= nce a e lo >* ATS @uatuor @oronatorum netnc THE TRANSACTIONS or tue QUATUOR CORONAT! LODGE NO. 2076, LONDON. EDITED FOR THE COMMITTEE BY I. If, RYLANDS, FSA, P.AGDA ant W. J. SONCHURST, P.G.D, VOLUME XxIX,PAPERS. The The The Table of Contents. AND ESSAYS. Etiquette of Freemasonry. Bro. Franklin Thom: C. Gough . ‘ontinued, Franklin ‘Thomas identified 2s the author of The Etiquette of Freemasonry, some particulars of his career and Masonic activities in Kent, Oxfordshire, 101; Devonshire, and Lancashire, 102; Suggestions of other publications by him, 103, Friendly Society of Free and Accepted Masons. By W. Wonnacott Rules and Regulations of a London Masonic Friendly Society of 1787 discovered at Mansfiald, Ohio; ‘The Socioty and a Lodge both meeting at tho White Swan, Covent Garden; Quarrels and sub- sequent fusion; Removal to the Two Black Tosts, Maiden Lane, 107; Barly records of the Lodge, its removal to the Duke of Bodford’s Head, 108; Weekly meetings and quarterly elections; a Master’s Lodgo; ‘The Rules of the Society, 108; ‘The Contributions and Benefits, 110; The objects of the Society as set out by the Founders, 111; Membership limited to Masons, under forty years age, and to not more than three of the some trade; ‘The Bos; precautions against fraud, 112; Duties of Stewards; Annual Mecting on Ss. John the Evangelist’s Day ; The powers of the Com- mittee of Twelve; Amendment of Rules, 113. Appendix 1. ‘Transcript of the Rules, 114. List of Members of the Society, 158. Appendix L.; Minutes of the Lodge, 167. List of Members of the Lodge, 209. Visitors to the Lodge, 211. Comments by F. W. Levander, 214; Gordon Hills; Albert F. Calvert, 219; C. Gough; ©. Lewis Fawards, 225. Reply by W. Wonnacott, 2 In Memoriam. William John chrbreds ravers By W. Wonnacott Evolution and Development of the Tracing or Hodes Board. By E. 11. Dring. Part I. The Evolution Refereneos to Tracing Boards or Drawings in Masonic catechisms, 243; The (rand Mystery; Masonry Diseeted; Jachin and Boos Hiram or the Grand Master Key; The Constitutions of 1784 sdmi ‘that ‘variations weco made in the established forms,” 244; The Three Distinct Knocks; L!Ordre dex France Magons trahiz A Mason's confession, 245; ‘The Drawing Board; A Foot Cloth; A Painted Cloth, 246; The possibility that Floor Cloths were introduced from Franco; Drawing the Lodge; ‘The Lodge shewn in the Carmick MS.; References in Lodge Minutes, &e., 247; ‘Tho use of tape and nails, 248; ‘The triangular form of a Todge, 2495 A comparison of Modern and Antient practice; the display of operative tools upon the floor; the use of templates, 250; The Mosaic pavement and Tesselated Border; The Mop and Pail; Floorings, 251; Batty Langley’s Builder's Jewel; The Scald Miserable Masons, 252; French practice; ‘The ‘Trestle Board Makhabone or the Grand Lodge Door opened; Solomon in all his Glory, 253; The Lodge or Lodge Board, 254; Evidence from Preston, and Hutchinson, 25 . Board or Drawing Board, 256; The Dented Ashler and tho Broached Thurnel, 257; ‘The Perpendashlor, 258; The Stairease to the Middle Chamber, 262; Differing, positions of entrance, 268. 105viii. PAPERS Table of Contents AND ESSAYS.— Continued. Part W1. The Development Lodge Cloths in Scotland and in England, 275; Cloths in Military Lodges, 276; Lodge Boa Bowring's Designs, 279; John Harris; the introduction of Hebrew and Cryptic characters, 280; Poards by Robins, 281. Appendix L.: References to the subject in Lodge Minutes, &e,, 282. Appendix H[.: Correspondence concern= ing practice in Ireland and the U.S. Appendix ITI; Notes on Todge Boards in the possession of various Lodges, 291. Comments by F, W. Levander, 296; Cecit Powell, 297; W. J. Songhurst, 2005 Albert F. Calvert, 301; Prof. W. A. Craigie; T. Francis, 3075 ‘Andrew Hope, 309; W. Redfern Kelly, 310; Henry Lovegrove, 311; W. B. Hextall, 312; Gordon Hills, 316; C. Gough; John, Thorp, 320; O. H. Bate, 321. Reply by B. TT. Dring, 321, Summer Outing, London, June, 1916. By Gordon P. G. Hills The Frederick, Prince of Wales, The of the Lodge; Perambulation of the City; Apothecar 5; Stationers’ Hall; the Guildhall; Churches of St, Lawrence Jawry and St. Swithin, London Stone; Halls of the Vintners, 267; Innholders, and Tallowchandlers; Church of St Steplion, Walbrook; The Mansion House, 268, Reception Worshipful Society of Apothecaries. A Short Sketch of the History of the Society. By Thomas Carr ‘The London Companies as successors of the Frith Guilds, their incorporation as Crafts or Mysteries; The Apothecaries connected with the Pepperers and the Grocers, 270; An Apothecary legally empowered to practice medicine; the Constitution of the Societs Certain Companies still exercise control over their respective trades, a7. a Freemason. By Alired F. Robbins : The Daily Post of Ath December, 1731, mentions a visit of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Lorraine to 2 Masonic Lodge; The Duke of Lorraine at a Boxing Match, 326; Masonic Advertisements in The Daily Journal; The Duke of Lorraine dines with the Duke ‘of Norfolk on 2nd December, 1731, 827; a meeting of Grand Todge fon 3rd December; ‘Tha evidence as to the initiation of the Prince ‘on 5th November, 1737, 328. Resemblances of Freemasonry to the Cult of Mithra. By Dr. W. Wynn Westoott . zi ‘The worship in Persia of Mithra as tho Sun God: References to the Cult by various writers, 336; Spread of Mithraism from Asia into Europe; relies in Greece, Ttaly, and Britain, Elaboration of the Religion, 388; Architectural remains throwing. light upon the form of worship; the slaying of a Bull the central incident, 3395 “Association with Mithra of Greck snd Roman deities, 340; Fxtine- tion of the Cult caused by the advent of Christianity, 341; Seven grades of secret knowledge described, 342. Comments by Canon Horsley, 344; Dr, G. A. Greene, 315; and J. H Lepper, 346, PAR, 275 265 270Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge. 243, THE EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRACING OR LODGE BOARD. BY BRO. B. H. DRI G, P.M. PART. I. THE EVOLUTION RETHREN, the paper I am about to read to you this evening is the outcome of a study of our old Tracing Boards I have pursued during the last few years. I started it by collecting photographs of old Tracing Boards all over the country, and it ‘was my original intention only to make record of those old boards that survive and to let them form the basis of an ordinary Lantern lecture. I found, however, that the subject could not be dismissed 90 casually, and when our Secretary asked me to deliver a lecture on the History of the Tracing Board to our members on June 24th I decided to present the lecture to you in two sections, the first, which I place before you this evening and which I shall call the “ Evolution of the Tracing Board ”” is very controversial: -the second section, the “Development of the ‘Tracing Board,’ which I shall read on June 24, being simply a record of those old Tracing Boards, painted before Harris popularised them, which are still in existence, and in regard to which there is little or no controversy. ‘As may be rege for a paper on a minute books of old TA the early exposures evidence which ean be in ‘been spared to continue hi it would not have been nec ime to have touched on many of the points T shall Kaye to place before you tus evening. ind you that although the Grand Lodge of ‘Tracing Boards, inasmuch as they are iges, Grand Ledge has never authorised re of them. y remind you of what some so-called ‘agined there is great difficulty in collecting material fe the present, and beyond occasional notes in the d various manuscript catechisms one has to rely upon pus rituals of Freemasonry and certain negative mm old Masonic writers. Had Bro. E. L. Hawkins on The Evolution of Masonic Ritual I am sure Tk is unnecessary for England tacitly countenances anointed at the consecration of ‘any particular pattern nor define Tt will perhaps be advisable f Masonic lectures say of the Tracing The T.B. & the ‘Their uses? designs on244 Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge. Because they lie open & immovable in the L. for the Brethren to Moralise on. ‘There is a beautiful comparison between the immovable Jewels & the furniture of the L. which I will thank you for. ‘As the T.B. is for the M. to lay lines and draw designs on, the better to enable the brethren to carry on the intended structure witli regularity and propriety, so the V. of the 8.L. may justly be deemed the spiritual T.B. of the G.A.0.T.U., There is a suggestion here that the Tracing Board had at some time an individual, separate existence as a drawing board for the Master to lay lines on, etc. (in the same way as the Trestle Board exists at the present day in American Freemasonry), but I hope to be able to demonstrate that in English Freemasonry it has now only an emblematical existence as an item on that piece of furniture which is now called the Tracing Board, but which I prefer to call and shall call throughout the remainder of this paper the “Lodge Board.”” T may premise that the true Tracing Board is that Drawing Board which in Harris’ Lodge Boards is generally depicted lying on the ground before the pedestal in the Lodge Board of the First Degree. In the early boards it is quite plain, but as the designs of the Lodge Board became elaborated a ground plan was added, which is popularly supposed to represent the ground plan of King Solomon's temple. - Manvscrivr Catgcmisms & Spurious Rrrvats. It will be within the recollection of all of you that Grand Lodge was formed in 1717 and the first Book uf Constitutions was published in 1723. In the following year there appeared The Grand Mystery of the Freemasons discovered, followed in 1730 by Prichard’s Masonry Disected and by other works at subsequent dates, which aimed at exposing the secrets and ritual of Freemasonry. ‘The most popular of them was entitled Jachin and Boaz, and it was reprinted a large number of times, Another exposure, which is also fundamentally a spurious ritual of the Moderns, was issued under the title of Hiram or the Grand Master Key in 1764. It was doubtless owing to these revelat’ons as much as to the ascribed “reason ’ that Grand Lodge made those variations in the ritual which they admit having done in the 1784 Constitutions,’ and which were readjusted at the Lodge of Promulgation, “the substance of which was to alter the Landmarks, namely the First and Second Degrees reversed.’ | This is confirmed by the resolution of Grand Lodge April 12, 1809, “ That it is not necessary any longer to continue those measures which were resorted to in or about the year 1739 respecting Trre,ular Masons, and do therefore enjoin the several Lodges to revert to the ancient Land Marks of the Society.” 1 Constitutions, 1784, p. 240 (note). ig (his gal and unconstitutional claim obliged to detecAl, nd, the regular Masons fo adopt new measures (2 detec thea impostars and dear them and their abottors from the countenance and fOt°tiOjbo. ‘Se regular Levdues. ‘To accomplish {his purpose move effectually, some vars 12%8 Wella in the established forms: w afforded a subterfuge at which the 1<1"6te! adily grasped. Js (T.). History of the’ rotherly Love No. 56, 1898, \The Evolution and Development of the Tracing or Lodg) 245, 7 Whether the rise of impostors was the cause of this resolu leged by Grand Lodge) or not, cannot be demonstrated, but there loubé * that somewhere about that time the movement which eventuated i rand Lodge of the Antients was begun. Within a few years of the institution of this Grand Lodge of the Antiento, their system was exposed in its turn in The Three Distinct Knocks, and we are thus in possession of spurious exposures of the Ritual, Catechisms and Forms of Loth the Grand Lodge of the Antients and the original Grand Lodge of England or Moderns. Now, brothren, with all due deference to that characteristic trait of English- men, a staunch belief in the opinions which have been handed down to them, T may say that, in my opinion, these various publications probably give a fairly reliable account of Freemasonry in England in the middle of the eighteenth century. ‘Though they may not always emulate that nightmare of the present day of being lettor perfect, they appear to describe the essentials of the ceremonies of the period with a certain correctness that will be apparent to any one who cares to consult them. To such an extent is this so that I may assert that either the writers were conversant with Masonic practice or that the compilers of the ritual had recourse to and adopted these exposures. T may add further, speaking professionally, that there would not have been such @ continual demand for these spurious rituals as is shewn by the number of times they were reprinted, had they not been used in some manner by the Craft. ‘There was not such a general curiosity among laymen to understand the secrets of Freemasonry in the eighteenth century to account for the large numbers printed, any more than there is in the present day to account for the large numbers of the various so-called rituals that are printed now. In addition to these exposures there was published on the continent in 1745 a spurious ritual founded probably on Prichard’s Masonry Disected but much amplified, entitled Z’Ordre des Francs Magons trahi. Tt was illustrated with detailed engravings. ‘This was translated into English and in its turn further amplified and published in 1766 under the title of Mahhabone or the Grand Lodge Door Open'd. Another translation in which the editorial additions are much more restricted was published in or before 1768, under the title of Solomon in all his Glory, and this was illustrated with four plates copied from those in ths 1745 original. * In the Scots Magazine of March 1755, there is published an exposure, entitled A Mason's confession, which purports to be printed from a manuscript ‘that was written in 1727. ‘There is little doubt that it was written by a Scotsman, and it has a certain value. In none of the earlier English exposures do we find any mention of a ‘Tracing or Trestle Board, but we find designs of “the Drawing on the Floor of the Lodge,” to which T will recur presently. ‘Extract from Masonry farther Dissected, 1798 (4.Q.0. ix., 83):—"'Tho French boing a People of peculiar Vivacity, as is well known, they have doubtless made great Improvements in Masonry, cortainiy with a laudable View of out-doing our Plegmatick Islanders.”246 Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge. gihe earliest reference to anything resembling a Tracing Board I have been is one in the Minutes of the Old King’s Arms Lodge No. 28:— in’ 1733 on the motion of the Master the Brethren acquired “‘de Clere's Introduction on the Principles of Architecture” and a Drawing Board and TY. for the use of the Master and his Lodge. This does not necessarily imply that the drawing board was to be used for drawing an it Masonic emblems. We know that in the first two decades of Freemasonry scientific and archeological lectures were delivered in Lodges, and this might easily have been what we should term now « Blackboard and a Trestle or easel on which to place it. ‘The 'T. might equally mean a T square. But in the Minutes of the same Lodge we have the following entry :— December Ist, 1735. A motion was made that the Foot Cloth made use of at the Initiation of new members should be defaced on Acet of convenience,! carried nem. contradicente, A second Motion was made that our Right Worshipfal Brother Sir Cocil Wray’s picture late D.G.M. (sic) and that the cloth mentioned should be applyed to that purpose and that our Bro. West should be appointed to drew the same and that the Lodge do pay for it when dona, Bro. West was pleased to desire that he might have the pleasure to present the Lodge with Sir Cecil’s Picture if his Worship would do him the Honour to sit to him, ‘This. was a most acceptable proposition to the Society and Bro, West’s Health was proposed and drank to with great satisfaction. What this “ Foot Cloth ”” was we cannot determine, but if one may hazard a guess it was probably a cloth on which was shewn the method of progression A more important entry is found in the Minutes of the Lodge meeting at the Theatre Tavern, Goodman's Fieldst:— 1736/7 Bro. Goudge made a present to this Lodge of a painted cloth March 14 representing the severall forms of Mason’s lodges. This is the earliest reference I can find to any delineation of the several forms of Masons’ Lodges. Any solution as to what it represented can be only conjectural, Between this reference to a ‘‘ Painted cloth” and the next that I have been able to trace in England there is a lapse of 55 years. In Scotland we find a solitary entry as follows: — 1759 Lodge of Edinburgh (Murray Lyon, History of the Ladye of Edinburgh, 1873). It having been represented that a Painted Cloth containing the Flooring of a Master’s Lodge wax hanging publicly exposed in a Painter's shop, and they, considering that the same might be of 1 Bro, Songhurst suggests that the reason of it being no longer convenient may be owing to the “alterations” made in the rittal by GL, the alterations were made * made earlier is quits problematical that in probable t ‘or about 1739.” It is more J According to Lane, this Lodge lapsed abont 1761 and the warrant appears to hava been transforred about the same pe Medina Lodge, West Cowes, Isle of Wight iod to the Lodgo now known as No. 33 The (See Hughan's History, 1889.)The Evolution and Development of the Tracing or Lodge Board. 247 Pernicious consequences to Masonry, ordered the same to be sent for, and in regard that the use of such painted Floorings was expressly forbid, instructed the Lodge St. Andrews (to whom it belonged) not in the future to use any such Floors. This entry might well refer to the introduction of some French Lodge cloth, but T think it would be stretching a point to suggest that the English quotation refers to a French cloth, although itis possible. The entry is, however, instructive, at it shews that “floorings,”" which certainly later in the eentury, in Scotland, were identical with Lodge boards or Ledge cloths, were known in Scotland and prohibited there in 1759. 1s it possible that this was also the case in England? ‘The only evidence T have hitherto traced is the entry in the Theatre Tavern Lodge, and I think that Xs inconclusive. There is, however, no doubt that from the abseues of any timilar entries in the Minute Books of other Lodges (so far as I have at présent been able to trace), and of the absence of any mention of such cloths in the Lodge inventories, until fifty years afterwards, such Lodge cloths were not in general use. Drawine Tae “ Lover.” This is probably the true foundation of the modern Lodge Board, and in regard to it we have somewhat more evidence on which to form a decision, ‘The earliest mention is in the Carmick AS. of the “Old Charges" (dated 1721), in which there is a plan ‘This figure represents the Lodge,”” In the History of the Lodge of Felicity from 1787 to 1887 (W. Smithett), there is the following entry: — Among Expences of the Night Jan. the 16 1738/9 is Tyler for drawing ye Lodge 0.2.6.; and on this night Brother Lumble Brother White Brother Wilson and Brother Kitchin was reasd. Masters and paid there 5s each, In the Minutes of the Grenadiers Lodge: — 1753 Sep. 26. Bro. Lister, entet a member of this Lodge Nov. ldth Agreed by this Lodge that Bro. Lister be a free member for Drawing the Lodges exeopt.no making or raising in the quarter then he is under obligation to pa The latest manuscript reference! T have is a document in Grand Lodge Library. In the Tyler’s bill for the making of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales by the Duke of Cumberland, February 6, 1787, are the following items:— Portridge of a Large Drawing Board 3/- Drawing of a Lodge 3/- In the Mason's Confession (Scots Magazine, March, 1755), which purports to have been written in 1727, we find the following: — What's the square pavement for? For the Master Mason to draw his ground draughts on. {At present this exists only in MS, *There are various other entries in the Appendix q.r.248 Fransactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge. From Jachin and Boaz we get the following details of Drawing the Lodge: — He [the candidate] is also learnt the Step, or how to advance to the Master upon the Drawing on the Floor, which in some Lodges resembles the grand Building, termed a Mosaic Palace, and is described with the utmost Exnctness.* ‘They also draw other Figures, one of which is called the Laced Taft, and the other the Throne beset with Stars. There is also repre: sented a perpendicular Line in the Form of a Mason's Instrument, ‘commonly called the Plumb-Line; and another Figure which represents the Tomb of Hiram, the First Grand-Master, who has been dead almost ‘Three Thousand Years. These aré all explained to him in the most accurate Manner, and the Ornaments or Emblems of the Order ary described with great Facility. The Ceremony being now ended, the new-made Member is obliged to take a Mop out of a Pail of Water brought for that Purpose, and rub out the Drawing on the Floor, if it is done with Chalk and Charcoal, ‘Then he is conducted back, and every Thing he was divested of is restored; and he takes his Seat oa tho Right Hand of the Master. He also receives an Apron, which he puts on, and the List of the Lodges is likewise given him. In the Three Distinct Knocks we have the following de ‘The Explanation of the following figure which is all the Drawing that is used im this Sort of Masonry, called the Most Antient by the Irishmen? Tt is generally done with Chalk or Charcoal on the Floor, that is the Reason that they want a Mop and Pail so often as they do: before when a Man has been made a Mason, they wash it out; bub People have taken Notice and made Game of them about the Mop and Pail: 30 some Lodgos use Tape and little Nails to form the same Thing and so keep the World more ignorant of the Matter. ‘This Plan is drawn on the Floor, East and West; the Master stands in the East with the Square about his Neck and the Bible before him, which he takes up and walks forward to the West, near the first Step of an oblong Square; where he kneels down in ordor to give that Solemn Obligation to him that -has already knelt down with his Left- kkneo bare, bent upon the first Step; his Right-foot forms a square with his naked Right hand upon the holy Bible ete. ‘And so to the Second and Third Degree of Masonry; as is shewn upon the Steps. ‘Attention may be drawn to the phrase in the former extract ‘‘ rub out the Drawing on the Floor if it is done with Chalk and Chareoal,”” and in the latter contract ‘Tt is generally done with Chalk or Charcoal.” It may be inferred that there existed other methods of depicting the ‘Form of the Lodge ’ besides the Tape 1The first sentenco of this quotation is a good example of bad editing. Tt is st probable that the sontonco originally read: “- the Drawing om the, Moor TiehTin some Ladgos resombles a Mosaic Pavement and is described with the utmost seechnaas.) “hus, te would have boon comprehensible, ‘The editor of tho original French amual was probably the culprit, for“ pave mosa:que ” vs easily commuted Into palsis mosaigue,’ 2 The italics are mine, B.1.D.‘ Phe Evolution and Development of the Tracing or Lodge Board. 240 and Nails such as a Lodge cloth, or by the design being made in sand or clay. Bro. ‘Hammond informs me that in Cornwall the use of sand for this*purpose was in vogue until fifty years ago. A record of the use of these materials is perpetuated in some so-called Masonic Lectures, although the reference is not generally under- stood. In Lecture 1, Sec. vii. How long should an E.A. serve his master t Seven years. . How should he serve him? With Freedom, Fervency and Zeal Excellent qualities, what are their emblems? Chalk, Charcoal and Clay. Both in the Three Distinct Knocks and in Jachin and Boaz the Initiate recites his experiences as follows: — He (the 8.W.) tauglit me to take one step upon the first step of fa right angle oblong square, with my Left Knee bare bent, my Body upright, my Right Foot forming a Square, my naked Right Hand upon the Holy Bible with the Square and Compass thereon my Left Hand supporting the same; where I took that solemn Obligation or Oath of a Mason. Bearing these points in mind we can examine the plan (seo fig. 1) in the MS+ Carmi ‘The Lodge is in the form of a triangle, which is probably the earliest form of a Masonic Lodge and one still used in Germany and Scandinavia? ‘The Warden {or Master) is seated in the East, but the other officers are not shown, although in Lodges where this form of the Lodge is perpetuated the two wardens sit in the West facing the Master. In Prichard’s Masonry Diseeted,? 1730, p. 9, there is the question: ‘ Where stands your Wardens?” “In the West.’” ‘There are only two steps at the West end of the Lodge instead of the three stops in the later designs, and it is possible that our late Bro. Gould would have enlarged on this fact, but I do not care to do so, The positions of the E.A.’s, F.C.’s, and M.M.’s are shewn (but in each instance the singular ease is used), and on each long arm of the triangle aro shewn (by numbers) the seats of the brethren. On the floor of the Lodge are shewn the Square, Compasses, Plumb-rule, Gavel, ‘Trowel, two (only) lesser Lights, and what I think is intended to be a Blazing Star around which are noted the points of the Compass, [On reading again Bro. ‘Hughan’s description I have little doubt that he was correct in calling it a Compass, and T may add that it was intended to serve as a pointer and not necessarily as a symbol. ] ‘The Lodge plans from Jachin and Boaz and the Three Knocks require no comment except’ that they both mention two Deacons, although the position of the Junior Deacon is not specified in the latter plan, (See figs. 2, 3.) sang! TH MS: it ie teprinted nd desided by Bro. Hughan in A020. xxi pp. A ce Kupferschmidt, A Glimpse at Early Freemasonry in, Germany (4.0.0. ix., 169), Sn Gadkdlt on Continental Masonry (Trans. of the Author's Lodge i, 112). a hiso in Masonry farther Dissected, 1738 (A.Q.0. ix. , 4).ESD ¥ 250 Pransactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge. One deduction may, perhaps, be made from the language used in these two. last-mentioned,books. In the Three Distinct Knocks (that is the Ritual of the Antients) it is specifically stated of the Figure tha it is “‘ all the drawing that is used in this Sort of Masonry,” whereas in Jachin and Boaz (the Ritual of the Moderns) it is stated ‘‘they also draw other figures. . ‘These are all explained to him in the most accurate Manner.” One would deduce from this that the figures on the floors of the Modern Lodges were much more elaborate than those in the Antient Lodges, a point that it will be good to bear in mind. In Lodges working under the Grand Lodge of Ireland, Lodge Boards are practically unknown and seem never to have been in use except during a period between 1839 and 1850 (vide Appendix Q. 43).t ‘My conviction is, although I only reason from analogy, that the Antients, continuing more exactly the traditions of the Operative Masons, displayed on the floor of the Lodge-room the operative tools and so-called jewels, while the custom ‘of the Moderns was to draw them on the floor. Royal Arch Masons will remember how certain operative tools are displayed in the Chapter, and this leads me to believe that the same practice obtained originally in the three Craft degrees. I think the frontispiece of the 1756 edition of the Constitutions is to a certain extent confirmatory of this (see fig. 4). ‘That the jewels and other items displayed on the Lodge Board had a separate existence is shewn in Q. 9, which is from an inventory of Lodge Relief, Bury, Lanes., which, however, was a Modern Lodge. It mentions two painted pillars, a painted square pavement, an indented tasel, two large mahogany pillars with balls, 3 candlesticks, viz, W.8. & B., a brass sun, moon, letter G, Pair of Compasses, Wood Squares, Brass ditto, ete. Q. 7 also shews that at St. Ives in Cornwall the jewels were somewhat cumbrous, as the Master of the Druids Lodge at Redruth invites the M. of the former Lodge to a Festival, saying, Ii not too cumbersome we wish youAo bring your marble blocks and triangles to ornament our Lodge with. Q. 37, Inventory of Lodge of Fortitude 281, Lancaster, dated 1795, men- tions a setting Maul, Heavy Maul, Bee Hive, Coffin and Ruler. ' In the penultimate paragraph of the Addresses to the Reader of the 2nd edition of Ahiman Rizon, Laurence Dermott writes as follows:— “Nor is it uncommon (among the Moderns) for a tyler to receive ten or twelve shillings for drawing two sign posts with chalk é&c. and writing Jamaica rum upon one and Barbadoes rum upon the other, and all this (I suppose) for no other use than to distinguish where these Tiquots are to be placed in the lodge.” Although this paragraph is generally thought to refer to the “alterations ”” to which I have already referred, I think it has a deeper meaning and that Dermott’s intention is to satirise the elaborate designs on the floor that were a feature among the Moderns. ‘To assist the Tyler in drawing the ‘‘ Lodge,”” shaped templates cut out of metal seem to have been used. Two sets and a portion of « third set are in the possession of Grand Lodge and are exhibited in the Grand Lodge Museum. One eee ‘the sake of brevity I shall use the letter Q. as sign 1 a quotation in the Oe i isThe Evolution and Development of the Tracing or Lodge Board, 251 set belonged originally to the Royal Alpha Lodge, and when they presented it to the late Librarian of Grand Lodge, he had them painted by one of the Masonic purveyors. ‘The other set and a half has, happily, been kept in its original con- dition. Although I call them templates these pieces of metal may have been used ‘as ornaments and lain on the floor of the Lodge. At present we have no means of ascertaining. There is also evidence that so late as 1820 the Mosaic Pavement and the Tosselated Border were separate items, for we find that (Q. 34) the Salopian Lodge invested in a . . . Mosaic Pavement, Tesselated Border and Blazing Star In Q. 11 we also find mention of “1 cloth painted round the edges,”” which, probably, was the Tesselated Border. In Q. 15 we find “A Mosaic floor cloth with the four initial letters brass (new painted).”” They were probably B.J.M.B. or P.T.FJ. In regard to the statement about the Mop and Pail, I can find no confirma- tion, but T do not think there is any reason to doubt its correctness, It is generally considered that Hogarth’s picture of “Night” (reproduced in 4.@.C. ii., p. 90) contains an allusion to it Nor have I been able to find any definite confirmation of the statement about the use of ** Tape and little nails” in outlining the Lodge, but I think that the former of the following entries, taken from the Minutes of the Anchor and Hope Lodge No. 37 (edited by Bros. Newton and Brockbank, 1896), refers to this usage (Q. 4):— 1765 April 20. Paid for 10 yds. of Ferritting’ 2d. pr. yd. 1/8 1773 Jan. 24. Half a piece of ribbon, 18 yds. 12/6 In the second entry, the ribbon was probably for use in making collars. Froor Cuors axp Fioorines. ‘There are various references to Floor Cloths in the old Minutes, ¢.9.: Q. 15 1776 A Mosaic Floor Cloth. Q. 25 1798 To cash paid for Floor Cloth and gilding Balls £2.12.6, but I think that, at least, so far as England is concerned, the term Floor Cloth always refers to the Mosaic pavement with or without the indented border. In Scotland, however, we get the term “‘ Floorings,"” which I cannot look upon as synonymous with the Mosaic pavement, as we have the following entries: — Q 6. 1769 Different floorings for the lodge. 1 Rerret=originally a silk tape or narrow ribbon used for fastening or lacing; now 4 narrow worsted or cotton ribbon used for binding, for shoo strings, ete-—Century Dictionary. Ferret. 2 Ferreting. A stout tape most commonly made’ of cotton, but also of B.D,252 Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge. Q. 10. 1722 Make the necessary floorings with proper ornaments ss + on boards. Q. 17. 1783 ‘The flooring of the Fellow Crafts and Master Masons painted and framed. which clearly shew that there was a difference between the degrees, which ould not apply to ® Mosaic pavement. Before I leave these designs T should like to draw your attention to a symbolical plate which might easily be taken for an early example of a Tracing Board. It is the frontispiece to ‘‘Langley’s The Builders Jewel, 1741”” (see fig. 5), but T am sure it is only intended as an allegorical design. In the Westminster Journal of May 8, 1742, there was published an account of the ‘Solemn and Stately Procession of the Scald Miserable Masons as it was marshalled on Tuesday the 27th past.” It was a mock procession that as & practical joke preceded the grand procession of the Freemasons when they marched from the house of the Grand Master in Brook St. to Haberdashers’ Hall at the Quarterly Communication of April 27 (see fig. 6) In this plate there are represented two columns borne by men, one called Roaz, the other Jachin, a large banner with various Masonic emblems within an indented border, followed by six smaller banners on which are depicted various symbolical designs, including one with the letter G on it. Tn a cart at the end of the procession there is a coffin with a skull, cross bones and the letters M.B. drawn on the lid Tt must be remembered that this is a skit on the Grand Lodge of the Moderns, and it does not follow that what the caricaturist depicted actually existed among the fraternity. But in the key below the print there occur the following ‘passages :— ‘Tue rave ontorNaL Mason-Lovee (i.¢., the large Banner), Upon which poor old Hyram made all his entr'd "Prentices. The Masons, for want of this, are forced to make something like it with chalk on the Floor whenever they take the Culls in; that is, when they have a Making. Tar Lerree @ Signifying Geometry or the fifth Science, and for the Sake of which all Fellow-Crafts are made. ‘This Letter G. is the Essence of the Fellow- Crafts Lodge; For being placed in the Middle of the Blazing Star, which is the Center of the enter’d ’Prentices Lodge, it then beeomes a Fellow-Crafts’ Lodge. ‘There also occurs the following rhyme:— Jachin and Boar T have seen, ‘An enter’d 'Prentico I have been; A Fellow Craft I am most rare By Perpentashler and the Square. to which T shall have occasion to refer later on.