THE COMPANIONAGE.
of the shoemakers at that early date
which bring
it
243
making unauthorised additions
to the history of St Crispin,
into harmony with those of Jacques, of Hiram, of
Isis
and
Osiris, of
Bacchus,
an irreverent representation of which ultimately called down upon
The Sons of Jacques, therefore, possessed and
the Companionage the wrath of the Church.
acted a legend from a very early date and if the Sons of Solomon did not then cherish the
and of that Grand
]\Iystery,
;
Hiramic Legend, what preceded
From
it ?
the very nature of the society, some traditionary
coxild not refer to Solomon
the Compauions
fact that he granted them a charge.
have
What was it ? It
tragedy was necessary.
no legend relating to him, beyond the
possess
—
personage no
;
We
no trace of any other
hint of any other legend.
We are driven to the conclusion that the Sons of Solomon either possessed the Hiramic myth, or none at all and tlie
;
But
latter supposition is hardly conceivabl Rࠦ0