Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review,
Much need not be said as to the Appendix . Bro . Gould in his " Introductory Note " says : " The demands upon the text have been so great , that I am compelled to brin * the Appendix within much narrower limits than I had intended . This will necessitate the omission of some orig inal matter ; of a quantity of extracts from ancient records ; and , lastly , of many explanatory references . These , however , I
hope may be given in due season in a further or supplementary volume . " Under these circumstances , it is no more than just that any criticism on matters of omission which mig ht have occurred to us should be he . ldover for the present . The Appendix , as it is , is valuable . It contains , in the first place , the Addenda and Corrigenda , which were inevitable in writing such an elaborate history ; and , in the next , it
places within reach "the only two" of that very numerous family of Masonic Catechisms "—of which the value as exposures of Masonry is so well known to Masons —which are " notaccessible to the general reader . " The later of the two , bearing date 1725—Bro . Gould explaining that it was really printed in 1724—has appended " an interesting account of the Gormogons , which is reprinted from the only known
copy in existence , at present in the Dresden Royal Library , through the courteous assistance of Dr . W . Begemann , of Rostock . " These two reprints make the Appendix , even as it is , a most interesting portion of the concluding volume , and enlarge our regret that Bro . Gould has not been able to include all that he intended to add by way of supplement .
A " General Index , " which , as far as we have had an opportunity of testing it , appears to have been compiled with more than ordinary care , is appended , so that the reader who is desirous of consulting Bro . Gould's History on any particular subject will have no difficulty in discovering at once the portion of it to which he must reler .
We have now completed our task . We have gone through the several parts of Bro . Gould ' s work with a sincere desire to pass an impartial judgment upon its merits . The points about which we may have felt it our duty to differ with him have been few in number , and whenever such a case has arisen we have done our best to place his opinions in the clearest possible light before our readers , so that
they might be in a position to judge fairly and squarely between us . If we have fallen short in our efforts to deal worthily with a History of such magnitude , and so incomparably superior to every other work of its kind , it has been for no lack of goodwill on our part . The range of his inquiries has been so vast , that it has not always been an easy task to follow him . But we have expressed no opinion , whether
in agreement or disagreement , hastily , and nothing has given us so much pleasure as when we have held—as we have done in the great majority of the questions that have arisen—that his views were acceptable without demur , or , at all events , were preferable to those we had met with elsewhere . It is a grand work , this History of Bro . Gould ' s , and if it is not entirely free from blemish , it is , in respect of its
completeness and accuracy , as we have already pointed out , immeasurably above and beyond any previous history of the Craft that has been written . Though we are not in the habit of indulging in prophecy , it is our belief that many and many a generation must pass 'ere the Freemason , in search of knowledge as regards the history of our Fraternity , will meet with any guide so generally trustworthy as Bro . Gould .
The So Called Inigo Jones Ms. Of The Old Charges Of British Freemasons.
THE SO CALLED INIGO JONES MS . OF THE OLD CHARGES OF BRITISH FREEMASONS .
BY DR . W . BEGEMANN ( Continued from page 383 ) . " To hold every year an Assembly where they would within the Realm once a year ; this combination of "every year" and " once a year" only in the Grand Lodge MS ., whilst "every year" is not in the Wilson and Edinburgh-Kilwinning MSS ., and also not in the Inigo Jones MS .
" That all old Masons and young , that had any Writing or Understanding of the Charges and Manners that were made before in this Land , or any other , that they should bring and shew them . And when it was proved
. . . . and they were all to one Intent and Purpose ; "bring and shewe " as well as "they were all to one Intente" are only in the Grand Lodge Branch , the words " and Purpose" seeming to be an addition of the compiler .
" Furthermore , at diverse Assemblies , certain Charges have been made and ordained , by the best Advice of Masters and Fellows ; " in this manner only in the Grand Lodge Branch . "The first Charge is , That ye shall be true Men to God and the Holy
Church , and that ye use no Error or Heresy by your Understanding or Discretion , but be ye [ wise ] discreet Men , or Wisemen in each Thinge ;" in this manner only in the Grand Lodge Branch , the reading of the other copies being quite different ; the Inigo Jones MS . has totally altered these charges .
" And all other Councills that oughtto be kept b y way of Brotherhood ;" the word "Brotherhood" is only in the Wison and Edinburg h-Kilwinning MS ., the other copies , also the Grand Lodge MS . itself , having "Masonhood " or " Masonrie . "
" Also that no Mason take any Prentice , unlesshehave sufficient occupation to set him on , or to set three of his Fellows , or two [ of them ] at the least , on Work ; " in this manner only in the Grand Lod ge Branch . I trust these evidences will suffice to prove that the Spencer version is an offshoot or offspring of the Grand Lodge Branch , though degenerated b y
many quaint and arbitrary alterations , and grafted with a lot of strange scions . And in particular it agrees most with the Wilson and Edinburgh-Kilwinning MSS ., as we see from several conformities given above . Also
the conclusion is identic , namely : " so help you God and your Hallidom , " whist the Grand Lodge MS . itself adds to this : " and by this book in your hands unto your power . " Evidences of the kind could be added in great number , but these will do . From the differences between the Spencer MS . and the Inigo Jones MS . given above , it is certain thatthe former cannot be a transcript of the latter .
The So Called Inigo Jones Ms. Of The Old Charges Of British Freemasons.
And also we traced already some particulars that do not allow us to believe the Inigo Jones MS . to be a transcript of the Spencer MS ., because the former in these points agrees with the Grand Lodge Branch , and the Spencer MS has made alterations . I mentioned the fact that the Spencer MS . replaces the name of " Euclid " by the name of "' Hermes , " where the Inigo Jones MS . has the original name . Besides , we had two more evidences of the
Inigo Jones MS . better agreeing with the original version than the S pencer MS . I add another evidence . In the paragraph after the seven liberal sciences the Inigo Jones MS . has a sentence which comes from the ori ginal version : " He y ' . buys or sells is by weight or Measure ; " in the Spencer MS . these words are omitted . Now , whether the original of the S pencer version may be the Dodd print , I cannot state , because I never saw a copy thereof .
Now I come to another strange peculiarity of the Spencer version . All genuine copies of the Old Charges call Edwin the Son of King Athelston or Athelstane ; the Spencer version has : " Edwin , Brother to King AtheL stane ( sic Inigo Jones MS . and Cole edition , Spencer MS . has Athelston " ) loved Masons much more than his Brother did , and was a great Practizer ( sic Inigo Jones MS ., in agreement with the Grand Lodge Branch , Spencer
MS . and Cole edition having "Practitioner ) of " Geometry , 8 cc , " and afterwards once more " Brother " instead of " Father . " There is but one possibility , I think , of explaining this fact . The learned Dr . Plot , in his "Natural History of Staffordshire , " gives also this passage from " a large parchment volume , " adding some remarks on the pretended history of the Craft , and ascertaining that King Athelstan was never married , and had
only a Brother Edwin . The compiler of the Spencer version , who must have been somewhat of a learned man , had seen , no doubt , this censure of Dr . Plot , and felt engaged to correct the fault of the Masonic tradition . If that is the case—and it is , no doubt—the pretended antiquity of the Ini go Jones MS . proves to be the more fraudulent , for the book of Dr . Plot was printed in 16 S 6 , and the MS . could not have been compiled before this year . But that is not yet all . There is a last striking resemblance with a print
of 1722 . This year was published the first printed copy of the Old Charges , entitled , " The Old Constitutions Belonging to the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons . London : Printed and Sold by J . Roberts , in Warwick-Lane , MDCCXXII . " The book was reprinted in " The Old Constitutions " by Rev . John Edmund Coxe , in 1871 , and everyone may compare a few passages of the reprint with the corresponding passages in the Spencer version :
ROBERTS' PRINT . It happen'd presently after the Martyrdom of St . Alban , who is truly terrn'd England's Proto-Martyr , that a certain
King invaded the Land , and destroy d most of the Natives by Fire and Sword , that the Science of Masonry was much decay'd untill the Reign of King Athelston , etc .
SPENCER VERSION . It happened presently after the Martyr " dom of St . Alban , who is truly termed England's Proto-Martyr , that a certain
King invaded the Land , and destroyed most of the Natives by Fire and Sword ; that the Science of Masonry was much decayed , untill the Reign of Ethelbert , King of Kent , etc .
Now , there are , it is true , two more copies of the Old Charges that resemble the Roberts' version—the Harleian MS ., No . 1942 , and the Rawlinson MS . ; but they differ from the Roberts' print , especially the Rawlinson MS ., wherefore the compiler cannot have taken this passage but from Roberts . From the same source is the following passage : —
ROBERTS' PRINT . Note , I pray you , That these Seven are contain'd under Geometry , for it teacheth Mett and Measure , Ponderation and Weight for every Thing in and upon the whole Earth for you to know ; that every
Craftsman works by Measure ; he or She that buys or sells is by Weight or Measure ; Husbandmen , Navigators , Planters , and and all of them use Geometry ; for neither Grammar , Rhetorick , Logick , nor any other of the said Sciences can subsist without Geometry , ergo , most worthy and honourable .
SPENCER VERSION ( Inigo Jones MS . ) Note , I pray you , that these Seven are contain'd under Geometry ; for it teacheth Mett and Measure , Ponderation and Weight , for every Thing in and upon the whole Earth for you to know ; That every
Craftsman works by Measure . He ... . y . buys or sells is by weight or Measure . Husbandmen , Navigators , Planters , and all of them use Geometry ; for neither Grammar .... Logick , nor any other of the said Sciences , can Subsist without Geometry ; ergo , most Worthy and Honourable .
Here also the Harleian and Rawlinson MSS . differ from the Roberts print , the Spencer version agreeing in full with the latter , excepting two slight omissions . Also the paragraph following is almost verbatim the same as with Roberts , and also here the Inigo Jones MS . agrees more exactly with Roberts than the Spencer MS ., which is a new evidence that the Inigo Jones MS . is not a transcript of the Spencer MS ., but of another orig inal : —
The two paragraphs then following resemble the corresponding passage in the Melrose MS . in some expressions , as we may see by a
comparison—MELROSE MS . .... And his brother's name was Tuball , he was the father of such as handle ye Harpe and Organe .... .... Tuball Cain and Instructur of every artificer in Brasse and Iron , and ye sister of Tuball Cain was Naamah ....
SPENCER VERSION . His Brother Tubal found the Art of Musick , he was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ . Tubal-Cain was the lnstructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron , and the Daughter found the Craft ( Art , Inigo Jones MS . ) of Weaving .
There being no possibility of presuming the compiler to have seen the Melrose MS ., and the last sentence ( "and the Daughter found the Craft of Weaving " ) agreeing verbatim with the Grand Lodge Branch , I am inclined to believe that the compiler had a copy of this Branch , wherein he found also the cited passages , which seem to have formed part of the very orig inal version of the Old Charges , for the Melrose MS . is a transcript of a very old MS . of about 1580 ; and , besides , we find similar passages in the Harris MS . of the Bedford Lodge , which support the probability of my presumption .
The next paragraph on Hermes and his performances in Egypt may have come from Josephus , but I cannot state this at present . In every case there cannot remain any doubt , that the original of the Spencer version has been compiled later than 1722 , the year when the Roberts print was published . Moreover , as the arbitrary insertion of Hiram Abif seems to have been the chief purpose of the compiler , in order to maintain the antiquity of the Hiramic legend , the Third Degree having
been introduced in 1724 , we may say that the original of the Spencer version was fabricated about 1725 . It would be useless to look for the comp iler ^ certainly it was not Anderson , as we may easily see from a comparison 01 his Constitutions of 1723 ; but Anderson made use of the new version in the Second edition of 1738 , when he made Edwin King Athelstan s Brother , whilst in the first edition he called him " the King's youngest Son , most probably from Dr Plot ' s remarks . Rostock , Mecklenburg , Germany .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review,
Much need not be said as to the Appendix . Bro . Gould in his " Introductory Note " says : " The demands upon the text have been so great , that I am compelled to brin * the Appendix within much narrower limits than I had intended . This will necessitate the omission of some orig inal matter ; of a quantity of extracts from ancient records ; and , lastly , of many explanatory references . These , however , I
hope may be given in due season in a further or supplementary volume . " Under these circumstances , it is no more than just that any criticism on matters of omission which mig ht have occurred to us should be he . ldover for the present . The Appendix , as it is , is valuable . It contains , in the first place , the Addenda and Corrigenda , which were inevitable in writing such an elaborate history ; and , in the next , it
places within reach "the only two" of that very numerous family of Masonic Catechisms "—of which the value as exposures of Masonry is so well known to Masons —which are " notaccessible to the general reader . " The later of the two , bearing date 1725—Bro . Gould explaining that it was really printed in 1724—has appended " an interesting account of the Gormogons , which is reprinted from the only known
copy in existence , at present in the Dresden Royal Library , through the courteous assistance of Dr . W . Begemann , of Rostock . " These two reprints make the Appendix , even as it is , a most interesting portion of the concluding volume , and enlarge our regret that Bro . Gould has not been able to include all that he intended to add by way of supplement .
A " General Index , " which , as far as we have had an opportunity of testing it , appears to have been compiled with more than ordinary care , is appended , so that the reader who is desirous of consulting Bro . Gould's History on any particular subject will have no difficulty in discovering at once the portion of it to which he must reler .
We have now completed our task . We have gone through the several parts of Bro . Gould ' s work with a sincere desire to pass an impartial judgment upon its merits . The points about which we may have felt it our duty to differ with him have been few in number , and whenever such a case has arisen we have done our best to place his opinions in the clearest possible light before our readers , so that
they might be in a position to judge fairly and squarely between us . If we have fallen short in our efforts to deal worthily with a History of such magnitude , and so incomparably superior to every other work of its kind , it has been for no lack of goodwill on our part . The range of his inquiries has been so vast , that it has not always been an easy task to follow him . But we have expressed no opinion , whether
in agreement or disagreement , hastily , and nothing has given us so much pleasure as when we have held—as we have done in the great majority of the questions that have arisen—that his views were acceptable without demur , or , at all events , were preferable to those we had met with elsewhere . It is a grand work , this History of Bro . Gould ' s , and if it is not entirely free from blemish , it is , in respect of its
completeness and accuracy , as we have already pointed out , immeasurably above and beyond any previous history of the Craft that has been written . Though we are not in the habit of indulging in prophecy , it is our belief that many and many a generation must pass 'ere the Freemason , in search of knowledge as regards the history of our Fraternity , will meet with any guide so generally trustworthy as Bro . Gould .
The So Called Inigo Jones Ms. Of The Old Charges Of British Freemasons.
THE SO CALLED INIGO JONES MS . OF THE OLD CHARGES OF BRITISH FREEMASONS .
BY DR . W . BEGEMANN ( Continued from page 383 ) . " To hold every year an Assembly where they would within the Realm once a year ; this combination of "every year" and " once a year" only in the Grand Lodge MS ., whilst "every year" is not in the Wilson and Edinburgh-Kilwinning MSS ., and also not in the Inigo Jones MS .
" That all old Masons and young , that had any Writing or Understanding of the Charges and Manners that were made before in this Land , or any other , that they should bring and shew them . And when it was proved
. . . . and they were all to one Intent and Purpose ; "bring and shewe " as well as "they were all to one Intente" are only in the Grand Lodge Branch , the words " and Purpose" seeming to be an addition of the compiler .
" Furthermore , at diverse Assemblies , certain Charges have been made and ordained , by the best Advice of Masters and Fellows ; " in this manner only in the Grand Lodge Branch . "The first Charge is , That ye shall be true Men to God and the Holy
Church , and that ye use no Error or Heresy by your Understanding or Discretion , but be ye [ wise ] discreet Men , or Wisemen in each Thinge ;" in this manner only in the Grand Lodge Branch , the reading of the other copies being quite different ; the Inigo Jones MS . has totally altered these charges .
" And all other Councills that oughtto be kept b y way of Brotherhood ;" the word "Brotherhood" is only in the Wison and Edinburg h-Kilwinning MS ., the other copies , also the Grand Lodge MS . itself , having "Masonhood " or " Masonrie . "
" Also that no Mason take any Prentice , unlesshehave sufficient occupation to set him on , or to set three of his Fellows , or two [ of them ] at the least , on Work ; " in this manner only in the Grand Lod ge Branch . I trust these evidences will suffice to prove that the Spencer version is an offshoot or offspring of the Grand Lodge Branch , though degenerated b y
many quaint and arbitrary alterations , and grafted with a lot of strange scions . And in particular it agrees most with the Wilson and Edinburgh-Kilwinning MSS ., as we see from several conformities given above . Also
the conclusion is identic , namely : " so help you God and your Hallidom , " whist the Grand Lodge MS . itself adds to this : " and by this book in your hands unto your power . " Evidences of the kind could be added in great number , but these will do . From the differences between the Spencer MS . and the Inigo Jones MS . given above , it is certain thatthe former cannot be a transcript of the latter .
The So Called Inigo Jones Ms. Of The Old Charges Of British Freemasons.
And also we traced already some particulars that do not allow us to believe the Inigo Jones MS . to be a transcript of the Spencer MS ., because the former in these points agrees with the Grand Lodge Branch , and the Spencer MS has made alterations . I mentioned the fact that the Spencer MS . replaces the name of " Euclid " by the name of "' Hermes , " where the Inigo Jones MS . has the original name . Besides , we had two more evidences of the
Inigo Jones MS . better agreeing with the original version than the S pencer MS . I add another evidence . In the paragraph after the seven liberal sciences the Inigo Jones MS . has a sentence which comes from the ori ginal version : " He y ' . buys or sells is by weight or Measure ; " in the Spencer MS . these words are omitted . Now , whether the original of the S pencer version may be the Dodd print , I cannot state , because I never saw a copy thereof .
Now I come to another strange peculiarity of the Spencer version . All genuine copies of the Old Charges call Edwin the Son of King Athelston or Athelstane ; the Spencer version has : " Edwin , Brother to King AtheL stane ( sic Inigo Jones MS . and Cole edition , Spencer MS . has Athelston " ) loved Masons much more than his Brother did , and was a great Practizer ( sic Inigo Jones MS ., in agreement with the Grand Lodge Branch , Spencer
MS . and Cole edition having "Practitioner ) of " Geometry , 8 cc , " and afterwards once more " Brother " instead of " Father . " There is but one possibility , I think , of explaining this fact . The learned Dr . Plot , in his "Natural History of Staffordshire , " gives also this passage from " a large parchment volume , " adding some remarks on the pretended history of the Craft , and ascertaining that King Athelstan was never married , and had
only a Brother Edwin . The compiler of the Spencer version , who must have been somewhat of a learned man , had seen , no doubt , this censure of Dr . Plot , and felt engaged to correct the fault of the Masonic tradition . If that is the case—and it is , no doubt—the pretended antiquity of the Ini go Jones MS . proves to be the more fraudulent , for the book of Dr . Plot was printed in 16 S 6 , and the MS . could not have been compiled before this year . But that is not yet all . There is a last striking resemblance with a print
of 1722 . This year was published the first printed copy of the Old Charges , entitled , " The Old Constitutions Belonging to the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons . London : Printed and Sold by J . Roberts , in Warwick-Lane , MDCCXXII . " The book was reprinted in " The Old Constitutions " by Rev . John Edmund Coxe , in 1871 , and everyone may compare a few passages of the reprint with the corresponding passages in the Spencer version :
ROBERTS' PRINT . It happen'd presently after the Martyrdom of St . Alban , who is truly terrn'd England's Proto-Martyr , that a certain
King invaded the Land , and destroy d most of the Natives by Fire and Sword , that the Science of Masonry was much decay'd untill the Reign of King Athelston , etc .
SPENCER VERSION . It happened presently after the Martyr " dom of St . Alban , who is truly termed England's Proto-Martyr , that a certain
King invaded the Land , and destroyed most of the Natives by Fire and Sword ; that the Science of Masonry was much decayed , untill the Reign of Ethelbert , King of Kent , etc .
Now , there are , it is true , two more copies of the Old Charges that resemble the Roberts' version—the Harleian MS ., No . 1942 , and the Rawlinson MS . ; but they differ from the Roberts' print , especially the Rawlinson MS ., wherefore the compiler cannot have taken this passage but from Roberts . From the same source is the following passage : —
ROBERTS' PRINT . Note , I pray you , That these Seven are contain'd under Geometry , for it teacheth Mett and Measure , Ponderation and Weight for every Thing in and upon the whole Earth for you to know ; that every
Craftsman works by Measure ; he or She that buys or sells is by Weight or Measure ; Husbandmen , Navigators , Planters , and and all of them use Geometry ; for neither Grammar , Rhetorick , Logick , nor any other of the said Sciences can subsist without Geometry , ergo , most worthy and honourable .
SPENCER VERSION ( Inigo Jones MS . ) Note , I pray you , that these Seven are contain'd under Geometry ; for it teacheth Mett and Measure , Ponderation and Weight , for every Thing in and upon the whole Earth for you to know ; That every
Craftsman works by Measure . He ... . y . buys or sells is by weight or Measure . Husbandmen , Navigators , Planters , and all of them use Geometry ; for neither Grammar .... Logick , nor any other of the said Sciences , can Subsist without Geometry ; ergo , most Worthy and Honourable .
Here also the Harleian and Rawlinson MSS . differ from the Roberts print , the Spencer version agreeing in full with the latter , excepting two slight omissions . Also the paragraph following is almost verbatim the same as with Roberts , and also here the Inigo Jones MS . agrees more exactly with Roberts than the Spencer MS ., which is a new evidence that the Inigo Jones MS . is not a transcript of the Spencer MS ., but of another orig inal : —
The two paragraphs then following resemble the corresponding passage in the Melrose MS . in some expressions , as we may see by a
comparison—MELROSE MS . .... And his brother's name was Tuball , he was the father of such as handle ye Harpe and Organe .... .... Tuball Cain and Instructur of every artificer in Brasse and Iron , and ye sister of Tuball Cain was Naamah ....
SPENCER VERSION . His Brother Tubal found the Art of Musick , he was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ . Tubal-Cain was the lnstructer of every Artificer in Brass and Iron , and the Daughter found the Craft ( Art , Inigo Jones MS . ) of Weaving .
There being no possibility of presuming the compiler to have seen the Melrose MS ., and the last sentence ( "and the Daughter found the Craft of Weaving " ) agreeing verbatim with the Grand Lodge Branch , I am inclined to believe that the compiler had a copy of this Branch , wherein he found also the cited passages , which seem to have formed part of the very orig inal version of the Old Charges , for the Melrose MS . is a transcript of a very old MS . of about 1580 ; and , besides , we find similar passages in the Harris MS . of the Bedford Lodge , which support the probability of my presumption .
The next paragraph on Hermes and his performances in Egypt may have come from Josephus , but I cannot state this at present . In every case there cannot remain any doubt , that the original of the Spencer version has been compiled later than 1722 , the year when the Roberts print was published . Moreover , as the arbitrary insertion of Hiram Abif seems to have been the chief purpose of the compiler , in order to maintain the antiquity of the Hiramic legend , the Third Degree having
been introduced in 1724 , we may say that the original of the Spencer version was fabricated about 1725 . It would be useless to look for the comp iler ^ certainly it was not Anderson , as we may easily see from a comparison 01 his Constitutions of 1723 ; but Anderson made use of the new version in the Second edition of 1738 , when he made Edwin King Athelstan s Brother , whilst in the first edition he called him " the King's youngest Son , most probably from Dr Plot ' s remarks . Rostock , Mecklenburg , Germany .