翻刻
道断之事ニ候元来我等若年不徳ニ而何事も不及貪着今日之儘ニ至候儀慚愧不少候
御先代へ対し誠無申訳仕合候是迄家中度々借米等申付候由扶助も不致又候
此度七ケ年半減申付候無是非次第此上ハ我等手元如何様ニも可致省略儀ニ候へハ
一家中上下無拠我等身分之処存付候儀有之候ハヽ無遠慮可申達候自今以後量入
制出之法非常之備も相立候様改而申付候間譜代之面々是迄之処堪忍致呉年
限中幾重ニも勘弁相凌申候様致度候偖又文武之道者士たるもの一日も怠候而ハ
不相済儀ニ候得ハ出精可相励旨申付度候得共右年限ニ付差扣不申出候乍去忠孝
を存候而学問武術共出精致呉候ハヽ実ニ本懐ニ候別而老人共ハ七年限り嘸ニ不
自由可致退屈と気之毒存候何卒子弟之分艱難中なから成丈真実之孝
養を尽し中小内致和順候様ニと存事之猶委細ハ家老共可申聞候
八月
○御自筆を以被仰出候通難題至極之儀誠被成方も無之無御拠当丑年ゟ来未
年迄七ケ年半減御借米被仰出候御家中拾年来困窮之儀甚御心痛被遊候得共畢
竟ハ是迄御勝手向内外共ニ不申上事故是程之御不如意とハ不被思召候条仝拙者
共始御役人共之不調法至極ニ候今般格別諸役所御吟味被仰付御改革之事ニ候へハ
厚相心得質素を守廉直潔白ニ御奉公可相勤儀ニ候此段も申渡候様被仰出候
九月十一日 支配末々迄
右両通共今十一日於評定所御家老中被申渡之
支配頭
御奉行
○去ル卯年道実島御用地御趣法被仰出候節三国久昌寺隠居智乗相願金
毘羅宮勤請ニ付上ゟ〆り方も被仰付相企候金毘羅構之儀以後被相止候事
九月廿日
江戸ニ而
○古来ハ金弐百疋或ハ百疋被下候向近来度々御減被成候処此度古来之被下ニ
御返し被成右半金を被下候事
十月三日
右之通被仰付候旨大宮藤馬申聞候
御中老
同断 天方孫八
○向後各同役以前之通御道中御供被仰付候左様可被相心得候
現代語訳
言語道断のことである。元来我等は若年で不徳であり、何事も貪着に及ばず今日のような状況に至ったことは慚愧に堪えない。
御先代に対して誠に申し訳ない次第である。これまで家中に度々借米等を申し付けたが、扶助もしてこなかった。
今度七ヶ年半減を申し付けたのはやむを得ない次第である。この上は我等の手元をどのようにも省略する所存であるが、
一同家中上下で、やむを得ず我等の身分について思い付くことがあれば遠慮なく申し出てほしい。今後は量入制出の法則により、非常の備えも相立つよう改めて申し付けるので、譜代の面々はこれまでのところを堪忍してくれ、年限中は幾重にも勘弁して凌いでもらいたい。さて文武の道は士たる者が一日も怠ってはならないことであるので、出精するよう励ましたいが、右年限のため差し控えて申し出ない。しかし忠孝を心に置いて学問武術ともに出精してくれれば実に本望である。特に老人たちは七年限りで、さぞ不自由をして退屈と気の毒に思う。何卒子弟の分は艱難の中ながら、できるだけ真実の孝養を尽くし、家中和順になるようにと思う。なお委細は家老たちが申し聞かせるであろう。
八月
○御自筆を以て仰せ出された通り、難題至極のことで誠に仕方もなく、やむを得ず当丑年より来たる未年まで七ヶ年半減の御借米を仰せ出された。御家中十年来の困窮のことを甚だ心痛に思われているが、畢竟これまで御勝手向きの内外ともに申し上げてこなかったため、これほどの御不如意とは思し召さなかった。よって我ら始め御役人たちの不調法が至極である。今般格別に諸役所の御吟味を仰せ付けられ御改革のことであるので、厚く心得て質素を守り廉直潔白に御奉公を相勤めるべきである。この段も申し渡すよう仰せ出された。
九月十一日 支配末々まで
右両通とも今十一日評定所において御家老中より申し渡された。
支配頭
御奉行
○去る卯年、道実島御用地御趣法が仰せ出された節、三国久昌寺隠居智乗が願い出て金毘羅宮勤請により、上から締り方も仰せ付けられ企てていた金毘羅構の件は、以後相止められた。
九月二十日
江戸にて
○古来は金二百疋或いは百疋を下されていた向きも、近来度々御減額されていたところ、今度古来の下賜に御戻しされ、右半金を下される。
十月三日
右の通り仰せ付けられた旨、大宮藤馬が申し聞かせた。
御中老
同断 天方孫八
○向後各々同役は以前の通り御道中御供を仰せ付けられる。そのよう心得るべきである。
英語訳
This is utterly inexcusable. Originally, being young and lacking in virtue, I have not applied myself to anything with proper dedication and have reached today's situation, for which I feel deep shame.
I am truly without excuse toward the previous lord. Until now, I have frequently ordered the retainer band to provide borrowed rice and such, but have provided no assistance in return.
This time ordering a seven-year half reduction is unavoidable. From now on, I intend to make every possible economy in my personal expenses,
but if anyone in the retainer band, high or low, has unavoidable suggestions regarding my conduct, please speak without reserve. Henceforth I order anew that the principle of measuring income and controlling expenditure be followed so that emergency reserves may also be established. I ask the hereditary retainers to bear with the current situation and to endure with repeated forbearance during the term of years. Now, the way of literary and martial arts is something that those who are samurai cannot neglect even for a day, so I would like to encourage diligent effort, but I refrain from saying so due to the current term limit. However, if you keep loyalty and filial piety in mind and apply yourselves diligently to both learning and martial arts, it would truly fulfill my wishes. I particularly feel sorry for the elderly, who will surely find seven years of inconvenience tedious. I hope that the younger generation, though in difficult times, will do their utmost in true filial care and maintain harmony within the retainer band. The family elders will explain further details.
August
○As declared in the lord's own handwriting, this is an extremely difficult matter with truly no alternative, and unavoidably from this year of the Ox until the coming year of the Sheep, seven years of half-reduced borrowed rice has been declared. Although his lordship deeply regrets the ten years of hardship among the retainer band, ultimately this is because internal and external financial matters have not been properly reported, so the extent of these financial difficulties was not realized. Therefore, we beginning with the officials have been extremely negligent in our duties. Now that special inspection of all offices has been ordered and reforms are to be implemented, we must thoroughly understand this, maintain frugality, and serve with integrity and honesty. We have been ordered to communicate this matter as well.
September 11th To all subordinates
Both of the above were communicated by the senior retainers at the council chamber today, the 11th.
Administrative Head
Magistrate
○When the management system for Dojitsujima official land was declared in the past year of the Rabbit, the retired monk Chijo of Mikuni Kyushoji Temple petitioned to serve the Konpira Shrine, and although control measures were ordered from above and the Konpira construction project was undertaken, this has since been discontinued.
September 20th
In Edo
○In ancient times, 200 or 100 pieces of gold were granted, but in recent times these have been frequently reduced. Now they have been restored to the ancient grants, with half that amount being granted.
October 3rd
Omiya Toma reported that the above has been ordered.
Elder Councilor
Same Amagata Magohachi
○Henceforth, each person of the same rank shall be appointed to travel attendance as before. This should be understood accordingly.