翻刻
猶以端書ニは恐多奉存候得共
御前様ニも去ル七日朝五ツ時頃益
御機嫌能溜池御屋敷之方
御帰殿被遊恐悦奉存候已上
先月十四日発之貴翰落手拝見
仕候先以
上様益御機嫌能一昨七日
御着府被遊奉恐悦候貴所様
ニも弥御健剛被成御勤珍重
奉存候偖爰許未曾有大地震
ニ而御屋敷過半相倒候上不残
御焼失之次第徳永伝之助且追々
井上善兵衛ニも廉々御内外被相合
越候処両人共
御旅中迄ニ而引返被申御同役ヨリ
御用状而已ニ而は事実委曲相知
兼候由ニ而細ニ為御知仕候様被示聞
同月二日夜四ツ時頃未寝入不申所
怪敷音相響哉否猛烈ニ下ゟ突上ケ
列【烈】敷急発ニ而是は大地震と存
枕頭之大小相帯候迄ニ而不遑袴着
式台ゟ出可申と間半之廊下壱間程
参候処遠近頭上前後左右一勢
何角（ナニカ）落倒之響実ニ肝を潰其勢
ニ而付明之行灯打消手探ニ而可参致
候所忽前ニ梁様之物落塞一歩も
出来不申右ニ付中庭中門ゟ出可申
立返候得は跡も同様落塞進退
相 迷（マヨヒ）召仕共ニは如何之様子ニ而候哉
呼懸候処遑立出居候様子ニ而声
を聞探参候を綱手ニ〆漸小屋外へ
出見候処表御長屋
御殿過半相倒山下御門向迄
一惣見ニ相成居頓而御馬屋後長州
御屋敷或は東 北（ホク）押廻火之 先（サキ）
相発折節北西之風ニ而御屋敷は
筋違ニ而御無難ニ而可有之相見兎 角（カク）
案外之御大変ニ付
御前様御住居向無覚束奉伺
御安否度小屋道具之儀は召仕え
打委壱人御広式を志罷出候処
現代語訳
なお、端書きに書くのは恐れ多いことと存じますが、
御前様におかれましても、去る七日の朝五つ時頃、益々
お元気で溜池御屋敷の方へ
お帰りになられたとのこと、恐悦に存じます。以上
先月十四日発の貴翰を受け取り拝見
いたしました。まず
上様におかれましても益々お元気で、一昨日七日に
江戸にお着きになられたとのこと、恐悦に存じます。貴殿様
におかれましても、いよいよご健康でお勤めをなされ、珍重に
存じます。さて、こちらでは未曾有の大地震で
御屋敷の過半が倒れた上、すべて
焼失した次第を、徳永伝之助、また追々
井上善兵衛にも詳細を内外にお尋ね合わせて
参りましたところ、両人とも
ご旅行中までで引き返し申され、ご同役からの
ご用状だけでは事実の詳細がよく分からない
とのことで、詳しくお知らせするよう申し聞かされました。
同月二日夜四つ時頃、まだ寝入らない時分に、
怪しい音が響いたかと思うと、猛烈に下から突き上げる
激しい急な揺れで、これは大地震だと思い、
枕元の大小を身に帯びるまでで、袴を着ける暇もなく
式台から出ようと、その間の廊下を一間ほど
進んだところ、遠近上下前後左右一斉に
何かが落ち倒れる響きで、実に肝を潰し、その勢いで
灯りの行灯が消え、手探りで進もうと
したところ、たちまち前に梁のような物が落ちて塞がり、一歩も
進むことができず、そこで中庭の中門から出ようと
引き返したが、後ろも同様に落ちて塞がり、進退に
迷い、召し使いたちはどのような様子かと
呼びかけたところ、慌てて立ち出ている様子で、声
を聞いて探して来るのを頼りに、やっと小屋の外へ
出て見たところ、表の御長屋、
御殿の過半が倒れ、山下御門の方まで
一面の見渡しとなっており、すぐに御馬屋の後ろ、長州
御屋敷あるいは東北の方角から火の手が
上がり、折しも北西の風で、御屋敷は
風向きが斜めで無事であろうと見えましたが、とにかく
案外の御大変につき、
御前様のお住まい向きが心配でございましたので、
ご安否をお伺いしたく、小屋の道具のことは召し使いに
すべて任せ、一人で御広式を目指して出かけたところ
英語訳
Furthermore, though it may be presumptuous to write this in a postscript,
I humbly rejoice to hear that His Lordship also
returned in good health to the Tameike residence
around the fifth hour of morning on the 7th.
I received and read your esteemed letter sent on the 14th of last month. First,
I humbly rejoice that His Lordship is in excellent health and
arrived in Edo the day before yesterday, the 7th.
I also respectfully acknowledge that you are in good health
and performing your duties admirably.
Now, regarding the unprecedented great earthquake here,
more than half of the residence collapsed and
everything was subsequently lost to fire. I inquired in detail
about this matter through Tokunaga Dennosuke and subsequently
through Inoue Zenbei as well, but both
had to return while still traveling, and
since the official correspondence from your colleagues alone
could not convey the full details of the actual events,
I was instructed to provide you with a detailed account.
On the night of the 2nd of the same month, around the fourth hour, while I had not yet fallen asleep,
a strange sound echoed, followed by a violent upward thrust
from below with fierce sudden shaking. Realizing this was a great earthquake,
I barely had time to put on my swords at my pillow
before rushing out through the ceremonial entrance without time to put on hakama.
After proceeding about one ken down the corridor,
everything near and far, above and below, front and back, left and right simultaneously
crashed and fell with such force that it truly shattered one's nerves.
The lamp went out from the impact, and as I tried to proceed by touch,
a beam-like object immediately fell and blocked my path, preventing any forward movement.
I then tried to exit through the middle gate of the inner courtyard,
but turning back, I found the rear similarly blocked by fallen debris.
Confused about how to proceed, I called out to ask about the condition
of the servants. Hearing their panicked voices
as they came searching for me, I used their voices as a guide
and finally managed to get outside the building.
Looking around, I saw that the front guard quarters and
more than half of the main residence had collapsed, creating
an unobstructed view all the way to Yamashita Gate.
Soon after, fires broke out behind the stables, at the Choshu
residence, or in the northeast direction.
With the northwest wind blowing, it appeared that our residence
might be safe due to the diagonal wind direction, but in any case,
this was such an unexpected great disaster that
I was deeply concerned about His Lordship's living quarters.
Wishing to inquire about your safety, I left all matters concerning
the building's furnishings to the servants and set out alone
toward the formal reception hall.