The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLARCaesar, advancing into the northern limits of thecountry, established a colony, and, to defendthemselves, formed an entrenched camp with walls,inside of which, as elsewhere, habitations, templesand aqueducts appeared, which, under the name ofEboricum, gave birth to the city of York, afterwardsso celebrated in the history of Masonry. Inthe beginning of the second century, after the fallof the Roman Republic, all the Colleges of Artificerslost their ancient privileges. But in the year286, Carausius, known as the "Count of theSaxon Shore," and "Admiral of the NorthernSeas," was besought by the Britons,* suffering fromthe depredations of the Saxon and Frank pirates,to assume the sovereignty of their island. Havingorganized a marine victorious against the pirates,which before his advent had filled the "narrowseas," he took possession of Britain and declaredhimself emperor. In order to conciliate the RomanColleges of Artificers, then wielding an immenseinfluence in that country, he restored their ancientprivileges, since which time they have been calledprivileged or Freemasons, to distinguish them fromthose not thus entitled. In 294 Carausius was assassinatedby his prime minister and confidentialfriend, Allectus, who .maintained his usurped dominionsfor three years, when Roman power putan end to the independent sovereignty of Britain,and reunited it with the empire.The invasion of the northern barbarians intoItaly demanded the entire force of the Romanarmies to defend the integrity of the empire athome. Britain in the .year 420 was abandoned,and the natives, principally Celts, with the61