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Show [ 43 ] i feeming to refka Diihonour on the. Fraternity of Free Accepted Mafons, tho' it had no Relation to them, nor did- they ever negle.a their Lodges for it 5 and when the i faid King arriv'd. to Man's Estate, he was incorporated (together with many of his Lords) with the Free Mafons, ; and folemnly approv'd of their Records and Charges, as good and reafonable to be holden. Concerning this A a againft Mafons, take, the Opinion of the great Judge Coke* * " The Caufe wherefore this Offence was made Fel- " lony, is for that the good Courfe and Effea of the Star 44 tutes of Labourers were thereby violated and broken.- "•Now (lays m y Lord Coke), all the Statutes concerning " Labourers before this A a , and whereunto this A a doth <*' refer, are repealed by the fifth Statute of Eliz. Cap. 4. " whereby the Caufe and End of making this Act is 44 taken away 5 and confequently this A a is become of " no Force or Effea, ceffante ratione Legis, cefifat ipfa- " Lex. And the Indiament ofFellony upon this Statute ' muft contain, that thofe Chapters and Congregations " were to the violating and breaking of the good Courfe 0 and Effea of the Statutes of Labourers, which now 44 cannot be fo alledged, becaufe thefe Statutes be.re- 44 peal'd. Therefore this would be put out of the Charge " of Justices of Peace written by Mr. Lambert, p. 227-." This Quotation confirms the Tradition of old Mafons, that this rnoft learned Judge really belong'd to the ancient Lodge, and was a faithful Brother. 5* The learned Queen Elizabeth, becaufe fhe could not be made a Mafon, and being jealous of any Aftem-blies of her Subjeas, whofe Bufinefs ihe was not duly appriz'd of, attempted to break up the annual Communication of Mafons, as dangerous to her Government: But, as * Cikcs Inftitutes, Part 3. Fol. op. M |