At a glanceCiphertext-only break · partial (98% of the cipher)
- The letter
- Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, governor of the Spanish Netherlands, to his chaplain Mercy, from the camp at Barneton, 6 June 1648: whom to see, what to ask the Elector of Brandenburg, and how fast.
- Where
- Bibliothèque nationale de France, Espagnol 144 (formerly Supplément français 1257C, tome III) f. 22r–v, finding-aid item 11, “Autre instruction chiffrée pour l’abbé de Mercy”. Not in the catalogue and not on DECODE; it reached us as GitHub issue 16.
- The cipher
- Letter by letter in the numbers 2–34, one to three numbers for each letter, no word division, in runs inside the clear Spanish; one extra sign (a square with a dot) for a name.
- How it was deciphered
- NoAutopilot (cipher-lab) recovered the key by annealing on Spanish n-grams, with no plaintext. Here the transcription was checked on the images and corrected in eight places, and the name sign and a named official were identified from the clear instructions on the two leaves before.
- What it says
- Get a categorical answer from the duchesse de Chevreuse and have Saint-Ibal come back with Mercy; then go to Cleves and ask the Elector of Brandenburg and his chief chamberlain whether 3,000 infantry can be raised in his lands, in two or three regiments, and by whom.
- Still open
- Eight tokens in the middle of the verso (code 15 twice, “t non”), and the letters lost where the right edge of f. 22v is trimmed.
- Credit
- The transcription, the key and the reading of the cipher runs are NoAutopilot’s (issue 16, cipher-lab); the corrections and the identifications on this page are ours.
01 The leaf and the two before it
Item 11 of Espagnol 144 is the last of a small series for the abbé (baron) de Mercy, the Archduke’s chaplain and agent in the intrigue between the Spanish Netherlands and the French malcontents of the early Fronde. Item 8 is a French memoir of September 1647 on his journey to Holland with the comte de Saint-Ibal and the duchesse de Chevreuse; items 9 and 10 are two instructions in clear Spanish, of 8 February and 13 April 1648, written for him from Brussels. The third, the one in cipher, is dated “Barneton a seis de Junio de 1648”, from the field, the summer the Archduke took the army out.
The two clear instructions matter here, because they name the same people in clear. On f. 20r (8 February, signed “Leopoldo Guillermo” and by his secretary Juan de Galarreta) Mercy is to meet the duc de Longueville on his way home from Münster, where “el Conde de S. Ibal” may come with him. On f. 21r (13 April), for the journey to Kerpen to meet “la Duquessa de Cheurossa y el Conde de Sant Ibal”, the Archduke writes the sentence that settles the first open question of the cipher:
That is the sentence the cipher repeats seven weeks later: “que el [box] uenga con uos para que nos informe della”.
02 The cipher
The numbers run from 2 to 34 and each is a letter; the same letter has up to three numbers, and the vowels a, e, i, o, u have three each:
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 17 34 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 19 33 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 21 26 31 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 2 23 29 | 3 | 4 9 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 25 27 | 13 |
There is no letter for j, k, ñ, v, w, x or z (u is written for v), doubled letters are written twice, and the runs have no word division. One extra sign, a square with a dot, stands for a name. The Spanish clerk, as on the clear leaves, wrote “Cheureuse” for Chevreuse and “Cleues” for Cleves, and spelled them out letter by letter. The table above is NoAutopilot’s, recovered from the numbers alone; every value reads in Spanish in the text below, and the common ones (18, 5, 32, 6, 10) are the commonest numbers in the leaf.
03 The transcription, checked on the images
The 522 tokens of the contributor’s transcription were compared with the full-resolution Gallica images line by line, with crops at native resolution for every doubtful glyph. They agree except in eight places:
| Where | They had | The image | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| f. 22r line 24 | 65 | 6 5, touching | tre s regimientos: s, r |
| f. 22r line 17 | 52 | 5 2 | camer o: r, o |
| f. 22r lines 17, 20 | 48 | 4 8 | para quien se os embian; que si se permitira |
| f. 22r line 16 | 72 | 7 2 | burgstorf: t, o |
| f. 22r lines 18, 24 | 26 | 2 6 | se os embian; regimientos y |
| f. 22v line 1 | 19 | an open 14 | y al camarero |
The key has values 2 to 34 only, and 2 to 9 are single digits, so a token above 34 can only be two digits written together. The contributor’s four “uncertain codes” (48, 52, 65, 72) are therefore not codes at all, and with them the number of tokens goes from 522 to 529. 26 stays a letter, i, where it reads (propondreis, pais, permitira, que si se). The contributor had already seen five more places where a 14 with an open 4 looks like 19, and settled them by sense; the image supports each. Two more tokens are re-cut by sense and graded M: in line 10 a tight 25 as 2 5, and a 2 and an 8 that stand apart as one 28, which turn “infume de oulay” into “informe della y”.
Every line of f. 22v is also cut at the right edge, by about four or five digits; the clear lines are cut too (“no con[venga]”, “encargar p[ara]”). Where the loss falls inside a word, the sense restores it (camare[ro], encarga[r s]e, por su [ma]no, pag[an]dola, cons[ig]uiese, tener [tan]ta gente); these 18 letters are marked and not counted as read.
04 The reading
Spanish as the clerk wrote it, the cipher in bold, brackets for letters lost at the edge or supplied:
Baron de Mercy mi Sumiller de Cortina deseo tener Resolucion de la negociacion que fuisteis por lo que conviene saver lo que se puede esperar della Respeto de las operaciones que se deven saver: 24. (H)alandose estas armas en campagna y asi Holgare me digais lo que en esta razon saueis entendido de la duquesa de Cheureuse y del [Santibal], y porque qualquiera ora de tardança en la coyuntura presente es de summo perjuicio procuraveis sacar Respuesta Cathegorica en la materia. Y que el [Santibal] uenga con uos para que nos informe della y sepamos Con fundamento lo que nos podemos prometer y Caso de no estar en estado y que es necesario esperar algun tiempo para poder dezir determinadamente el que tiene esta negociacion y lo que se puede confiar della, pasareis a Cleues a veros con el elector de Brandenburg y con Conrad von Burgstorf su camarero mayor para quien se os embian cartas de creencia que uan con esta y les propondreis que si se permitira se leuanten en aquel pais tres mil hombres de infanteria en dos o tres regimientos y con que condiciones y al camarero mayor si querra encargarse della y que corra por su mano no la dire?t non y si i u? a sera mas conuenient[e …]ar otra tanta gente de […] que a leuantada pag[an]dola y en su lugar leua[nt]ar otra. Y Caso que le paresca que esta materia no convenga Corra por su mano le preguntareis a que persona se podria encargar para que se pudiese caminar en ello sin perder tiempo, y se cons[ig]uiese el fruto de tener [tan]ta gente. En todo os encargo la brevedad porque qualquiera dilacion que aya es summamente danosa y de nuestro zelo fio aten… a ello con el Cuydado que Conviene vos encargo. Barneton a seis Junio de 1648.
In English: Baron de Mercy, my chaplain: I want a decision on the negotiation you went on, because it is important to know what can be expected of it concerning the operations … The armies being in the field, I shall be glad if you tell me what you have understood on this matter of the Duchess of Chevreuse and of Saint-Ibal; and because any hour of delay at this juncture is most harmful, get a categorical answer on the subject, and have Saint-Ibal come with you, so that he may inform us of it and we may know firmly what we can promise ourselves; and if it is not ready and one must wait some time before saying what this negotiation holds and what can be trusted of it, go to Cleves to see the Elector of Brandenburg and Konrad von Burgsdorff, his chief chamberlain, for whom letters of credence go with this, and put to them whether it will be allowed to raise in that country three thousand foot in two or three regiments, and on what conditions, and whether the chief chamberlain will take charge of it and have it run through his hands … [if it is more convenient to … as many people again as he has raised, paying them, and raise others in their place]. And if it seems to him that this matter does not suit, ask him to whom it could be entrusted, so that one can go ahead without losing time, and the fruit of having so many people be got. In everything I charge you with haste, because any delay is most harmful, and I trust in your zeal that you will see to it with the care it needs. Barneton, 6 June 1648.
The substance matches the one printed source that the contributor found: Lonchay, Cuvelier and Lefèvre, Correspondance de la Cour d’Espagne IV no. 183 (1933) calendars the Archduke’s dispatch to Philip IV of June 1648 as reporting that someone had been asked to ask the Elector of Brandenburg whether 3,000 infantry could be raised in his states for a corps to operate in Flanders. The text of the instruction itself is in neither.
05 The two names
The box. A square with a dot occurs twice, both times after “el”, in the sentence that Mercy is to bring “the [box]” back with him; the clear instruction of 13 April asks exactly that of Santibal. The sign is the comte de Saint-Ibal, the duchess’s partner in the plot (item 8 of the volume is the memoir of the journey “entre luy, le comte St Ibal et Madame la duchesse de Chevreuse”). Grade C, adjacent plaintext. The duc de Longueville, the subject of f. 20r, is not named in this instruction.
The chamberlain. After “el elector de Brandenburg y con” the cipher gives copurad lon burgsto rf su cmarero mayor (with 5 2 read as r o). That is Konrad von Burgsdorff (1595–1652), Oberkammerherr, “camarero mayor”, of Elector Friedrich Wilhelm from 1642 and his closest adviser: burgstorf is exact but for d written t, rad and on are exact, the part before is two letters off (copu for con, l for v), and the writer drops an a in cmarero. The same title comes back at the top of the verso, “y al camare[ro] mayor si querra encargarse della”. Grade I.
06 What remains uncertain
- The middle of the verso, “no la dire?t non y si i u?” (line 4, eight tokens): code 15 occurs twice and has no value; a Spanish word model finds “no la direct- … y si una sera mas conveniente” at best, by moving two glyphs, which is not accepted.
- At two line ends on the verso (“conuenient[e ?]ar otra”, “gente de [?] que a leuantada”) two to three letters are lost with the edge and cannot be restored.
- 27 tokens are graded M: the 14 for 19 glyphs, the re-cut tokens, and the first two letters of “co p u r a d” in the chamberlain’s name (copu for con). The name sign is grade C; the other 498 are I, from the ciphertext-only key.
- “Saint-Malo” and “Péronne” for the governors on f. 21r are guesses, and do not touch the reading.
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.
f. 22r-v, verified transcription and reading (this project)
The third instruction of 1648 from Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, governor of the Spanish Netherlands, to his chaplain Mercy for the intrigue with the duchesse de Chevreuse and Saint-Ibal (the Fronde plot): Mercy is to get a categorical answer from the duchess and bring Saint-Ibal with him, then go to Cleves to ask the Elector of Brandenburg and his chief chamberlain Konrad von Burgsdorff whether 3,000 infantry can be raised in the Elector's lands. Barneton, 6 June 1648.
Transcription
line position token confidence note
r01 1 [PLAIN:Baron] H
r01 2 [PLAIN:de] H
r01 3 [PLAIN:Mercy] H
r01 4 [PLAIN:mi] H
r01 5 [PLAIN:Sumiller] H
r01 6 [PLAIN:de] H
r01 7 [PLAIN:Cortina] H
r01 8 [PLAIN:deseo] H
r01 9 [PLAIN:tener] H
r01 10 [PLAIN:Resolucion] H
r01 11 [PLAIN:de] H
r01 12 [PLAIN:la] H
r01 13 [PLAIN:nego-] H
r02 1 [PLAIN:ciacion] H
r02 2 [PLAIN:que] H
r02 3 [PLAIN:fuisteis] H
r02 4 [PLAIN:por] H
r02 5 [PLAIN:lo] H
r02 6 [PLAIN:que] H
r02 7 [PLAIN:conviene] H
r02 8 [PLAIN:saver] H
r02 9 [PLAIN:lo] H
r02 10 [PLAIN:que] H
r02 11 [PLAIN:se] H
r02 12 [PLAIN:puede] H
r02 13 [PLAIN:esperar] H
r02 14 [PLAIN:della] H
r02 15 [PLAIN:Respeto] H
r02 16 [PLAIN:de] H
r02 17 [PLAIN:las] H
r02 18 [PLAIN:1648.] H
r03 1 [PLAIN:operaciones] H
r03 2 [PLAIN:que] H
r03 3 [PLAIN:se] H
r03 4 [PLAIN:deven] H
r03 5 [PLAIN:saver:] H
r03 6 [PLAIN:24] H
r04 1 34 H
r04 2 28 H
r04 3 10 H
r04 4 32 H
r04 5 16 H
r04 6 29 H
r04 7 6 H
r04 8 19 H
r04 9 18 H
r04 10 6 H
r04 11 7 H
r04 12 34 H
r04 13 6 H
r04 14 34 H
r04 15 5 H
r04 16 30 H
r04 17 17 M
r04 18 6 H
r04 19 19 H
r04 20 32 H
r04 21 14 H
r04 22 34 H
r04 23 30 H
r05 1 3 H
r05 2 17 H
r05 3 22 H
r05 4 32 H
r05 5 10 H
r05 6 [PLAIN:y] H
r05 7 [PLAIN:asi] H
r05 8 [PLAIN:Holgare] H
r05 9 [PLAIN:me] H
r05 10 [PLAIN:digais] H
r05 11 [PLAIN:lo] H
r05 12 [PLAIN:que] H
r05 13 [PLAIN:en] H
r05 14 [PLAIN:esta] H
r05 15 [PLAIN:razon] H
r05 16 [PLAIN:saueis] H
r05 17 [PLAIN:entendido.] H
r06 1 16 H
r06 2 18 H
r06 3 28 H
r06 4 17 H
r06 5 16 H
r06 6 8 H
r06 7 9 H
r06 8 27 H
r06 9 18 H
r06 10 6 H
r06 11 34 H
r06 12 16 H
r06 13 18 H
r06 14 14 M 19 in the transcription; the glyph is an open 14 (c), by sense
r06 15 24 H
r06 16 18 H
r06 17 8 H
r06 18 5 H
r06 19 19 H
r06 20 27 H
r06 21 6 H
r06 22 19 H
r07 1 13 H
r07 2 16 H
r07 3 19 H
r07 4 28 H
r07 5 BOX M box sign (square with a dot)
r07 6 [PLAIN:y] H
r07 7 [PLAIN:porque] H
r07 8 [PLAIN:qualquiera] H
r07 9 [PLAIN:ora] H
r07 10 [PLAIN:de] H
r07 11 [PLAIN:tardanca] H
r07 12 [PLAIN:en] H
r07 13 [PLAIN:la] H
r07 14 [PLAIN:coyuntura] H
r07 15 [PLAIN:presente] H
r08 1 [PLAIN:es] H
r08 2 [PLAIN:de] H
r08 3 [PLAIN:summo] H
r08 4 [PLAIN:per] H
r08 5 [PLAIN:juicio] H
r08 6 [PLAIN:procuraveis] H
r08 7 [PLAIN:sacar] H
r08 8 [PLAIN:Respuesta] H
r08 9 [PLAIN:Cathegorica] H
r08 10 [PLAIN:en] H
r08 11 [PLAIN:la] H
r08 12 [PLAIN:materia.] H
r08 13 13 H
r09 1 4 H
r09 2 8 H
r09 3 19 H
r09 4 33 H
r09 5 28 H
r09 6 BOX M box sign (square with a dot)
r09 7 25 H
r09 8 18 H
r09 9 32 H
r09 10 22 H
r09 11 10 H
r09 12 14 H
r09 13 2 H
r09 14 32 H
r09 15 8 H
r09 16 23 H
r09 17 6 H
r09 18 3 H
r09 19 10 H
r09 20 5 H
r09 21 10 H
r09 22 4 H
r09 23 8 H
r10 1 18 H
r10 2 32 H
r10 3 2 H
r10 4 6 H
r10 5 31 H
r10 6 32 H
r10 7 20 H
r10 8 25 H
r10 9 30 H
r10 10 19 H
r10 11 16 H
r10 12 18 H
r10 13 2 H
r10 14 8 H
r10 15 28 H
r10 16 34 H
r10 17 13 H
r10 18 6 H
r10 19 19 H
r11 1 3 H
r11 2 10 H
r11 3 30 H
r11 4 2 H
r11 5 6 H
r11 6 [PLAIN:Con] H
r11 7 [PLAIN:fundamento] H
r11 8 [PLAIN:lo] H
r11 9 [PLAIN:que] H
r11 10 [PLAIN:nos] H
r11 11 [PLAIN:podemos] H
r11 12 [PLAIN:prometer] H
r11 13 [PLAIN:y] H
r11 14 [PLAIN:Caso] H
r11 15 [PLAIN:de] H
r11 16 [PLAIN:no] H
r11 17 [PLAIN:estar] H
r12 1 [PLAIN:en] H
r12 2 [PLAIN:estado] H
r12 3 [PLAIN:y] H
r12 4 [PLAIN:que] H
r12 5 [PLAIN:es] H
r12 6 [PLAIN:necesario] H
r12 7 [PLAIN:esperar] H
r12 8 [PLAIN:algun] H
r12 9 [PLAIN:tiempo] H
r12 10 [PLAIN:para] H
r12 11 [PLAIN:poder] H
r12 12 [PLAIN:dezir] H
r12 13 [PLAIN:determinada] H
r13 1 [PLAIN:mente] H
r13 2 [PLAIN:el] H
r13 3 [PLAIN:que] H
r13 4 [PLAIN:tiene] H
r13 5 [PLAIN:esta] H
r13 6 [PLAIN:negociacion] H
r13 7 [PLAIN:y] H
r13 8 [PLAIN:lo] H
r13 9 [PLAIN:que] H
r13 10 [PLAIN:se] H
r13 11 [PLAIN:puede] H
r13 12 [PLAIN:confiar] H
r13 13 [PLAIN:della.] H
r13 14 3 H
r13 15 17 H
r13 16 6 H
r14 1 10 H
r14 2 5 H
r14 3 19 H
r14 4 21 H
r14 5 6 H
r14 6 34 H
r14 7 14 M 19 in the transcription; the glyph is an open 14 (c), by sense
r14 8 28 H
r14 9 33 H
r14 10 27 H
r14 11 19 H
r14 12 6 H
r14 13 10 H
r14 14 8 H
r14 15 18 H
r14 16 5 H
r14 17 2 H
r14 18 6 H
r14 19 14 H
r14 20 2 H
r14 21 32 H
r14 22 19 H
r15 1 28 H
r15 2 18 H
r15 3 28 H
r15 4 19 H
r15 5 14 H
r15 6 7 H
r15 7 23 H
r15 8 5 H
r15 9 16 H
r15 10 18 H
r15 11 12 H
r15 12 5 H
r15 13 17 H
r15 14 32 H
r15 15 16 H
r15 16 18 H
r15 17 32 H
r15 18 12 H
r15 19 27 H
r15 20 5 H
r16 1 22 H
r16 2 13 H
r16 3 14 M 19 in the transcription; the glyph is an open 14 (c), by sense
r16 4 2 H
r16 5 32 H
r16 6 14 M 19 in the transcription; the glyph is an open 14 (c), by sense
r16 7 2 H
r16 8 3 H
r16 9 25 H
r16 10 5 H
r16 11 10 H
r16 12 16 H
r16 13 28 H
r16 14 2 H
r16 15 32 H
r16 16 12 H
r16 17 8 H
r16 18 5 H
r16 19 22 H
r16 20 6 H
r16 21 7 M "one token 72 in the transcription; digits 7 and 2 = t o (""Burgstorf"")"
r16 22 2 M "one token 72 in the transcription; digits 7 and 2 = t o (""Burgstorf"")"
r17 1 5 H
r17 2 20 H
r17 3 6 H
r17 4 25 H
r17 5 14 M 19 in the transcription; the glyph is an open 14 (c), by sense
r17 6 30 H
r17 7 10 H
r17 8 5 H
r17 9 18 H
r17 10 5 M "one token 52 in the transcription; digits 5 and 2 = r o (""camarero"")"
r17 11 2 M "one token 52 in the transcription; digits 5 and 2 = r o (""camarero"")"
r17 12 30 H
r17 13 10 H
r17 14 13 H
r17 15 23 H
r17 16 5 H
r17 17 3 H
r17 18 17 H
r17 19 5 H
r17 20 10 H
r17 21 4 M "one token 48 in the transcription; digits 4 and 8 = q u (""para quien"")"
r17 22 8 M "one token 48 in the transcription; digits 4 and 8 = q u (""para quien"")"
r17 23 31 H
r18 1 18 H
r18 2 32 H
r18 3 6 H
r18 4 18 H
r18 5 2 M "glued 26 read as 2 6 = o s (""se os embian""); checked on the image"
r18 6 6 M "glued 26 read as 2 6 = o s (""se os embian""); checked on the image"
r18 7 19 H
r18 8 30 H
r18 9 12 H
r18 10 31 H
r18 11 10 H
r18 12 32 H
r18 13 14 H
r18 14 10 H
r18 15 5 H
r18 16 7 H
r18 17 17 H
r18 18 6 H
r18 19 16 H
r18 20 18 H
r18 21 14 H
r18 22 5 H
r19 1 18 H
r19 2 19 H
r19 3 32 H
r19 4 14 H
r19 5 31 H
r19 6 34 H
r19 7 4 H
r19 8 8 H
r19 9 19 H
r19 10 25 H
r19 11 10 H
r19 12 32 H
r19 13 14 H
r19 14 2 H
r19 15 32 H
r19 16 19 H
r19 17 6 H
r19 18 7 H
r19 19 10 H
r19 20 13 H
r20 1 28 H
r20 2 18 H
r20 3 6 H
r20 4 3 H
r20 5 5 H
r20 6 2 M
r20 7 3 M
r20 8 29 H
r20 9 32 H
r20 10 16 H
r20 11 5 H
r20 12 18 H
r20 13 26 H
r20 14 6 H
r20 15 4 M "one token 48 in the transcription; digits 4 and 8 = q u (""que si se"")"
r20 16 8 M "one token 48 in the transcription; digits 4 and 8 = q u (""que si se"")"
r20 17 19 H
r20 18 6 H
r20 19 26 H
r20 20 6 H
r20 21 18 H
r20 22 3 H
r21 1 33 H
r21 2 5 H
r21 3 30 H
r21 4 26 H
r21 5 7 H
r21 6 21 H
r21 7 5 H
r21 8 10 H
r21 9 6 H
r21 10 18 H
r21 11 28 H
r21 12 18 H
r21 13 8 H
r21 14 10 H
r21 15 32 H
r21 16 7 H
r21 17 19 H
r21 18 32 H
r21 19 19 H
r21 20 32 H
r22 1 10 H
r22 2 4 M
r22 3 8 H
r22 4 18 H
r22 5 28 H
r22 6 3 H
r22 7 10 H
r22 8 26 H
r22 9 6 H
r22 10 7 H
r22 11 5 H
r22 12 18 H
r22 13 6 H
r22 14 30 H
r22 15 31 H
r22 16 28 H
r22 17 24 H
r22 18 2 H
r22 19 30 H
r22 20 12 H
r22 21 5 H
r23 1 18 M
r23 2 6 M
r23 3 16 H
r23 4 18 H
r23 5 21 H
r23 6 32 H
r23 7 20 H
r23 8 10 H
r23 9 32 H
r23 10 7 H
r23 11 18 H
r23 12 5 H
r23 13 31 H
r23 14 17 H
r23 15 18 H
r23 16 32 H
r23 17 16 H
r23 18 23 H
r23 19 6 H
r23 20 23 H
r24 1 7 H
r24 2 5 H
r24 3 18 H
r24 4 6 M "65 split: s r (""tres regimientos"")"
r24 5 5 M
r24 6 18 H
r24 7 22 H
r24 8 21 H
r24 9 30 H
r24 10 31 H
r24 11 18 H
r24 12 32 H
r24 13 7 H
r24 14 2 M "26 split: o s (""regimientos y"")"
r24 15 6 M
r24 16 13 H
r24 17 14 H
r24 18 29 H
r24 19 32 H
r24 20 4 H
r24 21 8 H
r24 22 18 H
v01 1 14 H
v01 2 2 H
v01 3 32 H
v01 4 16 H
v01 5 31 H
v01 6 14 M "14 struck over / overwritten; c by sense (""condiciones"")"
v01 7 21 H
v01 8 2 H
v01 9 32 H
v01 10 18 H
v01 11 6 H
v01 12 13 H
v01 13 10 H
v01 14 28 H
v01 15 14 M "19 in the transcription; the glyph is an open 14 (c): ""al camarero"""
v01 16 10 H
v01 17 30 H
v01 18 17 H
v01 19 5 H
v01 20 18 H
v02 1 30 H
v02 2 34 H
v02 3 13 H
v02 4 29 H
v02 5 5 H
v02 6 6 H
v02 7 21 H
v02 8 4 H
v02 9 8 H
v02 10 18 H
v02 11 5 H
v02 12 5 H
v02 13 10 H
v02 14 18 H
v02 15 32 H
v02 16 14 H
v02 17 10 H
v02 18 5 H
v02 19 22 H
v02 20 17 H
v03 1 18 H
v03 2 16 H
v03 3 18 H
v03 4 28 H
v03 5 28 H
v03 6 10 H
v03 7 13 H
v03 8 4 H
v03 9 8 H
v03 10 18 H
v03 11 14 H
v03 12 2 H
v03 13 5 H
v03 14 5 H
v03 15 10 H
v03 16 3 H
v03 17 2 H
v03 18 5 H
v03 19 6 H
v03 20 8 H
v04 1 32 H
v04 2 2 H
v04 3 28 H
v04 4 10 H
v04 5 16 H
v04 6 31 H
v04 7 5 H
v04 8 18 H
v04 9 15 H
v04 10 7 H
v04 11 32 H
v04 12 2 H
v04 13 32 H
v04 14 13 H
v04 15 6 H
v04 16 21 H
v04 17 31 H
v04 18 8 H
v04 19 15 M
v05 1 10 H
v05 2 6 H
v05 3 18 H
v05 4 5 H
v05 5 10 H
v05 6 30 H
v05 7 17 H
v05 8 6 H
v05 9 14 H
v05 10 2 H
v05 11 32 H
v05 12 8 H
v05 13 18 H
v05 14 32 H
v05 15 31 H
v05 16 18 H
v05 17 32 H
v05 18 7 H
v06 1 10 H
v06 2 5 H
v06 3 29 H
v06 4 7 H
v06 5 5 H
v06 6 17 H
v06 7 7 H
v06 8 10 H
v06 9 32 H
v06 10 7 H
v06 11 17 H
v06 12 22 H
v06 13 18 H
v06 14 32 H
v06 15 7 H
v06 16 18 H
v06 17 16 H
v06 18 18 H
v07 1 4 H
v07 2 8 H
v07 3 18 H
v07 4 10 H
v07 5 17 H
v07 6 28 H
v07 7 18 H
v07 8 8 H
v07 9 10 H
v07 10 32 H
v07 11 7 H
v07 12 17 H
v07 13 16 H
v07 14 10 H
v07 15 3 M
v07 16 17 M
v07 17 22 H
v08 1 16 H
v08 2 29 H
v08 3 28 H
v08 4 17 H
v08 5 13 H
v08 6 18 H
v08 7 32 H
v08 8 6 H
v08 9 8 H
v08 10 28 H
v08 11 8 H
v08 12 22 H
v08 13 10 H
v08 14 5 H
v08 15 28 H
v08 16 18 H
v08 17 8 H
v08 18 10 H
v09 1 17 H
v09 2 5 H
v09 3 29 H
v09 4 7 H
v09 5 5 H
v09 6 10 H
v09 7 [PLAIN:y] H
v09 8 [PLAIN:Caso] H
v09 9 [PLAIN:que] H
v09 10 [PLAIN:le] H
v09 11 [PLAIN:paresca] H
v09 12 [PLAIN:que] H
v09 13 [PLAIN:esta] H
v09 14 [PLAIN:materia] H
v09 15 [PLAIN:no] H
v09 16 [PLAIN:convenga] H
v10 1 [PLAIN:Corra] H
v10 2 [PLAIN:por] H
v10 3 [PLAIN:su] H
v10 4 [PLAIN:mano] H
v10 5 [PLAIN:le] H
v10 6 [PLAIN:preguntareis] H
v10 7 [PLAIN:a] H
v10 8 [PLAIN:que] H
v10 9 [PLAIN:persona] H
v10 10 [PLAIN:se] H
v10 11 [PLAIN:podria] H
v10 12 [PLAIN:encargar] H
v11 1 [PLAIN:se] H
v11 2 [PLAIN:pudiese] H
v11 3 [PLAIN:caminar] H
v11 4 [PLAIN:en] H
v11 5 [PLAIN:ello] H
v11 6 [PLAIN:sin] H
v11 7 [PLAIN:perder] H
v11 8 [PLAIN:tiempo.] H
v11 9 13 H
v11 10 6 H
v11 11 18 H
v11 12 14 H
v11 13 2 H
v11 14 32 H
v11 15 6 H
v12 1 8 H
v12 2 21 H
v12 3 18 H
v12 4 6 H
v12 5 18 H
v12 6 19 H
v12 7 28 H
v12 8 20 H
v12 9 5 H
v12 10 8 H
v12 11 7 H
v12 12 29 H
v12 13 16 H
v12 14 18 H
v12 15 7 H
v12 16 18 H
v12 17 32 H
v12 18 18 H
v12 19 5 H
v13 1 7 H
v13 2 10 H
v13 3 22 H
v13 4 18 H
v13 5 32 H
v13 6 7 H
v13 7 19 H
v13 8 [PLAIN:En] H
v13 9 [PLAIN:todo] H
v13 10 [PLAIN:os] H
v13 11 [PLAIN:encargo] H
v13 12 [PLAIN:la] H
v13 13 [PLAIN:brevedad] H
v13 14 [PLAIN:porque] H
v14 1 [PLAIN:qualquiera] H
v14 2 [PLAIN:dilacion] H
v14 3 [PLAIN:que] H
v14 4 [PLAIN:aya] H
v14 5 [PLAIN:es] H
v14 6 [PLAIN:summamente] H
v14 7 [PLAIN:danosa] H
v14 8 [PLAIN:y] H
v14 9 [PLAIN:de] H
v14 10 [PLAIN:nuestro] H
v14 11 [PLAIN:zelo] H
v14 12 [PLAIN:fio] H
v14 13 [PLAIN:aten...] H
v15 1 [PLAIN:...a] H
v15 2 [PLAIN:ello] H
v15 3 [PLAIN:con] H
v15 4 [PLAIN:el] H
v15 5 [PLAIN:Cuydado] H
v15 6 [PLAIN:que] H
v15 7 [PLAIN:Conviene] H
v15 8 [PLAIN:vos] H
v15 9 [PLAIN:encargo] H
v15 10 [PLAIN:Barneton] H
v15 11 [PLAIN:a] H
v15 12 [PLAIN:seis] H
v16 1 [PLAIN:Junio] H
v16 2 [PLAIN:de] H
v16 3 [PLAIN:1648] HDecryption
# BnF Espagnol 144 f. 22r-22v, instruction to the abbe (baron) de Mercy, Barneton 6 June 1648, read from ct_f22.tsv + key.tsv. # Clear words as written; cipher runs lower case, as read. [..] = letters lost at the trimmed edge, restored by sense; # ? = no value; a word ending in - continues on the next line. Word breaks are a convenience (see build_reading.py). r01 Baron de Mercy mi Sumiller de Cortina deseo tener Resolucion de la nego- r02 ciacion que fuisteis por lo que conviene saver lo que se puede esperar della Respeto de las 1648. r03 operaciones que se deven saver: 24 r04 alandose estas armas en cam- r05 pagna y asi Holgare me digais lo que en esta razon saueis entendido. r06 de la duquesa de cheureuse r07 y del <Santibal> y porque qualquiera ora de tardanca en la coyuntura presente r08 es de summo per juicio procuraveis sacar Respuesta Cathegorica en la materia. y r09 que el <Santibal> uenga con uos para qu- r10 e nos informe della y se- r11 pamos Con fundamento lo que nos podemos prometer y Caso de no estar r12 en estado y que es necesario esperar algun tiempo para poder dezir determinada r13 mente el que tiene esta negociacion y lo que se puede confiar della. pas- r14 areis a cleues a ueros con e- r15 l elector de brandenbur- r16 g y con copurad lon burgsto- r17 rf su cmarero mayor para qui- r18 en se os embian cartas de cr- r19 eencia que uan con esta y r20 les propondreis que si se p- r21 ermitir a se leuanten en r22 aquel pais tres mil hombr- r23 es de infanteria en dos o r24 tres regimientos y con que v01 condiciones y al camare[ro] v02 mayor si querra encarga[r] [s]- v03 e della y que corra por su [ma]- v04 no la dire ?t non y si iu ?[?] v05 a sera mas conuenient [?] v06 ar otra tanta gente de [?] v07 que a a leuantada pag[an]- v08 dola y en su lugar leua[nt]- v09 ar otra y Caso que le paresca que esta materia no convenga v10 Corra por su mano le preguntareis a que persona se podria encargar v11 se pudiese caminar en ello sin perder tiempo. y se cons[ig]- v12 uiese el fruto detener [tan]- v13 ta gente En todo os encargo la brevedad porque v14 qualquiera dilacion que aya es summamente danosa y de nuestro zelo fio aten... v15 ...a ello con el Cuydado que Conviene vos encargo Barneton a seis v16 Junio de 1648
Reading
# BnF Espagnol 144 f. 22r-v: instruction to the abbé (baron) de Mercy, Barneton, 6 June 1648: reading Running text of `reading.txt` (verified transcription `ct_f22.tsv` read with `key.tsv`), written out 23 Oct 2026 (translation wave v7): the manuscript lines are joined and words broken at a line end rejoined and punctuation added; letters and capitals as there. The clear text is plain; the cipher runs, lower case there, are in ⟨ ⟩. Its marks: `<Santibal>` a word code read by sense (Saint-Ibal), `[..]` letters lost at the trimmed edge and restored by sense, `?` and `[?]` no value, `…` the writer's own break. Spanish of 1648. ## Reading Baron de Mercy, mi Sumiller de Cortina: deseo tener Resolucion de la negociacion que fuisteis, por lo que conviene saver lo que se puede esperar della Respeto de las operaciones que se deven saver: 24 ⟨alandose estas armas en campagna⟩; y asi Holgare me digais lo que en esta razon saueis entendido ⟨de la duquesa de cheureuse y del <Santibal>⟩. Y porque qualquiera ora de tardanca en la coyuntura presente es de summo per juicio, procuraveis sacar Respuesta Cathegorica en la materia, y ⟨que el <Santibal> uenga con uos para que nos informe della y sepamos⟩ Con fundamento lo que nos podemos prometer. Y Caso de no estar en estado, y que es necesario esperar algun tiempo para poder dezir determinadamente el que tiene esta negociacion y lo que se puede confiar della, ⟨pasareis a cleues a ueros con el elector de brandenburg y con copurad lon burgstorf su cmarero mayor, para quien se os embian cartas de creencia que uan con esta, y les propondreis que si se permitir a se leuanten en aquel pais tres mil hombres de infanteria en dos o tres regimientos, y con que condiciones; y al camare[ro] mayor si querra encarga[r]se della y que corra por su [ma]no; la dire ?t non, y si iu ?[?]a sera mas conuenient [?]ar otra tanta gente de [?] que a a leuantada, pag[an]dola, y en su lugar leua[nt]ar otra⟩; y Caso que le paresca que esta materia no convenga Corra por su mano, le preguntareis a que persona se podria encargar, se pudiese caminar en ello sin perder tiempo ⟨y se cons[ig]uiese el fruto detener [tan]ta gente⟩. En todo os encargo la brevedad, porque qualquiera dilacion que aya es summamente danosa, y de nuestro zelo fio aten… …a ello con el Cuydado que Conviene. Vos encargo. Barneton a seis Junio de 1648.
Translation
# BnF Espagnol 144 f. 22r-v: instruction to the abbé (baron) de Mercy, Barneton, 6 June 1648: English translation Translation (Claude Opus 5.5, 23 Oct 2026) of `f22_reading.md`, the verified reading (cipher runs in ⟨ ⟩). Same holes: `<Saint-Ibal>` the word code read by sense, `[..]` letters lost at the trimmed edge and restored by sense, `?` and `[?]` no value (the broken clause on f. 22v is followed word for word), `…` the writer's break. Archduke Leopold Wilhelm writes. Spanish. ## Translation Baron de Mercy, my Sumiller de Cortina: I wish to have a resolution of the negotiation on which you went, because it is fitting to know what can be expected from it with regard to the operations that must be known: 24 ⟨these armies being in the field⟩; and so I shall be glad if you tell me what you have learned on this subject ⟨of the Duchesse de Chevreuse and of <Saint-Ibal>⟩. And because any hour of delay in the present juncture is of the greatest harm, you should try to obtain a categorical answer on the matter, and ⟨that <Saint-Ibal> come with you so that he may inform us of it and we may know⟩ on good grounds what we can promise ourselves. And in case it is not ready, and it is necessary to wait some time to be able to say definitely what footing this negotiation has and how far it can be trusted, ⟨you will go on to Cleves to see the Elector of Brandenburg and Konrad von Burgsdorff, his chief chamberlain, for whom letters of credence are sent you, which go with this, and you will propose to them whether it would be permitted that three thousand men of infantry be raised in that country, in two or three regiments, and on what conditions; and to the chief chamberl[ain] whether he will be willing to take charge of it and have it go through his [ha]nd; the dire ?t non, and if iu ?[?]a will be more fitting to [?] as many people again of [?] that has raised, pay[in]g it, and in its place rai[s]e another⟩; and in case it seems to him that this matter should not go through his hand, you will ask him to what person it could be entrusted, [so that] one could proceed in it without losing time ⟨and obtain the fruit of having [so mu]ch people⟩. In everything I charge you with speed, because any delay there may be is extremely harmful; and from your zeal I trust [you will] atten… …to it with the care that is fitting. I charge you. Barneton, the sixth of June 1648.
f. 22r-v, NoAutopilot's original transcription and reading (issue 16), before the eight corrections
The contributor's ciphertext-only reading as fetched on 1 Oct 2026, for comparison with the verified version; the differences are listed in NOTES.md.
Transcription
line position sign confidence alt why r01 1 [PLAIN:Baron] H agree r01 2 [PLAIN:de] H agree r01 3 [PLAIN:Mercy] H agree r01 4 [PLAIN:mi] H agree r01 5 [PLAIN:Sumiller] H agree r01 6 [PLAIN:de] H agree r01 7 [PLAIN:Cortina] H agree r01 8 [PLAIN:deseo] M B:[PLAIN:desseo] differ r01 9 [PLAIN:tener] H agree r01 10 [PLAIN:Resolucion] H agree r01 11 [PLAIN:de] H agree r01 12 [PLAIN:la] H agree r01 13 [PLAIN:nego-] H agree r02 1 [PLAIN:ciacion] M B:- gap r02 2 [PLAIN:que] M B:[PLAIN:ciacionque] differ r02 3 [PLAIN:fuisteis] H agree r02 4 [PLAIN:por] H agree r02 5 [PLAIN:lo] H agree r02 6 [PLAIN:que] H agree r02 7 [PLAIN:conviene] H agree r02 8 [PLAIN:saver] H agree r02 9 [PLAIN:lo] H agree r02 10 [PLAIN:que] H agree r02 11 [PLAIN:se] H agree r02 12 [PLAIN:puede] H agree r02 13 [PLAIN:esperar] H agree r02 14 [PLAIN:della] H agree r02 15 [PLAIN:Respeto] H agree r02 16 [PLAIN:de] H agree r02 17 [PLAIN:las] H agree r02 18 [PLAIN:1648.] M B:- gap r03 1 [PLAIN:operaciones] M B:[PLAIN:Operaciones] differ r03 2 [PLAIN:que] H agree r03 3 [PLAIN:se] H agree r03 4 [PLAIN:deven] M B:[PLAIN:deuen] differ r03 5 [PLAIN:saver:] M B:[PLAIN:saber:] differ r03 6 [PLAIN:24] M B:24 differ r04 1 34 H agree r04 2 28 H agree r04 3 10 H agree r04 4 32 H agree r04 5 16 H agree r04 6 29 H agree r04 7 6 H agree r04 8 19 H agree r04 9 18 H agree r04 10 6 H agree r04 11 7 H agree r04 12 34 H agree r04 13 6 H agree r04 14 34 H agree r04 15 5 H agree r04 16 30 H agree r04 17 17 M B:47 differ r04 18 6 H agree r04 19 19 H agree r04 20 32 H agree r04 21 14 H agree r04 22 34 H agree r04 23 30 H agree r05 1 3 H agree r05 2 17 H agree r05 3 22 H agree r05 4 32 H agree r05 5 10 H agree r05 6 [PLAIN:y] H agree r05 7 [PLAIN:asi] H agree r05 8 [PLAIN:Holgare] M B:[PLAIN:holgare] differ r05 9 [PLAIN:me] H agree r05 10 [PLAIN:digais] H agree r05 11 [PLAIN:lo] H agree r05 12 [PLAIN:que] H agree r05 13 [PLAIN:en] H agree r05 14 [PLAIN:esta] H agree r05 15 [PLAIN:razon] M B:[PLAIN:rason] differ r05 16 [PLAIN:saueis] M B:[PLAIN:saveis] differ r05 17 [PLAIN:entendido.] H agree r06 1 16 H agree r06 2 18 H agree r06 3 28 H agree r06 4 17 H agree r06 5 16 H agree r06 6 8 H agree r06 7 9 H agree r06 8 27 H agree r06 9 18 H agree r06 10 6 H agree r06 11 34 H agree r06 12 16 H agree r06 13 18 H agree r06 14 19 H agree r06 15 24 H agree r06 16 18 H agree r06 17 8 H agree r06 18 5 H agree r06 19 19 H agree r06 20 27 H agree r06 21 6 H agree r06 22 19 H agree r07 1 13 H agree r07 2 16 H agree r07 3 19 H agree r07 4 28 H agree r07 5 [MARK:box] M agree-flagged r07 6 [PLAIN:y] H agree r07 7 [PLAIN:porque] H agree r07 8 [PLAIN:qualquiera] H agree r07 9 [PLAIN:ora] H agree r07 10 [PLAIN:de] H agree r07 11 [PLAIN:tardanca] M B:[PLAIN:tardanla] differ r07 12 [PLAIN:en] H agree r07 13 [PLAIN:la] H agree r07 14 [PLAIN:coyuntura] H agree r07 15 [PLAIN:presente] H agree r08 1 [PLAIN:es] H agree r08 2 [PLAIN:de] H agree r08 3 [PLAIN:summo] H agree r08 4 [PLAIN:per] M B:- gap r08 5 [PLAIN:juicio] M B:[PLAIN:perjuicio] differ r08 6 [PLAIN:procuraveis] M B:[PLAIN:procurareis] differ r08 7 [PLAIN:sacar] H agree r08 8 [PLAIN:Respuesta] H agree r08 9 [PLAIN:Cathegorica] H agree r08 10 [PLAIN:en] H agree r08 11 [PLAIN:la] H agree r08 12 [PLAIN:materia.] H agree r08 13 13 H agree r09 1 4 H agree r09 2 8 H agree r09 3 19 H agree r09 4 33 H agree r09 5 28 H agree r09 6 [MARK:box] M agree-flagged r09 7 25 H agree r09 8 18 H agree r09 9 32 H agree r09 10 22 H agree r09 11 10 H agree r09 12 14 H agree r09 13 2 H agree r09 14 32 H agree r09 15 8 H agree r09 16 23 H agree r09 17 6 H agree r09 18 3 H agree r09 19 10 H agree r09 20 5 H agree r09 21 10 H agree r09 22 4 H agree r09 23 8 H agree r10 1 18 H agree r10 2 32 H agree r10 3 2 H agree r10 4 6 H agree r10 5 31 H agree r10 6 32 H agree r10 7 20 H agree r10 8 25 H agree r10 9 30 H agree r10 10 19 H agree r10 11 16 H agree r10 12 18 H agree r10 13 2 H agree r10 14 8 H agree r10 15 28 H agree r10 16 34 H agree r10 17 13 H agree r10 18 6 H agree r10 19 19 H agree r11 1 3 H agree r11 2 10 H agree r11 3 30 H agree r11 4 2 H agree r11 5 6 H agree r11 6 [PLAIN:Con] H agree r11 7 [PLAIN:fundamento] H agree r11 8 [PLAIN:lo] H agree r11 9 [PLAIN:que] H agree r11 10 [PLAIN:nos] H agree r11 11 [PLAIN:podemos] H agree r11 12 [PLAIN:prometer] H agree r11 13 [PLAIN:y] H agree r11 14 [PLAIN:Caso] H agree r11 15 [PLAIN:de] H agree r11 16 [PLAIN:no] H agree r11 17 [PLAIN:estar] H agree r12 1 [PLAIN:en] H agree r12 2 [PLAIN:estado] H agree r12 3 [PLAIN:y] H agree r12 4 [PLAIN:que] H agree r12 5 [PLAIN:es] H agree r12 6 [PLAIN:necesario] M B:[PLAIN:necessario] differ r12 7 [PLAIN:esperar] H agree r12 8 [PLAIN:algun] H agree r12 9 [PLAIN:tiempo] H agree r12 10 [PLAIN:para] H agree r12 11 [PLAIN:poder] H agree r12 12 [PLAIN:dezir] H agree r12 13 [PLAIN:determinada] H agree r13 1 [PLAIN:mente] H agree r13 2 [PLAIN:el] H agree r13 3 [PLAIN:que] H agree r13 4 [PLAIN:tiene] H agree r13 5 [PLAIN:esta] H agree r13 6 [PLAIN:negociacion] H agree r13 7 [PLAIN:y] H agree r13 8 [PLAIN:lo] H agree r13 9 [PLAIN:que] H agree r13 10 [PLAIN:se] H agree r13 11 [PLAIN:puede] H agree r13 12 [PLAIN:confiar] H agree r13 13 [PLAIN:della.] H agree r13 14 3 H agree r13 15 17 H agree r13 16 6 H agree r14 1 10 H agree r14 2 5 H agree r14 3 19 H agree r14 4 21 H agree r14 5 6 H agree r14 6 34 H agree r14 7 19 H agree r14 8 28 H agree r14 9 33 H agree r14 10 27 H agree r14 11 19 H agree r14 12 6 H agree r14 13 10 H agree r14 14 8 H agree r14 15 18 H agree r14 16 5 H agree r14 17 2 H agree r14 18 6 H agree r14 19 14 H agree r14 20 2 H agree r14 21 32 H agree r14 22 19 H agree r15 1 28 H agree r15 2 18 H agree r15 3 28 H agree r15 4 19 H agree r15 5 14 H agree r15 6 7 H agree r15 7 23 H agree r15 8 5 H agree r15 9 16 H agree r15 10 18 H agree r15 11 12 H agree r15 12 5 H agree r15 13 17 H agree r15 14 32 H agree r15 15 16 H agree r15 16 18 H agree r15 17 32 H agree r15 18 12 H agree r15 19 27 H agree r15 20 5 H agree r16 1 22 H agree r16 2 13 H agree r16 3 19 H agree r16 4 2 H agree r16 5 32 H agree r16 6 19 H agree r16 7 2 H agree r16 8 3 H agree r16 9 25 H agree r16 10 5 H agree r16 11 10 H agree r16 12 16 H agree r16 13 28 H agree r16 14 2 H agree r16 15 32 H agree r16 16 12 H agree r16 17 8 H agree r16 18 5 H agree r16 19 22 H agree r16 20 6 H agree r16 21 72 H agree r17 1 5 H agree r17 2 20 H agree r17 3 6 H agree r17 4 25 H agree r17 5 19 H agree r17 6 30 H agree r17 7 10 H agree r17 8 5 H agree r17 9 18 H agree r17 10 52 H agree r17 11 30 H agree r17 12 10 H agree r17 13 13 H agree r17 14 23 H agree r17 15 5 H agree r17 16 3 H agree r17 17 17 H agree r17 18 5 H agree r17 19 10 H agree r17 20 48 H agree r17 21 31 H agree r18 1 18 H agree r18 2 32 H agree r18 3 6 H agree r18 4 18 H agree r18 5 26 H agree r18 6 19 H agree r18 7 30 H agree r18 8 12 H agree r18 9 31 H agree r18 10 10 H agree r18 11 32 H agree r18 12 14 H agree r18 13 10 H agree r18 14 5 H agree r18 15 7 H agree r18 16 17 H agree r18 17 6 H agree r18 18 16 H agree r18 19 18 H agree r18 20 14 H agree r18 21 5 H agree r19 1 18 H agree r19 2 19 H agree r19 3 32 H agree r19 4 14 H agree r19 5 31 H agree r19 6 34 H agree r19 7 4 H agree r19 8 8 H agree r19 9 19 H agree r19 10 25 H agree r19 11 10 H agree r19 12 32 H agree r19 13 14 H agree r19 14 2 H agree r19 15 32 H agree r19 16 19 H agree r19 17 6 H agree r19 18 7 H agree r19 19 10 H agree r19 20 13 H agree r20 1 28 H agree r20 2 18 H agree r20 3 6 H agree r20 4 3 H agree r20 5 5 H agree r20 6 2 M B:- gap r20 7 3 M B:23 differ r20 8 29 H agree r20 9 32 H agree r20 10 16 H agree r20 11 5 H agree r20 12 18 H agree r20 13 26 H agree r20 14 6 H agree r20 15 48 H agree r20 16 19 H agree r20 17 6 H agree r20 18 26 H agree r20 19 6 H agree r20 20 18 H agree r20 21 3 H agree r21 1 33 H agree r21 2 5 H agree r21 3 30 H agree r21 4 26 H agree r21 5 7 H agree r21 6 21 H agree r21 7 5 H agree r21 8 10 H agree r21 9 6 H agree r21 10 18 H agree r21 11 28 H agree r21 12 18 H agree r21 13 8 H agree r21 14 10 H agree r21 15 32 H agree r21 16 7 H agree r21 17 19 H agree r21 18 32 H agree r21 19 19 H agree r21 20 32 H agree r22 1 10 H agree r22 2 4 M agree-flagged r22 3 8 H agree r22 4 18 H agree r22 5 28 H agree r22 6 3 H agree r22 7 10 H agree r22 8 26 H agree r22 9 6 H agree r22 10 7 H agree r22 11 5 H agree r22 12 18 H agree r22 13 6 H agree r22 14 30 H agree r22 15 31 H agree r22 16 28 H agree r22 17 24 H agree r22 18 2 H agree r22 19 30 H agree r22 20 12 H agree r22 21 5 H agree r23 1 18 M agree-flagged r23 2 6 M agree-flagged r23 3 16 H agree r23 4 18 H agree r23 5 21 H agree r23 6 32 H agree r23 7 20 H agree r23 8 10 H agree r23 9 32 H agree r23 10 7 H agree r23 11 18 H agree r23 12 5 H agree r23 13 31 H agree r23 14 17 H agree r23 15 18 H agree r23 16 32 H agree r23 17 16 H agree r23 18 23 H agree r23 19 6 H agree r23 20 23 H agree r24 1 7 H agree r24 2 5 H agree r24 3 18 H agree r24 4 65 H agree r24 5 18 H agree r24 6 22 H agree r24 7 21 H agree r24 8 30 H agree r24 9 31 H agree r24 10 18 H agree r24 11 32 H agree r24 12 7 H agree r24 13 26 H agree r24 14 13 H agree r24 15 14 H agree r24 16 29 H agree r24 17 32 H agree r24 18 4 H agree r24 19 8 H agree r24 20 18 H agree v01 1 14 H agree v01 2 2 H agree v01 3 32 H agree v01 4 16 H agree v01 5 31 H agree v01 6 [MARK:frac] M B:[MARK:loop] differ v01 7 21 H agree v01 8 2 H agree v01 9 32 H agree v01 10 18 H agree v01 11 6 H agree v01 12 13 H agree v01 13 10 H agree v01 14 28 H agree v01 15 19 H agree v01 16 10 H agree v01 17 30 H agree v01 18 17 H agree v01 19 5 H agree v01 20 18 H agree v02 1 30 H agree v02 2 34 H agree v02 3 13 H agree v02 4 29 H agree v02 5 5 H agree v02 6 6 H agree v02 7 21 H agree v02 8 4 H agree v02 9 8 H agree v02 10 18 H agree v02 11 5 H agree v02 12 5 H agree v02 13 10 H agree v02 14 18 H agree v02 15 32 H agree v02 16 14 H agree v02 17 10 H agree v02 18 5 H agree v02 19 22 H agree v02 20 17 H agree v03 1 18 H agree v03 2 16 H agree v03 3 18 H agree v03 4 28 H agree v03 5 28 H agree v03 6 10 H agree v03 7 13 H agree v03 8 4 H agree v03 9 8 H agree v03 10 18 H agree v03 11 14 H agree v03 12 2 H agree v03 13 5 H agree v03 14 5 H agree v03 15 10 H agree v03 16 3 H agree v03 17 2 H agree v03 18 5 H agree v03 19 6 H agree v03 20 8 H agree v04 1 32 H agree v04 2 2 H agree v04 3 28 H agree v04 4 10 H agree v04 5 16 H agree v04 6 31 H agree v04 7 5 H agree v04 8 18 H agree v04 9 15 H agree v04 10 7 H agree v04 11 32 H agree v04 12 2 H agree v04 13 32 H agree v04 14 13 H agree v04 15 6 H agree v04 16 21 H agree v04 17 31 H agree v04 18 8 H agree v04 19 15 M B:- gap v05 1 10 H agree v05 2 6 H agree v05 3 18 H agree v05 4 5 H agree v05 5 10 H agree v05 6 30 H agree v05 7 17 H agree v05 8 6 H agree v05 9 14 H agree v05 10 2 H agree v05 11 32 H agree v05 12 8 H agree v05 13 18 H agree v05 14 32 H agree v05 15 31 H agree v05 16 18 H agree v05 17 32 H agree v05 18 7 H agree v06 1 10 H agree v06 2 5 H agree v06 3 29 H agree v06 4 7 H agree v06 5 5 H agree v06 6 17 H agree v06 7 7 H agree v06 8 10 H agree v06 9 32 H agree v06 10 7 H agree v06 11 17 H agree v06 12 22 H agree v06 13 18 H agree v06 14 32 H agree v06 15 7 H agree v06 16 18 H agree v06 17 16 H agree v06 18 18 H agree v07 1 4 H agree v07 2 8 H agree v07 3 18 H agree v07 4 10 H agree v07 5 17 H agree v07 6 28 H agree v07 7 18 H agree v07 8 8 H agree v07 9 10 H agree v07 10 32 H agree v07 11 7 H agree v07 12 17 H agree v07 13 16 H agree v07 14 10 H agree v07 15 3 M 7 split (corrections.tsv step 11): MEYE blind zoom, distinct 3 and 17 strokes where the settled pass read one 7 v07 16 17 M (none, was part of the same '7') split (corrections.tsv step 11): MEYE blind zoom, distinct 3 and 17 strokes where the settled pass read one 7 v07 17 22 H agree (renumbered from pos 16 after the pos15 split) v08 1 16 H agree v08 2 29 H agree v08 3 28 H agree v08 4 17 H agree v08 5 13 H agree v08 6 18 H agree v08 7 32 H agree v08 8 6 H agree v08 9 8 H agree v08 10 28 H agree v08 11 8 H agree v08 12 22 H agree v08 13 10 H agree v08 14 5 H agree v08 15 28 H agree v08 16 18 H agree v08 17 8 H agree v08 18 10 H agree v09 1 17 H agree v09 2 5 H agree v09 3 29 H agree v09 4 7 H agree v09 5 5 H agree v09 6 10 H agree v09 7 [PLAIN:y] H agree v09 8 [PLAIN:Caso] H agree v09 9 [PLAIN:que] H agree v09 10 [PLAIN:le] H agree v09 11 [PLAIN:paresca] H agree v09 12 [PLAIN:que] H agree v09 13 [PLAIN:esta] H agree v09 14 [PLAIN:materia] H agree v09 15 [PLAIN:no] H agree v09 16 [PLAIN:convenga] M B:[PLAIN:conviene] differ v10 1 [PLAIN:Corra] H agree v10 2 [PLAIN:por] H agree v10 3 [PLAIN:su] H agree v10 4 [PLAIN:mano] H agree v10 5 [PLAIN:le] H agree v10 6 [PLAIN:preguntareis] H agree v10 7 [PLAIN:a] H agree v10 8 [PLAIN:que] H agree v10 9 [PLAIN:persona] H agree v10 10 [PLAIN:se] H agree v10 11 [PLAIN:podria] H agree v10 12 [PLAIN:encargar] H agree v11 1 [PLAIN:se] H agree v11 2 [PLAIN:pudiese] M B:[PLAIN:pudiere] differ v11 3 [PLAIN:caminar] M B:[PLAIN:Caminar] differ v11 4 [PLAIN:en] H agree v11 5 [PLAIN:ello] H agree v11 6 [PLAIN:sin] H agree v11 7 [PLAIN:perder] H agree v11 8 [PLAIN:tiempo.] H agree v11 9 13 H agree v11 10 6 H agree v11 11 18 H agree v11 12 14 H agree v11 13 2 H agree v11 14 32 H agree v11 15 6 H agree v12 1 8 H agree v12 2 21 H agree v12 3 18 H agree v12 4 6 H agree v12 5 18 H agree v12 6 19 H agree v12 7 28 H agree v12 8 20 H agree v12 9 5 H agree v12 10 8 H agree v12 11 7 H agree v12 12 29 H agree v12 13 16 H agree v12 14 18 H agree v12 15 7 H agree v12 16 18 H agree v12 17 32 H agree v12 18 18 H agree v12 19 5 H agree v13 1 7 H agree v13 2 10 H agree v13 3 22 H agree v13 4 18 H agree v13 5 32 H agree v13 6 7 H agree v13 7 19 H agree v13 8 [PLAIN:En] H agree v13 9 [PLAIN:todo] H agree v13 10 [PLAIN:os] H agree v13 11 [PLAIN:encargo] H agree v13 12 [PLAIN:la] H agree v13 13 [PLAIN:brevedad] M B:[PLAIN:breuedad] differ v13 14 [PLAIN:porque] H agree v14 1 [PLAIN:qualquiera] M B:- gap v14 2 [PLAIN:dilacion] H agree v14 3 [PLAIN:que] H agree v14 4 [PLAIN:aya] H agree v14 5 [PLAIN:es] H agree v14 6 [PLAIN:summamente] M B:[PLAIN:Summamente] differ v14 7 [PLAIN:danosa] M B:[PLAIN:dañosa] differ v14 8 [PLAIN:y] H agree v14 9 [PLAIN:de] H agree v14 10 [PLAIN:nuestro] H agree v14 11 [PLAIN:zelo] H agree v14 12 [PLAIN:fio] H agree v14 13 [PLAIN:aten...] M B:[PLAIN:ato-] differ v15 1 [PLAIN:...a] M B:[PLAIN:a] differ v15 2 [PLAIN:ello] H agree v15 3 [PLAIN:con] H agree v15 4 [PLAIN:el] H agree v15 5 [PLAIN:Cuydado] H agree v15 6 [PLAIN:que] H agree v15 7 [PLAIN:Conviene] H agree v15 8 [PLAIN:vos] M B:[PLAIN:gos] differ v15 9 [PLAIN:encargo] H agree v15 10 [PLAIN:Barneton] M B:[PLAIN:Barneuo] differ v15 11 [PLAIN:a] H agree v15 12 [PLAIN:seis] H agree v16 1 [PLAIN:Junio] H agree v16 2 [PLAIN:de] H agree v16 3 [PLAIN:1648] M B:[PLAIN:1648.] differ
Decryption
# espagnol142-mercy-1648 f.22r-22v, regenerated by tools/decode_key.py from ciphertext.tsv + key.tsv + exceptions.tsv (LANE R6 M2, 25 Sept 2026); do not edit. # Cryptanalytic result: no H or C tokens (rule 4). Clear words as written in the letter; cipher runs UPPER CASE; _ = [MARK:box], a word code left unread. # tokens 522: H 0, C 0, S 496, M 26, I 0, U 0 r01 Baron de Mercy mi Sumiller de Cortina deseo tener Resolucion de la nego- r02 ciacion que fuisteis por lo que conviene saver lo que se puede esperar della Respeto de las 1648. r03 operaciones que se deven saver: 24 r04 ALANDOSEESTASARMASENCAM r05 PAGNA y asi Holgare me digais lo que en esta razon saueis entendido. r06 DELADUQUESADECHEUREUSE r07 YDEL_ y porque qualquiera ora de tardanca en la coyuntura presente r08 es de summo per juicio procuraveis sacar Respuesta Cathegorica en la materia. Y r09 QUEEL_UENGACONUOSPARAQU r10 ENOSINFUMEDEOULAYSE r11 PAMOS Con fundamento lo que nos podemos prometer y Caso de no estar r12 en estado y que es necesario esperar algun tiempo para poder dezir determinada r13 mente el que tiene esta negociacion y lo que se puede confiar della. PAS r14 AREISAELEUESAUEROSCONE r15 LELECTORDEBRANDENBUR r16 GYEONEOPURADLONBURGSZ r17 RFSUCMAREYMAYORPARADI r18 ENSEIEMBIANCARTASDECR r19 EENCIAQUEUANCONESTAY r20 LESPROPONDREISDESISEP r21 ERMITIRASELEUANTENEN r22 AQUELPAISTRESMILHOMBR r23 ESDEINFANTERIAENDOSO r24 TRESEGIMIENTIYCONQUE v01 CONDICIONESYALEAMARE v02 MAYORSIQUERRAENCARGA v03 EDELLAYQUECORRAPORSU v04 NOLADIRENTNONYSIIUN v05 ASERAMASCONUENIENT v06 AROTRATANTAGENTEDE v07 QUEAALEUANTADAPAG v08 DOLAYENSULUGARLEUA v09 AROTRA y Caso que le paresca que esta materia no convenga v10 Corra por su mano le preguntareis a que persona se podria encargar v11 se pudiese caminar en ello sin perder tiempo. YSECONS v12 UIESEELFRUTODETENER v13 TAGENTE En todo os encargo la brevedad porque v14 qualquiera dilacion que aya es summamente danosa y de nuestro zelo fio aten... v15 ...a ello con el Cuydado que Conviene vos encargo Barneton a seis v16 Junio de 1648
Reading
# BnF Espagnol 144 f. 22r-v, Mercy instruction, 6 June 1648: NoAutopilot's original reading, in running text Running text of the contributor's `cl/reading.txt` (NoAutopilot, issue 16, fetched 1 Oct 2026; the reading before the eight corrections listed in NOTES.md; entry 0 is the verified reading, `f22_reading.md`), written out 23 Oct 2026 (translation wave v7). Lines joined; the cipher runs, unspaced capitals there, are word-divided and set in lower case in ⟨ ⟩; punctuation added. **Letters are the contributor's, with their slips kept** (eleues, eon eopurad lonburgszrf, cmarey, paradien, iembian, desi, egimienti, eamare, encarga edella, consuiese, tagente); runs that make no word are given as decoded and marked `[?…]`. `[_]` is their unread word code (the name sign, Saint-Ibal in the verified reading). Spanish of 1648. ## Reading Baron de Mercy, mi Sumiller de Cortina: deseo tener Resolucion de la negociacion que fuisteis, por lo que conviene saver lo que se puede esperar della Respeto de las operaciones que se deven saver: 24 ⟨alandose estas armas en campagna⟩; y asi Holgare me digais lo que en esta razon saueis entendido ⟨de la duquesa de cheureuse y del [_]⟩. Y porque qualquiera ora de tardanca en la coyuntura presente es de summo per juicio, procuraveis sacar Respuesta Cathegorica en la materia, ⟨y que el [_] uenga con uos para que nos [?infumedeoula] y sepamos⟩ Con fundamento lo que nos podemos prometer. Y Caso de no estar en estado, y que es necesario esperar algun tiempo para poder dezir determinadamente el que tiene esta negociacion y lo que se puede confiar della, ⟨pasareis a eleues a ueros con el elector de brandenburg y eon eopurad lonburgszrf su cmarey mayor paradien se iembian cartas de creencia que uan con esta, y les propondreis desi se permitir a se leuanten en aquel pais tres mil hombres de infanteria en dos o tres egimienti, y con que condiciones; y al eamare mayor si querra encarga edella y que corra por su [?] no la [?dirent non] y si [?iun] a sera mas conuenient [?] ar otra tanta gente de [?] que a a leuantada pag [?] dola y en su lugar leua [?] ar otra⟩; y Caso que le paresca que esta materia no convenga Corra por su mano, le preguntareis a que persona se podria encargar, se pudiese caminar en ello sin perder tiempo ⟨y se consuiese el fruto detener tagente⟩. En todo os encargo la brevedad, porque qualquiera dilacion que aya es summamente danosa, y de nuestro zelo fio aten… …a ello con el Cuydado que Conviene. Vos encargo. Barneton a seis Junio de 1648.
Translation
# BnF Espagnol 144 f. 22r-v, Mercy instruction, 6 June 1648: English translation of NoAutopilot's original reading Translation (Claude Opus 5.5, 23 Oct 2026) of `cl/f22_reading.md`, the contributor's reading before the eight corrections (cipher runs in ⟨ ⟩). Words the contributor's letters garble are translated by what they stand for in the verified reading and marked `[?word]`; runs that make no word stay `[?]`; `[_]` is the unread name code. The verified reading is translated in `f22_en.md`. Spanish. ## Translation Baron de Mercy, my Sumiller de Cortina: I wish to have a resolution of the negotiation on which you went, because it is fitting to know what can be expected from it with regard to the operations that must be known: 24 ⟨these armies being in the field⟩; and so I shall be glad if you tell me what you have learned on this subject ⟨of the Duchesse de Chevreuse and of [_]⟩. And because any hour of delay in the present juncture is of the greatest harm, you should try to obtain a categorical answer on the matter, ⟨and that [_] come with you so that he may [?inform us of it] and we may know⟩ on good grounds what we can promise ourselves. And in case it is not ready, and it is necessary to wait some time to be able to say definitely what footing this negotiation has and how far it can be trusted, ⟨you will go on to [?Cleves] to see the Elector of Brandenburg and [?Konrad von Burgsdorff], his [?chief chamberlain], [?for whom] letters of credence are [?sent] you, which go with this, and you will propose to them [?whether] it would be permitted that three thousand men of infantry be raised in that country, in two or three [?regiments], and on what conditions; and to the [?chief chamberlain] whether he will be willing [?to take charge of it] and have it go through his [?] no the [?dirent non] and if [?iun] a will be more fitting [?] as many people again of [?] that has raised, pay [?] it, and in its place rai [?] another⟩; and in case it seems to him that this matter should not go through his hand, you will ask him to what person it could be entrusted, [so that] one could proceed in it without losing time ⟨and [?obtain] the fruit of having [?so much] people⟩. In everything I charge you with speed, because any delay there may be is extremely harmful; and from your zeal I trust [you will] atten… …to it with the care that is fitting. I charge you. Barneton, the sixth of June 1648.
Key: key.tsv
07 Sources
- Bibliothèque nationale de France, Espagnol 144, Gallica btv1b10035717h, f. 22r–v (canvases 58–59), ff. 20r–21v (54–57).
- BnF, Archives et manuscrits, Espagnol 142–144, items 6–11.
- NoAutopilot, espagnol142-mercy-1648 (transcription, key, reading, grades, search log), and GitHub issue 16 (30 September 2026).
- Lonchay, Cuvelier and Lefèvre, Correspondance de la Cour d’Espagne sur les affaires des Pays-Bas au XVIIe siècle IV (1933) no. 183 p. 71 (cited by the contributor); H. Lonchay, La rivalité de la France et de l’Espagne aux Pays-Bas (1896) p. 445 n. 2, Internet Archive.
- Konrad von Burgsdorff: ADB; Wikipedia.
Transcription, key, reading and the scripts: targets/mercy1648/.