Hic incipiunt constituciones artis gemetriae secundum Eucyldem. 

Whose wol bothe wel rede and loke,

He may fynde wryte yn olde boke

Of grete lordys and eke ladyysse,

That hade mony chyldryn y-fere, y-wisse;

And hade no rentys to fynde hem wyth,

Nowther yn towne, ny felde, ny fryth:

A cownsel togeder they cowthe hem take;

To ordeyne for these chyldryn sake,

How they my[g]th best lede here lyfe

Withoute gret desese, care and stryfe;

And most for the multytude that was comynge

Of here chyldryn after here [g]yndynge.

(They) sende thenne after grete clerkys,

To techyn hem thenne gode werkys; 

And pray we hem, for our Lordys sake,

To oure chyldryn sum werke to make,

That they my[g]th gete here lyvynge therby,

Bothe wel and onestlyche, ful sycurly.

Yn that tyme, thro[g]gh good gemetry,

Thys onest craft of good masonry

Wes ordeynt and made yn thys manere,

Y-cownterfetyd of thys clerkys y-fere;

At these lordys prayers they cownterfetyd gemetry,

And [g]af hyt the name of masonry,

For the moste oneste craft of alle.

These lordys chyldryn therto dede falle,

To lurne of hym the craft of gemetry,

The wheche he made ful curysly; 

Thro[g]gh fadrys prayers and modrys also,

Thys onest craft he putte hem to.

He that lerned best, and were of onesté,

And passud hys felows yn curysté;

[G]ef yn that craft he dede hym passe,

He schulde have more worschepe then the lasse.

Thys grete clerkys name was clept Euclyde,

Hys name hyt spradde ful wondur wyde.

Get thys grete clerke more ordeynt he

To hym that was herre yn thys degré,

That he schulde teche the synplyst of (wytte)

Yn that onest craft to be parfytte;

And so uchon schulle techyn othur,

And love togeder as syster and brothur. 

Forthermore [g]et that ordeynt he,

Mayster y-called so schulde he be;

So that he were most y-worschepede,

Thenne sculde he be so y-clepede:

But mason schulde never won other calle,

Withynne the craft amongus hem alle,

Ny soget, ny servand, my dere brother,

Tha[g]ht he be not so perfyt as ys another;

Uchon sculle calle other felows by cuthe,

For cause they come of ladyes burthe.

On thys maner, thro[g] good wytte of gemetry,

Bygan furst the craft of masonry:

The clerk Euclyde on thys wyse hyt fonde,

Thys craft of gemetry yn Egypte londe. 

Yn Egypte he taw[g]hte hyt ful wyde,

Yn dyvers londe on every syde;

Mony erys afterwarde, y understonde,

[G]er that the craft com ynto thys londe,

Thys craft com ynto Englond, as y [g]ow say,

Yn tyme of good kynge Adelstonus day;

He made tho bothe halle and eke bowre,

And hye templus of gret honowre,

To sportyn hym yn bothe day and ny[g]th,

An to worschepe hys God with alle hys my[g]th.

Thys goode lorde loved thys craft ful wel,

And purposud to strenthyn hyt every del,

For dyvers defawtys that yn the craft he fonde;

He sende about ynto the londe 

After alle the masonus of the crafte,

To come to hym ful evene stra[g]fte,

For to amende these defautys alle

By good consel, [g]ef hyt myt[g]th falle.

A semblé thenne he cowthe let make

Of dyvers lordis, yn here state,

Dukys, erlys, and barnes also,

Kyn[g]thys, sqwyers, and mony mo,

And the grete burges of that syté,

They were ther alle yn here degré;

These were ther uchon algate,

To ordeyne for these masonus astate.

Ther they sow[g]ton by here wytte,

How they my[g]thyn governe hytte: 

Fyftene artyculus they ther sow[g]ton

And fyftene poyntys they wro[g]ton. 

Hic incipit articulus primus. 

The furste artycul of thys gemetry:--

The mayster mason moste be ful securly

Bothe stedefast, trusty, and trwe,

Hyt schal hum never thenne arewe:

And pay thy felows after the coste,

As vytaylys goth thenne, wel thou woste;

And pay them trwly, apon thy fay,

What that they deserven may;

And to her hure take no more,

But what they mowe serve fore;

And spare, nowther for love ny drede, 

Of nowther partys to take no mede;

Of lord ny felow, whether he be,

Of hem thou take no maner of fe;

And as a jugge stonde upry[g]th,

And thenne thou dost to bothe good ry[g]th;

And trwly do thys whersever thou gost,

Thy worschep, thy profyt, hyt shcal be most. 

Articulus secundus. 

The secunde artycul of good masonry,

As [g]e mowe hyt here hyr specyaly,

That every mayster, that ys a mason,

Most ben at the generale congregacyon,

So that he hyt resonably y-tolde

Where that the semblé schal be holde; 

And to that semblé he most nede gon,

But he have a resenabul skwsacyon,

Or but he be unbuxom to that craft,

Or with falssehed ys over-raft,

Or ellus sekenes hath hym so stronge,

That he may not com hem amonge;

That ys a skwsacyon, good and abulle,

To that semblé withoute fabulle. 

Articulus tercius. 

The thrydde artycul for sothe hyt ysse,

That the mayster take to no prentysse,

but he have good seuerans to dwelle

Seven [g]er with hym, as y [g]ow telle,

Hys craft to lurne, that ys profytable; 

Withynne lasse he may not be able

To lordys profyt, ny to his owne,

As [g]e mowe knowe by good resowne. 

Articulus quartus. 

The fowrhe artycul thys moste be

That the mayster hym wel be-se,

That he no bondemon prentys make,

Ny for no covetyse do hym take;

For the lord that he ys bonde to,

May fache the prentes whersever he go.

Gef yn the logge he were y-take,

Muche desese hyt mygth ther make,

And suche case hyt mygth befalle,

That hyt mygth greve summe or alle. 

For alle the masonus tht ben there

Wol stonde togedur hol y-fere

Gef suche won yn that craft schulde swelle,

Of dyvers desesys ge mygth telle:

For more gese thenne, and of honeste,

Take a prentes of herre degre.

By olde tyme wryten y fynde

That the prenes schulde be of gentyl kynde;

And so symtyme grete lordys blod

Toke thys gemetry, that ys ful good. 

Articulus quintus. 

The fyfthe artycul ys swythe good,

So that the prentes be of lawful blod;

The mayster schal not, for no vantage, 

Make no prentes that ys outrage;

Hyt ys to mene, as [g]e mowe here,

That he have hys lymes hole alle y-fere;

To the craft hyt were gret schame,

To make an halt mon and a lame,

For an unperfyt mon of suche blod

Schulde do the craft but lytul good.

Thus [g]e mowe knowe everychon,

The craft wolde have a my[g]hty mon;

A maymed mon he hath no my[g]ht,

[G]e mowe hyt knowe long [g]er ny[g]ht. 

Articulus sextus. 

The syxte artycul [g]e mowe not mysse, 

That the mayster do the lord no pregedysse,

To take of the lord, for hyse prentyse,

Also muche as hys felows don, yn alle vyse.

For yn that craft they ben ful perfyt,

So ys not he, [g]e mowe sen hyt.

Also hyt were a[g]eynus good reson,

To take hys, hure as hys felows don.

Thys same artycul, yn thys casse,

Juggythe the prentes to take lasse

Thenne hys felows, that ben ful perfyt.

Yn dyvers maters, conne qwyte hyt,

The mayster may his prentes so enforme,

That hys hure may crese ful [g]urne, 

And, ger hys terme come to an ende,

Hys hure may ful wel amende. 

Articulus septimus. 

The seventhe artycul that ys now here,

Ful wel wol telle gow, alle y-fere,

That no mayster, for favour ny drede,

Schal no thef nowther clothe ny fede.

Theves he schal herberon never won,

Ny hym that hath y-quellude a mon,

Wy thylike that hath a febul name,

Lest hyt wolde turne the craft to schame. 

Articulus octavus. 

The eghte artycul schewt [g]ow so, 

That the mayster may hyt wel do,

[G]ef that he have any mon of crafte,

And be not also perfyt as he au[g]te,

He may hym change sone anon,

And take for hym a perfytur mon.

Suche a mon, thro[g]e rechelaschepe,

My[g]th do the craft schert worschepe. 

Articulus nonus. 

The nynthe artycul schewet ful welle,

That the mayster be both wyse and felle;

That no werke he undurtake,

But he conne bothe hyt ende and make;

And that hyt be to the lordes profyt also, 

And to hys craft, whersever he go;

And that the grond be wel y-take,

That hyt nowther fle ny grake. 

Articulus decimus. 

The then the artycul ys for to knowe,

Amonge the craft, to hye and lowe,

There schal no mayster supplante other,

But be togeder as systur and brother,

Yn thys curyus craft, alle and som,

That longuth to a maystur mason.

Ny he schal not supplante non other mon,

That hath y-take a werke hym uppon,

Yn peyne therof that ys so stronge, 

That peyseth no lasse thenne ten ponge,

But [g]ef that he be gulty y-fonde,

That toke furst the werke on honde;

For no mon yn masonry

Schal no supplante othur securly,

But [g]ef that hyt be so y-wro[g]th,

That hyt turne the werke to nogth;

Thenne may a mason that werk crave,

To the lordes profyt hyt for to save;

Yn suche a case but hyt do falle,

Ther schal no mason medul withalle.

Forsothe he that begynnyth the gronde,

And he be a mason goode and sonde,

For hath hyt sycurly yn hys mynde 

To brynge the werke to ful good ende. 

Articulus undecimus. 

The eleventhe artycul y telle the,

That he ys bothe fayr and fre;

For he techyt, by hys my[g]th,

That no mason schulde worche be ny[g]th,

But [g]ef hyt be yn practesynge of wytte,

[G]ef that y cowthe amende hytte. 

Articulus duodecimus. 

The twelfthe artycul ys of hye honesté

To [g]every mason, whersever he be;

He schal not hys felows werk deprave,

[G]ef that he wol hys honesté save;

With honest wordes he hyt comende, 

By the wytte that God the dede sende;

Buy hyt amende by al that thou may,

Bytwynne [g]ow bothe withoute nay. 

Articulus xiijus. 

The threttene artycul, so God me save,

Ys,[g]ef that the mayster a prentes have,

Enterlyche thenne that he hym teche,

And meserable poyntes that he hym reche,

That he the craft abelyche may conne,

Whersever he go undur the sonne. 

Articulus xiiijus. 

The fowrtene artycul, by good reson,

Scheweth the mayster how he schal don;

He schal no prentes to hym take, 

Byt dyvers crys he have to make,

That he may, withynne hys terme,

Of hym dyvers poyntes may lurne. 

Articulus quindecimus. 

The fyftene artycul maketh an ende,

For to the mayster he ys a frende;

To lere hym so, that for no mon,

No fals mantenans he take hym apon,

Ny maynteine hys felows yn here synne,

For no good that he my[g]th wynne;

Ny no fals sware sofre hem to make,

For drede of here sowles sake;

Lest hyt wolde turne the craft to schame,

And hymself to mechul blame. 

Plures Constituciones. 

At thys semblé were poyntes y-ordeynt mo,

Of grete lordys and maystrys also,

That whose wol conne thys craft and com to astate,

He most love wel God, and holy churche algate,

And hys mayster also, that he ys wythe,

Whersever he go, yn fylde or frythe;

And thy felows thou love also,

For that they craft wol that thou do. 

Secundus punctus. 

The secunde poynt, as y [g]ow say,

That the mason worche apon the werk day,

Also trwly, as he con or may, 

To deserve hys huyre for the halyday,

And trwly to labrun on hys dede,

Wel deserve to have hys mede. 

Tercius punctus. 

The thrydde poynt most be severele,

With the prentes knowe hyt wele,

Hys mayster conwsel he kepe and close,

And hys felows by hys goode purpose;

The prevetyse of the chamber telle he no man,

Ny yn the logge whatsever they done;

Whatsever thou heryst, or syste hem do,

Telle hyt no mon, whersever thou go;

The conwsel of halls, and [g]eke of bowre, 

Kepe hyt wel to gret honowre,

Lest hyt wolde torne thyself to blame,

And brynge the craft ynto gret schame. 

Quartus punctus. 

The fowrthe poynt techyth us alse,

That no mon to hys craft be false;

Errour he schal maynteine none

A[g]eynus the craft, but let hyt gone;

Ny no pregedysse he schal not do

To hys mayster, ny hys felows also;

And that[g]th the prentes be under awe,

[G]et he wolde have the same lawe. 

Quintus punctus. 

The fyfthe poynte ys, withoute nay,

That whenne the mason taketh hys pay

Of the mayster, y-ordent to hym,

Ful mekely y-take so most hyt byn;

[G]et most the mayster, by good resone,

Warne hem lawfully byfore none,

[G]ef he nulle okepye hem no more,

As he hath y-done ther byfore;

A[g]eynus thys ordyr he may not stryve,

[G]ef he thenke wel for to thryve. 

Sextus punctus. 

The syxte poynt ys ful [g]ef to knowe,

Bothe to hye and eke to lowe, 

For suche case hyt my[g]th befalle,

Amonge the masonus, summe or alle,

Throwghe envye, or dedly hate,

Ofte aryseth ful gret debate.

Thenne owyth the mason, [g]ef that he may,

Putte hem bothe under a day;

But loveday [g]et schul they make none;

Tyl that the werke day be clene a-gone;

Apon the holyday [g]e mowe wel take

Leyser y-now[g]gth loveday to make,

Lest that hyt wolde the werke day

Latte here werke for suche afray;

To suche ende thenne that hem drawe, 

That they stonde wel yn Goddes lawe. 

Septimus punctus. 

The seventhe poynt he may wel mene,

Of wel longe lyf that God us lene,

As hyt dyscryeth wel opunly,

Thou schal not by thy maysters wyf ly,

Ny by the felows, yn no maner wyse,

Lest the craft wolde the despyse;

Ny by the felows concubyne,

No more thou woldest he dede by thyne.

The peyne thereof let hyt be ser,

That he prentes ful seven [g]er,

[G]ef he forfete yn eny of hem, 

So y-chasted thenne most he ben;

Ful mekele care my[g]th ther begynne,

For suche a fowle dedely synne. 

Octavus punctus. 

The eghte poynt, he may be sure,

[G]ef thou hast y-taken any cure,

Under thy mayster thou be trwe,

For that pynt thou schalt never arewe;

A trwe medyater thou most nede be

To thy mayster, and thy felows fre;

Do trwly al....that thou my[g]th,

To both partyes, and that ys good ry[g]th. 

Nonus punctus. 

The nynthe poynt we schul hym calle,

That he be stwarde of oure halle,

Gef that ge ben yn chambur y-fere,

Uchon serve other, with mylde chere;

Jentul felows, ge moste hyt knowe,

For to be stwardus alle o rowe,

Weke after weke withoute dowte,

Stwardus to ben so alle abowte,

Lovelyche to serven uchon othur,

As thawgh they were syster and brother;

Ther schal never won on other costage

Fre hymself to no vantage,

But every mon schal be lyche fre 

Yn that costage, so moste hyt be;

Loke that thou pay wele every mon algate,

That thou hsat y-bow[g]ht any vytayles ate,

That no cravynge be y-mad to the,

Ny to thy felows, yn no degré,

To mon or to wommon, whether he be,

Pay hem wel and trwly, for that wol we;

Therof on thy felow trwe record thou take,

For that good pay as thou dost make,

Lest hyt wolde thy felowe schame,

Any brynge thyself ynto gret blame.

[G]et good acowntes he most make

Of suche godes as he hath y-take, 

Of thy felows goodes that thou hast spende,

Wher, and how, and to what ende;

Suche acowntes thou most come to,

Whenne thy felows wollen that thou do. 

Decimus punctus. 

The tenthe poynt presentyeth wel god lyf,

To lyven withoute care and stryf;

For and the mason lyve amysse,

And yn hys werk be false, y-wysse,

And thorw[g] suche a false skewysasyon

May sclawndren hys felows oute reson,

Throw[g] false sclawnder of suche fame 

May make the craft kachone blame.

[G]ef he do the craft suche vylany,

Do hym no favour thenne securly.

Ny maynteine not hym yn wyked lyf,

Lest hyt wolde turne to care and stryf;

But get hym [g]e schul not delayme,

But that [g]e schullen hym constrayne,

For to apere whersevor [g]e wylle,

Whar that [g]e wolen, lowde, or stylle;

To the nexte semblé [g]e schul hym calle,

To apere byfore hys felows alle,

And but [g]ef he wyl byfore hem pere, 

The crafte he moste nede forswere;

He schal thenne be chasted after the lawe

That was y-fownded by olde dawe.