What is the Regius poem?

The Regius Poem, also known as the Regius or Halliwell Manuscript, is the oldest known version of the Old Charges or Constitutions of Freemasonry, dated to approximately 1390–1400 A.D. 12. Written in rhymed Middle English verse 1, its Masonic character was overlooked for centuries because early library catalogues misdescribed it as a poem on moral duties or levities, until J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps brought its contents to light in the late 1830s 12.

The manuscript sets out a traditional history tracing the origin of Masonry to Euclid in Egypt and its subsequent establishment in England under King Athelstan 2. It outlines fifteen articles and fifteen points governing the craft, incorporates the legend of the Four Crowned Martyrs, and details the seven liberal arts and sciences 2.

A closing appendix provides instruction on etiquette and table manners, drawn in part from contemporary manuals such as Mirk's Instructions for Parish Priests and Urbanitatis 12. This section was intended to polish the speech and conduct of young apprentices—many of whom came from peasant backgrounds—so they could behave properly when working alongside nobility, clerics, and distinguished craftsmen 12. Textual allusions indicate that the text was likely compiled by a priest 12.

Scholars have drawn different conclusions regarding what the poem reveals about the origins of the Craft. Albert Pike and R. F. Gould suggested that its emphasis on fellowship and moral instruction indicates that symbolic or speculative Masonry existed independently as early as the fourteenth century 2. Newton considers this interpretation far-fetched, holding that the manuscript belongs strictly to the operative craft and simply reflects the genuine spirit of comradeship that has characterized Masons in every era 2.