翻刻
度々御札忝拝見御返事之段兎角筆紙
難申候 扨々御懇意之段忝仕合《割書：ニ》奉存候
明朝四郎五郎方ヘ申聞可得御意候 拙者以参上
可申儀《割書：ニ》候ヘとも気色悪敷罷在候間具《割書：ニ》四郎五郎方ヘ
可申達候 恐惶頓首
十二月廿八日
稲葉美濃守様
貴報
一十二月晦日去廿七日依召御登城可被成之処御腹痛《割書：ニ》付
御断《割書：ニ》相成候得出【共】御快《割書：ニ》付今日御登城御目見被
仰上 御懇之上意有之被任侍従之旨被仰出御礼被
仰上 御退座之節年始御礼御先代之通御白書院御相伴被
仰付旨被仰出 相済御退で【出】掛御老中若年寄中并酒井
河内守《割書：忠｜挙》殿《割書：江》御廻勤
但此節可被任少将旨之御沙汰有之《割書：ニ》付其段御内々御辞退
被成葵御紋も態々御着用無之桐御紋御用被成
一同日右同断《割書：ニ》付本多孫太郎《割書：長｜員》初御家老并御城代《割書：江》御書被成
一同日侍従御拝任《割書：ニ》付御老中ゟ京都所司代永井伊賀守《割書：尚｜庸》殿《割書：江》之
現代語訳
度々のお手紙ありがたく拝見いたしました。お返事の件は、とかく筆紙では申し上げ難いことです。さて、ご懇意の段、ありがたい仕合せと存じます。明朝、四郎五郎の方へ申し聞かせてご意向を伺います。拙者が参上して申し上げるべきことですが、体調が悪く罷り在りますので、詳しくは四郎五郎の方へ申し伝えます。恐れ多く頓首いたします。
十二月二十八日
稲葉美濃守様
貴報
十二月晦日 去る二十七日の召しにより御登城なさるべきところ、腹痛のため御断りとなりましたが、ご快復により今日御登城され、御目見を仰せ上げられました。ご懇切なる上意があり、侍従に任ぜられる旨を仰せ出され、御礼を申し上げられました。御退座の節、年始の御礼は御先代の通り御白書院での御相伴を仰せ付けられる旨を仰せ出されました。相済んで御退出の際、御老中・若年寄中並びに酒井河内守忠挙殿へご挨拶回りをされました。
ただしこの節、少将に任ぜられるべき旨のお沙汰がありましたが、その段をご内々に御辞退なされ、葵の御紋もわざわざご着用なさらず、桐の御紋をご用いになりました。
同日、右の件について本多孫太郎長員をはじめ御家老並びに御城代へお手紙をお出しになりました。
同日、侍従御拝任について御老中より京都所司代永井伊賀守尚庸殿へ
英語訳
I have gratefully read your repeated letters. Regarding the matter of reply, it is quite difficult to express in writing. Now then, I consider your kind intentions to be most fortunate. Tomorrow morning, I will speak to Shirō Gorō and seek your opinion. Though I should come in person to speak with you, I am feeling unwell, so I will convey the details through Shirō Gorō. With fear and respect, I bow my head.
December 28th
To Inaba Mino-no-kami-sama
Respectful reply
December 30th: Although he was to have come to the castle on the 27th in response to the summons, he declined due to stomach pain. However, upon recovery, he came to the castle today and had an audience. There were kind words from above, and he was appointed to the rank of Jijū (chamberlain), for which he expressed his gratitude. Upon retiring, it was announced that for New Year's greetings, he would be assigned to accompany others in the White Shoin as in the previous generation's time. After this was completed and upon departing, he made courtesy visits to the rōjū, wakadoshiyori, and Sakai Kawachi-no-kami Tadayuki-dono.
However, at this time there was discussion of appointing him to the rank of shōshō (minor captain), but he privately declined this matter, deliberately not wearing the Aoi (hollyhock) crest and using the Kiri (paulownia) crest instead.
On the same day, regarding the above matter, letters were written to the chief retainers including Honda Magotarō Naganori and the castle deputy.
On the same day, regarding the appointment as Jijū, [a letter was sent] from the rōjū to Kyoto Deputy Nagai Iga-no-kami Naoyasu-dono