05/12/2021

A Reconstruction of the First Cipher between Charles I and Henrietta-Maria

Charles I of England and Queen Henrietta-Maria used several ciphers between them, as described in "King Charles I's Ciphers". Of these, I have not seen an actual specimen of the first cipher used by them. Now, I reconstructed it from two pages of manuscript copy. (One may further supplement it by inspecting more pages.)
While it was described as "The alphabet is expressed by figures or symbols, small words by a combination of figures and letters, and proper names by pseudonyms ..." by Green, I found that letter pairs are also used in the substitution alphabet. (The two pages I referred to did not contain code for small words or pseudonyms.)

I also found an additional example of what I call the Second Cipher between Charles I and Henrietta-Maria (Aug. 1642-Jul.1643) in Harley MS 7379, f.86. The letter is dated 9/19 January, but the year is not given. I think it is 1643. This is partly because of use of this very cipher and partly because the letter begins by acknowledging receipt of the King's letters of 22, 25, and 28 December. Considering that the Queen was still in England in December 1641, the dating of this letter at January 1642 seems unlikely.
I post the following provisional (not very accurate) transcription in the hope that someone may help establish the date of this letter.

Harley MS 7379 f.86
Henrietta-Maria to Charles I, 9/19 January

Mon cher coeur jay receu trois de vos lettres
en mesme jour une datee du 22 decembre lautre
du 25 et 28 dans lune desquelles vous me mandes
laisidant* qui est arive a ma lettre qui e s
t o i t d a n s l a c a n e
jan suis bien fachee car il y avoit beaucoup
de choses de dant elle estoit je ne me puis plus
souvenir de ce que estoit jay fait tout les
diligances que tous ques desiree e n [p48] et
jatans w:m: t o u t l e s
i o u r s mais il d o n n e fort
p e u d e s p e r a n c e d e
F: je vous avois desja escrit par lordinaire
de devant le dernier comme javois selon vos
ordres e n u o y e en F: pour
d e s a r m e s comme [189] avoit
comande a [260] sest pour quoy il fault que vous
ayes soing de envoyer l a r e n
a f o s t e r et lordre ou il l e
s f e r a t r a n s p o r
t e r car sest luy qui en prand le
soing pour mon voyage vous naves que
faire de man courager car je suis ases
mepariance de partir i l n i a
que l e u e n t qui e n p
e s c h e d e p a r t i r
jespere que s e r a s i
t o s n8[with] 189 que 260 remeteray a
respondre auec lettres de p a r b o
t c h e seulement je vous prie de
dire a 189 que tout se quil ordonne sera
fait touchant l e P: Tre: je serois bien
ayse de savoir les particuliarites sest pour
(verso)
quoy je vous prie de me les envoyer a
226[Ven:] car il est necessaire que je le
sache pour votre service je nay plus
rien a dire et espere que s e s t e
l e t r e sera l a d e r
n i e r e que o r a d
e m o y de Holl: a dieu mon cher
cocur sy sette lettre est prie il gora
a desifre ce 19/9 janvier

lette a 113 que je ne luy escris
point mais quil asure
et a 82 aussy.

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