the magical incantations of Samonicus (abracadabra): and however the reader may smile at the faith of the mason, of those days, we assure him that he may listen to absurdities not less extravagant in the present times.

This curious document is copied from a small pamphlet of 12 pages 8vo. printed at Frankfort, in Germany, in 1748, entitled, a letter of the famous Mr. John Locke, relating to FREE-MASONRY ; found in the desk or scrutoir of a deceased member.]

A letter from the learned Mr. John Locke, to the Right Hon. *** Earl of * * * *, with an old manuscript on the subject of Free-Masonry. May 6, 1696.

MY LORD,

I have at length, by the help of Mr. C-ns, procured a copy of that MS. in the Bodleian Library, which Lordyou were so curious to see and in obedience to your ship's commands, I herewith send it to you. Most of the notes annexed to it, are what I made yesterday for the reading of my lady MASHAM, who is become so fond of masonry, as that she now more than ever wishes herself a man, that she might be capable of admission into the Fraternity.

to say,

The MS. of which this is a copy, appears to be about 160 years old; yet (as your lordship will observe by the title) it is itself a copy of one yet more ancient by about 100 years : for the original is said to have been the hand-writing of K. H. VI. Where that prince had it is at present an uncertainty: but it seems to me to be an examination (taken perhaps before the king) of some one of the Brotherhood of MASONS; among whom he entered himself, as 'tis said, when he came out of his minority, and thenceforth put a stop to a persecution that had been raised against them: But I must not detain your lordship longer by my prefaces from the thing itself.

* We cannot give the original title; having no German types.

Certayne Dueftyons, wyth Awnsweres to the fame. concernynge the Mystery of Maconrye ;

Mryttenne by the haude of Rynge henrye the Sirthe of the Name, and faithfullye copyed by me (1) Johnn Leylande Antiquarius, by the commande of his (2) Highnelle.

They be as followsthe :

Quest. What mote ytt be? (3)

Answ. Ytt beethe the Skylle of Nature, the understondynge of the myghte that is hereynne, and its sondrye Werckynges; sonderlyche, the Skylle of Rectenyngs, of Waightes, and Metynges, and the true manere of Faconnynge, and all other thynges for Mannes Use, headlyc, Dwellynges, and Buyldynges of alle Bindes, and al other thynges that make Gudde or Manne.

Quest. Where ytt begyne?

Answ. Ytt did beginne with the (4) fyrste menne yn the Este, whych were before the (5) ffyrste manne of the Weste, and comynge Westlye, ytt hathe broughte herwyth alle Comfortes to the wylde and Comfortlesse.

(1) John Leylande was appointed by King Henry the eighth, at the dissolution of Monasteries, to search for, and save such books and records as were valuable among them. He was a man of great labour, and industry.

(2) His Highness, meaning the said king Henry the eighth. Our kings had not then the title of majesty.

(3) What mote yt be? that is, what may this Mystery of Ma sonry be? The answer imports, that it consists in natural, mathematical, and mechanical knowledge. Some part of which (as appears by what follows) the masons pretend to have taught the rest of mankind, and some part they still conceal.

(4) (5) Fyrste menne yn the Este, &c. It should seem by this that Masons believe there were men in the East- before Adam, who is called the fyrste Manne of the Westé; and that arts and sciences began in the East. Some authors of great note for learning have been of the same opinion; and it is certain, that Europe and Affrica (which in respect to Asia may be called western countries) were wild and savage, long after arts and politeness of manners were in great perfection in China and the Indies.

Quest. Who dyd brynge ytt Westlye?

Answ. The (6) Venetians whoo beynge Grate Marchaundes, comed ffyrste ffromme the Este ynn Veuetia, ffor the commodytye of Marchaundysynge beithe Este and Weste, bey the redde and Wyddlelonde Sees.

Quest. Howe comede ytt yn Engelonde ?

Answ. Peter Gower (7) a Grecian, journeyedde for kunnynge yn Egypte, and yn Syria, and everyche Londe whereas the Venetians hadde plauntedde Maconrye, and Wynnynge Entraunce yn al Lodges of Maconnes, he lerned muche, and retournedde, and woned yn Grecia Magna (8) wachsynge, and becommynge myghtye (9) Wyseacre,

(6) The Venetians, &c. In the times of Monkish ignorance 'tis no wonder that the Phenicians should be mistaken for the Venetians. Or perhaps, if the people were not taken one for the other, similitude of sound might deceive the clerk who first took down the examination. The Phenicians were the greatest voyagers among the ancients, and were in Europe thought to be the inventors of letters, which perhaps they brought from the East with other arts.

(7) Peter Gower. This must be another mistake of the writer. I was puzzled at first to guess who Peter Gower should be, the name being perfectly English; or how a Greek should come by such a name but as soon as I thought of Pythagoras, I could scarce forbear smiling, to find that Philosopher had undergone a Metempsycosis he never dreamt of. We need only consider the French pronunciation of his name Pythagore, that is, Petagore, to conceive how easily such a mistake might be made by an unlearned clerk. That Pythagoras travelled for knowledge into Egypt, &c. is known to all the learned, and that he was initiated into several different orders of Priests, who in those days kept all their learning secret from the vulgar, is as well known. Pythagoras also made every geometrical theorem a secret, and admitted only such to the knowledge of them, as had first undergone a five years silence He is supposed to be the inventor of the XLVII. of the first book of Euclid, for which, in the joy of heart, 'tis said he sacrificed a Hecatomb. He also knew the true system of the world lately reviv'd by Copernicus; and was certainly a most wonderful man. See his life by Dion. Hal.

(8) Grecia Magna. A part of Italy formerly so called, in which the Greeks had settled a large colony.

(9) Wyseacre. This word at present signifies simpleton, but formerly had a quite contrary meaning. Weisager in the old

and gratelyche renowned, and her he framed a grate Lodge at Groten (10) and maked manye Maconnes, wherefromme, in Processe Tyme, the Arte passed yn Engelonde.

Quest. Dothe Maconnes, descouer here Artes unto Odhers? Answ. Peter Gower whenne he journeyedde to lernne, was ffyrste (11) made, and anonne techedde; evenne soe shulde all others be yn recht. Natheless (12) Maconnes hauethe alweys yn everyche Tyme from Tyme to Tyme communycatedde to Mannkynde soche of her Secrettes as generallyche myghte be usefulle; they haueth keped backe soche allein as shulde be harmfulle yff they commed yn euylle Hanndes, oder soche as ne myghte be holpynge wythouten the Techynges to be joynedde herwythe in the Lodge, oder soche as do bynde the Freres more strongelyche togeder, bey the Proffytte, and commodytye comynge to the Confrerie herfromme.

Quest. Whatte Artes haueth the Maconnes techedde Mankynde?

Answ. The Artes (13) Agricultura, Architectura, Astro

Saxon, is philosopher, wiseman, or wizard; and having been frequently used ironically, at length came to have a direct meaning in the ironical sense. Thus Duns Scotus, a man famed for the subtility and acuteness of his understanding, has by the same method of irony, given a general name to modern dunces.

(10) Groton. Groton is the name of a place in England. The place here meant is Crotona, a city of Grecia Magna, which in the time of Pythagoras was very populous.

(11) Fyrste made. The word made I suppose has a particular meaning among the masons, perhaps it signifies initiated.

(12) Maconncs haueth communycat dde, &c. This paragraph hath something remarkable in it. It contains a justification of the secrecy so much boasted of by Masons, and so much blamed by others; asserting that they have in all ages discovered such things as might be useful, and that they conceal such only as would be hurtful to the world or themselves. What these secrets are we see afterwards.

(13) The arts. Agriculture, &c. It seems a bold pretence this, of the Masons, that they have taught mankind all these arts. They have their own authority for it; and I know not how we shall disprove them. But what appears most odd is, that they reckon religion among the arts.

nomia, Geometria, Numeres, Musica, Poesie, Kymistrye, Governmente, and Relygyonne.

Quest. Howe commethe Maconnes more teachers than odher Menne?

Answ. They hemselfe haueth allein the (14) Arte of fyndynge neue Artes, whyche Art the ffyrste Maconnes receaued from Godde; by the whyche they fyndethe'whatte Artes hem pleseth, and the treu Way of techynge the same. Whatt odher Manne dothe ffynde out, ys onelyche by chaunce, and herfore but lytel I tro.

Quest. Whatt dothe the Maconnes concele, and hyde?

Answ. They concelethe the Arte of ffyndynge neue Artes, and thattys for her owne Proffyte, and (15) Preise; they conconcelethe the arte of kepynge (16) Secrettes, thatt soe the Worlde mayethe. nothinge concele from them. Thay concelethe the arte of Wunderwerckynge, and of fore sayinge thynges to comme, thatt so thay same artes may not be usedde of the wyckedde to an euyle Ende; thay also conceethe the

(14) Arte of ffynding neue Artes. The art of inventing arts, must certainly be a most useful art. My Lord Bacon's Novum Organum, is an attempt towards somewhat of the same kind. But I much doubt, that if ever the Masons had it, they have now lost it; since so few new arts have been lately invented, and so many are wanted. The idea I have of such an art is, that it must be something proper to be applied in all the sciences generally, as algebra is in numbers, by the help of which new rules of arithmetic are and may be found.

(15) Preise. It seems the Masons have a great regard to the reputation as well as the profit of their order; since they make it one reason for not divulging an act in commmon, that it may do honour to the possessors of it. I think in this particular they show too much regard for their own society, and too little for the rest of mankind.

(16) Arte of kepynge secrettes. What kind of an art this is I can by no means imagine. But certainly such an art the Masons must have: for though, as some people suppose, they should have no secret at all; even that must be a secret which, being discovered, would expose them to the highest ridicule and therefore it requires the utmost caution to conceal it.

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