THE OLD CHARGES OF BRITISH FREEMASONS.
65
" Old
Charges," as forming an integral part of this version,
states, tliey are apparently not connected with the
though they were most probably used by one and the same body.
13.
"Sloane, 3848."
1646.
a.b.
British
Museum.
Published in the " Old Charges" (also "Masonic Magazine," 1873), and named by Hughan as the proljable
This may have been the case as regards the latter, but not, I think, as to the former.
text for 12 and 14.
There
is
an undated water-mark in the paper, which is of no importance, the conclusion of the MS. being
me Edwardu Sankey, decimo se.xto die Octobris Anno Domini, 1646." ' Fort draws attention to
that it was written on the same day and year that Elias Ashmole, the celebrated antiquary, was
" Finis
p.
the fact,
Mr
initiated as a Freema.son at Warrington.
Rylands has proved- that
Mr
Richard Sankey, and his family for
generations before him, were landowners in Warrington, and that in the Warrington registers
is
the entrj',
Richard Sankey, Gent, Bapt. 3rd February 1621-2," so it is quite within the limits of
that the same Edward Sankey transcribed No. 13 for use at the initiation of Ashmole and
probability,
Colonel Main waring on October 16, 1646.^
"Edward, son
to
14.
"
Sloane, 3323."
a.d.
1659.
Britisli
Museum.
Published in Hughan's " Masonic Sketches." It is signed and dated " Htec scripta fuerunt p. me Thomam
"
Martin, 1659."'' Sir Hans Sloane has labelled this volume Loose papers of mine concerning cuiiosities." The
part endorsed "Freemasons" is wi-itten on six leaves of paper (5 inches by 4), and is liriefer than usual in the
historical narrative.
The writing
small and neat.
is
Its text presents a variation
from the ordinary form, which
will be hereafter noticed.
Published for the
was presented
* 17tli
Century.
"Buchanan."
15.
first
to the
Freemasons' Hall, London.
time in this work, and adopted as a type of the ordinary MSS.
Grand Lodge
of
England by
Jlr George Buchanan, AVhitby,
This parchment roll
and in
3, 1880
March
;
"
proposing a vote of thanks to the donor, the Earl of Carnarvon (Pro. G. M.) stated that he liad no doubt
it would be very nuich to the satisfaction of Grand Lodge, if other members were found as generous as Brother
Buchanan." I shall have occasion to note its text farther on, and as respects its age, Mr Buchanan's opinion
that
it is
found with the papers of the
late
—say from
—
1660 to 1680 appears to me, after a careful
may be thus briefly summarised. The scroll was
Henry Belcher, an antiquary, who was a partner with the father of Mr
of the latter part of the seventeenth century
examination of the MS., to be well founded.
Its history
Mr
am
credibly informed, was a friend of Mr Blanchard, who, according to
(solicitor).
Hargrove, was the last Grand Secretary under the Northern organisation, and from whom he obtained some of
the effects of the then extinct " Grand Lodge oi AU England " (York). For this reason it has been sought to
identify No. 15 with the missing MS. of the York Inventory, but Hughan has clearly set aside the claim, having
cited the fact that " York MS. No. 3 " was dated a.d. 1630.'
Buchanan
Belcher, as I
16.
"
Kilwinning."
* 17th
Century.
"
Mother Kilwinning Lodge," Scotland.
Published in Hughan's " Masonic Sketches " (Part 2), and Lyon's " History of the Lodge of Edinburgh," 1873,
In glancing at the minutes of the Lodge of Edinburgh for the years 1675 to 1678, Mr D. Murray
p. 108-11.
the Scottish Masonic historiographer, was struck with the similarity which the handwiiting bore to that
Lyon,
which the Kilwinning copy of the " Narration of the Founding of the Craft of Masonry is written " and
"
upon closer examination he felt convinced that in both cases the caligraphy was the same," the writer having
been the clerk of the former lodge.'
Lyon, however, is not justified in stating that this document is
in
;
'
Early History and Antiquities of Freemasonry,
'
Memoir of
The entire
Elias Ashmole,
p. 137.
by John Burman, 1717.
'
Masonic Magazine, December 1881.
W. H. Gee (Oxford, 1881).
Facsimile of Ashmole's Diar)',
collection of 50,000 vols, printed books and MSS., conditionally bequeathed by Sir Hans Sloane, was
secured by Act of Parliament in 1753 for the use of the nation, to all posterity, at the nominal cost of £20,000.
»
«
See Nos. 10 and 41.
History of the Lodge of Edinburgh, p. 107.
I