Masonic And General Archaeologia.

to give the following account : —A set of foreigners , who called themselves Freemasons ( because none were acquainted with the secrets of their trade , except such as were Free and Accepted members of their society ) are said to have introduced the art of building with stone into England about the middle of the seventh century . These were formerly divided into parties or companies . Each company was subject to a Mastera Wardenand other inferior officers

, , ( names retained among Freemasons to this day ) . They assembled in one common room , called a lodge , where they consulted about carrying on the works which their Master ancl Warden had undertaken , for they were chiefl y employed in raising cathedrals , chapels , and other buildings of the like kind . A company of Freemasons ( as I am led to conclude from the second and- third indentures ) , to their immortal honourcontracted for building different parts

, of the chapel . They have left , I am told , in the course of their work , certain marks very well known to all adepts of their society . What these monuments of Masonry may be I am unable to declare ; but refer my reader , if he is learned in the secrets of that fraternity , to an inspection of every mysterious token about the building . One thing , however , I shall mention , which has often been observed , that in the south porch of the chapel there are three

steps ; at the west door five ; and in the north porch seven . These are numbers , with the mystery , or at least with the sound of which , Freemasons are said to be particularly well acquainted . It is observable that , nothwithstanding the encouragement Freemasons received from Henry VI ., by beinoemployed in erecting his magnificent chapel , an Act passed in the third year of his reign for suppressing their assembling , or holding chapters in any part

of his dominions , it being the prevailing opinion of those times that their meetings were held for the sake of making an extravagant addition to the wages of the working Masons . But a favourable report being made to his Majesty by some of the nobility , who had been admitted into the brotherhood , he afterwards received them into his favour , and showed them marks of a particular respect . The Act itself remains , I believe , as yet unrepealed . It is , however , probable , that the person who was architect of the chapel ( see page 20 ) was a member of that fraternity . "

At page 20 we find the following note : — "To aile Christen people this psent writyng endented seeng , redyng , or heryng , John Wulrich Maistr Mason of the werks of the Kynges College Roial of our Lady and seynt Nicholas of Cambrigge , John Bell , Mason Wardeyn in the same werks , etc . Written at Cambr . 17 Auo \ 1476 . 16 Edw . IV . "

This account is preserved in the archives of Cains College , Cambridge . The following short review is also taken from the Antiquary" The Philosophy of Handwriting , " by Don Felix de Salamanca ( Ghatto and Windus ) , is a reprint , with additions , of some hundred and fifty autographs of distinguished characters , and a few critical remarks thereon . As these remarks do not seem to lay down any precise rules for distinguishing various

classes of handwriting or ' cheirography , ' we think that ' philosophy' is scarcely the term to apply to such a book ; but we can certif y to the fact that the observations of Don Felix de Salamanca are amusing and worth reading , and may well serve to wile away a leisure hour . The reproduction of the autographs in most cases are wonderfully exact ; and they go far to confirm the old saying that a volume of autographs is ' a collection of the worst

specimens of great men ' s handwriting . ' We recommend the attention of our readers especially to the editor ' s remarks in his Preface ( pp . 1 , 2 ) on Cheiromany and on ancient works which treat of autographs in general . " The indenture which is contained in Maldon ' s "Account of King ' s College , Cambridge , " we shall give in our next .