THE LADY FREEMASON
Mrs. Aldworth,
THIS LADY WHO IS WELL KNOWN AS "THE LADY FREEMASON", WAS CALLED
WAS THE HON ELIZABETH ST.LEGER,DAUGHTER OF LORD DONERAILE COURT, CO CORK,
IRELAND . SHE WAS BORN IN 1693, AND MARRIED IN RICHLAND ALDWORTH,
ESQ., OF NEWMARK COURT, CO CORK. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO DOUBT THAT
WHILE SHE WAS A GIRL SHE WAS RECEIVED IN THE FIRST AND SECOND DEGREES
OF FREEMASONRY IN IRELAND, BUT OF THE ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HER INTIATION
SEVERAL DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
OF THESE THE MOST AUTHENTIC APPEARS TO BE ONE ISSUED AT CORK, WITH THE
AUTHORITY OF THE FAMILY, IN 1811, AND AFTERWARD REPUBLISHED IN LONDON.
"IT HAPPENED ON THIS PARTIULAR OCCASION THAT THE LODGE WAS HELD IN A ROOM
SEPARATED FROM ANOTHER AS IS OFTEN THE CASE, BY STUD AND BRICK WORK. THE
YOUNG LADY BEING GIDDY AND THOUGHTLESS, AND DETERMINED TO GRATIFY HER
CURIOSTY, MADE HER ARRANGEMENTS ACCORDINGLY, AND WITH A PAIR OF SCISSORS,
(AS SHE HERSELF RELATED TO THE MOTHER OF OUR INFORMANT,) REMOVED A PORTION
OF BRICK FROM THE WALL, AND PLACED HERSELF SO AS TO COMMAND A FULL VIEW OF
EVERYTHING WHICH OCCURRED IN THE NEXT ROOM; SO PLACED, SHE WITNESSED THE TWO
FIRST DEGREES IN MASONRY, WHICH AES THE EXTENT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LODGE
ON THAT NIGHT. BECOMING AWARE FROM WHAT SHE HEARD, THAT THE BRETHREN
(OR BROTHERS) WERE ABOUT TO SEPARATE. FOR THE FIRST TIME SHE FELT TREMBLING
AND ALIVE TO THE AKWARDNESS AND THE DANGER OF HER SITUATION, AND BEGAN TO
CONSIDER HOW SHE COULD RETIRE WITHOUT OBSEREVATION. SHE BECAME NERVOUS AND
AGITATED, AND NEARLY FAINTED, BUT SO FAR RECOVERED HERSELF AS TO BE FULLY
AWARE OF THE NECESSITY OF WITHDRAWING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE; IN THE ACT OF
DOING SO, BEING IN THE DARK SHE STUMBLED AGAINST AND OVERTHREW SOMETHING,
SAID TO BE A CHAIR OR SOME ORNAMENTAL PIECE OF FURNITURE. THE CRASH WAS
LOUD; AND THE TILER (OR THE DOOR WATCHMAN OF THE LODGE)WHO WAS ON THE LOBBY
OR THE LANDING ON WHICH THE DOORS BOTH OF THE LODGE ROOM AND THE WHERE THE
HONORABLE MSS ST.LEGER WAS OPENED, GAVE ALARM, BURST OPEN THE DOOR AND WITH
A LIGHT IN ONE HAND AND A DRAWN SWORD IN THE OTHER , APPEARED TO THE NOW
TERRIFIED AND FAINTING LADY. HE WAS SOON JOINED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LODGE
PRESENT AND LUCKILY; FOR IT IS ASSERTED THAT BUT THE PROMPT APPERARANCE OF
HER BROTHER, LORD DONERAILE, AND OTHER STEADY MEMBERS, HER LIFE WOULD HAVE
FALLEN SACRIFICE TO WHAT WAS ESTEEMED HER CRIME. THE FIRST CARE OF HIS
LORDSHIP WAS TO RESUSCITED THE UNFORTUNATE LADY WITHOUT ALARMING THE HOUSE,
AND ENDEAVOR TO LEARN FROM HER AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED; HAVING
DONE SO, MANY OF THE MEMBERS BEING FURIOUS AT THE TRANSACION, SHE WAS PLACED
UNDER GUARD OF THE TILER AND A MEMBER, IN THE ROOM WHERE SHE WAS FOUND.
THE MEMBERS REASSEMBLED AND DELIBERATED AS TO WHAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
WAS TO BE DONE, AND OVER TWO LONG HOURS SHE COULD HEAR THE ANGRY DISCUSSION
AND HER DEATH DELIBERATELY PROPOSED AND SECONDED. AT LENGTH THE GOOD SENSE
OF THE MAJORITY SUCCEEDED IN CALMING, IN SOME MEASURE, THE ANGRY AND IRRITATED
FELINGS OF THE REST OF THE MEMBERS, WHEN, AFTER MUCH HAD BEEN SAID IN MANY
THINGS PROPOSED, IT WAS RESOLVED TO GIVE HER THE OPION OF SUBMITTING TO THE
MASONIC ORDEAL TO THE EXTENT SHE HAD WITNESSED, (FELLOW CRAFT,)AND IF SHE
REFUSED THE BRETHERN WERE AGAIN TO CONSULT. BEING WAITED ON TO DECIDE,
MISS ST. LEGER EXHAUSTED AND TERRIFIED BY THE STOMINESS OF THE DEBATE, MISS
WHICH SHE COULD NOT AVOID PARTIALLY HEARING, AND YET, NOTWITHSTANDING ALL,
WITH A SECRET PLEASURE, GLADLY AND UNHESITATINGING ACCEPTED THE OFFER. SHE
WAS ACCORDINGLY INITIATED." THE NATION OF GODS AND EARTHS DO NOT INITIATE
PEOPLE OR HOLD MEETINGS IN SECRET. WE TEACH TRUTH TO ALL THE HUMAN FAMILIES
ON THE PLANET EARTH. PEACE
INFO FROM A NEW AND REVISED EDITION AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FREEMASONRY
HOMEPAGE
Email: queenmecca@rocketmail.com
