To the Author of the Flying Post.
The Ancient Fraternity of Free and accepted Masons, has thro' all Ages been justly esteemed the only One Society, which hath inviolably observed and kept those two essential and fundamental Pillars of all good Fellowship, Taciturnity and Concord ; there being but one single Instance since the Beginning of Time, that a Free Mason betray'd the Grand Arcanum of the Society ; namely Samson, who indeed proved a meer Judas, and was punished accordingly.*
Note originale : * Hence comes the Saying on One who blabs all he knows, He'll bring an old House on his Head.
This has been a Matter of much Speculation to the rest of Mankind, and hath occasioned various Reasonings and Disputes.
It is indeed agreed on all hands, that Masonry, the most substantial Part of Architecture, is of singular Use and Ornament ; that Free Masons are no prying inquisitive Busiebodies, but honest industrious Persons, who desire only to excel in their own Profession ; that the Worshipful Society are no Innovators in Religious Affairs, no perjured Plotters or Conspirators against the establish'd Government ; that they in no way interfere or clash with any other Society or Corporation, however dignify'd or distinguish'd ; for all which excellent Qualifications, a reasonable Person would be willing to pay their Persons, their Lodges, their Constitutions, all due Respect and Honour.
But so it is, there are Men of shallow Capacities, Blabbers of Secrets, who, because they have lost or misused their own retentive Faculties, envy and hate those who retain the Gift of Secrecy and Fidelity ; These mean Wretches have of late studied a thousand Practices to bring this Worshipful Society into Contempt and Obloquy, and are egg'd on by some silly Women, who (because for good Reasons their Sex are by the Constitutions judged incapable of Fellowship) are therefore nettled and seek Revenge. These are the Persons who trump up many foolish and idle Signs, Gestures and Practices, and vouch them for the very Basis and Ground-plot of Free-Masonry. The enclosed is a Sample of their Malice, and which they pretend was left in Writing by a Fellow Mason lately deceas'd ; but, in very Truth, is a senseless Pasquinade, highly derogatory to the Honour of the whole Body and each Worshipful Fellow, many of whom daily stand in Presence of Kings, and are cloathed with Titles, Dignities and Honours.
I shall not take upon me to vindicate the high Reputation of the Fraternity, their numerous Lodges stand in no need of Props and Buttresses for their Support ; neither will their Members, by any Arts or Contrivances, be induced like Fools and Children to divulge the Lessons and Instructions given by their Masters and Wardens ; but will have a constant Eye to that memorable Saying of wise King Solomon, in his Time Grand Master of Masonry and Architecture, and which pointed to Samson's Fate aforementioned, A prating Fool shall fall. I am, &c.
[A Mason's Examination]
When a Free-Mason is enter'd, after having given to all present of the Fraternity a Pair of Men and Women's Gloves and Leathern Apron, he is to hear the ***** belonging to the Society read to him by the Master of the Lodge. Then a Warden leads him to the Master and Fellows ; to each of whom he is to say,
I fain would a Fellow-Mason be, As all your Worships may plainly see.
After this, he swears to reveal no Secrets of the worshipful Fraternity, on Pain of having his Throat cut, and having a double Portion of Hell and Damnation hereafter. Then he is blind-folded and the Ceremony of ________ is performed. After which, he is to behold a thousand different Postures and Grimaces, all of which he must exactly imitate, or undergo the Discipline till he does.
After this the Word Maughbin is whisper'd by the youngest Mason to the next, and so on, till it comes to the Master, who whispers it to the entered Mason, who must have his Face in due Order to receive it : Then the entered Mason says what follows ;
An enter'd Mason I have been, Boaz and Jachin I have seen ; A Fellow I was sworn most rare, And know the Astler, Diamond, and Square : I know the Master's Part full well, As honest Maughbin will you tell.
Then the Master says ;
If a Master-Mason you would be, Observe you well the Rule of Three ; And what you want in Masonry, Thy Mark and Maughbin makes thee free.
When you would enter a Lodge, you must knock three times at the Door, and they'll challenge you.
Q. Are you a Free-Mason ? A. Yes, indeed, that I am.
Q. How shall I know it ? A. By Signs and Tokens from my Entrance into the Kitchen, and from thence to the Hall.
Q. What is the first Point of your Entrance ? A. Hear and conceal, on Pain of having my Throat cut, or Tongue pull'd out.
Then one of the Wardens will say, God's greeting be at this Meeting ; and with the Right Worshipful the Master, and the Worshipful Fellows, who keep the Keys of the Lodge from whence you came ; and you are also welcome, Worshipful Brother, into this Worshipful Society.
Then you salute as follows.
The Right Worshipful the Master, and the Worshipful Fellows of the Lodge from whence I came, greet you abundantly.
Q. What Lodge are you of ? A. I am of the Lodge of St. Stephen's.
Q. What makes a just and perfect Lodge ? A. A Master, two Wardens, four Fellows, five Apprentices, with Square, Compass, and Common Gudge.
Q. Where was you made ? A. In the Valley of Jehoshaphat, behind a Rush-bush, where a Dog was never heard to bark, or Cock crow, or elsewhere.
Q. Where was the first Lodge kept ? A. In Solomon's Porch ; the two Pillars were called Jachin and Boaz.
Q. How many Orders be there in Architecture ? A. Five ; Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite, or Roman.
Q. How many Points be there in Fellowship ? A. Six ; Foot to Foot, Knee to Knee, Hand to Hand, Ear to Ear, Tongue to Tongue, Heart to Heart.
Q. How do Masons take their Place in Work ? A. The Master S.E. the Wardens N.E. and the Fellows Eastern Passage.
Q. How many precious Jewels are there in Masonry ? A. Four ; Square, Asder, Diamond, and Common Square.
Q. How many Lights be there in a Lodge ? A. Three ; the Master, Warden, and Fellows.
Q. Whence comes the Pattern of an Arch ? A. From the Rainbow.
Q. Is there a Key to your Lodge ? A. Yes.
Q. What is't ? A. A well hung Tongue.
Q. Where is it kept ? A. In an Ivory Box between my Teeth, or under the Lap of my Liver, where the Secrets of my Heart are kept.
Q. Is there a Chain to it ? A. Yes.
Q. How long is it ? A. As long as from my Tongue to my Heart.
Q. Where does the Key of the working Lodge lie ? A. It lies on the Right Hand from the Door two Foot and a half, under a Green Turf, and one Square.
Q. Where does the Master place his Mark on the Work ? A. Upon the S.E. Corner.
To know an entred Apprentice, you must ask him whether he has been in the Kitchen, and he'll answer, Yes.
To know an entred Fellow, you must ask, whether he has been in the Hall, and he'll say, Yes.
To know a Mason in the Dark, you must say, there is no Darkness without Absence of Light ; and he'll answer, There is no Light without Absence of Darkness.
To compliment a Brother Mason, You put your Right Hand to the right side of your Hat, and bring your Hat under your Chin ; then the Brother will clap his Right Hand to the right side of his Hat, and bring it to the Left Side under his Heart.
To meet a Brother, You must make the first Step with your Right Foot, the second with your Left ; and at the third you must advance with your Right Heel to your Brother's Right Instep ; then lay your Right Hand to his Left Wrist, and draw the other Hand from your Right Ear to the Left under your Chin ; and then he'll put his Right Hand to his Left Side under his Heart.
To Gripe, is when you take a Brother by the Right Hand, and put your middle Finger to his Wrist, and he'll do so to you.
To know a Mason privately, you place your Right Heel to his Right Instep, put your Right Arm over his Left, and your Left under his Right, and then make a Square with your middle Finger, from his Left Shoulder to the middle of his Back, and so down to his Breeches.
When a Mason alights from his Horse, he lays the Stirrup over the Horses Neck.
To call a Mason out from among Company, you must cough three times, or knock against any thing three times.
A Mason, to show his Necessity, throws down a round Piece of Slate, and says, Can you change this Coin ?
Reproduction intégrale de la transcription citée en tête de page, dans l'orthographe d'origine, sans commentaire ni modernisation. Les titres et notes d'époque sont conservés ; l'appareil éditorial moderne a été écarté.