Records Of The Old Grand Lodge Of York.

mig ht have been an ancestor of Francis Drake , the celebrated historian of this city , and as will be seen afterwards a prominent member of the Grand Lodge of York , I some time ago searched the records of the Diocesan Reg ' istry here , and discovered that in the month of October in the same

year ( 1663 ) a John Drake ( a progenitor of Francis ) was collated to the Prcbcndaf Stall of Donington in the Cathedral Church of York , and I am inclined to think this John Drake was identical with the one named on the gauge , and Bro . Gouid ,-in his " History of Freemasonry , " thinks this very probable .

The next evidence in point of date as to the existence of a lodge in York is contained in one of the MS . Constitutions in the possession of this lodge , of the year 1693 . It is signed by Mark Kypling , and after his signature appears the following . " The names of the lodge , William Simpson , Anthony Horsman , Christopher Thompson , Christopher Gill , and Mr . Isaac Brent , Lodge Ward" ( Warden ) .

In the inventory of its records and regalia taken by the Grand Lodge at York , in September , 1779 , appears an entry of "A narrow folio manuscript book beginning 1705-6 containing sundry accounts and minutes relative to the Grand Lodge . " This book , although search has been made for it both here and in the Grand Lodge in London , is still missing and is an unfortunate loss , the probability being that its contents would

throwmuch light on Freemasonry as practised during the early part of last century , twelve years before the formation of the Grand Lodge of London . We have , however , some mention of this minute book in a letter in the possession of this lodge dated 29 th August 1778 , from Bro . J acob Bussey , the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge , to Mr . Benj . Bradley , the J . W . of the Lodge of Antiquity in London , which was written in order to satisfy

him and Mr . Win . Preston , author of the celebrated " Illustrations of Masonry " as to the existence of the Grand Lodge at York before 1717 , the date of the formation of the Grand Lodge of London . In this letter the York Grand Secretary states that he has inspected an original minute book of the Grand Lodge beginning 1705 , and ending 1734 , from which he had extracted the names of the Grand Masters during that period as follows : —

1705 Sir George lempest , Bart . 1707 The Right Hon . Robt . Benson , Lord Mayor of York . 1708 Sir Win . Robinson , Bart . 1711 Sir Walter Hawkesworth , Bart .

1713 Sir George Tempest , Bart . 1714 Charles Fairfax , Esq . 1720 Sir Walter Hawkesworth , Bart .

1725 Edward Bell , Esq . 1726 Charles Bethurst , Esq . 1729 Edward Thompson , Esq ., M . P . 1733 John Johnson , Esq ., M . D . 1734 John Marsden , Esq .

Here is a list of York and Yorkshire worthies who occupied the position of Grand Master or presiding officer during the period referred to , being gentlemen of rank and position in the county . The Lord Mayor of York , Grand Master of 1707 , afterwards became Lord Bingley ; Sir Win . Robinson , Grand Master of 170 s , was M . P . for York in 1713 ; and Sir Walter Hawkesworth who was Grand Master in 1711-12 , and 1720-24 , was a man of distinguished social position , and he is unfortunately the only one of the Grand Masters here recorded whose portrait is preserved here .

The list given does not , I feel convinced , give the whole of the Grand Masters during the period mentioned , for only a few years ago it was discovered by Bro . Whytchcad that in 1728-29 Sir Win . Milner , the 1 st Baronet , was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of York . The entry was found in a manuscript work in the Leeds Library , entitled " A collection of

Coats of Arms , and descents of the several families of the West Riding , from MSS . of John Hopkinson , " under the name of Sir Win . Milner , and is as follows : — " On St . John Baptist Day , 1728 , at York , he was elected Grand Master of the Freemasons in lingland , being the 79 Sth successor from Edwin the Great . " As Bro . Gould says in his history , this is an interesting addition to the list of the York Grand Masters . This eminent brother was

initiated at York , as will be seen hereafter , and was the grcnt-great-greatgrandfathcr of the present Baronet , a member of this lodge , and P . M . of the Eboracum Lodge . In the letter I have referred to , the Grand Secretary states that : " The superior antiquity of the Grand Lodge of York to all other lodges in the kingdom will not admit of a doubt , that it was founded as early as the year

926 , and that in the reign of Queen Elizabeth it was so numerous that , mistaking the purport of their meeting , she was at the trouble of sending an armed force to dislodge the brethren ; that it appears by the lodge books since that time that the lodge has been regularly continued , and particularly by the book above extracted , that it was in being early in the present century , previous to the era of the aggrandised Lodge of London , and that it

now exists even the compilers of the Masons' Almanack , published under the sanction of that lodge , cannot but acknowledge , tho' they accompany such their acknowledgment with an invidious and un-Masonic prophecy that it will be suon totally annihilated—an event which we trust that no man nor sett of men who arc mean enough to wish shall ever live to see . "

Unfortunately , however , for the Grand Lodge of York , the prediction was fulfilled 14 years afterwards —in 1792—when the lodge became extinct . The letter of Grand Secretary Bussey is exceedingly important , as showing the value of the missing minute book and the interesting records which it must have contained .

The earliest minutes we have are contained on a parchment-roll , and begin March 19 th , 1 7 , when several members were " sworn & admitted — Geo . Bowes , Esq ., Deputy President . " These minutes are continued to 1734 , and contain little except the names of the gentlemen admitted into the

Society and the name of the Grand Master , or , as he was then termed , the " President , " who officiated . The meetings of the lodge at this period were held chiefly at the Star Inn in Stonegatc , as well as at the White Swan in Petcrgatc , and in 1713 it met at Bradford , when ! b' gentlemen of that neighbourhood were admitted .

On the 6 th September , 1725 , Dr . Francis Drake , the historian , was initiated at a private lodge at the Star Inn , Stonegatc , and the 27 th of December of the same year being the Festival of St . John the Evangelist , the Society went in procession to the Merchants' Hall , where , after the Grand Feast was over , they unanimously chose the Worshipful Charles

Bathurst , Esq ., their Grand . Master ; Mr . Johnson his Deputy ; Mr . Dawson and Mr . Drake , Wardens ; Mr . Scourfield , Treasurer ; and John Rupel ) , Clerk , for the ensuing year . On this occasion Bro . Drake delivered his celebrated speech on Freemasonry to the Grand Lodge , claiming for that body the title of Grand Lodge of All England . Win . Scourlield , the Treasurer , above referred to , was afterwards on the 6 th July , 1726 , expelled

Records Of The Old Grand Lodge Of York.

the Society for having called a lodge and made Masons without the consent of the Grand Master or his Deputy . On the 24 th February , 1725-6 , Sir Win , Milner , previously referred to as Grand Master in 1728-9 , was sworn and admitted into the Society of Freemasons at a private lodge at the Star in Stonegatc , and on the 13 th December in the same year , also at the Star Inn , the Right Honourable Arthur John , Viscount Irwin , was sworn and admitted .

On the 4 th May , 1730 , is a minute , which I commend to the attention of the W . M .: " At a private lodge at Mr . Collings , being the sign of ye White Swan in Petcrgate , York , it was ordered by the Deputy Master then present—that if from thenceforth any of the officers of ye lodge should be absent from ye company at the monthly lodges they shall forfeit the sum of one shilling for each omission . "

During the period over which these minutes extend , 1712 to 1730 , many members of the principal families in Yorkshire were admitted , and in the years 1725 and 1726 the lodge appears to have been in a very flourishing condition , 11 meetings being held in the former year , and 13 in the latter . In 1725 rules were adopted by the Grand Lodge respecting the conduct of business and refreshment at the meetings . These contain 19 Articles , and

are written on a skin of parchment and endorsed " Old Rules of the Grand Lodge at York , 1725 , " the original of which is in the possession of this lodge . Some of the rules are of a quaint and original character , and refreshment was evidently an important matter , as will be seen from the following : Rule 4 . "The bowl shall be filled at the monthly lodges with punch once ,

ale , bread , cheese , and tobacco in common , but if any more shall be called for by any brother , either for eating or drinking , that brother so calling shall pay for it himself besides his club " ( i . e ., his subscription ) . Rule 5 . " The Master or Deputy shall be obliged to call for a bill exactly at 10 o ' clock , if they meet in the evening , and discharge it . "

Rule 11 . "A Steward to be chose for keeping the stock at the Grand Lodge at Christmas , and the accounts to be passed three days after each lodge . " Rule 19 . " No money shall be expended out of the stock after the hour of 10 , as in the fifth Article . "

These rules , it will be remembered , are above 160 years old , and as regards the hour of closing our ancient brethren set us a good example , but we have no record as to the hour they commenced operations . Rule 2 states that " All subscribers to these Articles not appearing at the monthly lodge shall forfeit 6 d . each time . " Rule 13 is a wholesome one , and worthy of imitation : " An hour shall be set apart to talk Masonry . "

Rule 15 . " No more persons shall be admitted as brothers of this Society that shall keep a public house . " The rules are signed by Edward Bell , Master , and 87 members , and are the earliest regulations known of the old Grand Lodge of York . The roll of minutes ends with the entry of the lodge held on the 4 th May , 1730 , at the White Swan in Petergate , and although we have no

actual records of meetings from that date to the revival of the Grand Lodge in 1761 , there is little doubt that the lodge was in active working for several years after the former date . The minute book before referred to , according to the letter of the Grand Secretary , contains records ending in 1734 , and we have on a small parchment roll a list of Masons made in the Grand Lodge from 1712 to the latter year ; there is also a reference to the old lodge

working in York city in the Book of Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of London of 173 S , and there is other evidence of a character confirmatory of the lodge being at work considerably later than 1734 . Bro . Gould in his history suggests as the probable date 1740 to 1750 . However this may be , we know nothing of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge until the period of its revival in March , 17 61 , when we find from the minute book commencing at that date , that on the 17 th of that month " the Ancient and Independent

Constitution of Free and Accepted Masons belonging to the city of York , was revived by six of the surviving members of the Fraternity , by the Grand Lodge being opened and held at the house of Mr . Hy . Howard , in Kendal , in the said city , by them and others thereafter named . On this occasion there were present Bro . Francis Drake , F . R . S ., Grand Master ; Bro . George Reynolds , as Deputy Grand Master ; Grand Wardens , George

Coates and Thomas Mason ; together with Bros . Christopher Coulton and Martin Crofts , and eleven visiting brethren , amongst the latter being several members of the lodge held at the Punch Bowl in Stonegatc , which was warranted by the Grand Lodge of London on the 12 th January , 1761 . Five candidates were proposed for initiation at this meeting , and these were initiated at a lodge held on the 7 th May in the same year . "

I think it exceedingly probable that the fact of the Grand Lodge in London having warranted the lodge at the Punch Bowl in January , 17 61 , had something to do with the revival of the Grand Lodge two months afterwards b } ' Bro . Drake and the surviving members , as it is hardly likely that they would relish the idea of the encroachment on their jurisdiction by the

Modern Grand Lodge of London . Still , however , the fact that certain members of the Punch Bowl Lodge attended as visitors at the revival ef the then almost dormant Grand Lodge , shows a fraternal feeling on both sides highl y commendable . The lodge at the Punch Bowl , however , had only a brief existence , and several of its members afterwards joined and became useful members of the Grand Lodge .

Further rules were agreed upon in 2761 by which the fees for the Three Degrees and membership were fixed at £ 2 16 s ., which sum excused the brother from any further expense during lodge hours for that quarter , suppc and drink out of and glasses broke in the lodge only excepted , tlie

quarterage was fixed at 6 s . 6 d ., " except as above . " Candidates were only eligible for initiation on a unanimous ballot , but joining - members were admitted if there were no more than two adverse votes , the fee on their election being half-a-guinca . Several other provisions for the government of the Grand Lodge were also agreed to .

It seems to have been the regular practice in the Grand Lodge after ' , revival for candidates to have conferred upon them the E . A . and I ' . L ' Degrees the same evening , . and there are also several cases when the lhf * Degrees were conferred at the same sitting . For instance , on the 15 » January , 1768 , at a Lodge of Emergency , it is recorded that " Bro . Ag a nrt l

proposed Sir Thos . Gascoigne and Sir Walter Vavasour , Bart ., i . Strickland , the younger Esq ., Win . William , Esq ., John Stapelton , L 'h ' and Mr . Thomas Williamson , to be made Masons , who were severn J balloted for and admitted , and the first five were ordered to receive l "' niht the Three Degreeswhich they afterwards did accordingl . " The sa '

g , y proceedings afterwards look place 10 th December , 1770 , 31 st May , ' 7 / Jj and 26 th October , 1778 , when certain candidates were proposed a received the Three Degrees the same night . ( To be continued . )