Page 144 - An account of the Lodge of Nine Muses No. 235. 1777 to 2012UGLE

144 An Account of the

Neither is in the Grand Lodge Register. Both are noted as “resigned” but no
dates are given. This page is reproduced on Plate 11.
From January 1808 to February 1826 the book is ruled in columns intended
to give the dates of conferment of the several degrees, with a further column for
remarks, but the particulars are not systematically recorded. From 1812 to 1826
addresses are added.
At this point the list of signatures is interrupted by the By-laws, which occupy
eight and a half pages. They are headed, in large Gothic lettering, “By Laws of
The/Lodge of Nine Muses.” The By-laws are exquisitely written in ordinary
script, and each is headed with a number in Gothic lettering. The words “By
Laws of The” are in red.
These By-laws have already been given in full in Chapter Seven. After the
By-laws the signatures begin again, the first being that of Sir Wm. Rawlins (for
a second time), and, with a gap between 1840 and 1862, nearly every member
down to the present day has signed the book on admission. From 12 February
1833, the date of initiation or joining is generally given, and in most cases a
note is added in the margin as to the cause of ceasing membership – death or
resignation as the case may be – but unfortunately as a rule without a date. As the
book still contains room for nearly 700 more signatures it will serve the Lodge
for another two and a half centuries at the present rate.
At the other end the book begins, the other way up, with a declaration
intended to be signed by successive Masters; but no Master has so signed, perhaps
owing to the introduction of dates which do not accord with the practice of
the Lodge in installing the Master in February. This declaration, also beautifully
written, but in ordinary script, runs as follows:
Having been regularly elected Master of the Right Worshipful Lodge of Nine
Muses being N . 502 in the List of Lodges, I do approve, agree to, and confirm
o
as follows-
I .. I do hereby accept from my next and immediate Predecessor in Office
st
the Charge of Master of the said Lodge And do agree to uphold support and
maintain the honor and dignity of the said station to the utmost of my power and
ability and all the rights and privileges which my Predecessors have enjoyed in