Page 24 - ASHLAR - Jan-Mar 2020

N A L G R
I O
G E AND LODGE
The Ashlar R Vol. XV Issue IV
members – both a craftsmen and as private evidence of it before 1376, but for how long it
citizens. These companies had by and large has been in existence, we do not know. The
codified and refined the earlier gild practices. members of the company were granted a
An apprentice was admitted after a brief livery in 1481. Records of the Company of
ceremony in the company Hall, during which Freemasons are extant from 1620 onwards.
he was, in effect “obligated ” on their By the early / mid seventeenth century, the
constitution. After serving an apprenticeship Company had declined from any position of
of seven years, he was said to be “out of his commanding importance in the trade of
time” and was once again the subject of masonry, and was failing to attract the
another ceremony in the Company Hall. He membership of the operative mason. It is
was “presented” and admitted as a about this time we begin to find traces of
“Freeman” of the company. He henceforth individuals connected with the craft of
was said to have the “freedom” of the Masonry but not themselves practicing it.
company and the City; that is, he was The records of the London Company of
authorized to practice his trade or profession Freemasons show that on several occasions
without any interference. He was also (1612 AD is the earliest) Freemen of the
charged with keeping his trade secrets company were once again made masons for
without divulging them to others. The a fee. These were those who had entered
company charged sizeable fees for this upon the 'Acception'.
process, as well as quarterly charges from
each member called the quarterage. The The 'Acception': This was an inner fraternity
companies were generally governed by a within the London Company of Freemasons.
Master, Wardens, a court of assistants and a This 'Acception' apparently practiced a
Livery. secret esotery and admitted non-operatives
also. Membership of the 'Acception' did not
So great was the influence of the livery necessarily follow membership of the
companies in general, that many men sought Company. In fact, they were quite distinct.
to become members in order to gain social Those admitted paid a lesser fee if they were
status and prestige. For example, the Rule members of the Company; but strangers had
of Patrimony permitted the non-operative to pay more! The Company thus had a dual
children of regular members to attain condition in the latter part of the seventeenth
membership. Also, membership could be century; there being on the one hand
purchased: the so-called Rule of operative members, who were skilled
Redemption. And finally, the company could masons, and on the other, non-operatives,
in-effect confer honorary membership to who were made up of two classes: (a) those
individuals of distinction and influence. It is who had joined for social and similar
thus easy to see that persons unconnected reasons, and (b) those who had become
with a trade could gain admittance and 'accepted' or speculative or symbolic
became 'free men' at the discretion of a masons. (It must be pointed out here that
company's Master and Wardens. apart from the 'Acception' in London, we
have no other evidence in England of the
The Worshipful Company of Freemasons: prevalence of non-operative gentlemen
The London masons too, had organized joining an operative lodge – unlike the
themselves as a livery company; officially position in Scotland).
called The Worshipful Company of It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that
Freemasons of the city of London. There is quite a number of the non-operatives came

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