Freemasonry In England.

that many excellent masons left Britain for the Continent , who had been entertained by Carausius . The Eomans during their residence in the island , propagated masonry in every garrison , and built many fine places . From the time of Constantino the Koman power declined in Britain , and from the unsettled state of the country , little quiet was afforded for masonic -cultivation ,

for though many Eoman families had settled in the South , and were blended with the Britains who had been well educated in the science and the art , yet the subsequent wars , confusions , and revolutions in this island , ruined ancient learning , till the fine artists were dead without successors . After the departure of the Eomans , the Britons being divided under a number of petty sovereignssolicited the

assist-, ance of the Saxons against the Scots and Picts , who had seized the land north of the Humber , and committed great ravages in the South . The Saxons having expelled the invaders , built Thong Castle , in Lincolnshire , and resolved to settle in Britain , and after much blooodshed in many battles with the natives , they overpowered them , and founded the heptarchor seven kingdoms . —The Saxons were all rough ignorant

y , heathens ; and despising everything but war , soon rooted out all the seeds of learning and arts , that the Eomans had p lanted in Britain , till some pious preachers from Wales and Scotland , converted many of them by degrees to Christianity . But none of their kings relinquished paganism , till Augustin , with forty more monks , amongst whom the sciences at that time were preserved , were sent by Pope Gregory as missionaries

into the island . They baptized Ethelbert king of Kent A . D . 597 , and sixty years after all the kings of the heptarchy received the Christian religion . Then it was that churches , monasteries , palaces , and beautiful mansions began to be built , and they too late lamented the ignorant and destructive conduct of their forefathers . As they knew nothing of the principles of Eoman architecture , they adopted that of the country they came

from , and followed the gothic style in building cathedral churches , among which were the Cathedral of Canterbury , built A . D . 600 ; that of Eochester , 602 ; St . Paul ' s , London , 604 ; St . Peter ' s , Westminster , 605 . They also erected many palaces and castles , and fortified their cities , especially on the borders of each kingdom . This required many masons , who soon formed themselves into societies or lodges , by the direction of foreigners ,

who came over to help them . But it was where the Welsh dwelt that we find the earliest accounts , at least of sacred architecture ; as at Glastonbury , in Devonshire ; Padstow , in Cornwall ; Caeiieon , or Chester ; afterwards translated to St . Asaph ' s , in Flintshire ; Llan Twit , or Church of Tltutus ; Llan Cadam Yawr , or Church of Great St . Patirn ; the Monas * tery of Llan CarvanBangorin CaernarvonshireHolheadin Anglesey ;

; , ; y , Llandaff , in Glamorganshire ; Menevia , or St , David ' s , in Pembrokeshire ; and many more churches , monasteries , and schools of learning . These Saxon Lodges continued to improve , till Kenred , King of Mercia , sent to Charles Martel , Grand Master of Prance , father of King Pepin ( who had been educated by Brother Mimus Graecus ) , for a communication of worthy brethren to assist the craft , now in a flourishing condition in lids dominions ,