Cleanings Form Old Documents.

Cleanings form Old Documents .

BY THE EDITOR . It has been long known , that many interesting details with regard to tho Operative Masons of this country , are to be found in the " Fabric Rolls " and chapter

accounts of our various cathedrals , and old monasteries , and royal buildings , and very many are still lying in damp and darkness altogether unknown and unheard of , among Exchequer Rolls and tho like . 1 have long boon of opinion that the true history

of our Order is to be found in tho records of flic old Operative Guilds , and , therefore , with many more I hailed tho appearance of such works , as the " Fabric Rolls of York Minster " edited by my learned friend Canon Raine for the Surtees Society , and tho Memorials of Westminster Abbey , published by that eminent architect , Sir Gilbert Scofct .

Both these writers arc not Masons , so even the " profane " Avill be ready to attend to their evidence on the subject . Having accidentally had my attention called to an ancient Expense Roll , of the building of the Collegiate Chapel of St . Stephens , ( the old

House of Commons , ) in a somoAvhat scarce pamphlet published in 1834 , 1 have thought it AVOII to give an extract from it to-day , and if it interests the brethren , I Avill give other extracts from it , from time to time .

Tho royal palace at Westminster Avas built by William Rufus and also that magnificent Hall , which still remains a monument of the grandeur and architecture of that early period . ] S ear the great hall in tho palace at Westminster , tho

chapel was begun , it is said by the early chroniclers , by King Stephen , and dedicated by him to the honour of St . Stephen , the Proto-Martyr . It is , however , asserted that King . Edward the First rebuilt the chapel afterho had rebuilt tho Abbey Church of

Westminster in 1285 , and the Avorks of the new chapel began in 1292 , and continued for more than two years . An account of the expense of these operations is preserved in rolls of weekly payments , remaining in the Exchequer . Those various rolls

contain the articles purchased within tho week and the daily payments to each workman of every denomination . The first roll is

thus entituled " Primus Rotulns de opera ? tionibus primo faetis pro Capella beat Stcphani in Palatio Westmonasterii . " This is in 1292 , and we have in this roll the several articles bought stated , and then follow tho payments to workmen .

Some of these old operatives received 5 d . per day , some 3 | d ., some 3 d ., some 2-Jd . and some 2 d . The Magister Cemontarius or Master Mason is Master Michael of Canterbury , who receives from the treasurer ( lo tresorierh the , money to pay tho

workmen , " per manus Magistri Michaelis do Cantuariensis eementar . " His wages . aro not stated , but as Ave find a feAv years later that Magister Thomas at the same building received Gs . a week , AVO may fairly assume that to be tho amount . And if AVO

remember , that AVO must consider the value of money as increased at least fifteen times since then , a A ery little calculation will serve to SIICAV , that tho Master Mason and Masons , were Avell paid , as the loAvest amount of wages , was according to our

money 2 s . Cd . a day , and with AVO knoAV many " vails " or presents . The Master Mason would receive at the rate of £ 4-. 10 s . a week , and his garment of for . Let us go back to tho Roll of tho first week" Prima Septimana pro opero Capollo

, Wcstmonastor ; 28 th die Mcnsis aprilis Anno regni Regis Edwardi . filii , Regis Honrici Viccsimo i . e . ( A . D . 1292 ) . " Some of tho entries are very interesting . "De Ricado lo cupere , pro 50 Ting do Quercu empt at 1 Loggiam inde faciend ,

adopus Magistri Michaelis et coram eementar scilicet , 0 . 15 s 0 . Our old brethren worked apparently in a wooden ( oak ) lodge . It would almost seem as if a lodging house AA as also provided for the Masons , as another item is to the effect —• " Walter Tateromi pro 6 c , di , I , quart arundinis empt pro coopertwram hostiarii Magister Michaelis ot eorum eementar in

parte pro centena 12 d . 0 . C . 9 . " The hostelry or lod ging house was tiled with reeds . Robert le Hacker the carpenter—( what a good name for a carpenter , ) —receives for 4 days 5 d . a day . So does Allan de Clutisdale , ( probably a canny

Scotchman from Clydesdale ) . Tho following Masons received 3 d . a day : Hugo Eyldobof , evidently a foreigner , Richard Bledelawe , Walter Tortar , Walter of Woodstock * , Godfrey of Henvyle , John of Compton , Thomas of Wodelond , Rich-