Freemasonry In Kelso.

anent the members subscribing their names in the book and obleidgemg themselves to observe the order of the company . ii Again ordered that the treasurer should provide a book for containing ancl regrating sederunts & decrees of the society and that all members shall subscribe thennames bearing title . iii Ordered for the future that all absents from the meetings on St . Johns day both honourary members and mechauicks shall pay half ane croun unless he send such excuse as shall be sustained by the company & that to be payed to the treasurer betwixt & St . Johns day next ' thereafter under the penalty of paying the double besyde the ordinary stent .

20 Jany 1704 in place of St . Johns clay clay before . j A proposition being given in by the mechauicks about entrants in writing was ordered to ly in the box & be considered next St . Johns clay . ii The company considering that in all track , one keeps the box as Theseurrer ancl anoyther the key ordered that the said form shall be observed in the said company , the keeper of the key being obleidged to leave the same with the master or warden if he be to be one ni ght from Kelso . iii Ordered that the Thesaurer instruct to the master ancl warden that he bath given three severall wraniiigs to the deficients in stent , & fines for absence , to be sub . by the master and produced next St . John ' s day .

St . Johns day 1704 j The proposition given by the mechauicks former sederunt sustained w * some small variations the tenor whereof follows . " The " tenor , " however , is not inserted , although a large space is left blank , but the following is inserted , bearing date St . John ' s day , 1709 : — "The variation you will finde set doivn in the book page * that Eight pounds

is only to be payed for ane enterd aprentis . " ii Upon representation made by tbe honaW master that tbe stent for honorary members was too great ancl stoped people to join with the company ordained for the future commencing from this day that the stent shall be half ane croun . " Here the " short abridgement" ends , and then follows the last minute recorded for ten years , a hiatus occurring between St . John ' s day , 1706 , and the 31 st of December , 1716 . We give them both in their order , ancl it will be seen that some of the arrears ancl fines tabulated in the last minute have been paid .

St . Johns clay 1706 " A particular accompt given in by the Thesaurer of what is ouing by the members for fines and stent which lyes in the box Received from the Laird of Cliftoun in part of what he ons 3 ib 0 0 Received from the Laird of Stodri g for deficiency of stent & diner his fine being forgiven 2 2 0

I * - from Sir Pringle his for dinner 0 12 0 I * - from James Binnie his stent fine being forgiven 0 12 0 The said day the honable members of Lodge of Kelso mett the honable master the Laird of Thirlestane , worshi ppfull warden Andrew Brown Smailholm , Thesaurer , & all the rest of the members except the following absents

Cornett Drummond Laird of Chirrietrees Laird of Grubett Mr . Ker in Banff mylen John Esart John Jamison The members went to choise a master the vote being stated they unanimously choised