SHIMAI SOSHITSU AND THE NARASHIBA TEA-CADDY
島井宗室と楢柴肩衝茶入
All Tea enthusiasts envied Shimai Soshitsu his possession of the Narashiba Tea-caddy, which was one of the treasures of Matsuura Shikibu-kyo Hoin Shigenobu.
茶の湯熱狂者は楢柴肩衝茶入を所有している島井宗室を羨望します。
それは、松浦式部卿法印鎮信の宝物の一つだったからです。
* Matsumura Shigenobu, the first of the name, who died in 1614 aet. 66. ‘old King Foyne' of the English letters.
Matsumura Shigenobu II died in 1703 aged 80.
It was this latter usually known as Chinshin (the other reading of Shigenobu), who founded the Chinshin school of Tea .
＊ 初代松浦鎮信は１６１４年６６才で没、英文で「Ｏｌｄ Ｋｉｎｇ Ｆｏｙｎｅ」として記述があります。二世は１７０３年８０才没。茶道石州流鎮信派として一系が有ります。
Otomo Sorin Lord of Bungo, offered him four hundred kan of silver and the Shiga tea-jar in exchange for it, but he refused.
豊後領主大友宗麟は、銀四百貫に加え信楽水指と交換を申し出ましたが宗室は断りました。
Akizaki Chikuzen-no-kami Tanezane, Lord of the castle of Akizuki , also sent a messenger to him asking for it and threatening that if he did not let him have it he would bring an army against Hakata and take it by force.
秋月藩城主、秋崎筑前守種実に至っては使者を送り、もし譲り渡さなければ軍を博多へ出すと脅しを掛けました。
But again he quietly declined.
しかし、拒否。
Then Hideyoshi came to hear of its fame and sent a request for it through Rikyu, Soshitsu's master.
その話を聞いた秀吉は、彼の師匠である利休を彼に差し向けました。
But even this did not move him.
しかし、彼は頑として動かず。
In the eight month of the fourteenth year of Tensho(1587) Hideyoshi started out on his campaign to subdue Shimazu Yoshihisa, Lord of Satsuma, and his advance-guard under Mori Terumoto arrived at Hakata on the twenty-fourth, where Yoshihisa's men made a stand against him and in the fight the city was set on fire.
天正十四年（１５８７）八月、秀吉は島津義久の薩摩藩へ武力介入、先陣として毛利輝元が博多に二十四日に入ります。義久軍が迎え撃ち街は炎に包まれました。
Meanwhile the Taiko's main army had come round by sea, and Yoshihisa's troops, seeing they could do nothing more, retreated.
その間に太閤率いる本軍は海上に迫って、義久軍はそれを見てこれ以上の抵抗は無理と判断しました。
Now Akizuki Tanezane was with Yoshihisa on this occasion, but when he saw the strength of the army of Hideyoshi, he thought it would be wiser to go over to him.
その時、秋月種実は島津義久と供に戦いの中、しかし、秀吉軍の圧倒的優位に降参する事が賢明と判断します。
So with the intention of using Soshitsu as a go between treat with the Taiko through Rikyu or Ishida Kazushige, he arranged for a Cha-no-yu party to be held at the merchant's house, at which he was able to say what he wanted secretly.
そしてすぐ、利休もしくは石田三成を仲立ちに大閣との関係修復を画策、聖職者の寺院にて茶の湯の設定をしました。もちろん、身の安全を確保する為です。
But as he was leaving he managed to put the Narashiba tea-caddy into his pocket without anybody noticing it, his plan being to obtain the favor of Hideyoshi by presenting it to him.
彼は宗室の楢柴肩衝 の事 を思い出し、あれを秀吉に献上するしか生き延びる手はないと思います。
Now when Soshitsu found this out afterwards, he did not show any great attachment for the tea-caddy or any resentment against Tanezane.
そして宗室 から無理やり奪取 。 盗られた宗室はその後、茶入に関する事や種実へもいっさい口出しはせず沈黙し続けま した。
But he set fire to the tea-room and gave out that the famous treasure had been burnt.
そして、茶室に火を放ち名器 は消失してしまったのです。
This he did as the result of careful consideration.
それは、 熟慮の行動でした。
Meanwhile Hideyoshi advanced and laid siege to the castle of Akizaki .
その間に秀吉は秋月城を包囲しま す。
Tanezane did not resist, but went out to meet him with the Narashiba tea-caddy and surrendered himself and it.
種実は抵抗せず、楢柴肩衝を携えて秀吉と面会し和睦、忠誠の証しとして献上しました。
Hideyoshi accepted both.
秀吉は了承しました。
When the war was over Hideyoshi came to Hakozaki, and Soshitsu presented a gift of purple and fresh fish as a congratulation on his victory.
戦いか終わった時、秀吉は箱崎を訪 れ、その時 宗室はカニと新鮮な魚を戦勝祝として献上しました。
The Taiko ordered the rebuilding of the burnt streets and also told Rikyu to invite him to Cha-no-yu, but he declined this honor on plea of illness.
太閣は街の修復と同時に利休に彼を呼び寄せて茶の湯を催すように指示しましたが、宗室は病気を理由に辞退しました。
Hideyoshi then returned in triumph to Osaka and after a while he sent a message to Soshitsu, bidding him come to see him there for, he said, “I have a magnificent tea-caddy that I want to show you now I have returned home safely.”
秀吉は大阪に凱旋し、その後、宗室へ上洛して謁見するようにメッセージを送りました。「無事に帰省し、それと、素晴らしい茶入が手に入ったのでそちに見せたい」っと。
Soshitsu guessed that he wanted to question him about this Narashiba.
宗室は楢柴肩衝の件を詰問されると推測しました。
“I know he thinks I gave it to Tanezane rather to him and he wants to taunt me with it; but if I tell him that Tanezane stole it I myself may get off scatheless but his fief will probably be confiscated and he will be a laughingstock ever after.
「私が殿下よりも先に種実へ楢柴肩衝を渡したいきさつを詰問 される 、もし種実が強引にもって行ったと言えば私は斬られることは免れるが、彼は領地を没収されて末代までもの笑いになるだろう 、、 。
That is why I decline to go at Hakozaki, but now he has summoned me thus to Osaka there is no help for it, I must go perforce.”
箱崎への出仕を断ったのがその本当の理由だが、大阪への徴収はもう逃げられまい、行かねばなるまいて、、。」
So he made up his mind to bear the brunt of it hi m self and went to Osaka , where the Taiko received him most cordially, and, as he had expected, showed him the Tea-caddy.
そして彼は、矛先が自分に向けられる事態を決心をして大阪へ向かい ました。
太閣は彼を手厚く迎え、予想通り茶入を 目の前で 見せました。
“How's this, Hakata Bozu? This rare treasure has fallen into my hands unexpectedly, you see.
Isn't it the one that was stolen from you a while ago?”
「どうじゃ博多坊主？予期せぬことではあったが、この貴重な宝物か手に入ったわ、分かっておろうが、、。以前そちが盗まれた物であろう？」
Soshitsu was amazed at Hideyoshi's almost uncanny acumen in divining exactly what had happened.
宗室は秀吉の的確で 深く 鋭い洞察力に驚いてしまいました。
But he answered without hesitation, “That must be a little joke of your Lordship.
しかし宗室躊躇なく、「殿おたわむれを、あの肩衝は先達て火事で焼けてしまいました。それはまさしく徳川様から贈られた正真証明の 初 柴茶入で相違無いと存じ上げます。」
That tea-caddy was burnt with my tea-room some time ago.
This is certainly the tea-caddy called ‘Hatsubana' which was presented by the Lord Tokugawa.”
Hideyoshi guessed his meaning by this reply, and admiring his tact and loyalty, pressed him no farther.
秀吉は彼の返答の意味を即座に理解し、とった行動 と その 言葉 に感心敬服し、それ以上の話はしませんでした。
Tanezane also heard of it before long and felt heartily ashamed of his conduct.
種実は後その 話 を耳にして、自分のとった行動を恥じ後悔したそうです。
This Narashiba tea-caddy was made of fine green paste with light brown glaze run over half of it.
楢柴肩衝は 精製された緑の生地に ライトブラウンの釉薬 が半分掛かっています。
It had two lines at the mouth and a thick band round the middle, and the bottom was marked with ‘string cutting.'
口部分と胴の真ん中あたりに二本の線が有り、底は糸切りになっています。