He reign'd eighteen years.

Under his reign was built the Town of Kamakura.

1690.

LXXVI.

He was succeeded by his youngest Brother KONJEI, Dai the Emperor Toba's eighth Son, in the year of Synmu KONJE. 1802, of Christ 1142.

The Nengo's appointed during his reign were Kootsi of two, Tenjo of one, Kiuan of six, Nimpe of three, and Kijsu of two years.

Under this Emperor liv'd Jorimassa, a Prince of the Imperial Blood, and another Japanese Hercules. By the assistance of Fatzman, who is the Mars of the Japanese, he kill'd, with his arrows, the infernal Dragon Nuge, who had the head of a Monkey, the tail of a Serpent, and the body and claws of a Tiger. This monstrous Beast inhabited the Mikaddo's own Palace, and was very troublesome both to his sacred Person and to all his Court, particularly in the night time, frighting them and disturbing them out of their sleep. This Jorimassa was twenty seven years after, in the civil wars carried on between the four most powerful families of the Empire, particularly the Feki and Gendsij, overcome by his enemies, and extirpated with his whole family. This long and bloody War, which desolated the Empire for many years, till the entire suppression of the Feki party, and the death of the Prince, who was at their head, and whom the Gendsijs kill'd with all his family, is at large and fully describ'd in a Book entituled, Fekinowonogatari that is, an account of what happen'd in the War with the Feki's.

In the sixth year of his reign, on the 22d day of the seventh month, appear'd a Comet.

In the tenth year of his reign, which was the fourth year of the Nengo Kiuan, was born at Court Joritomo, the first great Seogun, or Crown General. The ensuing civil wars, which desolated the Japanese Empire, and were like to have tore it to pieces, gave him an opportunity of encreasing his power and authority to that degree, that he is unanimously mention'd by the Japanese Historians, as

1690.

the first of the now reigning secular Monarchs. It was
about that time the supreme and unlimited authority of
the Dairi's, or Ecclesiastical Hereditary Emperors, which
they had fully enjoy'd till then, begun to decline. The
Princes of the Empire, govern'd by ambition, jealousy
and envy, abandon'd by degrees the duty and allegiance
they ow'd to their Sovereign, assumed an absolute power
in the government of their Dominions and Principalities,
enter'd into alliances for their own defence, and carried on
war one against another, to revenge what injuries they
did, or fancied to have received. In this disposition of
affairs Joritomo was sent by the Emperor, at the head of
a numerous army, and with an absolute power to adjust
the differences, and to terminate the wars between the
Princes of the Empire. It is a known Maxim, supported
by the experience of all ages, that men entrusted with
power seldom care to part with it. This was the case of
Joritomo, who gladly embracing so favourable an oppor-
tunity, as was put into his hands, espous'd the interest of
that of the contending parties, which he thought the most
likely to support his own, and by this means encreased
his power to that degree, as not only to arrogate to him- i
self an absolute authority in the decision of all the secular
affairs of the Empire, but to leave to his Successors a
plausible pretext to claim the same. Thus the Power of
the Ecclesiastical Hereditary Emperors receiv'd at first a
fatal shock by the disobedience and quarrels of the Princes
of the Empire, and was at last entirely taken from them
by the usurpation of their Crown Generals, tho' without
prejudice to their supreme Dignity, Rank, Holiness, and
some other Rights and Prerogatives, which do not pro-
perly relate to the government of the secular affairs of
the Empire, as will appear more fully in the following
Chapter.

Kon Je reign'd fourteen years.

Chap. V.

Of the Ecclesiastical Hereditary Emperors, who liv'd after Joritomo, to the present time.

1690.

GOSIIRA

ON JE was succeeded by his elder Brother Dai
GOSIIRAKAWA,
or Sijrakawa the LXXVII.
second, the Emperor To Ba's fourth Son, KAWA.
in the year of Synmu 1816, of Christ
1156.

After his accession to the Throne he
appointed the Nengo Foogien, which

subsisted three years.

In the first year of his reign, on the eleventh day of the seventh month, Ssi In revolted against the Emperor. This Rebellion occasion'd a bloody and pernicious War, which from the time of its beginning is call'd, Foogienno midarri, that is, the desolation of the time Foogien, and is by this name described at large in their Histories.

In the third year of his reign, in the eighth month, happened a violent Earthquake.

After a short reign of three years he resign'd the Crown to his Son. Twelve years after he enter'd into religious Orders, caus'd himself to be shaved, and took the name of Joossin. He died in the forty third year of his age.

NIDSIOO, Gosijrakawa's eldest Son, was sixteen Dai years old, when his Father resigned the Crown to him, LXXVIII. in the year of Synmu 1819, of Christ 1159.

The Nengo's appointed during his reign were Feitsi of one, Jeiraku of one, Oofo of two, Tsioquan of two, and Jeeman of one year.

In the first year of his reign, the two great Generals Nobu Jori, and Jositomo, Joritomo's Father, both Princes of the blood, rebell'd against the Emperor. This Rebellion, and the War occasioned thereby, are call'd from the time when they begun, and are describ'd in their Histories, by the name of Feitsi no midarri, or the Desolation of the time Feitsi. Two years after Jositomo was kill'd

NIDSIOO.

Dai

1690.

LXXIX. ROKU DSIOO.

Dai LXXX.

TAKA-
KURA.

Dai

LXXXI.

AN TOKU.

in the Province Owari, and his Son Joritomo was thereupon banish'd to Idsu.

In the fifth year of his reign, and the first of the Nengo Tsioquan, a poor Woman was brought to bed of three children, each of which had two heads and four feet.

He reign'd 7 years, and died 23 years old.

He was succeeded by his eldest son ROKU DSJOO | in the year of Synmu 1826, of Christ 1166.

He appointed the Nengo Ninjani, which subsisted three years.

old.

He reign'd but three years, and died thirteen years

He was succeeded by TAKAKURA, the Emperor Gosijrakawa's third Son, in the year of Synmu 1829, of Christ 1169, and the ninth of his Age.

He was married to a daughter of Kijomori, who was mention'd above, under the reign of the Emperor To Ba.

He appointed the Nengo's Kavoo of two, Sioun of four, Angen of two, and Dsijsso of four years.

In the third year of his reign, his Father was shav'd and turn'd Monk, taking the name of Joossin.

In the fourth year of his reign, on the twenty-third day of the first month, a great part of the capital city and residence of the Emperor was laid in ashes.

In the seventh year the Small-pox was very fatal all over the Empire.

In the eleventh year the Emperor remov'd his court and residence to Kuwara.

In the twelfth year of his reign, and the last of the Nengo Dsijsso, the ennemies of Joritomo were defeated in the Province Isju, and Jorimassa was kill'd with all his family.

old.

He reign'd twelve years, and died twenty one years

His eldest Son AN TOKU, born by Kjiomori's daughter, succeeded him in the year of Synmu 1841, of Christ 1181.

He appointed the Nengo's Joowa of one, and Siuje of two years.

In the first year of his reign, there was a great famine in Japan, occasion'd both by the sterility of the crop, and the still raging wars. The same year died Kijomori, the Emperor's Grandfather, after the manner above related. The same year General Kadsuwara left the Feki Party, and went over to Joritomo, who was then call'd Tiojenoski. This Kadsuwara was of a very mean extraction, but by his courage and heroic actions he rais'd himself to be one of the most considerable Princes of the Empire. The same year was born Jori Ije, Joritomo's Son and his Successor in the command of the armies and the government of secular affairs.

After a short reign of three years Antoku was forc'd to resign the Crown.

1690.

He was succeeded by GO TO BA, or Toba the second, Dai the Emperor Takakura's fourth Son, in the year of LXXXII. Synmu 1844, of Christ 1184.

He appointed the Nengo's Genriaku of one, Buanitz

of five, and Kenkiu of nine years.

In the first year of his reign died Joosnaga, a great General, of whose heroic actions frequent mention is made in the History of the Wars with the Feki's.

In the third year of his reign, his Predecessor Antoku being pursued by his enemies, was unhappily drown'd in the Western Seas. He was after his death call'd Antokuten O, having after his resignation taken the name of Sen Tei.

About that time died Josinaga, Joritomo's Son in law. In the sixth year of his reign was kill'd Jositzne, another very eminent Commander. His death was follow'd by that of Fidefira his Lieutenant-General, and the extirpation of his whole Family.

In the eleventh year Joritomo went to court to pay his respects to the Mikaddo, by whom he was honour'd with the title of Sei Seogun, which hath been ever since given to the Crown-Generals and Secular Monarchs.

GO TO BA.