[1120b] Yet Hiram was dead many centuries before Euclid was born.
[1121] So it may be supposed that Euclid and Solomon, and Hiram and Mannon, and Marcel and king Athelstan lived all about the same time!—an idea too monstrous surely, for English, or even Masonic credulity to imbibe or adopt!—See Prichard’s description of Masonry. 21st. Edit, p. 3, &c.
[1126] Its constituents during the first stages of its existence bore the following names—Asty Harwick, Abel Hawkins, Geo. Foley, N. Elstobb, Sam. Browne, Peter Elyson, Rich. Marshall, John Mountaine, Nic. Anderson, John Bagge, Dan. Swaine, Jos. Lee, Wm. Taylor, Rob. Fysh, Edm. Elsden, Tho. Day, Rich. Sands, Henry Fysh, Robert Hamilton, Rich. Allyson, Wm. Ward, Scarlet Browne, Geo. Patteson, Tho. Berneye, Tho. Hawkins, and Jos. Taylor.—Most of these seem to have continued in the society to the last, though some were expelled for different reputed delinquencies.—It is curious enough to observe their mock formalities in the administration of their laws, and the maintenance of the government and discipline of the society, as they appear in their written transactions, which are still extant. A few specimens here may not be ungrateful to the reader—At one time Asty Harwick is indicted, tried, found guilty, and fined, for carrying home the sword, contrary to the rules of the society—at the same time Richard Marshall is indicted, tried, found guilty, and fined, for throwing a piece of pipe at Mr. Deputy governor—another time Samuel Browne is indicted, tried, found guilty, and fined, for tearing the bill before it was discharged—another time Joseph Lee is indicted, tried, found guilty, and fined, for interrupting Mr. deputy govr. Harwick—another time Jos. Lee is indicted, tried, found guilty, and fined, for pulling the governor Capt. Nic. Anderson’s wig awry—same time Asty Harwick and John Bagge, were indicted, tried, found guilty, and fined, for insulting the secretary in his office—another time Mr. Bagge was indicted, tried, found guilty and fined, for not attending the then governor, Mr. Richard Marshall, with the sword, Mr. Bagge being then sword-bearer.—Those who were indicted and tried were all found guilty, with only one exception, which was in the case of Wm. Ward, (April 14, 1750) who was indicted, tried, and acquitted, under the charge of affronting the then govr. Mr. Bagge, by conferring upon him the unworthy and degrading office of deputy secretary.—Thus did some of our most hopeful and reputable townsmen employ themselves between 60 and 70 years ago. Whether their successors or representatives of the present day employ themselves more worthily, may deserve some consideration. As to our courtiers and statesmen, it cannot well be supposed that they would have any great objection to our gentlemen and all the rest of the nation employing their leisure time in such a frivolous manners, as it would leave them at liberty to pursue their course with less observance or interruption. After all, had our society of True-Britons, been still continued we are not sure but they might have proved by this time, as useful to themselves, and as beneficial to the community at large, as either of our present Lodges of Free Masons.
[1129] For further information relating to the original history of these two houses the reader is referred to the account of St. Gyles and St. Julian’s gild, in a former part of this work.—p. 422, &c.
[1130a] This gentleman did not acquire his wealth here; nor did he follow the example of our Aldersons, our Cases, our Freemans, our Adlens, our Bowkers, our Bagges, &c., who went out of the world apparently without ever remembering the poor, or wishing to leave behind any memorials of their names in such charitable bequests.
[1130b] Some years ago, as one of the present pensioners told this writer, the governor of that time went so far as to talk of furnishing those chambers with that desirable appendage, but that the reader of that period, with one of the women, (both of whom had a fireplace in their rooms,) most unfeelingly dissuaded him from it, and he gave it up.—The present occupier of one of those rooms is said to have been for a long time confined to it, if not to her bed. The want of a fireplace must doubtless be severely felt by her.
[1131a] In another place he is called Loningston and Lovingstone.
[1131b] Over against the above passage is inserted the allowing note, seemingly in the same hand—“The above 10l. annuity is applied to the clothing of the poor yearly, and payd by the chamberlain, to the overseers of St. Margaret’s parish.” Then it is added,—“I take this to be the 10l. payd to the Treasurer of St. James’s Workhouse, by the name of Loningston or Lovingstone, which I take to be the same.” But this modern note-writer, and conjectural commentator, ought to have known that St. James’s Workhouse could not be called an Almshouse or Hospital in 1594, nor till near a whole century after. The said annuity must therefore have undergone some foul play.
[1132a] There are happily still some such contributors, and among them one conspicuous above the rest, to whose unostentatious charities the poor pensioners in all our almshouses are not a little indebted for their comforts; as this writer could easily perceive by what dropt from divers of them, in the course of conversations he has had with them at different times. It is here neither needful nor proper to mention the name.—Of the land charged with the 10l. a year to this almshouse, the following memorandum occurs in the said MS. volume; written seemingly about 1729:
“I find 76 acres on the S. marsh; viz. Godfrey Hill, 5 acres; 7l. 10s.—Tho. Miles, 5 acres; 7l. 0s.—Jer. Ink. J. King, and J. Lay, 14 acres; 16l.—Widow Carleton, 16 acres; 18l. 2s.—R. Richmund, 36 acres; 39l.—Total 76 acres: 88l.—This I take to be the land to maintain this almhouse.”—A little after we find the following memorandum,—“Payd the Hoipital 1729, 19s. 8d. per week, for 52 weeks; 51l. 2s. 8d.—Mr. Quartereder, 5s.—Straw money, 6s.—9 Chald. coles, boatidge, and porter, 9l. 16s. 6d.—200 Sedge, 1l. 4s.—12 brooms, 1s. 4d. 4 Skeps 20d; 2s. 8d.—this is the fixt yearly pay, 62l. 16s. 10d. besides other incident charges, repairs, &c.”