972Cyphersolver
320074172524754009700450004005006400590065470005300
le {riprensioni} che [V.S.] mi a di qua dato mal {principio}
32 = le · 97 = che · 04 = mi · 59 = qua · 00 separates words

Vienna → Rome · numerical syllabic cipher · December 1565 · key from the ciphertext alone

Biglia, nuncio in Vienna, 1565

A papal nuncio defends his handling of the Emperor’s demand for priests’ marriage in a letter that survives only in cipher; its key was rebuilt from the ciphertext alone.

Daniel Bourdeau · posted

Method: key recovered from ciphertext-only · Extent: partial (95% of the cipher)

Contributed by Brice Dudout (solution)

At a glanceCiphertext-only break · partial (95% of the cipher)

The letter
Melchiorre Biglia, apostolic nuncio to Maximilian II, to a recipient in Rome who is not named (“V.S.”, probably a cardinal of the Curia), Vienna, 5 December 1565 (day restored). It is the second of two letters entirely in cipher in the register of his letters.
Where
Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan, Trotti 22, fol. 7r line 33 to fol. 7v line 23. Scans by the Università Cattolica digital library, which carries no reuse licence; no image is reproduced here.
The cipher
Digits written without spaces, words separated by 00: one digit is a vowel or bare consonant, two digits are a row consonant and a column vowel, with codes (59 qua, 97 che, 19 per) and a small nomenclator (11 S.M., 21 Imperatore, 87 connubio).
How it was read
Key K5d rebuilt from the ciphertext alone, with no contemporary key or decipherment, and frozen. Held out: 252 words of letter 1 never decoded before; lexical agreement with an Italian word list 0.761, against at most 0.500 (mean 0.352) for 200 control keys, threshold 0.65 fixed in advance.
What it says
Biglia answers reproaches from Rome for a bad start to the negotiation, discusses the offer of 4,000 foot or 2,000 horse and advises that the Emperor send a person of his blood at their head, and reports a dinner with Doctors Zasius and Weber of the privy council about the connubio.
Still open
19 words of letter 2. Letter 1 (729 words, 94.5% read by the contributor) is not published here, so it is not counted.
Credit
Brice Dudout (Europe chiffrée, with Claude): transcription, key, validation, reading and translation. Contributed by email on 29 October 2026 (branch dudout/bundle-spain-italy).

01 The letter

In late 1565 Pius IV had sent Biglia to the Emperor Maximilian II, who asked that priests in his lands be allowed to marry (the connubio). Rome refused and offered military help against the Turk. The Ambrosiana register of Biglia’s letters holds two letters entirely in cipher; H. Dengel, who edited the nunciature in 1926, prints neither. The neighbouring letters of the register (to Altemps, 15 November 1565; to the Emperor, 16 January 1566) are in plain text. Letter 2 is published here.

02 The cipher

A single digit is a vowel or a bare consonant (2 e/s, 3 u/l, 4 i/t, 5 a/n, 7 o/r); two digits are a row consonant (0 m/g/v, 1 c/p, 2 s, 3 l, 4 t, 5 n, 6 d/f, 7 r, 8 soft c/b, 9 gn) and a column vowel (1, 2, 8 e; 3 u; 4, 6 i; 5 a; 7, 9 o). Values taken from context (bare 1 = c/p, 6 = f, 8 = b) count as probable at best.

03 The reading

Letter 2 has 381 words: 313 certain (the exact output of the frozen key), 42 probable, 7 restored and 19 unresolved. Read by sense that is 362, 95.0%, exactly the bar; strictly certain plus probable it is 93.2%. The date is restored from the year: “di decembre del sesanta” is read, the day is not. The sentences hold with holes, so the text is coherent but raw. A nomenclator value counts as certain only with three independent contexts; S.M. (11) designates the Emperor.

04 What remains uncertain

Full texts

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

Letter 2, Vienna, [5] December 1565 (fol. 7r l. 33 - 7v l. 23)

Biglia answers reproaches for a bad start to the negotiation that offended the Emperor; the offer of 4,000 foot or 2,000 horse; a person of the Emperor's blood as their head; Zasius and Weber of the privy council dine with him and speak of the connubio.

Transcription

transcription.txt

# Milan, Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Trotti 22 (register of Melchiorre Biglia's letters), second cipher letter:
# fol. 7r lines 33-45 and fol. 7v lines 1-23. Digits as written; "00" separates words; struck passages omitted (noted).
# Letter 1 (fols 6v-7r line 27) is not included here (read in part, 94.5%).
7r33 320074172524754009700450004005006400590065470005300174514147005300520714
7r34 572009009700110024500722454700762270047003200741237004500371700640050772
7r35 373200741776700900520032007256700400007544200970047001727000504774
7r36 05002000045003733545006400643004724700077472009700640076256272001 1
7r37 300020040006400970047001430067001527009700640059547000552001742
7r38 3504005325472008000200400097000400171200200477025450035540500520017   # note: 2e chiffre 3 ou 5 ; P2: 3304→3504 (arbitrage C02 : 2e signe = ſ)
7r39 27007750065720097004700970049002313497004500970017214500970024002
7r40 64025450045547001900020037345006573005517003000640013705704001750011   # note: signe noirci après 640 (2 surchargé ? ou x)
7r41 900562705734009700470032750254200454722406450040002252700320062   # note: signe noirci après 2240 (0 ou 6) ; fin 62/63 ; P2: «4542240045»→«45472240645» (signe noirci = 7 surmonté d'une tache ; 0 noirci = 6 ; C01 confirmé, zoom ×7)
7r42 20017222006232005934002757007417227006400890047552072270090014
7r43 71500870047002700127470097002100722247008250027642654700640011
7r44 9700500300054224000724770082500355001715002544265147520032
7r45 7270043003100595470024500535007627450062340059477000434500655   # note: 5 noirci dans 595 ; «p4345» : p = 0 ?
7v01 44007327700632000435001535340047001274502542001727009900475507227007 6
7v02 72567005300210035002324475200623400594770004350065544005004 9   # note: début rayé «274500» (omis) ; «6554400500 49» : 0 de forme b
7v03 47324000450012770635003482745005001100640023202720034001514006 4
7v04 22400655440024006400657340070034006554400732770034001535340090
7v05 09700110017250023202720034001535340064004000554485400970032001451275009   # note: 8 noirci dans 554485
7v06 190017564705447520064001470047006424005300110097004700172627500970011   # note: «11» après 5300 : 1er 1 noirci
7v07 6732220005565720012727550064002370025503200190015170064002240019   # note: 4 noirci dans 224
7v08 020347006407247573400350007345005624475200970032001774700470049007
7v09 62470014300640069370097004700127446417004500490014001006356900650063   # note: «1400100» : 1 en forme de I
7v10 844572006400655700143006400400053274500401774547003762745009700 11
7v11 53274500373347002400632200654700427400637570050017552572   # note: rayé après 2400 : «62400» (omis) ; 7 noirci dans 6547 et 4274 ; P2: 1er signe = forme ſ du 5 (probable)
7v12 0217004300674772008524700900430067477200332827006230017524347
7v13 2217247005934007444754400021700450015027500040012744641757006235
7v14 073450056244752009006237447520097002100177450050011009006230007347   # note: 3 noirci dans 6237
7v15 783407009700340050090032525670013001574417357200623008700642277   # note: «87006422» : 0 ou 6
7v16 970021002400073235001750087500554070050067055657370005009700490017
7v17 47500220049001754254572400640040009700500110014512750025125670012747
7v18 97000020019001751451273400640043470040001747500190032004554200507   # note: rayé entre 9700 et 00 (omis)
7v19 72373400540724754475400970024002757003424206245007900900450015 7   # note: 3 noirci dans 7237
7v20 44173572009200642277009700210005400227500190017522544720050017
7v21 2500970024500175475003500534774750064001100900224002400224842   # note: P2: «5347744750064»→«534774750064» (C01 confirmé)
7v22 1757002273447740007344006237440050011001886
7v23 64003425500554001456900640062120872006230022755450014569001086 9   # note: 3 noirci dans 342 ; signe rayé dans 2275545 ?
Decryption

decryption.txt

# Word-by-word decryption with key.tsv (K5d, frozen SHA-256 50f9f337...), reading frozen before counting (LECTURE-C08, SHA-256 1a1e0590...).
# code=reading ; plain = certain (exact key output) ; {x} probable ; [x] restored ; <...> unresolved ; #x = nomenclator value ;
# !a one digit off ; !b initial 0 absorbed ; !c bare value outside the key (1=c/p, 6=f, 8=b) ; !d exact key output, local sense uncertain ;
# !e third zero of "000" is a separator ; !f nomenclator codes joined ; !g proper name ; !h correction of transcription/segmentation after re-reading the image.
7r33 32=le 74172524754={riprensioni}!c 97=che 45=[V.S.] 04=mi 5=a 64=di 59=qua 6547=dato 053=mal 174514147={principio}!c 53=al 520714572=negociare
7r34 9=#e 97=che 11=#S.M. 245=sia 7224547=restato 76227=ofeso 47=io 32=le 741237=riceuo 45=in 3717=loco 64=di 507723732=amoreuole
7r35 7417767=ricordo 9=#e 52=ne 32=le 72567=rendo 4=#quel 0075442=gratie 97=che 47=io 1727=poso 050477405={magiori_ma}!d
7r36 2=e 0045=gia 3733545=uolunta 64=di 643={piu}!a 47247=tosto 077472=morire 97=che 64=di 76256272=ofendere 113={S.M._questo}!f
7r37 02={e}!e 4=#quel 064={di}!e 97=che 47=io 143=piu 67=fo 1527=caso 97=che 64=di 59547=quanto 0552={male}!a 17423504=poteuami
7r38 5325472=auenire 8=<...> 02={e}!e 4=#quel 097={che}!e 04=mi 1712=coce 2=e 47702545=tormenta 355405=lanima 52=ne 1727=poso
7r39 775=ora 6572=fare 97=che 47=io 97=che 49=#non 2313497={suplichi}!c 45=in 97=che 172145=<...> 97=che 24=si 26402545=<...>
7r40 45547=tanto 19=per 02=me 37345=uolta 6573={faro}!a 5517=anco 3=#questo 064={di}!e 13705704=curarmi 175=con 119={S.M._e}!f
7r41 562705734=afermarli 97=che 47=io 327502542=ueramente 45472240645=<...> 4=#quel 022527=<...> 32=le 622=<...>
7r42 17222=<...> 6232=dele 5934=quali 2757=sono 7417227={ripreso}!c 64=di 89=cio 4755207227={transgreso}!d 9=#e 14715=circa
7r43 87=#connubio 47=io 27=so 12747=certo 97=che 21=se 722247={resto}!a 825=ben 276426547=sodisfato 64=di 1197={S.M._che}!f
7r44 5=a 3=#questo 054224=<...> 072477=mostro 825=ben 355=una 1715=poca 254426514752=satisfacione 32727=uerso
7r45 43=il 31=<...> 59547=quanto 245=sia 535=ala 762745=oferta 6234=deli 59477=quatro 04345=milia 65544=fanti
7v01 73277=ouero 632=due 0435=mila 153534=cauali 47=io 1274502542=certamente 1727={poso}!d 99=<...> 475507227=<...> 7672567={ofrendo}!c
7v02 53=<...> 21=se 35=la 23244752=eletione 6234=deli 59477=quatro 0435=mila 65544=fanti 5=a 4947324=<...>
7v03 045=gia 12770635=<...> 3482745=liberta 5=a 11=#S.M. 64=di 2320272=elegere 34=li 1514=capi 64224=di_esi
7v04 65544=fanti 24=et 64=di 65734=farli 7=o 34=li 65544=fanti 73277=ouero 34=li 153534=cauali 9=#e
7v05 97=che 11=#S.M. 1725=posa 2320272=elegere 34=li 153534=cauali 64=di 4=#quel 05544854=[nationi] 97=che 32=le 1451275=piacera 919={e_per}!f
7v06 1756470544752=confirmatione 64=di 147=cio 47=io 6424=disi 53=al 11=#S.M. 97=che 47=io 1726275={credera}!c 97=che 11673222={S.M._douese}!f
7v07 0556572=mandare 1272755=persona 64=di 237=suo 255032=sangue 19=per 1517=capo 64=di 224=esi 19020347=per_meglio
7v08 64072475734=dimostrarli 35=la 07345=molta 56244752=afetione 97=che 32=le 17747=porto 47=io 49=#non 76247=<...>
7v09 143=piu 64=di 6937=<...> 97=che 47=io 127446417=certifico 45=[V.S.] 49=#non 14=ci 1=e 63569=fundo 65=da 63844572=dubitare
7v10 64=di 6557=dano 143=piu 64=di 4=#quel 0532745={aueria}!e 401774547=importato 3762745=loferta 97=che 11532745={S.M._aueria}!f
7v11 373347=uoluto 24=et 6322=fuse 6547=dato 4274=ieri 63757=furno 5=a 175525720217={pransare_meco}!c
7v12 43=il 674772=dotore 85247={Ciasio}!g 9=#e 43=il 674772=dotore 332827={Vueber}!g 623=del 175243472217247={consilio_secreto}!c
7v13 5934=quali 74447544=ritirati 0217=meco 45=in 150275=camera 04=mi 12744641757=certificono 623507345=dela_molta
7v14 56244752=afetione 9=#e 623744752=deuotione 97=che 21=se 17745=porta 5=a 11=#S.M. 9=#e 623=del 07347783407={molto_obligo}!c
7v15 97=che 34=li 5=a 9=#e 3252567=uenendo 13={al}!a 15744173572=particolare 623=del 87=#connubio 64227797={disero_che}!a
7v16 21=se 24=si 073235=voleua 175=con 875=bon 55407=animo 5=a 6705565737=domandarlo 05=ma 97=che 49=#non 17475=potra
7v17 22=se 49=#non 17542545724=contentarsi 64=di 4=#quel 097={che}!e 5=a 11=#S.M. 1451275=piacera 2512567=sapendo 1274797=certo_che
7v18 002=me 19=per 17514512734=conpiacerui 64=di 4347=tuto 4=#quel 017475={potra}!e 19=per 32=le 45542=tante 507723734=amoreuoli
7v19 5407247544754={dimostrationi}!a 97=che 24=si 2757=sono 3424206245=<...> 79=#mi 9=#e 45=in 15744173572=particolare
7v20 92=[mi] 642277=disero 97=che 21=se 054=mai 2275=sera 19=per 1752254472=consentire 5=a 1725=cosa
7v21 97=che 245=sia 175475=contra 35=la 53477475={autorita}!a 64=di 11=#S.M. 9=#e 224=esi 24=si 2248421757=esibiscono
7v22 227344774=seruitori 07344=molti 623744=deuoti 5=a 11=#S.M. 1886=<...>
7v23 64={di}!h 34255=uiena 554={a_li}!a 14569=[cinque] 64=di 62120872={decembre}!a 623=del 2275545={sesanta}!h 14569=[cinque] 10869=<...>
Reading

reading.md

# Established text (Italian, cipher spelling kept)

{x} probable; [x] restored from the sense; ‹…› unread. One line = one line of the manuscript.

7r 33  le {riprensioni} che [V.S.] mi a di qua dato mal {principio} al negociare
7r 34  e che S.M. sia restato ofeso io le riceuo in loco di amoreuole
7r 35  ricordo e ne le rendo quel gratie che io poso {magiori ma}
7r 36  e gia uolunta di {piu} tosto morire che di ofendere {S.M. questo}
7r 37  {e} quel {di} che io piu fo caso che di quanto {male} poteuami
7r 38  auenire ‹…› {e} quel {che} mi coce e tormenta lanima ne poso
7r 39  ora fare che io che non {suplichi} in che ‹…› che si ‹…›
7r 40  tanto per me uolta {faro} anco questo {di} curarmi con {S.M. e}
7r 41  afermarli che io ueramente ‹…› quel ‹…› le ‹…›
7r 42  ‹…› dele quali sono {ripreso} di cio {transgreso} e circa
7r 43  connubio io so certo che se {resto} ben sodisfato di {S.M. che}
7r 44  a questo ‹…› mostro ben una poca satisfacione uerso
7r 45  il ‹…› quanto sia ala oferta deli quatro milia fanti
7v 1  ouero due mila cauali io certamente {poso} ‹…› ‹…› {ofrendo}
7v 2  ‹…› se la eletione deli quatro mila fanti a ‹…›
7v 3  gia ‹…› liberta a S.M. di elegere li capi di esi
7v 4  fanti et di farli o li fanti ouero li cauali e
7v 5  che S.M. posa elegere li cauali di quel [nationi] che le piacera {e per}
7v 6  confirmatione di cio io disi al S.M. che io {credera} che {S.M. douese}
7v 7  mandare persona di suo sangue per capo di esi per meglio
7v 8  dimostrarli la molta afetione che le porto io non ‹…›
7v 9  piu di ‹…› che io certifico [V.S.] non ci e fundo da dubitare
7v 10  di dano piu di quel {aueria} importato loferta che {S.M. aueria}
7v 11  uoluto et fuse dato ieri furno a {pransare meco}
7v 12  il dotore {Ciasio} e il dotore {Vueber} del {consilio secreto}
7v 13  quali ritirati meco in camera mi certificono dela molta
7v 14  afetione e deuotione che se porta a S.M. e del {molto obligo}
7v 15  che li a e uenendo {al} particolare del connubio {disero che}
7v 16  se si voleua con bon animo a domandarlo ma che non potra
7v 17  se non contentarsi di quel {che} a S.M. piacera sapendo certo che
7v 18  me per conpiacerui di tuto quel {potra} per le tante amoreuoli
7v 19  {dimostrationi} che si sono ‹…› mi e in particolare
7v 20  [mi] disero che se mai sera per consentire a cosa
7v 21  che sia contra la {autorita} di S.M. e esi si esibiscono
7v 22  seruitori molti deuoti a S.M. ‹…›
7v 23  {di} uiena {a li} [cinque] di {decembre} del {sesanta} [cinque] ‹…›
Translation

translation.md

# English translation

The {reproofs} that [Your Lordship] sends me — that I have made a bad {beginning} of the negotiation here, and that His Majesty has remained offended — I receive as a loving reminder, and I give you for them the greatest thanks I can; {but} my will is already to die {rather} than offend {His Majesty}: {this} is what I care for most, more than any {harm} that could befall me ‹…›, and it is what burns and torments my soul. I can do nothing now but {beg} ‹…› ‹…›; for my part I {shall} also do this: take care to assure {His Majesty} that truly ‹…› ‹…› ‹…› for which I am {reproved} and in which I would have {erred}.

As to the connubio, I know well that, if he {remains} satisfied with {His Majesty}, to this ‹…› shows very little satisfaction towards the ‹…›. As to the offer of four thousand foot or two thousand horse, I certainly {can} ‹…› ‹…› {offering} ‹…› that, if the choice of the four thousand foot ‹…›, ‹…› freedom to His Majesty to choose their captains, and to raise either the foot or the horse, and that His Majesty may choose the horse of whatever [nation] he pleases. {And in} confirmation I told His Majesty that I {would think} that {His Majesty should} send a person of his own blood as their head, the better to show them the great affection I bear him. I do not ‹…› more of ‹…›, for I certify to [Your Lordship] that there is no ground to fear a greater loss than the offer that {His Majesty would have} wanted {would have} cost, had it been made.

Yesterday Doctor {Ciasio} and Doctor {Vueber} of the {privy council} [Zasius and Weber] came {to dine with me}; withdrawn with me into my room, they assured me of the great affection and devotion borne to His Majesty and of the {great obligation} owed him; and, coming {to} the particular of the connubio, they {said that}, if one wished to ask it in good heart, he can only be content with what pleases His Majesty, knowing well that to please you he will do all he {can}, for the many loving {demonstrations} that have been ‹…›; and in particular [they] told [me] that he will never consent to anything against the {authority} of His Majesty; and they themselves offer themselves as most devoted servants of His Majesty. ‹…›

{From} Vienna, [the fifth] of {December}, [fifteen] {sixty}-[five]. ‹…›

Key: key.tsv

05 Sources

Folder: targets/biglia1565/ (notes, transcription, decryption, key K5d, Italian text and English translation, as contributed by Brice Dudout).