Scottish Masonry: Apprentice, Fellowcraft, Master, Sublime Master, and Woodcutter

...do everything; show him how one stacks wood. The C. of the Oak rises, salutes the F. M., and says: Good life, F. M.! Then he turns toward the briquet and says to him: I thank you for the honor you have done me in choosing me for your sponsor. Then he performs 3 jumps to the side while advancing up to him and says to him: This is how I stack my wood, then presents him with a tool, makes him strike 3 blows on an axe with his arm. Having made him work, he brings him in front of the F. M. He kneels down, the right hand on the bread and the left on the wine of hospitality, and pronounces his obligation: I bind myself on the bread and the wine of hospitality never to reveal the good woodcutter companions, not even to my father nor to my mother, on pain of being deprived of the bread and the wine of hospitality. I consent, if I fail in my word of honor, to be hacked by the 3 axes of the good Cousins and good Woodcutter companions or to be devoured by the wild beasts of the forest. After the obligation is finished, the F. M. raises him up and tells the C. of the Oak and of the Elm to make him beat the Diane. They lead him to a seat of honor, give him 2 pieces of wood, and make him beat the Diane, making the noise of smiths. Q. Do you vouch for him? C. of the Elm A. Yes, F. M. Seat him on the seat of honor of the good C. and give him the bread and the wine of hospitality with the passage fee, which is 5 sols. One seats the Cousin on the seat of honor; the C. of the Oak and the C. of the Elm present him with the wine and the bread of hospitality, saying: Take, drink, eat; we give you what we have, but it is from a good heart, despite our being poor. Hold, here are five sols to guide you. He eats a piece, drinks a gulp, and one places him in the worksite with an axe on his shoulder. When all the applicants are received, the F. M. gives them the sign, which is to put the right hand down, fingers closed, as if one were placing a wedge into an axe, then take the right hand with the middle finger extended, strike 2 blows on the artery, then the left hand on the shoulders, striking with the middle finger on the shoulder blade. One says in his ear: Good life and good woodcutter companion. Then the new receipt goes to render these signs to all the worksites by embracing the Cousins. The password is to say: To the advantage!

Catechism.

Q. Where do you come from? A. From the King's forest. Q. What have you come here to do? A. To wish you good life, F. M., and to all the good C. and good woodcutter companions, and to the advantage. Q. By where did you enter the Worksite? A. By the foot of the elm. Q. What have you received in the worksite? A. The bread and the wine of hospitality and the passage fee. Q. Do you know your Father? A. He points to the sky and the earth. Q. Your mother? A. The earth. Q. Your sponsor? A. One turns the face toward the right shoulder. Q. Your godmother? A. Toward the left shoulder. Q. The wedge of the good cousin? A. One makes with the right hand the 5 fingers down as if one were putting a wedge into a piece of wood. Q. The master key? original: "le passe partout" A. As if one were writing. Q. The tool? original: "la coignée" A. One acts as if one were splitting wood with the hands with a tool. Q. The axe? A. One acts as if one were planting a ladder. Q. The tallest tree? A. One puts the hand on the head. Q. The thickest tree? A. One shows the ten fingers of the hand. Q. The crossed tree? A. One shows two joined hands. Q. The split tree? A. One shows two fingers. Q. The knotted tree? A. One shows the knees. Q. The crooked tree? A. One shows the right leg bent. Q. The trunk of the tree? A. One shows the body. Q. The roots of the tree? A. One shows the feet. Q. The leaves of the tree? A. One shows the clothing.

Closing of the worksite.

Q. What is the weather like? A. Night is coming, F. M.; the day is finished; the sun is set. Q. What does that mean? A. That it is time for us to withdraw to take rest, in order to put ourselves in a state to return tomorrow to work. The F. M. says: Since the sun is set, that the day is finished, and that night is coming, let each one withdraw in peace to his cabin, and he then gives the touch to his neighbor. Q. What does this touch mean? A. That we will all have ourselves hacked for one another. The touch is passed as at the opening, after which the F. M. says: Good cousins, companions, and woodcutters, the worksite is closed, which is repeated. All the woodcutters strike the wood and then take all their tools and give a blow on their logs and leave them, saying: Good life, F. M., good C. Woodcutter companions, our Worksite is closed; so mote it be.

Table Lodge.

One serves cabbage soup with salt meat; everyone has an earthenware plate with a wooden spoon; one eats to one's fancy; one drinks in the five stoneware beakers that one calls fac beakers/vessels, and the wine is red coupeau slang for a type of wine or drink and the water is white coupeau.

The Order.

Fill your facs with red coupeau, carry the right hand to the fac, raise the fac, empty the fac, serve the fac, and one cries: Good life! two times. The toasts: the 1st toast of the King, the 2nd of the Grand Master of Waters and Forests, the 3rd that of the F. M., the 4th of the C. of the Oak and of the Elm, the 5th that of the new Cousins and good Woodcutter companions; one always announces it by a blow of the axe on the table (it is a piece of wood); one sings some songs that one has made for this ceremony; instead of drinking, one says: Let us drink, Cousins.