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  • The Masonic Magazine
  • April 1, 1876
  • Page 8
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The Masonic Magazine, April 1, 1876: Page 8

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    Article AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF MASTER AND FREE MASONS. ← Page 2 of 5 →
Page 8

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

An Historical Account Of Master And Free Masons.

The title of Avehitectvia Angustornm Avas borne by Q . Cissonius , during the reigns of Severus and M . Antoninus . * Previously to the foundation of Constantinople , ' * the magistrates of the most distant provinces Avere directed , by a royal edictto institute schoolsto appoint

pro-, , fessors , and by the hopes of rewards and privileges to engage in the study and practice of architecture , a sufficient number of ingenious youths , Avho had receiA'ed a liberal education . " ' ! A similar mandate was issued by the Emperor Theodosius . t

Such were the apparent origin of a scientific institution among the Romans j but as the foregoing remarks are merely preliminary , or incidental , I hasten to the Gothick field , from Avhence a view may present itselfnot only of masonic

estab-, lishments , but of many eminent mastermasons Avhose names and works have been obscurely noticed , or Avithout chronological classification . In giving this series , the leading purposes of inquiry will be , to ascertain those who were employed in our own

country . There is a certaindoeument which proves , that in the eighth century , Charlemagne had invited artificers || from every country of Europe in Avhich they Avere established , to erect his magnificent church at Aix la

Chapelle . His asra may be therefore fixed upon as that least liable to contradiction or doubt , as that of the best authority of such a body on the Continent .

After the Norman conquest , the prelates Lanfranc and Gundul pk brought over to England not only the style of architecture Avhich Avas peculiar to their oAvn native province , but the artificers themselves . These had been chiefly employed in building the

two great churches at Caen , and that likewise of vast dimensions , attached to the Abbey of Bec . § Gundulph Avas no less eminent for his military architecture , and his designs were executed by the same hands .

The first master-mason whose Avorks are extant in England , and his name authenticated , is William of Sens . f AVIIO Avas assisted and succeeded by William the Englishman in the completion of the choir of Canterbury cathedral , in the year 1179 .

At the commencement of the next century , Ave may consider the fraternity to have been consolidated in this kingdom , as it had been for some years previously both in Germany and France . Besides the abbey church of Westminsterthere Avere

, not a few sumptuous and extensive ecclesiastical structures , which , at that time , were making a contemporary progress . Authors maintain distinct opinions as to the priority of the German schools , from Avhence it is contended that the

mastermasons Avith their confreres , or operatives , have emigrated into France and Italy . *' Certain it is , that several architects Avere employed in both those countries , and perhaps before their own countrymen , both

“The Masonic Magazine: 1876-04-01, Page 8” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 16 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01041876/page/8/.
  • List
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Title Category Page
Monthly Masonic Summary. Article 1
SONNET. Article 1
THE WILSON MANUSCRIPT CONSTITUTION. Article 2
AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF MASTER AND FREE MASONS. Article 7
AIMEE. Article 11
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF SCOTTISH FREEMASONRY. Article 11
LINES Article 14
THE ANTI-MASONIC VICAR Article 15
TO A SNOWDROP Article 17
"MILKLAT "—THE CITY OF REFUGE. Article 18
ODDS AND ENDS OF WIT AND HUMOUR. Article 19
CONTEMPORARY LETTERS ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. Article 24
ORATION Article 26
THE OLD FOLKS' PARTY. Article 28
BENEFIT MANKIND. Article 32
CURIOSITIES OF THE POST OFFICE. Article 32
THE WOMEN OF OUR TIME. Article 34
BRO. DANIEL COXE—THE FATHER OF FREEMASONRY IN AMERICA. Article 36
THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY. Article 39
HALF-WAY DOIN'S. Article 42
GODFREY HIGGINS ON FREEMASONRY. Article 43
THE SITE OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE DISCOVERED. Article 44
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND ART. Article 46
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

An Historical Account Of Master And Free Masons.

The title of Avehitectvia Angustornm Avas borne by Q . Cissonius , during the reigns of Severus and M . Antoninus . * Previously to the foundation of Constantinople , ' * the magistrates of the most distant provinces Avere directed , by a royal edictto institute schoolsto appoint

pro-, , fessors , and by the hopes of rewards and privileges to engage in the study and practice of architecture , a sufficient number of ingenious youths , Avho had receiA'ed a liberal education . " ' ! A similar mandate was issued by the Emperor Theodosius . t

Such were the apparent origin of a scientific institution among the Romans j but as the foregoing remarks are merely preliminary , or incidental , I hasten to the Gothick field , from Avhence a view may present itselfnot only of masonic

estab-, lishments , but of many eminent mastermasons Avhose names and works have been obscurely noticed , or Avithout chronological classification . In giving this series , the leading purposes of inquiry will be , to ascertain those who were employed in our own

country . There is a certaindoeument which proves , that in the eighth century , Charlemagne had invited artificers || from every country of Europe in Avhich they Avere established , to erect his magnificent church at Aix la

Chapelle . His asra may be therefore fixed upon as that least liable to contradiction or doubt , as that of the best authority of such a body on the Continent .

After the Norman conquest , the prelates Lanfranc and Gundul pk brought over to England not only the style of architecture Avhich Avas peculiar to their oAvn native province , but the artificers themselves . These had been chiefly employed in building the

two great churches at Caen , and that likewise of vast dimensions , attached to the Abbey of Bec . § Gundulph Avas no less eminent for his military architecture , and his designs were executed by the same hands .

The first master-mason whose Avorks are extant in England , and his name authenticated , is William of Sens . f AVIIO Avas assisted and succeeded by William the Englishman in the completion of the choir of Canterbury cathedral , in the year 1179 .

At the commencement of the next century , Ave may consider the fraternity to have been consolidated in this kingdom , as it had been for some years previously both in Germany and France . Besides the abbey church of Westminsterthere Avere

, not a few sumptuous and extensive ecclesiastical structures , which , at that time , were making a contemporary progress . Authors maintain distinct opinions as to the priority of the German schools , from Avhence it is contended that the

mastermasons Avith their confreres , or operatives , have emigrated into France and Italy . *' Certain it is , that several architects Avere employed in both those countries , and perhaps before their own countrymen , both

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