We, the Elect Masters of the Venerable Society sacred to John, or of
the Social Order of Freemasons, Rulers of the Lodges or Tabernacles,
constituted at London, Edinburgh, Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris, Lyons,
Frankfort, Hamburgh, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Madrid, Venice, Ghent,
Regiomonte, Brussels, Dantzic, Middleburgh, and in the City of Cologne,
in Chapter assembled in the said City of Cologne, in the year, month,
and days aftermentioned. Our Preses being the Master of the Lodge
established in this City,--a venerable Brother and most learned,
prudent, and judicious man, called to preside over these deliberations,
by our unanimous vote;--do, by these letters addressed to all the
above-mentioned Lodges,--to our Brethren present and future, declare,
that forasmuch as we have been considering the designs, which in these
calamitous times embroiled, by Civil dissensions and discord, have been
imputed to our foresaid Society, and to all the Brethren belonging to
this Order of Freemasons, or of John, opinions, machinations, secret,
as well as openly detected; all which are utterly foreign to us, and
to the Spirit, Design, and Precepts, of the Association. It moreover
appears that we, the Members of this Order, (chiefly because we are
bound by those inscrutable secrets of our connection and covenant
which are most sacredly kept by us all,) in order that we may be more
effectually vilified among the uninitiated and profane, and that we
may be devoted to public execration, are accused of the crime of
reviving the Order of the Templars, and commonly designated by that
appellation, as if we had combined and conspired for the purpose of
recovering, as Members of that Order, its property and possessions, and
avenging the death of the last Grand Master, who presided over that
Order, on the posterity of the Kings and Princes who were guilty of
the crime, and who were the authors of the extinction of said Order;
as if, with that view, we were exciting schisms in the Churches, and
disturbance and sedition in the Temporal Government and Dominions;
as if we were influenced by hatred and enmity against the Pope, the
Chief Pontiff, the Emperor, and all Kings; as if obeying no external
power, but only the superiors and elected of our own Association,
which is spread throughout the whole World,--we executed their
secret mandates and clandestine designs, by the private intercourse
of correspondence and emissaries; as if, in fine, we admitted none
into our Mysteries but those who, after being scrutinised and tried
by bodily tortures, became bound and devoted to our Conclaves.
THEREFORE, having all these considerations in view, it hath seemed
to us expedient, and even absolutely necessary, to expound the true
state and origin of our Order, and to what it tends, as an institute
of charity itself, according as these principles are recognised and
approved by those who are most versant in the Highest Craft, and by
masters enlightened in the genuine sciences of the Institution, and to
give forth to the Lodges or Conclaves of our society the principles
thus expounded, digested, and organised, as an examplar authenticated
by our signatures, whereby a perpetual record may remain of this our
renewed covenant, and the unshaken integrity of our purpose; and also
in case, through the daily increasing propensity of the people to
animosities, enmity, intolerance, and wars, this our society should
hereafter be more and more oppressed, inasmuch as to be unable to
maintain its standing and consolidation, and thus be dispersed to some
distant regions of the earth; and in case, through lapse of time, the
society itself should become less observant of its integrity, purity,
and incorruptibility, nevertheless, in better times and more convenient
circumstances, there may remain, if not the whole, yet perhaps one
or other of the duplicates of these presents, by which standard the
Order, if subverted, may be restored, and if corrupted or estranged
from its purpose and designs, may be reformed. For THESE CAUSES, by
these our universal letters, compiled according to the context of the
most ancient monuments which are extant, concerning the objects of the
institution,--the rites and customs of our most ancient and most secret
order,--We, Elect Masters, influenced by the love of the true light,
do, by the most solemn sanctions, adjure all fellow-labourers, to whom
these presents now or in time hereafter may come, that they withdraw
not themselves from the truth contained in this document. MOREOVER, to
the enlightened, as well as to the darker world, whose common safety
concerns and strongly interests us, we announce and proclaim,--
(A) That the Society of Free Masons, or Order of Brethren attached
to the solemnities of St. John, derive not their origin from the
Knights Templars, nor from any other order of knights, ecclesiastic or
secular, detached or connected with one or more, neither have any or
the least communication with them, directly, or through any manner of
intermediate tie; that they are more ancient than any order of knights
of this description, and existed in Palestine and Greece, as well as
in every part of the Roman Empire, long before the Holy Wars, and the
times of the expeditions of the above mentioned knights into Palestine.
That from various monuments of approved authenticity, the fact is to
us quite notorious, that this our Association took its origin from the
time when first on account of the various Sects of the Christian World,
a few adepts distinguished by their life, their moral doctrine, and
their sacred interpretation of the Arcanic Truths, withdrew themselves
from the multitude; for the learned and enlightened men, who lived in
those times, (the true Christians who were least infected with the
errors of Paganism,) when they considered, that through a corrupt
religion, schisms, and not peace, and neither toleration nor charity,
but atrocious wars, were promulgated, bound themselves by a most
solemn Oath, in order more effectually to preserve uncontaminated the
Moral Principles of this Religion, which are implanted in the mind of
man, that to these they would devote themselves; that the True Light,
arising gradually out of darkness, might proceed to the subduing of
superstitions, by the cultivation of every Human virtue, and to the
establishment of peace and comfort among men. That under these benign
auspices the Masters of this community are called Brethren dedicated
to John, following the example and invitation of John the Baptist,
Precursor of the Rising Light,--first among the Martyr Stars of the
Morning.
That these Doctors and Scribes who were also, according to the custom
of those times, called MASTERS, did, from the most experienced and
best of the Disciples, collect and choose fellow labourers, whence
arose the name of Socius. When others were elected, but not chosen,
they were designed, after the manner of the Hebrew, Greek, and Roman
Philosophers, by the appellation of Disciple.
(B) That our Association now, as formerly, consists of the Three
Degrees of Disciple, Fellow, and Master. The last, or Masters,
admitting of Elect Masters and Superior Elect Masters. But that all
Associations or Fraternities so called, who admit of more or other
denominations or subdivisions, and who ascribe to themselves another
origin, and, intermeddling with Political and Ecclesiastical affairs,
make promises and protestations under whatever titles they may assume,
of Freemasons and Brethren, attached to the solemnities of John, or
others which belong not to our Order, are to be expelled and ejected
from it as Schismatics.
(Γ) That among the Doctors, Masters of this Order, cultivating the
Sciences of Mathematics, Astronomy, and other Studies, a mutual
interchange of doctrine and light was maintained, which led to the
practice of electing out of those who were already Elect Masters,
one in particular, who, as excelling the rest, should be venerated
as Supreme Elect Master or Patriarch. Being known only to the Elect
Master, he was regarded both as the Visible and Invisible Head and
Chief of our whole Association; so that, according to this Ordnance,
the Supreme Master and Patriarch, though known to very few, yet still
exists. The premises being compiled from the mass of parchments and
charter of the Order itself, committed, by authority of our Patrons,
with the sacred documents, in future to the charge of our Preses
and his successors; and being herewith diligently compared by W. E.
Santona, by authority of the same illustrious Patriarch, ordain and
command as follows:
(Δ) The government of our society, the mode and rule according to which
the flaming light may be imparted and diffused among the illuminated
brethren, as well as the profane world, rest entirely with the highest
Elect Masters. To them belongs the charge of watching and taking care,
lest the members, of whatever rank or order, should attempt any thing
contrary to the true principles of our Society. Upon the same chiefs of
the Society are incumbent the defence of the Order, the preservation
and safeguard of its welfare, which, should occasion require, they
are to protect at the expense of their fortunes, and the risk of
their lives, against all who attack our Institution, whatsoever and
wheresoever this may be done.
(Ε) To us it is by no means clear, that this association of brethren,
prior to the year one thousand four hundred and forty, were known
by any other denomination than that of _Joannite Brethren_; but at
that time we are informed, the fraternity, especially in Valence in
Flanders, began to be called by the name of _Free Masons_, from which
period, in some parts of Hanover, Hospitals began to be built by the
aid and pecuniary assistance of the Brethren, for those who laboured
under the Sacred Fire, called St. Anthony's Evil.
(Ζ) Although in works of benevolence we pay no regard to religion
or country, we however consider it safe and necessary hitherto to
receive none into our Order but those who, in the society of the
profane and unenlightened, are professedly Christians. In conducting
the inquisition and trial of those who apply for the initiation of
the First Degree, which is that of Disciple, no bodily tortures are
employed, but only those trials which tend to develope the nature,
inclinations, and dispositions of the Candidates.
(Η) To those duties which are commanded and undertaken by a solemn
oath, are added those of fidelity and obedience to the secular rulers,
lawfully placed over us.
(Θ) The principle on which we act, and all these our efforts, to
whatever purpose and direction they may tend, are expressed in
these two precepts:--"Love and regard all men as Brethren and
Relations--render to God what is God's, and to Cæsar what is Cæsar's."
(Ι) The Secrets and Mysteries which veil our undertakings conduce
to this end,--that without ostentation we may do good, and without
disunion of action, prosecute our designs to the uttermost.
(Κ) We celebrate annually the Memory of St. John the Forerunner of
Christ, and Patron of our Community.
(Λ) These, and the rest of the corresponding ceremonies of the
Institution, though conducted in the meetings of the Brethren by signs,
or speech, or otherwise, do nevertheless differ totally from the rites
of the Churches.
(Μ) The above is considered a Brother of the Joannite Society, or
a Freemason, who, in a lawful manner, by the help, and under the
direction of some Elect Master, with the assistance of at least seven
Brethren, is initiated into our mysteries, and who is ready to prove
his adoption by the Signs and Tokens which are used by other Brethren;
but in which Signs and Words are included, those which are in use in
The Edinburgh Lodge or Tabernacle and its Affiliated Lodges; as also in
the Hamburgh, Rotterdam, and Middleburg Tabernacles, and in that which
is found erected at Venice, whose ministrations and labours, though
they be ordained after the manner of the Scots, differ not from those
which are used by us, in so far as they respect the origin, design, and
institution.
(Ν) This our Society, being superintended by one General Prince, while
the different governments of which it consists are ruled by various
Superior Masters, adapted to various regions and kingdoms, as need
requires. Nothing is more necessary than a certain conformity among
all those who are dispersed throughout the whole World, as members of
one aggregate body; and likewise an intercourse of missionaries and
correspondence harmonising with them, and with their doctrines in all
places.--Wherefore, these present letters, testifying the nature and
spirit of our Society, shall be sent to all and sundry Colleges of the
Order as yet existing. For these reasons above-mentioned, nineteen
uniform duplicates of letters, composed in this form, exactly of
the same tenor, confirmed and corroborated by our subscriptions and
signatures, are given at Cologne on the Rhine, in the year one thousand
five hundred and thirty-five, on the twenty-fourth day of the month of
June, according to the Era, designated Christian.
Harmanius + Carlton, Jo. Bruce, Fr. V. Upna, Cornelius Banning, De
Colligni, Virieux, Johani Schröder, Kofman, 1535, Jacobus Praepositus,
A. Nobel, Ignatius de la Terre, Dona Jacob Uttenhove, Falk Nacolus, Va
Noot, Phillippus Melanthon, Hugssen, Wormer Abel.
Certified in form to the printed examplar, deposited into
the Archives of the Gr. and Sublime Chap. of the
Temples Interior, Sitting in the East of Namur.
The GR. Chancellor of that Chief Chap.
++ DE MARCHOT.
[Illustration]
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PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.