Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry In The Seventeenth Century: Chester, 1650-1700.
And thus may well end my extracts from this curious work ; many of them have a peculiar interest , but none so much so as that in which Randle Holme distinctly states that he was "A Member of that Society called Free Masons . " Both he ancl his father and grandfather before him were Heralds , and men occupying the high position of sheriff and mayor of Chester ; certainly they could neither of them have been operative masons . The wording of the
sentence is peculiar—he says : — " I cannot but Honor the Felloship of the Masons because of its Antiquity , and the more , as being a Member of that Society , called Free-Masons : In being conversant amongst them I have observed the use of these several Tools following , some whereof I have seen born in Coats Armour . " Herealthough he clearly draws a distinction between the " Fellowship of
, Masons " as builders , and the " Society called Free-Masons , at the same time he appears to wish a connection between the two * to be inferred , whether only in the similarity of name , remains yet to be discovered . That Randle Holme was not an operative Mason is clear . Bro . Hughan , in his work , " Masonic Sketches and Reprints , "f when
mentioning Harl . MS ., No . 2054 , writes : " Mr . Richard Sims informs us that the Masonic MS ., and nearly the whole of the papers in vol . 2054 , containing 259 leaves , is in the hand-writing of Randle Holmes [ Holme ] Herald of Chester , and mostly refer to charters , orders , and constitutions of Chester companies . " This copy of the old Constitutions ' ^ bears no date , but the time it was written has been fixed , probably from the fact of the handwriting of Randle Holme being knownat about 1650 .
, In the same MS . § is , next in order to the Constitutions just mentioned , the following form of oath , also in the writing of Randle Holme . || "There is seu' ' all || words & signes of a free Mason to be revailed to y ™ w as y" will answ : before God at the Great & terrible day of Iudgm' y keep secret & not to revailed the same in the heares of any pson or to any but to the M . & fellows of the said Societof free Masons so helme
y p God , & c . " This is written on a small scrap of paper , evidentl y torn off the corner of a sheet . Probably it is a rough memorandum . The next leaf in the same volume is another document also written b y Randle Holme , recording the names of persons made Freemasons , with the initiation fee , as follows . **
William Wade w' - giue for to be a free Mason . Illlllll 20 s . Robert Morris llllllll 10 Willm Street Aldm ' 15 John Hughes . II 5 Sam Pikes taylor I 8 Willm Wade
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry In The Seventeenth Century: Chester, 1650-1700.
And thus may well end my extracts from this curious work ; many of them have a peculiar interest , but none so much so as that in which Randle Holme distinctly states that he was "A Member of that Society called Free Masons . " Both he ancl his father and grandfather before him were Heralds , and men occupying the high position of sheriff and mayor of Chester ; certainly they could neither of them have been operative masons . The wording of the
sentence is peculiar—he says : — " I cannot but Honor the Felloship of the Masons because of its Antiquity , and the more , as being a Member of that Society , called Free-Masons : In being conversant amongst them I have observed the use of these several Tools following , some whereof I have seen born in Coats Armour . " Herealthough he clearly draws a distinction between the " Fellowship of
, Masons " as builders , and the " Society called Free-Masons , at the same time he appears to wish a connection between the two * to be inferred , whether only in the similarity of name , remains yet to be discovered . That Randle Holme was not an operative Mason is clear . Bro . Hughan , in his work , " Masonic Sketches and Reprints , "f when
mentioning Harl . MS ., No . 2054 , writes : " Mr . Richard Sims informs us that the Masonic MS ., and nearly the whole of the papers in vol . 2054 , containing 259 leaves , is in the hand-writing of Randle Holmes [ Holme ] Herald of Chester , and mostly refer to charters , orders , and constitutions of Chester companies . " This copy of the old Constitutions ' ^ bears no date , but the time it was written has been fixed , probably from the fact of the handwriting of Randle Holme being knownat about 1650 .
, In the same MS . § is , next in order to the Constitutions just mentioned , the following form of oath , also in the writing of Randle Holme . || "There is seu' ' all || words & signes of a free Mason to be revailed to y ™ w as y" will answ : before God at the Great & terrible day of Iudgm' y keep secret & not to revailed the same in the heares of any pson or to any but to the M . & fellows of the said Societof free Masons so helme
y p God , & c . " This is written on a small scrap of paper , evidentl y torn off the corner of a sheet . Probably it is a rough memorandum . The next leaf in the same volume is another document also written b y Randle Holme , recording the names of persons made Freemasons , with the initiation fee , as follows . **
William Wade w' - giue for to be a free Mason . Illlllll 20 s . Robert Morris llllllll 10 Willm Street Aldm ' 15 John Hughes . II 5 Sam Pikes taylor I 8 Willm Wade