The Records Of An Ancient Lodge.

porated trades we have examined , it would seem that the mort-cloth was letout on hire at a fixed charge . " The lok of ye kirk loft" refers to the lock of the door leading to the gallery specially set apart for the use of the fraternity in the parish church . We will have occasion to refer to the kirk loft again . ¦ ( To be continued . )

The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.

THE OLD CHARGES OF THE BRITISH FREEMASONS .

AVILLIAJI JAMES HUGHAJT . No . IV . —THE " YOEK MS . " No . 6 ( A . D . 1680 . ) HAVE termed the following transcript a copy of the York MS ., No . 6 of

I , A . D . 1680 ( circa ) , because I believe it to be the missing MS . which , in the Inventory of A . D . 1779 of effects belonging to the York Grand Lodge , is ranked as the last , or No . 6 , of the series . I came across it quite accidentall y some years ago when looking over some old documents carefully preserved in the Grand Lodge of England ( London ) , ancl at once recognised the Roll as the one described in the Inventory of 1779 , viz ., " A Roll of Charges ,

whereof the bottom part is awanting . " Since then the part " awanting " had evidently been found , ancl was placed for custod y in the archives of the Grand Lodge in London , for why ancl by ivhom has not transpired . The part severed from the Roll between " Tune unus , " etc ., and " Velponat , " etc ., when placed in position is perfect ; so also Avith the portion divided further on , ancl , doubtless , Avas the part " aAvanting . "

The MS . has neA'er been published before , and is the only one of its kind having the conclusion as follows , else it is a poor version : — " Doe all as you would bee done unto , ancl I beseech you att every meeting and assembly you pray heartilyfor all Christians—Farewell . "

THE might of the father of heaven with ye wisdom of his glorious Sonn Jesus through ye grace and goodnesse of ye holy Ghost That bee Three persons in one , bee with us att our begining & give us grace soe to govern here in our lifetime That Ave may come to ye joy that never shall have ending Amen . Good Brother ancl fellow my purpose is to declare IIOAV & in what manner the Craft of Masonry was begun & afterwards how it was by worthy Kings &

Princes and by many Avorshipful men found out . And alsoe to those that be here Wee will declare the charges that belongeth unto a true Mason to keep for in good snth , and ye take good thereto , it is Avell worthy to be well kept for a Avorthy Craft ancl Curious Science . For there bee Seaven liberall Sciences of ye which Seai'en it is one of them , Ancl the names of ye Seaven Sciences bee these , first is Grammar & it teacheth

many to speak truly ancl to write truly . Ancl ye Second is Rhetorick & teacheth a man to speak faire and snbtill terms . Ancl ye third is Dialetick & teacheth a man to discern and know truth from False . Ancl ye Fourth is Arithrnetiek & teacheth a man to reckon & accompt all manner of numbers . Ancl ye Fifth is called Geometry & that teach meet and measure of Earth & all other things of ye science that is Clipped Masonry . Ancl ye Sixth Science is clipped