#89
89. WILLS OF OKAMOTO SHIDZUSHIGE AND TAKI SHIGEMUNE,
                         1344
          (Terao docs. ; also KK, VIII; SK, XV; Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo, VI, viii, 629, 630. )
REFER to Nos. 46 and 83A. The following devises, of the same date, were written, respectively, by
Okamoto Shidzushige, Buddhist name Ko-Zen, for his grandson Shigeoki, and by Taki Shigemune,
Buddhist name So-Shin, for his daughter So-Nyo, the widowed mother of Shigeoki.
  The devised domains were new grants given for service in war, with one exception, which was
an original holding.
P244
  The documents contain doubtful proper names, which are marked below. The copies in SK and
Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo contain errons.




#89-A
                   A. WILL OF OKAMOTO SHIDZUSHIGE

"To devise domains
    To the grandson, Kuro Shigeoki:-
the ji-to shiki of Mitsu-kiyo myo, called Ushi-kuma, in Umaya mura, Chikuzen kuni;
one place: one-third of Higashi-tsu and Kuga1 of Idzumi, in West2 go of Mitsune,
  Hizen kuni.

    "However, the said third shall be held for life by the mother So-Nyo;3 after her death, it
    shall be held for all time [by Shigeoki].
    "Since the aforesaid places are held as grants for distinguished service,4 [Ko-zen],
adopting the grandson Shigeoki as son, devises them to him for all time. He shall
follow the examples of service5 [of his predecessors] and completely hold [the said
places]. If he has no children to succeed him, he shall devise [the said places] to any
one among So-Shin's3 children whom he chooses. Therefore, the letter of devise for
future testimony is [written] thus.
  "Ko-ei 3 y. 2 m. 3 d. [17 February 1344].     Shami, (Ko-Zen's monogram). "




#89-B
                        B. WILL OF TAKI SHIGEMUNE

"To devise domains
    To the daughter, Taira uji, Buddhist name So-Nyo:-
one place: one cho of ta land, aza-na Yukuta [?], in Taki kori, Satsuma kuni; also
  two tan, same go, and one homestead, sono of Kicho[?]-zhiro;
one place: in Saga lower ryo,5a Hizen kuni:-Yoga ri,6 2nd hei,6 one cho; same [ri],
  11th hei, 1cho; Ishi-tori [?] ri; 22nd hei, 1cho; Sogi [?] ri, 8th hei, 1cho; Yo-
  shida ri, 26th hei, 1 cho; Kanoe-ota [ri], 2nd hei, 7 tan 3 jo; Yui ri, 24th hei, 1 cho;
  Kanoe-ota ri, 12th hei, 8 tan and one homestead, called Oishi sono, bounded by7 Iga
  Shin- hashimoto;
one place: Higashi-tsu and Kuga1 of Idzumi, in South8 go of Mitsune, the same kuni,
  As for the present go, after [So-Nyo] has held it for life, it shall be divided into
  three parts, and one part shall be devised to the son Kuro Shigeoki, another to the
  daughter Wo-zhu, and the remaining part and the ta, land, and homesteads in the
  two go shall be, in accordance with the testament and in pursuance of the instruc-
  tions of the successive generations, to whomever So-Nyo pleases.
     "The aforesaid places are devised for all time. [So-Nyo] shall hold them without
interference in accordance with the testament(oki-bumi). Therefore, the letter of de-
vise is [written] thus.
  "Ko-ei 3 y. 2 m. 3 d. [17 February 1344].     Shami, (So-Shin's monogram). "




  1The characters of this word mean unoccupied, and are indicative of the original condition of
the land.
  2B has South go.
  3Written in the original Jo-Nyo and Jo-Shin by mistake.
  4In the Mongol war of 1281, and in the civil war in 1336.
  5Ho-ko; see No. 142, n. 2.
P245
  5aRyo, literally, domain, here used as unit-name of private domain similar to sho, a rare example.
  6Cf. No. 55, n. 14. The block of 36 hei constituted one ri; where the extent of ta in a hei was
less than 1 cho, the remainder either was uncultivated or formed a part of another estate. The
pre-feudal system of ri and hei lingered late in some parts of Japan.
  7The original cursive character might mean "dwelt by. "
  8A has West go, which is correct.