The Province Of Somerset.

The Province of Somerset .

r PHE Province of Somerset is remarkable , Masonically , in I many ways . In the first place , it was the first to have a lodge constituted by the Grand Lodge of England outside the metropolitan area ( ten miles from Freemasons ' Hall , London ) , and it has another still at work which was

started so far back as the year 1733 . Then , again , out of nine provincial lodges which qualified for the celebrated " Freemasons' Hall Medal , " 1782-7 , three were located in Somersetshire , and one of its Royal Arch chapters was the lirst to petition for permission to wear the

handsome centenary jewel , and obtained the special warrant accordingly . The Provincial Grand Lodge was late in its origin , compared with several others , as it was not formed until 1770 , though it was well qualified to sustain the dignities

and prerogatives of a province long before that year . Evidently the founders of the premier Grand Lodge ( at London in 1716-7 ) had not contemplated such an extension of the new organization as to include the constitution of lodges in the country . As its popularity increased , however ,

several of the lodges in the country , which had been at work under the old regime , applied for recognition or regularization , and brethren petitioned for constitution into lodges . The first to do so came from the City of Bath , in 1724 , becoming 28 when the enumeration was first arranged in 1729 . 9

FROM HUGHAVS FACSIMILE OF ENGRAVED LIST OF LODGES , A . ]) . 1731 .

1 he membership of this lodge was of a very distinguished character , the names ( forty-two in number ) fortunately being preserved of these early subscribers in the lirst minute book of the Grand Lodge . His Grace the Duke of St . Albans was Worshipful Master , having for his Wardens the Rev . George Veseyand Erasmus Earl , and the following noblemen appear in the return , viz ., the Duke of Bedford , the Earl of

Titchlield , and Loid Craven ; Bros . Sir John Buckworth , Sir Humphrey Monaux , Bart ., Sir Robert Waller , Bart ., and many with the suffix Esquire also being on the register . No return appears from this lodge in the list of 1730-1 ( also entered in the original Grand Lodge Records ) , and , as a matter of factwe know no more of its history , save that it

, was erased in 173 6 . By succession , it virtually continues on the roll , for one ( Bro . St . John Smith ) of its brethren , and probably several more , petitioned for another lodge in the city , which was granted by the Right Hon . Viscount MontagueG . M ., the warrant to constitute being dated " 26 th

, day of April , 1733 , and of Masonry 5732 , " the latter year being an error for " 5733 . " It was issued by the Grand Master ' s command , and signed by the R . W . Bros . Thomas Batson , D . G . M . ; G . Rooke , S . G . W ., and J . Smythe , J . G . W . The senior lodge assembled at the " Queen's Head , " and the

junior at the " White Bear , " in Stall Street , Bath . It was not the custom to issue warrants nominating the W . M . and Wardens , & c , so early as 1733 , though it was the usage of the Grand Lodge of Ireland at that time . In England the rule was not observed until some twenty years

later . Under the Grand Lodge of England , when the premier lodge at Bath was started , it was usual for the brethren desirous of being constituted into a new lodge to petition the Grand Master accordingly , in the following manner , or substantially so : — " We , the underwritten members of the

Ancient Society of Free-Masons , having a desire to be formed into a Lodge at the ' Queen ' s Head , ' Bath , do humbly request your Lordship that you will be pleased to constitute us , according to due form , or direct your Deputy so to do , at such time ,

and as soon as your Lordship shall think convenient , and we beg , if your Lordship pleases , to have His Grace the Duke of St . Albans for our Master . " The G . M . would consent in writing on

the same document , and fix a date , when a declaration would be added to the effect that the lodge had been duly constituted . No other written document or authority was necessary .

As the applications for new warrants increased , and the popularity of the new Masonic authority was in evidence in almost every county in England , a more elaborate form for permission to constitute was agreed

to , of which , a few examples are still preserved , one of the oldest of which is the valuable Charter for the present No . 41 , Bath . The seal is noteworthy , and is also to be found on similar documents , happily

preserved , by the Anchor and Hope Lodge , No . 37 , Bolton ; the St . John ' s , No . 39 , Exeter ; and the Relief , No . 42 , Bury , of the same period . The remarkable feature of this seal , the earliest , I believe , known of the

Grand Lodge , is the motto in Greek , " In the beginning was the Word . " Otherwise the arms are the same as met with later , as they appear in the Book of Constitutions of 1756 , & c , with the usual motto , " Relief and Truth . "

Of the extinct lodges , besides the one of 1724 , there are a few worth noting . The third in point of age , in respect to provincial origin , was the lodge formed at the "Angel , " Market Place , Shepton Mallet , constituted 12 th December , 1737 , and paid for its constitution on the 25 th January following . Its original number was 165 , but when erased in 1768 it was 93 . On the list of 1767 in Grand Lodge is the