tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16981893.post4274545054587176186..comments2024-03-23T15:35:20.874-05:00Comments on Tudor Q and A: Question from Greg - Deciphered coded lettersLarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16630629272030282584noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16981893.post-18758598803083825832011-03-12T19:48:19.449-06:002011-03-12T19:48:19.449-06:00The ciphers appear in the calendars? Can't rec...The ciphers appear in the calendars? Can't recall seeing that before.<br /><br />Answer to the question: Unless the editor has deciphered, you probably have to DIY. Haven't tried it myself, and I guess it's alot of effort.<br /><br />I have seen cipher keys in the original state papers, so I'd be surprised if the calendars omit those. Occasionally there's a letter in cipher to someone like Burghley or Walsingham, with the key set out by the spymaster on the back of the paper - like a jumbled alphabet, written letter for letter beneath a standard alphabet. They used number jumbles as well. Sometimes it's a bog standard nickname system, with the names of people and places rendered in pre-arranged words or symbols.<br /><br />Lots of popular stuff written about tudor cryptography in the past ten years. Just leafed through Hutchinson's book on Walsingham - nothing in the index, although I'm sure he does deal with this topic.<br /><br />You might start here:<br /><br />http://www.baconscipher.com/Cryptology16.htmlshtovenoreply@blogger.com