At a glanceCiphertext-only break · partial (52% of the cipher)
- The letter
- A Hesse-Kassel officer reports troop movements in clear, then fourteen lines in cipher laying the needs of “this fortress” before the Emperor and the Elector of Bavaria.
- Where
- Marburg, volume 4 d Nr. 1218; DECODE R4500, listed as partly decrypted.
- The cipher
- Digits 0–9 and a few graphic symbols; none of the volume’s ~120 key sheets fits.
- How it was read
- Simulated annealing scored with a sixteenth-century German model, then hand fixes. A contemporary gloss over the first four lines served as control.
- Still open
- Nine symbols at the end of the first line.
01 The document and the key
One page. The letter has lost its date and signature, and DECODE gives only the volume’s span, 1635–1652. The cipher starts in the middle of a sentence (“noch nicht zu vernehmen,”) and runs until a clear closing that points to a “beygefügter Extract”. Words are separated by spaces.
The system is a letter substitution with a few homophones, written mostly in digits:
| sign | letter | sign | letter | sign | letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5, A, 8 | a (8 also o) | 6 | e | 0 | n |
| 1 | d | 12 (written together) | r | 2, d-shaped sign | s |
| 3 | g | 4 | h | 7 | i |
| 9 | u | w-sign | t | θ | c (θ4 = ch) |
| triangle | l | 4 with cross stroke | m | crossed t | b |
| superscript w | w | j | d |
02 The decipherment
Lines 1–7 are decoded, not read: the decode of lines 2–4 is garbled, and the contemporary gloss over lines 1–4, the only control, is faded and cramped and does not align with the signs at two places (re-read on native crops on 23 October 2026, no value changed). Their partial reading (texts/R4500_l01-07_reading.md; […] unread, [?word] partly carried):
… noch nicht zu vernehmen, die Landts[…] […]. […] [?w]ir dennoch nur [?b]eit ihr endes halber […] ursach[…] [?be]schwerungen ich ag[…] [di]eses orts halber […] dagegen denselben etwas tentiert we[r]en solte, zumahl nicht unbewandt, w[?a]s und ob en gebührender manutenirung der [?Keiserm.] Mait. und [?des] Reich[s], wie auch [K. Chur…] bei di[…]n boni […] ungelegen.
Lines 8–14, the closing sentence, give German throughout (texts/R4500_l08-14_reading.md):
… dahero ich nicht unterlassen sollen, die notturft dieser Vestung so wol allerhöchst ihrer Kays. Maiestet als auch ihrer Churf. Durchl. in Bayern ohnlängst nochmals allerunderthenigst und underthenigst anzudeuten, damit ich aus allen fall entschuldigt sein und dessen, meinem gebührenden bericht an gehörigen ort, nicht ermangeln möchte.
In English (lines 1–7 only in part): something should be attempted against them, especially since … the maintenance of His Imperial Majesty and the Empire …; I therefore could not fail, lately and once more, to set out the needs of this fortress most humbly to His Imperial Majesty and humbly to His Electoral Highness of Bavaria, so that I may be excused in any event, and not fall short of my duty to report to the proper place.
03 Method
Simulated annealing without word spaces gave only frequency noise. After a second transcription that kept the word gaps and treated the joined “12” as one symbol, a homophonic solver scored with the de-1500s model produced recognisable words, and those words fixed the key. The gloss over lines 1–4 then settled the superscript symbol (w) and 8 (o). The gloss does not follow the cipher line by line; its phrases occur in cipher lines 3–5, in order. All 126 records of the volume (R4452–R4577) were downloaded to look for the key or a clear copy; none was found.
04 What remains uncertain
- The last nine symbols of cipher line 1, cramped under the faded gloss: not deciphered. Lines 1–7 as a whole are decoded, not read: lines 2–3 do not build, and the faded gloss cannot settle them; only a better image could.
- Single symbols in line 7 (“[bey diesen]”): conjectural, graded M.
- No longer uncertain (corrected 30 September 2026). Line 9: the symbols at its start had been taken as blotted and the phrase supplied as “dieser [sachen]”. They are clear on the scan and give “ser ue st ung” with the key unchanged, so the phrase is “die notturft dieser Vestung”, the needs of this fortress (9 is u, which also stands for v). Line 11: the symbols before “underthenigst” give “s a l er”, and the triangle carries a doubling bar (ll), so the text is “nochmals allerunderthenigst und underthenigst”, the usual pair for the Emperor and an Elector; no word is supplied.
- Writer, recipient and date are unknown. The deferential tone toward the Emperor and Bavaria makes him an officer or agent reporting to Kassel from the imperial side; “dieser Vestung” places him in a fortress.
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.
R4500, HStAM 4 d Nr. 1218 no. 49: cipher lines 8-14
A German Thirty Years' War letter in the Hesse-Kassel files reporting troop movements in clear, with the last 14 lines in cipher. The writer, an officer or agent on the imperial side writing from a fortress, reports that he has set out the needs of this fortress to the Emperor and to the Elector of Bavaria, so that he may be held excused and not be found wanting in his report.
Transcription
# R4500 cipher tokens, pass 2. # F = d-shaped sign, T = theta, D = triangle, A = crossed triangle, W = w-sign, X = crossed t, M = superscript m/bar, # q = digit-4/9 with cross stroke below, j s = letter-like signs, ? = unread. L01: 7 7 6 A 5 0 1 W F / W 5 ? 1 7 0 4 5 6 L02: 1 2 7 1 2 / 6 0 0 8 T / 4 0 9 / 1 2 X / 6 7 W / 7 4 1 2 / 6 0 1 F F / 4 5 D 9 6 1 2 1 / ? / 9 1 2 5 T F W L03: 6 0 9 6 F T 4 M / 6 1 2 / 9 0 3 6 0 7 T 4 / A 3 9 1 7 / 6 F 6 F 8 / 1 2 W F 4 5 D 9 6 1 2 2 5 / F W / 9 6 3 L04: 1 2 7 2 / 2 6 0 1 5 / 3 6 3 6 0 j 6 0 F 6 D 9 / 6 0 6 W / M 5 F W 6 0 W / 7 6 1 2 W / M 6 1 2 6 0 L05: F 8 D W 6 / 0 9 4 5 4 D 0 0 7 T 4 W / 9 0 9 6 9 5 0 1 W / M s F s 0 1 8 / X 6 0 3 6 X 9 4 / 1 2 6 0 1 L06: 6 1 2 q / 5 0 9 W 6 0 7 1 2 9 0 3 / 1 6 1 2 q / 6 7 / F 6 1 2 q / q 5 7 W / 9 0 1 / 1 6 4 1 2 6 7 T 4 M 7 6 L07: 5 9 T 4 / 9 6 7 1 7 6 F 6 0 / X 8 0 7 / 9 0 T W 9 1 2 0 3 6 D 6 3 6 0 L08: 1 5 4 6 1 2 8 / 7 T 4 0 7 T 4 5 0 / 9 0 1 6 1 2 D 5 X 6 0 / F 8 / D 6 0 1 / 7 6 0 8 W W 9 1 2 2 W 1 7 6 L09: F 6 1 2 9 6 / F W / 9 0 3 F 8 M 8 D 5 D D 6 1 2 4 8 T F W 3 7 4 1 2 9 6 7 F 6 1 2 q / 5 7 6 F W 6 0 L10: 5 D F 5 9 T 4 / 7 4 1 2 6 1 2 T 4 9 1 2 2 / 1 9 1 2 T 4 D / 7 0 9 5 ? 1 2 0 / 8 4 0 / D 6 0 3 F W L11: 0 8 T 4 q 5 D / F 5 / D 6 1 2 9 0 1 6 1 2 W 4 6 0 7 3 F W / 9 0 1 / 9 0 1 6 1 2 W 4 6 0 7 3 F W L12: 5 0 0 9 1 6 9 W 6 0 / 1 8 q 7 W / 7 T 4 5 9 2 / 5 D 6 0 5 2 D 6 0 W F T 4 9 D 1 7 3 W / X 6 7 0 L13: 9 0 1 6 F 5 0 / q 6 7 0 6 q 3 6 X 9 4 1 2 6 0 1 6 0 9 6 1 2 7 T 4 W 5 0 / 3 6 4 8 2 2 7 3 6 0 8 1 2 W L14: 6 0 0 7 T 4 W / 6 1 2 q / 5 0 3 6 D 6 0 / q 8 T 4 W 6
Decryption
# sign=value per cipher sign; ? = unread. Key as in NOTES.md. D=ll in L11: triangle with a doubling bar (30 Sept 2026). L01: 7=i 7=i 6=e A=a 5=a 0=n 1=d W=t F=s / W=? 5=? ?=? 1=? 7=? 0=? 4=? 5=? 6=? L02: 12=r 7=i 12=r / 6=e 0=n 0=n 8=o T=c / 4=h 0=n 9=u / 12=r X=b / 6=e 7=i W=t / 7=i 4=h 12=r / 6=e 0=n 1=d F=s F=s / 4=h 5=a D=l 9=u 6=e 12=r 1=d / ?=? / 9=u 12=r 5=a T=c F=s W=t L03: 6=e 0=n 9=u 6=e F=s T=c 4=h M=w / 6=e 12=r / 9=u 0=n 3=g 6=e 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h / A=a 3=g 9=u 1=d 7=i / 6=e F=s 6=e F=s 8=o / 12=r W=t F=s 4=h 5=a D=l 9=u 6=e 12=r 2=s 5=a / F=s W=t / 9=u 6=e 3=g L04: 12=r 7=i 2=s / 2=s 6=e 0=n 1=d 5=a / 3=g 6=e 3=g 6=e 0=n j=d 6=e 0=n F=s 6=e D=l 9=u / 6=e 0=n 6=e W=t / M=w 5=a F=s W=t 6=e 0=n W=t / 7=i 6=e 12=r W=t / M=w 6=e 12=r 6=e 0=n L05: F=s 8=o D=l W=t 6=e / 0=n 9=u 4=h 5=a 4=h D=l 0=n 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h W=t / 9=u 0=n 9=u 6=e 9=u 5=a 0=n 1=d W=t / M=w s=u F=s s=u 0=n 1=d 8=o / X=b 6=e 0=n 3=g 6=e X=b 9=u 4=h / 12=r 6=e 0=n 1=d L06: 6=e 12=r q=m / 5=a 0=n 9=u W=t 6=e 0=n 7=i 12=r 9=u 0=n 3=g / 1=d 6=e 12=r q=m / 6=e 7=i / F=s 6=e 12=r q=m / q=m 5=a 7=i W=t / 9=u 0=n 1=d / 1=d 6=e 4=h 12=r 6=e 7=i T=c 4=h M=w 7=i 6=e L07: 5=a 9=u T=c 4=h / 9=u 6=e 7=i 1=d 7=i 6=? F=? 6=? 0=n / X=b 8=o 0=n 7=i / 9=u 0=n T=c W=t 9=u 12=r 0=n 3=g 6=e D=l 6=e 3=g 6=e 0=n L08: 1=d 5=a 4=h 6=e 12=r 8=o / 7=i T=c 4=h 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h 5=a 0=n / 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e 12=r D=l 5=a X=b 6=e 0=n / F=s 8=o / D=l 6=e 0=n 1=d / 7=i 6=e 0=n 8=o W=t W=t 9=u 12=r 2=s W=t 1=d 7=i 6=e L09: F=s 6=e 12=r 9=u 6=e / F=s W=t / 9=u 0=n 3=g F=s 8=o M=w 8=o D=l 5=a D=l D=l 6=e 12=r 4=h 8=o T=c F=s W=t 3=g 7=i 4=h 12=r 9=u 6=e 7=i F=s 6=e 12=r q=m / 5=a 7=i 6=e F=s W=t 6=e 0=n L10: 5=a D=l F=s 5=a 9=u T=c 4=h / 7=i 4=h 12=r 6=e 12=r T=c 4=h 9=u 12=r 2=s / 1=d 9=u 12=r T=c 4=h D=l / 7=i 0=n 9=u 5=a ?=? 12=r 0=n / 8=o 4=h 0=n / D=l 6=e 0=n 3=g F=s W=t L11: 0=n 8=o T=c 4=h q=m 5=a D=l / F=s 5=a / D=ll 6=e 12=r 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e 12=r W=t 4=h 6=e 0=n 7=i 3=g F=s W=t / 9=u 0=n 1=d / 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e 12=r W=t 4=h 6=e 0=n 7=i 3=g F=s W=t L12: 5=a 0=n 0=n 9=u 1=d 6=e 9=u W=t 6=e 0=n / 1=d 8=o q=m 7=i W=t / 7=i T=c 4=h 5=a 9=u 2=s / 5=a D=l 6=e 0=n 5=a 2=s D=l 6=e 0=n W=t F=s T=c 4=h 9=u D=l 1=d 7=i 3=g W=t / X=b 6=e 7=i 0=n L13: 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e F=s 5=a 0=n / q=m 6=e 7=i 0=n 6=e q=m 3=g 6=e X=b 9=u 4=h 12=r 6=e 0=n 1=d 6=e 0=n 9=u 6=e 12=r 7=i T=c 4=h W=t 5=a 0=n / 3=g 6=e 4=h 8=o 2=s 2=s 7=i 3=g 6=e 0=n 8=o 12=r W=t L14: 6=e 0=n 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h W=t / 6=e 12=r q=m / 5=a 0=n 3=g 6=e D=l 6=e 0=n / q=m 8=o T=c 4=h W=t 6=e # signs 538, unread 14, read 0.974
Decryption
Copied verbatim from `NOTES.md`, "## Reading (normalised; [..] = conjectural)" (as corrected 30 Sept 2026). The sign-by-sign decryption is `reading_tokens.txt`. ## Reading (normalised; [..] = conjectural) > ... noch nicht zu vernehmen, [die Landtschaft ...] ... [unleserlich] ..., das kann dieses orths halber observiren, > dagegen den selben etwas tentiret werden solte, zumahl nicht unbewandt [was und ob] gebührend zur manutenirung dero > Kays. Maj(estät) und des Reichs wie auch [bey diesen] ... [ungelegen]; dahero ich nicht unterlassen sollen, die > notturft dieser Vestung so wol allerhöchst ihrer Kays. Maiestet als auch ihrer Churf. Durchl. in Bayern ohnlängst > nochmals allerunderthenigst und underthenigst anzudeuten, damit ich aus allen fall entschuldigt sein und dessen, > meinem gebührenden bericht an gehörigen ort, nicht ermangeln möchte.
Reading
# DECODE R4500 (HStAM 4 d Nr. 1218 no. 49), cipher lines 8-14: reading The sentence of cipher lines 8-14 (from "dahero"), as normalised in `texts/R4500_decryption.md` (copied from NOTES.md, corrected 30 Sept 2026) from the sign-by-sign decryption `reading_tokens.txt` (L08-L14), written out alone 23 Oct 2026 (translation wave v7) so that this entry is scored without lines 1-7, which are a separate entry (decoded, not read). Normalised as in that file (word division, capitals, punctuation, abbreviations expanded in brackets). German. ## Reading … dahero ich nicht unterlassen sollen, die notturft dieser Vestung so wol allerhöchst ihrer Kays. Maiestet als auch ihrer Churf. Durchl. in Bayern ohnlängst nochmals allerunderthenigst und underthenigst anzudeuten, damit ich aus allen fall entschuldigt sein und dessen, meinem gebührenden bericht an gehörigen ort, nicht ermangeln möchte.
Translation
# DECODE R4500 (HStAM 4 d Nr. 1218 no. 49), cipher lines 8-14: English translation Translation (Claude Opus 5.5, 23 Oct 2026) of `texts/R4500_l08-14_reading.md`, the one sentence of cipher lines 8-14. No holes. ## Translation … therefore I should not have failed to point out once again recently, most humbly and humbly, the needs of this fortress both to His Most High Imperial Majesty and to His Electoral Highness in Bavaria, so that I may be excused in any event and may not be found wanting in it, [that is] in my due report to the proper place.
R4500, cipher lines 1-7 (before 'dahero') decoded, not read
A mechanical decode with holes in most sentences: shown so that the transcription and the key can be checked and improved, not as a reading.
Transcription
# R4500 cipher tokens, pass 2. # F = d-shaped sign, T = theta, D = triangle, A = crossed triangle, W = w-sign, X = crossed t, M = superscript m/bar, # q = digit-4/9 with cross stroke below, j s = letter-like signs, ? = unread. L01: 7 7 6 A 5 0 1 W F / W 5 ? 1 7 0 4 5 6 L02: 1 2 7 1 2 / 6 0 0 8 T / 4 0 9 / 1 2 X / 6 7 W / 7 4 1 2 / 6 0 1 F F / 4 5 D 9 6 1 2 1 / ? / 9 1 2 5 T F W L03: 6 0 9 6 F T 4 M / 6 1 2 / 9 0 3 6 0 7 T 4 / A 3 9 1 7 / 6 F 6 F 8 / 1 2 W F 4 5 D 9 6 1 2 2 5 / F W / 9 6 3 L04: 1 2 7 2 / 2 6 0 1 5 / 3 6 3 6 0 j 6 0 F 6 D 9 / 6 0 6 W / M 5 F W 6 0 W / 7 6 1 2 W / M 6 1 2 6 0 L05: F 8 D W 6 / 0 9 4 5 4 D 0 0 7 T 4 W / 9 0 9 6 9 5 0 1 W / M s F s 0 1 8 / X 6 0 3 6 X 9 4 / 1 2 6 0 1 L06: 6 1 2 q / 5 0 9 W 6 0 7 1 2 9 0 3 / 1 6 1 2 q / 6 7 / F 6 1 2 q / q 5 7 W / 9 0 1 / 1 6 4 1 2 6 7 T 4 M 7 6 L07: 5 9 T 4 / 9 6 7 1 7 6 F 6 0 / X 8 0 7 / 9 0 T W 9 1 2 0 3 6 D 6 3 6 0 L08: 1 5 4 6 1 2 8 / 7 T 4 0 7 T 4 5 0 / 9 0 1 6 1 2 D 5 X 6 0 / F 8 / D 6 0 1 / 7 6 0 8 W W 9 1 2 2 W 1 7 6 L09: F 6 1 2 9 6 / F W / 9 0 3 F 8 M 8 D 5 D D 6 1 2 4 8 T F W 3 7 4 1 2 9 6 7 F 6 1 2 q / 5 7 6 F W 6 0 L10: 5 D F 5 9 T 4 / 7 4 1 2 6 1 2 T 4 9 1 2 2 / 1 9 1 2 T 4 D / 7 0 9 5 ? 1 2 0 / 8 4 0 / D 6 0 3 F W L11: 0 8 T 4 q 5 D / F 5 / D 6 1 2 9 0 1 6 1 2 W 4 6 0 7 3 F W / 9 0 1 / 9 0 1 6 1 2 W 4 6 0 7 3 F W L12: 5 0 0 9 1 6 9 W 6 0 / 1 8 q 7 W / 7 T 4 5 9 2 / 5 D 6 0 5 2 D 6 0 W F T 4 9 D 1 7 3 W / X 6 7 0 L13: 9 0 1 6 F 5 0 / q 6 7 0 6 q 3 6 X 9 4 1 2 6 0 1 6 0 9 6 1 2 7 T 4 W 5 0 / 3 6 4 8 2 2 7 3 6 0 8 1 2 W L14: 6 0 0 7 T 4 W / 6 1 2 q / 5 0 3 6 D 6 0 / q 8 T 4 W 6
Decryption
# sign=value per cipher sign; ? = unread. Key as in NOTES.md. D=ll in L11: triangle with a doubling bar (30 Sept 2026). L01: 7=i 7=i 6=e A=a 5=a 0=n 1=d W=t F=s / W=? 5=? ?=? 1=? 7=? 0=? 4=? 5=? 6=? L02: 12=r 7=i 12=r / 6=e 0=n 0=n 8=o T=c / 4=h 0=n 9=u / 12=r X=b / 6=e 7=i W=t / 7=i 4=h 12=r / 6=e 0=n 1=d F=s F=s / 4=h 5=a D=l 9=u 6=e 12=r 1=d / ?=? / 9=u 12=r 5=a T=c F=s W=t L03: 6=e 0=n 9=u 6=e F=s T=c 4=h M=w / 6=e 12=r / 9=u 0=n 3=g 6=e 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h / A=a 3=g 9=u 1=d 7=i / 6=e F=s 6=e F=s 8=o / 12=r W=t F=s 4=h 5=a D=l 9=u 6=e 12=r 2=s 5=a / F=s W=t / 9=u 6=e 3=g L04: 12=r 7=i 2=s / 2=s 6=e 0=n 1=d 5=a / 3=g 6=e 3=g 6=e 0=n j=d 6=e 0=n F=s 6=e D=l 9=u / 6=e 0=n 6=e W=t / M=w 5=a F=s W=t 6=e 0=n W=t / 7=i 6=e 12=r W=t / M=w 6=e 12=r 6=e 0=n L05: F=s 8=o D=l W=t 6=e / 0=n 9=u 4=h 5=a 4=h D=l 0=n 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h W=t / 9=u 0=n 9=u 6=e 9=u 5=a 0=n 1=d W=t / M=w s=u F=s s=u 0=n 1=d 8=o / X=b 6=e 0=n 3=g 6=e X=b 9=u 4=h / 12=r 6=e 0=n 1=d L06: 6=e 12=r q=m / 5=a 0=n 9=u W=t 6=e 0=n 7=i 12=r 9=u 0=n 3=g / 1=d 6=e 12=r q=m / 6=e 7=i / F=s 6=e 12=r q=m / q=m 5=a 7=i W=t / 9=u 0=n 1=d / 1=d 6=e 4=h 12=r 6=e 7=i T=c 4=h M=w 7=i 6=e L07: 5=a 9=u T=c 4=h / 9=u 6=e 7=i 1=d 7=i 6=? F=? 6=? 0=n / X=b 8=o 0=n 7=i / 9=u 0=n T=c W=t 9=u 12=r 0=n 3=g 6=e D=l 6=e 3=g 6=e 0=n L08: 1=d 5=a 4=h 6=e 12=r 8=o / 7=i T=c 4=h 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h 5=a 0=n / 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e 12=r D=l 5=a X=b 6=e 0=n / F=s 8=o / D=l 6=e 0=n 1=d / 7=i 6=e 0=n 8=o W=t W=t 9=u 12=r 2=s W=t 1=d 7=i 6=e L09: F=s 6=e 12=r 9=u 6=e / F=s W=t / 9=u 0=n 3=g F=s 8=o M=w 8=o D=l 5=a D=l D=l 6=e 12=r 4=h 8=o T=c F=s W=t 3=g 7=i 4=h 12=r 9=u 6=e 7=i F=s 6=e 12=r q=m / 5=a 7=i 6=e F=s W=t 6=e 0=n L10: 5=a D=l F=s 5=a 9=u T=c 4=h / 7=i 4=h 12=r 6=e 12=r T=c 4=h 9=u 12=r 2=s / 1=d 9=u 12=r T=c 4=h D=l / 7=i 0=n 9=u 5=a ?=? 12=r 0=n / 8=o 4=h 0=n / D=l 6=e 0=n 3=g F=s W=t L11: 0=n 8=o T=c 4=h q=m 5=a D=l / F=s 5=a / D=ll 6=e 12=r 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e 12=r W=t 4=h 6=e 0=n 7=i 3=g F=s W=t / 9=u 0=n 1=d / 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e 12=r W=t 4=h 6=e 0=n 7=i 3=g F=s W=t L12: 5=a 0=n 0=n 9=u 1=d 6=e 9=u W=t 6=e 0=n / 1=d 8=o q=m 7=i W=t / 7=i T=c 4=h 5=a 9=u 2=s / 5=a D=l 6=e 0=n 5=a 2=s D=l 6=e 0=n W=t F=s T=c 4=h 9=u D=l 1=d 7=i 3=g W=t / X=b 6=e 7=i 0=n L13: 9=u 0=n 1=d 6=e F=s 5=a 0=n / q=m 6=e 7=i 0=n 6=e q=m 3=g 6=e X=b 9=u 4=h 12=r 6=e 0=n 1=d 6=e 0=n 9=u 6=e 12=r 7=i T=c 4=h W=t 5=a 0=n / 3=g 6=e 4=h 8=o 2=s 2=s 7=i 3=g 6=e 0=n 8=o 12=r W=t L14: 6=e 0=n 0=n 7=i T=c 4=h W=t / 6=e 12=r q=m / 5=a 0=n 3=g 6=e D=l 6=e 0=n / q=m 8=o T=c 4=h W=t 6=e # signs 538, unread 14, read 0.974
Decryption
# R4500 (HStAM 4 d Nr. 1218 no. 49), cipher lines 1-7: partial reading (decoded, not read)
Rests on: the sign-by-sign decode `reading_tokens.txt` (key in NOTES.md, rebuilt ciphertext-only) and, for ll. 1-4,
the contemporary interlinear gloss as far as it can be read on the only scan (DECODE `IMG_R4500_I26572_P.jpg`, main
checkout `img/R4500.jpg`, 2628 x 3778). Re-examined 23 Oct 2026 (b30). Word division is ours; spelling as the signs give
it (no modernisation). [?word] = partly carried, [word] = supplied (nothing carries it), […] = unread.
This stretch does **not** read: ll. 2-3 do not build a sentence. Lines 8-14 (the reading entry) follow on from l. 7.
## Reading
… noch nicht zu vernehmen, die Landts[…] […]. […] [?w]ir dennoch nur [?b]eit ihr endes halber […] ursach[…]
[?be]schwerungen ich ag[…] [di]eses orts halber […] dagegen denselben etwas tentiert we[r]en solte, zumahl nicht
unbewandt, w[?a]s und ob en gebührender manutenirung der [?Keiserm.] Mait. und [?des] Reich[s], wie auch [K. Chur…]
bei di[…]n boni […] ungelegen.
## Notes
- l. 1 end (`W 5 ? 1 7 0 4 5 6`, 9 signs): cramped under the gloss "die Landt[…]"; one sign (ß-shaped) has no value in
the key. Not read.
- l. 2: the decode "rir ennoch nu rb eit ihr endss halberd ? ursach st"; the gloss above it shows "insonderheit … ihr …
gewalt … beschwerlich" in a faded, cramped hand that does not align letter for letter with the signs.
- l. 3: the gloss "das kann dieses orths halber observiren dagegen den selben"; the signs give "…eses orts halber"
and "dagegen denselben" (l. 4) but "observiren" is not carried ("sast ueg ris sen"), and the start of l. 3
("enueschwer ungenich agudi") only partly builds ("[be]schwerungen ich").
- l. 7: "auch" is followed by a clear-text insertion ("K. Chur…") and a struck group not in `cipher_tokens.txt`; three
signs blotted.Key: key.md
05 Sources
- Hessisches Staatsarchiv Marburg, HStAM 4 d Nr. 1218 (Arcinsys).
- DECODE R4500; the volume’s key sheets are R4455–R4577.
Transcription, key and scripts: targets/marburg1635/.