The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.

Our Intent is to tell you how , and in what manner these stones was found , that these sciences was written in . Great HERMIXES , that was * ye which * was Shenis sone , he was Noahs sone . This same HERMINES afterwards called HERM . ES ye father of wisse men , he found ye two pillars of stone ^ ancl ye sciences written on them , and he taught to other men att ye building of Tower of Bablonthem was Massons much mad of ancl

ye y , ye King of babylon height Menbroke wh , s a masson himself and loved . weill ye science as it is with all ye Masters of that art , ancl when ye Cittie of * ancl other Citties in ye East should be mad , Membroke King of Babylon sent 21 masons together at ye * of ye King of NINEVEH his Cusin , ancl when he sent them forthe , he gave them charge on his manner , that they should be tren , on to another , ancl that they should live treully together and that they sonlcl serve ther Lord treul y for ther pay , so that ther Master may have woi-shipe and all that love him .

Another charge he gave unto them and this was ye first tyme that ever Massons had charge of this science . Moreover , when ABRAHAM ancl Sarah his wyffi went into Egypt , and ther he taught ye VII siences t y the E giptianes , he had a worthie scholar EUCLYDE ancl he learned ri ght weill ancl was a Master of tho sevin Liberal sciencs ancl in his dayes it befell that the Lords and states of tbe Realm , hacl so many sones , that they had some b y y ' wyffes and some bother Lad of the Land

y yes , for that Land is a hoot and plentiful ! land of generation , and the had no competent living for their children , wherefore they had much caire , ancl then the King made for Counsell ancl jiarliarnent to know how they might provid y ' children honestl y like Gentlemen , ancl they could find no maner of way ancl they did make a proclamation throughout all ye land , if y ' wer any man y' could informe them , that they should come to them and he should

be rewarded for his Travell , after that this proclamation was made then cam this worthie clerk Eucl yde ancl said to ye king and to all his great Lords if that they may live honestly as gentlemen under condition , that yon wil grant me commission that I may have power to rule them after ye manner of ye science , and ye King and all his Lords granted and sealed his Oomision , and then ye worthie Doctor took to him his Lords sones ancl tauo-ht them ye science , GEOMETRIE in practise for to work in stones all manner ' of worthie works that belongeth to buildings as Tempels , Castels and Toures , and he gave them a charge in his manner . The first was that tb _ . v- shnnlrl 1 ™

true to ye King and to ye Lord that they serve , ancl that they should love on another , & f they should call one another Brother or Sellow & not his servant nor slave nor by any uncomely name & that they should Dul y Descerve y' pay of their Lord ancl Master , and that they should ordain the wisest of them to be over y Lord ' s work , whereby y Lord might be weill served ancl they commended , ancl also f they should call the goverigner of f work Master served him

so long as they , ancl many other more y < wer too lon ° - to recite , ancl to all these charges they mad them sweare a great oath , y' men used to swear in those days , and ordained them a reasonable pay that they mWU live honestl y , ancl also f they should assemble together one in ye year , y' they might serve ? Lord for his profit ancl y ' own worship , and to keep count w in themselves , for him y' hath trespassed against ye science , and thus was science fancl that worthie

ye grounded , Master EUCLTD , gave it the name of UEOumaiB and now it is called throughout all the land Massonrie , long after ye children of Israll cam out of ye Land of E gept f is called among ns ye eontrey of Tarkyn ancl the same King DAVID loved Massons weill cherished wiem and gave them good pay and he gave them charge as he had learned in J - 'gypt b y artificers and other charges more that yon shall hear afterwards And atter ye desyce of King David , Solomon his son performed ye Temple that "is lather hacl begun , ancl he sent for Massons into Divers Confcreyes and