awa and O[u]mi. The great captain lost his life by
a stray bullet before Noda castle. His death for long kept secret, until
the northern forces had withdrawn into the fastnesses of Kai, the war
languished, to be renewed with greater activity under the rash and
ignorant leadership of his son. Katsuyori and his tribe cut belly at
Temmoku-zan, the last and successful bid of Iyeyasu against his former
enemies. Then the Tokugawa standard was planted from Suruga to Mikawa,
and Iyeyasu became indisputably the first of Nobunaga's vassals--and one
never thoroughly trusted.

Among the twenty-four captains of Takeda Shingen was a Kosaka Danjo[u]
no Chu[u]den. His son Heima inherited the devotion, as well as the fief,
of the father. Unlike many of the Takeda vassals in Kai he clung to
Katsuyori Ko[u] through all the bad weather of that unlucky prince. Kai
was no longer a safe place for vassals true to the native House. Better
luck could be assured with the old enemies, the Uesugi in the North. But
Heima would not seek other service than that of his once lord. He only
sought a place to live.

When the ex-soldier appeared with his wife in the village of
Nishi-Furutsuka at the base of Tsukuba, the people thereabouts had more
than strong suspicion that he who came so quietly into their midst was
not of their kind. However his presence was accepted. His willingness to
take up farm labour and another status, to become a _go[u]shi_ or
gentleman farmer, his valued aid and leadership in the troubled times
which followed, were much appreciated. The year 1599 found the old fox
Iyeyasu Ko[u] planted in Edo castle; and Jisuke, as Heima now called
himself, leaning over the cradle of a boy just born--a very jewel.
Jisuke's wife was now over forty years in age. Hence this unexpected
offspring was all the dearer. In the years there had been losses and
distress. The new-comer surely was the gift from the Kwannondo[u]
nestled on the slopes of the mountain far above the village. To the Lady
Merciful many the prayers for such aid.

The child grew and prospered. A farmer's boy, yet he was the _bushi's_
son; made plain in every action. Under the tutelage of the priests of
the neighbouring Zen temple he learned all that they chose to teach, far
outstripped his fellows, and in class room and in sport was their
natural leader. Sport was the better test. With years Jinnosuke tired of
the clerical teaching. The leader of the village band he was its
mainsta