Tales of Old Japan - Maybe You Like It

this Sôgorô, he is not the only one who is at the bottom of the conspiracy;
however, as this heinous offence of his in going out to lie in wait for the
Shogun's procession is unpardonable, we must manage to get him given
up to us by the Government, and, as an example for the rest of my
people, he shall be crucified—he and his wife and his children; and, after
his death, all that he possesses shall be confiscated. The other six men
shall be banished; and that will suffice."
"My lord," replied Shikibu, prostrating himself, "your lordship's intentions
are just. Sôgorô, indeed, deserves any punishment for his outrageous
crime. But I humbly venture to submit that his wife and children
cannot be said to be guilty in the same degree: I implore your lordship
mercifully to be pleased to absolve them from so severe a punishment."
"Where the sin of the father is great, the wife and children cannot be
spared," replied Kôtsuké no Suké; and his councillor, seeing that his
heart was hardened, was forced to obey his orders without further
remonstrance.
So Kôtsuké no Suké, having obtained that Sôgorô should be given up
to him by the Government, caused him to be brought to his estate of Sakura
as a criminal, in a litter covered with nets, and confined him in prison.
When his case had been inquired into, a decree was issued by the
Lord Kôtsuké no Suké that he should be punished for a heinous crime;
and on the 9th day of the 2d month of the second year of the period
styled Shôhô (A.D. 1644) he was condemned to be crucified. Accordingly
Sôgorô, his wife and children, and the elders of the hundred and thirtysix
villages were brought before the Court-house of Sakura, in which
were assembled forty-five chief officers. The elders were then told that,
yielding to their petition, their lord was graciously pleased to order that
the oppressive taxes should be remitted, and that the dues levied should
not exceed those of the olden time. As for Sôgorô and his wife, the following
sentence was passed upon them:—
"Whereas you have set yourself up as the head of the villagers; whereas,
secondly, you have dared to make light of the Government by petitioning
his Highness the Shogun directly, thereby offering an insult to
your lord; and whereas, thirdly, you have presented a memorial to the
Gorôjiu; and, whereas, fourthly, you were privy to a conspiracy: for
these four heinous crimes you are sentenced to death by crucifixion.
Your wife is sentenced to die in like manner; and your children will be
decapitated.
"This sentence is passed upon the following persons:—
"Sôgorô, chief of the village of Iwahashi, aged 48.
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