The Early History and Antiquities of Freemasonry; As Connected with Ancient Norse Guilds, and the Oriental and Mediaeval Building Fraternities (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 Excerpt: ...to their architecture, and effectiveness to their plans. As we shall presently see, a lodge in its details presented numerous points of exact similitude with a civil tribunal. With the powers alluded to, it was not difficult for a Master to restrain diversified individual opinions, and pacify occasional irritations incident to all social intercourse. Little information can be gleaned touching the constituent parts of the stonecutters' courts, from other sources than the Ordinance of 1462. This document furnishes us with a detailed description of their construction. Two systems of judicature were in vogue among the Masons of the Middle Ages, subsequent, it appears, to the time of Erwin Von Steinbach, and may be appropriately distinguished as the greater and lesser. 15, as follows: "The scheref schal come hem sone to, And putte here bodyes yn deeppe prison," etc. 1 Boileau, Reglemens sur lea Metiers, cap. cxii. The smaller tribunal was a court having jurisdiction over petty causes continually arising between Masters, Pallirer (wardens), and members at large. It was presided over by the Master himself, and held within the lodge enclosure. The principles and method which guided decisions were such as had prevailed for long in the Masonic fraternity, and with every indication that the formularies adopted by this court in its ordinary procedure, in accordance with which justice was administered, were descended from a remote antiquity, and of Teutonic origin. Larger courts possessed final jurisdiction over matters of greater importance, emanating from unsettled disagreements between Masters, in their official relations, and the architects. Charges of this magnitude came properly before the yearly convention, or, to speak with precision, the Grand Lodge, ...