minister in the Sho[u]gun's household (Nakatsukasa no
Tayu), a more likely promotion than one at the age of sixteen years, at
this date of the Sho[u]gunate. From 10,000 _koku_ his fief was raised to
150,000 _koku_; and he secured a wife so beautiful that his exodus to
the houris of Paradise was a bad exchange. Meanwhile what was the cause
of objection, thus expressed by force of arms, to the conduct and
nuptials of the Sen-himegimi?

CHAPTER XIV

SHU[U]ZEN ADOLESCENS

The struggle between Toyotomi and Tokugawa was of that embittered
character which follows from two diverse theories of political
structure. The Taiko[u] Hideyoshi, by force of military genius and
constructive statesmanship, had assumed the pre-eminent position in the
land. In doing so he had drawn to himself a sturdy band of followers
whose whole faith and devotion lay in the Toyotomi. Such were the "seven
captains," so conspicuous in the defence of O[u]saka-Jo[u] in later
years. Such were the doughty fighters Susukita Kaneyasu (Iwami
Ju[u]taro[u]) and Ban Danemon. The latter unceremoniously shook off
allegiance to his lord on the latter's treachery at Sekigahara, and
turned _ro[u]nin_. Such were great recalcitrant nobles thumped into
complete submission, granted unexpected and favourable terms in their
capitulation, devoted henceforth to the Toyotomi House, and of whom the
Cho[u]so[u]kabe of Tosa are representative. It is the fashion of modern
historians to regard and speak of these brave men as irreconcileables
and swashbucklers; thus tamely following after the Tokugawa writers of
contemporary times, and imperialistic writers of to-day, to whom all
opposition to the favoured "Ins" is high treason. As matter of fact, if
men like the Ono were lukewarm and seeking their own advantage; if Obata
Kambei Kagemori was a mere traitorous spy of the Tokugawa; Sanada
Yukimura and Kimura Nagato no Kami, and in humbler sense Susukita
Kaneyasu and Ban Danemon, if they had much to gain by the victory of
their lord, yet were willing to endure hardship, face a defeat early
seen, and accept the inevitable death which was meted out to him who
refused the attempts at bribery and corruption of the victor. The
"_ro[u]nin_," of whom the then Tokugawa chronicles and captains spoke so
contemptuously, were in the bulk not only "the outs," as opposed to
"the ins," but they were too devoted to their party tamely to accept
service with the enemy. Large were the bribes actu