While the year 1717 marks the beginning of Freemasonry as it is known today, yet there are in existence references to masons, masonry, and the Craft in books, newspapers, and essays published prior to that period. This has led a school of Masonic writers to assume that the year 1717 by no means marks the beginnings of Free masonry, but is rather to be taken as a period when the society commenced to assume a definite and concrete organization. The idea that Freemasonry is a very old institution is so fixed in the minds of those members of the Craft who are unable to divorce historical data from ritualism that they are ever ready to seize upon the slightest suggestion which would tend to accept Masonry as the heritage of a remote past.

In studying whatever references may exist concerning Free-masonry prior to the year 1717, the investigator is dependent for information upon two sources. First, the printed general literature prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge of England, second, a class of masonic manuscripts often referred to as the old charges. For the story of the revival of Free-masonry, the masonic world is indebted to James Anderson and as his account of the formation of the Grand Lodge of England was not written until twenty years after the event took place, eminent critics have charged that he has been guilty of numerous anachronisms, and in his history of the revival of 1717, has used terms which were probably unknown to Masonry at that time. When he speaks of Grand Lodges, Grand Masters, Quarterly Communications, as any part of the arrangement of Freemasonry before the year 1717, or for several years, after he is simply attributing to the fraternity a condition of organization which did not exist until a considerable later period.

In the general printed literature prior to A.D. 1717, so far as is known, only fifteen references to Freemasonry can be found. Oliver Day Street, an eminent and reliable writer, has made a tabulation of these which is of more than passing interest. He says:

Printed references to Masons and Masonry occur in manuscripts as early as 1375, and there is an unauthenticated record of the term Master Mason, in the year 1272. In 1563, there was published in London a book in English metre of the Great Merchantman called Dives Pragmaticus, "very pretty for children to read," in which occurs this couplet:

"Al Free Masons, Brick layers, and dawbers of walles,
Al Carpenters, Joyners, and Makers of balles."

In Bloome's book, "The Five Columnes of Architecture," translated from the Dutch and published in 1681, will be found a preface which describes the work as having been "Drawn and described (with great care and diligence) after the right symetry and measure of Free Masons."

"For the use and benefit of Free Masons, Carpenters, and Joyners."

In "The Survey of London," published in 1633 by John Stow, the statement is made, "The company of Masons, being otherwise termed Free Masons, of ancient standing and good reckoning, by means of affable and kinde meetings divers times, and as a loving Brotherhood should to doe, did frequent this mutuall assembly in the time of King Henry the Fourth, in the twelfth yeere of his most gracious Reigne."

In Adamson's "Muses Threnodie," published in 1638, will be found these lines:

"For we he brethren of the Rosie Cross;
We have the Mason word and second sight."

"The Present State in London," by Thomas Delaune, published in 1681, contains this reference:

"The Company of Masons, called Free Masons, were a loving Brotherhood for many Ages."

The next allusion to Freemasonry and the one to which considerable importance is attached, is the "Diary of Elias Ashmole," which was published in 1717, and which covered the years 1646-1682. The entry is as follows:

FIRST EXTRACT

1646

Oct. 16th. - 4:30 P. M. I was made a Free Mason at Warrington in Lancashire, with Coll: Henry Mainwaring of Karincham in Cheshire. The names of those what were there of the Lodge; Mr. Rich Penket Warden, Mr. James Collier, Mr. Rich Sankey, Henry Littler, John Ellam Rich: Ellam and Hugh Brewer.

SECOND EXTRACT

March 1682.

10th. - About 5:00 P. M. I recd. a Sumons to appe. at a Lodge to be held the next day, at Masons Hall London.

11th . - Accordingly I went, and about Noone were admitted into the Fellowship of Free Masons.

Sr. Willaim Wilson Knight, Capt. Rich; Borthwick, Mr. Will: Woodman, Mr. Win. Grey, Mr. Samuell Taylour, and Mr. William Wise.

I was the Senior Fellow among them (it being 35 years since I was admitted). There were p'sent besides my selfe the Fellowes after named.

Mr. Tho: Wise Mr. of the Masons Company this p'sent yeare. Mr. Thomas Shorthose, Mr. Thomas Shadbolt, Waindsford Esqr., Mr. Nich: Young, Mr. John Shorthose, Mr. William Hamon, Mr. John Thompson, and Mr. Will: Stanton.

Wee all dyned at the halfe Moone Taverne in Cheapside, at a Noble Dinner, prepaired at the charge of the New-accepted Masons."

Ashmole, the author of the above was a Fellow of the Royal Society and received the degree of M. D. from Oxford University. He was an Antiquarian, and in the course of his life had collected a magnificent museum which he contributed to his Alma Mater. In addition to being a solicitor, artilleryman, Captain of Cavalry, Commissioner of Excise, Windsor Herald, Collector, Doctor of Medicine, and Freemason, a writer states that he still found time to prosecute his studies as astrologer, alchemist, historian, botanist, and antiquarian.

In 1686, there was published by Dr. Robert Plot, his Natural History of Staffordshire. Plot was not a Mason, and it is not known that his attitude toward the fraternity was at all friendly. For this reason, certain statements made in his book have been accepted as somewhat valuable. He refers to Masonry as then "spread more or less all over the nation," and that "he found persons of the most eminent quality that did not disdain to be of this fellowship. He refers to the admission of candidates as "consisting chiefly in the communication of certain signs, whereby they are known to one another all over the nation."

He speaks of their meetings as a "Lodg," and that if any man appear, though altogether unknown, that can show any of these signs to a Fellow of the society whom they otherwise call an "Accepted Mason," he is obliged presently "to come to him from what company or place soever he be in, nay though from the top of a steeple, to know his pleasure and assist him." Plot further conveys the information that there was a tradition among the craft that Masonry was introduced into England from the continent at the time of St. Alban, that is to say, about the Third Century A. D., and that in 926, under the reign of King Athelstan, a grand assembly was held at York, England, at which were ordained such charges and manners as they then thought fit.

A Natural History of Wiltshire, was written by John Aubrey, somewhere between 1656 and 1691, but not published until 1847, Aubrey wrote that the Fraternity of Free Masons "are known to one another by certain Signes and Watch words;" that "they have severall Lodges in severall counties for their reception;" that "when any of them fall into decay, the Brotherhood is to relieve him," and that "the manner of their adoption is very formal, and with an oath of Secrecy." On May 18, 1691, he records that on that day at "a great convention at St. Paul's Church of the Fraternity of the Accepted Masons," Sir Christopher Wren, the famous architect, and Sir Henry Goodric, of the Tower, were to be adopted 'as Brothers. He added the statement, that "There have been Kings that have been of this Sodalitie." That Wren was actually received into the Craft on this occasion, or on any other, there is no existing evidence.

In the Academy of Armory by Randal Holme, published in 1688, is found the following:

"I cannot but honor the Fellowship of the Masons because of its antiquity; and the more, as being a member of the Society called Free Masons." It was a custom at Dublin University, in Ireland, in the latter part of the Seventeenth Century, to allow under-graduates to deliver sarcastic speeches upon anything which in their judgment merited ridicule. On July 11, 1688, John Jones rendered a tripos or speech which has been described as a Piebald Compost of dog-latin and dog-english. In this potpouri, he had much to say concerning the Freemasons, and took occasion to burlesque the mixture of occupations and professions among its members as well as their custom of relieving distressed brethren. This demonstration before a mixed audience, shows that the personnel and practices of the society were so well known that a travesty upon them could be readily understood and appreciated.

On June 9, 1709, Richard Steele printed in the Tatler of London, an essay in which he speaks of a certain society called Pretty Fellows as having their signs and tokens like Freemasons. One year later in this same journal, is another reference to the Pretty Fellows, to the effect that "one would think that they had some secret intimation of each other like the Freemasons."

One of the earliest traditional records referred to as tending to show the establishment of Masonry in England in the Tenth Century, during the reign of King Athelstan, is that of an unauthenticated document written in the reign of Edward the Fourth and preserved by Elias Ashmole, the founder of the Auxburg Museum. After speaking of the encouragement given by King Athelstan to the Craft, this document goes on to say "The said King's brother, Prince Edmond, being taught Masonry and taking upon him the charges of a Master Mason for the love he had for said Craft, and the honorable principles, whereon it is grounded purchased a free charter front King Athelstan, for the Masons having a correction among themselves or a freedom and power to regulate themselves to amend what might happen in this and to hold a yearly communication and general assembly." According to the manuscript tinder discussion, Prince Edward summoned all the Masons in the realm to meet him in a congregation at York, who came and composed a general lodge, of which lie was Grand Master. Continuing, the record says "He made a book thereof. How the Craft was founded and lie himself ordered and commanded that it should be read and told when any Mason should be made and for him and for to give him his charges. And from that date until this time, manners of a Mason have been kept in that as well as men might govern."

A Latin register alleged to have been kept by the Prior of Canterbury, bearing date Anno Domini 1449, conveys the information "that in that year, during the minority of Henry the VI, a respectable Lodge was held at Canterbury, under the patronage of Henry Chichele, the Archbishop, at which were present Thomas Stapleton, the Master, John Morris, Warden, with fifteen Fellow Crafts and three Entered Apprentices," all of whom are particularly named. Another record of that time states "that the company of Masons, being otherwise termed Freemasons, of ancient standing and good reckoning, by means of affable and kind meeting divers times, and as a loving brotherhood use to do, did frequent this mutual assembly in the time of King Henry the sixth, in the twelfth year of his reign, Anno Domini 1434."

From the quotations given, it is deduced that during early periods was in exisin England sort of a crude these there tence some organization which in a way partook of the nature of Freemasonry. For a long time, it was believed by modern investigators that the year 1717 marked the immediate transition of Freemasonry from an operative to a universal speculative society, and that by direct proclamation, men from all walks of life were admitted to the society at this particular time, but a careful examination of existing records, manuscripts, and printed literature, leads to the conclusion that this transition was not immediate, and that for a long time prior to the year 1717 the change had been gradually taking place, and that men not connected with the various building trades were being admitted into the society. The presence in these operative associations, of civilians and professional men as is evidenced in their own and other writings whereby they acknowledged membership in the craft, notably the diary of Elias Ashmole, has led some Masonic students into the belief that there is ample justification for the claim that Freemasonry existed in a speculative form even at these early times. If it be true that noblemen, students, and scholars, joined these old operative societies, it was not because of any special symbolism or mysteries which they possessed or that they in any way partook of the nature of the modern society but that on the contrary, these men sought the opportunity of extending their educational opportunities by the study of the sciences of building, the most notable of which was geometry, as well as participation in those convivial features for which the early assemblages of Masons were noted.

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