翻刻
忠義勇憤之者共をハ却而仇敵之如くニ忌嫌ひ候段国賊と申も
余有方ニ御座候故対馬守殿長々執政被致候ハヽ終ニ者
天朝をも廃し 幕府を倒し自分封征討？を受候様相成候儀明
白之輩ニ而言語同断不届之所行与可申既ニ先達而シイポト与申
醜夷ニ対し日本政務ニ携呉候様相頼候風評も有之候間対馬守殿
存命ニ而ハ数年を出すして我国 神聖之道を廃し耶蘇之邪
教を奉して君臣父子之大倫を忘れ利欲を尊ミ候筋而已ニ
落入外夷同様禽獣之群と相成候事疑なく微臣共痛哭流涕大息
之余り無余義も奸邪之小人令殺戮 上ハ奉安
天朝 幕府下ハ国中之万民共夷狄と成果候処之禍を防キ候儀ニ
御座候毛頭も奉対 公辺異心を存し候儀ニも無之候間伏而願候ハ
此後之処井伊安藤二奸之遺轍を御改革被遊外夷擒逐して
叡慮を慰め給ひ万民之困究を御救被遊候而
東照宮以来之御主意ニ御基キ真実ニ征夷大将軍之御職任を
御勤被遊候様仕度候若も只今之儘ニ而弊政御改革無之候ハヽ天下
之大小名各 幕府を見放し候而自分々々之国のミ相固候様ニ
成行候ハ必定之事ニ有之候外夷御扱さへ御手ニ余り候折柄ニ相成候間
如何御所置被遊候哉当時日本国中人心児童老衰迄も夷狄を
悪ミ不申者一人も無之候間万一夷狄誅戮名と致し旗を揚候大名
有之候ハヽ大半其方ニ必靡き候事疑無之実以危急之御時節与
奉存候且 皇国之俗ハ君臣上下之大義を弁し忠烈節義之
道を守り候風習ニ御座候故 幕府之御所置段々 天朝之
叡慮ニ相反候処与見請候ハヽ忠臣義士之輩一人も 幕府之御為に
身命を抛候者有之間敷 幕府ハ孤立之勢ひと御成果て被遊候
夫故此度御改心之有無ハ 幕府之御興廃ニ相係？候事ニ御座候故
何卒此義御勘考被遊傲漫無礼之外夷共を疎外
現代語訳
【現代語訳】
忠義・勇憤の者どもを、かえって仇敵のように忌み嫌っておられる段は、国賊と申しても言い足りないほどでございます。それゆえ、対馬守殿が長々と執政を続けられるならば、終には朝廷をも廃し、幕府を倒し、（外国勢力による）征討を受けるような事態になることは明白であって、言語道断・不届きの所行と申すべきであります。
すでに先頃、シイポトと申す醜夷（外国人）に対し、日本の政務に携わってくれるよう頼んだとの風評もございます。対馬守殿が存命である限り、数年を出ずして我が国は神聖なる道を廃し、耶蘇（キリスト）の邪教を奉じて、君臣・父子の大いなる倫理を忘れ、利欲のみを尊ぶ方向に落ちいり、外夷と同様の禽獣の群れとなることは疑いなく、微臣どもは痛哭・流涕・大息のあまり、やむを得ず奸邪の小人を殺戮するに至りました。これは上は朝廷・幕府を安んじ奉り、下は国中の万民が夷狄と成り果てる禍を防がんためでございます。
毛頭も公辺（幕府）に対し異心を抱いておるわけではございませんので、伏してお願い申し上げますのは、今後は井伊・安藤二奸の遺した轍（悪しき先例）を御改革あそばされ、外夷を捕らえ追い払って叡慮をお慰め申し上げ、万民の困窮をお救いあそばされ——
東照宮（徳川家康公）以来の御主意に基づき、真実に征夷大将軍の御職任を御勤めあそばされますよう仕りたく存じます。
もし只今のままで弊政を御改革なさらなければ、天下の大小名がおのおの幕府を見放し、自分の国だけを固めるようになることは必定でございます。外夷の御取り扱いさえ手に余るという折柄になれば、いかに御所置（対処）なさるおつもりでしょうか。当時、日本国中の人心は、童子・老衰に至るまで夷狄を悪まない者は一人もおりません。万一、夷狄誅戮を名目として旗を揚げる大名が現れた場合には、大半がその方へなびくことは疑いなく、まことに危急の御時節と存じ奉ります。
かつ、皇国の風俗は君臣・上下の大義をわきまえ、忠烈・節義の道を守る風習でございますから、幕府の御処置が次第に朝廷の叡慮に相反するところと見受けられた場合には、忠臣・義士の輩は一人も幕府のために身命を抛つ者はなくなりましょう。幕府は孤立の勢いとなり果てなさることでしょう。
それゆえ、このたびの御改心の有無は幕府の御興廃に係る事柄でございますので、何卒この義を御勘考あそばされ、傲慢無礼の外夷どもを疎外（排除）……
英語訳
**[Translation of current page]**
…to loathe and shun those of loyal, righteous, and indignant spirit as though they were mortal enemies — this is something that can only be described as treason against the nation, and indeed the word "traitor" is hardly sufficient. Therefore, if Lord Tsushima-no-kami were to continue in power for much longer, it is plainly evident that he would ultimately bring about the abolition of the Imperial Court, the overthrow of the Shogunate, and the subjugation of Japan to foreign conquest — conduct that is utterly outrageous and reprehensible beyond words.
It is already rumored that some time ago, he approached a foreign barbarian by the name of "Siebold" and requested that this person participate in the governance of Japan. So long as Lord Tsushima-no-kami remains alive, there is no doubt that within a matter of years our country will abandon its sacred ways, embrace the evil creed of Jesus (*Yaso*, i.e., Christianity), forget the supreme ethical bonds between lord and retainer, and between parent and child, and fall into a state where only material greed is esteemed — becoming, like the foreign barbarians, a horde of beasts. Overwhelmed with grief and lamentation beyond endurance, we, your humble servants, had no alternative but to put to death this villainous petty schemer. Our purpose was, above, to set at rest the minds of the Imperial Court and the Shogunate, and below, to ward off the calamity of the entire nation being reduced to the condition of foreign barbarians.
We harbor not the slightest disloyal intention toward the Shogunate (*kōbe*). Therefore, we humbly petition that henceforth the mistaken path left by the two villains Ii and Andō be reformed, that the foreign barbarians be expelled and captured so as to comfort the Imperial mind, and that the suffering of the ten thousand people be relieved —
— and that, in accordance with the original intent established since the time of the Tōshōgū (Tokugawa Ieyasu), the office of Sei-i Taishōgun be carried out in its true spirit.
If the present misgovernance is not reformed and things remain as they are, it is certain that the great and lesser lords throughout the realm will each abandon the Shogunate and move to secure their own domains alone. At a time when even the management of foreign affairs is already beyond one's capacity, what measures does the Shogunate intend to take? At this moment, throughout the land of Japan, from young children to the infirm elderly, there is not a single person who does not despise the foreign barbarians. Should any daimyo raise his banner under the name of punishing the foreign barbarians, there is no doubt that the great majority would rally to that side — we truly believe this to be a moment of utmost crisis and urgency.
Furthermore, the customs of our Imperial Realm are those of understanding the supreme duty between lord and retainer, high and low, and of upholding the way of loyal devotion and righteous principle (*chūretsu setsugi*). Therefore, should it come to be seen that the Shogunate's measures are increasingly contrary to the wishes of the Imperial Court, not one among the loyal retainers and righteous samurai would be willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the Shogunate. The Shogunate would find itself reduced to a state of complete isolation.
It is for this reason that whether or not a change of heart is made on this occasion is a matter directly tied to the rise or fall of the Shogunate. We therefore most earnestly implore that this matter be given careful consideration, and that the arrogant and insolent foreign barbarians be driven away and excluded…