Ancient Masonic Lodges, No. 1.

passing pay into the Box the sum of two shilling 8 starling mony , and that by and our satisfieing the company , and that none 1 ) 6 passed except in presence of the Master of the Lodge , Warden , and seven of the

members and the Contraveners of this Act to pay into the Box the sum of ten shillings starling mony of fine . " 6 . It is statute and ordained that any man who shall come to work Avh in this

Lodge , if not ane free man ye of shall pay into the Box the sum of forty shill . Scots mony , Avh three shillings and four pennies to the officer .

" 7 . It is statute and ordained that every member of this Lodge who shall enter into the Holy bond of Matrimony shall pay into the box the sum of one shill . starling mony . " 8 . It is hereby ordained that if it shall

please any Measson Avho is entered hi ane other Lodge to come and join our fraternity for their incourgement pay only twenty shill . Scots to the box alweys after satisfieing the company . " 9 . It is statute and ordained that each

Measson shall insert his Mark in this book and shall pay thirteen shillings Scots mor for hooking their mark . " 10 . It is statute and ordained that

every member of this Lodge duly and strictly attend the bretheren uppon St . John ' s clay yearly for commemorating the said Appostle our Patron and Tutelar Saint under the penalty of forty shill . Scots , to be repayed by each absent unless they are out

off Country , and not Avithin sixteen myles of the Lodge , or get leave from the Master ° r find ane reasonable excuse to him and Bretheren , this fined to be payed Avithout miti gation . " It Avould appear that although the laws

Me dated 1714 , they were not entered in tiie present book until 1723 , with what alterations from the original it is impossible now to say , but doubtless the old Record-book having become worthy of

superannuation the latest regulations Avere copied into the neAV volume for the " minutes , " from 1723 . We append the " subscription . " "We , subscribers , Measons , members

of the honourable fraternity of Measons of the Lodge of Brechine subscribing hereby bind and oblidge and our successors , duly and strictly to obey and observe the ordinances and acts contained

upon this and the two proceeding pages in the hail heads tenor and contents of the same , and to admit none into our fraternity unless they subscribe themselves to obey the same , and Avhat ordinances and aits shall be made hereafter and insert in this

book by the unanimous consent of the Honourable Lodge as Avitnesseth otu' subscriptions , tills twenty-eighth day - of December , 1723 years . " The " index of the several marks of the handy-crafts and members of this lodge , "

dated from the 27 th December , 1714 , and about the year 1769 Avere copied into another book , the names ran as follows : —

" G EORGE MILLER , younger , his mark JOHN HUNTER , his mark 1715 ANDREW WEBSTER , his mark 1718 JOHN SPBNOE , his mark " A mistake has often been made in

assuming that only Fellow Crafts , or Master Masons were allowed to select Maries , but the Apprentices Avere also permitted to do so , and in the ancient records of the Lodge of Ablkleen there are many such instances from the seventeenth century .

The Grand Lodge of Scotland , though formed in 1736 , did not have the Lodge of Brechin on its roll until twenty years later , and the members do not appear to have troubled themselves about a Grand

Lodge at all until the middle of that century , in Avhich respect they were not alone , one , ( the "Lodge of Melrose" ) having continued hi its independent position dovn to the present day .