摘要。总目第132项列出了 Harley MS 287 中的七条 DECODE 记录，没有发信人、收信人或解读。其中六条（ff. 70r–72v）是科巴姆勋爵的两封信——他是伊丽莎白派去与帕尔马公爵和谈的专员之一——日期为1587/8年3月20日和22日（旧历），写于奥斯坦德，署名“your assured loving friend H. Cobham”，两信之间夹着一份来自米德尔堡的情报。收信人没有点名；从卷册和内容看，指向沃尔辛厄姆。密文段嵌在明写英文中，叶面上没有解读，刊本中也没有找到。明写词语提供了猜词（“commaunded to attend”、“that bearer hath”、“under colour thereof”），密钥是图形符号的简单替换，带少量同音符，并且分词书写。解读出的密文段报告了：帕尔马从根特经埃克洛通往斯勒伊斯的新运河“within 15 days navigable”（15天内即可通航），他在奥登堡集结兵力，驻军“too weak by the half”（兵力至少差一半），军饷只够五个星期，囚犯 Pigot 和 Barney，科巴姆手下缺乏密探，以及他拒绝成为“a means to conclude an irreligious peace”（促成一项不虔敬的和约的工具）。几个带点的数字和一个方框是名码本符号：15 是帕尔马，□ 是联省议会，.7. 大概是女王；42 未能确认。第七条记录（f. 11）是另一封信，用的是另一种代码，未解读。
01 文献
| DECODE | 张 | 内容 |
|---|---|---|
| R8482–R8483 | ff. 70r–70v | 科巴姆，奥斯坦德，1587/8年3月22日。 |
| R8484 | f. 71r | “from Middelburgh”的情报，另一人笔迹：Grenier 的图谋、一句拉丁文套语、五行密文。 |
| R8485–R8487 | ff. 71v–72v | 科巴姆，奥斯坦德，1587/8年3月20日，在 f. 72v 上签名。 |
| R8477 | f. 11 | 一封无日期、无署名的英文情报信，内容关于一名西班牙人和西班牙代理人，有一行数字和字母代码组。属另一套系统；未读出。 |
使团（Derby、科巴姆、Croft、Dale、Rogers）于1588年3月抵达奥斯坦德。信中以明文提到了 Controller（Croft）先生、被派往布鲁日去见公爵的“Mr Doctor Rogers”，以及伯利勋爵的一名仆人。Calendar of State Papers Foreign 根据国务文书收录了科巴姆3月22日和24日致伯利的信，但没有收录这两封。同一卷 f. 187 上的密钥（R8497，Bodley，1590年）是另一套系统。
02 密码
每段密文都把英文词的字母换成符号，一个字母一个符号，词与词分开。少数字母有两个符号（a：∪ 和 ⊥；w：两点和带点的 x；g：带横杠的 x 和 3），字母后的冒号代表 u。同一族的符号（l、p、h、m，都画成带交叉或带圈的竖笔）以及代表 s 和 t 的两个尖角号在扫描件上很相近；它们是逐词判定的。
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | l | m | n | o | p | r | s | t | u/v/w | y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ∪ ⊥ | + | 8 | ∞ | 7 | H̅ | Ӽ 3 | ϵ | ⊥ | ϕ | ∝ | †† | z | ϕ | V | ∧ | ∧ | .. ẋ | ɣ |
密钥是从每段密文两侧的明写词语重建的。随后，一个处理同卷中科巴姆五月至六月信件的工作会话，在 f. 89（R8493）的同时代旁注中找到了相同的值。
03 解读
解读出的词为斜体，采用现代拼写。等级同 README：(C) 依上下文补出，(M) 不确定；其余为高。
3月22日，ff. 70r–70v
What effect this message will work I know not, but doubt the worst, and therefore do wish and think it expedient that some of .7. ships were commaunded to attend on this coast for all events, for I am persuaded 15 will never yield to send 42 hither. Some provision also for vittailes would be necessarily thought upon, for □ have no megasines here, nor mind to have any. That the same here is but from weeke to weeke as the bilanders do voluntarily bring it … there is any money stirring here. The present garrison will be found too weake for the defence of so large a circuit by the half at the least. The last supply of money will not [keep them] from the presentes wantes of the souldiers above five weeks longer, as the governour tells me. … The Duke is expected within a day or two to be at Bruges. The newe ditche from Gaunt by Eecloo unto Sluce is said to be almost ended, and will be within 15 dayes navigable for the float boates and vessels he hath ready prepared, being some of them fraught with stones and fagottes.
This preparation, together with the reinforcing of his garrisons hereabout, Stanley’s repair unto Turnhout (M), make such [at] Oudenburgh with eleven companies of footmen, and the Duke’s coming to Bruges doth threaten somewhat (C). And in mine opinion this town is fit to be stopped (C) through some attempts upon the haven; which being once stopped, the town being already abandoned of succour by land, cannot make resistance against the enemy many days (C) together.
My greatest grief is that in all this town I am not furnished of any one spy to employ abroad for the more certainty of the enemy’s proceedings. And from Flushing I hear very seldom by reason that the passage is dangerous and subject to interception. … By my servant William I wrote in my private letter a special motion for our remove to Flushing (C), where we might better stand on terms for her Majesty’s honour.
米德尔堡情报，f. 71r
In my opinion the ships would be well guarded (C), and when all ships of charge as well of the [fleet] as merchants be at sea (C), there would be 2 or 3 pinnaces appointed to [watch] and direct the channel (C). [Bastune?] the Jesuite is within these fewe dayes sent post into Italy (surname M). R. tould me in talke with him that 15 ha[th] [in]sted his sonne (being under 17 years of age) in the government of his patrimony in Italy.
3月20日，ff. 71v–72v
There are new companies lately added to the old garrison of Oudenburgh, our near neighbours (C), which were very strong before. This drawing of his forces by land so near, and the provision of stone and fagots to come from Eecloo by water (C), make us suspect some attempts against this town and haven: we think it therefore expedient that some of the ships did continue upon this coast, to be ready for service upon occasions. Also we pray your honour (C) would remove us hence or dismiss us to some other place of more surety (C).
This bearer hath laboured his own dispatch and would fain have had instructions, but I, fearing that under colour thereof he would proceed in his charge, did let him understand what we had generally written unto my Lord … As by the [words] of your own hand in your letter of the 16 March I perceive you oppose yourself still against such resolutions; for mine own part I would think myself most unhappy to be a means to conclude an irreligious peace. Touching Pigot and Barney, if they shall be delivered over to the States, I am of another opinion … things standing as they do, □ will ranson them, and then what dishonour and disfavour will it be for her Majesty. Pigot is a martial man, and hath means and will to deserve his prise (C).
04 悬而未决之处
- f. 72r 上“Touching”之后的两个名字，以及下一行的那个名字；它们与弗卢辛、布里勒、奥斯坦德或贝亨都对不上。
- f. 70r 上约三分之一的密文段，包括“42”代表什么，以及 f. 71r 的最后一行密文。
- 没有逐符号的转录。解读是直接在扫描件上逐词完成的。
- f. 11（R8477），另一封信、另一种代码，未解读。
05 来源
- British Library，Harley MS 287 ff. 11、70–72，图像见 DECODE：R8482、R8483、R8484、R8485、R8486、R8487、R8477；密钥记录 R8497（Bodley，1590年）。
- Calendar of State Papers Foreign, Elizabeth，第21卷第4部分（1931年），1588年3月，见 British History Online：科巴姆这些天里的其他信件。
笔记、密钥与 profile：见仓库中的 targets/harley287/。