Old text

This old scoll is coming up for sale in San Fransisco and is titled The Old Charges of British Freemasons. The catalgue description reads: "Scroll printed on vellum, with illuminations in red; coat of arms with the motto "Dieu et Mon Droit" at the top. 210x16.5 cm. (82¾x6½"), on four strips of vellum joined together.Very Rare, apparently unrecorded printing on a vellum scroll of one of the "Old Rolls" or "Old Charges" of Masonic Gothic constitutions -- the "Haddon MS." of 1723 -- articulating the historical background and principles of Freemasonry. OCLC lists one copy (in the British Library) of an 1895 work (printed London: G. Kenning) entitled "The Old Charges of British Freemasons. Including a reproduction of the 'Haddon Manuscript,'..." by William James Hughan, but this separate printing of the Haddon MS in scroll format is nowhere to be found. The colophon at the bottom of the scroll reads: "This Copy of the 'Haddon' MS. in the possession of Mr. James S. Haddon, of Wellington, from a photograph of the original which is written on vellum and measures 5 ft. 3in. by 13¼in. has been faithfully printed by M.C. Peck, Hull, this 30th August, 1894." A rare, possibly unique printing of a key Masonic text. "