A transcript of the Henry Hotham Charter is noted below:WHEREAS I the undersigned Henry Hotham, formerly of Newcastle upon Tyne but now temporarily of Hopetoun Place, Moffat, as the last installed Master or High Priest of the INDEPENDANT CHARTER OF ROYAL ARCH KNIGHT TEMPLAR PRIESTS, also denominated the ORDER OF HOLY WISDOM or NE PLUS ULTRA attached to the ROYAL KENT ENCAMPMENT or PRECEPTORY of KNIGHTS of the TEMPLE held at Newcastle upon Tyne, aforesaid, and the KNIGHTS GRAND CROSS of the HOLY TEMPLE of JERUSALEM of the same place; and
WHEREAS I the said Henry Hotham in consequence of my being installed High Priest at this date am seized with the whole and full government of this Order in the DIstrict of Newcastle upon Tyne by virtue of being the sole survivor as aforesaid, and furthermore according to the Custom of the Order am seized by possession of the said Government and also as Grand Superintendent of the Knights Grand Cross aforesaid, and
WHEREAS that said Order is always has been independent of any other authority than that contained within itself in the persons of the duly installed officers of the Chapter for the time being, and as aforesaid,
WHEREAS representations have been made to me on behalf of certain well known and trusty companions, hereinafter mentioned, to the effect that these Companions being all Knights of the Temple of the ROyal Kent Encampment or Preceptory aforesaid and consequently Roayl Arch Masons, desire to continue the working of the aforesaid Order of Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests in the future, and under the authority of the Knights Grand Cross aforesaid as to heretofore, and
WHEREAS it has seemed proper and right to me to continue this independent Order as above proposed under the aforesaid authority.
NOW therefore I the said Henry Hotham, Past Provincial Sub Prior of Northumberland, Durham and Berwick on Tweed, Grand High Priest , &c. &c. &c. do hereby and herewith Certify that I have transmitted and continued the whole of the aforesaid powers belonging to me absolutely to the following Sir Knights of the Royal Kent Encampment or Preceptory of Knights of the Temple at Newcastle upon Tyne as aforesaid whom I have also admitted to the said Order of High Priesthood and as such do commend them to the care and consideration of all Priests of the Holy Order and especially do authorise them to make Bye Laws, Rules and Regulations within the spirit and principles of the Order, to grant Charters or to refuse the same, to recive fees and to issue Certificates as was heretofore done by me and my predecessors at Newcastle upon Tyne aforesaid, and all these several things without detriment to the generality of the Powers hereby transmitted and continued, namely, to do all such acts and things for the good of the Order aforesaid as to them may seem well acting as a body independent of all other authority except contained within. The following nine members of the Royal Kent Encampment or Preceptory of Knights of the Temple &. have this day been admitted by me to all the rights, powers and privileges of the Order as aforesaid, to wit:
| Comp. and S. Kt. Thomas J. Armstrong, | P.E. as P. Gd. High Priest | |
| Comp. and S. Kt. Willaim Francis Carmon, | P.E. as P. Gd. High Priest | |
| Comp. and S. Kt. Seymour Thomas Bell, | P.E. as P. Gd. High Priest | |
| Comp. and S. Kt. George Eugene Macarthy, | P.E. as P. Gd. High Priest | |
| Comp. and S. Kt. John Usher, | P.E. as P. Gd. High Priest | |
| Comp. and S. Kt. Ferdinand Fritz Schnitger | Marshal as P. Gd. High Priest | |
| Comp. and S. Kt. Robert George Salmon, | as a member of the Order | |
| Comp. and S. Kt. Thomas Pickering, | as a member of the Order | |
| Also V.E. Sir Kt. Charles Fendelow, | P. Pr. of Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Leics, Knight Grand Cross and Honorary Member of the Royal Kent Encampment and Preceptory. in whom the fist government of the Order rests together with the undersigned and who are to elect from amongst themselves their Hight Priest for the year 1894. | |
the aforesaid Henry Hotham
| Certified and Confirmed by the Gd. Sup. Of Kts. Grand Cross of the Council of Knights Grand Cross Of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem.
2nd October, 1895 Thomas J. Armstrong, Grand Secretary |
Henry Hotham |
