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Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing you from Australia where I am working on a novel. A historic adventure book set in the 16th century Low Countries.

I am needing help with a small piece of text. This text needs to be translated into Middle French and I was hoping that maybe you could help with this, or maybe know someone who could?

First let me explain a little bit about the story and setting. A Spanish Catholic noble is sent to the Low Countries (Belgium/Netherlands) in 1576 as part of the army which has to regain control in the region. He falls in love with a Catholic noble woman of the low countries. She is originally from Leiden (Netherlands) and staying at court in Brussels (Belgium). They secretly marry and have a son in 1576. The Spanish noble dies from the wounds in a battle and on his death bed he wants to make sure his son will be recognized by his family. His last act before death is that he has an artisan create a box with a coat of arms and an inscription with an introduction letter for the head of the family inside. The letter gets lost but the box reaches the son. Inside the box he finds a little piece of the letter which was stuck in the box and torn off.

The inscribed text reads:
"For my son, Johannes de Aspinola, wear the title of lord with pride as it is bestowed upon you by your father, Don Francisco de Aspinola, lord of Toledo. As we have enemies at home and abroad use your name and title wisely and hide it when necessary but insist on your honor when possible. Let the coat of arms represent our family for all future to come and pass your title and the coat of arms to your sons and theirs until eternity."

The little piece of letter found in the box reads:
"... and thus be aware of Prince Alfonso Garcia Martin as he will endeavor to obtain our lands and property."

Your help translating the above two texts to Middle French as would have been used by court nobles and scribes in 1576 would be greatly appreciated. Please note that I myself do not speak French and thus rely on you to reproduce the above in the style and writing form of the time. This may mean restructuring the sentences etc. to reflect the time and usage of Middle French by nobles as described above. If you change the sentence structure or order of sentences please provide a new translation back to the equivalent English.

Your help is much appreciated. With kind regards,

Pepin

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