Ofício do mandarim substituto sub-prefeito de Macau, Lin, ao procurador de Macau, sobre os mercadores dinamarqueses que chegaram a Macau e que pretendem ir a Cantão para tratar de comércio
Transcription
Page 1
[Page]
T22
[Archival mark]
355
T22
1767
[Stamp — left side]
[Red rectangular seal with Chinese characters: 廣州府印]
[Title]
諭
[Marginalia — top right]
[Red character: 諭]
[Marginalia — left side, below stamp]
乾隆二十二年八月
初九日諭
[Marginalia — left side, near center]
[Red circular seal impression with Chinese characters: 照毋違特諭]
[Main text]
署廣州與門海防軍民府林 諭查
噯囉哆等知悉現准
粵海關移關據外洋行商人顏時暟
稟稱緣連國夷商味呎噶說稱伊夥伴
嘸吧嘿哪呎二名小廝二名因船開行未及
同伊國吐吻船來廣茲搭與船到粵欲
省辦理貿易事宜等因到府准此為查一
舉夷商上省例由該夷目稟請本衙門給發
牌照申報各處行移行沿途查驗久經遵
照在案茲該夷商嘸吧嘿哪呎二名查係附
搭與船到粵茲欲上省該夷目自應遵例稟
請給發牌照以便稽查因何抗違若不稟報
殊屬不合合諭飭遵諭到該夷目噯囉哆
等立即查明前項連國夷伴嘸吧嘿哪呎
二名先日係搭第幾號與船到粵今既欲上
省應令稟赴本衙門給發牌照以凖移行
稽查毋致逗遛滋事干究仍飭嗣後一體遵
[Signature]
[ILLEGIBLE: ~4 chars]
Translation
Page 1
[Page]
T22
[Archival reference]
355
T22
1767
[Stamp — left side]
[Red rectangular official seal bearing the Chinese characters: *Guǎngzhōu Fǔ Yìn* — ‘Seal of the Prefecture of Guangzhou’]
[Title]
Imperial Edict (Yù)
[Marginalia — top right]
[Red character: *Yù* (‘Edict’)]
[Marginalia — left side, below stamp]
Ninth day of the eighth lunar month, twenty-second year of the Qianlong reign (i.e., 4 September 1757) — Edict issued
[Marginalia — left side, near centre]
[Red circular seal impression bearing the characters: *Zhào wú wéi tè yù* — ‘This order is to be obeyed without fail; special edict issued’]
[Main text]
Lin, Acting Prefect of Guangzhou and Commissioner for Maritime Defence and Civil-Military Affairs, issues the following edict:
To Ailuoduo [Aylward?] and others — take notice.
It has been reported to this office by the Guangdong Maritime Customs (*Yuèhǎi Guān*) that the foreign merchant Yan Shihui, operating under the *hong* (licensed merchant) system, submitted a memorial stating that the Portuguese merchant Mǐzhǐgá [Miguel de Góis?] had informed him that his two partners — Wúbāhēinǎjǐ [possibly *Vicente de Almeida* or *Bento de Almeida*, though exact identification remains uncertain] — along with two servants, had failed to embark with their own vessel and instead arrived in Guangzhou aboard a foreign ship from Tongwen (a transliteration likely referring to *Tonkin*, i.e., northern Vietnam, then under Nguyễn lord administration). They now intend to proceed to the provincial capital (Guangzhou city) to conduct trade-related business.
In accordance with established precedent, foreign merchants wishing to travel inland to the provincial seat must first submit a formal petition through their designated *yìmù* (‘foreign headman’ or officially recognised intermediary), whereupon this office shall issue an official travel permit (*páizhào*), which must then be presented for inspection at all checkpoints en route. This procedure has long been strictly observed and duly recorded in official registers.
The aforementioned Portuguese merchants, Wúbāhēinǎjǐ, having entered Guangdong as passengers aboard a foreign vessel, are now seeking permission to proceed to the provincial capital. Their *yìmù* is accordingly required to follow due process and formally petition this office for the requisite travel permit, so that movement may be properly documented and supervised. Failure to do so constitutes a breach of regulation and is wholly unacceptable.
Therefore, this edict commands Ailuoduo and other responsible *yìmù* immediately to ascertain:
(i) the identity of the vessel upon which Wúbāhēinǎjǐ originally arrived in Guangdong (specifying its registered number); and
(ii) that they now instruct the said merchants to present themselves forthwith at this office to apply for the official travel permit (*páizhào*), without delay, so that proper documentation and inter-agency coordination (including onward transmission to relevant authorities for verification) may be effected.
Strict compliance is required to prevent undue delays, disorder, or incidents that might otherwise incur official censure and disciplinary action. Furthermore, this office hereby directs that henceforth all foreign merchants proceeding inland shall uniformly adhere to this regulatory procedure without exception.
[Signature]
[Illegible — approximately four characters]