The Duke of Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 18 April 1524

transcription_f128.txt

# Sessa -> Charles V, Rome 18 Apr 1524 (RAH 9/31 = Salazar A-31 f.128r-v; duplicate ff.130-131). Cipher passage, pass 1.
# Two copies collated (f.128 = R9877_P1 right page; f.130 = R9878_P1 right page). f~ = clear/cipher switch. ꝑo = plural-s sign.
# ꝺ and 3 are two r-like signs not yet told apart reliably; g and 3 similar; x and ⅄ similar.
[clear] ... exortase a sus. q buscase alguna buena forma de paz. esto es lo q me ha Referido α—
L0: f~ v db mus ꝑo rad ꝑo vo ꝑo ler le mus ꝑo lif 3 z y gap le nf 4 do x
L1: ꝑo Jim nf g ttt bo3 do gap sof ꝺ x α boe ꝺ an # 4 gap g3 oo Є x ꝺ o     (f.130: ...gap g3 oo Є x ꝺ o)
L2: Є x ꝺ α suf 4 cih ꝑo z rus hay lex f~ me parece q concuerda mucho
L3: con lo primero y postrero q el dicho obpo dize al maestro de postas
L4: f~ bla g qid mus 4 ꝺ α α coh α f~ pedirle q haya provisio f~ sof
L5: per ꝺ α kel ꝑo ttt α ꝑo Jim sof cum nf g ꝺ cih α g ꝺ qid ram
L6: kef ꝑo v ⅄g gap ꝺ boy kef ꝑo gap lex v ꝺ g bad do f~ pues tiene
L7: color para ello / aviendo comenzado f~ mus hud suf α Jep 4 bob ꝺ
L8 (f.128v): q α f~ entender lo q mas podre α— Al visorrey escrivo en el mismo punto / Sa.ma Ce. Ca. Mt. nro sor guarde la Sa.ma persona de V.M. con augmento de mayores Reynos e Senorios / De Roma xviij de Abril 1524

# ---- pass 2 (token sheets tok/f128_L*.png, lines located by ink profile; token numbers in brackets) ----
# Signs: ꝑo = plural -s (follows the group); ꝑ = y (the p-with-bar sign, = q+ of pass 1); Ɉ = d (hooked y-like sign, distinct from g); ꝺ = r (6-like); 3 = i; g = e; nf = p; 4 = o; α = a; ott = t; tto = b; ttt = c(a)?; cih = su.
P1: f~ v db | mus | ꝑo?rad | ꝑo?vo | ꝑo | lex | le | mus ꝑo | lif | ꝺ z y | gap | le | nf 4 | do x
P2: ꝑo | Jim | nf g | ttt | bo3 | do | gap | sof | ꝺ x | α | boe | ꝺ an | # 4 | gap | ꝺ 3 | oo | Є
P3: Є | x | ꝺ | α | suf 4 | cih | ꝑo | z | rus | hay | lex | f~ me parece q concuerda mucho
P4: con lo primero y postrero q el dicho obpo dize al maestro de postas
P5: f~ | b | la | g | qid | mus | 4 ꝺ α | α | coh | α | f~ pedirle q haya provisio f~ | sof
P6: per ꝺ α | kel ꝑo | ttt α ꝑo | Jim | sof | cum | nf g ꝺ | cih | α Ɉ | 3 | qid | ram
P7: kef ꝑo | ⅄ | g | gap | ꝺ | boy | kef ꝑo | gap | lex | v | ꝺ | g | bad | do | f~ pues tiene
P8: color para ello / aviendo comenzado f~ | mus | hud | suf α | lep | ꝑ | bob | ꝺ

f128_decryption.md

# f. 128 (R9877, duplicate R9878): Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 18 Apr 1524, the reading

Copied 22 Oct 2026 verbatim from NOTES.md, section 3. The cipher transcription is `transcription_f128.txt`; the key `key_working.md`.

## 3. Reading of ff. 128–131 (2026-09-18, in part; eight passes, see key_working.md)

Clear opening (f. 128r): *Teniendo escripto y cerrado el pliego del duplicado de xiiij deste que sera con esta, vi
una letra del obispo Verulano que esta en Constancia, de que aqui embio copia. Luego embie a Su Santidad a
suplicalle me mandase avisar de alguna particularidad para dar noticia della do conviniese. Mandome a mi Felice su
secretario, el qual me ha dicho que las letras que tiene son del dicho Verulano de vj y vij del presente, do dize
que hera acabada la dieta, y que Lucerna no concluyo de dar ayuda a franceses; que los cantones de Berna y Friburk
y Solodor, y para mas facilitarla y traer los animos del pueblo, publican que los suyços en Lombardia estavan
cercados y en grand peligro, con que juntava hasta el numero de ocho mill, que davan nombre de partir muy presto,
pero que el no podia saber el quando, por estar en Costancia donde algunos de sus amigos de Suyça le escrivian para
que exortase a Sus. que buscase alguna buena forma de paz. Esto es lo que me ha referido.*

Cipher (eight lines on f. 128r, one on f. 128v; the duplicate ff. 130–131 is token-for-token the same). Method:
every line cut into tokens by `tokens.py` (sheets in `tok/`, one PNG per token in `tok/*_tiles/`), the same done
for the deciphered siblings f. 138, ff. 168v, 170–171 and 322, and values assigned by aligning those against
their clears (f. 140, f. 172, f. 324). Transcription: [transcription_f128.txt](transcription_f128.txt).

> ¶ las dichas [vo]s no le las mostraron, que le ponen sospecha que desea aver algo que r-e-f-i-e-r-a de lo suso
> [ruc] [hay] no / **me parece que concuerda mucho con lo primero y postrero que el dicho obispo dize al maestro de
> postas** / hablé en la ora a Su Santidad a **pedirle que haya provisión** de [pa]-r-a los casos de suyços,
> persuadiéndole los m-re que r-ido los que no m-r-e-van / **pues tiene color para ello, aviendo començado** la
> plática de la paz y tregua r-[…] **entender lo que mas podré. Al visorrey escrivo en el mismo punto.**

Sense: Felice will not show Sessa the bishop's own letters, since they make him suspect that Sessa wants to get
something out of them for himself; Sessa nonetheless finds the report consistent with what the bishop writes to
the postmaster (Gabriel de Tassis: his Italian letter of 6 April, *tutti Elvetij son in arme … expedisca volando a
Milano et Roma*, is bound as f. 131); he went at once to the Pope to ask for a provision of money for the Swiss
business, persuading him that he has the colour (pretext) for it, having opened the peace-and-truce negotiation.
This is the news Bergenroth abstracts from the 22 April letter (CSP 643).

Pass 10 (the January 1525 letter R9897, same cipher, verbose clear on ff. 14v–15; fetched with the saved DECODE
cookie) attested `rad` = *dicha*, `boy`/`bez` = *-ido*, `Є` = *h*, `kel` = `kef` (*los*), and `lif 3` = *quiere*
(key_working.md, pass 10). Unread now: `vo` (the noun after *dichas*: the bishop's letters or their copies),
`z y` (the verb after *quiere*, *mostrar* from the sense), `per`, `rus`, `hay`, and the clause *los m-re que r-ido
los que no m-r-e-van*, where one sign value (probably `v`) is still wrong. The other 1525 letter, R9898 (14 pp.),
was then read through as well (pass 12): it seemed to carry no decipherment (wrong: see section 5, it has six marginal ones), so it gave only
contexts (`z y` also after *si*; `ruc`/`rus` is a person who *ha respondido*; `hud` again in *la plática de la paz*).
Pass 13 (the 24 July 1524 letter R9893, cipher f. 483 with its clear on f. 485) corrected `lif` to *mostrar*
(*ni se quiere mostrar* = `lep dim fa lif 3 α`, `fa` = *quiere*) and gave `zum` = *hay*, `tas` *cosa*, `luh`
*mundo*, `qit` *estado*, `lic` *monsieur*, `gel` *qual*. Open now: `vo`, `z y` (after *mostrar*; also after
*si* in 1525; probably a conjunction, *porque* or *diziendo*), `per`, `rus`/`ruc` (a person), and the clause
*los m-re que r-ido*.

Pass 14 matched templates of the unread tokens against every downloaded page (`tmatch.py`). The September 1523
letter R9834, whose cipher faces its clear on f. 38, gives `z y` = *-on* (*dilataron*, *concedieron*), so the first
sentence reads *las dichas [vo]s no le las mostraron*. `ruc` and `hay` occur only in the 14 April 1524 letter R9873,
which has no decipherment; `vo` and `per` match nowhere. Those four are the residue.

The seven 1523 Sessa letters DECODE marks "Decrypted" (R9676, R9691, R9693, R9781, R9834, R9836, R9841; about 50
pages, fetched into `img/` with the cookie) use **the same cipher** (`sof`, `gap`, `ram`, `bas`, `qes`, `lex`, `cih`
all recur; R9781's August 1523 cipher block has its clear on f. 651). They are the remaining source for the four
open groups; aligning them is the same token-sheet work as passes 1–13. Pass 11 (the rest of
R9897, ff. 10–13v, against ff. 14v–15) confirmed `hud` = *plática*, `rad` = *dicha*, and added *larga*, *fue*,
*esto*, *tiempo*, *para*, *después*, *llegar*, *miento*, but none of the five (key_working.md, pass 11).

f128_reading.md

<!-- Reading of f. 128 (R9877) (Claude Opus 5.5, 23 Oct 2026): the clear opening and the cipher passage of f128_decryption.md (the project's decipherment, key_working.md, passes 1-14), put together as one text; words and spellings as there (accents as there), word division and punctuation as there. The cipher (in **bold** there) is the stretch from "las dichas" to the end; the bold in f128_decryption.md marks the parts read securely. Unread groups are [vo] → [?vo]s, [ruc] [hay] → […] […], [pa]- → [?pa]; the letters joined by hyphens are spelled out sign by sign there and written here as words where they make one ("refiera", "para"), else kept as spelled. -->

# Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 18 April 1524 (RAH Salazar, f. 128, R9877): reading

## Reading

Teniendo escripto y cerrado el pliego del duplicado de xiiij deste que sera con esta, vi una letra del obispo Verulano que esta en Constancia, de que aqui embio copia. Luego embie a Su Santidad a suplicalle me mandase avisar de alguna particularidad para dar noticia della do conviniese. Mandome a mi Felice su secretario, el qual me ha dicho que las letras que tiene son del dicho Verulano de vj y vij del presente, do dize que hera acabada la dieta, y que Lucerna no concluyo de dar ayuda a franceses; que los cantones de Berna y Friburk y Solodor, y para mas facilitarla y traer los animos del pueblo, publican que los suyços en Lombardia estavan cercados y en grand peligro, con que juntava hasta el numero de ocho mill, que davan nombre de partir muy presto, pero que el no podia saber el quando, por estar en Costancia donde algunos de sus amigos de Suyça le escrivian para que exortase a Sus. que buscase alguna buena forma de paz. Esto es lo que me ha referido.

Las dichas [?vo]s no le las mostraron, que le ponen sospecha que desea aver algo que refiera de lo suso […] […] no. Me parece que concuerda mucho con lo primero y postrero que el dicho obispo dize al maestro de postas. Hablé en la ora a Su Santidad a pedirle que haya provisión de [?pa]ra los casos de suyços, persuadiéndole los m-re que r-ido los que no m-r-e-van, pues tiene color para ello, aviendo començado la plática de la paz y tregua r-[…]. Entender lo que mas podré. Al visorrey escrivo en el mismo punto.

f128_en.md

<!-- English translation of texts/f128_reading.md (Claude Opus 5.5, 23 Oct 2026): the clear opening and the cipher passage of Sessa's letter of 18 April 1524 (f. 128, R9877). The cipher begins at "The said". Same holes: [?vo] unread noun (the bishop's letters or their copies), […] unread groups; the garbled clause "los m-re que r-ido los que no m-r-e-van" is left untranslated as written. -->

# Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 18 April 1524 (RAH Salazar, f. 128, R9877): English translation

Having written and closed the packet of the duplicate of the 14th of this month, which will come with this, I saw a
letter of the Bishop Verulano, who is at Constance, of which I send a copy herewith. I then sent to His Holiness to beg
him to have me told of any particular, so as to give notice of it where fitting. He sent me Felice, his secretary, who
has told me that the letters he has are from the said Verulano, of the 6th and 7th of this month, where he says that
the diet was over, and that Lucerne did not conclude to give help to the French; that the cantons of Bern, Fribourg and
Solothurn — and to make it easier and win over the minds of the people they publish that the Swiss in Lombardy were
surrounded and in great danger — with which he was gathering up to the number of eight thousand, who gave out that
they would leave very soon, but that he could not know when, being at Constance, where some of his friends from
Switzerland wrote to him to exhort His Holiness to seek some good form of peace. This is what he has reported to me.

The said [?vo]s they did not show him, for they make him suspect that [he] wishes to have something to report of the
above […] […] not. It seems to me that it agrees closely with the first and last things that the said bishop says to
the master of the posts. I spoke at once to His Holiness to ask him that there be provision [?for] the affairs of the
Swiss, persuading him los m-re que r-ido los que no m-r-e-van, since he has a pretext for it, having begun the talk of
peace and truce r-[…]. I shall learn what more I can. I am writing to the Viceroy on the same point.

read_r9873.md

# R9873: Duke of Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 14 April 1524 (RAH Salazar A-31 ff. 79-86)

Status: read in part (2 Oct 2026; pass 17 3 Oct 2026). Transcription and reading line by line: [r9873_cipher.txt](r9873_cipher.txt).
Key: [key_working.md](key_working.md), passes 1-16. Measured with `python measure_read.py r9873_cipher.txt`.

## The document

DECODE R9873, 8 images (P1 = f. 86v address + f. 79r; P7 = ff. 79v-80r; P3 = 80v-81r; P5 = 81v-82r; P2 = 82v-83r;
P4 = 83v-84r; P8 = 84v-85r; P6 = 85v-86r). Holograph, clear with cipher runs on ff. 80v-84r and a postscript wholly in
cipher on f. 86r, dated in clear *A xiiij de Abril 1524*. ff. 79r-80r, 84v-85v are clear.

No decipherment is bound with it. Bergenroth (CSP Spain ii no. 637) calendars it as "deciphered by Don Manuel de
Goicoechea" (19th century) and "in all essential parts identical with" no. 636, the triplicate of the same despatch
(Gayangos MS, contemporary deciphering), and no. 638 is a court abstract of it with Gattinara's notes. Those three
abstracts ([csp/csp2_636_638.txt](csp/csp2_636_638.txt)) were used as a topic crib only: they paraphrase in English,
so no group value was taken from them without a second Spanish context.

## Measurement

| | tokens |
|---|---|
| cipher tokens in the (b) reading | 2,473 |
| read as sense, pass 16 | 2,165 (87.5%) |
| read as sense, pass 17 (pooled tentative values; key_working.md) | 2,295 of 2,474 (**92.8%**); strict, pass-17 values open: 87.8% |
| in open code groups | 256 |
| spelled letters that do not make a word (a sign value or a transcription slip) | 52 |
| tentative values counted as read | 69 groups |

`lm.best_language` on the assembled reading: es-modern -2.03, ca -2.35, pt -2.67.

## Content (cipher passages, in order)

- **f. 80v-81r.** The disbanding of the army in Navarre was already known in Rome; it is said there that the Emperor
  will hold cortes in Burgos and then in Aragon and Catalonia and, with the service granted, come to Italy, which
  does not please this court. The coming of the Archbishop of Capua (he left Blois on the 7th with the truce
  articles; the Pope had a copy given to Sessa) would settle *estas alteraciones*. Sessa proposed two things: that
  the archbishop go from France to England first, *para satisfazer a la autoridad del rey*, and that the King of
  France pay the King of England the pension he used to pay before the war, for the length of the truce. Starting
  from the Pope it would have been easier; it was not done, *no se si del poco aparejo que saben* there is for
  carrying the war on; they try to settle things with less difficult conditions. Couriers by sea and by land
  (Rodrigo de Mayorga); the coming, quality and nature of *el dicho duque*.
- **f. 81v.** The Emperor's estimation; the 4,000 ducats the Lodi men took at the Stradella, sent by the Pope *con
  nombre que yva al [kam] de su casa*.
- **f. 82r.** The Pope at first *muy bravo*, then cooled; his difficulty in contributing to the army; the Florentines
  have given nothing; he has told Sessa he will write this week to the Cardinal of Cortona that Ippolito, his nephew,
  is to assist at the government (of Florence); he has made good the said 4,000 ducats lost and is sending another
  4,000 this week; he is *en grandissimo conflicto*, temporising, not willing to disdain the enemies; nothing hoped
  for has come from England; those near him conform him in this irresolution and draw him away, *si no Micer
  Agostino Foyeta* (Foglietta); Sessa declares himself *mas aficionado* (to the Pope's service).
- **f. 82v.** Sessa has found a sum of ducats on exchange for the viceroy's need to keep the army (with the bishops
  of Salamanca and Ávila). England: the nuncio's letters of 26 March say the King takes no great heart to undertake
  the war and waits for the Emperor's resolution; the Cardinal (Wolsey) said lately that if the Pope got the King of
  France to send a person *debaxo de alguna onesta color*, the truce or peace would be heard, so as not to seem to
  incline to it himself, *que seria perder de reputacion*; the English will not contribute to the war in Italy *por
  ninguna via*; Madama (Margaret) writes the same.
- **f. 83r.** Advice: the Emperor's estimation, in peace or in war, must grow and be kept, more with friends than
  with enemies; the confederates; to treat with the Pope; marriages and the advancement of his nephews; the Emperor's
  coming to Italy, *sin hablarlo con Su Sd.*; *no fiandose V.Md. en la que hizo con la buena memoria del papa Leon*.
- **f. 83v.** If the Emperor came to Italy with great power ...; the pontificate; Alberto Pio, Count of Carpi *(que
  da al B-e-r-t-o del C-a-r-p-i-o)* and his credit with the Datary.
- **f. 86r (postscript).** The Pope and his ministers are grieved beyond measure at the disbanding; those who advised
  his irresolution think they have won; he will not declare himself in a defensive or offensive league, although they
  judge there was never a time so fit to break the wings of the French; if on that frontier and in Picardy something
  were done, the Pope would decide, though Sessa has always known him inclined to abase the French; what holds him
  back is fear; they wait for what the Archbishop of Capua brings.

The order and substance match CSP 636 point for point (cortes; Capua from Blois; the two proposals; the pension; ill
prepared for war; 4,000 ducats at Lodi; the nuncio's letters of 26 March; the English will not contribute; Madame
Margaret; friends and enemies). That agreement is the check on the reading.

## Key additions from this letter (pass 16)

`ruc`/`rus` = dicho (with `rad` = dicha), `hay` = aunque (tentative), `fed` = rey de Francia, `xir` = cardenal,
`lot` = nuncio, `pof` = exercito, `kuc` = liga, `tig` = contra, `cuq` = tengo, `yod`/`quf` = amigo/enemigo,
`gat` = esto (*estonces*), and the name *Micer Agostino Foyeta*. These close the f. 128 residue *de lo suso[rus]
[hay] no* = *de lo susodicho, aunque no*.

## Remaining gaps

- about 120 code groups open, most attested once (`xoc` x4; `qat`, `var` x3; `yeg`, `siz`, `som`, `col`, `yam`,
  `Jam`, `cox`, `lon`, `dis`, `leg`, `gig`, `caz`, `lez`, `gul` x2) - blocker: open-codes; a single context does not
  fix them and no sibling decipherment contains them (pass-14 template search; the R9898 marginal decipherments)
- 52 spelled-letter tokens that do not assemble into words (e.g. *a-t-a-r-a-r*, *b-r-i-l-i-a*, *p-u-e-r-e*) -
  blocker: open-codes; one sign value or a transcription slip in each; a token-tile check (tokens.py) would settle them
- the duplicate/triplicate with Goicoechea's reading is not imaged - blocker: needs-physical-access (RAH; the
  triplicate is in the Gayangos MS, CSP 636)

r9873_reading.md

# R9873 — the Duke of Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 14 April 1524 (RAH Salazar A-31 ff. 79-86), the reading

Rests on: the cipher transcription and line-by-line decode `r9873_cipher.txt` (pass 16, 2 Oct 2026; DECODE images
IMG_R9873_I46008_P1-P8), the key in `key_working.md` (passes 1-17) and the b23 re-read (23 Oct 2026,
`texts/r9873-r9898_reread_log.md`). No decipherment of this copy exists on the DECODE record (8 images, every one
opened 23 Oct 2026: clear text and cipher only); Goicoechea's 19th-century reading (CSP Spain ii 637) and the
triplicate with its contemporary deciphering (CSP 636, Gayangos MS) are not imaged anywhere found. Bergenroth's
English abstracts (CSP 636-638, `csp/csp2_636_638.txt`) were used as a topic check only, never as the source of a word.

The text runs in the order of the working file: the clear passages it quotes, and the cipher runs joined into
sentences, in the period spelling. Where the working file does not transcribe a clear passage, a line
"[clear text not transcribed]" stands for it.

Marks: `[?word]` partly carried (a tentative code value, or spelled letters that need one sign read as its look-alike
or one letter mended); `[word]` supplied, carried by nothing; `[…]` unread; `[…kam]` an open code group (the group
named after the ellipsis, so that it counts as a hole). Unbracketed words are carried by the figures with a code value
attested in a deciphered sibling or by the clear text. Values adopted in b23 (see the log): `gal` embia (R9898 f.150r
margin), `hog` querria (R9899 f.194v margin), `cer` teni, `lar` miento, `sur`/`luc` parte, `gul` si, `nuf` gente,
`qu` o, `tt` s (plural), `reb` dezi-, `dis` servido, `gom` quatro, `lo` mill, `ror` ducado, `kaz` mente; the sense-only ones among them are flagged
for review in the log.

## Reading

### f. 80v (image P3, left)

Donde ha sido necessario he dicho lo que V.M. me manda sobre el deshazerse el exercito por esas partes.

[clear text not transcribed]

### f. 81r (P3, right)

Se sabia ya por Francia, aunque con algunas adiciones, porque quieren verificar que V.Md. hazia cortes en Burgos y despues las ternia en Aragon y Cataluña, y con el [?servicio] que […sig]s se [?sabe] se venia a [?Italia], que no satisfaze en todos los oydos de esta corte.

La [?venida] del arçobispo de Capua assegurara destas alteraciones, del qual se sabe oy que partio a los siete deste de Blaes con los apuntamientos de tregua que alli avia significado, de que Su Sd. le ha mandado dar la copia.

[?Antes] que de aqui […sas]ission, propuse dos cosas: la una que desde Francia pasase en Ingalaterra, porque para satisfazer a la autoridad del rey le pareçia que convenia, y tambien porque juntamente con el podria yr persona con resolucion a V.M.

Y la […fum] [?aunque] en los partidos de la dicha tregua por el tiempo que durase [?obligasse] el rey de Francia la pension al de Inglaterra que le solia dar [?antes] de la guerra.

Que saliendo de Su Sd. hera harto mejor y fuera punto mas facil para acabarlo en la paz, aviendose començado por la dicha tregua.

No se hizo; no se si del poco aparejo que saben que en essas partes y en las de Ingalaterra hay para pasar la guerra adelante.

[…qat]s [?piensan] atajar las cosas con condiciones menos dificultosas.

He lo tornado a dezir a Su Sd., y dize que aun seremos a tiempo.

Muy particularmente avise a V.M. con dos correos por [?tierra] y con otro por la mar, y despues con Rodrigo de Mayorga, el qual ha estado en Genova xx dias por falta de pasaje, de la [?venida] del dicho duque y de su calidad y natura, y de todo lo demas que me parecio convenir a este articulo; quiera Dios que los despachos sean llegados en salvamento.

Tambien, viendo que lo de Lombardia comiença a yr en prosperidad, escrivi al [?visorrey] […siz] […sul] se […som] […tup]

### f. 81v (P5, left)

Do V.Md. fuesse avisado del estado de la guerra.

Y que se le […col]se, que se le [?…]se a el [?…] y a [?monsieur] de [?Beorren] el […ce3ꝍ] [?aca] estas materias, porque desde alla con la variedad de la dicha guerra no se podria hazer juyzio claro de lo que conviniese, y para tirarse ya donde mas satisfiziese a la estimacion de V.Md. y se […] […] de sus estados.

Mandarlo ha proveer segun viere mas convenir a su servicio.

[clear text not transcribed]

Tambien se avra dado noticia de como los dias pasados tomaron los de Lodi en la Stradela quatro mill ducados que el papa embiava para ayuda de la paga de la gente, con nonbre que yva al […kam] de su casa.

### f. 82r (P5, right)

[clear text not transcribed]

Dexare de importunar, valga lo que valiere.

Al principio estuvo Su Sd. muy bravo y […hoz]a […liz]a [?…]; despues se ha enfriado.

No he podido hazer en este articulo la demostracion que [?fuera], porque teniendose por amigo de V.Md. no ha […kag], como si del todo fuera contrario o neutral; mas no se ha dexado de intentar lo necessario.

La dificultad que hazia en el contribuir para el sostenimiento del exercito, tanto por si como por [?florentines], ya la he dicho abundantemente.

[?Florentines] despues de […yam]o no ha dado ninguna cosa.

Ha le [?dicho] Su Sd. que despachara esta semana al cardenal de Cortona que […kar]a Ypolito, de […la] su sobrino, assistir al govierno de [?Florencia], y que [?llamara] que den […].

Su Sd. ha [?suplido] los dichos quatro mill ducados que se perdieron, y […kuf] en […] con pensa de […yam]s embio otros […cio] […] y otros quatro mill embiara esta semana.

[?Tratase] lo que [?…] por lo que [?…] esta.

[?Aunque] con la ynposibilidad encubre lo que quiere, lo que tengo para mostrar es que Su Sd. ha estado en grandissimo conflito, [?teniendo] el [?exercito] de lo de [?Lombardia], y no ha querido ni dexarnos a nosotros ni tanpoco desdeñar a los enemigos, y assi va tenporizado.

[?Socorre] a […qat] lo que ya tengo dicho [?…] que por esas partes ni por las de Inglaterra no se haze ninguno de los […njh]s que se esperavan.

Y los que estan cerca de Su Sd. [?antes] conforman el […oap]r y la […cod] para [?cobrar]le en esta ynresolucion, y que lo apartan, si no Micer Agostino Foyeta, que si [?…] por el […ꝑar] […rin].

V.M. tenga esto por cierto y determinado, y digolo porque soy mas aficionado.

### f. 82v (P2, left)

Y deudor a su [?servicio], que [?…] por andar […] [?…] y [?suele] [?…] a los que conozco que en las […sub]s esteriores y ynferiores no van con el […] lo que deurian.

Aunque […] lo, las que con […ben] y le […yih] de lo que es [?bueno] […siz] V.Md. se as[…ag] servido.

Viendo en la [?necesidad] que estava el [?visorrey] para el sostinimiento del exercito, con seguridad de algunos cortesanos que aqui residen, servidores de V.M. y sus subditos, yo he hallado […pel] […bot] mill ducados a canbio, que le he embiado, y los cumplire a […bax] mill.

En esto se han mostrado muy bien los obispos de Salamanca e Avila, y es justo que V.M. gelo agradezca; y si tuviera commission para canbiarlos para essos Reynos hallara en cantidad de […von] mill ducados.

He […bez] con [?mucho] […ba] y dificultad, por aver se de pagar aca.

Bien creo que el visorrey lo avra dicho a V.M.

De Inglaterra son venidas letras de xxvi del pasado a Su Sd., y lo que al comun que su nuncio ha scrito es que no halla grand aliento para enprender la guerra, y que se atiende a la resolucion que V.M. dara.

Y que el cardenal ultimamente se le a[…vin] que si Su Sd. [?quisiesse] endereçar que el rey de Francia embiasse […ycr] una persona que pareciese demandava la tregua o la paz debaxo de alguna onesta color, seria oyda, por no [?parecer] que [?ellos] se ynclinavan a ella de suyo, que seria perder de reputacion.

Escrivie que son deliberados de no contribuir en la guerra de [?Italia] por ninguna [?via]; y encuentrase con esto lo que tambien me responde a mi […kam], que es de la misma suerte.

Todo depende de lo que V.Md. [?hara].

Como el menor vasallo y criado que V.M. tiene, abundantissimo de fee y

### f. 83r (P2, right)

voluntad en su servicio, con quanto acatamiento puedo.

Me ha […jaz]do hazerle este acuerdo: que en […gil] […caz] que se […], […3il] sea de paz o de guerra, V.Md. […kun] que se govierne de suerte que su estimacion en lo uno o en lo otro se acreciente, y que esta se conserve […cio], y mas con los amigos que con los enemigos, mirando sienpre a lo que adelante puede suceder.

Que cada qual, conozco, que atiende a […qat]; y que V.Md. […] sus confederados y los prende mas, si mas se [?quisiere], y […caz] de […lez]s confederaciones y ligas.

Y se procure de entrar con el papa en […]do del todo; se pudiesse se prendar y assegurar con [?matrimonios] y crecimiento de estos sus sobrinos, y beneficiando a los que estan cerca.

Que sin duda es [?bueno] assi para la conservacion de los estados de V.Md. [?agora], para enplear su nonbre y grand[…], en […som]s los es.

Y si la paz veniesse en efeto, seria mas [?bueno], la qual [?durara]; […jam] los advesarios de V.Md. [?cobran] aliento para recuperarse, segun en lo pasado [?…] se tal.

Y no se si los amigos estonces lo serian, o pretenderan si […hug]n a su […jes] ynteresse [?…] [?aunque] [?…] [?mucho] platicar de la venida de V.Md. en [?Italia]; de [?…] de la los […] [?…] no a […col] y [?…] que de esta materia no se […ciz] que, si en[?…] que es odiosa, sin [?primero] comunicarlo con Su Sd. [?…] sentir [?agora] lo [?trata].

Y [?…] le que la […got] ya venga la pieça, con […lez] confederacion y […yud].

No fiandose V.Md. en la que hizo con la buena memoria del papa Leon, porque no hay aqui ninguna de la de estonces, y se [?tiene] por [?pontificado]

### f. 83v (P4, left)

Destinto, y van por muy apartado […ꝑar].

Y si V.Md. deliberase venir, segun todos sus subditos deseamos y esperamos, sea con la grand potencia que […] quiere su […] persona, sin pensar en se […xoc]do de [?aca] por [?traido] esta.

[?Aura] mas de lo que […] y [?pagando] seria […mjg] y ynreparable.

Ha [?pasado] el [?limite] que deuria el […] lo con que lo […rir], y teniendo alguna noticia de lo de aca y sabiendo que otros la pintan por otro cuento, no he querido callar lo que estimo por mas conviniente al servicio de V.M. que quanto se puede ofrecer.

[clear text not transcribed]

Su Sd., no creo que les pesa a los de palacio de su yda, porque les tenia ocupado alguna parte del que queda Alberto del Carpio, que bastard para levantar e corrobar dos dozenas de mentiras al dia, el qual tiene no pequeño credito con el datario.

### f. 84r (P4, right)

[clear text not transcribed]

Y convernia dar al […ois] a parte algun presente de m ducados o m de plata.

### f. 86r (P6, right): the postscript

Demasiadamente ha pesado a Su Sd. y a sus servidores, que no ynclinan al […yid]r de [?…], de averse deshecho el exercito por esas partes.

Y con esto los que ha aconsejado la ynresolucion de Su Sd. y que estuviese al [?ver], les parece que han ganado un gran triunfo en averle libertado de declararse en liga defensiva ni ofensiva, [?aunque] juzgan que jamas huvo tiempo tan dispuesto para acabar de ronper las alas a franceses y disolver la gente al […hot] del […]ra, no si se ha de hazer la guerra.

Muestran grand descaymiento.

Yo tengo por averiguado que si por esas fronteras y por las de [?Picardia] se hiziera [?…] es fuerço que Su Sd. se determinara, [?aunque] sienpre le he [?conocido] ynclinado al [?abaxar] a franceses.

Y lo que le ha tenido confuso ha sido temor del […] [?…]to que [?…] en lo qual […nuc]nos […kor] que […gud].

Sin duda no viendo mas [?…] […hon] [?socorro] ninguna para el sostenimiento de lo de [?Lombardia], y estara de por [?…] [?agora] lo ha començado, arrimandose a lo que espera que traera el arçobispo de Capua.

Lleva le para satisfazerles lo que V.Md. manda que en este articulo se […xoc].

A xiiij de Abril 1524.

r9873_en.md

# R9873 — the Duke of Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 14 April 1524: English translation

Translated 23 Oct 2026 (Claude Opus 5.5) from `r9873_reading.md`, paragraph by paragraph, with the same holes:
`[?word]` partly carried, `[word]` supplied, `[…]` unread, `[…kam]` an open code group. Modern spelling and
punctuation; names as in the reading. "V.M." / "V.Md." = Your Majesty; "Su Sd." = His Holiness (Clement VII).

## Translation

### f. 80v

Where it was needed I have said what Your Majesty commands me about the disbanding of the army in those parts.

[clear text not transcribed]

### f. 81r

It was already known through France, though with some additions, because they want to make out that Your Majesty
was holding cortes in Burgos and would then hold them in Aragon and Catalonia, and with the [?grant] that […sig]s
[?it is known] he was coming to [?Italy], which does not please all the ears of this court.

The [?coming] of the Archbishop of Capua will settle these disturbances; it is known today that he left Blois on the
seventh of this month with the articles of truce that he had indicated there, of which His Holiness has ordered a copy
to be given to me.

[?Before] […sas]ission from here, I proposed two things: the first, that he should pass from France into England,
because it seemed to me fitting in order to satisfy the King's dignity, and also because together with him a person
with a resolution could go to Your Majesty.

And the […fum] [?although] in the clauses of the said truce, for the time it lasted, the King of France [?should
bind himself to pay] the King of England the pension he used to give him [?before] the war.

That if it came from His Holiness it would be much better, and an easier point for concluding it in peace, the said
truce having been begun.

It was not done; I do not know whether because of the little preparation they know there is in those parts and in
England for carrying the war forward.

[…qat]s [?think] to cut matters short with less difficult conditions.

I have gone back to tell His Holiness, and he says we shall still be in time.

I informed Your Majesty in great detail by two couriers by [?land] and one by sea, and afterwards by Rodrigo de
Mayorga, who has been in Genoa twenty days for lack of a passage, of the [?coming] of the said duke and of his
quality and nature, and of everything else that seemed to me fitting on this article; God grant the despatches have
arrived safely.

Also, seeing that the affair of Lombardy is beginning to go prosperously, I wrote to the [?viceroy] […siz] […sul]
[…som] […tup]

### f. 81v

[…] Your Majesty be informed of the state of the war.

And that he should be […col]ed, that [?…] to him [?…] and to [?Monsieur] de [?Beaurain] the […ce3ꝍ] [?here] these
matters, because from there, with the changes of the said war, no clear judgement could be made of what would be
fitting, and so as to settle where it would best satisfy the reputation of Your Majesty, and [? …] [? …] of his states.

He will order it to be provided as he sees best for his service.

[clear text not transcribed]

You will also have had news of how, some days ago, the men of Lodi took at the Stradella four thousand ducats that the
Pope was sending to help pay the troops, under the name that it was going to the […kam] of his household.

### f. 82r

[clear text not transcribed]

I shall not stop pressing, whatever it may be worth.

At first His Holiness was very angry and […hoz]a […liz]a [?…]; since then he has cooled.

I have not been able to make on this article the demonstration that [?would have been right], because, holding himself
Your Majesty's friend, he has not […kag], as if he were altogether contrary or neutral; but what was necessary has not
been left untried.

The difficulty he made about contributing to the upkeep of the army, both for himself and for the [?Florentines], I
have already reported at length.

The [?Florentines], after […yam], have given nothing.

His Holiness has [?told] me that this week he will send to the Cardinal of Cortona that […kar] Ippolito, his nephew,
[…la], is to assist in the government of [?Florence], and that he [?will call] that they give […].

His Holiness has [?made good] the said four thousand ducats that were lost, and […kuf] in […] in compensation for
[…yam]s he sent another […cio] […] and will send another four thousand this week.

What [?…] is being [?treated], because of what [?…] this.

[?Although] with the impossibility he hides what he wants, what I have to show is that His Holiness has been in very
great conflict, [?holding] the [?army] of the affair of [?Lombardy], and has not wished either to let us go or to
disdain the enemies, and so he goes on temporising.

[?Help] […qat] what I have already said [?…], that in those parts and in England none of the […njh]s that were
expected is being done.

And those who are close to His Holiness [?rather] confirm the […oap] and the […cod] so as to [?draw] him into this
irresolution, and they draw him away, except Micer Agostino Foglietta, who if [?…] by the […ꝑar] […rin].

Let Your Majesty hold this as certain and settled, and I say it because I am the more devoted.

### f. 82v

And debtor to his [?service], that [?…] for going about […] [?…] and [?is wont] [?…] to those who, I know, in the
outer and inner […sub]s do not go with the […] what they ought.

Although […] it, those which with […ben] and to him […yih] of what is [?good] […siz] Your Majesty […ag] served.

Seeing the [?need] in which the [?viceroy] was for the upkeep of the army, on the security of some courtiers who live
here, servants of Your Majesty and his subjects, I have found […pel] […bot] thousand ducats on exchange, which I have
sent him, and I shall make them up to […bax] thousand.

In this the bishops of Salamanca and Ávila have shown themselves very well, and it is right that Your Majesty should
thank them for it; and if he had a commission to exchange them for those kingdoms, he would find […von] thousand
ducats in quantity.

I have […bez] with [?much] […ba] and difficulty, because it has to be paid here.

I well believe the viceroy will have told Your Majesty.

From England letters of the 26th of last month have come to His Holiness, and what his nuncio has written in general
is that the King finds no great heart to undertake the war, and that they are waiting for the resolution Your Majesty
will give.

And that the Cardinal lately [?…] that if His Holiness [?would] arrange that the King of France send […ycr] a person
who would seem to ask for the truce or the peace under some honest colour, he would be heard, so as not to [?appear]
that [?they] inclined to it of themselves, which would be a loss of reputation.

He writes that they are resolved not to contribute to the war of [?Italy] in any [?way]; and with this agrees what
[…kam] also answers me, which is of the same kind.

Everything depends on what Your Majesty [?will do].

As the least vassal and servant Your Majesty has, most abundant in faith and

### f. 83r

goodwill in his service, with all the respect I can.

He has […jaz] me to make him this reminder: that in […gil] […caz] that […], […3il] be it of peace or of war, Your
Majesty […kun] that he govern himself so that his reputation grows in the one or the other, and that it be kept
[…cio], and more with friends than with enemies, always looking to what may happen hereafter.

That each one, I know, looks to […qat]; and that Your Majesty […] his confederates and binds them the more, if he
[?wishes] more, and […caz] of […lez]s confederations and leagues.

And that he try to come to terms with the Pope in […] altogether; he could bind and secure himself with
[?marriages] and the advancement of these his nephews, and by benefiting those who are close to him.

That without doubt it is [?good] so for the preservation of Your Majesty's states [?now], to use his name and
great[…], in […som]s them.

And if the peace came into effect it would be [?better], which would [?last]; […jam] Your Majesty's adversaries
[?take] heart to recover, as in the past [?…] such.

And I do not know whether the friends would then be so, or would claim if […hug] to their […jes] interest [?…]
[?although] [?…] [?much] speaking of Your Majesty's coming to [?Italy]; of [?…] of the […] [?…] not to […col] and
[?…] that of this matter not […ciz] that, if [?…], which is odious, without [?first] communicating it to His
Holiness [?…] feel [?now] what is being [?treated].

And [?…] him that the […got], may the piece come, with […lez] confederation and […yud].

Your Majesty not trusting in the one he made with Pope Leo of good memory, because there is nothing here of those
times, and it is held a different [?pontificate],

### f. 83v

and they go very far apart […ꝑar].

And if Your Majesty decided to come, as all your subjects wish and hope, let it be with the great power that […]
wants his […] person, without thinking of being […xoc]ed from [?here] for [?brought] this.

There [?will be] more than what […] and [?paying], it would be […mjg] and irreparable.

He has [?passed] the [?limit] that the […] ought, with which he […rir] it; and having some knowledge of things here,
and knowing that others paint them otherwise, I have not wished to keep silent what I judge most fitting for Your
Majesty's service of all that can be offered.

[clear text not transcribed]

His Holiness: I do not think the people of the palace are sorry at his going, because he kept occupied for them some
part of it, there remains Alberto [Pio] of Carpi, who is bastard enough to raise and confirm two dozen lies a day, and
who has no small credit with the Datary.

### f. 84r

[clear text not transcribed]

And it would be fitting to give the […ois], privately, some present of a thousand ducats or a thousand in silver.

### f. 86r: the postscript

The disbanding of the army in those parts has grieved His Holiness and his servants beyond measure, for they do not
incline to the […yid] of [?…].

And with this, those who have counselled His Holiness's irresolution, and that he should wait and [?see], think they
have won a great triumph in having freed him from declaring himself in a defensive or offensive league, [?although]
they judge that there was never a time so fit to finish clipping the wings of the French and to break up the troops at
the […hot] of the […], not [knowing] whether the war is to be made.

They show great dejection.

I hold it for certain that if something were done on those frontiers and on those of [?Picardy], His Holiness would
needs make up his mind, [?although] I have always [?known] him inclined to [?humble] the French.

And what has kept him confused has been fear of the […] [?…] that [?…], in which […nuc] us […kor] that […gud].

Without doubt, seeing no more [?…] […hon] no [?help] for the upkeep of the Lombardy affair, and he will stand aside
[?…]; [?now] he has begun it, leaning on what he expects the Archbishop of Capua will bring.

It brings him to satisfy them in what Your Majesty commands to be […xoc]ed in this article.

14 April 1524.

read_r9898.md

# R9898: Duke of Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 24 February 1525 (RAH Salazar A-34 ff. 150-156)

Status: read in part (2 Oct 2026; pass 17 3 Oct 2026). Transcription and reading line by line: [r9898_cipher.txt](r9898_cipher.txt).
Key: [key_working.md](key_working.md), passes 1-16. Measured with `python measure_read.py r9898_cipher.txt`.

## The document

DECODE R9898, 7 images (P1 = f. 150r; P2 = 150v-151r; P5 = 151v-152r; P3 = 152v-153r; P4 = 153v-154r;
P6 = 154v-155r; P7 = 155v-156r). A long despatch in a secretary's cursive hand, clear and cipher interleaved, dated
in clear *De Roma a xxiiij de hebrero 1525*, the day of Pavia and so written before the news (the next letter, CSP
Spain iii.1 no. 23 of 26 Feb, congratulates the Emperor). It is not calendared in CSP iii.1 (checked on BHO by
Salazar A-34 folio). f. 155r is clear; heavy bleed-through on 150v-151r and 155v.

**Correction to pass 12 (NOTES):** the letter does carry a decipherment of the time, in part. Six cipher runs have a
marginal decipherment in a second hand: f. 150r (the opening reply), f. 152r (*que aqui ninguna cosa nos comunican
...*), f. 153v (*o de color del papa*), f. 154r (*se de buena parte que el datario ha tentado de reduzir al duque a
franceses ...*), f. 154v (three runs: *para que a la ...ra se pierda ... y cierto si mi obligacion no me forçara*;
*y viendo la malissima providencia que ha avido, dueleme grandemente hallarme ...*; *que tenemos toda Italia ...*)
and f. 156r (*no le plaze mucho al papa, aunque no quiere confessar, es en su menosprecio y que franceses le ayan
tomado en su protecion*). They were used as cribs (key_working.md pass 16); the rest of the cipher has none.

## Measurement

| | tokens |
|---|---|
| cipher tokens in the (b) reading | 3,059 |
| read as sense, pass 16 | 2,361 (77.2%) |
| read as sense, pass 17 (pooled tentative values) | 2,441 (**79.8%**); strict 77.9% |
| in open code groups | 300 |
| spelled letters that do not make a word | 398 |
| tentative values counted as read | 98 groups |

`lm.best_language` on the assembled reading: es-modern -2.28, ca -2.57, pt -2.86. The 398 letters without sense sit
mostly in the bleed-through pages (150v, 151r, 155v), where the cursive *r*/*u*/*n* signs (`ꝍ`, `Ɉ`, `b`) are not
told apart reliably; the reading there is a sign-level transcription, not a reading.

## Content (cipher passages, in order)

- **f. 150r.** Reply to the Emperor's letters of 15 Nov and 15 Dec: the Pope did not answer; he wants what was sent
  not seen there; it must not be let known to the Swiss what has been sent from the Emperor; from past works one can
  judge the government from here on (margin).
- **f. 150v-151r.** The Pope's arrangement with the King of France and the French, a copy of which he says he sent
  the Emperor; his accustomed neutrality; the Datary's French partisanship, *que abiertamente se conoce*; the
  French *han yntentado con el embaxador de Inglaterra* ...; the Pope told him he would assure him of the pension
  due during the truce if the Emperor or the King of France did not agree; *el dicho [embaxador] ha respondido muy
  bien*; the invasion of the Kingdom of Naples; *su fin principal ha consistido e consiste* (clear) in a run that is
  open (`hem`, `lin`); the dicha tregua o paz; the Datary and the French; *la experiencia le ha mostrado*; the
  Emperor's agents.
- **f. 151v-152r.** The French *han efetado y efetan*; the Emperor may be sure of the dissimulation used; they
  promise *los mismos partidos*; the viceroy; the ministers outside the Pope's circle; *aqui ninguna cosa nos
  comunican, sabiendo que las entendemos y conocemos; por conjeturas sabemos lo que ocurre* (margin).
- **f. 152v-153r.** The Pope's attitude to Albany's coming and the invasion of Naples; *lo de Inglaterra se va
  calentando*; the Datary and the money that did not reach the camp, *la grandissima necesidad que en el canpo se
  pudiese*; the Venetians and the Pope blame each other; the Archbishop of Capua at Piacenza, *con color de la
  platica de la paz*, to keep him away; *Micer Agostino Foyeta*; the Duke of Albany's reception (clear) and *su
  venida a la ynvasion del Reyno*; the King of France.
- **f. 153v-154r.** No provision made in the Kingdom (of Naples); the Duke of Albany's men are badly paid, horse
  short; *se de buena parte que el datario ha tentado de reduzir al duque a franceses* (margin) with money and
  promises from the King of France; the Datary approves; *Micer Agostino Foyeta*.
- **f. 154v.** Sessa ordered to San Germano by the viceroy *para que ... se pierda, que no para defensar lo; y
  cierto si mi obligacion no me forçara* ...; *y viendo la malissima providencia que ha avido, dueleme grandemente
  hallarme a lo que por razon y no por caso temo que suceda*; *que tenemos toda Italia ... y no partira* (margins).
- **f. 155v-156r.** Pavia expects relief; forcing the French in their strong position would be a manifest
  disadvantage; what results in Lombardy; *el datario*; the Emperor must either content himself with *la perdida*
  or ...; postscript (clear): the Duke of Ferrara has lent the King of France another 50,000 ducats and munitions,
  and (cipher, margin) *no le plaze mucho al papa, aunque no quiere confessar, es en su menosprecio y que franceses
  le ayan tomado en su protecion*.

## Key additions from this letter (pass 16)

From the margins: `v em` = cierto, `li` = mi, `Jac` = obliga-, `le` = me, `net` = halla (not *toma*), `nuh` =
grande, `kch` = mal (confirmed), `cap` = tem-, `lec` = -mos, `dug` = sabi-, `doh` = sabe-, `yol` = aqui, `sud` =
datario, `pand`/`Jur` = buena/parte, `kun` = duque, `nah` = govierno (tentative). From context: `ruc` = dicho,
`ges` = embaxador, `cex` = trata-, `lin` = necesidad, `tig` = contra (tentative values in key_working.md).

## Remaining gaps

- about 140 code groups open (`cas` x6; `bup`, `sur`, `pam`, `kal` x4-5; `pol`, `tuf`, `cor`, `var`, `Jir` x3; the
  rest once or twice) - blocker: open-codes; single contexts, absent from every deciphered sibling and from the six
  marginal decipherments
- 398 spelled-letter tokens without sense, mostly on ff. 150v-151r and 155v - blocker: illegible; bleed-through on
  the DECODE images makes the cursive r/u/n signs ambiguous; a better image (RAH) is needed
- the opening run on f. 150r is half lost under the margin decipherment and the gutter - blocker: illegible

r9898_reading.md

# R9898 — the Duke of Sessa to Charles V, Rome, 24 February 1525 (RAH Salazar A-34 ff. 150-156), partial reading

Rests on: the cipher transcription and line-by-line decode `r9898_cipher.txt` (pass 16, 2 Oct 2026; DECODE images
IMG_R9898_I46118_P1-P7), the key in `key_working.md` (passes 1-17) and the b23 re-read (23 Oct 2026,
`texts/r9873-r9898_reread_log.md`). Six cipher runs carry a contemporary marginal decipherment in a second hand
(ff. 150r, 152r, 153v, 154r, 154v x3, 156r); there the reading follows the margin where the figures agree with it.
The DECODE record (7 images, re-fetched 23 Oct 2026) has nothing else: no attachment, no comment. Not calendared in
CSP Spain iii.1. The letter is in a cursive secretary hand with heavy bleed-through (ff. 150v-151r, 155v), where the
sign transcription itself is unsure.

The text runs in the order of the working file: the clear passages it quotes and the cipher runs joined into
sentences, in the period spelling. "[clear text not transcribed]" stands for a clear passage the working file leaves
out.

Marks: `[?word]` partly carried (a tentative value, or spelled letters that need one sign read as its look-alike or one
letter mended); `[word]` supplied, carried by nothing; `[…]` unread (here also every run of spelled letters that does
not make a word); `[…kam]` an open code group. **This is a partial reading: the document stays decoded, not read.**

## Reading

### f. 150r (image P1)

Respondere en esta a dos letras de V.M., una de xv de nov. e otra de xv de diz., recebida a xx del pasado.

[clear text not transcribed]

A la yntencion de V.M. [no] respondio [a ninguna], que aquello quiere Su Sd. que no se vea alla; no se deve dar a sentir a los suyços que se ha embiado de V.Md., y bien que de assi y de las obras pasadas facilmente se puede considerar el govierno de aqui adelante.

Dize lo que de lo uno e de lo otro siento.

### f. 150v (P2, left)

[clear text not transcribed]

Por donde se ha rasgado […] V.M. que de con el dominio y gloria que deseo.

Su Sd. hizo la […] con el rey de Francia con los franceses, de que ya a V.Md. embio [?copia], y despues de ella siempre ha ido […] en […yul] su primer thenor y neutralidad y acostumbrada, y en verdad que aunque su […bar] [?prensa] que es buena lo […] que […] muy al […].

Porque el datario que la el […] de todo, y esta tan […dad] […]do por la parte francesa, que abiertamente se conoce que por su […]miento haria poco [?cuydado] de la perdicion de su […yld].

Y de [?…] de la color de […] al ha y en obras de muy [?parcialmente] de […bueg]ros advesarios de V.Md., porque […sar]do a parte lo que con […bueg]s se han hecho de que V.Md. deve ser avisado por sus embaxadores.

Agora estando las cosas en el termino que estan han yntentado con el [?embaxador] de Inglaterra que tuviese por […xag] de […] se con Su Sd. para hazer [?instancia] y […] [?querir] al va que [?acertase] el [?…] que le [?…]vian de la tregua, y le mostrava sentimiento del descontentamiento si lo efetase.

Y por esto le [?dixo] que Su Sd. le aseguraria de la pension que ha de aver y durante la dicha tregua, quando V.Md. o el rey de Francia no [?…]se acordasen de […].

### f. 151r (P2, right)

[…] la, en que el [?prefacto] datario ha hecho una […] ynreparable, en [?instancia], y esto porque mostrados esta […bar] con el […fid].

Se viese que todos los […his]s [?…] con Su Sd. para [?…] esta [?…] parte.

El [?dicho] [?embaxador] ha respondido muy bien diziendo que no [?dicho] [?…], satisfiziere a los […].

Si no de [?…] ir al [?…] que agentes de V.Md., y [?trata] la tregua quando ellos la [?…], con tal que ca el se [?…] de su pension, y ellos y han guardado en [?enganados] de […ques] pensamiento, como unos fiocendios que lo que daran de aver […cuz] al [?duque] de [?…] a para […] la ynvasion del Reyno de Napoles.

Ultimamente su fin principal ha consistido e consiste en […hem]r en grandissima [?necesidad] lo [?…] V.Md. el papa por facilitar la enpresa, que ha [?tratado] de la dicha tregua o paz y por e se [?…] de […nod] que le podria suceder en algun evento, de que no [?…] que [?…] [?temer].

Y el [?dicho] datario por dar la […nuc] da a franceses, y plega a Dios que V.Md. le […tez] mejor en lo presente, que ha sido servido de [?suele] en lo [?pasado], no por lo que toca a […] […cub], no por lo que conviene al Cesareo servicio.

Y […gif] V.Md. [?dize] que no se [?puede] [?…] a y ir que Su Sd. da se de [?socorro] en […gud] o en […dar] a la libertad de Ytalia.

La [?esperiencia] le ha mostrado que no fue [?…] tenerlo con tiempo con si dexado.

Pues en tiempo se […rib] que no [?solamente] a [?pagado] a […ling] V.Md. […ccr] a en Su Sd. mas [?pasado] tan a de la [?…] que por su parte no ha [?pagado] a […] los [?buenos] […sim] de V.Md. en [?…] […da].

[…let] […dix] que no ver la justificacion de la causa […] la ayuda y confio que la ayudara de su [?suerte] que que de […] lados de si […kit]s, y les con […big] […] con ansia.

### f. 151v (P5, left)

Por que han efetado y efetan, V.Md. sea cierto que por mi se ha usado de quanta dissimulacion se puede pensar, y ni en […jit]s ni en [?semblante] han conocido otro que una continua firmeza, y […lema] es forçado de [?apocar]les lo que […pol] han hecho, asegurandoles de la […]mente de V.Md., y sienpre [?profiriendo]les los mismos partidos.

Que por el [?pasado] la […]mente y se del [?visorrey] que [?…]van a ver [?dicho] [?antes] [?…] de [?amenaza] contra Su Sd.

Y esto procede de que todos los ministros que estan fuera de Su Sd. son […gif]tos por […kal] del datario, y a [?…] lo que […pic]n; no [?…] la […bue] mas se [?…] su gusto, y anda […coo] [?…] de esto, que bastaria a [?produzir] los angeles a ir a.

### f. 152r (P5, right)

[clear text not transcribed]

Que aqui ninguna cosa nos comunican, sabiendo que las entendemos y conocemos, y los avisos del visorrey [clear text not transcribed] tardios de manera que por conjeturas sabemos lo que ocurre.

### f. 152v (P3, left)

[clear text not transcribed]

Señalava ser le molesta la venida del duque de Albania o la ynvasion del Reyno de Napoles.

Su Sd. […fih]o con su [?…] [?guiada] acostunbrada; ha no le han [?sabido] […lom] y a y […jut]r le que lo de Inglaterra se va calentando mas de lo que [?soya] por el […jem]o.

Estos [?…] [?embaxador] [?…] […tuf]n de ser a la tregua, oyendo segun los de su pension, segun ya he dicho y nos han demandado y tenyamos facultad de asegurarles.

[clear text not transcribed]

Ningun ynpedimento, para mi da que el datario ha en [?…] de […qul] […cor] esto, pensando que con [?…] y ir que no se [?…] el [?dicho] dinero por la falta del […] por la grandissima [?necesidad] que en el [?canpo] se [?…] de [?…] la cosa en el [?…] que de se a lo qual [?…] que se convierta contra su [?perversa] [?…].

El […pir] es que de estos no se [?puede] […cor] [?esperança] […pel] venirles […sum] […lez] […jam].

Los venecianos andan al solito.

Gregorio Casal traxo horden para que fuesen en Venecia Ricardo Paceo [clear text not transcribed] no ha hecho ningun fruto, que todavia quieren ver y desculpanse sobre el papa y el papa sobre ellos, y los unos y los otros […] se la entren den.

Y con el tiempo seria y a y que V.Md. los [?entendiese] ha de [?presente] con […ben].

### f. 153r (P3, right)

[?…] Su Sd. ha que [?…] hazer ciertos con [?…] con [?falsos] ha [?dicho] […ram] al [?embaxador].

V.Md. sea cierto que el [?…] ponedor de todo es el datario, y que todas las […mog]s van a su [?disposicion].

El arçobispo de Capua se esta siempre en Plazenzia yndispuesto de podagra.

[?Tiene]le [?Florencia] con color de la platica de la paz; mas en el ser es por hazer le a el la guerra y apartarle de aqui.

Todo el [?buena] [?mucho] que es en si haze en [?servicio] de V.Md. mas ni va le ni [?puede] que de [?…] le [?tienen], y tengo a Micer Agostino Foyeta que […] caido de [?Florencia] pelea por V.Md. con grandissima fe y […mos] [?…] del a que y enpresa ha mostrado.

El duque de Albania entro aqui a los xiii del presente; fue muy bien ospedado e tratado de Su Sd. y poso con sus sobrinos que haze del bobo [clear text not transcribed] el daño que han hecho en lo de Sena es compassion oyrlo, y conocese evidentemente que ha sido por […kal] y [?…] con [?…] del datario.

Su Sd. lo [?…] esto se [clear text not transcribed] de Sabe por nueva que lo fue […cuo] su venida a la ynvasion del […fif] por su […gi] […tuf] y de liberacion, y no [?paga] […jax] que lo [?…] del rey de Francia, que [?…] el [?…] ni [?…] lo ha dicho a Micer Agostino.

### f. 153v (P4, left)

[clear text not transcribed]

Temese de yntelligencia en el mesmo Reyno, o de color del papa, que de otra manera seria ynposible que cometiesen una tan manifiesta locura en el dicho Reyno.

No se ha usado ninguna […rog] en proveer lo que conveniera para asegurarlo, y los del […tuf] han prolongado la [?provision] y entretenido algunas fuera de […gue], que [?…] que los [?varones] es hiziesen [?gente] a su costa, y tan e se en los [?paga] [?…] [?…] ca les de sus […cos]s para descuento de la [?paga] ni [?…] [?…] los seguros ni mirando los […cid]sos, y hasta agora creyendo mas de dos meses que han avido de tiempo no [?teniendo]s mill […mod]s y muy pocos [?cavallos].

El visorrey dio la facultad del govierno al conde de San Severino [clear text not transcribed] y tanbien no [?pagas] a [?…] de sus de […]s y de mas de esto.

Siempre el prefacto visorrey a dado yntencion de venir el en persona [clear text not transcribed] y protestado mas para [?descuento] suya que para otro ninguno, aunque lo diga e lo ya prometido, que se [?…] da […] de [?…] y el […kam], porque traen el enxenplo la entrada en [?Provencia], por mi no al [?…] que [?…] puede aver en esto, si no [?tratan] liga en de [?…] que […pol].

### f. 154r (P4, right)

El que [?…] no […gag] da le […kag]: esto es lo que quiere que se crea, en la […]ido de [?…] […kag] que no y [?…] lo […bup] ducados, ni Su Sd. [?embaxador] tan [?largo] de […kal]s, que assi ligeramente los a que […seg]s ni tanpoco […ou]raria del dicho [?…] la no.

El datario ha que […] ha hazer muestra de [?espantar]nos.

Lo que ha sucedido ya V.M. sera avisado [clear text not transcribed] el pueblo con viene en esto con grandisimo animo.

Se de buena parte que el datario ha tentado de reduzir al duque a franceses, y no ha podido acabar nada.

V.Md. sea cierto que como [?…] hay en casa del da esto y [?…] y con dineros en […kal]s y con [?grandes] [?promesas] por [?pasa] del rey de Francia, y [?agora] el datario lo aprueva, [?tienen] lo por […jub] [?…] de [?…], y si os son [?…] por V.Md., y el duque […jut]o, y despues Agostino Foyeta y […bup] [?camarero] que se [?dize] [?…] lo de [?…] y el [?…] de [?…] que es [?…] no.

[…som] ninguno no [?conozco]; si V.Md. [?…] lo [?…] [?conociere], […sub] sera de tan grande y agradesido principe como es [clear text not transcribed] yo he avido [clear text not transcribed] no sin [?…].

### f. 154v (P6, left)

[clear text not transcribed]

El visorrey me ha hordenado que vaya a Sanjerman, pero de manera que mas parece despropeer para que a la [?cada…ra] se pierda que no para defensarla; y cierto si mi obligacion no me forçara, y la que de fedelidad y servitud devida a V.M., libremente dispusiera de aventurarlo que me podria [clear text not transcribed] y viendo la malissima providencia que ha avido, dueleme grandemente hallarme a lo que por razon y no por caso temo que suceda, y siendo [?…] cargo mio el estar presente me daria [?…].

He deliberado de posponer lo que a mi me conveniria [clear text not transcribed] por quanto el que tenia de la gente es de [clear text not transcribed] que no me conoxca otro que ser la gente, que tenemos toda Italia nuestra y no partira, pues se hara el devito con esto como se hazia con lo otro.

### f. 156r (P7, right)

[?Despenando] la [?esperiencia] lo ha mostrado, y con todo lo […nid]do con si [?…] V.Md., que se halla al […hot] de la [?…] del [?dicho] y que de presente esta de por medio, con […ben] y nvictisimo Cesar, hazer […bup] es fuerço grande; y si la posibilidad de presente no lo permete, tomar el remedio mas saludable y no [?…] en lo que tan [?…] desos […cor].

Y tanto […saf] [?querria] [?…] el perder.

V.M. suplico perdone my atrevimiento.

De Roma a xxiiij de hebrero 1525.

El duque de Ferrara ha prestado de nuevo al rey de Francia cinquenta mill ducados [clear text not transcribed] de mas de los otros cinquenta mill que presto los dias pasados y municion para el artilleria que dio.

No le plaze mucho al papa, aunque no quiere confessar, que es en su menosprecio y que franceses le ayan tomado en su protecion.

### f. 155v (P7, left)

[clear text not transcribed]

Dicho lo que oy en los negocios publicos, callase lo que siento [clear text not transcribed] my opinion por debil que sea en ellos.

V.Md. [?tiene] al papa tan [?…] que [?antes] le [?puede] [?estimar] por contrario; [?puede] haze las […sub]s […hab] es en […dop] que las ha [?…] [?…] se ia siendo [?puede] […gud] que es [?…], quanto mas con la [?…] de la [?gloria] del datario sobre [?…] tan [?…].

[…bie]s va[?n] por el […kit] [?embaxador] [?…] lo, y de […pat]es y se [?…] que [?…] no […] que […cez]r.

Los exercitos esta[?n] en la disposicion de aca, que cada uno se […ga] de la […bon] ha la [?necesidad] del dinero en el de V.Md. es muy [?…] y [?…]; Pavia espera ser socorrida, y hay la [?…] que V.Md. podra considerar que es forçoso buscar a franceses en su fuerte, lo qual seria con desaventaja manifiesta, y de la [?paga]s que se deuen a los unos y a los otros es […bup] [?…] y [?…].

Lo del […fif] de […lal] esta su [?…] a lo que resultare en Lombardia, y […] a lo que […hug]u a cometer los que no [?tienen] el mas [?…] […guc] del mundo.

Ultimadamente todo lo de [?aca] esta en […bup] y [?dubioso] y [?peligroso] […cop], o V.Md. se ha de [?deliberar] a contentarse con la [?perdida], assi [?agora] le satisfazia la ganancia, o de […rex]r […jas]do [?…] no, y [?…] no [?puede] ser […pan]o, siempre que [?…] en […nu]r [?embaxador] en ha, o se ha de [?…] a […gab]r lo, segun merecere la misma causa y para esto ni se ha de [?…] […nod] ny ningun otro genero de [?…] la [?…] y […rog] que pensar de [?…] esta […gar] con [?…] [?agora] […pol] [?embaxador] la [?…] de todos los estados de V.M. para ir los a acabado de con su [?…] [?llegar] al […pir] de se [?…]; si […ꝑag] se [?…] a lo que se ha.