Gramont to Montmorency, Rome, 21 July 1530

fr3071_no7_gramont.md

# BnF fr. 3071 no. 7, f. 17 — Gabriel, cardinal de Gramont (bishop of Tarbes), Rome, to Montmorency, 21 July [1530]

Image: Gallica btv1b9060315f, canvas 30 (= f. 17r). 7 lines clear, then 14 lines of cipher, then clear.

Key: "Gramont's cipher (1530)" (Lasry 2023, cryptiana GL.htm `GL/BnF_fr3071_f17.png`; Tomokiyo's table from
fr. 3019 f. 20, `img/francisGramont.png`). Substitution with 2-7 homophones per letter, LL/RR/SS signs, and
COM/CON signs. Lasry's table as transcribed:

    A λ x          B g            C 5            D ɛ f          E ơ ę ʃ
    F ρ            G Ϛ(2-loop) ɱ  I ʒ(loop) ɑ H ñ ü xr   L ʌ c   M ₳ p
    N ∂ ı          O ʀ b t ß      P Δ Ϙ Ŧ        Q D N-hook     R ₿ E ʃʃ ₿B ʒ(4-z)
    S o 2 4r       T m ɣ          V d ɑ g h ɾ    X ▣ ɑy
    LL ⱡⱡ  RR ℐ  SS T-bar  COM ᵬ  CON ₠    unknown: crown, ꝛ-bar, 8Δ, ꟿ, key-ring

Readings on the leaf settle three of Lasry's five unknown signs from context: **8Δ = PAPE**
("de la part du 8Δ", "8Δ trouvé bon"), **key-ring sign = ROY** ("congratuler avec le ⚷ de la venue de la
royne"), and **ʃʃ-on-a-stem is a null in word-initial position** (line 1). g serves for B, V and E: context decides.

## Reading (cipher in capitals; gaps in brackets)

[clear] Monseigneur, je vous escripvis l'aultre jour que ce a esté au pape et à tous aultres de par deçà de la
bonne nouvelle que leur avez fait entendre, qui est telle et de si grant effect que ung chascun en prent bon
esperance pour estre les choses reduictes à leur entier; et vous en donne l'on peu de louange de la perfection
de l'oeuvre. Comme j'espère plus à plain vous faire entendre dedans trois ou quatre jours par homme exprès, qui
emportera l'entiere resolution de deçà quant au faict de la venue de le[dict] Francisque ...

[cipher] ... VOVLOIR EST TOVSIOVRS BON ET CONTINVE PLVS QVE IAMAIS [...]CVTION. ET POVRCE QVE LE[...]
[...] QVE LES IMPERIAVLX POVRROIENT RECEPVOIR PLVS GRANT SVSPECON SI IE Y ALLOIS, POVRCE [...]
COMMANCEMENT [LE PAPE] A TROVVE BON QVE LEDICT FRANCISQVE Y AILLE [...] QV'IL N'Y A QVE BIEN;
D'AVLTANT [..] ESTANT ICI IE POVRRAY OBVIER A TOVT CE QVE L'ON LVY POVRROIT MECTRE AVANT POVR LE
DIVERTIR. A QVOY VOVS PVIS ASSEVRER QVE L'ON FAICT TOVTE LA DILLIGENCE POSSIBLE.
MONSIEVR L'EVESQVE DE FAIANCE, NEPVEV DV CONTE DE CARPI, PARTIRA DEDANS TROIS OV QVATRE IOVRS POVR,
DE LA PART DV [PAPE], [S'EN ALLER?] CONGRATVLER AVEC LE [ROY] DE LA VENVE DE LA ROYNE ET DE MESSEIGNEVRS.

[clear] Je ne veulx oublier de [vous dire?] ... de bons sommes de promesse ... et bons ... qu'il y a quatorze moys ...

## In modern French

... [le pape a] toujours bonne volonté et continue plus que jamais ... Parce que les Impériaux pourraient
concevoir un plus grand soupçon si j'y allais [moi-même], le pape a trouvé bon dès le commencement que ledit
Francisque y aille ..., et je pense qu'il n'y a là que du bien, d'autant qu'en restant ici je pourrai parer à
tout ce qu'on pourrait lui mettre en avant pour l'en détourner; à quoi je vous assure qu'on fait toute la
diligence possible. L'évêque de Faenza, neveu du comte de Carpi, partira dans trois ou quatre jours pour aller,
de la part du pape, féliciter le roi de la venue de la reine et de messeigneurs [les enfants de France].

## Date

"Rome, 21 July", no year. The congratulation on "la venue de la royne et de messeigneurs" is the return of
the Dauphin and Henri, hostages in Spain since 1526, with Queen Eleanor, handed over at the Bidassoa on
1 July 1530; the "bonne nouvelle" of the clear opening is the same. Rodolfo Pio, bishop of Faenza and nephew of
Alberto Pio, count of Carpi, did go to France as nuncio in summer 1530. So **21 July 1530**, and Gramont
(cardinal since June 1530) is in Rome. This fits Lasry's name for the key, "Gramont's cipher (1530)".
The "Francisque" sent in Gramont's place is presumably the same agent as in the clear text; the matter (a
marriage, or the Pope's meeting with the King) is not named in the cipher that has been read.

Gaps: the ends of lines 1-2 and the middle of lines 5-7 were read at lower confidence; about 85 % of the
cipher is read.

fr3071_no7_gramont_reading.md

# BnF fr. 3071 no. 7, f. 17: Gabriel de Gramont, Rome, to Montmorency, 21 July [1530]: reading

Running text of the reading in `fr3071_no7_gramont.md` (section "Reading", cipher in capitals there), written out
23 Oct 2026 (translation wave v7). Only capitals, word division and punctuation are changed: the capitals of the
decryption are set in lower case, with the cipher's V written u or v as the word has it, and code signs resolved
as the file resolves them ([pape], [roy]). Letters are the decryption's; spelling unmodernised. The leaf is
clear text (opening and close) round a 14-line cipher block: the cipher is in ⟨ ⟩. `[...]` = unread signs or a
gap in the clear text as transcribed; `[?word]` = doubtful. About 85% of the cipher is read; the clear close is
transcribed only in fragments.

## Reading

Monseigneur, je vous escripvis l'aultre jour que ce a esté au pape et à tous aultres de par deçà de la bonne
nouvelle que leur avez fait entendre, qui est telle et de si grant effect que ung chascun en prent bon esperance
pour estre les choses reduictes à leur entier; et vous en donne l'on peu de louange de la perfection de l'oeuvre.
Comme j'espère plus à plain vous faire entendre dedans trois ou quatre jours par homme exprès, qui emportera
l'entiere resolution de deçà quant au faict de la venue de le[dict] Francisque ...

⟨... vouloir est tousiours bon et continue plus que iamais [...]cution. Et pource que le[...] [...] que les
Imperiaulx pourroient recepvoir plus grant suspecon si ie y allois, pource [...] commancement [le pape] a trouvé
bon que ledict Francisque y aille [...] qu'il n'y a que bien; d'aultant [...] estant ici ie pourray obvier à tout ce
que l'on luy pourroit mectre avant pour le divertir. A quoy vous puis asseurer que l'on faict toute la dilligence
possible. Monsieur l'evesque de Faiance, nepveu du conte de Carpi, partira dedans trois ou quatre iours pour, de la
part du [pape], [?s'en aller] congratuler avec le [roy] de la venue de la royne et de messeigneurs.⟩

Je ne veulx oublier de [?vous dire] ... de bons sommes de promesse ... et bons ... qu'il y a quatorze moys ...

fr3071_no7_gramont_en.md

# BnF fr. 3071 no. 7, f. 17: Gabriel de Gramont, Rome, to Montmorency, 21 July [1530]: English translation

Translation (Claude Opus 5.5, 23 Oct 2026) of `fr3071_no7_gramont_reading.md` (clear opening and close round the
deciphered cipher block, which is in ⟨ ⟩; key Lasry's "Gramont's cipher (1530)"). Same holes: `[...]` unread signs or
gaps in the transcribed clear text, `[?word]` doubtful. The clear close is only fragments.

## Translation

Monseigneur, I wrote to you the other day how it went with the Pope and with all others over here regarding the
good news you have let them know, which is such, and of so great effect, that everyone takes good hope from it that
things will be restored to their entirety; and little praise is given you for the perfection of the work. As I hope
to let you know more fully within three or four days by an express messenger, who will carry the full resolution
from here as to the matter of the coming of the sa[id] Francisque ...

⟨... will is always good, and continues more than ever [...]cution. And because the[...] [...] that the Imperialists
might conceive greater suspicion if I went there, because [...] beginning [the Pope] has found it good that the said
Francisque should go there [...] that there is nothing but good in it; inasmuch [...] being here I shall be able to
forestall all that might be put to him to turn him aside. To which I can assure you that all possible diligence is
being used. Monsieur the bishop of Faenza, nephew of the Count of Carpi, will leave within three or four days to [?go]
on behalf of the [Pope] to congratulate the [King] on the coming of the Queen and of my lords [his sons].⟩

I do not wish to forget [?to tell you] ... of good sums of promise ... and good ... that fourteen months ago ...