Tsuikahô 393: On kidnapping and selling people

Translated by Emily Warren

{A similar law was issued in the era of } Kenchō. Renbutsu 1 , Mitsunari 2 , and Gyōbutsu 3 {served as magistrates} Item: Regarding the strict prohibition against kidnappers and selling people

As for the aforementioned people, they shall be punished in accordance with royal law. 4 It is said that in the markets of Kamakura and the various provinces there are many calling themselves human traffickers who specialize in the selling of people. Henceforth, in Kamakura, order the precinct magistrates, to expel {these people from Kamakura}in compliance with the register of names 5 reported to Kamakura. In the various provinces, order the military governors and stewards that they are to harshly punish {the criminals}. 6

Original Text

一　〈建長、蓮仏、光成、行仏〉可令禁断人勾引并人売事

　件之輩等、任本条可被断罪、且称人商専其業之輩、鎌倉中并諸国市之間、多以有之

　云々、自今以後、於鎌倉中者、仰保之奉行人、随注申交名、可被追放之、至諸国者、

　仰守護地頭、固可令科断之矣、

Kundoku 訓読

〈建長けんちょう、蓮仏れんぶつ、光成みつなり、行仏ぎょうぶつ〉

一、人勾引ひとかどいならびに人売ひとうりを禁断せしむべき事

件のともがら等、本条に任まかせ断罪だんざいせらるべし。且かつがつ人商ひとあきないと称し、其の業なりわいをもっぱらするのともがら、鎌倉中ならびに諸国の市の間、多くもってこれありと云々。自今以後、鎌倉中においては、保の奉行人に仰せ、注申ちゅうしんの交名きょうみょうに随い、これを追放せらるべきなり。諸国にいたりては、守護・地頭しゅごじとうに仰せ、固く科断かだんせしむべし。


Modern 現代語

一つ 誘拐と人を売ることを禁断させるべきことについて

上記のような者達を朝廷の法に従い、罰するべきだ。また、人商といって、人を売買することを専門とする業者は、鎌倉中や諸国の市場に多いという。今後は、鎌倉においては、保奉行人に命じて、報告した名簿に従って、追放（ついほう）されるべきだ。諸国については、守護や地頭（しゅごじとう）に命じて、厳しくその罪を罰せさせるように。

  1. Renbutsu 蓮仏 was the monk name of Suwa Morishige 諏訪 盛重 (d.u., fl. mid 13th C). Morishige appears frequently in Azuma Kagami 吾妻鏡. ↩

  1. Onozawa Nakazane (仲実). Priestly name Kōren (光蓮). His name appears frequently in Kamakura documents as the responsible magistrate. The Onozawa family served as personal followers (被官) of the Hojo tokuso (main line). Chūsei seiji shakai shisō, p.112. ↩

  1. Gyōbutsu 行仏 is a monastic name, but it is not clear from the text who exactly this person was. ↩

  1. This refers to an earlier law. ↩

  1. In this case, kōmyō refers a list of recorded offenders’ names. ↩

  1. We do not know what this punishment would be exactly. ↩