More with a video. http://baytvliverpool.com/vod/index.php?vid=DBV51eabf89ec27dThere is great speculation of the origins of Freemasonry. However Andrew Prescott, a trained historian and Mason, thoroughly researched the history using only books.
The first known use of the word "Freemason" occurred as a man's name, Nicholas le Freemason. He himself was a mason. In 1325 he was accused of helping prisoners escape from Newgate jail in London.