Cole's Constitutions.*

COLE ' S CONSTITUTIONS . *

All lovers of early Masonic literature—and we rejoice to say there are now an ever-increasing body—will be deeply gratified to Bro . WILLIAM JACKSON , of Leeds , for his very admirable reproduction in exact facsimile of this version of our Ancient

Constitutions , and to Bro . \ V . J . HuGi-iAX for the very able introductory sketch from his pen which serves as preface . BENJAMIN COLE , as our readers are aware , was an engraver of eminence , who flourished during the early half of last century ,

and in 1730 brought out what Bro . Hi . 'GHAN describes as "the third and most artistic reproduction "—in 172 S-9—of our Constitutions , the two previous reprints having appeared in 1722 and

1724—dedicated to Lord KINGSTON , the then G . M . of England , the edition consisting of " 51 engraved copper plates of the " Spencer MS . ( with very slight alteration ) , " the dedication just mentioned , a title page , and six pages of songs . It is Bro .

HUGHAN's belief that it was only the engraved portion ,-which was originally circulated , and that shortly afterwards—viz ., in 1730—an addition was made to the volume in the shape of the speech delivered by the Junior Grand Warden before the " Grand

Lodge of all England ' at York in 1726 , and another of EDWARD OAKLEY , architect , the two together occupying 3 6 pages with two other pages devoted to a prologue and epilogue , the whole of the additional matter being printed in ordinary type . In 1731 ,

a second edition of this reprint was published , the dedication being altered and addressed to Lord LOVKL , who in the interim between the two publications had been elected and proclaimed G . M , To this an engraved frontispiece was added exhibiting " a building

in progress , the three well-known columns , also three figures in the foreground ( the central one wearing an apron of the period ) , and some Masonic emblems depicted (/? . Cole , sculp . ) '' It is this second edition from the " choice copy" belonging to Bro .

Wn . LlAM WA'VSON , that , by the kind permission of that brother , Bro . JACKSON ' S reproduction has been made and we feel sure there is no one who will not appreciate the manner in which the work of facsimile reproduction has been carried out .

A brief description of the contents , as furnished by Bro . HUGHAN , will doubtless be of interest to our readers . Firstly , come the engraved plates , 51 in number , preceded by the Frontispiece , Title-page , and Dedication to Lord LOVEL ; the

Constitutions being followed by the Songs , with a separate Title-page ( 17 pages ) , a second collection running to 42 pages , and separately paged ; two Epilogues paged in continuation of the second collection of songs , with a page of advertisements .

This is followed by the Title-page of the Second Edition , dated 1 734 , oi the Junior G . Warden ' s . speech—followed by a page of advertisements , and a Dedication to DANIEL DRAPER , Esq . —and

ED WAR 0 OAKLEY ' Speech , the two being paged consecutiveh to 34 ; the whole concluding with the Prologue and Epilogut already mentioned .

These , then , are the contents of this Kcpnnt , and , as we have before said , the ever-increasing circle of literary Masons cannot fail to appreciate Bro . J ACKSON ' S labours in its reproduction . Only 200 copies have been issued , so that almost before its publication is known , it will have become a rare book .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The following is the business to be transacted on Wednesday next , the ist prox .: 1 . The minutes of the quarterly communication of the ist September for confirmation .

2 . Nomination of a Grand Master for the ensuing year . 3 . Nomination of a-Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . 4 . Appointment and investment of a President of the Board of Bsnevolence .

5 . Election of a Senior and Junior Vice-President of the Board of Benevolence . ( 1 . Election o ! \ : > . Past Masters to serve on the Board of Benevolence for the year ensuing . 7 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following erjnts , viz . :

United Grand Lodge Of England.

A brother of the Royal Lebanon Lodge , No . 493 , Gloucester ... ... ... ... £ 50 o o A brother of the Earl of Lathom Lodge , No . 1922 , London 50 o o A brother of the Lechmere Volunteer Lodge , No . tS 74 ,-Balsall Heath ... ... ... ... 200 0 0

A brother of the Wellington Lodge , No . 54 S , London ... 75 o o A brother of the Rose Lodge , No . 1622 , Camberwell ... ico o o A brother of the Lodge of Sincerity , No . 943 , Norwich ... 50 o o A brother of the Sub-Urban Lodge , No . 1702 , Great S . ' anmore ... ... ... ... 50 0 0

And a resolution of a vote of thanks to the President , V . W . Bro . James H . Matthews , for the courteous manner in which he has , during the past year , pre sided over the meetings of the Bo ^ rd . 8 . REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board have to report that the following presentations have been made to the Library and Museum since the last meeting of Grand Lodge , all of which have been accepted with thanks .

TITLE OR OBJECT . BY WHOM PRESENTED , Centennial Medal of Grand Chapter of Maryland ) ^ , Hughan P G . D . The Three Degrees of Freemasonry ... ... ) , J ' = ' ' Old Provincial Grand Master's Jewel ... ... Robert Grey , P . G . VV . Transactions of the Lodge of Research , No . 2429 ) ¦ . p P c r . w « .,. Annals of the Chapter of Fortitude , No . 279 ... 5 P' ^ - r . ^ -w ., "" Souvenir of Triennial Conclave of Knights Templar *\

of the United States ... ... ... IT . H . Emnnns , P . M ., & c , Report of the Triennial Committee , K . T . ... f Boston , U . S . A . History of Freemasonry in [ Maryland , Vol . IV . — I History , & c , of Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . 1 " ... The Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . 1 Map of London and 25 Miles Round , 17 S 7 ... C . H . Webb , P . M . No . 174 . Old Masonic Watch ... ... ... ... J . Fitzroy Tower , P . M . No . 2421 . Proceedings of Foundation of Grand Lodge of

Greece ... ... ... ... ... H . Kemp , W . M . No . S 62 . Twelve Aledals ... ... ... ... Rowland D . Longworth , W . M . No . 1 S 16 . Two Old Masonic Medals ... ... ... George Kenning , P . P . G . D ., & c . German Masonic Medal ... ... ... C . Kupferschmidt , A . G . Secretary German Correspondence . A Canadian Half-dollar Note , iS ; , g ... ... J . Ross Robertson , P . G . M . Proceedings of Grand Lodge of Nebraska , four

Volumes ... ... ... ... ... The Grand Lodge of Nebraska Two Curious Old Certificates ... ... ... Lord Bolton , P . G . W ., & c . An Old Mark Master ' s Jewel ... ... ... James Terry , P . G . S . B . An Old Firing Glass C . H . Kohler , P . M . No . 13 S 1 . Physiognomy Illustrated ... ... ... Dr . Joseph Simms , Author . An Old R . A . Jewel , 1 S 0 S ... ... ... Emanuel Lazirus , No . 2313 . An Old Masonic Apron ... ... ... John Chadwick , P . G . S . B . Portraits of the Queen and Prince of Wales ... Messrs . W . and D . Downey . Various Masonic Emblems ... ... ... Emulation Lodge , No . 21 .

The Board have also to report that after a full consideration of the circumstances under which the present Grand Secretary was appointed nearly six years since , and of the services he has since rendered , the following resolution was passed at the Meeting of the Board on the 16 th inst . :

" That it be recommended to Grand Lodge that the salary of the Grand Secretary ( Brother Edward Letchworth ) be raised to ^ 1250 per annum , with an annual increment after the first year , of £ 50 , up to the maximum salary of ^ 1500 per annum . " The Board also submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 13 th day of November instant , showing a balance in the Bank of England ( Law Courts Branch ) of . £ 7741 12 s . 6 d ,, and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash ^ 100 , and for servants' wages ^ 100 .

( Signed ) RICHARD LOVELAND-LOVKLAND , President . Freemasons' Hal / , London , W . C . 17 th November , 18 97 . 9 . NOTICE or MOTION . By Bro . W . F . LAMONHY , P . M . 9 62 , P . P . G . W . Cumberland and Westmorland—Addition to Book of Constitutions :

Canvassing for any elective office , personally , » by letter , by circular , or otherwise , is prohibited . Any candidate who shall , on appeal , be proved to the satisfaction , of the Board of General Purposes , after due enquiry , to have canvassed for votes , or to have tacitly known of , or sanctioned , canvassing by brethren or other agents on his behalf ,

shall be held incapable of entering upon the duties of the office to which he maj' have been elected , and such election shall , in consequence , be void and of no effect . The vacancy so caused shall be tilled up in the manner provided by the Book of Constitutions . 10 . APPEAL .

By Bro . HORLEV , of the united Lodge , No . 1341 , Hong Kong , against a decision of the District Board of General Purposes in reference to the description in the lodge summons of certain candidates for initiation . ii . Names of Brethren nominated to the offices of Senior and Junior Vice-President of the Board of Benevolence : Bros . David Dixon Mercer , P . G . P ., as Senior Vice-President , and Charles Cottebrune , P . G . P ., as Junior Vice-President .

12 . Names of Past Masters nominated to serve on the Board of Benevolence :

Bros , Henry A . Tobias , P . M . 1502 ; Samuel Rayson , P . M . 1491 ; Charles Pulman , P . M . 720 ; George Graveley , P . M . 8 g 8 ; George B . Chapman , P . Jf . 27 ; William Fisher , P . M . 834 ; James Bunker , P . M . 1158 ; Simon H . Goldschmidt , P . M . 1329 ; Robert A . Gowan , P . M . 2029 ; Edward Nightingale , P . M . 87 ; William Kipps , P . M . 127 s j John Ellinger , P . M . 2222 ; Charles H . Stone , P . M . 507 ; William Wills , P . M . 1901 ; William H . Caton , P . M . 1365 ; and Constantine Doresa , P . M . 740 .

List of lodges for which warrants have been granted by the M . W . Grand Master since the last Quarterl y Communication of Grand Lodge :

No . 267 S , The Monica Lodge , Umtali , Rhodesia , South Africa 2679 , The Lodge of Hope , Patricroft , Lancashire . 26 H 0 , The Lodge of Swinburne , Newcastle-on-Tyne . 268 / , The Queen ' s Lodge , Liverpool . 2682 , The bancta Maria Lodge , London . 2683 , The Addington Lodge , Eton , Buckinghamshire . 2684 , The St . Ivo Lodge , St . Ives , Huntingdonshire . 268 ^ , The Concordia Lodge , Ermels , Transvaal .

THK OUHKN will hold a Privy Council at Windsor this ( I ' riday ) afternoon , when the business to be transacted will fnclude a further formal prorogation of Parliament . A special train will leave Paddington at 12 . 30 for the conveyance to Windsor of Ministers , and others attending .