Ferdinand to John II, 1473 and 1474

d64_transcription.md

# BNE MSS/20211/64, Ferdinand to John II, Hostalric 5 June 1473: transcription of the cipher lines (pass 3: L03-L11 re-read at 8x, L07-L10 details at 12x)

Source: BNE Digital, bdh0000186643, image 1 (the "high" PDF, 1085 x 1187 px), read in the pdf.js viewer at 4x and 6x.
Lines are numbered as on the page (L01 = "Esta noche de pascua cinquagesma ..."). Clear words are in quotes;
`/` is a stroke the writer put between cipher words. `?` after a sign = uncertain reading.

Sign labels:

| label | shape |
|---|---|
| `p` | p with a long straight descender and a closed bowl (L03 *certificar*, L07 *cavallo*) |
| `po` | p with an open bowl and a hook or loop at the top left (L08 *algunos*, L09 *todos*, at 12x). The p of *ochocientos* (L10), *ciento* (L11) and *mios* (L04) looks plain at 12x, so the hook may be a variant of writing, not a separate sign |
| `1` | short upright stroke |
| `b` | b-like, bow open to the right |
| `m` | m |
| `h` | h-like, hooked (ƕ) |
| `q` | q / 9 with loop at the top and a tail |
| `qo` | q joined by a stroke to a small o (L04 *trayo* at 12x: what pass 1 read as `q o`) |
| `Q` | q with a straight descender and no loop (L03, *certificar*) |
| `b.` | b with a dot and a short stroke after it, one sign (L03) |
| `9` | open 9 / g with the tail curling left (distinct from `q`; checked at 8x on L10-L11) |
| `P` | ϙ: a closed ring on a long stem (L10-L11) |
| `Y` | open 4 / ч (L10, in *comigo*) |
| `0` | small squarish o (L10) |
| `-o-` | o on a horizontal stroke through it (L09 *viene*, L10 *iran*; read at 12x) |
| `o-` | o with a stroke to the right only (L10) |
| `ooo` | three rings joined (L10, *cavallo*) |
| `OO` | two filled rings on a bar (L11) |
| `B` | plain 3 without the tail of `3` (L11) |
| `C` | open c with a long tail down to the left (L05 only; read at 12x, earlier taken for `6`) |
| `3-` | ʒ with a stroke through the top (L04 *trayo*, L07 *ya*; read at 12x) |
| `a` | a (large, open) |
| `a.` | a with a dot or short stroke before it |
| `FI` | long s and i joined, with a cross-bar (L08; one sign) |
| `\|` | a slanting stroke through the line (L09; no value) |
| `o` | small round o |
| `T` | 6-like bowl with one cross-bar on the stem (ŧ) |
| `TT` | the same with two cross-bars |
| `4` | 4 |
| `d` | ∂ (d with the stem bent back) |
| `+` | cross |
| `6` | σ-like, bowl with a tail to the right |
| `8` | 8 |
| `F` | 2 joined to f (ʒf), with a long descender |
| `3` | ʒ / 3 with a tail |
| `2` | 2 |
| `oo` | ∞, usually with a dash before or after |
| `x` | rr / xx |
| `O` | o-#-o (two small circles joined by a barred stroke) |
| `#` | three or four parallel slanting strokes with a bar (≠≠) |
| `H` | tt-like pair of strokes joined by a bar (‡‡); distinct from `#`, which has three or four strokes |

The interlinear notes (another hand) are of two kinds: words written above the cipher (`W:`), and single
letters on a ruled guideline just above the cipher line (`G:`). Their horizontal placement is approximate.

```
L02 "p a V.S. e porque agora me puede mandar lo que acerca su servicio tengo"
L03 "de fazer acorde delo" p 1 b. m h Q a. p o T 4 d + 6 q 8 F m 1 / "que"
    W: certificar | dela | gente        G: ... a . s . d e . l . a . c(g) n t e
L04 "comigo" m T 2 3- qo / x O 1 / 3 oo T o "entre Los" a 6? p TT / p qo F
    W: trayo (over m T 2 3) | que (over x) | hora (over 3 oo) | e (over T) | mios? (over a 6 p TT; 6 blotted) | continos (over p qo F, with a stroke to L05)
L05 m h F 9 oo TT? / "e los que" 4 d / P 6 TT m a. + + p / P H C qo "viene"
    G (above m..T): . n . o . l l .      W: de (over 4) | castilla (over P 6 TT m) | mios? (over p H 6 qo, faint)
    G (below, above L06): a e a a n ... n n e n t a
L06 "e los" 4 8 2 T o q oo F a 6 TT 4 1 x # h F a. d F m p
    W: de aragon (over 4 8 2 T o q oo) | mas (over a 6 TT) | de quinientos (over 4 1 x # h F)
    G (above F a. d F m p): n i e n t o
L07 TT 4 8 p 2 O o + + qo? "Los valencianos" TT? oo F / 3- 6 o + + q
    W: de cavallo (over TT 4 8 p 2 O) | son (over T oo F) | ya algunos (over 3 6 o + + q, runs into L08)
L08 9 F po TT . "dellos llegados" 1 F FI / "e todos los otros" 3 h TT d T 2 F / "por toda" 8 TT m o
    W: en (over 1 F) | barçna (over FI: one sign, long s + i with a cross-bar; the note is the usual abbreviation of *Barcelona*, read at 12x) | hi seran (over 3 h TT d T 2 F) | juntos (L09, written under por toda)
L09 TT 1 H o F 2 / x O d / 9 -o- 8 F 1 / "en manera que" | m oo 4 po TT 6 # F m qo TT "esti..."
    W: semana (over TT 1 # o F 2) | que (over x) | viene (over O d / q o 8 F) | todos (over m oo 4 p)
L10 "mo fan los que" P oo a Y q oo / -o- T 2 F / p P 3 qo P h d F m oo TT 4 8 P 0 9 o- ooo oo
    W: comigo (over P oo a Y) | a struck word, then yran? (over -o- T 2 F) | ... | de cavallo (over 4 8 P 0 9)
L11 1 F x O d / 3 2 9 T o / P OO 8 F m p / 3 qo H B T 1 TT 4 d 2 T a o TT / "vea V.S. la for..."
    W: en | que | hauran | ... cent(struck) ... hombres | darmas
```

`TT?` = read with one cross-bar, but the sense needs *s*, which every other `TT` gives; the bars are at
the limit of the image.

Uncertain: whether `1`/`i`, `q`/`9`, `T`/`TT` and `o`/`0` are each one sign or two; the gloss placement
over L04 right and L06 right.

d64_decode.txt

L02 P A V.S. E PORQUE AGORA ME PUEDE MANDAR LO QUE ACERCA SU SERVICIO TENGO
L03 DE FAZER ACORDE DELO{c|o|a}ertifi{c|o|a}ardelagente QUE
L04 COMIGOtrayo que horaENTRE LOSma{c|o|a}s {c|o|a}on
L05 tinvos E LOS QUEde castill{c|o|a} cm[C]oVIENE
L06 E LOSdearagonmasdequinient{c|o|a}
L07 sde{c|o|a}aualloLOS VALENCIANOSson yaallg
L08 vnos[.]DELLOS LLEGADOSen[Barcelona] E TODOS LOS OTROShiseran POR TODAesta
L09 semana que viene EN MANERA QUEtodosauntosESTI...
L10 MO FAN LOS QUEcomigo iran {c|o|a}chocientosdecavallo
L11 enque havra cient{c|o|a} hombresdearmas VEA V.S. LA FOR...

d64_reading.md

… e porque agora me puede mandar lo que acerca su servicio tengo de fazer, acorde de lo certificar de la gente
que comigo trayo, que ahora entre los [?mios] continuos e los que de Castilla c[...]o viene, e los de Aragón, más
de quinientos de cavallo. E los valencianos son ya; algunos dellos llegados en Barcelona, e todos los otros hi
serán por toda esta semana que viene; en manera que todos [?juntos], estimo, fan los que comigo irán ochocientos
de cavallo, en que havrá ciento hombres de armas. Vea V. S. la forma que devo tener …

d64_en.md

# BNE MSS/20211/64: English translation of the cipher passage

> … and so that Your Lordship may now tell me what I am to do for your service, I resolved to inform you of the
> men I bring with me: at present, among my *continos* and those who come from Castile [...], and those of
> Aragon, more than five hundred horse. And the Valencians are on their way; some of them have already arrived
> at Barcelona, and all the others will be there in the course of this coming week; so that all together, I
> reckon, those who will go with me will make eight hundred horse, among them a hundred men-at-arms. Let Your
> Lordship see what course I must take …

*Continos* (*contínuos*): the paid household guard of the Castilian crown. In June 1473 Ferdinand was raising
troops for the relief of Perpignan, where John II was besieged by the French.

d73_transcription.md

# BNE MSS/20211/73, Ferdinand to John II, Zaragoza 3 Nov 1474: transcription of the cipher

Source: BNE Digital bdh0000186628 (viewer id 647a859a-254f-4fb8-b7f9-b42629fa962b), image 1 of 3, the "high" PDF
(1114 x 1510 px), read in the pdf.js viewer at 4x and 5x (29 Oct 2026). The cipher runs from the end of the
clear line "... quanto el raxo seca ... yda en Castilla sea necessaria" to "... e aquesto senyor supplico por
merced": the tail of that line (K00) and ten full lines (K01-K10): 310 signs of 47 kinds as transcribed.

**Interlinear decipherment.** Over almost every sign there is a small letter or two in a second hand (e.g. over
K00: *n o r … e d l s … m e n o s … s e*; over K09: *s e f a c a n a b …*). The letters are small and pale
at this resolution; those read are in the second block below. The plaintext of the passage is the clear
paragraph at the foot of the recto (`../decryption/d73_clear.md`), with which the signs are aligned
(`../align1474.py`).

**System.** Not the alphabet of /64 (1473), though some shapes recur (`4`, `6`, `2`, `oo`, `+`). The signs are
largely of the "bar" type: o's and crosses on a horizontal stroke, signs with dots or colons, plus `me` (a
syllable or word sign, five times). Strokes `/` and `//` separate groups.

Sign labels:

| label | shape |
|---|---|
| `oo` | two rings joined (∞) |
| `-o-` | ring on a horizontal stroke |
| `o-` | ring with a stroke to the right |
| `o-o` | two rings joined by a long stroke |
| `o#` | ring and two crossed strokes (o‡) |
| `-+-` | cross on a horizontal stroke, with a dot at the crossing |
| `+` | ‡, a cross with two bars |
| `+:` | the same with dots, or a cross with a dot above (K10 start) |
| `tt` | ŧŧ, two crossed t's |
| `lp` | ꝉꝓ, a looped l joined to p |
| `l` | ꝉ / L, an L with a long hook |
| `L-` | £, L with a cross-bar |
| `ro` | r joined to o (ꝛo) |
| `9.` | 9 with a dot |
| `y°` | ʮ / ɥ with a small ring above |
| `y` | the same without the ring |
| `q` | ꝗ, q with a cross-bar on the stem |
| `d` | ∂ / ∋ with a dot |
| `e`, `e~` | e; e with a curl above (ẽ) |
| `3`, `3°` | ʒ; ʒ with a small ring above |
| `3-` | ʒ with a bar above (K02) |
| `A`, `A.` | A; A with a dot or dots |
| `T`, `T:` | T; T with two dots above |
| `7`, `7:` | 7; 7 with two dots above |
| `2`, `2:` | 2; 2 with a colon |
| `2f:` | 2 joined to f, with a colon |
| `4`, `4:` | 4; 4 with a colon |
| `6` | 6 |
| `8` | 8 (K01 start only) |
| `11` | two upright strokes |
| `i:` | ı̈ı, strokes with dots (K04) |
| `::`, `:.` | three dots; colon with a dot |
| `/.` | a short stroke with a dot (often after a sign) |
| `me` | the letters m e, as a sign |
| `H` | H with a bar above (K06) |
| `x.` | x with a dot (K06, K08, K10) |
| `X` | ꝁ / ⅄, a crossed k-like sign (K06, K10) |
| `fi` | long s and i joined (K06), cf. /64 L08 |
| `ne` | n e joined (K05 end) |

```
K00 "... yda en Castilla sea necessaria" 6 9. 4 o-o -o- lp /. 7 // -+- -o- oo
K01 8 o# 11 y° lp 9. e oo -o- d 3 ro :. 9. 2 // tt 9. /. A tt 4 o- y° q lp 9. 6 ro // 2f: /. A d ro 7
K02 l + 6 o- 4 / lp ro e oo 4 tt d 3- + / 6 9. -o- oo / /. -+- 2 // 6 2: A e~ o# :. // -o- /. + T: -o-
K03 -o- o- 4 e~ d 3° 4 + q ro 2 d 2f: 9. // 2 // 6 2: oo y° -o- 4 :. // 2f: /. me lp oo -o- 9.
K04 + :: tt ro y° d :. 9. // /. 3° y° oo -+- me 4 -o- -+- ro /. -o- -+- T: 3° i: A. 2 // e e~ tt ro
K05 A. lp oo 6 o- /. T o-o -o- q y° d 4 A o- /. +: A oo 4 /. 2 q /. 4 :. /. 2f: oo A 9. ne
K06 tt oo 3 y° // lp oo q ro :: // me -+- q + o# 4 X 9. tt H 4 /. 4 A. /. T 6 // d A fi :. oo
K07 7: + 3° // A. -+- l 3 9. y° o-o o-o q // -+- l oo 2 e~ // -o- me e~ d o# 4 tt 9. -o- -+- /. 7 -o-
K08 + 6 2 o- 2: 4: ro lp oo L- o- /. 3° // y° me lp oo 7: 2f: 9. /. A. lp ro -+- x. oo 2 e // -o-
K09 -+- /. l d 4 4 6 + 3 e~ oo 4: q d L- :. /. A // -+- 9. T 4 // -o- / oo d tt ro -o- /. -+- oo
K10 +: q q y° d /. y + 6 o- 3 /. 7: oo X x. ro 2 q 9. "e aquesto senyor supplico por merced ..."
```

Joins between screenshots were checked on the overlapping signs; a sign may still be doubled or dropped at a join.
Uncertain: `y`/`y°`, `3`/`3°`, `A`/`A.`, `/.` (a sign, or a mark belonging to the sign before), `e`/`e~`, the
`l 3` group in K07, and which signs carry dots.

The clear text around the cipher speaks of *las necessidades de Rossellon* and of what is *necessaria* in
Castile; the postscript (lower half of the recto) is on the marriage of the infanta (*el matrimonio dela infanta
mi ermana*).

## Interlinear letters (pass 1, 29 Oct 2026)

Read on a re-rendering of the page at its native 1114 px, each cipher line cut into four strips and enlarged about
7x (pdf.js, in the browser). The letters stand **above** the cipher line they belong to, one letter (sometimes
two) over each sign, in a pale brown ink. Many are too faint or too small to read at this resolution; `.` = a
letter is there but not read, `…` = a stretch not read. Placement over the signs is approximate.

```
K00 (over 6 9. 4 o-o -o- lp /. 7 // -+- -o- oo):   n o r e d l s . m e n o s . . s e
K01 (over 8 o# 11 y° lp 9. e oo -o- d 3 ro ...):    n y . . . x s . h e r a b i d o r o m o s
    (over ... 9. /. A tt 4 o- y° q lp 9. 6 ro // 2f: /. A d ro 7):   . s l m a t r i m o n i o d e l a i n . .
K02:   f … i h e r … e s . r o . n r a d … a d s e s … b n r
K03:   s r a b … a . . c a d … e … o n r e . o … t a d o … e . m e . o
K04:   a d . m . l . z … o e . p . e … e … l e s … f . e
K05:   l . m e n r e … t a l … e . a c e . u e … 2 . a d e
K06:   m e . . … e . n … c . . … o . m b . 2 e … a l . e . d e
K07:   n a … h . o … f t . . … o . e . n . r … x e . . a e l m
K08:   a n r t r … m e n … p o 2 … o s o . e . a … t f . e r h o s
K09:   s e f a c a n a b n e … t a s d e l … m … l e s . e
K10:   . u i . 2 . a . 2 a … n f b e n … m . . f e s e
```

Readable as words so far:
- K01 end: **"… el matrimonio de la in[fanta] …"** over `/. A tt 4 o- y° q lp 9. 6 ro // 2f: /. A d ro 7`. This gives
  `tt` m, `4` a, `o-` t, `y°` r, `q` i, `lp` m, `9.` o, `6` n, `ro` i, `2f:` o; `d` carries *la*.
- K09 start: **"se facan …"** over `-+- /. l d 4 4 6`.
- K00: *… menos se* at the end.

The postscript in clear on the same page is also about the infanta's marriage (*el matrimonio dela infanta mi
ermana*).

About half of the letters are not legible at 1114 px. They were used only for the seed key; the key itself comes
from the alignment with the clear paragraph (`../key_1474.md`).

d73_clear.md

# BNE MSS/20211/73 (Ferdinand to John II, Zaragoza, 3 Nov 1474): the clear paragraph at the foot of the recto

Diplomatic transcription of the paragraph after the date line, read on BNE Digital image 1 at about 7x of the
1114-px scan. It is the plaintext of the cipher passage K00-K10 (see `d73_reading.md`). Line breaks as on the
page; `[?]` = not read; `q̃` = *que*; superscript letters in `^ ^`.

```
No res menos Senyor yo he sabido como el matrimonio dela infanta mi ermana no se es rompido
segunt stava praticado e concertado de que me so admirado y pues assi es supplico humilmente
vra altesa le remede delo q̃ ^me^ ꝓmendo que si a ye hombre alguno a napols por
estos fechos q̃ vaya moss santcliment porq̃ yendo ell mis fechos [?] mis fechos se facan abueltas
delos otros e assi se seguira grant benefficio
```

Doubtful: *rompido* (the cipher sign for the first letter is *c* elsewhere), *ꝓmendo* (also so in the cipher),
*si a ye* (the cipher has *si aya*), the repeated *mis fechos* at the line break.

d73_decode.txt

K00  ... YDA EN CASTILLA SEA NECESSARIA no{a|r}esmen sse
K01 [8]y[11]rmohesabidoc moem{a|r}tr{i|t}moni oeain
K02 fant{a|r} mihe{a|r}ma[3-]a nose esc nc{u|v}yd sea[T:]s
K03 st{a|r}{u|v}ap{a|r}a{i|t}icaoo c ncers{a|r}d oequmeso
K04 admirado epresqu{a|r}ssiess[T:]p[i:]lc h{u|v}mi
K05 lmente[T]es{i|t}ra{a|r}te[+:]e{a|r}ec{i|t}e{a|r}deoeo[ne]
K06 mebr me{i|t}id qus{i|t}ay{a|r}[X]om[H]{a|r}e{a|r}le[T]n a[fi]de
K07 nap lsfboree{i|t} sfec{u|v} squ{u|v}ay{a|r}mossens
K08 anctclime[L-]tep rqumenooelmisfech s
K09 sefa{a|r}{a|r}nab{u|v}el{i|t}a[L-]de so[T]{a|r} s eamisese
K10 [+:]{i|t}{i|t}rae[y]antbene[X]fic{i|t}o E AQUESTO SENYOR SUPPLICO POR MERCED ...

d73_reading.md

No res menos, senyor, yo he sabido como el matrimonio de la infanta mi hermana no se es [?rompido], segunt stava
praticado e concertado, de que me so admirado. Y pues assi es, supplico humilmente a vuestra alteza le remede de
lo que me [?promendo], que si aya hombre alguno a Napols por estos fechos, que vaya mossen Santcliment, porque
yendo ell, mis fechos se facan a bueltas de los otros, e assi se seguira grant benefficio.

d73_en.md

# BNE MSS/20211/73: English translation of the cipher passage

> Nevertheless, my lord, I have learned that the marriage of the infanta my sister has not been [?broken off],
> as had been negotiated and agreed, at which I am astonished. And since this is so, I humbly beg Your Highness
> to remedy it [as I ?…]: that if any man is to go to Naples on these matters, Mossèn Santcliment should go,
> because if he goes my affairs will be dealt with together with the others, and so great benefit will follow.

The infanta is Juana of Aragon (1454-1517), Ferdinand's half-sister, who married Ferrante I of Naples in
1476-77.