Masonic Honour.

a great deal indeed to cement the Jceystone of that Boyal Arch of human love and knowledge , which , by the blessing of the Great Master of the Universe , shall span the broad waters of the Atlantic , and cement by solid and lasting foundations the tAvo mighty races of Anglo-Saxon consanguinity in undying bonds of

love and charity . We Scotchmen have not the least hesitation in returning our best thanks to our American brethren for their mark of honour conferred upon our countryman ; and we also congratulate Bro . Lyon on this mark of respect paid to his talents and diligence in the grand and sublime cause of Ereemasonry . Erom the above we are the more able now to endorse the maxim laid down hy a great and good man—virtute acquiritur Jtonos .

Freemasonry In France.

FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE .

The Aihancoum , in a review of the Scots in France—{ lie French in Scotland ( Les Fcossais en France ; les Franeais en Fcossc , by Francisque Michel ) , after paying a high compliment to the accuracy and industry of the author , says -. — M . Michel is apparently less familiar ivith the descent of families in Scotland OAving then- oriin to French foundersthan

g , ivith that of houses in France whose first great ancestor ( for every house arbitrarily establishes as its founder the first successful man of the line Avhom it falls upon ) was a Scot . Among those of the former class whom he does not mention is the family of Lis , AA'hose name , registered in the British Army List , although taking the English pronunciation , is undoubtedly the French Lily , and in its French form is traditionally said to have been b

adopted y one of the brothers of Jeanne Dare , aud carried by him as his successor into Scotland . In this case the "French in Scotland " may be said to be honourably illustrated still . The latest illustration Avith which ive are acquainted of the " Scots in France " is connected , with the attempt of Marshal Magnan , AA'ho , by Imperial command , calls himself Grand Master of the Freemason Lodges of France , to suppress , among others , the lodknown the Eite EeossoisThis back to the

ge as . brings us to the days of Charles Edivard . That unlucky Prince , the Scottish Guard being defunct , and he being desirious to testify to the Masons of Artois his gratitude for the many kindnesses he had receii'ed at their hands , founded in the city of Arras , a - ^ primatial sovereign Chapter of E . G . *^ ., under the distinctive title of ' Jacobite Scotland ' " andsingularl hthis neiv

s , y enoug , Chapter ii'as placed under the governing superintendence of two advocates of Arras , the Chevalier Lagneau and the Chevalier Eobespierre . It is the suppression of this French lodgo , founded by a Scottish Prince , and placed under the rule of Lagneau and Eobespierre , AA'hich the Emperor and the Marshal find a matter of so much difficulty .

Freemasons.*

FREEMASONS . *

The designation Freemason ( Fr . Macon ; iailleur de pierre ) was formerly in use in thc building trade for a stone-cutter , ancl is now merged into the general term , mason . The earliest use of this word at present known is in a record of 1396 for works at Maidstone , as "Lathomas vocatos ffre maceons—Lathomas vacates ligiers , " Eymer , Fcedera , Syn . xvii . The Fabric Eolls of Exeter Cathedral

, dating 1396-7 , are said to contain the word " freemason . " The word latomos , derived from tho Greek , is seen in an . inscription , dating 1257 , on the cathedral of Notre Dame at Paris ( Inkersley , Inquiry , 8 vo ., London , 1850 ); but it is not found in England until the end of that centurynor until the middle of the following century

, , in general use . The term previously employed was the Latin word cementarius , as in the London Assize of 1212 ( Brit . Mus ., Add . MS ., 14 , 252 , fo . 133 b , and in Turner , Lorn . Arch ., 8 vo ., London , 1851 ) , which has likewise the

title scutptores lapidivm . libe / ronvm . As exhibiting the connexionjof "freemason" with "freestone , " and itsprobable derivation therefrom ( although some writers assert its origin from free of company of masons ) , the following may be stated ; an indenture of 1314 in the French language , is to the effect of a masoune having to erect a house de pere franmiche ; Parker , Dom . Arch ., 1853 , ii . j 5 ;

freestone ; and though the statue of 1349 uses the word cementarius , that of 1350-1 contains the words mestre mason de franchc peer ; that of 1360-1 has de framiche pare ou de grosse fere , wherein the workmen is called vmceon ; and that of 1444-5 mentions a " frank mason , " and " un rough mason . " Thus four classes are probably obtainedviz . the freestone mason ( Fr . I ' appareilleur ) ;

, , the rough or rubble waller ( Fr . Zo limonsin ); the layer or setter ( Fr . le poseur ); and the common workman ( Fr . le debardeur ) . The above derivation of freemason would be supported also by the fact that the term freemason was not adopted in Scotland , where the stones in general do not enter into the class of freestones as in England . A fraternity or guild of masons existed in the city of

London in 1375 , 4 § th Edward III . , * ancl in the following year , another of freemasons is noticed . The latter body is said to have merged into the former : this certainly took place before 1421 , and probably about 1411 , the date recorded in the usual subscription to the coat of arms of the company of masons , as the period of its charter of incorporation . Halliwell , in Arehceologia , 1838-9 , xxiii .,

447 ' 9 , states that a company of under-masons ivas formed in London in 1473 , 12 Edward IV . The guild is called cementarii , in 1422 and 1423 . Others existed in the corporate towns . The statute of 34 Edward III ., 1360-1 , declares " that all alliances and covines of masons and carpenters , and congregations , chapters , ordinances , and oaths betwixt them made or to be made , shall be from henceforth void and wholly annulled , " etc . —an act enforced hy many of later date , especially by the

oftenquoted one of 3 Henry VI ., 1435 . ; and even aslate as 1548 the confederacies continued illegal . The general statute of 5 Elizabeth , 1562-3 , further restricting workmen , continued until 1613 , when that portion which empowered justices to rate the wages of artificers and labourers was repealed ; and in 181-4 a further portion was repealed , as forbade exercise of trades by persons

not having served an apprenticeship , and as regulated the mode of binding , etc ., at the same timo the customs and privileges of cities and boroughs were saved . Statutes to a similar effect as those above mentioned were passedfin Scotland , which country had guilds coresponding to those in England . The mason ' s guilds or companies , like those of other

trades , had a legendary history . of the origin of their trade : this , together with the supposed constitutions or bye-laws , have been printed many times : a good specimen is given in the Gentlemen's Magazine for 1815 , pt . j ., 489 . One in manuscript , on parchment , dating the later part of the fourteenth century , exists in the British Museum , Bib . Eeg ., 17 , A . 1 , ff 32 , and is peculiarly

interesting from being written as a poem of 575 lines , tbe versifier being probably a priest . This MS . was first noticed by Halliwell , in the Arehceologia , xxiii . ; and edited by him as Constitutions of Masonry , 8 vo ., London , 1840 ; 2 nd ed ., 1844 . Another manuscript of the latter part of the fifteenth century , bought for the same library in 1859 Addit . MS . 23198 has been edited as a

, ,, facsimile by Cooke , History and Articles of Masonry , 12 mo ., Lond ., 1861 . These , with the latter manuscripts and texts , are all in English . It is noticeable that no two copies are alike , ivmle none afford any clue as to the date of compilation . As regards the interesting question of a supreme guild directing the systematic working of the corporations ,

nothing has yet been discovered in England ; for the text of the above legends , etc . may be applied for and against such a decision . In respect of Germany , however , Grandidier , Fisai sur le Oath de Strasbourg , 8 vo ., Stras .