The Age Of Ancient Masonic Manuscripts.

THE AGE OF ANCIENT MASONIC MANUSCRIPTS .

BY A . F . A . WOODFORD , P . G . C . I have read Bro . Norton ' s article on the question of the antiquity of MSS ., ' in the last Magazine , and have thought

it well , as he mentions my name more than once , to insert the following short paper on the subject . We do not profess to encourage controversial articles in the Magazine , or to find room for statement and

counter-statement , and therefore this little archaeological contribution of mine must not be regarded by any as intended only as a rejoinder to Bro . Norton , but merely as clear and comprehensive a

view of the present condition of the case , evidentially , as regards the Masonic MSS . as it is now possible to lay before the readers of the Magazine . 1 . I do not profess to be able to follow the critical remarks of Bro .

Norton on the age of the special MSS . he alludes to , as I cannot understand the grounds on which he arrives at the conclusions he announces to be his on the subject , and neither do I think that his criticism on the age of the MSS .

is based on a very sure or safe foundation . From some remarks it is quite clear to me that Bro . Norton has never himself studied in the ori ginal the MSS . he treats upon , and until lie lias done so , as all experts would tell him , theories

raised on " facsimiles " or printed copies are utterly valueless for any correct archaeological or historical treatment of such evidences . We must always bear in mind that a good many thingsso to say

to-, , go gether , and decide the question of the real antiquity of MSS . There are many peculiarities , for instance , in both the appearance and

character of MSS ., which strike at once the eye of the expert student , as indubitable signs of special epochs , and such " indicia ; " are not reproducible in printed works , and nothing is so dangerous as to argue or dogmatize

about the age of MSS . which you have not seen and carefully studied in their original form and fashion .

Bro . Norton apparently is anxious to establish that we in England , having the MSS ., to study and collate , have by some mistaken theories of our own , exaggerated the antiquity of our MS . , authorities , whereas he in America , from

the published copies of them he has seen , is prepared to fix their true dates considerably later . As far as I am concerned myself , I entirely repudiate any wish to give any antiquity to our Masonic MSS . which " experts " will

not equally grant , and I have studied them and compared them most carefully , with an honest desire after accuracy and truth . Let us take , first of all , the famous Masonic Poem ! I have before stated that the MS . is ,

in my humble opinion , a 14 th century MS ., and in this , if 1 do err , I err in very good company , as Casley and Hallivvell , and Mr . Wallbran were all of the same opinion . It is true that Mr . Bond of the

British Museum , a high authority , states that in his opinion the MS . Poem is of the early part of the 15 th century ; but even supposing the 14 th century character of the MS . should be successfully invalidated , no one can possibly

make the poem later than the early part of the 15 th century . I have recently been reading some of the valuable publications of the " Early Text Society , " and have made a somewhat curious discovery . Among

their reprints is one called " Instructions for Parish Priests , by John Myrc . " John Myrc was Canon of Lilleshall in Shropshire , a house founded by Eichard de Belmeis , between 1144 and i 148 , for a body of Arroasian Canons ,