Isaiah Thomas

The Constitutions Of The Ancient And Honourable Fraternity Of Free and Accepted Masons [WITH PROVENANCE]

Massachusetts: By Brother Isaiah Thomas, Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts, 1792, 1792. Second Edition. Bound in full calf.Quarto] [9.5x7.5 inches]
(1), Frontis., XVI, [1], 18-288pp. (2)
[English] Condition: Good, with heavy foxing, ink stains, and a poor spine repair. Thomas, Isaiah

The Constitutions Of The Ancient And Honourable Fraternity Of Free and Accepted Masons : Containing Their History, Charges, Addresses, &c. Collected And Digested From Their Old Records, faithful Traditions, and Lodge Books : For the Use of Masons : To Which Are Added, The History of Masonry in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, And The Constitution, Laws, and Regulations Of Their Grand Lodge : Together With A Large Collection of Songs, Epilogues, &c. [1792]

Publisher: By Brother Isaiah Thomas, Printed at Worcester, Massachusetts, 1792

[Quarto] [9.5x7.5 inches]
(1), Frontis., XVI, [1], 18-288pp. (2)
[English] Condition: Good, with heavy foxing, ink stains, and a poor spine repair.

This second edition work is regarded as a highly important piece of Freemasonry literature. This work was prepared by a committee of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts under the supervision of Thaddeus Mason Harris, and it is attributed to James Anderson by Evans. The book is dedicated to George Washington, with an engraving on the frontispiece created by Joseph Seymour.

The contents are divided into four parts.
Part I. Sketches of the ancient history of the ancient history of Masonry.
Part II. Sketches of the modern history of Free Masons.
Part III. Charges, addresses, prayers, &c.
Part IV. Oratorio, odes, anthems, prologues, and songs.



Bound in full tree calf, with five gilt bands, a gilt title over a red paste-down(spine), a full-page engraving (frontispiece), an engraved seal to the sanction page, and two small engravings to the last couple pages. [PROVENANCE] On the endpaper and inside the front boards, there are extensive annotations by a previous owner, Frederick Lewis Weis, a Master Mason, and esteemed genealogist. Weis is highly regarded among American historians for his significant contributions to genealogical research. One of his most famous works, "Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists Who Came to New England Between 1623 and 1650", remains a key reference today. These notes provide a detailed genealogical record of the men in his family, who were Freemasons, including their initiation dates and lodge locations. It is truly remarkable to see his handwritten work preserved in such an important volume

It is in Good condition, with heavy shelf wear/staining, a poor repair to the spine which includes strips of tape on the top and bottom, and the corners and edges are rubbed. Inside, the first blank page is barely attached, there is considerable foxing, with the worst being the frontispiece/title page, p.169-185, 237-242, and 249-259. There is a considerable ink stain to the top pages, with the first few pages being affected the worse (does not affect text), and on p. 273-276. There is also a handwritten song on the bottom margin of p.279. The book while being a bit worn is still in stable condition! Good. Item #73

Price: $1,650.00