翻刻
一 同日相州御備場江被遣候ニ付而者御備方勿論之儀ニ
候へ共御普請等始不少御入方ニ候へ者治官之役々
宜致差図江戸表ニ而も右懸りニ而主立居候者へ者
心付候儀無覆蔵申聞聊ニ而も無用之費相省キ
漸々ニ而も仕居ニ相成永久を考御為宜取計旨被
仰出候
但御備場江被遣候隊長之義御人撰ニ無之候而ハ
相成間敷拙者体之者可被 仰付様ハ絶而有之間敷
候処此節御人不足ニ有之其上とふて御備方御用
ニ付而ハ被差越候儀も可有之哉ニ候間直ニ被差置候
へ者御物入減ニ可相成抔申之御吟味を以万一被遣候
義抔ニ相成候而者各御弁之通諸事不行及身分
御手始至極御大切之砌中々御仕居之程可相及義ニ
無之候莫大之御取立を蒙候身分一己勝手等を
以申立候義ニ者毛頭無之候へ共取計不行及所ゟ
御為不成義ニ至候而ハ御取戻不相成義ニ候間厚
御人撰御坐候様仕度万々一蒙仰候儀抔ニ至御詫
等申上候而者一統動之端ニも至ル間敷義ニ無之
別而恐入候間予メ申立置候併御含之程も不相
弁内々なから右体之義申立候段遠慮之至ニ
現代語訳
一、同日、相州（相模国）の御備場（防衛陣地）へ派遣されるにあたり、防備方の諸事は言うまでもないことであるが、御普請（土木工事）等をはじめ少なからぬ出費が見込まれることから、行政担当の役人たちへ適切に指図を行い、江戸表においても当該担当として主だった者へは、遠慮なく心付けの事柄を申し聞かせ、わずかなものであっても無用の費えを省いて、少しずつでも（財政的な）安定が得られるよう、長久を見据えてお為になるように取り計らうべき旨、仰せ出された。
但し書き：御備場へ派遣される隊長については、人選を十分に行わなければならず、（本来）自分のような者が命じられるようなことは、まったくあってはならないはずであった。しかしこの時節、人手が不足しており、そのうえどうせ防備方のご用向きで差し越すことになろうかとのことで、そのまま現地に置いておけば（藩の）出費の節減になるだろうなどと申し立て、（藩の）ご吟味のうえ、万一派遣ということになった場合には、皆様もご承知の通り、諸事思うに任せず、（自分の）身分・藩の御手始め（新たな施策の開始）という極めて大切な時節に、とうていその職務を十分に果たせるものではない。多大なるご恩恵を受けた身分として、一身の都合をもって申し立てるものでは毛頭ないが、取り計らいが思うに及ばないことから、お為にならない事態に至ってしまっては取り返しのつかないことになる。それゆえ、くれぐれも十分なご人選をいただきたく存じます。万が一にも仰せを蒙るような事態となり、お詫び等を申し上げることになっては、一統（藩全体）の動揺のきっかけにもなりかねず、特に恐れ入ることであるため、あらかじめ申し立て置く次第です。しかしながら、（上のお考えの程も十分に計りかねる中で）内々ながら右のような事柄を申し立てることは、誠に遠慮の至りであって……
英語訳
One item: Upon being dispatched to the coastal defense installations (*o-sonae-ba*) in Sōshū (Sagami Province) on the same day, it was made clear that while the management of defense-related matters was of course paramount, since expenditures arising from construction works (*o-fushin*) and the like were expected to be considerable, [the retainer] was to issue appropriate instructions to the administrative officials, and even to those serving as principal officers in Edo who were involved in the relevant duties, to communicate candidly any concerns without concealment, to eliminate even the smallest unnecessary expenditure, and to gradually work toward a stable footing—taking the long view and managing affairs in a manner that would be to the [domain's] benefit.
Appended note (*tadashi*): Regarding the appointment of a unit commander (*taicho*) to be dispatched to the coastal defense installations, proper selection of personnel was absolutely essential, and it should have been entirely out of the question for someone of [the retainer's] standing to be appointed to such a post. However, at this particular time there was a shortage of suitable personnel, and moreover, since it was thought that someone would in any case need to be sent over for the defense duties, it was suggested that leaving [the retainer] in place directly might reduce the domain's expenditures—and on this basis, following the domain's deliberation (*go-ginmi*), the matter came to the point where he might, in the worst case, be dispatched. Should that come to pass, as everyone would well understand, he would be unable to attend properly to all matters, and given that this was an extremely critical juncture—a period of new beginnings for [both his own] standing and the domain's initiatives—it would be utterly beyond his ability to fulfill his duties adequately. He wished to make clear that his objection arose not in the slightest from personal convenience or self-interest, given how greatly he had been favored by the domain; however, if his inability to manage affairs properly were to result in a situation harmful to the domain's interests, it would be something that could never be undone. He therefore earnestly requested that the most careful possible selection of personnel be made. Should he, in the most unlikely of circumstances, receive an order [to take the post], and should he then have to come forward with apologies, this could not fail to become a cause of unrest throughout the domain (*ittō*), which he found especially alarming—and it was for this reason that he was stating his concerns in advance. Nevertheless, raising such matters privately, without yet fully understanding what [the superiors'] intentions might be, was itself the height of presumption (*enryo*)...