Year: 1867

y


King in England that was called Athel-
stan, and his youngest sOn loved well


the science Of geometry, and he wist well


that hand craft had the practice of the
, science of Geometry so well as Masons,


wherefore he drew him to Counsel and
. learned (the) practice OF that Science to


his Speculative, for of speculation he


was a master and he loved well Masonry
b and Mssons, and he became q Mason


himself, and he gave them charges and


names as il is now used in England and


in other countries. And he ordained
that they should have reasonable pay


and purchased a free patent OF the King


that they should make (an) assembly


when they saw a reasonable time and


come together TO their councillors of the


which charges, manners, and assembly


as it is written and taught in the book of


Onr charges, wherefore / leave at this


time.


Good men for this cause and this man
ner Masonry took its first beginning. 1t


befeI sometimes that great lords had not


50 great possessions that they might not


advance their free begotten children, for


they had so many, therefore they took


counsel how they might their children


advance and ord6in them honestly to


live, and they sent after Wise Masters of


the worthy Science of Geometry that


they, through their wisdom, should


ordain them some honest living. Then


one OF them, that had the name which


was called EBglet, that was the most


subtle and wise founder, ordained an art
and called it Masonry, and so with his


art, honestly, he taught the children of
great lords, by the prayer of the fathers
and free will of their children, the which


when they lwerel taught with high care,
/ by a certain time, they were not ell alike
I able for 10 take Of the (a)foresaid art
/ wherefore the a)foresaid master, Englet
ordained that they who were passing


of cunning should be passing honoured


and ded to call the Cunninger Master for


10 inform the less Of cunning masters of
/ the which were called Masters of Nobil-
| ity of wit and cunning of that art
/ Nevertheless, they commanded that they
! that were less Of wit should not be called
| servants, nor subject, but fellow, for
nobility Of their gentle blood. In this
manner was the a fOresaid art begun in


the land OF Egypt, by the Ca)foresaid
! Master Euglet, and so it went from land


to land, and from Kingdom to Kingdom.
After that, many years, in the time of
King Athelstan, which was some King
Of England by his cOunsellors and other
| great lords Of the land, by common con-
sent, for great default found among
MasOns, they ordained 3 certain rule
amongst them one time of the year, or


in three years as need were to the King
and great lords of the land and all the
cOmmonalty, from province to province
and from country To country, cOngrega-
tions should be made by Masters, of all
Master MssOns, and fellows in the alfore- /
said art, and so, at such congregation,
they that be made Masters should be /
examined, of the articles after written, I
and be ransacked whether they be able |
and cunning to the profits Of the lords /


having them to serve and to the I
honour Of the (a)foressid art, And, |
moreover, they should receive their I
charge that they should well and truly z
dispend the goods Of their lords. as well .
the lowest as the highest, for they be .
their lords, for the time, of whom they 1
take their pay for their services and for .
their travail. The first articles this
That every Master Of this art should be


wise and true to the Lord that he serveth,
dispending his goods truly as he would
his own were dispensed, and not give


more pay to no Mason than he wOt he
may deserve. After the dearth Of the
corn and victuals in the country, no
favour withstanding for every man to be
rewarded after his travail. The Second
Article is this That every Master of
this art should be warned, before, tOeOme
to his congregation, that they come
duly, but if they may (be) excused by
some manner lof) cause. But, never
theless, if they be found rebel(ieus) at
such congregation or faulty in any man
ner (of) harm Of their lords and reproOf
of this art. They should not be excused
81. kr Fa
death, and though they be in peril of
death, they shall warn the Master that
is principal Of the gathering Of his de-
cease. The third article is this That
no Master take no tsp)prentiee for Ia
less term than seven years at the least,
because such as be within a less term
may not prOftebly, come to his art, nor
able to truly serve, his lord, and take as
q Mason should take. The Fourth Arti-
Gle is this That no Master, for no profit,
take no apprentice for to be learned that
is born of bond blood, for, because OF his
Lord, to whom he is bond, will take him
as he well may, from his art and lead
him, with him, cut OF his Lodge, or out
of his place, that he wOFketh in, for his
fellows, peradventure, would help him
and debate for him, and thereof man
slaughter might ,a)rise, 1t is forbid(d dem,



took beginning of great lords children,
freely begotten, as il is said before.
The Fifth Article is this /: That no
Master give more to apprentice In time of
his zap )prenticehoOd, for no profit TO be
TAKEN, } than he nOte(s) well he may de-
serve of the Lord that he seIveth, nor
not 80 much that the Lord, Of the place
that he taught in, may have some profit
bv his teaching. The Sixth Article is
this That no Master for no coveteous.
ness, nor profit, take no sp) prentice that
is imperfect, that is to say, having any
main, for the which he may not work
truly IS he ought for odo. The Seventh I
Article IL this That no master be found
willingly or help, or procure, TO be (a) (
and sustainer (of) any /
common night walker to rob, by the
which manner of night walking, they
NAV not fulfill their days work and
travail, and, } through the condition their
fellows might be made wroth. The
Eighth Article is this That if it befal
that any Mason that be perfect, and cum
ming, come for to seek work, and find an
imperfect and uneunning working, the
Master Of the place shall receive the per-
feet and do away the imperfect, TO the
profit of his Lord. The Ninth Article is
this: That no Master shall supplsnt
another for 1t is ssid in the art OF
Masonry, that no man should make end
so well Of work begun by another, to
the profit Of his Lord, rs he that began
it, for to end it by hts matters, or to
whom be sheweth his matters. This
counsil Is made by divers lords and mas
ters Of divers provinces and divers con-
gregation Of Masonry as it is, to-Wit /:
that who that coveteth for to come TO
the state of the (alfOresaid art it be-
hoveth them first, principally, to God
and Holy Church, and all-halOws, and
his Master and his fellows as his own
Brethren. The Second Points He must {
fulfil his days work truly that be taksth
for his pay. The Third Point: That .
he can hold the counsel of his fellows ia
Lodge, and ia Chamber, and in every ,
place there IS Masons be. The Fourth
Point That he be no deeeivsr of the (al
foresaid art, nor do no prejudice, nor sus-
tain no articles against the art, nor !
against none Of the art, but he shall sus
tain it In all honour inasmuch he may.
The Fifth Point: When he shall take l
his pay, that he take it meekly as the &
time Is ordained by the Master to be
done, and that he fulfil the seceptations
Of travail, aud of rest, ordained and set I,
by the Master. The Sixth Point III
any discOrd shall be between him and s
his fellows he shall obey him meekly,
and be still at the bidding OF his Master,
OF Of the Warden of his Master, in his !,
Masters absence, to the holy day follow :
ing, and that he accord them st the dis
position Of his fellows and not upon the }
work day for letting of their work and
profit OF his Lord. The Seventh Point l
That he covet not the wife, nor the /
daughter OF his masters, neither of his '
fellows, but if it be in marriage, nor hold
for discOFd that might fall I
amongst them. The Eighth Point If IL Il /
befal him for to be Warden under his y
Master, that he be true mean between
his masters and his fellows, and that he I 7
busy in the absence of his Master 10 the :
honour Of his Master aud profit OF the :
Lord that he seTveth. The Ninth Point
If be be wiser and subtler than his fell
low working with him in his Lodge. or
any Other nlaaa and he uaroatxya u e. I I