De Augmentis Scientiarum

(Translation, Gilbert Wats, 1640.)

Wherefore let us come to Cyphars. Their kinds are many, as Cyphars simple; Cyphars intermixt with Nulloes, or non-significant Characters; Cyphars of double Letters under one Character; Wheele-Cyphars; Kay-Cyphars; Cyphars of Words; Others. But the virtues of them whereby they are to be preferr’d are Three; That they be ready, and not laborious to write; That they be sure, and lie not open to Deciphering; And lastly, if it be possible, that they be managed without suspition.

But that jealousies may be taken away, we will annexe an other invention, which, in truth, we devised in our youth, when we were at Paris: and is a thing that yet seemeth to us not worthy to be lost. It containeth the highest degree of Cypher, which is to signifie omnia per omnia, yet so as the writing infolding, may beare a quintuple proportion to the writing infolded; no other condition or restriction whatsoever is required. It shall be performed thus: First let all the Letters of the Alphabet, by transposition, be resolved into two Letters onely; for the transposition of two Letters by five placings will be sufficient for 32. Differences, much more for 24, which is the number of the Alphabet. The example of such an Alphabet is on this wise.

An Example of a Bi-literarie Alphabet.

A	B	C	D	E	F
Aaaaa	aaaab	aaaba.	aaabb.	aabaa.	aabab.
G	H	I	K	L	M
aabba	aabbb	abaaa.	abaab.	ababa.	ababb.
N	O	P	Q	R	S
abbaa.	abbab.	abbba.	abbbb.	baaaa.	baaab.
T	V	W	X	Y	Z
baaba.	baabb.	babaa.	babab.	babba.	babbb.

Neither is it a small matter these Cypher-Characters have, and may performe: For by this Art a way is opened, whereby a man may expresse and signifie the intentions of his minde, at any distance of place, by objects which may be presented to the eye, and accommodated to the eare: provided those objects be capable of a twofold difference onely; as by Bells, by Trumpets, by Lights and Torches, by the report of Muskets, and any instruments of like nature. But to pursue our enterprise, when you addresse your selfe to write, resolve your inward-infolded Letter into this Bi-literarie Alphabet. Say the interiour Letter be

Fuge.

Example of Solution.

F	V	G	E
aabab.	baabb.	aabba.	aabaa.

Together with this, you must have ready at hand a Bi-formed Alphabet, which may represent all the Letters of the Common Alphabet, as well Capitall Letters as the Smaller Characters in a double forme, as may fit every mans occasion.

An Example of a Bi-formed Alphabet.

{	abab	abab	abab	abab	abab	abab
{	AAaa	BBbb	CCcc	DDdd	EEee	FFff
{	abab	abab	abab	abab	abab	abab
{	GGgg	HHhh	JIii	KKkk	LLll	MMmm
{	abab	abab	abab	abab	abab	abab
{	NNnn	OOoo	PPpp	QQqq	RRrr	SSss
{	abab	ababab	abab	abab	abab	abab
{	TTtt	VVvvuu	WWww	XXxx	YYyy	ZZzz

Now to the interiour letter, which is Biliterate, you shall fit a biformed exteriour letter, which shall answer the other, letter for letter, and afterwards set it downe. Let the exteriour example be,

Manere te volo, donec venero.

An Example of Accommodation.

We have annext likewise a more ample example of the cypher of writing omnia per omnia: An interiour letter, which to expresse, we have made choice of a Spartan letter sent once in a Scytale or round cypher’d staffe.

Spartan Dispatch.

All is lost. Mindarus is killed. The soldiers want food. We can neither get hence nor stay longer here.

An exteriour letter, taken out of the first Epistle of Cicero, wherein a Spartan Letter is involved.

Cicero’s First Epistle.

(Note)—This Translation from Spedding, Ellis & Heath Ed.

(REPRODUCTION)

In all	duty o	r rath	er pie	ty tow	ards
aa aaa	abab a	a baba	ab aaa	ba aab	abab
A	L	L	I	S	L
y	ou, I sa	tisfy	every	body e	xcept	mysel	f.
a	ab b ab	baaab	baaba	abab b	abaaa	abbaa	a
	O	S	T	M	I	N
Myse	lf I ne	ver sa	tisfy.	For so	great	are
aabb	aa a aa	baa aa	baabb	baa ab	abaaa	baa
D	A	R	U	S	I	S
th	e serv	ices w	hich y	ou hav	e rend	ered m	e,
ab	a baab	abaa a	abab a	ab aba	a abaa	aaab b	b
	K	I	L	L	E	D
that,	seein	g you d	id not	rest i	n your	en-
aaba	aabbb	a aba a	ba aab	abba b	a baba	aa
T	H	E	S	O	L
dea	vours	on my b	ehalf	till t	he thi	ng was
abb	abaaa	aa ba a	baaaa	baaab	ba baa	aa aaa
D	I	E	R	S	W	A
done, I	feel a	s if li	fe had	lost a	ll its	sweet-
abba a	baab a	a ab ab	ab bab	abba b	aa abb	babaa
N	T	F	O	O	D	W
ness, b	ecaus	e I can	not do	as muc	h in th	is
aaba a	aaaba	a a aaa	abb aa	ab baa	a ab aa	ab
E	C	A	N	N	E
cau	se of y	ours. T	he occ	asion	s are t	hese:
aaa	ba ab a	aabb b	aa baa	baaaa	a abb a	aaba
I	T	H	E	R	G	E
A	mmoni	us, the	king’s	ambas	sador,	open-
a	baaba	aa bbb	aaba a	abbaa	aaaba	aaba
	T	H	E	N	C	E
l	y besi	eges u	s with	money.	The bu	sines	s
a	a bbaa	abba b	b aaaa	baaab	baa ba	aaaaa	b
	N	O	R	S	T	A
is ca	rried	on thr	ough t	he sam	e cred	itors
ab ba	ababa	ab bab	abba a	aa bba	a abaa	baaaa
Y	L	O	N	G	E	R
who we	re emp	loyed	in it w	hen yo	u were
aab bb	aa baa	baaaa	aa ba a	aaa aa	a aaaa
H	E	R	E
here &c.

(REPRODUCTION.)

Epistle.

In all duty or rather piety towards you, I satisfy every body except myself. Myself I never satisfy. For so great are the services which you have rendered me, that, seeing you did not rest in your endeavours on my behalf till the thing was done, I feel as if life had lost all its sweetness, because I cannot do as much in this cause of yours. The occasions are these: Ammonius, the king’s ambassador, openly besieges us with money. The business is carried on through the same creditors who were employed in it when you were here &c.

Cipher infolded.

All is lost. Mindarus is killed. The soldiers want food. We can neither get hence nor stay longer here.

The knowledge of Cyphering, hath drawne on with it a knowledge relative unto it, which is the knowledge of Discyphering, or of Discreting Cyphers, though a man were utterly ignorant of the Alphabet of the Cypher, and the Capitulations of secrecy past between the Parties. Certainly it is an Art which requires great paines and a good witt and is [as the other was] consecrate to the Counsels of Princes: yet notwithstanding by diligent prevision it may be made unprofitable, though, as things are, it be of great use. For if good and faithfull Cyphers were invented & practised, many of them would delude and forestall all the Cunning of the Decypherer, which yet are very apt and easie to be read or written: but the rawnesse and unskilfulnesse of Secretaries, and Clarks in the Courts of Princes, is such, that many times the greatest matters are committed to futile and weake Cyphers.