CHARTER,
Granted in the Reign of Malcolm the III., King of Scotch, at Fordie,[16]5th October 1051, to the Masons in Glasgow.
Malcom the III., by the Grace of God, King of Scots, wishes health and safety to the Bishops, Princes, Earls, Barons, Ministers, and Administrators of our Law, and all good men of the nation, both Clergy, Laicks, or Common people, and to all whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas our trusty and well-beloved friends, the Operative Masons in the City of Glasgow, Hath, by their Petition, humbly represented to us, that the inhabitants of this City has been imposed upon by a number of unskilled and unsufficient workmen, that has come to work at our Cathedral, and other parts of the City; and, also, has erected lodges, contrary to the rules of Masonry: And being desirous of putting a stop to such unskilled and irregular Brothers, most humbly prays us to grant them our Royal Licence and protection for stopping such unregular disorders: And we being willing to give all due encouragement to so reasonable a Petition, are graciously pleased to condescend to their request: And we do, by these presents, ordain and grant to our Petitioners to Incorporate themselves together in an Incorporation: And we strictly discharge any Mason within the foresaid City, to work in it until he serve his time as an apprentice, for the space of Seven years, or be married to a freeman’s daughter: And he or they shall be Examined anent their Skill and Knowledge of the Mason Craft by three of the Ablest of the Mason trade; and if he or they be found of cunning and knowledge to be received into the Incorporation, each shall pay Twenty Pounds Scots to the common funds, and three pounds to the Altar, and clerk’s and officer’s dues, which the foresaid Incorporation shall always be allowed to be judges of that and other laws made for the behoof of the foresaid Incorporation.Item, that the free Incorporate Masons of Glasgow shall have a lodge forever at the City of Glasgow; none in my dominions shall erect a lodge until they make application to the St John’s Lodge, Glasgow: And they considering their Petition, and examining their character and behaviour, grant them a charter conform to their regulations.Item, that all the members of said Incorporation shall have liberty to quarry stone, lime, sand, and other materials from the ground of persons, for paying the damages of what they occupy, or damage, for building of the foresaid Cathedral. But if the owners of the said Lands and the foresaid workmen do not agree, each party is to chuse an honest man to value the expence of the foresaid damages.Item, and that any having power from me, maintain my peace firm and stable against all other pretenders and usurpers, who encroach on me or my subjects to disturb our peace.Item, and that you and all my subjects in this obey the Magistrates in all things relating to my peace and the good of the City.Item, and that you instruct and teach apprentices; and that none take, or employ, any man’s apprentice when their time of apprenticeship is not completed, under the pain of paying Twenty Pounds, the one-half to the Incorporation, one-fourth to the Lodge, and one-fourth to Saint Thomas’s Altar, to say mass to their Soul.Item, and I strictly charge and command, that none take in hand any way to disturb the free operative masons from being incorporated freemen, or to have a free lodge, to take away their good name or possession, or harrass or do any injury to my free masons and Petitioners, under the peril of my highest displeasure. And we order that notice be taken, that due obedience may be rendered to our pleasure herein declared. Given at our Court at Fordie, the 5th day of October 1051[17]years, before these Witnesses, Earl David, my Brother, Earl Duncan, Earl Gilbert of Monteith,[18]Sir Robert of Velen, Adam of Stenhouse, and Andrew Hamilton,[19]Bishop of Glasgow.[20]
Extracted from the Records.[21]