The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons

take wir fellowes W ^ io in Tiliaoy . ue ' ther desire ungodly his daughter nor sew rit to his Wire & y . m sh ill ;> " iy truly for y-mt t ible a i I meat w ' . ie -e you ..- > to i . i -I \; risi tint van hi no v . II i iv in tho Ii uise whereby the unt ' t s ' ltul I he sUnterol fires i he die du-ges in general that every Mason should hold- bit'i Master . 1111 fellowes . both for Maste & Fellows

ileheirse . I will now other ehirges . singular r . First that no Master shall take upon him any lords worke nor other work but that he know him able & cunning for to perform the same For that the craft have no distinct m irk thereby but that the Lord may be well and truly served . Also that no Master take no work but that he shall take it reasonable for that the Lard may bo truly served with his own good & the Master to

live honestly aud pay his follows truly as the man ot the cratt cloth require & also that no Master nor fellow shall supplant other of their work that is to say if ho h ivs taken a work or stand Master of a Lords Work you shall not put him out if ho be unable of cunning for to , end the same & also that no Master take nor desire to be allowed for his prentice but in seven years and that the prentice be able of his birth and limbs as he ought to be and also that no Master nor fellow take no allowance to be made M'' without the assent

of his fellows & that at tho least Five or Six . And that he that shall be mule Mison bo free born & of a good kinred & no bondsman & that he have his rhriit limbs as a man ought to have And also that no Mason put no lords Work to sndi as are wonte to go on jurney Worke And also that no Mason shall g ive to his fellowes no pay but as he shall deserve for that ' he be not deceived by false workmen & also that no Fellow slander falsl y another

behind his back to make him lose his good name or his word he gave & also that no fellow whether in the lodge or whether out speek any answer uno-oclly to another Without reasonable cause and also every mason should pause for his Elder and put him to worship And also that no Mason should play at Hazards nor no other play whereby they may be slandered and also that no Mason shall be no conion riball in Sotheric to make the craft to be slandered And tint no Mason go into the Town in the night time there

as is a lod » 'e of fellowes without a fellow that may beare him Witness that he was in honest place Also that every Master & fellow come into the assembl y if it be within Fifty miles about & if he have any warning thereof & stand at the reward of Master and fellows & also every Master & fellow if they have any wise trespassed should stand at the reward of Master and Fellowes to make the accord if they may & if they may not accord them then to the common Lawe , And also that no mason make motikles square nor rule to

any rougthe Layers & also that no Masons let a Master in a Lodge nor Master out to hew mould stones whatever nor mould of his own making And also that every mason shall receive and treat strange fellowes when they come in the country & set them on Work as the maw is that is to say if he have mould stones he shall set them fourihwith at the least aweek and Give him his hire and if there be no stones for him to work lie shall refresh him with money to bring him to the next lodge & also ye shall every Mason serve trul

y the worker . Bo it Task or be it jurney that you may have your pay as you ought to have . These charge that we have reckoned . & all after that belongs to Masons , you shall bo bound to keep . So Help you God and holidome you this book to your power . These be the Future Charges . First that you shall be true to god the holy church the prince & to his Mr and Dame whom he shall serve k that he shall not steal the goods of his Master & Dame nor

absent himself from their service , nor go from tliem about his own pleasure by Day or by night , without License of the one of them and that he do not commit adultery or Fornication in his Masters house with his Wife daughter or servant of his said Master & that he shall keep counsell in all things and shall be said or done in the lodge or chamber by Mason or Fellow being Master or Freemason & that he shall not keep any disobedient argument against any