The York Rite.

THE YORK RITE .

Bv lh : o . R . F . GOULD . rilHK title I have chosen for this article has been turned - * - to very strange uses , both by Masons and Politicians . In tho United States of America , thc " York Kite" has been bold to be synonymous with those external observances of the Ancient Freemasons , that have come down to

us iu the greatest purity . While , in Mexico , during a long period of comparative anarchy , the two factions which contended for political supremacy , were best known as

Escoceses and Yorkmos — the Aristocracy and the Reformers—the former of whom were supposed to be " Scots Masons , " and the latter—adherents of tho " Tork Rito . "

As a simple matter of fact , however , the common belief ia the superiority of the " York" over any other rite has sprung up and taken root , like many other existing superstitions , in consequence of the visionary speculations of Preston , Dermott , and others , passing muster as history ,

during ' the " dark ages " of Masonic Study . If , indeed , there ever existed a York Rite afc all , in the sense of the ceremonial wrought in the city of the same

name , differing in any material respect from those prevailing in" other parts of Britain , there are only three possible sources to which we can turn with any expectation of unravelling the mystery .

These are , ' the Manuscript Constitutions of the Freemasons , the Fabric Rolls of York Minster , and the records of the York Lodges . The * Manuscript Constitutions contain the legendary

history of the Masons' Craffc , and of these ancient writings , the vast preponderance , together with the whisper of tradition , unitedly assure us that—throughout Britain—York was long regarded as the earliest centre of the Building Art .

The Cathedral of Sfc . Peter ' s , afc York , was begun under King Edwin in 627 , and tbe officiating clergy of the same edifice were granted a charter by King Athelstan , about

the year 936 . Here , two leading incidents in the Legend of the Craffc coalesce in a common centre—York Minsterwhich Edwin founded , and whose ministers Athelstan endowed .

But of the actual customs of the York Masons , in thoso early days , we know absolutely nothing , nor is ifc until thc " fourteenth century that even a glimpse of them is

obtainable . This wo derive from the Fabric Rolls of York Minster , published by tho Surtces Society in 1859 , from which wo learn that , in 1352 , the following orders were enacted : —

" The first and second Masons , who are called Masters of the same ( principalis et secundarius cementarms , qui vocantur magistri eorumdem ) , and the carpenters shall make oath that they cause the ancient customs underwritten to be faithfully observed . In summer they are to begin to work immediately after sunrise until the ringing

of the bell of the Virgin Mary , thon to breakfast in the fabric lodge ( logium fabricae ) , then one of the Masters shall knock upon the door of tho lodge , and forthwith all are to return to work until noon . Between April and August , after dinner , they shall sleep in the

Lodge , then work until the first bell for vespers . Then sit to driulc till the end of the third boll , and return to work so long as they can see by daylight . In winter , they are to begin work at daybreak and continue as before till noon—dine , and return to work till daylight is over . On Vigils and on Saturdays they are to work until noon . "

These rules continued in force until 1370 , when they were superseded by others of a like character , bufc expressed in the vernacular idiom . The duties to be performed in the " loge " remained very much the same as before , and tho regulations conclude : —

" Ande alswo , it es ordayned yt na masonn sail be receavyde atte wyrke , to ye werk of ye forsaydo Kyrke , bot he be Mrste provede a weke or mare opon his well wyrking ; and , aftyr yt he es foundyn Bonilissant of his werke , be receavyde of ye commune assente of ye

mayster and ye kepers of ye werk , ande of ye mastyr masonn , and swere npon ye boke yt he sail trewly ande bysyli at his power , for oute any inaner gylyry , fayntys , outher desayte , hald and kepe haly all ye poyntes of yis forsayde ordinance , " & o .

On the 31 st of October 1370 , Master Robert de Patringto . n , and twelve other Masons , came before the Chapter , and swore to observe the foregoing rules , in the following terms : — " Lordes , if it be your wyles , we grant for to stand at our werkes truly at our power , " & o .

We learn from the same Fabric Rolls that there was a duly appointed pledge-day ( pleghdai ) , when the workmen swore to observe the orders which the Chapter had or-

The York Rite.

dained for their management . This they were required to do at least once a year . The York Fabric Rolls show clearly enough of what the operative labours of the Masons consisted , when in Lodge ,

but of their speculative work , if they had any such to perform , there is not a trace . Indeed , a learned writer—Mr . Wyatt Papworth—in his Notes on the Superintendents of " English Buildings in , the Middle Ages has observed with much force : —

"That tho ' orders' supplied to the Masons at work , at York Cathedral , in 1352-55 , give but a poor notion of thero being _ then existing in that city anything like a guild or fellowship claiming authority in virtne of a charter , supposed to have been given to it by Athelstan in 926 , not only over that city , but over all England . "

Lastly , then , we come to the records of the York Lodges , from which alone , it will now become apparent , that in the absence of further documentary evidence , we can obtain any knowledge whatever of fche system of Symbolical or Speculative Masonry indigenous to , or practised at a very early date , in the ancient capital of Norfchumbria .

This brings us down to the beginning of the eighteenth century , when thero was a Lodgo in existence at York , with a Roll of Minutes dating from 1705 , though with a conjectural pedigree of far greater antiquity . This Lodge followed in the footsteps of the memorable " Four" afc

London , whose erection of a Grand Lodge of England , in 1717 , it copied somewhat closely by assuming the title and prerogatives of the Grand Lodge of . 4 ZB * England ( at York ) ,

in 1725 . About twenty years later , however , it went to sleep , and its slumber would doubtless have continued to this day were it not that in 1761 York was Masonically invaded from the South .

In thafc year , a Lodge—which met at the "Punch Bowl , " in Stonegate—No . 259—was established by the Grand Lodge of England . This awakened the slumbering Grand Lodge of All

England , which accordingly resumed its active functions on the 17 th March 1761 . The newly imported Lodge , at the " Punch Bowl , " became extinct in 1764 , but a successor was soon established—31 st July 1773—under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge in the South .

The " Apollo " Lodge , for such it was named , had a very remarkable history , which—as all students will rejoice to learn—it has recently devolved upon Bro . W . J . Hughau to relate . This ho has done in a handy little volume whoso price places ifc within the reach of all readers . The

struggle between tha rival jurisdictions , the vicissitudes of the Grand Lodge of All England , its dormancy , revival , decay , and obliteration , together with a survey of the various " rites" known and practised in York , are all noticed , and at just the proper length , by the distinguished Masonic writer to whom I have referred .

Bro . Hughan tells us : —• "There are numerous indications in the Records of the activity of the '' Apollo " as tho Masonic centre of the Province . The bnsiness of the Provincial Grand Lodge was for many years conducted by its

principal members , who were aiao officers in that body . "The present 'York' Lodge , No . 236 , then the 'Union , ' No . 504 , was warranted , under similar circumstances , in July 1777 , and the Bye Laws of the ' Apollo' were adopted for its guidance in Febrnary 1782 . "

As a key to York Masonry generally , a careful study of the " History of the ' Apollo' Lodge" may be recommended . Bro Hughan is at all times a safe guide , and the curioua reader—if such there be—who is desirous of diving still

deeper into the mysteries of the " York Rite , " may turn with confidence to an earlier work by tho same writer" Masonic Sketches and Reprints , " — wherein all the evidence bearing upon the subject has been sifted and compared .

The Prince of Wales has graciously intimated his intention of laying tho Foundation Stone of the new building for the Royal South Londou Ophthalmic Hospital in July .

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