"I have held up a light in the obscurity of Philosophy, which will be seen centuries after I am dead. It will be seen amidst the erection of Tombs, Theatres, Foundations, Temples, Orders and Fraternities for nobility and obedience — the establishment of good laws as an example to the World. For I am not raising a Capitol or Pyramid to the Pride of men, but laying a foundation in the human understanding for a holy Temple after he model of the World. For my memory I leave it to Men's charitable speeches, to foreign Nations and the next Ages, and to my own Country after some Time has elapsed." -- Francis Bacon, Advancement of Learning (1605), Bk II.

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Join me to explore the hidden tenets of arranged alignments of architecture and art. Structures as diverse as the Great Pyramid, Baalbek, The Tower of the Winds, Hagia Sopia, Basilica San Vitale, The Dome of the Rock, St. Peter's Square, Gisors, The Newport Tower, Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, and the Georgia Guidestones all may have a common origin.

Three reproductions of the Tower of the Winds in England help to display how this age old value is viewed through time. Along the way many legends and myths associated with the Holy Grail and other relics are examined.

Treasure myths such as the Oak Island Legend and The Beale Treasure Legend may have a common origin and hidden meaning. The tale of The Bruton Parish Church Vault (a.k.a. "Bacon's Vault) may also be a copy of an already existent mystery at Stirling Castle.

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The Bones of St. James found at Jamestown. The Archer Reliquary AVM. Is it Mary Magdalene?

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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. Elizabeth’s reign just prior had been staunchly anti-Catholic.

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. Puritans in turn had been somewhat discriminated against by their Church of England countrymen. 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. Lord Calvert was indeed a cloistered Catholic as history would later prove.

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 4th Earl of Stewart (Alexander) naming his son James after Santiago. This also led to Sir James Douglas being named such after his uncle the 5th 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 Gabriell 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 at 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 home 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 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 13th 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 make 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?

Each end of the reliquary is incised with designs that may shed a great deal of light on the value of what the reliquary represents. One end of the reliquary includes some crudely incised art that is representative of arrows. This would fit the name of Captain Archer and his family legacy. In the feathered portion of one of the arrows it is plain to see the Auspice of Mary symbol that resembles the Compass and Square design of Freemasonry. The “AVM” is present on the reliquary. The opposite end also has some hastily incised designs that resemble stone mason’s marks or runic characters. Indeed one X with the central I resembles the Chi Rho and the monogram of Christ. The other figure is clearly the X with the hook that is representative of the Alpha and Omega. This reliquary displays the same symbols later seen in the logo of the College of William and Mary and the symbols on the Kensington Rune.

The inclusion of these symbols on this reliquary are amazing and very significant. These symbols were included on a tapestry made by Mary Queen of Scots herself. The origins and path of the development of the appreciation for the symbols on this reliquary is a road map as to the involvement of those that venerated the works of Sir Francis Bacon and the image and cultural heritage of the Culture of Santiago and Santiago de Compostela. The only good guess or conclusion as to whose bones are included in the reliquary would be Santiago or St. James himself.

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.

One of the most convincing pieces of evidence gathered that may expose whose bones are in the Archer reliquary includes the genealogy or ancestors of Gabriel Archer. Archer’s line has his wife descending from King Edward and Elanor of Castile. Eleanor is directly descendant of King Alphonso IX of Leon. Alphonso IX is interred at Santiago de Compostela very close to the Sepulcher of St. James himself. The date ranges supposed for the age of the Archer reliquary match the era of Alphonso IX. Alphonso IX was also the commander of forces that included a band of Scottish Knights of Sir James Douglas at the Battle of Teba where they all disappeared from the pages of history. In addition Alphonso IX was the person who consecrated the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in 1211.

All of this adds up to the fact that Archer’s relation via this line could provided individuals that would have had access to the sepulcher of St. James and his remains. The age of the holy water ampule emblazoned with the Scallop Shell of the Camino is testament to these possibilities. In addition it is highly possible that Archer had a direct relative at Santiago de Compostela who was Jesuit Priest. There are many signs that the Archer family had always been devout Catholics with a great devotion to Santiago. It is also known that several different members of the Archer family personally collected the relics of saints.

There is high probability that the bones of Santiago were brought to Jamestown by Captain Gabriel Archer. Stay tuned for more on this in the coming days.

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.

The reliquary of Captain Archer was found in a context that legend tells us includes
“Bacon’s Vault.” As we have examined this legend also is incorporated into the Beale Treasure Legend. The remainder of the Jamestown Chapel is slated to be excavated through the floor of the newer Chapel in the summer of 2016. Stay tuned for updates in this unfolding story. Will they find “Bacon’s Vault?”

  Second guess for whose remains are in the reliquary. Is it Mary Magdalene? Possible.

In the past others have associated the symbols on the reliquary with Mary Magdalene. It is possible that the remains in the reliquary are those of the Magdalene. This may also fit if these remains are the brother of Jesus James who led the early Christian Church.

The fact that the imagery of Jamestown, James, and the Scallop Shell are Church symbols of Santiago dictates that the remains are of Santiago. Those that are part of the culture of Mary Madgalene do not subscribe to the imagery and symbols of the church but may ascribe their own interpretation of these symbols in relation to Mary Magdalene. Since Archer is a Catholic it is logical to suspect that he was not a follower of the doctrine of Mary Magdalene though this is possible for even the most devout of Catholics to believe. So we will develop this story more closely and see what happens. If they test the bones it will be obvious if they are male or female.

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