kenin_, the humbler members of
the Togukawa clan, and hereditary followers of the shogun. All these
formed the _samurai_, the men privileged to wear two swords and exempted
from taxes. Their number and readiness gave the shogun complete military
control of the empire, and made him master of all it held, from mikado
to peasant.

Such was the method adopted by the great statesman to insure peace to
the empire and to keep the power within the grasp of his own family. In
both respects it proved successful. A second important step was taken by
Iyemitsu, his grandson, and after him the ablest of the family. By this
time many of the noted warriors among the daimios were dead, and their
sons, enervated by peace and luxury, could be dealt with more vigorously
than would have been safe to do with their fathers.

Iyemitsu suggested that all the daimios should make Yedo their place of
residence for half the year. At first they were treated as guests, the
shogun meeting them in the suburbs and dealing with them with great
consideration. But as the years went on the daimios became more and more
like prisoners on parole. They were obliged to pay tribute of respect to
the shogun in a manner equivalent to doing homage. Though they could
return at intervals to their estates, their wives and children were kept
in Yedo as hostages for their good behavior. When Iyemitsu died, the
shoguns had cemented their power beyond dispute. The mikados, nominal
emperors, were at their beck and call; the daimios were virtual
prisoners of state; the whole military power and revenues of the empire
were under their control; conspiracy and attempted rebellion could be
crushed by a wave of their hands; peace ruled in Japan.

Iyemitsu was the first to whom the title of Tai Kun (Tycoon), or Great
King, was ever applied. It was in a letter written to Corea, intended to
influence foreigners. It was employed in a larger sense for the same
purpose at a later date, as we shall hereafter see. Suffice it here to
say that the Tokugawas remained the rulers of Japan until 1868, when a
new move in the game of empire was made.

_THE PROGRESS OF CHRISTIANITY IN JAPAN._

The fact that such a realm as that of Japan existed remained unknown in
Europe until about six centuries ago, when Marco Polo, in his famous
record of travel and adventure, first spoke of it. He knew of it,
however, only by Chinese hearsay, and the story he told contained far
more of fable than