and unsullied, to HIM who gave it.

It is natural that Bristol should deeply lament this truly good man; her institutions, her science, her literature, her charities, have lost their friend; for his useful sphere ranged from the nobleman's palatial residence to the hospital and the workhouse. His mind was expansive and powerful as thought and imaginings could render it; his heart was tutored by charity itself; and his disposition was most truly amiable. Why, then, do we not mourn for Brother Smith? Because he bequeathed a priceless legacy to every Freemason-EXAMPLE.

It is to be hoped that a Masonic volume will be written by some Brother competent to the task, pourtraying the character and describing the services which Brother Richard Smith rendered to the Craft: there are abundant materials to be collected. In the meantime, we shall, as annalists, glean from the public press some of the fugitive remarks which his recent decease has occasioned, and shall be grateful to any friend who may inform us further on so interesting a subject.

His father was an eminent surgeon of Bristol; his mother the daughter of the Rev. Alex. Stopford Catgott, L.L.B., master of the Grammar School. He was educated at the Grammar School, and afterwards at Dr. Valpy's, Reading. In 1796, he was elected one of the surgeons to the Bristol Infirmary, to which institution he was attached for forty-six years, and was at his death, and for many previous years, the senior surgeon. He married, in 1802, Miss Creswicke, -which estimable lady survives him. He left no issue. In 1803, he was the chief of the medical staff of the Bristol Volunteers.

The melancholy event occurred in an ante-room of the Philosophical and Literary Institution, which establishment it had been Mr. Smith's custom to visit almost every evening. After reading in the library for about half an hour, and conversing with the persons present in his usual cheerful manner, he was about to go home, when he met Mr. L. O. Bigg, of whom he asked some questions respecting a private society formerly existing in Bristol, and of which his (Mr. B.'s) father had been a member. Mr. Smith requested him to write down the date of his father's death, which Mr. Bigg readily_consented to do, and they retired to the ante-room for that purpose. The event was recorded, and Mr. Bigg was about to hand the memorandum to the deceased, when he staggered and fell heavily on the ground. Death must have been instantaneous, for notwithstanding that medical aid was almost immediately obtained, the effort to bleed him proved fruitless.

Some few months ago, Mr. Smith experienced a severe attack of illness; he had, however, to all appearance, almost completely recovered from it; and notwithstanding a conviction on his part, which seemed to have taken firm possession of his mind, that he was not long for this life, his friends and professional associates who could detect nothing, beyond the circumstance of his advanced age, to countenance the idea, indulged the hope that years might still roll on ere he should be gathered to his fathers and

"No more for him the blazing hearth should burn."