翻刻
以内状得御意候ハ先便得得御意候通蟄居被仰付候者病気等無拠訳合を以不時御免之儀
相願候節御評議ニ可相成旨御内定相極候処則此度波々伯部八左衛門同姓左馬儀先達而より
大病ニ而于今尓々無之処慎中之儀故看病等不参届難渋至極ニ付何卒御憐愍を以
御咎御免被成下候様八左衛門口上書を以願差出候ニ付猶又致評議候様御家老中被申聞候ニ付同役
評議之上猶又御徒目付共へも及評議候処御徒目付共申達候ハ左馬病気之儀ハ相違無之
其上蟄居被仰付五ケ年ニも相成候得ハ一家対面御免被成候而ハ如何可有之哉与申達候ニ付同役
共ニも同意之儀ニ付其段御家老中へ相達候処又々御家老中被申聞候ハ左馬儀御咎被
仰付年数ハ五ケ年ニ相成候得共初願ニ付一家対面御免との評議ハ尤至極ニ候得共先達而内
評之節蟄居被仰付候者三ケ年も相立病気等無拠訳合ニ而御咎御免相願候ハヽ吟味之
上慎等も宜外ニ故障之儀無之者ニ候ハヽ一家対面御免五ケ年も相立候者ニ而右同様故障
も無之筋ニ候ハヽ皆御免ニ相成候而も可然ニも申談候が左馬儀も初願ニハ候得共五ケ年も相立
其上大病ニ相違も無之趣ニ候得ハ皆御免ニ相成候而ハ如何可有之哉今一応評議之上相達
候様被申聞候ニ付猶又同役共致評議候ハ是迄赦被仰出願之上御咎御免之儀も御規定通
之趣ニ而ハ年数ニ不拘先初願ニ而ハ一家対面与相伺候運ニ候得共不時願ニ而御免之儀ハ
此度初而御内定相極候事ニも候へハ以来病気等無拠訳合ニ而此度之左馬同様御咎御
免相願候者も又赦被仰出御咎御免相願候者も御咎被仰付候五ケ年以上之者ニ而慎も
宜故障之筋於無之ハ初願たりとも皆御免被成又不時願赦被仰出候上之願ニ而も五ケ年
未満之者初願之節ハ一家対面御免可被成下御内御規定ニ此度御極被成候ハヽ元御憐愍
筋之儀ニ候得ハ差而存寄ハ無之旨申達候尤年数相立候者ニ而も罪之次第且慎等も
不宜者ハ御吟味之上御咎御免無之儀ハ勿論之事ニ可有之儀と申達候所御家老中猶又
御評議之上被申聞候ハ自今以後ハ各被相達候通赦被仰出候上之願又不時御免願両
様共五ケ年以上ニ而慎も能外ニ故障筋無之者ハ初願ニ而も皆御免又慎も宜故障ハ
無之共五年未満之者初願ニ候ハヽ一家対面御免可被成内定ニ致置可申間左様
可相心得旨尤節々吟味之上評議可有之旨御家老中被申聞候則去月廿九日
左馬蟄居御免被成難有儀ニ御座候猶御用留ニ而御承知可被成候尤御徒目付共ニも以
来心得ニ可相成事ニ付右蟄居御免年数之運ひ御内定之趣斗内々申聞置候事ニ
御座候右貴様為御心得可得御意如此御座候以上 大関新五左衛門
鈴木忠太夫
八月朔日 西尾五右衛門
【朱書】月番 大井田喜内
奈良権太夫
横田作太夫様
現代語訳
内状により御意を得ましたのは、先便で御意を得た通り、蟄居を申し付けられた者が病気等やむを得ない事情で不時お許しの件を願い出る節はご評議になる旨、御内定が決まったところ、この度波々伯部八左衛門と同姓左馬の件で、先達てより大病で今に至っても回復せず、慎み中の身分ゆえ看病等も行き届かず難渋極まったので、何卒お憐みをもってお咎めをお許し下さるよう八左衛門が口上書をもって願い出たので、なお再び評議するよう御家老中が申し聞かせたため、同役で評議の上、さらに御徒目付共へも評議に及んだところ、御徒目付共が申し達したのは、左馬の病気の件は間違いなく、その上蟄居を申し付けられて五ヶ年にもなるので、一家対面のお許しではいかがでしょうかと申し達したため、同役共も同意見なので、その旨を御家老中へ伝えたところ、再び御家老中が申し聞かせたのは、左馬のお咎めを申し付けられた年数は五ヶ年になるが、初回の願いなので一家対面のお許しとの評議はもっともであるが、先達ての内評の節、蟄居を申し付けられた者が三ヶ年も経って病気等やむを得ない事情でお咎めのお許しを願い出れば、吟味の上で慎み等も良く他に障りがない者であれば一家対面のお許し、五ヶ年も経った者で右同様障りもない筋であれば皆お許しになっても然るべきと申し談じたが、左馬も初回の願いではあるが五ヶ年も経ち、その上大病に相違ないとのことであれば、皆お許しになってはいかがか、今一度評議の上で伝えるよう申し聞かせたため、なお再び同役共で評議したのは、これまで赦免が申し出された願いの上でのお咎めのお許しの件も御規定通りの趣旨では年数に拘らず先ず初回の願いでは一家対面と伺う運びであるが、不時の願いでのお許しの件は今度初めて御内定が決まった事でもあるので、以後病気等やむを得ない事情で今度の左馬同様にお咎めのお許しを願い出る者も、また赦免が申し出されてお咎めのお許しを願い出る者も、お咎めを申し付けられて五ヶ年以上の者で慎みも良く障りの筋がなければ初回の願いでも皆お許しになり、また不時の願い、赦免が申し出された上での願いでも五ヶ年未満の者の初回の願いの節は一家対面のお許しを下される内々の御規定を今度お決めになれば、元々お憐み筋の件なので特に意見はない旨を申し達した。もっとも年数が経った者でも罪の次第かつ慎み等も良くない者は、ご吟味の上でお咎めのお許しがないのは勿論のことであると申し達したところ、御家老中がなお再びご評議の上で申し聞かせたのは、今後は各々が申し達した通り、赦免が申し出された上での願いまた不時お許しの願い、両様とも五ヶ年以上で慎みも良く他に障りの筋がない者は初回の願いでも皆お許し、また慎みも良く障りはないが五年未満の者の初回の願いであれば一家対面のお許しとする内定にしておく間、そのように心得るべき旨、もっとも節々で吟味の上で評議する旨を御家老中が申し聞かせた。よって去る月二十九日に左馬の蟄居をお許しになり有り難い儀でございます。なお御用留でご承知いただけるでしょう。もっとも御徒目付共にも以後の心得になる事なので、右蟄居お許し年数の運び、御内定の趣旨だけを内々に申し聞かせておいた事でございます。右は貴様のご心得のため御意を得るべくこの通りでございます。以上
大関新五左衛門
鈴木忠太夫
八月朔日 西尾五右衛門
【朱書】月番 大井田喜内
奈良権太夫
横田作太夫様
英語訳
Through internal correspondence, we have received your opinion as follows: As communicated in the previous letter, it was decided as internal policy that when those sentenced to house arrest petition for extraordinary pardons due to illness or unavoidable circumstances, the matter would be subject to deliberation. At this time, regarding Nabaku Habe Hachizaemon and his relative Sama, who has been seriously ill for some time with no recovery to this day, and because of his status under restraint, medical care cannot be adequately provided, causing extreme hardship, Hachizaemon submitted a petition through a written statement requesting compassionate forgiveness of the punishment. The Senior Councilors ordered further deliberation, so after deliberation among colleagues and further consultation with the Foot Inspectors, the Foot Inspectors communicated that Sama's illness was undoubtedly real, and moreover, since five years had passed since house arrest was imposed, would it not be appropriate to grant family meeting permission? Since colleagues agreed with this view, we conveyed this to the Senior Councilors. The Senior Councilors then communicated again: although Sama has served five years since punishment was imposed, since this is his first petition, the deliberation for family meeting permission is quite reasonable. However, in previous internal evaluations, it was discussed that for those sentenced to house arrest, if after three years they petition for punishment forgiveness due to illness or unavoidable circumstances, upon examination, if their restraint behavior is good and there are no other obstacles, family meetings would be permitted; for those who have served five years with similarly no obstacles, complete pardons would be appropriate. Although Sama's is a first petition, five years have passed and his serious illness is undoubtedly real, so would complete pardon not be appropriate? Please deliberate once more and report. Upon further deliberation among colleagues: until now, regarding punishment forgiveness following petitions when pardons are announced, according to regulations, regardless of years served, first petitions would typically result in family meetings. However, since extraordinary petition pardons have been established as internal policy for the first time, henceforth for those who petition for punishment forgiveness due to illness or unavoidable circumstances like Sama, as well as those who petition for punishment forgiveness when pardons are announced - if they have served five years or more with good restraint and no obstacles, even first petitions should receive complete pardons. For extraordinary petitions and petitions following pardon announcements, those under five years making first petitions should receive family meeting permissions. If this internal regulation is now established, since these are originally matters of compassion, we have no particular objections. Naturally, even for those who have served long terms, depending on the nature of their crimes and poor restraint behavior, punishment forgiveness would not be granted after examination, which is a matter of course. The Senior Councilors, after further deliberation, communicated: henceforth, as each has stated, for both petitions following pardon announcements and extraordinary pardon petitions, those with five years or more of good restraint and no other obstacles will receive complete pardons even on first petition; those under five years with good restraint and no obstacles will receive family meeting permissions on first petition as internal policy. This should be understood, with examination and deliberation occurring as needed. Accordingly, on the 29th of last month, Sama's house arrest was pardoned, which was a most grateful matter. This will be acknowledged through official records. Since this will serve as guidance for the Foot Inspectors going forward, only the internal policy regarding house arrest pardon duration has been privately communicated to them. This is conveyed for your information and understanding. The above.
Ozeki Shingoroemon
Suzuki Chudayu
First day of the eighth month Nishio Goroemon
[Red notation] Monthly duty Oida Kinai
Nara Gonodayu
To Yokota Sakudayu-sama