At a glanceKey from external plaintext · complete
- The letter
- Philip IV to Álvaro de Bazán, 2nd Marquis of Santa Cruz, governor and captain general of the State of Milan, Madrid, 6 December 1630. Signed original, seven pages; the titles and address are in clear.
- Where
- Archivo Histórico de la Nobleza (Toledo), SANTA CRUZ, C.50, D.213; PARES record 12877198, images 32–38. The catalogue entry says “sin descifrar” (undeciphered).
- The cipher
- The royal cipher “A” of Philip IV’s letters to Santa Cruz (1629–32), also used by the Infanta Isabella in Brussels: a homophonic syllabary with a nomenclator.
- How it was read
- Key K6A learned by EM alignment on fourteen cipher letters of the fonds with their contemporary decipherments, frozen, and tested on a letter never opened before (D.167): 0.752 of words and 0.857 of characters, against 0.257 and 0.591 at the 99th percentile of 200 keys with permuted values.
- What it says
- The King approves the agreement at Casale obtained by Giulio Mazarini, wants a peace concluded before March, orders a secret inquiry into the army’s unreadiness and tells the governor to fortify the Milanese.
- Still open
- Nine words (29, 28, lor, nat, dol twice, dul, mur, fri), 28 probable and 22 restored readings. A plain-text draft may survive at Simancas and was not consulted.
- Credit
- Brice Dudout (Europe chiffrée, with Claude): the key, its held-out test, the transcription, the Spanish text and the English translation. Contributed by email on 29 October 2026 (branch dudout/bundle-spain-italy).
01 The letter
In October 1630 the French and Spanish armies before Casale were about to fight when the papal envoy Giulio Mazarini rode between the lines and obtained an agreement: the French hand the citadel to the imperial commissary, the Spaniards the town and castle. Senator Vilani brought the governor’s dispatch to Madrid. On 6 December the King answered in cipher: the Emperor is “so broken and discredited” that the agreement has restored his reputation; the governor should see whether a better peace can still be had, but above all a peace that can be concluded by March, with fortification of the Milanese in the meantime; the visitor of the State is to investigate the army’s shortages in secret; and “above all do not spend a single real badly”.
The archive describes the letter as undeciphered, and no contemporary decipherment or edition is known. The same fonds holds other letters of the series with their decipherments, which is where the key came from. A different cipher of 1635 in the same fonds (Philip IV to the same Marquis, issue #183) is being worked separately; it is a different key and has no page here.
02 The cipher
Groups are letter groups (pan = ca, fan = que, sol = por) and numbers 1–99 for syllables and letters, with a nomenclator in numbers 100–260 and groups for names (128 Emperador, 194 guerra, 222 Italia, tus paz, hon Piamonte). Several signs share a value. The transcription has 2,545 symbols; the frozen key leaves 56 without a value, and the established text chooses between homophones that the key separates poorly by the shape of the word.
03 How the key was found
Key K6A was learned by EM alignment on fourteen cipher letters of Philip IV to Santa Cruz (1629–32) in AHNOB SANTA CRUZ C.50–51 with the decipherments filed with them, plus D.163/164, D.175/176 and the Infanta’s letter of 14 February 1631 with its plain copy. It was frozen (SHA-256) and tested on D.167 of 29 January 1630, transcribed before its decipherment (image 6, mislabelled D.168 in PARES) was opened. The criterion fixed in advance (0.75 words, 0.85 characters) was met narrowly; the earlier key K5, without the Infanta’s letter, gave 0.743 and 0.857 on the same letter. Earlier checks of K5 on D.163, D.175 and D.31 gave 0.842, 0.871 and 0.705 of words.
04 The reading
Of 1,171 enciphered words, 1,112 are certain (every syllable or code has an attested value in the pairs), 28 probable, 22 restored from the sense and 9 unresolved: 1,162 read, 99.2%. Brice Dudout justifies each probable and restored word in the notes; for example code 155 is franceses because the Infanta’s letter and its decipherment render it so, and the three word codes never seen in a pair (concluido, paz, seguridad) are counted as restored. The complete Spanish text and English translation are in the full texts below.
05 What remains uncertain
- Unresolved: 29 (in the date of Vilani’s dispatch), 28, lor, nat, dol (twice), dul, mur, fri.
- The exact date of Santa Cruz’s letters (the 20th and a figure of October) stays uncertain.
- Probable and restored words, graded in the notes; a plain-text draft in the Estado, Milán bundles at Simancas (AGS, legajos 3338–3340) could check them; it was not consulted.
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.
Philip IV to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, Madrid, 6 December 1630 (AHNOB SANTA CRUZ,C.50,D.213)
October 1630: before besieged Casale, the French and Spanish armies are about to fight when a young papal envoy, Giulio Mazarini, rides between the lines and wrests an agreement. On 6 December Philip IV answers his governor of Milan, the Marquis of Santa Cruz, in cipher: he approves the agreement, which “restored the reputation” of a discredited Emperor, wants a peace concluded before March, orders a secret inquiry into the army’s unreadiness, insists that Casale and Mantua stay guarded by the Emperor and that the Milanese be fortified — “and above all do not spend a single real badly”.
Transcription
# AHNOB SANTA CRUZ,C.50,D.213 (PARES 12877198, images 32-38): cipher part, one manuscript line per row, tokens separated by spaces. # The title, address and date are in plain text and are not transcribed. Sign codes: g = secretary initial (gar, ger, gan...), # q = barred q, v = small d/v, X = barred 7, T = barred h/t, D = d with stroke, O = barred o, z = brace sign, Ja/Je = cursive J + vowel. ## page 1 (image 32) 4 ven ed tar fer X ir 65 tir K 66 95 10 fan pon 9 ven 104 fan D 10 X 71 12 for xon tre 28 er s hi 16 29 40 29 tre 16 hug 72 10 mes fan ed 77 98 72 ar pon s 4 xes 40 fer ed 17 sol 10 er X ed he tir for an Jil tre xir v T q tre fel tre 65 lur fan ven 128 xir hi 16 ho xor tre 204 68 v J q 97 71 65 tus tre 222 fer fan D 10 s Q Xir 10 for pon 99 10 40 flu ed ir v ho 77 ho 40 68 fer xar v fan tre 45 78 tre 68 ud pen fir for Q s hon 105 tre 65 v X 72 96 76 fan ed D 12 pin Q 74 s 40 65 77 pan 71 xur 45 10 fan ed X 71 or tel ven 148 155 ar 30 16 10 od pon T 72 T 65 J Q 65 tre P K 40 65 T 72 id v he s pin 10 fen Qun Q s ven xir 16 tor od 68 97 71 12 X 98 fir X 66 77 he 12 9 he s ho id tor fir v del ho 97 71 far T 66 65 ar ha K 65 ad 67 16 53 20 67 16 xar 45 10 73 tir tre K 148 155 10 O 74 Ja ten 68 v xer fro tre tus fan Jil 78 tre Q s QX 72 92 T 155 77 van C ad 73 16 206 K 65 J Q 65 40 xen 65 J 40 pan v hi K 68 tre P K 40 T 72 xel 73 v 65 v pan 20 ad q ## page 2 (image 33) fan 79 16 q 67 92 74 s 10 er tir Q s 138 for fan mus fir 16 4 fan 10 tar lor nat ven ed tar for X ir 65 tir 40 D 10 97 72 pin for fan 10 er 78 O 74 pen fir for Q s 77 ha tas V pon 9 156 10 65 Δ 71 9 pon 9 xil 10 9 45 4 40 fer fan he 9 95 tre xon ven 40 4 68 fan tre xen ed 77 98 72 ar del flu 68 del ho for ven 128 Q s 77 ha for ha s fan q 71 for 40 fer v 10 m 72 fir ha for ed D 10 od K far for 65 T 72 Je ha pin 16 s pon s fus er s ha 53 10 sol 20 9 xer fir 16 ha s id s Q 30 Q QX 68 C ven fan ud pen fir 16 40 Jul 68 fan 10 16 71 xor 40 4 er 78 tre 204 77 xir 71 T pon 9 4 10 he s pin 16 s id pon s 77 he ud pen od ed Je Q fer or Ker X 10 pis X tre xer 53 16 71 T 65 tus C id tor ed D 20 12 137 R02 id lon ed pon s id fer 71 fan 77 xar v ed 96 74 sal hi for tor pis X 0 77 ho id tor O 74 pun 71 T fan Qen fin ed Je fir 137 92 tan Q s 65 N fan tor tor v fer 30 4 72 194 tir Q QX 98 tar far v 65 v 10 X xar q 40 65 T 72 Je ha pin 16 s 40 ed Je Q far pon 9 m 65 12 X tre 10 fen van xer q tre xar X 45 16 tre K Qan fan ir Q ter ed fir v Ja 9 92 77 xol X 45 20 s for 68 pon s ho far fru 40 xes 40 fen Qen fan ed Je fir 137 92 tan pon s id fer 71 9 for ed 65 194 Jal ed 10 A 40 ven 128 tor od 68 er 9 92 Q s 138 id tor fan 68 O 72 he s far 40 68 tre ed Q tre L xar ter 71 ed pis 40 Jul pon 9 ## page 3 (image 34) 77 he O 72 ud del ho D Q xar s far for 77 m 73 ir T 10 16 71 Q s 77 ha v xar he 73 76 10 68 v T q tre fel 68 fan er 72 78 sol 65 pon 99 10 tre 65 S fan ed 79 Q X ir 10 pon s 77 ha pon s 165 10 65 dol 79 12 72 78 C tir pan 9 for pon 9 138 v 4 q ir X hi Q s for K 77 tre ho for 68 fan xul 137 xus ed 96 9 ven 146 36 fir v Ja id pin 17 9 tre 65 v pon ad q he tir Q s for Q s he s fri for fan tre dul 4 pon 9 X 71 er s pin 16 s fan 155 77 D 10 92 s 10 65 tus 10 er 78 tre far X fen 9 ha 0 138 10 fel Q s fru 40 mus 65 far 72 78 10 pan 10 q ir X hi Q s for van C ad 73 16 206 K 40 10 68 v 4 66 xar ter v fen ed D 10 9 tre 10 68 53 10 X 53 20 s ho 10 P K tre fan fer L xar ter 71 10 er s hu 72 9 fin 155 77 en s 92 9 ur ven ar 9 10 xer he X 99 Q Q s 138 40 ven ed tar fer X ir 65 tir sal hi 71 fer 10 fan pon 9 plo Mus T 72 v Ja s for van 115 10 65 v S q fin xer D 10 77 m 73 ho 68 fan Jul □ Q s he 9 fer 72 78 sol 65 pon 99 10 fen ar 10 fan 68 fan tre fir pin v dil 10 65 Ja pan O 72 er 9 pin 16 s 40 xal K ha tre ir er 72 v xur tir pin 16 ter v 40 cri q sel X 72 29 q fan D 20 16 Q s Q ed 148 40 tor ed 10 er X fir v del ho 65 v X 73 9 27 71 v 40 fer xar v pon ad v q v 97 71 65 tre xel 9 ad C pon 9 er tir 10 77 I tre A 98 od 40 fan 16 q 67 92 10 20 tar Δ 71 s 102 40 Jul D Q xar 9 far for van ir id ha for X tre Q ed ## page 4 (image 35) 146 10 er 73 96 Q pon 9 Δ 71 9 ed m 72 ho 40 Q s he 72 45 4 65 v xal K ha v pon 9 fen ed Qun ar Q ed 148 40 65 v fen D 10 10 ir for Q s 77 ha 194 40 fer v cro 77 0 138 Q s ho far sal he 40 sol pun an pun K 97 tre 10 pin 16 s 16 17 xir id 16 s ed Qun ar 77 ho Q s ha K 146 40 4 xen 79 Q s pan X 95 A 68 pan v hi 96 Q 78 pon s Δ 71 9 fer T 73 95 X 40 id 9 L pon 9 he QX O 65 pin 16 s tir fir v pen 9 ad pin 16 s del 65 v pon ad v ed D 10 9 T 72 fur pin for 10 he X xir tor fan ed Ja 0 73 10 pis X tre 65 ad 67 far tre 68 v 10 66 xar ter v tre 222 77 lon 77 he 78 V 10 q er X hi for fan 77 ho D 10 tre ed X fen far 9 for v 96 10 X far far v 65 v O 65 45 76 tre P K 40 xar s hu 10 Ja tir Q s for ven 128 xir hi 16 ud xil pin Q s he O 72 id fir 16 40 gli v pan er 45 76 Q s 4 QX ar v O 65 45 76 sal he v del 68 Je Q fer 204 id 9 pon v ha ud an flu ed tre xar s he ten tre K 97 78 40 fan ho for 77 he 4 ed 96 71 for 40 id 9 T 72 45 Q 68 tre 155 77 Q s 68 dol 10 er 78 tre er 65 X pon 9 Δ 71 9 xes 40 Q s fan ed 10 68 53 Q s 68 v 4 66 xar ter v xer 53 16 72 v 40 xer 53 16 72 v pan er 45 76 van T 72 fer fer X tre P K tre xar ter 71 fan tor Je Q far 9 204 van 96 s hi 74 155 77 40 O 74 pun 71 72 78 mus pon 9 fer v QX 72 45 10 40 xar tar sol xer fir 16 tre K C ad 73 16 206 K ## page 5 (image 36) fan 77 ha Q s P K 40 sol ven 115 40 tor 9 53 20 10 s ed T 71 tor 45 10 97 ha fan P K tre L xar ter 71 ed O 72 er s 92 tre ir er 72 v 40 xur tir pin 16 ter v del 97 71 65 tus tor D 10 xer ter v he X O 72 er tir ed 40 97 71 65 194 ed 73 10 van he 71 X 68 10 ed s ha fer 16 xor v X 72 T 12 9 he 9 ho v 0 138 36 QX ir Q s X 71 v ven O 72 id fir 16 77 tre xor 9 xel T 73 ter v Jal 53 20 45 95 fen tor 77 ha 71 9 pon s fer ed 16 tre Q 194 xor 97 71 10 ed 96 71 T 65 tus 40 97 71 fan ed Q 30 Q pun he dil 10 s he v fen Qen O 65 45 10 40 65 tre xar s hu 10 77 he s ha 9 10 ed 96 71 far v sol ven 128 fan tor Je Q far ud pen fer X fer v xar s 40 77 he 77 12 9 he 72 v tre K 115 del tre cri xar ter 71 4 ven tor 66 T 72 v hi hu 12 71 9 65 v O 65 45 76 fan 66 hi Q ter s 155 77 16 pun 97 far v 10 pir T hi Q s for fin flu 53 20 71 for 68 v xor 9 xel T 73 ter v van 128 Xil fer 67 far 0 65 v Q 30 10 m hi 16 ter v 40 T 72 9 ha v tre K xor 9 xel T 71 ho ed D 10 s tre pon q 71 T sol cro 77 tre K C ad 73 16 206 K 40 97 92 T mur sol ud v cro 77 40 sol ud v T q 40 Jul ed D 10 q 71 tre Q 30 Q pun ha X 40 sol 68 fan xar 104 T 104 X 68 v 4 66 xar ter v pon 9 plo 40 fan ur ven ar s pon 9 he s ho v 40 Q s R 11 9 65 v X 74 O 76 10 152 Q s yul tre 68 fan ed 79 fri 45 Q Q s cri 104 fan ## page 6 (image 37) fan T 72 pin ir 72 78 pon 9 77 he ud del ho fen tor Je Q fer 9 10 ir 10 X ed 10 4 fan K 68 v 146 q D 16 ha fen 4 an 97 ad fer ven 12 QX ir Q T tor 40 ed Je Q far 53 20 45 92 T fan ven 115 O 72 he s fer 71 fan ed 66 fer er 4 ud xar 40 id ed 66 far O 74 QX ha fes Ja 0 73 10 77 he 122 204 xal K ha 97 72 77 he Q xel m ho far 72 28 van 119 fes tre ha K xar ter 71 fan tor ed xal K he 10 77 ha v pon ad q fir v Ja tir Q s fer 68 pon s ha K 10 he 9 pin 16 s 40 xar tar fan ven 119 han mus fan fer pon 9 fes 40 xen O 74 pun 71 72 78 10 68 53 10 X ven 148 40 77 ha 188 fan D 20 12 137 tre 97 ad X 10 152 68 xar v fen Je fir 137 fer v xul 137 tre K 146 tre 0 Q s ho for v Qen v 146 q 40 xel 20 for v 206 K 77 del flu 97 fer pin for tre fus v xar ter 71 v xor xir 71 T 4 sol ud 10 67 ir 16 40 pon 9 ed X ar pin 16 s 40 del er 78 tre dil 205 77 xir 71 T sol 65 bor tre Q ed 146 Jal 4 v er 45 77 ed D 10 Q s pan X 92 for 10 68 v 95 er X tar for 72 v 65 xol X hi xil pan pin 16 s fer K 4 xen tre Q 79 68 Q s pan X 95 40 xar s fer Ja tir Q s fer Q s 138 ha K xer fen ed 102 fer er Q T Q s 68 v Q xel m ho v 68 fen xir 71 78 sol xir ber del er 78 68 4 fen ar Q s 77 ho 40 fen pon 9 xol X hi xil pan X Q ed 146 ed fir xil pun K ha 9 ## page 7 (image 38) 68 v 12 9 he s ho v tre Π q 133 q 40 fos ho for 79 Q s pan X 95 tor 92 v he 78 20 9 T 72 van xar K 92 v ha for fen 10 68 v ir T 72 er v tre 222 ed 66 v 77 m 73 er 10 16 71 79 ar an od pon T 73 Q s fer 97 71 65 v xol X hi xil pan pin 16 ter v 40 fer 98 fir X ven 148 40 sol fan 77 e fen xen 40 ven 119 tre xel 73 10 79 Q s he s far 78 Q s 77 ha v xar he 73 76 ven mes fan 77 hu ir 137 fer v 53 20 s ho v sol Qun 66 C tir pan 72 78 77 he 104 ho for 10 65 66 X 71 04
Decryption: decryption.txt
Reading
# Philip IV to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, Madrid, 6 December 1630: established text (Spanish)
Conventions: {x} = probable reading; ‹…› = unresolved group; [x] = restored from the sense; *italics* = written in plain text in the original. Spelling normalised; punctuation and accents added.
*Don Phelipe, por la gracia de Dios rey de Castilla, de León, de Aragón, de las dos Sicilias, de Jerusalén, de Portugal, de Navarra y de las Indias, etc., duque de Milán, etc. Marqués de Santa Cruz, primo, del mi Consejo de Estado, mi teniente general de la mar y governador y capitán general del Estado de Milán.*
El senador Vilani llegó con el despacho que habéis traído de {veinte} y ‹29› y {veintinueve} de o{ctub}re, a tiempo que se esperaba con {gran} cuidado y deseo, por haberse tenido ya aviso, por mis ministros de Alemania, de la resolución que el Emperador mi tío tomó de hacer los [despachos] para la paz de Italia, de que se han enviado copias. Y habiéndose visto esto y lo demás que decís de lo sucedido en Piamonte después de las treguas que se hicieron, y la escaramuza que se trabó andando el ejército {francés} a socorrer la ciudadela de Casal, y la resistencia que allá [halló] en el mío, no sólo para impedirle este intento sino dispuesto para darle la batalla, salió Julio Mazarini del ejército {francés} a proponer los me{dios} de paz que avisáis, de entregar {franceses} al comisario imperial la ciudadela, y vos la [villa] y castillo de Casal; y referís las causas que os obligaron a venir en ello, de que también dio [cuenta] aquí ‹lor› ‹nat› el senador Vilani. Y ha parecido que habéis procedido en esta ocasión muy conforme a la gran confianza que tengo de vuestro celo y a lo que de vos se esperaba, pues habiendo puesto el Emperador en estado tan quebrado y desacreditado, se ha soldado la reputación con ventaja por un medio tan sin ejemplo como el que sucedió.
Y así lo que ahora más habéis de hacer es mirar con [gran] atención si con este suceso se puede vo{lve}r a tratar de mejorar la paz, como si no se hubiere [concluido]; si bien se considera que es más seguro partido no tratar de esto, sino procurar que {lo} que se pudiere ganar en la [paz] que no nos deje a re[novar la] guerra ni empeñadas las armas y la reputación, y se pueda concluir de aquí al mes de marzo del año que viene; se disponga {fortificando}lo con toda diligencia y cuidado; y que {lo} que se pudiere ganar, considerándose la guerra que se ha [de hacer], y el Emperador no sólo venga en ello sino que lo pretenda y lo desee, de necesidad [se] ha de tratar. Y así, con este presupuesto, he mandado escribir ahora en estas materias a los ministros de Alemania lo que veréis por la copia de la carta que se os envía con ésta, conforme a la ‹dol›, oiréis comunicando con ellos, advirtiéndoles de todo lo que fuere conveniente según el estado y disposición de las cosas, teniendo enten{di}do que de [la] ‹dul› [y] contravención que {franceses} hagan a la paz habéis de dar cuenta de ella a Alemania en diligencia, y también la daréis acá, advirtiendo al comisario imperial y a los alemanes que se han de alojar junto a Casal, que de necesidad aventuren que {franceses} vengan [y] vuelvan a meter pie en ella; y el senador Vilani partirá de aquí con cuidado.
Respondo al duque [de Saboya] a las cartas que me ha escrito lo que asimismo entenderéis por la copia que va. A lo que decís cuanto a la poca prevención y falta de víveres, municiones y otras provisiones que hubo en ese ejército, y no haberse dispuesto las trin{che}ras y demás cosas para la defensa como convenía, es [cosa] de [gran] peso y que obliga a una gran {demostración}; y así he mandado al visitador de ese Estado averigüe con gran secreto y entereza las faltas con que se hallaba ese ejército y las que ha habido en esta guerra, y desórdenes de ella en toda parte, y por cuya culpa, de acción u omisión, se hallaba esto en tal estado; y a vos os encargo lo castiguéis con gran rigor y sin ninguna contemplación ni dispensación, pues las cosas se han reducido a término que se podría tratar de la salida de los alemanes de Italia. Es bien estéis muy advertido que esto ha de ser quedando guardadas las plazas de Casal y Mantua, poniendo el Emperador mi tío suficiente presidio y buenas cabezas en ambas plazas, pues lo puede hacer sin costa suya, habiéndose de mantener del país, y que todo esté asegurado y sin recelo de {franceses}. En lo ‹dol› habéis de velar con gran cuidado, y en que se alojen los alemanes mejores y mejores cabezas alrededor de Casal, de manera que no puedan hacer algún tiro {franceses}; y procuraréis también con destreza y maña, por medio del comisario imperial que está en Casal y por el duque y don Juan Serrano, que Casal de necesidad se prevenga de víveres y municiones, pues para la paz no ha menester prevenirse, y para la guerra sería alterarlo. Asentado [esto], como sé el intento de ellos, y mientras el presidio es de monferrinos, que juzgo que no estarán con deseo de guerra, como para asegurar la paz y para que se ejecute cuanto antes, que {ambas} plazas y la de Mantua estén tan aseguradas por el Emperador que no pueda suceder desmán. Y éste es interés del duque, pues de otra manera a él no le restituirán las plazas que le tienen {franceses} ocupadas, ad{vi}rtiendo que, habiendo jurado los monferrinos al Emperador {fi}delidad, las exacciones y rentas del Monferrato se han de cobrar por órdenes del comisario imperial y pagar ‹mur› por sus órdenes y por sus ministros; y así se habrá de ejecutar.
Y por lo que mira a despedir los alemanes con cuidado, y que vuelvan contentos, y encaminen las tropas a {Alemania} en conformidad de lo que se os ‹fri› en otro despacho que recibiréis con éste, supuesto que no pueden aviarse aquellos estados hasta que haya pasado el invierno, y se pueda juzgar que el duque pretenderá que se le deba a su majestad; y si se le da pronta satisfacción podría esto hacer falta. Para este efecto daré ‹28› al duque satisfacción de tal manera que no se falte a estas cosas, disponiéndolo con tal atención y maña que el duque pueda también quedar con satisfacción; y vos procuraréis alojar el ejército y esta gente que hubiere de pasar a {Alemania} lo más que pudiere[is] fuera del Estado, dentro de todos {esos} estados y feudos imperiales, pues han padecido de [muchas] maneras; [y] mirar por su alivio y conservación. Y pues veis de cuánta importancia es mirar por la [seguridad] de ese Estado, que a veces se ha encargado a los gobernadores la fortificación de él, a vos os lo encargo y mando, poniendo en ello tal [cuidado] que se {pueda} ver en los efectos lo que miráis por mi servicio, pues veis lo que va en esto, y que con fortificar ese Estado se dificultan los intentos de nuestros enemigos; y sobre todo os encargo no gastéis un real mal gastado. Que a los virreyes de Italia se les escribe ahora os vayan socorriendo para las fortificaciones y despedir el ejército. Y porque es {conveniente} que vos y el duque de Feria os entendáis en estas materias el tiempo que estuviereis juntos por allá, le comunicaréis este despacho todo a la letra.
*De Madrid, a 6 de diziembre de 1630. Yo el Rey.*Translation
# English translation [In plain text:] Don Philip, by the grace of God King of Castile, León, Aragon, the Two Sicilies, Jerusalem, Portugal, Navarre and the Indies, etc., Duke of Milan, etc. Marquis of Santa Cruz, my cousin, of my Council of State, my lieutenant general of the sea, governor and captain general of the State of Milan. Senator Vilani arrived with the dispatch you wrote on the 20th and ‹…› of October, at a moment when it was awaited with great concern and eagerness, since my ministers in Germany had already reported the resolution taken by the Emperor my uncle to issue the dispatches for the peace of Italy, of which copies have been sent. This has been seen, together with what you say of what happened in Piedmont after the truces, of the skirmish fought while the French army was marching to relieve the citadel of Casale, and of the resistance it met there from mine, ready not only to stop it but to give it battle; Giulio Mazarini then came out of the French army to propose the means of peace you report: that the French hand the citadel over to the imperial commissary, and you the town and castle of Casale; and you set out the reasons that obliged you to agree, of which Senator Vilani also gave an account here. It has seemed that you acted on this occasion entirely in keeping with the great confidence I have in your zeal and with what was expected of you: with the Emperor in so broken and discredited a state, reputation has been restored with advantage by a means as unprecedented as the one that occurred. So what you must now chiefly do is consider with great attention whether, after this success, one can return to negotiating a better peace, as if it were not concluded; it is held, however, that the safer course is not to raise this, but to see to it that whatever can be gained in the peace does not leave us to renew the war nor our arms and reputation committed, and that it can be concluded between now and March of next year; that preparations be made, fortifying with all diligence and care; and that whatever can be gained, considering the war that would have to be waged, and provided the Emperor not only agrees but seeks and desires it, must necessarily be negotiated. On this basis I have now had written on these matters to the ministers in Germany what you will see from the copy of the letter sent to you with this one; in accordance with ‹…›, you will keep in touch with them, informing them of everything appropriate to the state and disposition of affairs, bearing in mind that of any ‹…› and contravention of the peace by the French you must report promptly to Germany, and also here, warning the imperial commissary and the Germans who are to be quartered near Casale that the French will necessarily try to come back and set foot in it again; and Senator Vilani will leave here with that charge. I am answering the Duke of Savoy, to the letters he has written to me, as you will also learn from the enclosed copy. As to what you say of the lack of preparation and the shortage of victuals, munitions and other supplies in that army, and of the trenches and the rest not having been arranged for the defence as they should, it is a matter of great weight that calls for an exemplary sanction; I have therefore ordered the visitor of that State to investigate, with great secrecy and integrity, the shortcomings of that army and those of this whole war, its disorders everywhere, and through whose fault, by act or omission, things were in such a state; and I charge you to punish it with great rigour and without any indulgence or dispensation, since matters have come to the point where the withdrawal of the Germans from Italy could be negotiated. You should be well aware that this must happen with the places of Casale and Mantua kept guarded, the Emperor my uncle putting a sufficient garrison and good commanders in both, which he can do at no cost to himself since they are to be maintained from the country, and that everything be secured and without fear of the French. In ‹…› you must keep watch with great care, and see that the best Germans and the best commanders are quartered round Casale, so that the French cannot strike any blow; and you will also contrive, with skill and dexterity, through the imperial commissary in Casale, the Duke and Don Juan Serrano, that Casale necessarily be supplied with victuals and munitions, since for peace there is no need to stock up, and for war it would upset it. This settled, since I know their intention, and while the garrison is of Montferrat men, who I think will have no wish for war, it is needed, to secure the peace and have it carried out as soon as possible, that both places and that of Mantua be so secured by the Emperor that no mishap can occur. And this is in the Duke’s interest, for otherwise the places the French hold from him will not be restored to him; noting that, the people of Montferrat having sworn fidelity to the Emperor, the levies and revenues of Montferrat are to be collected on the orders of the imperial commissary and paid ‹…› on his orders and by his ministers; and so it must be done. As regards dismissing the Germans with care, so that they go home content, and sending the troops to Germany in accordance with what is ‹…› to you in another dispatch you will receive with this one: since those states cannot set out before the winter is over, and it may be judged that the Duke will claim that he is owed [something] by His Majesty, a prompt satisfaction could be lacking. To that end I shall give ‹…› satisfaction to the Duke in such a way that these things are not neglected, arranging it with such attention and skill that the Duke too can remain satisfied; and you will try to quarter the army and the men who are to go to Germany as far as possible outside the State, within all those imperial states and fiefs, for it has suffered in many ways, and to look to its relief and preservation. And since you see how important it is to look to the security of that State, whose fortification has more than once been entrusted to the governors, I charge and order you to do it, putting such care into it that what you do for my service may be seen in the results, since you see what is at stake, and that fortifying that State makes our enemies’ designs harder; and above all I charge you not to spend a single real badly. The viceroys of Italy are now being written to, to assist you for the fortifications and for dismissing the army. And since it is fitting that you and the Duke of Feria come to an understanding on these matters while you are together there, you will communicate this whole dispatch to him word for word. [In plain text:] Madrid, 6 December 1630. I the King.
Held-out validation letter: Philip IV to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, Madrid, 29 January 1630 (AHNOB SANTA CRUZ,C.50,D.167, with the contemporary decipherment D.168) not prose
Transcription
# Validation text: AHNOB SANTA CRUZ,C.50,D.167 (29 Jan 1630, PARES 12877137 image 4), transcribed and frozen after the key, # before its contemporary decipherment (image 6, shelfmark D.168, misdescribed on PARES as a cédula to the Marquis del Viso) was opened. 4 D z ad lar fen 73 10 77 ha X ter 20 X 71 K pon s 77 ha pon 74 tar 40 65 tre 154 40 del 68 fan z s 77 ho ed 10 Je 74 77 pon s 156 | 10 68 fan ed fer er 77 98 71 T tre 65 z ir fer 65 lar 40 65 v ora 77 fan hi z ter 10 77 ha pon 74 tar ed 71 lon 40 Ju l 79 68 z s pan T 95 40 65 10 Δ 71 fer 45 pan 78 tre xir sal he sol ven R 36 ur z s xor for fin 79 97 72 pin 137 | xar q xus 65 fer he X xir tar pin 16 s fer 77 ha X 20 tir far C 138 v fri pen s pon s xir ber O 74 pun 71 9 fer fri 77 ho ed pon s ed X er 36 he 9 92 136 40 77 he ha s fis C fer er tre 68 4 fen Je z fer xil 10 T tre xir
Decryption
# Contemporary decipherment of D.167 (image 6, shelfmark D.168), the passage corresponding to the cipher. de que la republica queria estar neutral con esta corona y la de Francia y pues lo que en esto se apuro es conforme a lo que se deve esperar de la voluntad de la republica y las obligaciones que tiene a esta corona sera bien que assi os lo encargo la agradezcais de mi parte por el camino y buen modo que os pareciere mas conveniente la determinacion de estar unida como ellos dicen con mi servicio procurando que esto se conserve y tenga el efecto que este tan satisfecha como deve de lo mucho que puede fiar de mi
Key: key_K6A.tsv
06 Sources
- Archivo Histórico de la Nobleza, SANTA CRUZ, C.50, D.213: PARES record 12877198, images 32–38. Key pairs in C.50–51 of the same fonds.
- Brice Dudout, Europe chiffrée, Philip IV to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, 6 December 1630.
Folder: targets/santacruz1630/ (notes, transcription, line-by-line decryption, key K6A, validation files, Spanish text and English translation, as contributed by Brice Dudout).

