Grand Lodge Ms No. 1 (1583)

 

 

Gemäss

Douglas Knoop, Gwilym Peredur Jones: The Genesis of Freemasonry. 1948; Nachdruck London 1978;
dt.: Die Genesis der Freimaurerei. Bayreuth: Quatuor Coronati 1968

könnten die Urformen

• des Grand Lodge Ms. Nr. 1 (77) und
• des Levander-York-Manuskripts von 1740 (77, 86, 156) mit ihren „Konstitutionen“ sowie
• des Harleian Ms. Nr. 2054 (von der 2. Hälfte des 17. Jahrhunderts)

um 1550/60 vorliegen.

Die Urform des William-Watson-Manuskripts von 1681/87 soll um 1520 vorliegen (76: 1520; 81, 146: 1480 oder 1520), diejenige des Tew-Manuskripts von 1700 vielleicht noch früher, um 1500 (78, 81)

 

 

 

Grand Lodge Ms No. 1

 

 

 

 

 

In Büchern:

William James Hughan: The Old Charges of British Freemasons. 1872, 41-46; 2. Aufl. 1895;
laut Begemann, 1909, I, 217, „mit manchen Fehlern“ (z. B. die Datierung auf A. D. 1632);
Nachdruck Kessinger Publishing 2008.

unkorrigierter scan:

http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924030299782/cu31924030299782_djvu.txt

Henry Sadler: Masonic Facts and Fictions. London: Diprose & Bateman 1887, 199-208;
laut Begemann, 1909, I, 217, „mit Beseitigung der meisten Fehlern wiederholt“;
Neuausgaben Wellingborough: Aquarian Press 1985; Nachdruck Kessinger Publishing 2003, 199-208.

Quatuor Coronatorum Antigrapha (= Masonic Reprints) IV, Part I, mit Faksimile, 1892.

Henry Leonard Stillson, William James Hughan: History of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, and Concordant Orders. Vol. 1. Boston: The Fraternity Publishing Company/ London: George Kenning 1906 (1. Aufl. 1892, 187-195); Nachdruck Kessinger Publishing 2002.

unkorrigierter scan:

http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/history_of_freemasonry_volume_1.htm
leicht gekürzt in modernem Englisch in: Coil’s Masonic Encyclopedia. Richmond, Virginia, 1961, revidierter Nachdruck 1995, 295-296.

siehe auch Colin Dyer: Some Thoughts on the Origins of Speculative Masonry. Ars Quatuor Coronati 95, 1982, 120-169.

 

ziemlich sorgfältige Abschrift:

http://www.southchurch.mesh4us.org.uk/pdf/charges/gln1m.pdf

http://www.philbrick.mesh4us.org.uk/w-art.php?gln1ms

 

vollständige Transkription in modernes Englisch:

http://theoldcharges.com/chapter-12.html

 

Ausführliche Zusammenfassung:

http://fraternitatdelvalles.org/documents/05%20Grand%20Lodge%20n1.ANGLES.doc

 

Sieh auch ein langer Artikel über die „Old Charges“, 2006:

http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/prescott07.html

 

Vollständige Übersetzung in modernes Französisch:

Roger Richard: Dictionnaire maçonnique. Le sens chaché des rituels et de la symbolique maçonniques. Paris 1999, 577-583.

 

Einleitung

 

The document - The Grand Lodge Manuscript, so named because it was acquired and preserved by the United Grand Lodge of England, is today considered as the third oldest of the English Old Charges, after the Regius (1390), and Cooke Manuscripts (1410).

As in the other recognized Charges, especially those that belong to its family, it includes a definition of the seven Liberal Sciences, an evocation of the Craft history from the land of Egypt to that of England, and finally a statement of Regulations which must be strictly observed by Masons.

 

 

 

The mighte of the ffather of heaven and the wysedome of the glorious soonne through the grace & the goodnes of the holly ghoste y^t been ihree psons & one god be w^th vs at o^r begimning And give vs grace so to gou'ne vs here in o^r lyving that wee maye come to his blisse that neu' shall have ending. Amen

 

[in modernem Englisch:

The Might of the Father of Heaven and the wisdom of the glorious Son through the grace and goodness of the Holy Ghost that are three persons and one god be with us at our beginning and give us grace so to govern us here or in living that we may come to his bliss that never shall have ending. Amen.]

 

 

Good bretheren and fellowes our purpose is to tell yow howe & in what mann' wise this woorthy crafte of Massonrie was begon & afterwards howe yt was kept by woorthy kings & prynces & by many other woorshipfull men & also to those that been heire we will charge by the chardgs that longith to eu'y trewe Masson to keepe, for in good faithe and they take good heed to yt, yt is woorthy to be well kepte, ffor yt is a woorthy traft & a Curious science, for their been seaven liberall Sciences of the w^ch seaven yt is one of them

 

And the names of the seaven Sciences been these,

ffirst is Gramm' and that teacheth A man to speake trewly and to wryte trewly.

The Second is Rethoricque and that teacheth a man to speake faier in sutfcle tearmes

And the thirde is Dialecticke and that teacheth A man to decerne or knowe trought from false.

And the fourth is Arsemetricke and that teacheth A mann to recken & to coumpt all mann' of numbers

And the fyfte is Geometry And that teacheth a man the mett & measure of earth and all other things, the which Science is called geometrey.

And the vj^th Science is called Musicke & that teacheth a man the Crafte of song and vice of tonge ad Orgaine Harpe & Trompe.

And the vij^th science is called Astronomie And that teacheth A mann to knowe the course of the Soonne & the Mone and of the Stars.

 

These be the vij liberall Sciencs. The w^h vij be all found by one scyence that is to saye geometrey, and ths maye A manne prove that the Science of the worlde is found by Geometrey, ffor geometrey teacheth A man to measure, ponderacon & weight of all mann' thing an earthe, for there is no man that woorketh any crafte, but he woorketh by some mett or by some measure nor no man buyeth or sellith but by some measure or some weight and all this is geometrey. And these martchants and all Craftsrnen and all other of the vj Sciencs and especially the Ploweman and the Tillers of all mann' of graine and seeds Yyne planters and setters of other fruets. ffor by Gramm' nor Arsemetricke nor Astronomy nor none of all the other vi can no man fynde mett nor measure w^thout Geometrey Wherfore methincketh that the Science of geometry is moste woorthey that fyndith all other &c.

 

 

How that this Woorthye Science was fyrste begon I shall you tell Before Noes ffludd their was A man that was called Lameth as yt was wrytten in ihe Byble in the fourth chapt’ of genesis, And this Lameth had twoe wyves & the one wyfe heighte Adaa and the othier height Sella by this first wyfe Adaa he gat twoe Soonnes and the one heighte Jabell, and the other heighte Juball and by the other wyfe Sella he begat a soonne & a daughter and theis iiij or Children found the beginning of all the Crafts in the worlde and this eldest soonne Jabell found the Crafte of Geornetrey and he depted flocke of sheepe and lands in the feild & ifrste wraught A house of stone & tree as yt is noted in the Chapter abovesaid And bis brother Juball founde the Crafte of Musicke, song of toonge, harp and orgain And the third Broother Tubalcain found Smight Crafte of golde sylu' and Copper yron & steele, And the Daughter founde the Crafte of weaving

 

And these Children knewe well that god would take vengeance for synne ether by fyer or water. Wherfore they wrytten their Science y^t they had found in ij pyllers of stone that they might be found after noes ffludd And the ane stone was Marble for that will not bume w^th any fyer And the other stone was Called Laterns for that woulde not drown in any water, Our Intent is to tell yo^w treuly howe & in what mann' these Stones weare found that these sciencs were wrytten in the greate Hermarines that was Cubyes soonne the w^ch Cubye was Semms soonne that was Noes soonne this same Hermarines was aft^rward called Hernes the father of wysdome he found one of the ij pyllers of stone and found the science wrytten therein

And he taught yt to other men, and at the making of the Tower of Babilon their was Massonrey made muche of And ihe kyng of Babylon that heighte Nemroth was A masson himself and loved well the Crafte as yt seid w^th meist^rs of stories And when the Cittie of Nynyvie & other Cities of the Est shoulde be made Nembroth the Kyng of Babylon sent thith^r fortie Massons at the Rogacon of the kyng of Nynyvie his Cossen And when he sent firm forth he gaue them A chardge on this manner that they should be trwe one to another & that they should live truely togither and that they should sve their Lorde truely for their paie so that their m^r maye haue woorship und all y^t long to him and other moe Chardges he gaue them And this was the first tyme that eu' any Masson had any chardge of bis Crafte.

 

 

Moreover when Abraham and Sara his wyfe went into Egipt and there he taught the vij Sciencs vnto lhe Egiptians & he had A woorthy scholler that heighte Ewckled & he Leamed right well and was A m^r of all the vij sciencs & in his daies yt befell that the Lords and the Estats of the Realme had so many soonnes that they had gotten some by their wyves and some by other Ladies of thee Realme for that Land ys A hott Land & plenteous of gen’acon & they had no competent Lyvelehod to fynd their children wherefore they made muche care, and then the Kyng of the Land made a greate counsell and A parleament to wytt howe they maye fynde their children honestly as gentleme and they could fynd no mann' godd waye

 

And then did they through all the Realme that yf there weare any man that could enforme the that he sbould come vnto them and he shoulde be so rewarded for his travell that he shoulde holde him well pleased After that this crye was made then came this woorthy clarke Ewklad and said to the kyng and to all his greate Lords if ye will take me yo^r children to gou'ne and to teache them one of vij sciencs wherw^th they maye Lyve honestly as gentleme should vnder A condition, that ye will grant me and them that I maye haue power to rule the after the mann' that the scyence ought to be ruled. And that the kynge and all his counsell graunted anon, und assayled the Comission And then this woorthy tooke to him these Lordes soonnes and taught them this Science of geometrey, in prackticke for to woorke in stones all mann' of woorthy woorke that longith to buylding Churches, Temples, Castles, Towers and Manners, and all other mann' of buylding And he gave them A Chardge on this mann'

 

 

The ffirst ys that then shoulde Be trewe to the king and to the Lordse that they serve And that they should love well togither & be trewe eche one to other and that they should calle eache other his ffellowe or els his broother and not his servant nor bis knave nor none other foule name

And that thei shoulde trwly deserue their paye of the Lorde or the m^r that they serve and they shoulde ordeinge the wysest of thm to be m^r of the woorke and nether for love nor Lynadge ne ryches nor ffavour to sett another that hath litle conning to be m^r of the Lords woorke wherby the Lorde should be evill served And they asshamed

And also that they should call ye gou’ner of the woorke m^r in the Tyme that they woorke w^th him

And other many mo Chardgs that are long to tell

And to all theis Chardgs he made them sweare a greate othe that men vsed in that tyme and ordeyned for then reasonable paye that they might lyve bonestly by,

And also that they should come and assemble tegither eu'y yere once howe they might woorke best to serve their Lorde for his proffitt and to their owen woorship and to Correct w^thin themselves him that had trespassed against the Crafte and thus was the Crafte grownded there

 

And that woorthy Clarke Ewcklod gaue yt the name of geometrie, and nowe in is called throught all this Land Massonrey sythen long after when the childre of Israeli weare come into the Land of Behest that is nowe called emong vs the conntrie of Jerusalem

King David began the Temple that is Called Templu Domi and is Named w^th vs the Temple of Jerusalem And this same King David lovid well Massons und churisshed muche and gave them good paye und he gave the Chardges and the mann's as he had leamed in Eagipt given by Ewckled And other Chardges moe that ye shall heare aft^rward

 

And after the Decease of the King David Salomo that was King Davids soonne pformed out the Temple that his ffath^r bad begon And he sent for Massons into Dyu's Countries and dyu's Lands and gath’d them togither so that he had iiij^xx Thousand of woorkemen that weare woorkers of stone and weare all Named Massnos And he Chose of them iij Thousand tbat weare ordeyned to be maisters und Grou’ners of his woorke.

 

 

And further more there was a kyng of another reigne that me called Iram and he Loved well king Salomon und he gave him Tymber to his woorke und had A soonne that height Aynone and he was a m^r, of geometrey And was cheife maist^r of all his Massons and was m^r of all his graving & Carving and all other mann' of massonrye that belongith to the Temple And this Is wytnessed in the Byble in the iiij booke of the Kyngs the iij^de Chapter and the Sallomon confirmed both Chardgs and the mann's that his ffath^r had given to Massons And thus was that woorthy Crafte of Massonrey Confirmed in the Countrey of Jerusalem And in many other Kyngdomes

Curious Craftes men walked aboute full wyde in Dyu's Countiies soome to Leame more Crafte und conning & some to teache them that had but litle conning and so yt befell that their was on' Curious Masson that height Naymus grecus that had byn at the making of Sallomons Temple & he came into ffraunce and there he taught the Science of massonrey to men of ffraunce And there was one of the Regall lyne of ffraunce that height Charles Martell And he was A man that Loved well suche A Crafte and Drewe to this Naymus grecus and Learned of him the Crafte And to vppon him the Chardges & y^e mann's. And afterward by the grace of god he was elect to be Kyng of ffraunce. And when he was in his Estate he tooke Massons and did healp to make men Massons y^t weare none & sett them A woorke and gave them bothe the Chargs & mann's and good paye that he had leamed of other Massons And confirmed them A Charter from yere to yeare to holde their assembly wheare they woulde, And churrishe them right muche And thus came the Crafte into ffraunce.

 

Englande in all this season stode voyde of any chardge of Massonrie vntill S^t Albons tyrne and in his dayes the kyng of Ingland that was a paynym he did wall thee towne aboute that is called S^t Albons And S^t Albon was A woorthy knyght & stewarde of the kyngs housholde and had the gou'ment of thee Realme & also of thee towne walls and loved Massons well And chirished them muche and he made their paye right good (standing as the Realme did) for gave them ij^s vj^d a weeke & three pence to their cheire for before that tyme throwe the Land A massen toke but A peny a daye and his meate vntill S^t Albone amended yt and gaue them A charter of thee Kynge & bis Counsell for to houlde A gen'all counsell And gaue yt the Name of An Assemblye And was thereat him self and healped for to make Masssons and gaue the Chardges as yee shall heare afterwarde righte sone.

 

 

After the decease of Saynte there came diu's wares into England of dyn's nacons so that the good rule of massory was destroyed vntill the tyme of knigte Athelston that was A woorthy kyng of England & brought all this land into rest and peace and buylded many greate workes of Abyes and Toweres and many other buyldings And Loved well Massons And had A soonne that height Edwin and he loved Massons muche more then his ffather did And he was A greate practyzer of Geometrey and he drewe him muche to taulke comen w^th massons to learne of them the Crafte And afterward for Love that he had to Massons and to the Crafte he was made A Masson And he gat of the kyng his ffather A Charter and A Comission to houlde eu'y yere a sembly once A yeare wheare they woulde w^thin thee realme of England And to Correct wi^thin them self faults and Trespasses that weare done w^thin the Crafte

And he held himself an assembly at Yorke & there he made massons and gaue them chargs and taught them manners, and comaunded that rule to be kept for eu' after And gaue them the Charter and the comission to keepe, and made an ordynaunce that yt should be renewed from kyng to kyng. And when the assembly was gathered togither he made a crye that all olde Massons & yoong that had any wryting or vnderstanding of the chardges and the mann's that weare made before in this Land or in any other y^t they should bring and shewe them fourthe. And when yt was prooved their were founde some in ffreanche some in Greeke and some in english and some in other langags and they weare found all to one intent And he made A booke there of howe the Crafte was founded. And he himself bade and comaunded that yt should be redd or told when any masson should be made

And for to give his Chardge and from the daie vntill this tyme mann's of massons haue byn kept in that forme as well as men might gou'ne yt &c. ffurthermore at dyu's assemblies Certein Chardgs haue byn made and ordeyned by the best advise of m^rs & fellowes

 

 

für eine neuere Fassung der nachfolgenden Pflichten siehe:

„Antiquity Ms.“, 1686

sowohl  engl. von William Preston: Illustrations of Masonry, 1775, und

dt. von Karl Christian Friedrich Krause, 1821.

 

 

Tunc Vnus ex Senioribus tenent libru & ille vel illi apposuerut manus sub libru t tu'c pracepta deberent legi &c.

 

 

Every man that is A mason take right good heede to these chardgs yf that any mann fynde him self gyltye in any of these chardgs that he amend him self agaynste god. and especially ye that are to be charged take, good heede that ye maye keepe these charges right well, for yt is great prill A mann to forsweare himself vpon A booke.

 

The fyrst Chardge ys this that ye shall bee trewe men to god and holly Churche and you vse no Errour nor heresye by yo^r vnd^rstandmg or discreacon but be yee discreet men or wyse men in eache thing,

And also that ye should be true leage men to the king of England w^th oute treason or any other falshoode and that ye knowe no treason nor treachery but yf ye amend yt preevylie if yo maye or els warne the kyng or his counsell thereof

And also ye shall be true Eache on' to another that is to saye to euy Masson of the Crafte of Massonry that be massons allowed, ye shall do vnto them as ye would that they shoulde doe vnto yo^w

And also that ye kepe all the counsells of yo^r ffellowes truely be yt in Lodge or in Chamber And all other Counsells that ought to bee kept by the waye of Massonhoode

And also that no Masson shall be A theefe or otherwise as far foorth as ye maye wytt or knowe.

And also that ye shall be true eache one to oth^r

And to the Lord or m^r that ye serve And truly to see his pfftis & his vantadge,

and Also yo^w shall call Massons yo^r ffellowes or brythren and none other foule names

And also ye shall not take yo^r fellowes weif in vyllany, nor desyre vngodly his daughter nor his servant nor put him to no diswoorship

And also that ye paye trewly for his meate and dryncke there wheare you goe to boorde

And also ye shall doe no vyllany in that place where yo^w goe to borde wherby the Crafte might be sklaundred

 

These be thee Chardges in gen'all that longith to eu'y true Masson to keepe both m^rs and ffellowes.

 

 

Rehearse I will other Chardgs singuler for m^rs & ffellowes ffirst that no m^r or ffellowe shall take vpon him any Lordes woorke nor any other mans woorke vnles he knowes hinself able and sufficient of Conning to pforme the same so that their Crafte haue no slaunder or diswoorship therby, but y^t the lorde maye be well & truely served

Also that no m^r take no woorke, but y^t he take yt reasonably so that the Lorde maye be well served w^th his owne good and the m^r to lyve honestly and to paye his fellowes treuly their paye as the mann' is.

Also that no m^r nor fellowe shall not supplant any other of theire woorke that is to saye, yf he haue taken A woorke in hand, or els stand m^r of the Lordes woorke he shall put him out, except he shall be vnable of Conning to end the woorke

And also that no m^rs or ffellowes take no prentice but for thee terme of vij yeres, and the prentice be able byrthe, that is to saye free borne, & hole of Lymes as A man ought to be.

And also that no m^rs nor ffellowes take no allouannce to be made masson w^th assent & counsell of his fellowes.

And that he take him for no lesse tyme then vj or vij yeres and that he w^ch shall be made a masson he bhle in all mann' degrees, that is to save free borne, come of good kyndred, true and no bondman

And also that he haue his right lyms, as a ma' ought to haue.

Also that no mason take any prentice vnles he haue sufficient occupacon for to sett him on or to sett iij of his fellowes or ij at the least on woorke

And also that no m^r nor ffellowe shall take no mans woorke to Taske that was woont to goe to Jomey

AIso that euery m^r shall give paye to his fellowes but as they deserve, so that hee be not deceived by falce woorkemen.

 

 

Also that noe mason sclanber an other behynde his backe to make him lose his good name or his worldly goods

also that, no fellowe w^thin the Lodge or w^thout myse answer another vngodly nor reprochefally without some reasonable cause

Also that eu'y mason shall reu'nce his elder and put him to woorship.

And also that no mason shall be no comon player at hassard or at dyce nor at none other vnlawfull playes wherby the Crafte might be slaundred

And also that no mason shall vse ne leachery nor be no baude wherby the Crafte might be slandred

And also that no ffellowe goe into the Towne A nights tyme there as is A Lodge of ffellowes w^thut that he haue A fellowe w^th him that might beare him wyttnesse that he was in honest placs

Also that eu'y m^r and fellowe shall come to the assembly if that it be wi^thn fyftie myles aboute him, yf he haue any warning.

And if he haue trespassed againste the Crafte then for to abyde the awarde of the m^rs & fellowes

Also that eu'y m^r & fellowe that haue trespassed againste the Crafte shall stand there at the award of the m^rs and ffellowes to make him accorded if they can And if they maye not accorde them to goe to the Comon Lawe

Also that no m^r nor fellowe make no moulde nor Squayer nor rule to no lay' nor sett no lay' w^thin the logge nor w^thout to hewe no moulde stones.

And also that eu'y mason receive & Chirrishe, staying ffellowes when they come ou' the Countryes. And sett them a worke if they will as the mann' is that is to saye if they haue mould stones in his place, or els hee shall refreshe him w^th moony vnto thee next Logging.

Also that every mason shall truely serve the Lorde for his paye and eu'y m^r truly to make annend of his woorke be yt Taske or Jomey if he haue yo^r Commaunds and that they ought for to have.

 

 

These Charges that we have nowe rehearsed vnto yow all and all others that belong to Masons yee shall keepe. so healpe you god and your hallydome, And by this booke in yo^r hande vnto yo^r power.            Amen Sobeit.

 

Scriptum Anno Domini 1583

 

Die Decembris 25