[ANDERSON (James)]. The Constitutions of the Free Masons, Co - Lot 31

[ANDERSON (James)]. The Constitutions of the Free Masons, Containing the History, Charges , regulations, &c. of that Most Ancient and Right Worshipful Fraternity. For the Use of the Lodges. Dublin : printed by J. Watts, for J. Pennell, in the year of Masonry 5730. Anno Domini 1730. Small in-8, speckled brown basane, ribbed spine, fine geometrical frieze framing the boards, vestiges of red color on the edges (period binding). (12)-96 pp; corners foxed. FIRST IRISH EDITION OF THE CONSTITUTIONS OF JAMES ANDERSON, procured by John Pennell, future Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. On reading it, variants with James Anderson's text appear, notably on the question of Masons' relationship to religion: the passage calling for explicit respect of freedom of conscience, in particular, has disappeared, making this Irish version more in keeping with the idea of a single religion, Catholicism being the majority on the island. Out-of-text copper-engraved folding frontispiece by Philip Simms, reproducing the frontispiece of the original 1723 edition. EXTREMELY RARE. Provenance: Richard Dod (handwritten bookplate dated 1730, verso title leaf).