Why did Richard Cooke I die just 6 days after John Dee's documented visit to Gidea Hall?
The Queen's progress stops at Gidea Hall. Host: Richard Cooke I (son of the famous Sir Anthony Cooke, father of Anthony Cooke II). His wife Anne (Caulton) is explicitly named. The Privy Council meets at Gidea Hall on Sept 25 & 27. A major royal occasion with scholars and courtiers present.
Source: Folger "Elizabethan Court Day by Day" (1579 entry)
John Dee authors a document dated "Gidea Hall in Essex, 27 Sept. 1579" during the Queen's visit. England's most famous scholar-magician is there, at Gidea Hall, with access to Richard Cooke's library during a major royal occasion.
Source: Nugæ Antiquæ (Park ed., 1804, vol. I, p. 143)
JUST 6 DAYS LATER, Richard Cooke I dies. His 20-year-old son Anthony Cooke II inherits Gidea Hall and its library. Will proved November 17, 1579.
Source: History of Parliament Online; will records
Richard Cooke was a member of Parliament, a justice of the peace, and held various court positions. He was not as famous as his father (the royal tutor) or as prominent as his sisters (who married into the Cecil and Bacon families), but he was a respected gentleman hosting Queen Elizabeth at his estate in September 1579.
The timing of his will (made July 31, 1579 - less than 2 months before his death) suggests he may have been aware of illness or declining health before the Queen's visit.
The Case: Dee was at Gidea Hall because the Queen was there. As England's most famous scholar-magician and a regular at court, Dee would naturally be present during major royal visits. This was a standard court attendance, not specifically about the Cooke family.
Evidence:
Likelihood: HIGH - This explains his presence without requiring special circumstances.
The Case: Dee was specifically there to examine manuscripts in the Cooke library. The royal visit provided a perfect opportunity for a scholar to view a prestigious collection, and Richard Cooke (hosting the Queen) would want to display his father's famous library to impress royal guests.
Evidence:
Likelihood: HIGH - Fits perfectly with what we know about both Dee and the Cooke library.
The Case: Richard Cooke was ill (he died 6 days later), and Dee was consulted for medical advice or astrological guidance. Dee was famous for both medical knowledge and astrological consultations. Richard's will (made July 31) suggests he knew he was unwell.
Evidence:
Likelihood: MEDIUM - Possible, but would require Richard to have been visibly ill during a major royal visit.
The Case: Richard Cooke, knowing he was dying, wanted Dee's advice on his library and manuscripts. Perhaps he was arranging for certain books to be preserved, studied, or sold. Dee could have been there to catalog or evaluate the collection before it passed to the 20-year-old heir.
Evidence:
Likelihood: MEDIUM - Intriguing, but would require evidence of Dee's role in estate matters.
The Case: Dee happened to be at a royal court visit, and Richard happened to die 6 days later from unrelated causes. No connection between the two events.
Evidence:
Likelihood: LOW - The timing is too suspicious to ignore, and coincidences this dramatic are historically rare.
Regardless of why Dee was at Gidea Hall, the fact that he was documented there on September 27, 1579 establishes the crucial link:
JOHN DEE ➜ GIDEA HALL LIBRARY ➜ VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT
Whether Dee was there for a royal visit, to examine manuscripts, to consult on Richard's illness, or all of the above, the crucial fact remains: John Dee was at Gidea Hall with access to the library that likely contained the Voynich Manuscript.
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The Richard Cooke mystery is solvable - we just need the right documents!
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