1439, Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Preserved in the Public Record Office, Henry VI, volume 3, A.D. 1436–1441, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1907, page 325:
Nov. 7. Westminster. John Marys of Stokecursy, co. Somerset, ‘fremason,’ for not appearing before John Juyn and his fellows, late justices of the Bench, to answer Robert Mede, touching a plea of debt of 40s.
(Cites 18 Henry VI, part 1, membrane 30. This was the earliest occurrence found in an attempted search of the published calendars for this term.)
1455, Calendar of the Close Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office, Henry VI, volume 6, A.D. 1454–1461, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1955, page 58:
John Teynton otherwise Robyns of Fayreford co. Gloucester ‘fremason,’ cousin and heir of John Teynton otherwise Robyns clerk namely son of Thomas his brother, to Joan Gedeney widow, late the wife of John Gedeney citizen and alderman of London, her heirs and assigns. Charter of demise and feoffment of the reversion of the manors of Penbrokys and Bruses co. Middlesex. […] Dated 8 April, 32 Henry VI.
(Cites 33 Henry VI, membrane 16d.)
1456, Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Preserved in the Public Record Office, Henry VI, volume 6, A.D. 1452–1461, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1910, page 288:
April 29. Westminster. Protection with clause volumus for one year for Thomas Basset late of London, ‘mason’ alias ‘fremason,’ citizen of London, staying in the company of the king's esquire, John Nanfan, warden and governor-general of the isles of Jernesey and Guernesey, on the safe-keeping and victualling thereof.
(Cites 34 Henry VI, membrane 12.)
1500, Calendar of the Close Rolls, Preserved in the Public Record Office, Henry VII, A.D. 1485–1500, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1955, page 369:
John Warner ‘fremason,’ to Sir Robert Sheffeld recorder, and Stephen Jenyns, alderman of London, their executors and assigns. Gift of all his goods and chattels, merchandise and wares in the city of London and elsewhere within the realm: and he has put them in possession thereof by delivery of 4d. Dated 5 April, 15 Henry VII.
(Cites 15 Henry VII, membrane 29d, no. 1233.)
1547, John Roche Dasent, editor, Acts of the Privy Council of England, New Series, volume 2, A.D. 1547–1550, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1890, page 494:
xvo Maij. Letters to my Lord Sturton, signifieng the Lordes here had receyved his letters of the xijth of this instant, and for aunswer, consydering the good report his Lordship made of John Collyns, freemason, honest wourkyng and industrye about the fortificacions there, that they wold be myndfull of hym, and herafter shuld further consyder his Lordship's sute in his behaulf;[…]
(Cites [Register of letters,] Additional MS., 5476, British Museum, f. 700.)
1559, Calendar of the Patent Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office, Elizabeth, volume 1, 1558–1560, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1939, page 236:
Thomas Watson, citizen and ‘free mason’ of London.
(Cites Pardon Roll [Supplementary Patent Roll 68], 1 Elizabeth, part 2.)
1567, Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Preserved in the Public Record Office, Elizabeth I, volume 4, 1566–1569, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1964, page 257:
20 Nov. 1567. […] abbutting towards the East on Busshops Gate Strete, a tenement late in the tenure of Folkes Lingham and now in that of William Kirrin, ‘fremason’,[…]
(Cites 10 Elizabeth I, part 8, C. 66/1048.)
1571, Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Preserved in the Public Record Office, Elizabeth I, volume 5, 1569–1572, London: H. M. Stationery Office, published 1966, page 320:
20 Aug. 1571. The like for William Axe, citizen and ‘plomer’ of London, to alienate a messuage, in the tenure of Richard Jackman, ‘upholder’, deceased, and now in that of [—] Carewe, widow, and a messuage, in the tenure of William Tisedale, ‘smyth’, in the Parish of St. Stephen, Colmanstrete, London, ([…]) to Philip Paskyns, citizen and ‘freemason’ of London.
(Cites 13 Elizabeth I, part 11, C. 66/1081, no. 2374.)
1640, Ben Jonson, “Loves Wel-come; the King and Qveenes Entertainment at Bolsover: at The Earle of Newcastles, The thirtieth of Iuly, 1634”, in Epigrams, the Forest, Underwoods, New York: Facsimile Text Society, published 1936, page 283:
O Chesil! our curious Carver! and Master Maul, our Free-Mason; Squire Summer, our Carpenter, and Twybil his Man; stand you foure, there, i' the second ranke, worke upon that ground.
[1660, James Howell, Lexicon Tetraglotton, an English-French-Italian-Spanish Dictionary: Whereunto is Adjoined a large Nomenclature of the proper Terms[…], London: Samuel Thomson, section LI, page not numbered:
A sculpter, carver of stone, free mason, or marbler; Scultore, intagliatore; Sculpteur; Sinzelador, oficial de sinzel, escultor.]
