The Origins of Speculative Masonry
In order to prevent the total extinction of these old operative societies and to preserve them because of their historical associations and their value as social recreation centers, a proclamation was issued in England somewhere between the years 1707 and 1717, admitting men of all professions provided they were regularly approved and initiated into the society.
The societies then began to admit members who were not stonemasons. Pritchard writes, “Lords and Dukes, Lawyers and Shopkeepers, and the other inferior Tradesmen, Porters not excepted, were admitted”, “the first sort at very great Expence, the second sort at a moderate Rate, and the latter at an expence of six or seven Shillings, for which they receive that Badge of Honour”. Thus these old societies ceased to be operative in character, but retained a semi-professional relationship to the communities wherein they existed.
The term "Freemason" which was first used to designate a worker in free stone, began to assume a new significance - that of "free of the gilds." And, as the number of operative masons decreased and the number of speculative Masons increased, the society in due time became known as the “Society of Free and Accepted Masons”, consisting of fraternal groups which observed the traditional culture of stonemasons, but were not typically involved in modern construction projects.
From the minutes of the Lodges at Kilwinning and Aberdeen we learn that the Scottish Lodges not only took in non-Operatives as early as 1642, but that they were given an active part in lodge affairs.
The extinct Haughfoot Lodge had a non-Operative majority, with a ritual and ceremony, as early as 1702. The earliest existing record of a man having been made a non-Operative Mason in England is that of Robert Moray who was "made" at Newcastle, by members of the lodge of Edinburgh with the Scottish army, on 20th May 1641. But the most famous of all the earliest non-Operative Masons by far was Elias Ashmole, made a Mason at Warrington on 16th October 1646.
The minute book of "The old lodge of Melrose" dated 1675 records a mutual agreement signed by eighty names. "In the mutual agreement betwixt the masons of the lodge of Melrose ye master mason and wardines were invested with full powers to enforce regulations, collect fees, fines, and penalties." “Their papers, notes, and money were kept in a box in charge of the Box Master, or Master. Their funds seem to have been freely loaned to the members on "Tickets, Obligat'n's and Bonds." Early in their proceedings, the terms "prentises" and "fellow-crafts" appear, and the proceedings in 1695, record: "At Neusteid the 27 day of deer. 1695 it is heirby enacted and ordained be the Masons tread that nather prentis nor fallow Craft be received into our companie unless they hev ther gloves presentile produst to those persons they are concernd to pay too."
In 1686, Dr. Robert Plot wrote in his “Natural History of Staffordshire” about the Society of Freemasons: “for here I found persons of the most eminent quality, that did not disdain to be of this Fellowship.
Sir Robert Moray, earliest recorded
Speculative Freemason
Nor indeed need they, were it of that Antiquity and honour, that is pretended in a large parchment volume they have amongst them, containing the History and Rules of the craft of masonry…. Into which Society when they are admitted, they call a meeting (or Lodg as they term it in some places), which must consist at lest of 5 or 6 of the Ancients of the Order, when the candidats present with gloves, and so likewise to their wives, and entertain with a collation according to the Custom of the place: This ended, they proceed to the admission of them, which chiefly consists in the communication of certain secret signes, whereby they are known to one another all over the Nation, by which means they have maintenance whither ever they travel: for if any man appear though altogether known that can shew any of these signes to a Fellow of the Society, whom they otherwise call an accepted mason, he is obliged presently to come to him, from what company or place soever he be in, nay, tho' from the top of a Steeple (what hazard or inconvenience soever he run) to know his pleasure and assist him; viz., if he want work he is bound to find him some; or if he cannot doe that, to give him mony, or otherwise support him till work can be had; which is one of their Articles."