Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
M
"The Officer who presides in Chief over the whole Body or Order , must be a Man of Quality and Learning , and is called I am told Sub Oecumenical Volgee . He is represented by another Great Officer , styled Deputy Volgee , who under him governs the Society . There is a Third Great Officer who acts as Prceses over each particular Chapter , and governs all affairs therein , conformable to the General Statutes of the Order , but the name of this Officer ( for ' tis not made a Secret ) I have forgot , only that it is , as all the rest , of Chineze Extraction .
Three , Four , or Five Guineas , which the Masons require for Admission , they only deposite such a Sum as they shall think proper above so many Rupees . * ^> " Frugality is one extraordinary Injunction with them , that so they may avoid the Rocks on which others too frequently split : And the little easy Forfeitures and Fines of Entrance , are deposted in the hands of Hupu or Treasurer , to be disposed of either to Charitable uses , whenever any calamitous case offers , or for the Encouragement of Arts and Sciences . Reserving a Proportion thereof towards a General Feast , whether Quarterly , Half-yearly , or Yearl I cannot say , in order to cement and consolidate the Union of the several Chapters .
" By this knowledge , which I have been able to come at , tho I have not the honour to be a Goemogon , you will observe , Sir , the Excellency of the Order ; and that they are not asham'd to let People know , in some Measure , the laudable Ends and Purposes of their Institution . I say , In some Measure , because it must be confess ed , they are very tenacious of the Great and Important Secret of their Society , into which it is morally impossible , that any-body but a
thoroughlygraduated Gokmogon" can penetrate . You will also have the greater opinion of their Secret , tho' 'tis past the comprehension of the Vulgar World , inasmuch as you will observe , that they put on no affected Grimaces , in order to palm upon the Publick , the most insignificant Trifles , for the prof oundest Mysteries ' , nor do they treat real and venerable Mysteries as Trifles . i
( Having thus given you an account of what I have been able to collect , relating to this Society , I come now' to entertain you with the several Pieces that have been publish'd relating thereto . The first of which is from the Daily Post of the 3 rd of September last ; + tho' I am informed , that this Order was begun in England long before , and several Worthy Gentlemen had form'd themselves into a Body , under the Allspices of the Mandarin Hang Chi ; and did not intend to make Publick their Institution . But , it seems , some over busy Persons having got a knowledge of a few Particulars , which were made no Secret of , and that the Assembly was held at the Castle Tavern in Fleet street , they , being minded to rally the Free Masons at the same time , published the following Advertisement : —•
" ' Whereas the truly Ancient and Noble Order of ( the Gormorgons , Instituted by Chin-Quaw-Ky-Po , the first Emperor of China ( according to their account ) many Thousand Years before Adam , of which Order the great Philosopher Confucius , was Oecumenical Volgee , has lately been brought into England by a Mandarin , and he having admitted several Gentleman of Honour into the Mystery of that most illustrious Order , they have determin'd to hold a Chapter at the Castle Tavern in Fleet street , at the particular Request of several Persons of
Quality . This is to inform the Publick , that there will be no drawn Sword at the Door , nor Ladder in a Darlc Room , nor will any Mason be received as a Member , till he has renounced his Novel Order , and been properly degraded . N . B . The Great Mogul , the Czar of Muscovy , and Prince Tochmas , are enter'd into this Honourable Society , but it has been refus'd to the Rebel Merkvey , to his great Mortification . The Mandarin will shortly set out for Rome , having a particular Commission to make a Present of this . Antient Order to his Holiness ; and it is believ'd the whole College of Camnals will commence Gormogons . Notice will he given in the Publick Papers the Day the Chapter will be held /"
* " Rupee is a Chineze Coin about the value of 2 s . Gd . Sterling . " N . B . The above foot-note is a portion of the letter . —Ed . Freemasons' Magazin e * t The date of this letter ia , A . D . 1725 . VOL . IIT . G I
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
M
"The Officer who presides in Chief over the whole Body or Order , must be a Man of Quality and Learning , and is called I am told Sub Oecumenical Volgee . He is represented by another Great Officer , styled Deputy Volgee , who under him governs the Society . There is a Third Great Officer who acts as Prceses over each particular Chapter , and governs all affairs therein , conformable to the General Statutes of the Order , but the name of this Officer ( for ' tis not made a Secret ) I have forgot , only that it is , as all the rest , of Chineze Extraction .
Three , Four , or Five Guineas , which the Masons require for Admission , they only deposite such a Sum as they shall think proper above so many Rupees . * ^> " Frugality is one extraordinary Injunction with them , that so they may avoid the Rocks on which others too frequently split : And the little easy Forfeitures and Fines of Entrance , are deposted in the hands of Hupu or Treasurer , to be disposed of either to Charitable uses , whenever any calamitous case offers , or for the Encouragement of Arts and Sciences . Reserving a Proportion thereof towards a General Feast , whether Quarterly , Half-yearly , or Yearl I cannot say , in order to cement and consolidate the Union of the several Chapters .
" By this knowledge , which I have been able to come at , tho I have not the honour to be a Goemogon , you will observe , Sir , the Excellency of the Order ; and that they are not asham'd to let People know , in some Measure , the laudable Ends and Purposes of their Institution . I say , In some Measure , because it must be confess ed , they are very tenacious of the Great and Important Secret of their Society , into which it is morally impossible , that any-body but a
thoroughlygraduated Gokmogon" can penetrate . You will also have the greater opinion of their Secret , tho' 'tis past the comprehension of the Vulgar World , inasmuch as you will observe , that they put on no affected Grimaces , in order to palm upon the Publick , the most insignificant Trifles , for the prof oundest Mysteries ' , nor do they treat real and venerable Mysteries as Trifles . i
( Having thus given you an account of what I have been able to collect , relating to this Society , I come now' to entertain you with the several Pieces that have been publish'd relating thereto . The first of which is from the Daily Post of the 3 rd of September last ; + tho' I am informed , that this Order was begun in England long before , and several Worthy Gentlemen had form'd themselves into a Body , under the Allspices of the Mandarin Hang Chi ; and did not intend to make Publick their Institution . But , it seems , some over busy Persons having got a knowledge of a few Particulars , which were made no Secret of , and that the Assembly was held at the Castle Tavern in Fleet street , they , being minded to rally the Free Masons at the same time , published the following Advertisement : —•
" ' Whereas the truly Ancient and Noble Order of ( the Gormorgons , Instituted by Chin-Quaw-Ky-Po , the first Emperor of China ( according to their account ) many Thousand Years before Adam , of which Order the great Philosopher Confucius , was Oecumenical Volgee , has lately been brought into England by a Mandarin , and he having admitted several Gentleman of Honour into the Mystery of that most illustrious Order , they have determin'd to hold a Chapter at the Castle Tavern in Fleet street , at the particular Request of several Persons of
Quality . This is to inform the Publick , that there will be no drawn Sword at the Door , nor Ladder in a Darlc Room , nor will any Mason be received as a Member , till he has renounced his Novel Order , and been properly degraded . N . B . The Great Mogul , the Czar of Muscovy , and Prince Tochmas , are enter'd into this Honourable Society , but it has been refus'd to the Rebel Merkvey , to his great Mortification . The Mandarin will shortly set out for Rome , having a particular Commission to make a Present of this . Antient Order to his Holiness ; and it is believ'd the whole College of Camnals will commence Gormogons . Notice will he given in the Publick Papers the Day the Chapter will be held /"
* " Rupee is a Chineze Coin about the value of 2 s . Gd . Sterling . " N . B . The above foot-note is a portion of the letter . —Ed . Freemasons' Magazin e * t The date of this letter ia , A . D . 1725 . VOL . IIT . G I