The Halliwell
Manuscript
"The Old York Constitutions of 926", as Mackey calls
it. This is essentially a translation of the Regius Poem, with the poetry
removed
The Fifteen Articles
- The Master must be steadfast, trusty and true; provide victuals for his
men, and pay their wages punctually.
- Every Master shall attend the Grand Lodge when duly summoned, unless he
have a good and reasonable excuse.
- No Master shall take an Apprentice for less than seven years.
- The son of a bondman shall not be admitted as an Apprentice, lest, when he
is introduced into the Lodge, any of the brethren should be offended.
- A candidate must be without blemish, and have the full and proper use of
his limbs; for a maimed man can do the craft no good.
- The Master shall take especial care, in the admission of an Apprentice,
that he do his lord no prejudice.
- He shall harbor no thief or thief's retainer, lest the craft should come
to shame.
- If he unknowingly employ an imperfect man, he shall discharge him from the
work when his inability is discovered.
- No Master shall undertake a work that he is not able to finish to his
lord's profit and the credit of his Lodge.
- A brother shall not supplant his fellow in the work, unless he be
incapable of doing it himself; for then he may lawfully finish it, that
pleasure and profit may be the mutual result.
- A Mason shall not be obliged to work after the sun has set in the west.
- Nor shall he decry the work of a brother or fellow, but shall deal
honestly and truly by him, under a penalty of not less than ten pounds.
- The Master shall instruct his Apprentice faithfully, and make him a
perfect workman.
- He shall teach him all the secrets of his trade.
- And shall guard him against the commission of perjury, and all other
offences by which the craft may be brought to shame.
The Fifteen Points
- Every Mason shall cultivate brotherly love and the love of God, and
frequent holy church.
- The workman shall labor diligently on work days, that he may deserve his
holidays.
- Every Apprentice shall keep his Master's counsel, and not betray the
secrets of his Lodge.
- No man shall be false to the craft, or entertain a prejudice against his
Master or Fellows.
- Every workman shall receive his wages meekly, and without scruple; and
should the Master think proper to dismiss him from the work, he shall have
due notice of the same before H. xii.
- If any dispute arise among the brethren, it shall be settled on a holiday,
that the work be not neglected, and God's law fulfilled.
- No Mason shall debauch, or have carnal knowledge of the wife, daughter, or
concubine of his Master or Fellows.
- He shall be true to his Master, and a just mediator in all disputes or
quarrels.
- The Steward shall provide good cheer against the hour of refreshment, and
each Fellow shall punctually defray his share of the reckoning, the Steward
rendering a true and correct account.
- If a Mason live amiss, or slander his Brother, so as to bring the craft to
shame, he shall have no further maintenance among the brethren, but shall be
summoned to the next Grand Lodge; and if he refuse to appear, he shall be
expelled.
- If a Brother see his Fellow hewing a stone, and likely to spoil it by
unskillful workmanship, he shall teach him to amend it, with fair words and
brotherly speeches.
- The General Assembly, or Grand Lodge, shall consist of Masters and
Fellows, Lords, Knights and Squires, Mayor and Sheriff, to make new laws,
and to confirm old ones when necessary.
- Every Brother shall swear fealty, and if he violate his oath, he shall not
be succored or assisted by any of the Fraternity.
- He shall make oath to keep secrets, to be steadfast and true to all the
ordinances of the Grand Lodge, to the King and Holy Church, and to all the
several Points herein specified.
- And if any Brother break his oath, he shall be committed to prison, and
forfeit his goods and chattels to the King.
They conclude with an additional ordinance--alia ordinacio--which declares
That a General Assembly shall be held every year, with the Grand Master at
its head, to enforce these regulations, and to make new laws, when it may be
expedient to do so, at which all the brethren are competent to be present; and
they must renew their O. B. to keep these statutes and constitutions, which have
been ordained by King Athelstan, and adopted by the Grand Lodge at York. And
this Assembly further directs that, in all ages to come, the existing Grand
Lodge shall petition the reigning monarch to confer his sanction on their
proceedings.
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