The Old Charges Of The British Freemasons.

Musick & that teacheth a man both Song voice & tune of Organ Harp & Trumpett . And ye Seaventh Science is called Astronomy and it teacheth ye Course of ye Sunn Moone & Starrs . These be ye Seai'en liberall Sciences of which Six bee all founded by one Science ( that is to say ) that Geomtry & this many a man proves that ye Science of ye work is founded by Geometry , for Geometry teacheth a man both

meet & measure Poncleration & iveight of all manner of things on Earth , for there is noe man worketh any Craft by he worketh by some meet or some measure , nor noe man buyeth or selleth , but hee buyeth or selleth by some measure or by some iveight , ancl all these is Geometry . And these Merchants ancl all other Craftsmen & all other of ye Seaven Sciences & especially ye Plowmen and all manner of Tillers of Graines & Seeds , Flowers Trees & Setters

of other fruits , for Grammar or Arithmetick or Astronomy , nor none of all ye Seai'en Sciences can iu noe manner find out nor measure without Geometry , Wherefore I think that ye Science of Geometry is most worthy & that fmcleth all other . How that ye worthy Science first begun I shall you tell ; before Noah ' s Flood there was a man named Lamechwhich had two wivesas is written in

, , ye Bible iu ye 4 th Chap : of Genesis & this Lamech had Two wives & ye one called Adah & ye other Zillah ; by ye first wife Adah hee got Two Sonns & called them both Jaball , and by that other Wife Zillah , a Sonne & a daught ' & these Foure Children founded the begining of all Craft in ye world & ye elder Sonn Jabell found out Geometry & he ptd flocks of sheep in ye fields & lands & first wrought houses of stone & trees as it is noted in ye abovesaid Chapt ' 1

and ye young' Jabell found out ye Craft of Musick , Song , Tune , Harp & Organ , ancl ye Third brother Tubal ! Caine found Smyths Craft of Gold Silver Iron and Steele & Copper , and ye daiighf found of ye Craft of Weaving & these Children knew well that God would take vengeance for Sinn , either by fire or Water , wherefore they Write their Sciences that they had found out in TAVO Pillars of Stone that they might be found after Noah ' s flood . Ancl ye one marble for that would not burne ivith fire , ' & ye other Avas clipped Latroos & would not drowne in any ivater .

Our intent is truly how & in what manner tnese stone were SaA'oured that these Sciences were written in . Ye great Hermarines , after were clipped ye great Harmarines that was Chubb his Sonn ye which Chubb was Shem ' s Sonne , that was was Noah ' s Sonn . Hermes ye father of wise men found one of ye Pillars & found Sciences there written on he taught to other men & att ye making of ye Tower of Babilon there was Masonry first made much on & ye King of Babilon that was called Membroth was a Mason himselfe & loved

ivell ye Craft & Trade , as it is said by Masters of Histories , & when ye Citty of Nineveh & other Citties of ye East should be made , Membroth ye King of Bab ylon sent thither Threescore Masons at ye desire of ye King of Nineveh his Cousin & when hee sent them forth gave them Charges in this mann ' . That they should bee true each of them to other & that they should loi'e truly one another & that they should serve their Lord trul y for his pay soe 1

that ye Mast' may have worship ancl all y' belengeth to him Other more charges hee . gave to them & this Avas ye first time that ever Mason had charges of his Craft . Moreov when Abraham & Sarah his wife went into E gypt & there taught je 7 Sciences to ye Egyptians & he had a worth y Scholl ' called Euclid & hee learned & was a Mast" of all ye 7 Sciences & in his days it befell ' Lords

yye & States of ye Realme had soe many Sonnes that they had gotten some b y their wives & some by other Ladys of ye Realme , for that land is a hott land & plenteous of Generation & they had not competent means meanes to find their children Wherefore they took great care & a Parliam was called to Consult how they might proidde for their children honestl y as being Gent * & they could advise noe manner of way but caused a Proclamacon to be made