The Cathedral Builders: The Story of a Great Masonic GuildScott, Leader
History
The Cathedral Builders: The Story of a Great Masonic Guild
Scott, Leader
Cathedrals; Church architecture; Guilds
Magister Guglielmus Joannis de Sanvito
M. Franciscus Christophori de Cumo (Como)
M. Joannes Guglielmi de Sanvito (son of No. 1)
M. Stephanus Fidelis de Voltolina (Valtellina)
M. Adamus Ioannis de Thori
M. Ioannes Iacobi de Sanvito
M. Alexus Ioannis de Sanvito (his son)
M. Martinus Martii de Sanvito
M. Ioannes Talentine de Sanvito
M. Iacobus Dominici de Lamone
M. Ioannes Iacobi de Lamone (his son)
M. Guglielmus Antonii de Sanvito
M. Paulus Thomae de Charazza
M. Antonius Ioannis de Ponte
M. Iacobus Petri de Condupino
M. Antonius magistri Alberti de Lamone
M. Ioannes Francisci de Lamone
M. Ioannes de Ponte
M. Guglielmus Andreae de Sanvito
Acta fuerunt, etc.
But even this did not succeed. On January 6, 1512, we find the Sienese
Lodge making a petition to the Signoria to the effect that whereas in
ancient times the brethren of the Masonic Guild were always accustomed
to hold their meetings and unite for worship in their own chapel of
the _Santi Quattro_ in the cathedral, the "foreign" builders being now
separated from that chapter (lodge), all the money which used to be
collected to endow that chapel, is now collected among themselves, and
sent to Lombardy, without consulting the said chapter (_capitudine_),
"to the grave injury and shame of our city, and of the said chapel,"
"thus we pray of your Signoria that you will command that the said
lodge shall meet according to the ancient rules of the order, under
pain of penalties named in the ancient Breve ... the which shall be
useful and honourable to our city and to the said chapel."[215] By
this we realize that the Lombard Masters were not only the earliest
guild of architects at Siena, but also the most powerful, as the
Sienese branch could not even keep up the chapel of their patron saint
without their aid.
It may be interesting to glance over the headings of the statutes of
the Sienese Masonic Guild, which no doubt were similar to, if not
identical with the original one; at any rate they will throw light on
the organization.
Cap. I. On he who curses God or the Saints (a fine of twenty-five
lire).
Cap. II. On he who opposes the Signoria of the city (a fine of
twenty-five lire).
Cap. III. On the election of _rettore_ and _camarlengo_. (In the
Florentine Lodge which kept up the older Latin, these are called
_caput magister_ and _provveditore_.)
Cap. IV. On the forming of councils and their duration.
Cap. V. How to treat underlings (_sottoposti_).
Cap. VI. On those who disobey the rector or _camarlengo_.
Cap. VII. On he who refuses a citation (fine of twenty soldi).
Cap. VIII. Of one who swears by the blood or body of God.
Cap. IX. Of he who takes work on a risk.
Cap. X. All names of _sottoposti_ to be written in the Breve.
Cap. XI. That no one may take work away from another Master.
Cap. XII. Contracts with pupils must be made before the _camarlengo_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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