Masonic Notes And Queries.

The Beauseaut , the great banner of the Order , was first used by the Templars ou the arrival of Everard des Barres , with King Louis of France , in the Holy Land , and was first flown at the siege of Damascus . It consisted of black and white cloth , with the . blood red cross , granted them by Pope Eugeniusin token

, of the daily martyrdom to which they stood exposed . Upon this banner was emblazoned the pious legend of the Order , JVbn nobis , Domine , non nobis , seel nomini tua da Gloriam . " The standard will he seen on the walls of the Temple Church , London , and on either side the words IScnusrant .

GKEAT SEAL OI THE ORDER . The Great Seal of the Order represents two knights riding on one horse—an emblem of the close and binding nature of the ties which knit the members in one whole . Some imagine that this t ypified the original poverty of the Orderand writers state

, that Hugo de Payens and de Aldemar had onl y one horse between them . This question was discussed iu the first book of " The Knights Templars , " and need not be further referred to here .

THE SEAL AND BADGE OF TIIE ENGLISH TEMPLARS . TheAcpius Dei was the groat badge of the English Templars , and will found everywhere in the Middle Temple as'the Winged Horse , Pegasus , is found iu the Inner Temple .

SHIELD OP THE HOSMTALXEES .

The Shield of the Hospitallers is a cross argent on a field sable . The ori ginal cross was a patriarchal , but on the dissolution of the Order of the Temple , and the transfer of all its properties , rights , and privileges to the Knights of St . John , the Hospitallers assumed the Red Cross banner of the Templeand

, eventually made it their favourite flag . As in the Crusades , the Templars led the van , aud the Hospitallers brought up the rear , so when the latter acquired Rhodes , and afterwards Malta , their gallies had the Templar banner flying at the peak , the St . John standard at the helm .

CROSS or A GBAXD Patoii . Some considerable misunderstanding exists as to the prefixing crosses to the names of the modern Templars . The Grand Master , like the Pope , alone uses the three barred cross ; the Grand Priors , who rank with the Cardinalsuse this cross ; Priors or

, Commanders , who rank with Bishops , use the ordinary cross . A simple knight , who is only of the rank of an ordinary clergyman , cannot , in strict heraldry , use any cross , and it is an error which has crept into the present Orders of the Temple and Hospital through the non-appointment of a Beauseant

king-at-aras . We come now to consider the blazonry of a Templar ' s shield , and it raises a difficult question . The Grand Masters of the Hospitallers , as we find from their tombs in Malta , carried the shield of the Order ( field sable , cross argent ) , in the first and

fourth quarters , their famil y arms in the second and third . I think in these circumstances the Grand Master should have his arans so quartered , and his officers and kni ghts bear the Hospital Cross in chief . The Scots Templars do not acknowledge the connection of the Hospital , as swamping the Order , and

consequently they use a red cross on a field argent in chief . The field , however , should bejwti argent and sable . Perhaps the correct blazon would be , in chief the Temple and Hospital shields , and between them the English langue ' s shield . I throw the above out as a simple opinion , and shall be glad to hear the remarks of other brethren upon the question . — AXTUIOXT OM - EAII HATE .

3- GLASGOW . We have received letters sufficient to fill half-adozen Magazines upon this question . As they travel over the same ground that former writers have done , we think we shall exercise the Editorial power , to the satisfaction of our readers , by stopping further communications . —[ ED . F . M . I

THE PEINCE or WALES AND BEO . SLACK . —French , German and American publications are taking up this unfortunate question , and severely condemn Bro . Slack .