THE OLD CHARGES OF BRITISH FREEMASONS.
59
Mr Hughan, who published the result of his laboui's iu
and the patient and discriminative research of the Eev. A. F. A. Woodford)^ more than
1872,
double that number liave been brought to light. Many extracts from manuscripts, which were
decade (chiefly through the zeal of
now been noted, and all references to such documents, for the last two hundred
have been duly arranged, and their precise nature estimated.
years,
"
Without an exception, aU these " Old Charges have been carefully collated, and their
missing, have
points of agreement and divergence as far as possible extracted, in order that their value as
ancient masonic chronicles may be accurately gauged.'^
One at least of these MSS. aud
possibly two, date before the introduction of the printing press.
Of the remainder, some
twenty were in circulation amongst the masonic lodges prior to the last century, the majority
being over two hundi-ed years old, and all being copies of still older documents.
No
two of the MSS. are exactly alike,^ though there is a substantial agreement between
them all, and evidently they had a common origin, just as they were designed to serve a
common purpose. As it is probable that each lodge, prior to the last century, had one of
"
"
which was read
an apprentice on his introduction
to the craft, it is almost certain that additional scrolls still await discovery, the only wonder
being, that considering how numerous the lodges must have been, so few have yet been
these
traced.
Old Charges
its effects,
amongst
Possibly, however, the
"
to
several very valuable manuscripts concerning the fraternity
warden of Inigo Jones), too hastily
burned by some scrupulous brothers," mainly consisted of forms of the " Old Charges."
When and how the first of these documents was compiled, or by whom, it is impossible
(particularly one written
by
ilr Nicholas Stone, the
*
now
to decide, for
we
possess no autographic versions of the masonic constitutions.
something like a detailed account of the copies extant,
"
do so I have consulted Hughan's " Old Charges
(which, singular to state,
contains the only collection ever published of these ancient Constitutions) also the remarkIt will be desirable to furnish
and in order
to
;
able preface to that work, by the Eev. A. F. A. Woodford.
Since the issue of this vohmie
MSS. have been discovered so, for the sake of perspicuity aud general
them all seriatim, according to their actual or supposed age,
each being indicated by a number for facility of reference, which number has been prefixed
An alphabetical classification was adopted by Hughan, but these
to their popular titles.
in 1872, additional
;
convenience, I shall consider
transcripts are
now
so numerous, that no single alphabet
As many of tliese old MSS. are undated, their age
may be assumed that the periods of origin herein
would
is
suffice for the purpose.
partly a matter of conjecture
;
but
closely to tlie
assigned, approximate
have generally preferred the testimony of such independent paleographical
authorities as Mr Edward A. Bond (the principal librarian of the British Museum), and
other non-masonic "experts," to the possibly interested opinions of those connected with
it
actual dates.
I
the fraternity, and have carefully abstained from overstating the antiquity of these or any
Whilst anxious, however, to disconnect such
other documents relating to Freemasonry.
ancient writings from modern adaptations and erroneous interpretations, I yield to
^W.
J.
Hughan, "The Old Charges of British Freemasons;" with a preface by the Kev. A. F. A. Woodford
(London, 1872).
2
Unless otherwise stated, the original, or a
by Mr Hughan
'
none
certified transcript, of
each MS. cited in this chapter has been collated
or myself.
Except Nos. 6 and 7 (duplicates).
Dr Anderson
for this statement.
(Coustit., 1738, p. Ill) is responsible