The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons

to year to hold their assembly and lie cherished them much and thus tho craft c . u ' n ! into [ t rial-o I'hiri . iu ! all ni ' - ; ; ois-m stood void and as for any charge of Alismrr untli tlte tim . i ot . it .. Alhrn & in his tiino the King of England was a Rigan 1 and ho willed the town that now is called St . Alliens & for in St Albons time was a worthy knight & and ho was Chief Steward to _ the Kim > - & he had god name ' of the Healm & also of the the making of the

town walled & he made their payment ri g ht good standing as the realm did vet ) wire for he gave them every Week three shillings per houre to their dooble wages . Whereas before tint ' time throughout all the whole hind a Mason t > ok but one pen iv a day & next to tho time of that tit Alb-m did It he got the charter ot the Km . ¦ and Ids Counsell A v . il gave it the nunc of a SemMe ami thereat he wis himself and mile masms an 1 them charge which of all hero ho re liter ri , 'ht l > : i ? alter the do ifch of it Alhm . There came great warriors into 15 u-riand throu dimit livers nitons for that good rule of Masonry

was destro y 1 unto the time , of King Athelsfconth . it was a worthy King m England & he brought the I rid into rest and pe . ue and buiUed -many great works of Castles < l Abhors & mmy other divers Buildings & he loved masons very lm : h ¦& he hi 1 a SOEI tint was n unci ! Edwin & he loved misoiis mudi mice thin his if ither hid done before him for he was full of Practise in Gomirt'T h ' nnelf . \ 7 iecover they drew him to commune masons for to leu-n of theai ' the n-aft , & tfterwtr . ls for love that he had to masonsand

^ to the jr . ift he wis mile Mia > 1 hhnself & he gut of his Father the King a start & a jomissiou cor to hold every ye ir au assembly where he would wherever in tho reilm an I for to correct among themselves statutes and Trespass if it were lone in the emit & he hel 1 himself an assembly at York & there " he mi le Masons & gave them charts & taught to them the manners of Masons & eommanled thX ' t vnlo to be hollow ever after & to them he Betook the charter & coinissiou to keep . & made ordiuin-e that it should be ruled

from the king when these assemblies were gathered together , he made a cry that all Masons both old and ' young that had any charts or writings of the things that were made before in this hnd that ; thev should shew them to the chief there were some in Greek some in English and some in other languages and the Intent thereto was found and there was a book commanded to be made thereto & show the craft was first made and found it it was commanded that it should be read and told when any Mason should be made and to g ive him

his charo-e & From that day unto this Masons have been kept in that Form & order as ° well as men mig ht own it Furthermore at Divers assemblies have & added certain charges mors & more by the best advice of Master & Fellowes . Here followeth the worthy and Godly Oath of such as are made Masons Tunc nnus eama senioribns tencat Libra & illi vol illc ponant vol ponat manus si per libra & tunc preccpta debent Eciui . Every man that is a mason take heed right well of this charge if you find yourself guilty of any of

these that you may amend yon against especially you that been to be charged take good heed that you may Keep this charge for it is a groat P'ill for a man to forswear himself on a Book the first charge is that you must be true man to God & Holy Church and that you use no heresy nor error by you understanding or by the teaching of discreet men Also you shall be true Liegmen to the Kint' - without treason or falsehood and that you shall know no treason but that yoii ' amend it & you may or else ware the King and his counsell thereof .

Also you shall be true one to another that is to say to evirie Mr & fellow of the craft of Masonry that bene Masons allowed that you do to them as you would they should do to you and also that every Mason keep true Counsell of Lodge and chamber . & all other counsell that ought to be kept by way of Masonry and also that no Mason shall be theif neither in companie as farforth as he may know And also that yon shall be true to tho Lord iu whom you trust truly for to doe all thingo to his p'itte and advantage & also that yon shall call ' Masons your fellowes & Brethren & no other foul name nor you shall not