Part 4
“ The Lord Prime Minister and his Lady departed to offer contributions to the priest (…)”
殿も上も、あなたに渡らせたまひて、月ごろ、御修法、読経にさぶらひ、昨日今日召しにて参り集ひつる僧の布施賜ひ、医師、陰陽師など、道々のしるし現れたる、禄賜はせ、内には御湯殿の儀式など、かねてまうけさせたまふべし。
人の局々には、大きやかなる袋、包ども持てちがひ、唐衣の縫物、裳、ひき結び、螺鈿縫物、けしからぬまでして、ひき隠し、「扇を持て来ぬかな」など、言ひ交しつつ化粧じつくろふ。
例の、渡殿より見やれば、妻戸の前に、宮の大夫、春宮の大夫など、さらぬ上達部もあまたさぶらひたまふ。
殿、出でさせたまひて、日ごろ埋もれつる遣水つくろはせたまふ。人びとの御けしきども心地よげなり。心の内に思ふことあらむ人も、ただ今は紛れぬべき世のけはひなるうちにも、宮の大夫、ことさらにも笑みほこりたまはねど、人よりまさるうれしさの、おのづから色に出づるぞことわりなる。右の宰相中将は権中納言とたはぶれして、対の簀子にゐたまへり。
内裏より御佩刀もて参れる頭中将頼定、今日伊勢の奉幣使、帰るほど、昇るまじければ、立ちながらぞ、平らかにおはします御ありさま奏せさせたまふ。禄なども賜ひける、そのことは見ず。
御臍の緒は殿の上。御乳付は橘の三位<徳子>。御乳母、もとよりさぶらひ、むつましう心よいかたとて、大左衛門のおもと仕うまつる。備中守道時の朝臣のむすめ、蔵人の弁の妻。
御湯殿は酉の時とか。火ともして、宮のしもべ、緑の衣の上に白き当色着て御湯まゐる。その桶、据ゑたる台など、みな白きおほひしたり。尾張守知光、宮の侍の長なる仲信かきて、御簾のもとに参る。水仕二人、清子の命婦、播磨、取り次ぎてうめつつ、女房二人、大木工、右馬、汲みわたして、御瓮十六にあまれば入る。薄物の表着、かとりの裳、唐衣、釵子さして、白き元結したり。頭つき映えてをかしく見ゆ。御湯殿は、宰相の君、御迎へ湯、大納言の君<源廉子>。湯巻姿どもの、例ならずさまことにをかしげなり。
宮は、殿抱きたてまつりたまひて、御佩刀、小少将の君、虎の頭、宮の内侍とりて御先に参る。唐衣は松の実の紋、裳は海賦を織りて、大海の摺目にかたどれり。腰は薄物、唐草を縫ひたり。少将の君は、秋の草むら、蝶、鳥などを、白銀して作り輝かしたり。織物は限りありて、人の心にしくべいやうのなければ、腰ばかりを例に違へるなめり。
殿の君達二ところ、源少将<雅通>など、散米を投げののしり、われ高ううち鳴らさむと争ひ騒ぐ。浄土寺の僧都護身にさぶらひたまふ、頭にも目にも当たるべければ、扇を捧げて、若き人に笑はる。
文読む博士、蔵人弁広業、高欄のもとに立ちて、『史記』の一巻を読む。弦打ち二十人、五位十人、六位十人、二列に立ちわたれり。
夜さりの御湯殿とても、様ばかりしきりてまゐる。儀式同じ。御文の博士ばかりや替はりけむ。伊勢守致時の博士とか。例の『孝経』なるべし。又挙周は、『史記』文帝の巻をぞ読むなりし。七日のほど、替はる替はる。
The Lord Prime Minister and his Lady departed to offer contributions to the priest who had conducted sutra readings and performed religious austerities during the preceding months, as well as to the recently summoned doctors. Pensions were granted to the doctors and soothsayers who had devised specialized forms of efficacy. Within the residence, preparations were underway, perhaps for the child's bathing ceremony.
Large packages of ceremonial clothes were transported to the ladies-in-waiting's quarters. They adorned themselves in karaginu and embroidered trains. Some wore dazzlingly brilliant trains embellished with mother-of-pearl. Regrettably, there were laments regarding the non-arrival of the ordered fans. All the individuals applied makeup and powdered their faces. When I observed from the bridge, I caught sight of Her Majesty's foremost officials, as well as the highest-ranking officers of His Highness the Crown Prince and other court nobles. The Prime Minister ventured out to have the previously muddied brook cleaned.
The atmosphere was filled with happiness. Even those who had reasons for melancholy were swept up in the prevailing joy. Naturally, the First Official of our Queen appeared to be the happiest, although he did not display overt smiles of self-satisfaction and pride.
The Lieutenant-General of the Light Bodyguard engaged in friendly banter with the King's Adviser of the Middle Rank, seated on a mat on the balcony of the side building. The sword of His Highness the young Prince was brought from the Imperial Court. The Lieutenant-General, along with First Secretary Yori-sada, halted at the gate on their way back from the shrine at Isé, where they had gone as Imperial Messengers to offer nusa. Regrettably, they could not enter the house, but they inquired about Her Majesty and were presented with a gift, though I did not witness it.
The Prime Minister's Lady cut the navel cord. Lady Tachibana of the Third Rank ceremonially provided the first breast. Daisaémon-no-Omoto was chosen as the wet-nurse due to her long-standing presence at the Court and familiarity with its customs. The daughter of Munetoki, a courtier and Governor of Bitchu, as well as the nurse of Kurodo-no-Ben, were also selected as nurses.
At six o'clock in the evening, the bathing ceremony commenced. The bath was illuminated by torches. Her Majesty's maid, dressed in white over green, prepared the hot water. The bathtub stand was covered with white cloth.
Chikamitsu, Governor of Owari Province, and Nakanobu, the Head Officer attached to the Queen, presented themselves before the misu.
Two stands were placed for kettles. Lady Kyoiko and Lady Harima poured the cold water. Two ladies, Omoku and Uma, meticulously selected sixteen jars from which the purest hot water was poured. These ladies wore gauze outer garments, fine silk trains, karaginu, and saishi. Their hair was adorned with white cords, lending their appearance a fair complexion. Lady Saisho joined the royal infant in the bath, while Lady Dainagon, in her bathing dress, looked particularly beautiful in this rare attire. The Lord Prime Minister cradled the August Prince in his arms, Lady Koshosho held the sword, and Lady Miya-no-Naishi displayed a tiger's head before the Prince. Lady Miya-no-Naishi wore karaginu with a pattern of pine cones, while her train showcased a marine design of seaweeds and waves. An embroidered vine pattern adorned the belt. Lady Koshosho wore an embroidered belt featuring patterns of autumn leaves, butterflies, and birds, enhanced with silver thread. Brocade was restricted to individuals of high rank and solely used for the belt. The Prime Minister's two sons and Major-General Minamoto Masamichi excitedly scattered rice, each vying to make the most noise. "I will make the most noise!" they shouted at each other. The priest of Henchi Temple appeared to protect the August Child. Rice grains struck his eyes and ears, prompting him to extend his fan, which caused amusement among the younger individuals. The Doctor of Literature, Kurodo Ben-no-Hironari, stood at the foot of the high corridor and read the first book of Sikki, a historical record. Twenty bow-string men twanged their bowstrings to ward off evil spirits, comprising ten men of the fifth degree and ten men of the sixth degree, arranged in two rows. The same bathing ceremonies were repeated in the evening, with only the Doctor of Literature being changed. Doctor Munetoki, Governor of Isé, read the Kokyo, a book on filial piety, while Takachika recited a chapter of Buntei from the Historical Records of Chinese Kings.
For seven consecutive nights, each ceremony was flawlessly executed.