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Article EARLY HAUNTS OF FREEMASONRY. ← Page 2 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Early Haunts Of Freemasonry.
shopkeepers should have driven " a very considerable trade , " a great part whereof came from the Inns of Court and Chancery , which wei-e planted thereabouts , is not by any means surprising . As a business centre , moreover , it would have taverns and coffee-houses in plenty , conspicuous among them the Devil and the Cock already
mentioned ; the Castle , described by Strype as having "a large sign ; and a Bush and Hoop , curiously gilt ; " and the George , "a very large house with a curious front or sign , with neat ironwork to support it . " Of these some remain to give us an idea of the former London hostelry . Some have disappeared altogether , while others have been
rebuilt to meet the modern ideas of tavern comfort . With a few of them , such as the Ci'own , the Greyhound , the Fleece and the Sun , but especially with tho Devil , the earlier fortunes of the Craft are in some respects associated . But let us quicken our pace , that we may make further and
intimate acquaintance with persons and things other than those noted in our last paper . One of the most interesting sites in the whole thoroughfare is that now occupied by Child's Bank , who also rented the room over the old Bar at some £ 50 per annum . Part of this was occupied by the original banking house—the second that was established in London ; and here it was that , according to the London Directory for
1677 , Blanchard Child " kept running cashes , " the house , as was customary in those days , being distinguished by a sign , that of the " marygold , " the original of which is still preserved , having been chosen most appropriately for this particular establishment . Here it was that Charles II . banked , and it was under the direction of the
second Sir Francis Child that the jewels of the fiery cavalier leader , Prince Rupert , which were valued at £ 20 , 000 , were disposed of by lottery , the " merrie monarch" taking a particular intei-est in the sale . The rest of the site was occupied by the aforesaid Old Devil tavern , the resort of Ben Johnson and his associates . Here that
worthy poet and dramatist set up his Apollo club , the original emblem of which , like the original marygold " is still religiously perserved" among the " ancient relics" of the bank . Mine host of the Devil , old Simon Wadloe , who died in 1617 , was portrayed in the well-known song " Old Sir Simon the King , " which was written
especially in his honour . In the days of the Commonwealth it was the favourite haunt of John . Cottington , alias " Mull Sack , " who robbed Cavalier and Roundhead with magnanimous impartiality , his most notable exploit being the relieving the well-known Lady Fairfax of her watch when on her way to church . In the days of the second Charles it was the resort of lawyers and physicians , and later still it made the acquaintance of Steele , Addison , Swift , Dr .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Early Haunts Of Freemasonry.
shopkeepers should have driven " a very considerable trade , " a great part whereof came from the Inns of Court and Chancery , which wei-e planted thereabouts , is not by any means surprising . As a business centre , moreover , it would have taverns and coffee-houses in plenty , conspicuous among them the Devil and the Cock already
mentioned ; the Castle , described by Strype as having "a large sign ; and a Bush and Hoop , curiously gilt ; " and the George , "a very large house with a curious front or sign , with neat ironwork to support it . " Of these some remain to give us an idea of the former London hostelry . Some have disappeared altogether , while others have been
rebuilt to meet the modern ideas of tavern comfort . With a few of them , such as the Ci'own , the Greyhound , the Fleece and the Sun , but especially with tho Devil , the earlier fortunes of the Craft are in some respects associated . But let us quicken our pace , that we may make further and
intimate acquaintance with persons and things other than those noted in our last paper . One of the most interesting sites in the whole thoroughfare is that now occupied by Child's Bank , who also rented the room over the old Bar at some £ 50 per annum . Part of this was occupied by the original banking house—the second that was established in London ; and here it was that , according to the London Directory for
1677 , Blanchard Child " kept running cashes , " the house , as was customary in those days , being distinguished by a sign , that of the " marygold , " the original of which is still preserved , having been chosen most appropriately for this particular establishment . Here it was that Charles II . banked , and it was under the direction of the
second Sir Francis Child that the jewels of the fiery cavalier leader , Prince Rupert , which were valued at £ 20 , 000 , were disposed of by lottery , the " merrie monarch" taking a particular intei-est in the sale . The rest of the site was occupied by the aforesaid Old Devil tavern , the resort of Ben Johnson and his associates . Here that
worthy poet and dramatist set up his Apollo club , the original emblem of which , like the original marygold " is still religiously perserved" among the " ancient relics" of the bank . Mine host of the Devil , old Simon Wadloe , who died in 1617 , was portrayed in the well-known song " Old Sir Simon the King , " which was written
especially in his honour . In the days of the Commonwealth it was the favourite haunt of John . Cottington , alias " Mull Sack , " who robbed Cavalier and Roundhead with magnanimous impartiality , his most notable exploit being the relieving the well-known Lady Fairfax of her watch when on her way to church . In the days of the second Charles it was the resort of lawyers and physicians , and later still it made the acquaintance of Steele , Addison , Swift , Dr .