MA'SONR Y. 
4 $ 2 
ters. After tiie introduction of Chriftianify, indeed, Ma¬ 
fonry, together with other arts, revived, and lodges were 
formed ; but, being under the direction of foreigners, 
they gained no permanent reputation. After the year c57, 
when St. Augnftine with his companions arrived in Eng¬ 
land, Mafonry w-as taken under his protection, and the 
gothic ttyle of building was introduced by thofe foreigners 
who about this time reforted to the kingdom. Augultine, 
it is faid, diltinguilhed himfelf by being at the head of 
the fraternity, who founded the old cathedral of Canter¬ 
bury in 600 ; that of Rochefler in 602 ; St. Paul’s in Lon¬ 
don in 604; St. Peter’s in Weftminfter in 605;. as well as 
many others. The number of ijiafons in England was 
thus greatly increafed, as well as by his other buildings 
of cables, See. throughout the kingdom. In 640 fome 
ingenious artiffs arrived from France, and formed them- 
felves into a lodge under the direction of Bennet abbot 
of Wirral, whom Kenred king of Mercia foon after ap¬ 
pointed infpeftor of the lodges, and general fuperintend- 
ant of the rnafons. Mafonry, however, during the hep¬ 
tarchy, was in a low Hate ; but it began to revive under 
the patronage of St. Swithin, who was employed by Ethel- 
wolf in repairing fome religious houfes; and from that 
time the art was gradually improved till the year 87a ; 
when it found a zealous proteftor in Alfred the Great, 
who appropriated a feventh part of his revenue in em¬ 
ploying a number of workmen for rebuilding the cities, 
cables, See. ruined by the Danes. During the reign of 
his fucceffor Edward, the rnafons continued to hold their 
lodges under the fanftion of Ethred, hufband to the king’s 
fiber, and Ethelward his brother, to whole care the fra¬ 
ternity was intruded. 
The true re-eftablifliment of mafonry in England, how¬ 
ever, is dated from the reign of king Athelban ; and there 
is (till existing an ancient lodge of rnafons in York, which 
traces its origin to that period. This lodge, faid to be 
the mob ancient in England, was founded in 926, under 
the patronage of Edwin, the king’s brother, who obtained 
for it a charter from Athelban, and became himfelf grand 
mailer. By virtue of this charter all the rnafons in the 
kingdom were affembled; and in their aflembly, as it is 
reported, they ettablilhed a general or grand lodge for their 
future government. Under the patronage and jurildiftion 
of this lodge, it is faid, the fraternity very conliderably 
increafed ; and kings, princes, and other eminent perfons, 
who had been initiated into the mylteries, paid due alle¬ 
giance to the aflembly. At the death of prince Edwin 
and king Athelban, the rnafons were difperfed, and re¬ 
mained in an unfettled bate till the reign of Edgar, in 960, 
They were then collefted by St. Dunttan, and employed 
in works to which they had been accultomed ; bur, for 
want of permanent encouragement, their lodges declined, 
and mafonry remained in a low Hate for more than fifty 
years. It revived under Edward the Confeffor, in 1041 ; 
and, by the aifiliance of Leofric earl of Coventry, he re¬ 
built Weftininfter-abbey, the earl being fuperintendant 
of the rnafons. After the conqueft, in 1066, Gundulph 
bilhop of Roche Iter, and Roger de Montgomery earl of 
Shrewfbury, botli of them excellent architefts, became 
joint patrons of the rnafons ; and under their aufpices the 
Tower of London was begun, though finifhed only in the 
reign of Wiliiam Rufus, who likewife rebuilt London- 
bridge with wood, and in 1087 firft conftrufted the palace 
and hall of Welfminfter. During the reigns of Henry I. 
and of Stephen, the mafonic lodges affembled, and the fo- 
eiety was employed in building a chapel at Welfminfter, 
near the houfe of commons, and other works; the prefi- 
dent of the lodges being Gilbert de Clare marquis of Pem¬ 
broke. Under the reign of Henry II. the lodges- were 
fuperintended by the grand matter of the Knights Tem¬ 
plars, who employed them in building their Temple in 
Fleet-ltreet, in the year 1155. Mafonry continued under 
the patronage of this order til! the year 1199 ; when John 
fucceeded Richard I. in the throne of England, and Peter 
de ColechurcU was then appointed grand mailer. He be¬ 
gan to rebuild London-bridge with ftone, which was af¬ 
terwards finifhed by William Alcmain in 1209. Peter dc 
Rupibus fucceeded Peter de Colechurch in the office of 
grand mailer 5 and Geoffrey Fitz-Peter, chief furveyor of 
the king’s works, acted as deputy under him ; mafonry 
continued alfo to flourilh under the aufpices of thefe two 
artiffs during this and the following reign. On theacceflion 
of Edward I. in 1272, the fuperintendance of the rnafons 
was intruded to Walter Giffard archbifhop of York, Gil¬ 
bert de Clare earl of Gloucefter, and Ralph lord of Mount 
Hermer, the progenitor of the family of the Montagues; 
and by thefe architects the abbey of Weftminfter was 
finifhed, after having been begun in 1220, during the mi¬ 
nority of Henry II. During the reign of Edward II. the 
fraternity were employed in building Exeter and Oriel 
colleges in Oxford, Clare-hall in Cambridge, See. under 
the aufpices of Walter Stapleton bifliop of Exeter, who 
had been appointed grand mafter of the rnafons in 1307. 
Under the patronage of Edward III. the lodges were 
numerous; and the fraternity held communications under 
the protection of the civil magiftrates. William of Wyke- 
ham continued grand mafter on the acceflion of Richard II. 
and New College in Oxford, and Winchefter College, were 
founded at his expenfe. After the acceflion of Henry IV. 
Thomas Fitz-Allan earl of Surry was appointed grand 
mafter, who, after the engagement at Shrewfbury, founded 
Battle-abbey and Fotheringay; the Guildhall at London 
being alfo built in this reign. On the acceflion of Henry V. 
the fraternity were directed by Henry Chicbely archbifhop 
of Canterbury, under whom the lodges and communica¬ 
tions of the fraternity were frequent. In 1425, however, 
during the reign of Henry VI. an aCt was made againft 
the meetings of the chapters and congregations of malons 5 
becaufe, it was faid, that by fuch meetings “ the good 
courfe and effeft of the ftatutes of labourers were openly 
violated and broken, in fubverlion of the law, and to the 
great damage of all the commons.” But this aft was not 
put in force, nor did the fraternity ceafe to meet as ufual 
under the protection of archbilhop Chichely, who ftill 
continued to prefide over them. Notwithftanding the 
charges alleged at this time againft the rnafons, the duke 
of Gloucefter, proteftor and guardian of the kingdom, 
apprifed of their innocence, took them under his protec¬ 
tion, and transferred the charge of fedition againit Henry 
bilhop of Winchefter, and his followers. Although the 
duke was afterwards impeached, imprifoned, and mur¬ 
dered, the rnafons were not only permitted to meet with¬ 
out moleftation, but were joined by the king himfelf. In 
that year (144a) he was initiated into mafonry, and from 
that time was afliduous in making himfelf complete maf¬ 
ter of the art. He revifed the conllitutions of the body, 
and honoured them with his fanftion 5 and his example 
was followed by many of the nobility. The king prefideef 
over the lodges in perfon, nominating William Wanefleet, 
bilhop of Winchefter, grand mafter. The bilhop, at his 
own expenfe, built Magdalen-college, Oxford, and feveral 
religious houfes. Eton-college near Windfor, and King’s- 
college at Cambridge, were alfo founded during this reign. 
Henry himfelf founded Chrilt’s-college, Cambridge; as 
his queen, Margaret of Anjou, did Queen’s-college, in ths 
fame univerfity. 
Notwithftanding thefe fads, Dr. Plot maintains that 
free mafonry was not patronifed by Henry VI. and that 
thofe who have fup’ported a different opinion were igno¬ 
rant of the laws and chronicles of their own country. 
Dr. Plot may have been a good chemift and natural hilto- 
rian ; but, when our readers hear upon, what foundation lie 
has efiablifhed his opinion, they will agree with us in 
thinking that he was a bad logician. He obferves, that 
an act was parted in the king’s minority, prohibiting all 
general affemblies and chapters of free inafons ; and that, 
as this aft was not repealed till 1562, by 5 Elizabeth, c. 4. 
it was importable that free mafonry could he patronifed in 
the fame reign in which it was prohibited. The faff is, 
that the aft was not repealed by 5 Elizabeth, c. 4. which 
does 
