The Mathematical Magician
Born in 1527, John Dee was no ordinary scholar. While his contemporaries studied theology and classical texts, Dee delved into the emerging science of mathematics – a discipline viewed with suspicion by many who associated numbers with sorcery.
His library at Mortlake contained over 4,000 volumes, making it the largest private collection in England. Among these precious tomes were Arabic manuscripts on algebra, ancient Greek geometrical texts, and cutting-edge Renaissance works on navigation and astronomy.
“I am accused of conjuring, but I am only calculating.” – John Dee, 1583
The Cipher That Changed History
When Elizabeth I ascended to the throne in 1558, England faced threats from all sides. Catholic plots, Spanish schemes, and French intrigues made secure communication essential. Dee’s mathematical genius provided the solution.
The cipher he developed for the Queen combined elements of:
- Substitution ciphers inherited from ancient Rome
- Mathematical transformations based on geometric principles
- A complex key system that changed with each message
- Steganographic techniques to hide encrypted text within innocent-looking letters
The Agent Code: 007
Perhaps most intriguingly, Dee is reputed to have signed his intelligence reports to Elizabeth with the symbol “007” – the two circles representing eyes (meaning “for your eyes only”) and the seven representing luck. Some scholars believe this may have inspired Ian Fleming’s famous secret agent designation centuries later. [This is a fun topic is it not? However, the reader should be warned that it is likely a myth popularised in the 1960s. It is based on a story largely originating from a 1968 biography of Dee by Donald McCormick (writing under the pseudonym Richard Deacon). McCormick claimed such letters existed, but serious historians and biographers have never been able to locate them. 🙁 ]
The effectiveness of Dee’s cryptographic work became apparent during the Babington Plot of 1586. While Mary Queen of Scots relied on a cipher that was ultimately broken by Elizabeth’s codebreakers, the Queen’s own communications remained secure, protected by Dee’s mathematical innovations.
Legacy in My Fiction
In my Predestination series, I explore these fascinating historical elements through the lens of mystery and intrigue. In the novellas Divination and Speculation, I follow the young John Dee as he navigates the dangerous waters of Tudor politics during the reign of Edward VI, using his mathematical prowess to protect both the realm and his own emerging position at court.
The upcoming Restitution and Absolution novellas delve deeper into Dee’s detective and espionage work, revealing how mathematical genius and political necessity intertwined in one of history’s most fascinating periods.
The full novel Resurrection builds on John Dee’s real-life studying with Gerard Mercator in Leuven (Louvain) and his successful lecture tour in Paris, and suggests one way he may have been introduced to alchemy.
The novel Predestination (the first novel I wrote) brings Dee back to Trinity College, Cambridge, and finds him the position of Mathematics Tutor for King Edward. He integrates with the new ruling aristocracy by forecasting events using astrology. He gathers a group of dedicated friends (including Jack Delauris and Kat Arden) who search for the mysterious Bloodstone of Boiorix – a gemstone with magical healing properties. Will they find it in time to heal the ailing Edward VI?
[Spoiler] In Proclamation, as Queen Jane Grey’s nine-day reign collapses) Dee applies his detective/adventuring skills to the task of saving Princess Elizabeth from an embarrassing and potentially fatal mistake.
[Latest] Queen Mary’s coronation is quickly followed by thoughts of matrimony – all well and good… until it’s not. Dee and his friends solve a murder in a castle where Insurrection is being planned.
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About the Author: J.A. Downes is the author of the Predestination series, historical fiction novels featuring mathematician and mystic John Dee. With a background in theoretical physics and a passion for Tudor history, Julian brings mathematical precision to historical storytelling.