THE EARLY MASONIC CATECHISMS THE EARLY MASONIC CATECHISMS THE EARLY MASONIC CATECHISMS TRANSCRIBED AND EDITED BY DOUGLAS KNOOP, M.A., Hon. A.R.I.B.A. Professer of Economics in the University of Sheffield G. P. JONES, M.A., Litt.D. Lecturer in Economic History in the University of Sheffield AND DOUGLAS HAMER, M.C., M.A. Lecturer in English Literature in the University of Sheffield THE SECOND EDITION EDITED for QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE by HARRY CARR, P.A.G.D.C., P.M. Published by QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE, NO. 2076, LONDON 1975 PRÉFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION The first edition of this work appeared in 1943 and it was instantly recognized by historians as an indispensable tool for the study of the evolution of early masonic ritual. The book was very soon out of print, and for many years it has been vir- tually unobtainable. That a major work of this calibre should have had to wait twenty years for its second edition is per- haps a sad reflection on the limited field that exists for the more substantial works of masonic scholarship. Yet the work is not a whit less valuable to-day than when it was first published. Nothing has appeared to replace or supersede it, and its splendid thirty-page Introduction is as important to-day as it was in 1943. 1963 QUATUOR CORONATI LODGE No. 2076, LONDON The present-day economics of printing tend to make any venture in the field of masonic publishing a matter of hazardous speculation, but the Standing Committee of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, agreed unanimously that the re-issue of this work should be the first undertaking in their newly enlarged publishing programme. First published 1943 Two important texts have been discovered since the first edition was published : Second enlarged and revised edition 1963 Second edition reprinted 1975 1 The Wilkinson MS., c. 1727, which was the subject of a separate study by the same authors, in 1946. 2 The Kevan MS., belonging to the period c. 1720, which was discovered in 1955. 1 It is noteworthy that the appearance of these widely different texts has served only to confirm the findings of the three distinguished scholars who collaborated in the original work. In pursuit of their expressed `. endeavour to supply reliable texts of all the early masonic catechisms . we have included the Wilkinson and Kevan MSS. in this publication ; the former, complete with Introduction, photographs and Notes, as in the 1946 production ; the lat- ter with a brief introduction and commentary by the present writer. The addition of these two texts is the only major différence between Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Ltd, Frome and London vi Preface Preface vii the first and second editions. It has necessitated changes in the typescripts, two or more Brethren sharing Question and Answer. paging of the new book, with some additions to the Index, but the origi- Even a longish text, like Prichard's Masonry Dissected, would require only nal transcripts have been preserved intact, and in this new form the sec- a moderate amount of preparation, and in this form it is possible to give.a ond edition is really up to date, presenting in one slim volume reliable great deal of entertaining and simple instruction in the early development transcripts of all the early English masonic catechisms that are known at of the ritual. present. The Early Masonic Catechisms is by far the mort important work that was Out of respect to the learned editors of the first edition, no changes ever compiled in this particular field of masonic study. Primarily, it have been made to the Introduction. From the student's point of was designed for students, but not for them alone. There is a great view, no changes are necessary, except at those points where the text deal of profit and pleasure to be derived from it for the rank and file of refers to the actual number of documents reproduced., etc. (as on page the Craft, if its contents are studied as they deserve. 3), and in similar items of a minor character which do not affect the Finally, and on behalf of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, No. 2076, Lon- scholarly quality of the Introduction. don, I take this opportunity of expressing our thanks to Professor G. P. The location of several texts has changed in the twenty years that have Jones and to the authorities of the University of Sheffield for their elapsed since the first edition was published. Three of the documents valued help in permitting this publication; also to the Grand Lodge reproduced here have changed ownership, and for the benefit of future of Scotland and to the various Libraries and individuals (all listed in students we note the following the Preface to the first edition, below), who granted permission to reprint the rare and valuable documents which are reproduced here. The Gra ham M S., 1726, is now in the Library of the United Grand H. C. Lodge of England. 1963 The D ialogue be tween Si mon and P hilip, c . 1740, is in the same Library. The Wilkinson MS., c. 1727, belongs to the Pomfrct Lodge, No. 360 (Northants.), and is on loan to the same Grand Lodge Library. PREFACE Writing as one who has devoted much time to the study and teaching of masonic ritual, I offer the following hints—with some diffidencein the TO THE FIRST EDITION hope that they will enable less-experienced students to enjoy the work more fully. For the untrained reader the old English and Scottish spelling The early masonic catechisms have been examined, analytically and and a few unusual words may present some difficulties, but they will comparatively, in some detail by Bro. H. Poole in " Masonic Ritual and disappear very quickly, and he will soon find that it is much more in- Secrets before 1717 " [A.Q.C., xxxvii (1924)]. His paper, however, teresting to read the texts in their original form than in modem spell- was written before the discovery of the Chesham, Edinburgh Register ings which seem somehow unsuited to the words themselves. House and Graham M SS. Further, although he actually took 173o, in At first the reader will automatically find himself comparing these old preference to 1717, as his boundary date, notwithstanding his title, he catechisms with the present-day ritual. Later, there is much pleasure excluded Prichard's Masonry Dissected, published in October, 173o, on the and instruction to be gained by comparing the earlier texts, c. 1700, with ground that it raised the large question of the number of degrees ' given the more highly developed versions of the 1730s. during the period 1717-1730, which he felt unable adequately to discuss in the space at his disposal. Much of his paper is as valuable to-day as when For study purposes, especially in Lodges and Lodges of Instruction, it is it was first written, some twenty years ago, though failure to distinguish extremely useful to read the texts aloud, from the book or from between an apprentice and an viii Preface Preface ix entered apprentice and to realize that the catechisms apply to the admission help in dating certain manuscripts ; and our colleagues, J. M. M. of the latter (ex-apprentices or improvers aged 21 or so) and not to that Jenkinson and J. H. Read, for making the tracings required for of the former (boys aged 14 or so) did lead him to some extent astray, the preparation of blocks. Lastly, we have to thank Mr. H. M. and some of the commentators on his paper more so. Unfortunately, Bro. McKechnie, Secretary of the Manchester University Press, for his Poole's paper has no appendix of illustrative documents ; owing to lack of unfailing help and co-operation. space, he had to content himself with indicating the more accessible D. K. reproductions. Thus, though it stimulated interest in the catechisms, his G. P. J. paper whetted the appetite without supplying any ready means of satisfy- D. H. ing it, because some of the publications in which catechisms have been THE UNIVERSITY, reproduced are not likely to be found in an ordinary masonic library. SHEFFIELD, In this volume, which may be described as a utility ' edition, we endeav- February, 1943. our to supply reliable texts of all the early masonic catechisms, and of the contemporary rejoinders, with the exception of the Chesham MS. Postscript. We are greatly indebted to Bro. Fred. T. Cramphorn and the first part of the Essex MS., which are practically identical with for placing at our disposai his typescript copies of the two catechisms other early catechisms which we print in full. As space is limited, we referred to in the Note on p. xi. have curtailed our general introduction and the introductory and explana- April, 1943. tory notes to particular documents, and have omitted reproductions of title pages of pamphlets and specimen pages of MSS. Further, we have been unable to follow the exact lay-out of certain catechisms, in so far as they devote separate limes to each question and each answer, however short. In these days of paper economy such spacious setting is precluded. Our aim is to give complete and accurate texts of the documents, with suffi- cient introductory and explanatory matter to help those masons who wich to study for themselves the origins of masonic ritual and ceremonies. The prevailing conditions prevent us from catering for the masonic bibliophile. For the facilities afforded to us in the obtaining of photostats and photo- graphs, and for permission to print or reprint documents, we have to thank the authorities of the British Museum, the Bodleian Library, the Trinity College, Dublin, Library, the Edinburgh Register House, the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Ireland and Lodge Dumfries Kilwinning, No.