THE OLD CHARGES OF BRITISH FREEMASONS.
"
3.
And
that he Jo not
commit adultry
or fornication in
liis
servant, or any other."
" And that he shall
4.
keepe councell in all things spoken in
89
Master's house with his wife, daughter, or
Lodg
or
Chamber by any Masons,
fellows,
or fremasons."
" And that he shall not hold
5.
any disobedient argument against any fremason, nor disclose any secret
whereby any difference may arise amongst any Masons, or fellowes, or apprentices, but Eeverently to behave
himselfe to all fremasons being sworne brethren to his M''."
" And not to use
6.
any carding, diceing, or any other unlawfull games."
" Nor haunt Taverns or alehouses there to waste
7.
any mans goods, without Licence of his said M'' or some
other fremason."
" And that he shall not commit
8.
adultry in any mans house where he sliall worke or be tabled."
" And that he shall not
9.
purloyn nor steale the goods of any p'son, nor willingly suffer harme or shame
or consent thereto, during his said apprentisshyp either to his M"" or dame, or any other fremason.
But to
withstand the same to the utmost of his power, and thereof to informe his said M"' or some other fremason, with
convenient speed that
all
The extra
bee."
'
from those we ordinarily find
that a brief summary of these regulations becomes essential.
rules of the following
documents of a
in
may
like class,
MS.
differ so materially
"MelkoseMS."
1.
2.
3.
named
4.
5.
6.
A " Frie
(19).
"
not to take more than three apprentices in his lifetime.
To obtain consent of " ye set Lodge," of " all his masters and Fellows."
Masone
"
"
Apprentices (" lawfully taken "), after serving their time, ought not to be named losses," but
frie men, if they have their M" Discharge."
" All others not
taken are to be namit loses."
lawfully
"
Apprentices to furnish essays to prove their skill, before being made frie masons."
"
Masters and Fellows only to engage " Losses when regular Masons cannot be had.
Not
to let
" Losses "
"
be
^
"
ye priviledge of y« compass, square, levell, and ye plumb rule."
"
8.
to be set
Losses," and "let them work between ym w' a lyne.''
Plumming
" Losses"
9. "Frie Masons" on comins; to labour ought to displace such
(or cojoaTw).
7.
to
know
'
"
members cannot be given work, they must be furnished with money.
run away and are found," their lawful M"' must be informed.
do swear, so God us helpe, and holy dome, and by the contents of this book,"
10. If lawful
" doe
11. If apprentices
12.
"
We
etc.
This MS. (19) is the oldest, virtually, of the four Scottish versions (16 to 19 inclusive),
all
but the "Atcheson Haven" (17) contain the important clause "treu to
of which
"
"
of our English copies.
General Charges
ye King of England," as in the second of the
This is the more noticeable, if we bear in mind that the Melrose version is clearly a
of A.D. 1581, or earlier; also that No. 17, whilst it omits "England,"
the clause " true to the king," the addendum either being purposely omitted, or
transcript of one
has
still
'
The 9th
°
The Regulations
of
MS.
11
is,
"You
shall not
man7
or contract yourselfe to
any woeman during
youi-e apprenticesln|ip."
of the old Scottish Lodges generally provide for such Essays being exhibited as tests of skill, to
be submitted to a committee appointed by the members, prior to being passed as fellow crafts.
"In England also
"
masterpieces were sometimes required see, for instance, the by-laws of the Company of Framework Knitters (Journals
;
House of Commons,
of the
vol. xxvi., pp.
790-794
;
Smith's Guilds,
p. cli.).
In a paper read before the Eboracum Lodge, No. 1611, York, by Mr W. \V. 'Whytehead, t