The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.

well ye Craft & drew to this Namus Greus that was abovesaid & learned of him ye Craft ancl took upon him ye charges ancl manners affwards by ye Grace of God hee was elected to bee King of France & when hee was iu his estate , hee took Masons & did help to make men Masons that were none & sett them to work & gave them both ye charges and ye manners & good pay as hee had learned of other Masons and Confirmed them a Chart from yeare to yeare to

hold their Assembly Avhere they would & cherished them much & thus came ye Craft into France . Ancl England all this season stood void for any charge of Masonrie untill S' Albones time & in his dayes ye King of Eng ( l that was a Pagan , he did wall ye ToAvne about y is called St Albones & St Albone was a ivorthy Knight & Steivard of ye Kings household & had Govemin of ye Realme and alsoe in

making of ye Towne Walls & loA'ed Masons & cherished them very much & hee made their pay right good standing as ye Realme did , for hee gave them Two ShilF six pence p . week & Three pence to their nonesinces & before y time through all this Land a Mason took a penny a clay & his meate till S ' Albone amended it & gave them a Chart ' from ye King & his Councell & gave it ye name of Assembly & hee ivas himself a help to make Masons & gave them charges as ye shall heare afterwards . Presently , aftr ye decease of St Albone there came clivers Warrs into ye Realme of Engd of divers Nations , soe that ye good rulers of Masonry was

destroyed unto ye time of King Athestons days ytwas a ivorthy King of Engd & brought this land into Peace ancl builclecl many great works of Abbies & Towers and other divs building & hee loved well Masons & hee had a Sonne yt was called-Edwine & and hee loved Masons much more than his Father did & hee was a great Practiconr in Geometry & hee did Comune & talk with Masons & to learn of them ye Craft , Ancl aftr ward for ye love hee had to Masons and ye Craft hee Avas made Mason & he obtained of ye King his father a Chartr & ¦

Comissiou to hold every yeare one Assembly , where yt evr they would Avithin ye Realm of Engd & to correct within themselves defaults & trespasses that were done against ye Craft & held himselfe an Assembly att Yorke & there hee made Masons & gave them charges & taught them ye Manners & Cornanded yt rule to bee kept ever after & gave them ye Chartr & Com-on to keep & made an ordinance yt it should bee renewed from King to King . And yt when ye

Assembly was gathered hee made a cry yt all old Masons & young , yt had any Avriting & undrstanding of ye charges & manners yt were made before in this Land , or in any other , yt they should sheiv them forth , ancl when yt was proved , there were found some in French & some in Greeke & somein English ancl some in other Languages , and ye intent of them was found to noe sense , ancl hee did make a book thereofAnd now ye Craft was founded and hee

him-, selfe Cornanded yt it should be read or told , when any Mason should bee made , for to give him his charge , ancl from yt clay unto ye time , Manners of Masons have been kept in yt forme , as well as as well as men might goi'ern it . And f urthrmore divers assemblies have beene made & ordained cerfcaine Charges by ye best advice of Masters & fellows

Tunc tmtcs e . v Senioribus tenebat libru tile velle illepoiiat * velponat maims , sup libru et tunc precepta seberent legi Every man yt is a Mason take good heed to these charges , yt if any man find himselfe guilty of any of these charges , yt hee amend & yon yt are to bee charged , principally take heed yt ye may keep these charges well , for it is a great danger for a man to forsweare himselfe upon a book

The first Charge is , That hee or you shalbee a true Man to God & ye Church & yt hee use neither Error nor Heresie according to his or their understandings .