Dr. Dassigny's Enquiry.

with a man so well versed in cunning in all parts of Masonry , as the reiiOAvned Hiram ablf . AVhile the Roman empire continued in it ' s glory , the Royal art Avas carefully propagated , even to the Ultima Thule and a lodge erected in almost every Roman

garrison , Avhereby they generally communicated their cunning to the nothern and Avestern parts of Europe , which had groAvn barbarous before the Roman conquest ; there being but few remains of good Masonry before that period .

But Avhen the ¦ Goths aud Vandals who had never been conquered by the Jiomans , like a general deluge overspread the Roman empire , with warlike rage and gross ignorance , few of their finished edifices escaped from being either defaced or totally

destroyed . The Asiatic and African nations , felt the AA'eight of the same calamit y by the conquest of the Mahometans , who in stead of cultivating the arts and sciences , designed to convert the Avorld b y the cruel method of fire aud sword .

Thus upon the declension of the Roman empire , when the British garrisons Avere raised , the Angles and other loAver Saxons being invited b y the antient Britons to come over anclhel p them against the Scots and Fiats , AVIIO being related to the Goths or rather a sort of Vandals , possessed Avith

the same warlike disposition aud heathenish ignorance , encouraged nothing but war until they Avere converted into Christianity , Avhen they had cause to lament , tho' too late , the gross ignorance of their fathers in the loss of Roman Masoniy , which they

kneAV not how to repair . But becoming a free people ( as the old Sao ; on laws testif y ) and having a disposition for Masonry , they soon began to imitate the Asiatics , Grecians , and Romans , in erecting of Lodges , and . g iving encouragement to Masons , being

taught not only from the faithful tradition and valuable remains of the Britons but even by foreign princes , in whose dominions the Uoyal Art hath been much preserved from Gothic ruins ; particularly by Charles Martell king of France , who according to

the old records of Masonry , sent over several expert Craftsmen and learned Architects into England , at the request of the Saxon kings , so that during the Heptarchy the Gothic Architecture was as much encouraged here as iu other christian lands .

And tho' the invasion of the Domes occasioned the loss of some records , yet many venerable Gothic buildings remained ; and after the Saxons and Danes Avere conquered by the Normans , Gothic Masonry Avas mig htily encouraged even by William the conqueror , who built the ioAver of London ,

and many strong castles and religious edifices . His son William Rnfus also built Westminster Hall , Avhich is reputed to be the largest room upon earth . Nor did the Barons Avars or those of the subsequent Norman kings , and their

contending branches , in any great measure hinder the clergy , or those who eujoy'd large revenues , from raising sumptuous and lofty buildings , for king Edward III . had an officer called the kings Free Mason , AVIIO was employed to survey all his buildings and did erect several abbeys , & c . but for the better instruction of candidates and

younger Brethren , a certain record of Free Masonry , Avritten in the reign of king Edward IA . gh'es the following authentick account , viz . " That tho' the " antient records of the Brootherhood in

" England Avere many of them destroyed " in the wars of the Saxons and Danes , " yet king Athelstan ( the grandson of king " Alfred the great a mig hty architect ) the " first annointed king of England , and " AVIIO translated the holy Bible into the " Saxon tongue when he had brought the

" land into rest and peace , built many " great Avorks , and encouraged many Ma" sons from France , Avho Avere appointed " overseers thereof , and brought Avith them " the charges and regulations of the Lodges " preserved since the Roman times who

" also prevailed Avith the king to impi-ove " the constitution of the Lodges , according " to the foreign model , and to increase the " Avages of Avorking Masons . '' That the " said kings youngest son , prince Edwin , " being taught Masonry , and taking upon " him the charges of a Master Mason for

" the IOA' 6 he had for the said Graft , and ' ¦ the honourable principles Avhereon it is " grounded , purchased a Charter of king '' Athelstan , his father , for the Masons " haA'iug a correction amongst themselves " ( as it was antientl y expressed ) or a

free" dom and poAver to regulate themselves , " to amend Avhat mig ht happen amiss , and '' to hold a yearly communication and " general assembly . ( To be continued . )