Here begin the constitutions of the art of Geometry according to Euclid.

Whoever will both well read and look

He may find written in old book

Of great lords and also ladies,

That had many children together, y-wisse [certainly];

And had no income to keep them with,

Neither in town nor field nor frith [enclosed wood];

A council together they could them take,

To ordain for these children’s sake,

How they might best lead their life

Without great disease, care, and strife;

And most for the multitude that was coming

Of their children after their ending

They send them after great clerks,

To teach them then good works;

And pray we them, for our Lord’s sake.

To our children some work to make,

That they might get their living thereby,

Both well and honestly full securely.

In that time, through good geometry,

This honest craft of good masonry

Was ordained and made in this manner,

Counterfeited of these clerks together;

At these lord’s prayers they counterfeited geometry,

And gave it the name of masonry,

For the most honest craft of all.

These lords' children thereto did fall,

To learn of him the craft of geometry,

The which he made full curiously;