[Anon.], The Indictment and Trial of John Andrew, Shoemaker in Maybole, Sometime Teacher of a Private School There, and Robert Ramsay, Cart Wright There, Both Members of a Masonic Lodge at Maybole: Charged with the Crime of Sedition, and Administering Unlawful Oaths (1800)

TRIAL FOR SEDITION. THIS day came on the trial of John Andrew shoemaker in Maybole,1 some-

time teacher of a private school there, and Robert Ramsay, cart-wright2 there. The libel charges them as being guilty of the crimes of sedition, and admin-

istering unlawful oaths,3 importing an obligation not to discover crimes which it is the duty of every good citizen and loyal subject to divulge and bring to light, in so far as they did, under the shew and pretence of a meeting for masonry, sometime in the year 1796, at Maybole, along with others their associates, most of them from Ireland, form themselves into an illegal club of association, stiling itself, “The Grand Assembly of Knights Templars,” 4 which club, under the pretence of initiating into the ceremonies of masonry, did admit various persons as members, and did at said admission perform various ceremonies, partly with a view to vilify and undermine the established religion, and partly to represent the Government of the country as oppressive and tyrannical, and did, with this view, oblige those who were admitted, to take, and did administer to them an oath, binding them, among other things, “to conceal the Secrets of the Order of Knights Templars, murder and treason not excepted,” or an oath of such import and tendency; and more particularly, charges them with administering, or causing to be administered, such oath on certain occasions libelled in the year 1796.