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Article THE OLD MASONIC POEM. Page 1 of 2 Article THE OLD MASONIC POEM. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Old Masonic Poem.
THE OLD MASONIC POEM .
{ Continued from page 37 a J £ ^ L Uo fi /> Q < A ? A /? More eonstitutioiis . \ 6 >~ f , N ^ CJ / ., / \ f . / . ~ At this assembly were more divisions ordained ;—Of great lords and masters also , to estate
That whose will know this craft and come , He must love God well , and Holy Church always , And his master also , that he is with , AVheresoe ' er he goes , in field or ( 11 frith ; And thy fellows those love also , For that thy craft wills that thou [ shall ] do . Second point .
The second point , as I you say , That the masons work upon the work day , Also truly , as he can or may , To deserve his hire for the holiday , And truly to labour in his deed Well deserves to have his meed .
Third point . The third point must be surely With the prentice know it well , His master ' s counsel he keep , and close , And his fellow ' s by Ms good purpose -, The privities of the chamber tell he no man , Nor in the lodge whatsoever they do ; AA hatsoever thou hearestor seest them do
, , Tell it [ to ] no man , wheresoe ' er thou go ; The counsel ! of hall , and eke of bower , Keep it well to [ thy ] great honour , Lest it would turn thyself to blame , And bring the craft into great shame . Fourth point . Tlie fourth point teacheth us also
, That no man to his craft be false ; Error he shall maintain noon Against the craft , but let it go ; Nor no prejudice he shall not do To his master , nor his fellows also ; And though tlie prentice be under awe , Yet he would have the same law .
Fifth point . The fifth point is , without nay , That when the mason takes his pay Of the master , ordained to him , Full meekly taken so must it be ; Yet must the master , by good reason , AVarn them lawfully before none , If he will not occupy tliein no more ,
As he hath done there before ; Against this order he may not strive , If he think well for to thrive . Sixth point . The sixth point is full given to know , Both to high and also to low , For such case it might befall , Among the masons , some or all , Through envy , or deadly hate ,
( 1 ) Frith : wood , coppice .
The Old Masonic Poem.
Oft ariseth full great debate . ( b'hen ought the mason , if that he may , Put them both under . 1 day ; Jut love-day yet shall they make none , Till that the work day be clean gone : TJpon the holy clay ye may well take Leisure enough love-day to make , Lest that it would the work day
Hinder their work for such affray ; To such end then that ye them draw , That they stand well in God ' s law . Seventh point . The seventh point it may well tell , Of well long life that God as give ,
As it describeth well openly , Thou shalt not by thy master's wife lie , Nor by thy fellows , in no manner wise , Lest tlie craft would thee despise ; Nor by thy fellow ' s concubine , No more thou wouldest he did by thine . The penalty thereof let it be sure , That he be prentice full seven year ,
If he forfeit any of them , So chastised then must he be ; Full much care might there begin , For such a foul deadly sin . Eighth point . The eihth pointye may he sure
g , , If thou hast taken any care , Under thy master thou be true , For that point thou shalt never rue ; A true mediator thou must needs be To thy master , and thy fellows free ; Do truly al that thou mightst , To both parties , and that is good right .
Ninth point . The ninth point we should him call , That he be steward of our hall , If that ye be in chamber together , Each one serve other , with gentle ( 2 ) chere , Gentle fellows , ye must it know , For to be stewards all of a row ,
AVeek after week without doubt , Stewards to be so all about , Lovingly to servo each one [ the ] other , As though they were sister and brother ; There shall never one on [ th' ] other ( 3 ) costage Free himself to no advantage , But every man shall be like free In that costage , so must it be ,
Look that thou pay well every man always , That thou hast bought any victuals at , That no ( 4 ) craving be made to thee , Nor to thy fellows , in no degree , To man or to woman , whether he be , Pay l ) im well and truly , for that will we ; Thereof on thy fellow true record thou take , For that good pay as thou dost make , Lest it would thy fellow shame , And bring thyself into great blame . Yet good accounts he must make
( 2 ) Chere : spirits , behaviour . ( 3 ) Costage : cost , expense . ( 4 ) Craving : enticing , asking .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Old Masonic Poem.
THE OLD MASONIC POEM .
{ Continued from page 37 a J £ ^ L Uo fi /> Q < A ? A /? More eonstitutioiis . \ 6 >~ f , N ^ CJ / ., / \ f . / . ~ At this assembly were more divisions ordained ;—Of great lords and masters also , to estate
That whose will know this craft and come , He must love God well , and Holy Church always , And his master also , that he is with , AVheresoe ' er he goes , in field or ( 11 frith ; And thy fellows those love also , For that thy craft wills that thou [ shall ] do . Second point .
The second point , as I you say , That the masons work upon the work day , Also truly , as he can or may , To deserve his hire for the holiday , And truly to labour in his deed Well deserves to have his meed .
Third point . The third point must be surely With the prentice know it well , His master ' s counsel he keep , and close , And his fellow ' s by Ms good purpose -, The privities of the chamber tell he no man , Nor in the lodge whatsoever they do ; AA hatsoever thou hearestor seest them do
, , Tell it [ to ] no man , wheresoe ' er thou go ; The counsel ! of hall , and eke of bower , Keep it well to [ thy ] great honour , Lest it would turn thyself to blame , And bring the craft into great shame . Fourth point . Tlie fourth point teacheth us also
, That no man to his craft be false ; Error he shall maintain noon Against the craft , but let it go ; Nor no prejudice he shall not do To his master , nor his fellows also ; And though tlie prentice be under awe , Yet he would have the same law .
Fifth point . The fifth point is , without nay , That when the mason takes his pay Of the master , ordained to him , Full meekly taken so must it be ; Yet must the master , by good reason , AVarn them lawfully before none , If he will not occupy tliein no more ,
As he hath done there before ; Against this order he may not strive , If he think well for to thrive . Sixth point . The sixth point is full given to know , Both to high and also to low , For such case it might befall , Among the masons , some or all , Through envy , or deadly hate ,
( 1 ) Frith : wood , coppice .
The Old Masonic Poem.
Oft ariseth full great debate . ( b'hen ought the mason , if that he may , Put them both under . 1 day ; Jut love-day yet shall they make none , Till that the work day be clean gone : TJpon the holy clay ye may well take Leisure enough love-day to make , Lest that it would the work day
Hinder their work for such affray ; To such end then that ye them draw , That they stand well in God ' s law . Seventh point . The seventh point it may well tell , Of well long life that God as give ,
As it describeth well openly , Thou shalt not by thy master's wife lie , Nor by thy fellows , in no manner wise , Lest tlie craft would thee despise ; Nor by thy fellow ' s concubine , No more thou wouldest he did by thine . The penalty thereof let it be sure , That he be prentice full seven year ,
If he forfeit any of them , So chastised then must he be ; Full much care might there begin , For such a foul deadly sin . Eighth point . The eihth pointye may he sure
g , , If thou hast taken any care , Under thy master thou be true , For that point thou shalt never rue ; A true mediator thou must needs be To thy master , and thy fellows free ; Do truly al that thou mightst , To both parties , and that is good right .
Ninth point . The ninth point we should him call , That he be steward of our hall , If that ye be in chamber together , Each one serve other , with gentle ( 2 ) chere , Gentle fellows , ye must it know , For to be stewards all of a row ,
AVeek after week without doubt , Stewards to be so all about , Lovingly to servo each one [ the ] other , As though they were sister and brother ; There shall never one on [ th' ] other ( 3 ) costage Free himself to no advantage , But every man shall be like free In that costage , so must it be ,
Look that thou pay well every man always , That thou hast bought any victuals at , That no ( 4 ) craving be made to thee , Nor to thy fellows , in no degree , To man or to woman , whether he be , Pay l ) im well and truly , for that will we ; Thereof on thy fellow true record thou take , For that good pay as thou dost make , Lest it would thy fellow shame , And bring thyself into great blame . Yet good accounts he must make
( 2 ) Chere : spirits , behaviour . ( 3 ) Costage : cost , expense . ( 4 ) Craving : enticing , asking .