The True Story of Philip Sidney, Oak Island, and Arcadia

The True Story of Oak Island and Arcadia. By Cort Lindahl

What if the story of Oak Island is essentially a fictional story that had been told long before anyone supposed the presence of treasure there? Is it possible that this story had been applied to the island for reason’s other than inspiring the reader to look for treasure? The truth may reveal that the entire saga was meant to inform one of the true nature of the name Acadia (Arcadia) while also displaying the contentious history of what would eventually come to be known as Nova Scotia. As the story unfolds it is clear that both the French and English factions of Nova Scotia and the other maritime provinces had a distinct value of the Arcadian concept that had come from the same Greek mythology.

A value of Arcadia also involve a value of navigation with regard to the Pole Star also known as Stella Maris. The name Arcadia derives from the Greek mythological character Arcas. Ultimately Arcas and his mother are cast into the sky with Arcas as Ursa Minor and his mother as Ursa Major. The Pole Star is located at the tip of the tail of Ursa Minor making this an important constellation to both Pilgrims and Pilots. This somewhat hidden navigational theme is of course valued throughout the entire tale of “Arcadia” and the real people surrounding the Oak Island mystery. The theme of Arcadia is also one of a pastoral utopia where life is good and simple.

It is clear that both the French and English factions of Acadia valued this mythology and its pastoral themes. Though the Academy of Arcadia of the Vatican was not formed until the mid seventeenth century these themes are especially evident in the application of the name Larcadia to this region by Italian cartographer Bolongnini Zaltieri in 1566. It is likely that Bolongnini had used this name in response to explorer Verrazano’s naming of what would become Delaware “Archadia” during his 1525 voyage. Originally these regions were claimed by France yet soon disputed by England. When the French first settled the area of what would become Port Royal Nova Scotia in 1605 they became known of as “Acadians.” The use of this name comes from an era of history during which the image of Greek Arcadia as a pastoral utopia was appreciated and began to manifest itself in visual and literary arts.

With this in mind it is no surprise that Verrazano and Bolongnini chose to use this name for previously unnamed regions during their voyages. Given this it is easy to see why later artists and writers would value and revere this concept via their literary guild of Arcadia. Strangely the use of literary guilds in this manner may reveal a great deal about the Mystery of Oak Island and many other questions that seem to have been placed in the minds of the public at large. One literary figure in particular may in fact hide the secret of the Oak Island Treasure! The Academy of Arcadia of the Vatican was not established until the mid seventeenth century and likely included among its members Nicolas Poussin famous for his renderings of “The Shepherds of Arcadia” known in the mysteries of Shugborough Hall and Rennes le Chateau. As it may be discerned there is yet another somewhat earlier literary guild who seemed to value the Arcadian theme in England.

Sir Philip Sidney was a writer and courtier during the Elizabethan era. Both he and his sister Mary Sidney Herbert Countess of Pembroke were favorites at court during that time. Both Philip and Mary were talented writers who were part of Mary’s writer’s guild known as the Wilton’s Writers Circle. Many people speculate as to this guild’s involvement in the production of the works of Shakespeare as well as involvement with Sir Francis Bacon and Edward de Vere the 17th Earl of Oxford. Mary Sidney Countess of Pembroke also once penned a book about Enochian Geomancy or the reading and interpretation of lines on the earth.

In about 1570 Philip dedicated an extensive work to is sister simply titled “Arcadia.” This tome refers to the idyllic land of Greek Arcadia and as we will see provided a few moments of crucial history to the world of mystery and intrigue. Some of the details of the story include the book opening with a maritime battle that includes Pirates and the destruction of the two protagonists ship leaving them stranded in Arcadia.

The sons of Mary Sidney Herbert Countess of Pembroke both married the daughters of the 17th Earl of Oxford Edward de Vere. The Herbert son’s were great patrons of the arts and funded the publication of the famous First Folio of Shakespeare as evidenced by the books dedication to them by famous author Ben Jonson. The First Folio is an interesting publication of Shakespeare and is thought by many to contain codes and ciphers. The First Folio and indeed all of the works of Shakespeare postdate the authorship of “Arcadia” by Philip Sydney but did occur in the era during which William Alexander edited the work. If these code crakcers are correct then these ciphers were placed in the First Folio in response to what Philip Sydney had written in “Arcadia” that had first been written when Bacon was about twelve years old. Again this may indicate that the suggestion of treasure at Oak Island had come from and had been a copy of the story included in Sidney’s work. The First Folio was published in 1621. Sidney wrote “Arcadia” in the 1570’s and it was finished by 1580. Both his sister Mary Sidney Herbert Countess of Pembroke and later William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling amended and edited the work. It is clear that Sir Francis Bacon had nothing to do with the production of “Arcadia” nor to the ciphers in the first folio actually refer to his work. They refer to something Philip Sidney had written or done. Not Sir Francis Bacon.

King Charles I last words were from a portion of  Sidney’s “Arcadia” known as “Pamela’s Prayer.” This in turn leads us to the imagery of “Et in Arcadia Ego” on the Shepherd’s Monument of Shugborough Hall and will unravel the mystery of Oak Island as well as point to solutions to other mysteries such as the Bruton Parish Church Vault of Jamestown and Williamsburg and the Beale Treasure of Virginia. Throughout all these mysteries the Arcadian theme or use of the Pole Star to navigate from clue to clue to find treasure is central. This includes Oak Island, Rennes le Chateau and Shugborough mysteries. This information proves that the Shepherds Monument was intended as a memento mori for the beheaded Charles I. In addition as this tale unravels we will see direct connections to a series of popular mysteries. Amazingly artwork and architecture present at Admiral Anson’s other estate Moor Park unravels the entire mystery. Philip Sidney also owned Moor Park at one point that is only a few miles from Sir Francis Bacon’s Gorhambury Estate.

What will be revealed will also connect the octagonal Kings Knot of Stirling Castle originally built by Charles I to the Tower of the Winds of Shugborough Hall and the strange star in the landscape of Rennes le Chateau as defined by brilliant author Henry Lincoln. The octagonal Kings Knot “points to” both the Tower of the Winds of Shugborough and the star in the landscape of Rennes le Chateau as defined by Henry Lincoln. The star at Rennes in turn “points back” thus defining a single arc on the globe that includes the Shugborough Tower of the Winds between the two. It will soon become clear why and how all these places and themes are related together including Oak Island. The Arcadian mysteries are all linked via a geographic scheme indicated by monuments present at each location.

What if in addition to all of these revelations Philip Sidney’s “Arcadia” also revealed the original story of how the Money Pit on Oak Island was found? In fact “Arcadia” contains the exact story that reflects the origins of the modern Oak Island myth as it is read today. What if there was a direct connection between Charles I and the Arcadian theme that would rationalize why all the monuments and associated mysteries at Stirling, Shugborough, and Rennes le Chateau even exist in the first place? What if the entire scheme also included Oak Island Nova Scotia?!

The original folklore of Oak Island tells of how three young men sighted strange lights on the Island and went to investigate. Upon a search of the Island a strange depression was found with a ships tackle hanging from the branch of an Oak Tree above. The young men decide to excavate the pit hoping that local tales of Pirate’s hoards could be true. First the surface of the depression was covered with flagstones. As they excavated strange platforms of oaken logs were encountered until finally at about ninety feet a strange stone was encountered that included an enigmatic inscription that some interpret as saying treasure is located in a vault below. The true story is similar yet with the young men living and owning property on the island. It may be that the men who found the treasure had once been part of Montagu’s “Carolina Corps” during the revolutionary war with some of them being from Virginia and North Carolina originally.

Here below in a excerpt from Philip Sidney’s “Arcadia” published in 1580 we see almost the exact story being told. “Arcadia” had been published over two hundred years prior to the first revelation of any hint of treasure at Oak Island as exposed in the original tale. Here now read the truth of the Oak Island Money Pit: 



"Master," answered Dorus, " you have so satisfied me with promising me the utmost of my desired' bliss, that if my duty bound me not, I were in it sufficiently rewarded. To you therefore shall my good hap be converted, and the fruit of my labour dedicated. Therewith he told him, how under an ancient oak (the place he made him easily understand by sufficient marks he gave to him) he had found digging but a little depth, scattering lying a great number of rich medals, and that, piercing farther into the ground he had met with a great stone, which, by the hollow sound it yielded, seemed to be the cover of some greater vault, and upon it a box of cypress, with the name of the valiant Aristomenes, graven upon it : and that within the box he found certain verses which signified that some depth again under that all his treasures lay hidden, what time for the discord fell out in Arcadia, he lived banished. Therewith he gave Dametas certain medals of gold he had long kept about him, and asked him, because it was a thing much to be kept secret, and a matter one man in twenty hours might easily perform, whether he would have him go and seek the bottom of it, which he refrained to do till he knew his mind promising he would faithfully bring him what he found, or else that he himself would do it, and be the first beholder of that comfortable spectacle ; no man need doubt which part Dametas would choose, whose fancy had already devoured all this great riches, and even now began to grudge at a partner, before he saw his own share. Therefore taking a strong jade, laden with spades and mattocks, which he meant to bring back otherwise laden he went in all speed thitherward, taking leave of nobody, only desiring Dorus he would look well to the princess Pamela, promising him mountains of his own labour, which nevertheless he little meant to perform, like a fool, not considering, that no man is to be moved with part, that neglects the whole.

Thus away went Dametas having already made an image in his fancy, what palaces he would build, how sumptuously he would fare, and among all other things imagined what money to employ in making coffers to keep his money ; his ten miles seemed twice so many leagues, and yet contrary to the nature of it, though it seemed long, it was not wearisome. Many times he cursed his horse's want of consideration, that in so important a matter would make no greater speed : many times he wished himself the back of an ass to help to carry away the new sought riches (an unfortunate wisher, for if he had as well wished the head, it had been granted him). At length being come to the tree, which he hoped should bear so golden acorns, down went all his instruments, and forthwith to the renting up of the hurtless earth, where by and by he was caught with the lime of a few promised medals, which was so perfect a pawn unto him of his farther expectation that he deemed a great number of hours well employed in groping farther into it, which with logs and great stones was made as cumbersome as might be, till at length, with sweaty brow, he came to the great stone. A stone, God knows, full unlike to the cover of a monument, but yet there was the cypress box with Aristomenes graven upon it, and these verses written in it,

A banish'd man, long barr'd from his desire
By inward lets, of them his state possessed,

Hid here his hopes, by which he might aspire.

To have his harms with wisdom's help redressed.

Seek then and see what man esteemeth best,
All is but this, this is our labour's hire :

Of this we live, in this we find our rest ;
Who holds this fast no greater wealth require,

Look farther then, so shalt thou find at least,

A bait most fit for hungry minded guest.

He opened the box, and to his great comfort read them, and with fresh courage went about to lift up that stone. But in the meantime, e'er Dametas was half-a-mile gone to the treasure-ward, Dorus came to Miso……

Later in the story:

THE almighty wisdom evermore delighting to show the world that by unlikeliest means greatest matters may come to conclusion ; that human reason may be the more humbled, and more willingly give place to divine providence; as at the first it brought in Dametas to play a part in this royal pageant, so having continued him still an actor, now that all things were grown ripe for an end, made his folly the instrument of revealing that which far greater cunning had sought to conceal. For so it fell out that Dametas having spent the whole day in breaking up the cumbersome work of the pastor Dorus, and feeling in all his labour no pain so much as that his hungry hopes received any stay, having with the price of much sweat and weariness gotten up the huge stone, which he thought should have such a golden lining, the good man in the great bed that stone had made, found nothing but these two verses written upon a broad piece of vellum.

Who hath his hire, hath well his labour plac'd ;
Earth thou didst seek, and store of Earth thou hast.

The above narrative from “Arcadia” seems to be the original source of the tale still told today in relation to Oak Island. Of course the alternate name of Nova Scotia is Acadia which is also French or short for Arcadia. The fictional work does reveal the solution to a missing “treasure” that has not yet happened at Oak Island. This literary work takes place in the original Arcadia of Greece and does not at first glance have anything to do with Nova Scotia. Or does it? Given all the similarities in this story to the original tale of Oak Island there is absolutely no way this story in Nova Scotia did not derive from Philip Sidney’s “Arcadia.” If this fictional tale is the original source of the Money Pit story then this does not bode well if the real Money Pit serves the same purpose as the one in the story. “Arcadia” is indeed a story about Acadia.

This story seems to describe a hidden or lost stash of treasure that someone had already dug for and had found some of the loot. He then sends an additional person in search of what remains at the same site. This would leave a depression in the ground just as described in the original story. The inclusion of Aristomenes’ box also fits the Money Pit story as does the inclusion of a graven stone reminiscent of the “ninety foot” stone said to have been found at the Money Pit. The papers in the box indicate a great treasure hidden below possibly in a vault where the box and stone were found. The description of “logs and stones” being removed also resembles the layers of oaken logs said to have been encountered in the Money Pit story. The story of Sir Francis Bacon’s papers being present is suggested at both Jamestown/Williamsburg and Oak Island by some. Something similar is also told in this excerpt of “Arcadia.” The plot of “Arcadia” reveals that the treasure story is simply an elaborate ruse to confound Dametas while Dorus escapes with the object of his desire. There are other aspects of “Arcadia” that do mention pirates and looted treasures but not in relation to the treasure story discussed here.

Sir William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling was an admirer of Philip Sidney’s work and was a favorite at the court of James I. William had even been educated with the future king Charles I in Scotland as a young man. His association with Charles may indeed link us back to Shugborugh Hall and the notion that the Shepherds Monument is a memento more for Charles. The Shepherds Monument may indeed display a strange small casket or reliquary that may represent the Oak Island treasure. Eventually Sir William would be given Nova Scotia in one of the early English possessions of the Maritime region. His intention was to establish a Scottish Colony and he is credited with naming the region Nova Scotia. Sir Alexander is the origin of the Baronetcies of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia flag. The history of this region has it passing back and forth from English to French hands several times in a contentious manner that was not really solved until after the invasion of General George Lawrence in the early eighteenth century. Strangely William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling also has a very direct and unmistakable link to the Arcadian concept that had already been applied to the region by French influences. 

William Alexander wrote an addendum to Philip Sidney’s “Arcadia” in 1621 that  does not include this strange tale resembling the later Legend of the Money Pit at Oak Island. The first governor of Acadia had written part of “Arcadia.” This means Philip Sidney is the source of the story that would later seemingly be copied at Oak Island in Arcadia. Still Alexander’s addendum was about one hundred and seventy-four years prior to the revelation of the story we all know and love at Oak Island. This amazing fact coupled with the presence of the Oak Island story so long prior to its use later near the turn of the nineteenth century have now be examined in a different light. In fact this information may also reveal that that entire later manifestation of the Legend of the Money pit was contrived and that no treasure is located at Oak Island. The first Baron or Governor of Arcadia wrote part of “Arcadia!”

Of course this story may also be interpreted as having been the template for the deposition of valuable items as described in both the Legend of the Money Pit and Sidney’s “Arcadia.” The fact that this fictional tale was composed so long before the Money Pit was discovered may indicate the falsehood of the entire later history that has them simply copying a tale germane to the history and identity of Acadia or Nova Scotia. An alternate scenario suggested by this story would mean that if true the treasure had already been found. The fact that the Money Pit story had obviously been crafted from “Arcadia” may also indicate the folly of the original story. Or had men later replicated the entire story at Oak Island to hide a real treasure? Though that would have been difficult it does not make sense unless someone was intentionally conjuring images from Sidney’s “Arcadia.” Though this tale in Arcadia does not mention the Oak in question being located on an Island could he have known of a treasure there as early as 1570?

One important factor that may point to the existence of real treasure at Oak Island is Philip Sidney’s close friendship with Sir Francis Drake. Drake is included in a long list of people who potentially created the Money Pit and the chronology of his voyages do indicate that Sidney could have included his “Arcadian” treasure tale in response to something Drake had told him. Still even if Drake was involved there is no record of him coming to Nova Scotia though his position in the English naval hierarchy would have exposed him to a great deal of information from other sailors and sea captains.

In the end the repetition of theme and identical elements of the story point to the fact that the later Money Pit mystery was crafted to intentionally match the story from Sidney and Alexander’s “Arcadia.” That is almost without question at this point. There may be many real and verifiable reasons that this is true within the scope of intelligence services and use of literature and art as weaponized constructs. Again the entire cast of characters on both the French and English sides of the story have direct relations to the intelligence networks of the monarchies of both France and England.  Thrown into the mix is the defacto intelligence network of the Society of Jesus also known as the Jesuits. 

Many elements of the progression and editing of “Arcadia” later resemble the way the famous work “Amadis de Gaula” progressed with one addendum even being the earliest source of the name “California.” Works such as these may have contained hidden metaphors or even codes that would only be appreciated by an initiate or one intimately associated with the history surrounding them. Evidence of this comes in the form of a communication from Fulke Greville to Sir Francis Walsingham. Sir Francis was also Philip Sidney’s father in law. Walsingham was of course considered to be one of the “spymasters” of Queen Elizabeth and holds close relations to many people in this tale. Greville’s concern seems to stem from the fact that portions of Sidney’s “Arcadia” are too revealing to be published:

“Sir this day one Ponsonby a bookbinder in Paul's Churchyard, came to me, and told me that there was one in hand to print, Sir Philip Sidney's old Arcadia asking me if it were done with your honour's con[sent] or any other of his friends/I told him to my knowledge no, then he advised me to give warning of it, either to the Archbishop or Doctor Cosen, who have as he says a copy of it to peruse to that end/Sir I am loath to renew his memory unto you, but yet in this I must presume, for I have sent my Lady your daughter at her request, a correction of that old one done 4 or 5 years since which he left in trust with me whereof there is no more copies, and fitter to be printed than that first which is so common, notwithstanding even that to be amended by a direction set down under his own hand how and why, so as in many respects especially the care of printing it is to be done with more deliberation,…..”

Why would the publishing of this story be of concern to those included in the intelligence circle of Elizabeth? Here again is more fuel to the fire to the notion that the entire Money Pit legend was in turn contrived. Still we have reasonable evidence that a shaft was excavated at Oak Island that included layers of logs as in the Sidney and Alexander story of “Arcadia.” Could this entire treasure hunt have been contrived to resemble Arcadia to stash another more real treasure or had this been done to confound one’s enemies that were known to be in search of specific religious relics or treasures such as the fabled Temple Treasure of Jerusalem? Alternately Walsingham as Sidney’s father in law may have seen “Arcadia” as meant to be for immediate family only. “Arcadia” was originally written for Mary Sidney Herbert Philip’s sister and was only read by those of the Wilton Writer’s Circle.

It is clear that the stories match down to the description of layers of logs and the strange “ninety foot” stone. The Money Pit mystery is frustrating due to the absence of the ninety foot stone which has not been seen since the period of its discovery. No photos of the original stone exist only drawings. What is amazing is that this work is associated with William Alexander who personally edited and added to the work in 1613-18 only a few years before he was awarded control of Nova Scotia by James I. It appears as if Alexander viewed this work in a metaphorical manner that could be applied to “Arcadia” in Nova Scotia thus adding a Scottish identity beyond the name of the colony. What does this mean with regard to goings on at Oak Island and the Money Pit? Did Alexander know of or have something placed there to resemble this story intentionally? Or was he privy to a real treasure hidden in this manner there? It is clear from Scottish wills and land deeds that the central portion of Scotland was referred to as Arcadia as early as the twelfth century. This in turn leads us to the true meaning of “Sancto Claro” that strangely also applies to the family heritage of William Alexander Earl of Stirling.

Is it possible that Sidney and later Alexander were privy to a treasure hidden in the money pit or had the later story been contrived as simply a heritage lesson for the English and Scottish inhabitants of Nova Scotia? Is “Arcadia” telling us a story about a treasure that is located somewhere other than Oak Island? It is clear that both Sidney and Alexander were included in a circle of people of influence that have been suspects in literary intrigue including the disputed authorship of the works of Shakespeare. This same dynamic would dictate their association with people that were essentially spies who would tailor stories and mythology that may be used against their enemies in this case the French and Spanish. The poem or lines of verse at the end of the above quote from Sidney’s “Arcadia” also seems to indicate that a search for treasure is a folly that should not be taken lightly. Is this a warning or indication that there is no real treasure? The Beale Ciphers original pamphlet also contains such a warning. In fact this line of verse seems to indicate that what will be found is simply an indication of further lost treasures at additional locations:

“Look farther then, so shalt thou find at least, A bait most fit for hungry minded guest.”

The story surrounding this new information may indicate the presence of a series of mysteries meant to confound and frustrate the searcher who may in fact be finding a treasure of neglected historical information as the search progresses. This is the basis for a real “National Treasure” quest. Some have speculated in the past that the “Oak Island Treasure” is a metaphor for Masonic concepts. This version of the story would match the veiled warning present by suggesting the “treasure” is information for an initiate. Amazingly all of this includes the use of Sidney’s literary work and not Shakespeare or Sir Francis Bacon. Even Sidney’s nephew’s involvement in the first folio seems to point one to Arcadia which is a reference to their Uncle and not the works of Shakespeare.

Not to be forgotten in this tale is the French side of the story. None other than the d’Abbadie family had a great influence in the establishment of the Acadian or Arcadian name and historical theme to the maritime region including Maine. The d’Abbadie’s are well known to mystery lovers via the work of researchers Jay Weidner and Vincent Bridges via their views of the Great Cyclic Cross of Hendaye. Jean Vincent d’Abbadie St. Castin and his two sons had a lasting impact on the development of this region and their family legacy may have also lent itself to the development of treasure legends and mythology similar to what we see at Oak Island. It is possible that Sidney is telling us of an even more unknown French relation to the entire mystery at large.

In addition lurking in the wings of this saga is the famous Pirate Peter Easton who also had many of the same connections to influential people that Sidney and Alexander possessed. Easton is one of the only Pirate’s to have left North American waters with a verified treasure worth a great deal. Is it possible Easton had used this story of Sidney to actually find something? Or had he used it to fool later seekers of a fictional hoard? As a coincidence Easton was said to have left Maritime waters with “2 million English Pounds” worth of loot. This is the exact amount that many suggest was beneath the ninety foot stone as suggested in the code on the stone. There are many things about the subsequent activities and family relations of Peter Easton that may suggest this is true. Among these factors is the presence of the Mortimer (Mortuo Mari i.e. “Dead Mary” or “Dead Sea”) family in the genealogy of the Sidney family.

Of interest in the French story of Oak Island and Acadia is the Louvre Museum in Paris. The Louvre may represent a clue in the entire Frankish view of Oak Island and Nova Scotia. Many speculate the presence of biblical relics at Oak Island. Here we may have a case of representative artwork combined with imagery from a popular movie that may give us a clue to the truth of Oak Island. Strangely this array of involved architecture also may help to verify elements of Sidney’s Arcadia and why the treasure story in his literary muses is important.

The modern linear orientation of the I.M. Pei Pyramid and Inverted Pyramid of the Louvre Museum in Paris may be used to form an arc on the globe. This array of architecture was included in the famous movie “The Da Vinci Code” as being the hidden site of the crypt of Mary Magdalene. The arc on the globe created by this linear array of two pyramids “points to” Migdal Israel to the east and Oak Island Nova Scotia to the West. Migdal is of course the birthplace of Mary Magdalene. The French version of the Oak Island saga may indeed include the imagery of Mary Magdalene also repeating the theme of the possibility that biblical relics or “treasure” is stashed at Oak Island. Again all of this could be a metaphor to incite one to learn about the French point of view in relation to Arcadia and religious concepts. Again the date of the publication of Sidney’s “Arcadia” long predates any French settlement of the Maritime Region including Nova Scotia.

Poussin’s painting of “The Shepherds of Arcadia” that is central to the themes of Rennes le Chateau and the Shepherd’s monument is displayed in the portion  of the Louvre Museum that is situated on the famous Paris Meridian. Here again is the specter of Arcas and Pole Star and how it is used in these landscape mysteries. Poussin was a member of the Academy degli Arcadia of the Vatican. Overlain over the entire cast of characters we see here is the Latin Church and its interest in such mysteries. Some of these stories indicate the presence of biblical relics that the church would naturally have an interest in. The French were mostly Catholic during this early era of colonial development and many English and Scottish people kept their faith hidden during this period of persecution in England and her holdings.

Famous American author Edgar Allan Poe penned a work entitled “The Gold Bug” that refers to this entire mystery as well and is replete with the imagery of the Oak Tree and Skull of Mary Magdalene and other figures. The story also infers the involvement of Thomas Jefferson and even has many undeniable references to Rennes le Chateau. Poe is telling us of his knowledge of this entire scheme that may have come to him via his involvement with the Society of the Cincinnati and other American literary figures. In fact the revolutionary war era of Nova Scotia reveals the involvement of many “American” people in the post revolutionary war saga of Oak Island including members of the Society of the Cincinnati as well as former soldiers from the “Carolina Corps” of Montagu.

Many elements of Sidney’s Arcadia including what is apparently a description of the Money Pit resemble later stories in Virginia such as the Legend of Bacon’s Vault in Jamestown and Williamsburg and later elements of the Beale Treasure legend. These legends in turn relate us back in time to Emperor Constantine and Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne and their “Man in the Mountain” myths. It is clear that this template was later used to infer hidden vaults and lost biblical relics and treasure. The use of the imagery of Arcadia in this manner will now in turn lead us to Shugborough Hall, its famous Shepherd’s Monument, and finally the legendary Rennes le Chateau mystery. At each of these places the theme of Arcadia and “Et in Arcadia Ego” is inferred as central to the mysteries there.

Along the way this incredible story will include Dante, Sir Francis Bacon, the de Vere family, Edgar Allan Poe, The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Joaquin Miller, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (wrote “Evangeline” about Arcadia and had family there), Samuel Morse, James Fenimore Cooper, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, George Washington (and descendants), Franklin D. Roosevelt and too many more to list. It is clear that organizations such as the Wilton Writer’s Circle and the Academy of Arcadia had communicated themes used in these mysteries in architecture, art, and literary forms. Does it mean there is no treasure anywhere? Absolutely not. But this information may change the way people view places like Oak Island, Rennes le Chateau and the region where the Beale Treasure is located. The treasure begins with the monumental literary works, architecture, and art that was created by these people. Thank you. -Cort Lindahl  July, 1, 2017.

Part 2. Oak Island, Washington D.C., and the American Mysteries. July, 4, 2017.

William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling’s involvement in the fictional story of “Arcadia” by Philip Sidney does appear to be the source of the original Oak Island Treasure story. Why would this story be applied to this mystery? What further evidence is there to support this notion? Any examination will compel us to consider one of two possible scenarios as to how this happened. Either the treasure at Oak Island was contrived to fit the fiction of Arcadia or the fictional story is referring to a real treasure that they knew was buried in the Money Pit at Oak Island. There are many factors which may compel one to take either side of this argument. There are no references beyond the name of the work “Arcadia” and its relation to “Acadia” or Nova Scotia in the text of the work. The entire fictional story takes place in the province of Arcadia in Greece. So this metaphor may be interpreted as meaning Nova Scotia though this is not stated outright. The fact that Alexander had a hand in editing it later may serve to fuel the idea he did this intentionally to lead one to the similarities in the description of the treasure and that deposited in the Money Pit. Alternately this story may have been copied in any intentional ploy or ruse that involved making others believe there was a treasure on Oak Island.

It would be somewhat easier to suppose that the Money Pit was there and somehow Sidney, his sister Mary Herbert Countess of Pembroke, and then William Alexander had added this information somewhere along the line as a kind of hidden message within this literary work. Again this could be used to infer a real or contrived treasure story. It does appear that Alexander had edited “Arcadia” at around the time he was also awarded the Baronetcies of Nova Scotia in 1621. It is also clear that his son William Alexander “the younger” had actually gone to what is Port Royal Nova Scotia today and created a settlement known as the Habitation there. After a period of about ten years the Scottish colonists were forced to leave as the region had been officially come under French domain.

Given this there is some speculation that members of the Alexander family had stayed in Nova Scotia at this time and were allowed to retain their lands. This is indeed possible given the scheme  of real history of the time. William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling and his family were forever closely tied to the fortunes of Charles I and II. William had served as tutor for both of James I son’s Henry and Charles the future king. Charles was eventually beheaded for his lack of cooperation with the Parliamentarian government and in part because of his Catholic faith. The date range of these happenings in Nova Scotia and Charles’ beheading are at close to the same time. Charles’ Catholicism and descent from Mary Queen of Scots would have also given him a close association with the French Monarchy at that time who were in effect his distant cousins. This would of course be the same French regime that had taken Acadia back and may have found reason to value the former close allies of Charles I. These facts may contribute to the reasons the following information is true. Through time in the later Jacobite cause we do see the exiled Scottish nobles James II, III, and Bonnie Prince Charlie spending their exile for a time at the summer palace of Louis XV at St. Germaine en Laye near Paris. The fact that the French allied themselves with the American’s in the Revolution also jives with the fact that the Jacobites (adherents to the exiled kings) had played a significant hidden role in the creation of the United States.

During the time of French control of Acadia after the expulsion of the Scottish Colony at Port Royal there are records of members of the Alexander family remaining in Nova Scotia on what is described as one of their estates there. Amazingly there are records of an Alexander Alexander living in New Ross Nova Scotia in 1654. Though some question these records we will consider them here. Through the history of the Alexander family there were many members named Alexander Alexander.

This is an amazing association that also fits directly into the mythology or truth of Oak Island. New Ross is a site that has been pointed to as including “Sinclair’s Castle.” The site appears today as some dry laid stone foundations and other various associated features. This site near New Ross is speculated as having been built by Henry Sinclair the Earl of Orkney who many suspect of having made an early off the record voyage to the Maritime region. What we are seeing here with genealogical proof is the fact that the Alexander family may be the people who built the site many attribute to Henry Sinclair. This property according to this source was their domain and the French had allowed them to maintain ownership and occupancy. This would not mark the first time that members of the Sinclair family were given credit for or “blamed” for things members of the Alexander family had actually done. It is possible the whole story of New Ross and its legacy are connected to William Alexander’s influence on Sidney’s “Arcadia.”

This is indeed possible and if the Alexander’s really did live at New Ross it may explain why the story of the Money Pit was included in “Arcadia” later. In past works this author has speculated as to the involvement of interests of the United States in the Money Pit legend. When England regained Acadia from the French by General Lawrence in about 1710 many colonists from Maine and New England were offered land in Nova Scotia. When the American Revolution occurred many of these men returned to the colonies to fight for the American cause. Amazingly after the war these people were allowed to retain their property in Nova Scotia. This included many well known families whose members had fought as officers in the Revolutionary War. This would include members of the Allan (Edgar Allan Poe’s relative), Longfellow, and Delano (Roosevelt) families. These men were also members of the Society of the Cincinnati comprised of former military officers that had fought for the United States including colonial, French, and German men. This organization would go on to back many democratic movements during this period of history including the French Revolution. It also appears as if they were scheming to make Nova Scotia and the other Maritime provinces part of the Untied States. As this story progresses we will see none other than the influence of the Alexander family of the United States having a large effect on not only the Oak Island question but other similar mysteries there.

All of the subsequent members of the Alexander family discussed here descended from William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling or one of his brothers. Many of them emigrated to the United States during the seventeenth century including John and Philip II Alexander who were given land grants that include what is today Alexandria Virginia and most of the portion of land that would become the old District of Columbia south of the Potomac River. One is left to wonder if Philip was indeed named for Philip Sidney. Here again we see the Alexander’s intimately involved in the creation of a City that would also supply us many mysteries and a strange street plan that also suggests many metaphors and classic myths. Given what we are learning here we see how the Arcadian mythos is included in the imagery of Washington District of Columbia.

The City of Alexandria Virginia is named for these two men. This area was part of what was termed the Truro Parish named for Truro Cornwall that also included many illustrious Northern Virginia families such as the Lee’s, Mason’s, Moncure’s,  and others. During this time the Alexander’s were closely associated with members of the Washington family with one female descendant marrying into portion of the Lewis family making George Washington’s sister her mother in law. It is of some interest that Truro Parish shares the same name as one of the major organizations that later would be formed to recover the Oak Island Treasure.

In past works I had speculated that the Lee family was aware of Oak Island via my interpretation of the hexagonal Ft. Carrol built by Robert E. Lee while he was a Colonel in the U.S. Army (ca. 1849-50). There are many strange connections between the American colonies and Nova Scotia and at this point this was simply speculation on my part. Subsequent evidence may suggest this is true. It does appear that there were plans for Nova Scotia to become part of the United States of America after the Revolutionary War and the entire saga of Oak Island may have been part of that plan. Amazingly another hexagonal axis Portus of Rome also “points to” Oak Island and Ft. Carroll in a single azimuth on the globe. The Port of Portus was built by Emperor Trajan and this port was where both the Heliopolitan Obelisk of St. Peter’s Square and the much vaunted Temple Treasure arrived in Rome. Portus had just been rediscovered at about the same time Ft. Carroll was built and may have even inspired its hexagonal design. Ft. Carroll “points to” the Lee’s Arlington Estate to the southwest and to the northeast the opposite direction transects the globe to reach the Dome of the Rock on the Temple mount in Jerusalem which was of course the original location of the Temple Treasure. (Word Search “General Lee Oak Island” and see what pops up).

Included in the American descendants of the Alexanders of Scotland is another man named William Alexander. William had branched off from his Virginia relatives and was living in Basking Ridge New Jersey at the time of the Revolutionary War. William was directly related to John and Philip Alexander as well as Alexander of New Ross Nova Scotia mentioned earlier. William Alexander became a General in the American Army during the Revolutionary War and worked for a short span under the command of General Charles Lee. He took part in the first defense of New York and continued throughout the war to have an exemplary record in combat. He was of course a distant relative of George Washington via the Lewis family and the two men may have been aware of their relation in this manner.

Interestingly after the war General Alexander returned to England and attempted to regain the title of Earl of Stirling that he felt was due him as part of his family legacy. There are other cases of Americans retaining their titles after the Revolution. Of course if Alexander could regain this title it would also give him defacto “ownership” of Nova Scotia as well as huge tracts of Long Island. General Alexander was awarded his title by Scottish Parliament at that time but the English House of Lords denied his application to retain and use this title. Despite this Alexander refused to accept their decision and continued to use the title “Lord Stirling.” Here we have a continued rationale as to why there was an effort involving the Society of the Cincinnati after the war to take Nova Scotia and make it part of the United States. General Alexander had attempted to make a case that he was due compensation or control of these regions which could easily lead to them being considered American territory eventually. Here again we see the specter of William Alexander, Philip Sidney, and the story of the Oak Island Money pit included in the text of the literary work “Arcadia.” This era of General Alexander is also the time during which the entire Money Pit mystery was first exposed to the public. Could General Alexander have been behind the entire mystery?

The story of how Alexander attempted to regain his title illustrates the fact that he was likely privy to the truth of Oak Island and the Money pit possibly via a family legacy or fraternity. Had he shared this information with any of his other early American relatives like the Washington’s and Lewis’ extending to close friends like the Lee’s? Also note here the Lewis’ close relation to Thomas Jefferson and the Beale family. It may be that Alexander’s Society of the Cincinnati compatriots including those in Nova Scotia had helped to arrange what we know of as the Money Pit today.

The fact that Alexander had attempted to regain his title along with the presence of so many people in Nova Scotia who had fought for the American’s in the war does seem to call into question the legitimacy of there being any actual treasure at the Money Pit at Oak Island. At least at first this may be discerned. What is possible is that the 1634 occupants named Alexander at New Ross had somehow constructed the Money Pit, installed a treasure in a vault below it, and left the layers of logs and 90 ft. stone to be found later. This may also fit in with the real original story of people who had been awarded lots on the Island having actually found the Money Pit instead of the original folklore of three young men seeing lights on the island one night and subsequently finding the Money Pit. It is possible that these early Nova Scotian Alexander’s of New Ross had also recovered riches from the free gold deposits of the Gold River which is adjacent to New Ross.

The fact remains that no one really knows the truth as to what this all means. This is however a great deal of additional info that we must digest and game out to see the possibilities. The fact that the Alexander’s and American cause was so closely associated with the French during this era also adds another layer of possible misunderstandings. Given all of this it is starting to look more and more as if one of three possibilities had already happened. If something was at the Money Pit it had been recovered by the earlier Alexander’s of New Ross who were likely aware of the treasure story in “Arcadia.” Alternately they had crafted the entire legend of the Money Pit as a Masonic initiation quest of some kind or had done it to confound the new English rulers of Nova Scotia. They may have been crafting a folklore that informed one of the true ownership and heritage of Nova Scotia. It is clear that groups like the Wilton Writer’s Circle of Mary Sidney, the Academy of Arcadia of the Vatican, and Society of the Cincinnati had involved themselves in producing representational art and literature that supported their philosophies and values.

The settlement of New Ross and Oak Island are also in a region that saw a gold rush at about the same time this was happening in California (mid nineteenth century). The headwater’s of the Gold River itself begin near New Ross and the River empties into the Atlantic Ocean just a few miles north of Oak Island. It may also be possible that the early Alexander’s of Nova Scotia had been aware of this gold deposit and had been taking advantage of it for many years leading us to the Oak Island Money Pit that was created to either stash their loot or to cover up the fact that they were recovering gold there in the first place. The original William Alexander of Stirling was also highly involved in mining in Scotland.

The recovery of gold to be used by the American’s in the Revolution is also a distinct possibility and may serve as further rationale as to why there is no remaining treasure at Oak Island. Though Presbyterian the Alexander’s had always been staunch supporters of the beheaded and exiled Catholic Stewart Kings of Scotland and England so it would be no surprise that any gold deposit in Nova Scotia would have gone to support the Jacobite and Cavalier causes that also seemed to have shaped this period of history in Virginia and New England.

This information supplies a strong rationale with no “smoking gun” saying there is nothing at Oak Island. It does reveal a strong value by American interests in both the mystery of the Money Pit and the land of Nova Scotia itself.

The influence of Philip Sidney and William Alexander in this story also has a direct tie to the Menteith Earls and the concept of “Sancto Claro.” Though Alexander has a very direct connection to the development of the Stewart family and Robert the Bruce from a genealogical perspective Sidney possesses a link to Walter Fitzalan from the time he spent in Wales with the Count of Pembroke prior to his exile in Brittany.

Many have speculated as to the involvement of coded portions of the First Folio of Shakespeare that had been funded by Philip Sidney’s nephews the sons of Mary Sidney Countess of Pembroke. As it turns out the mythology of the Money Pit is also closely related to a Scottish author and poet William Alexander 1st Earl of Stirling who had edited a work that both Mary Countess of Pembroke and their uncle Philip Sidney had both had a hand in creating. Later it truly does appear that “Arcadia” had been edited by William subsequently gaining its associations to the Money Pit. A resounding “why” does not fully answer the riddle of the Money Pit but does infer a high degree of skullduggery in what ever its true purpose was. There are too many coincidences along the way for us to assume that the entire thing was not either a misinterpreted Masonic quest or had been covering up the recovery of Gold or some other enterprise or industry at Oak Island. In the end we are now forced to consider the fact that the literary inspiration for the Money Pit was not Sir Francis Bacon but Philip Sidney who died when Bacon was but twelve years old. (Boom; LOL)  -Cort