摘要。總目第132項列出了 Harley MS 287 中的七條 DECODE 記錄，沒有發信人、收信人或解讀。其中六條（ff. 70r–72v）是科巴姆勳爵的兩封信——他是伊麗莎白派去與帕爾馬公爵和談的專員之一——日期為1587/8年3月20日和22日（舊曆），寫於奧斯坦德，署名“your assured loving friend H. Cobham”，兩信之間夾著一份來自米德爾堡的情報。收信人沒有點名；從卷冊和內容看，指向沃爾辛厄姆。密文段嵌在明寫英文中，葉面上沒有解讀，刊本中也沒有找到。明寫詞語提供了猜詞（“commaunded to attend”、“that bearer hath”、“under colour thereof”），金鑰是圖形符號的簡單替換，帶少量同音符，並且分詞書寫。解讀出的密文段報告了：帕爾馬從根特經埃克洛通往斯勒伊斯的新運河“within 15 days navigable”（15天內即可通航），他在奧登堡集結兵力，駐軍“too weak by the half”（兵力至少差一半），軍餉只夠五個星期，囚犯 Pigot 和 Barney，科巴姆手下缺乏密探，以及他拒絕成為“a means to conclude an irreligious peace”（促成一項不虔敬的和約的工具）。幾個帶點的數字和一個方框是名碼本符號：15 是帕爾馬，□ 是聯省議會，.7. 大概是女王；42 未能確認。第七條記錄（f. 11）是另一封信，用的是另一種程式碼，未解讀。
01 文獻
| DECODE | 張 | 內容 |
|---|---|---|
| R8482–R8483 | ff. 70r–70v | 科巴姆，奧斯坦德，1587/8年3月22日。 |
| R8484 | f. 71r | “from Middelburgh”的情報，另一人筆跡：Grenier 的圖謀、一句拉丁文套語、五行密文。 |
| R8485–R8487 | ff. 71v–72v | 科巴姆，奧斯坦德，1587/8年3月20日，在 f. 72v 上簽名。 |
| R8477 | f. 11 | 一封無日期、無署名的英文情報信，內容關於一名西班牙人和西班牙代理人，有一行數字和字母程式碼組。屬另一套系統；未讀出。 |
使團（Derby、科巴姆、Croft、Dale、Rogers）於1588年3月抵達奧斯坦德。信中以明文提到了 Controller（Croft）先生、被派往布魯日去見公爵的“Mr Doctor Rogers”，以及伯利勳爵的一名僕人。Calendar of State Papers Foreign 根據國務文書收錄了科巴姆3月22日和24日致伯利的信，但沒有收錄這兩封。同一卷 f. 187 上的金鑰（R8497，Bodley，1590年）是另一套系統。
02 密碼
每段密文都把英文詞的字母換成符號，一個字母一個符號，詞與詞分開。少數字母有兩個符號（a：∪ 和 ⊥；w：兩點和帶點的 x；g：帶橫槓的 x 和 3），字母后的冒號代表 u。同一族的符號（l、p、h、m，都畫成帶交叉或帶圈的豎筆）以及代表 s 和 t 的兩個尖角號在掃描件上很相近；它們是逐詞判定的。
| 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 |
金鑰是從每段密文兩側的明寫詞語重建的。隨後，一個處理同卷中科巴姆五月至六月信件的工作會話，在 f. 89（R8493）的同時代旁註中找到了相同的值。
03 解讀
解讀出的詞為斜體，採用現代拼寫。等級同 README：(C) 依上下文補出，(M) 不確定；其餘為高。
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.
米德爾堡情報，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 懸而未決之處
- f. 72r 上“Touching”之後的兩個名字，以及下一行的那個名字；它們與弗盧辛、布里勒、奧斯坦德或貝亨都對不上。
- f. 70r 上約三分之一的密文段，包括“42”代表什麼，以及 f. 71r 的最後一行密文。
- 沒有逐符號的轉錄。解讀是直接在掃描件上逐詞完成的。
- f. 11（R8477），另一封信、另一種程式碼，未解讀。
05 來源
- British Library，Harley MS 287 ff. 11、70–72，影象見 DECODE：R8482、R8483、R8484、R8485、R8486、R8487、R8477；金鑰記錄 R8497（Bodley，1590年）。
- Calendar of State Papers Foreign, Elizabeth，第21卷第4部分（1931年），1588年3月，見 British History Online：科巴姆這些天裡的其他信件。
筆記、金鑰與 profile：見倉庫中的 targets/harley287/。