The John T. Thorp MS. (1629)
The Might of the father of heaven wth the wisdome of his glorious sonne through the goodnes of the holy ghoste that bee three p'sons in one godhead bee wth vs at or beginninge & give vs grace soe to gou'ne in or livinge that wee may come to his blisse that neu' shall have endinge. Good brethren & fellowes or purpose is to tell yow how & in what mannr this craft of masonry was begun & afterward how it was founded by worthie kings & Princes, & many other worthy men And alsoe to them that bee here wee will declare the chardge that belonge to eu'y true mason to keepe ffor in good faith if yow take heede thereto it is well worthy to bee kept for a worthy craft & a Curious science ffor there bee seaven liberall sciences of the wch it is one of them that be theise folowinge, ffirst is Gramr that teacheth a man to speake truly & to wryte truly The second is Rhethoricke that teacheth a man to speake faire & in suttell termes, The third is Logick that teacheth do diserne or knowe truth from false, The ffourth is Arithmeticke that teacheth to account & recken all mannr of numbers, The ffyft is called Geometrie & it teacheth to mete & measure of the earth & other thinges of the wch science is Masonry The sixte is musicke that teacheth the craft of songe and voyce of tonge Orgens & harpe The seaventh is called Astronomy that teacheth to knowe the course of the sunne & moone & other stares. These be the seaven liberall sciences the wch seven bee all by one science, that is to saie Geometry Thus may a man prove that all the sciencs in the world be found by Geometrie for it teacheth to mete & measure ponderacon & waight of all mannr of kind of earth, And there is noe man that worketh by any craft but hee worketh by some measure, Nor noe mann that buys or sells but by mesure & waight And all that is Geometrie & craftsmen & marchants fynd other of the seaven sciencs & especially plowe men & tillers of all mannr of graine both cornes seedes vynes plants settrs of other fruits ffor Gramr nether Astronomy nor none of all theise cannot fynd a man one measure or inete wth out Geometrie wherefore I thinke that science is most worthy that fyndeth all other, Howe that this worthy Science was first begun I shall tell yow , Before Noyes flood was a man that was called Lamech as it is written in the 4th chapter of Genesis And this Lamech had two wyves the one was called Ada & the othr Sella by the first wyef Ada hee begotte two sonns the one was called Jabell & the other Juball And by the othr wyef Sella, hee had one sonne & a daughtr And these 4 children found the beginge of all the crafts in the world This Jaball was eldr sonne & hee found the craft of Geometrie & hee pted flockes of sheepe and lambes in the feild & first wrought house of stone & tree as it is noted in the Chaptr abouesaid And his brothr Jabell found musicke of songe harpe and Orgaine The third brothr Tuball found smith craft of gould silu r Copp Iron steele, And there sistr found the craft of weavinge Theis children did knowe that god would take vengeance for sine eith r by fyer or water wherefore they wrote the sciences that they had found in two pillers of stone that they might bee found after the flood the one stone was called marble that would not burne wth fyer The othr was Laterus that would not drowne in the water Our intent is to tell yow truly & in what mannr theis stones were found that the crafts weare written in This greke Hermermes that was sonne to Chus & Chus was sonn vnto Sem the wch was sonne vnto Noy, the same Hermermes -was afterward called Hermes the father of wysemen And hee found of the two pillers of stone & the sciences written therein & taught them forth And at the makeinge of the tower of Babilon there was the craft of masonrie first found & made much of And the kinge of Babilon That was named Hembrothe was a mason & loved well the craft & is said wth mr of the stories And when the Cittie of Ninyvie & other Citties of Estazia should bee made Hembroth the kinge of Babilon send thither Sixtie masons at the desyre of the kinge of Nynivye his Cozen and when hee send them forthe hee gave them achardge on this manner they should be true & love truly togeath 1 And that they should serve theire Lord truly for his payment soe that hee might haue worshippe for the sendinge of them to him, And other charges hee gave them And this was the first tyme that any mason had anie charge of his craft Moreover when Abraham and Sara his wyef went into Egipte there taught the seven sciences & to the Egiptians & hee had a worthy scollr called Euclyed & learned right well and was mr of all the seaven sciences And in his daies it befell that the lordes & estates of that Realme had soe many sonns that they had gotten some by their wyves & some by other Ladies of that Realme for that land is hole layed & plenished generacon & they had noe lyvinge compotent for their said children wherefore they made much sorrowe And the kinge of that land made a great counsell & a Parlamt to knowe how hee might fynd there childrn And they could fynd noe good way & caused a crye to be made through the Realme if there were any man that could enforme them that hee should come vnto him And hee should be rewarded for his travaile that hee should hould himselfe well pleased, After this Crye was made came this worthy clarke Euclyed & said to the kinge & all his great Lords If yow will take mee yor Children to governe & to teach them honestly as gentleme should vndr Condition that yee will grant them & mee a Comission that I haue power to Rule them honestly as that science ought to bee ruled, And the kinge wth his Councell granted them anon & sealed that Comission & then this worthy Doctr tooke to him the Lordes sonns & taught them theis sciences of Geometrie in practise for to worke in stones all mannr of worthy workes that belonged to buildinge of Castles all mannr of Courtes Temples & Churches wth all other buildings & hee gave them charge in this mannr ffirst was that they should be true to the kinge and the lord that they served & that they should love togeath 1 & to be true one to another & that they should call each other fellowe & not servant nor his knaue nor other foule names And that they should truly deserve their paymt to the lord that they serve And that they should ordeyne the wysest of them to bee mr of the Lordes worke & neith r for love great language nor riches to sett anothr that had littell cuninge for to bee mr of the lordes worke whereby the Lord should bee evill served & they ashamed And alsoe that they should call their gournour of the worke their mr of the worke whylst they wrought wth him & many other charges that were longe to tell & to all the Charges hee made them sweare the greatest oathes that men vsed that tyme and ordeyned for themreasonable paymt that they might live by it honestly And alsoe that they should come & semble all their othes that they might have Councell in their craft howthey might worke best to serve their Lord for his pffitt & worshippe & correcte them selves if they have tresspased And thus was the craft of Geometrie grounded their And their worthy mr gave it the name of Geometrie & nowe it is called masonrie in this land since Longe after the Children of Israeli were come into the land of Behest it is nowe called amonge vs the Cuntry of Jerusalem kinge David began the temple of Jerusalem that is wth them templum domini & the same kinge David loved Masons well & cherished them & gave them good paymt & hee gaue them the charge & manners as they had it out of Egipt given by Euclide & othr charges that yow shall here afterward, And after the Decease of kinge David Salamon that was sonne vnto David pformed out the Temple that his father hadd begun & hee sent after [Third Strip.~\ Masons of diu rs landes & gathered them togeth r soe that hee had fourescore thowsand of workers of stone & they were named Masons & had three thowsand of them wch were ordeyned to bee mrs & gou’nors of this worke And there was a kinge of an other Region that men called Yram & hee loved well kinge Salomon & gave him Tymbr for his worke And hee had a sonne that was named Aynon & hee was mr of Geometrie And hee was cheeff mr of all his masons & mr of all his gravings & carvinge worke & of all other manner of Masonry that belonged to the Temple And all this wittnesseth in the Byble in libro regum iiij'o prio capr and this same Salomon confirmed both chargis & mannr s that his father had given to Masons & this was that worthy craft of Masonry confirmed in the Cuntry of Jerusalem & many other kingdomes Glorious craftsmen walkinge about into diu’s Cuntries some because of lerninge more craft & some to teach their craft And soe it befell that there was a Curious Mason that was named Naymus Grecus that had beene at the makinge of Salomons Temple & came into ffrance & hee taught the craft of Masonry to men of ffrance & soe their was one of the reall Lyne of ffrance that was called Charles Martill & was a man that loved well such acraft & drewe to him this Naymus Grecus abouesaid & lerned of him the craft & tooke vppon him the Charges & afterward by the grace of god hee was elect to bee kinge of ffrance And when hee was in his stall hee tooke to him many Masons & made Masons there that were none & sett them in worke & gaue them both charges & mannrs & good pay hee had lerned of other masons & confirmed them a Charter from yeare to yeare to hould their semble & cherished them much & thus came the craft into ffrance England in all this season stood voide as for any charge of Masonry vnto the tyme of St Albon & in his tyme the kinge of England that was a Pagand & hee walled the Towne that is now called St Albons & soe in Albans was a worthy knight & was cheef steward wth the kinge & had gou’nance of the Realme of and also of the makinge of the Towne wall & hee loved well Masons & cherished them & hee made their paymt right good standinge as the Realme did requier for hee gaue them eu'y weeke iiijs vjd there duable wages before that tyme throughout all the land a Mason tooke but jd dj a day & meate vnto the tyme that St Albon amended it & gave them a Charter of the kinge & his couusell & gave it the name of Assemble & thereat hee was himself & made Masons & gave them charge as yow shall here afterward, Right soone after the decease of St Albon there came great warres into England through diu’s nations soe that good rule of Masonry was destroyed vnto the tyme of kinge Athelston that was aworthy kinge in England & hee brought the land in good rest & peace & builded many great workes of Abbeys Castells & many other diu’s buildings & hee loved much Masons, And hee had a sonne that was named Hediwine & hee loved Masons much more then his father for hee was full of practise in Geometrie wherefore hee drew him to comen Masons & to learne of their craft & afterward for love that hee had to Masons & to the craft hee was made Mason himself & hee gate of his fathr the kinge a Charter & a Comission to hould eu'y yeare asemble whereeu' they would wth in the Realme & to corect wthin them selves statutes & trespasis that were donne wth in the craft & hee had himself asemble at yorke & there hee made Masons & gave them chargis & taught to them the mannrs of Masons & comanded that rule to bee houlden eu' after & to them tooke the Charter & Comission to keepe and made ordinances that it should bee ruled from kinge to kinge when this assemble was gathered together hee made a crye that all Masons both ould & yonge that hadd any wrytinge or vndr standinge of the chargis that were made before in this land or in any other land that they should shewthem forth & there were found some in french & some in greeke some in English & some in other languages & the intent of them was found & comanded a booke thereof to bee made & ho wthe craft was first made & found & comanded that it should bee redd & tould when that any Mason should bee made & to give him his charge & from that day vnto this tyme Masonry hath beene kept in that forme as well as men might gou'ne it & furthermore at diu’s sembles haue beene put & added certayn chargis more & more by the best advyse of maisters & fellowes Tunc vnus ex Senioribus teneat librum et illi vel ille ponant vel ponat manus sup librum et tunc prcepta debent legi Every man that is Mason take heede right well of this charge if yow fynd yor self guiltie of anie of theis that yow may amend yow againe and especially ye that bee charged take good heede that yow may keepe this charge for it is great p'ill for a man to forsweare him on a booke The first charge is that yow shall be trewe men to god and the holy Church and that yow vse noe Heresie nor error by yor vndr standinge or by the teachinge of discret men Alsoe yee shall be true leigemen to the kinge wth out treason or falshood & that yow shall knowe noe treason but that yow mend it if yow may or ells warne the kinge or his Councell thereof Alsoe yow shalbe true one to another that is to saie to eu'y Maistr & fellowe of the craft of Masonry that bene Masons alowed that yow doe to them as yow would they did to yow , And alsoe that eu'y Mason keepe true Councell of lodge & of Councell & of other Councell that ought to bee kept by the way of Masonry, And alsoe that noe Mason shalbe theef neither in Company as farr forth as hee may knowe And alsoe that they shalbee true to the Lord & mr that they serue & truly to see his pfitt & advantage And alsoe yow shall call Masons yor fellowes & brethren & neither foule name nor yow shall not take yor fellows wyef in villany nor desyre vngodlily his daughtr nor his servant to his villayn & that yow pay truly for yor table & yor meate & drinke where yow goe to bord And alsoe that yow do no villany in that howse whereby the craft may be slandered Theis bene the charges ingenerall that eu'y Mason should hould both Mrs & fellowes, Reherse I will now other charges singuler for Mrs & fellowes ffirst that no M r shall take vpon him noe Lords worke nor noe other worke but hee knowe him able & cuninge to pforme the same soe that the craft have noe disworshippe but that the Lord may be well served & truly And alsoe that noe M r cake noe worke but hee take it reasonable soe that the Lord may be truly served wth his owne good & the M r to live honestly & pay his fellowes truly their pay as the mannr of the craft dothrequier And alsoe that noe mr nor fellowe shall not suplant others of their workes that is to saie if hee haue taken a worke or ells stand mr of a Lords worke yow shall not put him out if he be vnable of cuninge for to end the worke And alsoe that noe mr nor fellowe take noe prentice to bee alowed his prntice how but in vij yeares And that prntice bee able of his birth & of his limes as hee ought to bee And alsoe that noe maister nor fellowe take noe lowance to bee made Mason wth out assent of his fellowes that at the least fyve or six And that hee that shalbe made Mason bene able ou’ all sciences that is to saie that hee be free borne & of good kyndred & no bonnd man and that hee have his right lymes as a man ought to have, And alsoe that noe mr put noe Lords worke to taske that ought to goe to Jorney And alsoe that eu'y mason shall give noe pay to his fellowes but as hee may deserve soe that hee bee not deceived by false workemen, And alsoe that noe fellowe falsly slander another behynd his backe to make him loose his good name or his worldly good, And alsoe that noe fellowe wth in — the lodge nor wth out misanswere another vngodlily wth out reasonable cause, And alsoe eu'y Mason should prferr his elder & put him to worshippe And alsoe that noe mason shall play at hassards nor noe other playes whereby they may bee slandered And alsoe that noe mason shalbee no comen ryball in Lecherie to make the craft to bee slandered And that noe fellowe goe into the Towne in the night tyme thereas is a lodge fellowes wth out a fellowe that hee may beare him wittnes that hee was in honest place And alsoe that eu'y Maister & fellowe come to the semblie if it bee wth in ffyftie myles about him if hee have any warninge And stand thereat the reward of maisters & fellowes & alsoe that eu'y Maistr & fellowe if they have trespast should stand at the reward of maisters and fellowes to make them accorded if they maye And if they may not accord them to goe to the Comen Lawe And alsoe that noe mason make moulds square nor Rule to rough lyers And alsoe that noe mason sett noe lyer wth in a lodge nor wth out to hew mold stones wth noe mould of his owne makeinge And alsoe that eu'y Mason shall receive & cherrysh strange fellowes when they come in the cuntrey and sett them to worke as the manner is that is to saie if hee haue mold stones in place hee shall sett him a forthnight at the least in worke and geve him his hyer, And if there bee noe stones for him hee shall refreshe him wth money to bringe him to the next lodge And alsoe yee shall and eu'y Mason serve truly the workes and truly make an end of yor worke bee it taske or Jorney if yow maye have yor pay as yow ought to have Theise Charges that wee have declared and all other that belongeth to Masonry yow shall keepe There shall not any Mason take any prentice excepte the same Mason hath beene prntise vij veares before nor the said Mason shall take noe prntise but wth the Consent of iiij or vj of his said brethren Soe helpe yow god & holydome And by this booke to yor power Anno dni 1629.
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.