Francken Manuscript, 1783

Item

Identifier: A1992-040-001

Dates

Creation: 1783

Creator

Francken, Henry Andrew, 1720-1795 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is restricted. See the Ritual Access policy for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials in this collection may be governed by copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Please contact the Archivist regarding permission to publish material.

Biographical / Historical

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Henry Andrew Francken was born in either Holland or a Dutch Colony before moving to Jamaica in 1757 where he became a naturalized British subject. Somewhere around this time, Fracken met Stephen Morin who communicated the fourth through fourteenth degrees to him. By 1762, Francken was employed in government, holding positions as marshal and sergeant of the court of vice admiralty. In the succeeding years, Francken became deeply involved in Freemasonry, making trips as far as New York on Masonic business. In 1771, he transcribed the first dated copy of his manuscript. There are five known copies including this 1783 copy.

Francken’s rituals are the earliest surviving English-language versions of Scottish Rite rituals, detailing the 4th through 25th degrees as they were written in the 18th century. Although the manuscript predates the founding of the Scottish Rite by nearly twenty years, rituals from the Masonic order disseminated by Francken were brought into the Scottish Rite degree system.

Full Extent

1 item/s ; overall: 3 1/2 in x 20 1/2 in x 15 1/2 in

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of the Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, U.S.A.

Related Materials

Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction decided to publish a sanctioned edition, complete with a photographic reproduction of the manuscript and a transcription of this Masonic masterpiece. The complete work also has clarifying footnotes and three introductory essays provided by Alan Foulds, Jeffrey Croteau, Director of the Library & Archives, and Aimee E. Newell, former Director of Collections for the Museum & Library. The 1783 Francken Manuscript ; with essays by Jeffrey Croteau, Alan E. Foulds, Aimee E. Newell can be found in the Van Gorden-Williams Library collection.