HIDETADA'S ESCAPE
秀忠の脱出
Okubo Sagami-no-kami Tadachika was a pupil of Furuta Oribe and was much given to Cha-no-yu when he had any time.
大久保相模守忠隣は、古田織部の弟子で茶の湯を愛好しました。
He happened to be sent to Kyoto by Tokugawa Ieyasu in charge of his son Hidetada in the fourth year of Bunroku (1596).
文禄四年（１５９６）、徳川家康の命により彼の長男秀忠と京都へ赴きます。
Now when Hidetsugu, the adopted son of the Taiko, fell under the suspicion of his father, he tried to get hold of Hidetada as the hostage to procure the support of Ieyasu.
そのころ、太閤殿下の長男秀次が秀吉の憂いを買う所となり、家康を自分の見方に付けるべく工作をしている最中でした。
So one morning he sent a messenger at dawn asking him to come to early Tea at his house.
ある朝、秀次は暁の茶会を催す事にして秀忠の元へ使いを出しました。
Tadachika suspected his design and saw the messenger himself, telling him that unfortunately his master was given to sleeping late and as it would of course be improper to rouse him, would he wait while.
忠隣は直感し、自身でその使者に会い殿はまだ寝ている旨を伝え彼を待たせて置き、その間に秀忠を逃がす手はずを整えました。
As soon as the messenger had gone back again he sent Doi Toshikazu with Hidetada to Fushimi, staying behind himself.
土井利勝に命じ、隠密に秀忠公を伏見へ。
When the messenger came again, after keeping him waiting some time he hold him he was very sorry but he found that his master had already gone to Fushimi for an early Tea, but owing to his habit of sleeping late he hed only just discovered this, for he thought he was still in bed.
使者には、丁寧に詫びながら「供者が寝ている間に殿は先客の茶事に呼ばれ伏見に足ってしまった」旨を伝えます。
As it w as noon by the time the m e ssenger returned to Hidetsugu, there was nothing more to be done.
時刻は午後、使者は秀次の下へ戻り報告、どうすることも出来ませんでした。
So did Tadachika use Cha-no-yu to foil a plot against his lord.
忠隣は茶の湯を使い、時の権力者を欺いたのです。