■ :-:CORH£LJL : :' ;; : ij|ii¥fRsiw;. iiBRAfttf--. CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM THE INCOME OF A BEQUEST MADE BY BENNO LOEWY 1854-1919 Cornell University Library HS440.A3 N53 1894 + The Newcastle College roll. D 37. reprod 3 1924 030 299 386 olin.anx Overs ^ Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030299386 Iprobmte of Ifrrrtjntmkdanb anb ,§nrjmm. SOCIETAS ROSICRUCIANA IN ANGLIA. The Newcastle College Roll, D 37, REPRODUCTION AND TRANSCRIPT, Copy No. 31 PRIVATELY PRINTED AT NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE. MDCCCLXXXXW. This Reproduction is dedicated to the Most Worthy Supreme Magus, SOCIETATIS ROSICRUCIANAE IN AnGLIA, Dr. W. WYNN WESTCOTT, M.B., IXO, and Worshipful Master of Lodge Quatuor Coronati, No. 2076, by the Permanent Committee of the Province of Northumberland and Durham. The Original Roll was Presented to the Library of The Newcastle College, S. R. I. A., BY Worshipful Brother JOHN GREY, P. M., No. 1167, P. Prov. G. A. Pursv. Northumberland, a Founder of Lord Warkworth Lodge, No. 1879, and a Member of the Newcastle College. ^fye "gjiewcaztle goHege *gtott. HPHE " Newcastle College Manuscript " is a valuable find, being the only known copy of the Old Charges, which begins with " An Anagram upon ye Name of Masonrie," excepting the two Rolls at York. The text otherwise is not noteworthy, though the document contains one or two minor departures from the ordin- ary versions. The additional portion is peculiar to this Roll. It is much to be regretted, that what seems to be a recital' of the obligation taken by Candidates, to keep secret the mysteries of the Fellowship, has been defaced, so that only a few words are readable. The three Scrolls, which this one so closely resembles, are known as the York MSS., Nos. i, 2 and 5 ; the first being about three hundred years old, the second is dated 1704, and the third is possibly older than two hundred years. Full particulars of these are afforded in the handsome Reproductions of the MSS. (owned by the " York Lodge," No. 236, at the Mecca of English Freemasonry) now passing through the press ; Brothers Joseph Todd and Thomas B. Whytehead being the Editors. A transcript of No. 2 was printed in my " Masonic Sketches and Reprints " (1 871), the " Kingston Masonic Annual " (1871) 8 and "Old Charges of British Freemasons" (1872). No. 5, is in the "Masonic Magazine" for August, 1881, with a brief description by me. No. 1, in the " Old Charges " (1872), was evidently copied by or for William Kay and presented to his friend Robert Preston ; No. 2, being the gift, in like manner, of Robert Preston to Daniel Moult. The present Scroll was presumably donated by " Richard Stead to his friend Joseph Claughton." No. 5, is imperfect at the first part of the Manuscript, so that whether there were an Anagram and Title cannot now be decided — possibly there were both. Else the Anagrams are virtualry alike and so the descrip- tions — " The Constitutions of Masonrie." The text of the four is substantially the same from first to last, and all belong to the "York Branch" of the "Grand Lodge" Family. Bro. Dr. W. Begemann, in "An Attempt to classify the ' Old Charges ' of the British Masons,* " arranged the Manuscripts then traced (1888) in certain comprehensive and distinct Families, the largest of which takes its name from the " Grand Lodge Manuscript, No. 1," in the Library of the Grand Lodge of Eng- land, f Since then, quite a number of old and valuable copies of the Manuscript Constitutions have been discovered, thus rendering the ably compiled " Calendar of the Old Charges, * Transactions of the '' Quatuor Coronati " Lodge, Vol. 1, 1886-1888. t Hughan's " Old Charges." 1872 ; Bro. Sadler's " Masonic Facts and Fictions," 1887 ; and " Quatuor Coronatorum Anligrapha," Vol. iv, 1892, 9 1 888," based upon such classification, by Bro. R. F. Gould,* incomplete and rather out of date. I have arranged (Vol. vi of the " Ars Quatuor Coronatorum," 1893) another system, on the plan originated by Dr. Begemann, by which accessions to the Table of these Manuscripts of the Old Charges can be placed under their respective Families and Branches, without disturbing the general features of the Calendar. Accordingly, the " Newcastle College Manuscript," an- nounced as the Table was being printed, may now be inserted as D 37 of the "York Branch" fcj, which includes — D 3 — York MS., No. 1, 1600, circa. D 17— York MS., No. 5, 17th Century, late. D 27— York MS., No. 2, A. D. 1704. D 37 — Newcastle College MS., 1700, circa. The Manuscript, D 17, is imperfect, as already noted, and written on paper as is D 37, the other two being parchment Rolls. The " Newcastle College " more closely resembles this Manuscript (" York," No. 5) than either of the others ; though, undoubtedly, all four belong to the same class which may fairly be denominated the York version of this numerous " Grand Lodge " Family. A few instances of departures from the ordinary text (one or two being of an erratic character) are herewith cited, which will serve to exhibit the general agreement of this important quartette, and particularly the sameness of Manuscripts D 17 and D 37. * Vide the valuable Commentary on the " Regius Manuscript," Masonic Reprints, Lodge No. 2076, Vol. 1, 1889. IO YORK MANUSCRIPTS No. 1 (D 3). At our beginning. How these worthy. But now I shall. No. 5 (D 17). 3 NEWCASTLE COLLEGE MS. (D 37). No. 2 (D 27). At our beginning. Att our under takeing. How these worthy. But now I shall. Land of Behest. Country of Jurie. Charles Martal. Tunc unus, &c. Mason. Behes. Jury. Martial. [omitted.] Free Mason. Behest. Jurie. Martall. Tunc unus, &c. Mason. In villanie. Cherish, &c. His necessaries. Behes. Jury. Martial/. [omitted, j Fre Mason. In evill. Exercise. &c. His wants. Not take in villany. Not take in evill. Cherish strange. Exercise, &c. His necesityes. His wants. The four Rolls represent one and the same original for all practical purposes, which was likely arranged or transcribed from older Manuscripts towards the end of the i6th Century, the Anagram, apparently, being a distinctive characteristic of this Branch ; but why so we do not know, unless probably the proto- type of this version was so distinguished. It was this latter feature that led me at first to hope that the Scroll, herewith reproduced, was the missing " York Ms., No. 3," of the year 1 630. That fancy, however, has since been dispelled on reading- the document. The latest find is valuable, because it changes the trio into a quartette, and suggests that as another Yorkshire Manuscript has thus unexpectedly been traced, renewed researches may yet result in the discovery of this important Roll of the early part of the 17th Century. " Ster lies'" instead of " Later tits' 1 * (others having orthograph- ical varieties from later, a brick), is alone to be found in the n " Newcastle College Manuscript." The ingenious suggestion of the Elditor of the Reproduction will, doubtless, be carefully considered by experts ; but I am not prepared to accept the explanation offered, without more evidence. The peculiarity may have been due to the Scribe of this particular Roll, and if adopted because of the reason offered, it would seem to have been confined to this document, for even in the " York Manuscript, No. 5," the word is Latemes. Nos. 1 and 2 (Manuscripts D 3 and D 27) have Lternes. On this point, however, more anon. Meanwhile, I am more anxious to promote the publication of exact transcripts or complete facsimiles of all known Manuscripts, and to endeavour to trace other copies of the " Old Charges," than to discuss questions of orthography. Whilst these Reproductions are being prepared and published, competent Brethren should be comparing the various Versions, as well as testing their statements and regulations by the light of general History, so as eventually to enable the Craft to possess reliable information, as far as possible, as to the character of the original operative Masonic Constitutions of English origin, and the why and wherefore of the numerous changes effected during the past five or more centuries, as well as how far these Rolls were actually accepted as the authoritative and working Laws of the Ancient Fraternity. W. J. HUGHAN, " Dunscore," Torquay, Pt. S. M. IX . January 5TH, 1894. (jX- Jit™ ^MV Jo^um^ W' /iXrrffL "A, Xfurrv ^>q ft^dtthrvun-ny <4 jfrnU$ ^%£tLU>> fr&Tn&t/u /zaJ £rnyt ^- C3 -v£> icrm. asw — ■feuJL LirC- 'rzuJL aJiJ jf wintry frfrtf- y y Jvrt„ 4tLX£- gfiirt £,.%» Are. *-jgZS/&6e Sn&t fz>~tmf; 'c£&~?i.cjL zcK. in ifnasi. //(d-aS-us-e. hajujirrajrtrn- an.} /t)tn.a 'Ascr J/2 * /.X ^72. &^^ ^C~_^rt^ j/na /van ^for^dn- fad y .4p / Jf / * W & fur* l^ Jfr&jn-rri&-r- ■ ftoj-i-trU- mB-^&zJ, y^/& &vn^ 6&nz&zA, a mtft — -fr. /prz 2 A/ Mr floAW j/tMV -fifom Jv-cur#4 /?zju^ UaJW ^wfrcj£afii£-a — cm ore kC *£/, £f J f6mJ- -tftCU^ tr&y ***-#< '^ K7&7~~C /9ia.dS^ X e- %M~ AS- #)ajr t" maJ'&r- 0/^ 4 s - ffmjL />¥ ^S'J^mTZ 8 £a mer^ o/~ffiznct~ ^^4?^ *& ^***S^s J'jr *^W- J^f j <% V 4- (f/^CZW:* \wy° -& '-#£.< St tr/~~ f/feg' /£a.z*^. CLS14/ O^I &&£ & />z*4$- &&*z- O.CC&P& u wD i/py- &■•*£-- x* s&2*- crf-/fi&ad &*--4P^&&&eA*-- osl 3^ * 14 Cr€_ rp£~ An Anagram upon y e Name of Masonrie Richard Stead J to his freind Joseph Claughton upon his his Art of Masonrie as followeth > in O Much might be Said of the * Noble Artt A Craft y ts 3 worth esteeming in each part Sundry Nations Nobles & their Kings alfo Oh how they Sought its worth to know Nimrod & Solomon y e wifest of all men Reasoned-4 to know thif Science then He Say no more Leaft by my Shallow verses I Endeavouring to praife Should blemish Masonrie The Constitutions of Masonrie The might of the father of heaven with wisdom of y e blefsed fon through the grace of god and goodnefs of y e holy Ghost that be three perfons in one godhead be with uf att our undertakeing s and give uf grace so to govern us here in thif Life y* we may come to hif blefing y' never shall have ending SWlJ good brethren and fellows our porpofe 6 if to tell you how and in whatt Manner thif worthy Science of Masonrie waf first ^ begun and afterwards how itt waf found by worthy Kings and Princes and many other worshipfull men and alfo and alfo to them y { be here we will Declare the Charge 8 of every free Mafon to Keep Sure in good faith and there fore take good heed thereto itt is well worthy to be kept well for 9 ye Science if Ancient For there I0 Seven liberal Sciences of the which " is one and y e Names of y e I2 Sciences be thefe first 4ii*aninui* that teacheth A man to Speack truly and write truly the second lUjttOriCft; and y' teacheth A man to Speak fair and plaine and in Subtill terms the third Bialett'ck Of iLoUgt'cfc and thatt teacheth A man to discern truth from falshood and y e fourth is gritfjinrtufc and y l teacheth A man to Reckon or Accompt all manners of Numbers and y e nth is Geomitrie and y f teach A man to mete all meafure of grounds and of all other things of y e which '3 is grounded Masonrie and y e Sixh is Caled JWuSlCfe and thatt teacheth A man y e science of Long Viol m tongue or Organ harp or trumpit and y e Seventh Science is called <3gtr01t0mtl and y t teacheth A man to know y e Courfe of the fun Moon and Stars these be y e Seven liberall Sciences y e which Seven be all grouned J 5 in one that is to Say Geomitrie for by thif may A man know l6 y e Efsence of worke as founded by geomitrie So Geomitrie teacheth Meet 3 Measure ponderation and weight of all manner of things on earth for there is no man y t worketh J 7 but l8 by Some mesure or weight and thif is Geomitrie And Merchants and all Crafts men and all other of y e Seven Sciences Especially y e plower and tiller of Ground : 9 and All manner of Seeds planters of Vinyards Setters of fruite and so 20 fur in. Grammer Rhetorick or Astronomie nor in any of all y e 2I liberall Sciences can any man finde mete 22 or measure without Geomitrie me thinks y 4 thif science Geomitrie is most worthy and foundeth all others But now I Shall tell you how thefe worthy Sciences waf first begotten before Noahs flood there waf A man Called Lameck 2 3 af itt is written in y e Scripture in y e 4 Chapter of Genesis and thif Lameck had two Wives the one named Adah by whom he had two fons y e one named Tabell 2 4 and y e Other Jubell 2 S and hif Other Wife waf Called Zillah by whom he had one Son named Tubell Caine 26 and one Daughter named Naamah and thefe four children founded y e begining of all y e Sciences in y e world y e first tabell 2 7 found y e Science of . Geometrie and he waf A keeper of flocks 28 and Land in y e feild as itt is noted in y e Chapiter aforeSaid and hif brother tuball 2 9 found out y e Science of Musick 3° and y e third brother Tuball Caine found out y e Science of Smith Craft of Gold & Silver braf Iron and Steell 3 1 and y e Daughter found y e Art of Weaving and thefe persons knowing Right well y' god would take vengeance for Sin either by fire or water therefore therefor they writt theire Severall Sciences they had found in two fJfllarsS 4 of Stone that they might be found after Noahs 3 2 flood and y e one Stone was Marble because itt would nott burn with fire and y e other Called Sternes 33 because itt would nott Drownd drownd with water Now our Intent is to tell how 34 thefe Stones were found in which thefe Sciences were written the Ancient Hermarnes 35 which waf after called Herms & had A Cub 37 hif Son y e which Cub 3§ waf Sem 39 that was Noahs Son the Hermarnes Called Hermes y e father of wife men 4° he found one of thefe 2 IJt'HarS of Stone and he found y e Sciences written thereon 4i and he taught them to other men And att building 42 of Tower of babell 43 there was masonrie att first much esteemed and y e king of babylon 44 and y e king of babylon who waf Called Nimrod waf a Mason himfelf and Loved well Masonrie 45 and when y e Citty of Ninivie 46 hif Coufm 47 and other Cittys of y e East Should be builded Nimrod y e king of babylon Sent thither 4 8 Masons at y e Request of y e king of Ninive 49 and when he Sent them forth he gave them A Charge on thif Manner y l they Should be true one to another and y 4 they Should Love well one another and 5° they Serve theire Lord truly for theire pay So y' the Master may have pay and all y 4 beloneth si unto him and Other More 5 2 Charges he gave them and thif waf y e first time y 4 ever any Mafon had A 53 Charge of hif Craft Moroever Abraham and Sarah hif Wife went into Egitt 54 5 And there he taught y e 7 Sciences to y e Egiptians & he had A Worthy Sholar named Euclid 55 and he Learned Right well and waf Master of all y e 7 Sciences Libberall & in hif Days itt befell y t y e Lords and States of thif Land had So many Sonf and Daughters by theire wifes and Some by their Concubines for y e Land if A hott Land and plentioufe in 56 generations and they had Nott A Compitent & petitions of Estate 57 withall s8 to maintain theire Children for whome 59 they tooke much Care and y e king of y l Land caufed thif 60 A great Counsell and Summond A parliment to Confult how the 61 Might provide for their Children whereon to Live Honestly af Gentelemen and they thought they Could No Manner of good way 62 then they made A proclamation throughout all y e Realm y t if there wear any y' Could inform them 6 3 y 4 he Should Come then 6 4 and he Should be well waged for hif travell So thatt he Should hould himSelf Satiffied after thif procCalamation waf Made Came thif worthy Clerk Euclid and Said to y e King and to hif Nobles if you will Except 6 5 of me to teach Instruct and govern your Children in y e 7 Seven Sciencese whereby they might Live Honestly af Gentlemen I will doe itt upon Condition 66 you will grant me and them A Commifion y 4 I may have power to ufe °7 them after the manner thif Science ought to be ufeed 68 which y e king and all the Counsell granted him and Sealed the Commefion and then thif worthy Doctor tooke to him thefe 6 9 Lords Sons and taught them y e Science of Geomitrie in practice 7° to worke in Stone all manner of worthy work y 4 belongeth to builings Caseles temples Churches Towers Manners all manner of buildings 7 l he gave them in Charge on thif manner 72 first y t they Should be true to theire King and y e Lord y' they Serve and y 4 73 Should Love well one another and that they Should be true one to another and y 4 they Should Call one another hif fellow or hif brother and nott hif Servant or Slave 74 or other foule Names and y 4 they Should truly Deserve their pay of their Lord 75 they Serve and y l the 76 Should ordaine y e wifest of them to be Mafter 77 neither to Chufe for Love or affection or greatnefs 7 8 or Riches to Sett any y 4 hath nott Sufficient Skill or knowledge 79 and Cunning in y e worke to be Master of y e work Wherby y e Master may be evill Served and they difgraced and alfo 8o y 4 they Shall Call y e Governer of y e worke Master During y e time they work with him and other More Charges which if to Long here to tell and to all thefe Charges he made them Swear A great #atf) y 4 men ufed in y* time an ordeined for them reasonble pay or 223atJ££> y 4 they might Live Honestly thereby and alfo y 4 they Should Come and Afsemble them Selves together once every yeare to Consult how they might 8l worke for theire Lords profitt and theire 82 Creditt and to Correct within them Selves him y 4 trefpafed aganst y e Science and thuf waf y e Science Grounded there and y 4 worthy Master Euclid was y e first y 4 gave itt y e Name of Geomitry which is now Caled Mafonrie throughout all thif Nation and after that when y e Children of Israeli into y e Land of Behest which if Now Called Jury 8 4 king Dabt'fc begung 8 s ye temple which is now Called templum Domini 86 and is named with uf y e temple of Jerusalem and y e Said king David Loved well Mafons and Charged 8 7 them much and gave them good wagese and he gave them both 88 Charges and Manners as he had Learned in Egipt 8 9 given formerly by Euclid and other More Charges which you Shall hear afterwards and after y e Deceace of king David Solomon hif Son finifed outt the temple 9° y 4 hif father had begun and he Sent for Mafons out of Divers Countryes and Lands 9 1 and gathered them together Soe y 4 he had 4 Scoare 9 2 thousand workers of Stone which is all named Mafons 93 and he Choose out of them 3 thousand y 4 were ordaind 94 Masters and governers of hif work <3ln)J furthermore there waf A king of Another Region y 4 men Called Hieram and he Loved King Solomon well and he gave him timber to. hif work and he had A son named <3ttl0tt and he waf A master of Geomitry and he waf Cheife Master of all graveings 95 and Carvings and of all his Mafons and Masonrie as Appears in y e Scripture in y e 1 booke of kings 9 6 and y e 5 Chap and thif Lolomon 97 Confirmed bothe Charges & manners y 4 his father had given to Mafons and thus waf this 98 Science of Masonry Confirmed in y 4 Cuntry of Jury 99 and in y e Citty of Jerusalem and in many other Cuntrys I0 ° Curious Craftmen walked About full wide and Spred themfelves into Divers Cuntrys Some to Learn more Craft and Cunning and Some to teach them y 4 had Littele Skill and Cunning and itt befell y 4 one Namus Grecus I01 y 4 had been att y e bulding of Solomons temple I02 came into tflUMt and there he taught y e Science of Masonrie 8 to men of france and there waf one of y e Royall Line of france named Cftai'IfS JWartl'all I0 3 and he was A man y 4 Loved well Such A Craft and he Drew to this Namus Grecus I01 above Saide and he Learned of him y e Craft and tooke upon him y e Charge and Manner and afterwards by y e providence of god he waf elected King of france and when he waf in y l State I0 4 he tooke upon him to make men Mafons I0 S which before there waf None and gave them both y e Charges and y e Manners and good pay af he had Learned from other Mafons and alfo Confirmed y e Charge Io6 from year to year to hould there I0 7 Asembley wheare they would and Charged them much Io8 and thus thus Came thif famous Craft into france (Sniglaitij in all thif time Stood Void of Mafons Especally I0 9 for any Charge impofed upon y e Science untill & l SJI&OttS II0 time and in hif Dayes y e king of England being then A pagan waled y e town of S 1 Albons About I:i thif S* Albons waf A worthy Kinght and Steward of y e Kings houfehould and had y e governer II2 of y e Realm and alfo y e Ordering of y e Said towns wales "3 and he Loved well Mafons and Charged »h them Right Much and Made their pay Right good Considering how SSJapS and other things Stood then for he gave theme 2 s and 6 d A week and 3 d for their Nonefinch "S and before y 1 time throughout all this Land A Mason had butt A Peny A day untill S' Albons Avanced itt af AboveSaid and procucerd " 6 A Charter "7 lung and hif Counsill wherby to hould generall Counsell and gave itt A II8 Name of Asemblee and thereatt he waf himfelf helping "9 to make men mafons and gave them A Charge which you Shall heare after heare butt itt hapened Shortly after y e Death of S 4 Albons I2 ° y 4 there Arofe greatt Wars in ©ltglantl which came out of Diverse Nations I21 Soe y 4 the good order of Mafosons was deStroyed untill y e Days of lU'ttg AthelStone I22 whofe I2 3 waf A worthy King of England I2 4 and brought thif Land into good Rest and peace bulded many great works and Abeys and Tower and other Manner of buldings and Loved well Mafons and he had A fon Named Edwin I2 s and he Loved Mafons much More then hif father and he waf A great practitioner in Geomitrie and he Delighted 226 to Commune with Mafons and to Learn of them Skill and Cunning and afterwards for Love he boare to mafons and to their Science he was Made A Mafon himSelf and he procured for them of hif fathe I2 7 A Charter and Commifion to hould every year an ASemble I28 wherefoever they would in y e Relm of England to correct I2 9 within themSelves y e trefpafes and faults *39 yt were don within y e Craft and he himSelf held an Asemble Htt f^Orfe and there he made Mafons and gave them y e Charge & taught them y e Manner and Commanded y l Rule to be kept ever after and toke for them y e Charter to keep and alfo gave orders y 4 itt Should be renewed from king to king and when y e ASembly was gathered together he made proclamation y 4 all att ould '3 1 Mafons or young y 4 had Any Writeings or understandings of y e Charge or of y e manners Concerning y e S d Sciences y 4 were made : 3 2 before in thif Land or in any other '33 they Should bring them forth and when they had vewed and examined theire they '34 found Some in french Some in greek and Some in English and Some in other Languages and ' y e intents and Meaning of them waf found out ! 3S and he had made A Booke there of how thif Craft waf found outt x 3 6 and he himSelf gave command y 4 they '37 Should be Read or tould when y 4 any mafon Should be made and to give them y e Charge and forme x 3 8 IO y' Day to this day y e manners of Mafons have been kept and obServed in y 1 form af well af men might observe and govern itt 9M& furthermore att Diverfe ASembles and Adistions : 39 of diverfe things in y e Charge ordained by y e beft Advise of maSters and fellows r 4° every man y t if A mafone take ^ good heed to thefe Charges y* he Amend himSelf before god if he fmde himfelf Guilty of any of thefe Charges and in particuarly y e y' are to be Charged take good heed y t y e may keep thefe Charges Right well for itt is perrillous and great Danger for A man to forswear himSelf upon y e holy Scripture CI)C Jft't'St Cfjanje is y' he or thou be tru to man and god : 4 2 and y e holy Church and y e ufe Neither Error nor Herrifie H3 according to your own underftanding or Difhonour wifemen *44 teaching & also y* he Shall be true lege man : 4S & bear true allegiance to y e king of England without any treafon or falshod 1 * 6 if you now : 47 of any treafon h8 yt y OU Amend itt privily if you may or elfe wern : 49 ye king and his Counsill of itt by Delivering '5° itt to y e Magistrates and alfo ye Shall be true one to another y l is to Say every Mason of y e Craft of Masonrie y t be allowed Mafons you Should do to them af you would they Should Do to you : si yt you keep truly y e Counsell of y e Lodge and Chamber and all other Counsell which ougt to be kept by y e way of Masonrie and y 4 alfo you Shal use No theft ! 5 2 butt kepe your Self true and alfo you shal be true to the Master l 53 you Serve truly See hif proffitt & advantage promoted and furthered and alfo you Shall Call Mafons your brethren or fellows butt Nott any other fowl Names J 54 alfo you Shall nott take in evill j ss any of your fellows wifes nor 1 1 unlawfully Desire his Daughter or Servant or putt him to any difcredett and alfo y 4 you pay truly for your meatt and Drinck where you goe to table and y 4 you do nott any thing wherby y e Craft may be Scandelized or Difgraced : s 6 Thefe be the Charges in generall which belongeth to every fre mafon to keep both M rs '57 and fellows Now Come I to rehearse certan other Charges Singularly for M rs and fellows r s 8 y 4 no master Shall take upon him any Lords work or any other mans worke except he know himself to be of Sufficent Skill And Cunning to perform "59 ye Same Soe y 4 the Craft thereby receive no Slander or Difcreditt butt y 4 y e Lord may be well Served and have his worke l6 ° Sufficiently Done & alfo y 4 no Master take any worke att unreasonble Rattes l6 ' butt so Resonable y 4 the Lord or owner be truly Served with hif own goods & and y 4 162 the Master to live Honestly thereby and to pay hif fellows truly theire wages af y e manner is and alfo y 4 No Mafter or fellow Shall Supplant another of hif worke y 4 is to Say If any Master or fellow have taken any worke to do & therefore Stand af master of y e S d worke ye Shall nott putt him outt of itt unlefs he be unable of Skill or cuning to perform y e Same to y e end And alfo y 4 no mafter or fellowe Shall take any Apprentice under y e term of Seven years and thatt Such an apprentice Sufficiently able l6 3 of body and Sound of hif Limbs and alfo of good berth free born no Alian butt Decended l6 4 of A true and Honest Kindred & no bondman and alfo y 4 No Mafon take any apprentice unlefs he have fufficent occupation l6 s to imploy 2 or 3 fellows l66 att y e Least And alfo y 4 no master or fellow Shall take over another Mans head any Lords worke from hif fellow Mafon y 4 waf wont l6 7 12 to work jorney l68 worke thefe l6 9 Alfo y 4 every Master Shall give wages to hif fellows according af hif work DeServes y 4 he be nott Deceived by falf worke and alfo y 4 none Shall Slander Another behinde hif back whereby he may Lose x 7° hif good name or worldly Riches and alfo y 4 no fellow within y e Lodge or without Shall Slander or mifanSwer another without A Caufe '7 1 And alfo y 4 every Mafon Shall Reverence hif oldeft brother l i 2 and put him into honour and alfo y 4 no Mafon Shal be A Common player of Cards or Dice or any other unLawfull Game '73 whereby y e Science may be difgraced J 74 And alfo y 4 no fellow att any time go from hif fellow of y e Lodge into any town adjoining except he have A fellow with him to witnefs y 4 he : 75 in honest place and Civill Company and every '7 6 Master or fellow shall come to y e Asemble of Mafons if itt be within fifty miles of if they have any warning of itt & '77 if he or they have trefpafsed Against y e Craft all Such trefpafing Shall stand thereatt the Award or Arbytration of y e Mafon *7 8 and they to make them accord '79 and if they cannott agree them then goe to y e common Law & alfo y 4 no master or fellow make any mould Rule or Square for any Layer l8 ° or Sett lSl any Layer within y e Lodge or withoutt to hew any Mould Stones l82 & y 4 every mafon Shall Exercife l8 3 Strange fellows when they Come out of other Cuntryes and Sett them on worke if he Can af y e manner is Viz if he have no stone or Mould in y 4 place he Shall refrefh him with Money to Supply his Want l8 4 untill he come at y e Next Lodge l8 s and alfo y 4 every Mafon i3 Shal Doe l8 7 hif worke truly and nott Sleaghtly l8 7 for his pay butt to Serve his Lord truly for hif wages & alfo y* every Mafon l88 Shall finish and make an end of hif work whether itt be by tax or by torney l8 9 by measure or by Day if he have hif pay and all other Covenants performed to him by y e Lord of y e work according to y e i5argHII1£ Thefe Charges y* we have '9° Rehearsed to you & to all other here prefent which belonget l 9 l to Mason you Shall well and truly Keep to your power Soe help you God and by y e Contents Of tfoatt 3500fee *9 2 Come all you Mafons hear what I doe Say Hear is A Strict Account for you thif Day Pray minde and Keep whatt you heard before Before you binde your Self in Wed Lock there Pray Call to mind whatt Charge you have in hand Then do Nott Say you Did nott underftand for itt is A J 93 yt Cannott be Kept to Suer With all y e men y l will with endure Wherewith take Care y' will wife "94 Deans be then *95 Lest you be betrayd by Some falfe harted men The beft of Kings and Princes will this undergo To Show y e Art of Masonrie we know Lett uf follow y e Rule af they have don before To have y e Share of Science then ^6 I Adore 14 For itt is and Ould J 97 yea and an Antient thing for why '9 8 we know y* A mafon waf made A King If y* A mafon or A brother Some Releif do crave Do Nott Requite him Lik : 99 unto A Slave You know y e Charge y' we hard 20 ° all Over that we mus 201 be kinde one to another €f)t first Cftarge provoke no body Mock no body Swear Nott Dispraife No body Be against No body Nothing if Long Laftinge Charge hear Mentioned in thy power evill 2 ° 2 GLOSSARY AND NOTES. "THE present Roll had been transcribed without reference to the printed transcript of the York Roll, No. I, kindly lent as proof by R. \V. Frater W. J. Hughan, and the Newcastle College transcript was in print, when the York Roll, No. I, was compared with it, thereby ensuring an independent transcript and the advantage of the older reading on obscure and doubtful paragraphs. The York Roll, No. I, is timed about A. D. 1600. Frater Hughan agrees with the Editor that the present Scroll is to be timed about 1700, probably about 1660 to 167c in the opinion of some, 1706 or before in the opinion of others. All spellings and repetitions are according to text. X. C. R. means Newcastle College Roll. Y. R. I. means York Roll, No. I. 1 — Richard Stead (it may be Richard Head) to Joseph Claughton. The York Roll, No. I, reads " Will™ Kay to his friend Rob 1 Preston." 2— Y. R. I. reads " O Noble Art," probably " of thee O Noble Art.' 3 — ,. reads " thats.' 4 — ,, reads " reason Saw." 5 — ,. reads " at our beginning." 6 — The North Country pronunciation of " purpose ' is " porpose.' 7 — Y. R. I. leaves out " first." 8 — .. reads " Charges.' o ,, reads " for ' yt ' the science is ancient." 10 — Interpolate "be ' or "are." u y. R. I. reads "of ve which /'/ is one." // being Geometrie or Masonrie. 12 — ., has " seven.' x , — ,, reads "of ye which -Science is grounded. 14 — The Copyist writes " Long Viol," mistaking the letter S for L. If other Rolls had not clearly "ye Science of Song & violl, of tongue & organ, &c.,'' a very learned argument might have been raised as to what a Long Viol is or was. 15 — Y. R. I. reads "grounded by one.'' 16 — „ reads " may a man pve,'' our copy gives probably the original word, unless this has been " pursue." 17 — ,, reads " worketh any science." 18 — „ reads "he worketh by some." 19 — ,, leaves out " of Ground," but has " of all manners of graines & seeds." 20 — ,, leaves out " so," and proceeds " for in, &c."' 21 — „ has "other liberal sciences, &c." 22 — ,, reads " meat ' which is phonetic spelling for " mete." 23 — " Lameck." The curious phonetic spelling, in many instances varied, makes me think that the Scribe was assisted by another " Scholar," who read the text to him and so wrote it down from word of mouth and not by comparison with the original ; when the one got tired of writing he took to reading for the other. The Manuscript is clearly in two handwritings. Of course " Lameck " is " Lamech." 24 — Y. R. I. reads " Jabell " for Jabal. 25 — ,, reads " Jubell " for Jubal. 26 — ,, reads " Tubel Caine." 27 — „ reads "Jabal." 28 — ,, reads "a Keeper of flocks of Sheep." 29 — This should be "Jubal." 30 — Y. R. I. reads " Musicke Song of Tongue harpe & Organ." 31 — ,, reads "Smithcraft of Gold Silver Iron Copper & Steele." 32 — ■ ,, reads " Noah his flood," as if the flood had been the personal prop- erty of Noah, or of some great advantage to him. 33 — " Sternes." Spelled " Lternes in V. R. I. I am inclined to think that the first letter in Lolomon (page 7, line 19 and word 3 of the Autotype) is really meant to be an S, and that some such phantastical impulse of the Scribe has caused the Copyist to make S like L, and vice versa. If the word is Sternes, as it clearly is in the N. C. R., it may possibly be derived from some barbaric Mediaeval Latin word, having for its root Sterno, e.g. — Liv. xxxxi, 27, Viam SUrnere, to pave or make even a road ; Lucret. mi, 417, has Stratum as the pavement ; Ledum Sternere is used by Cicero in the sense of straightening, smoothing, i.e. — making the bed. Hence, possibly, may — I do not say it is so — have been derived such a term as Sternes, meaning an article which has been beaten, pressed or formed, smoothed, spread or prepared, such as a formed brick. It would also admit of the meaning a dressed substance, say stone. Another solution has occurred to me, namely, to read Steines or Steynes, the Saxon term for Stones, and in use to the present day, as applied to Bricks, e.g. — back-steine= baked bricks, &c. In the ordinary conversation of the operative workmen they are simply called Steine. Of course the term Steine applies equally well to cherry stones, marble slabs or any sort of stone. Some of the Rolls have Lateris in place of Lternes or Sternes. Grand Lodge Roll, No. I, has Laterus ; No. II, Latres ; Buchanan, Laterus : and the Wm. Watson, Laterne. It is no great stretch for a Scribe, who did not understand Latin, to write Lterne or Lternes for Laterne, and even less to substitute the S in lieu of L. Later, plural Lateres means brick ; and brings us to the accepted meaning of one Pillar of Stone and one of Brick. But I suggest, that in addition to the misspelling of the word Lateres, there has taken place a transposition of sentences, and that we ought to read — " and ye one Stone [Pillar] was Marble because it would not [be] drowned with water, and ye other called Lateres (Bricks) because it would not burn with fire.' I cannot conceive that these expert Builders and Architects had never seen Marble destroyed by fire. If the original was in Latin, Greek, French or other foreign tongue, as is probable, then a mixing up of the sentence might easily happen. The Wm. Watson (Laterne) and the Dodd Print, 1739, (Laternes) are clearly miscopies of Lateres. It is suggested by Mr. F. Compton Price, who has prepared the Autotype Reproduction, that these Lateres may have been a kind of porous Brick or Stone, cut from something of the pumice stone nature and which would float, as is said to have happened to the Costermonger's fraudulent weights when thrown into the Thames. The Harris, No. II, Ms. (see Vol. iv, Quatuor Coronati Antigrapha) sa y S — " that one Pillar was made of chipped Lattens." We shall have to leave the matter here until a Latin, Greek or French Copy turns up ; bearing in mind, however, that Lateres are not necessarily burnt bricks, but mav be bricks which have not been burnt. 52 — Y. R. I. reads " moe." Abreviation for "more." 53 — „ reads " Any instead of " A." 54 — This should be " Egypt.' 55— Y. R. I. reads " Scholler." This is phonetic for "Scholar.' 56 — „ reads " of generation.'' 57 — ,, reads " & they had not a competent prportion of estate.' One Scribe copied mechanically without understanding, or perhaps not careing for the sense. 58 — ,, reads " wherewith." 59 — ,, reads " wherefore." 60 — ,, leaves out " this.'' 61 — „ reads "how 'they' might provide." 62 — „ reads " and they could finde noe mannr of good way." 63 — „ reads " therein." 64 — „ reads "to ym "=to him (the King.) "Then," in the N. C. R. is clearly an error. 65 — Both Rolls read "Except" in lieu of "Accept." 66— Y. R. I. reads " yt." 67-8— ,, reads "rule" in lieu of "use" in both cases. Rule and ruled — Use and used. 69 — ,, reads " himself " in lieu of " him these.' 70 — ,, reads "and" in lieu of "in." 71 — ,, reads "to buildings Churches Temples Castles Toures Mannos (Manors) (N. C. R. has Manners) & all manner, &c.' 72 — ,, reads " on this mannor. ' This is phonetic for " manner "=in this manner. 73— ,, reads " yt they." 74 — ,, reads " Knave," which 1 prefer. 75 — ,, reads " Lord or Master yt they serve.' The Lord is the person for whom the building is erected. The Master the Contractor and possibly Architect combined, the Master Mason. 76 — ■ „ reads " yt ' they ' should." jj — „ reads " Master of ye Worke." 78 — ,, reads " efection nor great." 79- 8o- 81- 82- 83- 84- 85- -Y. R. I. leaves out " skill or.' reads " & they disgraced or ashamed.' reads " might ' best ' worke." reads " theire ' own ' Credit.'' reads " Behest.'' reads " Called amongst us ye Countrie of Jurie "=Land of the Jews. 87- 90- 91- 92- 93- 94- 95- 96- 97- reads reads reads reads reads reads reads reads reads has " " Called amongst us Templm Domi." " Cherished." " both ' ye ' charges." " Egypt." "'finished out ye sd Temple." "into divers countreys and of divers lands.' " Score." " & were all named Masons." to be." reads "his graveings." reads " in Libro Primo Regnj & Chaptr ye 5th." (!) " Lolomon '' is evidently a mistake for " Solomon." I leave it to experts to decipher this phantastic letter. 98 — Y. R. I. reads " yt worthy.' 99 — ,, reads " Jurie "= Land of the Jews. 100 — „ reads " in many other Kingdoms." 101 — „ reads " yt there was one curious Mason called Namus Graecas." " Namus Grecus." I refer the reader to Transactions of Lodge Quatuor Coronati, Vol. iv, 201 to 220 ; particularly to Wyatt Papworth's Paper, Vol. in, 162 to 167, where the variants of this name are given. It will be noticed that in Gould's Commentary (printed in Masonic Reprints, 1889) No. 42, the Crane Manuscript gives this name as Marcus Graecus. According to Bro. R. H. Murdoch, Bacon learned the secret of making gunpowder from the Manuscript of Marcus Graecus. This writer is mentioned by the Arabian Physician, Mesue, early in the 9th century. Vide Footnote to Bro. Jno. Yarker's Paper, " The Rosicrucians " (after Kiesewetter) Vol. 1, Part in, p. 16, Transactions of the Newcastle College Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia. 7 I would as soon accept Marcus Graecus as the original of all the variants as any other reading, particularly as we then have a concrete fact to deal with. 102 — Historically, Namus Graecus cannot have lived during the building of King Solomon's Temple and at the reigning of Charles Martel. I therefore propose to read " who had been at the buildingS of King Solomon's Temple," i. e — had been to see them. 103— Y. R. I. reads "Charles Martall " = Charles Martel. 104 — ,, reads " was in ye Estate." 105— ,, reads "took & helped to make men Masons." 106 — ,, reads " a Charter." 107— ,, reads " their.'' 108 — „ reads "cherished them right much." 109—" Especially." 1 10 -"St. Albans." in— "Walled." 112 — Y. R. I. reads "Governance." 113— "Walls." 114 — Y. R. I. reads " Cherished." 115— " Nonefinch " or " None/inch," Allowance. Mr. F. Compton Price, who so carefully prepared the Autotype Reproduction, takes a lively interest in Nonefinch, and refers to " Glossary," Halliwell & Wright, London, 1888, Vol. 2, p. 609. Noonshun written also Nunchion, a repast taken at noon, usually between other meals. Vide Browne Brit. Past., P. 2, p. q. — " Harvest folk with curds and clouted cream, With cheese and butter cakes and cates enow, On sheaves of corne were at their noonshuns close, His conserves or cates when he hath well dined, His afternoon nunchions, &c." Man in the Moone, i6og. " Is their nothing in the Sacrament but bread and wine, like an hungry nunscion P " — Smith's Sermons, i6og. Nunchion, A. Piece of Victuals eaten between meals (Luncheon commoner)." — Samuel Johnson. " Laying by their swords and trunchions, They took their breakfasts or their nunchions." Hudibras, J. I., 34$. If Noon-shun be accepted as a kind of siesta, or retirement from the vertical rays of the sun, and synonymous with Nuncheon and the other variants, it may not be impossible that Noon-flinch is the original of our word Nonefinch ; flinch=to shrink, to withdraw from. — F. C. Price. Noenen, Nonen, or in the diminutive Noeneketi, is at the present day the expression used by farmers, foresters and workmen in the Westphalian dialect to express their mid-day sleep or rest. This dialect has preserved many, old Saxon words which are now obsolete. The reader will do well to refer to Gould's History, i, p. 101. 1 1 6 — " Procured." 117 — Y. R. I. reads "for them from the King." 118 — ,, reads "ye name of Assembly." 119 — „ reads "was himself & helped to." 120— „ reads "St Albone." This should be "St. Albans." i2i — has the same curious reading. 122 — " Athelstane." 123— Y. R. I. reads "who." 124 — "King of England." 125 — Refer to Gould's History, re Edwin. 126 — Y. R. I. reads "Delighted much to talk & commune." 127 — „ reads "of ye King his father." 128 — " Assembly." 129 — Y. R. I. reads "and to correct." 130— ,, reads " defaults & trespasses." r3i — ,, reads " yt all old." 132— "Made." Refers to Charges. T 33— Y - R - I- leaves out the word "in," making possibly another meaning. 134 — ,, reads "there found some." 135— „ reads "found all out." 136 — ,, reads "was founded." 137 — „ has "yt" in place of "they." 138 — ,, reads " and from yt Day." 139 — ,, reads "at divrse ASsemblyes an adition of certaine things." i40— After " fellows " the Y. R. I. interpolates " Tunc unus ex senioribus teneat Librum el ilk vel ill/' poniat vel poniant manus supr Librum et tunc precepta deberent Legi," and then continues " every man." In the N. C. R., over the word man, will be noted a peculiar mark like an O ; it appears to me that this and similar marks were signs by which to distinguish where each of the two separate Writers left off, thereby further favouring the idea that two Scribes worked at the copy, one reading while the other wrote and vice versa. The phonetic North Country dialect also supports this view. I am unable to say if Y. R. I. from " Tunc to Legi " is an interpo- lation, or if the Scribes, who copied the N. C. R., omitted the Latin intentionally or accidentally. The above specimen of Latin is worth preserving. 141 — Y. R. I. reads " Right good heed." 142 — „ reads "true man to god." 143—" Heresy." 144 — Y. R. I. reads " or discreet and wise mens teaching." 145 — " Liege man." 146 — Y. R. I. reads " or any other falsehood." 147—" Know." 148 — Y. R. I. reads " treason or treachery." 149 — "Warn" may be read. 150— Y. R. I. reads " declareing." 151 — ,, reads "and yt yu keep truly all ye Counsell." 152 — „ reads "use no theeverie." : cg — j; reads "ye Lord or Master you serve and truly see." 154— Both Y. R. I. and N. C. R. have "any 'other' foul names." !55_Y. R. I. reads "in villany " in place of "in evill any." !j6_ „ reads "or whereby it may receive disgrace." 157—" Mrs "= Masters. Y. R. I. reads "that belongeth every Mason to keep." N. C. R. " has Fre Mason." Bro. Speth will be glad to take a note of Fre Mason. j^g_Y. R. I. leaves out the " I " and reads " now come for to rehearse certaine of ye charges singularly for Mastrs & Fellows viz." I 59 — " reads "and finish." IO 160 — Y. R. I. reads "truly and sufficiently." 161— " Rattes " = Rates. 162— Y. R. I. reads "and 'Ye' Master." 163 — ,, reads " and yet Such Aprntice." " Yi " would read better than yet. 164 — " Descended." * 165 — Y. R. I. reads "whereon to employ." 166 — " Fellows "=Journeymen. 167-8 — Y. R. I. reads " put any to take any Lords work yt was wont to work Journey work." Journey work or jorney work, that is to say the work of a journeyman. In many of these old statutes journeymen are distinctly forbidden to take contracts. 169 — ,, leaves out "these," and reads "And also." 170 — ,, reads "either his good name or worldly riches." 171 — ,, reads " shall mis-answer or reprove unlawfully another without cause." 172 — " Oldest brother," presumably " Brother of the Craft." Y. R. I. reads " Elder Brother." The term is still in use in the Antient Fraternity of the Trinity Brethren, who have Elder Brethren ; clearly these Elder Brethren are Officers of the Lodge. In old Scottish Masonic Records occurs the expression eldest Apprentice. 173 — Y. R. I. reads "or games." 174 — ,, reads "slandered & disgraced." 175 — ., reads " yt he 'was' in honest &c." 176 — ,, reads "and also ytt every." 177 — ,, reads "if it be within : I : mile about him if he have any warning of ye same." The : I : being clearly a mistake for L. 178 — „ reads " Mastrs and' fellows there." A very important difference. 179 — "to make accord " = to agree. Y. R. I. reads "to make them accord if they can or may." 180 — " Layer," he who puts hewn or square stone down in its place, but is not able to carve or cut it. 181— yBoth Y. R. I. and N. C. R. have " Set," to set, or to set on, is to give a task. 182— "Mould Stones " = Carved Stones. 183 — " Exercise," in the old sense of give work to, employ. Y. R. I. has " cherish." 1 1 184 — Y. R. I. reads " necesityes." 185— ,, reads "until he come to the next lodge." Is this the Threepence Nonefinch ? Possibly Nonefinch was the sum of money custom- arily given to journeymen when out of work, being Idle Money. 186 — ,, reads " performe." 187 — „ reads " sleightily." 188— „ reads "Mr (=Master) shall truly finish." 189 — ,, reads " by tax or jorney viz by Measure or by dayes." Tax clearly means as taxed by an expert, and torney appears to be misspelled for journey work or day work. 190 — ,, reads "we have now." 191 — ,, reads " belongeth to Masons." 192 — „ adds "Amen." 193 — ,, reads "probably A Secret or an Art." 194 — " to wife "=Marry. 195 — "Deans be then." I read this "Therefore, you that will marry take care, Do (take care) and be then married." Another reading is "Wherewith take care you that would wise(ly) do," reading wise instead of wife. 196 — Probably "'which' or 'that' I adore" in the original. jgj — "And Ould " stands for "an Old." Ould being the North Country pronunciation of Old. 198 — "for why we know." I read this "for why ' ? ', we know &c." 199— "Lik"=like. 200 — " Hard," North Country pronunciation for " heard." 201 — " mus "=must. 202 — The lowest part of the Roll has unfortunately been torn off in the manner shown by the Reproduction ; probably this is an additional dec- laration of keeping these Charges similar to the last four lines preceeding the Poem. As regards the Poem, I am much inclined to think that this is the form of oath as recited to the Candidate. We have other old forms of Poetic Ritual, and par- ticularly obligations in doggerel rhyme, extant to the present day. The last few lines would probably be repeated by the Candidate. 12 As Y. R. I. makes no mention of this Poetry or additional Charges, it may be presumed that they were not regularly commited to writing but remembered until our Scribe duly noted them. The Editor thinks it unnecessary to draw attention to historical and other errors, as the reader will be fully acquainted with the data and can draw his own conclusions. Fd. F. SCHNITGER, VHP, Librarian and Editor. "Nee Aspera Terrent." Central Masonic Hall, Shakespeare Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, January 31ST, 1894.