by the learned John Locke, Esq., in the Bodleian library. This dialogue possesses a double claim to our regard; first for its antiquity, and next for the ingenious notes and conjectures of Mr. Locke upon it; some of which we have retained. The approbation of a Philosopher of as great merit and penetration as the English nation ever produced, added to the real value of the piece itself, must give it a sanction, and render it deserving a serious and candid examination.

This ancient manuscript is as follows:

A certayne questyons, with answeres to the same, concernynge the mysterye of Maconrye: wryttene by the hande of Kynge Henrye, the Sixthe of the name, and faythfullye copyed by me Johann Leylande,* Antiquarius, by the command of his Highnesse.†

They be as followethe:

Quest. What mote ytt be?

Answ. Ytt beeth the Skylle of nature, the understondynge of the myghte that is hereynne, and its sondrye werckynges; sonderly che, the Skylle of rectenyngs, of waightes, and metynges, and the treu manere of faconnynge al tynges for mannes use, headlye, dwellynges, and buyldynges of alle kindes, and al odher thynges that make gudde to manne.

Quest. Where dyd ytt begyne?

Answ. Ytt dyd begynne with the fyrste menne yn the este, whych were before the ffyrste manne of the weste, and comynge westlye, ytt hath broughte herwyth alle comfortes to the wylde and comfortlesse.

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

+" "His Highness, meaning the said King Henry the eighth. Our Kings had not then the title of Majesty."

Quest. Who dyd brynge ytt westlye?

Answ. The Venetians,* whoo beynge grate merchaundes, comed ffyrste ffromme the este ynn Venetia, ffor the commodytye of marchaundysynge beithe este and weste, bey the Redde and Myddlelonde Sees.

Quest. Howe comede ytt yn Engelonde ?

Answ. Peter Gower,t a Grecian, journeyedde ffor kunnynge yn Egypte, and in Syria, and yn everyche londe whereat the Venetians hadde plauntedde Maconrye, and wynnynge entraunce yn al Lodges of Maconnes, he lerned muche, and retournedde, and worked yn Grecia Magna‡

* The Venetians, &c. "In times of ignorance, it is 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.

† 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 metempsychosis he never dreamt of. We need only consider the French pronunciation of this name Pythagore, that is, Petegore, 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 xlviith of the first book of Euclid, for which, in the joy of his heart, it is said he sacrificed a hecatomb. He also knew the true system of the world lately revived by Copernicus; and was certainly a most wonderful man. See his life by Dion Hal."

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

wachsynge, and becommynge a myghtye wyseacre,* and gratelyche renowned, and here he framed a great Lodge at Groton,t and maked many Maconnes, some whereoffe dyd journeye yn Fraunce, and maked manye Maconnes, wherefromme, yn processe of tyme, the arte passed in Engelonde. Quest. Dothe Maconnes descouer here arts unto odhers? Answ. Peter Gower when he journeyedde to lernne, was ffyrste made, and anonne techedde; evenne soe shulde all odhers be and teche. Maconnest 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 haundes, 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 Agricultura, Architectura, Astronomia, Geometria, Numercs, Musica, Poesie, Kymistrye, Governmente, and Relygyonne.

Quest. How commethe Maconnes more teachers than odher men?

Answ. They hemselfe haueth allein the arte of fyndynge

* "Weisager in the old Saxon, is philosopher, wiseman, or wizard." + 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."

+ Maconnes have the communicatedde, &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 either to the world or themselves. What these secrets are, we see afterwards."

neue artes, whyche art the ffyrste Maconnes receaued from Godde; by the whyche they fyndethe whatte artes hem plesethe, and the treu way of techynge the same. Whatt odher menne doethe ffynde out, ys onelyche bey chaunce, and herfore but lytel I tro.

Quest. What dothe the Maconnes concele, and hyde? Answ. Thay concelethe the art of ffyndynge neue artes, and thattys for here owne proffytte, and preise: Thay concelethe the art of kepynge secrettes, thatt soe the worlde mayeth nothinge concele from them. Thay concelethe the art of wunderwerckynge, and of fore sayinge thynges to comme, thatt so thay same artes may not be usedde of the wyckedde to an euylle ende; thay also conceuethe the arte of chaunges, the wey of wynnynge the faculty of Abrac,† the skylle of becommynge gude and parfyghte wythouten the holpynges of fere, and hope; and the universelle‡ longage of Maconnes.

*

Quest. Wylle he teche me thay same artes ?

The transmutation of metals.

+ Facultye of Abrac. An abbreviation of the word Abracadabra. In the days of Ignorance and Superstition, that word had a magical signification; but the explanation of it is now lost.

The being able by secret and inviolable signs, carefully preserved among the Fraternity throughout the world, to express themselves intelligibly to men of all languages and nations. "A man who has all these arts and advantages, is certainly in a condition to be envied: But we are told, that this is not the case with all Masons; for though these arts are among them, and all have a right and an opportunity to know them, yet some want capacity, and others industry to acquire them. However, of all their arts, and secrets, that which I most desire to know, is, The skylle of becomynge gude and parfyghte; and I wish it were communicated to all mankind, since there is nothing more true than the beautiful sentence contained in the last answer, that the better men are, the more they love one another.' Virtue having in itself something so amiable as to charm the hearts of all that behold it."

Answ. Ye shalle be techedde yff ye be werthye, and able to lerne.

Quest. Dothe alle Maconnes kunne more then odher menne?

Answ. Not so. Thay onlyche haueth recht, and occasyonne more then odher menne to kunne, butt manye doeth fale yn capacitye, and many more doth want industrye, that ys pernecessarye for the gaynynge all kunnynge. Quest. Are Maconnes gudder menne then odhers?

Answ. Some Maconnes are not so vertuous as some other menne; but yn the moste parte, thay be more gude then thay woulde be yf thay war not Maconnes.

Quest. Doth Maconnes love eidther odher myghtylye as beeth sayde?

Answ. Yea verylyche, and yt may not odherwyse be: For gude menne, and true, kennynge eidher odher to be soche, doeth always love the more as thay be more gude. Here endethe the Questyonnes and Answeres.*

* Glossary, to explain the Old Words in the foregoing Manuscript.