#64
64. TERAO SHIGEHIRO VS. SHIGENA: BETTO'S STATEMENT, 1325

                        (Terao docs.; also KK, VIII.)
THIS is a renewed accusation by Shigehiro's son Betto-zhiro-Maru against Shigena. The first lines
are unfortunately lost. By referring to the generalogical chart given above (with No. 61), we can
infer that the opening words of the extant document must have been immediately preceded by a
reference to the division by Terao Shigemichi, Shigehiro's grandfather, of his estate between his
sons, Shigesada, whose Buddhist name was Kwo-Ge, and Koreshige, father of Shigehiro.

  ". . . calling the northern part [of To-no-hara] held by Shigesada 'So-ryo'1 and
the southern part apportioned as Koreshige's lot 'Sho-shi,'1 [both men] held [their
respective shares] for years; and then Kwo-Ge [namely, Shigesada] transferred his
heir-general shiki to his younger brother Koreshige. Thus, Koreshige, after holding
both Sho-shi and So-ryo, devised the southern part which was the original lot of the
younger son to his son by the main wife, Zhiro-saburo Uchishige. As for the heir-
general's shiki, it was, as is patent in the documents formerly presented, devised, to-
gether with the letters of successive [holding], to the eldest grandson, Betto-zhiro-
Maru. Also, Koreshige devised to his nephew, Kawakita Mata-zaburo Nobushige, now
deceased, the house, ta and sono, Uchino, of the same place, which is therefore a part
of Sho-shi. How could it unreasonably be said, [as was done by Shigena], that there
could be no appellations So-ryo and Sho-shi? Especially, the letter by Koreshige to
Shimo-osa gon-no-kami says:e(Koreshige has said)2 to Betto go-zen (of Taki)2 that he
has given him, though regrettably inadequate, the successive documents relative to the
heir-general's [shiki] of the estate [that would be] left by him.' (The rest is abridged.)
And the postscript of the same letter says: [Koreshige] would be grateful if  [O-kata
dono] heard that To-no-hara, of Satsuma, it being [Koreshige's] domain [had been
devised to Betto go-zen]. Be so good as to inform Kawachi dono also. '* * *3 The
several autographic letters by Koreshige are explicit; who but Betto-zhiro-Maru could
aspire to that estate left? And yet, for Shigena, while calling  [the place] an intestate
estate, at once wilfully to seize ta and sono at several places in this go, and also to
[petition] that he be granted an official decree to divide them, is an act of duplicity
and unreason. Next, Shigena was, as is known to all the family, from his infancy
adopted and brought up by Taketsuru-me, now called the nun Zhitocho, widow of
Shibuya Zhiro- zaomon-no-zho Yorishige, wherefore his boyhood name was Take-wo,
succeeding to the name of his adopting mother. How should he entertain hopes con-
cerning his real father's estate? Moreover, according to the rules of Gen-ko 1st year
[1321], persons adopted by others, though they might wish to share their real fathers'
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estates would not be recognized, if they did not possess letters of devise, etc. Since
the [sho-gun's] rules are strict, Shigena should have no aspirations, even if the estate
were intestate; much less, when it is, [as it in fact is], land disposed of [by a will].
It is prayed that, in accordance both with the new rules and with the succession by
Betto-zhiro-Maru, Shigena's wilful seizure be terminated. Therefore, an additional
statement is made thus.
  "Sho-chu 2 y. 6 m. [July/August 1325]."

  1These terms mean, respectively, heir-general and younger son. So-ryo has more than once been
explained; see No. 28, n. 2, and No. 55.Sho-shi, as distinguished from chaku-shi (see No. 63, n. 2),
meant any of the younger sons who was not the heir of his father; at times the term applied to
sons by secondary wives or concubines.
  The reader will note that the two terms are here used to indicate, not the sons, but the lands
which they held. Not infrequently, when a division of an estate took place, the main portion that
fell to the hands of the heir came itself to be called So-ryo, as in this example, and likewise the
younger sons' shares were known as Sho-shi. Several instances of this translation of the nouns of
personal status to place-names have survived to this day.
  2The words in the parentheses are supplied from the fuller copy of the letter that constitutes
No. 61.
  3Two or three characters are worm-eaten.