Our Masonic Mss.

OUR MASONIC MSS .

No . III . I continue my collation of the Masonic Poem with other MSS . My readers will perceive that " Urbanitatis , " an old MS . Poem in the British Museum , is about identical word for word with the latter part of the Masonic Poem . Both ' -Urbanitatis" and the "Masonic Poem" had a common origin , probably

some Norman French or even Latin poem . In the " Babies Book" of the early English Tract Society , where Urbanitatis is found , there are some Norman French directions and some Latin ones , which have a good deal in common with the exhortation of the Masonic Poem to good maimers . We have not yet , however , clearly got the original , as the person who wrote the Masonic Poem tells us that he had seen other MSS ., and was therefore only a transcriber from several MSS ., as I have always thought and said . This form of " Urbanitatis " is transcribed about 1460 , though probably somewhat nnrlier .

Urbanitatis . Who-so wylle of nurtur lere , Herken to me & ye shall ? here . - When thou comeste be-fore a lorde In halle , yn bowre , or at the horde , Hoode or kappe thou of tho .

Ere thou come liym ahV vn-to , Twyse or thryse wit / t-owtere dowte To that lorde thou moste lowte , With thy Eyyth kne lette hit be do , Thy worshyp thou mayst sane so . Holcle of thy oappe and thy hood also

Tylle thou be byden hit on to do ; Alls the whyle thou spekest with hym , Fayr and lonely holcle vp thy chynn , So aikir the nurtur of the book In his face louely thou loke ; Foot < fc honcl thou kepe fulle sfcylle . Pro elawyng or tryppywg , hit ys skylle ; Pro spettyng & sneting kepe the also ;

Be pmiy of voydance , & lette hit go . And loke thou be wyse & telle , And therto also that thow gouerne the welle . In-to the halle when tho dost wende Amonge the genteles gode & hende

, Prece thou not vp to hyy for no thy ? ig , Nor for thy hye blood , nere for thy ko » n-J nf / , Nothw ? - to sytte , nethwr to lone , For hit ys neythw good ne clene . Lette not thy cont also abate

ynaunce , For good nurti' ? - wylle saue thy state ; Fad yr & Modyr , what emir they be , Welle ys the ohilde pat may the : In halle , in chambur , ore where thou gon , Nurtur & good manors maketh man .

Masonic Poem . Furthermore yet , y wol yow preche . To yowre felows , hyt for to teche , When thou oomest byfore a lorde , Yn halle , yn bowre , or at the horde , Hod or cappe that thou of do ,

Yer thou come hym allynge to ; Twyes or thryes , withoute dowte , To that lord thou moste lowte ; With this ryyth kne let hyt he do , Thyn owne worschepe thou save so ; ' Holde of thy cappe , and hod also ,

Ty l thou have leve hyt on to do . Al the why le thou spekest with hym , Fayre and lovelyche here up thy chyn ; So , affter the norter of the boke , Yn hys face lovely thou loke . Fot and hondthou kepe ful stylle

, From clawynge and trypynge , ys sckylle ; From spyttynge and snyftynge kepe the also , By privy avoydans let hyt go . And yef that thou be wy .= e and telle , Thou hast gret nede to governe the welle .

Ynto the halle when thou dost wende , Amonges the genteles , good and hende , Presume not to hye for nothynge , For thyn hye blod , ny thy comynge , Nowther to sytte , ny to lene ,

That ys norther good and clene . Let not thy cowntonans therfore abate , Forsothe , good norter wol save thy state . Fader and modor , whatsever they be , Wei ys the chyld that wel may the , Yn hallo , yn chamber , wher thou dost gon , Gode maneres ma-ken . a mon . L 2