SEALS OF THE FIRST ENGLISH MASONS AT YORK

The seal affixed to the York Constitutions and Certificates, as described by the Grand Secretary on December 14, 1767, was “Three Regal Crowns, with this Circumscription: “Sigillum Edwini Northum. Regis.” Being the “Old Seal of Prince Edwin’s Arms,” of silver, mentioned in the inventory of Jan. 1, 1776, as “An iron screw press, with a Seal of Prince Edwin’s Arms let into the fall,” and also in the “Schedule of the Regalia and Records, etc.,” of September 15, 1779. In the latter inventory is named ,,A Seal and Counter Seal, the first bearing the arms of Prince Edwin, and the other the arms of Masonry” The seal-in-chief of the latter is of brass, and bears the legend : ” + Sigil: Frat: Ebor: Per. Edwin: Coll : ” above the three crowns being the year “A.D. 926.” The ” Counter Seal ” (of copper) contains the arms and crest, as used by the “Atholl ” Masons.

The first seal mentioned, is the one referred to by Grand Secretary Lambert in 1767, and that it was set wide later on for the ” Seal and Counter Seal ” named in the inventory of 1779. Impressions of the latter are attached to the warrant or deputation to ‘, The Grand Lodge of England South of the River Trent,” of March 29, 1779, and are in an oval tin box, opening with movable lids on both sides, happily still preserved by the Lodge of Antiquity. It would therefore be made between the dates of the two inventories-1776-1779.

An engraving of these seals (seal and counter seal) is to be found in Hargrove’s “History of York,” and likewise in Hughan’s latest work. The seal preserved of the Grand Chapter at York is apparently the one mentioned in the records, March 3, 1780- “Ordered that a Seal be provided for the use of the Grand Chapter, not exceeding half a Guinea.” It was paid for on April 7. The design is of an unusual kind, being a rainbow resting on clouds at each end; below is a triangle, and then a crescent, and the legend, ” Grand Royal Arch. Chapter York.” It has been reproduced by Hughan for the first time, who, however, is not correct in treating the seal of the “Arms of Masonry” as the counter seal of the Grand Chapter, a it is distinctly stated in the inventory of 1779 to be that of the Grand Lodge.

The three coronets on an azure field, were the arms borne by the Grand Lodge of all England, Prince Edwin’s arms-and are therefore the same as those given on the York Seals.