Granted in the Reign of Malcolm the III., King of Scotch, at Fordie,[16]
5th October 1051, to the Masons in Glasgow.
Malcom the III., by the Grace of God, King of Scots, wishes health and
safety to the Bishops, Princes, Earls, Barons, Ministers, and
Administrators of our Law, and all good men of the nation, both Clergy,
Laicks, or Common people, and to all whom these presents shall come,
greeting. Whereas our trusty and well-beloved friends, the Operative
Masons in the City of Glasgow, Hath, by their Petition, humbly
represented to us, that the inhabitants of this City has been imposed
upon by a number of unskilled and unsufficient workmen, that has come to
work at our Cathedral, and other parts of the City; and, also, has
erected lodges, contrary to the rules of Masonry: And being desirous of
putting a stop to such unskilled and irregular Brothers, most humbly
prays us to grant them our Royal Licence and protection for stopping
such unregular disorders: And we being willing to give all due
encouragement to so reasonable a Petition, are graciously pleased to
condescend to their request: And we do, by these presents, ordain and
grant to our Petitioners to Incorporate themselves together in an
Incorporation: And we strictly discharge any Mason within the foresaid
City, to work in it until he serve his time as an apprentice, for the
space of Seven years, or be married to a freeman’s daughter: And he or
they shall be Examined anent their Skill and Knowledge of the Mason
Craft by three of the Ablest of the Mason trade; and if he or they be
found of cunning and knowledge to be received into the Incorporation,
each shall pay Twenty Pounds Scots to the common funds, and three pounds
to the Altar, and clerk’s and officer’s dues, which the foresaid
Incorporation shall always be allowed to be judges of that and other
laws made for the behoof of the foresaid Incorporation. _Item_, that the
free Incorporate Masons of Glasgow shall have a lodge forever at the
City of Glasgow; none in my dominions shall erect a lodge until they
make application to the St John’s Lodge, Glasgow: And they considering
their Petition, and examining their character and behaviour, grant them
a charter conform to their regulations. _Item_, that all the members of
said Incorporation shall have liberty to quarry stone, lime, sand, and
other materials from the ground of persons, for paying the damages of
what they occupy, or damage, for building of the foresaid Cathedral. But
if the owners of the said Lands and the foresaid workmen do not agree,
each party is to chuse an honest man to value the expence of the
foresaid damages. _Item_, and that any having power from me, maintain my
peace firm and stable against all other pretenders and usurpers, who
encroach on me or my subjects to disturb our peace. _Item_, and that you
and all my subjects in this obey the Magistrates in all things relating
to my peace and the good of the City. _Item_, and that you instruct and
teach apprentices; and that none take, or employ, any man’s apprentice
when their time of apprenticeship is not completed, under the pain of
paying Twenty Pounds, the one-half to the Incorporation, one-fourth to
the Lodge, and one-fourth to Saint Thomas’s Altar, to say mass to their
Soul. _Item_, and I strictly charge and command, that none take in hand
any way to disturb the free operative masons from being incorporated
freemen, or to have a free lodge, to take away their good name or
possession, or harrass or do any injury to my free masons and
Petitioners, under the peril of my highest displeasure. And we order
that notice be taken, that due obedience may be rendered to our pleasure
herein declared. Given at our Court at Fordie, the 5th day of October
1051[17] years, before these Witnesses, Earl David, my Brother, Earl
Duncan, Earl Gilbert of Monteith,[18] Sir Robert of Velen, Adam of
Stenhouse, and Andrew Hamilton,[19] Bishop of Glasgow.[20]