THonkyd be god our glorious ffadir and foun der and former of heuen and of erthe and of all thygis that in hym is that he wolde fochesaue of his glorius god hed for to make so mony thyngis of d uers vertu for mankynd. ffor he mader all thyngis for to be abedient & soget to man ffor all thyngis that ben comes tible of holsome nature he
ordeyned hit for manys susty nans. And all to be hath yif to man wittys and conyng of dyvers thyngys and craft tys by the whiche we may trauayle in this worlde to [20] gete wit our lyuyg to make diuers thingys to goddis ple sans and also for our ese and profyt. The whiche thingis if I scholde reherse hem hit wre to longe to telle and to wryte. Wherfor I woll leue. but I schall schew you some
that is to sey ho and in what wyse the sciens of Gemetry firste be ganne and who wer the founders therof and of othur craftis mo as hit is no tid in the bybill and in othur stories. HOw and in what ma ner that this worthy sciens of Gemetry be gan I wole tell you as I sayde bi fore. ye schall undirstonde that ther ben vii liberall sciens by the whiche vii all sciens
and craftis in the world were fyrste founde. and in especiall for he is causer of all. that is to sey the sciens of Gemetry of all other that be. the whiche vii sci ens ben called thus. as for the first that is called fundament of sciens his name is grammer he techith a man rygthfully to speke and to write truly. The seconde is rethorik. and he te chith a man to speke formabe ly and fayre. The thrid is dioleticus. and that sciens techith
a man to discerne the trowthe fro the fals and comenly it is tellid art or soph’stry. The fourth ys callid arsmetryk the whiche techeth a man the crafte of nowmbers for to rekyn and to make a count of all thyge The ffte Gemetry the which techith a man all the mett and mesurs and ponderaton of wyghtis of all mans craft The. vi. is musik that techith a man the crafte of song in notys of voys and organ &
trompe and harp and of all othur pteynyng to hem. The vii is astronomy that techith man the cours of the sonne and of the moune and of other sterrys & planetys of heuen. OWr entent is princi pally to trete of fyrst fundacion of the worthe scyens of Gemetry and we were the founders ther of as I seyde by fore there ben vii liberall scyens that is to say vii sciens or craftys that ben fre in hem
selfe the whiche vii. lyuen only by Gemetry. And Ge metry is as moche to sey as the mesure of the erth Et sic dicit a geo ge quin R ter a latine & metron quod e mensura. Una Gemetria. i, mensur terre uel terrarum. that is to say in englische that Gemetria is I seyd of geo that is in gru. erthe, and metron that is to sey mesure. And thus is this nam of Gemetria compounyd as isseyd the mesur of the erthe. MErvile ye not that I seyd that all sciens lyue all only by the sciens of Geme try. ffor there is none artifici- all ne honcrafte that is wrogth by manys hond bot hit is wrougght by Gemetry. and a notabull cause. for if a man worche wit his hondis he wor chyth wit some manner tole and ther is none instrument of ma- teriall thingis in this worlde but hit come of the kynde of erthe and to erthe hit wole
turne a yen. and ther is none instrument that is to say a tole to wirche wit but hit hath some prooprorcion more or lasse And some proporcion is mesure the tole er the instrment is erthe. And Gemetry is said the mesure of erthe Where fore I may sey that men lyuen all by Gemetry. ffor all men here in this worlde lyue by the labour of her hondys. MOny mo pbacions I wole telle yow why that
Gemetry is the sciens that all re sonable men lyue by. but I leue hit at this tyme for the loge processe of wrytyng. And now I wollprpcede forther on me ma ter. ye schall understonde that amonge all the craftys of the worlde of mannes crafte masonry hath the moste no tabilite and moste parte of this sciens Gemetry as hit is notid and seyd in storiall as in the bybyll and in the master of stories. And in poli/cronico
a cronycle prinyd and in the stories that is named Beda De Imagine mundi & Isodorus ethomologiarum. Methodius epus & martirus. And other meny mo seyd that masonry is principall of Gemetry as me thenkyth hit may well be sayd for hit was the first that was foundon as hit is notid in the bybull in the first boke of Genesis in the iiii chapter. And also all the doc tours aforsayde acordeth ther to
And sume of hem seythe hit more openly and playnly rygt as his seithe in the by bull Genesis ADam is line linyalle sone descendyng doune the vii age of adam byfore noes flode ther was a man that was clepyd lameth the whiche hadde ii wyffes the on hyght ada & a nother sella by the fyrst wyffe that hyght ada he be gate ii sonys that one hyght Jobel and the other
height juball. The elder sone Jobell he was the fists man [170] that ever found gemetry and masonry. and he made how sis & namyd in the bybull Pater habitantcium in tento- ris atque pastorum That is to say fader of men dwellyng in tentis that is dwellyng howsis. A. he was Cayin is master mason and governor of all his werkys whan he made the Cite of Enoch that was the firste Cite
that was the first Cite that ever was made and that made Kayme Adam is sone. and yaf to his owne sone. Enoch and yaff the Cyte the name of his sone and kallyd hit Enoch. and now hit is callyd Effraym and ther was sciens of Gemetry and ma sonri fyrst occupied and contrenyd for a sciens and for a crafte and so we may sey that hit was cavse & fun dacion of all craftys and
sciens. And also this man Jobell was called Pater Pastorum THe master of stories seith and beda de yma gyna mundi policronicon & other mo seyn that he was the first that made deperceson of lond that every man myght knowe his owne grounde and laboure there on as for his owne. And also he de partid flockes of schepe that every man myght know his
owne schepe and so we may sey that he was the first founder of that sciens. And his brother Juball. or tuball was founder of mysyke & song as pictogoras seyth in policronycon and the same seythe ylodoure in his ethemologii in the vi boke there he seythe that he was the first foundere of mysyke and song and of organ & trompe and he founde that sciens by the soune of pon/deracion
of his brotheris hamers that was tubalcaym. SOthely as the bybull seyth in the chapitre that is to sey the iiii of Genes' that he seyth lameth gate apon his other wiffe that height sella a sone & a dooucter the names of them were clepid tubalcaym that was the sone. & his doghter hight neema & as the poli cronycon seyth that some men sey that sche was noes wyffe wether hit be so other no we afferme/ hit nott YE schulle understonde that this sone tubalcaym was founder of smythis craft and other craft of meteil that is to sey of eyron of braffe of golde & of silver as some docturs seyn & his syster neema was fynder of weverscraft. for by fore that time was no cloth weuyn but they did spynne yerne and knytte hit & made hem suche clothyng as they couthe but as the woman neema
founde the craft of weuyng & therfore hit was kalled wo menys craft. and thes iii brotheryn aforesayd had know lyche that god wold take ven gans for synne other by fyre or watir and they had greter care how they myst do to saue the sciens that they founde and they toke her conselle to gedyr & by all her witts they seyde that were. ii maner of stonn of suche vertu that the one wolde never brenne & that stone is callyd marbyll. & that other stone that woll not synke in water. & that stone is named latrus. and so they deuysyed to wryte all the sciens that they had ffounde in this ii stonys if that god wolde take vengns by fyre that the marbyll scholde not brenne And yf god sende vengans by waterthat the other scholde not droune. & so they prayed ther elder brother jobell that wold make ii. pillers of thes. ii stones that is to sey of marbyll
and of latrus and that he wold write in the ii. pylers all the sciens & crafts that all they had founde. and so he did and therfor we may sey that he was most connyng in sciens for he fyrst bygan & performed the end by for noes flode. KYndly knowyng of that venganns that god wolde send whether hit scholde be bi fyre or by water the bretherne hadde hit not
by a maner of a prophecy they wist that god wold send one ther of. and ther for thei writen here sciens in the. ii. pilers of stone. And sume men sey that they writen in the. stonis all the. vii sciens. but as they in here mynde that a ven ganns scholde come. And to hit was that god sentd ven ganns so that ther come suche a flode that alle the worl was drowned. and alle men wer dede ther in saue. viii. personis
And that was noe and his wyffe. and his iii. sonys & here wyffes. of whiche. iii sones all the world cam of. and here namys were na myd in this maner. Sem. Cam. & Japhet. And this flode was kalled noes flode ffor he & his children were sauyed ther in. And after this flode many yeres as the cronycle telleth thes. ii pillers were founde & as the polycronicon seyth that a grete clerke that callede puto-/goras fonde that one and hermes the philisophre fonde that other. & thei tought forthe the sciens that thei fonde ther y wryten. Every cronycle and sto riall and meny other clerkys and the bybull in princi pall wittenes of the makynge of the toure of babilon and hit is writen in the bibull Genesis Capter x wo that Cam noes sone gate nembrothe and he war a myghty man apon the erthe and he war a stronge
man like a Gyant and he was a grete Kyng. and the bygyn ynge of his kyngdom was trew kyngdom of babilon and arach. and archad. & talan & the lond if sennare. And this same CamNemroth be gan the towre of babilon and he taught and he taught to his werkemwn the crafte of masuri and he had wit hym mony masonys mo than xl thousand. and he louyd & cheresched them well. and hit is wryten in policronicon and in the master of stories and in other stories mo. and this a part wytnes bybull in the same x. chapter he seyth that a sure that was nye kynne to CamNembrothe yede owt of the londe of senare and he bylled the Cie Nunyve and plateas and other mo thus he seyth. De tra illa & de sennare egreffus est asure & edificauit Nunyven & pla- teas ciuiyate & cale & Jesu qoqz inter nunyven & hec est Ciuitas magna.
REson wolde that we schold tell opunly how & in what maner that the charges of masoncraft was fyrst foun dyd & ho yaf first the name to hit of masonri and ye schyll knaw well that hit told and writen in policronicon & in methodus episcopus and marter that asur that was a worthy lord of sennare sende to nembroth the kynge to sende hym masons and workemen of craft that myght helpe hym to make his Cite
that he was in wyll to make. And nembroth sende hym xxx C. of masons. And whan they scholde go & sende hem forth. he callyd hem by for hym and seyd to hem ye most go to my co syn asure to helpe hym to bilde a cyte but loke that ye be well gouernyd and I schall yeue yov a charge profitable for you & me. WHen ye come to that lord loke that ye be trewe to hym lyke as ye wolde be to
me. and truly do your labour and craft and takyt reson- abull your mede therfor as ye may deserue and also that ye loue to gedyr as ye were bretheryn and holde to gedyr truly. & he that hath most conyng teche hit to hys felaw and louke ye gouerne you ayenst yowr lord and a monge yowr selfe. that I may haue worchyppe and thonke for me sendyng and techyng you the crafte. and they res/ceyuyd
the charge of hym that was here maister and here lorde. and wente forthe to asure. & bilde the cite of nunyve in the countre of plateas and other Cites mo that men call cale and Jesen that is a gret Cite bi twene Cale and nunyve And in this maner the craft of masonry was fyrst prefer ryd & chargyd hit for a sciens. ELders that were bi for us of masons had tese charges wryten to hem as
we haue now in owr char gys of the story of Enclidnis as we have seyn hem writen in latyn & in Fresnche bothe but ho that Enclyd come to ge- metry reson wolde we scholde telle yow as hit is notid in the hybull & in other stories. In xii Capitlor Genesis he tellith how that abraham com to the lond of Canan and owre lord aperyd to hym and seyd I schall geue this lond to thi seed. but ther syll a grete hunger
in that lond. And abraham toke sara his wiff wit him and yed in to Egypte in pylgre- mage whyle the hunger du red he wolde hyde ther. And A braham as the cronycull seyth he was a wyse man and a grete clerk. And covthe all thevii sciens. and taughte the egypeyans the sciens of Gemetry. And this worthy clerk Enclidnis was his clerke and lerned of hym. And he yaue the firste name
of Gemetry all be that hit was ocupied bifor hit had no name of gemetry. But hit is seyd of ylodour Ethe mologiarum in the v. boke. Ethe mologiarum Capitolo p'mo. seyth that Enclyde was on of the first founders of Gemetry & he yaue hit name. ffor in his tyme ther was a wa ter in that lond of Egypt that is callyd Nilo and hit flowid so ferre in to the londe that men myght not dwelle therin THen this worthi clerke Enclide taught hem to make grete wallys and diches to holde owt the watyr. and he by Gemet' mesured the londe and depar tyd hit in dyvers partys. & mad every man to close his awne parte wit walles and diches an theen hit be came a plentuos conuntre of all maner of freute and of yonge peple of men and women that ther was so myche pepull of yonge frute that they couth' not well lyue. And the lordys of the countre drew hem to gedyr and made a councell how they myght helpe her childeryn that had no lyflode compotente & abull for to fynde hem selfe and here childron for they had so many. and a mong hem all in councell was this worthy clerke Encli dnis and when he sawe that all they couthe not btynge a bout this mater. he seyd
to hem woll ye take your sonys in gouernanns & I schall teche hen suche a sciens that they schall iyue ther by jentel manly vnder condicion that ye wyll be swore to me to perfourme the gouernanns that I schall sette you too and hem bothe and the kyng of the londe and all the lordys by one assent grauntyd ther too. REson wolde that euery man woulde graunte to that thyng that were profetable to him
self. and they toke here so nys to enclide to gouerne hem at his owne wylle & he taught to hem the craft Masonry and yaf hit the name of Gemetry by cavse of the partyng of the grounde that he had taught to the peple in the time of the makyng of the wallys and diches a for sayd to clawse out the watyr. & Isodor seyth in his Ethemolegies that Enclide callith the craft Gemetrya
And ther this worthye clerke yaf hit name and taught hitt the lordis sonys of the londe that he had in his teching And he yaf hem a charge that they scholde calle here eche other ffelowe & no nother wise by cavse that they were all of one crafte & of one gentyll berthe bore & lords' sonys. And also he that were most of connyng scholde be gouernour of the werke and scholde be callyd maister &
other charges mo that ben wryten in the boke of char gys. And so they wrought with lordys of the lond & made cities and tounys castelis & templis and lordis placis. WHat tyme that the chil dren of isrl dwellid in egypte they lernyd the craft of masonry. And afturward they were dryuen ont of Egypte they come in to the lond of bihest and is now callyd ierlem
and hit was ocupied & char gys y holde. And the makyng of salomonis tempull that Kyng Dauid be gan. kyng dauid louyd well masons and he yaf hem rygt nye as they be nowe. And at the makyng of the temple in salomonis tyme as hit is seyd in the bibull in the iii boke of Regu in tercio Regum Capitolo quinto. That Salomon had iiii. score thowsand masons at
his werke. And the kyngis sone of Tyry was his master masen. And other crony clos hit is seyd & in olde bokys of masonry that Salomon confirmed the char gys that dauid has fadir had yeue to masons. And salo mon hym self taught hem here maners byt lityll differans fro the maners that now ben usyd. And fro thens this worthy sciens was brought in to fraunce
And in to many other regions SUmtyme ther was a worthye kyng in ffrauns that was clepyd Ca rolus s'cundus that ys to sey Charlys the secunde. And this Charlys was elyte kyng of ffrauns by the grace of god & by lynage also. And summe men sey that he was elite by fortune the whiche is fals as by cronycle he was of the kynges blode Royal. And this same kyng
Charlys was a mason bi for that he was kyng. And after that he was kyng he louyd masons & cherschid them and yaf hem chargys and manerys at his deuise the whiche sum ben yet used in fraunce and he ordeynyd that they scholde haue a semly onys in the yere and come and speke to gedyr and for to be reuled by masters & felows of thynges a mysse. ANd soone after that come
seynt ad habell in to Englond and he conuertyd seynt Albon to cristendome. And seynt Albon lovyd well masons and he yaf hem fyrst here charges & maners fyrst in Englond. And he or deyned conuenyent to pay for the trauayle. And after theat was a worthy kynge in Englond that was callyd Athelstone and his yong est sone lovyd well the sciens of Gemetry. and
he wyst wellthat hand craft had the practyke of the sci ens of Gemetry to well as masons wherefore he drewe hym to consell and ler nyd practyke of that sciens to his speculatyf. For of spec culatyfe he was a master and he lovyd well ma sonry and masons. And he bicome a mason hym selfe. And he yaf hem charges and names as hit is now vsyd id Englond. and in
othere countries. And he ordyned that they schulde haue resonabull pay. And pur chased a fre patent of the kyng that they schoulde make a sembly whan thei sawe re- sonably tyme a cu to gedir to here counselle of the whiche Charges manors & semble as is write and taught in the boke of our charges wher for I leue hit at this tyme. GOod men for this cause and this maner
masonry toke firste begyn- nyng. hit befyll sumtyme that grete lordis had not so grete poss essions that they myghte not a vaunce here fre bigeton childeryn for they had so many. Therefore they toke counsell howe they mygt here childeryn avance and ordeyn hem onestly to lyue. And sende after wyse maisters of the worthy sci ens of Gemetry that they thorou here wysdome schold ordey/ne
hem sum honest lyuyng Then on of them that had the name whiche was callyd Englet that was most sotell & wise founder ordeyned and art and callyd hit ma sonry. and so with his art ho nestly he thogt the childeren of get lordis bi the pray er of the fathers and the fre will of here children. the wiche when thei taugt with hie Cure bi a serteyn tyme they were not all ilyke ab/ull
for to take of the forseyde art Wherefore the forsayde maister Englet ordeynet thei were passing of conyng schold be passing honoured. And ded to call the connynger maister for to enforme the lasse of con nyng masters of the wiche were callyd masters of no bilite of witte and connyng of that art. Neverthelesse thei com maundid that thei that were lasse of witte schold not be callyd seruanter ner sogett but felau
ffor nobilite of here gentyll nlode. In this maner was the forsayde art begunne in the lond of Egypte by the forsayde maister Englat & so hit went fro lond to londe and fro kyng dome to kyngdome after that ma- ny yeris in the tyme of kyng adhelstone wiche was sum tyme kynge of Englonde bi his counnseller and other greter lordys of the lond bi comyn assent for grete defavt y fennde amonger masons thei
ordeyned a certayne reule a mongys hom on tyme of the yere or in iii yere as nede were to the kyng and gret lordys of the londe and all the comente fro proynce to proynce and fro countre to countre congregacions scholde be made by maisters of all maisters masons and felaus in the forsayd art. And so at suche congregacons they that be mad masters schold be examined of the articuls after writen. &
be ransakyd whether thei be abull and kunnyng to the pr fyte of the lordys hem to serue and to the honour of the forsaid art and more ouer they schulde receyue here charge that they schuld well and trewly dis pende the goodys of here lordis and as well the lowist as the hiest for they ben her lordys for the tyme of whom hei take here pay for here cervyce and for here trauayle. The firste article ys this that euery maister of this art schulde be wysse and trewe to the lord that he seruyth dispendyng his godis trule as he wolde his awne were dispendyd. and not yefe more pay to no mason than he wot he may diserue after the derthe of korne & vytayl in the contry no fauour with stondyg for euery man to be rewardyd after his trauayle. The secnd article is this that euery master of this art scholde be warned by fore to cum to his cogregat
that thei com dewly but yf thei may asscusyd by sume maner cause. But neuerlesse if they be founde rebell at suche con gregacions or fauty in eny maner harme of here lordys and reprene of this art thei schulde not be excusyd in no manere out take perell of dethe and thow they be in peryll of dethe they scall warne the maister that is pryncipall of the gederyng of his dessese. the article is this that no master
take noprentes for lasse terme than vii yer at the lest. by cause whi suche as ben with i lasse terme may not profitely come to his art. nor abull to serue truly his lorde to take as a mason schulde take. The iiii article is this that no master for no profyte take no prentis for to be lernyd that is bore of bonde blode fore bi cause of his lorde to whom he is bonde woll take hym as he well may fro his art & lede hym with hym out of his logge or out of his place that he worchyth in for his felaus perauenter wold help hym and debte for hym. and thereoff manslaughter mygt ryse hit is forbede. And also for a nother cause of his art hit toke begynnyng of grete lordis children frely begetyn as hit is iseyd bi for. The v. article is thys that no master yef more to his prentis in tyme of his prentishode for
no prophite to be take than he note well he may disserue of the lorde that he seruith nor not so moche that the lorde of the place that he is taught inne may haue sum profyte bi his te- chyng. The vi. article is this that no master for no coue tyse ner profite take no pren tis to teche that is unperfyte that is to sey havyng eny maym for the whiche he may not trewely worche as hym ought for to do. The vii.
article is this that np maister be y founde wittyngly or help or procure to be mayntener & susteyner any comyn nygtwal ker to robbe bi the whiche maner of nygtwalking thei may not fulfyll ther days werke and traueyell thorow thecondicion her felaus mygt be made wrowthe. The viii article is this that yf hit befall that any mason that be perfyte and connyng come for to seche werke and fynde any vnperfit
and vnkunnyng worchyng the master of the place schall re ceyue the perfite and do a wey the vnperfite to the profite of his lord The ix. article is this that no maister schall supplant a nother for hit is seyd in the art of masonry that no man scholde make ende so well of werke bigonne bi a no ther to the profite of his lorde as he bigan hit for to end hit bi his maters or to whome he scheweth his maters.
This councell ys made bi dy uers lordis & maisters of dyvers provynces and diuers congregacions of masonry and hit is to wyte that who that covetyth for to come to the state of that forseyd art hit be hoveth hem fyrst princypally to god and holy chyrche & all halowis and his master and his felowis as his awne brotheryn. The seconde poynt he most fulfylle his dayes werke truly that he takyth for
his pay. The. iii. point he can hele the councell of his felows in logge and in chambere and in euery place ther as masons beth. The iiii. poynt that he be no disseyver of the forseyd art ne do no preiudice ne susteyne none articles ayenst the art ne a yenst none of the art but he schall susteyne hit in all honovre in as moche as he may. The. v. poynt whan he schall take his pay that he take hit mekely
as the tyme ys ordeynyd bi the maister to be done and that he fulfylle the accepcions of trauayle and of his rest y ordeyned and sette by the maister. The. vi. poynt yf eny discorde schall be bitwe ne hym & his felows he schall a bey hym mekely & be stylle at the byddyng of his master or of the wardeyne of his master in his masters absens to the holy day fo- lowyng and that he accorde then at the dispocion of his felaus and not upon the wer keday for lettyng of here werke and profyte of his lord The. vii. poynt that he covet not the wyfe ne the doughter of his masters nother of his felaws but yf hit be in ma- tuge nor holde concubines for dyscord that mygt fall a monges them. The. viii poynt yf hit befalle hym ffor to be wardeyne vndyr his master that he be trewe mene
bitwene his master & his felaws and that he be besy in the absence of his master to the honor of his master and pro- fit to the lorde that he serueth The. iX. poynt yf he be wyser and sotellere than his felawe worchyng with hym in his logge or in eny other place and he perseyue hit that he schold lefe the stone that he worchyt a- pon for defawte of connyng and can teche hym and a mende the stone he schall en/forme hym and helpe him that the more loue may encrese among hem and that the werke of the lorde be not lost. Whan the master and the fe lawes be for warned ben y come to suche congregaconns if nede be the Schereffe of the countre or the mayer of the Cyte or alderman of the towne in wyche the congregacons ys holden schall be felaw and so ciat to the master of the congre gacion in helpe of hym ayenst re belles and vpberyng the rygt
of the reme. At the fyrst begyn nyng new men that neuer were chargyd bi fore beth charged in this manere that schold neuer be theuys nor theuys meynteners and that schuld tryuly fulfyll here dayes werke and truayle for here pay that they schull take of here lord and trewe a count yeue to here felaus in thyn gys that be to be a countyd of hem and to here and hem loue as hem selfe and they schall be trew to the kynge of englond and to the reme and that they kepe with all ther mygt and all the articles a for sayd. After that hit schall be enqueryd if ony master or felaw that is y warnyd haue y broke ony article be forsayd the whiche if they haue done hit schall be de termyned ther. Therefore hit is to wyte if eny master or felawe that is warnyd bifore to come to suche congregaconns and be
rebell and woll not come or els haue trespassed a yenst any article beforsayd if hit may be prouyd he schall for- swere his masonri and schal no more vse his craft. The whiche if he presume for to do the Scherefe of the countre in the which he may be founde worchynge he schall prison him & take all his godys in to the kynges hond tyll his grace be grantyd him & y sche wed for this cause principally wher thes congregatonns ben y ordeyned
that as well the lowist as as the hiest schuld be well and trewely y seruyd in his art biforesayd thorow owt all the kyngdom of Englond. Amen so mote hit be
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