Mark Coleman Wallace PhD Thesis - University of St Andrews

381 Pages·2007·1.51 MB·English

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SCOTTISHFREEMASONRY1725-1810:
PROGRESS,POWER,ANDPOLITICS
MARKCOLEMANWALLACE
Thesis submittedforthedegreeofPh.D.
UniversityofSt Andrews, 10April 2007
For UncleDennis
ii
Declarations
(i) I,MarkColeman Wallace,herebycertifythat this thesis, whichis approximately
80,000words inlength,has beenwrittenbyme,that it is therecordof work
carriedout bymeandthat it has not beensubmittedinanyprevious application
forahigherdegree.
Date………………. Signatureofcandidate……………………..
(ii) Iwas admittedas a researchstudent inSeptember 2001andas a candidate forthe
degreeofPh.D.inSeptember2002; thehigherstudyforwhichthis is arecord
was carriedout intheUniversityofSt Andrews between2001and2006.
Date………………. Signatureofcandidate……………………..
(iii) Iherebycertifythat thecandidatehas fulfilledthe conditions oftheResolution
andRegulations appropriateforthedegreeofPh.D.intheUniversityofSt
Andrews andthat thecandidateis qualifiedtosubmit this thesisinapplicationfor
that degree.
Date………………. Signatureofsupervisor…………………...
(iv) Insubmittingthis thesis totheUniversityofSt Andrews Iunderstandthat Iam
givingpermissionforit tobemadeavailableforuseinaccordancewiththe
regulations oftheUniversityLibraryforthetime beinginforce,subject toany
copyright vestedintheworknot beingaffectedthereby. Ialso understand that the
titleandabstract will be published,andthat acopyofthe workmaybemadeand
suppliedtoanybonafide libraryorresearchworker.
Date………………. Signatureofcandidate…………….……….
iii
Abstract
Modernfreemasonryemergedin Britainduringtheeighteenthcentury,
combiningearlierstonemason customs andmethods oforganization with the
popularpassionfor clubs andsocieties. Although bynomeans uniqueinits
ideologyand constitution,freemasonryestablished itselfafter1700 as a
prominent fixturein bothBritish communal andsocial life.
Somemocked masoniclodges andtheirrituals, but theywere an
acceptedfeatureonthesocial scene and, giventhat theyavoidedpolitical and
religious discussionand sworeloyaltytotheexistingregime,theirpositionwas
largelyuncontroversial. TheFrenchRevolution, however, caused asevere
backlash against themasons inBritainandEurope. Duringthe1790s, masonic
lodges whichwereonce viewedsimplyas charitableandconvivial organizations
werenowseen as convenient vehicles for allowingradical groups topursue
covert revolutionaryactivities. As aresult,legislationwas passedwhich
attemptedtoregulatethesesocieties anderadicate anytraces ofsecrecy.
Despiteits commitment totheestablishment,freemasonrycameunder
suspicion.
This thesis examines thestructure,nature, andcharacteristics of
Scottish freemasonryinits widerBritish andEuropeancontexts betweenthe
years 1725 and1810. As weshall see,masoniclodges andtheirmembers
changed andadaptedas thesecontexts evolved. TheEnlightenment effectively
craftedthemodernmasonandpropelledfreemasonryintoaneweramarkedby
increasingmembership and thecreationoftheGrand LodgeofScotland, with
theinstitution becomingpart ofthecontemporaryfashionforassociatedactivity.
iv
Tableof Contents
Declarations ii
Abstract iii
Acknowledgements v
Chapter One:Introduction
‘TheHappyHuntingGround’: Scottish Freemasonry
andMasonicHistoriography 1
Chapter Two
‘Antient Lustre InThis Kindgome’: TheGrand LodgeofScotland,
Operative Freemasonry, andtheDevelopment of Scottish Lodges 12
Chapter Three
‘Revival oftheGrand Lodge’: Enlightenment,Evolution, 65
andExpansion
Chapter Four 139
‘BehindClosedand GuardedDoors:’Politics,
MasonicSuppression,and theFrenchRevolution
Chapter Five
‘IDubThee IntheName oftheFather,Son,and HolyGhost:’
TheUnlawful Oaths Act andtheMayboleTrial of Sedition 185
Chapter Six
‘TheScotchDiableBoiteaux’or,The LameScottish Devil:
MasonicRebellion andtheRiseoftheWhigs 230
Chapter Seven:Conclusion
‘AWillingness ToReturnToTheFold:’Reconciliation
andThe Lasting Impact oftheGrand LodgeofScotland 272
Bibliography 279
Appendix 293
v
Acknowledgements
This studywouldnot havebeenpossiblewithout thesupport ofmany
people. Iwouldliketothankmyparents, WileyandCaroleWallace, fortheir
constant encouragement. Iwouldalso liketothankmygrandmother,Marion
Fetterolf, for givingmetheopportunitytocompletemyPh.D.at theUniversity
ofSt Andrews.
In writingahistoryofeighteenth-centuryfreemasonry, Iam especially
indebtedtotheinsights ofDavidStevenson,whoreadparts ofmythesis and
helped metoimprovethe overall structureandcontent ofmywork.
Myresearchhas takenmetonumerous masoniclodges inScotlandand
England. Iam grateful toRobert Cooperandthe members oftheGrand Lodge
ofScotland,theUnited Grand LodgeofEngland, No.1Mary’s Chapel,No.1(3)
Aberdeen,No.3Scoon &Perth,No.3bis GlasgowSt John,No.6OldInverness
KilwinningSt John’s, No.11St.John’s Maybole, No.25St Andrew,No.27
The Lodgeof GlasgowSt Mungo’s, No.30Ancient Stirling,No.49Ancient
Dundee,No.160Roman Eagle,andNo.198Royal ArchMaybole for
permittingmetoexaminetheirminutes andrecords. Not least ofall, Iam
appreciativeofthecontinual support from themembers ofNo.304,Victoria,
Virginia.
Ialso wouldliketoexpress myappreciationtothe Department of
Special Collections at theUniversityofSt Andrews, theEdinburgh University
Libraryfor allowingmetoreprint several manuscripts, theNational Libraryof
Scotland,andthestaff at theNational Archives inEdinburgh fortheir
assistance.
Afinal debt is owedtomysupervisor,Dr.David Allan. Iam immensely
grateful forhis patience, guidance,and counsel.
Chapter One:Introduction
The‘Happy HuntingGround’:
TracingtheOrigins and Developmentof
Scottish Freemasonry
Duringthefirst halfoftheeighteenthcentury,freemasonrywas already
anold-establishedpart of Scottish and British culture. Although its secrecy
sometimes evokedsceptical feelings, freemasonrydid not normallyprovokethe
extremeanti-masonicattitudes prevalent inEurope.1 Its organization and
development weresuchthat it had always precludedanyserious accusations of
treason orseditionfrom thepublicand the government. However, as thesecond
halfoftheeighteenthcenturyprogressed andthe FrenchRevolutionexerciseda
significant influenceover political thought,British freemasonrywas targetedby
asuspicious government intent onmonitoringtheactivities ofsecret societies.
As such,heavy-handedlegislationpassedinthe1790s tostampout radical
groups transformedScottish freemasonryfrom a convivial, charitable
associationintoanorganizationcharacterizedbyintensepolitical rivalries and
powerstruggles.
Thefriction amongScottish freemasons duringtheendofthe century
was directlycaused bygovernment legislationas well as problems stemming
from theformationofthe Grand LodgeofScotlandin1736. Smoulderinginter-
lodgedisputes combined with accusations oftreason triggeredadecadeof
1Britishfreemasonrydidreceivesomecriticismduringtheeighteenthcentury,althoughitwas
infrequentandprincipallyconfinedtoEnglandandEurope. SeeS.N.Smith,“TheSo-Called
‘Exposures’OfFreemasonryOfTheMid-EighteenthCentury,”AQC,56(1943);Knoopand
Jones,“AnAnti-MasonicLeafletof1698,”AQC,55(1942);N.B.Spencer,“ExposuresAnd
TheirEffectOnFreemasonry,”AQC,74(1961). Spencernotesthat“consideringthenumberof
exposures,itismarvellousthattheyhavehadsolittleeffectontheCraft,”145.
2
conflict whichseverelydamaged thereputationof Scottish freemasonryand
exposedits vulnerableorganizational structure.
There are fourreasons forcarryingout this study. DavidStevenson, in
his books TheOrigins ofFreemasonry:Scotland’s Century1590-1710(1988)
andTheFirst Freemasons:Scotland’s EarlyLodgeandtheir Members (1988),
preciselycharts the gradual development and growthofbothoperative and
speculativefreemasonryinScotland.2 Thesetwo histories arethefirst oftheir
kind to offeradefinitive andhistoricallysound startingpoint forthestudyof
eighteenth-centuryScottish freemasonryinawiderhistorical environment.
Althoughheprovides the first comprehensivelistingofScottish lodges,their
archival holdings,anda closeexaminationoftheirhistories from 1590 to 1710,
noextensivestudyofeighteenth-centurylodgerecords has been attempted.
Followingthe exampleofStevenson’s works, this studywill endeavourto
illustratetheways inwhichevents such as thecreationoftheGrand Lodge of
Scotlandin1736affected Scottish lodges.
Secondly, freemasonryhas toooftenbeenviewed from astrictly
masoniccontext that frequentlyignores its widerimpact andinfluenceon
Enlightenment sociability. Abroadercontextualizationoffers aclearer
representationofrecruitment patterns amongprovincial andmetropolitan
lodges, andreveals thesimilarities anddifferences existingamongfreemasonry
andothereighteenth-centuryclubs andsocieties. As such, analysis ofmasonic
membership,organisational characteristics, andideological concerns will
2DavidStevenson,TheOriginsofFreemasonry:Scotland’sCentury1590-1710(Cambridge,
1988)andTheFirstFreemasons:Scotland’sEarlyLodgesandtheirMembers(Aberdeen,
1988).
3
provideaclearerunderstandingandpurposeofmasoniclodges andtheir
attractiontoawidercross-sectionofScottish societyduringthe1700s.
Verylittleis knownabout therelationship betweenfreemasonryandthe
British government duringthelate-eighteenthand early-nineteenthcenturies. In
exploringtheways inwhichfreemasons reactedto thepolitical stresses brought
about bytheonset ofthe FrenchRevolutionandtheenactment ofparliamentary
legislation aimedat regulatingsecret societies,this thesis addresses animportant
yet largelyunknownaspect ofeighteenth-centuryfreemasonry. Lastly,the
majorityof British masonichistories arewrittenfrom English perspectives. As
such,theyarelargelyunrepresentativeofeighteenth-centuryScottish
freemasonryandits distinctivelegacy. This studytakes into account these
disparities andseeks to explain howandwhythesedifferences occurred.
Masonichistories are frequentlyuseful not becauseoftheiraccuracy,but
becauseoftheirinterest. In1723 (reprintedin1738),Scottish ministerJames
Anderson publishedthe Constitutions of theFreemasons.3 This volume
attempts tosynthesizeknownmasonicmanuscripts andfragmentaryhistories to
createawide-ranging, entertaining yet mythologized account oftheorigins and
development offreemasonry. Additionally, theConstitutions enumerates the
laws andetiquettefreemasons shouldobserveand addresses sundryothertopics
suchas lodgemusic,poems,andtoasts.
Morerecent endeavours, however,havebeenmadetodispel such
extraordinaryhistorical narratives. Frances Yates asserts that the“originof
Freemasonryis oneofthemost debated,anddebatable,subjects inthewhole
3JamesAnderson,TheConstitutionsOfTheFreemasons(facsimilereprint,London,1976).