wn. Sakai Uta no Kami
and Doi Oi no Kami of the _ro[u]ju[u]_ (council of state) were keen to
urge the match. She was young, and they plead the cruelty of forcing
celibacy on her. She was the centre of the ill disposed and most
willingly so. The stern old soldier Aoyama Hoki no Kami took the
opposite ground. It was for her to cut short her hair and pray for the
soul of the husband perished in the flames of O[u]saka-Jo[u]. Such was
the precedent, and, he hinted with good ground, the disposition of the
princess, then coquetting with Toshitsune lord of the great Maeda House
of Kaga. Besides he knew that Kasuga no Tsubone, powerful influence in
the private apartments of the palace, was urging on the match. The mere
fact of her constant interference in the public affairs irritated Hoki
no Kami beyond measure. He was acting through sentiment and
conservatism. Kasuga and her allies were acting on political motives.
They carried the day; to the great indignation of Hoki no Kami, and of
an assistance he never dreamed of.

Among the band of _ro[u]nin_ the matter was discussed with all the
greater heat and bitterness of purpose, inasmuch as they had to do so
mouth to ear. Ogita expressed their feeling when he summed up the matter
as an outrageous breach of chastity on the part of a princess, who could
not positively know whether the husband was yet living, or really had
died at O[u]saka--"Hence she is doubly guilty, of treachery and
pollution of her living lord; or of shameful lechery in this open
neglect of his memory and seeking another bed. Moreover to put her to
death will strike terror into the partisans of the Tokugawa, and give
courage to all the adherents of the cause, of whom thousands are
gathered here in Edo. A display of vigour will maintain those inclined
to the new service true to the cause." All rapturously agreed. The
occasion of the marriage and procession was settled upon for the attack,
in which the leaders and some eighty men were engaged. The result, as
told, was disastrous to them. Watanabe and Ashizuke were killed by
Tajima no Kami's own hand. Kondo[u] Noborinosuke thrust his spear
through the belly of Yokoyama Daizo[u]. Jinnai brought off in safety the
bulk of the party. Ogita had tried to bring down the lady princess by a
gun shot. In the straggle with Hiko[u]zaemon he purposely did the old
man as little injury as possible. Respect for the grand old warrior, an
amused interest in one whose influence lay in