The revelations of a square; exhibiting a graphic display of the sayings and doings of eminent free and accepted masons

Front matter

te__fcL£_JLLk Book_

THE

REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE.

Preface

Freemasonry, like all other sciences, is a system of progression. Something more is required to constitute a bright Mason than a knowledge of the elements of the Craft. A carpenter may know the names of his tools, and have acquired some dexterity in their practical use ; but this will not enable him to build a house, or to construct a common dressing-case.

If any one is desirous of being a Mason, in the strict sense of the word, he must make himself acquainted with something more than words, signs, and tokens. The three stages of initiation can no more convert a man into a Mason, than the indenture of an apprentice can make him a mechanic.

He must read and meditate, study with care and attention the history and doctrines of the Order, and attend his Lodge with the utmost regularity, that he may become familiar with its discipline by actual personal observation.

There is no Royal road to Freemasonry.

The Gordian knot can be untied by diligence and application alone, and he who is ambitious to share in the honours of Masonry, must work his way up the ladder step by step, with patient assiduity ; and, " forgetting what is behind, he must press forward toward the mark" he aims at, and his mental exertions will not fail of their reward.

The contents of this book will economize the labour of his researches, by placing before him the gradual progress of Masonry from small beginnings to its present

IV PREFACE.

extension and prevailing influence in every country on the face of the habitable globe. And, which is of still greater importance, it will make him familiar with the doctrines and practices, manners and customs of the Fraternity, and its master minds in times when its purity had undergone no change.

It will be evident to the most casual observer, that the information contained in this work could not have been acquired by the most industrious and persevering observation of a single life, even though it might be extended to an extraordinary length, because it consists principally of private anecdotes, which could only be known by personal communication with the parties. And, accordingly, it is the result of an experience extending over three successive generations.

The facts are these : My lamented father, who died a few years ago, at the advanced age of ninety-two, was made a Mason, as I have reason to believe, in the year 1784. He was very methodical in all his transactions ; and, "being a masonic enthusiast, he noted down in a diary, expressly devoted to that purpose, under a vivid recollection of the facts, whether they were witnessed by himself or communicated to him by others, every event or conversation that struck his fancy as being either singular, characteristic, or important in the working of the Craft.

By this process he preserved several interesting conversations of our distinguished Brethren in the eighteenth century, which would otherwise have been irrecoverably lost. Added to this, he was acquainted, in the early part of his life, with an intelligent Brother who was initiated by Dr. Manningham in 1740, and personally knew Brothers Desaguliers, Anderson, Martin Clare, Hutchinson, Calcott, Preston, and all the great lights of that period. He was, although advanced in years when my father knew him, full of anecdote ; and having

PREFACE. V

been an attentive observer of passing occurrences, my father derived a fund of valuable knowledge from his communications, which he committed to writing as he received them, and the MS. came into my hands a short time before his death. It contains many curious particulars, some of which are now made public for the first time. In fact, I do not believe there is in existence so good an account of the masonic practice of that century, as is contained in this manuscript.

For this reason the following pages must not be accounted fabulous and without authority, because its contents are communicated through an imaginary medium ; for the author is in possession of authentic vouchers for every transaction. It is true the language has been corrected, and in many cases, the dialogue amplified and extended, but he is not aware that a single event has either been misrepresented or heightened in colouring or perspective. They will contain a true picture of the manners, customs, usages, and- ceremonies of successive periods during the eighteenth century, drawn from the actual working of Lodges, and. enlivened by numerous anecdotes of the master spirits of the several ages in they respectively flourished; and, under whose active and judicious superintendence, Freemasonry reaped vast improvements, and attained a high preponderating influence and merited celebrity.

The book will, therefore, unquestionably prove a welcome addition to the meagre history of Masonry during the same period, which proceeded from the pens of Anderson, Noorthouck, and Preston, and constitute almost the only records to which we can refer for a knowledge of the very important events that distinguished Freemasonry from the revival to the reunion of the ancient and modern sections.

It will be observed that the author has mentioned many peculiar usages and customs which the present

VI PREFACE.

system of Masonry does not tolerate; but being characteristic of the period, they will be, notwithstanding, an acceptable boon to the accumulating stores of masonic literature. With our present lights, the inexperienced Mason may be inclined to ridicule the practices of a bygone age, and treat its peculiar doctrines as so many improbable fictions; but he should remember that the best Masons of the days here referred to had not dipped so deeply, as we have had the good fortune to do, into the recondite interpretation of the mysteries which they transmitted to posterity ; and that, consequently, their customs and amusements took a tone from the peculiar constitution of society, and bore a patent resemblance to those of the numerous clubs and coteries which occupied the leisure and divided the attention of the gentlemen of " Merrie England" in the eighteenth century.

It will not be an uninteresting recommendation of this little work, to state that all the books and pamphlets, both for and against the Order, and all the pretended disclosures of our secrets, which were incessantly puffed by our opponents, and purchased with avidity, and read with eagerness by the vast multitude of cowans, who were desirous of becoming acquainted with the mysteries of Masonry without the ceremony of initiation, that were published in England during the entire century, have been noticed. The author is not conscious of any omission. He believes that no book or paper, which possessed the slightest pretensions to publicity, has escaped his researches.

With these brief explanations, the author presents his work to the Fraternity, in the hope that it may not be altogether unworthy of their acceptance. It would probably have never seen the light, had not a portion of it, some few years ago, appeared in the pages of the " Freemasons' Quarterly Magazine and Review." And

PREFACE. Vll

it was so generally approved, that many kind, and perhaps partial, friends expressed an anxious desire to see it in a perfect form. If it should be found to possess any degree of interest, the author disclaims all share of the credit, except for performing the more humble duty of arranging materials which had been already collected, and putting them into a readable form. The task was simple — its execution easy ; and if the reader finds as much pleasure in its perusal as the author has had in its compilation, he will consider himself amply repaid for his labour.

GEO. OLIVER.

Scopwick Vicarage, December 6, 1654.

CONTEXTS.

Chapter I

THE REVIVAL. DR. DESAGULIERS.

1717—1722.

I could a tale unfold." — Shakespeare.

Dost feel a wish to learn this thing of me ?"

TlTANlA.

A friend and Brother, who resides in town, knowing that I am somewhat of a dabbler in antiquities, forwarded to me, some time ago, an old Silver Square, which he told me had the reputation of having been used in one of the earliest Lodges after the revival of Masonry in 1717. Of course I found it an object of great interest, and value it accordingly. Although a good deal battered, the inscription is still distinctly visible. On one limb of its upper face is the following legend —

Keepe within Compasse ; and on the other —

Acte on ye Square.

At the angle of junction is a rude heart with the letter J on it. The reverse is blank, with the exception of two small old English capitals (#♦ It), at the angle.

The jewel is soon described ; but how am I to pourtray my feelings, when, with the instrument lying on the table before me, I called up the spirits of the dead, and contemplated scenes of bygone times — the working of Lodges — the solemn Labours and convivial Refreshments which this small token had witnessed — the racy jest and sparkling wit which set the table on a roar, after the hours of business were past. This was the age when the facetious Doctor Sheridan reduced punning to a system, and it was practised by rule and compass : and, therefore, we may readily believe that the Lodges had their share of it. "O!" I exclaimed aloud, " if this square could speak, what interesting scenes it might reveal, and how it would enlighten us about the doings of Freemasonry at the time of its revival !"

I had been sitting late one evening in contemplation of the scenes which took place in the palmy days of Masonry, when Desaguliers, Payne, Anderson, Lamball, Morrice, Timson, and their compeers were at the helm of affairs. A dull and dreamy sensation came over me, and I saw, or fancied I saw, the Square, which had just been reposing motionless before me, raise itself up, with great solemnity, on the exterior points of its two limbs, which seemed to assume the form of legs. Body it had none, but the heart, which was delineated at the angle, put forth two eyes, a snub nose, and a mouth — a sort of amplification of the letter J. I could trace the features distinctly, as we see the figure of a human face in the fire on a winter's night.

While I was considering what all this could mean, I heard a small thin voice pronounce my name. To say I was merely surprised at this unexpected phenomenon, would be too tame an expression — I was utterly astonished and confounded. I rubbed my eyes and looked round the room. Everything appeared exactly as usual — no change could I perceive ; the fire burned brightly ; the books covered the walls ; the candles cast their usual light ; and the ticking of the spring clock over my head preserved its usual monotony. I began to fancy I had been mistaken, when my name was again uttered by the same unearthly voice, and there stood the little fellow, as if determined to indulge in some demoniacal soliloquy to which I was constrained to listen. At length it communicated its intention by saying — " Attend to me, and I will realize all your wishes, by enlightening you on the subject of your meditations, and giving you the benefit of my experience ; but first let me caution you not to utter a single syllable, for if you do the charm will be broken ; the sound of the human voice silences me for ever.

" I was originally the property of a Brother whose extensive genius has invested his name with immortality — Sir Christopher Wren, Grand Master of Masonry at the latter end of the seventeenth century, which fell into desuetude when King George I. had the impolicy to supersede this great man in favour of Bro. W. Benson, and so .disgusted him with the world, that he declined all public assemblies, and amongst the rest, relinquished his connection with Freemasonry. The Craft refused to meet, or hold any communication with the new Grand Master, and Masonry languished for several years, till it was supposed to be extinct ; and Dr. Plot exulted in the idea that he had given it its death-blow by some ill-natured animadversions in the History of Staffordshire. 1

" In the year 1712, a person of the name of Simeon Townsend published a pamphlet, which he entitled, ' Observations and Enquiries relating to the brotherhood of the Freemasons ;' and a few others had been issued on the decline of the Order, as if triumphing in its fall. 2 About this time, Dr. Desaguliers, a Fellow of the Koyal Society, and Professor of Philosophy, was gradually rising into eminence. In the course of his scientific researches, the above works fell into his hands. He did not find

1 " The Natural History of Staffordshire," by Robert Plot, Oxford, 1686. In this attack on the Order, the Doctor says, very illogically, that " one of their articles is to support a Brother till work can be had;" and another is "to advise the Masters they work for, according to the best of their skill, acquainting them with the goodness or badness of the material, &c, that Masonry be not dishonoured; and many such like." He then concludes by saying, that " some others they have that none know but themselves, which I have reason to suspect are much worse than these ; perhaps as bad as the history of the Craft itself, than which there is nothing I ever met with more false or incoherent." See the entire argument in the Gold. Rem., vol. iii., p. 37.

2 These were — " A short Analysis of the Unchanged Rites and Ceremonies of Freemasons:" London, Stephen Dilly, 1676. "The Paradoxal Discourses of Franc. Mercur van Helmont, concerning the Macrocosm and Microcosm, or the Greater and Lesser World, and their Union ; set down in Writing by J. B., and now published :" London, Freeman, 1685. _ "A Short Charge," O.D.A.A.M.F.M.R.O. : 1694. " The Secret History of Clubs, particularly of the Golden Fleece ; with their Original, and the Characters of the most noted Members thereof." London, 1709.

them very complimentary to the Fraternity, but they excited his curiosity, and he was made a Mason in the old Lodge at the Goose and Gridiron in St. Paul's Churchyard, and subsequently removed by him to the Queen's Arms Tavern in the same locality, where the Grand Lodges were afterwards very frequently held. 3 The peculiar principles of the Craft struck him as being eminently calculated to contribute to the benefit of the community at large, if they could be re-directed .into the channel from which they had been diverted by the retirement of Sir Christopher Wren. Dr. Desaguliers paid a visit to this veteran Freemason, for the purpose of consulting him on the subject. The conversation of the Past Grand Master excited his enthusiasm, for he expatiated with great animation on the beauties of the Order and the unhappy prostration which had recently befallen it. From this moment, the doctor determined to make some efforts to revive Freemasonry, and restore it to its primitive importance.

" You may perhaps be inclined to inquire," said the Square, very naively, " how I became acquainted with these facts, as I was then quietly reposing in the drawer of a cabinet along with Sir Christopher's collection of curiosities. The truth is, that the venerable old gentleman had taken a liking to Dr. Desaguliers, and presented me to him with the rest of his Masonic regalia. From henceforth I was privy to all the doctor's plans ; and as he soon rose to the chair of his Lodge, I had the advantage of hearing almost every conversation he had with his Masonic friends on the subject nearest to his heart, which generally occurred in the Lodge, with your humble servant at his breast suspended from a white ribbon. Every plan was carefully arranged, and the details subjected to the most critical supervision before it was carried into execution; and by this judicious process, his schemes were generally successful. Thus, having been in active operation from a period anterior to the revival of Masonry, I have witnessed many scenes which it may be both amusing and instructive to record, as the good may prove an example worthy of imitation, and the evil, should there be any, may act as a beacon to

3 It is now called the Lodge of Antiquity.

THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. O

warn the unwary Brother to avoid the quicksands of error which will impede his progress to Masonic perfection.

"Bro. Desasmliers having intimated his intention of renovating the Order, soon found himself supported by a party of active and zealous Brothers, whose names merit preservation. They were Sayer, Payne, Lamball, Elliott, Gofton, Cord well, De Noyer, Vraden, King, Morrice, Calvert, Ware, Lumley, and Madden. These included the Masters and Wardens of the four existing Lodges at the Goose and Gridiron, the Crown, the Appletree, and the Rummer and Grapes ; and they succeeded in forming themselves into a Grand Lodge, and resumed the quarterly Communications, which had been discontinued for many years ; and having thus replanted the tree, it soon extended its stately branches to every quarter of the globe.

" There was no code of laws in existence at the period to regulate the internal economy of the Lodges except a few brief By-laws of their own, which, in fact, were little more than a dead letter, for the Brethren acted pretty much as their own judgment dictated. Any number of Masons, not less than ten, that is to say, the Master, two Wardens, and seven Fellow Crafts, with the consent of the magistrate, were empowered to meet, and perform all the rites and ceremonies of Masonry, with no other authority than the privilege which was inherent in themselves, and had ever remained unquestioned. They assembled at their option, and opened their Lodges on the highest of hills or in the lowest of valleys, in commemoration of the same custom adopted by the early Christians, who held their private assemblies in similar places during the ten great persecutions which threatened to exterminate them from the face of the earth.

" But as this privilege led to many irregularities," continued my companion, " and was likely to afford a pretext for unconstitutional practices, it was resolved that every Lodge to be hereafter convened, except the four old Lodges at this time existing, should be legally authorized to act by a warrant from the Grand Master for the time being, granted to certain individuals on petition, with the consent and approbation of the Grand Lodge in Communication ; and that without such warrant 2 b THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE.

no Lodge should be hereafter deemed regular or constitutional. And a few years later Bro. Desaguliers proposed in Grand Lodge that a code of laws should be drawn up for the better government of the Craft.

Accordingly, at the annual assembly on St. John's day, 1721, he produced thirty-eight regulations, which passed without a dissentient voice in the most numerous Grand Lodge which had yet been seen, conditionally, that every annual Grand Lodge shall have an inherent power and authority to make new regulations, or to alter these fpr the real benefit of this ancient Fraternity ; provided always that the old landmarks be carefully preserved, and that such alterations and new regulations be proposed and agreed to at the Quarterly Communication preceding the annual Grand Feast; and that they be offered also to the perusal of all the Brethren before dinner, in writing, even of the tjonngcst apprentice, the approbation and consent of the majority of all the Brethren present being absolutely necessary to make the same binding and obligatory These constitutions were signed by Philip, Duke of Wharton, G.M., Theophilus Desaguliers, M.D. and F.R.S., the Deputy Grand Master, with the rest of the Grand Officers and the Masters and Wardens, as well as many other Brethren then present, to the number of more than a hundred.

" The convivialities of Masonry were regulated by the ancient Gothic charges, which directed the Brethren to enjoy themselves with decent mirth, treating one another according to their ability, but avoiding all excess, not forcing any Brother to eat or drink beyond his inclina tion, according to the old regulation of King Ahasuerus— not hindering him from going home when he pleases, &c. : you remember the charge?" 4

I nodded acquiescence. The Square took the alarm, and hastily said — " Do not forget our compact ; if you speak, my revelations are at an end. To proceed : —

" I can testify to the convivial propensities of the Brethren of that day. Dermott did not libel them when

4 In the year 1755, the Earl of Caernarvon being G. M., it was or dered that no Brother, for the future, shall smoke tobacco in the Grand Lodge, either at the Quarterly Communication or the Committee of Charity, till the Lodges shall be closed. In private Lodges it was a constant practice.

he said, 'Some of the young Brethren made it appear that a good knife and fork, in the hands of a dexterous Brother, over proper materials, would sometimes give greater satisfaction, and add more to the conviviality of the Lodge, than the best scale and compass in Europe.'

" Bro. Desaguliers was elevated to the throne of the Grand Lodge in 1719, and proclaimed Grand Master on the day of St. John the Baptist. He effected great improvements in the Order during his year of office ; and yet all the record which he thought proper to make of his Grand Mastership was, that ' being duly installed, congratulated, and homaged, he revived the old peculiar toasts or healths drank by Freemasons;' 5 and it was agreed that when a new Grand Master is appointed, his health shall be toasted as Grand Master elect. Bro. Desaguliers was peculiarly*active in the improvement and dissemination of Masonry at its revival, and, therefore, merits the respectful and affectionate remembrance of the Fraternity. He devoted much of his time to promote its best interests ; and being the Master of several Lodges, I had a fair quantity of experience in a small space of time, and I can confidently affirm, that though the public records of Masonry say so little of the acts of this worthy Brother, there were many traits in his character that redound to his immortal praise. He was a grave man in private life, almost approaching to austerity ; but he could relax in the private recesses of a Tyled Lodge, and in company with Brothers and Fellows, where the ties of social intercourse are not particularly stringent. He considered the proceedings of the Lodge as strictly confidential, and being persuaded that his Brothers by initiation actually occupied the same position as Brothers by blood, he was undisguisedly free and familiar in the mutual interchange of unrestrained courtesy. In the Lodge, he was jocose and free hearted, sang his song, and had no objection to his share of the bottle, although one of the most learned and distinguished men of his day. He delivered public lectures on experimental philosophy, an unusual practice for a dignified clergyman in those days, and showed him to be many years in advance of the intelligence of the age when he flourished.

" Our business, however, is with Dr. Desaguliers, as I

5 Anderson's "Constitutions," ed. 1838, p. 110.

the chief agent in the revival of the ancient and honourable Institution of Freemasonry. He brought his private Lodges into such repute, and particularly that liolden at the Goose and Gridiron, that it was placed at the head of the list of Lodges; and a law was unanimously agreed to, that the Grand Master should be proposed and elected there, before he became eligible for the appointment of the Grand Lodge. It w T as supposed at the time that hewas the author of that famous paper which so thoroughly refuted the absurd allegations of Dr. Plot against the Order. 6 It is true I heard it applied to him several times, but he uniformly disavowed it, although it was generally believed that there was no other living Mason who could have done it so well.

"As a proof of his attention to discipline and propriety of conduct, I give you an anecdote. On a certain occasion, which I perfectly remember, I witnessed the initiation of a noble lord, which was performed with great solemnity by Dr. Desaguliers ; and his lordship, though only a youth, appeared very much impressed with the ceremonial. But when the refreshment was introduced, and the severity of discipline somewhat relaxed, his lordship, according to a habit then very much in vogue, occasionally intermingled his conversation with an oath. This passed at first without notice, as the vice of swearing was common both to peer and peasant. Now you are aware, I dare say, that the opening formula in those days was, ' forbidding all cursing, swearing and whispering, all religious and political disputes, together with all irreligious and profane conversation, under no less penalty than what the by-laws shall prescribe, or a majority of the Brethren shall think proper to impose.' Profanity, therefore, was a violation of Lodge rules, although they were not remarkable at that period for their stringency ; but the frequent repetition of the interdicted words, created an unfavourable sensation, which was not much to his lordship's credit. Bro. Desaguliers said nothing, how much soever he might be disgusted. At length his lordship appealed to the chair for the confirmation of some opinion.

" ' I say, doctor, — d — me, don't you hear, — I ask your

6 "A Detection of Dr. Plot's Account of the Freemasons." — See ■*' The Golden Remains," vol. iii., p. 31.

pardon for swearing !' After this had occurred more than once, Bro. Desaguliers rose from his chair with a dignity which he well knew how to assume when circumstances called for it, and said, —

" ' My lord, you have repeatedly violated the rules of the Lodge by your unmeaning oaths ; and more than this, you have taken some pains to associate me personally with your profanity, by your frequent appeals to the chair. Now, my lord, I assure you, in answer to those appeals, that if God Almighty does not hear you, I will not tell him!'

" The peer was silenced, the Brethren pleased, and I must say I was proud of the Master. Another time he said to a person of equal rank, who was an adept in the reigning vice, 'My lord, if you thought you were honouring God, you would not swear so furiously.' 7

I assure you, sir, that Masonry, as then practised, was a fascinating pursuit,' although its technicalities were somewhat different from those of more modern times. For instance, what you call the Great Lights were denominated Furniture with us ; the three moveable Lights were explained to mean the same as your three lesser ones, and were, indeed, the same in every particular ; and we had threejixed Lights, or imaginary windows in the east,

7 Do not let me incur the imputation of libelling the manners of the eighteenth century by the above anecdotes, for they are strictly true. Swearing was the besetting vice of the age ; and Swift observes : "I cannot recollect, in this maturity of my age, how great a variety of oaths I have heard since I began to study the world, and to know men and manners.

" For nowadays men change their oaths As often as they change their clothes."

And he gives a case in point. "I remember an officer who had returned from Flanders, sitting in a coffee-house near two gentlemen, whereof one was of the clergy, who were engaged in some discourse that savoured of learning. This officer thought fit to interpose ; and professing to deliver the sentiments of his fraternity as well as his own, turned to the clergyman, and spoke in the following manner: — ' D — n me, doctor, say what you will, the army is the only school for gentlemen. Do you think my Lord Marlbrough beat the French with Greek and Latin ? D — n me, a scholar, when he comes into good company, what is he but an ass ? D — n me, I would be glad, by G — , to see any of your scholars, with his nouns and his verbs, and his philosophy and trigonometry, what a figure he would make at a siege, or a blockade, d — n me !' "

west, and south, which are now, I believe, discarded. Again, Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, according to ancient usages, were represented, not as at present by three pillars or orders of architecture, but by the two pillars of Solomon's Porch, and the Blazing Star, the left-hand pillar being the symbol of Wisdom, that on the right hand Strength, and the Blazing Star in the centre, Beauty.

" The discipline of Masonry was always, as far as I could learn, essentially democratic, and the revivalists took especial care to make no innovations in the original plan. All power was committed to the members of Lodges; and even, as we have just seen, the newly initiated entered apprentices had a vote in Grand Lodge. In the popular government of Athens, it was an unalterable law, that all the citizens in turn should be distributed in the courts of justice ; and on the same principle the Brethren of each Lodge choose their Master by ballot, who appoints his officers from amongst themselves, and these are its representatives in the General Assembly or Grand Lodge. And, as in all the democratic institutions of antiquity, a senate was appointed to prepare all motions and proposals before they were submitted to the decision of the General Assembly of the people, so we have committees nominated for the same purpose.