COWAN

One who works as a Mason without having served a regular apprenticeship

A term of contempt, applied to a person who does the work of a Mason but has not been regularly initiated.

This term is an old Scottish word, it is purely Masonic in nature meaning an ignorant man who puts stones together without mortar. He attempts to pass himself off as a Master Mason without being initiated.

EAVESDROPPER

An eavesdropper is an illicit listener.

One who eavesdrops, from the middle English  word: evesdropper. also from evesdrop: a place where water falls from the eaves

Eavesdropping - attempting to receive the secrets of Freemasonry through other means than that of joining
                                as an Entered Apprentice.

"An evesdropper was often placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water ran in at his shoulders
  and out at  his heels."

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