Masonic Notes And Queries.

THE SCOTTISH TEMPLARS . Your correspondent "R ., " at page 66 , in allusion to "The Royal Order of Scotland , " says : — " The tradition is that after the dissolution of the Order of the Temple , many of the Knights fled to Scotlandand laced themselves under the protection

, p of King Robert the Bruce , who joined them to the Masonic fraternity , and after tho Battle of Bannockburn , in 1314 , instituted the Royal Order of H . R . M . and Knights of R . S . Y . C . S . " I am aware that such a statement as this has been put forward as a traditionbutI thinkhas been

con-, , , stantly combatted and questioned , and can therefore hardly be offered now as the traditional belief . Several writers state that the Templars joined Robert Bruce and fought in his cause until the issue of the Battle of Bannockburn ; and in " Acta Latomorum " it is stated that Robert Bruce founded

the Masonic Order of Heredom de Kilwinning after that battle ; but if these two statements are admitted as facts , they may yet have had an entirely separate existence , and fall very short of evidence that the Templars were "joined to the Masonic fraternity . " Indeedthere appears to be historic proof that the

, Templars , instead of being joined to the Masonic fraternity , merged , in Scotland , into the Order of St . John , and after the sale of the temporal Lordship of Torphichen they are said to have drawn off in a body with David Seton at their head .

In a note to the present "Statutes of the Order of the Temple for the Grand Priory of Scotland , " may be found , "The present body in Scotland merely claims to be the legitimate descendants , by adoption , of the Original Knights of the Order . The Royal Order of Scotland has never claimed , as alleged by some writersto be derived from the Ancient Order

, of Knights Templars . " At the same page your correspondent says : " The clothing worn by the Order in Scotland is exactl y the same as that used by the ancient Knights previous to the dissolution of the Order in Prance by Philip le Bel and Pope Clement Y . " This latter subject

will be one of some importance under the treaties of uniformity , and it will be well if your correspondent will assist the commissioners by giving any authority , of reasonable weight , for this statement . I need not occupy space by detailing the costume as prescribed in the Scottish Statutes , but may say , generally , that

it comprised a white woollen mantle , white tunic , white apron edged with black , white falling shirtcollar , white silk sash , white cap with red band , and buff gauntlets . The suppressions of the Templars commenced in 1307 , and it appears to me somewhat difficult to say that these few articles of a costume verv ill suited to

modern times , were " exactly the same '' as the fashion in vogue early in the 14 th century . One of our best authorities on costume ( Pairholt , ed . 1 S 00 , p . 123 ) , says : — " The parts of their dress peculiar to the Order were , the white mantle with its cross , the coif , and the cap . " Good authoritcan thus be found for the

y monastic portion of the dress of the Order , and by these only were its members bound . The mantle would probably have been retained to this day , but the costume in all other respects would have changed with the times . It appears , therefore , useless and

impolitic to be endeavouring to return to obsolete fashions which would be incongruous at this period , and if exhibited to the general public would expose the wearers to nothing short of ridicule . I should like to see this subject discussed with a view to such suitable outward marks being adopted

as may be consistent , satisfactory to the Order , and dignified in the eyes of strangers . My own view is that the mantle , with some suitable head covering , should alone be retained as costume . We should thus follow good authorit y and well consult the dignity of our Order . —LUPUS .

PREEMASONS' HALL IN 1806 . The tavern 60 years ago was a place of meeting of joint stock companies , and had a fair share of that business . The Grand Junction Canal Company held its general meetings . —JNTOTA .

PREEMASONRY MORE THAN 152 YEARS OLD . If Bro . "W . P . Buchan will look to page 150 of Yo 3 . XIX . of the Magazine , he will find reference to an old lodge of Freemasons existing in the province of Peebles and Selkirk in 1702 , from which we may infer that Freemasonry is more than 152 years old . To show that the records of the lod were dulminuted at the above

ge y date , I subjoin a copy of the minutes , as they are worded , slightly altering the spelling to make it more intelligible to our readers : — " Haughfoot , 22 nd December , 1702 . "The same day Sir James Scott of Gala , Thomas-Scott his brother , David Murray Philiphaugh , James Pvingle in HangM ' ooh , Xobert Lowrie , Stow Townhead ,

and John Pringle , wright , gave in petitions each for themselves , earnestly desiring to be admitted into the Society of Masons and Felloivcrafts , which their desire being maturely considered was accordingly agreed to and granted , and they each of them by themselves , were duly and orderly admitted Apprentice and Fellowcraft . And . there was imposed the sums following to be paid into the box , which they accordingly each for himself promised to pay viz . : —¦

Sir James Scott , seven pounds Scots . Thomas Scott , three pounds „ David Murray , one pound „ James Pringle , one pound „ Robert Lowrie , one pound „ John Pringle , one pound „ "Thereafter the meeting resolved with one voice that

there should be one yearly meeting of those concerned in this lodge at Haughfoot , in all time coming upon Sfc John ' s Day . "They also committed to Andrew Thomson , one of their number , to provide a register book against tho next meeting , and they committscl to John Hoppringle of yt ilk to appoint the next meeting , and to give timely

advertisement thereof to all concerned . " Tho above was evidently not the first meeting held by these Masons , as there are marks of leaves having boon torn out of the book , and also evidence that this John Hoppringle , by some minute of a prior date , had been appointed Master Mason in the lodge . From 1704 to 1763 meetings were held regularly and lodge business transacted . —B . SANDERSON .

THE RED CROSS OS ROME AND CONSTANTTXE . The Religious and Military Order of the Temple in Scotland claims the right to confer this chivalrio degree ; and it has been satisfactorily proved that several encampments of Masonic Knight Templars in England have regularly installed Knights . The Templars have never , to my knowledge , resigned the control of this Order . Whence , then , do the " Grand Conclave , " under Lord