Notes. Chronograms, which work by assigning numerical values to letters, were a popular contemporary genre with a vaguely prophetic import. This chronogram is of the Latin version of “George, Duke of Buckingham” (“Georgius Dux Buckinghamiae”). By writing the name in Roman script so that “U”s are “V”s, and then assigning numerical values to those letters that correspond to Roman numerals (I [1], V [5], X [10], C [100], D [500], and M [1000]), the chronogrammer discovers the year “1628” hidden in Buckingham’s name. One version of this chronogram and verse (BL MS Harley 4931) states explicitly that they were devised “before his death”.

GeorgIVs DVX BVCkInghaMIae

Sith number with thy name doth thus agree

This yeare shall fatall prove to state or thee.

Source. Folger MS V.a.162, fol. 80r

Other known sources. D’Ewes, Autobiography 1.389; Wentworth Papers 303; BL MS Harley 4931, fol. 9r; CUL MS Dd.11.73, fol. 67v; Folger MS V.b.275, fol. 220r

Pi2