CONSTITUTIONS OF THE Right Worshipful FRATERNITY OF THE · Free and Accepted MASONS. Collected from their old Records and faithful Traditions. TO BE READ At the Admiffion of a NEW BROTHER, when the Mafter or Warden fhall begin, or order fome other Brother to read, as follows. The Hiftory of Mafonry from the Creation throughout the known Earth; till true old Architecture was demolish'd by the Goths and at laft Revived in Italy. T CHAPTER I. From the Creation to and after NI MROD. HE ALMIGHTY Architect and Grand Master of the Univerfe having created all Things very Good and according to Geometry, laft of all formed ADAM after his own Image, ingraving on his Heart the faid noble Science; which Adam foon difcover'd by furveying his Earthly Paradife and the Fabrication of the Arbour or Silvan Lodgment that God had prepared B for for him, a well-proportion'd and convenient Place of Shelter from Heat, and of Retirement, Reft, and Repaft after his wholesome Labour in cultivating his Garden of Delights, and the firft Temple or Place of Worship, agreeable to his original, per fect and innocent State. A. M. or Year of the World I * B. C. or before the Christian Era 4003 S But tho' by Sin Adam fell from his original happy State, and was expell'd from his lovely Arbour and Earthly Paradife into the wide World, he still retain'd great Knowledge, efpecially in GEOMETRY; and its Principles remaining in the Hearts of his Offspring, have in Procefs of Time been drawn forth in a convenient Method of Propofitions, according to the Laws of Proportion taken from Mechanism: and as the Mechanical Arts gave occafion to the Learned to reduce the Elements of Geometry into Method; fo this noble Science, thus reduced and methodized, is now the Foundation of all thofe Arts (efpecially of Architecture) and the Rule by which they are conducted and finish'd. ADA M, when expell'd, refided in the most convenient natural Abodes of the Land of Eden, where He could be beft fhelter'd The first Chriftians computed their Times as the Nations did among whom They lived till A. D. 532. when Dionyfius Exiguus, a Roman Abbot, taught them firft to compute from the Birth of Chrift: but He loft 4 Years or began the Chriftian Era 4 Years later than juft. Therefore, tho' according to the Hebrew Chronology of the old Teftament and other good Vouchers, CHRIST was truly born in fome Month of the Year of the World or A. M. 4000. yet thefe 4 Years added make Not before the Birth of Chrift, but before the Chriftian Era, viz. For the true Anno Domini or Year after Chrift's Birth is But the MASONS being used to compute by the Vulgar Anno Domini or Chriftian Era and adding to it not 4004 as it ought, but the strict Years before Chrift's Birth, viz. 1737 4000 They ufually call this the Year of MASONRY 5737 5740 40042 1737 S 1740 and fo thefe Letters A. M. fignify Anno Mundi or Year of the World: and hexe B. C. is not Before Chrift but Before the Chriftian Era. and we must keep to the Vulgar Computation. from from Colds and Heats, from Winds, Rains and Tempests and from Wild Beasts; till his Sons grew up to form a Lodge, whom he taught Geometry and the great Ufe of it in Architecture, without which the Children of Men must have liv'd like Brutes, in Woods, Dens and Caves, &c. or at beft in poor Huts of Mud or Arbours made of Branches of Trees, &c. * Thus KAIN, when expell'd with his Family * A.M. 130. and Adherents from Adam's Altars, built forthwith a ftrong City, and call'd it DEDICATE OF CONSECRATE, after the Name of his eldest Son Enoch; whofe Race follow'd the Example, improving the Arts and Sciences of their Patriarch: for TUBAL KAIN wrought in Metals, JUBAL elevated Musick, and JABAL extended his Tents. Nor was his Brother SETH lefs inftructed, the Patriarch of the other half of Mankind, who transmitted Geometry and Masonry to his late Pofterity, who were the better skill'd by Adam's living among them till he died. A. M. 930. ADAM was fucceeded in the Grand Direction of the Craft by SETH, ENOSH, KAINAN, MAHALALEEL and JARED, whofe Son Godly ENOCH died not, but was translated alive, Soul and Body, into Heaven, aged 365 Years*. He was * A. M. 987 expert and bright both in the Science and the Art, and being a Prophet, He foretold the Destruction of the Earth for Sin, first by Water, and afterwards by Fire: therefore ENOCH erected Two large PILLARS*, the one of Stone and the other of Brick, whereon he engraved the Abridgment of the Arts and Sciences, particularly Geometry and Mafonry. JARED liv'd after his Son Enoch Years 435. and died aged 962 A. M.-1422. the oldest Man except his * Some call them SETH'S Pillars, but the old Mafons always call'd them ENOCH'S Pillars, and firmly believ'd this Tradition: nay Jofephus (Lib. i. cap. 2.) affirms the Stone-Pillar ftill remain'd in Syria to his Time. Grandfon METHUSELAH the Son of Enoch, who fucceeded Jared; but Methuselah ruled not long: for the Immoral Corruption univerfally prevailing, METHUSELAH, with his Son LAMECH and Grandfon NOAH, B 2 retired retired from the corrupt World, and in their own peculiar Family preserved the good old Religion of the promised Messiah pure, and alfo the Royal Art, till the Flood: for LAMECH died only five Years before the Flood, and METHUSELAH died a few Days before It, aged 969 Years: and fo He could well communicate the Traditions of his learned Progenitors to Noah's 3 Sons; for JAPHET liv'd with him 100 Years, SHEM 98, and HAM 96. At laft, when the World's Deftruction drew nigh, God commanded NOAH to build the great ARK or floating Castle, and his 3 Sons affifted like a Deputy and two Wardens: That Edifice though of Wood only, was fabricated by Geometry as nicely as any Stone-Building (like true Ship-Building to this Day) a curious and large Piece of Architecture, and finifh'd when Noah enter'd into his 600 Year; aboard which he and his 3 Sons and their 4 Wives paffed, and having received the Cargo of Animals by God's Direction, they were faved in the Ark, while the reft perifh'd in the Flood for their Immorality and Unbelief. * B. M. A. C. 1656.2 2348.5 * Gen. XI. 1, 2. And fo from thefe MASONS, or four!! Grand Officers, the whole prefent Race of Mankind are defcended. After the Flood, NOAH and his 3 Sons, having preferved the Knowledge of the Arts and Sciences, communicated It to their growing Off-fpring, who were all of one Language and Speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyd from the Eaft (the Plains of Mount Ararat, where the Ark refted) towards the West, they found a Plain in the Land of SHINAR, and dwelt there together, as NOACHIDA, or Sons of Noah: and when Peleg was born there to Heber, after the Flood 101 Years, Father Noah partition'd the Earth, ordering them to difperfe and take Poffeffion; but from a Fear of the ill Confequences of Separation, they refolved to keep together. *The firft Name of Mafons, according to fome old Traditions." СНАР. |