Old Charges of the Operative Masons – Manuscript YORK No. I.

“YORK MS. No. I.” (D)

About A.D., 1600.

 

An Anagraime upon the name of Masonrie
William Kay to his friend Rob^t Preston
vpon his Artt of Masonrie as followeth.

Much might be said of the noble Artt
A Crafts thats worth estieming in eich part
Sundry Nations Noobles & their Kings also
Oh how they sought its worth to know
Nimrod & Solomon the wisest of all men
Reason saw to love this Science then
Ile say noe more lest by my shallow verses I
Endeavouring to praise should blemish Masonrie.

THE CONSTITUTIONS OF
MASONRIE.

 

THE might of the Father of heaven with wisedome of y^e blessed Sonne through y^e grace of God & goodnesse of y^e holy ghost y^t be three psons in one godhead be with vs at our beginning & give vs grace soe to governe vs here in this life y^t we may come to his blessing y^t nev^r shall have ending: And good brethren & fellows our purpose is to tell y^u how and in what manner this worty Science of Masonrie was begun & afterward how it was found by worty Kings & Princes & by many other Worshipfull men, And also to them y^t be here we will declare y^e charges y^t belonge to every Free Mason to keep sure in good faith. And therefore take good heed hereto it is well worthy to be kept well for y^t y^e Science is ancient for there be vij liberall Sciences of y^e w^ch it is one & y^e names of y^e seven Sciences be these. first Grammer w^ch teacheth a man to speak truly & write truly. And y^e second is Rhetoricke & teacheth a man to speak faire plaine in subtile termes & y^e third is Dielectick or Lodgick y^t teacheth a man to discern truth from falshood. And y^e fourth is Arithmetick & that teacheth a man to reckon & to accompt all mann^r of numb^s. And y^e fifth is called Geomatrie & teacheth all measur^e of grounds of all other things of y^e w^ch Science is grounded Masonrie: & y^e fifth Science is called Musicke & y^t teacheth a man y^e Science of Song & violl of tongue & organ harp trumpett. And y^e seventh Science is called Astronomie & y^t teacheth a man to know y^e course of y^e Sonne Moone & Starrs.

These be y^e vij liberall Sciences y^e w^ch Seven be all grounded by one y^t is to say Geometrie for by this may a man pve y^e Essence of worke as founded by Geometrie so Geomatrie teacheth meat measure ponderation & weight of all manner of things on earth for there is noe man y^t worketh any Science but he worketh by some measure or weight & all this is Geomatrie, & Marchants & all crafts men & all other of y^e vij Sciences & espetially y^e plower & tiller of all manner of graines & seeds planters of vinyeards sell^s of fruits, for in Grammer retorick nor astronome nor in any of all y^e liberell Sciences can any man finde meat or measure without Geomatrie, me thinks y^t this Science Geomatrie is most worthy & foundeth all others. How these worty Sciences was first begotten I shall y^u tell viz. Before Noah flood there was a man called Lamech as is written in the Scripture in y^e 4^th Chapt^r of Genesis And this Lamech had two wives y^e one named Adah by whome he had two Sons y^e one named Jabell y^e other named Jubell. And his other wife was called Zillah by whome he had one sone named Tubelcaine & one daughter named Naamah & these four children founded y^e beginning of all y^e Sciences in y^e world viz Jabell y^e eldest Sone found out y^e Science of Geomatre he was a keepr of flocks of sheep & Lands in the Fields as it is noted in y^e Chapt^r before s^d And his broth^r Juball fonnd y^e Science of Musicke Song of Tongue harpe & organ And y^e third Brother Tuball Caine found y^e Science called Smith Craft of Gold Silv^r Iron Copp^r & Steele & y^e Daught^r found y^e ara of Weaving And these persons knowing right well y^t God would take vengeance for sinne either by fire or water, wherefore they writt their severall Sciences y^t they had found in two Pillers of stone y^t they might be found aft^r Noah his Flood And y^e one stone was Marble because it would not burne w^th fire & y^e oth^r called Lternes because it would not dround w^th wat^r now our intent is to tell y^u how & in what manner these Stones were found in w^ch these Sciences were written the ancient Hermarines was a Cube his Son y^e which Cub was Sem y^t was Noahs Son; these Hermarines was after; called y^e fath^r of wise men. he found one of y^e two pillers of Stone & he found y^e Sciences written therein & he tought y^t to other men. And at y^e makeing of y^e Toure of Babell there was Masonrie first much esteemed of & the King of Babilon y^t was called Nimrod was A mason himselfe & loved well Masons & y^t Science as it is said amonge Masters of Histories. And when y^e city of Ninevie & oth^r cities of y^e East should be builded Nimrod y^e King of Babylon sent thither s^y Masons at y^e request of y^e King of Ninevie his Cousen and when he sent them forth he gave them a charge on this mann^r y^t they should be true each one of them to oth^r & y^t they should love well one anoth^r & y^t they should serve their Lord truly for their pay soe y^t y^e mast^r may have pay & all that belongeth unto him & oth^r moe charges he gave them & this was y^e first time y^t ever any Masons had any charge of his Craft. Moreover Abraha^m & Sarah his wife went into Egypt And there he tought y^e vij Sciences to y^e egyptians & and he had a worty Scholler named Euclide & he learned right well & was Mr. of all y^e vij Sciences liberall & in his dayes it befell y^t y^e Lordes & States of y^e Lands had soe many Sons some by their wives & some by their concubines for y^t land is a hott land & plentious of Gen^ration & they had not a competent p portion of estate wherewith to maintaine their s^d Children, wherefore they tooke much care & the King of y^t land caused a great counsell & sumaned a parliament to consult how they mighte pvide for their children whereon they mighte live honestly as Gentlemen & they could finde noe mann^r of good way And then they made a pclamation throughout all y^e Realme y^t if there any y^t could informe them therein y^t he should come to y^m & he should be well rewarded for his travaile so y^t he should hould himselfe sattisfied. After this p clamation was made came this worthy Clarke Euclide & said to y^e King & to his Nobles if y^u will except of me to teach instruct & governe y^r children in y^e vij Sciences whereby they might live honestly as Gentlemen I shall do it upon condition y^t you will grant me & them a Comission y^t I may have power to rule them after y^e manner y^e Sciences ought to be ruled w^ch y^e King & all y^e Counsell granted him & Sealed y^e Comsssion And then this worthy Doctor tooke to himselfe Lords Sonnes & tought them y^e Science of Geomatrie & practise to worke in Stones all manner of worthy work y^t belongeth to buildings Churches Temples Castles Toures manno^s & all manner of Buildings & gave them in Charge on this manno^r . First y^t they should be true to y^e Lord y^t they serve & y^t they should love well on another & y^t they should be true one to anoth^r & y^t they should call each other his Fellow or his Brother & not his Serv^t or Knave or oth^r foule names & y^t they should truly deserve their pay of their Lord or y^e M^r y^t they serve & y^t they should ordaine y^e wisest of them to be M^r of y^e worke & neith^r to chuse for Love nor efection nor great nor riches to sett any y^t hath nor sufficient Knowledge and cunning in y^e worke to be M^r of y^e worke whereby y^e M^r should be evill served & they disgraced or ashamed & also y^t they should call y^e gov^r no^r of y^e worke M^r dureing y^e time y^t they worke with him & other more charges y^t is to long here to tell & to all these Charges he made them to sweare a great Oath that men used in y^t time & ordained for them reasonable pay or Wages y^t they might live honestly thereby & also y^t they should come & assemble themselves together once every yeare and consult how they might best worke for their Lords pfitt & their own credit & to correct within themselves him y^t trespassed ag^t y^e Science & thus was y^e Science grounded there & y^t worthy M^r Euclid was y^e first y^t gave it y^e name of Geomatrie the w^ch is now called Masonrie throughout all this nation And after y^t when y^e children of Israell were com^d into y^e land of Behest which is now called among us y^e Countrie of Jurie King David begun y^e Temple y^t is now called Temple Dom & is named with us y^e Temple of Jerusalem & y^e s^d King David loved well Masons & cherished them much & he gave them good wages & he gave them both y^e charges & mann^rs as he had learned in Egypt given formerly by Euclid and other moe charges y^t y^u shall hear afterwards after y^e decease of King David Solomon his Son finished out y^e s^d Temple y^t his father had begun & he sent for Masons into divers countreys of divers Lands & gathered them together soe y^t he had four score thousand workers of stone & were all named Masons he chose out of them three thousand y^t was ordained to be M^rs. & gov^rnors of his worke And furthermore there was A King of anoth^r Region y^t men called Hieram & he loved King Sollomon well & he gave him Timb^r to his worke And he had a Sonne named Amon & he was a M^r of Geomatrie & he was chief M^r of all his graveings, Carvings & all of his Masons & Masonrie as appeares in Scrip^e in Libr^o primo Regnj & Chapt^r y^e 5^th And this Sollomon Confirmed both Charge & mann^rs y^t his Father had given to Masons & thus was y^t worthy Science of Masonrie confirmed in y^t Country of Jurie & at y^e City of Jerusalem And in many oth^r Kingdomes Curious Craftsmen walked ab^t out full wide & spred themselves into divers Countryes some to Learne moe craft & cunning & some to teach them y^t had little skill & cunning And y^t befell y^t there was one Curious Mason called Namus Grecas y^t had beine at y^e building of Sollomons Temple & he came into France & there he taught y^e Science of Masonrie to men of France & there was one of Royall line of France called Charles Martall & he was a man y^t loved well such a Craft & he drue to this Namus Grecas above said & he learned of him y^e Craft & tooke upon him y^e charge & mann^rs & af^twards by y^e Providence of God he was elected King of France & when he was in y^e Estate he tooke & helped to make men Masons w^ch before were none & gave them both y^e charge & y^e mann^rs & good pay as he had learned of oth^r Masons & also confirmed a Chart^r from yeare to yeare to hold their Assembly where they would And cherished them right much thus came this famous Craft into France. England in all this time stood void of Masonrie espetialy for any Charge imposed upon y^t Science untill St. Albons time & in his days y^e King of England y^t was then A pagan did wall y^e Towne of St. Albons about & St. Albons was a worthy K^t & Steward of y^e King’s Household & had Governaute of y^e Realme & also had y^e ordering of y^e s^d Town Walls & he Loved well Masons & cherished them right much & made their pay right good considering how wages & other things stood then for he them ij^s – vi ^d a week & iij ^d for their nonfinch & before y^t time through out all this Land a mason tooke but a Peny a day untill St. Albons advanced it as above s^d & pcured them a Chart^r of y^e King & his Counsell whereby for to hold a general counsell & gave it y^e name of Assembly & there at he was himself & helped to make men Masons & gave them a charge as y^u shall here aft^r hear. But it happened shortly after y^e death of St. Albone y^t there arose great warrs in England w^ch came out of divers nations soe that y^e good ord^r of Masonrie was destroyed untill y^e days of King Athelston who was a worthy King of England & brought this land in good rest and peace & builded many great workes as Abbeys Tounes & oth^r mann^rs of Buildings & loved well masons & he had a Son named Edwin & he loved Masons much more then his Father & he was a great praction^r in Geomatrie & he delited much to talke & comune with Masons & to learn of them skill & cunning & afterward for love he bore to masons & to their Science he was made a mason &c he pcured for them of y^e King his father a chart^r & Commission to hold every yeare an Assembly wheresoev^r they would within y^e Realm of England & to correct within themselves defaults & trespasses y^t were done within y^e craft & he himself held an Assembly at York & there he made masons & gave them the charges & taught them y^e manners & comanded y^t rule to be kept ever after & also tooke for them y^e charter to keep & also gave ord^r y^t it should be renued from King to King. And when y^e Assembly was gathered together he made pclamation y^t all old masons or young y^t had any writeings or und^rstanding of y^e charge & y^e mann^rs concerning y^e s^d Science y^t were made before in this Land or any oth^r y^t they should bring them forth & when they had viewed & examined there found some in French, some in Greek, some in English & some in oth^r Languages & y^e intent & meaning of them was found all out & he had made a book thereof how y^e Craft was founded & he himself gave comand y^t it should be read or told when y^t any Masons should be made & to give them y^e Charge And from y^t day to this day, Man^rs of Masons have been kept & observed in y^t forme as well as men might Observe & governe it. And furthermore at div^ese Assemblyes an Adition of certaine things in y^e charges ordained by y^e l est advice of Masters & Fellows – Tunc unus ex senioribus teneat Librum vt ille vell illi potiat vel potiant manus Sup Librum et tunc precpta deberent Legi — Every man y^t is a Mason take right good heed to these Charges & if any man find himself guilty in any of these charges y^t he amend himselfe before God & in pticulary yee y^t are to be charged take good heed y^t yee may keep these charges right well for it is prillous & great danger for a man to forsweare himself upon y^e holy Scripture. The first Charge is that he or thou be true man to God & y^e holy church & y^t y^u use neith^r erour nor heresie according to yor own understanding or discreet & wise mens teaching & also y^t he shall be truly lege man & bear true Allegiance to y^e King of England without any treason or any oth^r falshood & if they know of any treason or treachery y^t you amend it privily if ye may or else warne y^e King or his counsell of it by declareing it to y^e Magistrates. And alsoe yee shall be true one to anoth^r y^t is to say to every Mason of y^e Craft of Masonrie y^t be allowed Masons y^u shall doe to them as y^u would they should doe to y^u And y^t j^u keep truely all y^e counsell of Lodge & chamber & all other counsell y^t ought to be kept by way of Masonrie & also y^t y^u use noe theeverie but keep yorselves true. And also y^u shall be true to y^e Lord or Mast^r y^u serve & truly see his pfitt & advantage pmoted & furth^red. And also you shall call Masons yo^r Brethren or Fellows but not any other foul name. And y^u shall not take in villany yo^r Fellows wife nor unlawfully desire his daught^r or serv^t nor put him to any discredit. And also y^t y^u pay truly for yo^r meat & drink where y^u goe to table & y^t y^u doe not any thing whereby y^e craft may be Scandalized or whereby it may receive disgrace. These be y^e charges in generall that belongeth every Mason to keep both Mast^rs & Fellows. Now come I to rehearse certain oth^r charges singularly for Mast^rs & Fellows viz That noe M^r take upon him any Lords Work or any other mens work except he know himself to be of suficient skill & Cuning to pform & finish y^e same soe y^t y^e Craft thereby receive noe slander or discredit but y^t y^e Lord be wel served & have his work truly & suficiently done And also y^t noe M^r take any work at unreasonable rates but so Reasonably y^t, y^e Lord or own^r may be true served w^th his own goods & y^e M^r to live honestly thereby & to pay his fellows truly their wages as y^e mann^r is. And also y^t no M^r or Fellow shall suplant anoth^r of his work y^t is to say if any M^r or Fellow have taken any work to doe & therefore stand as M^r of y^e s^d work yee shall not put him out of it unless he be unable of skill & Cuning to pforme y^e same to y^e end & also y^t noe M^r or Fellow take any apprentice und^r y^e terme of Seven years & yet such ap^rntice suficiently able of body & sound of lymbs & also of good birth free born noe Alian but descended of a true & honest kindred & noe bondman & also y^t noe mason take any ap^rntice unless he have suficient occupation whereon to employ two or three Fellows at y^e least And also y^t noe M^r or Fellow put any to take any Lords work y^t was wont to work Journey work And also y^t every M^r shall give wages to his Fellowes according to his worke doth deserve y^t he be not deceived by false work. And also y^t none shall sland^r anoth^r behinde his back whereby he may loose his good name or wordly riches. Also y^t no fellow within y^e Lodge or without shall misanswer or reprove unlawfully anoth^r without cause. And also y^t every Mason shall reverence his Eld^r broth^r & put him to honour. Also y^t noe Mason shall be a comon player att cards or dice or any oth^r unlawfull game or games whereby y^e Science may be slandered & disgraced & also y^t noe fellow at any time goe from his fellowes of y^e Lodge into any towne adjoining except he have a fellow with him to witness y^t he was in honest place & civill company. And also y^t every M^r & fellow shall come to y^e Assemblie of Masons if it be within 1 : mile about him if he have any warning of y^e same. And if he or they have trespassed or offended against y^e craft all such soe trespassing shall stand there at y^e award & Arbitration of y^e Mast^rs & Fellowes there & they to make them accord if they can or may & if they cannot agree them then to goe to y^e comon Law & also y^t no M^r or Fellow make any mould rule or square of any Layer nor set any Layer or without to hew any mould stones. And that every Mason shall cherish strange fellowes when they come out of oth^r Countreys & set them on worke if he can as y^e man^r is viz. if he have no Stones nor moulds in y^t place he shall refresh him w^th money to suply his necesityes untill he come at y^e next Lodge. And also y^t every Mason shall pforme his work truly & not sleightily for his pay but serve his Lord truly for his wages & also y^t every M^r shall truly make an end of his work whether it be by Tax or by Jorney viz by measure or by dayes if he have his pay & all oth^r coven^ts pformed to him by y^e Lord of y^e work according to y^e bargaine. These Charges y^t we have now rehearsed to y^u & to all oth^s here p^rsent w^ch belongeth to Masons y^u shall well & truly keep to yo^r pow^r so help you God &: by y^e contents of y^t booke—Amen.

 

 

(An exact Transcript of the original, by W. J. Hughan.)

 

In, Old Charges of the British Freemasonry  by William Hughan

The book can be purchased from HERE