Bloke
Premium Member
Hi
Just sent and email to one of our newer brothers interested in history and I thought i might as well cut and paste.
~~
"The oldest known Masonic writing, the Regius Manuscript or “Halliwell Poem” or "Poem of Moral Duties," was discovered to be a Masonic document by a non-Mason, J. O. Halliwell, in 1839. It was written about 1390 and was given the name "Regius" because it was found in the Royal Library of England. It is now a part of the British Museum. Some common Masonic Ritual terms in use today are found in it such as "So Mote It Be."
The dating is in dispute - but its never been later than the 1500's and 1390 A.D. is generally accepted.
This gives you a good overview of some of the early manuscripts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_manuscripts (when it's not being vandalized )
There are a number of masonic manuscripts that are important in the study of the emergence of Freemasonry. Most numerous are the Old Charges or Constitutions.
A great site and more info at http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/regius.html
(this site can be heavy reading though)
Another good site is here http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/
lots of great items and info there.... it's not great to navigate, but if you see it as a result in a google search, its a good place to click through to. I love the trench art section
The research pages of http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/info.html are also good. I think it is the best Grand Lodge web site in existence...
Although the below makes passing mention of the story of the third degree, but an EA will hear these if the goes to 1/4ly communications and sees Grand Lodge opened. A great crash course is here; the "Concise History of Freemasonry"
http://www.lodgedevotion.net/devoti...histoir/Concise-History-of-Freemasonry-200701
Hope all that helps !
Just sent and email to one of our newer brothers interested in history and I thought i might as well cut and paste.
~~
"The oldest known Masonic writing, the Regius Manuscript or “Halliwell Poem” or "Poem of Moral Duties," was discovered to be a Masonic document by a non-Mason, J. O. Halliwell, in 1839. It was written about 1390 and was given the name "Regius" because it was found in the Royal Library of England. It is now a part of the British Museum. Some common Masonic Ritual terms in use today are found in it such as "So Mote It Be."
The dating is in dispute - but its never been later than the 1500's and 1390 A.D. is generally accepted.
This gives you a good overview of some of the early manuscripts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_manuscripts (when it's not being vandalized )
There are a number of masonic manuscripts that are important in the study of the emergence of Freemasonry. Most numerous are the Old Charges or Constitutions.
A great site and more info at http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/regius.html
(this site can be heavy reading though)
Another good site is here http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/
lots of great items and info there.... it's not great to navigate, but if you see it as a result in a google search, its a good place to click through to. I love the trench art section
The research pages of http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/info.html are also good. I think it is the best Grand Lodge web site in existence...
Although the below makes passing mention of the story of the third degree, but an EA will hear these if the goes to 1/4ly communications and sees Grand Lodge opened. A great crash course is here; the "Concise History of Freemasonry"
http://www.lodgedevotion.net/devoti...histoir/Concise-History-of-Freemasonry-200701
Hope all that helps !