So that the Fellow Crafts were For befides many other fine Structures never more employ'd than in this in and about London, many noble AlanReign, nor in a more lofty Stile; founded; as-Wing-House Bedfordshireions in the Country were built or and many Lodges were conftitu- Chevening in Kent-Ambrofebury in Wiltted throughout the Iflands by bire - Hotham-House and Stainborough Leave of the feveral noble G. Yorkshire-Palace of Hamilton in ClydefMasters: For after G. Mafter dale-Sterling-Houfe near the Caftle-. Drumlanrig in Nidsdale, and many more. Rivers demitted, A. D. 1674.

GEORGE VILLARS Duke of Bucks, an old Mason, fucceeded as G. Master of England; but being indolent, he left all Business to his Deputy ren and his Wardens; and when he demitted A. D. 1679.

HENRY BENNET Earl of Arlington fucceeded, who was too deeply engag'd in Affairs of State to mind the Lodges: Yet in his Mastership the Fraternity was confiderable ftill, and many Gentlemen requested to be admitted. Thus the forefaid Brother Afhmole (in his Diary Page 66.) fays,

On the 10 March 1682. I received a Summons to appear next Day at a Lodge in Mafons-Hall London, when we admitted into the Fellowship of Free Mafons Sir William Wilfon, Capt. Richard Borthwick, and four more. I was the fenior Fellow, it being 35 Years fince I was admitted; and with me were Mr. Thomas Wife (Master of the London Company of Masons) and eight more old Free Mafons. We all dined at the Half-Moon Tavern in Cheapfide, a noble Dinner, prepared at the Charge of the new accepted Mafons.

But many of the Fraternity's Records of this and former Reigns were loft in the next and at the Revolution; and many of 'em were too hastily burnt in our Time from a Fear of making Dif coveries: So that we have not fo ample an Account as could be wifh'd of the Grand Lodge, &c.

King Charles II. dying on 6 February 168. his Brother fucceeded, viz.

4. JAMES II. Stewart, aged 51 Years. A most excellent Statue of him ftill ftands in Whitehall. But not being a Brother' Mafon, the Art was much neglected, and People of all forts were

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otherwise

otherwise engag❜d in this Reign: Only upon the Death of Grand Mafter Arlington 1685 the Lodges met and elected

Sir CHRISTOPHER WREN and Mafter, who appointed Mr. Gabriel Cibber,

Mr. Edward Strong, Grand Wardens. and while carrying on St. Paul's, he annually met those Brethren that could attend him, to keep up good old Usages, till the Revolution, when

William of Naffau Prince of Orange, landed on 5 Nov. 1688. and King JAMES fail'd to France on 23 Dec. following, and died there on 6 Sept. 1701.

CHA P. III.

From the REVOLUTION to Grand Mafter MONTAGU, 1721.

PON King James's going off, the Convention of States entail'd the Crown of England upon King James's two Daughters and their Iffue, viz. MARY Princefs of Orange, and ANN Princess of Denmark: And failing them on WILLIAM Prince of Orange; for his Mother Mary Stewart was King James's eldest Sifter: But ORANGE was to reign during Life. Accordingly on 13 Feb. 1683.

5. King WILLIAM III. aged 38 Years, and his Wife

6.. Queen MARY II. Stewart, aged 26 Years,

She died at Kensington without Iffue on 28 Dec. 1694.

were proclaim'd King and Queen, Joint Soveraigns of England; and Scotland foon. proclaim'd them.

Particular Lodges were not fo frequent and mostly occafional, in the South, except in or near the Places where great Works were carried on. Thus Sir Robert Clayton got an Occafional Lodge of his Brother Masters to meet at St. Thomas's Hospital Southwark, A. D. 1693. and to advise the Governours about the best Design of rebuilding that Hofpital as it now ftands most

(

most beautiful; near which a flated Lodge continued long after

wards.

Befides that and the old Lodge of St. Paul's, there was another in Piccadilly over against St. James's Church, one near Westminster Abby, another near Covent Garden, one in Holborn, one on Tower-Hill, and fome more that affembled ftatedly.

The King was privately made a Free Mafon, approved of their Choice of G. Mafter WREN, and encourag'd him in rearing St. Paul's Cathedral, and the great New Part of Hamptou-Court in the Auguftan Stile, by far the fineft Royal Houfe in England, after an old Defign of Inigo Jones, where a bright Lodge was held during the Building. The King alfo built his little Palace of Kensington, and finish'd Chelsea Hofpital; but appointed the fine new Palace of Greenwich (begun by King Charles II.) to be an Hofpital for old Seamen, A. D. 1695. and order'd it to be finish'd as begun after Jones's old Defign.

This Year our moft noble Brother CHARLES LENNOS Duke of Richmond and Lennox (Father of the prefent Duke) Master of a Lodge at Chichester, coming to the annual Affembly and Feaft at London, was chofen Grand Master and approv'd by the King. Sir Chriftopher Wren was his Edward Strong, fen. Grand D. G. Master, who acted as be-Edward Strong, jun. Wardens. fore at the Head of the Craft, and was again chofen Grand Master, A. D. 1698.

In this Reign Naval Architecture was wonderfully improv'd, and the King difcover'd his High Tafte in building his elegant Palace at Loo in Holland, till he died at Kensington 8 March 1791, when

7. ANN Stewart, the other Daughter of King James II. aged 38 Years, fucceeded as Queen Soveraign, Wife of GEORGE Prince of Denmark: He was the Patron of Aftronomers and Navigators, and died at Kensington 28 Oct. 1708.

Queen ANN enlarg'd St. James's Palace, and after the famous Battle of Blenheim, A. D. 1704. demolish'd the old Royal Castle of Woodstock in Oxfordshire, and built in its ftead the Caftle of Blenheim for her General John Churchill Duke of Marleborough.

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The

The Queen, in her 5th Year, united the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the one Kingdom of Great-Britain, which commenced on 1 May 1707.

After the Union of the Crowns 104 Years.

The Queen and Parliament enacted the building of 50 new Churches in the Suburbs of London; and the Surveyors fhew'd their Skill in Buckingham House and Marleborough House in St. James's Park, Powis House in Ormond-street, the Opera House in Haymarket, and many more about Town: As in the Country the Duke of Devonshire's fine Chatsworth in Derbyshire, Stourton Wiltshire, the Earl of Carlisle's Caftle Howard near York, Helmfley Houfe or Duncomb-Park, Mereworth House in Kent, Wilbury Houfe in Wiltshire, &c. Nay after the Peace of Utrecht many rich old Officers in the Army, returning home good Connoiffeurs in Architecture, delighted in raising stately Manfions.

But the Auguftan Stile was moftly richly difplay'd at Oxford in the New Chapel of Trinity College by Dr. Bathurst, in PeekWater-Square of Christ's-Church College by Dr. Aldige, in Queen's-College by Dr. Lancaster elegantly rebuilt, in Allhallow's Church, the new Printing Houfe, &c.

Yet ftill in the South the Lodges were more and more disused, partly by the Neglect of the Mafters and Wardens, and partly by not having a Noble Grand Master at London, and the annual Affembly was not duly attended.

G. M. WREN, who had defign'd St. Paul's London, A.D. 1673. and as Mafter of Work had conducted it from the Footftone, had the Honour to finish that noble Cathedral, the finest and largest Temple of the Auguftan Stile except St. Peter's at Rome; and celebrated the Capestone when he erected the Crofs on the Top of the Cupola, in July A. D. 1708.

Some few Years after this Sir Chriftopher Wren neglected the Office of Grand Mafter; yet the Old Lodge near St. Paul's and a few more continued their ftated Meetings till

Queen Ann died at Kensington without Iffue on 1 Aug. 1714. She was the laft of the Race of King Charles I. upon the Throne of Britain; for the Others, being Romans, are excluded by the A&

Act of Parliament for fettling the Crown upon the Proteftant Heirs of his Sifter ELIZABETH Stewart Queen of Bohemia above, viz. on her Daughter the Princefs SOPHIA Electrefs Dowager of Brunfwig-Luneburg; and fhe dying a little before Queen ANN, her Son the Elector fucceeded on the faid 1 Aug. 1714.

Saron Kings of Great-Britain.

1. King GEORGE I. enter'd London moft magnificently on 20 Sept. 1714. and after the Rebellion was over A. D. 1716. the few Lodges at London finding themselves neglected by Sir Chrifto pher Wren, thought fit to cement under a Grand Master as the Center of Union and Harmony, viz. the Lodges that met,

1. At the Goofe and Gridiron Ale-houfe in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 2. At the Crown Ale-house in Parker's-Lane near Drury-Lane. 3. At the Apple-Tree Tavern in Charles-ftreet, Covent-Garden. 4. At the Rummer and Grapes Tavern in Channel-Row, Westminster.

They and fome old Brothers met at the faid Apple-Tree, and having put into the Chair the oldeft Mafter Mafon (now the Mafter of a Lodge) they conftituted themselves a GRAND LODGE pro Tempore in Due Form, and forthwith revived the Quarterly Communication of the Officers of Lodges (call'd the Grand Lodge) refolv'd to hold the Annual ASSEMBLY and Feast, and then to chufe a GRAND MASTER from among themselves, till they should have the Honour of a Noble Brother at their Head.

Accordingly

On St. John Baptift's Day, in the 3d Year of King GEORGE I. A. D. 1717. the ASSEMBLY and Feast of the Free and ascepted Mafons was held at the forefaid Goofe and Gridiron Ale

house.

Before Dinner, the oldest Master Mafon (now the Master of a Lodge) in the Chair, propofed a Lift of proper Candidates; and the Brethren by a Majority of Hands elected

Mr.