Druids, at that time, also, had many customs similar to those of the Masons, and, it is said, derived their government of Pythagoras. Although, at the present day, we cannot exactly trace any resemblance either to the rules or usages of Masonry.

Cæsar and many other Roman generals encouraged the order, and were appointed Governors of Britain; and although we know that at this period the members of the order were employed in building many magnificent buildings, nothing can be found on record concerning their lodges and assemblies.

Carausius, a Roman general, patronized the fraternity, and encouraged learning. He also collected the best artificers from many countries, particularly Masons. He appointed Albanus, his steward, the principal superintendent of their meetings. Under his government, lodges began to be introduced, and the business of Masonry regularly carried on. They obtained, through the influence of Albanus, a charter from Carausius to hold a general council, at which Albanus presided and made many new members. This Albanus was the celebrated St. Albans, the first martyr in Britain for the Christian faith.

The progress of Masonry was unfortunately interrupted by the departure of the Romans from Britain, owing to the furious irruptions of the Scots and Pics, which left no time for the cultivation of the arts, and afterwards through the ignorance of the Saxons, whom the Britons had called in as allies, but who soon became their masters. After the introduction of Christianity, the arts received encouragement, and Masonry, as a natural consequence, began to flourish.

In the year 557, A. C., when St. Austin with a number of monks, among whom the arts had been preserved, came to England. By these the principles of Christianity were propagated with such zeal, that a number of Kings were

converted. St. Austin then became the patron of the order, and by the aid of foreigners introduced the Gothic style of building. He appeared at the head of the fraternity in founding the old Cathedral of Canterbury, in the year 600; that of Rochester in 602; St. Paul's, in London, in 604; St. Peter's, in Westminster, in 605; as well as many others.

In 640, a few expert brethren arrived from France, and formed themselves into a lodge under the direction of Bennet, Abbot of Wirral; whom Kenred, King of Mercia, appointed Inspector of Lodges and Superintendant of Masons. Under the patronage of St. Swithin, in 856, whom Ethelwolf employed to repair some churches, the order improved ; when in the year 872 they found a great protector in Alfred the Great, who patronized the arts; appropriating one seventh part of his revenue for maintaining a number of workmen whom he employed in repairing the ruins caused by the Danes. He was succeeded by Edward. Masons then held their lodges under the sanction of Ethred, husband to the king's sister, and Ethelward, his brother, to whom the care of the fraternity was entrusted. The latter founded the university of Cambridge.

The positive establishment of the order in Engiand, can be traced to King Athelstane, in the year 926. There is still extant a lodge of Masons in York, who trace their existence from this period, and which is the most ancient lodge in England. This lodge was founded by Edwin, the king's brother, who obtained a charter from Athelstane, and became Grand Master himself. By virtue of that charter all Masons in the kingdom were assembled, and for the first time a Grand Lodge was established for their future government. Under its patronage the fraternity increased. Kings, Princes, and nobles, who had been initiated into its mysteries, paid due allegiance to the assembly. Hence originated the appellation of Ancient York Masons,

although the general tradition is that the first Grand Lodge was held at Auldby, near York; and as Auldby was a seat of Edwin, this tradition gives confirmation of the above

account.

After the death of Athelstane, the Masons were ispersed, and remained in an unsettled state till 960, A. C., in the reign of Edgar. St. Dunstan then encouraged them, which partially revived their lodges. However, in 1041, A. C., under Edward the Confessor, it flourished, who, with the assistance of Leofrick, Earl of Coventry, rebuilt Westminster Abbey, the earl being appointed Superintendant of Masons, by whom many other superb structures were erected.

In 1066, Gundulph, Bishop of Rochester, and Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, who were both architects and patrons of the Masons. Under their auspices the famous Tower of London was begun, although only finished during the reign of William Rufus, who likewise rebuilt London Bridge with wood, and in 1087 first constructed the palace and hall of Westminster.

Masonry flourished under the auspices of Henry the first, and during Stephen's reign the society were employed in building a chapel at Westminster, (now the House of Commons,) Gilbert de Clare, the Marquis of Pembroke, being the President of the lodges. In Henry the II.'s time, the lodges were under the superintendance of the Grand Lodge of the Knight Templars, who in the year 1155 employed them in the erection of their temple in Fleet street, London. They continued under the patronage of the order until 1199, when John, succeeding Richard the first in the throne of England, Peter de Colechurch was then appointed Grand Master. Peter de Rupibus succeeded Colechurch, and Geoffrey Fitz Peter acted as his deputy. On the accession of Edward the first, in 1272, the superintendence of the craft was entrusted to several noblemen, amongst

others to Walter Giffard, Archbishop of York. By these architects, Westminster Abbey, which had been begun in 1220, was finished. During the reign of Edward the II. the craft were employed under the auspices of Walter Stapleton, Bishop of Exeter, who had been appointed their Grand Master in 1307, in building Exeter College, in Oxford, and Clare Hall, in Cambridge.

Edward the III. patronized the fraternity. He revised the ancient charges, added several useful regulations to the original code then in existence. He appointed several deputies under him to inspect the proceedings. William Wykeham was the Grand Master, on the accession of Richard the II., who founded, at his own expense, the new college at Oxford, and Winchester College. After the accession of Henry IV., Thomas Fitz Allan, Earl of Surrey, became Grand Master, by whom Battle Abbey was founded, and the Guildhall, in London, built. During the reign of Henry the V., Henry Chichely, Archbishop of Canterbury, was appointed Grand Master, under whom the lodges. and communications of the fraternity were very frequent.

In 1425, however, during the reign of Henry the VI., an act was made to prevent the meetings of lodges and chapters. It was pretended that by such meetings the good course and effect of the labourers were violated in subversion of the law. This act, however, through the influence of Archbishop Chicheley, was never put in force, and who continued still to preside over them. Dr. Anderson, in the first edition of the book of constitutions, makes the following comment upon this act: "It was made in ignorant times, when true learning was a crime, and geometry condemned for conjuration. The king, it is presumed, was then too much influenced by the illiterate clergy, who were not Masons nor understood architecture, (as the clergy of some former years.")

In 1442, Henry the VI. was initiated in masonry. He

spared no pains to perfect himself. He perused the ancient charges, revised the constitution, and honoured them with his sanction. The example of the sovereign was followed by many of the nobility. The King presided over the lodges, nominating William Wanefleet, Bishop of Winchester, Grand Master. During his reign, the following colleges were built and founded: Magdalen College, Oxford; King's College at Cambridge, as also Christ College. Margaret of Anjou, his queen, founded Queen's College, of the same place.

About this time James I. of Scotland protected the Masons; who, after his return from captivity, became a zealous patron of the art. He presided in the lodges. His office entitled him to regulate every thing in the fraternity, which could not come under the jurisdiction of the courts, and to prevent litigations* amongst brethren, both master and mason, builder and founder, appealed to him, or in his absence to his Deputy, or Grand Warden, whose residence was nearest to the parties.

The following state of the order was considerably interrupted by the civil war then raging between the houses of York and Lancaster, which brought it almost entirely into neglect. Under the auspices of Robert Beauchamp, Bishop of Sarum, in 1471, who had been appointed G. M. by Edward IV., it revived. He repaired the castle and chapel at Windsor, for which he was honoured with the title of Chancellor of the Garter. During the reigns of Edward V. and Richard III. it again declined, but came again in repute on the accession of Henry VII., in 1485. It was then patronised by the master and fellows of the order of St. John of Rhodes, (now Malta,) who, at a Grand Lodge meeting in 1500, chose Henry for their protector. On the

* How desirable would it be, if Masons had recourse to the Grand Master, instead of petty litigations amongst brethren.