The Old ChargesThe following is list of the known old manuscripts relating to Masonry and Freemasonry.
The manuscripts explain and lay down to us the legendary and history of the Craft and a set of rules for conduct of its members.
These documents are beautifully written and the study of them will shed much light, to the reader on the history and Tradition of Craft Freemasonry.
Note: If you have a full text copy of any manuscript here not yet published please e-mail it to us at masoniccouncil@gmail.com
MSS Name Date Location / Custodian
Operative Masons Charges
Edict of Rothari A.D. 643 Italy
Constitutions York 926 England
York 1370 (French Translation)
Preambolo Veneziano dei Taiapiera 1307 Italy
Anglo-Norman Charges 1356 England
King David and the Temple of Jerusalem
Strassburg, Ratisbona 1459 Germany
Torgau Ordinances 1462 Germany
Jones 1607
Wood 1610 Worcester
Thorp 1629 Leicester
Sloane No. 3848 1646 British Museum
Sloane No. 3323 1659 British Museum
Aitchison Haven 1666 Grand Lodge of Scotland
Aberdeen 1670 Aberdeen Lodge No. 1
Henery Heade 1675 Inner Temple, London
Melrose No. 2 1675 Melrose St. John Lodge No. 1
Stanley 1677 West Yorkshire Library
Plot 1686 Epitome in Nat. Hist. Staffordshire
Clerke 1686
Antiquity 1686 Lodge of Antiquity No. 2
William Watson 1687 West Yorkshire Library
Beaumont 1690 West Yorkshire Library
Waistell 1693 West Yorkshire Library
York No. 4 1693 York Lodge No. 236
Edinburgh 1696 (French Translation)
Foxcroft 1699
Buchanan 1600's
Phillips No. 1 1600's Cheltenham
Phillips No. 2 1600's Cheltenham
Speculative Masons Charges
York No. 1 1600's York
York No. 5 1600's York
York No. 6 1600's York
Kilwinning 1600's Kilwinning Lodge No. 0
Lansdowne 1600's British Museum
Harleian No. 1942 1600's British Museum
Harleian No. 2054 1600's British Museum
Grand Lodge No. 2 1600's London
Colne No. 1 1600's Royal Lancashire Lodge No. 116, Colne
Harris No. 1 1600's Bedford Lodge No. 157, London
Dumfries No. 1 1600's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No. 53
Dumfries No. 2 1600's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No. 53
Dumfries No. 3 1600's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No. 53
Stirling 1600's Ancient Lodge No. 30, Stirling
Hope 1600's Benevolent Lodge No. 303, Teignmouth
Bain 1600's London
Dring-Gale 1600's London
Langdale 1600's Rochdale
Clapham 1600's West Yorkshire Library
Dauntesey 1600's Manchester
Taylor 1600's West Yorkshire Library
Lechmere 1600's Worcester
Beswicke-Royde 1600's Prov. Grand Lodge of East Lancashire
David Ramsay 1600's Hamburg
Embleton 1600's West Yorkshire Library
Sloane No. 3329 1700 British Museum (French Translation)
Drinkwater No. 1 1700 Manchester Association
Drinkwater No. 2 1700 Manchester Association
Chetwode Crawley 1700 (French Translation)
Boyden 1700 Sthn. Jur. Scottish Rite, Washington, DC.
Strachan 1700 QC Lodge No. 2076
Alnwick 1701 Newcastle
York No. 2 1704 York Lodge No. 236
Heaton 1705 England
Scarborough, York 1705 Grand Lodge of Canada
Dumfries N.4 1710 London (French Translation)
Talents 1700-20 London
Brooks Hill 1700-20 London
Cama Circa 1705 London
Inigo Jones 1705 Worcester
Trinity College 1711 (French Translation)
Macnab 1722 West Yorkshire Library
Ancient Charges of a Free Mason - 1723
Regulations of a Free Mason- 1723
Haddon 1723 London
Grand Mystery of Freemasons 1724 Printed
Grand Mystery of Freemasons 1724 (French Translation)
Institution of Free Masons 1725
Institution of Free Masons 1725 (French Translation)
Spencer 1726 Grand Lodge of Massachusetts
Graham 1726 London (French Translation)
Songhurst Circa 1726 London
Fisher 1726 London
Wilkinson 1727 (French Translation)
Tho. Carmick 1727 Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
Supreme Council 1728 London
Woodford 1728 London
Cole 1728 Engraved in Cole's Constitutions
FM according to the Scriptures 1737
La Reception d'un Frey Maçon 1737
Langley 1738 Printed
Dodd 1739 Printed
Levander-York 1740 Port Sunlight
FM Catechism 1740 Harry Carr
L'Origine & la Déclaration... des Francs-Maçons (French translation of Masonry dissected) 1743
Holywell 1748 Prov. Grand Lodge of Lancashire
Fortitude 1750 Fortitude Lodge No. 281, Lancaster
Thistle 1756 Thistle Lodge No. 62, Dumfries
Three Distinctive Knocks 1760 Printed
Melrose No. 3 1762 Melrose St. John Lodge No. 1
Tew 1700's West Yorkshire Library
Portland 1700's Wilbick Abbey
Hughan 1700's West Yorkshire Library
Papworth 1700's London
Phillips No. 3 1700's Cheltenham
Newcastle College 1700's Newcastle
Probity 1700's Probity Lodge No. 61, Halifax
Colne No.2 1700's Royal Lancashire Lodge No. 116, Colne
Harris No.2 1700's British Museum
Rawlinson 1700's Bodleian Library
Dumfries No.4 1700's Dumfries Kilwinning Lodge No. 53
Gateshead 1700's Lodge of Industry No. 48
Krause 1806 Printed
Dowland 1815 Printed
Hargrove 1818 Printed
Tunnah 1828 London
RGLE No.1 The Act of Regularity 2005
RGLE No.2 The Observances of Freemasonry 2005
RGLE No. 3 The Constitutions of the Craft 2005
RGLE No. 4 The Foundations of Regular Craft Ritual 2006
The following list is from several manuscripts that are presumed missing.
Melrose No. 1 1600's
York No.3 1630 - Constitutions A parchment Roll of Charges on Masonry (last seen in 1779)
Bolt-Coleraine 1728
Crane No. 1 1700's
Crane No. 2 1700's
Wren 1852
Baker
Morgan
Wilson
Masons Company
Newcastle Lodge
T. Lamb Smith
Anchor & Hope
Drake
James Anderson, wrote the following in his narrative of 1720.
"This Year, at some private Lodges, several very valuable Manuscripts ... concerning the Fraternity, their Lodges, Regulations, Charges, Secrets, and Usages ... were too hastily burnt by some scrupulous Brothers, that those Papers might not fall into strange Hands." These are now lost to us forever."
Compagnonnage Poster of 1848, French Operative Masonry
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www.rgle.org.uk
