Masonic Curiosities, No. 2.

MASONIC CURIOSITIES , No . 2 .

BY A MASONIC INQUIRES . In the Burleig h Papers of the Biblothecas Landsdownianas is an ancient looking manuscript , described in the catalogue as " a very foolish

Legendary Account of the Orig inal of the Order of Freemasonry . " It bears neither date nor evidence of its authorship or orig in . It is evidently a copy of a still older document , and from its general appearanceI consider it was copied by some one

, who did not clearly comprehend the original , several words being mispelt , and space being left for others , as if the copyist had a difficulty in making them out . In itstenour the document bears some

resemblance to the " History and Articles of Masonry , " published by Bro . Matthew Cooke , in 1861 . There is , however , such broad difference in the text to give this manuscript sufficient interest as to render it worthy of re-production in its entirety .

Perhaps some of your learned contributors , during their researches , have come across the original document , or at least another copy , which will give some clue to its origin . The document is headed : —

HERE BEGINETH THE TRUE ORDER OF MASONRIE . " The might of the Father of the Heavens , the Wisdom of the Glorious Son , and the Goodness of the Holy Ghost , three persons and one God , be Avith us now and for ever .

" Good Bretheren and Fellows , our purpose is to Show you how and in what manner this Noble and "Worthy Craft of Masonry Avas first founded and begun , and afterwards how it was confirmed by worthy Kings and Princes , and by many other

Worshipfull Men , and also to all those that be heere , we minde to show you the charge that belongs to every new Mason to keep , for in good faich if you take good heed it is well worthy to be kept for a worthy Craft and Curious Science . Srs . there be Seaven Liberall Sciences of which the

noble Craft of Masonry is one , and the seven be these , The first is Gramer , aud that teacheth a man to spell and write trowly . The Second is Eethorick and that teacheth a man to speake faire and subtill . The third is Lodgick , and that teacheth

a man to know the troAV from the false . The ffowrth is Arethmatick , and teacheth a man to Reckon and Account all manner Accompts . The

Masonic Curiosities, No. 2.

fifth is Geometry , and that teacheth a man , . . . and Measur of earth and of all things of the which this science is called Geometry . The Sixth is called Musick , and that teacheth a man to sing with Voyse and Tongue and Organ harp

and Trump . The Seaventh is called Astronemy and that teacheth a man to know the course of the Sunn and the Moon and the Stars . These be the Seven Liberall Sciences of the which all be founded by one , which is Geometry , and thus a man may

prove that all the seven sciencies be founded by Geometrie for it teacheth a man and Measure ponderation . . . weight on all things on earth for there is noe Workman that Avorketh any craft but he Worketh by some Mott

or Measure , and every man that buyeth or selleth , they buy or sell by some weight or measure . And all this is Geometry . And the Merchants and all other Craftsmen of the Seaven Sciences aud the Plowmen and Tillers of the Earth and Sowers of all manner of Grains Seeds and Plants and Setters

of all manner of fruites : ffor Gramer or Arethmatick nor Astronomy nor none of all the Seaven . Sciences can noe man finde Mott or Measure in without Geometry wherefore methinks that the said Science of Geometry is most worthy and

all the other be founded by it . But how this Worthy Science and Craft Avas first founded and began I shall tell you . Befor Noyes * fflood there was a man Avhich Avas called Lameth as it is written in the Bible in the 4 th Chapter of Genesis .

And this Lameth had two wifes the one was called Ada the other called Solla . By the first wife Ada he begat a sonne aud a daughter- * and these 4 children found the beginning of all these Crafts and Sciences in the Avorld for the Eldest Sonne

Gabell found the Craft of Geometry and he ffed fflocks of Sheep and lambs in the ffoild and ffirst wrought houses of Stone and he and his brother Juball found the Crafts of Musick Song of Mouth harp and organs and all other instruments . The

third Brother Tubalican found the Smith craft of Gold and Silver Iron and Copper and Steel and the daughter found the Craft of Webbing and these children knew well that God would take vengeance for sinn either by ffire or Avater Avherefore they Wrought the Sciences they had founded