The Colne MS. No. 1 (Senior Scroll)
The might of the father of heaven with the wisdom of his beloved Son and the goodness of the holy ghost be with us at our begining and send us good life here living yt we may come to his glorious kingdom yt never shall have ending Amen Good Brethren and folowers our purpose is to tell you how this worthy Science of masones was first begat I shall you tell before Noah his flood thear was a man called Lamech as it is writen in the 4th of Genesis and this Lamech had two Wives the name of the one was Adah, and the other Zillah by the first wife Adah he begot two Sones the name of the one was Jaball and the other Juball and by the other wife Zillah he begot two Sones and a daughter and these foure Children found out the begining of all in the world for the eldest Son Ja[ ] found out the Craft of Geometre and he devised flockes of Sheep and landes in the field and first wrought houses of Stone and Trees as it is written in the Chapter Abovesaid and his brother Jubal found out the Craft of Musicke and of the harp and organ and the third brother Tuball Kaine found Smith Craft of Go[ ] and Sillver Iron ter or Craft and Steell and the daugh[ter] found out the arte of weaving and these foure Children knew well that } god would take vengeance for sin eather by fire, or water the writt the Sciences that the had found in pillars of Stone that they might be found after the flood and the one Stone was called Marb because it would not burne with fire and the other Stone was called Laterness because it would not drowne with watter And the names of the Seaven Liberall Sciences are these the first is Gramer and that teacheth A man to speake truth and write truly The Second is Logicke and that teacheth A man to diserne truth from falshood And the third is Retricke and that teacheth A man to speake faire in subtill tearmes And the fourte is Arithmeticke and that teacheth to reckon all kind of nu[m]bers and to cast account and the fifte is geometry and that containeth mett and measures ponderature and weight of all maner of thinges for without Geometry can noe Marchant man buy or fell nor noe other nor no other craft in the world can bee without som mettes and measures and that containeth Geometry which is deeped and called Masonry and the six . Sience is Musick and that teacheth tone of tounge harp or organ and the seventh and last of these sciencis is Astronomy and that teacheth A man the Judgment of the stares and of the skies and planet and these wear the seven liberall sciences : Our Intent is to tell you how or in what manner these stones were found that these sciences were written in The great Hermerin that was Cush his sonne the which Cush was Shem his sonne that was Noah his sonne this sam Her merin was Afterwardes called Hermes the father of wisemen he found out the two pilars of stone and found the sciences written thearin and taught them to other men And at the building of the tower of Babilon thear was Masonry first maid [much of and the King of Babilon that Nimrod which was A mason himselfe and he loved the Craft of Masonry as it is said with the master of historyes and when the Nineveh and other Cityes of the East should bee builded Nimorod the king of babell sent thither sixty Masones at the desire of the king of Nineveh his Cozen and when hee sent them he gave them A Charge every man that the should bee true to each one to other And that t.iey should live truly togeather and that the should should live truly togeather and that the should the lord truly for his pay so that the Master have Worship and all belonging to him And other Charges ] he gave them and that was the first time that any Mason had any Charge of his Craft [ Moreover Abraham and Sara went down into Egypt thear hee taught the liberall sciences as he had A worthy schollar that was called Euclid and he learned right well and was Master of all the seven liberall sciences and in his day it befell that all the lordes and staites of the Realme had so many sonnes that the had gotten of thear wives and som by other laydes of the land for that the land was whole and plentious of Genaration that the had no competent living to find thear Children withall whearfore the maid much caire that the king of the land maid a great Counsill and parlement to witt how the might honestly as Gentlemen then the crye through all the Realm if thear wear any that could Inform that the should [come] to them and the should bee well Rewarded for his paines and travell that he should himselfe be weell pleased After the Crye was done comes the worthy Clarke Euclid and said to the king and his lordes if you will let mee have youre Children to govern shall Teach them one of the seven liberall sciences whear with the may live honestly as Gentelmen under Condition that you will grant mee and them A Commition and that may have power to Rule them after the maner that the science ought to be ruled Then the King sealed the Commition and the worthy prockter tooke to him the lordes sonnes and Taught them the Craft of Geometry ] in practice to worke to builde Churches Castels Towers and Manners and all maner of buldings and hee gave them A Charg as followeth The first was that the should be true to the king or other lordes the serve and that the ordaine the wisest among them that the should be masters of the worke and neather for love nor great desire of Riches neaither for favor to let them be maisters of the lordes worke that have litell coning whearby the lord may bee evill searved and you all Ashamed and also you shall call him Governor of the worke as long as the worke lasteth and to work with him and other more Chargis that wear to long to tell : and to all these Chargis hee maid them swear a great for oath that men used at that time and ordained them A lardge pay and reasonable that the might live honestly and also that the should com and Asemble togeather eavry yeare once how the might best worke to searve the lord for his profit and thear own Worship and to Correct within themselves them that had trespased againest the Craft and thus was the Craft grounded thear first and that worthy Euclid gave it the name of Geometry and now throughout all the world it is called masonry since then long after when the children of Israell went into the land of promis that is called Palestine King David began the Tempell that is called Templum Dominy and is with us the Tempell of Jerusalem and this King David loved well masones and he gave them the Chargis and the names as he had learned of the Egiptions and given by Euclid and other Chargis that wee shall ) hear afterwardes After the decease of the King Salomon that was Davids son performed out the tempell that his father had [ begun and sent after Masons into divers countrees and of divers landes and hee gaithered them togeather so that the had 80000 workers of stone and the wear all named Masons befides the lordes that Solamon Apointed to overfee the worke 3.300 that wear ordained to be ministers and governers of the worke 1st of Kinges Chapter the 5 ver the 15 and 16 and furthermore thear was a king of Another Nation that men called Hiram and hee loved well King Salomon and gave him timber to his work and thear was one Hiram of Tickus A masons sonne that was Master of Geomitry and that was the cheiefest of all his Masons and of all the gravings and Carvings and of all other maner of Masonry that belonged to the Temple the wittnes in the Bible lib Regn Cha the 7 ver 14 and this Salomon confirmed boath the Charg and the manors that his father had given and thus was the worthy Craft of Masonry in that Cuntry and many more confermed men walked full wide in divers Cuntryes [ some because of learning more Craft and some to teach them that had but little Cuni[ ] and so it befell that thear was A Cuning man named Manimus Grecus that had been at the bulding of Salomons Temple And he came into france and thear taught science of Masonry to men of france and thear was one of the Governors named Martell and loved well such A Craft and hee drew to this Manimus Grecus and hee learned of him the craft and the Charges and the ma ners and After by the grace of God hee was elected King of france and when he was in this staite hee tooke masons and did help to make masons that wear none and get them to worke and gave them boath Chargis and good pay as hee had learned of other masons and Confirmed A Charge from year to year to hould their Asemblyes whear the would so came the Craft into france England at that time and season stood voide as to any Charge as conserning masonry untill P. Albans time and in his day the king of England that was then A Pagan did walle the town About that is now called St Albans Alban was A worthy Knight and steward of the Kinges housald and governer of the Realm as also of making of the wales of this towne and hee loved well Masones and hee maid thear pay right good standing as the Realm did them for he gave them 3s 6d A weeke and 3d to thear non sinchis and before that time throughout all the land Masons had A penny A day and meat till St Alban Amended it and he got A charter of the King and his Counsill to hould A Generel counsill that he gave it the name of Asembly and gave chargis as you shall hear After wards right soone After the death of St Alban Right sone thear came divers workmen into England so that the good Rule of Masonry was destroyed untill the time of Athelston that was A worthy Knight of England and brought the land into good rest and bulded many great workes of Abbes Abbeys Casteles and towers and many other and divers bulding ) and he loved well Masones much more then his father did and hee was A practiser in Geometry. And hee drew him to talke and comune with Masones and hee learned of them the Craft and Afterwardes for the love hee bore to Masones and to the craft he was maid Mason and got of his father and comition to hould every year An asembly whearever the would in the Realm of England [ and to correct within themselves the faults and trespasis that wear don within the Craft and hee held himself An Asembly at york and maid Masons and gave Chargis and taught them the manors and comanded that the rule to bee kept ever After and tooke them A Comition and Charter to keep and make ordinancis that it should bee renued from king to king and when the asemblyes wear gaithered togaither the maid A Crye that ould masones and young masones that had any understanding of the Charge and Manners shew them forth and when it was proved thear was som found latin som in french som in English and som in other languages and thear Intent was all at one he did make A book hearof how the craft was found and he [ enjoined and comanded that it should be learned whear any masones wear to be maid and after to give him his Charg and from that time to this tim manors of masones have been keeped in this forme as men might give it and forthermore at divers Asembles have been put in and ordained certain Chargis by the Advise of Masters and felowes [ 64 Transactions of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge. Hears followeth the worthy and godly oath of Masones one of the eldest taking the Bible shall hould it forth that hee or the which are to bee maid Masones may Impoase and lay thear right hand upon it and then the Charge shall bee read : Every man that is A mason take good heed to his Charge if any man find himselfe gilty of any of these Crimes that himselfe in person hath comited Againest god principle let him take heed of falling into the sam Crimes and take heed for the futer that he well and carefuly observe his Charge for it is A great perill for A man to endanger his foule by pergury The Charge foloweth 1st. you shall bee true to men and God and the holy Church and shall use no heresie nor error according to your understand ing nor by wiser mens teaching 2ndly. you shall be true leidge men to the King or supream Governer or Ruler without any treason or falshood and also that you know no treason or Conspiricy but that you Amen[d] or otherwise declar it to the King or his Councell 3dly. That you be true men to one Another that is to say every Mason that is A Mason shall doe unto him as you would he should doe unto you ■ • 4thly. And alio you shall keep truly all counsill of the lodge or Chamber v and counsell that ought to bee kept by way of Masonhood 5thly. And also you shall bee noe Thiefe nor Thiefes fellowes as far as you know 6thly. And also that you bee true to the lord and Master you serve and truly seeke his profit and Advantage 7thly. And also that you shall call all Masons felowes or breetheren and noe other foule name And also you shall not defile your felowes wife by Calumnye or any other maner nor defile his daughter nor his [ sarvant nor put him to any discredit 8ly. And also that you pay truly for your meat and drinke whearever you table 9ly. And also you shall doo no villany whear you goe to boarde whearby the craft may bee evill spoken of or slandered These being the chargis in Genarall that belong to every true Mason boath Master and felowes now will I rehearse other things singular that belong to Masters and felowes first that noe Master take upon him any lords worke or any other manes unless he know himselfe able to performe the worke soe that the Craft have noe slander secondly And alsoe that noe master take noe worke but hee take Resonable pay soe that the lord may bee truly served and the Master to live honestly and also pay his felowes truly Thirdly also that noe Master or felow shall supplant other of his worke that is to say if hee have taken any worke or eles stand Master of A worke the shall not put him out except he be not able of cuning to worke: fourthy also that noe Master or felow shall take any Aprentis with in the tearm of seven yeares and that the Aprentis bee able of birth that is to say free born and whole of ] limbe as A man ought to bee fiftly and also that any Master take any layer or any other to be maid Mason with out the consent of his felowes 6 or 7 at the least and that hee that is maide bee able in all degrees that is to say fre born and of good kindred true and noe bondsman and that hee have his right limmaryes and also that noe Matter take any Aprentis except hee have sufficient occupatio to occupie 2 or 3 at the least worke felowes : sixtly also that no Matter or felow put one dayes worke to tax that wont to Journey seventhly that [ that every Matter give pay to his felowes as the deserve soe that the bee not deceived by false workmen Eightly also that none slander other be hind backe to make him loose his good name or his goodes nintly also that noe felow with in the lodge or without misanswer other ungodly nor bee unreasonable without A cause Tently also that every mason reverance his elder and ll ly . put him to worship Elevently also that noe Master bee any coman plear at dice or any other un lawfull games whearby the craft may bee slandered Twelvely and also that noe Mason use letchery nor bee any brand also that noe felow goe into the towne in the night exept hee have A felow with him that may bear him wittnes hee was in honest company or place Therteen tIy also that every Master or felow com to the Asembly if hee bee within fifty miles of it if hee have any warning and if hee have trespased againest the craft to abide the Award of masters and felowes : fouertently and also every mason that hath tref pased againest the craft shall stand to the Award of Masters and felowes to make his Accorde and if hee cannot to goe to the common law fiftently also that no master or felow make [ any mould square or pille to any layer nor let any layer within lodge nor without to lay moulde stones sixteently also that every Mason or felow shall cherish strange felowes when the com out of other Cuntreyes and set them in worke and the will as the maner is that is to say if hee have mould stones in his place hee shall give him A mould stone and set him in worke and if hee have none he shall refresh him with mony to the next lodge seventeently and also that every Mason shall truly make an end of his worke be it Taxe or Jorney and hear you have all your Commandment and these that you have heard Rehearsed you shall truly observe and keepe so god you 1st. help: These be the Aprentis Charges first that hee shall bee true to god and the holy Church and his prince and Master and dame 2nd Iy . whom© hee shall serve secondly And that you shall not picke or steale the [ goodes of his said Master and dame nor absent himselfe from thear servis nor goe from them about his owne pleasure by 3d ly . day nor night without the licence of the one of them Thirdly that hee doe not commit Adultree or fornication in his Masters house with the wife daughter or sarvant of his said master. fourthly and that he shall keep Councill in all things spoaken in the lodge or chamber by any Master or felow being Master or free mason and that hee shall not keep any disabedient Argument againest any of them nor discloase any secrets whearby any ] disention may follow againest any Mason thear folowers or prentices: fiftly and that he Reverently behave himselfe unto all free masons 6th Iy . being sworn bretheren unto his said Master sixtly and not to use any carding dicing or any unlawfull gameing nor hant any Tavernes or Ale housis thear to waiste any manes goodes without his 7 ,y . Masters licence or som other free mason seventhly And that hee shall not commit Adultree in any mans house or bee tabled Eightly and he shall not proloine or steall the goods of any person nor willingly sufer harme or sh[ ] to bee done or content thear unto during his Aprentiship but withstand the same to the utmost of his power and thearof to Inform his said Master or som other free mason with all convenient and pasable speed The Coate of Armes belonging to the fraternity of Masons Arg is hear depenciled being thus Blazoned in the field sable on A Chavoran A paire of Compas between 3 Castels Argent. The Company of masons wear Incorporated in the Twelf year of King Henry the 4th.
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.