翻刻
一寛政元酉年
一五月廿三日水谷次郎助申聞候ハ御機嫌伺其外御歓書状上
等
之儀向後左之通可相
心得旨
年始暑寒其外恐悦之節是迄御方々様へ別段書状被指上
候処此節御省略
之御時節御銘々様へ指上候へハ書状数通も相成候ニ付
向後ㇵ御方々様へ一紙ニ相
認可被指出候且又御前様計へ書状被指上候節も江戸御
用人宛品ニ而可相認
事御五方様へ一紙ニ而書状指上候節左之通
一筆致啓上候 上々様益御機嫌能云々右御歓為可申
上云々
殿様若殿様取計書状指上候節左之通
一筆致啓上候 殿様 若殿様益御機嫌能云々右御歓
為可申上云々
但御一方様へ指上候節ハ右ニ准シ可被相認事
〆
一七月廿二日水谷次郎助申聞候ハ向後別紙之通可相心得旨
聞候ニ付御徒目付并組之者へ申
付之候
一飛脚之節諸向御用状たり共随分かさ高ニ不相成候様可致
事
一御役人共へ手筋を以相頼候書状之儀前々ゟ広々相達候通
取次之儀決而可為無
用事
一江戸留守之面々宿状之儀随分かさ高ニ不相成様可被致候
畢竟書状共相残候へハ
面々用事も指支ニ相成可申事ニ候
一江戸定府親類且知行御擬作等取次之面々無余儀用事并他
所文通之義ハ格
別其外年始暑寒吉凶不依何事支配頭たり共一通り之文通
ハ文通ハ決而可為無用事
右之趣前々申達候得共相ゆるミ猥ニ相成候間改而相触候
心得違無之様可被致候
七月
〇以手紙申達是迄他国往来出立日着日重キ御日柄之分相除候
得共向後御
構無之様左様可被相心得候以上
八月七日 月番西村■■■殿
追而本文之趣組支配有之面々ハ可申聞候
現代語訳
**寛政元年（1789年）酉年**
**五月二十三日**、水谷次郎助より申し聞かされたことには：御機嫌伺い、その他御祝儀の書状を差し上げる際の作法について、今後は以下の通り心得るべき旨。
年始・暑中見舞い・寒中見舞い、その他慶事・恐悦の節に、これまでは御方々様（奥方衆）それぞれへ別々に書状を差し上げていたが、この節は御省略の御時節であり、銘々様へ個別に差し上げれば書状が数通にもなってしまう。よって今後は御方々様へ一紙（一枚の書状）にまとめて認めて差し出すこと。
また、御前様（正室）のみへ書状を差し上げる際も、江戸御用人宛の形式で認めること。
御五方様（五名の奥方衆）へ一紙にて書状を差し上げる場合の書き出し文例：
> 「一筆致啓上候。上々様益々御機嫌よく（云々）。右御祝儀申し上げたく（云々）。」
殿様・若殿様（双方）へ書状を差し上げる場合の書き出し文例：
> 「一筆致啓上候。殿様・若殿様益々御機嫌よく（云々）。右御祝儀申し上げたく（云々）。」
但し、お一方のみへ差し上げる場合は、右に準じて認めること。
〆
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**七月二十二日**、水谷次郎助より申し聞かされたことには：今後は別紙の通り心得るべき旨を聞いたので、御徒目付および組の者へ申し付けた。
一、飛脚（使者・郵便）の節、諸方への御用状であっても、できる限りかさ張らないようにすること。
一、御役人どもへ、縁故・手蔓を頼って差し出す書状については、以前より広く申し達してある通り、取り次ぐことは決してしてはならないこと。
一、江戸留守の面々への宿（留守居）への書状も、できる限りかさ張らないようにすること。そもそも書状が積み重なれば、各自の用事にも支障をきたすことになる。
一、江戸定府の親類、ならびに知行・御擬作等の取次をする面々への、真に止むを得ない用事や他所への文通は格別として、その他の年始・暑中・寒中、その他吉凶いかなる事柄にかかわらず、支配頭であっても一通りの（儀礼的な）文通は決してしてはならないこと。
右の趣旨は以前より申し達してきたが、緩んで乱雑になっているので、改めて触れ知らせる。心得違いのないようにすること。
（七月）
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○手紙をもって申し達す。これまでは他国往来の出立日・到着日が重要な御日柄（縁起の悪い日）に当たる分は（飛脚の差し立てを）差し控えていたが、今後は（日柄を）構わないよう、左様に心得るべきこと。以上。
八月七日 月番 西村■■■殿
追って、本文の趣旨について、組の支配をお持ちの面々は（組下の者へ）申し聞かせること。
英語訳
**Kansei 1st Year (1789), Year of the Rooster**
**23rd day of the 5th month:** Mizutani Jirōsuke communicated the following regarding the proper manner for submitting letters of inquiry after one's lord's health and congratulatory correspondence going forward:
At the New Year, mid-summer, mid-winter, and other occasions of celebration or respectful acknowledgment, separate letters had previously been submitted to each of the ladies of the household (okatakata-sama). However, given the current season of retrenchment and economy, submitting individual letters to each lady would result in a great many letters. Therefore, henceforth, a single letter (ichishi) addressed collectively to all the ladies of the household is to be composed and submitted.
Furthermore, even when submitting a letter solely to the principal consort (go-mae-sama), it shall be written in the form addressed to the Edo administrators (go-yōnin).
**Model opening phrase when writing to all five ladies (go-go-kata-sama) on a single sheet:**
> "Ippitsu kei-jō itashisōrō. Uebito-sama masumasu go-kigen yoku (etc.). Migi o-kan no tame mōshi-agetaku (etc.)."
> ("I humbly write this letter. I trust that the ladies are in ever-excellent health [etc.]. I write to offer my congratulations [etc.].")
**Model opening phrase when writing to both His Lordship and the Young Lord:**
> "Ippitsu kei-jō itashisōrō. Tono-sama, Waka-tono-sama masumasu go-kigen yoku (etc.). Migi o-kan no tame mōshi-agetaku (etc.)."
Proviso: When submitting to only one person, follow the above forms accordingly.
〆 (End of notice)
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**22nd day of the 7th month:** Mizutani Jirōsuke communicated the following — that the contents of the attached document are to be understood and followed going forward — and accordingly these instructions were conveyed to the foot inspectors (okachi-metsuke) and the members of their units:
1. When dispatching express couriers (hikyaku), all official correspondence to various destinations shall be kept as compact and unbulky as possible.
2. Concerning letters submitted through personal connections or intermediaries requesting favors from officials: as has been broadly communicated previously, under no circumstances shall such letters be forwarded or acted upon as intermediary.
3. Letters addressed to the residences of those on leave from Edo attendance (Edo-rusu no menmen) shall likewise be kept as compact as possible. In any case, if letters are allowed to accumulate, it will create difficulties in attending to each person's own affairs.
4. Concerning those in permanent Edo residence (Edo-jōfu), their relatives, and those acting as intermediaries for matters such as stipend grants and supernumerary quotas (gigi-saku): truly unavoidable business and correspondence with other locations are excepted; however, all other routine correspondence — regardless of occasion, whether New Year greetings, summer or winter salutations, or matters of good or ill fortune — is absolutely prohibited, even for unit commanders (shihai-gashira).
The above has been communicated previously, but as observance has grown lax and disorderly, this notice is issued anew. Ensure that there are no misunderstandings.
(7th month)
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○ This is communicated by letter. Hitherto, when express couriers (hikyaku) were dispatched or arrived from other provinces, those days falling on inauspicious calendar dates (omoi o-higara) were avoided. However, going forward, no such consideration of auspicious dates need be taken. Please understand this accordingly. That is all.
8th day of the 8th month Monthly duty official (tsukiban): Nishimura ■■■
Addendum: Regarding the contents of the main notice, those members who have units under their supervision shall communicate this to those in their charge.