#95
      95. REPORTS ON THEIR SERVICE IN WAR BY OKAMOTO
              SHIGEOKI AND TERAO SHIGENA, 1347

            (Okamoto docs. ; also KK, VII; Dai ni-hon shi-ryo, VI, x, 686. )
EARLY in 1347, while Shimadzu Sadahisa was defending Kagoshima with difficulty,1 several hun-
dred warriors of south Satsuma successeded in reaching the fortress of the Prince at Taniyama.2
Though Sadahisa erected outposts in its neighborhood,3 they were but poorly manned, as few
leaders in the kuni responded to his calls;4 and such battles as he gave were ineffectual. Presently
a new enemy arose in the confines of Kagoshima itself, for Nakamura Kaku-Zhun, who had pre-
viously surrendered to Sadahisa and defended the Hamazaki fortress in his behalf, again rebelled
and induced his allies into Kagoshima.5 It was at this juncture that men of the Shibuya aided in
the defense of the To-fuku-zhi fortress of Kagoshima, as is described below. The enemy was joined
by the hosts of soldiers of fortune who had come over by sea from Kumano, on the southern coast
of central Japan;6 since Yoshino was near Kumano, the Southern party always found willing allies
among those roving pirate-warriors who infested this coast and the Inland Sea and readily ex-
changed their gallant service for prospects of spoil.




#95-A
                                        A
"SHIBUYA Kuro Shigeoki reports his loyal service in war.
  "Since, on the night of Jo-wa 3 y. 5 m. 29 d. [7 July 1347], the enemy of Kago-
shima in7 surreptitiously took the fortress of Hamazaki, [Shigeoki] was the first to
P251
hasten to [the fortress] To-fuku-zhi, on 6 m. 3 d. [11 July]. While he was awaiting
the arrival of the forces on our side, at the hour of the hare,8 on the 6th day [14
July], thousands of Kumano pirates and other men [of the enemy] rushed in from
both land and sea. Though deficient in numbers, [Shigeoki] defended [the fortress]
at the peril of his life, killed several rebels, and repulsed the enemy. The retainer9
To-shiro was wounded, (a sword cut on the forehead). These circumstances were wit-
nessed by Nomoto Mago-shichi, the attendant [of the Commander], who fought at the
same time. The following 9th day [17 July], [Shigeoki] went to Murasaki-bara10 to
press the rear [of the enemy], and with his clansmen fought strenuously. Therefore,
in order that at once this report be certified as proof for the future, the statement is
respectfully made thus. "
                            "[I do] recognize. (Hatakeyama Nao-aki's monogram. )"



#95-B
                                                  B
  KK, VIII, has an identical gun-chu zho by Shibuya (Terao) Iya-shiro Shigena,11 with the
omission of the sentence regarding the injury of a retainer.





  1Sadahisa's letter to the Hishi-zhima dated 1 m. 7 d.: Hishi-zhhima docs. , V.
  2Another dated 1 m. 20 d.: ibid .
  3A letter by a follower of the prince dated 1 m. 28 d. : Aso docs. , I.
  4Sadahisa's letter to a Shigehisa, 2 m. 13 d. : SK, XVI.
  5Another to an Ichikuzaki, 6 m. 17 d. , and a report by Kawanishi: ibid.
  6Sadahisa's letters to a Shigehisa, 5 m.(?) 27 d., and to an Ichikuzaki, 6 m. 17 d. :ibid.
  7The Haseba, the Yagami, and the Nakamura, all related by blood, had the gun-zhi shiki
of Kagoshima kori.
  8Six a. M. ; see No. 92, n. 10.
  9Ro-to; this may possibly be an error for ro-zhu: the characters to and zhu are much alike.
  10Near Kagoshima, to the southwest.
  11That the Taki also came to the succor of the beleaguered fortress may be inferred from the
report by Kawanishi Do-Gen, dated 7 m. 4 d. (SK, XVI) who said that he went thither on 6 m.
5 d. (13 July) under the command of Shibuya Shimi-osa Rokuro-taro, who was probably Taki
Shigehide.