The document "Ancient Charges and Regulations" by Bro Fred Lomax explores the origins and significance of Ancient Charges within Freemasonry. It distinguishes between Ancient Charges, which outline a Freemason's moral duties and behaviors in various contexts, and the shorter regulatory Ancient Charges and Regulations acknowledged by the Master Elect during installation. The text notes that these charges likely derive from the work of Rev. James Anderson, who compiled them in the first Book of Constitutions in 1723, and emphasizes their historical roots, tracing back to earlier manuscripts such as the Regius MS (1390) and the Cooke MS (1410). It highlights the importance of these documents in guiding Masonic conduct and encourages members to engage with them, particularly during Lodge meetings. The document underscores the unique English origin of these charges and their exclusive association with masonry, inviting Brethren to familiarize themselves with these foundational texts in the Book of Constitutions.
Fred Lomax – United Kingdom
December 17th, 2025
March 31st, 2026
manual
ritual and_ceremony
Paper 41/2007
Title Ancient Charges And Regulations,
Ancient Charges And The Old Charges
Author Bro Fred Lomax – United Kingdom
But what are they? Where did they come from? How old are they? Are they really Ancient?
An Ancient Charge may be read in a Lodge, often after the minutes, as a reminder to Brethren to follow
the Charges of a Freemason, but how many of us bother to actually read them? They can be found from
page 147 in the Book of Constitutions but they are different to the Ancient Charges and Regulations
starting on page vii. These are the Ancient Charges & Regulations read to and acknowledged by the
Master Elect at his Installation ceremony and are much shorter than the former. These are regulatory in
nature and to which the Master Elect must acknowledge his consent before he can be Installed into the
Chair of King Solomon.
An Ancient Charge on the other hand concerns a Freemason’s moral duties,
of God and Religion, of the Civil Magistrate,
Supreme and Subordinate, of Lodges,
of Masters, Wardens, Fellows and Apprentices,
of behaviour: In the Lodge whilst constituted;
After the Lodge is over and the Brethren not gone,
When Brethren meet without, Strangers, but not in a Lodge;
In the presence of Strangers, but not in a Lodge;
At Home and in the Neighbourhood;
And towards a strange Brother
Those are the Ancient Charges used by many Lodges and it is likely that they were devised by the Rev
James Anderson when he wrote the first Book of Constitutions in 1723. However, he must have had some
original material to have arrived at this moral code. George Payne, the second Grand Master in 1718,
asked for any old documents appertaining to Craft to be brought in to show the usages in Ancient times
and this is where the Old Charges come in.
In fact these are more ancient than the Ancient Charges and there numerous originals still in existence
ranging from the Regius MS of 1390 and the Cooke MS of 1410 to The Grand Lodge MS of 1583, about
130 in all. There several written in the seventeenth century and some from the eighteenth, after the
formation of Grand Lodge. Most a have three sections, a prayer, and historical part and the charges. A
famous one is the Beswick-Royd MS which was discovered in 1915 and is now in the Museum at
Freemasons’ Hall, Bridge Street, Manchester, is believed to have been written in the early part of the 16th
century on four strips of parchment, approximately six inches wide, stitched together to form a continuous
strip 6ft. 10 ins (2008mm’s) in length.
Historians believe that they are essentially English in origin and no other Craft than masonry possessed or
used them.
Why don’t you take a look at them next time you pick up your Book of Constitutions?