Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 10.djvu/60

42 NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s.x. JAN. 21, 1922. of Annamaboe ; and being seated in Curantee's house, They thus began ; The King of France, our Master have sent Us here to protect Our Merchant Ships in their Trade upon this Coast, which the King have heard have been much molested on it by the^Subjects of the King of England, under the Pretence of the Town of Annamaboe as well as the Best of the Country of Fanteen being their Property ; and therefore they desired to know whether it was true that the Country of Fanteen and Town of Annamaboe did belong to the King of England or not , And also That their Master the King of France wanted to know if he was to send and build in the Fanteen Country a Fort or Castle whether they would consent or agree to let it be done. To which John Currantee in the behalf of himself and the Rest assembled, made him this Answer, That the Town and Country of Fanteen did belong to the English, and has done so ever since more than he can remember ; his great Grand- father and all his Family down to himself were servants to the English ; 'Twas (said he) the English made our Town so considerable as it is, and I myself have been protected and brought up by the English, from my Infancy to this time that you see me an Old Man ; and therefore they will continue in their Allegiance to their Old Masters, and not serve any other ; That the French King had no right to ask any such questions of them, &c. &c. [sic]. And as to the driving the French Ships off, or building a Fort at Annamaboe, if they intended any such thing, They must first send a Letter to the King of England, and if he consented to give up his Right to the Fanteen Country to the French King, and granted him Permission to build in Annamboe ; then the King of England should write a Letter to the Gentlemen of Cape Coast Castle, and they signifying to Us, That that was the English King's desire, then We may hearken to what You have to say upon that Subject : But for the present We know You not. After this he gave them a genteel Dinner, and sent them off. All which the French Officers put down in Writing, and carried on board. They further told John, That they would stay in Annamaboe until they were relieved by two other French Ships of War, to protect their Trade. Aye, said John, That is only on Condition our Master the King of England, don't hear of your being here, and send others to drive you out. Honble Sirs, The above Relation is as particular, and strictly true as the Difference in the Language will admit, according to the Information received by our Messengers present at Annamaboe, during the Frenchmens Stay there. I am with respect Your Honrs most Obedt & Dutiful Servant JON ROBERTS Cape Coast Castle 5th April 1751 The above is a true Copy, taken from the Original lately received by the Royal African Company of England. African House, Watling Street, Sept 26th 1751. R. SPENCER Secry E. H. FAIBBBOTHER. THE ROYAL SOCIETY AND FREEMASONRY. THE events leading up to the foundation of he Royal Society almost synchronize with the ascertainable facts of the early history of Freemasonry in England, while the most active agent in the organization of the Dormer and its first president was Sir Robert Moray, who, according to an established record, still extant, was the first known candidate to be initiated into Freemasonry on English soil. This ceremony took place at Newcastle-on-Tyne on May 20, 1641, at a meeting of the Lodge of Edinburgh leld when the Scottish army, in which Sir Robert Moray was an officer, was stationed there. The origin of the Royal Society can be braced to the weekly meetings, held first in London and afterwards at Oxford, of men eminent in science, arts, and letters, when questions affecting science and philo- sophy Were freely discussed, but questions relating to theology and politics were rigorously excluded, this also being the rule in the craft of Freemasonry. The foundation of the Royal Society was first mooted on Nov. 28, 1660, when at the close of a lecture given by Mr. (after- Wards Sir) Christopher Wren, at Gresham College, the lecturer, together with Lord Brouncker, the Hon. Robert Boyle, Mr. Bruce, Sir Robert Moray, Sir Paul Neile, Dr. Wilkins, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Petty, Mr. Balle and Mr. Hill " withdrew for mutual conversation into the professor's apartment, where, amongst other matters, they dis- cussed the proposed foundation of a college or society for the physico -mathematical experimental teaching." A week later on Dec. 5, 1660 after Mr, Wren's next lecture, " Sir Robert Moray brought them the welcome news that the King had been ac- quainted with the design of the meeting, that he well approved of it, and would be ready to give it every encouragement." Bishop Sprat, the historian of the Royal Society, sets out a statement of the objects of the Royal Society, which is applicable equally to the objects of the craft of Free- masonry. He says : As for what belongs to the members themselves, that are to constitute the Society, it is to be noted that they have freely admitted men of different religions, countries, and professions of life. This they were obliged to do, or else they would come far short of the largeness of their own declarations. For they openly profess not to lay the foundation of an English, Scotch, Irish,