History Of The Lod Ge Ofem Ulation, No .21.

History of the Lodge of Emulation , No . 2 1 .

( By IIKXUY SAI . I . K .., Sub-Librarian to the Grand Lodge of England . ) THE RECORDS OF THE COXSTJTl'TJOX LODGE , 1767—1770 .

¦ ''pHIS Lodge was constituted April nth , 1767 , as No . 390 , I at The Constitution Coffee House , Bedford Street , Covent Garden , from which house it derived its first name , Lodges being then generally known by the names of the taverns at which they were held .

The first Minute Book is a large folio volume bound in vellum , with a red tablet on the cover bearing the names of the first Master , Wardens , and Secretary , in gilt capitals , viz . :

: THOMAS HARRIS . R . W .-M . WILL : EG AX . S : W . 1 WILL : HARRIS . J : W .

JOHNATHAN BARFF . Sec : j A : 1 . : 5767

The words " Constitution Lodge , No . " 390 , " in large German text , ornamented with numerous scrolls and flourishes occupy the whole of a fly-leaf , followed by a code of Rules and Orders , fourteen in number , very neatly written , but undated , although evidently compiled about the time of the

institution of the Lodge , for they were signed by the Founders , and a number of other brethren , who subscquently became members of it . These Rules and Orders may be described as very good , ¦ and quite appropriate to the times , they were probably copied

from the By-Laws of an older Lodge , drawn up by a brother of the legal profession . They are too long for reproduction here in their entirely , but I quote Rule 10 as an example . " That no Brother do presume to swear , come into the Lodge intoxicated , or on any account call for Liquor , but

shall address himself to thc proper officer who if he thinks it necessary will give his orders accordingly . That all Brethren do behave themselves with decency to each other and with the utmost respect to the Master in the Chair , and in case of default in cither of these particulars , the Brother so offending shall forfeit the sum of two Shillings and Six

Pence to the Fund of ( he Lodge . That no Brother do persevere in any matter which may be deemed a crime or fall under the censure of ( lie Lodge after being thrice publicly admonished under pain of incurring the above Penalty . " The Rules specified that the fees for making a Mason

were one guinea and a-half for the Iirst and second degrees , and half-a-guinea for the third ; half-a-guinea to be deposited when a candidate was proposed for initiation . The Lodge subscription , payable in advance , to be seven shillings and sixpence per quarter , the meetings being on the first and

third Friday in every month at 7 o ' clock p . m ., closing at n o ' clock , " unless business will not permit . " The Master was elected for six months only—on the Lodge nights next before 25 th March and 29 th September—but on going out of office he had the privilege of recommending a brother to

succeed him , subject to confirmation by the Lodge . The Master elect immediately to take the chair and proceed to the appointment and investment of his officers , after which the Lodge to proceed to elect the Treasurer . In the absence of the Master the chair to be taken by the Past Master , and in his absence by ( he Senior or Junior Warden .

We learn from the minutes that the first meeting was held on the 9 th of April , 1767 , by Dispensation from the R . W . Depot ) ' Grand Master , for the making of Mr . William Griffiths ( the landlord of the house ) , who having been formally proposed and elected , was " accordingly initiated into the two first Degrees of Masonry and paid his Fees . "

" The R . W . M . proposed that Bro . William Griffiths be raised a Master next Lodge Night , which was agreed Nem . Con . " The Treasurer's accounts were invariably entered in this book on thc page opposite to the minutes , from which we learn

that there were but six Founders , and that the Master and Wardens subscribed £ 2 2 s . each , and the other brethren . £ 1 is . each , towards establishing the Lodge "to be repaid them as soon as convenient fo thc Lodge . " The next meeting was held two days later , the date of the

Constitution of the Lodge , when another candidate was proposed and initiated , and three others were proposed for initiation next lodge night . There is no mention in the minutes of either Consecration or Installation—the Lodge was simply " opened in due form "

by the Master designate , and the business proceeded with , and although twenty visitors were present , whose names and lodges are recorded , there was not a single Grand Officer amongst them , the ancient practice of the Grand Master , or his Deputy , attending in person at the Constitution of a Lodge

having apparently fallen into abeyance since the introduction of Warrants . The total amount received in Visitors' Fees was £ 1 lis . 6 d ., and the house bill , including broken glasses , and two shillings to the servants , came to £ 2 14 s . 7 . UI ., certainly not an extravagant expenditure for an inauguration meeting .

The Records of the Lodge are very neatly written , but were evidently copied from rough minutes , and there is not much in them during the first three or four years worthy of reproduction The Lodge could not by any stretch of imagination be deemed a successful Lodge while in the hands of its Founders , nor until it was joined by some of the more

influential brothers and removed to the City . Brother Aubin , P . M , seems to have been rather a cantankerous individual , for it is recorded that on July 3 rd , 1767 , he " moved that Bro . Harris , Treasurer , might be fined for smiling , which being put to the vote , and upon the 9 th and

10 th Rules of this Lodge being read the Brethren not thinking the same worthy of notice , nothing was done thereon , " Bro . Aubin was not satisfied however—possibly the smile may have been a little too pronounced for his nerves—for he then made a similar motion against the Secretary , which after

discussion was rejected by a great majority . 1767 , Nov . 6 th . — " Bro . Griffiths , having informed the R . W . M . that it would be much more convenient for him to provide a general supper for all the members , than having them sup at different times as usual and having this night

provided a supper much to the satisfaction of the Lodge ; the R . W . M . and Brethren agreed to sup together for the future and Bro . Griffiths was ordered to prcivide such supper at ( id . per head . "

Dec . 4 th . — Ihe last paragraph in the minutes of this meeting savours somewhat of a Masonic mystery which neither the preceding nor the subsequent records throw- any light upon . " Bro' ' - T . Harris , RW . M . of this Lodge discontinued from being a member . "

Thomas Harris had been Master of the Lodge from its constitution , having been re-elected for a second term the previous September ; this mastership would not therefore expire until the following March . He seems to have been held in the greatest respect by the brethren , hence is

summary resignation is the more inexplicable . Strange to say he reappears at Ihe next meeting in the guise of a visitor from the " Royal Arch , lilack Horse , Oxenden-strcet . " This entry is of considerable historical importance as being the earliest mention of the Royal Arch in London ( on the " modern " or

regular Grand Lodge side ) other than the minutes of thc Chapter of 1763 , which became the Grand Chipicr of