Zelator Lesson Cipher Manuscript Part Three
Timeline of Important Dates Related to the Cipher Manuscript
1561
Johannes Trithemius’ Polygraphia is published. It contains a version of the cipher which the Golden Dawn Cipher Manuscript will be enciphered with.
1654
Athanasius Kircher’s Oedipus Aegyptiacus is published.
1717
The Freemasons of London create the first Grand Lodge of Freemasonry. From this point on, occult organizations tend to look “Masonic”.
18th century
The French Masonic “Rite of Zoroaster” has at least two dicuments written in cipher (Inner Order Secrets and a charter); these eventually will end up in Manly P. Hall’s collection.
1757
Herman Fictuld forms the Gold- und Rosenkreuz.
1781
Magister Piano writes Der Rosenkreuzer in seiner Blöse (The Rosicrucian in his Nakedness/The Rosicrucian Unveiled).
1785
Geheime Figuren is published.
1790
Some paper is made that will later be used for inserting additional material into the Cipher Manuscript (the French page).
1809
The notebook paper that the Cipher Manuscript is written on bears a watermark from this year.
13 April 1813
Augustus Frederick, the Duke of Sussex, becomes Grand Master of Engilish Freemasonry. Fringe Masonic Rites are generally unsanctioned during his rule of the Grand Lodge.
1822
Rosetta Stone deciphered; the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead and actual Egyptian lore becomes available for use by occultists for the first time sonce before 400 CE.
21 April 1843
Frederick dies, ending his rule of English Freemasonry.
1848
William Wynn Westcott is born.
1860-1890
The Golden Age of English Fringe Masonry.
1866
The Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (SRIA) is started by Robert (Wentworth) Little (with the help of Kenneth Mackenzie); the basis of its legitimacy is “certain Rosicrucian papaers” that Little discovered (?1860?); these papers were a manuscript copy of Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians (a translation of Geheime Figuren der Rosenkreuzer).
? 1866
Earliest date Cipher Manuscript could be written based on the information it contains.
1875
Mackenzie resigns from the SRIA.
November 1875
The Theosophical Society is formed.
1877
Kenneth Mackenzie publishes the Grade structure from Der Rosenkreuzer in seiner Blöse, which is based on the Gold- und Rosenkreuz (?) in his Royal Masonic Cyclopaedia. This particular Grade structure and their related Mystic Titles are later found in the Cipher Manuscript.
1884
Anna Kingsford leaves the Theosophical Society.
1885
The Hermetic Society is formed by Anna Kingsford.
1887
Anna Kingsford dies; the Hermetic Society falls into abeyance.
1889
Le Tarot des Bohémiens is published.
3 July 1886
Kenneth Mackenzie “Cryptonymus” dies.
8 August 1886
William Wynn Westcott writes to Yarker to tell him about the documents (Swedenborgian Rite) that he got from Mackenzie’s widow.
28 August 1886
Westcott writes another letter to Yarker, stating that there were some “loose papers” among the Swedenborgian Rite material that he received from the widow Mackenzie.
August 1887
William Wynn Westcott notes in his diary that he is deciphering a manuscript. His attempts are written on the back of summons from the Swedenborgian Rite.
September 1887
Mathers sees Cipher Manuscript.
26 November 1887
Westcott “receives” first SDA letter.
March 1888
Isis-Urania, lodge #3 (actually the first lodge) of the Hermetic Golden Dawn is formed.
The widow of Mackenzie, Alexandrina joins. Her motto is “Cryptonyma”.
23 August 1890
VH Soror SDA “dies”.
23 March 1895
Gérald Encausse (Papus) is made a Neophyte of Golden Dawn; his was the first initiation performed in French.
c. 1900
A.E. Waite acquires a copy of the Cipher Manuscript.
1901
Waite starts to sue the Cipher Manuscript as the base for the rituals that he writes for his own esoteric Order.
1909
Aleister Crowley publishes 777, a book of correspondences, which includes the Yetzirahic attributions of the Hebrew letters found in the Cipher Manuscript.
1910
Brodie-Innes makes a copy of Mather’s version of the Tarot Lecture that is based on a lecture from the Cipher Manuscript.
1923
Cipher Manuscript codex enters a “Private Collection”.
1924
A. E. Waite’s The Brotherhood of the Rosy Cross is published. Waite claims that the Cipher Manuscript is a modern forgery; he is the first to suspect that Mackenzie was involved. Waite publishes a page (upside down) from Rev. W.A. Ayton’s copy.
1925
William Wynn Westcott dies.
1966
Discovery of the Tranchell-Hayes cache.
c. 1970
Ellic Howe obtains a copy of the Cipher Manuscript.
Regardie obtains a copy of the Cipher Manuscript.
1972
Ellic Howe publishes The Magicians of the Golden Dawn. His book includes the Cipher Key, but there are doubts that he deciphered the whole Manuscript.
1973
Agape publishes a partial version of the Cipher Manuscript. Previous to this date, only one page of the Cipher Manuscript had ever been published.
1974
Jolly Roger version of the Cipher Manuscript is published; it is reprinted in 1982.
1979
Runyon obtains a “working” copy of the Cipher Manuscript from G. Kennedy, who obtained his copy from Regardie.
1988
Pat Zalewski’s Whare Ra’s text version is published.
1996
Küntz’s publication of the Cipher Manuscript. This is the first time that a complete version of the Cipher Manuscript published.
“The Original Cypher Manuscript” is listed in Bowker’s Books in Print, but the publisher decides not to release it.
1997
Runyon’s publication of the Cipher Manuscript happens after several delays.