To be sung with a Chorus, when the MASTER shall give leave, either one Part

only, or all together, as he pleases.

-----

PART ONE

I.

Adam, the first of humane Kind

Created with GEOMETRY

Imprinted on his Royal Mind,

Instructed soon his progeny

CAIN and SETH, who then improv'd

The lib'ral Science in the Art

Of ARCHITECTURE, which they lov'd

And to their Offspring did impart

II.

CAIN a City fair and strong

First built, and call'd it Consecrate

From ENOCH'S Name, his eldest Son,

Which all his Race did imitate:

But godly ENOCH, of Seth's Loins,

Two Columns rais'd with mighty Skill:

And all his Family enjoins

True Colonading to fullfil.

III.

Our Father NOAH next appear'd,

A Mason too divinely taught;

And by divine Command uprear'd

The ARK, that held a goodly Fraught:

'Twas built by true Geometry,

A Piece of Architecture fine;

Helpt by his Sons, in number THREE,

Concurring in the grand Design.

IV.

So from the gen'ral Deluge none

Were sav'd, but Masons and their Wives;

And all Mankind from them alone

Descending, Architecture thrives;

For they, when multiply'd amain,

Fit to disperse and fill the Earth,

In SHINAR'S large and lovely Plain,

TO MASONRY gave second Birth.

V.

For most of Mankind were employ'd

To build the City and the Tow'r;

The Gen'ral Lodge was overjoy'd,

In such effects of Masons Pow'r;

'Till vain Ambition did provoke

Their Maker to confound their Plot;

Yet tho' with Tongues confus'd they spoke,

The learned Art they ne'er forgot.

CHORUS:

Who can unfold the Royal Art?

Or sing its Secrets in a Song?

They're safely kept in Mason's HEART,

And to the ancient Lodge belong.

[Stop here to drink the present

GRAND-MASTER'S Health]

PART II

I.

THUS when from Babel they disperse

In Colonies to distant Climes,

All Masons true, who could rehearse

Their Works to those of after Times;

King Nimrod fortify'd his Realm,

By Castles, Tow'rs and Cities fair;

MITZRA'M who rul'd at Egypt's Helm,

Built Pyramids stupendous there.

II.

Not JAPHET, and his gallant Breed,

Did less in Masonry prevail;

Nor SHEM, and those that did succeed

To promised blessings by Entail;

For Father ABRAM brought from US

Which he reveal'd without demur,

To all descending from his Blood.

III.

Nay JACOB'S Race at length were taught,

To lay aside the Shepherd's Crook,

To use Geometry were brought,

Whilst under Phar'oh's cruel Yoke;

'Till MOSES Master-Mason rose,

And led the HOLY LODGE from thence,

All Masons train'd, to whom he chose,

His curious Learning to dispense.

IV.

AHOLIAB and BEZALEEL,

Inspired Men, the TENT uprear'd;

Where the Shechinah chose to dwell,

And Geometric Skill appear'd;

And when these valiant Masons fill'd

Canaan, the learn'd PHENICIANS knew

The Tribes of Isra'l better skill'd

In Architecture firm and true.

V.

For DAGON'S House in Gaza Town,

Artfully propt by COLUMNS two;

By SAMSON'S mighty arms pull'd down

On Lords Philistian, whom it slew;

Tho' 'twas the finest Fabrick rais'd

By Canaan's Sons, could not compare

With the Creator's Temple praised,

For glorious Strength and Structure fair.

VI.

But here we stop a while to toast

Our MASTER'S Health and Warden both;

And warn you all to shun the Coast

Of Samson's Shipwrackt Fame and Troth

His Secrets once to WIFE disclosed,

His Strength was fled, his Courage tam'd,

To cruel Foes he was expos'd,

And never was a Mason nam'd.

CHORUS:

Who can unfold the Royal Art?

Or sing its Secrets in a Song?

They're safely kept in Mason's HEART,

And to the ancient Lodge belong.

[Stop here to drink the Health of the Master and Wardens of this particular

Lodge.]

PART III

I.

We sing of MASONS ancient Fame,

When fourscore Thousand Craftsmen stood,

Under the MASTERS of great Name,

Three thousand and six Hundred good,

Employ'd by SOLOMON the Sire,

And Gen'ral MASTER-MASON too;

As HIRAM was in stately Tyre,

Like Salem built by Masons true.

II.

The Royal Art was then divine,

The Craftsmen counsell'd from above,

The Temple did all Works outshine,

The wond'ring World did all approve

Ingenious Men, from every Place,

Came to survey the glorious Pile

And, when return'd, began to trace,

And imitate its lofty Style.

III.

At length the GRECIANS came to know

Geometry, and learnt the Art,

Which great PYTHAGORAS did show,

And glorious EUCLID did impart;

Th'amazing ARCHIMEDES too,

And many other Scholars good;

'Till ancient ROMANS did review

The Art, and Science understood.

IV.

But when proud ASIA they had quell'd,

And GREECE and EGYPT overcome,

In Architecture they excelle'd

And brought the Learning all to ROME;

Where wise VITRUVIUS, Master prime

Of Architects, the Arts improv'd,

In Great AUGUSTUS' peaceful Time,

When Arts and Artists were belov'd.

V.

They brought the Knowledge from the East;

And as they made the Nations yeild,

They spread it thro' the North and West,

And taught the world the Art to build

Witnss their Citadels and Tow'rs,

To fortify their Legions fine,

Their Temples, Palaces, and Bow'rs

That spoke the Masons GRAND DESIGN.

VI.

Thus mighty Eastern Kings, and some

Of Abram's Race, and Monarchs good,

Of Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome,

True Architecture understood:

No wonder then if Masons join,

To celebrate those Mason-Kings,

With solemn Note and flowing Wine,

Whilst ev'ry Brother jointly sings.

CHORUS:

Who can unfold the Royal Art?

Or sing its Secrets in a Song?

They're safely kept in Mason's HEART,

And to the ancient Lodge belong.

[Stop here to drink to the glorious Memory of Emperors, Kings, Princes,

Nobles, Gentry, Clergy, and learned Scholars, that ever propagated the Art]

PART IV

I.

OH! glorious Days for Masons wise,

O'er all the Roman EMPIRE when

Their Fame, resounding to the Skies,

Proclaim'd them good and useful Men;

For many Ages thus employ'd,

Until the GOTHS with warlike Rage,

And brutal Ignorance, destroyed

The Totl of many a learned Age.

II.

But when the conqu'ring GOTHS were brought

T'embrace the Christian Faith, they found

The Folly that their Fathers wrought,

In loss of Architecture [f]ound.

At length their Zeal for stately FANES,

And wealthy Grandeur, when at Peace,

Made them exert their utmost Pains,

Their GOTHICK BUILDINGS to upraise.

III.

Thus many a sumptuous lofty PILE

Was rais'd in every Christian Land,

Tho' not conform to Roman STYLE,

Yet which did REVERENCE command:

The KING and CRAFT agreeing full,

In well-formed Lodges to supply

The mournful want of Roman Skill

With their new sort of Masonry.

IV.

For many Ages this prevails,

Their Work is Architecture deem'd;

In ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND, WALES,

The Craftsmen highly are esteemed,

By KINGS as MASTERS of the Lodge,

By many a wealthy noble PEER

By LORD and [....] by PRIEST and JUDGE,

By all the People every where.

V.

So Masons ancient Records tell,

King Athelstan, of Saxon Blood,

Gave them a Charter free to dwell

In LOFTY LODGE with Orders good,

Drawn from old Writings by his Son,

Prince EDWIN, GENERAL-MASTER bright.

Who met at York the Brethren soon,

And to that Lodge did all recite.

VI.

Thence their Laws and Charges fine

In ev'ry Reign observ'd with care,

Of SAXON, DANISH, NORMAN Line,

Till British CROWNS united were;

The Monarch First of this whole ISLE

Was learned JAMES, a Mason King,

Who First of Kings reviv'd the Style

Of Great Augustus: Therefore sing.

CHORUS:

Who can unfold the Royal Art?

Or sing its Secrets in a Song?

They're safely kept in Mason's HEART,

And to the ancient Lodge belong.

[Stop here to drink the happy memory of all the Revivers of the ancient

Augustan Style]