The Bones of St. James found at Jamestown Virginia? Jesuit spies and legacy of Elizaboth I and James I.

-->

Chapter 20: The Newport Tower and Star Castle.  James I, Jamestown, St. James and the Reliquary of Gabriell Archer.

Dr. John Dee writing of Robert Beale:

“He seems also to have taken an interest in geographical discovery; for in Dr. Dee’s ‘Diary,’ under date 24 Jan. 1582, we read: ‘I, Mr. Awdrian Gilbert, and John Davis, went by appointment to Mr. Secretary Beale his house, where only we four were secret, and we made Mr. Secretary privy of the north-west passage, and all charts and rutters were agreed upon in general.”

(National Biography; edited by Leslie Steven, Volume 4, Beal-Biber, New York Macmillan and Co., London, Smith Elder and co. 1885 p. 6)

The most burning question from reading the above quote would involve the answer to what these men had ‘agreed upon in general’ with regard to the ‘charts and rutters’ of the Northwest Passage? Clearly here Dee is briefing Beale on maps he had of North America. What plan involving these maps were they conceiving at this time? Could it be associated with the mystery of the Newport Tower? It is clear that both Dee and Beale were spies of a sort. Beale is also of the same family that later is associated with the legend of Beale Treasure of Virginia.

The reign of Elizabeth I Queen of England and later James I is one of the most fascinating and history making eras of what would come to be known as the British Empire. The development of secret societies and the modern intelligence service may be discerned in the unique history of this country during a time when an alchemical and rationally scientific mindset held equal sway in the psyche of most educated individuals. Figures such as Sir Francis Bacon and Dr. John Dee would have a significant impact on the history of this era.

It is entirely possible given events that occurred in association with him that Robert Beale was also a kind of spy. He was a close associate and sometimes worked for Sir Francis Walsingham who was the head of Elizabeth’s intelligence network. He had also counseled and negotiated with the then imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots. Mary was the mother of future King of England James I. Though in opposition to Beale’s political affiliations Mary Queen of Scots thought highly of Beale who is even known to have received a gold chain from her as a gift. This Beale was also directly related to the Thomas Beale of York County Virginia, Edward Beale, and Truxtun Beale all associated with both the Legend of Bacon’s Vault and the Beale Treasure legend.

An examination of but one of the structures created from the collective trust of Queen Elizabeth I and her advisors may also shed some light on and support these notions. Via this examination it may be clear that the Queen expressed her family heritage in a way that had been done for centuries up to and including the twenty first century. It is also suggested that Robert Beale and Dr. John Dee may have been involved in the construction of or had knowledge of the Newport Tower in Rhode Island and Star Castle on the Isles of Scilly. It is also possible that this meeting applies to the Oak Island mystery, which many suspect Dee having involvement in.  Along the way there may be some new and startling revelations about the United States of America.

Star Castle is a unique star shaped military fortification on the Isles of Scilly in England.  Surveyor General Robert Adams built the fortress in 1593 under the auspices of Queen Elizabeth I. Note name association with future president Adams. The Fortress is a practical defensive structure whose plan and design elements would be copied many times in later history. The date of 1583 is but one year after the clandestine meeting of Dr. Dee and Robert Beale as quoted above. If Star Castle was what they were discussing in their meeting then why would maps of the Northwest Passage be important? This is only a possibility but as we may see there is more to the story.

Among the temples of antiquity and the modern era that display valued directional attributes military fortifications also seem to possess a heritage in this realm. Later in history we may see places like Ft. Monroe, Ft. Carroll, and Ft. Sumter in the United States all being related geographically via their plan and orientation. In fact our original Thomas Beale of York County Virginia was once the commander of Old Fort Comfort that was located at the same location Ft. Monroe is today. These places are made to point at each other on the globe. Star Castle would not achieve its present star shaped octagonal plan until after the reign of Elizabeth I but it may be obvious that the later plan was representative of one of the hidden functions of such a structure. It had been planned this way originally. Old Fort Comfort is also pointed to by the Powder Magazine in Williamsburg only a few miles away.

Star castle has a unique octagonal plan that may belay a more hidden role as a talismanic structure meant to instruct one in the both the values of the Queen and those that designed and engineered the fortress itself. Surprisingly Star Castle may also expose some strange facts with regard to the history of North America and the United States. Star Castle was built in the era of Sir John Dee’s influence with the Queen thus making it entirely possible to speculate as to the monuments occult or hidden interpretations. This era also includes England’s legendary conflict with Spain and many strange and untold events in the New World including possibly the value of a strange tower in what would later become Newport, Rhode Island. The involvement of Robert Beale in this scheme would also be reflected in his family’s involvement in other similar structures and associated treasure myths. Had the same brain trust that had built the Newport Tower built Star Castle as well?

Still, hints that Star Castle represents more than a strategic point on earth may also be suggested by its inclusion on a legendary ley line known as the Michael Line in England. Using the parameters set forth for a site’s inclusion on this legendary azimuth we may see such a value on the Isles of Scilly. An azimuth that traces the vaguely defined route of the Michael Line transects within just a few miles south of the town of St. Mary’s and Star Castle itself. Using Avebury Circle as a hexagonal axis also matches this arcs heading on the globe. Given the era of the castle’s construction all this may be possible when one considers some of the mythical values of the Michael Line in English culture. The value of St. Mary the name of the town in conjunction with such a structure should also not be overlooked. It may be possible that this structure was intentionally built on the Michael line among other reasons.

Some legends and myths have Dr. John Dee himself searching for ‘The Holy Grail” at Glastonbury Tor. Regardless of the truth of this tale this story associates Dee with both the Michael Line and the Holy Grail all in England. If this value held true it would not be out of the question that the location of Star Castle was valued even prior to the construction of the fortress. The octagonal plan of Star Castle may put it in a lineage that includes places like Basilica San Vitale, The Dome of the Rock, and most importantly The Tower of the Winds in Athens, Greece. It is possible John Dee had figured that Avebury was an axis or that the orientation of the hill at Glastonbury itself defines the direction of this famous ley line.

An individual such as Dee who taught navigation to the Royal Navy would have held the historical knowledge and skills needed to make these associations. He may have also been privy to the hidden history and ancient star logs of other axes around the globe. Here we see Dee repeating the role of the Scots magi who worked with Charlemagne and Frederick II to create their octagonal Axes. It is likely that Dee shared some of this knowledge with Robert Beale who then passed it down to subsequent family members who later used it to interpret the Powder Magazine and the octagons of Thomas Jefferson. Given the chronology of events it is highly possible that a Beale was involved in the construction of the octagon of the Powder Magazine in Williamsburg as well.

Later family members would have still been in Virginia during the era in which Jefferson attended William and Mary and likely learned the secrets of the octagons. Perhaps Jefferson was associated with some Beale’s with no records to prove this. It is also possible that a Beale was involved in initiating him into these mysteries. Besides the meeting between Robert Beale and Dee that was recorded both men were members of the Elizabethan Antiquary Society so additional association between the two is possible if not likely. This association would infer that Robert Beale was also a knowledgeable historian.

The legacy of Star Castle would later contribute to this architectural form and a veneration of the Tower of the Winds at the West Wycombe Estate of Sir Francis Dashwood, Oxford University, the Anson brothers’ Shugborough Hall, Summerhill Estate, and the Mt. Stewart Estate of the Marquis of Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Several additional English, French, German, Italian, Austrian, and Spanish estates also posses architectural follies or elements of design that may include them in this cultural tradition. Indeed the linear grounds of more than one of these special places points the way across the globe to the Axis Mundi of the Vatican at St. Peter’s Square.

One of the purposes of Star Castle would have been a point from which celestial observations could be made hence the structures name. Logs of these star observations known as ephemeris could be used to help those at other points on the globe to navigate or map new regions of the world.  The star logs enabled people to compare one point on earth to another regardless of any other points or maps that existed at that time. During this historical age any activity associated with astronomy would have evolved and included the same skill set as astrology or divination using celestial bodies. Dr. John Dee is said to have been Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer though this art was hidden and possibly illegal during this age. Dee had also taught navigation to the Royal Navy and had published a book on the subject.

Through modern history we do see very powerful and influential people maintaining a value of both this tradition and the art of cartography or map making. From a more spiritual perspective Star Castle may have represented the form of a Magdala or sacred tower from which astronomical sightings would be applied to the casting of horoscopes and navigation. It is now beginning to appear as if the Beale family was either involved in creating or had intimate knowledge of the Powder Magazine in Williamsburg, The octagons of Jefferson, and now the Newport Tower as well. This also infers that they may have indeed been aware of the more ancient axes such as the Great Pyramid, Hexagon of Baalbek, and hexagonal port of Portus near Rome.

As we have examined with other similar structures Star Castle’s octagonal plan may also have been meant to provide a kind of datum or Axis from which to measure. It is possible that talismanic places of importance may have been situated in alignment from an octagonal stellation of rays or arcs on the globe suggested by the plan and orientation of the structure itself. Star Castle is a compass rose placed on the face of the earth. By examining places that seem to be valued by Star Castle we can view a mix of the spiritual and practical applications of the art of navigation.

As stated above Star Castle seems to have been situated on the Michael Line. A Northeast trending stellation matching Star Castle’s octagonal plan also closely follows the traditional path of the Michael Line and does include places like Burrow Mump, Glastonbury Tor, and Avebury along the arc suggested by the octagon there. Interestingly this same arc on the globe from Star Castle continues across the North Sea and Germany to Bornholm Island in the Baltic Sea. The Newport Tower and Tower of the Winds of West Wycombe also sight Bornholm Island.

We have studied earlier here how Bornholm is an important site that exemplifies how hidden the arts of precise navigation and land surveying were used during this era. Bornholm is home to precise and patterned arrays of churches that may be Templar in nature (Lincoln, Haagensen). Part of the reason this activity may have been viewed as occult could have been due to the fact that the public at large lacked the ability or education to understand the technical aspects of this craft. Many technical disciplines may have been seen as and presented as being magic to the common person of this time. This use of the occult may have been a common apparatus of intelligence gathering operations. John Dee and Robert Beale both travelled royal courts and cities of Europe during the Elizabethan age seemingly collecting information for spymaster Walsingham and the Queen.

Using the same octagonal division of azimuths on the globe that sight Bornholm Island the Newport Tower in Newport Rhode Island is sighted from Star Castle. Star Castle points to both Bornholm and the Newport Tower. Coincidence?  Many architectural scholars have compared the Newport Towers plan to that of the ‘Templar’ Churches on Bornholm. In fact the Newport Tower was once covered in white stucco making it appear even more like the Churches on Bornholm Island. Is it possible that the builders of the Newport Tower had knowledge of the precise array of churches on Bornholm?

On its way to Newport from Star Castle this azimuth or arc on the globe also crosses another very significant site in early United States history that displays how important events may also be arrayed along talismanic lines of importance. Prior to this azimuth reaching the Newport Tower it crosses Pilgrims Pride Park in Provincetown Massachusetts. This park is the site of the first landing of the Mayflower and the signing site of the Mayflower Compact. A short time later the Pilgrims moved to Plymouth and their well-known value of the rock there. This historical event is also interesting when considering any involvement of Robert Beale in this mystery. He was a known Puritan sympathizer and was even suspected of being a one himself.

Robert Beale’s Puritan sympathies and involvement in the Newport Tower legend may make sense in the scope of the Mayflower Compact being signed in alignment with Star Castle and the Newport Tower. This also may infer that Beale and Dee were aware of the true origins of the Tower including who and when it was built. To this point it appears that at the very least the Elizabethans knew of and valued the Newport Tower as an Axis Mundi and may have even been involved in its design and construction. They may have possibly had access to a star log that was collected there. It is possible that the Newport Tower, Star Castle and similar structures in part and purpose were to define a meridian from which calculations could be made. This entire geographic plan was likely set up in order to claim this land in legal terms that could be understood and defended in relation to other national interests.

It is starting to look as if Robert Beale was both aware of and took part in the planning the true nature of Star Castle and the Newport Tower. The use of Star Castle as a directional tool in this mystery activity echoes the earlier use of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and other significant points as a global datum or place from which to measure in order to claim property for their sovereign. The use of ephemeris and an Axis Mundi (datum) recognized by all parties may have comprised some of the aspects considered when claiming property in relation to other royal entities who saw themselves as possessing this right.

Star Castle was built during the Elizabethan era, which rejects the tenets of the Church of Rome. This may have compelled them to build an axis of their own that did not include the spiritual overtones of their enemies yet displayed their cultural values that at this time included a Puritan component. This is why the Mayflower Compact was signed in relation to Star Castle and not the Dome of the Rock or Vatican. This is also how Dr. Dee or Sir Francis Bacon may have hidden ‘The Oak Island Treasure’ using an ancient ephemeris from the hexagonal port of Portus near Rome (Emperor Trajan).

In surveying terms this meant they might have had to accurately describe what they were claiming in relation to a known point that could be measured by others as well. This is a typical surveying and navigational concept at play on a different level. This is likely considered part of the legal description of property on some unknown level. This is an art that both John Dee and Robert Beale were trained in understanding. It seems that several Beale’s through history have been involved in this art including Robert’s descendant Edward Beale who would become Surveyor General of California in the nineteenth century. This may also be why Star Castle points to Bornholm Island with its patterned arrays of churches which seemed to have served as a kind of laboratory for this kind of geodesy or measurement of the earth.

An examination of the landing and sites of claim by Spanish and Portuguese navigators seems to prove a value of the Dome of the Rock as a central axis from which to measure. The Solomon Islands seemed to have been named such as part of this activity. Note also that The Dome of the Rock’s octagon points an azimuth to within six miles of the Kensington Rune Stone. This error may be well within the limits of navigational technology at a global scale during this era. The Kensington Stone may have been originally placed with regard to the location of the Dome of the Rock just as many other royal land claims had been through history. The possibility that Constantine had built an octagon on the Temple Mount before the Dome of the Rock may be what is being referred to by these navigators.

Jim Eagan the director of the Newport Tower Museum has gathered a significant amount of data including little known English expeditions in to the area in 1592 that supports his thesis including the early naming of Newport Harbor the “Dee River.” The spatial relationship of the Newport Tower and Star Castle and their octagonal plans may serve to support this notion. Star Castle was built in 1593 and does point the way to the Newport Tower.

If it is true that John Dee was aware of the existence of the Newport Tower then he was likely creating a talismanic relationship to an object that he knew had already been built by the construction of Star Castle. In the end the Newport Tower’s value of the Kensington Stone may be to legally describe and claim property in the name of an earlier Scottish monarch.

Discussed in prior work is how the octagonal orientation of the Newport Tower points an azimuth on the globe to the Kensington Rune. This thread of evidence may also support a value of this point on earth prior to the time the Kensington Stone was deposited. If true this would have meant that a star log or ephemeris had been collected at Newport prior to the construction of the Tower. This site may have been marked with a simple stone as at Kensington and other places prior to the construction of the tower. This is somewhat analogous to the Masonic laying of the cornerstone ceremony on a regional scale. If true it is entirely possible that the Newport Tower was built by Benedict Arnold Sr. as the standard history dictates. He may have simply been telling us in a secret way that people had been there long ago. So whether the Newport Tower was built by Vikings or Arnold it is still representative of a point on earth from which measurements could be taken. This would include pointing the way to the location of the Kensington Rune independently of any solstice alignment or illumination. The Newport Tower points to the Kensington Rune every day of the year at any time of day.

The Newport Tower sits in a unique position with regard to Star Castle (16^th century), The Williamsburg Powder Magazine(1715), The Kensington Rune Stone (1362), the Magdalen Islands (French Arcadia), and Bornholm Island (1300’s). The octagon of the Powder Magazine creates an arc that transects Newport Harbor just between the Tower and the Narragansett Rune. This is also likely not a coincidence. At this global scale considering the navigation technology of the day the intended target of the azimuth from the Powder Magazine may have been meant to sight the Newport Tower or Rune directly. Both the Powder Magazine and Newport Tower sight the Magdalene Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Magdalene’s are home to ‘The Harbor of the Masons’ (Le Harve Maison) and its main town Fatima. It is interesting to note that the French Arcadians were never forced to leave the Magdalene Islands. Here at the Magdalene’s we may see the influence of French Governor of Arcadia d’Abbadie Saint-Castin a direct family relation to those that created the Great Cross of Hendaye mystery.

Added all together the evidence suggests that ephemeris were collected at Star Castle, The Newport Tower, The Williamsburg Powder Magazine, Bornholm Island and its round churches, the Torre de Hercules, International Peace Garden site, and possibly the site of discovery of the Kensington Rune Stone. The name and historical legacy of Star Castle alone may indicate a value of this rich cultural tradition. When all of this is added up it may mean that each structure was placed in relation to a previous structure in chronological order given the dates the star charts were collected and not the date the structure was built. It is likely that the Beale family, Jefferson, and others had access to any catalogs of ephemeris that existed and created corresponding mysteries associated with many of what were to them sacred points on the earth. True history is revealed.

Ultimately the chronology and evidence available suggests that the Newport Tower was likely built during Elizabethan times. Alternately Queen Elizabeth may have been in a way taking over the legacy of the Norman Scotsmen who may have built the tower or collected the original star log. These men may have also been directly related to her. The English may have been ‘jumping the claim’ of an earlier more Catholic oriented regime. She had just gained the throne from Queen Mary and a schism existed between the Catholic faction of Mary and the protestant faction of Elizabeth. All of this adds up to infer that a band of Englishmen did go to the Newport tower to lay claim to it. Star Castle was built as part of this legal description of their claim and later the Mayflower Compact was signed in this geographic context as well.

Bolstering this idea is the fact that John Dee and Robert Beale were active during both the reign of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth I with Beale being intimately involved in the execution of Mary Queen of Scots as well. Both of them may have become privy to the secrets of the Newport Tower and other places during his presence in the court of Mary Queen of Scots. In the end the Newport Tower is still an enigma that may have built before the time of John Dee and Queen Elizabeth I.

What is certain is that Thomas Jefferson and the Beale’s were taking part in a tradition established long ago that may have included knowledge of the true origins and meanings of the Newport Tower and beyond. Many original Jamestown colonist descendants and later prominent families of early Virginia including the Washington family practiced this cultural activity. Even some of Washington’s family members (a later Lawrence Washington) attended the Bruton Parish Church at the time of Thomas Beale and later.

A series of Washington family members with first name Lawrence would have an impact on the political and social norms of the early colony. Lawrence the keeper of the Holy Grail. Given all the evidence of families involved in this activity it may be inferred that they all had Norman roots going back to Scotland, France and the era of Charlemagne. No matter what their political beliefs during the Elizabethan and Revolutionary war eras each group would eventually create memorials and talismanic architecture almost as if it was part of their family legacy.

History shows that while the Washington family was central to this activity in the New World each of what is known of as the First Families of Virginia may be suspect in planning this tradition. This would include elements of the Bacon, Fleming, Beale, Dandridge, and Hill families as well as many others. This group of early colonists would develop a kind of gentrified feudal system in which they intermarried with each other’s families over several generations. They were essentially continuing what had been done in the old country.

Later we see descendants of this caste holding powerful positions in the United States government even up until the present day. The phenomena of the First Families of Virginia may have even turned into a plan for American royalty over time. Alternately it may only appear this way because they intermarried at a time when there were few colonists.  In some ways it is only natural for people to marry within their own social class. There is no doubt that many of these families parlayed their early influence in the colony into a great deal of personal wealth and enterprise that still exists today.

The mystery of the artwork in All Saints Church Maidstone and the Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg are an amazing correlation that was seemingly planned or left to give one clues that may put the whole story together. There may be some commonality in mysteries left behind at Stirling Castle in Scotland and the Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg. The plaques of the Beale and Washington family left in All Saints Maidstone represent a tradition at work that reveals inside information to those in the know using the array of monuments or artwork in the church.

This is not surprising and conforms to an ancient practice that was also applied to the building of all the so called Gothic Cathedrals in Europe and even extends to the mysteries of Rennes le Chateau. Many investigators of the Rennes le Chateau mystery think its secrets are revealed via the artwork in the church. Interpretive artwork is a main component of many different mysteries created by many different people for their own reasons.

Also a major part of these phenomena is the ability to hide coded material or ciphers in arrays of architecture and artwork of this nature for practical uses beyond the finding of any treasure or alchemical mysteries. There is a great deal of easy to understand if not allegorical and metaphorical information included at many of these sites of mystery. One thing that is for sure is that none of this is outright told to the seeker but must be discerned via a great deal of understanding in a wide array of subject matter.

One of the more prominent theories concerning why people even think there is a vault of hidden information at the Bruton Parish Church involves secrets hidden in the headstones there that can be deciphered using a certain book of symbols that was produced in England. A book named “A collection of Emblemes, Ancient and Modern” by George Wither (1635) was a book of poetry that was lavishly illustrated with many engravings depicting gnostic Christian and historical themes.

It is then no surprise that the wife of spiritualist Masonic writer Manly P. Hall was the first to espouse this theory. Mrs. Marie Hall states in her theory that images and text in the book can be used to decipher grave stones in the Bruton Parish Churchyard that indicate a vault was built there containing the papers of Sir Francis Bacon. This in effect was the finding that kicked off the entire notion that anything was hidden at the Bruton Parish Church in the first place. Prior to this no one had ever speculated anything at all like this.

From a political perspective ‘Emblemes’ (original spelling) seems to be a kind of Christian or Puritan view of the mysteries. Is it possible that this is a piece of mythology that was intentionally created to lead one to an alternate “treasure?” Was it a book of ciphers that could be used to send hidden messages or directions? Use of similar books as clues in mysteries has been noted before.

One folly at Stirling known as the Star Pyramid or the ‘Salem Stone’ is a Nubian styled pyramid similar to that displayed on the United States One Dollar bill. The man who designed and built this pyramid was Drummond and he was directly related to William Drummond of the early Virginia Colony that had been executed after Bacon’s Rebellion had taken place. John Service who created the Service Stone had actually been one of the signators of the second Guild Stonemason’s charter with the Sinclair family of Rosslyn Chapel.

Bacon’s Rebellion was an insurgency of colonists who were protesting the policies of then Governor Berkeley. Nathaniel Bacon was also the man who was supposed to have brought Sir Francis Bacon’s papers to the New World. Some sources state that he was indeed a family relation of Sir Francis Bacon. He was said to have first hidden the mysterious papers in the foundation of the Church in Jamestown and later moved them to the Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg. There are also legends of a lost Bacon’s Vault in England.

Lake Drummond in Virginia is named for the family of William Drummond that is directly related to the Stewarts, Scotts, and Douglas’ of Scotland. The William Drummond who built the pyramid at Stirling in the eighteenth century had actually travelled to Africa and seen Nubian Pyramids as well. Drummond may have been one individual in a line of travelling scholars and mystics that are members of this family lineage. The presence of another William Drummond in Jamestown during this era is not surprising given his family legacy of architecture and monuments which is very similar to that of other early Virginia colonists families.

Sometimes mysteries are compounded by similarities that seem contrived or meant to tell you something in an allegorical manner. Illustrating this concept would be the presence of another “Book of Emblems” published by George Quarles also in 1635. It seems that books of symbols and emblems were popular at this time in Europe. Even more astonishing is the fact that this book is part of a mystery that involves headstones present at the churchyard in Stirling Castle. Specifically one of the monuments there known as the ‘Service Stone’ includes artwork directly borrowed from the book. Other passages in the book may relate to several other headstones and monuments at Stirling. It has to be more than a coincidence that both of these mysteries resemble each other so closely. Lets not forget that Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest points to the Kings Knot at Stirling Castle even further associating the mysteries at Stirling and Williamsburg.

This strange headstone at Stirling is thought to have been erected in memory of John Service who was a master stonemason at Stirling castle during the mid seventeenth century. Many of the symbols are masonic in nature including levels and squares arranged in different ways engraved on the stone. This illustration on the headstone seems to have been directly copied from Quarles ‘Emblems.’ Like the Withers book Quarles includes allegorical poems and many engravings depicting gnostic themes associated with Catholicism and the Society of Jesus better known as the Jesuits. This view is kind of opposite of the themes of Wither ‘Emblemes’ yet may fit the Catholic regimes who once occupied the castle.

It is interesting that the Wither book has a Protestant or even Puritan theme while the book associated with Stirling has a Catholic theme and imagery. Is it possible that one or the other books was written in response to the other? Both books were written during an era in which Catholic and Protestants in the British Isles were opposed to each other both spiritually and politically. In fact both books were published in 1635 and the date on the Service Stone reads 1636. This division was of course due to the faith of whichever ruler held power at a given time creating much animosity and retaliation between opposing factions. These endless religious disagreements also seemed to have bred a faction that thought all of it was without merit. Had the Bruton Parish Church mystery been based on the same concept as another at Stirling Castle? It appears that the Stirling mystery was at least known of longer than the twentieth century notion put forth by Ms. Hall relating the Books of Emblems to the mystery in Williamsburg. It is entirely possible that the use of the book of emblems in Williamsburg was inspired by another similar book’s use at Stirling.

In fact we see persecution of Puritans having a great deal of influence on why many people of Protestant faith came to America. Interestingly many of these Puritans came to Jamestown after the first wave of colonization. This may dispute the common notion that Jamestown and Virginia at large were some kind of Rosicrucian experiment while all the Puritans were at the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. It is likely that there were select citizens in and around Jamestown at that time that had been educated and were aware of the mysteries to a point they would understand the significance of either one of these books containing mysterious artwork and poetry. It may have been that among these individuals that were “in the know” the future seed of the United States of America had already been planted. This may have included members of the Beale, Hill, Washington, Lee, Randolph, and Bacon families.

Many others were typical Christians and happily went about their business. It is no surprise here that someone may have even been aware of the mystery of the Service Stone and others at Stirling that referred to Quarles book as a key to any cipher or secret present at Stirling. Obviously someone applied the same mystery to the Bruton Parish Church and it was exposed by none other than the wife of Manly P. Hall himself. Since the Bruton Parish Church was not built until 1715 it may be assumed that this mystery in Williamsburg had been in part been inspired by the already existing one at Stirling Castle. This is yet another distant allegorically interpretive clue to the overall scheme. Note also that Mrs. Hall believed Sir Francis Bacon had been the true author of the Wither book. This is also suggestive that he may have also penned the Quarles book if true. The Powder Magazine in Williamsburg points to the Bruton Parish Church where legends states the vault is loated!

They are trying to tell you something at these places. Many times a myth or more outrageous story is applied to a given locale as to draw your attention to it. Might not be the truth that is found be different than the tale as told?

We have seen a trail of mystery and intrigue involving Thomas Jefferson, the Beales and Washington families to this point. At each turn in this saga there is a person from the First Families of Virginia influencing the building of these monuments if not the political landscape of the entire country. It stands to reason that there may be additional examples of this activity involving the same tradition over time at different locations through out the United States of America. It is likely that the descendants of the original Mayflower and Plymouth Massachusetts colony also developed in this manner.

Part II: James I and Santiago.

The turn of the seventeenth century was a tumultuous time in the politics and religious overtones of the day. James I was crowned in 1603 after the death of Elizabeth I who had died without a heir to the throne. James VI King of Scotland son of Mary Queen of Scots was the next viable candidate by blood to the throne. Yet his mother Mary had been beheaded due to her Catholic beliefs. This was the early era of England and its experiment with a representative form of government. This factor changed the way rulers would deal with the people at large and in many ways reduced their influence in the everyday running of the country.

James was raised in Stirling Castle by the Earl of Mar and was schooled at a very high level. James was an intelligent man who understood the delicacy of his position. He had clearly come from an ancestry that was solidly Catholic yet he was required to be a member of the Church of England and persecute Catholics in his realm. This caused James to walk a thin line between the desires of his parliament and the pressure to accept the Catholic faith in his realm by his European royal relatives and cohorts.

One of the realms in which this political and religious factor was apparent is in the colonization efforts undertaken by James in Virginia and Newfoundland. Officially the colonies were to be inhabited by members of alternate Christian sects that had once been persecuted by Catholics in England as well as Catholic regions of the continent. Many of these people known as Puritans would come to America in search of religious and economic opportunity. In fact Catholics were banned from taking part in any early colonization of the Virginia Colony. The blowback effect of this policy of course would include the fact that Catholic agents were sent to Jamestown and likely Plymouth and each new place that would spring up as colonization spread over the eastern seaboard of North America.

Some incidence of this kind of silent conflict are apparent in the colonization scheme of Sir Francis Bacon in Newfoundland and the later involvement of Lord Calvert in another colony in Newfoundland known as Ferryland. Bacon had been one of the investors in the Cupid’s Colony of Newfoundland in 1610. As discussed earlier this colony did not survive but another colonization attempt was made later in 1621 by Lord Calvert (later known as Lord Baltimore).

In 1621 the colony of Avalon was established and the town of Ferryland became its first town. This colony was established under the auspices of Lord Calvert who actually came to live at the colony in 1627/28. After finding it too difficult to develop agriculture in Newfoundland Calvert headed to Jamestown in the winter of 1628. Upon arrival Calvert demanded to be given control of Jamestown. He was promptly rebuffed and this incident led ultimately to Calvert being granted what would come to be known as Maryland. The involvement of both Sir Francis Bacon and Lord Calvert in a colony called “Avalon” is interesting in and of itself.

This story may serve to exemplify the secret infiltration of early colonial attempts and how Catholic interests were insuring their influence and involvement in the development of a new continent. It makes sense that they would be looking out for their interests in a kind of silent war between Catholics and Protestants that had been going on in England for some time. There are signs that James I actually still held sympathies for the Catholics of his realm as his entire family legacy until his reign had been devoutly Catholic. This must have weighed heavily on the Kings mind as he formed policies aimed at pleasing both sides. This may have also caused him to make efforts in secret to insure the survival of the Catholic faith to the benefit of many in England at that time. By the end of his reign Catholics were at least allowed to practice their faith to a limited degree.

Jamestown had been named for James I who had in the chain of succession of monarchs actually been named for Santiago or St. James. Again we know that the name James in English and Scots kings derives from the 4^th Earl of Stewart (Alexander) naming his son James after Santiago. This also led to Sir James Douglas being named such after his uncle the 5^th Earl of Stewart. The value of this name exposes a little known value of Santiago de Compostela on the part of Scottish nobles. As a result it is likely that the Earls of Stewart, James Douglas, and others were all Knights of Santiago. It is clear that the builder of Rosslyn Chapel William Sinclair was a Knight of Santiago. Since James I was a protestant it is likely he was not part of this order openly.

It is possible that the location of Rosslyn Chapel was selected on the basis of its spatial relationship to the octagonal portion of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. This octagon can be used to create an arc on the globe that points directly to Rosslyn Chapel.

The story of the Battle of Teba also includes a strong association with Santiago de Compostela. This region of Spain is home to an interesting mix of culture that includes this being the region where Queen Scota had lived prior to coming to the British Isles and forming the cultures of Ireland and Scotland. This factor and others makes Santiago de Compostela a place of importance for Scottish people and their cultural heritage. This region of Spain does display a Celtic culture that includes bagpipes and kilts.

Over time there has been a great deal of speculation as to the degree of Catholic infiltration in the Virginia Colony through time. This examination will reveal that there was indeed a Catholic presence in early Virginia that was hidden and kept secret. Many also suspect a small yet influential Rosicrucian or Masonic influence at Jamestown. Stuck in the middle were a greater number of colonists that did not have affiliations with this secret war and went about their lives blissfully ignorant that a battle was being waged for their souls by their friends and compatriots who held these beliefs.

One of the byproducts of this silent conflict are architectural follies that include directional attributes. Many of these mysteries involve an octagonal structure like the Kings Knot at Stirling or the Powder Magazine in Williamsburg.  Part of the mystery of Williamsburg of course is the mysterious legend of the Bruton Parish Church Vault and how it resembles a similar mystery present at Stirling Castle in Scotland. This makes sense given the influence of King James in the establishment of the Virginia Colony. Other octagonal structures such as Star Castle, the Newport Tower, and Powder Magazine of Williamsburg are all involved in the legacy of Jamestown and colonial America at large. The buildings roles in establishing ownership of vast areas may have been important in the legal description of their realm in relation to neighboring properties often held by rival countries.

Many of the Legends of the Bruton Parish Church Vault in Williamsburg includes the fact that the vault was once located in the church in Jamestown. When the colony moved a few miles away to Williamsburg the ‘vault’ and its contents were eventually said in legend to have been moved to the Bruton Parish Church in a separate vault there. The contents of this vault in myth were said to have been brought to Jamestown by Nathaniel Bacon. Many debate the familial relation of this Bacon and Sir Francis Bacon while others insist he is directly related. Either way this could be why this vault is referred to as Bacon’s vault. This mistake may have led people later to assume the vault contained the papers of Sir Francis Bacon.

Recently the discovery of four graves in the Jamestown Church have reignited the furor over Bacon’s Vault and the possible truth of this legend. One of the graves excavated included the remains of Captain Gabriell Archer. Present in the grave was a silver reliquary (box) inscribed with the letter “M.” This silver box contained six bone fragments and a pewter vial. An additional piece of pewter in the box may represent part of a flagpole finial similar to the one recovered in early colonist Bartholomew Gosnold’s grave.

In fact Gosnold’s grave was also excavated in the recent past and also yielded an interesting pewter artifact. Gosnold’s grave included a pewter finial that appears to have been utilized as the tip of flagpole. The presence of this object may have designated Gosnold as the standard bearer in an order of knighthood. Gosnold’s mother’s name was Dorothea Bacon. Dorothea was likely an aunt of Sir Francis Bacon though a family relation is clear in examining genealogical records. So not only was Sir Francis Bacon an investor in both the Cupid’s Colony in Newfoundland but also an investor in Jamestown as well. In Jamestown he would have had family relation Gosnold looking out for an array of interests. This may infer that Gosnold was part of the small Rosicrucian minded faction of early Jamestown.

The title “standard bearer” is still an official title of the York Rite Knights Templar of the United States. This title did descend from the actual Knights Templar of the Crusades. Many orders of knighthood include the title of Standard Bearer. Other figures we have examined that were titled Standard Bearer include Knights Templar Ormus le Guidon. “Le Guidon” means “Standard Bearer.” If by chance one of the pewter fragments in the reliquary are part of a flag finial then it is possible that Archer was also Considered a Standard Bearer. In an organization of Knights the Knight designated Standard Bearer often acted as a kind of first sergeant at arms who kept the ranks in line and used his flag to echo the commands of other leaders. This was an honored position that was usually earned by a display of valor or personal sacrifice. It is possible that Archer earned this honor in association with another Standard bearer Bartholomew Gosnold.

Archer and Gosnold were closely associated until Gosnold’s death in 1607. Archer had accompanied Gosnold on his first expedition to the New World. During 1602 they visited the Newport Rhode Island area and established a trading post at Cuttyhunk Island.  During this time Gosnold named Martha’s Vineyard Island for his daughter. This island today is known as Noman’s Island. Later the name Martha’s Vineyard was transferred to another nearby larger Island and this one was renamed. Amazingly Noman’s Island is home to a runic inscription that is inaccessible today due to the islands use as a bombing range. This is interesting and could suggest in light of other discoveries that Gosnold had instruction that may have led him to Noman’s Island to find this rune. In any case it is interesting that Archer was involved in this very first trip to the America’s on the part of the English.

It is amazing that these two ships captains spent a great span of time so close to the Newport Tower yet they never noted its presence there. It is hard to believe that they would have spent time in this region and not explored the Narragansett Bay that actually went by the name of the Dee River for a time.  This name derives from Dr. John Dee Elizabeth’s astrologer and teacher of navigation to the Royal Navy. Dr. John Dee is the original “007” as used as his codename to the Queen. It is entirely possible that Archer, Gosnold, and Captain John Smith had all been taught the art of navigation by Dr. John Dee.

In the end it is interesting that such similar pewter artifacts are associated with both Gosnold and Archer. Perhaps each ships captain of the colony had once had a flag finial as a talisman of their authority. Alternately both men were considered Standard Bearers of the Knighthood they belonged to. Archer had accompanied Gosnold on his first expedition to America in 1602. When they landed in what would be known of as Provincetown Harbor prior to establishing Cuttyhunk they were arguably the first Englishmen to walk on the shores of New England. This harbor was also likely the point from which America was claimed in the name of an English monarch. Later the Mayflower Compact would be signed in the very same harbor. All of this was likely legally claimed in association with the octagonal shape of Star Castle as discussed in relation to the Newport Tower as before. So here is Gosnold foreshadowing the signing of the Mayflower Compact in a specific place as indicated by an axis or datum in the form of Star Castle on the Isle of Scilly.

The use of a reliquary as in Archer’s grave in this fashion is a Catholic tradition. Records indicate that Archer was a protestant loyal to the crown.  Why would his burial include what was seemingly an object firmly related to Catholic tradition? Whose bones were in the box? What is going on with this seemingly out of place artifact? It seems that many English Catholics had converted to the Church of England yet had retained their Catholic beliefs and sympathies in a hidden manner.

It is possible that Gabriel Archer was a Jesuit spy who had come to Jamestown to collect information and possibly influence the outcome of specific events. This may be apparent in Archer’s adversarial relationship with Captain John Smith. At one point Archer tried to have Smith executed due to his relationship with the local Native Americans. The arrival at this time of Captain Christopher Newport with supplies and more colonists was the only thing that saved Smith from the hangman. Later Newport seemed to favor Smith in the argument and Archer was sent home on the next transport to England. It is at this time that Archer may have been recruited by his close relatives including the Croft family who were staunch Jesuits. As it turns out Archer had a direct relation his own age who was a very influential Jesuit Priest.

James Archer was an Irish cleric who would play a great hidden hand in Catholic activities in England and Ireland. Ultimately James lived and worked at a Jesuit concern in Santiago de Compostela where the Sepulcher of St. James is located. James Archer and Gabriell Archer are distantly related via the Croft family and other Archers as well. James Archer was involved in and was wanted by the Crown for his involvement in many plots to destabilize the regime of James I.

Archers return trip to England in 1608 was right at a period when Catholics were starting to be more accepted and were even being allowed to openly practice their faith again. Eventually Archer would return to Jamestown to meet his fate. It is at about this time (1604) that Croft reignited his passion for his Catholic beliefs. Beyond this Croft even associated himself with the Jesuit College in England at that time. So there are some solid connections between Captain Archer and not only Catholic but Jesuit associations. Noted also is the return to the Catholic faith of many other members of the Archer family at this time. This dedication to their faith is no surprise. The Archer family had come to England as one of the noble Norman families of William the Conqueror and had held powerful positions with many monarchs over the years. Generations of Archers were part of the Catholic Priesthood in England. Later other Members of their family served for generations as the Sheriff of Warwickshire. Still other Archers served as grooms to the Kings of England.

The Jesuits are known for gathering intelligence and attempting to influence the outcome of political systems so this may fit the bill of what Gabriell Archer was involved in at Jamestown. This would also explain why he wished to rid the colony of Captain John Smith who likely represented a member of the Rosicrucian camp in early Jamestown. Even here at one of the earliest points of American history we see these two distinct camps battling each other for the hearts and minds of the people. It is easy to see the Catholic involvement in the development of early America via the influence of the Jacobite ideal. Many historians credit the start of the Jacobean ideal during the reign of James I. The home of James Archer Santiago de Compostela is one of the largest Jacobite symbols that exist. The entire basis of Jacobite ideals and the Cult of St. James are intimately intertwined through history.

Where does this leave us with regard to the contents of the reliquary that was found with Archer’s remains? A good guess is that when Archer returned to England in 1608 he had been recruited by his Jesuit family members to bring this talisman back to the New World. While Archer was gone many of them seemed to have returned to their Catholic and Jesuit ideals as restrictions on their faith were being loosened by a sympathetic King James. What could be in the box that was so important for them to have in this new land? If it is true that Archer was working clandestinely then only a few others in the colony who were also Catholic would have been aware of what was in the box that was buried with Archer. For anyone to reveal the contents or that they knew its contents would have led to their execution or expulsion from the colony. This repression of Catholics may have led to many of the mysteries and clandestine goings on in Colonial Virginia.

Part of the history of Lord Calvert involves speculation that he was a secret closeted Catholic at this time. The existence of this reliquary may also be why Lord Calvert was so interested in taking Jamestown for himself when he arrived from his failed Ferryland Colony in Newfoundland. It is possible that Calvert knew what was in the reliquary and it was important enough for him to take control of. Later since Calvert could not gain control of Jamestown it was decided to keep all of this a secret as it has remained today.

It is highly likely that there are Catholic interests at the time of publication of this book who were aware of the presence of this reliquary in Archer’s grave and the importance of what it contained. Here we see a very important and interpretive artifact being found at the location where Bacon’s Vault was supposed to have once been located. It is remotely possible that the presence of this reliquary gave birth to the notion that there was a hidden vault of information somewhere in or near Williamsburg only a few miles from Jamestown. Part of the reason Archer was even sent back to Jamestown after he had been sent hom was to bring the reliquary back there with him.

Given Gabriell Archer’s possible relation to Jesuit Priest James (Iago) Archer is it possible that the bones in this reliquary are fragments of the body of St. James from Santiago de Compostela? Archer lived in Santiago de Compostela for a significant part of his life. There is a chance that he had access to the Sepulcher of St. James and had obtained some fragments to send to the new colony even named after Santiago! It makes perfect sense from a symbolic and talismanic viewpoint that these people would see the need to send such a powerful talisman of their beliefs to the New World to a place that had collaterally been named for the Saint. Jamestown may have included a small part of the remains of St. James in this small reliquary brought by Gabriell Archer to the new colony. Archer’s secret would die with him as he passed later in the “time of starvation” in the year 1609. Archer had returned to Jamestown with this important symbol of his beliefs only to perish soon after.

Interestingly the small silver reliquary includes a letter “M” inscribed on its lid. This is very interesting in the association of this letter with Mary Magdalene. “M” is also the thirteenth letter giving it even more significance in the eyes of many who value the Magdalene. This factor may give rise for some to speculate that the reliquary contains bone fragments of Mary Magdalene. This is also possible but there are many more interpretations of the letter “M” in this context. The letter “M” is also symbolically associated with Jesus Christ. Along with the twelve apostles Christ would have been “13.” Some consider Mary Magdalene the 13^th apostle.

The box itself is hexagonal in profile and includes a lid that is attached to the top in a unique way. The letter M on the top seems to have been etched with a knife or sharp object and does not appear to have been engraved. The form of this box is reminiscent of the boxes described holding the heart of Robert the Bruce and later the missing Knights of Teba but those reliquaries were said to have been enameled and were not silver. In either case the storage of relics in a silver box indicates the value of the contents as well. During the Jacobite uprisings in England a small reliquary containing the finger of St. Columba was paraded in front of the troops prior to battle. The use of a relic composed of a Saint’s remains is commonly used in this manner.

Many of the alternate theories of St. James suggest that he was a brother or blood relation of Christ. This dynamic also holds true of the remains of Mary Magdalene who many believe bore the children of Christ. Given this if the reliquary contained the remains of Mary Magdalene then Archer likely was not a Jesuit. Since there is a great deal of evidence that he did have Catholic associations it is likely that these are not the remains of Mary Magdalene but of a saint or figure that would be valued by Catholics and not threatened by as in the case of Mary Magdalene.

Does the “M” on the lid of the reliquary mean that some remains of Christ are present in the box? Many do associate the letter 13 with Christ in the numeric progression of the number of apostles. Speculation does exist that the entire Cult of St. James is secretly geared towards the remains of Christ that are actually interred there. This may have happened after the time of the Crusades. If Christian interests had to evacuate Jerusalem wouldn’t it makes sense that they would also pack up and take any significant relics with them and reinter them in other places of significance that they still controlled?

Outside of Jerusalem Santiago de Compostela seems to be the next most significant point of pilgrimage in Catholic beliefs. Sending a small part of one of these important relics to completely new land unaffected by any of the religious or social mores of the old world would make sense when viewing the overall pattern of behavior. The remains of St. James being in Jamestown may have been too much to resist for anyone who knew the true origins of the name of that colonial town among English and Scottish nobility.

Logic dictates that this reliquary held the remains of someone important to the Catholic cause at this time. All of this was not spoken of or kept secret because Jesuit  Catholic interests in England and the colonies at this time were required to operate in a clandestine manner harkening back to the Christian mysteries of Rome prior to the acceptance of the faith by Constantine. Since the time of this reliquary’s deposition in Archers Grave in 1609 it has sat well protected and unknown of by anyone but a few. Even then the location of this grave was unknown of until recently. The area was then subsequently protected by its status as a National Park for a long span of time.

Hopefully DNA and radiocarbon tests will be carried out on these remains to determine their age and region of origin. This reliquary could represent a secret that when exposed will change the scope of how colonial history is considered in the overall view of the history of the United States of America. If this story is true and the bones are that of Santiago then it would fit a broader pattern of the symbology of Santiago as it appears in many American icons.

The “field of stars” of the American flag may represent the field of stars or Compostela of Santiago. Compostela in Latin, Campus Steallae means “field of stars.” The association of the Cult of Santiago with the early Scottish and English Monarchs named James contributes to why this was all done clandestinely. The name of the Jacobites is directly related to a value of the imagery of St. James as well. Jacobites were supporters of deposed Kings James II and Bonnie Prince Charlie the rightful heirs to the English and Scottish thrones. The Stewart nobles were named for Santiago and many of them were Knights of Santiago though this may be a cloistered secret to some degree. It is then no coincidence that the first settlement undertaken by King James would also possess a secret value of Santiago. It is entirely apropos that a small part of Santiago would have been brought to Jamestown.