01 文書
2葉4ページ：ff. 79r、79v、80r に手紙があり、f. 80v に日付、結辞、暗号の署名、宛名がある。後のスコットランドの筆跡が f. 79r の上に「ane Cipher lre from England in ye yeir 1569」と見出しを付けている。手紙は平文の英語で、その中に暗号の句が差し込まれており、暗号は語の区切りを保っている。行間の解読は薄いインクで書かれている。各ページの左側では無傷だが、右側では染みの下で判読できないほど薄れている。
02 暗号
これはラテン文字風の文字を暗号記号として使う一字ずつの換字であり、そのため暗号文はでたらめな英語のように見える。a、b、e、i、o、u には同音字があり（w は u の記号2つで書かれる）、人物には単一の記号がある：N = スコットランド女王、W = イングランド女王、L = 閣下（your Lordship）、そして注記が指示対象を残していない他のいくつか（Z、M、La、⊔）。平文 → 暗号：a q/ħ、b r/K、c B、d ε、e α/ε、f a、g б、h c、i ∂/4、l f、m g、n ɧ、o 7/i、p k、r m、s n、t o、u p/Δ、x y、y x。鍵は Tomokiyo のもので、ここで解読したすべての語で変更なしに成り立った。
03 本文
平文はローマン体、解読された箇所は斜体で示す。[?] は確実に解読できなかった語を示し、括弧内の記号は名前記号である。ページの順序は ff. 79r、79v、80r、80v。
f. 79r。What was intended and resolved here concerning the [N、スコットランド女王] [?] for her restauration, as for the disposition of her in marriage, your [L、閣下] … thoroughly understand by Mr John Woodes narration. Since which time you did hear also by a letter sent from me to the Lord of Liddington in your [?] of the same matter absolutely and breefly … How your frendes which here aforesaid were of a contrarie minde for the whole, were violently constrained and by great necessitie urged to condescend and thereunto. So as now my good Lord the matter is not in state of deliberation, but rather requires expedite [?], having good opportunitie for execution. With further by all convenient means I doe wishe that you should concurre with your frendes [Z] here, who see so far into your case, and are so content for the same, as they desire nothinge so earnestlie as your Lordship's pr[ocuring] in that matter, and that to be donne in suche sorte, both for the [記号] and good affection, as it may not appear after [記号群] to the [N] or to such as have interest in her, that you will doe nothinge frendly but compulsorilie, whereby the frendship, good affection borne you and thestimacion of you shalbe changed into worse conceiptes, and so gradatim your happines, tranquillitie, and anie good else, shalbe turned into turmoile, calamitie, and division, and the prosperitie of your neighbours and frendes eyther converted into greate dissention, or into a miserable transformation. Now (as matters have ben used and conducted) the protestants your frendes have credit and meanes to assure all things there and here in good termes. And suche may be your impugninge or [double?] proce[edinge] …
f. 79v。… as yours and ours adversaries shall [記号] possess the instrument [?], and all other circumstances to the ruine of Religion, you, and your countrey also, and to worke the lyke effectes amongest us moost dangerouslye. You may perhaps amongest other perswasions be moved to thinke, that as you find a faction there to impugne their designe, so there shall not want Instrumentes and a party here to runne the same course. My Lorde I will not dissemble with you, and if I would you can gesse at the truthe. Some there be [記号] graunt which will to their [Z] power withstand this matter. Others will geve the lokinge on; and some will cary twoe faces in a hoode, lokinge which way the matter is lyke to wende. [M] Of all these sortes that will the end, to hasten apace, not to be lefte alone, [記号] when they shall see the ablest and the greatest runne and concurre together in the favour of the [N, M, La] for the purposes aforesaid. And albeit you may thinke [W、イングランド女王] will not so hastily favour her promotion, yet youre experience paste dothe teache you that [W] could never accord her overthrow, or be contented to see her lyfe dispossessed of her state. For I graunt, if her majestie would have runne the direct course against her, perhaps the same would have taken good successe, but this neutralitie can not stande as the worlde standeth. Some light you maye see and thereby conjecture the reste by her majesties letter written to you [記号] at that time, whereby also you may be resolved of what affections they
f. 80r。they be in this matter which have the principall credit about her. [記号群] I can assure your lordship there is not one, no, not one, which are of moment, that dothe not allow of this case, and maketh hast to shew his gratitude, leste he might be demed slowe. If I could by anye other course espye anye other thinge than your owne overthrowe, I would not write so peremptorilie unto you, neyther perswade you to geve place where peradventure your conscience may be combred, and some question of overprecise objections may arise to calle your honor in dowbte. We see so far to the beginninge, the middeste and the endinge, and doe forsee all dangers and eventes, as I thinke you can not, but [?] yourself to concurre with your frendes. Therefore settinge aside argumentacion, [Z, La, 記号] wishe you should with speed [?] send hither the Lord of Liddington, who undoubtedly is both the wysest and the sufficientest man you may send to provide for you and all the reste substancyally and assuredly. And when you shall leave to be advised by him and to truste him, you shall procure unto yourselfe greatteste perill, and to the whole state of your countrey the grettest hazarde. No mans frendship will be more imbraced than yours, no mans estimacion more preserved. [記号] Contrarywise, if you desist or become an adverse party, you will be so incombred both from hence, from thence, and from all other places, your neighbours, as no man can advise you what to doe. Therefore God send you to directe your course for the beste. And so I commit you and all yours
f. 80v。to almighty Gods counsell. At Grenew. the 20th of July 1569. Your L. to use and commande, N. Throkmorton. 宛名："Lorde Regent of Scotlande"。
04 手法
この記録は、カタログのうち規則で採点された DECODE の部分から来たものである。まず Bain を確認した。彼の no. 1103 は請求記号、宛名、「in cipher deciphered」と一致し、それで差出人と日付が決まった。DECODE の4つの画像と、記録に添付された Tomokiyo の鍵の画像は、DECODE のログインで取得した。鍵はまず、注記が残っている約20語（and, the, your, frendes, intended, resolved, concerning, restauration, disposition, aforesaid, condescend, should, Liddington）で確認した。その後、各暗号箇所をフル解像度のスキャンの半行ずつの切り抜きから転写し、手で解読した。注記が読める箇所では、注記は解読と一致する。
05 不確かなまま残る点
- 名前記号 Z、M、La、⊔ と横線付きの 4 は確定していない。その周囲の注記は薄れており、鍵の表にもそれらは載っていない。N（スコットランド女王）と W（イングランド女王）には注記がある（H）。
- f. 79r の最初の N の後の語、f. 79r 4行目の「in your」の後の語、「expedite」の後の語（注記には「having」とある）、「[double?] proce[edinge]」、f. 79v の「instrument」の後の語、そして f. 80r の「yourself」の前と「send」の前の動詞は M と評価する。斜体の他の部分はすべて H または C である。一文字一文字解読でき、注記が残る箇所では一致している。
- DECODE の7月26日という日付は誤りである。手紙には7月20日とある。f. 80v の下端の書き込み「9 of aug」は、おそらく受領の日付である。
06 出典
- British Library, Add MS 33531 ff. 79–80。画像は DECODE R8348 経由（ログインが必要）。
- J. Bain（編）、Calendar of the State Papers relating to Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots ii（1900）、no. 1103、p. 661（archive.org
CalendarStatePapersMaryQueenOfScotsVol2). - S. Tomokiyo、"Throckmorton-Moray Cipher (1569)"、cryptiana: Ciphers of Mary, Queen of Scots。同じ鍵が DECODE R8348 に文書ファイルとして置かれている（2024年9月18日）。
注記、完全な読み、プロファイルはリポジトリのフォルダにある targets/throck1569/.