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Article OCCASIONAL PAPERS.—No. V. ← Page 2 of 2 Article OCCASIONAL PAPERS.—No. V. Page 2 of 2
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Occasional Papers.—No. V.
for the Grand Mastership , and so far did these brethren carry their opposition to Montagu ' s re-election , that a most irregular meeting was convened at Stationers' Hall , at which the Duke of Wharton was proclaimed Grand Master . Thus , at the very outset of its career as a
speculative body , Freemasonry saw its house divided against itself , and ran the risk of perishing through internal dissensions . But though this irregular meeting gave great offence to the majority of Craftsmen , the Duke of Mon tao-u . with a rare self-denial , which must commend itself to
the admiration of all lovers of our Society , publicly resigned office in favour of his rival , in order to summarily stamp out a quarrel , which he foresaw must involve the ruin of the Craft . Thus it- came about that in 1722 our Grand Mastership passed to the Dnke of Wharton . Before ,
however , we enter upon a fresh reign , it will doubtless interest you to have some few particulars as to the public career and general character of the first nobleman who presided over Grand Lodge . You must bear in mind that his Grace of Montagu was not only one of tho highest
official dignitaries in tbe kingdom , but he was also one of the kindest and best of men . He was singular perhaps in what he did at times , but the motives which prompted his actions were the purest and noblest that can animate and direct our erring nature . He was not only by birth and
titularly a nobleman ; he was a nobleman at heart , and the memory of certain of the many and great kindnesses he rendered to others , as well as of frolicsome humour , has been in some instances preserved to us . The following is a brief sketch of his career .
He was born in 1688 or 1689 , and in 1705 married Mary , the fourth and youngest daughter and co-heir of the illustrious John Duke of Marlborough . He succeeded to the title iu March 1708-9 . At the coronation of George I ., on 11 th October 1715 , he acted as Constable of England .
Subsequently he became Colonel of the 1 st Regiment of Foot Guards . In 1718 he was made a Knight of the Garter , and on the revival of the Order of the Bath in 1725 , the King constituted him Grand Master . He likewise held the office of Master of the Great Wardrobe , an
office in the Royal household which had been settled on his father ,, by patent , with remainder to himself . He was further distinguished as Lord Proprietor and Capt .-General of the Islands of St . Lucia and St . Vincent in America "—probably , says Lodge , by virtue of grants which reverted to
the Crown at his death . In August 1733 he was appointed Governor of the Isle of Wight , and in June of the following year , Captain of the band of Gentlemen pensioners . In 1736 he was summoned to the Privy Council . Though in his lifetime he held many military appointments , the
Dnke never saw any active service . He received his Commission of Major-General in 1735 , and became Lieut .-General in 1739 . In May 1740 , he was appointed Master of the Ordnance , and Colonel of the Queen ' s Regiment of Horse . He was also in this year , and again in 1745 ancl 1748 , one of the Lords Justices appointed to administer
the Government during the King ' s absence in Hanover . On the outbreak of the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745 , his Grace raised a regiment in the counties of Northampton
and Warwick , of both which he was Lord Lieutenant ; and in acknowledgment of his loyalty was appointed General of Horse . Sir Charles Hanbury Williams says of
him" Three Regiments one Duko contents With two more places you kuow ; Since his Bath Knights His Grace delights ' In tria junct' in ' uno . ' "
He died of a fever at his house in Privy Gardens , Whitehall , on 16 th July 1749 , without male issue , but leaving two daughters , his co-heirs . One of these—Isabellamarried ( 1 ) William Montagu Duke of Manchester , and ( 2 ) Edward Hussey ; the other—Eleanor—married George
Brudenell , fourth Earl of Cardigan , who , in 1766 , assumed the family name , and in whom the titles of Marquis of Monthermer and Duke of Montagu were revived , only again to become extinct on his death , without male issue , m 1790 . Lodge speaks of Montagu as an eccentric
Humourist , but with a heart overflowing with kindness and generosit y ; and his irresistible affection for the surprising and the ridiculous seldom failed to insinuate itself even in
those noble acts of beneficence wh ' ch ought to immortalise his name . The neighbourhood of Bough ton , his favourite seat in Northamptonshire , still cherishes abundant traditionary anecdotes of his singular disposition ; for it is
Occasional Papers.—No. V.
chiefly to the perhaps safe evidence of tradition that we owe our knowledge of it . His tenderness was extended tn ( possibly the truest test of its genuineness ) every class of animated nature . His tenants and dependents were strictlv charged neither to work nor to kill the old nnd disabled
cattle , but to bring them to his park , a portion of which was set apart for their reception , which he called the " reservoir , " and on which they remained till their natural death . We gather from the Memoirs of tho Kit-Ivat Club that "he
was constantly seeking for objects whereon to exercise his benevolent propensities , and was remarkable for performing acts of charity and kindness with . a singularity and dexterity of achievement which at once astonished and confounded tho persons on whom his
favours wero lavished ; and he used to declare it was this very surprise in tho party which afforded him so much delight and amusement ; and that the pleasure with which
ho bestowed a benefit on a deserving individual was precisely in proportion to the opportunities he had of making the reverse so much the more extraordinary ancl unlooked for . He is elsewhere described as " a fellow of infinite
mirth , somewhat eccentric , but withal possessed of an excellent heart . We aro also told that he kept a dog , the ugliest creature ever beheld , and that ho used to say he was kind to the animal because it was too hideous to havo
claims upon the kindness of any one else . As regards his personal appearance , he is described as having been of middle stature , but inclining to be tall , with a dark complexion and very expressive eye .
I pass now to the Grand Mastership of tho Duke of Wharton , who having obtained his position in a manner that was most irregular , nevertheless so far did homage to the high sense of decorum entertained by the Craft generally as to admit and apologise for tho irregularity of
his election , and the impropriety of which he and his partizans had been guilty . He was formally installed by Montagu in the presence of five and twenty Lodges , and by bis zeal and attention to tho dnties of his now office , very quickly effaced ali recollection of his irregular
conduct . He appointed Dr . Desaguliers as his Depnty , and under his patronage the Craft made considerable progress his Grace constituting no less than eleven now Lodge during his Grand Mastership . It was during his reign that the office of Grand Secretary was constituted . In
1723 the Earl of Dalkeith , afterwards Duke of Bucclengh , was installed Grand Master by proxy , in presence of some four hundred brethren . Dalkeith was succeeded by Charles
Duke of Richmond , in whose reign the Committee of Charity , now known as the Lodgo of Benevolence , was suggested , by his predecessor , supported by several othei distinguished brethren .
We learn also that this year a rule was passed to the effect that no brother , except he were a member of a foreign Lodge , could belong to more than one Lodge in London , though he was eligible to visit all . It was further laid down that no visitor , however experienced he might be ,
should be admitted into a Lodge unless he were personally known , approved , and recommended ; and also that a Lodge which discontinued working for a period of twelve months should be struck off the roll , with accompanying loss of rank in the event of its reopening its labours . In this year
also was published an authorised list of Lodges constituted since the Grand Mastership of Payne . It was also , we believe , during this Grand Mastership that , owing to certain brethren having been guilty of excesses , a rule was established to the effect that the Stewards should supply no wine before dinner , or after eight of the clock .
In 1725 , Lord Paisley subsequevitly the Earl of Abercorn , became Grand Master . He , too , was installed by proxy , and appointed Desaguliers as his Deputy . During Lord Paisley ' s Grand Mastership a new and important regulation was passed , by which it was ordained that " the
Master of a Lodc * e , too-ether with his Wardens and the requisite number of Brethren , assembled in due form , can create Masters and Fellow-Crafts , " the conference of these degrees having been previously reserved to Grand Lodge itself .
Burdett Coutts Lodge of Instruction , No . 1278 . — Tlio members mot on tho 11 th instant , for tho ( irst time sineo the recess . Bro . Musto acted as \ V . M ., Stewart S . W .. Anderson J . W ., Hand I . G ., D'Anleuno Treasurer . There was little business done , but tho VV . M . expressed a hope that the brethren would muster in u'ood numbers next Wednesday , the 18 th instant , when Bro , Stewart will preside ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Occasional Papers.—No. V.
for the Grand Mastership , and so far did these brethren carry their opposition to Montagu ' s re-election , that a most irregular meeting was convened at Stationers' Hall , at which the Duke of Wharton was proclaimed Grand Master . Thus , at the very outset of its career as a
speculative body , Freemasonry saw its house divided against itself , and ran the risk of perishing through internal dissensions . But though this irregular meeting gave great offence to the majority of Craftsmen , the Duke of Mon tao-u . with a rare self-denial , which must commend itself to
the admiration of all lovers of our Society , publicly resigned office in favour of his rival , in order to summarily stamp out a quarrel , which he foresaw must involve the ruin of the Craft . Thus it- came about that in 1722 our Grand Mastership passed to the Dnke of Wharton . Before ,
however , we enter upon a fresh reign , it will doubtless interest you to have some few particulars as to the public career and general character of the first nobleman who presided over Grand Lodge . You must bear in mind that his Grace of Montagu was not only one of tho highest
official dignitaries in tbe kingdom , but he was also one of the kindest and best of men . He was singular perhaps in what he did at times , but the motives which prompted his actions were the purest and noblest that can animate and direct our erring nature . He was not only by birth and
titularly a nobleman ; he was a nobleman at heart , and the memory of certain of the many and great kindnesses he rendered to others , as well as of frolicsome humour , has been in some instances preserved to us . The following is a brief sketch of his career .
He was born in 1688 or 1689 , and in 1705 married Mary , the fourth and youngest daughter and co-heir of the illustrious John Duke of Marlborough . He succeeded to the title iu March 1708-9 . At the coronation of George I ., on 11 th October 1715 , he acted as Constable of England .
Subsequently he became Colonel of the 1 st Regiment of Foot Guards . In 1718 he was made a Knight of the Garter , and on the revival of the Order of the Bath in 1725 , the King constituted him Grand Master . He likewise held the office of Master of the Great Wardrobe , an
office in the Royal household which had been settled on his father ,, by patent , with remainder to himself . He was further distinguished as Lord Proprietor and Capt .-General of the Islands of St . Lucia and St . Vincent in America "—probably , says Lodge , by virtue of grants which reverted to
the Crown at his death . In August 1733 he was appointed Governor of the Isle of Wight , and in June of the following year , Captain of the band of Gentlemen pensioners . In 1736 he was summoned to the Privy Council . Though in his lifetime he held many military appointments , the
Dnke never saw any active service . He received his Commission of Major-General in 1735 , and became Lieut .-General in 1739 . In May 1740 , he was appointed Master of the Ordnance , and Colonel of the Queen ' s Regiment of Horse . He was also in this year , and again in 1745 ancl 1748 , one of the Lords Justices appointed to administer
the Government during the King ' s absence in Hanover . On the outbreak of the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745 , his Grace raised a regiment in the counties of Northampton
and Warwick , of both which he was Lord Lieutenant ; and in acknowledgment of his loyalty was appointed General of Horse . Sir Charles Hanbury Williams says of
him" Three Regiments one Duko contents With two more places you kuow ; Since his Bath Knights His Grace delights ' In tria junct' in ' uno . ' "
He died of a fever at his house in Privy Gardens , Whitehall , on 16 th July 1749 , without male issue , but leaving two daughters , his co-heirs . One of these—Isabellamarried ( 1 ) William Montagu Duke of Manchester , and ( 2 ) Edward Hussey ; the other—Eleanor—married George
Brudenell , fourth Earl of Cardigan , who , in 1766 , assumed the family name , and in whom the titles of Marquis of Monthermer and Duke of Montagu were revived , only again to become extinct on his death , without male issue , m 1790 . Lodge speaks of Montagu as an eccentric
Humourist , but with a heart overflowing with kindness and generosit y ; and his irresistible affection for the surprising and the ridiculous seldom failed to insinuate itself even in
those noble acts of beneficence wh ' ch ought to immortalise his name . The neighbourhood of Bough ton , his favourite seat in Northamptonshire , still cherishes abundant traditionary anecdotes of his singular disposition ; for it is
Occasional Papers.—No. V.
chiefly to the perhaps safe evidence of tradition that we owe our knowledge of it . His tenderness was extended tn ( possibly the truest test of its genuineness ) every class of animated nature . His tenants and dependents were strictlv charged neither to work nor to kill the old nnd disabled
cattle , but to bring them to his park , a portion of which was set apart for their reception , which he called the " reservoir , " and on which they remained till their natural death . We gather from the Memoirs of tho Kit-Ivat Club that "he
was constantly seeking for objects whereon to exercise his benevolent propensities , and was remarkable for performing acts of charity and kindness with . a singularity and dexterity of achievement which at once astonished and confounded tho persons on whom his
favours wero lavished ; and he used to declare it was this very surprise in tho party which afforded him so much delight and amusement ; and that the pleasure with which
ho bestowed a benefit on a deserving individual was precisely in proportion to the opportunities he had of making the reverse so much the more extraordinary ancl unlooked for . He is elsewhere described as " a fellow of infinite
mirth , somewhat eccentric , but withal possessed of an excellent heart . We aro also told that he kept a dog , the ugliest creature ever beheld , and that ho used to say he was kind to the animal because it was too hideous to havo
claims upon the kindness of any one else . As regards his personal appearance , he is described as having been of middle stature , but inclining to be tall , with a dark complexion and very expressive eye .
I pass now to the Grand Mastership of tho Duke of Wharton , who having obtained his position in a manner that was most irregular , nevertheless so far did homage to the high sense of decorum entertained by the Craft generally as to admit and apologise for tho irregularity of
his election , and the impropriety of which he and his partizans had been guilty . He was formally installed by Montagu in the presence of five and twenty Lodges , and by bis zeal and attention to tho dnties of his now office , very quickly effaced ali recollection of his irregular
conduct . He appointed Dr . Desaguliers as his Depnty , and under his patronage the Craft made considerable progress his Grace constituting no less than eleven now Lodge during his Grand Mastership . It was during his reign that the office of Grand Secretary was constituted . In
1723 the Earl of Dalkeith , afterwards Duke of Bucclengh , was installed Grand Master by proxy , in presence of some four hundred brethren . Dalkeith was succeeded by Charles
Duke of Richmond , in whose reign the Committee of Charity , now known as the Lodgo of Benevolence , was suggested , by his predecessor , supported by several othei distinguished brethren .
We learn also that this year a rule was passed to the effect that no brother , except he were a member of a foreign Lodge , could belong to more than one Lodge in London , though he was eligible to visit all . It was further laid down that no visitor , however experienced he might be ,
should be admitted into a Lodge unless he were personally known , approved , and recommended ; and also that a Lodge which discontinued working for a period of twelve months should be struck off the roll , with accompanying loss of rank in the event of its reopening its labours . In this year
also was published an authorised list of Lodges constituted since the Grand Mastership of Payne . It was also , we believe , during this Grand Mastership that , owing to certain brethren having been guilty of excesses , a rule was established to the effect that the Stewards should supply no wine before dinner , or after eight of the clock .
In 1725 , Lord Paisley subsequevitly the Earl of Abercorn , became Grand Master . He , too , was installed by proxy , and appointed Desaguliers as his Deputy . During Lord Paisley ' s Grand Mastership a new and important regulation was passed , by which it was ordained that " the
Master of a Lodc * e , too-ether with his Wardens and the requisite number of Brethren , assembled in due form , can create Masters and Fellow-Crafts , " the conference of these degrees having been previously reserved to Grand Lodge itself .
Burdett Coutts Lodge of Instruction , No . 1278 . — Tlio members mot on tho 11 th instant , for tho ( irst time sineo the recess . Bro . Musto acted as \ V . M ., Stewart S . W .. Anderson J . W ., Hand I . G ., D'Anleuno Treasurer . There was little business done , but tho VV . M . expressed a hope that the brethren would muster in u'ood numbers next Wednesday , the 18 th instant , when Bro , Stewart will preside ,