Early Masonic Manuscripts

The Old Chargeshttp://www.rgle.org.uk/RGLE_Old_Charges.htm

The following is a complete list of all known old manuscripts relating to Craft Masonry and Freemasonry. The manuscripts explainand lay down to us the legendary and history of the Craft and a set of rules for conduct of its members. These documents arebeautifully written and the study of them will shed much light, to the reader on the history and Tradition of Craft Freemasonry.

Note: If you have a full text copy of any manuscript here not yet published please e-mail it to us at masoniccouncil@gmail.com

The Families of the Old Charges

The manuscripts of the Old Charges exhibit a basic similarity, but they fall readily into “families,” each of which displays a largemeasure of textual uniformity. This classification was first worked out by the great Masonic scholar Dr. Wilhelm Begemann in 1888.There are eight families, each indicated by a name and a code letter.

A Regius Manuscript (1 text)B Cooke Family (3 texts)C Plot Family (6 texts)

T Tew Family (9 texts)D Grand Lodge Family (53texts)

E Sloane Family (21 texts)F Roberts Family (6 texts)

G Spencer Family (6 texts)H Sundry Family (8 texts)

Operative Masons ChargesManuscript Name & Date

Edict of Rothari A.D. 643Constitutions York 926Charter of Bologna 1248York 1370 (French Translation)Preambolo Veneziano relativoalle Mariegole dei Taiapiera, deitagliatori dipietra (1307)Anglo-Norman Charges 1356 EnglandRegius 1390 British MuseumCooke 1450 British MuseumStrassburg, Ratisbona 1459 GermanyTorgau Ordinances 1462 GermanyWatson MS series 1535Grand Lodge No.1 1583 LondonSchaw 1598The Sinclair MS 1601Jones 1607 ( Possibly 1655)Wood 1610 WorcesterThorp 1629 LeicesterSloane No. 3848 1646 British MuseumInigo Jones MS 1655Sloane No.3323, 1659 British Museum

Atcheson Haven 1666, Grand Lodge of ScotlandAberdeen 1670, Aberdeen Lodge No.1 (copy published "Voiceof Masonry" December 1874)Henery Heade 1675, Inner Temple, LondonMelrose No.2 1675, Melrose St. John Lodge No.1Stanley 1677 West Yorkshire LibraryThe Thomas Tew MS 1680Plot 1686 Epitome in Nat. Hist. StaffordshireClerke 1686Antiquity 1686, Lodge of Antiquity No.2William Watson 1687, West Yorkshire LibraryBeaumont 1690, West Yorkshire LibraryWaistell 1693, West Yorkshire LibraryYork No.4 1693, York Lodge No.236Edinburgh 1696Edinburgh 1696 (French Translation)Foxcroft 1699Buchanan 1600'sPhillips No.1 1600's CheltenhamPhillips No.2 1600's Cheltenham

Speculative Masons ChargesYork No.1 1600's YorkYork No.5 1600's YorkYork No.6 1600's YorkKilwinning, 1600's Kilwinning Lodge No.0Lansdowne 1560 - 1600's British MuseumHarleian No.1942 1600's British MuseumHarleian No.2054, 1600's British MuseumGrand Lodge No.2 1600's LondonColne No.1 1600's Royal Lancashire Lodge No.116, ColneHarris No.1 1600's Bedford Lodge No.157, LondonDumfries No.1 1600's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No.53Dumfries No.2 1600's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No.53Dumfries No.3 1600's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No.53Stirling 1600's, Ancient Lodge No.30, StirlingHope 1600's Benevolent Lodge No.303, TeignmouthBain 1600's LondonDring-Gale 1600's LondonLangdale 1600's RochdaleClapham 1600's West Yorkshire LibraryDauntesey 1600's ManchesterTaylor 1600's West Yorkshire Library

Lechmere 1600's WorcesterBeswicke-Royde, 1600's East LancashireDavid Ramsay, 1600's HamburgEmbleton 1600's, West Yorkshire LibrarySloane No.3329, 1700 British Museum (french Translation)Drinkwater No.1, 1700 Manchester AssociationDrinkwater No.2, 1700 Manchester AssociationChetwode Crawley 1700 (french Translation)Boyden 1700, Washington, DC.Strachan 1700 QC Lodge No.2076Alnwick 1701 NewcastleYork No.2, 1704 York Lodge No.236Heaton 1705 EnglandScarborough, York 1705 Grand Lodge of CanadaDumfries N.4 1710 London (french Translation)Talents 1700-20 LondonBrooks Hill 1700-20 LondonCama Circa 1705 LondonInigo Jones 1705 WorcesterTrinity College 1711 (french Translation)Kevan 1714

Robert's Constitutions 1722Roberts 1722 (original)Macnab 1722Ancient Charges of a Free Mason 1723Regulations of a Free Mason 1723Post Boy Sham Exposure 1723Haddon 1723 LondonBriscoe 1724 PrintedGrand Mystery of Freemasons 1724 PrintedGrand Mystery of Freemasons 1724 (french Translation)Institution of Free Masons 1725Institution of Free Masons 1725 (french Translation)Whole Institution of Free-Masons Opened 1725Spencer 1726 MassachusettsGraham 1726 London (french Translation)Songhurst Circa 1726 LondonFisher 1726 LondonDundee 1727Wilkinson 1727 (french Translation)Tho. Carmick 1727 PennsylvaniaWoodford 1728 LondonCole 1728 Engraved in Cole's ConstitutionsFree Masonry according to the Scriptures 1737 (spanishtranslation)La Reception d'un Frey Maçon 1737Langley 1738 PrintedDodd 1739 PrintedLevander-York 1740 Port SunlightFree Masons Catechism 1740 Harry Carr (spanish translation)Le Parfait Maçon 1744Le Sceau rompu 1745

Holywell 1748 LancashireFortitude 1750 Fortitude Lodge No. 281, LancasterEssex 1750 Harry CarrThistle Manuscript 1756, Thistle Lodge No. 62, DumfriesThe Free Mason Examin'd 1758Three Distinctive Knocks 1760 PrintedMelrose No.3, 1762 Melrose St. John Lodge No.1Jachin and Boaz 1762Tew 1700's West Yorkshire LibraryPortland 1700's Wilbick AbbeyHughan 1700's West Yorkshire LibraryPapworth's 1700's LondonPhillips No.3, 1700's CheltenhamNewcastle College 1700's NewcastleProbity 1700's Probity Lodge No.61, HalifaxColne No.2, 1700's Royal Lancashire Lodge No.116, ColneHarris No.2, 1700's British MuseumRawlinson 1700's Bodleian LibraryDumfries No.4, 1700's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No.53Gateshead 1700's Lodge of Industry No.48Krause 1806 (Printed from an Older MSS)Dowland MSS (An Older MSS which was Printed in 1815 dateunknown)Hargrove 1818 PrintedTunnah 1828 LondonThe Albury MS.1875MHC No.1 The Act of Regularity 2005MHC No.2 The Observances of Freemasonry 2005MHC No.3 The Constitutions of the Craft 2005MHC No.4 The Foundations of Regular Craft Ritual 2006

List of several manuscripts that are presumed missing

Melrose No.1 1600'sYork No.3 1630 - Constitutions a parchment Roll of Charges on Masonry (last seen in 1779)Bolt-Coleraine 1728Crane No.1 1700'sCrane No.2 1700'sWren 1852BakerMorganWilsonMasons CompanyNewcastle LodgeT. Lamb SmithAnchor & HopeDrake

James Anderson, wrote the following in his narrative of 1720

"This Year, at some private Lodges, several very valuable Manuscripts ... concerning the Fraternity, their Lodges, Regulations,Charges, Secrets, and Usages ... were too hastily burnt by some scrupulous Brothers, that those Papers might not fall into strangeHands." These are now lost to us forever."

A REPRINT FROM THE HARRIS CONSTITUTIONS, 1798

(The following article is made up of excerpts from a quaint and rare old book, entitled, "Constitutions of the Ancient and HonorableFraternity of Free and Accepted Masons," compiled by Rev. Thaddeus Mason Harris, A. M. dated 1798.

It is something more than a glimpse into an Old Curiosity Shop, showing how Masonic history was written in that day, which isinteresting as a warning, if nothing else; and at the same time furnishing some facts of real value. Such compilers are usefulworkers, and if some of the rubbish of the Temple gets into their records, it is for us to remove it, preserving, now and then, a stoneof unique design--as did a certain young artist, once on a day, while digging in the quarry.)

An old Manuscript which was destroyed, with many others in 1720, said to have been in the possession of NICHOLAS STONE, acurious Sculptor under INIGO JONES, contains the following particulars:

I

"St. Alban loved Masons well, and cherished them much, and made their pay right good; for he gave them ii s. per weeke and iii d.to their cheer; whereas, before that time, in all the land, a Mason had but a penny a day, and his meat, until St. Alban mended itt.

And he gott them a charter from the king and his counsell for to hold a general counsell, and gave itt to name Assemblie. Thereat hewas himselfe and did helpe to make Masons, and gave them good charges."

II

A RECORD OF THE SOCIETY, written in the reign of Edward IV, formerly in the possession of the famous ELIAS ASHMOLE,founder of the Museum at Oxford, and unfortunately destroyed, with other papers on the-subject of Masonry, at the revolution, givesthe following account of the State of Masonry at that period: ...

"Though the ancient records of the Brotherhood in England were many of them destroyed or lost in wars of the Saxons and Danes,yet King Athelstane (the grandson of King Alfrede the great, a mighty architect) the first anointed king of England, and whotranslated the Holy Bible into the Saxon tongue (A.D. 930) when he had brought the land into rest and peace, built many greatworks, and encouraged many Masons from France, who were appointed overseers thereof, and brought with them the charges andregulations of the Lodges, preserved since the Roman times; who also prevailed with the king to improve the constitution of theEnglish Lodges according to the foreign model, and to increase the wages of working Masons.

"The said King's brother, Prince Edwin, being taught Masonry, and taking upon him the charges of a Master Mason, for the love hehad to the said craft, and the honourable principles whereon it is grounded, purchased a free charter of King Athelstane, for theMasons having a correction among themselves (as it was anciently expressed) or a freedom and power to regulate themselves, toamend what might happen amiss, and to hold a yearly communication and general assembly:

"Accordingly Prince Edwin summoned all the Masons in the realm to meet him in a congregation at York, who came and composeda general Lodge, of which he was Grand Master; and having brought with them all the writings and records extant, some in Greek,some in Latin, some in French, and other languages, from the contents thereof that assembly did frame the constitution and chargesof an English Lodge, made a law to preserve and observe the same in all time coming, and ordained good pay for working Masons,&c." And he made a book thereof how the craft was founded: And he himself ordered and commanded that it should be read andtolde when any Mason should be made, and for to give him his charges. And from that day until this time manners of Masons havebeen kept in that forme, as well as menne might govern.

"Furthermore, however, at divers assemblies certain charges have been made and ordained by the best advice of Masters andFellowes, as the exigencies of the craft made necessarie."

III

"In the glorious reign of King Edward III, when Lodges were more frequent, the Right Worshipful the Master and Fellows, withconsent of the Lords of the realm (for most great men were then Masons) ordained,

"That for the future, at the making or admission of a Brother, the constitution and the ancient charges should be read by the Masteror Warden.

"That such as were to be admitted Master Masons, or Masters of the work, should be examined whether they be able of cunning toserve their respective Lords, as well the lowest as the highest, to the honor and worship of the aforesaid art, and to the profit of theirLords; for they be their Lords that employ and pay them for-their service and travel."

The following particulars are also contained in a very Old Manuscript, of which a copy was in the possession of the late GEORGEPAYNE, Esq., Grand Master in 1718.

"That when the Master and Wardens meet in a Lodge, if need be, the Sheriff of the county, or the Mayor of the city, or Alderman ofthe town, in which the congregation is held, should be made fellow and sociate to the Master, in help of him against rebels, and forupbearing the rights of the realm.

"That entered prentices, at their making, were charged not to be thieves, or thieves maintainers; that they should travel honestly fortheir pay, and love their fellows as themselves, and be true to the King of England, and to the realm, and to the Lodge.

"That at such congregations it shall be inquired, whether any Master or Fellow has broke any of the articles agreed to; and if theoffender, being duly cited to appear, prove rebel, and will not attend, then the Lodge shall determine against him, that he shallforswear (or renounce) his Masonry, and shall no more use this Craft, the which if he presume for to do, the Sheriff of the countyshall prison him, and take all his goods into the King's hands, until his grace be granted him and issued. For this Cause principallyhave these congregations been ordained, that as well the lowest as the highest should be well and truly served in this art aforesaid,throughout all the kingdom of England. Amen, so mote it be."

IV

The Latin Register of William Molart, Prior of CANTERBURY, in Manuscript, (pp. 88), entitled, "Liberatio generalis Domini GulielmiPrioris Ecclesiae Christi Cantuariensis, erga Fastum Natalis Domini 1429," informs us, that, in the year 1429, during the minority ofHenry VI, a respectable Lodge was held at Canterbury, under the patronage of Henry Chicheley, the Archbishop: At which werepresent Thomas Stapylton, the Master; John Morris, the custos de la Lodge lathomorum, or Warden of the Lodge of Masons; withfifteen fellow crafts and three entered apprentices, all of whom are particularly named.

A record of that time says that,

"The company of Masons, being otherwise termed Free Masons, of auntient staunding and gude reckoning, by means of affableand kind meetings dyverse tymes, and as a loving brotherhood use to do, did frequent this mutual assembly in the time of Henry VI,in the 12th year of his reign, A. D. 1434."

See also Stowe's Survey, Ch. V, p. 215.

The same record says farther,

"That the charges and laws of the Free Masons have been seen and perused by our late Soveraign King Henry VI and by the Lordsof his most honourable council, who have allowed them, and declared, That they be right good and reasonable to be holden, as theyhave been drawn out and collected from the records of ancient tymes" &c.

V

ANCIENT CHARGES

Ye shall be true to the King, and the Master ye serve, and to the fellowship whereof ye are admitted. Ye shall be true to and loveeidher odher. Ye shall call eider odher Brother or Fellow, not slave, nor any unkind name.

Ye shall ordain the wisest to be Master of the work; and neither for love nor lineage, riches nor favor, set one over the work whohath but little knowledge; whereby the Master would be evil served, and ye ashamed. And also ye shall call the governour of thework Master in the time of working with him; And ye shall truly deserve the reward of the Masters ye serve.

All the Freres shall treat the peculiarities of eidber odher with the gentleness, decencie, and forbearance he thinks due to his own.Ye shall have a reasonable pay, and live honestly.

Once a year ye are to come and assemble together, to consult how ye may best work to serve the Craft, and to your own profit andcredit.

VI

A MANUSCRIPT copy of an examination of some of the Brotherhood, taken before King Henry VI, was found by the learned JohnLocke, Esq. in the Bodleian library. This dialogue possesses a double claim to our regard; first for its antiquity, and next for theingenious notes and conjectures of Mr. Locke upon it, some of which we have retained. The approbation of a Philosopher of asgreat merit and penetration as the English nation ever produced, added to the real value of the piece itself, must give it a sanction,and render it deserving a serious and candid examination.

The ancient Manuscript is as follows, viz.

Certayne Questyons, with answeres to the same, concernynge the Mystery of maconrye; wryitenne by the hande of Kynge Henryethe Sixthe of the Name, and faythfullye copyed by me *Johan Leylande Antiquarius, by the commaunde of his Highnesse.**

*Note--"John Leylande was appointed by King Henry the eighth, at the dissolution of Monasteries, to search for, and save suchbooks and records as were valuable among them. He was a man of great labor and industry."

**His Highness, meaning the said King Henry the eighth. Our Kings had not then the title of Majesty."

They be as Followethe:

Quest. What mote ytt be?

Answ. Ytt beeth the Skylle of nature, the understondynge of the myghte that is hereynne, and its sondrye werckynges; sonderlyche,the Skylle of rectenyngs, of waightes, and metynges, and the treu manere of faconnynge al thynges for mannes use, headlye,dwellynges, and buyldynges of alle kindes, and al odher thynges that make gudde to manne.

Quest. Where dyd ytt begyne ?

Answ. Ytt dyd begynne with the fyrste menne yn the este, whych were before the ffyrste manne of the weste, and comynge westlye,ytt hath broughte herwyth alle comfortes to the wylde and comfortlesse.

Quest. Who dyd brynge ytt westlye ?

Answ. The Venetians *, whoo beynge grate merchaundes, comed ffyrste ffromme the este ynn Venetia, ffor the commodytye ofmerchaundysynge beithe este and weste, bey the Redde and Myddlelonde Sees.

*Note--"The Venetians." In times of monkish ignorance, it is no wonder that the Phenicians should be mistaken for Venetians. Orperhaps, if the people were not taken one for the other, similitude of sound might deceive the clerk who first took down theexamination. The Phenicians were the greatest voyagers among the ancients, and were in Europe thought to be the inventors ofletters, which perhaps they brought from the east with other arts.

Quest. Howe comede ytt yn Engelonde ?

Answ. Peter Gower,* a Grecian, journyedde ffor kunnynge yn Egypte, and Syria, and yn everyche londe whereas the Venetianshadde plauntedde Maconrye, and wynnynge entraunce yn al Lodges of Maconnes, he lerned muche, and retournedde, and wonedyn Grecia Magna** wachsynge, and becommynge a myghtye wyseacre, and gratelyche renowned, and her he framed a grateLodge at Groton and maked many Maconnes, some whereoffe dyd journey yn Fraunce, and maked manye Maconnes,wherefromme, yn processe of tyme, the arte passed in Engelonde.

*Note--PETER GOWER. "This must be another mistake of the writer. I was puzzled at first to guess who Peter Gower should be, thename beillg perfectly English, or how a Greek should come by such a name; but as soon as I thought of Pythagoras, I could scarceforebare smiling, to find that philosopher had undergone a metempsychosis he never dreamt of. We need only consider the Frenchpronunciation of this name Pythagore that is petegore, to concieve how easily such a mistake might be made by an unlearned clerk.That Pythagoras travelled for knowledge into Egypt, is known to all the learned and that he was initiated into several different ordersof Priests, who in those kept all their learning secret from the vulgar, is as well known. Pythagoras also, made every geometrical

theorem a secret, and admitted only such to the knowledge of them, as had first undergone a five years silence. He is supposed tobe the inventor of the xlviith of the first book of Euclid, for which in the joy of his heart, it is said he sacrificed a hecatomb. He alsoknew the true system of the world lately revived by Copernicus and was certainly a most wonderful man.

**GRECIA MAGNA. "A part of Italy formerly so-called in which the Greeks had settled a large colony."

Quest. Do the Maconnes discover here arts unto others ?

Answ. Peter Gower whenne he journeyedde to lernne, was ffyrste made, and anonne techedde; evenne soe shulde all odhers be ynrecht. Natheless* Maconnes hauethe alweys yn everyche tyme from tyme to tyme communycatedde to mannkynde soche of hersecrettes as generallyche myghte be usefulle; they haueth keped backe soche allein as shulde be harmefulle yff they commed yneuylle haundes, oder soche as ne myghte be holpynge wythouten the techynges to be joynedde herwythe in the Lodge, oder socheas do bynde the Freres more strongelyche togeder, bey the proffytte, and commodytye comynge to the Confrerie herfromme.

*Note--"MACONNES HAUETHE COMMUNYCATEDDE &c. This paragraph hath something remarkable in it. It contains ajustification of the secrecy so much boasted of by Masons and so much blamed by others; asserting that they have in ali agesdiscovered such things as might be useful, and that they conceal such only as would be hurtful either to the world or themselves.What these secrets are, we see afterwards."

Quest. Whatte artes haueth the Maconnes techedde mankynde ?

Answ. The artes Agricultura, Architechura, Astlonomia, Geometria, Numeres, Musica, Poesie, Kymistrye, Governmente, andRelygyonne.

Quest. Howe commethe Maconnes more teachers than odher menne ?

Answ. They hemselfe haueth allein the arte of fyndynge neue artes, whyche art the ffyrste Maconnes receaued from Godde; by thewhyche they fyndethe whatte artes hem plesethe, and the treu way of techynge the same. Whatt odher menne doethe ffynde out, ysonelyche bey chaunce, and therfore but Iytel I tro.

Quest. Whatt dothe the Maconnes concele, and hyde ?

Answ. They concelethe the arte of ffyndynge neue artes, and thattys for there owne proffytte, and preise: They concelethe the arteof kepynge secrettes, thatt soe the worlde mayeth nothinge concele from them. They concelethe the arte of wunderwerckynge, andof fore sayinge thynges to comme, thatt so thay same artes may not be usedde of the wyckedde to an euylle ende; they alsoconceethe the arte of chaunges (Note, The transmutation of metals) the wey of wynnynge the facultye of Abrac (Note, This word"Abracadabra" had a magical signification the explanation of which is now lost) the skylle of becommynge gude and parfyghtewythouten the holpynges of fere, and hope; and the universelle longage of Maconnes.

Quest. Wylle he teche me thay same artes?

Answ. Ye shalle be techedde yff ye be werthye, and able to lerne.

Quest. Dothe alle Maconnes kunne more than odher menne ?

Answ. Not so. Thay onlyche haueth recht, and occasyonne more then odher menne to kunne, butt many doeth fale yn capacity, andmanye more doth want industrye, that ys pernecessarye for the gaynynge all kunnynge.

Quest. Are Maconnes gudder menne then odhers ?

Answ. Some Maconnes are nott so vertuous as some odher menne; but yn the moste parte, thay be more gude then thay woulde beyf thay war not Maconnes.

Quest. Doth Maconnes love eidther odher myghtylye as beeth sayde ? Answ. Yea verylyche, and yt may not odherwyse be; forgude menne, and true, kennynge eidher odher to be soche, doeth always love the more as thay be more gude.

Here endethe the Questyonnes and Awnsweres.

A letter from Mr. Locke to the Right Honorable Thomas Earl of Pembroke, to whom he sent this ancient manuscript, concludes asfollows, viz. "I know not what effect the sight of this old paper may have upon your Lordship; but for my own part I cannot deny, thatit has so much raised my curiosity, as to induce me to enter myself into the Fraternity; which I am determined to do (if I may beadmitted) the next time I go to London (and that will be shortly). I am, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient, and most humbleservant. JOHN LOCKE."

GLOSSARY

Allein, only.Alweys, alwaysBeithe, both.Commodytye, conveniency.Confrerie, fraternityFaconnynge, forming.Fore saying, prophesying.Freres, brethrenHeadlye, chiefly.Hem plesethe, they please.Hemselfe, themselves.

Her, there, theirHereynne, therein.Herwyth, with it.Holpynge, beneficial.Kunne, know.Kunnynge, knowledge.Make gudde, are beneficial.Metynges, measures.Mote may.Myddlelonde, Mediterranean.Myghte, power.

Occasyonne, opportunity.Oder, or.Onelyche, only.Perneccessarye, absolutelynecessary.Preise, honor.Recht, right.Reckenyngs, numbers.Sonderlyche, particularly.Skylle, knowledge.Wachsynge, growing.

Werck, operation.Wey, way.Whereas, where.Woned, dwelt.Wunderwerckynge, workingmiracles.Wylde, savage.Wynnynge, gaining.Ynn, into

VII

Ancient Charges at the Constituting of a Lodge; Extracted from a Manuscript in the possession of the Lodge of Antiquity in London,written in the time of James the second.

"And furthermore, at diverse assemblies have been put and ordained diverse crafties by the best advise of magistrates and fellows.

Tunc unus ex senioribus tenet, librum, et illi ponent manum suam super librum.

"Every man that is a Mason take good heed to these charges (we Pray) that if any may find himselfe guilty of any of these charges,that he may amend himselfe, or principally for dread of God, you that be charged to take good heed that you keepe all thesecharges well, for it is a great evill for a man to forswear himselfe upon a book.

"The first charge is, That yee shall be true men to God and the holy church, and to use no error or heresie by your understandingand by wise mens teachings. Allso

"Secondly, That yee shall be true liege men to the king of England, without treason or any falsehood, and that ye know no treasonor treachery but yee shall give knowledge thereof to the King or his counseil; also yee shall be true one to another, that is to say,every Mason of the Craft that is Mason allowed, yee shall doe to him as yee would be done unto yourselfe.

"Thirdly, And yee shall keepe truly all the counsell that ought to be kept in the way of Masonhood, and all the counsell of the Lodgeor of the chamber. Also, that yee shall be no thiefe nor thieves to your knowledge free. That yee shall be true to the King, Lord orMaster that yee serve, and truly to see and worke for his advantage.

"Fourthly, Yee shall call all Masons your fellows, or your brethren, and no other names.

"Fifthly, Yee shall not take your Fellows wife in villany nor deflower his daughter or servant, nor put him to disworship.

"Sixthly, Yee shall truely pay for your meat or drinke wheresoever yee goe, to table or bord. Also, Yee shall doe no villany there,whereby the Craft or Science may be slandered.

"These be the charges general - to every true Mason, both Masters and Fellowes.

"Now will I rehearse other charges single for Masons allowed or accepted.

"First, That no Mason take on him no Lord's worke, nor any other man's, unless he know himself well able to perform the worke, sothat the Craft shall have no Slander.

"Secondly, Allso, that that no Master take worke but that he take reasonable pay for itt; so that the Lord may be truly served, and theMaster to live honestly and to pay his fellows truely. And that no Master or fellow supplant others of their worke; that is to say, that ifhe hath taken a worke, or else stand Master of any worke, that he shall not put him out, unless he be unable of cunning to make anend of his worke. And no Master nor Fellow shall take no apprintice for less than seven years. And that the apprintice be free born,and of limbs whole as a man ought to be, and no bastard. And that no Master or Fellow take no allowance to be made Masonwithout the assent of his fellows, at the least six or seaven.

"Thirdly, That he that be made be able in all degrees; that is, free born, of good kindred, true, and no bondsman, and that he havehis right limbs, as a man ought to have.

"Fourthly, That a Master take no apprintice without occupation to occupy two or three Fellows at the least.

"Fifthly, That no Master or Fellow put away any Lord's worke to taske that ought to be journey worke.

"Sixthly, That every Master give pay to his Fellows and servants as they may deserve, soe that he be not defamed with falseworkeing; And that none slander another behind his back, to make loose his good name.

"Seventhly, That no Fellow in the house or abroad answear another ungodly or reproveably without a cause.

"Eighthly, That every Master Mason doe reverance his elder; and that a Mason be no common plaier at cards, dice or hazzard nor atany other unlawfull plaies, through the which the science and Craft may be dishonoured or slandered.

"Ninthly, That no Felllow goe into town by night, except he hath a Fellow with him, who may beare him record that he was in anhonest place.

"Tenthly, That every Master and Fellow shall come to the assemblie, if itt be eithin fifty miles of him, if he have any warning. And ifhe have trespassed against the Craft, to abide the award of Masters and Fellows.

"Eleventhly, That every Master Mason and Fellow that hath trespassed against the Craft shall stand to the correction of otherMasters and Fellows to make him accord, and if they cannot accord, to go to the common law.

"Twelvethly, That a Master or Fellow make not a mould stone, square, nor rule, to no lowen, nor let no lowen worke within theirLodge, nor without to mould stone.

"Thirteenthly, That every Mason receive and cherish strange Fellows when they come over the countrie, and set them on worke ifthey will worke, as the manner is; that is to say, if the Mason have any mould stone in his place, he shall give him a mould stone,and sett him on worke; and if he have none, the Mason shall refresh him with money unto the next Lodge.

"Fourteenthly, That every Mason shall truely serve his Master for his pay.

"Fifteenthly, That every Master shall truely make an end of his worke, taske or journey whethersoe it be.

"These be all the charges and covenants that ought to be read at the installment of Master, or makeing of a Free Mason or FreeMasons. The Almighty God of Jacob who ever have you and me in his keeping, bless us now and ever, Amen."

VIII

Extract from the Diary of ELIAS ASHMOLE, a learned Antiquary.

"I was made a Free Mason at Warrington, Lancashire, with Colonel Henry Mainwaring, of Kerthingham, in Cheshire, by Mr. RichardPenket the Warden, and the Fellow Crafts (all of whom are specified) on the 16th October, 1646."

In another place of his diary he says.

"On March the 10th,1682, about 5 hor. post merid. I received a summons to appear at a Lodge to be held the next day at MasonsHall in London. March 11, accordingly I went, and about noon were admitted into the fellowship of Free Masons Sir William Wilson,Knt. Capt. Richard Borthwick, Mr. Wiiliam Woodman, Mr. William Gray, Mr. Samuel Taylour, and Mr. William Wise. I was the seniorFellow among them, it being thirty five years since I was admitted. There were present, beside myself, the Fellows after named: Mr.Thomas Wise, Master of the Masons' Company this present year, Mr. Thomas Shorthose, and seven more old Free Masons. We alldined at the Half Moon Tavern, Cheapside, at a noble dinner prepared at the charge of the new accepted Masons."

An old record of the Society describes a coat of arms much the same with that of the London company of Freemen Masons; whenceit is generally believed that this company is a branch of that ancient Fraternity; and in former times, no man, it also appears, wasmade free of that company, until he was initiated in land among the operative Masons.

The writer of Mr. Ashmole's life, who was not a Mason, before his History of Berkshire, p. 6, gives the following account of Masonry.

"He (Mr. Ashmole) was elected a Brother of the company of Free Masons; a favour esteemed so singular by the members thatKings themselves have not disdained to enter themselves of this Society. From these are derived the adopted Masons, acceptedMasons, or Free Masons, who are known to one another all over the world by certain ,signals and watch words known to themalone. They have several Lodges in different countries for their reception; and when any of them fall into decay, the Brotherhood isto relieve them. The manner of their adoption or admission is very formal and solemn, and with the administration of an oath ofsecrecy, which has had better fate than all other oaths, and has ever been most religiously observed; nor has the world been yetable, by the inadvertency, surprise, or folly of any of its members, to dive into this mystery or make the least discovery."

(The above extract of Masonic antiquities is taken from the CONSTITUTIONS of the ANCIENT and HONORABLE FRATERNITY ofFREE and ACCEPTED MASONS, published by the GRAND LODGE of MASSACHUSETTS, 25th June, 1798, Compiled by theRev. Thaddeus Mason Harris, A. M. Grand Chaplain.)

Compagnonnage Poster of 1848, French Operative Masonry

http://www.masoniclibrary.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:gothic-constitutions&catid=23:lecture&Itemid=30

Gothic ConstitutionsExtracted from 'Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia'

These old documents are also known under several other names. Some prefer York Constitutions and that is fairly descriptive, sincesome of them state that the first Annual Assembly of Masons was held at York, England, and those which do not name Yorkinvariably ascribe the first Assembly to the authority and patronage of King Athelstan whose seat was at York.

Others refer to them simply as Old Manuscripts, but that is misleading, there being many old manuscripts which are not GothicConstitutions. Some call them Manuscript Constitutions of the British Freemasons, but they are not all in manuscript, some beingprinted. Sometimes they are called Ancient Charges but this may overreach the truth in the matter of antiquity, none of them beingtraceable beyond the Middle Ages, while, on the other hand, they contain more than Charges, the Legends both in substance andvolume being quite as important. The name, Gothic Constitutions, was first applied to the old documents in question by Dr. JamesAnderson in his Constitutions of 1738. They are what in Masonic terminology have usually been called constitutions, and the oldestspecimens were written in or at the latter end of the period of Gothic construction, which extended approximately from 1150 to 1550A. D. The name is descriptive, it was the first name applied and there seems no good reason for any other.

Regius MS:

The oldest of these documents is known as the Regius MS., sometimes called the Halliwell MS. for the reason that its Masoniccharacter was first discovered and announced by Mr. Halliwell-Phillips, a non-Mason. It is written on vellum, 4 by 5 inches in sizeand bound in Russia leather. It is lodged in the British Museum, where for many years it was cataloged as A Poem of Moral Duties,which aided in hiding its Masonic character until 1839. It bears no date, but antiquaries have placed its date at somewhere between1350 and 1450 A. D., with the preponderance of authority at about 1390. It is in the form of a rude epic poem and was probably thework of a priest or monk who had access to older Masonic documents. The title, which is Latin, is translated: Here begins theConstitutlons of fhe Art of Geometry according to Euclid. This MS. is not a true Gothic Constitution, none of which is in verse, but isa rhymed copy of such a document, together with certain non-Masonic matter as follows:

(1) The legendary history of Geometry or Masonry in substance similar to that found in the Gothic Constitutions; (2) Fifteen Articlesfor the Master and Fifteen Points for the Craftsmen, (3) An ordinance relating to assemblies; (4) The legend of the Four CrownedMartyrs; (5) Rules of Behavior in Church; and (6) Some rules of deportment or etiquette. Parts (1), (2), and (3) are purely Masonic,(4) relates to the Freemasons but is not found in any of the Gothic Constitutions, while (5) and (6) are not Masonic at all. The poemcontains 794 lines, of which the following, beginning at line 55, is a small sample:

"The Clerk Euclid in this wise foundedThis Craft of geometry in Egyptian land,In Egypt he taught it full wide,In divers lands on every side;Many years afterward, I understandBefore the Craft came into this land.This Craft came into England, as I now say,In the time of good King Athelstan's day;He made them both hall and likewise bowerAnd high temples of great honour,To disport him in both day and night,And to worship his God with all his might."

It then proceeds to relate how Athelstan sent about after Masons and called an assembly of lords, dukes, earls, barons, knights,squires and many more and gave them charges, of which the following is a complete list, partly modernized:

Fifteen Articles for the Master Mason:

1. He must be "stedefast, trusty and trewe."2. He must be at the general congregation to know where it shall be held.3. He must take apprentices for seven years "hys craft to lurn."4. He must take no bondman for apprentice.5. The apprentice must be of lawful blood and "have his lymes hole."6. To take the Lord for his apprentice as much as his fellows.7. He shall accept no thief for an apprentice "lest hyt wolde turne the craft to schame."8. "Any mon of crafte, be not also perfyt, he may hym change."9. He must undertake no work, "but he conne bothe hyt ende and make."10. No master must supplant another but "be as syster and brother."11. He must be both "fayr and fre" and teach by his might.12. He shall not disparage his fellow's work but "hyt amende."13. He must teach his apprentice.14. So that he, "withynne hys terme, of hym dyvers poyntes may lurne."15. Do nothing that "wolde turne the craft to schame."

Fifteen Points for the Craftmen:

1. "Must love wel God and holy churche and his mayster and felows."2. Work truly for "huyres apon werk and halydays."

3. Must keep his master's counsel in chamber and "yn logge."4. "No mon to hys craft be false."5. Must accept their pay meekly from the master and not strive.6. Must "stond wel yn Goddes lawe."7. Respect the chastity of his master's wife and "his felows concubyne."8. Be a true mediator and act fairly to all.9. To pay well and truly to man and woman.10. Disobedient masons to be dealt with by the assembly and forfeit membership in the craft.11. Help one another by instructing those deficient in knowledge and skill.12. Imprisonment for disobedience to the assembly.13. He shall "swere never to be no thef" and never to help any of false craft.14. Swear to be true to the King.15. Must obey the assembly on pain of having to forsake the craft and suffer mprisonment.The poem ends with: "Amen! Amen! so mote hyt be! Say we so alle per charyte."

The Legend of the Four Crowned Martyrs (Quatuor Coronati) was not a legend of the British Freemasons and is found in none ofthe Gothic Constitutions (except the Regius MS.), but it was a legend of the German Steinmetzen and, since these Christian Martyrshad been honored by the Popes, the legend was familiar to monastic literature. Other Old Manuscripts. Up to about the time ofWorld War II, there had been brought to light 99 copies of the Gothic Constitutions, all similar to one another but no two identical,even those known to be direct copies of some other specimen showing inevitable errors in copying. None of these contains the partsof the Regius MS. above referred to as (3) (4), (5), and (6). A list of these MSS. with the date or estimated date of each and itslocation or custody is as follows:

TABLE OF GOTHIC CONSTITUTIONS

NAME OF MSS. DATE LOCATION OR CUSTODY

Regius Circa 1390 British MuseumCooke 15th Cent. " "Grand Lodge 1583 United Grand Lodge of EnglandWood 1610 WorcesterThorp 1629 LeicesterSloane No. 3848 1646 British Museum (see gen. text, SLOAN13 MSSloane No. 3323 1659 " " " " " "Aitchison Haven 1666 Grand Lodge of ScotlandAberdeen 1670 Aberdeen Lodge No. 1 (ter)Henery Heade 1675 Inner Temple, LondonMelrose No. 2 1675 Melrose St. John Lodge No. 1 (bis)Stanley 1677 West Yorkshire LibraryCarson 1677 Cincinnati, OhioPlot 1686 Epitome in Nat. Hist. StaffordshireClerke 1686 United Grand Lodge of EnglandAntiquity 1686 Lodge of Antiquity No. 2William Watson 1687 West Yorkshire LibraryBeaumont 1690 " " "Waistell 1693 " " "York No. 4 1693 York Lodge No. 236Foxcroft 1699 United Grand Lodge of EnglandBuchanan 17th Cent " " " " "Phillips No. 1 " " CheltenhamPhillips No. 2 " " "Kilwinning " " Kilwinning Lodge No. 0York No. 1 " " York Lodge No. 236York No. 5 " " " " " "York No. 6 " " " " " "Lansdowne " " British MuseumHarleian No. 1942 " " " "Harleian No. 2054 " " " "Grand Lodge No. 2 " " United Grand Lodge of EnglandColne No. 1 " " Royal Lancashire Lodge No. 116, ColneHarris No. 1 " " Bedford Lodge No. 157, LondonDumfries No. 1 " " Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No. 53Dumfries No. 2 " " " " " " "Dumfries No. 3 " " " " " " "Stirling " " Ancient Lodge No. 30, StirlingHope " " Benevolent Lodge No. 303, TeignmouthBain " " LondonDring-Gale " " "Langdale " " RochdaleClapham " " West Yorkshire LibraryDauntesey " " Manchester

Taylor " " West Yorkshire LibraryLechmere " " WorcesterBeswicke-Royde " " Prov. G. L. East LancashireDavid Ramsay " " HamburgEmbleton " " West Yorkshire LibraryDrinkwater No. 1 Circa 1700 Manchester AssociationDrinkwater No. 2 " " " "Boyden " " So. Jur. Scottish Rite, Washington, D.C.Strachan " " Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076Alnwick 1701 NewcastleYork No. 2 1704 York Lodge No. 236Heaton Circa 1705 United Grand Lodge of EnglandScarborough 1705 Grand Lodge of CanadaTalents 1700-20 United Grand Lodge of EnglandBrooks Hill " " " " " "Roberts 1722 PrintedMacnab " West Yorkshire LibraryHaddon 1723 United Grand Lodge of EnglandBriscoe 1724 PrintedCama Circa 1705 Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076Inigo Jones " " WorcesterSpencer 1726 Grand Lodge of MassachusettsSonghurst Circa 1726 Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076Fisher " " United Grand Lodge of EnglandTho. Carmick 1727 Grand Lodge of PennsylvaniaSupreme Council 1728 LondonWoodford " Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076Bolt-Coleraine " UnknownCole 1728-9 Engraved in Cole's ConstifutionsLangley 1738 PrintedDodd 1739 "Levander-York Circa 1740 Port SunlightHolywell 1748 Prov. Grand Lodge of LancashireFortitude Circa 1750 Fortitude Lodge No. 281, LancasterThistle 1756 Thistle Lodge No. 62, DumfriesMelrose No. 3 1762 Melrose St. John Lodge No. 1 (bis)Tew 18th Cent. West Yorkshire LibraryPortland " " Wilbick AbbeyHughan " " West Yorkshire.LibraryPapworth " " LondonPhillips No. 3 " " CheltenhamNewcastle College " " NewcastleProbity " " Probity Lodge No. 61, HalifaxColne No. 2 " " Royal Lancashire Lodge No. 116, ColneHarris No. 2 " " British MuseumRawlinson " " Bodleian LibraryDumfries No. 4 " " Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No. 53Gateshead " " Lodge of Industry No. 48Crane No. 1 " " UnknownCrane No. 2 " " "Krause 1806 PrintedDowland 1815 "Hargrove 1818 "Tunnah 1828 Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076Wren Circa 1852 Unknown

Other MSS. known or supposed to have existed are now missing as follows: Melrose No. 1; Baker's; Morgan's; Dermott's; Wilson's;York No. 3; Masons Company; Newcastle Lodge; T. Lamb Smith; Anchor and Hope; and Drake.

Cooke MS. The Matthew Cooke MS. is almost as old as the Regius MS. and also has some peculiarities, one being that it openswith an invocation which is not Christian or Trinitarian as practically every other one is and that it is made up of copies of two olderMSS., the copyist having started to copy one and then switched to the other.

Grand Lodge MS. This MS. is the third oldest and is so-called because it is.in possession of the United Grand Lodge of England. Itstates on its face that it was "Scriptum Anno Domini 1583 Die Decembris 25." Phillips No. 1 and No. 2, Kilwinning, and Camaclosely resemble it. This MS. will be here presented in greatly abbreviated form and, from the Invocation (which is given verbatim),the reason for using the modern English equivalent for the rest of it will be apparent. The Invocation is typically Trinitarian as follows:

"The mighte of the Father of Heaven and ye wysdome of ye glorious Soone through ye grace & ye goodness of ye holly ghoste ytbee three psons & one God, be wh vs at or beginning and give vs grace so to govrne us here in or lyving that we maye come to hisblisse that nevr shall have ending. Amen."

The legends which follow recite that:

The worthy Craft of Masonry was begun and kept by worthy kings and princes and other worshipful men, for it is a worthy Craft andcurious science, being one of the Seven Liberal Sciences which are Grammar, Rhetoric, Dialectics, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music,and Astronomy. These are all found by Geometry which is the most worthy. Before Noah's Flood, there was a man called Lamech,who had two wives, Adah and Sella. By the first, he had two sons, Jabell and Juball, and by the other wife a son and daughter.These four founded all the crafts in the world. Jabell founded Geometry; Juball, Music; Tubal Cain, the smith's craft; and thedaughter weaving. Knowing that God would take vengeance on the world, they wrote these sciences on two pillars of stone, one ofmarble that would not burn in fire and the other called Laterno that would not drown in water. Hermes, the father of wisdom, foundone of these pillars after the Flood and taught the Sciences to others. At the Tower of Babylon, Masonry was made much of,Nemroth, King of Babylon, being a Mason and loving the Craft. He sent 40 Masons to build Ninevah and other cities and gave themcharges that they should be true to one another, live truly, and serve their lords. Abraham and Sarah went into Egypt and taught theSeven Sciences to the Egyptians, including Euclid, who became a master of all seven sciences. Egypt was suffering fromoverpopulation and unemployment. In answer to the king's entreaty made at a great council, Euclid undertook to teach the youngmen Geometry, whereby they could earn their living and live honestly by building churches, temples, castles, towers, and manors.Euclid gave them charges to be true to the king, to the lords they served, and to each other, and to call one another fellow orbrother, and many other charges. King David began the Temple at Jerusalem and paid the Masons well and gave them charges.His son, Solomon, finished the Temple and sent for Masons in divers countries so that he had 24,000 workmen in stone, 3000 ofwhom were Masters. King Iram loved King Solomon and sent him timber. He had a son called Aynom who was master of Geometryand chief Master Mason and Master of all graving and carving as stated in the Bible. Solomon confirmed the charges of King David.The craftsmen walked into divers countries and one of them, Naymus Grecus, came to France, where he taught Masonry. CharlesMartel loved the Craft and learned the Craft from Naymus Grecus and thereafter became King of France, after which he helpedmake Masons and gave them charges and a chapter to hold their assembly. England was void of Masonry until St. Alban's time,when the King, who was a pagan, walled the town of St. Albans. St. Alban was a knight and steward of the King's household. Heloved masons and paid them well, two shillings, six pence a week and three pence for cheer, for before that, a mason received but apenny a day. He gave them a charter to hold a general assembly and helped to make masons and gave them charges. After St.Alban's death, divers wars destroyed the good rule of Masonry until the time of King Athelstan, who brought all the land to rest andpeace and built many great works, abbeys, and towers. He loved Masons and had a son called Edwin, who loved Masons evenmore. He was a great practitioner of Geometry and talked with Masons and learned the Craft and was made a Mason. He got acharter from the King for the Masons to hold an assembly once a year, wherever they would, to correct faults within the Craft, andhe himself held an assembly at York and made Masons and gave them charges, and made a cry that all old Masons or young thathad any writings or understandings of the charges or manners of Masons should bring them forth. And some were found in French,some in Greek, some in English, and some in other languages. And he made a book of them and commanded that it be read whena Mason should be made.

The manner of taking the oath was in Latin reading as follows: "Then one of the elders holds the book, and he or they, place thehand under the book and these precepts ought to be read &."

The Charges, also abbreviated, were as follows:

First, that you shall be true men of God and holy Church and that you use no error nor heresy but be discreet and wise men;

Also that you should be true liege men to the king of England without treason or falsehood and that you know no treason unless youamend it or warn the king or his counsel;

Also that you be true to one another, that is to say to every Mason of the Craft you shall do unto them as they should do unto you;

Also that you keep the counsel of your fellows truly, in lodge and in chamber or in other councils that ought to be kept by way ofMasonhood;

Also that no Mason shall be a thief in Company so far as he may know and that he shall be true each to the other and to the lord ormaster and truly see to his profits and advantages;

Also you shall call Masons fellows or brethren and no foul names;

Also you shall not take your fellow's wife in villany nor desire ungodly his daughter or his servant or put him to disworship;

Also you shall truly pay for his meat and drink where you go to board;

Also you shall do no villany where you go to board whereby the Craft might be slandered;

These are the charges in general that belong to every true Mason, both Masters and Fellows. Other charges singular for Mastersand Fellows are:

First, that no Master or Fellow take upon himself any lord's work nor any other man's work unless he knows himself able andsufficient of cunning to perform the same;

That no Master take no work but that he take it reasonably so that the lord may be well served and that the Master live honestly andpay his Fellows truly;

Also that no Master or Fellow supplant any other of their work. He shall put him out, except he be unable of cunning to end the work;

Also that no Master or Fellow take a prentice but for the term of seven years and the prentice be of able birth, that is, free born, andwhole of limbs, as a man ought to be:

Also that no Master or Fellows take allowance to be made Mason without counsel of his Fellows and that he take him for no lessthan six or seven years and that he who would be a Mason be able m all degrees, that is, free born, come of good kindred, true andno Bondsman. Also that he have his right limbs as a man ought to have;

Also that no man take a prentice unless he have sufflcient work for him or to set three of his Fellows or two at least to work;

Also that no Master or Fellow take a man's work to task that was wont to go on journey:

Also that every Master shall pay his Fellows as they deserve so that he be not deceived with false workmen Also that no Masonslander any other behind his back;

Also that no Fellow within the Lodge or without may answer another ungodly nor reproachfully without reasonable cause;

Also that every Mason shall reverence his elder and put him to worship;

Also that no Mason shall be a common player at hazzard or at dice or at other unlawful plays whereby the Craft might be slanderedAlso that no Mason shall use leachery or be a baude whereby the Craft might be slandered;

Also that no Fellow go into the town at night time unless there is a lodge of Fellows, without he have a Fellow with him to bearwitness that he was in an honest place;

Also that every Master and Fellow shall come to the Assembly if it be within fifty miles if he have warning, and if he has trespassedagainst the Craft then he shall abide the award of his Masters and Fellows, and shall stand to the award of the Masters and Fellowsto make them accord if they can, and if they may not accord then to go to the common law;

Also that no Master or Fellow make a moulde stone or square or rule to a layer or set a layer within the lodge or without to hewmoulde stones;

Also that every Mason receive and cherish strange Fellows when they come over the country and set them at work if they will as themanner is, that is to say, if they have mould stones in his place, or else refresh him with money to the next lodging;

Also that every Mason truly serve the lord for his pay and every Master truly make an end of his work be it task or journey.

The MS. concluded as follows: "These charges that we have now rehearsed unto yu all and all others that belong to Masons, yeshall keepe, so healpe you God, and your hallydome, and by this booke in yor hande unto yr power. Amen, so be it."

The old Constitutions are alike in these respects: they virtually all begin with an invocation, generally Christian; relate substantiallythe same legends; give a list of charges; and provide for an oath or obligation. They all reflect religious, moral, and ethical preceptsand contemplate a brotherhood for mutual helpfulness, designed to benefit the lord or owner of the work no less than the workmen.They exhibit many peculiarities and differences, the main ones of which are as follows:

(1) The invocation (except the Regius and the Cooke) is Trinitarian Christian, in conformity with Roman Catholic Church creed,though there is no indication that such belief was necessary for admittance to the Craft.

(2) The legends are fanciful, abound in errors and anachronisms and are brief and unfinished in literary workmanship. There ismuch variation in the spelling of names of leading characters and some are named who cannot be identified, for examples, St.Alban and Naymus Grecus, the latter of whom Fort says was Naymus the Greek. Peter Gower is supposed to mean Pythagoras.These English legends tell a story of greater antiquity than the legends of the German Steinmetzen or the French Compagnonnage.The Regius omits all the antediluvian and postdiluvian details and begins with the legend of Euclid. Most of the MSS. mention thepatronage of the Craft by Charles Martel of Prance, though the Cooke MS. refers to Charles II, a different character. The Frenchlegends also asserted the patronage of Charles Martel. Some of the English MSS. omit his name completely, because, it issupposed, that he subsequently incurred the ill will of the Church for confiscating Church property.

(3) The point of chief interest is the legendary advent of the Craft into England, the inauguration of General Assemblies, and theinstitution of the English Charges by Athelstan or Edwin, described as the King's son, though Athelstan had no son and it issuggested that Edwin of Northumberland was intended, though he lived about 300 years earlier. Such anachronisms are common inthe legends; for another example, the tale that Abraham, who lived 2000 B. C. communicated the Seven Sciences to Euclid, wholived 300 A. D. There is nothing inherently improbable about the advent of Masonry or Geometry into England in the 10th century oreven the 7th, though it is quite likely that the author chose King Athelstan, because he was the first English sovereign to claimjurisdiction over the whole nation. Also, it is worthy of note that Edwin of the Northumbers did have some reputation as a churchbuilder independently of the Masonic Legends. Some of the MSS. name York as the place of first Assembly, others infer it simplyfrom the fact that York was the seat of Athelstan's government. The date is not definitely stated by any of the MSS. prior to the InigoJones MS. of about 1725 which fixes the date as A. D. 932. Dr. Anderson, in his Constitutions of 1738, gave the date as A. D. 926,without explanation, but it seems to have carried the most weight.

(4) The Charges vary in number and arrangement though little in substance. The Regius sets forth 15 Articles for the Master and 15Points for the Craftsmen; the Cooke, 9 for the Master and 9 for the Craft; the Grand Lodge, 9 General and 18 special Chargesalthough they are both addressed to the Masters and Fellows. There are a great variety of other variations. Harleian MS. No. 1942of about A. D. 1670, and a few in the same family, set forth 25 Charges and add 6 New Articles, not found in any prior specimens. Inbrief, these required that a lodge consist of at least 5 Freemasons, that a traveling Mason bring with him a certificate from the lodgethat accepted him, showing the time of his accepcon; that the names of all Masons be enrolled on parchment, and that an oath ofsecrecy be exacted, the form of which was set forth. These New Articles reflect the changes that were taking place in the EnglishFraternity by the increase of the non-operative element, there being more difficulty in detecting the regularity of a nonoperative thanan operative Mason, the latter having his skill to prove him. It also indicates increasing imposition on the lodges by irregularly madeMasons. This new certificate was the forerunner of the modern receipt for dues. Another striking change made by Harleian MS. No.1942 was the addition of Charges for the Apprentice, which had not appeared before that time and this same peculiarity attached to

Melrose MS. No. 2 of 1676, Watson MS. of 1687, York MS. No. 4 of 1693, Hope and Colne No. 1 MSS. both of the 17th century,Roberts MS. of 1722, and Gateshead MS. of the 18th century.

(5) The oath or obligation usually terminated with: So help you Cod and his holy Doome, some copies using holydome, hallydom, orholydome. It has never been determined what this expression denotes though it is claimed to be a Saxon word meaning holyjudgment and that by my halidom was a solemn oath among the rural population of early England. The New Articles add the oath ofsecrecy which concludes with: Soe help me God & the holy contents of this booke. One MS. uses: Holy Scriptures; another, byGod's Grace; and still a third, by one or more laying his hand on the Book and swear by one command and oath.

There will be observed in the Gothic Constitutions three chief elements or trends: the religious, the scientific, and the regal, and allof these have been more or less emphasized in Freemasonry ever since. Many of the Charges form the direct basis or pattern forCharges and Regulations adopted in 1723 and, hence, for modern constitutions, regulations, and obligations. The Temple Legendforming the main theme of the ritual comes directly from the like item in the Gothic legends.