翻刻
十八歳の事なれは腕に実も入し侭父の敵を討て廟前に備へよと
いへるを最後の言として其夜終に空敷ありぬ三之丞は右之趣殿へ
言上せしめ免許状を戴き年疑若党一人召連いつく共なく出て
廿二歳の春迄東西南北の国〻山を越海を渡りて尋しかと知さりし
余りの事に思ひ源五右衛門継父赤堀遊斎といふ医者大津に在
けれは此者を討て高札を立科なき遊斎を討し者は石井三之丞也
親の敵をとらんと思はゝ美濃国何村の何氏か家に来れ赤堀源
五右衛門へ参ると書たり扨夏にも成しかは三之丞は美濃国の何氏か広
庭にて行水しけれは四五丁も続し竹薮の内ゟ源五右衛門駆出て親の
敵覚たかとて肩先ゟ切けり三之丞日頃待受し事なれは心得たり迚
腰元に持せし脇差にて抜打にしけれは源五右衛門か背と覚し処をは
払ひ切にしてけり三之丞大疵なれはたまらす即座に死しけり附添し
若党何なふ口惜事に思へ共源五右衛門行方を見失ひし事なれは
無是非本国に立帰り次男三男に事の段〻を言ふくめ両人も
漸成人して諸国を駆廻りけるか源蔵廿三才の時少し事の端を
聞し故亀山城主板倉周防守殿家中二百五十石取之旗大将下村
孫左衛門へ森平と名を改め草り取に住身を尽し骨を砕きて
仕へし故主人も無他事不便かりし同家中の誰〻にも見知られし中
にも赤堀水右衛門とて百五十石取しものゝ方に森平か家来の者を
若党奉公に住せ候間一入懇？に出入せし元禄十三年の夏の事にて
有しか孫左衛門ゟ水右衛門方へ用有て森平を遣はせしに水右衛門行水
してけり日頃憐愍をくわへし森平なれは呼よせ背を流させしに
現代語訳
十八歳の事なれば腕に実も入った、そのまま父の敵を討って廟前に供えよ」と
言ったのを最後の言葉として、その夜ついに亡くなった。三之丞は右の趣を殿へ
言上して免許状を頂き、年季の若党一人を召し連れ、どことも知れず出て
二十二歳の春まで東西南北の国々、山を越え海を渡って尋ねたが知れなかった。
あまりの事に思い、源五右衛門の継父赤堀遊斎という医者が大津に在った
ので、この者を討って高札を立てた。「科なき遊斎を討した者は石井三之丞である。
親の敵を取らんと思うなら美濃国何村の何氏が家に来よ。赤堀源
五右衛門へ参る」と書いた。さて夏にもなったので、三之丞は美濃国の何氏が広い
庭にて行水していると、四五町も続いた竹薮の内から源五右衛門が駆け出て「親の
敵覚えたか」といって肩先から切りかけた。三之丞は日頃待ち受けていた事なので「心得たり」といって
腰元に持たせた脇差にて抜き打ちにしたところ、源五右衛門の背と覚しい処を
払い切りにしてしまった。三之丞は大疵なので堪えられず即座に死んでしまった。付き添いの
若党はなんと口惜しい事に思ったが、源五右衛門の行方を見失ってしまった事なので
是非もなく本国に立ち帰り、次男三男に事の次第を言い含め、両人も
ようやく成人して諸国を駆け回ったが、源蔵二十三歳の時少し事の端緒を
聞いたので、亀山城主板倉周防守殿家中二百五十石取りの旗大将下村
孫左衛門へ森平と名を改めて草履取りに住み込み、身を尽くし骨を砕いて
仕えたので主人も格別に不憫がった。同家中の誰彼にも見知られた中
でも赤堀水右衛門という百五十石取りの者の方に森平の家来の者を
若党奉公に住まわせ候間、一入懇意に出入りした。元禄十三年の夏の事で
あったが、孫左衛門から水右衛門方へ用があって森平を遣わしたところ、水右衛門は行水
していた。日頃憐愍を加えていた森平なので呼び寄せ背を流させたが
英語訳
eighteen years old, so he has gained strength in his arms, go ahead and take revenge for your father and offer [the enemy's head] before his tomb," which
became his final words, and that night he finally passed away. Sannosuke reported the above circumstances to his lord,
received a license [for revenge], took along one contracted retainer, and departed for parts unknown.
Until the spring when he was twenty-two, he searched through provinces east, west, north and south, crossing mountains and seas, but could not find [his target].
Thinking this was too much, since Gengoemon's stepfather, a doctor named Akahori Yūsai, was in Ōtsu,
he killed this man and posted a public notice: "The one who killed the innocent Yūsai is Ishii Sannosuke.
If you wish to take revenge for your parent, come to the house of so-and-so in such-and-such village in Mino Province. [This message is] for Akahori Gen-
goemon." Now when summer came, Sannosuke was taking a cold bath in the spacious
garden of the so-and-so family in Mino Province, when Gengoemon rushed out from within a bamboo grove that stretched four or five chō and said "Do you remember your
parent's enemy?" and slashed at his shoulder. Since Sannosuke had been waiting for this day after day, he said "I understand!" and
drew and struck with the wakizashi that his page was carrying, and he managed to slice across what seemed to be Gengoemon's back.
Since Sannosuke had a serious wound, he could not endure it and died immediately. His accompanying
retainer thought this terribly regrettable, but since he had lost sight of Gengoemon's whereabouts,
he had no choice but to return to his home province and explain the circumstances to the second and third sons. Both
finally came of age and traveled around various provinces, and when Genzō was twenty-three years old, he heard a small lead about the matter.
So he changed his name to Moridaira and went to serve as a sandal-bearer for Shimomura
Magozaemon, a banner commander with a 250-koku stipend in the household of Itakura Suō-no-kami, lord of Kameyama Castle, devoting himself and working tirelessly.
His master also showed him special pity. Among all those in the household who came to know him,
there was one Akahori Mizuemon with a 150-koku stipend, and Moridaira had one of his retainers
serve as a page in [Mizuemon's household], so he had especially close relations [with that house]. This was in the summer of Genroku 13 [1700].
Magozaemon sent Moridaira to Mizuemon's place on business, and Mizuemon was taking a cold bath.
Since Moridaira was someone he usually showed compassion to, he called him over and had him wash his back, but