The Secret History of Freemasonry

Mason Corporations in France 161

the Magnificat where it says "Deposuit potentes de sede," the chair-

man who was stepping down from his post would leave his seat,

which was located in the center of the choir, and find himself a new

seat among the elders. At the same time and continuing through

the end of the verse, "et exaltavit homilies," the newly elected chair-

man would take possession of the baton, the emblem of his station,

and sit down on the chair vacated by his predecessor."^18

Every year the brotherhood sang a solemn Mass, which was fol-
lowed by a procession in which one member carried the candle and
baton of the trade. The following day, another service was celebrated
and a Novena was begun for the souls of deceased masters. In addition
to this annual ceremony, the divine service with solemn vespers was cel-
ebrated on fixed days and a Low Mass was said each day of the year
for deceased brothers. At the death of a member, a High Mass was sung
and attended by all the brothers.
Despite the persistence of these pious customs, however, the
admirable spirit of Christian charity that had animated the brother-
hoods during the time of Saint Louis was weakened. Yet it was still con-
sidered a matter of honor to give assistance to those craftsmen in the
trade who were suffering from misfortune.

The Brotherhoods and Civil and Religious Authorities

The brotherhoods did not always remain inside their pious and chari-
table provenance. In the beginning of their existence they were often
accused, at least under certain circumstances, of degenerating into
superstitious practice and belief. There were several cases of this that
led to them being banned by town councils in Montpellier (1214),
Toulouse (1234), Orleans (1238), Bordeaux (1248), Valence (1255),
and Avignon (1326).
A more serious matter was that these brotherhoods were sometimes
condemned for fomenting leagues, factions, and disorder. At the begin-
ning of the fourteenth century, they became involved in political agita-
tion and formed federations among themselves, which ultimately led to
the temporary abolition of the Parisian brotherhoods in 1306. In 1307,