01 The letter
| Shelfmark | BnF Français 3414 · Dampierre, ff125r–125v |
|---|---|
| Sender | Dampierre |
| Recipient | Duke of Nevers |
| Date | 5 November 1589 |
| Language | French |
| Report status | 2/2 pages transcribed; Deciphered |
| Ciphertext | 67 elements, 67 identified (100.0%). |
02 The key
39 symbols: 33 letter signs, 6 in nomenclature.
03 The decipherment
f125r, complete first paragraph: three cipher rows with surrounding cleartext; f125r, complete closing, date and signature (cleartext)
Vous verrez, Monseigneur, par les nouvelles que vous envoye monsieur de Launay l'estat de l'armée du Roy de Navarre. Les legats viendront trop tart je sera icy d'ou je n'y bougeray sans vostre aduis et commandement. Si tost que nous aurons plus de nouvelles nous ne fauldrons de vous en mander, sur ce je prie Dieu. Monseigneur, qu'il vous donne en santé heureuse et longue vie. Ce 5 de Novembre 1589. Vostre bien humble et affectionné serviteur Dampierre
Translation. You will see, Monseigneur, from the news Monsieur de Launay sends you, the state of the King of Navarre’s army. The legates will arrive too late. I will be here, from where I will not move without your advice and instructions. As soon as we have further news, we shall not fail to send it to you. With that I pray to God. Monseigneur, may He grant you a happy and long life in good health. 5 November 1589. Your very humble and devoted servant, Dampierre.
04 Plaintext and other sources
Where a decipherment or clear copy already existed, as George Lasry gives it:
- Interlinear plaintext
- Interlinear plaintext on the same page, f125r.
05 Our check
This result is George Lasry’s. This project did not re-solve the cipher: it checked one sample against the Gallica image and recorded what it found.
- Batch B. Image checked: https://openapi.bnf.fr/iiif/image/v3/ark:/12148/btv1b525187326/f261/pct:5,10,90,18/2000,/0/default.jpg
- Folio matches the report: yes; cipher present: yes
- What we checked: f125r (canvas 261, ark found via repo sweep list): 56 ∇φ5ϥBR / HZ..mDfπσ / 95 B9Eσ / 51 / 94 -> les legats viendront trop tart je sera, codes 56/95/51/94 per his table; interlinear agrees
- Verdict: confirmed (method key recovered based on adjacent plaintext, extent complete). The check is a sample, not a re-solution.
- Notes: No Gallica link in dossier; fr. 3414 = ark btv1b525187326. Dated 5 Nov 1589 in clear, signed. Only 67 cipher elements.
06 Notes and corrections
Fr. 3414 is Gallica ark btv1b525187326; the letter is image 261.
07 Sources
- George Lasry, with ChatGPT Astra 6 and Anthropic Opus 5.5, BnF cipher research, 10 October 2026 (sent to Daniel Bourdeau on 13 October 2026 for publication here), p. 82; his other items are listed on his contributor card.
- Fr. 3414 f125r, image 261 (no link in the report)
- image checked in the spot-check
- The working folder:
targets/dampierre1589/(his entry as extracted from the report, our spot-check,profile.json).