The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.

of Masters ancl fellows . Tune unus majoribus tenet Libram et Me vol Mi ponare mantis super Librium et tunc precepta debent Legi . Every man that is a mason take good head to this charge , for if any find any man guilty , in any of these charges , that he amend it—against God ancl that he may take good head , to keep this charge right weill for to swear a man upon a book is a great perill and charge .

The first charge is y' they be treu to God , and ye Holy CHURCH and that he use neither errour nor heresie , be discreet ancl wysse men , and also be you treu to ye KING of ENGLAND w out treason or any other falshood but if they amended they may or else w arn ye King of Ingland or the counsall also you shall be treu one to another that is to say every mason of ye science of masonrie , they that be mason allowed yon should Doe unto you ancl also you shall keep truely all counsells allowed , yea shall be of the Lodge , ancl of the

Chamber , ancl other counsells that ought to be keipit in the way of masonrie ancl that no mason use any * by there ffellows also far as they doe know ancl also that you shall be treu to your Lord ancl Master , that you serve and treuly see his profitt & advantage ancl also y' you shall call masons your brothers or fellows , ancl no other name , also you shall not take your fellows wyfe in villany , or wrongly Desyre bis Daughter nor his servants , nor putt him to no dispraiseancl also that you pay treulfor all meat and Drink

, y your when you go abroad , whereby the science must be stained . These charges belongeth to every treu mason generally to be keipit—now will I Rehearse other charges singular for M ' ancl fellows , first that no master shall take upon him and Lords works except he be able to perform it , so that the science be not slandered y ' by , but the Lord may be weill served with his own good . Ancl the master so live honestly & truly ancl to pay his fellows their Deutie after the manner of the science , ancl also that no M nor fellow

supplant on other of his mark ( Silicit ) if he have taken a work ancl stand for M ' in any Lords work yea shall not putt him him out , except he be unable of knowledge to end ye work , ancl also , that no master nor fellow shall take a prentice w' in ye terms of vii years , and y he be able , y'is free born ancl whole of his limes , as a man ought to be , and also y no M . nor fellow take no low men to be maid mason w' out tho consent of his fellows , at ye least vi or vii

years , and he y' shall be madid masone be able in all degrees ( y' is to say ) freeborn ancl of a good kindrid and trew and no bond man , ancl also that non take no prentice except he have sufficient occasion to occup y 2 or 3 of his fellowes at the least and also y' no M nor fellow r take no Lords worke by task whicli had wont to gbe by journey . Also y' every M ' shall give to his fellow his payment as he doth deserve , as y he be not deceived by no false work . Also y' non slander on another behind his back to make him lose his good name , or his goods , also that no fellow within the Lodge or without may sweare either ungodly or reprehensible w out reasonable cause and v '

every mason reverence his elder and put him to wovshipe , and also y ' - yea shall doe no villany w' in where ye go to boarde nor use no Lecherie . nor buy no Land whereby the science may be slandered , also y' no man goe into ye toime in the night time , whereas a Lodge of fellows be , unlesse he shalle have a fellow w him , y he may beare him witness y' he was iu ane honest place , also that every master or fellow that hath trespassed against ye science , shall stand at ye ward of his fellowsto make them if they caiiif they cannotThey

, agree , , may go to ye common law also y' no W nor fellow mollest or swear or make any stryffe within the Lodge or without amongst the howin mould stons , also y every M or fellow shall come to ye asscmblie if it be within 40 myles about him , if he have any warning & have trespassed against ye science , for to abide ye ward , of his M ' and fellows , & also that every M and fellow shall receive Mid cherish strange masons when they come out of other countreys , ancl sett