翻刻
養子ニ奉願候処被 仰出候者当家之儀幼年之者江相続
被 仰付候而者一家之者共ハ不及申 上之御為ニも不
可然 思召候中務大輔儀者故伊予守正統之孫之儀
候間伊予守跡相続被 仰付候兵部大輔儀ハ中務大輔
養子被 仰付成長之上伊予守娘与一所ニ仕候様ニ
御書付を以被 仰出候其後中務大輔家督兵部大輔江
被下置伊予守娘与致婚姻数年之内出生も無之
奥方致死去候依之再縁或者妾女等之儀家老共
相願候処兵部大輔存知之趣家老共江申聞候者
自分末家之次男ニ候処本家致相続官禄共過分
至極之儀難有次第ニ候奥方ニ者当家正統之血筋ニ
候得者何卒出生も有之様ニと存候処無其儀奥方死去
候事残念之至ニ候然ル上者再縁等之儀者不本意之
事ニ候子細者先年国元江初而御暇被仰出御礼申上
候節於
御城同姓但馬守被召加御老中様御列座御用番
松平右近将監様被 仰渡候者仮養子之儀願置候ニ
不及候国許ニ而万一不慮之儀有之節者 上之
現代語訳
〔前頁より続き〕養子に願い奉ったところ、仰せ出された内容は、「当家のことについては、幼年の者へ相続を仰せ付けては、一家の者どもはもちろんのこと、上（かみ）のためにもよろしくない。中務大輔の儀は、故伊予守の正統の孫であるから、伊予守の跡を相続するよう仰せ付ける。兵部大輔の儀は、中務大輔の養子とするよう仰せ付け、成長の上で伊予守の娘と一緒になるように」と御書付をもって仰せ出された。
その後、中務大輔の家督を兵部大輔へ下し置かれ、伊予守の娘と婚姻を致したが、数年の内に出生もなく、奥方が死去した。これにより、再縁あるいは妾女などのことを家老どもが願い出たところ、兵部大輔が存知の趣を家老どもへ申し聞かせた内容は、
「自分は末家の次男であったところ、本家を相続し、官禄ともに過分至極のことで有難い次第である。奥方には当家正統の血筋の方であるから、何とか出生もあるようにと存じていたところ、その儀なく奥方が死去したことは残念の至りである。しかる上は、再縁などの儀は不本意のことである。子細は、先年国元へ初めて御暇を仰せ出されて御礼申し上げた節、御城において同姓の但馬守が召し加えられ、御老中様御列座、御用番・松平右近将監様より仰せ渡されたのは、『仮養子の儀を願い置く必要はない。国許にて万一不慮の儀があった節は、上（かみ）の〔以下次頁へ続く〕
英語訳
[Continued from previous page] ...a request had been made to adopt [Hyōbu-no-Taifu] as an adopted son. The pronouncement issued was as follows: "Regarding this house, if succession were entrusted to one of tender years, it would be unsuitable not only for the members of the family but also for those above. As Nakatsukasa-no-Taifu is the legitimate grandson of the late Iyo-no-Kami, he shall be ordered to succeed to the late Iyo-no-Kami's headship. As for Hyōbu-no-Taifu, he shall be ordered to become the adopted son of Nakatsukasa-no-Taifu and, upon reaching maturity, to take Iyo-no-Kami's daughter as his wife." This was proclaimed by means of a written directive (okakitsuke).
Thereafter, the headship of Nakatsukasa-no-Taifu was bestowed upon Hyōbu-no-Taifu, and he entered into marriage with Iyo-no-Kami's daughter; however, within several years no children were born, and his wife passed away. On account of this, the senior retainers (karō) petitioned regarding a remarriage or the taking of a concubine, whereupon Hyōbu-no-Taifu conveyed his own views to the senior retainers as follows:
"I was the second son of a branch family, yet I have succeeded to the main house and received rank and stipend far beyond my station — a most grateful circumstance. Since my wife was of the legitimate bloodline of this house, I had hoped that children would be born, but that was not to be, and her death is a matter of the deepest regret. Under these circumstances, the matter of remarriage is not in keeping with my wishes. The particulars are as follows: in a prior year, when I was first granted leave to return to my home domain and went to present my respects, at the castle I was summoned together with [a member of] the same clan, Tajima-no-Kami, and in the presence of the assembled Senior Councillors (rōjū), the duty councillor (goyōban) Matsudaira Ukon-shōgen conveyed the following pronouncement: 'There is no need to have filed a petition regarding a provisional adopted son (kari-yōshi). Should an unforeseen event occur in your home domain, those above [will...]'" [continued on next page]