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Article THE OLD CHARGES OF THE BRITISH FREEMASONS. ← Page 5 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.
And alsoe ythee or ihey bee true to ye King without Treason , or any other falshood , And y t they shall Conceal noe Treason nor Treachery , but discover it if they can . Ancl alsoe you shall be true Each one to other , ( yt is to say ) to every Mason of ye Craft of Masonry yt bee Masons allowed , you sball doe to them as they would they should doe to you .
Ancl alsoe you keep all ye Councells of Lodge & Chambr & all other Councells yfc ought to bee kept by way of Masonhood . And alsoe yt noe Mason shall steale or use Theft , soe far as hee knows or unstanes . And alsoe hee shalbe true to ye Lord or Mr , yt he serveth & trul y labour for his profitt & advantage .
Ancl alsoe ye shall call Masons yor brethren , or else yor fellow & not any foule name . And alsoe you shall not take yor fellows wife in Villany , or desire his daughtr uiigodingly , nor his servant , nor to putt him to any disgrace . And alsoe yt you pay truly for ye meat ancl drink ivhere you goe to bedel , or board , whereby ye Craft might not be slandered thereby .
These bee ye charges in generall , which belongeth to every true Mason to keep , both Mastrs & Fellows . Rehearse I ivoulcl other charges singular for Mastrs & Fellows . First y t noe Mastr shall take upon him a Lords nor noe mans work , but first yt hee knows himselfe to bee able in skill to p'forme it , Soe yt ye Craft shall haA'e no disgrace or slander , but yt ye Lord may be well seiwecl .
And also noe Mastr shall take work , but yt hee take it reasonabl y , so yt ye Lord bee truly seiwecl with his owne good , & ye Mastr to live honestl y & pay his Fellows truly their pay as ye rnannr is . Ancl alsoe yt noe Mastr or Fellows shall not supplant others of their work ( that is to say ) if hee take any work , or stands as Mastr of ye Lords work , you shall not putt him out , but if not expert in Cunning for to end ye work , then putt him out .
And alsoe yt noe Mastr or Fellow take an Apprentice within ye terms of Seaven yeares , and yt ye Apprentice bee able of Birth , freeborne ' & of Limbs whole as a man ought to bee . And alsoe ytnoe Mastr or Fellow take allowance to bee made Mason without ye assent and consent of his Fellows att vi or i'ii eA'en yeares , And he yt shalbee made Mason in all mannr of degrees ( that is to say ) Free borne & come of good kindred & honest & noe bondman . Ancl alsoe t hee have his
y rig ht limbs as a man ought to have . Ancl alsoe yt noe Mason shall take an Apprentice except hee have sufficient occupacon to occupie or two Fellows , or else Three att ye least . And alsoe yt noe Mastr or Fellow putt noe Lords work to taske that was not wont to goe to Journey . Ancl alsoe yt every Mr shall give pay to his Fellows as they deserveSoe t
, y you bee not deceived hy false workmen . And alsoe yt none speak evilly behind another ' s back , soe hee loose his good name or his wordly goods . Ancl alsoe yt noe fellow within ye lodge or Avithout misansquire ungodly or reprevable without reasonable cause . And alsoe yt every * Mason shall reverence his Elder and putt him to Worship
. And alsoe yt no Mason shalbee any Gomon Player att hazard or att ye dice or att any other unlawfull playes , whereby ye Craft might be slanded . And alsoe yt any Mason shall not exercise himselfe in Lecherie nor bee no bawde whereby ye Craft might be slandered .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.
And alsoe ythee or ihey bee true to ye King without Treason , or any other falshood , And y t they shall Conceal noe Treason nor Treachery , but discover it if they can . Ancl alsoe you shall be true Each one to other , ( yt is to say ) to every Mason of ye Craft of Masonry yt bee Masons allowed , you sball doe to them as they would they should doe to you .
Ancl alsoe you keep all ye Councells of Lodge & Chambr & all other Councells yfc ought to bee kept by way of Masonhood . And alsoe yt noe Mason shall steale or use Theft , soe far as hee knows or unstanes . And alsoe hee shalbe true to ye Lord or Mr , yt he serveth & trul y labour for his profitt & advantage .
Ancl alsoe ye shall call Masons yor brethren , or else yor fellow & not any foule name . And alsoe you shall not take yor fellows wife in Villany , or desire his daughtr uiigodingly , nor his servant , nor to putt him to any disgrace . And alsoe yt you pay truly for ye meat ancl drink ivhere you goe to bedel , or board , whereby ye Craft might not be slandered thereby .
These bee ye charges in generall , which belongeth to every true Mason to keep , both Mastrs & Fellows . Rehearse I ivoulcl other charges singular for Mastrs & Fellows . First y t noe Mastr shall take upon him a Lords nor noe mans work , but first yt hee knows himselfe to bee able in skill to p'forme it , Soe yt ye Craft shall haA'e no disgrace or slander , but yt ye Lord may be well seiwecl .
And also noe Mastr shall take work , but yt hee take it reasonabl y , so yt ye Lord bee truly seiwecl with his owne good , & ye Mastr to live honestl y & pay his Fellows truly their pay as ye rnannr is . Ancl alsoe yt noe Mastr or Fellows shall not supplant others of their work ( that is to say ) if hee take any work , or stands as Mastr of ye Lords work , you shall not putt him out , but if not expert in Cunning for to end ye work , then putt him out .
And alsoe yt noe Mastr or Fellow take an Apprentice within ye terms of Seaven yeares , and yt ye Apprentice bee able of Birth , freeborne ' & of Limbs whole as a man ought to bee . And alsoe ytnoe Mastr or Fellow take allowance to bee made Mason without ye assent and consent of his Fellows att vi or i'ii eA'en yeares , And he yt shalbee made Mason in all mannr of degrees ( that is to say ) Free borne & come of good kindred & honest & noe bondman . Ancl alsoe t hee have his
y rig ht limbs as a man ought to have . Ancl alsoe yt noe Mason shall take an Apprentice except hee have sufficient occupacon to occupie or two Fellows , or else Three att ye least . And alsoe yt noe Mastr or Fellow putt noe Lords work to taske that was not wont to goe to Journey . Ancl alsoe yt every Mr shall give pay to his Fellows as they deserveSoe t
, y you bee not deceived hy false workmen . And alsoe yt none speak evilly behind another ' s back , soe hee loose his good name or his wordly goods . Ancl alsoe yt noe fellow within ye lodge or Avithout misansquire ungodly or reprevable without reasonable cause . And alsoe yt every * Mason shall reverence his Elder and putt him to Worship
. And alsoe yt no Mason shalbee any Gomon Player att hazard or att ye dice or att any other unlawfull playes , whereby ye Craft might be slanded . And alsoe yt any Mason shall not exercise himselfe in Lecherie nor bee no bawde whereby ye Craft might be slandered .