The Masons' Constitucons
Draw nere unto me, Ye unlearned; and dwell in the house of Learning — Ecclesiasticus Cap: 51: Ver: 23
In the hands of the Craftmen shall the work be Commended; Ecclesiasticus cap 19: Ver: 19
The Might of the ffather of heaven with the Wisdom of his Glorious Son, Through the Grace and Goodness of the Holy Ghost, Three Persons in one Godhead, be with us att our beginning; and Give us Grace soe to gover us here in or Liveing; Thatt we may Come to his Blisse thatt never shall have Ending Amen
Good Brethren and Fellowes, or Purpose is to tell you how and in whatt manner this Craft of Masonry was Begun and afterwards how itt was ffounded by Worthy Emperours and Princes and many other Worpfll men and alsoe to them thatt be here, we will declare them: The Charge thatt doth belong to Every true Mason is to keep in good ffaith, and if you take good head theretoe it is well worthy to be kept, for a worthy Craft and a Curious Science; For there is Seaven Liberall Sciences of the which itt is one of them, and the names of the Seven Sciences be these, The First is Gramr and thatt teacheth a man to Speak Truely; and to Write Truely: The Second is Rhetoricke and thatt teacheth a man to Speak fair and in Subtill Termes The Third is Logick thatt teacheth to discern Trueth from falshood; The ffourth is Arithmaticke thatt teacheth to Reckon and Number all manner of Numbrs The ffifth is called Geometry and it teacheth to mett and measure the Earth, and other things; of which Science is Masonry, The Sixth is Musick thatt teacheth the Craft of Songs Organs and Harpe and Trumpett, The Seaventh is called Astronomy thatt Teacheth a man to know the Course of the Sunne moon and Starrs; These be the Seaven Liberall Sciences which be all founded by thatt one Science thatt is called Geometrie; For Geometrie Teacheth a man Mett & Measure, Ponderation, and Weight of all manners of things on Earth, and there is noe man thatt worketh any craft but he worketh by Some Mett or Measure, nor noe man buyeth or Selleth butt by some Measure or Weight, and all this is Geometrie: And craftsmen and Marchts finde noe other of the Seaven Sciences, and Especially Plowmen and Tillars of all manner of Graine, both corne Seeds, Vines, Plants Setters of all other fruite; ffor neither Gramr nor Astronomy nor none of all these can finde a man one Measure or Mett, without Geometrie; Wherefor I think the Science of Geometrie is to be accounted above any of the Seaven Sciences;
How this Worthy Science was first begunne, I shall tell — Befor Noahs Flood there was a man called Lameck as it is written in the [Cap: 4th ver 19th] 4 Chap of Gen: and this Lameck had two Wives, The one was Called Adah, and the other Zillah; By the first wife Adah he gott two Sons, the one called Jaball [ver: 20th] and the other Juball, [ver: 21st] and by the other wife Zillah he gott a Son [called Tuball Cain] and a Daughter, [called Naamah] and the four Children found the beginning of all Crafts in the world; This Jaball was the Elder Son, and he found the craft of Geometrie, and he parted flocks, as of Sheep and Lambs in the fields, and first wrought houses of Stone and Tree, as it is noted in the Chapr abovesaid, and his Brother Juball found the Craft of Musick, of Songs Organs and Harp, [Tuball cain] The Third Brother found out Smiths craft, to work Iron and Steel, and their Sister Naamah found out the Art of Weaving; These children did know thatt God would take Vengeance for Sinne, Either by fire or Water; wherefor they wrote these Sciences which they had found in Two Pillars of Stone, thatt they might be found after the fflood; The one Stone was called Marbell Cannot burn with fire, and the other was called Laturus thatt cannott drown in the Water: Our Intent is to tell you truely, and in whatt manner these Stones were found thatt the Science was written on:
The Great Hermemes [Gens 10th ver: 8th alias Nimrod] thatt was Son unto Cush, which was Son unto Shem, which was Son unto Noah; This Same Hermemes was afterwards called Hermes the Father of Wisdom, he found one of the Two Pillars of Stones, and found the Science written thereupon, and he taught to other men: And att the makeing of the Towr of Babylon there was the Craft of Masonry first found and made much of: And the King of Babylon was Called Nimbroth was a Mason himselfe and loved well the craft, and is soe reported of by Mastrs of the Stories: And when the citty of Ninewy and other citties of the East should be Built Nimbroth the King of Babylon Sent thither Sixty Masons att the desire of the King of Ninevey his cosen and when they went forth he gave them a charge on this mannr (viz) [Nimbroths charge] Thatt they should serve the Lord truely for his payment and thatt they should be true one to another; and that they should Love truely together, soe he might have Worship for Sending them to him, and other Charges he gave ym
Moreover when Abraham and Sarah his Wife went intoe Egypt, and there taught the Seaven Liberall Sciences to the Egyptians; and he had a Worthy Schollr called Euclide, and he learned right well and was Mastr of all the Seaven Liberall Sciences: And it befell in his days thatt the Lords and States of the Realm had soe many Sons, thatt they had begotten, some by their Wives, and some by other Ladyes of thatt Realme; For thatt Land is whole layd and a replenished Generation, and they had nott Liveing Competent for their children, wherefor they made much Sorrow And the King of thatt Land Assembled a great Councill At a Parliamt to know how they might finde their Children; and they could finde noe good way, soe they Caused a cry to be made throughout the Realm, if there were any man thatt could Inform him, thatt he should Come unto him, and he should be well rewarded for his Travell, and should hold himselfe well pleased: After this cry was made, came this worthy Clark Euclide and said to the King and all his Greatt Lords If you will give me yor Children to govern, and Teach them honestly as Gentlemen should be taught under condition thatt you will grant them and me a Commission thatt I may have Power to Rule them honestly, as thatt Science ought to be ruled, and the King with his Councill granted them Anon, and Sealed them thatt Commission; And the worthy doctr took to him the Lords Sons, and taught them the Science of Geometrie in practice for to work in Stones all mannr of work thatt belonged to building of castles, all mannr of courts, Temples, & Churches with all other Buildings; And he gave them a Charge in this Mannr
[Euclydes charge: in Egypt:] First thatt they should be true unto the King and to the Lord they Served, and thatt they should live well together, and be true one to another, and thatt they should call one another ffellow and nott Servant nor his knave, nor other foul names; and thatt they should truely Serve for their Payment to their Lord; thatt they Serve; and thatt they should ordain the wisest of them to be Maistr of the Said Lords work, and neither for Love great Lineage nor Liveing nor Riches to Sett any other thatt had Litle Cunning for to be Mastr of the Lords Work, whereby the Lord should be ill Served, and they ashamed; and thatt they should call the Governr of the Work Mastr of the work whilst they wrought with him, and many other charges which were too Long to Tell And to all the Charges he made them swear thatt gr Oath thatt men used att thatt time to swar, and ordained for them Reasonable paymt thatt they might Live by honestly: And alsoe thatt they come and Assemble themselves together, thatt they might have councill in the crafts, how they might work best to serve their Lord for his proffit, and Worship: And thus was the craft of Geometrie grounded there; and thatt they correct themselves if they had trespassed, And thatt Worthy Mastr Euclide gave it the name of Geometrie, and it is called Masonry throughout all this Land ever since:
Long after the children of Israell were come intoe the Land of Bliss, and it is now amongst us called the countrey of Jerusalem King David began the Temple of Jerusalem, which with them is called Templum domini: And the same King David Loved Masons very well and Cherished them, and gave them good paymt And he gave them the charge and mannrs as he had it out of Egypt given by Euclide, and other charges thatt you shall hear afterwards: And after the decease of King David; Solomon thatt was Son to David Performed out the Temple thatt his father had begun; and sent after Masons of diverse Lands; and gathered them together, soe thatt he had four score Thousand Workers of Stone; [1st Kings C. 5. v. 15-16] And they were Named Masons, and Three Thousand of them which were ordained to be Mastrs and Governrs of this Worke And there was a King of another Region thatt men called Hiram, [Cap 5o] and he Loved well King Solomon, and gave him Timber for his work, [Cap 5o: ver: 10:] And he had a Son thatt was named Ajuon, and he was Mastr of Geometrie, and he was chief Mastr of all his Masons and Mastrs of all his Graveing and Carving works, and of all other Mannr of Masonry thatt belonged to the Temple, and this is Witnessed in the Bible in Libro Regum prio Cap: 5to And this Same Solomon confirmed both Charges and mannrs which his Father had given to Masons, and after this mannr was thatt worthy Craft of Masonry Confirmed in the county of Jerusalem, and many other Kingdomes Glorious Craftsmen walking about intoe diverse Countreys, some because of Learning more craft, and some to Teach their Craft, and soe it befell thatt there was a Curious mason named Naimus Grecus thatt had been at the makeing of Solomons Temple and came intoe ffrance, and he Taught the craft of Masonry to the men of ffrance And soe there was one of the Royall Lyne of ffrance that was called Charles Martiall, and was a man thatt Loved well such a craft, and drew to him this Naimus Grecus abovesaid, and Learned of him the craft, and took upon him the charges and afterwards by the Grace of God was Elected King of ffrance, And when he was in his Statt he took to him many masons, and made Masons there thatt were none and Sett them on work, and gave them both charges And manners which he had Learned of other Masons and confirmed them a Chartr from year to year to hold their Assembly, and cherished them much, and thus came the Craft into ffrance
England all this time stood void of any charge of Masonry untill the time of St Alban, and in his time the King of England thatt was a Pagan and he walled a Town thatt is now called St Albons; and in thatt St Albons was a worthy Knight which was chief Steward to the King, and Governr of the Realm, and alsoe of making of the Town walls, and he Loved Masons well, and Cherished them, And he made their paymt right good Standing pay, as the Realm did require, for he gave them every week Three Shills six pence their double wages befor thatt time throughout all the Land, a Mason Took butt a penny ye day and meat untill the time thatt St Albon amended it, and gave them a chartr of the King and his councill, and gave it the name of Assembly and thereatt he was himselfe, and made Masons, and gave them a charge as you shall hear afterwards
Right soon after the decease of St Albon There came great warrs intoe England of Divers Nations, soe thatt good rule of Masonry was Destroyed, unto the time of King Athelstone, thatt was a worthy King in England who brought the Land intoe great rest and peace, and builded many great works of Abbyes Castles, and many other buildeings, and he Loved Masons well; And he had a Son thatt was named [Edwine] Edwine; and he Loved Masons more than his ffathr did, for he was full of Practice in Geometrie, wherefor he drew him to Common Masons to Learn of them Their craft, and after for the Love he had to Masons, and to the craft he was made Mason himself, and he gott of his ffathr the King a Chartr and Commission to hold every year an Assembly where ever he would within the Realm and to Correct within themselves ffaults and Trespasses thatt were done within the Craft, And he held an Assembly att York and there he made Masons and gave them Charges and taught them the mannrs of masons, and Commanded thatt Rule to be holden for ever hereafter: and to them he gave the chartr and commission to keep and make ordinances thatt should be observed from King to King when this Assembly was gathered togethr he made a cry that all Masons both young and Old thatt had any knowledge or Understanding of the charges thatt were made in this Land, or in any other Land; thatt they should shew them forth; and there was found some in Greek, some in English, some in ffrench and some in othr Languages; and the Intent thereof was found and Commanded thatt it should be read and told when any Mason was made, and to give him his Charge, and from thatt day untill this present time Masons have been kept in thatt form & order; as well as men might Govern it, And furthermore of diverse Assemblyes there hath been putt and added certaine charges more and more by the best of Advice from Mastrs and ffellows
Then shall one of the most ancient of them all hold a Book thatt he or they may Lay his or their hand or hands upon the said Book, and these prcepts followeing ought then to be Read
Every man thatt is a Mason take heed right well of this Charge If you find yorself guilty of any of these thatt you amend you again, and Especially Yee thatt are to be Charged; Take heed thatt you may keep this charge, for it is a greatt Perill for a man to forswear himself on a book:
[Edwines charge] The First charge is, Thatt you shall be a True man to God and his holy church, and thatt you Use noe heresy nor Error to yor Understanding, or to desert discreet and wise mens Teaching, Alsoe you shall be a true Leige man to the King without Treason or falshood: and that you shall know noe Treason, butt thatt you mend it and you may, or else warne the King or his Councill thereof: Alsoe you shall be true one to another, (that is to say) to Every Mastr and ffellow of the craft of Masonry thatt be Masons allowed, That you would doe to them, as you would they should doe to you Alsoe thatt Every Mason keep true Councill of Lodge of Chambr and all other councill, thatt ought to be kept by way of Masonry: Alsoe thatt noe man shall be Thief, nor Thiefs see soe far as you shall know, Alsoe thatt you shall be true to yor Lord and Mastr thatt you Serve, and truely to see his Proffit and Advantage Alsoe thatt you shall call Masons yor ffellows and Brethren; and by noe othr ffoul Name, nor you shall nott take yor ffellows Wife in Villany, or desire Ungodly his daughtr or his Servant to his Villany, Alsoe you shall pay truely for yor Table and Meat and Drinke, where you goe to Board, and alsoe thatt you doe noe Villany in thatt house whereby the Craft should be Slandered, These be the Charges in Generall thatt every Mason should hold both Mastrs and Fellows:
Rehearse I will now other charges Singular for Masters and ffellows; First thatt noe Mastr shall take any work of a Lord, or any other work, butt thatt he know himself able and cunning to performe the same, soe thatt the craft have no disworship butt thatt the Lord be well and truely Served; Alsoe thatt noe Mastr take any work, butt thatt he take it reasonably, soe thatt the Lord may be truely Served with his own goods, and the Mastr to Live honestly, and pay his ffellows truely their pay, as the mannr of the craft doth require: Alsoe thatt noe Mastr or ffellows Subplant others of these works (thatt is to say) if he hath taken a worke or stand Mastr of a Lords work; you shall nott putt him out, if he be able and cunning of craft to End the work: Alsoe thatt noe Mastr or ffellows take noe Apprentice to be Allowed his Apprentice, butt for Seaven yeares, And thatt Apprentice be able of his Birth and Limbs, as he ought to be; Alsoe thatt noe Mastr or ffellows take noe allowance to be made Mason without the Assent of his ffellows and thatt att the Least five or Six, And that he thatt shall be made Mason be able over all Sciences; (thatt is to say) thatt he be freeborn and of good kindred, and noe Bondman, and thatt he have his right Limbs, as he ought to have: Alsoe thatt noe Mastr putt noe Lords work to task, thatt was wont to goe to Journey, Alsoe thatt every Mastr shall give to his ffellows, butt as he may deserve, soe thatt he be nott deceived by false worke, Alsoe thatt noe ffellow slander one falsly behinde his back to make him loose his good Name or his wordly goods: Alsoe that noe ffellow wthin the Lodge nor without misanswer another neither ungodly or Irreverently without reasonable cause Alsoe thatt Every Mason prferr his Elder and putt him to Worshipp Alsoe thatt noe Mason should play att Hazard or any othr unlawfull Game whereby they may be Slandered: Alsoe thatt noe Mason be a Comon Rebell in Leachery to make the craft to be Slandered and thatt noe ffellow goe Intoe the Town in the night time, where is a Lodge of ffellows, without a ffellow thatt may bear him witnesse thatt he was in an honest place: Alsoe thatt Every Mason and ffellow come to the Assembly, if it be within fifty miles about him; if he have reasonable warning and stand there att the Award of Mastrs and ffellows: Alsoe thatt Every Mastr and ffellow if they have Trespassed one to another shall stand the Award of Mastrs and ffellows to make them Accord if they may; and if they may nott Accord, then to goe to the Common Law: Alsoe thatt noe Mason make moulds, Square or Rule to any Rough Layers; Alsoe thatt noe Mason sett any Layer within a Lodge or without to Hew or Mould Stones with noe mould of his own makeing: Alsoe thatt Every Mason shall cherish and receive strange ffellows, when they come over the countrey and sett them on work, as the mannr is (thatt is to say) if they have mould Stones in place, he shall sett him a fortninght att the Least on worke, and give him his Hyre: And if there be noe Stones for him to work; he shall refresh him with money; to bring him To the next Lodge: And alsoe you and Every Mason shall Serve truely the workers, and truely make an End of yor work: be it Task or Journey; if you may have yor pay, as you ought to have:
These charges thatt we have Reckoned, and all other thatt belongeth to Masonry you shall truely Keep and well observe; so helpe you God and Holy doome, and this Book to the uttermost of yor Power:
Finis
Gra: Loquitur: Lo: vera docet: Rhe: verba colorat: Mu: canit Ar: Numeratt: Ge: Ponderat Ast: Capit Astra:
Orders to be observed by the company and Fellowship of Free Masons att a Lodge held att Alnwick, Septr 29 1701
Orders to be observed by the company and Fellowship of Free Masons att A Lodge held att Alnwick Septr 29 1701 being the Genll head meeting day
1st First it is ordered by the said ffellowship thatt there shall be yearly Two Wardens Chosen upon the said Twenty Ninth of Septr being the feast of St Michaell the Archangell, which Wardens shall be Elected and Appoynted by the most consent of the ffellowship
2d Itm thatt the said Wardens Receive, commence and Sue all such penaltyes and fforfeitures and fines, as shall in any wise be amongst the Said ffellowship, and shall render and yeild up a Just Account att the Years End of all Such fines and forfeitures as shall come to their hands, or oftner if need require, or if the Master and ffellows List to call for them, ffor every such offence to pay — £0 6s 8d
3d Itm Thatt noe Mason shall take any worke by task or by day, other then the Kings work butt thatt att the Least he shall make Three or ffour of his ffellows acquainted therewith, for to take his part; paying for every such Offence — £3 6s 8d
4th Itm Thatt noe Mason shall take any work thatt any of his ffellows is in hand with all to pay for Every such Offence the Sume off — £1 6s 8d
5th Itm Thatt noe Mason shall take any Apprentice, butt he must Enter him and give him his Charge within one whole Year after. Nott soe doing the Master shall pay for Every such Offence — £0 3s 4d
6 Itm Thatt Every Master ffor Entring his Apprentice shall pay — £0 0s 6d
7 Itm Thatt Every Mason when he is warned by the Wardens, or other of the Company and shall nott come to the place Appoynted, Except he have a Reasonable cause to shew the Master and Wardens to the contrary: Nott soe doeing shall pay — £0 6s 8d
8 Itm Thatt noe Mason shall Thou his ffellow or give him the Lye or any ways contend with him, or give him any other name in the place of meeting then Brother or ffellow or hold any disobedient Argument against any of the company reproachfully ffor every such Offence shall pay — £0 0s 6d
9 Itm There shall noe Apprentice after he has Served Seaven years be Admitted or Accepted butt upon the ffeast of St Michaell the Archangell paying to the Mastr and Wardens — £0 6s 8d
10th Itm If any Mason either in the place of meeting or att work among his ffellows, Swear or take Gods name in vain, thatt he or they soe offending shall pay for every time — £0 0s 9d
11 Itm Thatt if any Fellow or Fellows shall att any time or times discover his Mastrs secretts or his owne be it nott onely spoken in the Lodge or without or the Secreets or councell of his ffellows, thatt may Extend to the damage of any of his Fellows; or to any of their good names; whereby the Science may be ill spoken off, ffor Every such offence shall pay — £1 6s 8d
12 Itm Thatt noe Fellow or Fellows within this Lodge shall att any time or times call or hold Assemblys to make any Mason or Masons free: Nott Acquainting the Mastr or Wardens therewith For Every time soe offending shall pay — £3 6s 8d
13 Itm Thatt noe Rough Layers or any other thatt has nott served their time, or Admitted Masons shall work within the Lodge any work of Masonry whatsoever (Except under a Mastr) for Every such Offence shall pay — £3 13s 4d
14 Itm Thatt all ffellows being younger shall give his Elder ffellows the Honour due to their degree and Standing, Alsoe thatt the Mastr Wardons and all the Fellows of this Lodge doe promish severally and respectively to performe all and Every the Orders above named, and to stand by Each other, (butt more Particularly to the Wardons and their Successors) in Sueing for all and Every the forfieturs of our said Brethren, contrary to any of the Said Orders demand thereof being first made
Wiliam Neilson Will Smith Mas Walter Rosburt George Thompson James his marke Gammon James Milles John Anderson Wm Boswell } X wardens Thomas Davidss } Robert Anderson his X marke John X Smiles John his marke Mitchelson X John X Rivington Henry Thompson Matt: Doores Thomas Bell X George Castles X Matt: Forster Will Thompson X Thomas Pallisser X Tho. his marke Garrett X John his mark Wanne X Wm Smith X John Crolen X Robert Crouster X John Chorlton William Balmbrough Robert Hudson Edwd Castles Wm his marke Archer X Cuthbert (Cuthbert) Young Robert X Crastor
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.