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Among the several songs is a salute to Napoleon himself: ‘Chargeons, allignons nos canons, Tirons au F[rère] Bouneparte; C’est en lui que nous admirons Les vertus de Rome d’esparte. Libérateur de son pays, Il se rend du monde l’arbitre La France n’a plus d’ennemis Qui lui conteste un si beau titre.’ The song is known from at least one other source (a version is published in Chroniques d’Histoire Maçonnique Lorraine, 9, January, 2000), and is notable for the reference to Napoleon as ‘Frère’. His membership of the Freemasons has long been a source of debate (though now commonly dismissed) and his relationship to masonry is an important aspect of the Order’s history. The Freemasons were widely accused of Revolutionary activity and were vigorously suppressed during the Terror only to be re-established under Napoleon who sought to capitalise on their loyalty and patriotism. He installed his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, as Grand Master of the Grand Orient de France and ensured that administration of French Freemasonry was directly overseen by legislator Jean-Jacques-Régis de Cambacérès. The ritualised dinner described here has elaborate table settings, with utensils and food given ceremonial names. Bread becomes ‘Pierre prutte’; wine, ‘poudre forte, b[lan]che ou rouge’; salt, ‘sable blanc’ amd pepper, ‘sable gris’. The table is referred to as the ‘Tribune’; the candles, ‘étoiles’ and spoons, ‘truelles’. Each of the toasts is given in full and the seven songs are usually supplied with the name of the popular tune to which they are sung, including, ‘L’air vive Henry quatre’ and ‘Femmes, voulez-vous éprouver?’ see full details...
They are divided into the Proprium de Tempore (offices for seasons of the Christian year such as Advent, Lent, Easter etc); the Proprium Sanctorum (for saints’ days) and the Commune Sanctorum (for feasts of varying classes, such as those for apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. This large manuscript, clearly written for communal singing, was made for a Flemish religious community by a member (Fr. F. Hairs) of an Augustinian house at Bruges. While there was an English Augustinian Convent there (an English Recusant foundation known also as the Convent of Nazareth) we have been unable to link Father Hairs to it. He may actually have been attached to the contemporary Flemish Augustinian house. The title states that the manuscript was for the use of the children (‘liberorum’) of Dominic Bergèr, but we have been unable to determine who they were. The manuscript is dated 1794 (the term ‘impressit’ does not, in this case mean literally ‘printed’). In this year, religious communities in Bruges were widely disrupted and often closed as French Revolutionary forces took over the city. The production of such a substantial volume intended for use in services at this time is notable. see full details...
