The different editions of the same work form each a separate study and tell a different Cipher Story. The two editions of De Augmentis form an illustration. The first, or “London” edition, was issued, according to Spedding, in October, 1623. The next, or “Paris” edition, was issued in 1624. They differ in the Italic printing, and some errors in the second do not occur in the first. The 1624 edition has been deciphered; and the hidden story appears in the “Bi-literal Cypher” (page 310). The 1623 edition has not, as yet, been deciphered. It seems to be a rare edition. I found a copy in the British Museum, one in the Bodleian library at Oxford, two in Cambridge, and one in the choice collection of old books in the library of Sir Edwin Durning Lawrence.
In the course of my work, Marlowe’s Edward Second had been deciphered before De Augmentis was taken up. At the end of Edward Second occurs this “veiled” statement, referring to De Augmentis (page 152 Bi-literal Cypher). “... the story it contains (our twelft king’s nativity since our sovereign, whose tragedy we relate in this way) shall now know the day....” Had Francis succeeded to the throne, he would have been the twelfth king (omitting the queens) after Edward Second, hence the inference that De Augmentis would contain much of his personal history. My disappointment was great when instead of this the hidden matter was found to be the Argument of the Odyssey, something not anticipated, or wanted, and would never have been the result of my own choice or imagination. At the close of the deciphered work in Burton’s Anatomy, in which the Argument of the Iliad was most unexpectedly found—another great disappointment—is this “veiled” statement: (page 309) “... while a Latin work—De Augmentis—will give aid upon the other (meaning the Odyssey). As in this work (meaning the Iliad) favorite parts are enlarged (in blank verse) yet as it lendeth ayde ...,” etc.,—i. e., sets a pattern for the writing out of the Odyssey in the Word Cipher. This explained the 1624 edition, and the inference is that the 1623 edition will disclose the personal history referred to on page 152.
In the 1624 edition there are some errors in the illustration of the cipher methods and in the Cicero Epistle which do not occur in the 1623 edition. The Latin words midway on page 282, “qui pauci sunt” in the 1623 edition, are “qui parati sunt” in the 1624, page 309,—an error referred to on page 10 of the Introduction of the “Bi-literal Cypher” as wrong termination, there being too many letters for the group, and one letter must be omitted. Other variations show errors in making up the forms on pages 307 and 308 in the 1624 edition, whether purposely for confusion or otherwise, it is impossible to tell. The line on page 307,
“Exemplum Alphabeti Biformis,”
should be placed above the Bi-formed Alphabet on page 308, while
“Exemplum Accommodationis”
should be placed above the example of the adaptation just preceding. The repetition of twelve letters of the bi-formed alphabet could hardly be called a printer’s error, as they are of another form, unlike those on the preceding page, and may be taken as an example of the statement that “any two forms will do.” In these illustrations the letters seem to be drawn with a pen and are a mixture of script and peculiar forms, and unlike any in the regular fonts of type used in the printed matter. No part of the Cipher Story is embodied in the script or pen letters on these pages. Whether or not the changing of the lines was done purposely, the grouping of the Italic letters from the regular fonts is consecutive as the printed lines stand, the wrong make-up causing no break in the connected narration. There are many “veiled” statements throughout the “Bi-literal Cypher,” such as are noted in Edward Second and in Burton. To the decipherer they have a meaning, indicating what to look for and where to find that which is necessary for correct and completed work, as well as to guard against errors and incorrect translation.
My researches among the old books in the British Museum the past season have borne rich fruit, for there were found the earlier cipher writings. Shepheard’s Calendar, which appeared anonymously in 1579, contains the first, and discloses the signification of the mysterious initials “E. K.” and the identity of this person with the author of the work. The Cipher narrative begins thus: “E. K. will be found to be nothing less than the letters signifying the future Sovereign, or England’s King.... In event of death of Her Ma., who bore in honorable wedlock, Robert, now known as sonne to Walter Devereaux, as well as him who now speaketh to the unknown aidant decypherer ... we, the eldest borne should by Divine right of a law of God, and made binding on man, inherit scepter and throne.... We devised two Cyphers, now used for the first time, for this said history, as safe, clear and undecipherable, whilst containing the keys in each which open the most important.... Till a decypherer find a prepared or readily discovered alphabet, it seemeth to us almost impossible, save by Divine gift and heavenly instinct, that he should be able to read what is thus revealed.”
Following Shepheard’s Calender, the works between 1579 and 1590, so far deciphered (but as yet unpublished) are:
Arraignement of Paris, 1584.