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Article FREEMASONRY IN ENGLAND. ← Page 3 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry In England.
" Whereas , by yearly congregations and confederacies made b y Masons in their general assemblies , . the good cause and effect of the statutes of labourers be openly violated and broken , in subversion of the law , ancl to the great damage of tilt the commons , our sovereign lord the King , willing in this case to provide a remedy , by the ad rice and consent aforesaid , and at the special request of the commons , hath
ordained and established , "That such chapters aud congregations shall not . hereafter be holden ; and if any such be made , they that cause such chapters and congregations to lie assembled and holden , if they thereof be convict , shall be judged for felons : and that other Masons who come to such chapters and congregations , be punished by imprisonment of their bodies , and make fine ; and ransom at the Kiup / s will . "
This act never prevented Freemasons holding their chapters and congregations , as it was never enforced , and being conscious of their integrity . Mid the rwtitude of their proceedings , they used no endeavours to get it repealed . A great- light is thrown on the matter by the publication of a curious manuscript at Eraukfort , in Germany , in the year 1748 , which refers to this time : it is introduced by a letter from
the celebrated John Locke , dated Gth May , 1696 , found in the desk of a deceased brother . In this letter , Mr . Locke informs his correspondent that he lias procured from the Bodleian Library , a copy of the manuscript he was so desirous to see : and that he has sent it to hint , with his notes annexed to it : and he concludes with expressing an intention oi' entering into the fraternity the next time he went to
London . The manuscri pt from which if was copied , appeared , he says , to be abctit 160 years old ; yet , from the title , is itself a copy of one yet move ancient by about 100 years , and that it appears to be the examination of some one of the brotherhood of Masons , taken probably before King Henry YL , who , a Iter he became of age , entered himself among them , and thereby put a stop to the persecution that had been raised against them . The following is an exact copy of this examination , with Mr . Locke ' s notes : —
" Certaytu- ( -luestyoiis , with awnsweros to the . same , roncernynge the Mystery of Maconrye ; ' Wrytteune by the Hancle of Kin go Henrye the sixthe of the name , and faytliftillye eopyed by me ( 1 ) Johan Leylande , Antiquarius , by the Commando of his ilighncsse . ( ' 20 ' " They be as followethe . — "
" Quest What mote ytt be ? ( 3 ) " J . mw Tit beeth the skylle of nature , the understondyngc of the myghte that ys horeynne and its , -ondrye wcrckynges ; sonderiychc , the skylle of rectcnyngs , of waightes , and metynges . and the treu manere of i ' aconiryngc all fchynges for mannes use , head lye , clwellyngcs , and buykrynges of alio kincles , ancl alle odher thynges that make gudde to maune . " Quest . Where dyd ytt begynne ? " y / nsw . Ytt did begynne with the ( 4 ) fyrstc menne yn the este , which
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry In England.
" Whereas , by yearly congregations and confederacies made b y Masons in their general assemblies , . the good cause and effect of the statutes of labourers be openly violated and broken , in subversion of the law , ancl to the great damage of tilt the commons , our sovereign lord the King , willing in this case to provide a remedy , by the ad rice and consent aforesaid , and at the special request of the commons , hath
ordained and established , "That such chapters aud congregations shall not . hereafter be holden ; and if any such be made , they that cause such chapters and congregations to lie assembled and holden , if they thereof be convict , shall be judged for felons : and that other Masons who come to such chapters and congregations , be punished by imprisonment of their bodies , and make fine ; and ransom at the Kiup / s will . "
This act never prevented Freemasons holding their chapters and congregations , as it was never enforced , and being conscious of their integrity . Mid the rwtitude of their proceedings , they used no endeavours to get it repealed . A great- light is thrown on the matter by the publication of a curious manuscript at Eraukfort , in Germany , in the year 1748 , which refers to this time : it is introduced by a letter from
the celebrated John Locke , dated Gth May , 1696 , found in the desk of a deceased brother . In this letter , Mr . Locke informs his correspondent that he lias procured from the Bodleian Library , a copy of the manuscript he was so desirous to see : and that he has sent it to hint , with his notes annexed to it : and he concludes with expressing an intention oi' entering into the fraternity the next time he went to
London . The manuscri pt from which if was copied , appeared , he says , to be abctit 160 years old ; yet , from the title , is itself a copy of one yet move ancient by about 100 years , and that it appears to be the examination of some one of the brotherhood of Masons , taken probably before King Henry YL , who , a Iter he became of age , entered himself among them , and thereby put a stop to the persecution that had been raised against them . The following is an exact copy of this examination , with Mr . Locke ' s notes : —
" Certaytu- ( -luestyoiis , with awnsweros to the . same , roncernynge the Mystery of Maconrye ; ' Wrytteune by the Hancle of Kin go Henrye the sixthe of the name , and faytliftillye eopyed by me ( 1 ) Johan Leylande , Antiquarius , by the Commando of his ilighncsse . ( ' 20 ' " They be as followethe . — "
" Quest What mote ytt be ? ( 3 ) " J . mw Tit beeth the skylle of nature , the understondyngc of the myghte that ys horeynne and its , -ondrye wcrckynges ; sonderiychc , the skylle of rectcnyngs , of waightes , and metynges . and the treu manere of i ' aconiryngc all fchynges for mannes use , head lye , clwellyngcs , and buykrynges of alio kincles , ancl alle odher thynges that make gudde to maune . " Quest . Where dyd ytt begynne ? " y / nsw . Ytt did begynne with the ( 4 ) fyrstc menne yn the este , which