connexion
with our fraternity, nor that freemasonry was introduced into Britain
before the time of St. Austin, who, with forty more monks, among whom the
sciences were preserved, was commissioned by Pope Gregory to baptize
Ethelbert, King of Kent. About this time appeared those trading
associations of architects who travelled over Europe, patronised by the See
of Rome. The difficulty of obtaining expert workmen for the many pious
works raised at that time in honour of religion, made it prudent to
encourage, by peculiar privileges, those bodies of men, who had devoted
themselves to the study and practice of architecture. Accordingly they were
allowed to have their own government without opposition, and no others were
permitted to work on any building with which they were concerned. They were
under regular command, divided into lodges, with a master and wardens in
each, and dwelt in an encampment near the building they were employed to
erect.

It is not in my power to trace the progress of these lodges of masons in
any connected history, but I will proceed with the accounts we have of the
masons in England from the time of St. Austin. By them the old cathedral of
Canterbury was built, in 600; St. Paul's, London, 604; and St. Peter's,
Westminster, 605; with many others. In the year 680 some more expert
brethren from France were formed into a lodge, under the direction of
Bennet, Abbot of Wirral, who was appointed superintendent of the masons by
Kinred, King of Mercia. From this time, however, little is known of the
fraternity, until the year 856, when St. Swithin was the superintendent,
appointed by Ethelwolf; from which time it gradually improved till the year
872, when King Alfred took the command of it. Upon his death, in 900, when
Edward succeeded to the throne, and Ethred, Prince of Mercia, patronised
the society, Edward was succeeded, in 924, by his son, Athelstan, whose
brother, Edwin, procured from the king a charter for the masons, by which
they were empowered to meet annually in a general assembly, and to have
power to regulate their own order. And, according to this charter, the
first grand lodge of England met at York, in 926. But here it is to be
remarked that the grand lodge is not to be understood as the same in those
times that it is now; it was not then restricted to the masters and wardens
of private lodges, but was open to as many of the fraternity as could
attend: for, until late years, the grand lodge