Halliwell Manuscript

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The Halliwell Manuscript, also known as the Regius Poem, is the first known Masonic text. It consists of 64 written pages in poetic form.

The general consensus on the age of the document dates its writing to around 1390. The manuscript was recorded in various personal inventories as it changed hands until it came into possession of the Royal Library. The manuscript was donated to the Library of the British Museum in 1757 by King George II.

During this time, the document was generally described as a poem of moral duties. The significance of the document as relating to Freemasonry was not realized until it was featured in an article on Freemasonry by James Halliwell in 1840.

The text of the document states that Freemasonry was brought to England during the reign of King Athelstan from 924 to 939.

The manuscript is presently held by the British Library in the Royal Manuscript Collection, catalogue reference 17 A. I.