The following text is a full copy of a manuscript I came across (and fully transcribed) many years ago when I had just started my Huizhou research in the Anhui Provincial Library. Its card, actually an author card, in the rare books (shanben) catalogue then in use in the library read as follows:
程希，等，田鄰報數結狀，钞本，一册，不分卷
No further comment was included, but the actual events described in this document date from c.1529 and occurred in Qimen county, Huizhou. No indication of its provenance survives, though there is no seal or any other indication that it is a local government document. Presumably, one or more of the parties concerned, perhaps the local lijia 里甲representative, had this copy made for a collection of his private papers or a personal archive, and so the document itself most likely was written in c.1529. It would appear to be a deposition or affidavit, as well as a summary of the punishments passed on the parties found guilty, a statement of the practice of commutation or reduction of sentences to a payment in rice, and a list of the field holdings of the Huangs as compiled by their neighbours. In thereby casting light onto the actual workings of the law, popular religious practices in an area known for its Confucian learning, and the paddy field wealth of some of its bondservants (here called 義男 but more commonly known as 奴僕), it is quite rare among Ming Huizhou documents.
Note: 1. All the punctuation marks here have been added; 2.All individual and place names have been typed in bold lettering to facilitate reading; 3. I have placed a ? after a couple of characters that I believe I mis-transcribed in my rush to copy the document; 4. I have added numbers to every fifth line, to make it easier for us to discuss the text and any problems of translation and interpretation; and, 5. all the attached notes are provisional.
TEXT
1.田鄰報數結狀
供狀人程希,江新隆,李護等,各年甲不齊,系十一都一二圖民籍. 狀供:為本都李三學狀告本都黃珽等為乞正風俗逆僕滅主魘魅復人以安民患事, 到府蒙行本都帖,不該都里排吳梁,方本仁,等查黃珽戶下隱瞞田畝等情, 蒙拘身？等, 身同原被前到本都五保土名祊坑源等處。 從實逐一指報。 挨勘得黃珽5.戶下田,共計二百二一畝二分, 間中既無隱瞞妄指余情, 不知。 所供, 是實.
嘉靖8年八月 日 田鄰程希等 供狀
XX乞正風俗逆僕滅主魇魅復人以安民患事。除外，今抄本府問過犯人黄珽等，招罪缘由，合行開坐，呈乞施行，行须至呈者
計門
10.–問得
—名黄珽。五十九歲，直隸徽州府祁門縣，十一都二圖民籍，狀招: 永樂間珽故祖黄汪祖投拜在官李三學故祖李友道为義男, 于地名祊坑黄土嶺造屋批田，给與居住. 黄汪祖生黄得保，傳生珽及在官兄黄细第璉，傳生男侄黄梁，黄宇，黄檐，黄枋，黄清等, 俱各同居生理。陸續置有田，地，15.山地，分析共二户，共田計二百二十余畝。年時收取花利。除舊置買田四十八畝一分收入户辦納粮差外, 册後置田七十二畝一分。珽等又將茶坞嶺等處荒山一百余畝，開墾成田，不合不行開報陞科，辦纳粮税。先年祖父存日，思念義父李有道撫養恩義，逓年到李友道家拜年，立有神牌，春秋祭祀，傳至李三學，伊故父李沐家道消乏，將珽居地，取伊分下契賣20. 珽.業珽见李三学艱難。又不合將友道神牌，棄毁不祀，亦不到伊家，辭歲拜年。嘉靖8年正月内，珽至不在官李才昂家, 拜年. 回，至中塗撞遇李三學，將珽叱罵。珽因懷艱在心，就不合添捏李三學截打，混失銀兩虛情，投里。 李三學不甘，亦將前情，具詞告縣，准送廬主簿問理，間珽素知在官王瑞, 25.伊未到父王昶弄術咒人. 又不合買辦紙馬福事。况托王25.昶亦不合依允于本年五月初三夜，在于地名小坑, 用桃楗書符, 並寫李三學等名。且在上祝說，要使李三學在官不能言辦等语。有在官地方总甲 許犬, 許俄看见，及同許張佑前去捕獲福事桃楗，王昶等當即走散。珽惧怕事露不便，又不合將银一兩，送与許犬等，求免举觉，許犬等思系違法，將银并護桃楗.投首不在官里長黄庸等處，轉呈本縣。李三學通将前情, 不30.合添捏在官盛永住轉托王昶等，虚情混實，告府，蒙准提問，盛永住自合實訴為當，不合捏稱，托鄰祈禱神祗。不料极恶大户許張佑在鄉騙人得志，同第許神佑自造木牌，勢來誣身起咒索骗。不遂复拴里长黄康，捏成妄指十一都黄珽托身起咒等项虚情，诉府。 王昶亦又不合捏情，赴府訴辦。珽又不合添捏李三學，三囝等，捉打將糞灌口等項虛情, 赴府, 俱准35.通提一干人犯, 前來審系田土事情帖, 縣審勘蒙拘排鄰人等, 到官勘明取, 各供結連人解府。 覆審間,查得前勘未明。 又蒙將人卷帖,發黟縣江主簿,具招連人解審本官, 拘審間昶懼怕到官有罪。 又不合逃躲不出蒙拘各犯到官,審得珽祖黃汪祖季,系李三學故祖李友道為義男,思念恩義立有神牌奉祀，傳至李三學故父李沐貧難。 將地基賣。珽既將神牌棄毀，是實。及帶原40.被親臨告所拘集排鄰人等眼同，將珽見業田地,丈量共計二百二十一畝。 查得珽戶內止有四十八畝一分。 照契查對冊後，新買田七十二畝一分。 及審先在今不在官地鄰李護等，結稱地名茶塢嶺等處, 田共一百余畝,俱系荒山開墾裁種豆菜,不堪插蒔禾萌。珽又不合不行報官納稅糧，取具排鄰，結勘相同判令造冊之年，照數收冊，珽情愿仍立李友道牌位奉祀。及審得45. 珽委託昶燒福並將桃楗名，咒祝。及又用銀買求免舉俱是的取供在卷。將珽問擬書符咒咀,欲令人疾苦者，减等徒罪。黃清，盛永住各減等杖買，審俱頗有力納稻收。贖李三學減等笞罪，依重事告實，輕事招虛免科具招連人卷並赃銀桃楗，解送府主老爺，案前復蒙審得黃珽置有田產難准有力.開豁輕罪蒙判珽等子孫,各照舊規，逓年拜年,立牌奉祀. 余再無異,責令復50.供間珽又懼怕追稻,又不合躲走不出歸, 結致蒙嚴，並珽方出官業, 將珽等重取，供任官,取問罪犯.
一議得黃珽等所犯。黃珽，除有事以財行求並不應輕罪不坐外，合依犯罪脫逃, 施造符書咒咀,欲令人疾苦者, 減謀殺人罪二等於本罪上加二等律, 杖55.一百流三千里。黃清, 盛永住,李三學，俱合依不應得為而為之。 黃清, 盛永住事理重者律, 加杖八十,李三學笞四十, 俱有大誥減等。黃珽杖一百徒三年。黃清, 盛永住, 各杖七十。 李三學笞三十, 俱民人。 黃珽, 黃情, 盛永住審俱有力,各照例納米贖罪. 李三學依重事告實,輕事招虚,依律兌科各完日,與供明黃細等各甯家緣, 黃珽徒罪, 黃清, 盛永住, 李三學,俱笞杖罪,各監霸, 60.侯呈詳允日發落.
—照出李三學，黃珽，黃清，盛永住該納告紙，各一分，俱照例折價贮庫聽侯類解，黃珽贖罪米三十五石，黃清, 盛永住各贖罪米七石，俱照近行事例每米一石折稻一石五斗，俱照本府永豐倉上納備赈。許大原首赃銀一兩，並獲王昶桃楗條，俱追入官赃銀作正支銷取庫收通關缴照.黃珽開墾田並冊後新買田畝俱候造冊時,各照數收冊辦納糧差。 原立李友道神牌,照.舊拜年呈奉祀未到王昶有罪人,另行今將黃宇乞等戶內欺隐及霸墾田畝，逐一開呈：