The reader will here observe that every word of the above sentence is the 356th word from certain well-defined starting-points; just as every word of the last sentence was also derived, in the same way, from 356. He will also observe that 356 -248-108, and, as 108 produced so many of the words touching the blowing of the flame of rebellion into open war, so here 356-193-163 and 356—193—163— And 15 b&h=148 produce the significant words being, poison, mind, religion, etc. what is the difference between these numbers 108 and 163? Simply this,- that 108 is 356 less the second column of page 74; and 163 is 356 less the next subdivision of the text the first subdivision of column 1 of page 75; so that the ends of these two fragments, which produce these two coherent parts of the same statement, as to the purposes of the Plays, touch each other. And it will be remembered, as I have shown heretofore, that Measure for Meas ure contained many irreligious utterances; and that the character of Sir John Oldcastle was regarded, by the court, as a reflection on Protestantism, and the author of the play was compelled to change the name of the character to Sir John Falstaff. But the significant utterances growing out of the same root-number (356), and the same parts of the same columns, do not end here. The purposes of the Plays are still further discussed by Cecil, and he makes an assertion as to the intents of the conspirators which is amply confirmed by the subsequent insurrection which cost Essex his head. 356-50-306-146-160-3 b (146)-157. 448-157 The text will show the reader that the word rising was the usual expression in that day for insurrection. But Cecil thinks the writer of the Plays intends not only to make rebels, but infidels, of those who witness the representation of them on the stage; and we have this significant utterance: 356-30-326-193-133-15 b&h=118. 508-118 Observe here how the root-numbers bring out the words: 356 carried forward through the second subdivision of 76:2 (146) and brought back and carried up the column 76:1 yields their, and, counting in the one hyphenated word, souls; while the same 356 carried through the first subdivision of 75:2 (193) and taken up the same column 76:1 produces their, and, counting in that same one hyphenated word, produces bodies. And then we have this further sentence, showing that Essex was supposed to be represented on the stage in the popular character of Harry Monmouth, Prince of Wales, in the Plays of 1st and 2d Henry IV. 516-167-349-22 b & h=327-30-297-145 516-167-349-22 b & h=327-248-79-22-57-7 b= 50 516-167-349-22 b & h-327-284-43. 248-43 -205+1-206. 206 74:2 my 516-167-349-22 b & h=327-284-43-7 h (284)-36. 36 516-167-349—22 b & h=327-284-43. 43 216 (219)-87. 284-87-197+1=198+6 h— 204 516-167-349—22 b & h=327-50-277-145 (76:2) 74:1 Monmouth, 516-167-349--22 b & h=327-198-134—15 b & h= 146 It will be observed here that every word grows out of the same root-number, 327 (516—167=349—22 b & h=327). Here is certainly a most astonishing array of words to occur accidentally. The reader may say to himself, that such curious words as are found in these three pages of this play occur in all writings; but this is not the fact. For the purpose of testing the question I turned to Lord Byron's great drama, Manfred. It is the work of a lofty genius, as the Plays are; it contains much exquisite poetry, as do the Plays; it is made up altogether of conversations between the characters, as are the Plays. Yet I failed to find in it all a single shake — spur—jade tain-play-stage-scene- act-contention, or any other of the significant words out of which such a narrative as the above could be constructed. -cur IN CHAPTER VIII. THE QUEEN BEATS HAYWARD. Thou vinew'dst leaven, speak! I will beat thee into handsomeness. Troilus and Cressida, ii, 1. N the following examples I think the critical reader will see conclusive evidence of the existence of a Cipher. The root-numbers go out from the beginning and end of that middle subdivision of 74:2 which we have already seen producing the story of Marlowe and of Shakspere's youth: that is to say, if we go down from the top of that subdivision we have 198 words to the bottom of the column; if we go up from the bottom of that subdivision, or, strictly speaking, from the top of the third subdivision, we have 219 words; and all this story which follows grows out of 523 and 505 modified by deducting 198 or 219, and moving forward to the next column, and backward or forward from the end of the scene. And when we come to observe how every word that goes out of these roots is utilized in the Cipher story, and also to note how the same numbers produce so many significant words, it seems to me that all incredulity must disappear. Take, for instance, the rootnumber 505-219=286—193=93; the number 93 gives us (75:2 down) sullen; (76:1 up) rising; (75:1 down) starting; (75:2 up) joints; (75:1 up) blow; (75:1 down) plus the bracket words, jade; (75:1 up from 193) plus the b & h words, Ha, the first part of the name of Hayward; (75:1 down from 193) Curtain, the name of the play-house; plus the bracket words, woe be-gone, describing Hayward's appearance. In the same way the root-number 505-198=307 produces (up 75:2) crutch and (up 75:1) end; while 286-50-236 from the end of the scene forward and backward yield us steeled; and down 75:2 it produces friend, alluding to Hayward. In fact, if the reader will carefully study the examples that follow he must conclude that not only is there a Cipher here, but that the rule is as stated, with the exception perhaps of the position of some of the minor words, which may be displaced. In fact, the words that flow out of these root-numbers tell the story I have given, and could scarcely be made to tell anything else. Hayward has evidently been imprisoned for some time when brought before the Queen; he attempts to defend his dedication of the Life of Henry IV. to Essex by praising the latter. This infuriates the Queen, and the scene follows which is described: |