Rossi di San Secondo to Ferrante Gonzaga (1537)

At a glanceCiphertext-only break · partial (93% of the cipher)

The letters: Pier Maria Rossi, count of San Secondo, writing from San Secondo to Ferrante Gonzaga, whom the address calls viceroy of Sicily, on 4 November 1537 (cc. 31–32) and 8 November 1537 (cc. 33–34). Both are in cipher except a few clear lines and the closes: 53 lines and 2,368 cipher units in all.
Where: Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, Modena, Autografoteca Campori, Lettera R, Rossi (conte di San Secondo), cc. 31–34. Catalogue entry 1564, one of five letters; the Estense records say “Parzialmente cifrata” and mention no decipherment.
The cipher: Simple substitution on a symbol alphabet of twenty letters, with homophones for a, i, c, g and u, no nulls and no code groups seen. One sign, P, stands for both d and t.
How it was read: An annealer with Italian quadgrams, run on a transcription frozen before decoding, gave continuous Italian with no crib; the rare letters were completed by reading. No decipherment or key on any leaf.
What it says: A jocular, wine-fuelled account of the retreat of “Astolfo”, an Imperial commander, before the French in Piedmont, with news of Pinerolo and Turin relieved, a raid from Mirandola on the Cremonese and a little gossip.
Still open: d versus t is chosen from context, 73 units are unread, three signs have no value and the persons are not identified. Letter A reads 0.937 and letter B 0.928 of the words, both under the 95% bar.
Credit: Transcriptions, key, reading and checks contributed by Malcolm McBratney (Brisbane), working with AI agents, as issue #428 and pull request #451 of 11–12 November 2026. Daniel Bourdeau asked for the verso of letter A, the d/t ledger and a strict recount, now in the folder.

01 The letters

Letter A (4 November 1537) has 22 cipher lines on c. 31r (910 units) and 14 on c. 31v (703 units), with four clear lines and the date at the foot of c. 31v. Letter B (8 November 1537) has 17 cipher lines on c. 33r (755 units), with two clear lines, the date and the signature at the foot. A few tokens inside the cipher are in clear (roman numerals such as xx, xxxx and xij) and the Latin word fuit heads one line of letter A; none is counted as a unit. The address leaf names Ferrante Gonzaga, viceroy of Sicily, “in Messina o dove sera”.

The clear close of letter A says why it is in cipher: “havendo pensato che a questa V. Ex.tia haverà havuta la zifra, ho scritto questa”. Rossi had sent Ferrante the cipher and assumed it had arrived. The leaves carry no decipherment, and none was found elsewhere.

The first four cipher lines of the letter of 8 November 1537: tall symbols with hats, ticks and colons in brown ink — The first four of the 17 cipher lines of letter B, c. 33r. Line 1 begins *Vi scrissi pur che la …* Image: Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, Modena, Autografoteca Campori, Rossi c. 33r (lines 1-4), via the Lodovico Media Library (CC BY-NC-SA).

02 The cipher

Twenty letters are written with their own symbols; a, i, c, g and u have two or three each (a three, i three, c two, g two, u two). No nulls and no code groups are seen. The sign names in key.tsv are the transcriber’s. Two details matter.

P stands for both d and t. The first transcription gave one code, P, to a tall sign with a hat. On reading, it covered d (89 times) and t (152 times): for d the hook of the hat closes onto the stem, for t the hat stays open over a separate tick. A third tall sign, with a closed arch and a bowl at the foot, is l. To see how well the shapes can be told apart without the word, 256 P signs were cut out under random ids and classed by a reader who saw only the crop. Where that reader and the contributor’s second look (not blind) both gave d or t they agree on 178 of 215 signs, 82.8% (172 of 208 on firm verdicts only). Against the reading, the blind classes A and B give its letter on 187 of the 241 P signs read d or t (77.6%), the second look on 214 (88.8%); the contributor’s figures of 195 and 231 also count as agreeing 8 signs the blind reader called unclear and 17 the second look never saw. So the shape rule is real but not safe sign by sign, and in practice d or t is chosen from context. The test is blind for P only: the l shape has no blind confirmation.

Other weak points. The sign # is a in its small form and q in its tall form before the u sign; the sign S (p) stands for 8 (u) ten times; four times q is followed by S where the word needs u. The reading corrects these.

03 How the key was found

11 November 2026: both letters were transcribed from the Estense images by one reader and the transcription frozen, with hashes recorded, before any decoding.
An annealer with Italian quadgrams, first tested on a synthetic text of 904 characters with d and t merged and homophones (86.5% of the letters recovered), was run on the frozen transcription: six restarts of 50,000 steps, -4.227 per character, continuous Italian from the first run (“che Pinarolo et Turino sono socorsi et dodici pezi de artiglieria”). No crib and no gloss was used.
The key was completed by reading (the rare letters b, f, g, m, p, z, which the solver had merged into frequent ones), and the reading was aligned unit by unit to the frozen transcription.

The method is a key recovered from the ciphertext alone. That the transcription was frozen before decoding rests on the contributor’s record (one pull request, his own manifests): the RFC 3161 token imprints and the stamped files he sent agree with it, and nothing outside his files fixes the order. A second transcription by another session that opened only the images agrees with the first on 2,247 of 2,363 aligned units (95.09%); it did not split d from t either.

04 The reading

The letters are jocular. Rossi writes after supper and says so; he mocks “Astolfo”, who had written all over Italy that he would fight the French and has instead withdrawn, and promises to report his cowardices from day to day. Letter B opens:

Vi scrissi pur che la seconda retirata di questo poltrone di Astolfo serebe di quaranta miglia, et così fu, con perdita de xij pezi de artiglieria. Io mi rido ta[n]to che dubito scopiar como Marguto, ta[n]to più che siamo sul cominciare. […] basta che Pinarolo et Turino sono socorsi, et dodici pezi de artiglieria perduti. Non vi è uno quatrino …

I did write to you that the second retreat of this coward Astolfo would be of forty miles, and so it was, with the loss of 12 pieces of artillery. I laugh [?so] much that I fear I shall burst like Margutte, [?the] more as we are only at the beginning. […] enough that Pinerolo and Turin are relieved, and twelve pieces of artillery lost. There is not a farthing …

Letter A adds Cesare Pallavicino riding post to the Marquis “to be present at this glorious retreat”, a recollection of the departure from Genoa in December (“it was not a flight, or we would not have gone to the mole to embark”) and an apology for the wine and for “not having to do business with Covos”. Letter B ends with men from Mirandola raiding the Cremonese and sacking Piadena and a second place that is not read, and Rossi keeping company with “the gran Meo, your prince of Luzara”, who has to be put to bed after supper. Both readings and translations are complete, with every hole marked in place; the Full texts below give them in full.

The contributor takes Astolfo for the Imperial commander in Piedmont, Alfonso d’Avalos, marchese del Vasto, from the retreat of forty miles and the relief of Pinerolo and Turin. That identification is unverified: the letters do not say so, and letter A also speaks of “il marchese” by title. Zopo, Vicencio the Venetian, Monfalconeto and the gran Meo are not identified, and the historical background he gives (the French under Montmorency relieving Turin in October–November 1537) was taken from general reference works and not checked against a history of the campaign. The writer is, by his notes, Pier Maria III de’ Rossi (1504–1547); this was not checked here.

05 What was counted and checked

Measure	Result
Words read, README rule	Letter A 344 words read and 23 holes (367 in all): 0.937 (the integration recount, which counts words inside multi-word brackets separately, gives 363 words for A; the share is unchanged). Letter B 154 read and 12 holes (166 in all): 0.928. Both: 498 of 533 = 0.934. Every unread group, doubtful word and word with a supplied letter is a hole.
Cipher units, key letter equals reading letter (contributor’s count, 2,368 units)	Key alone with P printed t: 2,161 = 91.26%. With d and t from the second look (not blind): 2,247 = 94.89%. With d and t from the blind shape test: 2,204 = 93.07%. 73 units are unread in every column.
Shuffled keys	Whole text -4.319 per character against a best of -5.713 in 5,000 shuffles; letter A -4.328 against -5.745; letter B -4.295 against -5.561; none as good (the contributor’s run). Five frequency-preserving permutations of the cipher stream fit at -4.610 each, against -4.227 for the real stream.
Statistical test here (`docs/_validate.py`, 2,295 read tokens)	Verdict underdetermined, not a pass: the reading scores -2.330 per letter against -4.835 for random keys, but an annealer started from a random key on the real ciphertext reaches -2.323, so the letter model cannot tell the reading from a key fitted to the text. That is what a recovery by annealing would predict.
Decoder written separately here	Reproduces the decryption of all 53 lines (letter A recto and verso, letter B) from `key.tsv` and the first transcriptions, with P printed t.
Transcription against the image	About 70 signs of the first part of lines V01–V03 on c. 31v (new in this folder) compared here: they agree. The earlier check of the issue compared about 95 signs of letter B lines 1–2.

The reading of letter B was made with the key in hand; the independence in the folder is the frozen first transcription, the blind second transcription, the shuffled-key and null controls and the blind test of sign P. Several sessions of one model family did the transcriptions, the solving and the reading, and no person read the signs without AI.

06 What remains uncertain

d and t. 256 units carry the one sign P; the blind shape test agrees with the second look on 82.8%, so the reading chooses d or t from context. A person reading the heads on the original, or a blind re-transcription that splits the shapes, would settle it.
Unread places. 73 units on sixteen lines, chiefly L05, L08, L17 (a name), L21, V02-V03, B12 (the place after “Castel”, near Piadena) and B16–B17; the places are listed in holes.md. New doubtful words proposed on 12 November from crops (for instance “tal è [?voce]”, “[?vedeti]”) are not in the unit ledger.
Signs without a value. Three, two occurrences each: a 4 with a top bar, an apostrophe mark and a bare tick.
Persons and context. Astolfo, Zopo, the marchese, Vicencio, Monfalconeto and the gran Meo are not identified.
Prior art. No edition or decipherment was found and priority is not established; the Archivio Gonzaga in Mantua, the Archivio di Stato di Parma (Famiglia Rossi) and the printed Gonzaga correspondence were not reached.
Catalogue. Entry 1564 listed five letters; the Muzio letters of 1550 (another cipher, with its own page) have left it, and the Gosellini letter of 1555 stays.

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.

Rossi to Ferrante Gonzaga, San Secondo, 4 Nov 1537, cc. 31r-31v read in part

Written after supper and, the count says, a good deal of wine. He mocks an Imperial commander he calls Astolfo, who had announced all over Italy that he would fight the French and has instead retreated twenty miles, with forty to follow. Cesare Pallavicino has ridden to the Marquis to see the retreat. He recalls a departure from Genoa the December before, and excuses his free speech by the wine and by not having to deal with Covos.

Builds coherent sentences, but under the read bar of 95% of words read as sense (94% here); the holes are marked in the reading.

Transcription

transcription_A.txt

# Rossi to Ferrante Gonzaga, San Secondo 4 Nov 1537. BEU Campori, Rossi cc.31-32. Pass 1, frozen before decoding.
# tokens space-separated; / = visible gap; ? = illegible/blot; {..} = clear writing inside cipher
# codes: q(9-like) g(open g) o(circle on stem / phi) 4 A(4 with top bar) I(tall bar) :(colon) f(crossed loop short) F(loop-bar-loop) z(crossed 2) 7 8 S 6 # H L i(tick over dash) 1(bare tick) P(tick+hook arch) D(closed arch) y V w 0(theta) +(cross) T(double-crossed 7) '(apostrophe) x(roman x)
L01: q 4 I : f z q 8 4 / # S L I : P y P 4 S 4 / F i 7 # / S i z 4 / 8 4 I : P z y i F i D i 7 P o y / V : L y
L02: i z y S i z i I : f w I : H P 4 I : i / I : i z 4 A g 4 i 8 i F L i P o S : S P : L H 8 i z V 4 D 1 4
L03: g i 7 / g i 8 P 4 P : / g 4 7 4 V 4 I : F H P i D D 4 i P / 8 i z 7 # + z H D y 7 0 : 4 D : 7 4 V o
L04: i I : S i D H / I : q f L i / o P / 8 : 7 4 / 7 4 7 ' V q D H I : I : H o V H 0 : 7 H z / I : 8 0 i D P 4 7 i
L05: o V H 0 o 7 H 7 P 4 D 4 / I : # S z i o / I : F z : 8 i z D 4 / 0 o H L H S i 8 A + H D : P 4
L06: F L i / V q i z H / I : F 4 z D H P 4 / P : z / I : ? 0 i D P 4 / S i 7 I : H P i / F 4 V y 8 H 7 4
L07: P i / F 4 I : i / V H / y D / P : I : S i P P 4 / P i D / 8 q 7 4 / P : z 4 / F 4 V i / D : / 8 7 D i 7 P q
L08: + z H F o 4 I : o / P H P i V / S H I : 4 z H P / H / # 8 i I : P 4 / V 4 7 P 4 / i 1 ' H I : P 4 D + 4
L09: F L i / I : o 7 / H 8 o L H 8 i H / I : F z o P 4 / S i z P 8 D H / o P H D : H / P : / F 4 V q H
L10: P i z / F 4 D / F 4 7 I : i 7 I : 4 / P i / 7 4 I : P z 4 / T 4 S 4 / P H D i / 8 4 F L i / I : i
L11: z i P : z H P 4 / 4 / F L i / w H S : / 4 / F L i / V H I : P z 4 P : / F ? V S 4 / S i z
L12: F 4 7 I : i z 8 H z i / 8 7 4 / i I : i z F o P 4 / D H / S i z o V H / z i P : z H P H i I : P H P H
L13: P : / x x V o 0 D : H / # 8 i I : P H / H D P z H / I : i z H P : / x x x x / I : H D 8 4
L14: I : i o P / 8 4 I : P z 4 / I : 8 F i I : I : 4 z i / I : P z H P : 4 P 4 / o 7 S o P o I : I : o V 4 F o 7
L15: D H / I : 8 H / g H z g H / 7 4 7 / D o z i P : i 7 i / D o / g 4 7 o / g 4 P : 0 D : 4 7 o / 8 i 7
L16: 6 4 7 4 / F z o P H 7 P 4 / P i P H V / P i P H V / F 4 7 P H 7 P 4 / z 8 V 4 z i / F L i
L17: I : S H 8 i 7 P 7 w i g 4 7 4 / 8 o F i 7 : F o g / 8 i 7 i F o H 7 4 I : i + 8 I : I : i / 8 o 8 4
L18: S i 7 I : H P i / F L i / H I : P 4 D + 4 / 7 4 7 / I : P H 8 H / I : H D P 4 / i P / D H S z o V H 7 4 8 H
L19: i I : S i D 4 i / o 7 P i 7 P i z i / I : o H / F 4 z I : 4 o 7 / S 4 I : P i / H P 4 V H 7 P H z i
L20: P i 7 H z i / + 8 0 i 7 P 4 / F 4 7 / # 8 i I : P H / 4 F H I : o 7 i / D i P z i V i g 4 7 P i / i P
L21: P / I : S H 8 i 7 P H 8 4 P i / F z : P i / 0 H D : F L i / S i z 4 / H D i I : 8 i / g z / L H i o i F L i
L22: H P H D P z o / I : i z : H 8 / 8 7 H V 8 I : o F H / o 7 / F H 7 P 4 + : 6 8 z H P 4 :
V01: o D / 0 z H : / F i I : H z i S H D H 8 o F o : 4 / S i z / D i / S 4 I : P i / F o P 4 / F : P 4 / H 7 P 4 / P H D / V H z F L i I : i S i z
V02: P z 8 H z i I : o / : 7 / # S i I : P H / 0 D 4 z : 4 I : H / z i P : z H P H P H i 0 / 8 H 0 D : H z I : o H / # S i D D H / I : 4
V03: F P / V i / o 7 P i 7 P i P i I : i z H / S 4 I : o g : P i / D H / 8 i I : o H / I : F 4 z D H P H / # S i D H P i T H : I :
V04: D i 4 S 8 z / P i P P 4 / : 4 S H z D 4 / : 7 F 4 V i P : H / # 8 i I : P H / I : i z H / i P / I : i 7 i H 0 : 4 7 0 i H
V05: S 7 / g o F L i z o P : / S : 8 / S 4 o H 0 : 4 7 0 i 8 4 / D H / S H z P : P H P : / 0 i 7 4 / 8 H P i D / V i I : i P :
V06: P i F i V g z i / 7 4 7 + S + 8 0 H / F L i / 7 4 7 / I : i z i I : o V 4 / o P o / H P V 4 D 4 / H P : V g H z F H
V07: z i / i P / 0 : H / V 4 7 + H D F 4 H i P 4 / L H 8 i H / H P 8 i z i P : P 4 / F 4 V 4 I : o / P 4 8 i H / 0 4 S i z
V08: 7 H i 6 / o D / 7 i 0 4 P : H / 7 4 7 I : 4 / I : i / 8 : / P z 4 8 H I : P o / o 7 / D H / F 4 H I : 8 D P H / S 8 z / 8 i 7 i
V09: P 4 8 z : H / z H F 4 z P H z i / F L i / P : H 8 4 P 4 / P : F 4 / I : 4 7 4 / o 7 P z H P 4 7 i / F H I : o P i
V10: {fuit} i P / 7 4 7 / V i 7 i z H / H F 4 z P 4 I : F 8 I : o V o H S S 4 / 8 4 q / : D P z H S 4 / 8 : 7 4 / i P
V11: : D / 7 4 7 / L H 8 i z / P H / 7 i 0 4 P : H z i / F 4 7 / F 4 8 4 I : / F 4 V 4 / S i z I : 4 7 H D : g i z H L 4
V12: S H z D H P 4 / + H F o 4 + : 7 i / i P / P i / P : / : 7 / P : / 7 4 7 V H 7 F H 7 P 4 / # 8 i I : P o S 4 z F L o
V13: + z H 7 F : 4 I : o / P i D / P i g : P 4 / 8 i / P i z 4 / z H 0 S H 0 D : H P 4 / P i D D i / S 4 D P z 4 7 i z : i
V14: P i / H I : P 4 D + 4 / F L i / F z i P 4 / P i g H 7 4 / i I : i z / S : 8 / F i D i / P z : I : P : P i / P o F 4 8 4 I :

Transcription

transcription_blind.txt

c31r.01	q 4 I co F Z q S 4 H S L I co P U P 4 _ S 4 E T 7 H S T Z 4 8 4 I co P Z U T E T D T 7 P Q? U V co L U
c31r.02	T Z U S T Z T I co F W I co H P 4 I co T I co T Z 4 A q 4 T 8 T E L T P Q? S co S P co L H 8 T Z V 4 D P? 4
c31r.03	q T 7 q T 8 P 4 P co q 4 7 4 V 4 I co F H P T D D 4 T P 8 T Z 7 H pm H D U 7 TH co 4 D co Z 4 V PH
c31r.04	T I co S T R P H I co q F L T PH D 8 co 7 4 7 4 Tau V q? D H I co I co H q V H TH co 7 H Z I co 8 TH D _? P 4 7 T
c31r.05	PH V H TH Q? 7 H 7 P 4 D 4 I co H S Z T I? PH I co F Z co 8 T Z D 4 TH PH H L H S T 8 4 + H D co P 4
c31r.06	F L T V Q? T Z H I co F 4 Z P H P 4 P co Z I co ? TH T I? P 4 S co? 7 I co H P T E 4 V Y 8 H 7 4
c31r.07	P T F 4 I co T V H U D P co I co S T R P 4 P R D 8 q 7 4 P co Z 4 F 4 V T D co 8 7 D T 7 P? q
c31r.08	+ Z H F q 4 I co q G H P T V S H I co 4 A? H P H H 8 T I co P 4 V 4 7 P 4 T R H I co P 4 D + 4
c31r.09	F L T I co q 7 H 8 q L H 8 T H I co F Z PH P 4 S T Z P 8 R P H PH P H D co H P co F 4 V q H
c31r.10	P T Z F 4 P F 4 7 I co T 7 I co 4 P T G 4 I co P Z 4 pm 4 S 4 P H D T 8 4 F T I co T
c31r.11	Z T P co Z H P 4 4 F L T F? H S tri 4 F L T V H I co P Z? 4 P co F H V S 4 S T Z
c31r.12	F 4 7 I co T Z 8 H Z T 8 7 4 T I co T Z F PH P 4 P H S Z F V H Z T P co Z H R H T I co P H P H
c31r.13	P co X X V PH TH P co H H 8 T I co P? H H R? P Z H I co T Z H P co X X X X I co H D 8 4
c31r.14	I co T PH P 8 4 I co P 4 4 I co 8 F T I co I co 4 Z T I co P Z H P co 4 P 4 q 7 5 q P q I co I co q V 4 E q 7
c31r.15	P H I co 8 H 9 H Z 9 H 7 4 7 P q Z T I P co T 7 T P q 9 4 7 q 9 4 P co 6 P co 4 7 q 8 T 7
c31r.16	6 4 7 4 F Z q P H 7 P 4 P T P H I? P T P H V F A P H 7 P 4 Z 8 V 4 Z T F L T
c31r.17	I co S H 8 T 7 P 7 W T 9 4 7 4 5 q F T 7 F q 4 8 T 7 T F q H 7 4 I co T + 8 I co I co T 8 q 8 4
c31r.18	S T 7 I co H R? T F T T H I co P 4 D + 4 7 4 7 I co P H 8 H I co H D P 4 T P D H S Z PH V H 7 4 S H
c31r.19	T I co S T R P 4 T PH 7 P T 7 P T Z T I co PH H F 4 Z I co 4 PH 7 5 4 I co P T H P 4 V H 7 P H Z T
c31r.20	P T 7 H Z T + 8 TH T? 7 P 4 F 4 7 H 8 T I co H 4 F H I co PH 7 T P T P Z T V T 9 4 7 P T T P
c31r.21	P I co S H 8 L T R? P H 8 4 P T F Z co P T TH H D co F L T S T Z 4 H P T I co 8? T 4 4 L A? L q T F L T
c31r.22	H? P H D R? Z q I co T Z co H 8? 8? 7 H V 8 I co PH F H q 7 F H 7 P 4 + co 6 8 Z H P 4 co
c31v.01	q D TH Z H qm F T I co H Z T S D H 8 q F q co 4 S T Z P T S 4 I co P T F q P 4 F co P 4 H R? P 4 P H D V H Z F L T I co T S T Z
c31v.02	P Z 8? H Z T I co q co 7 H 5? T I co P H TH D 4 Z co 4 I co H Z T P co Z H P H P H T TH 8 H TH D co H Z T I co q H H S T D D H I co 4
c31v.03	F T V T q 7 P T 7 P T P T I co I co T Z H S 4 I co q q co P T P H 8 T I co q H I co F 4 Z P H P H H S T P H P T pm H co I co
c31v.04	D L 4 S S Z P co T R? P 4 co 4 S H Z D 4 co I F 4 V T P co H H S T I co P H I co T Z H T R? I co T 7 T H TH co 4 7 TH T H
c31v.05	5 7 9 q F L T Z q P co S co 8 S q H TH co 4 7 TH T 8 4 D H S H Z P co P H P co TH T 7 4 8 H P T D V T I co L P co
c31v.06	P T F T V 9 Z T 7 4 I + 5 co? + 8 TH H F L T 7 4 7 I co T Z T I co q V 4 q P q H P V 4 D 4 H P co V 9 H Z F H
c31v.07	Z T T P TH co H V 4 7 + H D F 4 H T P 4 L H S T H H P 8 T I Z P co P 4 F 4 V 4 I co q P 4 S T H TH 4 S T Z
c31v.08	7 H L E? q D 7 T TH 4 P co 4 7 4 7 I co 4 I co T 8 co P Z 4 8 H I co P q q 7 D H F 4 I co S D R? H S S Z S T 7 T
c31v.09	P 4 8 Z co H Z H F 4 Z P H Z T F L T P co H 8 4 P 4 P co F 4 I co 4 7 4 q 7 P Z H P 4 7 T F H I co q P T
c31v.10	f? u? i? t? T P 7 4 7 V T 7 T Z H H F 4 Z P 4 I co F 8 I co q V q H S 5 4 8 4 q co D P Z H 5 4 8 co 7 4 T P
c31v.11	co P 7 4 7 L H 8 T Z P H 7 T TH 4 P co H Z T F 4 7 F 4 8 4 I co F 4 Y 4 S T Z I co 4 7 H D co 9 T Z H L 4
c31v.12	S H Z D H P 4 + H F PH 4 + co 7 T T R? P T P co co 7 P co 7 4 7 V H 7 F H 7 P 4 H S T I co P PH 5 4 Z F L PH
c31v.13	+ Z H 7 F co 4 I co q P T D P T 9 co P 4 8 T P T Z 4 Z H TH S H TH D co H P 4 P T D D T S 4 D P Z 4 7 T Z 4 co T
c31v.14	P T H I co P 4 D + 4 F L T F Z T P 4 P T 9 H 7 4 T I co T Z S co 8 F T D T P Z co I co P co P T P PH F 4 8 4 I co
c33r.01	8 co I co F Z q I co I co q S 8 Z F L T D H I co T F 4 7 P H Z T P co Z U I? H P co H 8 T I co P 4 S 4 D R? Z 4 7 T
c33r.02	P co H I co P 4 D + 4 I co T Z T 9? T P co H 8 H U H 7 P H V co TH D co H T P F 4 I co q V 8 F 4 7 S T Z P co P H
c33r.03	P T X Yd S T pm q P T H Z P co TH D co T Z co H q 4 V co Z co P 4 P H P 4 F L T P 8 q co P 4 I co F 4 S co H Z
c33r.04	F q V A? V H Z TH 8 P 4 P H P 4 S co 8 F L T I co q H V q I co 8 D F 4 V q 7 F co H Z T I co S T Z 4
c33r.05	+ Z H S 4 F L q TH co 4 Z 7 q I co T 7 P co Z T V 4 P co 9 T D D 4 T P 8 PH I co 4 P co Z F L T q 4
c33r.06	F H 7 R? T Z 4 P co H 8 T I co P 4 H I co P 4 D + 4 T P I co 8 4 co F T 7 P? 8 Z co 4 7 q H D H Z TH H
c33r.07	P T S 8 Z P T 4 Z T F L co T H F co 4 Pb? S 4 I co co? H R? T 9 T 7 T F H S co Z 4 TH 7 q F 4 I co H
c33r.08	S T Z H 8 T I co P H 8 4 D R? H 8 co P co Z 4 S 4 F 4 9 H I co P H F L T S q 7 H Z 4 D 4 T P
c33r.09	P 8 Z co 7 4 I co 4 7 4 I co 4 F 4 Z I co q T P R 4 P co F co S T pm q P T H Z P co TH D co T Z co H S T Z P 8
c33r.10	P co 7 4 7 8 co T 8 7 4 H 8 H P 4? co 7 4 T P S T Z P T 8 H Z D co V T TH P co 4 D H F 4 V 4 P co
c33r.11	R? H TH co H H 8 T P D co P T D H V co Z H 7 P 4 D H I co 4 7 4 F 4 Z I co q I co 8 D F 4 Z T V 4 7 T I co L
c33r.12	T P I co H F L T TH co H P 4 P 8 co D 4 F L co S co H P T 7 H T P F H I co R? T D P 8 P 8 V 8 T P T P co
c33r.13	F L T S Z co 7 F co S co q F T T co 7 T F T R P 4 P H F Z T V 4 7 H I co q F H 8 H 8 H D H
c33r.14	V H TH co 4 Z S H Z R? T P T D 9 H co 4 F 4 8 4 TH D co 4 + co 7 co Z S T Z 4 V T L H 8 T Z T P co
c33r.15	T I co F 8 I co H P 4 F L T V co 9 co I co 4 TH 7 H P T 7 T Z F 4 V S H TH 7 co H Z D TH Z H 7 V T 4
c33r.16	8 4 I co P Z 4 S Z co 7 F co S T P co D 8 pm H pm H F L T 7 4 7 V co D H I co I co H 8 co 8 T Z P co F 4 Z ?
c33r.17	TH co T T R? I co 8 9 co P 4 F T 7 H P 4 T + 4 Z pm V T P T Z D 4 H P T R? P 4

Decryption

decryption_A.txt

# Letter A, San Secondo 4 Nov 1537: c. 31r lines L01-L22, c. 31v lines V01-V14. Line by line against transcription_A.txt.
# T = first transcription (frozen before decoding; / = gap on the sheet). K = key.tsv applied sign by sign, with P printed t throughout.
# S = the same with P and D recoded by the shape verdicts of the second look (not blind). R = the reading, aligned unit by unit
# (word division added; _ unread; - sign dropped; (tt) one sign for two letters; clear roman numerals and the Latin word fuit left out of R).

L01 T  q 4 I: f z q 8 4 / # S L I: P y P 4 S 4 / F i 7 # / S i z 4 / 8 4 I: P z y i F i D i 7 P o y / V : L y
L01 K  ioscriuo aphstatopo cena pero uostraecelentia miha
L01 S  ioscriuo aphstadopo cena pero uostraecelentia miha
L01 R  ioscriuo questadopo cena pero uostraecelentia miha

L02 T  i z y S i z i I: f w I: H P 4 I: i / I: i z 4 A g 4 i 8 i F L i P o S : S P : L H 8 i z V 4 D 1 4
L02 K  eraperescusatose sero_boeuechetipiptihauermol_o
L02 S  eraperescusatose sero_boeuechedipipdihauermol_o
L02 R  eraperescusatose sero_breuechedipiudihauermolto

L03 T  g i 7 / g i 8 P 4 P : / g 4 7 4 V 4 I: F H P i D D 4 i P / 8 i z 7 # + z H D y 7 0 : 4 D : 7 4 V o
L03 K  ben beutoti bonomoscatelloet uernafralangiolinomi
L03 S  ben beutodi bonomoscatelloet uernafralangiolinomi
L03 R  ben beutodi bonomoscatelloet uernafralangiolinomi

L04 T  i I: S i D H / I: q f L i / o P / 8 : 7 4 / 7 4 7 ' V q D H I: I: H o V H 0 : 7 H z / I: 8 0 i D P 4 7 i
L04 K  espela siche it uino non_milassaimaginar sugeltone
L04 S  espela siche it uino non_milassaimaginar sugeltone
L04 R  espe(tt)a siche il uino non-milassaimaginar sugettone

L05 T  o V H 0 o 7 H 7 P 4 D 4 / I: # S z i o / I: F z : 8 i z D 4 / 0 o H L H S i 8 A + H D : P 4
L05 K  imaginantolo saprei scriuerlo giahapeu_falito
L05 S  imaginantolo saprei scriuerlo giahapeu_falito
L05 R  imaginandolo saprei scriuerlo giaha____falito

L06 T  F L i / V q i z H / I: F 4 z D H P 4 / P : z / I: ? 0 i D P 4 / S i 7 I: H P i / F 4 V y 8 H 7 4
L06 K  che miera scorlato tir s_gelto pensate comauano
L06 S  che miera scordato dir s_getto pensate comauano
L06 R  che miera scordato dir s_getto pensate comauano

L07 T  P i / F 4 I: i / V H / y D / P : I: S i P P 4 / P i D / 8 q 7 4 / P : z 4 / F 4 V i / D : / 8 7 D i 7 P q
L07 K  te cose ma al tispetto tel uino tiro come li unlenti
L07 S  de cose ma al dispetto del uino diro come li unlenti
L07 R  de cose ma al dispetto del uino diro come li ualenti

L08 T  + z H F o 4 I: o / P H P i V / S H I: 4 z H P / H / # 8 i I: P 4 / V 4 7 P 4 / i 1 ' H I: P 4 D + 4
L08 K  fraciosi tatem pasorat a questo monto e__astolfo
L08 S  fraciosi tatem pasorat a questo mondo e__astolfo
L08 R  fraciosi datem _______ a questo mondo e__astolfo

L09 T  F L i / I: o 7 / H 8 o L H 8 i H / I: F z o P 4 / S i z P 8 D H / o P H D : H / P : / F 4 V q H
L09 K  che sin auihauea scrito pertula italia ti comia
L09 S  che sin auihauea scrito pertuta italia di comia
L09 R  che sin auihauea scrito pertu(tt)a italia di comba

L10 T  P i z / F 4 D / F 4 7 I: i 7 I: 4 / P i / 7 4 I: P z 4 / T 4 S 4 / P H D i / 8 4 F L i / I: i
L10 K  ter col consenso te nostro zopo tale uoche se
L10 S  ter col consenso te nostro zopo tale uoche se
L10 R  ter col consenso de nostro zopo tale uoche se

L11 T  z i P : z H P 4 / 4 / F L i / w H S : / 4 / F L i / V H I: P z 4 P : / F ? V S 4 / S i z
L11 K  retirato o che uapi o che mastroti c_mpo per
L11 S  retirato o che uapi o che mastrodi c_mpo per
L11 R  retirato o che _api o che mastrodi c_mpo per

L12 T  F 4 7 I: i z 8 H z i / 8 7 4 / i I: i z F o P 4 / D H / S i z o V H / z i P : z H P H i I: P H P H
L12 K  conseruare uno esercito la perima retirataestata
L12 S  conseruare uno esercito la perima retirataestata
L12 R  conseruare uno esercito la p-rima retirataestata

L13 T  P : / x x V o 0 D : H / # 8 i I: P H / H D P z H / I: i z H P : / x x x x / I: H D 8 4
L13 K  ti xxmiglia questa altra serati xxxx saluo
L13 S  di xxmiglia questa altra seradi xxxx saluo
L13 R  di miglia questa altra seradi saluo

L14 T  I: i o P / 8 4 I: P z 4 / I: 8 F i I: I: 4 z i / I: P z H P : 4 P 4 / o 7 S o P o I: I: o V 4 F o 7
L14 K  seit uostro sucessore stratioto inpitissimocin
L14 S  seil uostro sucessore stradioto inpitissimocin
L14 R  seil uostro sucessore stradioto inuitissimocon

L15 T  D H / I: 8 H / g H z g H / 7 4 7 / D o z i P : i 7 i / D o / g 4 7 o / g 4 P : 0 D : 4 7 o / 8 i 7
L15 K  la sua barba non liretiene li boni botiglioni uen
L15 S  la sua barba non liretiene li boni botiglioni uen
L15 R  la sua barba non liretiene li boni botiglioni uen

L16 T  6 4 7 4 / F z o P H 7 P 4 / P i P H V / P i P H V / F 4 7 P H 7 P 4 / z 8 V 4 z i / F L i
L16 K  gono critanto tetam tetam contanto rumore che
L16 S  gono cridando tedam tedam contanto rumore che
L16 R  gono cridando tedam tedam contanto rumore che

L17 T  I: S H 8 i 7 P 7 w i g 4 7 4 / 8 o F i 7 : F o g / 8 i 7 i F o H 7 4 I: i + 8 I: I: i / 8 o 8 4
L17 K  spauentnuebono uicenicib uenecianosefusse uiuo
L17 S  spauentnuebono uicenicib uenecianosefusse uiuo
L17 R  spauent__ebono _________ uenecianosefusse uiuo

L18 T  S i 7 I: H P i / F L i / H I: P 4 D + 4 / 7 4 7 / I: P H 8 H / I: H D P 4 / i P / D H S z o V H 7 4 8 H
L18 K  pensate che astolfo non staua salto et laprimanoua
L18 S  pensate che astolfo non staua saldo et laprimanoua
L18 R  pensate che astolfo non staua saldo et laprimanoua

L19 T  i I: S i D 4 i / o 7 P i 7 P i z i / I: o H / F 4 z I: 4 o 7 / S 4 I: P i / H P 4 V H 7 P H z i
L19 K  espeloe intentere sia corsoin poste atomantare
L19 S  espetoe intendere sia corsoin poste adomandare
L19 R  espe(tt)oe intendere sia corsoin poste adomandare

L20 T  P i 7 H z i / + 8 0 i 7 P 4 / F 4 7 / # 8 i I: P H / 4 F H I: o 7 i / D i P z i V i g 4 7 P i / i P
L20 K  tenare fugento con questa ocasine letremebonte et
L20 S  denare fugendo con questa ocasine letremebonde et
L20 R  denare fugendo con questa ocasine letremebonde et

L21 T  P / I: S H 8 i 7 P H 8 4 P i / F z : P i / 0 H D : F L i / S i z 4 / H D i I: 8 i / g z / L H i o i F L i
L21 K  t spauentauote crite galiche pero alesue br haeieche
L21 S  t spauentauote cride galiche pero alesue br haeieche
L21 R  _ spauentauole cride galiche pero alesue __ _____che

L22 T  H P H D P z o / I: i z : H 8 / 8 7 H V 8 I: o F H / o 7 / F H 7 P 4 + : 6 8 z H P 4 :
L22 K  ataltri seriau unamusica in cantofiguratoi
L22 S  adaltri seriau unamusica in cantofiguratoi
L22 R  adaltri seria- unamusica in cantofigurato-

V01 T  o D / 0 z H : / F i I: H z i S H D H 8 o F o : 4 / S i z / D i / S 4 I: P i / F o P 4 / F : P 4 / H 7 P 4 / P H D / V H z F L i I: i S i z
V01 K  il grai cesarepalauiciio per le poste cito cito anto tal marcheseper
V01 S  il grai cesarepalauiciio per le poste cito cito ando dal marcheseper
V01 R  il gran cesarepalauicino per le poste cito cito ando dal marcheseper

V02 T  P z 8 H z i I: o / : 7 / # S i I: P H / 0 D 4 z : 4 I: H / z i P : z H P H P H i 0 / 8 H 0 D : H z I: o H / # S i D D H / I: 4
V02 K  truaresi in apesta gloriosa retiratataeg uagliarsia apella so
V02 S  truaresi in apesta gloriosa retiratataeg uagliarsia apella so
V02 R  truaresi in questa gloriosa retiratadaeg uagliarsia quella so

V03 T  F P / V i / o 7 P i 7 P i P i I: i z H / S 4 I: o g : P i / D H / 8 i I: o H / I: F 4 z D H P H / # S i D H P i T H : I:
V03 K  ct me intentetesera posibite la uesia scorlata apelatezais
V03 S  ct me intendetesera posibile la uesia scordata apeladezais
V03 R  __ me intendetesera posibile la uesia scordata quelade____

V04 T  D i 4 S 8 z / P i P P 4 / : 4 S H z D 4 / : 7 F 4 V i P : H / # 8 i I: P H / I: i z H / i P / I: i 7 i H 0 : 4 7 0 i H
V04 K  leopur tetto ioparlo incometia questa sera et seneagiongea
V04 S  leopur detto ioparlo incomedia questa sera et seneagiongea
V04 R  leopur detto ioparlo incomedia questa sera et seneagiongea

V05 T  S 7 / g o F L i z o P : / S : 8 / S 4 o H 0 : 4 7 0 i 8 4 / D H / S H z P : P H P : / 0 i 7 4 / 8 H P i D / V i I: i P :
V05 K  pn bicheriti piu poiagiongeuo la partitati geno uatel meseti
V05 S  pn bicheridi piu poiagiongeuo la partitadi geno uadel mesedi
V05 R  un bicheridi piu poiagiongeuo la partitadi geno uadel mesedi

V06 T  P i F i V g z i / 7 4 7 + S + 8 0 H / F L i / 7 4 7 / I: i z i I: o V 4 / o P o / H P V 4 D 4 / H P : V g H z F H
V06 K  tecembre nonfpfuga che non seresimo iti atmolo atimbarca
V06 S  decembre nonfpfuga che non seresimo iti atmolo adimbarca
V06 R  decembre nonfufuga che non seresimo iti almolo adimbarca

V07 T  z i / i P / 0 : H / V 4 7 + H D F 4 H i P 4 / L H 8 i H / H P 8 i z i P : P 4 / F 4 V 4 I: o / P 4 8 i H / 0 4 S i z
V07 K  re et gia monfalcoaeto hauea atueretito comosi touea goper
V07 S  re et gia monfalcoaeto hauea atueretito comosi touea goper
V07 R  re et gia monfalconeto hauea aduer-tito comosi douea gouer

V08 T  7 H i 6 / o D / 7 i 0 4 P : H / 7 4 7 I: 4 / I: i / 8 : / P z 4 8 H I: P o / o 7 / D H / F 4 H I: 8 D P H / S 8 z / 8 i 7 i
V08 K  naeg il negotia nonso se ui trouasti in la coasulta pur uene
V08 S  naeg il negotia nonso se ui trouasti in la coasulta pur uene
V08 R  nare il negotia nonso se ui trouasti in la consulta pur uene

V09 T  P 4 8 z : H / z H F 4 z P H z i / F L i / P : H 8 4 P 4 / P : F 4 / I: 4 7 4 / o 7 P z H P 4 7 i / F H I: o P i
V09 K  touria racortare che tiauoto tico sono intratone casite
V09 S  touria racordare che diauolo dico sono intratone caside
V09 R  douria racordare che diauolo dico sono intratone caside

V10 T  {fuit} i P / 7 4 7 / V i 7 i z H / H F 4 z P 4 I: F 8 I: o V o H S S 4 / 8 4 q / : D P z H S 4 / 8 : 7 4 / i P
V10 K  {fuit}et non menera acortoscusimiappo uoi iltrapo uino et
V10 S  {fuit}et non menera acortoscusimiappo uoi iltrapo uino et
V10 R  et non menera acortoscusimiappo uoi iltropo uino et

V11 T  : D / 7 4 7 / L H 8 i z / P H / 7 i 0 4 P : H z i / F 4 7 / F 4 8 4 I: / F 4 V 4 / S i z I: 4 7 H D : g i z H L 4
V11 K  il non hauer ta negotiare con couos como personaliberaho
V11 S  il non hauer da negotiare con couos como personaliberaho
V11 R  il non hauer da negotiare con couos como personaliberaho

V12 T  S H z D H P 4 / + H F o 4 + : 7 i / i P / P i / P : / : 7 / P : / 7 4 7 V H 7 F H 7 P 4 / # 8 i I: P o S 4 z F L o
V12 K  parlato faciofine et te ti in ti nonmancanto questiporchi
V12 S  parlato faciofine et de di in di nonmancanto questiporchi
V12 R  parlato faciofine et de di in di nonmancando questiporchi

V13 T  + z H 7 F : 4 I: o / P i D / P i g : P 4 / 8 i / P i z 4 / z H 0 S H 0 D : H P 4 / P i D D i / S 4 D P z 4 7 i z : i
V13 K  franciosi tel tebito ue tero ragpagliato telle poltronerie
V13 S  franciosi del debito ue dero ragpagliato delle poltronerie
V13 R  franciosi del debito ue dero raguagliato delle poltronerie

V14 T  P i / H I: P 4 D + 4 / F L i / F z i P 4 / P i g H 7 4 / i I: i z / S : 8 / F i D i / P z : I: P : P i / P o F 4 8 4 I:
V14 K  te astolfo che creto tebano eser piu cele tristite ticouos
V14 S  de astolfo che creto debano eser piu cele tristite dicouos
V14 R  de astolfo che credo debano eser piu cele tristite dicouos

Reading

reading_A.md

# Letter A: Pier Maria Rossi, count of San Secondo, to Ferrante Gonzaga. San Secondo, 4 Nov 1537 (cc. 31r-31v)

## Reading

[c. 31r] Io scrivo questa dopo cena, però Vostra Ecelentia mi ha[v]erà per escusato se serò [...] breve, ché di più di haver molto ben beuto di bono moscatello et [?vernaza], [?fra] l'Angiolino mi espetta, sì che il vino non mi lassa imaginar sugetto, né imaginandolo saprei scriverlo. Già ha [...] falito, ché mi era scordato dir s[u]getto. Pensate [?com'a vano] de cose; ma al dispetto del vino dirò come li valenti Fraciosi [?datem] [...] a questo mondo e [...] Astolfo, che sin a vui havea scrito per tutta Italia di combater, col consenso de nostro Zopo, tal è [?voce] che s'è retirato, o che [?capi] o che mastro di c[a]mpo, per conservare uno esercito. La prima retirata è stata di xx miglia, questa altra serà di xxxx, salvo se il vostro sucessore stradioto invitissimo con la sua barba non li retiene. Li boni botiglioni vengono cridando Tedam, Tedam, con tanto rumore che spavent[ar]ebono [?Vicencio] veneciano se fusse vivo. Pensate che Astolfo non stava saldo, et la prima nova espetto è intendere sia corso in poste a domandare denare, fugendo con questa ocasi[o]ne le tremebonde et [...] spaventavole cride galiche, però a le sue [...] che ad altri seria una musica in canto figurato.

[c. 31v] Il gran Cesare Palavicino per le poste, cito cito, andò dal marchese per truaresi in questa gloriosa retirata, da eguagliarsi a quella so[...]. Me intendete: serà posibile la ve sia scordata quela de [...]? Le o pur detto. Io parlo in comedia questa sera, et se ne agiongea un bicheri di più, poi agiongevo la partita di Genova del mese di decembre: non fu fuga, ché non seresimo iti al molo ad imbarcare, et già Monfalconeto havea advertito como si dovea governare il negotia. Non so se vi trovasti in la consulta; pur ve ne dovria racordare. Che diavolo dico? Sono intrato ne casi de fuit, et non me n'era acorto. Scusimi appo voi il tropo vino et il non haver da negotiare con Covos. Como persona libera ho parlato. Facio fine, et de dì in dì, non mancando questi porchi Franciosi del debito, ve derò raguagliato delle poltronerie de Astolfo, che credo debano eser più [?che] le tristite di Covos.

> [clear, c. 31v] havendo pensato che a questa V. Ex.tia haverà havuta la zifra, ho scritto questa in la qual vi trovareti qualche cosa. Et basandoli li mani humilmente mi li raco. Di San Secondo li iiij di 9bre 1537. D. V. Ex.tia

Translation

translation_A.md

# Letter A, 4 Nov 1537: English translation

## Translation

[c. 31r] I am writing this after supper, so Your Excellency will [?hold] me excused if I am [...] brief, for besides having drunk very well of good muscatel and [?vernaccia], [?fra] l'Angiolino is waiting for me, so that the wine does not let me think of a subject, nor, if I thought of one, could I write it. Already [...] failed, for I had forgotten to say "subject". Think [?how things go]; but in spite of the wine I will say how the valiant French [?datem] [...] in this world and [...] Astolfo, who even to you had written, all through Italy, that he would fight, with the consent of our Zopo; such is the [?report], that he has withdrawn, whether [?captains] or camp-[?master], to preserve an army. The first retreat was of 20 miles; this next one will be of 40, unless your successor, the most unconquered stradiot with his beard, holds them. The good botiglioni come on shouting Tedam, Tedam, with so much noise that they [?would] frighten [?Vicencio] the Venetian if he were alive. Consider that Astolfo did not stand firm, and the first news I expect to hear is that he has ridden post to ask for money, fleeing on this [?occasion] the fearsome and [...] frightful Gallic cries, though to his [...] which to others would be a music in part-song.

[c. 31v] The great Cesare Pallavicino went by the post, quick quick, to the Marquis, to be present at this glorious retreat, one to set beside that [...]. You understand me: can it be that you have forgotten the one of [...]? I have said it after all. I am talking comedy this evening, and if one more glass were added I would go on to add the departure from Genoa in the month of December: it was not a flight, or we would not have gone to the mole to embark, and Monfalconeto had already advised how the business should be handled. I do not know whether you were at the council; still, you ought to remember it. What the devil am I saying? I have got into the cases of "fuit" and had not noticed. Let the excess of wine excuse me with you, and my not having to do business with Covos. I have spoken as a free person. I make an end, and from day to day, as long as these French swine do not fail in their duty, I will keep you informed of the cowardices of Astolfo, which I believe must be greater [?than] the wretchednesses of Covos.

> [clear, c. 31v] Having thought that by now Your Excellency will have had the cipher, I have written this, in which you will find something. And kissing your hands humbly I commend myself to you. From San Secondo, the 4th of November 1537. Your Excellency's

Rossi to Ferrante Gonzaga, San Secondo, 8 Nov 1537, c. 33r read in part

Four days later. The second retreat of 'this coward Astolfo' was forty miles as foretold, with twelve guns lost; Pinerolo and Turin are relieved; there is no money. Men from Mirandola have raided the Cremonese and sacked Piadena and another place. He breaks off to keep company with 'your prince of Luzara', who must be put to bed after supper.

Builds coherent sentences, but under the read bar of 95% of words read as sense (93% here); the holes are marked in the reading.

Transcription

transcription_B.txt

# Rossi to Ferrante Gonzaga, San Secondo 8 Nov 1537. BEU Campori, Rossi cc.33-34 (c.33r). Pass 1, frozen before decoding. Codes as in rossiA.
B01: 8 : / I : F z o I : I : o / S 8 z / F L i / D H / I : i F 4 7 P H / z i P : z y P H / P : / # 8 i I : P 4 / S 4 D P z 4 7 i
B02: P : / H I : P 4 D + 4 / I : i z i g i / P : / # 8 H y H 7 P H / V : 0 D : H / i P / F 4 I : o V 8 / F 4 7 / S i z P : P H
B03: P i / {xij} / S i T o / P i / H z P : 0 D : i z : H / o 4 / V : z : P 4 P H P 4 / F L i / P 8 g : P 4 I : F 4 S : H z
B04: F 4 V 4 / V H z 0 8 P 4 / P H P 4 / S : 8 / F L i / I : o H V o / I : 8 D F 4 V o 7 F : H z i / I : S i z 4
B05: + z H / S 4 F L o / 0 : 4 z 7 o / I : i 7 P : z i V 4 P : / g i D D 4 / i P / 8 o / I : 4 P : z F L i o 4
B06: F H 7 P i z 4 / P : / # 8 i I : P 4 / H I : P 4 D + 4 / i P / I : 8 4 : F i 7 P 8 z : 4 7 o # D H z 0 H
B07: P i / S 8 z / D i / 4 z i F L : i / H F : 4 T / S 4 I : : H P i / g i 7 i / F H S : z 4 0 7 o F 4 I : H
B08: S i z / # 8 i I : P H / 8 4 D P H / 8 : / P : z 4 / S 4 F 4 / g H I : P H / F L i / S o 7 H z 4 D 4 / i P
B09: P 8 z : 7 4 / I : 4 7 4 / I : 4 F 4 z I : o / i P / P 4 P : F : / S i T o / P i / H z P : 0 D : i z : H / S i z P 8
B10: P : / 7 4 7 / 8 : i / 8 7 4 / # 8 H P z : 7 4 / i P / S i z / D i / 8 H z D : / V i 0 P : 4 / D H / F 4 V 4 P :
B11: P H / 0 : H / # 8 i D D : / P i D H / V : z H 7 P 4 / D H / I : 4 7 4 / F 4 z I : o / I : 8 D / F z i V 4 7 i I : i
B12: i P / I : H F L i 0 : H P 4 / P 8 : / D 4 F L : / S : H P i 7 H / i P / F H I : P i D P S P 8 V 8 i P i P :
B13: F L i / S z : 7 F : / S : o / F L i / : 7 i + i P P 4 / P H / F z i V 4 7 H I : q F H 8 H 8 H D H
B14: V H 0 : 4 z / S H z P i / P i D / g H : 4 F 4 / 8 4 0 D : 4 + : 7 : z / S i z 4 / V i / L H 8 i z i P :
B15: i I : F 8 I : H P 4 / F L i / V : / g : I : 4 0 7 H / P i 7 i z / F 4 V S H 0 7 : H / H D / 0 z H 7 V i 4
B16: 8 4 I : P z 4 / S z : 7 F : S i / P : / D 8 T H z H / F L i / 7 4 7 / V : / D H I : I : H / 8 : / S i z P : / F 4 V ?
B17: 0 : i / i P / I : 8 g : P 4 / F i 7 H P 4 / i + 4 z T / V i P i z D 4 H / D i P P 4

Transcription

transcription_blind.txt

c31r.01	q 4 I co F Z q S 4 H S L I co P U P 4 _ S 4 E T 7 H S T Z 4 8 4 I co P Z U T E T D T 7 P Q? U V co L U
c31r.02	T Z U S T Z T I co F W I co H P 4 I co T I co T Z 4 A q 4 T 8 T E L T P Q? S co S P co L H 8 T Z V 4 D P? 4
c31r.03	q T 7 q T 8 P 4 P co q 4 7 4 V 4 I co F H P T D D 4 T P 8 T Z 7 H pm H D U 7 TH co 4 D co Z 4 V PH
c31r.04	T I co S T R P H I co q F L T PH D 8 co 7 4 7 4 Tau V q? D H I co I co H q V H TH co 7 H Z I co 8 TH D _? P 4 7 T
c31r.05	PH V H TH Q? 7 H 7 P 4 D 4 I co H S Z T I? PH I co F Z co 8 T Z D 4 TH PH H L H S T 8 4 + H D co P 4
c31r.06	F L T V Q? T Z H I co F 4 Z P H P 4 P co Z I co ? TH T I? P 4 S co? 7 I co H P T E 4 V Y 8 H 7 4
c31r.07	P T F 4 I co T V H U D P co I co S T R P 4 P R D 8 q 7 4 P co Z 4 F 4 V T D co 8 7 D T 7 P? q
c31r.08	+ Z H F q 4 I co q G H P T V S H I co 4 A? H P H H 8 T I co P 4 V 4 7 P 4 T R H I co P 4 D + 4
c31r.09	F L T I co q 7 H 8 q L H 8 T H I co F Z PH P 4 S T Z P 8 R P H PH P H D co H P co F 4 V q H
c31r.10	P T Z F 4 P F 4 7 I co T 7 I co 4 P T G 4 I co P Z 4 pm 4 S 4 P H D T 8 4 F T I co T
c31r.11	Z T P co Z H P 4 4 F L T F? H S tri 4 F L T V H I co P Z? 4 P co F H V S 4 S T Z
c31r.12	F 4 7 I co T Z 8 H Z T 8 7 4 T I co T Z F PH P 4 P H S Z F V H Z T P co Z H R H T I co P H P H
c31r.13	P co X X V PH TH P co H H 8 T I co P? H H R? P Z H I co T Z H P co X X X X I co H D 8 4
c31r.14	I co T PH P 8 4 I co P 4 4 I co 8 F T I co I co 4 Z T I co P Z H P co 4 P 4 q 7 5 q P q I co I co q V 4 E q 7
c31r.15	P H I co 8 H 9 H Z 9 H 7 4 7 P q Z T I P co T 7 T P q 9 4 7 q 9 4 P co 6 P co 4 7 q 8 T 7
c31r.16	6 4 7 4 F Z q P H 7 P 4 P T P H I? P T P H V F A P H 7 P 4 Z 8 V 4 Z T F L T
c31r.17	I co S H 8 T 7 P 7 W T 9 4 7 4 5 q F T 7 F q 4 8 T 7 T F q H 7 4 I co T + 8 I co I co T 8 q 8 4
c31r.18	S T 7 I co H R? T F T T H I co P 4 D + 4 7 4 7 I co P H 8 H I co H D P 4 T P D H S Z PH V H 7 4 S H
c31r.19	T I co S T R P 4 T PH 7 P T 7 P T Z T I co PH H F 4 Z I co 4 PH 7 5 4 I co P T H P 4 V H 7 P H Z T
c31r.20	P T 7 H Z T + 8 TH T? 7 P 4 F 4 7 H 8 T I co H 4 F H I co PH 7 T P T P Z T V T 9 4 7 P T T P
c31r.21	P I co S H 8 L T R? P H 8 4 P T F Z co P T TH H D co F L T S T Z 4 H P T I co 8? T 4 4 L A? L q T F L T
c31r.22	H? P H D R? Z q I co T Z co H 8? 8? 7 H V 8 I co PH F H q 7 F H 7 P 4 + co 6 8 Z H P 4 co
c31v.01	q D TH Z H qm F T I co H Z T S D H 8 q F q co 4 S T Z P T S 4 I co P T F q P 4 F co P 4 H R? P 4 P H D V H Z F L T I co T S T Z
c31v.02	P Z 8? H Z T I co q co 7 H 5? T I co P H TH D 4 Z co 4 I co H Z T P co Z H P H P H T TH 8 H TH D co H Z T I co q H H S T D D H I co 4
c31v.03	F T V T q 7 P T 7 P T P T I co I co T Z H S 4 I co q q co P T P H 8 T I co q H I co F 4 Z P H P H H S T P H P T pm H co I co
c31v.04	D L 4 S S Z P co T R? P 4 co 4 S H Z D 4 co I F 4 V T P co H H S T I co P H I co T Z H T R? I co T 7 T H TH co 4 7 TH T H
c31v.05	5 7 9 q F L T Z q P co S co 8 S q H TH co 4 7 TH T 8 4 D H S H Z P co P H P co TH T 7 4 8 H P T D V T I co L P co
c31v.06	P T F T V 9 Z T 7 4 I + 5 co? + 8 TH H F L T 7 4 7 I co T Z T I co q V 4 q P q H P V 4 D 4 H P co V 9 H Z F H
c31v.07	Z T T P TH co H V 4 7 + H D F 4 H T P 4 L H S T H H P 8 T I Z P co P 4 F 4 V 4 I co q P 4 S T H TH 4 S T Z
c31v.08	7 H L E? q D 7 T TH 4 P co 4 7 4 7 I co 4 I co T 8 co P Z 4 8 H I co P q q 7 D H F 4 I co S D R? H S S Z S T 7 T
c31v.09	P 4 8 Z co H Z H F 4 Z P H Z T F L T P co H 8 4 P 4 P co F 4 I co 4 7 4 q 7 P Z H P 4 7 T F H I co q P T
c31v.10	f? u? i? t? T P 7 4 7 V T 7 T Z H H F 4 Z P 4 I co F 8 I co q V q H S 5 4 8 4 q co D P Z H 5 4 8 co 7 4 T P
c31v.11	co P 7 4 7 L H 8 T Z P H 7 T TH 4 P co H Z T F 4 7 F 4 8 4 I co F 4 Y 4 S T Z I co 4 7 H D co 9 T Z H L 4
c31v.12	S H Z D H P 4 + H F PH 4 + co 7 T T R? P T P co co 7 P co 7 4 7 V H 7 F H 7 P 4 H S T I co P PH 5 4 Z F L PH
c31v.13	+ Z H 7 F co 4 I co q P T D P T 9 co P 4 8 T P T Z 4 Z H TH S H TH D co H P 4 P T D D T S 4 D P Z 4 7 T Z 4 co T
c31v.14	P T H I co P 4 D + 4 F L T F Z T P 4 P T 9 H 7 4 T I co T Z S co 8 F T D T P Z co I co P co P T P PH F 4 8 4 I co
c33r.01	8 co I co F Z q I co I co q S 8 Z F L T D H I co T F 4 7 P H Z T P co Z U I? H P co H 8 T I co P 4 S 4 D R? Z 4 7 T
c33r.02	P co H I co P 4 D + 4 I co T Z T 9? T P co H 8 H U H 7 P H V co TH D co H T P F 4 I co q V 8 F 4 7 S T Z P co P H
c33r.03	P T X Yd S T pm q P T H Z P co TH D co T Z co H q 4 V co Z co P 4 P H P 4 F L T P 8 q co P 4 I co F 4 S co H Z
c33r.04	F q V A? V H Z TH 8 P 4 P H P 4 S co 8 F L T I co q H V q I co 8 D F 4 V q 7 F co H Z T I co S T Z 4
c33r.05	+ Z H S 4 F L q TH co 4 Z 7 q I co T 7 P co Z T V 4 P co 9 T D D 4 T P 8 PH I co 4 P co Z F L T q 4
c33r.06	F H 7 R? T Z 4 P co H 8 T I co P 4 H I co P 4 D + 4 T P I co 8 4 co F T 7 P? 8 Z co 4 7 q H D H Z TH H
c33r.07	P T S 8 Z P T 4 Z T F L co T H F co 4 Pb? S 4 I co co? H R? T 9 T 7 T F H S co Z 4 TH 7 q F 4 I co H
c33r.08	S T Z H 8 T I co P H 8 4 D R? H 8 co P co Z 4 S 4 F 4 9 H I co P H F L T S q 7 H Z 4 D 4 T P
c33r.09	P 8 Z co 7 4 I co 4 7 4 I co 4 F 4 Z I co q T P R 4 P co F co S T pm q P T H Z P co TH D co T Z co H S T Z P 8
c33r.10	P co 7 4 7 8 co T 8 7 4 H 8 H P 4? co 7 4 T P S T Z P T 8 H Z D co V T TH P co 4 D H F 4 V 4 P co
c33r.11	R? H TH co H H 8 T P D co P T D H V co Z H 7 P 4 D H I co 4 7 4 F 4 Z I co q I co 8 D F 4 Z T V 4 7 T I co L
c33r.12	T P I co H F L T TH co H P 4 P 8 co D 4 F L co S co H P T 7 H T P F H I co R? T D P 8 P 8 V 8 T P T P co
c33r.13	F L T S Z co 7 F co S co q F T T co 7 T F T R P 4 P H F Z T V 4 7 H I co q F H 8 H 8 H D H
c33r.14	V H TH co 4 Z S H Z R? T P T D 9 H co 4 F 4 8 4 TH D co 4 + co 7 co Z S T Z 4 V T L H 8 T Z T P co
c33r.15	T I co F 8 I co H P 4 F L T V co 9 co I co 4 TH 7 H P T 7 T Z F 4 V S H TH 7 co H Z D TH Z H 7 V T 4
c33r.16	8 4 I co P Z 4 S Z co 7 F co S T P co D 8 pm H pm H F L T 7 4 7 V co D H I co I co H 8 co 8 T Z P co F 4 Z ?
c33r.17	TH co T T R? I co 8 9 co P 4 F T 7 H P 4 T + 4 Z pm V T P T Z D 4 H P T R? P 4

Decryption

decryption_B.txt

# Letter B, San Secondo 8 Nov 1537: c. 33r lines B01-B17. Line by line against transcription_B.txt.
# T = first transcription (frozen before decoding; / = gap on the sheet). K = key.tsv applied sign by sign, with P printed t throughout.
# S = the same with P and D recoded by the shape verdicts of the second look (not blind). R = the reading, aligned unit by unit
# (word division added; _ unread; - sign dropped; (tt) one sign for two letters; clear roman numerals and the Latin word fuit left out of R).

B01 T  8 : / I: F z o I: I: o / S 8 z / F L i / D H / I: i F 4 7 P H / z i P : z y P H / P : / # 8 i I: P 4 / S 4 D P z 4 7 i
B01 K  ui scrissi pur che la seconta retirata ti questo poltrone
B01 S  ui scrissi pur che la seconda retirata di questo poltrone
B01 R  ui scrissi pur che la seconda retirata di questo poltrone

B02 T  P : / H I: P 4 D + 4 / I: i z i g i / P : / # 8 H y H 7 P H / V : 0 D : H / i P / F 4 I: o V 8 / F 4 7 / S i z P : P H
B02 K  ti astolfo serebe ti quaaanta miglia et cosimu con pertita
B02 S  di astolfo serebe di quaaanta miglia et cosimu con perdita
B02 R  di astolfo serebe di quaranta miglia et cosifu con perdita

B03 T  P i / {xij} / S i T o / P i / H z P : 0 D : i z : H / o 4 / V : z : P 4 P H P 4 / F L i / P 8 g : P 4 I: F 4 S : H z
B03 K  te {xij} pezi te artiglieria io miritotato che tubitoscopiar
B03 S  de {xij} pezi de artiglieria io miridotato che dubitoscopiar
B03 R  de pezi de artiglieria io miridotato che dubitoscopiar

B04 T  F 4 V 4 / V H z 0 8 P 4 / P H P 4 / S : 8 / F L i / I: o H V o / I: 8 D F 4 V o 7 F : H z i / I: S i z 4
B04 K  como marguto tato piu che siami sulcominciare spero
B04 S  como marguto tato piu che siami sulcominciare spero
B04 R  como marguto tato piu che siamo sulcominciare spero

B05 T  + z H / S 4 F L o / 0 : 4 z 7 o / I: i 7 P : z i V 4 P : / g i D D 4 / i P / 8 o / I: 4 P : z F L i o 4
B05 K  fra pochi giorni sentiremoti bello et ui sotircheio
B05 S  fra pochi giorni sentiremodi bello et ui sodircheio
B05 R  fra pochi giorni sentiremodi bello et ui sodircheio

B06 T  F H 7 P i z 4 / P : / # 8 i I: P 4 / H I: P 4 D + 4 / i P / I: 8 4 : F i 7 P 8 z : 4 7 o # D H z 0 H
B06 K  cantero ti questo astolfo et suoicenturionialarga
B06 S  cantero ti questo astolfo et suoicenturionialarga
B06 R  cantero di questo astolfo et suoicenturionialarga

B07 T  P i / S 8 z / D i / 4 z i F L : i / H F : 4 T / S 4 I: : H P i / g i 7 i / F H S : z 4 0 7 o F 4 I: H
B07 K  te pur le orechie acioz posiate bene capirognicosa
B07 S  te pur le orechie acioz posiate bene capirognicosa
B07 R  te pur le orechie acio_ posiate bene capirognicosa

B08 T  S i z / # 8 i I: P H / 8 4 D P H / 8 : / P : z 4 / S 4 F 4 / g H I: P H / F L i / S o 7 H z 4 D 4 / i P
B08 K  per questa uolta ui tiro poco basta che pinarolo et
B08 S  per questa uolta ui diro poco basta che pinarolo et
B08 R  per questa uolta ui diro poco basta che pinarolo et

B09 T  P 8 z : 7 4 / I: 4 7 4 / I: 4 F 4 z I: o / i P / P 4 P : F : / S i T o / P i / H z P : 0 D : i z : H / S i z P 8
B09 K  turino sono socorsi et totici pezi te artiglieria pertu
B09 S  turino sono socorsi et dodici pezi de artiglieria perdu
B09 R  turino sono socorsi et dodici pezi de artiglieria perdu

B10 T  P : / 7 4 7 / 8 : i / 8 7 4 / # 8 H P z : 7 4 / i P / S i z / D i / 8 H z D : / V i 0 P : 4 / D H / F 4 V 4 P :
B10 K  ti non uie uno quatrino et per le uarli megtio la comoti
B10 S  ti non uie uno quatrino et per le uarli meglio la comodi
B10 R  ti non uie uno quatrino et per le ualli meglio la comodi

B11 T  P H / 0 : H / # 8 i D D : / P i D H / V : z H 7 P 4 / D H / I: 4 7 4 / F 4 z I: o / I: 8 D / F z i V 4 7 i I: i
B11 K  ta gia quelli tela miranto la sono corsi sul cremonese
B11 S  ta gia quelli dela mirando la sono corsi sul cremonese
B11 R  ta gia quelli dela mirando la sono corsi sul cremonese

B12 T  i P / I: H F L i 0 : H P 4 / P 8 : / D 4 F L : / S : H P i 7 H / i P / F H I: P i D P S P 8 V 8 i P i P :
B12 K  et sachegiato tui lochi piatena et casteltptumueteti
B12 S  et sachegiato dui lochi piadena et casteltptumueteti
B12 R  et sachegiato dui lochi piadena et castel___________

B13 T  F L i / S z : 7 F : / S : o / F L i / : 7 i + i P P 4 / P H / F z i V 4 7 H I: q F H 8 H 8 H D H
B13 K  che princi pii che inefetto ta cremonasicauauala
B13 S  che princi pii che inefetto da cremonasicauauala
B13 R  che princi pii che inefetto da cremonasicauauala

B14 T  V H 0 : 4 z / S H z P i / P i D / g H : 4 F 4 / 8 4 0 D : 4 + : 7 : z / S i z 4 / V i / L H 8 i z i P :
B14 K  magior parte tel baioco uogliofinir pero me hauereti
B14 S  magior parte del baioco uogliofinir pero me hauereti
B14 R  magior parte del baioco uogliofinir pero me hauereti

B15 T  i I: F 8 I: H P 4 / F L i / V : / g : I: 4 0 7 H / P i 7 i z / F 4 V S H 0 7 : H / H D / 0 z H 7 V i 4
B15 K  escusato che mi bisogna tener compagnia al granmeo
B15 S  escusato che mi bisogna tener compagnia al granmeo
B15 R  escusato che mi bisogna tener compagnia al granmeo

B16 T  8 4 I: P z 4 / S z : 7 F : S i / P : / D 8 T H z H / F L i / 7 4 7 / V : / D H I: I: H / 8 : / S i z P : / F 4 V ?
B16 K  uostro principe ti luzara che non mi lassa ui perti com_
B16 S  uostro principe di luzara che non mi lassa ui perti com_
B16 R  uostro principe di luzara che non mi lassa _______ ____

B17 T  0 : i / i P / I: 8 g : P 4 / F i 7 H P 4 / i + 4 z T / V i P i z D 4 H / D i P P 4
B17 K  gie et subito cenato eforz meterloa letto
B17 S  gie et subito cenato eforz meterloa letto
B17 R  ___ et subito cenato eforz meterloa letto

Reading

reading_B.md

# Letter B: Pier Maria Rossi, count of San Secondo, to Ferrante Gonzaga. San Secondo, 8 Nov 1537 (c. 33r)

## Reading

[c. 33r] Vi scrissi pur che la seconda retirata di questo poltrone di Astolfo serebe di quaranta miglia, et così fu, con perdita de xij pezi de artiglieria. Io mi rido ta[n]to che dubito scopiar como Marguto, ta[n]to più che siamo sul cominciare. Spero fra pochi giorni sentiremo di bello, et vi so dir che io canterò di questo Astolfo et suoi centurioni. Alargate pur le orechie, aciò [...] posiate bene capir ogni cosa. Per questa volta vi dirò poco: basta che Pinarolo et Turino sono socorsi, et dodici pezi de artiglieria perduti. Non vi è uno quatrino, et per le [?valli] [?meglio] la [?comodità]. Già quelli dela Mirandola sono corsi sul Cremonese et sachegiato dui lochi, Piadena et Castel[...]; [?vedeti] che principii, ché in efetto da Cremona si cavava la magior parte del baioco. Voglio finir, però me havereti escusato, ché mi bisogna tener compagnia al gran Meo vostro principe di Luzara, che non mi lassa [?viver] [?di] com[...]gie; et subito cenato è forz[a] meterlo a letto.

> [clear, c. 33r] et a V. Ex.tia humilmente basando li mani mi li raco et prego Dio la conservi felicemente. Di San Secondo li viij di 9bre MDXXXVij. D. V. Ex.tia [?servitor] El conte de San Secondo

Translation

translation_B.md

# Letter B, 8 Nov 1537: English translation

## Translation

[c. 33r] I did write to you that the second retreat of this coward Astolfo would be of forty miles, and so it was, with the loss of 12 pieces of artillery. I laugh [?so] much that I fear I shall burst like Margutte, [?the] more as we are only at the beginning. I hope within a few days we shall hear something fine, and I can tell you that I shall sing of this Astolfo and his centurions. So open your ears wide, so that [...] you can take everything in. For this time I will tell you little: enough that Pinerolo and Turin are relieved, and twelve pieces of artillery lost. There is not a farthing, and through the [?valleys] [?better] the [?convenience]. Already the men of Mirandola have raided the Cremonese and sacked two places, Piadena and Castel[...]; [?see] what beginnings, for in fact the greater part of the money was drawn from Cremona. I want to finish, so you will hold me excused, for I have to keep company with the gran Meo, your prince of Luzara, who does not let me [?live] [?for] [...]; and as soon as he has supped he has to be [?put] to bed.

> [clear, c. 33r] And humbly kissing Your Excellency's hands I commend myself to you and pray God keep you in happiness. From San Secondo, the 8th of November 1537. Your Excellency's [?servant], the count of San Secondo

Key: key.tsv

07 Sources

Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, Modena, Autografoteca Campori, Lettera R, Rossi (conte di San Secondo), cc. 31–32: record; cc. 33–34: record; images through the Estense IIIF service (licence stated CC BY-NC-SA).
Malcolm McBratney, the target folder: transcriptions (first and blind), key, decryptions, units and d/t ledgers, readings, translations, timestamps; issue #428 and pull request #451.
Catalogue entry 1564 (Italian sweep of the Estense library, vetted 29 October 2026), now narrowed to the Gosellini letter.

The notes, the key, the transcriptions, the ledgers, the readings, the translations and the timestamp files are in targets/rossi1537.

Cite this page

Malcolm McBratney, “Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo to Ferrante Gonzaga, 4 and 8 November 1537”, Cyphersolver, posted 12 November 2026, https://cyphersolver.com/rossi1537.html.