wynants, eric - the true history of scottish esoteric masonry

8/12/2019 Wynants, Eric - The True History of Scottish Esoteric Masonry

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The True History of Scottish Esoteric Masonry

by Eric Wynants

In 1988 the Scottish historian David Stevenson published his research on the late sixteenth-century Scottish origins and subsequent Scottish development of "modern" reemasonry!hich he placed ithin a #uropean intellectual context of serious interest in the occultsciences$ %1&

'or(ing from the surviving Scottish documents of operative and speculative lodges!Stevenson filled the frustrating gaps beteen early Stuart culture! its lin(s ith Scottish)asonry! and its preservation ithin the *acobite diaspora after the expulsion of the lastStuart (ing! *ames +II and II$

Stevenson,s doctoral student isa .ahler carried this research further into the earlyeighteenth century and documented the inaccuracies and distortions of the "orthodox" #nglish

version of )asonic history! hich served /anoverian-'hig political purposes$ %0&

)ore importantly for my on research! this revisionist history enabled me to trace theeighteenth century ramifications of #cossais )asonry bac( to their early roots in *eish andScottish architectural history$

Stevenson,s illuminating discussions of the role of the rt of )emory a mnemonic techniqueof architectural visuali2ation-in the training of operative masons in Scotland provided amissing lin( to the similar art of visuali2ation practiced by heterodox /ebraic mystics in the*eish diaspora$ %3&

It thus became possible to utili2e ob4ective scholarly accounts of ancient and medieval *eishbuilding practices! guild organi2ation! and stone-technology to build a real orld base for theimaginative flights of visionary 5emple-building hich appear in *eish mystical literature$ %6&

7einforced by #lliot 'olfson,s studies of the persistence of "iconic representation andvisuali2ation" in officially anti-iconic *udaism! it is possible to connect the previouslyperplexing role of abalism in reemasonry to the 'hig-etonian-/anoverian culture thatallegedly created "modern" reemasonry$ %:&

;re-modern Scotland provided a uniquely "*udai2ed" culture for the preservation ofarchitectural and Solomonic traditions that ere largely suppressed or ignored in other

'estern countries especially in Scotland,s southern neighbor and traditional enemy! #ngland$

5he or( of rthur 'illiamson on the strange history of the "4udeo Scots" sheds light on thispeculiarly /ebraic national self-image that made Scotland-a land ith no public *eishcommunity-a ma4or repository of rare *eish traditions$ %


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ccording to Stevenson! )asonic history has been generally led astray by the prevailingmisconception that the emergence of reemasonry too( place in #ngland - "a beliefmaintained in the face of the overhelming preponderance of Scottish documentary evidencerelating to the process! evidence hich is often simultaneously explained aay $$$ and thenused in an #nglish context to ma(e up for the lac( of #nglish evidence$" %=&

>ecause the occultist systems of )asonry that survived underground in post-Stuart >ritainand that flourished in eighteenth-century #urope developed out of the architectural! scientific!religious! and political policies of the Scottish descended Stuart (ings of >ritain! it isnecessary to examine those elements of early Stuart culture hich ere preserved ithin thesecret enclaves of #cosaisses lodges$ 5he vigorous revisionism currently underta(en byhistorians of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Scotland and #ngland ma(es possible a nefactual context! hich sheds light on the deliberately secret history of Stuart reemasonry$ %8&

'ith the expulsion of *ames +II and II from the >ritish throne in 1


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7enaissance philosophers %deemed "science"& taught the abalah contained the secretteachings of )oses! an oral supplement to Scripture! ma(ing it possible to accurately interpretthe ritten 'ord of the >ible$ %;ico della )irandola "Cn the Dignity of )an" p$ 09&

In other ords the 7enaissance philosopherBscientists or(ed ithin a vie of history inhich their on tradition as represented as an ancient philosophy! contemporary ith

)oses! only to have this legend gradually undermined by scholarly studies! the #nlightenmentre4ected this old order$

7enaissance eo-;latonist used the "prisca theologia" %ancient isdom tradition& theory tosupport their claim that ;latonism as reconcilable ith hristian doctrines$

5he notion of a "perennial philosophy!" a isdom hich the ancient sages had once been inpossession of but since then had been lost to man(ind! is a common theme in 7enaissancescholarship$ 5he alvinist scholar )ichel Servet summari2ed it in this paragraph

"5his as from the beginning of the orld the received doctrine about the 'isdom of ?od!published in the /oly Scriptures! and taught to the ?ree(s by the haldeans and #gyptiansfrom the tradition of their ancestors $$$

Eoroaster and 5rismegistus taught it! from hom! chiefly from 5rismegistus! all the ?ree(slearnt it! from Crpheus to ;lato$" %s quoted and translated in 'al(er! "5he ;risca 5heologia in rance"! p$ 069$&

/igh Degree )asonry and Stuart ;olitics

Scottish )asonry had less to do ith F.nights 5emplarG from the middle ages as is oftenclaimed in frince cottage industry /istory boo(s! but rather ith an interest in the abalah!and later for a period of time! in the restoration of the Stuart )onarchy$

#lias shmole and *ohn #velyn ere both suspected by ;arliament of maintaining contactith royalists abroad! and they may have facilitated communications ith )oray,s Scottish)asonic netor($ 'hen Sir 7obert >ruce left the company of )oray and lexander >ruce in/olland and returned to #ngland! he called on shmole and #velyn$ #velyn also received a+isit from the )arquis of rgyll! ord othian! and "some other Scotch noblemen! all strangersto me$ t this time! )oray believed that rgyll ould support the royalist cause! hich mayexplain #velyn,s groing intimacy ith him$ 5hough othian had developed friendly relationsith some of romell,s officers in Scotland! his motivation as the alleviation of his exiledfather,s poverty$ Despite some royalists, suspicions! )oray maintained his trust in othian,sessential loyalty$

#velyn also communicated ith Sir *ohn Denham! ho had returned to ondon in late 1


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5he royalists hoped to ,'in Sir 5homas airfax to their cause! and >uc(ingham succeeded inmarrying his daughter$ s noted earlier! >uc(ingham as also named as a )ason! probablyinitiated during his service in Scotland$ 5hroughout the Interregnum! #velyn carried on aciphered correspondence ith the exiles! hile shmole as (ept under surveillance$ In

ugust 1ible %1


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younger sons of old royalist families in #ngland had organi2ed a resistance movement (nonas "5he Sealed .not$" ollaborating ith its agents ere the Scottish royalists auderdale!from his prison cell! and #li2abeth )urray! daughter of the exiled 'illiam )urray$ #arl ofDysart$ #li2abeth exploited her f,riendship ith romell,s ife to prevent the execution of,auderdale and to arrange his transfer to a less onerous prison in 'indsor astle$ %1=&

o granted considerable freedom! auderdale added to his great library and continued hisinvestigations of alchemical! architectural! and mathematical lore$ i(e )oray! auderdalestudied Druslus! Scaliger! mama! .ircher! and lsted! and he acquired 7osicrucian andluddian or(s$ %18&

onsidered a "master of /ebre!" he gathered rare or(s on the *eish traditions! and heapparently developed his "extraordinary memory" through study of his ullist trcatiscs$" In lineith harles IIHs policy of bringing together royalists of different religious faiths! auderdaleestablished communications ith the ;uritan 7ichard >axter and other advocates of religiouspacification$

5he (ing,s ecumenical agenda as not shared by his #nglish advisor #dard /yde! ho asdistrusted by Scottish ;resbyterians and >ritish atholics$ ontemptuous of >alcarres andDysart and suspicious of )oray! /yde instigated "false accusations" and "un4ust persecution"of their Scottish party$ %19&

In 1alcarresand "other Scots at court" to dra up a petition to the (ing that the Scottish ;resbyterianscould provide valuable advice and services but "ere discouraged and hindered" by /yde!ho as "an old (non and declared enemy to their party in hom they could repose notrust$" %0A&

5hey urged that /yde be removed from the council or "at least not be suffered to be privy toanything that should be proposed by them$" raser had accompanied harles 11 to Scotland!here he carried out important intelligence and military operations! and he en4oyed the fullconfidence of the (ing and the Scottish ")asonic" party$ /is distrust of /yde as shared byDr$ )assonet! ho accused /yde of disloyalty and collusion ith romell$ rom no on! theseparation of Scottish from #nglish plotting ould be reflected in the activities of Scottish)asons and #nglish ".notters$"

Despite the nglo-Scottish rivalries! the energetic #li2abeth )urray tried to provide a lin(beteen the to factions$ 'hen 'illiam )urray died in December 1urnet! a later protege of )oray! notedthat the beautiful ady Dysart had "a onderful quic(ness of apprehension" and had studieddivinity! history! philosophy! and mathematics$ %01&

@sing the cover of arranging her family,s business affairs in >elgium! she often travelled tothe ontinent ith messages from auderdale to )oray! her late father,s cousin andconfidante$ #arlier! Dysart had hoped his daughter ould marry )oray! but no the tomaintained a "true friendship$" earned in the occult sciences and gifted ith second sight!she collaborated ith )oray on the production of invisible in(s and other chemical services tothe (ing,s cause *ane lar( argues that the Dysarts ere undoubtedly )asons and that


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#li2abeth utili2ed )asonic symbols and techniques of communication to transmit hermessages to royalists abroad$ %00&

'ith considerable courage and defiant insouciance! she also carried out dangerous missionsfor the Sealed .not! hile she cultivated friendships ith romell,s ife and intimates$

In )arch 1alcarres! from his base in /olland! asholding "a secret intelligence" ith )on( even orse! >alcarres as spreading rumors that?enerall )on( is revolted" in order to build support for the royalists, "intended insurrection$"%03&

5hough )on( defended himself to romell and continued to enforce the military occupationin Scotland! his letters suggest some ambivalence in his position$ In September he reportedfrom Dal(eith that the Scottish ministers "begin to pray again for harles Stuart! so there maybe a ne pro4ect$" /e then added offhandedly that he had arrested "some straggling felloscome over lately! the most of them from the .ing of Seden,s army$" In )ay romell,s spiesreported that olonel lexander /amilton! (insman of )oray,s late comrade! "brought


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this (ingdom-of hich name of )ylne there had continued several generations of )aster)asons to his )a4esties the .ings of Scotland $" %0:&

5he rest of the document dealt ith the choosing of a ne master and arden for the lodgeand instructions about the traditional duties %including the gift of gloves& incumbent upon themembers$ 5hat *ohn )ylne fils as not elected to fill his father,s role as probably due to his

residence in #dinburgh! here he as employed on various architectural pro4ects %such aserecting a great vertical sundial&$ Importantly! the younger )ylne also represented the ity atthe onvention of, 7oyal >urghs in 1usching in F >eitraegeG +I! 309! >usching noted that hen 7amsay lectured in thelodges! he did not mention )on(,s )asonic strategy for the 7estoration because he did notant to arouse suspicions that the )asons in rance here active in affairs of state$ See also

ndre .ervella! a )aconnerie #cossaise dans la rance de lHncient 7egime ;aris! 1999!0A8$

5hat 7amsay revealed this political secret to ount arl ?ustaf 5essin! a Sedish (insman of)on(,s architect! gives it a certain piquancy$

5hough 7amsay,s account has been ignored by #nglish historians of, the 7estoration! there is


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enough evidence for )on(,s )asonic contacts to give it credibility$ Shortly after romell,sdeath! a young Scottish architect-'illiam >ruce of .inross -approached )on( to solicit hissupport for a Stuart restoration$ enic( suggests that >ruce participated in the constructionof )on(,s citadels at ire and eith! hich provided him contact ith 5essin and )ylne! hodirected the masons at those pro4ects$ %08&

>ruce ould later become harles II,s Surveyor of 'or(s in #dinburgh and! according tonderson! the ?rand )aster of Scottish reemasonry$ %09&

During the Interregnum! he reportedly pursued his architectural studies in rance and/olland$ friend of )oray and cousin of lexander >ruce! he provided a lin( beteen their)asonic netor(s in #urope and Scotland $

)oray later collaborated ith Sir 'illiam >ruce on architectural pro4ects see /enry )$;aton!"etters from *ohn! Second #arl of auderdale! to *ohn! Second #arl of 5eeddale! andCthers!" in )iscellany of the Scottish /istorical Society! +I 1939! 033$

nother cousin of 'illiam >ruce! the ountess of Dysart! provided communication beteenthe exiled )asons and the Sealed .not! and 'illiam visited her in ondon$ rom his laterfriendship ith auderdale! it seems that 'illiam also contacted the latter during hisimprisonment at 'indsor$ 5hrough her contacts ith romell,s inner circle! ady Dysart mayhave learned that parliamentary spies had penetrated the "Sealed .not" and had suborned itschief! Sir 7ichard 'illis! ho continued to correspond ith /yde and icholas hile receivingromellian bribes$

ccording to >urnet! ho probably received the information from )oray or the >ruces! "5husromell had all the (ing,s party in a net$ /e let them dance in it at his pleasure and uponoccasion clapt them up for a short hile$" %3A&

"5here is no department of (noledge that gives us more certainty of hristKs divinity thanmagic and cabala!" rote ?iovanni ;ico della )irandola! the translator of the so calledritings of "/ermes" in 168ut during the re-creation of Scottish )asonry at the courts of the exiled Stuart .ing inrance! the search for "the lost ord" signified "the royal ord" given by harles II that heould reclaim the throne the "son of the ido" pointed to harles II as son of /enrietta)aria$ 5o increase security! these royalist symbols ere changed to the "signs of the 7ose-ross )asons$"

Initiates of the eighteenth-century lermont 7ite preserved a tradition that David 7amsay as


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succeeded as head of the order in 1aron von Starc(! the ?erman source for these early Scottish-5emplar )asons!as often inaccurate or confused about their forenames and spellings! and "#duard" asprobably Dr$ lexander raser! ho had earlier distanced Scottish ;resbyterian plotting from/yde,s #nglish agenda$ Since 1

;lanning to fill over six hundred pages! #velyn listed alphabetically the technical sub4ects heould cover$ mong the fe he actually recorded as section ) on the duties and techniquesof "the ree-)ason!" hich revealed his contact ith operative masons ho shared a fe oftheir secrets$ #velyn noted the intellectual and manual challenges required in their or(! and


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he included the architectengineer under for "iberal rts!" thus giving him gentleman status$/oever! these ere not propitious years for the masons! for their trade suffered fromromellian iconoclasm$ #velyn,s friend hristopher 'ren later recalled that "there ere nomasons in ondon hen he as a young man" %i$e$! during the Interregnum&$ %36& 5hough it isunclear hether 'ren meant operative masons or speculative reemasons! #velyn found theformer disappointingly uncooperative$ /e ultimately confessed that the necessity "of

conversing ith mechanical capricious persons" proved too unpleasant to him$

fter romell,s death! his successors ere orried by rumors of ne lin(-ups beteenroyalists in Scotland! #ngland! and /olland$ /aving penetrated the ".not!" they may havesuspected a )asonic element in the plotting$ rare surviving )asonic manuscript! dated1ritain$ 5hemanuscript "arrative of the ree )asons 'ord and Signs" as a "copia vera" drafted by5homas )artin! hose identity is otherise un(non$ %3:&

It provided an account! hostile in tone and apparently made by a spy! of contemporary lodgepractices$ In passages that ould have interested suspicious government agents! )artindescribed in detail the recognition signs used by )asons-i$e$! the signs! postures! movementof hat! square paper! croo(ed pin! etc$! used to identify the "free" or(er to other operativemasons! ho ere bound by similar oaths$ /e pointed out that these techniques alloedthem to secretly exchange money$ Cther more amusing signs ere bloing the nose in ahand(erchief! hich is then held straight out and sha(en (noc(ing at any door ith to little(noc(s and then a big one saying "Star the ?uile" hen the glass goes around too sloly!etc$

)artin expressed his scorn for the )asons, claim to international brotherhood

5o Discourse a )ason in rance! Spain! or 5ur(ey %say they& the sign is to (neel don on hisleft (nee and hold up his right hand to the Sun and the Cutlandish >rother ill presently ta(ehim up! but believe me if, they go on their (nees on that account they may remain there orany persons observe their Signs as long as the *es ill remain on their >eliefs! to receivetheir ish,d for )essiah from the #ast$

'ith harles II currently trying to forge a unified front out of rench! Spanish! and *eish%*es from 5ur(ish territoriesJ& supporters! )artin,s criticism as perhaps relevant to rumorsof international )asonic cooperation$

)artin then announced! "/ere folloeth their private Discourse by 'ay of Luestion andnser!" in hich the esoteric and essentially *eish traditions ere obliquely expressed$ 5othe catechistical questioner! the initiate ansers that a "*ust and perfect odge is $$$ toprentices! to fello-crafts! and one )aster on the highest hill or loest +alley in the 'orldithout the cro of a oc( or the bar( of a Dog$" 5o the question! "from hence do youderive your principles!" the initiate ansers "rom a greater than you$" "'ho is he on #arththat is greater than a free )ason" provo(es the response! "/e that carried to the highestpinnacle of the 5emple of *erusalem$" )artin noted that "In some places they Discourse asfolloeth" "'here did they first call their odgeJ s the /oly happel of St$ *ohn$" 5hisallusion to the .nights of St$ *ohn of the /ospital suggests a chivalric theme in certain lodges-a point later reinforced by Sift,s reference to "odges" of the ".nights of St$ *ohn of*erusalem$


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@niversal >rotherhood or 5yranny

rom the time of harles II,s oral commitments to the *es at the 7estoration! his philo-Semitic policies over the next tenty-five years fueled a secretive tradition of *eish-)asoniccollaboration that emerged dramatically in the next century$ )oreover! this tradition ould bestrongest in the 7osicrucian degrees of #cossais rites developed by exiled supporters of the

Stuart dynasty$ >ecause this lin(age of *es and reemasons ould prove so controversialand volatile! it is important to examine the Stuart context that fueled the rumors and thereality$ 5hough the question of Stuart sympathy for atholicism as the burning public issueof the latter part of harles II,s reign! it as intrinsically lin(ed ith less (non but broaderissues of tolerancc that ould eventually define the "modern" )asonic theme of universalbrotherhood$ In the Stuart 5emple of 'isdom! not only ;rotestants and atholics but *esand )oslems ould be elcomed as comrades in chivalric fraternity$

In 5angier! the pro4ected gateay to the evant! the governors, cooperation ith *eishinterpreters as crucial to completion of the great )ole and stone forts! pro4ects of continuinginterest to )oray and 'ren$ 5o facilitate the >arbados trade in hich Davidson! auderdale!and other Scots ere heavily invested! the (ing granted full privileges to their *eish agents$%3


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poer$ %60&

Shane observes that it as the (ing,s anser "hich established the right of the *es to re-settle in #ngland rather than the non-committal reply hich romell had earlier given to thepetition of )enasseh ben Israel$" %63&

rlington! hom nderson identified as a reemason! ould later be involved ith 7abbieon,s visit to ondon$

#ncouraged by the (ing,s policy! the ondon *es began raising funds for the enlargement oftheir synagogue$ 5hey probably learned from their Dutch brothers that eon,s architecturaltheories received international exposure and critical praise! hen *ohan Saubert published anexpanded atin version of the rabbi,s treatise! De 5emplo /ierosolymitano %1


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In the surviving fragment! there are inscriptions in /ebre lettering hich reinforce the stressof *eish and Solomonic traditions in the restored fraternity$ 5he text begins ith the /ebreinscription! "in the beginning ?od created the heaven and earth!" and then recounts the storyof, /iram the architect$

5he text then relates a highly *udaised version of the Cld harges! adding peculiar details

and claiming *eish sources for the discoveries of #uclid and ;ythagoras$ )ceod observesthat in standard #nglish texts of the Cld harges! Solomon,s 5emple is simply one episode ofmany and not the most important at that

#uclid and #din both claim considerably more space$ >ut for *on 7aymond Mand 5reloarNSolomon is at centre stage right from the preliminary verses$ /e includes an attestation! "llmay itness my seal and hand!" ith the "signature" of "Solomon the .ing" %in /ebre lettersand in transliterated /ebre& and "Solomon,s Seal!" the hexalpha ithin a circle$ /e adducesthe 5abernacle of )oses as a prototype of the 5emple$ /e describes the artificer of the5emple in these terms "nd /iram the 5yrian ido,s son as sent to .ing Solomon by/iram the .ing of 5yre$ nd he as a cunning or(man in brass and purple and all medals$"%6=&

)ceod expresses pu22lement at this "remar(able I early- naming of the architect as /iram!but Stevenson suggests that the /iramic legend in Scottish reemasonry as already presentin 'illiam Scha,s time$ 5hus! "the mental lodge" or "memory temple" described in lateseventeenth-century catechisms contained the grave of /iram! "the greatest of all architects$"5hrough certain abalistic and necromantic rituals! the initiate could discover and re4uvenate/iram$ 5he emphasis on his role as the "ido,s son" pointed to harles II,s role as /enrietta)aria,s son----a Stuart reference that ould ta(e on more poignant significance for *acobiteexiles in the next century$ %68&

#ven more stri(ing in the 5reloar )S$ ere the unique references to certain sixteenth- andsevcnteenth-century monarchs claimed as rulers of "the hole raft"

nd yet another /enry did rule over ye hole raft even ye seventh of, that name$

nd after many days harles did reign in ye land and lo his blood as spilled upon ye eartheven by ye traitor romell$ >ehold no ye return of pleasant for doth riot ye Son of ye blessed )artyr rule over yehole land$ ong may he reign in ye land and govern ye raft$ Is it riot ritten ye shall riot hurt ye ords anointed$

5he elimination of /enry +III and #li2abeth I from )asonic history should not surprise! forthey ere considered enemies of ecclesiastical and royalist building pro4ects$ >ut theomission of *ames +I and I possibly indicates that *ames as not recognised as "governor"over #nglish )asons! despite his initiation in Scotland$ Cr perhaps 5reloar did not believe thattrue "/iramic" reemasonry really existed in #ngland until the restoration of harles II$

5he 5reloar )S$ concludes its poerful royalist statement ith an inscription in /ebre! "'hydo the heathen rage! and the people imagine a vain thingJ" 5his quotation from ;salm 0 asoften applied to the radical ;rotestants of the Interregnum! and the rebellious heathen ere


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subsequently admonished to serve the ord,s anointed (ing$ In the year hen the manuscriptas ritten! the *eish community in ondon must have orried that religious sectarians in>ritain ere lin(ing their cause to *eish millenarian developments in the )iddle ast$7eports of the messianic claims of Sabbatai Eevi! a abalistic prophet in Smyrna! stimulatedaves of enthusiasm among many *es on the ontinent$

Lueen hristina became so fascinated by Sabbatai,s claims that she almost became adisciple$ In /amburg she danced in the streets ith her *eish friends in anticipation of theapocalyptic moment$ %69&

In ondon Cldenburg eagerly sought nes about the movement from the alchemist >orri! thechiliast Serrarius! and the philosopher Spino2a! hich revived his millenarial hopes-and madehim vulnerable to royalist suspicions of sedition$ %:A&

In ovember 1oulter believed there ere actual *es living in Scotland! or hether he hoped to insult theScots and their Stuart (ing by implying that they here *eish$

)eanhile in msterdam! some *eish admirers of Sabbatai Eevi hoped that the #nglish(ing ould assist them! despite the current state of ar beteen #ngland and /olland hichhad spread to the )editerranean$

>ut hen Sabbatal Eevi -under threat of death-apostasi2ed to Islam! the royalists in >ritainere relieved that the potentially incendiary movement fi22led out$ 5here is little evidence that*es in ondon supported the campaign! hich threatened to undermine their delicateposition under the (ing,s protection$ %:0&

Cldenburg! hoever! continued to correspond about the millenarian implications of the affair!and his indiscrete comments to friends in /olland during the nglo Dutch ar placed himunder government suspicion$ etters from the radical Serrarius ere impounded! and anorder for Cldenburg,s arrest as issued in summer 1reda$ %::&

5he perceived lin(age beteen Sabbatians and ;rotestant subversives possibly spurred


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In 5he /istory of the 5hree ate amous Impostors %1uc(ingham andShaftesbury! no allied ith the opposition 'higs in ;arliament! instigated the actions of5onge and Cates$

*ames >utler! ho as privy to >uc(ingham,s intrigues! added to the political complicationsith his charges of ranco-Scottish-*eish sedition in /udibras III! hich as reprinted in1ecause rancophilia ma(es marriage unfashionable %a dig at promiscuous courtiers and theprofusion of royal bastards&! /udibras and the Scots no serve the cause of ;apist agents"your ;resbyterian itsB*ump punctual ith the *esuits$G %/ubridas! p$ 01A! 016&

'hile /oo(e and the 7osicruciani2ed virtuosos or( ith apier,s >ones! they implicitlysupport the Scots and atholics$ %p$0:A&

'hile they study .ircher,s or(s! they not only support the *esuits but the *es

">ut *esuites have deeper 7eaches In all their ;olitic( ar-fetches nd from their optic(;riest! .ir(erus! ound out this )ystic( ay to 4ear us$

5hey thought! all ?overnments ere best! >y /ieroglyphic( 7umps! exprest$

5he earned 7abbins of the *es 'rite! there,s a >one! hich they call ue2! IH th, 7ump of man! of such a +ertue! o force in ature can do hurt to


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nd therefore! at the last ?reat Day! ll th, other )embers shall! they say! Spring out of this! as from a Seed! ll sorts of +egetals proceed rom hence! the earned Sons of rt! Cs Sacrum! *ustly stile that part$ %p$08A-81&

5he abalistic theory of the mystical bone u2 as explained in the .abbalah Denudata!hich as currently being discussed by vanious ellos of the 7oyal Society$ In a letter of ecause alconer (ne many of the royalist )asons in Scotland! his instructions on"Saemaelogia" and "Dactylogy" %secret communication by signs! gestures! and fingers&! asell as "rthrologia" %discovering by "the 4oynts or remar(able parts of a )an,s >ody"& mayhave influenced the complex and often indecipherable codes and body-language used bylater *acobite )asons$

*ohn alconer$ 7ules for #xplaining and Deciphering ll )anner of Secret 'ritingG ondonDan >ron! 1In 1


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to abalistic himsies$"

In the northern (ingdom! *ames may have learned of Lua(er interest in the abalistic systemof +an /elmont! ho as idely believed to be a ,*udai2ed" 7osicrucian$ 5he du(e as aclose friend of 'illiam ;enn! the Lua(er leader and a supporter of the Stuarts, tolerationpolicy$ +an /elmont had on over ;enn,s Scottish friend ?eorge .eith to his abalistic

beliefs! and .eith in turn recruited /elmont to Lua(erism$ .eith as convinced of similaritiesbeteen the Lua(er doctrine of inner light and the hristian-abalistic notion of the "hristithin$" %80&

/e and /elmont further believed that a synthesis of abala and hristianity could provide a"a nucleus for 5homas >ruce! )emoirs of 5homas! arl! of i(sbug$ 7oxburghe lub$

religious movement uniting atholics! ;rotestants! ;agans! and *es$ #ncouraged by*ames,s sympathy for Lua(ers! ;enn,s movement attracted many ne folloers in Scotland$?iven this eclectic and tolerant environment! it is not surprising that lodge records in

berdeen! ritten circa 1


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experience as liaison ith the Dutch *es to continue the policy of toleration$ %8=& >ecausethe stone for constructing the )ole and fortifications had to be quarried from outside theexisting lines! it as crucial that he maintain good relations ith the *eish and )osleminhabitants$ ?iven his Scottish bac(ground and duties in 5angier! it seems li(ely that)iddleton as a )ason his grandson! the 5hird #arl! ould later participate in the *acobitelodge in ;aris$ %88&

Despite the heavy drin(ing that earlier led to his dismissal from Scottish office! )iddleton asan effective governor until his death in 1arbag %1


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rench and ontinental historians argue that 'ren maintained his private *acobitesympathies! hile he or(ed discretely and cautiously under the ne regime$" %1A:& *efferysuggests that the lac( of ritten documents about 'ren,s or( during these years asdeliberate

$$$ his trac(s are usually ell-hidden$ /is early brushes ith authority had taught him to beary of committing himself to paper and of exposing his ideas to public criticism and debate$$$ he may 4ust have carried on! unilling to record decisions on paper$" %1A


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architecture$ fter the 'illiamite revolution! *ames and "his most 2ealous adherents" too(refuge in rance

F5hey too( ree )asonry ith them to the continent! here it as immediately received bythe rench! and as cultivated ith great 2eal in a manner suited to the taste and habits ofthat highly cultivated people$ 5he odges in rance naturally became the rende2vous of the

adherents to their banished .ing! and the means of a carrying on a correspondence ith theirfriends in #ngland$" %p$0=&

rom rance the exiles scattered across #urope and established clandestine )asonicnetor(s$ 7obison notes that "ll the >rethren on the ontinent agree in saying! thatreemasonry as imported from ?reat >ritain about the beginning of this century Mca$ 1

5hese claims of chivalric developments ithin *acobite )asonry continue to provo(earguments among historians! because of the dearth of contemporary documentation until the1=0A,s$ /oever! an oblique reinforcement comes from Sift! ho dre upon his experiencesin Dublin in 1


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5o years later 5emple met )oray! ho sought his assistance for the export to /olland of.incardine,s building stone! an enterprise hich involved 'illiam >ruce and 'illiamDavidson$ %113&

5hus! hen 5emple discussed ith Sift the secret diplomacy of harles II! he may haverevealed the role of reemasonry in Stuart politics$

In ";rose" vol$ +! p$ 308-09 e see *$ Sift riting

"5he >ranch of the odge of Solomon,s 5emple! afterards call,d the odge of St *ohn of*erusalem $$$ is $$$ the ntientest and ;urest no on #arth$ 5he famous old Scottish odge of.ilinning of hich all the .ings of Scotland have been from 5ime to 5ime ?rand )astersithout Interruption don from the days of ergus! ho 7eign,d there more than 0AAA Oearsago! long before the .nights of St$ *ohn of *erusalem or the .nights of )altha! to hich toodges I must nevertheless allo the /onour of having adorn,d the nticin *eish and ;agan)asonry ith many 7eligious and hristian 7ules$

ergus being eldest Son to the chief .ing of Ireland! as carefully instructed in all the rtsand Sciences! especially the natural )agic(! and the aballistical ;hilosophy %afterardscalled the 7osecrution& by the pagan Druids of i,vlona! the only true abalists then #xtant inthe 'estern 'orld $$$

ergus before his Descent upon the ;icts in Scotland rais,d that famous Structure! call,d tothis Day arric(-ergus! the most misterious ;iece of rchitecture no on #arth! %notexcepting the ;yramids of the #gyptian )asons! and their /ieroglyphic(s or ree )asonssigns& $$$ he built it as a odge for a ollege of ree )asons in those days call,d Druids$"

n exiled Scot and convert to "universalist" atholicism! 7amsay rote Sift to than( him forsupporting 5he 5ravels of yrus %1= 0 =&! 7amsay,s allegorical novel! hich as suffusedith *acobite and )asonic themes$ %116&

decade later! 7amsay revealed to the #cossais lodge in ;aris a *acobite version of)asonic history that echoed and colaborated many of Sift,s revelations in etter from therand )istress$

Sift stressed the *eish roots of )asonry! noting that it as originally called abala! and herevealed the initiates, preoccupation ith abalistic gematria and notari(on$ %11:&

or their )asonic relationship! see )$.$ Schuchard! "7amsay! Sift! and the *acobite-)asonic +ersion of the Stuart 7estoration!" in #soterisme! ?nosis et Imaginaire Symbolique%0AA1&! 691-:A$

7amsay similarly stressed the *eish origins and abalistic descent! noting that "5he secretScience can be preserved pure only amongst ?od,s people!" the *es! because the )asons,traditions$$$ are founded on the annals of the most ancient race in the! orld! the only one! stillin existence ith the same name as of old and not intermingled ith other nations although soidely dispersed and also the only one that has preserved its ancient boo(s! hereas thoseof almost all other races are lost$" %11


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'hile Sift referred to the preservation of *eish secrets in lodges of "the .nights of St$ *ohnof *erusalem or the .nights of )altha!" 7amsay described the concealment of Solomon,shieroglyphic riting %"the original ode of our Crder"& in the foundations of the Second5emple and its subsequent discovery by the crusading (nights ho liberated *erusalem$

ccording to Sift and 7amsay! hen the crusaders returned to #urope! they infused the

Solomonic secrets of abalism and 5emple building into their lodges$ )ore explicitly thanSift! 7amsay named "*ames! ord Steard of Scotland" as "?rand )aster of a odgeestablished at .ilinning" in 108

5hough little documentation survives concerning reemasonry at the turn of the seventeenthcentury! the seeds ere already planted for the almost startling groth of the fraternity in theeighteenth century$ fter the accession of the #lector of /anover to the >ritish throne in 1=16!the suppression of the *acobite rebellion of 1=1:! and the exposure of the *acobite- Sedishplot of 1=1

Cutside of >ritain! the "ancients" recruited many more folloers and became associated ithnationalist movements in #astern #urope and orth and South merica$ or theseliberationists! the Scottish traditions of resistance to foreign domination and mystical elevationof ordinary men to brotherhood ith (ings seemed fraught ith contemporary relevance$

5hroughout the eighteenth century! the "ancient" Stuart traditions ere maintained inclandestine *acobite lodges in >ritain and in the lodges of the Stuart diaspora$ 5he *eishassociations ere carried on by rancis rancia %the ,*acobite *e"&! Dr$ Samuel *acob al(%the ">aal Shem of ondon"&! )artines de ;asqually %the "#lu ohen"& the Sedish-Stuartloyalties ere preserved by arl PI arl ?ustaf 5essin! arl ?yllenborg! #manuelSedenborg! and ?ustaf III$CC5C5#S

1 David Stevenson! 5he Crigins of reemasong Scotland,s entury %1:9A -1=1A& ambridge!1988&! and 5he irst reemasons Scotland,s #arly odges and 5heir )embers berdeen!1988&$

0 isa .ahler! "reemasonry in #dinburgh! 1=01-1=6


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19ehre! "?othenburg in Stuart 'ar Strategy!1


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60 D$ .at2 *es in /istory! 163$

63 $ Sharie! "eon!" 1:8$

66 5$ >irch$ /istory! 11! 9$

6: *acobi *ehuda eonis de 5emplo /ierosolymitano% /elmstadt *acob )ullerus!1


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eer %Cxford larendon! 19=


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wynants, eric - the true history of scottish esoteric masonry

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