THE BUILDER May, 1925

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, G. M.

BY W.BRO. J. E. SHUM TUCKETT,

P.M. QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE, NO. 2076, A.G. SWORD B. ENGLAND;
P.G.STAND. B. (R. A.) England


ONE-HALF of the twenty-two independent Masonic references to Prince
Charles were made openly before his death (1788), nevertheless all
are generally regarded as spurious, and it is constantly affirmed
that Charles himself denied any membership of our Order. But it
cannot be supposed that an organization which made public use of
his name during his lifetirne did so without his knowledge. As
space is limited some only of the references can here be
considered.

I. THE ALLEGED REPUDIATION, 1776-7

The following pronouncements have caused widespread belief in this
fable:

"In 1777 von Wachter sought him out in Italy, when the Prince, to
his dismay, declared he not only was not G. M. and knew nothing
about it, but that he was not even a Freemason." (Gould, Note 1.)

". . . put no trust whatever in accounts connecting the Stuarts
with Freemasonry. We have it in the Young Pretenders own written
and verbal statements that they are absolutely baseless, pure
inventions." (Speth, Note 2.)

"Prince Charles Edward never had any connection with Freemasonry.
This we know on his own authority. . ." (Chetwode Crawley, Note 3.)

Gould's authority is Allgemeines Handbuch der Freimaurerei s. v.
Stuart, Karl Edward, but neither Bro. Dring nor I can find it, and
it is not in Wolfstieg's Bibliography. ( Note 4. )

There are three accounts of Wachter's visit to Italy in 1776-7, and
it is instructive to compare them. In the first, written six years
after the alleged visit (1782), by de Langes, an eminent Freemason
acquainted with Wachter, the Pretender is not even mentioned. (Note
5.) The second by Robinson (1797), twenty-one years after, suggests
that "great secrets" were obtainable from the Pretender's
secretary, but does not refer to the Prince himself. (Note 6.) The
third, Findel (1865), makes Wachter interview the Prince and
asserts that: "the Pretender knew nothing of the Order of Knights
Templar nor was he a Freemason." (Note 7.) The tradition of the
denial apparently grew out of--nothing !

In 1882 it is asserted that a Handbuch (which we cannot find) of
unknown date, asserted that in 1777 Wachter (of indifferent
character) asserted that Charles asserted that he was not a
Freemason. There is no reason to believe either that Wachter ever
interviewed the Prince, or that the latter ever made the statement
imputed to him.

As to "written" statements, the only document of the kind is a
letter, Sept. 25, 1780, in reply to the G. M. of Sweden (Duke of
Sudermannia) who desired to control the Strict Observance. Prince
Charles wrote: "the complete obscurity in which I am relating to
your mysteries, prevents me from replying more fully until I myself
am further enlightened." (Note 8.)

Swedish Freemasonry was peculiar, based upon a theory of Templar
descent, and it was knowledge of this peculiar Swedish System which
Charles denied Reumont states that in 1783 the Prince did consider
himself hereditary G. M. of Scottish Masonry.

II. THE CHARTRES MS. (NOTE 9), 1776

This fortunate discovery pours a flood of light upon a vexed
question, and affords proof that a strong Masonic organization was
instituted and worked under the Prince's name. Bro. Dring kindly
allowed me to make a transcript, and to certain features I now
dircct special attention.

The MS. was compiled by the secretary, the formation in 1776 of a
new lodge at Chartres, under Clermont's Grande Loge Anglaise de
France, dite de la Constance, for his own private use and evidently
not for publication. Its statements may therefore be accepted as
the truth as known to the writer. Five of the seven degrees
recognized by the Mother Lodge were to be worked, the Fifth Degree
being L'Ecossois. The warrant was issued by Beauchaine "by virtue
of the powers conferred upon us by the Jacobite Grand Lodge of St.
John of London, styled of the-Chevalier," but the "Orient of
London" is stated to be "en France." At an initiation the W.M. of
the lodge is to say: "We, Grand Master of this Lodge, by virtue of
the powers conferred upon us by the Very Venerable and Very Dear
and Very Worshipful Grand Master CHARLES EDWARD STUART, King of
Scotland and Ireland . . ." (Note 10.)

Beauchaine issued the Langeron Certificate (1758) in the name of
"Prince Charles Stuard Edouard Legitime Roy . . .", and the Candy
Certificate (1778) was "DE LOTORITE. CHARLE-EDOUARD. G. M. D.
ANGLA." (Note 11.)

The MS. concludes with an "Alphabetical List of (66) Lodges under
the Jurisdiction of La Constance," with names of the Masters, and
(in fifteen cases) dates of constitution, the earliest being 1746.
La Constance was a "Mother-Lodge" before it became a Grand Lodge
(1747). Arras is undated.

In 1762-5 Pasqually showed to members of the Bordeaux Lodge
Francaise a warrant granted to him by Prince Charles. (Note 12.) In
1764 Pasqually was arrested by the Bordeaux police for "molesting"
the Loge L'Anglaise there. (Note 13.) The Chartres MS. list cites
two Bordeaux lodges, one dated 1756. Also a Toulouse Lodge, dated
1756. Prince Charles traditionally established the "Faithful Scots"
there, 1747 or 1751, on account of Sir Samuel (?) Lockhardt (Note
14.)

The Marquis De Gages, "G.I. of Red Lodges under the Prince of
Clermont and Prince Charles Edward," founded (1767-70) a Chapter
R.C. at Mons, and signed documents as "G.M. of Blue and Red Lodges
under the Prince of Clermont and Edward." (Note 15.) The Chartres
Lodge was a Clermont-Charles Edward foundation.

Pyron (1805c) notices a degree, "Ecossois de la Loge du Prince
Edouard, G. M." (Note 16.)

Of the names which occur in the Chartres MS. twelve or more are
otherwise known in French Freeasonry of the time.

III. THE LONGNOR (OR LICHFIELD) WARRANT, 1745

In 1869 in Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, it is stated that:

". . . the original warrant of the Derbyshire Lodge of Ancient
Freemasons whose headquarters are at Longnor, was signed by Charles
Edward as Grand Master, while at Derby, in 1745. (Note 17.)

". . . at the Union in 1813 it was exchanged for an English warrant
. . . the Lodge of Reconciliation was held in London in 1813, of
which my informant, Mr. Millward of Longnor, was a member." (Note
18.)

The writer, John Sleigh of Thornbridge, Bakewell, Derbyshire,
author of a History of Leek, was a frequent contributor to Notes
and Queries. John Millward (1790-1878, initiated about 1810) was
prominent in Masonry and public affairs of the locality, a member
of the Lodge of Unity at Longnor, and first Master of the Phoenix
Lodge of St. Ann, its successor there. He attended the Lodge of
Reconciliation five times. His father, born in 1767, was also a
Freemason. ( Note 19. )

Prince Charles passed the night, Dec. 3, at Leek, eight miles
southwest of Longnor, and reached Derby at dusk on Dec. 4, retiring
at once to sleep at Exeter House. Commencing at 8 a.m. on Thursday,
Dec. 5, the Council which decided to abandon the march on London
was after some hours adjourned until evening. The retreat commenced
early on Dec. 6, but Charles did not leave until 9 a.m. There was,
therefore abundant opportunity to sign a document presented to him
at Derby for the purpose.

Buxton is six miles north and Derby twenty-four miles southeast of
Longnor. Lichfield is thirty-five miles south of Longnor and about
twenty-four miles southwest of Derby.

Dr. Plot (Note 20) is witness that Freemasonry was very prevalent
in the "moorelands" of Staffordshire in 1686, and this popularity
can hardly have died out by the middle of the eighteenth century.
If, however, there were any lodges in the Longnor-Lichfield
district in 1745, they were independent of the Grand Lodge at
London. (Note 21.)

In 1784 a lodge at the Scales, Market Lane, Lichfield, received a
warrant with number 224 from the G.L. Antients, but there was a
dispute about the number, 220 being claimed. The lodge had clearly
existed before, and a previous page in the Antients Register had
been headed, "220. The Sign of the Scales in Market Lane or
elsewhere, Lichfield, Staffordshire," but no entries had been made,
and subsequently a slip of paper was pasted over the heading and
the page used for another (1786) lodge. Except that sixteen members
were registered Dec. 29, 1786, No. 224 (the Scales) gave no sign of
life. What really happened was that the lodge went over bodily to
the opposition party ( Note 22), the Moderns. Accordingly we find
that twelve of the sixteen Scales brethren were (June 24, 1787)
warranted by the G. L. Moderns as No. 502, the Lodge of Unity,
Three Crowns Inn, Bread Market Street, Lichfield. In 1792 its
number was 411 and it lasted until 1809 or 1810. In 1811, Warrant
number 411, and lodge property, passed by purchase to brethren at
Longnor, where the Lodge of Unity (number changed to 492 in 1814)
remained at work until its erasure on June 3, 1829. ( Note 23. )

In 1810 the G. L. Antients warranted a lodge as No. 165 at the
King's Head Inn, Market Place, Buxton, Derbyshire, but there was no
connection with an earlier No. 165 in London which returned its
warrant to Grand Lodge in 1770. The Buxton lodge received a new
warrant with the old number 165, and in 1811 took the name
"Derbyshire Lodge." Through the influence of Bro. Millward, it was
removed in 1840 (Note 24) (with permission) from Buxton to Longnor,
and met at the Crewe and Harpur Arms in Market Square until its
erasure March 7, 1866. Its number was altered in 1814 to 201, and
subsequently to 143 and 122.

On reaching Longnor the Derbyshire Lodge became the possessor of
the properties belonging to the Lodge of Unity, erased in 1829, and
these properties passed on to the Phoenix Lodge of St. Ann, No.
1235, consecrated at Buxton in 1869 and still flourishing. ( Note
25. )

It is clear from these records that if Prince Charles did sign a
warrant at Derby in 1745 it could not have been the "original
warrant" of the Derbyshire Lodge as stated by Mr. Sleigh. I suggest
that it was an old warrant then (in 1869, when Mr. Sleigh wrote)
amongst the possessions of the Phoenix Lodge at Buxton, inherited
in 1868-9 from the defunct Derbyshire Lodge at Longnor.

That the warrant was not the warrant "of" but one belonging "to"
the Derbyshire Lodge would appear from the history of these
"properties," which is as follows (working backwards):

1868-9 at Buxton, property of Phoenix Lodge.
1840 at Longnor, property of Derbyshire Lodge.
1811 at Longnor, property of Lodge of Unity.
1787 at Lichfield, property of Lodge of Unity.

In May, 1811, Bro. Edwards of Lichfield wrote to Bro. Horobin (the
purchaser) apologizing for having sent a "York" warrant by mistake
and forwarding the real warrant under which the lodge worked. (Note
26.) Possibly this obsolete "York" warrant was the one now in
question.

The Unity brethren at Lichfield were of course the possessors of
the properties of the abandoned Scales Lodge, and the Scales
brethren were clearly a Masonic unit before they sought
"regularization" from the Antients. (Note 27.) Amongst the
"properties" noted in the inventory at the time when they were sold
by Lichfield to Longnor is a "Transparency of the Sun and Prince
Wales' Bohemia Plume of Feathers, white and gold; richly done."
(Note 28.) A suggestive item which would have served nicely to
decorate the Lodge in honor of Prince Charlie ! 

The Jacobites at Lichfield were strong, but they were vigilantly
watched by the Bailiffs and Justices, also the Duke of Cumberland
made his headquarters there for a time. (Note 29.)

If there is any truth in the story--and it is quite likely--it was
a Lichfield (not Longnor) document which Prince Charles signed at
Derby on Thursday or Friday, Dec. 5 or 6, 1745.

IV. THE ARRAS CHARTER, 1745-7

According to Thory: (Note 30.)

"Un chapitre ecossais jacobite y (i. e. at Arras) avait ete
constitue en 1745, par une chartre signee de la main de Charles
Edouard Stuard, roi d'Angleterre. Cette constitution qu' on nous a
montree dans un voyage que nous fimes, a Arras en 1786, porte avec
elle tous les caracteres de l'authenticite. Nous devons cette
communication a M. Delecourt qui a eu la complaisance de nous en
donner une copie certifiee."

At p. 184 the text is given in full:

"Bulle d'institution du Chapitre primordial de Rose-Croix Jacobite
d'Arras.

"Nous Charles Edouard Stuard, roi d'Angleterre, de France d'Ecosse
et d'Irlande, et en cette qualite Subst. G. M. du Chapitre de H.
connu sous le titre de chev. de l'Aigle du Pelican, et depuis nos
malheurs et nos infortunes, sous celui de Rose-Croix; voulant
temoigner aux Macons Artesiens combien nous sommes reconnaissans
envers eux des preuves de bienfaisance qu'ils nous ont prodiguees,
avec les officiers de la garnison de la ville d'Arras, et de leur
attachement a notre personne, pendant le sejour de six mois que
nous avons fait en cette ville. Nous avons en leur faveur, cree et
erige, creons et erigeons, par la presente bulle, en ladite ville
d'Arras un S. Chapitre primordial de Rose-Croix, sous le titre
distinctif d'Ecosse Jacobite, que sera regi et gouverne par les
chevaliers Langneau et de Robespierre . . . J. B. Lucet notre
tapissier . . . signe de notre main . . . le jeudi 15e jour du 2e
mois, l'an de l'incarnation 5747.
"Signe, Charles Edouard Stuard 
De par le Roi, signe lorde de Berkeley,
Secretaire."

Bro. Dring's reasons for discarding Jouaust's (1865) versions (Note
31) of the text are sound. (Note 32.) Kloss (Note 33) refers to the
Charter and supplies a date not given in the other accounts. Gould
(Note 34) fuses the comments of Kloss, Thory and Jouaust, and adds:

"It will be sufficient to point out that Charles Edward did not
call himself 'King' during his father's lifetime, or pretender at
any time. The use of the latter term indeed he very naturally left
to others. Moreover no historian has yet shown that he ever was in
Arras, where, according to this legend he remained for a period of
six months." (Note 35.)

The tradition is then that a R.C. Chapter of H.R.D.M. was
constituted at Arras in 1745, and possessed document with the
autograph signature of the Young Pretender. In 1786 Thory, a
reputable and scholarly man, saw this and judged document and
signature authentic, and he printed it in 1812 from a certified
copy supplied for the purpose. It is not claimed that the Prince
was present when the Chapter was constituted or inaugurated in
1745, or that his signature was affixed in that year, or that he
was in Arras when he signed.

The "2e mois" must mean either February or April. The "15e jour"
must mean either 15th New Style or 15th Old Style. The 26th
February N.S. (Monday) and the 15th April N.S. (Sunday) are ruled
out, not being Thursdays. The 15th February N.S., 26th April N.S.
were both Thursdays and are therefore possible. Prince Charles was
in Paris in January, 1747, until the last week when he started for
Madrid. He halted at Lyons and was at Avignon on Feb. 9; Madrid,
March 2; Guadalaxara, March 6 to 14. Back in Paris March 26 to
April 29. On April 26 N. S., 1747, he was in Paris, and I think
that is the date (also place) of the signature--if genuine.

The spelling "Stuard" is frequently met with in Jacobite papers of
the period.

I do not believe that in the original document "Roi" followed the
Prince's name, but either "R" or more probably "P. R.," meaning
Regent or Prince Regent. The transcribers, not understanding,
supplied their own interpretations. Delecourt put "Roi" and
Jouaust's man made it "pretendant roi," which supports my
suggestion that the original had "P. R." In view of the attempt at
a Stuart Restoration planned for 1744 the Old Pretender (Dec. 23,
1743) issued a patent conferring full powers as Regent of the
British Isles on his son, and the letters "P. R." generally follow
the Prince's name in subsequent official Jacobite documents.

The King of Scotland is hereditary and perpetual Grand Master of
the Royal Order of Scotland and Grand Chapter of H.R.D.M.
Consequently the expression in the text, "en cette qualite Subst.
G.M. du Chapitre de H," which would be absolutely wrong if it
followed "roi," is strikingly correct if it came after "R." or "P.
R.," for the Regent would naturally the substitute Grand Master.

It is not stated that the six months' sojourn in Arras were during
either 1745 or 1747. Charles nominally lodged at Gravelines (about
fifty miles from Arras) from February to "towards winter" of the
year 1744. (Note 36.) During that time he made several visits to
Paris, also "occasional" visits to Frankfort. (Note 37.) Arras is
on the routes from Gravelines to Paris and Frankfort so that
Charles must have passed through Arras many times. Much of the time
while officially in seclusion in the dull little fishing town was
probably spent in Arras, only fifty miles distant, the Capital of
Artois, a very important civil and military center with a large
garrison and plenty of society.

The names Lucet and Robespierre are known to have been authentic
Arras names at the time. The Chartres MS. of 1776 supplies
independent evidence that a Bro. Lucet was Master of a lodge at
Arras in 1776. The Revolution Robespierre was born at Arras (1758),
and his father (avocat au conseil d'Artois) and grandfather dwelt
there.

No "lorde de Berkley" is likely to have been the secretary, but
there is a younger son who may have been so employed. Is "Berkley"
a transcriber's error for "Balhaldy" or "Bohaldy" ? Drummond
(MacGregor) of Balhaldy, Balhaldie, or Bohaldy, was the agent sent
by the Old Pretender to arrange the visit of Prince Charles and to
negotiate for the support ot the French King in the intended
expedition to Britain. He was in constant attendance on Prince
Charles during the sojourn at Gravelines and in close touch with
him afterwards. He was a Freemason, a member of the Lodge Dunblane
St. John, and (according to Murray Lyon) the Expedition of 1745 was
the result of his "misleading representations." (Note 38.) Highland
chieftains were commonly styled "Lords" on the Continent at this
time.

Although the demonstration of its authenticity is not complete,
there is no valid reason for rejecting the Arras Charter.

V. THE TEMPLAR GRAND-MASTERSHIP OF PRINCE CHARLES, 1745

While the Prince was still a boy there was a form of "Templary" at
work in Continental Masonry, largely or entirely in the hands of
British (principally Scottish) Jacobite exiles. This "Order of the
Temple" was not necessarily pledged to the Stuart Cause (as
Greeven--Note 39--maintains) but it would naturally appeal to
Prince Charles when he arrived in Paris in 1744.

In 1764 von Hund claimed to have been received into the Order at
Paris in 1743, in the presence of Lords Kilmarnock and Clifford,
and that he received a Patent as a Prov. G. M. Also that
"subsequently" he was presented to Prince Charles whom he took to
be G. M. of the Order but was not certain (Note 40.) Dr. Begemann
attempts (but fails) to prove the story an imposture. (Note 41.)
The only questions which concern us are, first, was Hund admitted?
Secondly, did Charles "subsequently" interview von Hund? And
thirdly, was Charles Grand Master? Begemann's contention that
Kilmarnock, being G. M. of Freemasons in Scotland 1742-3, could not
have been in Paris in 1743 is nonsense--there was much secret
crossing to and from France by Jacobites about 1741-5. Hund left
Paris in September, 1743, and Charles arrived Janary, 1744,--
therefore (says Begemann) the interview never happened. But Hund
did not say that they met in Paris or when they met except that it
was "subsequently" to his own reception as a Templar. That Charles
was G. M. when Hund met him is not claimed.

Dr. Begemann considers that he has proved that the traitional
Templar Chapter at Holyrood in September, 1745, never lld have
happened. I consider that I have shown that gemann is mistaken.
(Note 42.) The tradition, however tirely lacks contemporary
supporting evidence. If true rince Charles entered the Order and
became G. M. at Edinurgh, Sept. 24, 1745.

But the Templar Mastership does not wholly depend upon the
Edinburgh tradition. In 1780 the Duke of Sudermannia wishing to
unite the conflicting Templar claims of Sweden and the Strict
Observance, consulted Prince Charles. This certainly looks as if
that Prince was a supreme authority. In the winter of 1783 Gustavus
III visited Charles at Florence and (according to Reumont, the
biographer of Charles' wife) was by him appointed his coadjutor and
successor in the Grand Mastership of the Temple. (Note 43.)

NOTES

(1) Gould. History, III, 110 and Concise History; 1903, 323. 
(2) Hughan. Jacobite Lodge at Rome- 1910, 27.
(3) A.Q.C. XXVI, 70.
(4) Dring in Treasury of Masonic Thought; 1924, 80. 
(5) A.Q.C. XXX, 166.
(6) Robinson. Proofs of a Conspiracy; 1797, 77.
(7) Findel. History; 1865. English Ed. 1868, 285.
(8) A. von Reumont. Die Grafin von Albany; 1860, 1,239; so Findel.
History; 1869, 212.
(9) E. H. Dring in Treasury of Masonic Thought; 1924, 71. 
(10) The omission of England is presumably an excusable error by
the Secretary when transcribing the Warrant.
(11) A. Q. C. XV, 95, 97; also XXXIII, 96.
(12) ib. XIX, 148.
(13) ib. XII, 7.
(14) Kenning's Cyclopaedia; 1878, 76, 185; and Findel. History,
213.
(15) Goblet D'Alviella. Consts. A. & A. S. R. pour la Begique;
1910, 10 and 11.
(16) Kenning's Cyclopaedia. 183.
(17) N. and Q. IV, Series III, 533.
(18) ib. IV, 66.
(19) A.Q.C. XXIII, 94, 267, 295, 305. S. Taylor. History of
Freemasonry in.
(20) Robert Plot, Natural History of Staffordshire; 1686, VIII, 16.
"Here I found persons of the most eminent quality, that did not
disdain to be of this Fellowship."
(21) At Derby there was one lodge warranted 1732.
(22) Bro. Wonnacott G. I,. kindly supplied me with the lists others
from the Records (Antients and Moderns).
(23) John Lane, Masonic Records; 1895, 156, 158, 214.
(24) Lane (p. 131) says the removal was in 1842, but 1840 is
correct. See Taylor, p. 6.
(25) Taylor, p. 35.
(26) ib. p. 14.
(27) Gould, The Atholl Lodges; 1879, 42. "220 (earliest Lodge. Not
known)."
(28) Taylor, 13.
(29) Harwood, History of Cathedeal and City of Lichfield under
dates 1743 and 1745.
(30) C. A. Thory, Histoire de la Fondation du Grand Orient de
France; 1812, pp. 63 and 64.
(31) Jouaust. History du Grand Orient de France; 1865, p. 84.
(32) E. H. Dring in Treasury of Masonic Thought; 1924, 73.
(33) T. G. Koss, Geschichte der Freimaurerei in Frankreich; 1852,
I, 257.
(34) R. F. Gould, History of Freemasonry, III 158.
(35) There are very similar comments by Hughan and Speth in
Hughan's Jacobite Lodge at Rome, 27-8. The French word "pretendant"
means simply "claimant" and was used by Jacobites in that sense.
(36) C. L. Klose, Memoirs of Prince Charles Stuart; 1845,
(37) J. F. Bell, Memoirs of John Murray of Broughton; 1898, pp.
385-8.
(38) D. Murray Lyon, History of L. of Edinburgh; 1900, 442.
(39) Greeven, Templar Movement in Masonry; 1899, 37.
(40) Gould, History, III, 101.
(41) A.Q.C. XXVI, 66.
(42) ib. XXXIII, 40.
(42) A. von Reumont, Die Grafin von Albany; 1860, I, 239; Findel,
212.
