Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

She Editor is not rttpoiaible for the opinions expressed by Correspondents . PRIORITY OP THE LODGE OP GLASGOW , ST . JOHN .

TO THE EDITOR OP THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —In a former article upon this subject I stated that the charter said to have been granted by Malcolm III ., King of Scots , to the Glasgow Incorporation and Lodge v ? as to be sent to a proper authority to be examined . Such has been

done ; the result being what Bro . R . Y . said some time ago ( and I consider that we are indebted to him 'for his remarks there aneat ) . It is a precious piece of imposition , and not a charter at all . I , therefore , consider that , under the circumstances , I would be acting art and part in sustaining such imposition did

I not make this known . It is no part of real Masonry to smother up the truth , allowing a lie to pass current as truth , acting as if it Avere true , Avhile the means are at hand to expose it . _ It has been said that there has been more zeal than discretion in the investigation into this Malcolm III .

affair . I am afraid that , had I allowed discretion to get the better of zeal in a case of this sort , said discretion might have caused me to leave it alone altogether . But no , I was determined to find out whether I had been imposed upon or not by this document , and whether or not I , in my turn , had been , therefore , unconsciously assisting to impose upon others . When zeal and truth go together in a

question of this sort , there is every cliance of something definite being dug out ; but if mere discretion or policy be allowed to get the upper hand , the inquiry is likely , so soon as things begin to look unpleasant , to end in smoke . At the same time , as regards this case , I do not admit that there has been

more zeal than discretion shown , as will be proved by the upshot . It does not always do to judge of work that is only half done . I consider that we should arrive much sooner at something really definite about the rise or state of the Masonic Order in the Middle Ages were it not on account of the vested interests concerned

. A brother may discover something really useful and important ; but , being afraid of it proving prejudicial to the pretensions of the lodge he belongs to , he conceals his knowledge . He may feel or see that this link fits into the history of his country , yet the weight of the vested interests concerned bends down the to

ear theAvhisper of discretion— " Smother it up—what is the use of troubling yourself about that . People generally do not like to have their ideas about old traditions upset , however incongruous they may really be ; and so , at the sacrifice of truth , the inconsistency is still allowed to walk abroad , until it encounters sooner or later some object which gives it its death-blow .

Without further preface , I proceed to the proof that this Malcolm writ is " an impudent forgery , executed since the year 1740 , and perhaps comparatively recently . " Shortly since I wrote to Professor Cosmo Innes , describing this pseudo-Malcolm charter of ours , when he wrote me back : " There is no such charter as you describe by Malcolm IT . to the Incorporation of Masons and Lodge ; but I shall be very anxious

to see the writ which you can imagine to be that charter . " Thereafter said writ was shown to Mr . Innis ( who , it must be admitted , is one of the most eminent chartologists of the day ) . After which I saw him personally . He then said : " It is no charter , hut a document written within the last 150 years ; orive

, g me plenty of time , " he added , " and I shall say 200 at the utmost . Eurther , it is made up of pieces taken out of different charters , and stuck together . " With Avhich opinion of Mr . Innes I most entirely and certainly concur ; because it can be as easily demonstrated by him , to any one capable of understanding

Avhat demonstration is , as the first proposition in Euclid . The first word "Maleoinus" is spelt wrongly ; the old way being Malcolonus , Malcolon , and often simply M . ; besides , it seems to have heen touched upand may oriinallhave been " Willelmus . " It is

, g y copied partly from the Glasgow Burgh Charter , 1175 , as given by McUre in his History of Glasgow , and contains exactly the same misspellings as his Latin copy of that charter does—e . g ., " Duncano , " instead of Dunecano , or Dunecan ; the sameAvith the others , even to McUre ' s mistake in giving " Adam de

Stainhow" in place of Stanford . In short , compare McTTre ' s style of the Latin with that given in the Maitland Club book , " Registrum Episcopatus Glasguensis , " and the difference will be at once understood . The body of the document is exactly word for Avord the same as another " writ , " said to be granted by "David the First" to the Masons of the

borough and town of Stirling , " to incorporate themselves together into a lodge , " dated March 5 th , 1147 , and said to be witnessed by " Prince Henry my son , Earl John of Monteith , Earl Duncan of Lennox , Herbert Bishop of Glasgow , Robert Bishop of St . Andrews , George ( or Gregory ) Bishop of Dunkeld ,

Walter de Riddell , and Andrew of Stonehouse" ; which imposition , on its part , is partly taken from the charter of foundation by King David to the Abbey of Cumbuskenneth in 1147 , Avhich is given in Wimmo's "History of Stirlingshire , " page 107 . In regard to which pseudo David writAvho Avas John

, Earl of Monteith ? And Earl Duncan ( 8 th Earl ) of Lennox lived about the middle of the fourteenth century ; Alwyn ( son of Arkil ) first Earl being made such by Malcolm IY . This Alwyn Avitnessed a charter of confirmation by David the Pirst to the Abbacy of Dunfermline ; he died about 11 G 0 . Then

, Herbert Bishop of Glasgow did not succeed until after Bishop John ' s death , in May 28 th , 1147 . Also , Avhat business have the two Earl ' s names before the Bishops ? Lastly , is Andrew of Stonehouse any friend to Adam of " Stainhow" ? It also begins badly the words "the first" after the King ' s name ,

being in no real charter of that date . In short , this Stirling " David the Eirst" writ ( a copy of which was given in this Magazine of March 17 th , 1860 , and which is also to be seen on wall of Commercial Lodge hall , Croy-place , Glasgow ) and oar Malcolm III . writ are two brothers , well matched ,- the one document containing word for word about ninety per cent , of what the other contains .

Although the minute-books of the Incorporation of Masons are still extant so far back as A . D . 1600 , 1 can find no notice of any Royal Charter in them , although allusion is often made to the town-council