Lord Digby's Ciphers (1645)

Two of Lord Digby's ciphers are described. For ciphers related to Charles I, see another article.

Lord Digby's Cipher with Prince Maurice (1645)

Calendar of State Papers, Domestic series, of the reign of Charles I, 1645-1647, p.xvi-xvii (Internet Archive) (1891) prints Prince Maurice to Lord Digby, 31 August 1645 not only in decipherment but also in its encoded form. It allows re-reconstructing this cipher.


Numbers 1-69 represent letters, with vowels assigned five figures and consonants two. Numbers 70-79 are nulls. Greater numbers represent basic words in alphabetical order: 80 (are), 81 (at), 88 (day), 89 (for), 90 (from), 94 (have). 96 (here). 98 (he). 99 (his), 103 (in), 110 (ly/lie/ley), 125 (to) and even higher numbers are frequently used words: 172 (horse), 189 (force). 220 ([rendezvous]).

Your Lpp. of the 30 present came eaven now to my hands, wee heare not a word of 70 < - > 41 < t > 98 < he > 61 < r > 34 < e > 41 < t > 63 < o [should be u] > 61 < r > 59 < n > 35 < e > 73 < - > 63 < o > 55 < f > 42 < t > 98 < he > 68 < S > 53 < c > 64 < o > 41 < t > 42 < t > 68 < 's > 172 < horse > . The[re] beeing several places 74 < - > 89 < for > 49 < d > 20 < a > 34 [should be 32< b >] 45 < l > 34 < e > betweene 70 < - > 41 < t > 99 < his > 79 < - > 70 < - > 83 < and? > 20 < a [should be Be?] > 1 < w > 50 < d > 110 < ley >. I conceive 8 < i > 41 < t > 15 < u > 68 < s > 34 < e > 45 < l > 34 < e > 68 < s > 69 < s > 34 < e > 125 < to > 94 < have > 20 < a > 47 < g > 16 < u > 21 < a > 61 < r > 49 < d > 73 < - > 41 < t > 96 < here > 70 < - > 76 < - > . The last Intelligence from the leagure before Hereford was that they resolved to assault the towne yesterday, since then, I have not heard anything, [but] 76 < - > 41 < t > 98 < he > 25 < y > 110 < lie > 53 < c > 45 < l > 63 < o > 68 < s > 34 < e > 125 < to > 47 < g > 34 < e > 20 < [a] > 41 < t > 98 < he > 61 < r > 79 < - > [and] 94 < have > 20 < a > 32 < b > 64 < o > 15 < v > 34 < e > (1000) 172 < horse > . My Lord Ashly certifyed mee the 23 present that 7 countryes are associated, and 70 < - > 41 < t > 98 < he > 25 < y > 80 < are > 71 < - > 73 < - > 49 < d > 61 < r > 21 < a > 1 < w > 103 < in > 47 < g > [together] 77 < - > 21 < a > 45 < ll > 41 < t > 98 < he > 8 < i > 61 < r > 189 < force > 68 < s > those countyes 53 < c > 21 < a > 59 < n > 51 < m > 22 < a > 57 < k > 34 < e > 89 < for > 41 < t > 98 < he > 78 < - > 62 < r > 34 < e > 45 < l > 35 < e > 9 < i > 55 < f > 35 < e > 63 < o > 55 < f > 98 < He > 61 < r > 34 < e > 89 < for > 49 < d > 70 < - > And in order to that 94 < have > 21 < a > 43 < p > 44 < p > 63 < o > 8 < i > 59 < n > 41 < t > 34 < e > 49 < d > 41 < t > 98 < he > 8 < i > 62 < r > generall 73 < - > 220 < [rendezvous] > 64 < o > 59 < n > 41 < T > 13 < h > 8 < i [should be u]> 61 < r > 68 < s > 88 < day > 45 < l > 20 < a > 68 < s > 41 < t > 81 < at > Usk Abergaveny and Crickhowell 90 < from > 41 < t > 98 < he > 59 < n > 54 < c > 37 < e > 42 < t > 98 < he > 28 < y > 80 < are > designe 70 < - > 49 < d > 125 < to > 51 < m > 63 < o > 15 < v > 35 < e > speed 8 < i > 110 < ly > 79 < - > [and] 125 < to > 61 < r > 35 < e > 69 < s > 41 < t > 67 < o > 60 < n > 42 < t > 98 < he > 54 < c > 64 < o > 59 < n > 55 < f > 9 < i > 60 < n > 36 < e > 68 < s > 66 < o > 56 < f > 98 < He > 60 [should be 61/62 < r >] 34 < e > 89 < for > 50 < d > 68 < s > 13 < h > 10 < i > 61 < r > 34 < e > purpose 110 < ly > 125 < to > 14 < h > 103 < in > 50 < d > 36 < e > 62 < r > 41 < t > 98 < he > 68 < S > 54 < c > 63 < o > 41 < t > 42 < t > 69 < s > 90 < from > 41 < t > 98 < he > 11 < i > 62 < r > 89 < for > 20 < a > 47 < g > 103 < in > 48 < g > I shall speedily acquaint my Lord Ashly with 70 < - > 99 < his > 51 < m > 20 < a > 9 < j > 34 < e > 69 < s > 41 < t > 25 < y > 34 < e > 69 < 's > 50 < d > 36 < e > 68 < s > 12 < i > 48 < g > 59 < n > 38 < e > 70 < - > 76 < - > 77 < - > having not tyme to mention other perticulers....

The image of the original manuscript is posted at the National Archives.

Another Code of Charles I

Calendar also prints letters deciphered by aid of keys supplied by Colonel J. S. Rothwell, R.A., Professor at the Staff College (p.lviii ff.) including Charles I to Goring, 26 April 1644 and Earls of Brentford and Berkshire, Lords Hopton, Capell, Culpeper, and Hyde to Charles I, 5 January 1646. The former includes some original code numbers for which the reading is uncertain: 79 (Prince Rupert?) and 38 79 40 (Rupert for?), which are different from either the code above or the one below.

Lord Digby's cipher with Lord Goring and Lord Culpeper (1645)

Two letters partly in cipher from Lord Digby written several weeks after the disaster of the Battle of Naseby are printed in Manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of Portland, Vol. I. One, to Lord Goring, is dated 4 July 1645 (p.231) and the other, to Lord Culpeper, is dated 12 August 1645 (p.245). A partial decipherment of these by a Colonel Rothwell is printed in Vol. III (p.xi-xiii). These are not included in the Calendar of State Papers above.

According to the key reconstructed by the colonel, it represents words and names by numbers such as 91(any), 95(all), 123(about), ..., 457(the), 458(them)..., 511(write) and letter-number combinations such as c1(and), c6(again), ..., l1(to), ..., u8(supplies). (Words in roman letters are those which the colonel was pretty sure of and those in italics are merely his guesses.) All numbers below 90 are said to be nulls, thus lacking in a system to represent single letters.

Such combination codes were also used in the second cipher between Charles I and Henrietta-Maria (Aug. 1642-Jul. 1643) and a cipher between Charles I and Prince Rupert (1644) (see another article) as well as one between Charles II and Edward Nicholas (Sept. 1650) (see another article).


The following shows its use in the letter to Lord Goring.


The following shows its use in the letter to Lord Culpeper.


Reference

Calendar of State Papers, Domestic series, of the reign of Charles I, 1645-1647 (Internet Archive) (1891)

Manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of Portland, (Internet Archive: Vol. I (1891), Vol. III (1894))



©2013 S.Tomokiyo
First posted on 10 February 2013 with the title "Lord Digby's cipher with Lord Goring and Lord Culpeper (1645)". Expanded and renamed in September 2015. Last modified on 11 January 2016.
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