Ques. Dothe Maconnes descouer here artes unto odhers ? Ans. Peter Gower, wheune he jour neyede to leme, was ifyrste made, § and anonne techedde; evenne soe shulde all odhers beyn. recht. Na theless Maconnes hauetheil alweys, yn everyche tyme, from tyme to tyme, communycatedde to mann kynde soch of her secrettes as gen erallyche myghte be usefulle; they hauthe keped back soche allein as shulde he harmfulle yff they coined yn euylle haundes, oder soche as ne myghte he holpynge wythouten the techyuges to be joynedde herwythe in the lodge, oder soche as do bynde the fres more stronglyche togeder, hey the proffyte and commodyte corn yuge to the confrerie herfromme.
Ques. Whatte artes haueth the Maconnes techedde mankynde ? Ans. The artes agriculture, * ar chitecture, astronomia, geometria, numeres, musica, poesie, kimistrye, governemente, and relygyonue.
Ques. Howe commethe Macerates more tethers than odher menne ? Ans. The hemselfe hauthe allein in arte of ffyndynge ueue artes,t whyche arte the ffyrste Maconues receaued from Godde; by the whyche they fyndethe what artes hem plesethe, and the treu way of techynge the same. Whatt odher menne doethe ifynde out, ys onelyche bey Chaunce, and herfore but lytel I tro.
Ques. What dothe the Maconnes concele and hyde ? Ans. They concelethe the arte of ffynclynge neue artes, and thatt ys for here owne proffytte, and preise4 thay coucelethe the arte of kepynge secrettes,§ that soe the worlde may eth nothynge concele from them.
They concelethe the arte of wunder werekynge, and of foresayinge thynges to comme, that so they same artes may not be usedde of the wyckedde to an euyell ende. Thay al so coucelethe the arte of chaunges,* the wey of wynnynge the facultye of Abrac, f the skylle of becommynge gude and parfyghte wythouten the holpyuges of fere and hope; and the nniverselle longage of Maconnes.$ Ques. Wylie he teat?, me thay same artes ? Ans. Ye shalle be techedde yff ye be werthye, and able to lerne.
Ques. Dothe all Macounes kunne more then odher menne ? Ans. Not so. They onlyche haueth recht and occasyonne more then odher menne to kunne, butt manye doeth fale yn capacity, and manye more doth want industrye, that ys peruecessarye for the gayn ynge all kunnynge.
Ques. Are Maconnes gadder men than odhers ? Ans. Some Maconnes are not so virtuous as some odher menne; but, yn the most parte, they be more gude then they would be yf thay war not Maconnes.
Ques. Dothe Maconnes love eidher odher myghtlye as beeth sayde ? Ans. Yea verylyche, and yt may not odherwise be: for gude menne and true, kennynge eidher odher to be soche, doeth always love the more as they be more gude.