Ease Whether Speech or that dumb kind of Eloquence by Signs be first Ordine Naturae is under Debate and let it remain so But without Controversie for a methodical comprehending the whole Rules of Discovery 't is most proper to begin with Cryptography being the Resolution of the rest of the Chapters in a manner depend upon this Cryptomenysis Patefacta OR THE Art of Secret Information disclosed without a Key CHAP. I. Of Secret Writing and the Resolution thereof IN Secret Writing there are reckoned these Requisites Requisites in Cryptography c. 1. That it be void of Suspicion if possible 2. That it be difficult to be unfolded if doubted 3. That it be fitted for Dispatch i.e. easie to be writ and Decyphered by the Key From whence I shall here only observe Note That every thing is to be Examined that comes from a suspected Hand The particular ways of Tryal will appear as we proceed This Art is by some Authors call'd Crytographia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hide or keep secret Etymolog of Cryptog c. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to write carve or grave By others Steganographia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to conceal and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trithemius entitles the six Books he himself published upon this Subject Libri Polygraphiae from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the numerous or rather innumerable Differences it is capable of And yet all will fall under the following Sections which I have digested after this Method 1. I shall examine that way of Secret Writing by Altering the Powers of the Letters as also by invented Notes and Characters 2. By changing the Places of the Letters where the Powers are the same 3. By using more Letters or Characters than are requisite to frame Words 4. I shall enquire into that Secresie which arises by writing with fewer Letters than the words require 5. I shall consider the Secresie in Writing that proceeds from a Deceit in the Paper or some other Material instead thereof And 6. That Fallacy where the Secret Intentions are concealed by a Deceit arising from the Ink or some other Liquor used for it SECT 1. Of Secret Writing by changing the Powers of Letters c. ¶ 1. Contains several Ancient and Modern Inventions of this kind THis way of Secret Writing by changing the Powers of Letters of purpose to confound the true Intent of a written Message was very early in the World Sec. and Swift Mes p. 69 70. and the Author of the Secret and Swift Messenger tells us much of the ancient Jewish Learning is wrapt up in it Suetonius relates See also Aul. Gell. noct Atti◠l. 17. c. 9. That Julius Caesar writ his Epistles of Moment per quartam elementorum literam as that Author hath it in this Order D e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t u w x y z a b c. A b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t u w x y z. D being put for A and E for B c. E g. Xlh Hqhpb mw mq kvhdx gmwrvghv idoo ysrq xlhp zmxl doo hashgmxmrq The Enemy is in great Disorder fall upon them with all Expedition Augustus Caesar in communicating his secret Intentions secundum elementum proprii loco substituit i.e. He put B for A for B he put C c. and for A he used XX. thus X X a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t u w x y. A b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t u w x y z. This Transposition will appear fully as much a Stranger to the true meaning in an Epistle as any notwithstanding of the near Neighbourhood of the Letters that are express'd and understood It is ordinary in Secret Writing of this nature to make use of some word wherein one Letter is only once express'd to frame their Alphabet by writing first the Word it self and after it the Letters wanting to compleat the Alphabet and that either by two Lines at length or by the Alphabet divided E. g. Let Liberty be for the Key In two full Lines L i b e r t y a c d f g h k m n o p q s u w x z. a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t u w x y z. By the Alphabet divided L i b e r t y a c d f g h k m n o p q s v w x z. So that in Writing L is used for H and again H for L they use I for K and K for I c. I have seen Transpositions of the Letters so ordered in framing an Alphabet that the seeming barbarous words in the writing could be well enough pronounced in Speech and would at first view appear to be some strange kind of Language But why should I enlarge upon Particulars Trithemius his fifth Book contains nothing but Tables for Transpositions and tho he had employed the whole time of his Life that way he had left a vast variety untouched for let the Alphabet stand in its natural Order viz. a b c d e f g h c. for an Index to shew the Powers of the several possible Combinations of the twenty four Letters to be placed opposite to it in Rows and allowing five of these Rows to stand in an Inch measure One end of this Tabula transpositionis expansa when writ in a Scroul if reached to the Man in the Moon Nay to go farther if Mercury who once taught the use of Writing had it the other might remain with us And besides the Transpositions which must lie by the way thither abundance of different Alphabets left for the Use of this lower World upon Occasion To be serious according to the following Rules for combining any Number of Letters you will find twenty four Letters have 620448401733239439360000 several Positions And Schottus demonstrates Steganog Clas 5. c. 5. tho the Calculation in his Book be not exact that a thousand Million of Men in as many years could not write down all those different Transpositions of the Alphabet granting every one should compleat forty Pages a day and every Page contain forty several Positions For if one Writer in one day write forty Pages every one containing forty Combinations 40 multiplied by 40 gives 1600 the Number he compleats in one day which multiplied by 366 the Number and more of Days in a Year a Writer in one Year shall compass 585600 distinct Rows Therefore in a thousand million of years he could write 585600000000000 which being again multiplied by 1000000000 the number of Writers supposed the Product will be 585600000000000000000000 which wants of the number of Combinations no less than 34848401733239439360000. But those are not all for the Alphabet put for the Index is capable of 620448401733239439359999 Variations to each of the former Positions And besides many have
k. e a e. e e t. l. m w e r m t s. e. n. t e o a e d t. r s. m i t o h r t. t. o. w n a g o l a e. e. t p x d. q y h l c f b o. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Now in the first Line you find t thrice b twice a once and e once and probably amongst these Letters you may have the Word the or that upon Tryal you will find t in the second Row h in the 13th a in the 4th and t in the 15th Row to favour your Supposition by the agreement of the other Lines And having come this length you may proceed backwards or forwards as the imperfect words shall best direct you e. g. 2. 13. 4. 15. t h a t. o r w a g e n c v e n t n e x t. w a r d s. n i g a c e. b. Note In this Method if you have once the true number of Lines notwithstanding nonsignificants be added you will in the Operation perceive Words and Syllables appear in one half of the Lines at least even though their order be perplext There are other Observations which for brevity I leave to the Ingenious Readers perusal of the Example given in its several positions Upon the whole 't is observable 1. That this kind of Cryptography by changing the places of the Letters or Words however contrived will still be lyable to suspicion 2. You may certainly distinguish it from any other kind of Secret Writing by the frequency of the Letters e. g. If the Vowels be often used c. Or in short if the Letters have their usual frequency as in plain Writing 3. You may probably judge of the Language it is writ in either from the frequency of the Letters or by some of the Letters themselves e. g. w is only used in English Dutch or some branch of the Teutonick k is never used in Latin c. nor q frequently in English And if the Terminal Letters be given you may with much certainty find out the Language In these last remarks there must be an exception for proper Names and I hope 't is enough to have mentioned it My method leads me next to treat SECT 3. Of secret Writing by using more Letters or Characters than are requisite to frame Words HAving gone through the most material kinds of Secret Writing by Equal Letters or Characters in the two preceeding Sections I come now to enquire into that arising from More Letters than are required to make up Words And here I shall pass by what may not be worth the Enquiry such as that common Distich Mitto tibi caput Veneris ventremque DiAnae Latronisque caput posteriora CanE i. e. VALE And that wherein the first middle and last Letters or Syllables are only significant e. g. Fildy Fagodur windeeld arare discogverantibrand which is put to express these words Fly for we are discovered This is from the Secret and swift Messenger but every Body may see it Nonsence and unpracticable and sure it is enough in all Conscience to have mentioned it A Writing may be so contrived Secr. and swift Mes p. 77. out of Bed l. de Sybil. as that one letter in a line shall only be significant as in that remarkable Acrostick made by one of the Sybils where the first letters of each Verse being put together made up these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plautus contriv'd the names of his Comedies in the first Letters of their Arguments Schola Steganog clas 7. Erot. 5. Schottus relates a way of Secret Writing out of Trithemius whereby the first second third or last letters of the words may serve to express the secret Intentions but I leave these and many more to this purpose under a general Caveat ¶ 1. Of secret Writing by Dots c. in an ordinary Epistle The first remarkable Sc. Steg Class 5. c. 1 2 3. c. and a very ordinary Contrivance in Secret Writing by more letters than usually go to the framing of words is that insisted on by Schottus viz. 1. The Confidents at parting frame an Alphabet of Figures to write by v. g. A b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t v w x y z 4 22 10 9 1 11 13 18 3 19 12 8 20 2 21 23 7 6 5 15 14 16 17 24 2. Having writ down their secret Intentions on a Paper apart they contrive an Epistle of some ordinary Business in any Language 3. They search for the Numbers of the Alphabet that express the letters of the secret Writing and counting the letters in the common Mssive from the Beginning they subjoyn some private Mark under every Character where the respective Numbers end E. g. Let the secret Intimation be this 3 6 18 4 12 12 6 1 1 16 2 15 5 18 3 6 20 3 I s h a l l s e e y o u t h i s n i 13 18 5 4 5 16 2 15 7 12 2 9 13 3 20 13 6  g h t a t y o u r L o d g i n g s  And the Epistle to run thus Having understood that I could not be safe any longer where you are I have chosen rather a voluntary Banishment to wander with my Liberty abroad than to lie under the daily Hazard of losing it at home 'T is in my opinion the least of the two Evils 'T is true I am innocent but Innocence is not always a Bucklâ—r so that I hope you will not condemn even tho' you cannot approve my choice at least till you have the particulars of my Case which expect per next You see the Figure for the first letter to be put in Cypher is 3 therefore a secret Mark or Point must be placed directly under or above the third letter of the Epistle viz. v. and number 6 expressing the second letter in secret Writing a Dot must stand under the 6th letter from v. viz. under n and 18 letters from n will stand another Dot c. Example The Points may be so ordered See the last Section of this Chapter as that they shall not be visible till held by the Fire or dipt in Water c. SOLUTION For Decyphering this you have no more aâ—â—o but to take the number of Letters from the beginning of the Epistle to the first point from that to the second and so from point to point until you come to the last Writing down the several Numbers distinctly one after another and then you have it in a plain Cypher resolvable by the former Rules Nich. Machiavel tells us 7 Book of the Art of War that in his own time a certain Person designing to signify some Secret intention to his Friends interlined private marks in Letters of Excommunication that were to be Publickly affixt by which the Secret was afterwards communicate to the
shall have five differing Characters in the whole at least E. g. a b c d e. If three in a Rank then you may have 3 Characters e. g. a b c and if 5 in a Rank you shall possibly have but 2 Characters in the Writing c. There might be other Observations made as from the number of like Characters falling together c. were it not superfluous ¶ 4. Of Secret Writing by a Bi formed Alphabet This way of Secret Writing is mentioned by the Lord Verulam Adv. of Learn p. 267. joyntly with that in the preceeding Paragraph only as preparatory to the Secret Contrivance immediatly following but is insisted on by it self in Bishop Wilkins his Secret and swift Messenger and therefore have I insert it seperately here For Example First Alphabet A a B b C c D d E e F f G g H h I i K k L l M m N n O o P p Q q R r S s T t V v W w X x Y y Z z. Second Alphabet A a B b C c D d E e F f G g H h I i K k L l M m N n O o P p Q q R r S s T t V v W w X x Y y Z z. In Writing by this Invention of Secrecy the Body of the Epistle is to consist chiefly of the second Alphabet And as Occasion offers the Secret intentions may be exprest by the Letters of the first Alphabet this I find illustrated by the following Example viz. From those that are besieged We prosper still in our affairs and shall without having any further help endure the siege Here the Letters of the first Alphabet contain these words We perish with hunger help us I do not mention this for any thing of intricacy but only for Information that such Methods may be taken ¶ 5. Of the Lord Bacon's Invention of Writing OMNIA PER OMNIA 1. For performing this they must have at Hand a Bi-literary Alphabet as in ¶ 3. And a Bi-formed Alphabet as in ¶ 4. 2. They write down their Secret Intentions or the Writing to be infolded on a Paper apart 3. They make a Supposition that all the Letters in the first Alphabet ¶ 4. do express A and those in the second Alphabet B. And thus they may write what they please for the Writing infolding so it bear a quintuple proportion to the Writing infolded at least Or in that Learned Lord 's own Words To the interior Letter which is Bi-literate you shall fit a Bi formed Exterior Letter Adv. of Learning l. 6. c. 1. which shall answer the other Letter for Letter and afterwards set it down Let the exterior example be Manere te volo donec venero And the interior be FUGE. Example F U G E          Aabab baabb aabba aabaa          Manere te volo donec venero          I have hereunto subjoyned an Example for further Illustration out of the Secret and Swift Messenger Exterior Epistle All things do happen according to our desires the particulars you shall understand when we meet at the appointed time and place of which you must not fail by any means the success of our affairs does much depend upon the meeting that we have agreed upon Interior Letter Fly for we are discover'd I am forced to write this The Example illustrated Aabab ababa babba aabab abbab baaaa F L Y. F O R. babaa aabaa aaaaa baaaa aabaa aaabb W E. A R E. D abaaa baaab aaaba abbab baabb aabaa I S C O V E baaaa aaabb abaaa aaaaa ababb aabab R ' D. I. A M. F abbab baaaa aaaba aabaa aaabb baaba O R C E D. T abbab babaa baaaa abaaa baaba aabaa O. W R I T E. baaba aabbb abaaa baaab   T H I S.   This Method wants nothing of Ingenuity in the Contrivance and containeth the Highest degree of Cypher which is to signify omnia per omnia without any other Restriction than that the outward Writing must bear a quintuple proportion to the Inward Nay there may be a Tri-formed Alphabet contrived and Regulated by the Tri literary Alphabet in ¶ 3. Example 2. And then the Epistle infolding will bear but a triple proportion to the Writing infolded Either of which ways is preferable to that tedious way of Secret Writing without suspicion insisted on by Trithemius in his first four Books of Polygraphy and all the emprovements it hath met with as shall be made manifest Note that by the invention of Secret Writing with Dots mentioned ¶ 1. a Man may write omnia per omnia or express any intention by any Writing but the proportion between the Exterior and Interior Letter will be much greater than in this Noble Lord's contrivance But to leave this Competition I proceed SOLUTION We shall not need to enlarge much upon the Resolution of this kind of Secret Writing for if you once find out whether two or three Alphabets be used and the different kinds of Letters in the Epistle will inform you of that you may suppose one Alphabet A a second to stand for B and if there be a third let it be supposed C. Afterwards extract the Writing out of the Epistle as if these Letters A B or C were only insert and then it falls under the former considerations It is nothing to the purpose whether your Supposition and the Writers be the same or not for if you suppose always A for his B the Operation will be alike easy And here I shall leave this kind of Cryptography by more Letters c. SECT 4. Of Secret Writing by fewer Letters than are usual in the framing of Words THe Art of Abbreviations in Writing is mentioned by Trithemius and most Authors who have treated of Cryptography but pursued by very few or none There hath been great variety of these Contractions invented and their first and for any thing I hear their constant use amongst the Romans was for Expedition Pier. Hier. lib. 17. c. 23. such as A the mark of Absolution * Pier. ibid. C of Condemnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Pier. Hierogl ibid. lib. 42. c. 53. Vid. Schot Techn Cur. lib. 7. c. 3. N. L. Non Liquet and N. D. Neci Datum And thus did the Judges write their several opinions upon a little Stone or Tessera in Cases Capital Hence it is that A was called Salutis Litera and C Litera Tristis But there were other Abbreviations amongst the Notaries which more properly may be said to have been used for Expedition v.g. A. T. M. D. O. Aio te mihi dare opportere B. A. bona actio B. E. bonorum emptor B. F. bona fides B. J. bonum judicium Ca. M. V. causa memorati viri C. C. causa cognita c. This way of Writing was retained in the Civil Law until the
this Let there be a square piece of Plate with the 24 Letters described on the Top of it at equal Distances on both the opposite Sides and let there be little Teeth on which the Thread may be fastened for its several Returns and the Knots to be made at the Letters required c. Instead of Knots Scho. Mag. Cryptog p. 19. if the Thread be first dipt in Alum water they can make little Marks with Ink. SOLUTION To discover any meaning so involved the Difficulty is to find out the true Breadth of the Plate or Table And to effect this Take the Exact length of the Thread which you may reduce to Inches or if needful even to Degrees upon the Line of Chords This done find out all its equal Divisors or Aliquot parts by the Rules formerly delivered Now one of these Divisors gives the breadth of the Tablet and which of them it is you may find out by two or three Suppositions at most But there may be other ways for discovering the breadth of the Plate viz. Take all the several Distances between the Knots or other marks of Distinction or between some few of them if the thread be long Compare the Differences and you shall soon find out the common Distance between the Letters of their Alphabet and consequently its breadth You may easily perceive when your Suppositions are false for then there will but few Knots fall in a Perpendicular Line upon the Tablet whereas when ever you suppose true the Knots expressing the same power will be all in a direct Line opposite to one another and then you may Copy it out thus Begin at the Left-hand mark all the Letters you find in the first perpendicular Line A and those in the second Line B c. And at worst you have it in an Ordinary Cypher Here you may observe that when you have the true breadth of the Tablet it will be no Difficulty tho there be some part of the Thread Mute or useless in Reading and only sent to amuse the Discoverer This may likeways be Decyphered without the breadth of the Tablet thus 1. Take all the several Distances between the Knots and set down two different Characters to express every Variation 2. Copy out upon Paper the whole Thread according to the Figures you took to express it Example Suppose your first distance should be 16 degrees and your mark for it a b the second 14 deg and your mark for it a c the third distance 4 deg and its mark a d the fourth distance 16 deg marked as before a b c. The Writing will stand thus a b a c a d a b c. Again suppose the first two Knots to express t h the fourth distance is likeways t h And wherever these two Letters fall together you shall have the same distance And so from the frequency c. you may find the hidden meaning ¶ 5. How to write Secretly upon the Edges of a new bound Book Baptista Porta tells us Mag. Nat. l. de Ziph. cap. 5. how we may write our Secret Intentions without suspicion upon the Edges of a new bound Book by drawing back the Leaves until by degrees the Edges of the Paper fall awry then write your mind upon it and nothing shall appear but such small blots as are usually thrown upon a new Book for Ornament or fall accidently by mistake until the leaves of the Book be put in the same Figure again SOLUTION This needs no more for its discovery but only to be suspected ¶ 6. Of Writing upon the Edges of Cards c. Baptista Porta relates Port. ibid. the former way of Secret Information may be performed with playing Cards or upon cut Paper c. As for this way by Writing upon the Edges of Cards c. placed in an oblique or perhaps a straight Figure It appears to have something more of Intricacy in it than that last mentioned Schot Steganog Clas 12. c. 5. because the order of placing the Cards may be confounded when employed upon a Message for what Card shall be first second c. is by compact agreed upon however this can only prolong not frustrate a discovery for you may take any Card that comes first to Hand and search into the rest of the Pack c. until you get another that will exactly joyn with its broken pieces of Letters and afterwards you may with great ease find the Cards that must go before and after those that are truly coupled and this I hope needs no further illustration SECT 6. Of Secrecy in Writing that ariseth from the Ink or other Liquor THere are likewise several ways of Secrecy arising from the Ink or the Liquor used instead thereof I shall only name them since that carries along with it the means of Discovery Thus when I tell you from experience or a second Hand assurance That if a Man write with Salt Ammoniack dissolved in Water or with the juice of Limons c. The Letters will only be visible when held by the Fire there needs no other Rule for Discovery but indeed the heat of the Fire only detects Port. Mag. Nat. l. de Ziph. c. 2. that which in a little time had disclosed it self for such is the nature of those acid and corroding moistures that they cannot be long good Secretaries Letters written with dissolved Alum Port. ibid. c. are not discernable until the Paper be dipt in Water Letters witten with Urine Goats fat Schâ—t Steg p. 304. c. do not appear until dust be scattered upon them And 't is thought that Attalus used this piece of Policy to encourage his Soldiers before he engaged in Battle with the Gauls his Enemies Superior in number The Story goes thus Attalus having appointed a day for Sacrifice as he pull'd out the Intrails of the Beast described these words upon them Regis Victoria which he had before writ backwards in his Hand with some Gummy Juice and as the Intrails were turn'd up and down by the Priest to find out their signification they gathered so much dust that they appeared legible which Omen so encouraged his Soldiers that he got the Victory indeed To this purpose likewise is that of Ovid. Tuta quoque est fallitque oculos è lacte recenti Littera Carbonis polline tange Leges Fallit humiduli quae fiet acumine Lini Et ferret occultas pura Tabella notas There is a Secret way of Writing with the Yolk of a raw Egg Schâ—t Steg p. 303. dissolved in Fountain Water The Letters whereof being fully dry the Confederates black the whole Paper with Ink which being likewise dryed the Ink falls from the Letters first described when scraped gently with a Knife Schottus tells us p. 301. how we may write Secretly with two several Inks the method is this mix a little Common Ink with so much Water that little or nothing of Blackness appear in it with this
to in the Words cited have nothing but hard Words to guard them against discovery the Invention hath little of extraordinary contrivance in it for it is only by makeing the first Letters in the exterior Letter serve to express the inward meaning as I have observed pag. 67. cap. 3. Or by intermitting one Word so that the first Letters of the first third and fifth Words c. will be only significant Schottus has several Examples to this purpose and that I may not seem Steg Class 7. Erotem 5. quite to neglect any thing so much insisted on by so great Authors I have insert one v. g. Let the Secret Intimation be Hac nocte post XII veniam ad te circa januam que ducit ad Ortum ubi me ecspectabis age ut omnia sint parata Which by the former Artifice may be involv'd in the following Words Humanae Salutis Amator qui creavit omnia nobis indixit Obedientiam Mundatorum cui omnes tenemur obedire obsequi Praemium Sanctae Obedientiae erit Sempiterna faelicitas timentibus Deum Christi Obedientiam in omnibus imitari Studeamus ut Vitam Aeternam promissam nobis Mereamur Ingredi cum Angelis per Misericordiam Dei agamus Paenitentiam dum possumus tempus vitae est brevissimum cito Mors imparatos offendet repente Negligentes consumet Judici Animas transmittet In Paenitentiam agenda Fratres non tardetis Velociter enim ad vos Mors veniet quam nemo vestrûm diu evadere potest Dies ergo vestros transeuntes conspicite Paenitentiam inchoate dum tempus habetis Ad quid diutius Negligitis O Mors rerum horribilium terribil issima quam velociter nos miseros consumis Vester incolatus Brevissimus est Judicio abnoxius Mors omnes examini submittit Exaudi nos Christe piissimè Salvator Nobisque paenitere cupientibus esto propitius Concede nobis Timorem Amorem tuum benignissimè Redemptor Indulgentiam Peccatorum Supplicantibus tribue Alme Creator Generis Humani exaudi nos veniam nobis tribuens Scoelerum ô Pater misericordissime esto nobis Misericors Infirmitatem nostram adjuva clementissime succurre misericorditer infirmis Animabus nostris quoniam tui sumus Pater indulgentissime Animabus fidelium requiem concede Angelis conjunge timentibus te adesse digneris Schottus takes notice of a great many ways of varying this Secret Contrivance such as by Beginning at the 2d Word of the Exterior Letter and from thence to the 4th 6th c. or to begin at the 3d. word and proceed to the 4th c. Or by interposing words betwixt some of the Letters in the Secret Writing and the rest to follow one another immediately Or otherways by intermitting sometimes two words in the Epistle infolding and sometimes one c. All which are very Laborious to write and very easily decyphered if suspected Now that this Method of Secret Writing was the Subject of Trithemius's first Book of Steganography there are good Arguments For 1. It is published in a Book entitl'd Clavis Steganographiae that goes under Trithemius his Name 2. Tho Schottus seems to question whether this was really Steganog ibid. any part of Trithemius's Writings yet he tacitly acknowledges it Says he Qui Clavem edidit Artificium non intellexit c. He who published the Clavis has not understood the Artifice for the Old German Words in the Example are altered into the Modern Dutch which change confounds the Sense c. Now certainly if the Publisher had been Author he must be supposed to have understood his own Example but it is acknowledged he did not 2. On the other hand I see no improbability but that this Clavis Steganographiae Trithemii is Genuine for since others of his Writings were published long after his Death which are acknowledged by all to be his own why might not this Manuscript fall into the Hands of some Person that particular and private Considerations might induce to send it abroad for Company And withal his peculiar Stile in obscuring plain Things is a convincing Argument of the Truth of it 3. And withal this way of Secret Writing can easily admit of a hundred and odd Variations and agrees with his Proposition in all Things except the Intricacy he attributes to it But this is not the only Hyperbole he makes use of INQUIRY II. Into the 2d Book of his Steganography Secundus Liber multa Mirabiliora continent c. i. e. The second Book contains many things more strange viz. By this Art I can communicate my Intentions by Fire to any one instructed in it at any distance a hundred Miles or more without Words without Writing and without Signs by any Messenger who tho he be apprehended by the way and examined by the most severe Tortures he can reveal nothing of my Message because he knows nothing of it Nay whatever occurs it can never be discovered and all the Men on Earth if assembled together can ever unmask it without more than natural help This I can at pleasure perform without a Messenger I can express my Mind at a great distance to a close Prisoner three Miles under ground Let him be under the strictest Custody all this I can do effectually and at all times when and how often I will c. By what Methods Trithemius could perform all this hath been enquired into by Schottus Kircherus and many others and it will be found a very bard task to give any satisfactory account of the means for the whole Propositions can most naturally be RESOLVED into Contradictions For 1. There is a way of Converse proposed abstracting from all means of Discourse Without WORDS without WRITING and without SIGNS 2. He proposes to inform his Confident without a Sign and yet by a Sign viz. Fire for if Fire or Smoak when used for Secret Information be not truly significatory Signs both Reason and Grammar are at a great loss 3. He pretends that he could express his Mind to a close Prisoner at a great distance and three German Miles under ground whenever and how often he pleased And this I am perswaded he had omitted if he had tryed the Experiment upon one in a Gulf but half a German mile below the surface of the Earth c. As for the Conjectures for reconciling the last Propositions to Sense they want not their own Difficulties But since we must necessarily grant that his Words are aenigmatically propos'd there must be the greater allowance given His Propositions in the second Book are reducible to three 1. To Communicate his Secret Intentions by any Messenger to his Confederate at any distance without any Writing c. And that by Fire 2. To Communicate his Intentions by Fire without a Messenger And 3. To signifie his Mind to a close Prisoner under ground c. By the first Schottus is of Opinion that Trithemius understood that way of Secret Writing mentioned Chap. 1. Sect. 6. which will be only Visible
when held by the Fire He says the Messenger cannot reveal the Message because he knows not the Contents of it And if intercepted nothing could be understood by it because the Artifice was at that time known to few or none except Trithemius And when it comes to the Confederate's Hands he may find out the meaning by Fire without any word or sign made by the Writer upon the Paper by Fire If you approve of this Resolution by the words without Writing or Signs must be understood apparent and visible Letters or Signs And indeed this is the most natural Construction can be put upon them But there is another wants not some kind of probability viz. That these words may signifie some Secret Conveyance by Writing upon the Messenger's Skin such as that we observed Chap. 4. concerning Histiaeus This conjecture is likewise mention'd by Schottus For by FIRE Trithemius may understand a Virtual Fire viz. Aqua Fortis c. And WRITING and SIGNS may be explained as before As to the second Proposition it may be referred to that Secret way of Information by Torches or by Fire and Smoak c. mentioned Chap. 2. Sect. 2. The other Conjectures here are Fabulous particularly that of Cornelius Agrippa Lib. 1. Philosoph Occult. Cap. 6. viz. By opposing a Glass with Letters writ upon it to the Full-Moon which being magnified in the Air and carried back to the Moon with her reflected Beams are there perceptible And as for the third it may respect the Species of Sound because of the Supposition of being so strictly shut up unless he had an Eye at some of those Secret ways of Conveyance mentioned Chap. 4. which last I rather encline to believe as being the more easie and safe Contrivance considering the supposed Circumstances of a close Prisoner nor does Trithemius propose the Performance of the last by Fire or without Writing c. And this Conjecture will appear the more probable when we come to consider the barbarous and strange Terms he wrapt up those known Experiments in I know there are likewise Fables here confidently related of means for entertaining a Correspondence at any distance by help of two Needles of an equal size touched by the same Loadstone moving in a circle whereon the Letters of the Alphabet are described c. And that by the mutual Insition of Blood or Flesh between two Confederates c. But the Performance of either is impossible in Nature as Kircherus Schottus and other great Naturalists have clearly demonstrated INQUIRY III. Concerning the third Book of Steganography Tertius Liber docet Artem per quam possum Hominem c. The third Book teaches an Art by which I can instruct a Man Ignorant of Letters only knowing his Mother-Tongue tho he never understood one word of Latine in the space of two Hours to Write Read and Understand Latine ornately and eloquently c. This Art agrees exactly with that he afterwards published in his Polygraphy only in the last he explains some ambiguous Words in the former v. g. These Words to write Read and understand Latine ornately and eloquently c. Are rendered in the exposition of his first Book of Polygraphy to this purpose In paucis Diebus non dicam horis informare poteris c. In a few days not to say hours you may teach one ignorant of the Latin Tongue to read write speak and understand it indeed not every thing in it but to such a degree as any exigence in his affairs shall require Now a part of the Fallacy in his Epistle to Arnoldus Bostius lurks in that expression that he could make a Man read write and understand Latin ornately and eloquently without any exception Whereas on the contrary his Scholar shall only Read or Communicate any Secret Message in his Mother-Tongue concealed under certain Forms of Prayers or Exhortations in Latin of which he neither understands the natural meaning nor can he change the Forms given him upon occasion Now to explain this ingenious Art a little 1. There must be a vast number of common Alphabets writ down 2. And to each of the Letters of every particular Alphabet must be joyned Words that are Synonyma or of the like signification and these Words serve to express the Letters unto which they are opposite 3. If all the Words expressing A in the several Alphabets do make up an Oration and all the Words in each rank be of like signification And if A in Writing by this Method begin orderly at the first Alphabet taking one Word thence and another from the second and the next from the third c. as they shall express the Letters of the Secret Intention 'T is easie to conceive how a Man that is Ignorant of Latin must yet ornately write Latin But that this may be further Evident I have hereunto added a few of Trithemius's Alphabets ALPHABET 1. A Deus B Creator C Conditor D Opifex E Dominus F Dominator G Consolator H Arbiter I Judex K Illuminator L Illustrator M Rector N Rex O Imperator P Gubernator Q Factor R Fabricator S Conservator T Redemptor V Auctor W Princeps X Pastor Y Moderator Z Salvator 2. A Clemens B Clementissimus C Pius D Piissimus E Magnus F Excelsus G Maximus H Optimus I Sapientissimus K Invisibilis L Immortalis M Aeternus N Sempiternus O Gloriosus P Fortissimus Q Sanctissimus R Incomprehensibilis S Omnipotens T Pacificus V Misericors W Misericordissimus X Cunctipotens Y Magnificus Z Excellentissimus 3. A Creans B Regens C Conservans D Moderans E Gubernans F Ordinans G Ornans H Exornans I Constituens K Dirigens L Producens M Decorans N Stabiliens O Illustrans P Intuens Q Movens R Confirmans S Custodiens T Cernens V Discernens W Illuminans X Fabricans Y Salvificans Z Faciens 4. A Coelos B Coelestia C Supercoelestia D Mundum E Mundana F Homines G Humana H Angelos I Angelica K Terram L Terrena M Tempus N Temporalia O Aevum P Aeviterna Q Omnia R Cuncta S Universa T Orbem V Astra W Solem X Stellas Y Vitam Z Viventia 5. A Impendat B Conferat C Donet D Largiatur E Concedet F Condonet G Tribuat H Distribuat I Retribuat K Contribuat L Indulgeat M Exhibeat N Praestet O Offerat P Deferat Q Ostendat R Revelet S Manifestet T Insinuet V Aspiret W Restituat X Reddat Y Administret Z Faveat 6. A Omnibus B Cunctis C Universis D Credentibus E Nobis F Christianis G Fidelibus H Petentibus I Expetentibus K Orantibus L Exorantibus M Postulantibus N Expostulantibus O Quaerentibus P Christicolis Q Inquirentibus R Requirentibus S Exquirentibus T Optantibus V Exoptantibus W Praeoptantibus X Exspectantibus Y Sperantibus Z Desiderantibus 7. A Vitam B Amoenitatem C Jucunditatem D Consolationem E Laetitiam F Gloriam G Foelicitatem H Beatitudinem I
Visionem K Jubilationem L Quietem M Requiem N Mansionem O Habitationem P Recreationem Q Fruitionem R Lucem S Exultationem T Claritatem V Pacem W Tranquillitatem X Glorificationem Y contemplationem Z Securitatem 8. A Permansuram B Aeternam C Sempiternam D Coelestem E Supercoelestem cum Omnibus F Perpetuam G Beatissimam H Angelicam I Seraphicam K Immortalem L Immarcessibilem M Ineffabilem N incomprehensibilem O Inaestimabilem P Luminosam Q Splendidam cum Universit R Lucidissimam S Amaenisimam T Perrennem V Sanctissimam W Interminabilem X Dulcissimam Y Perfectam Z Futuram 9. A Sanctis B Electis C Praedilectis D Sanctissimis E Justis F Justificatis G Praedestinatis H Angelis I Arch-Angelis K Amatoribus suis in L Cultoribus M Amicis N Apostolis O Prophetis P Discipulis Q Martyribus R Sanctificatis S Dominationibus T Dilectis V Civibus W Servis X Famulis Y Ministris Z Confessoribus 10. A Coelis B Coelestibus C Supercoelestibus D Aeternum E Perpetuum F Sempiternum G Saecula Saeculorum H Aevum Sanctum I Saeculum K Regno Coelorum L Altissimis M Excelsis N Paradiso O Olympo P Paradisiacis Q Olympicis R Fulgoribus S Foelicitate T Foeâ—â—citatibus Amen V Gloria W Honore X Magnificentia Y Luce perpetua Z Patria Coelesti The first four Books of Trithemius's Polygraphy contain nothing but a Continuation of such Alphabets only in the third and fourth they are conceived in Barbarous Words I have insert these few only and given no Example because the manner of Writing by them is by this time obvious Note the Words writ in a different Character at the side of the rest signifie nothing to the Confederates but are added in the outward Writing to make up the seeming Sense and when there are two of them one is only used Remarks upon the foregoing Method of Secret Writing I have not hitherto insisted upon this Method of Secret Writing Nor do I here pretend to SOLVE the Difficulties in Decyphering it But I have made some occasional Remarks as to the practice of it And 1. According to Trithemius there must be a new Alphabet for every Letter in the private Epistle 2. These Alphabets require a more than ordinary Ingenuity in their Contrivance 3. When the Alphabets are exactly fram'd the least mistake in the Writer turns the Secret Intimation into a Chaos 4. But suppose there were nothing amiss in the whole Design which is enough in all Conscience freely to grant yet there is more Time and Pains required in Writing and Reading by this Artifice than a Man in Business can dispense with For as we have observed according to Trithemius the Key must contain as many Alphabets as the Secret Epistle has Letters in it Now in Argile's long Letter insert in the Discoveries made in Scotland there are upwards of a thousand Words and if he had taken Trithemius's way of concealing it there had been five or six thousand Alphabets used in the Key And I leave it to ARITHMETICK to RESOLUE How much Time a particular Search into each of those Alphabets will amount to And to STOCISM for none but of that Sect will try how much Patience Athanasius Kircherus in his Steganography Endeavours to improve Trithemius's Method The alterations I observe are these 1. Kircherus contrives his Key in form of an Ordinary Epistle Whereas Trithemius conceives his in forms of Prayer which is more Liable to Suspicion especially in an age when the greatest Villainies are committed under a Form of Godliness 2. Kircherus has Alphabets of several Languages whereby a man may chuse what speech he pleases for his Exterior Letter tho he understand not the Genuine meaning of one Word of it But this was proposed by Trithemius 3. Kircherus's Key consists not of many Words so that if the Secret or Interior Epistle be not conceived in a few it gives Ground of Suspicion and of Resolution too For the Words that express every particular Alphabet as before being of like Signification that the outward Writing may have a seeming Sense at every return you shall have the same sense tho not in the same words which gives ground to suspect and if the Writing be long and many returns to Solve it Again suppose that several Letters writ by the same Key were seized which is no great improbability the Sense of all shall be to the same purpose and that gives cause enough of Jealousie and facilitates the Discovery And having considered Trithemius's tedious Method and Kircherus's way of abbreviating it both are lyable to so many Inconveniences that it is evident many of the Proposals for Secret Information considered in the first Chapter and particularly that of the Lord Bacon's by Writing omnia per omnia is preferrable to it INQUIRY IIII. Into the Contents of the 4th Book of Steganography Quartus Liber continet multa stupenda Experimenta c. The fourth Book contains many wonderful Experiments but simply Natural viz. I can fully communicate my Conceptions to my confident when we are eating or sitting with others without Words without Gestures As also in Discourse in Preaching Playing upon the Organ or Singing and that without any Impediment of either Action so that in Preaching things good and holy I can reveal my mind Secretly without Words Signs or Gestures c. These Words to my thinking may be reduced to three Propositions 1. A Secret way of Converse in Company is proposed inter edendum vel sedendum without Words or Gestures 2. By a premediated Oration or any Discourse to reveal an Intention without Words Signs or Gestures And 3. By Musical Notes to inform a Confederate And I suppose they are all so jumbled together of Design that these Words without Words Signs or Gestures might be attributed by the unwary to every one of the particular Proposals And certainly by SIGNS c. must be understood Signs PERCEPTIBLE or else his Words fall under the first Contradiction that was observed in the Preceding Inquiry And having noted this I proceed As to the first In eating or sitting in Company everry Action may be significant by Compact that is necessary or usual as calling for Drink wiping of the Mouth or Hands c. And he does not Exclude Signs in the first Proposition As to the second Proposition it is very naturally reducible to that kind of Secrecy in Speech we have considered Chap. 3. Sect. 1. Paragraph 3. So that in Preaching Bona Sancta one may couch any Intimations WITHOUT any Sign or Gesture or Words i. e. Words extrinsick to the outward Sense of the Discourse but this savors too much of Impiety As to the Third That the Differences of Sound and particularly of Musical Notes either in Musick Instrumental or Vocal may be applyed to the Letters of the Alphabet is already observed And now having Inquired into the Mysterious Difficulties that relate to Secret Information contain'd in the Epistle to Arnoldus Bostius