TRANSCRIPT OF THE COOK MANUSCRIPT
Thanked be God our glorious Father and Founder and Former of
Heaven and of earth, and of all things that in them is, that He would vouchsafe
of His glorious Godhead to make so many things of divers virtue for mankind. For
He made all worldly things to be obedient and subject to man; for
all things that be comestible of wholesome nature, He ordained it for man’s
sustenance. And also He bath given to man wits and cunning of divers
Sciences and Crafts, by which we may work in this world to get our
living to make divers things to God’s pleasure, and also for our ease and
profit. Which things if I should rehearse them, it were too long to tell and to
write: wherefore I will leave.
But I shall show and tell some: that is to say, how and in what wise
the Science of Geometry first began, and who were the founders thereof, and of
other Crafts more, as it is noted in the Bible and in other stories.
How and in what manner this worthy Science of Geometry first began, I
will tell you, as I said before. You shall understand that there be Seven
Liberal Sciences, by which seven Sciences all Sciences and Crafts in the
world were first found. And in especial, for it is the cause of
all, that is to say the Science of Geometry — of all others that are.
Which Seven Sciences be called thus — As for the first, that is called
the Foundation of Science: his name is Grammar ; he teacheth a man
rightfully to speak and to write truly.
The second is Rhetoric, and he teacheth a man to speak formably and fair.
The third is Dialectic, and that Science teacheth a man to discern the
truth from the false, and most commonly it is called the Art of
Sophistry.
The fourth is called Arithmetic, which teacheth a man the Craft of numbers,
for to reckon and to make counts of all manner of things.
The fifth is Geometry, which teacheth a man all the metes and
measures, ponderations or weights, of all, manner of Crafts.
The sixth is Music, that teacheth a man the Craft of song, in notes of
voice and organ, trump[et] and harp, and of all others pertaining to them.
The seventh is Astronomy, that teacheth man to know the course
of the sun, and of the moon, and of all other stars and planets of
heaven.
Our intent is principally to treat of the first foundation of the worthy
Science of Geometry, and who were the founders thereof. As I said before, there
be Seven Liberal Sciences — that is to say, seven Sciences or Crafts that be
free in themselves — which seven live only by one, that is
Geometry. And Geometry is as much to say, “the measure of the earth”. Et sic
dicitur: a ‘geo’, graece, quod est ‘terra’, latine, et ‘metron’ quod est ‘mensura’:
unde Geometria — i.e. ‘mensura terrae vel terrarum’. That is to say, in English,
that Geometry is as I said derived from ‘geo’, that is in Greek
‘earth’, and ‘metron’ that is to say, ‘measure’. And thus is this name Geometry
compounded, and is translated, “the measure of the earth”.
Marvel ye not that I said that all Sciences live only by the Science
of Geometry. For there is no artificial nor hand craft that is wrought by man’s
hand, but it is wrought by Geometry. And a notable cause: for if a man work with
his hands, he worketh with some manner of tool: and there is no instrument of
material things in this world, but it comes from the nature of earth, and
to earth it will turn again. And there is no instrument, that is to say,
a tool to work with, but it hath some proportion, either more or less and
proportion is measure, and the tool or the instrument earth, and Geometry
is defined as “the measure of the earth”. Wherefore I may say that men
live all by Geometry, for all men here in this world live by the
labour of their hands.
Many more proofs I would tell you why Geometry is the
Science that all reasonable men live by but I leave it at this
time, for the long process of writing. And now I will proceed further on my
matter. Ye shall understand that among all the Crafts of the world, of man’s
Craft, Masonry hath the most notability and most part of this Science Geometry,
as it is noted and said as well in histories, and in the Bible,
and in the Master of Stories, and in Poly-chronicon, a
chronicle approved, and in the story that is named Bede, De Imagine
Mundi, and Isidore’s Etymo-logiarum, and Methodius, Bishop
and Martyr.
And others, many more, said that Masonry is principally of Geometry, as
methinks it may well be said for it was the first that was found, as
it is noted in the Bible in the first Book of Genesis, in the fourth chapter.
And also all the Doctors aforesaid agree thereto, and some of them say it more
openly and plainly, right as it says in the Bible, Genesis.
Adam’s line lineal sons descending down the seventh generation from
Adam, before Noah’s Flood there was a man that was called Lamech: which
had two wives, the one named Adah, and the other Zillah. By the first
wife that was called Adah, he got two sons: the one was named Jabal, and
the other named Jubal. The elder son Jabal was the first man that
ever found Geometry and Masonry, and he made houses, and is named in
the Bible “Pater habitantium in tentonis atque pastorum ” — that is to say,
the father of men dwelling in tents, that is dwelling houses. And he
was Cain’s Master Mason and governor of all his works, when he made the City
of Enoch — that was the first City that ever was made, and that made Cain,
Adam’s son. And gave it to his own son, and called it the City of
Enoch, and now it is called Ephraim. And there was the Science of
Geometry and Masonry first employed and contrived for a Science and for a
Craft. And so we may say that it was the first cause and foundation of all
Crafts and Sciences. And also this man Jabal was called “Pater Pastorum ”.
And as the Master of Stories saith, and Bede, De Imagine Mundi,
Polychronicon, and others say, he was the first that ever
made partition of land, that every man might know his own ground and
labour thereon as his own; and also be parted flocks of sheep, so
that every man might know his own sheep and so we may say that he was the first
founder of that Science.
And his brother Jubal (or Tabal) was the first founder of Music
and song, as Pythagoras said in Polychronicon, and the same
saith Isidore in his Etymologiarum, in the sixth book there
he saith that he was the first founder of Music and song, and of organ and of
trump[et] and he found that Science by the sound and ponderation of his
brother’s hammers, and that was Tubal Cain.
Truly, as the Bible says in the same chapter — that is to
say, the fourth — of Genesis, Lamech begat on his other wife, that was
called Zillah, a son and a daughter, the names of them were called
Tubal Cain — that was the son — and his daughter’s name Naamah. And as
the Polychronicon says, some men did say that she was
another man’s wife — whether it be so or no, we affirm it not. Ye shall
understand that this son Tubal Cain was the first founder of
Smith’s Craft, and of the other Crafts of metal, that is to say, of iron and
of brass, of gold and silver, as sonic Doctors say. And his sister
Naamah was first founder of Weaver’s Craft: for before that time there
was no cloth woven, but then they did spin yarn and knit it and made them
such clothing as they could. But that woman Naamah found the Craft of weaving,
and therefore it was called Woman’s Craft.
And these three brethren aforesaid had knowledge before
that God would take vengeance for sin, either by fire or water and they had
great care how they might do to save the Sciences that they had there
found, and they took their counsel together and by all their wits they
said that there were two manner of stones of such virtue that the one
would never burn, and that stone is called Marble, and another
stone that would not sink in water, and that stone is named Laterus.
And so they planned to write all the Sciences that they had found in
these two stones, so that if God should take vengeance by fire, then
the Marble stone should not burn and if God sent vengeance by water, that
then the other should not drown. And so they prayed their elder
brother Jabal that he would make two Pillars of these two stones, that is
to say of Marble and of Laterus, and that he would write in the
two Pillars all the Sciences and Crafts that they all had found, and so
he did: and therefore we may say that he was the most cunning in Science,
for he first began and performed the last end before Noah’s Flood. Kindly
knowing of that vengeance that God would send, whether it should be by fire or
by water — the brethren knew it not by a manner of prophecy — they
knew that God would send one thereof and therefore they wrote their
Sciences in the two Pillars of stone: and some men say that they wrote in
the stones all the Seven Sciences.
And as they had in their mind that a vengeance would
come, so it was that God sent it by water; for there came such a flood
that all the world was drowned, and all men were dead therein, save eight
persons, and that was Noah and his wife, and his three sons and their wives of
which three sons all the world came of. And their names were named in
this manner — Shem, Ham and Japhet. And this flood was called Noah’s Flood, for
he and his children were saved, and no more.
And after this flood, many years, as the Chronicles tell these two
Pillars were found; and, as Polychronicon says, a great clerk that
men called Pythagoras found the one, and Hermes the Philosopher
found the other and they taught forth the Sciences that they found
therein written.
Every Chronicle and story, and many other clerks, and the Bible, in
principal witness of the making of the Tower of Babylon and it is written in
the Bible, Genesis, chap. ten, how that Ham, Noah’s son, gat Nimrod; and
he waxed a mighty man upon the earth, and he was a strong man like unto a giant
and he was a great King, and in the beginning of his reign and
kingdom he was the true King of Babylon and Erech and
Accad wid Calneh, and the Land of Shinah. And this same Nimrod began
the Tower of Babylon and he taught to his workmen the Craft of Masonry and he
had with him many Masons, more than forty thousand. And he loved them and
cherished them well and it is written in Polychronicon, and in the
Master of Stories, and in other stories more, and a part of this
witnesses the Bible, in the same tenth chapter, where he says that
Asshur was near akin to Nimrod’s seed, out of the Land of Shinar.
And he built the City of Niniveh and Plateas, and other more, and thus he
says — De terra illa (de Senaar) egressus est Assur, & aedificavit Niniven, &
plateas civitatis, & Chale. Resen quoque inter Niniven & Chale: (&) haec est
civitas magna.
Reason would that we should tell openly how and in what manner the
Charges of Masoncraft were first founded, and who gave first the name to it of
Masonry. And you shall know well that it is told and written in
Polychronicon and in Methodius, Episcopus & Martyrus, that Asshur, that
was a worthy Lord of Shinar, sent to Nimrod the King to send him
Masons and workmen of Craft that might help him to make his City that he
was purposed to make and finish. And Nimrod sent him thirty
hundred Masons and when they should go and send them forth, he called them
before him and said to them,
Ye must go to my cousin Asshur, to help him to build him a city but
look that ye be well governed. And I shall give you a Charge,
that it may be profitable both for you and me. When ye come to
that Lord, look that ye be true to him, like as ye would be to me, and truly
do your labour and Craft, and take reasonable for your reward there
for as ye may deserve. And also that ye love together as ye were
brethren, and hold together truly and he that hath most cunning teach it to his
brother or fellow. And look ye govern yourselves well towards your
Lord, and amongst yourselves, so that I may have worship and thanks for me
sending you and teaching you the Craft.
And they received the Charges of the King that was their Master and
their Lord and went forth to Asshur. and built the City of Niniveh, in the
country of Plateas, and other cities more that men call Calah and Resen, that is
a great city between Calah and Niniveh. And in this manner the Craft of Masonry
was first preferred and charged for a Science and a Craft.
Reason would that we should show you how and ni what manner the elders
that were before us of Masons had these Charges written to them as we
have now in our Charges, of the story of Euclid, as we have seen them written
in Latin and in French both and how Euclid came to Geometry, reason
would we should tell you, as it is noted in the Bible and in other stories.
In duodecimo capit. Genesis, he tells how Abraham came to the Land of Canaan,
and the Lord appeared to him, and said “I shall give this land to thee
and to thy seed ”. But there fell a great hunger in that land, and Abraham
took Sarah his wife with him and went into Egypt in pilgrimage, while the
hunger endured he would abide there. And Abraham, as the chronicle
says, was a wise man and a great clerk, and he knew all the Seven
Sciences, and taught the Egyptians the Science of Geometry.
And this worthy clerk Euclid was his scholar, and learned of him
Masonry, and he gave it first the name of Geometry, albeit it was
employed before it had the name of Geonzetry. But it is said in Isidore’s
Etymologiarum, in the fifth book, that Euclid was one
of the first founders of Geometry, and he gave it name. For in his time
there was a water in that land of Egypt that is called Nile, and it flowed so
far into the land that men might not dwell therein. Then this wordly clerk
Euclid taught them to make great walls and ditches to hold out the water and he
by Geometry measured out the land and parted it into divers parts,
and made every man to close his own part with walls and ditches. And then it
became a plenteous country of all manner of fruit, and of young people, both
of men and women, that there was so much people of young fruit that they
could not well live. And the Lords of the country drew them together, and
made a Council, how they might help their children that had no livelihood
competent and able to maintain themselves and their children, for they
had so many. And amongst them all in Council was this worthy clerk
Euclid, and when he saw that all they could not bring about this matter,
he said to them,
Will ye take to me your sons in governance, and I shall teach them
in such a Science that they shall live thereby gentleman like
under condition that ye will be sworn to me to perform the governance
that I shall set you to and them both.
And the King of the land and all the Lords by one assent agreed thereto.
Reason would that every man would agree to that thing that would be
profitable to himself and they took their sons to Euclid to govern them
at his own will, and he taught them the Craft of Masonry, and gave it the
name of Geometry, because of the parting of the ground that he had taught the
people in the time of the making of the walls and ditches
aforesaid to close out the water. And Isidore says in his Etymologiarum
that Euclid called the Craft Geometry: and this worthy clerk gave it name, and
taught it the Lords’ sons of the land that he had in his teaching.
And he gave them a Charge that they should call each other Fellow and no
otherwise, because they were all of one Craft, and of one gentle birth
born, and Lords’ sons. And also he that was most cunning should be
governor of the work, and should be called Master. And other Charges more that
be written in the Book of Charges. And so they wrought with the Lords of
the land, and made cities and towns, castles and temples and Lords’ places,
and did live honestly and truly by the said Craft.
When the Children of Israel dwelt in Egypt, they learned the Craft of
Masonry. And afterwards they were driven out of Egypt, they came into the Land
of Behest, which now is called Jerusalem. And there it was
employed and the Charges held and kept. And at the making of
Solomon’s Temple that King David began — King David loved well Masons, and he
gave them Charges right nigh as they are now. And at the making of the
Temple in Solomon’s time, as it is said in the Bible, in the III Book of
Kings — in tertio Regum, capitulo quinto — Solomon had four score
thousand Masons at his work and the King’s son of Tyre was his Master Mason.
And in other chronicles it is said, and in old books of Masonry, that Solomon
confirmed the Charges that David his father had given to Masons. And Solomon
himself taught them their manners, but little differing from the manners
that now are used.
And from thence this worthy Science was brought into France and into many
other regions. Some time there was a worthy King in France that was
named Carolus Secundus, that is to say, Charles the Second. And this Charles
was elected King of France by the grace of God and by lineage also and
yet some men say that he was elected by fortune, which is false and
untrue, as appears by the chronicles plainly, for he was of
the King’s blood royal. And this same King Charles was a Mason before he was
King and after he was King, he loved well Masons, and cherished them, and
gave them Charges and manners of his device, whereof some are
yet used at this present in France. And he ordained that they should
have reasonable pay and and that they should assemble once in the year,
and come and speak together, and to be ruled by Masters and Fellows
of all things as were amiss, and the same to be received by
Masters and Fellows.
And soon after that came St. Adhabelle into England, and he converted St.
Alban to Christendom. And St. Alban loved well Masons, and he gave them first
their Charges and manners in England. And he ordained suitable to pay for
their work.
And after that was a worthy King in England that was called Athelstan and his
youngest son loved well the Science of Geometry. And he knew well that
hand-craft had the practice of the Science of Geometry so well as Masons
wherefore he drew him to counsel, and learned practice of that Science to his
speculative, for of speculative he was a Master. And he loved well Masonry
and Masons, and he became a Mason himself. And he gave them Charges and
manners, as it is now used in England and in other countries, and he
ordained that they should have reasonable pay. And purchased a free patent of
the King that they should make an Assembly when they saw reasonable time, and
come together to their Council of which Charges, manners and Assembly, as is
written and taught in the Book of our Charges: wherefore I leave it at this
time.
Good men, for this cause and this manner Masonry took first beginning. It
befel some time that great Lords had not so great possessions that they might
advance their free-begotten children, for they had so many. Therefore they took
counsel how they might their children advance, and ordain them honestly to live.
And sent after wise Masters of the worthy Science of Geometry, that they through
their wisdom should ordain them some honest living. Then one of them, that had
the name which was called Euglet, that was most subtle and wise founder,
ordained an Art and called it Masonry. And so with his Art honestly he taught
the children of great Lords, by the prayer of the fathers and the free will of
their children. Which, when they taught with high care, by a certain time they
were not all alike able to lean of the foresaid Art. Wherefore the
foresaid Master Euglet ordained they were passing of cunning should be passing
honoured. And commanded to call the cunning Masters to teach the less
cunning, which Masters were called Masters of nobility of wit and cunning
of that Art. Nevertheless, commanded that they that were less of wit should not
be called servants nor subjects, but Fellows, for nobility of their gentle
blood. In this manner was the foresaid Art begun in the land of Egypt by the
foresaid Master Euglet and so it went from land to land and from kingdom to
kingdom.
After that, many years, in the time of King Athelstan, which was some time
King of England, by his counsel and other great Lords of the land, by common
assent, for great defects found among Masons, they ordained a certain
rule amongst them, one time of the year, or in three years, as need were, to the
King and great Lords of the land and all the community, from province to
province and from county to county, Congregations should be held
by Masters, of all Masters, Masons and Fellows in the foresaid Art.
And at such Congregations they that be made Masters should be examined of the
Articles’ after-written, and be tested whether they be able and cunning
to be perfect for the Lords, them to serve, and to the honour of the
foresaid Art. And moreover they should receive their Charge, that they should
well and truly spend the goods of their Lords, as well the lowest as the
highest; for they be their Lords for the time, of whom they take their pay for
their service and for their work.
The first Article is this — that every Master of this Art should be wise and
true to the Lord that he serveth, spending his goods truly as he would his own
were spent. And not give more pay to no Mason than he knows he may
deserve, according to the dearth of corn and victuals in the country, no
favour preventing every man to be rewarded according to his work.
The second Article is this — that every Master of this Art should be warned
before to come to the Congregation, that they come duly unless
they may excused by some manner cause. But, nevertheless, if they be found rebel
at such Congregation, or faulty in any manner harm of their Lords, and
scandal of this Art, they should not be excused in no manner except
peril of death; and though they be in peril of death, they shall notify
the Master that is Principal of the gathering of his sickness.
The [third] Article is this — that no Master take no Apprentice for less term
than seven years at the least because such as be within less term may not
profitably come to his Art, nor able to serve truly his Lord to receive pay
as a Mason should take.
The fourth Article is this — that no Master for no profit take no Apprentice
to be taught that is born of bond blood; because his Lord to whom he is
bound will take him, as he well may, from his Art, and lead him with him out of
his Lodge or out of his place that he worketh in, for his Fellows peradventure
would help him and plead for him, and thereof manslaughter might
occur, that is forbidden. And also for another cause, of his Art — it took
beginning of great Lords’ children freely begotten, as it has been said
before.
The fifth Article is this — that no Master give more to his Prentice in time
of his prenticehood for no profit to be taken than he knows well he may
deserve of the Lord that he serveth ; nor not so much that the Lord of the place
that he is taught in may have some profit by his teaching.
The sixth Article is this — that no Master for any advantage nor
profit take no Prentice to teach that is imperfect: that is to say having any
maim as a result of which he may not truly work as he ought to do.
The seventh Article is this — that no Master be found knowingly, or
help or procure to be maintainer and sustainer, any common nightwalker to rob,
by which manner of nightwalking they may not fulfill their day’s work and
travail, through this condition their Fellows might be made wrath[ful].
The eighth Article is this — that if it befall that any Mason that is perfect
and cunning come to seek work and find any imperfect and uncunning working, the
Master of the place shall receive the perfect and do away the imperfect, to the
profit of his Lord.
The ninth Article is this — that no Master shall supplant another; for it is
said in the Art of Masonry that no man can make end so welt
of work begun by another, to the profit of his Lord, as he began it (for) to end
it by his designs, or [one] to whom he showeth his designs.
These ordinances were made by divers Lords and Masters of divers
provinces and divers Congregations of Masonry. And they are to the
effect that who desireth to come to the state of the foresaid Art, it
behoveth him first principally to love God and Holy Church and all Saints,
and his Master, and his Fellows as his own Brethren.
The second Point — he must fulfill his day’s work truly that he taketh for
his pay.
The third — that he can hele the counsel of his Fellows in Lodge and in
chamber, and in every place wherein Masons be.
The fourth Point — that he be not false to the foresaid Art, nor do no
prejudice, nor support any measures against the Art, nor against none of
the Art but he shall sustain it in all honour as much as he may.
The fifth Point — when he shall take his pay, that he take it meekly as the
time is ordained by the Master to be done, and that he fulfill the conditions
of work and of rest ordained and set by the Master.
The sixth Point — if any discord shall arise between him and his
Fellows, he shall obey him meekly, and be peaceable at the bidding of his
Master, or of the Warden of his Master in his Master’s absence, until the
holy day following, and that he submit then to the disposition of his
Fellows, and not upon the workday, to the hindering of their work and
profit of his Lord.
The seventh Point — that he desire not the wife nor the daughter of
his Master nor of his Fellows, except it be in marriage, nor keep
concubines, in case of discord that might befall amongst them.
The eighth Point — if it befall him to be Warden under his Master, that he be
true mediator between his Master and his Fellows, and that he be busy in
the absence of his Master, to the honour of his Master and profit to the Lord
that he serveth.
The ninth Point — if he be wiser and more subtle than his Fellow
working with him in his Lodge or in any other place, and he perceive that he
should waste the stone that he works upon for lack of cunning, and
can teach him and amend the stone, he shall inform him and help him, that the
more love may increase among them, and that the work of the Lord be not lost.
[The Assembly]
When the Master and the Fellows before warned be come to such Congregation,
if need be the Sheriff of the County, or the Mayor of the City, or Alderman of
the Town in which the Congregation is held, shall be fellow and [as]sociate to
the Master of the Congregation, to assist him against rebels, and
upholding the rights of the Realm.
At the first beginning, new men that never were charged before be charged in
this manner: that they should never be thieves nor thieves’ maintainers, and
that they should truly fulfill their day’s work and travail for their pay that
they shall receive from their Lord, and true accounts give to their
Fellows in matters that have to be accounted of them to their, and
them love as themselves. And they shall be true to the King of England, and to
the Realm; and that they keep with all their might all the Articles aforesaid.
After that, it shall be enquired if any Master or Fellow that was summoned
have broken any Article beforesaid; which if they have done, it shall be
determined there.
Therefore it is to be known if any Master or Fellow that is warned
before to come to such Congregation, and be rebel and will not come, or else
have trespassed against any Article beforesaid, if it may be proved, he shall
forswear his Masonry and shall no more use his Craft. Which if he presume to do,
the Sheriff of the County in which he may be found working shall [im]prison him
and take all his goods into the King’s hand, until his grace be granted him and
made known: for this cause principally, where these Congregations be
ordained, that as well the lowest as the highest should be well and truly served
in this Art beforesaid, throughout all the Kingdom of England.
Amen: So mote it be
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