THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

pay that they might live honestly; the which Charges I will declare hereafter, and
thus was the Craft of Masonry grounded and confirmed in England.
IN ENGLAND Right Worshipful Masters and Fellows that (have) been of divers
Assemblies and Congregations, with the consent of the lords of this realm, hath
ordained and made Charges, by their best advise, that all manner of men that
shall be made and Allowed Masons, must be sworn upon a book to keep the
same, in all that they may, to the uttermost of their Power. And also that they
have ordained that when any Fellow shall be Received and Allowed that these
Charges shall be read to him, and he to take his Charges. And these Charges
have been seen and perused by our late Sovereign Lord King Henry the Sixth,
and the Lords of the honourable Council, and they have allowed them well, and
said they were right good and reasonable to be holden. And these Charges have
been drawn and gathered out of divers ancient Books, both of the old Law and
new Law, as they were confirmed and made in Egypt by the King and by the
great clerk Euclid; and at the making of Solomon's temple by King David, and
Salom his son; and in France by Charles King of France; and in England by St.
Alban that was steward to the King; and afterwards by King Athelstan that was King of England, and by his son Edwin that was king
after his father; as it is rehearsed in many and
divers histories, and storialls, and chapters, and ensueth as the Charges
following, Particularly and severally.
The first and principal Charge is: --
1. THAT ye shall be true man, or true men, to God and the Holy Church, and that
ye shall use neither error nor heresy, by your own understanding nor discredit
wise-men's teaching.
2. That ye be true liegemen to the King without treason or falsehood, and if you
know any treason or treachery, look ye amend it if you can, or else privately warn
the King, or his rulers, or his deputies, and officers.
3. That ye shall be true one to another; that is to say every Master and Fellow of
the science and craft of Masonry, that be Allowed Masons; and to do unto them
as ye would they should do unto you.
4. That every Mason keep true Council both of "Lodge" and "Chamber," and all
other councils that ought to be kept by way of Masonry.
5. That no Mason be thief, or thieves (maintainers), so far as he knoweth. {550}
6. That he shall be true to his lord and (to his) Master, that he doth serve, and
truly look to his Master's profit and advantage.
7. You shall call Masons your Fellows, or your Brethren, and by no foul name,
nor shall you take your Fellow's wife in villany, nor further desire his daughter or
servant.