The writer of this letter had leased the perfume monopoly in the region, and was responsible for ensuring the payment of the tax on the monopoly. The translations are taken from M. Depauw, "Controlling the Perfume Monopoly. A Demotic letter in Macquarie" (ZPE, 2009).
[A] Totoes son of Pa-i.gm (?) the ointment trader of the division of Polemon greets the epistates and the officer of the guards and the guards and the village administrator and village scribe. Look after Petehyris son of Pikas who will bring you the document of authorisation as my representative in the village of Sobek 'The-place-of-Pa-tȝ-ḥtr'. Anyone at all whom he will find selling ointment or incense in the above village, except for me, he is to give him in our hands, while we will keep him until he is brought to the place where Posidonios the oikonomos is, as well as Horos son of Imouthes, the scribe of Pharaoh, so that we will obtain the tax of the ointment trade in the division, so that they will not grab our hand and nothing will go wrong for Pharaoh (l.p.h.) either. Written in year 7 which makes year 8, Phamenoth 1.
[B] A document of authorisation for Petehyris son of Pikas . . . to prevent anyone at all to sell ointment or incense during year 8 . . . Written in year 7 which makes year 8, Phamenoth 1.
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