the 24th of June, for which purpose cards of invitation were sent to several of the nobility. On the day appointed, the Grand Master and his Officers, the Dukes of Norfolk and Richmond, the Earl of Strathmore, Lords Carpenter and Teynham, and above a hundred other Brethren, met at the Spikes, at Hampstead, where an elegant dinner was provided. Soon after dinner, the Grand Master resigned the chair to Lord Teynham, and from that time till the expiration of his office never attended another meeting of the Society. His lordship granted a deputation for constituting a Lodge at Valenciennes, in French Flanders, and another for opening a new Lodge at the Hôtel de Bussy, in Paris. Several other Lodges were also constituted under his lordship's auspices;* but the Society was particularly indebted to Thomas Batson, esq. the Deputy Grand Master, who was very attentive to the duties of his office, and carefully superintended the government of the Craft.

The Earl of Strathmore succeeded Lord Montagu in the office of Grand Master, and, being in Scotland at the time, was installed by proxy at an assembly at Mercers'-hall, on the 7th of June, 1783. On the 13th of December a Grand Lodge was held at the Devil Tavern, at which his Lordship and his

*Freemasons' Lodges in America date their origin from this period. Upon the application of a number of Brethren, residing in Boston, a warrant was granted by Lord Viscount Montagu, Grand Master of Masons in England, dated the 30th of April, 1733, 'appointing the R. W. Henry Price Grand Master in North America, with full power and authority to appoint his Deputy, and other masonic officers necessary for forming a Grand Lodge; and also to constitute lodges of free and accepted masons, as often as occasion should require. In consequence of this commission, the Grand Master opened a Grand Lodge at Boston, on the 30th of July, 1733, in due form, and appointed Andrew Belcher, D. G. M., and Thomas Kenelly and John Quann, Grand Wardens. The Grand Lodge being thus organized under the designation of St. John's Grand Lodge, proceeded to grant warrants for instituting regular lodges in various parts of America, &c.' (Webb's Monitor, p. 288.) EDITOR.

officers, the Earl of Crawford, Sir Robert Mansel, a number of Past Grand Officers, and the Masters and Wardens of fifty-three Lodges, were present. Several regulations were confirmed at this meeting respecting the Committee of Charity; and it was determined, that all complaints in future to be brought before the Grand Lodge, should be previously examined by the Committee, and thence referred to the next Communication.

The history of the Society at this period affords few remarkable instances to record. Some considerable donations were collected, and distributed among distressed Masons, to encourage the settlement of a new colony, which had been just established at Georgia, in America. Lord Strathmore shewed every attention to the duties of his office, and regularly attended the meetings of the Grand Lodge under his auspices the Society flourished at home and abroad, and many handsome presents were received from the East Indies. Eleven German Masons applied for authority to open a new Lodge at Hamburgh, under the patronage of the Grand Lodge of England, for which purpose his lordship was pleased to grant a deputation; and soon after, several other Lodges were constituted in Holland under the English banner.

The Earl of Strathmore was succeeded by the Earl of Crawford, who was installed at Mercers'hall on the 30th of March, 1734. Public affairs attracting his lordship's attention, the Communications during his administration were neglected. After eleven months' vacation, however, a Grand Lodge was convened, at which his lordship attended, and apologised for his long absence. To atone for past omission, he commanded two Communications to be held in little more than six weeks. The Dukes of Richmond and Buccleugh,

the Earl of Balcarras, Lord Weymouth, and other eminent persons, honoured the Grand Lodge with their presence during the Earl of Crawford's presidency. Yo

The most remarkable proceedings of the Society at this period related to a new edition of the Book of Constitutions, which brother James Anderson was ordered to prepare for the press: ands which made its appearance in January 1788, consider ably enlarged and improved. modia) zond

Among the new regulations which took place under the administration of Lord Crawford, was the following: That if any Lodge within the bills of mortality shall cease to meet during twelve calendar months, the said Lodge shall be erased from the list; and if reinstated, shall lose its former rank. Some additional privileges were granted to the Stewards, in consequence of an application for that purpose; and to encourage gentlemen to serve the office, it was agreed, that, in future, all Grand Officers, the Grand Master excepted, shall be elected out of that body. A few resolutions also passed respecting illegal conventions of Masons, at which it was reported many persons had been initiated into Masonry on small and unworthy considerations.

The Earl of Crawford seems to have made another encroachment on the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge in the city of York, by constituting two Lodges within their district; and by granting, without their consent, tliree deputations, one for Lancashire, a second for Durham, and a third for Northumberland. This circumstance the Grand Lodge in York highly resented, and ever after seems to have viewed the proceedings of the Brethren in the South with a jealous eye, as all friendly intercourse ceased, and the York Masons

from that moment considered their interests distinet from the Masons under the Grand Lodge in London,*,) to find në mb

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Lord Weymouth succeeded the Earl of Crawford in the toffice of Grand Master, and was installed at Mercers'-hall on the 17th of April, 1735, in presence of the Dukes of Richmond and Athol; the Earls of Crawford, Winchilsea, Balcarras, Wemys, and Loudon; the Marquis of Beaumont; Lords Cathcart and Vere Bertie; Sir Cecil Wray and Sir Edward Mansel, Barts., and a splendid company of other Brethren. Several Lodges were constituted during Lord Weymouth's presidency; and among the rest, the Stewards'-Lodge. His lordship granted a deputation to hold a Lodge at the seat of the Duke of Richmond, at Aubigny, in France; and, under his patronage, Masonry extended, considerably in foreign countries. He also issued warrants to open a new Lodge at Lisbon, and another at Savannah, in Georgia; and, by his special appointment, provincial patents were made out for South America, and Gambay, in West Africa.

Lord Weymouth never honoured any of the Communications with his presence during his presidency; but this omission was the less noticed, on account of the vigilance and attention of his Deputy, John Ward, esq., afterwards Lord Viscount

* In confirmation of the above fact, I shall here insert a paragraph, copied from the Book of Constitutions, published in 1738. After inserting a list of Provincial Grand Masters appointed for different places abroad, it is thus expressed: All these foreign Lodges are under the patronage of our Grand Master of England; but the old Lodge at York city, and the Lodges of Scotland, Ireland, France, and Italy, affecting independency, are under their own Grand Masters: though they have the same constitutions, charges, regulations, &c. for substance, with their Brethren of England, and are equally zealous for the Augustan style, and the secrets of the ancient and honourable Fraternity.' Book of Constitutions, 1738, p. 196.

Dudley and Ward, who applied with the utmost diligence to promote the interest and prosperity of the Society.

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One circumstance occurred while Lord Weymouth was Grand Master, of which it may be necessary to take notice. The twelve Stewards, with Sir Robert Lawley, Master of the Stewards' Lodge, at their head, appeared, for the first time, in their new badges at a Grand Lodge held at the Devil Tavern on the 11th of December, 1735. On this occasion they were not permitted to vote as individuals; but it being afterwards proposed that they should enjoy this privilege, and that the Steward's Lodge shouid in future be represented in Grand Lodge by twelve members, many Lodges objected to the measure as an encroachment on the privilege of every other Lodge which had been previously constituted. When the motion was put for confirmation, such a disturbance ensued, that the Grand Lodge was obliged to be closed before the sentiments of the Brethren could be collected on the subject. Of late years the punctilio has been waved, and the twelve Stewards are now permitted to vote in every Communication as individuals.*

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It was not till the year 1770 that this privilege was strictly warranted; when, at a Grand Lodge, on the 7th of February, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand, the following resolution passed: As the right of the Members of the Stewards' Lodge in general to attend the Committee of Charity appears doubtful, no mention of such right being made in the laws of the Society, the Grand Lodge are of opinion, That they have no general right to attend; but it is hereby resolved, That the Stewards' Lodge be allowed the privilege of sending a number of Brethren, equal to any other four Lodges, to every future Committee of Charity; and that, as the Master of each private Lodge only has a right to attend, to make a proper distinction between the Stewards' Lodge and the other Lodges, that the Master and three other Members of that Lodge be permitted to attend at every succeeding Committee on behalf of the said Lodge. This resolution, however, was declared not to be intended to deprive any Lodge, which had been previously consti.