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8^ 895^ 1317 2076 1194a 895^ 784 686^ 948 1298 …
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St Petersburg → Warsaw · numerical code of 1789–91 type · 13 May 1788 · key from adjacent plaintext

Deboli to King Stanisław August, 13 May 1788

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A Polish envoy reports a dinner for the privateer John Paul Jones and Russian talk of an alliance, in a code deciphered in part with a key learned from his other 1788 despatches.

Daniel Bourdeau · posted · updated

Method: key recovered based on adjacent plaintext · Extent: partial (86% of the cipher) · On the map

Contributed by Brice Dudout (solution) · Also credited · Daniel Bourdeau (key or decipherment used)

At a glanceKey from adjacent plaintext · partial (86% of the cipher)

The despatch
Antoni Augustyn Deboli, the Commonwealth’s envoy at the Russian court, to King Stanisław August, “St Petersbourg ce 13 May 1788”, no. 038 of his cipher despatches.
Where
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych, Warsaw, Zbiór Popielów (zesp. 12), no. 428, k. 74–75v: 943 groups. Of Deboli’s 112 cipher despatches of 1788, this and no. 039, also of 13 May, are the only ones with no same-date decipherment in ZbPop 417.
The cipher
A numerical code of the 1789–91 type, in groups of 1–4 digits that write stems and syllables, with nulls. The writer makes 0 and 8 alike, which the transcription marks.
How it was deciphered
The key is Daniel Bourdeau’s 1789 key (see Deboli 1789), completed in three frozen stages on 1788 despatches aligned with their cabinet decipherments. On a pair never used for learning (11 November 1788, 341 groups) it reads 0.862 of groups as sense, against a best of 0.199 for 200 shuffled keys.
What it says
A great dinner given for the famous privateer lately taken into Russian service, very probably John Paul Jones. Stackelberg at table, and Deboli voicing Polish unease at the King of Prussia’s designs. The reply is that the project of alliance is to be concluded at the Diet, “which we shall try to turn into a Confederation”, and Russian aid is promised when it is needed. An arrangement with Ostermann about Gdańsk.
Still open
32 groups have no value in the key and 11 more have unsettled alternatives, so the share actually read is nearer 0.86 than the 96.6% of groups that have a value. The details are less secure than the gist. Brice Dudout’s AI agents (Claude Opus 5.5) transcribed from the AGAD scans; no person has compared the transcription with the scans.
Credit
Brice Dudout transcribed the despatch, extended the key and read it, working with Claude Opus 5.5 agents. Daniel Bourdeau’s 1789 key is the starting point.

01 The despatch

The volume holds 112 cipher despatches of Deboli to the King, 4 January to 26 December 1788. The cabinet’s Polish decipherments are the same-date texts in ZbPop 417; every despatch has one except nos. 038 and 039, because the 417 volume jumps from 9 to 16 May. A decipherment of 3 June (417 k. 139) refers back to this letter: “the words of Bezborodko to me, which I reported to Your Majesty in my letter of 13 May”. Despatch 039 opens in a different table (the French 9933 table) and belongs in its own entry; it is not read here.

The older code is deciphered too: the 4 and 11 January despatches align with their texts in 417, and the two codes alternate through the year, so the older-code despatches are existing decipherments.

02 The key and its test

Key K4 is the 1789 key with additions learned only on 1788 pairs: 12 values and 3 nulls (for example 1085 Osterman and 1420 Stackelberg), 6 values attested at least twice, and 11 automatic alternatives. Each stage was frozen, with its SHA-256 in the key header, before its validation pair was opened. The learning pairs are 20 and 30 May, 3 June, 29 August and 4 November; 8 August and 11 November 1788 are held out.

The measure was written before it was computed: the cipher groups are aligned on the cabinet’s decipherment, and a group counts as read as sense if it is a null or its value equals the aligned stretch of clear text, to within two letters of ending or one of spelling. On 11 November K4 gives 0.862 of groups, 0.750 of exact words and 0.882 of characters, against shuffled-key maxima of 0.199, 0.131 and 0.289. The earlier key K3 gives 0.859 on the same pair and 0.836 on 8 August. The score plateaus near 0.86 even on learning pairs, partly because of the alignment and partly because the code writes stems and syllables while the cabinet supplied the endings from the sense. On 2 November 2026 we re-ran the contributor’s measure script on the 11 November pair and reproduced 0.750 of words and 0.882 of characters, with the same shuffled-key maxima; the groups-as-sense figure (0.862) was not re-run.

03 The reading

All 943 groups were transcribed, 911 of them (96.6%) with a key value. On the held-out measure the share read is lower, so this is a partial reading. The Polish text, with word division, endings and punctuation added and unread groups marked, and an English translation are under Full texts. A reader’s review of the Polish as sentences gave grade B: the first two thirds build a coherent account, and the last part has unread groups in most sentences.

04 What remains uncertain

Full texts

The transcription and the decryption of every document on this page, so that the reading can be used and checked. Short files are shown here; all are in the repository.

c038_1788-05-13 (AGAD, Zbiór Popielów 428, no. 038, k. 74-75v, 1788-05-13) read in part

Dinner for the famous privateer lately taken into Russian service (very probably John Paul Jones); talk with Stackelberg on the King of Prussia's designs, the alliance project for the Diet ('to turn into a Confederation'), Russian aid 'when needed', Gdańsk.

Builds coherent sentences, but under the read bar of 95% of words read as sense (86% here); the holes are marked in the reading.

Transcription

c038_1788-05-13.txt

# AGAD Warszawa, Zbiór Popielów (zesp. 12) 428, no. 038: Deboli to Stanisław August, "St Petersbourg ce 13 May 1788", k. 74r-75v
# Scans: http://agadd2.home.net.pl/metrykalia/12/album/428/index.html images 0092 (k.74r), 0093 (k.74v-75r), 0094 (k.75v).
# One token per dotted number group; a letter written under a group is appended (1194a). The writer makes 0 and 8 alike
# (a closed loop): where the loop was ambiguous the variant present in the key was taken and the token ends in ^
# (e.g. 895^ = written "X95", read 895). ? = doubtful group. Underlined groups on k.75r are not marked.
# No interlinear decipherment; no same-date clear text in ZbPop 417 (which jumps from 9 to 16 May 1788).
k.74r.01: 8^ 895^ 1317 2076 1194a 895^ 784 686^ 948 1298
k.74r.02: 756 761 1657 1559 1046 1874^ 1048^ 1678
k.74r.03: 2070 569 1498 561 213 2051 1449 31 1589
k.74r.04: 949 358 1 1216 100 26 1396 1684^ 1559 1433
k.74r.05: 1452 1341 1331 1678^ 1986^ 1117 361 1429 213
k.74r.06: 1065 1055 213 1432 1327 1559 784^ 213 1891
k.74r.07: 688^ 1432 1256 1976 1808^ 1317 465 117
k.74r.08: 1079 1087^ 1559 616 362 784^ 1317 1762
k.74r.09: 1679 2169 1420^ 1681^ 747b 1874^ 782^ 1553
k.74r.10: 948^ 931b 535 1562 1255 1319 2065 1874 1678^
k.74r.11: 1559 561 1657 692 2070 949 356 1450b 948^
k.74r.12: 1194b 82b^ 1086b^ 149 10 2065 1874^ 1250 466
k.74r.13: 1559 786^ 461 1980 1876^ 465 117 1588^ 1982^
k.74r.14: 1260 1314 1785^ 1430 757 1069 535 1562 1255
k.74r.15: 1319 2085^ 1874 340 2111 2083^ 1317a 1559
k.74r.16: 1325 783^ 2076 948^ 782^ 1343 2107 447 1901
k.74r.17: 1065 1115 1255 1560 675 1078 757 1783^ 695
k.74r.18: 1453 1445 409 695 1559 895^ 1370c 466 1657
k.74r.19: 787^ 1317 2082^ 1678^ 1117 2090 789^ 1681^ 870^
k.74r.20: 1498^ 1300c^? 1564 2087a^ 895^ 8^ 2117a 85^ 1874 1586
k.74v.01: 948^ 1679 688^ 2107^ 1901 551 1242 213 1783^
k.74v.02: 620 1 1588^ 686^ 1429 1330 1560 1317 535b
k.74v.03: 2090 656b 1065 1925 782^ 1484^ 729 1507^
k.74v.04: 1266 460 656 2083a^ 782^ 1317 1430 1693 360
k.74v.05: 1775 1783^ 2170 675 2082^ 358^ 1145 693a
k.74v.06: 1243 117 1926 1432 893^ 895^ 1560 85^ 356
k.74v.07: 1785^ 968^ 1342 686^ 34 47 1681^ 1353 1427
k.74v.08: 24 1873^ 2085^ 1873^ 1011 1498^ 360 1775 384
k.74v.09: 686^ 1990 1432 895^ 2059 1370 1788^ 1559
k.74v.10: 1489^ 737 1498^ 1317 692 109 2107^ 1086^ 1353
k.74v.11: 1781^ 898^ 1097^ 1432 1559 1263 8^ 1352
k.74v.12: 1785^ 1873^ 1489^ 2154 695 1567 213 1433 360
k.74v.13: 695 694 1116 360 460 1426 1900 693 206^?
k.74v.14: 2060 782^ 1352 360 1065 559 2004 695a
k.74v.15: 1353 1382a 622 1115 356 1385^ 948^ 2090 2076
k.74v.16: 1559 541 5 1256 2076 465 1065 1498^ 662
k.74v.17: 1804^ 789c^ 1775 1110 1323 656 1990 686^ 1092
k.74v.18: 1301^ 694 1069 1301 126 948^ 1221b 1141 1342
k.74v.19: 895^ 1567 213 1432 1560 892^ 1449c 1110 365
k.74v.20: 460 1433 1900 1317 695 734c 622 2154 1496
k.74v.21: 757 1353 948^ 904 1207 1352 1785^ 1873^ 780^
k.74v.22: 1678^ 384^ 1432 453 417 1115 678^ 692 1433
k.74v.23: 461 1679 656 1065 2044 812^ 418^ 1188^ 385^
k.74v.24: 213 949 358^ 1317 895^ 892a^ 1065 1785^ 635
k.74v.25: 2004 1681^ 360 2004 695 693 218 1559a 1679
k.74v.26: 1559 2154 1092 1685^ 1317 461 2076a 1775
k.74v.27: 1001 1086^ 692 782^ 1432 382^ 880^ 12b 1657
k.74v.28: 1679 1 786 1001^ 1371 1353 1186a^ 2076 1448^
k.74v.29: 1110 360 460 1426 1786^ 1657 1117 3 656
k.75r.01: 1429 1330 1560 1778^ 136 1321 780^ 2085^ 948^
k.75r.02: 782^ 616 783^ 1363 407 1900 1317 695 693 218
k.75r.03: 1117 378^ 2076 1574 782^ 1092 693 2076 239
k.75r.04: 1449 2004 1188^ 1785^ 1258^ 1337b 1427 1498
k.75r.05: 662 1681^ 892^ 2004 1432 1488^ 26 1089^
k.75r.06: 1087^ 1258 780^ 2065 356 1775 1559 1489^
k.75r.07: 737 1092 1559 1432 1268^ 675 1258 1684^
k.75r.08: 787^ 1560 895^ 760 3 1559 895^ 1657 1216
k.75r.09: 109 747 1085^ 948^ 1564 1117 1432 2080^ 784^
k.75r.10: 1065 948^ 1679 1565 84a^ 559 1990 551 1242
k.75r.11: 692 112 693 246 2082a^ 1498^ 359 2076 1353
k.75r.12: 782^ 1585^ 1670 874a^ 1670 1713 1341 931
k.75r.13: 561 694 1990 1317 1353 1578^ 895^ 3 656
k.75r.14: 1401 1266 2076 1420^ 1276 1874^ 688^ 359
k.75r.15: 2076a 968^ 1342 686^ 24 1873^ 2085^ 1874^
k.75r.16: 1426 663 734c 892^ 213 1716 237 1990 1353
k.75r.17: 1560^ 2087a^ 662 1775 1432 2070 1731b 656 1353
k.75r.18: 1873^ 1110 1988 1560 2076 1786^ 1657 782^
k.75r.19: 1489^ 1317 535a 2090 657 1353 874^ 1873^ 1298
k.75r.20: 756 1775 72 1018 1562 747 1684^ 1385 1873a^
k.75r.21: 1564 657 1559 1256 1681^ 892^ 1786^ 1144
k.75r.22: 1681^ 692 1353 1092 461 1679 662 94 789^
k.75r.23: 686^ 382^ 1603a 747a 948^ 789^ 744 3 656
k.75r.24: 1353 1329 1342 2076a 1618^ 1145 686^ 1873^
k.75r.25: 1092 1385^ 948^ 663 359 2085^ 2107a 1678^ 5
k.75r.26: 162 786^ 2085^ 1874^ 2122 1874 2079 1430
k.75r.27: 260 965 2076 1775 1296 1873^ 675 1681^
k.75r.28: 1427 5 162 786^ 2065 1873 1433 1353
k.75v.01: 1498^ 1261 94a 657 386 2129 783^ 2078^
k.75v.02: 782^ 1432 1681^ 386 1560 1990 1432 895^
k.75v.03: 2052 1498^ 870^ 160 1255 690 780^ 1427 2085^
k.75v.04: 1873^ 1065 948^ 786^ 1722 782^ 2154 1117
k.75v.05: 4 1678^ 1394 359 1292 1775 1925a 1678 637
k.75v.06: 1578^ 5 1821^ 1874^ 378^ 1564 8^ 110 1681^
k.75v.07: 1115 2132 904 1432 2059 1678^ 1261 29 948^
k.75v.08: 1055 1657 5b 162 786 2065 356 815^ 1926
k.75v.09: 1681^ 359 1748^ 2076 3 1444 1874 1420 1775
k.75v.10: 358^ 1353 782a^ 1432 895^ 1594a 1877^ 418^ 948^
k.75v.11: 1489^ 1147 675 1678^ 2090 1678^ 1428 1488^
k.75v.12: 1319 616a 1561 1681^ 2063^ 8^ 1145 686^ 762
k.75v.13: 360 2036 2063^ 1618 1960^? 968^ 1679 782^
k.75v.14: 1091 110 1429c 1785 2083^ 1719 8^ 948^ 1444
k.75v.15: 965 2062 782^ 1261 9 1481^ 110 1681^ 1440e^?
k.75v.16: 2004 728^ 1428 1276 1874 24 1873 2065
k.75v.17: 1874^ 1775 66 1559 1256 1681^ 895^ 1092
k.75v.18: 2117 85^ 356 1678^ 1330 1559 1567 1681^ 1657
k.75v.19: 1160a 485^ 1317 623 789 2107^ 559 2107 34 895^
k.75v.20: 1296 126 014^? 1873^ 356 782 2067^ 1657 413
k.75v.21: 1450^ 1657 2076 895 693 211 1488^ 1681^ 762
k.75v.22: 1353 1432 1317 2082^ 1874 208^ 8^ 3 892^
k.75v.23: 373 1811 1497 1601 561 948^ 786^ 734 786^
k.75v.24: 1874 373 2060 895^ 1990^ 1189^ 1678c^ 1702^
k.75v.25: 948^ 276 1346 2070 812^ 129 372 757 1065
k.75v.26: 2083^ 8^ 276 1498^ 662 1685^ 622 1317 695
k.75v.27: 1678^ 1085^ 1681^ 1092 1559 1432 1266 695
k.75v.28: 1747 874 109 1865 895^ 1900 276 1167
k.75v.29: 1385 1874 1091 622 8^ 1567 1327 892^ 466 213
k.75v.30: 8^ 1625 1657 1782 293 948^ 1564 1679 2112
k.75v.31: 948^ 1353 734 2076 1270^ 1657 686^ 213
Decryption

c038_1788-05-13.decoded.txt

# c038_1788-05-13: each manuscript line decoded with key_K4.tsv. {group} = group without a key value;
# v1|v2 = group with alternative values (K4); . = null/punctuation group (1775-1788 band and nulls). No word division.
k.74r.01: 8^ 895^ 1317 2076 1194a 895^ 784 686^ 948 1298
        do nie|inie s|ciis c pow nie|inie ne m o roz
k.74r.02: 756 761 1657 1559 1046 1874^ 1048^ 1678
        mow moi y w ostatni a ostrz z
k.74r.03: 2070 569 1498 561 213 2051 1449 31 1589
        czy {569} u ktore go byl tego dnia wielki
k.74r.04: 949 358 1 1216 100 26 1396 1684^ 1559 1433
        ob ia d przez {100} dla swie zo w tu
k.74r.05: 1452 1341 1331 1678^ 1986^ 1117 361 1429 213
        tey sza slu z be przy ie te go
k.74r.06: 1065 1055 213 1432 1327 1559 784^ 213 1891
        . owe go to sla w ne go ar
k.74r.07: 688^ 1432 1256 1976 1808^ 1317 465 117
        ma to ra {1976} 17 s|ciis ki ego
k.74r.08: 1079 1087^ 1559 616 362 784^ 1317 1762
        za pa w l dnio ne s|ciis zwyczay
k.74r.09: 1679 2169 1420^ 1681^ 747b 1874^ 782^ 1553
        za {2169} Stackelberg ze|acze mn a na {1553}
k.74r.10: 948^ 931b 535 1562 1255 1319 2065 1874 1678^
        o niu {535} we r sa baw a z
k.74r.11: 1559 561 1657 692 2070 949 356 1450b 948^
        w ktore y mi czy ob i ter o
k.74r.12: 1194b 82b^ 1086b^ 149 10 2065 1874^ 1250 466
        pow dziec p {149} dy|pedi baw a ere ko
k.74r.13: 1559 786^ 461 1980 1876^ 465 117 1588^ 1982^
        w ni ka Austri ac ki ego wiele b
k.74r.14: 1260 1314 1785^ 1430 757 1069 535 1562 1255
        ri sa . te mowi {1069} {535} we r
k.74r.15: 1319 2085^ 1874 340 2111 2083^ 1317a 1559
        sa cy a {340} chc co s|ciis w
k.74r.16: 1325 783^ 2076 948^ 782^ 1343 2107 447 1901
        su na c o na szy ch inte ach
k.74r.17: 1065 1115 1255 1560 675 1078 757 1783^ 695
        . prze r wa lem itańskie mowi . my
k.74r.18: 1453 1445 409 695 1559 895^ 1370c 466 1657
        tez takze es my w nie|inie spo ko y
k.74r.19: 787^ 1317 2082^ 1678^ 1117 2090 789^ 1681^ 870^
        no s|ciis ci z przy czy ny ze|acze nas
k.74r.20: 1498^ 1300c^? 1564 2087a^ 895^ 8^ 2117a 85^ 1874 1586
        u {1300c} wi cz nie|inie do cho dz a wi
k.74v.01: 948^ 1679 688^ 2107^ 1901 551 1242 213 1783^
        o za ma ch ach kro lapruski|pruski go .
k.74v.02: 620 1 1588^ 686^ 1429 1330 1560 1317 535b
        le d wiele m te slo wa s|ciis {535b}
k.74v.03: 2090 656b 1065 1925 782^ 1484^ 729 1507^
        czy l . {1925} na tych miast ul
k.74v.04: 1266 460 656 2083a^ 782^ 1317 1430 1693 360
        rze k l co na s|ciis te zla ie|nie
k.74v.05: 1775 1783^ 2170 675 2082^ 358^ 1145 693a
        . . rowaczyta lem ci ia pisa mo
k.74v.06: 1243 117 1926 1432 893^ 895^ 1560 85^ 356
        sz ego ale to nic nie|inie wa dz i
k.74v.07: 1785^ 968^ 1342 686^ 34 47 1681^ 1353 1427
        . ow sze m dobrze {47} ze|acze sie ta
k.74v.08: 24 1873^ 2085^ 1873^ 1011 1498^ 360 1775 384
        dl a cy a okazuie u ie|nie . iak
k.74v.09: 686^ 1990 1432 895^ 2059 1370 1788^ 1559
        m by to nie|inie bylo sposob . w
k.74v.10: 1489^ 737 1498^ 1317 692 109 2107^ 1086^ 1353
        tym mieyscu u s|ciis mi e ch p sie
k.74v.11: 1781^ 898^ 1097^ 1432 1559 1263 8^ 1352
        . niech pli to w ry do seym
k.74v.12: 1785^ 1873^ 1489^ 2154 695 1567 213 1433 360
        . a tym nczas my wy go tu ie|nie
k.74v.13: 695 694 1116 360 460 1426 1900 693 206^?
        my mu {1116} ie|nie k t aby mo fin
k.74v.14: 2060 782^ 1352 360 1065 559 2004 695a
        bydz na seym ie|nie . ktory bedzie my
k.74v.15: 1353 1382a 622 1115 356 1385^ 948^ 2090 2076
        sie star li prze i st o czy c
k.74v.16: 1559 541 5 1256 2076 465 1065 1498^ 662
        w konferen de ra c ki . u lo
k.74v.17: 1804^ 789c^ 1775 1110 1323 656 1990 686^ 1092
        13 ny . pro si l by m po
k.74v.18: 1301^ 694 1069 1301 126 948^ 1221b 1141 1342
        rzekl mu {1069} rzekl em o przys {1141} sze
k.74v.19: 895^ 1567 213 1432 1560 892^ 1449c 1110 365
        nie|inie wy go to wa nia tego pro ic
k.74v.20: 460 1433 1900 1317 695 734c 622 2154 1496
        k tu aby s|ciis my mie li nczas {1496}
k.74v.21: 757 1353 948^ 904 1207 1352 1785^ 1873^ 780^
        mowi sie o niego przed seym . a n
k.74v.22: 1678^ 384^ 1432 453 417 1115 678^ 692 1433
        z iak to iuz {417} prze lozyl mi tu
k.74v.23: 461 1679 656 1065 2044 812^ 418^ 1188^ 385^
        ka za l . {2044} nami ieszcze potrzeba iaki
k.74v.24: 213 949 358^ 1317 895^ 892a^ 1065 1785^ 635
        go ob ia s|ciis nie|inie ni . . piey
k.74v.25: 2004 1681^ 360 2004 695 693 218 1559a 1679
        bedzie ze|acze ie|nie bedzie my mo gli w za
k.74v.26: 1559 2154 1092 1685^ 1317 461 2076a 1775
        w nczas po zy s|ciis ka c .
k.74v.27: 1001 1086^ 692 782^ 1432 382^ 880^ 12b 1657
        odpowiedzi p mi na to iz nay e y
k.74v.28: 1679 1 786 1001^ 1371 1353 1186a^ 2076 1448^
        za d ni odpowiedzi spodziewal sie posla c te
k.74v.29: 1110 360 460 1426 1786^ 1657 1117 3 656
        pro ie|nie k t . y przy da l
k.75r.01: 1429 1330 1560 1778^ 136 1321 780^ 2085^ 948^
        te slo wa . es se n cy o
k.75r.02: 782^ 616 783^ 1363 407 1900 1317 695 693 218
        na l na arzeczy iest aby s|ciis my mo gli
k.75r.03: 1117 378^ 2076 1574 782^ 1092 693 2076 239
        przy is c wa na po mo c gdy
k.75r.04: 1449 2004 1188^ 1785^ 1258^ 1337b 1427 1498
        tego bedzie potrzeba . re szla ta u
k.75r.05: 662 1681^ 892^ 2004 1432 1488^ 26 1089^
        lo ze|acze nia bedzie to tylko dla pe
k.75r.06: 1087^ 1258 780^ 2065 356 1775 1559 1489^
        pa re n baw i . w tym
k.75r.07: 737 1092 1559 1432 1268^ 675 1258 1684^
        mieyscu po w to rzy|re lem re zo
k.75r.08: 787^ 1560 895^ 760 3 1559 895^ 1657 1216
        no wa nie|inie moy da w nie|inie y przez
k.75r.09: 109 747 1085^ 948^ 1564 1117 1432 2080^ 784^
        e mnie Osterman o wi przy to ce ne
k.75r.10: 1065 948^ 1679 1565 84a^ 559 1990 551 1242
        . o za wo iek ktory by kro lapruski|pruski
k.75r.11: 692 112 693 246 2082a^ 1498^ 359 2076 1353
        mi ec mo gl ci u ia c sie
k.75r.12: 782^ 1585^ 1670 874a^ 1670 1713 1341 931
        na wewnetrzna ym nasz ym {1713} sza niu
k.75r.13: 561 694 1990 1317 1353 1578^ 895^ 3 656
        ktore mu by s|ciis sie wkmc nie|inie da l
k.75r.14: 1401 1266 2076 1420^ 1276 1874^ 688^ 359
        ach rze c Stackelberg raz a ma ia
k.75r.15: 2076a 968^ 1342 686^ 24 1873^ 2085^ 1874^
        c ow sze m dl a cy a
k.75r.16: 1426 663 734c 892^ 213 1716 237 1990 1353
        t lu mie nia go zas gdy by sie
k.75r.17: 1560^ 2087a^ 662 1775 1432 2070 1731b 656 1353
        wa cz lo . to czy zda l sie
k.75r.18: 1873^ 1110 1988 1560 2076 1786^ 1657 782^
        a pro bo wa c . y na
k.75r.19: 1489^ 1317 535a 2090 657 1353 874^ 1873^ 1298
        tym s|ciis kon czy la sie nasz a roz
k.75r.20: 756 1775 72 1018 1562 747 1684^ 1385 1873a^
        mow . dwa ona we mnie zo st a
k.75r.21: 1564 657 1559 1256 1681^ 892^ 1786^ 1144
        wi la w ra ze|acze nia . pierwszy
k.75r.22: 1681^ 692 1353 1092 461 1679 662 94 789^
        ze|acze mi sie po ka za lo dziw ny
k.75r.23: 686^ 382^ 1603a 747a 948^ 789^ 744 3 656
        m iz {1603a} mni o ny minist da l
k.75r.24: 1353 1329 1342 2076a 1618^ 1145 686^ 1873^
        sie sly sze c wz pisa m a
k.75r.25: 1092 1385^ 948^ 663 359 2085^ 2107a 1678^ 5
        po st o lu ia cy cho z de
k.75r.26: 162 786^ 2085^ 1874^ 2122 1874 2079 1430
        fi ni cy a chwalil a ca te
k.75r.27: 260 965 2076 1775 1296 1873^ 675 1681^
        {260} os c . rozumi a lem ze|acze
k.75r.28: 1427 5 162 786^ 2065 1873 1433 1353
        ta de fi ni baw a tu sie
k.75v.01: 1498^ 1261 94a 657 386 2129 783^ 2078^
        u ro dziw la iako ciag na ca
k.75v.02: 782^ 1432 1681^ 386 1560 1990 1432 895^
        na to ze|acze iako wa by to nie|inie
k.75v.03: 2052 1498^ 870^ 160 1255 690 780^ 1427 2085^
        byla u nas fe r me n ta cy
k.75v.04: 1873^ 1065 948^ 786^ 1722 782^ 2154 1117
        a . o ni zawsze na nczas przy
k.75v.05: 4 1678^ 1394 359 1292 1775 1925a 1678 637
        da z swo ia {1292} . {1925a} z list|la
k.75v.06: 1578^ 5 1821^ 1874^ 378^ 1564 8^ 110 1681^
        wkmc de 308b a is wi do e ze|acze
k.75v.07: 1115 2132 904 1432 2059 1678^ 1261 29 948^
        prze cie niego to bylo z ro dl o
k.75v.08: 1055 1657 5b 162 786 2065 356 815^ 1926
        owe y de fi ni baw i . ale
k.75v.09: 1681^ 359 1748^ 2076 3 1444 1874 1420 1775
        ze|acze ia znac c da tak a Stackelberg .
k.75v.10: 358^ 1353 782a^ 1432 895^ 1594a 1877^ 418^ 948^
        ia sie na to nie|inie wiedz ac ieszcze o
k.75v.11: 1489^ 1147 675 1678^ 2090 1678^ 1428 1488^
        tym pisan lem z czy z ta tylko
k.75v.12: 1319 616a 1561 1681^ 2063^ 8^ 1145 686^ 762
        sa l wa ze|acze ytno do pisa m moze
k.75v.13: 360 2036 2063^ 1618 1960^? 968^ 1679 782^
        ie|nie brac ytno wz {1960} ow za na
k.75v.14: 1091 110 1429c 1785 2083^ 1719 8^ 948^ 1444
        pi e te . co zas do o tak
k.75v.15: 965 2062 782^ 1261 9 1481^ 110 1681^ 1440e^?
        os bynaymniey na ro du twierdz e ze|acze {1440e}
k.75v.16: 2004 728^ 1428 1276 1874 24 1873 2065
        bedzie mial ta raz a dl a baw
k.75v.17: 1874^ 1775 66 1559 1256 1681^ 895^ 1092
        a . drugi w ra ze|acze nie|inie po
k.75v.18: 2117 85^ 356 1678^ 1330 1559 1567 1681^ 1657
        choc dz i z slo w wy ze|acze y
k.75v.19: 1160a 485^ 1317 623 789 2107^ 559 2107 34 895^
        pod kre s|ciis lo ny ch ktory ch dobrze nie|inie
k.75v.20: 1296 126 014^? 1873^ 356 782 2067^ 1657 413
        rozumi em {014} a i na berlinie y ich
k.75v.21: 1450^ 1657 2076 895 693 211 1488^ 1681^ 762
        teraz y c nie|inie mo ge tylko ze|acze moze
k.75v.22: 1353 1432 1317 2082^ 1874 208^ 8^ 3 892^
        sie to s|ciis ci a ga do da nia
k.75v.23: 373 1811 1497 1601 561 948^ 786^ 734 786^
        im {1811} sk ze ktore o ni mier ni
k.75v.24: 1874 373 2060 895^ 1990^ 1189^ 1678c^ 1702^
        a im bydz nie|inie by potrzeba z yd
k.75v.25: 948^ 276 1346 2070 812^ 129 372 757 1065
        o gdanska sam czy nami en il mowi .
k.75v.26: 2083^ 8^ 276 1498^ 662 1685^ 622 1317 695
        co do gdanska u lo zy li s|ciis my
k.75v.27: 1678^ 1085^ 1681^ 1092 1559 1432 1266 695
        z Osterman ze|acze po w to rze my
k.75v.28: 1747 874 109 1865 895^ 1900 276 1167
        zn nasz e {1865} nie|inie aby gdanska {1167}
k.75v.29: 1385 1874 1091 622 8^ 1567 1327 892^ 466 213
        st a pi li do wy sla nia ko go
k.75v.30: 8^ 1625 1657 1782 293 948^ 1564 1679 2112
        do warszawy y . {293} o wi za chcial
k.75v.31: 948^ 1353 734 2076 1270^ 1657 686^ 213
        o sie mier c rzu y m go
Reading

c038_1788-05-13.txt

# AGAD, Zbiór Popielów 428, no. 038, k. 74r-75v: Deboli to Stanisław August, St Petersburg, 13 May 1788 (no clear text in ZbPop 417)
# Reading from key_K4.tsv (decoding in c038_1788-05-13.decoded.txt). Old spelling as the code gives it; word division,
# endings and punctuation added. {group} = unread group; [x] = restored from the sense, not from the key; [?] = doubtful.
# 911 of 943 groups have a key value (96.6%, read.py measure); on a held-out pair the same key reads 0.862 of groups as
# sense (see NOTES.md), so the share actually read is lower than 96.6%. Status: read in part.

Donieść [WKMci] powinienem o rozmowie moiey w ostatni[ą] [śro]dę [?] z {569}, u ktorego był tego dnia wielki obiad
przez {100} dla świeżo w tuteyszą służbę przyiętego, owego to sławnego armatora {1976}[amerykań]skiego [?],
Pawl[a] D[ż]ones[a] [?], [według] zwyczay[u]. Za{2169} Stackelberg ze mną na {1553} o {535} Wersal[u] [?] bawi[ąc],
w ktorey mi [...] obiter o pow[odach] [...] Austryackiego wiele [...]. Te mowiąc {1069} {535} Wersa[l] [...], {340}
chcąc coś wsunąć o naszych interessach, przerwałem {1078} mowiąc: My też także iesteśmy w niespokoyności z przyczyny,
że nas ustawicznie dochodzą wiadomości o zamachach Krola Pruskiego. Le[d]wie m[owi]łem te słowa, {535b} czył:
natychmiast [...] rzekł: co nas te złe [...]; czytałem, co [i]a pisa[no] mo[...], ale to nic nie wadzi; owszem dobrze
{47}, że się ta[k] dla [Rossyi] okazuie. Jak[by] to nie było sposob[nie] w tym mieyscu, uśmiechnął się. Niech[aj]
[przy]idzie to do Seymu, a tymczasem my wygotuiemy mu {1116} [pro]iekt, aby mo[żna] go [s]finalizować na Seymie,
ktory będziemy się starali przeistoczyć w Konfederacyą. Ułożony [?] prosiłbym, po[wie]dział[em] mu; {1069} rzekłem
o przyspieszenie wygotowania tego proiektu, abyśmy mieli czas. {1496} mowi się o niego przed Seymem, a [On] [...],
iak to iuż {417} przełożył mi tu, kazał {2044} nam ieszcze potrzeba iakiego obiaśnienia, [...] będzie, że ie będziemy
mogli wtenczas pozyskać. Odpowiedział mi na to, iż w nayblisze [?] dni odpowiedzi spodziewał się posłać ten proiekt,
y przydał te słowa: Essencyonalna rzecz iest, abyśmy mogli przyiść wam na pomoc, gdy tego będzie potrzeba. Reszta
ułożenia będzie to tylko dla pe[wności] [?]. W tym mieyscu powtorzyłem rezonowanie moie dawnieysze przez [?] mnie
Ostermanowi przytoczone, o zawoiek [?], ktory by Krol Pruski mieć mogł ciuciać się na wewnętrzne nasze {1713}
[rzą]dzenie, ktore mu by się WKMci nie dało; a rzec Stackelberg razem mając owszem dla [Rossyi] tłumienia go, zaś
gdyby się ważył[o], to czy zdał się [chcieć] a probować [?]. Y na tym skończyła się nasza rozmowa.
Dwa one we mnie zostawiła wrażenia. Pierwszy, że mi się pokazało dziwnym, iż {1603a} [wspo]mniony Minister dał się
słyszeć względem pisma [...] z definicyą, chwalił[a] [?] {260}. Rozumiałem, że ta definicya tu się urodziła, iako
ciągnąca na to, że iakoby to nie była u nas fermentacya; oni zawsze na[ten]czas przydadzą swoią {1292}. {1925a} Z listu
WKMci de 30 [Aprilis] [?] widać [?], że przecie niego to było źrodło owey definicyi; ale że ia znać [nie] [?] daię
Stackelbergowi [?], [...] ia się na to, niewiedząc ieszcze o tym, pisałem z czytania tylko [...] do pisma może ie brać
[...] {196X} [...]. Co zaś do [...] bynaymniey narodu, twierdzę, że {144Xe} będzie miał [...] dla [...].
Drugie wrażenie pochodzi z słow wyżey podkreślonych, ktorych dobrze nie rozumiem {X14} a i na Berlinie [?] y ich
teraz [tłumaczy]ć nie mogę, tylko że może się to ściągać do dania im {1811} [...], ktore oni mierni[ą] [?] bydź,
nie by potrzeba [...]. O Gdańsku sam czy[...] namienił, mowiąc: co do Gdańska ułożyliśmy z Ostermanem, że powtorzemy
[...] nasze {1865}, nie aby Gdańsk {1167} stąpili do wysłania kogo do Warszawy y {293} [...] chciał [...]
Translation

c038_1788-05-13_en.md

# 13 May 1788, Deboli to Stanisław August (ZbPop 428 no. 038, k. 74r-75v): English

Translated from `c038_1788-05-13.txt` (28 Oct 2026). [...] = groups not read; [?] = doubtful; words in square brackets
are supplied from the sense. Read in part: the gist is secure, many details are not.

I must report to Your Majesty my conversation last [Wednesday?] with [{569}], who gave a great dinner that day for that
famous [American?] privateer lately taken into the service here, [Paul Jones?], as is the custom. Stackelberg, who was
there with me, [spoke] of [Versailles?], and in passing of the Austrian [...]. While he was saying this, wanting to slip
in something about our affairs, I interrupted him: we too are uneasy, because news keeps reaching us of the designs of
the King of Prussia. I had hardly said these words when he answered at once: that which comes to us from there is bad;
I have read what was written [...], but it does no harm; on the contrary, it is good that it shows itself so for
[Russia]. He smiled, as if this were not the place for it. Let it go to the Diet, then; meanwhile we shall prepare the
project for him, so that it can be concluded at the Diet, which we shall try to turn into a Confederation. I asked him to
hurry the drafting of this project so that we should have time. [...] it is spoken of before the Diet; and [he], as [...]
had already put it to me here, said we still need some explanation [...], so that we may then win them over. He replied
that he expected an answer within a few days and would then send the project, and he added these words: "The essential
thing is that we should be able to come to your aid when it is needed. The rest of the arrangement will only be for
[security?]." At this point I repeated my earlier reasoning, put to Ostermann [?], about the hold the King of Prussia
might gain over our internal [government], which Your Majesty would not allow him; and Stackelberg [...] to suppress it,
and if it were attempted, [he seemed willing] to try. And there our conversation ended.

It left two impressions on me. The first: it seemed strange to me that the minister let it be heard, regarding a paper
[...], [praise] of the "definition" [...]. I understood that this definition was born here, as tending to suggest that
there was fermentation among us; they always add their own [...] at such times. From Your Majesty's letter of the 30th
[of April?] it appears that this was after all the source of that definition; but as I [do not] let it be known [...],
I wrote of it only from reading, not yet knowing [...]. As for [...] of the nation, I maintain that [...].

The second impression comes from the words underlined above, which I do not well understand [...], nor can I [explain]
them now, except that this may tend to giving them [...] which they [...] to be, which would not be needed [...]. On
Gdańsk he himself said: "As to Gdańsk, we have agreed with Ostermann that we shall repeat our [...], not that Gdańsk [...]
should proceed to send someone to Warsaw [...]" [...] wanted [...].

Key: key_K4.tsv

05 Sources

Working files: targets/deboli1788/ in the repository.

Cite this page

Brice Dudout and Daniel Bourdeau, “Deboli to King Stanisław August, 13 May 1788”, Cyphersolver, posted 4 November 2026, updated 7 November 2026, https://cyphersolver.com/deboli1788.html.