The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.

Thus may a man prove that all the Sciences in the World are found b y Geometric for it teacheth Measure Ponderation , or Weight of all Manner of Earth , and there is noe man that Avorketh of any Craft but be worketh by some measure nor noe man that Buyes ancl Sells but by Measure ancl Weight ancl all this is Geoinetrie Ancl Craf tes men and Merchants find other of the said

Sciences ancl especially Plowmen and Tillers of Ground as Corne , Vines plants aud Setters of Fruites for Gramer nor Astronomie , nor any of the other can finde a man one meat , or Measure Avithout Geoinetrie Avhere fore Ave thinke that Science most AA orth that fincletb all other ; This Science was first found out by one Lamecke in the 4 th of Gene : and Lamecke had two Wives the one called Ada ancl the other Sella by Ada hee begott tAvo Sonnes the one called Jabell the other Juball , And by the other Wife he had a Sonn ancl a daughter ,

ancl these Four Children found the beginninge of all Crafts in the World , This Juball Avas Eldest Sonn ancl hee found the Craft of Geometry ancl hee parted Flocks of Sheep in the Feilds ancl First Wrought House of Stone ancl Tree Gen : 4 th ancl his Brother Jabell found Musicke of Songe , Harpeand Organe , The Third Brother found Smith Craft as of Iron ancl Steele ancl their Sister found weaveing These Children did know that God AVOUIC ! take vengeance for Sinn either b y Fire , or Avater Therefore they Writt the Sciences Avhich they found in two Pillars of Stone that they might be found after the Flood the One Stone was called Marble that cannot Burne Avith Fire the other was Saturns and that cannot

drown in the Avater Our intent is to tell yo . in what manner these Stones were found that these Sciences Avere written in the great Hermaraynes that was Sonn vnto Cus , ancl Cus Avas Sonn A nto Sem , wch was sonn vnto Noah the same Hermeraynes that was after wards named Hermes the Father of Wise Men , Heefounde the Wo Pillars of Stone , and the Sciences Written there hee taught to other men and att the makeinge of the Tower of Bablon there was Masonry First made much

of ancl the Kinge of Babilon that high Ninrwroth was a Mason Himselfe ancl Loved the Craft as itt is saicl ancl when the city of Ninive ancl other Cityes of the East should be made Nimroth the Kinge of Babilon sent thither sixt y Masons at the desire of the Kinge of Ninive bis Cozen ancl Avhen hee sent them forth hee gave them a Charge on this manner That they should be true each of them to other ancl that they should Love truly togeather and Serve their Lord truly for their pay for that the Craft might have Worshipp and all that belonge to him this was the First time that ever Mason had charge of his Craft .

Moreover when Abraham ancl Sarah bis Wife went into Egypt he taught the Seaven Sciences ancl be had a Worthy Soholler named Euclid ancl he learned right well and Avas master of all the Seven Sciences ancl [ in ] his claies itt befell that the Lords and Estates of that Realm , had soe many Sonns that they had gotten some by their Wives ancl some by other Ladies that they had not a competent maintenance for them , wherefore they made great sorrow , then

the Kinge of the Land called a great Councill to Know IIOAV they might releive their Children honestly as Gentlemen should vnder a condition that they would grant me a Comission that I may have power to rule them honestly as those of that Science of Geometry for to worke in stone all manner of Worthy Worke that belongetb to Building Churches Temples , ToAver ancl all other manner of Buildinge . Ancl he gave them a charge on this manner first they should be true to

the King and to the Lords that they Served ancl that they should love well togeather and be true each One to other ancl call each other his fellow or Brother and not Servant nor Knave nor any other foule name ancl that they should trul y deserve their pay of the Lord their Master they served and that they should ordaine the Wisest of them to be Master of the Worke and neither for loue riches , nor favour to sett another that hath little cunninge to be Master of the Worke whereb y the Lord should be evill served ancl they Ashamed , ancl also that they should call the Governor of the Worke Master the tyine that they wrought with him