Page 33 - Amo Amass A-muse is some of the fruit of a lifetimes love of Freemasonry - the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235

Amo Amass A-Muse - Lodge of the Nine Muses 33

From about 1810, there was some discussion between Ruspini and the Lodge of the
Nine Muses about the payment of past lodge debts, and the Candlesticks, but the Prince
of Wales’s Lodge was not brought into this, In fact, the candlesticks were used by both
Lodges which both met at the ‘Thatched House Tavern’ during this period.
A little before 24th November 1812, some members of the Lodge of the Nine Muses
forcibly took away the candlesticks from the Master of the Thatched House Tavern. In
February 1813, Ruspini drafted a letter in reply to one that he had received from the
Secretary of the Lodge of the Nine Muses, but decided to hand the affair over to the
Prince of Wales’s Lodge to deal with. They entered this letter in their minutes, thanking
him “for his attention to the interests of the Lodge” and referred it to a committee to
report on.
After a report by the committee, some discussion upon it and exchanges of letters
between the two secretaries, the Prince of Wales’s Lodge decided to relinquish all claims
to the candlesticks in order to avoid an unpleasant dispute between Ruspini and the
Lodge of the Nine Muses. It is interesting to note that during this time, Waller Rodwell
Wright was the Master of the Prince of Wales’s Lodge, Sir William Rawlins was Master
of the Lodge of the Nine Muses and Thomas Harper had returned to the Lodge of the
Nine Muses after his expulsion had been rescinded in 1810 and was Deputy Master. Alas,
in the middle of this controversy, on 14th December 1813, at the age of 85 the Chevalier
Ruspini died just a fortnight before the Union of the Two Grand Lodges which he had
done so much to foster.
The the last letter from the Secretary, dated 11th January 1814, The Prince of Wales’s
Lodge “thought that the Nine Muses might had acted with less rudeness. Their conduct
on the occasion was not such as would have been expected from such accomplished
Ladies. “ In the reply, dated 25th March 1814, the Lodge of the Nine Muses returned
“hearty good wishes for the prosperity of the Prince of Wales’s Lodge and success to the
brethren thereof in all their lawful undertakings. “ Thus ended an unfortunate dispute
between two famous Lodges.
After the formal acceptance by the Prince of Wales’s Lodge of the kind offer of the
Lodge of the Nine Muses, that their three candlesticks should be used jointly, whilst both
lodges met at the Bakers’ Hall, a strong deputation from the Lodge of the Nine Muses
was admitted. Permission was then given for the Officers of the Lodge of the Nine Muses