cessible by fortune, and from
the same record we are compelled to infer that he could be cruel and
implacable on occasion. His favourite sayings afford perhaps the best
index that we possess to his disposition:--

Man's life is like a long journey toiling under a heavy burden.

Never be in a hurry.

He that regards destitution as his habitual lot will never feel
the pressure of want.

When the spirit of ambition arises in your bosom, recall the
days of your distress.

To forbear is the source of harmlessness and the road to
success.

Regard anger as an enemy.

He that knows how to win only and does not know how to lose,
will achieve nothing useful.

Blame yourself and acquit others.

To fall short is better than to exceed.

ENGRAVING: SIGNATURE OF ASHIKAGA TAKAUJI

ENGRAVING: THEATRICAL PLAY OF OLD JAPAN

CHAPTER XXXIX

FIRST PERIOD OF THE TOKUGAWA BAKUFU; FROM THE FIRST TOKUGAWA SHOGUN,
IEYASU, TO THE FOURTH, IETSUNA (1603-1680)

LEGISLATION

THE Tokugawa family having brought the whole empire under its sway,
Ieyasu applied himself to legislative work with a degree of
thoroughness and earnestness that far exceeded anything in the
history of his predecessors. The terms of the oath of allegiance that
he dictated to the feudatories after the battle of Sekigahara have
been already referred to. Ten years later, that is to say, in 1611,
he required all the provincial governors to subscribe this same oath,
and, in 1613, he enacted a law for the Court nobles (kugeshu-hatto),
to which the Imperial assent was obtained. This was the first
instance of a military man legislating for the nobles of the capital;
but it must be noted that the latter by their own misconduct
furnished an opportunity for such interference. A Court scandal
assumed such dimensions, in 1607, that the Emperor ordered the Bakufu
to investigate the matter and to inflict suitable punishment. Ieyasu
summoned a number of the offenders to Sumpu, where he subjected
fourteen of them to severe examination. Ultimately some were
sentenced to exile and others were deprived of their ranks, while the
principal malefactor, Inokuma, general of the Left, was condemned to
death. This affair demonstrated that the effective power was in the
hands of the military, and throughout the Tokugawa rule they never
failed to exercise it. In September of the year that witnessed the
fall of Osaka Castle, Ieyasu and Hidetada s