Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Fragments And Documents Relating To Freemasonry.
. ' v PEAaMENTS AND DOCUMENTS [ RELATING TO FBEEMASONBY .
In the British Museum Library there exists , among the Lansdown MSS ., a very large collection of letters and papers , on almost every subject , collected by Sir William Cecil ( Lord Burleigh ) , who for twenty-seven years was Lord High Treasurer of England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth ( a . d . 1572 ) . These MSS . are well known as the
"Burghley Papers , " and in one of them , occuring in Lansdown MSS . "No . 98 , Article 48 , is an exceedingly curious paper , which the late learned antiquary , Francis Douce , when cataloguing this series describes thus : —
" Art . 48 . A very foolish legendary account of the original of the Order of - 'Free-Masonry , "' ' ,. ¦¦ "Whether the opinion formed by Mr . Douce is correct or incorrect , will be best shown by appending an exact transcript of the document itself , preserving the original capitals , orthography , and punctuation . The whole is -written in what is technically termed " court hand , " and it is a clear MS . of the latter half of the sixteenth century , though by \ vhom , or for whom , it was written there is no evidence of any kind . It occupies nearly three large sheets of paper , and commences thus : —
" Here Begineth the True Order of Masonrie . " The might of the Father of the Heavens The Wisdome of the Glorious Son , And the goodnesse of the Holy Ghost three persons and one God be with vs now and ever Amen . " Good Bretheren and Fellows our purpose is to shew you how and in what manner this Noble and Worthy Craft of Masonry was first founded and begun , And afterwards how it was confirmed by worthy Kings and Princes and by many other Worshipfull men , And also to all those that be heere , We minde to shew you the Charge that belongs to every trew Mason to keep , for in good ffaith if you take good heed it is well worthy to be
kept lor A worthy Craft and curious Science . S there he Heaven JLiberaU Sciencies of the which the Noble Craft of Masonry is one , And the Seaven be these , The first is Gramer and that teacheth A man to Spell and Write trewly , The second is Retliorkk and that teacheth A man to speake faire and Subtill , The third is Lodgick and that teacheth A man deserne the trew from the false , The ffowrth is Arethmatick and teacheth A man to Reckon and Account all manner of Accompts , the fifth is Geometry and that teacheth A man * and Measnr of Earth and of all tilings of the which this Science is called Geometryy The sixth is called Mustek : and that teacheth A man to sing with Voyce and Tongue and Organ Harp and Trump , The Seaventh is called Aslronemy and that teacheth A man to know the Course of the Sunn and the Moone and the Stars , these be the Seaven Liherall Sciencics of the which all he founded by one which is Geometry , and thus a man , may prove that all the Seaven Sciencics be founde
* Blank in original .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Fragments And Documents Relating To Freemasonry.
. ' v PEAaMENTS AND DOCUMENTS [ RELATING TO FBEEMASONBY .
In the British Museum Library there exists , among the Lansdown MSS ., a very large collection of letters and papers , on almost every subject , collected by Sir William Cecil ( Lord Burleigh ) , who for twenty-seven years was Lord High Treasurer of England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth ( a . d . 1572 ) . These MSS . are well known as the
"Burghley Papers , " and in one of them , occuring in Lansdown MSS . "No . 98 , Article 48 , is an exceedingly curious paper , which the late learned antiquary , Francis Douce , when cataloguing this series describes thus : —
" Art . 48 . A very foolish legendary account of the original of the Order of - 'Free-Masonry , "' ' ,. ¦¦ "Whether the opinion formed by Mr . Douce is correct or incorrect , will be best shown by appending an exact transcript of the document itself , preserving the original capitals , orthography , and punctuation . The whole is -written in what is technically termed " court hand , " and it is a clear MS . of the latter half of the sixteenth century , though by \ vhom , or for whom , it was written there is no evidence of any kind . It occupies nearly three large sheets of paper , and commences thus : —
" Here Begineth the True Order of Masonrie . " The might of the Father of the Heavens The Wisdome of the Glorious Son , And the goodnesse of the Holy Ghost three persons and one God be with vs now and ever Amen . " Good Bretheren and Fellows our purpose is to shew you how and in what manner this Noble and Worthy Craft of Masonry was first founded and begun , And afterwards how it was confirmed by worthy Kings and Princes and by many other Worshipfull men , And also to all those that be heere , We minde to shew you the Charge that belongs to every trew Mason to keep , for in good ffaith if you take good heed it is well worthy to be
kept lor A worthy Craft and curious Science . S there he Heaven JLiberaU Sciencies of the which the Noble Craft of Masonry is one , And the Seaven be these , The first is Gramer and that teacheth A man to Spell and Write trewly , The second is Retliorkk and that teacheth A man to speake faire and Subtill , The third is Lodgick and that teacheth A man deserne the trew from the false , The ffowrth is Arethmatick and teacheth A man to Reckon and Account all manner of Accompts , the fifth is Geometry and that teacheth A man * and Measnr of Earth and of all tilings of the which this Science is called Geometryy The sixth is called Mustek : and that teacheth A man to sing with Voyce and Tongue and Organ Harp and Trump , The Seaventh is called Aslronemy and that teacheth A man to know the Course of the Sunn and the Moone and the Stars , these be the Seaven Liherall Sciencics of the which all he founded by one which is Geometry , and thus a man , may prove that all the Seaven Sciencics be founde
* Blank in original .