Until the 2nd year of Manji (1659), Nagashige served as the Metsukedai to the province of Bungo, and was involved in the repairs to the stone walls of Nikkōsan, and looked after the administrative affairs of the palace of Jōkeninden (Tsunayoshi) as well as running the repairs to the palace buildings at Nikkōsan. In the 5th month of the 2nd year of Kanbun (1662), he was appointed as a tsukaiban within the Tokugawa bureaucracy, and in the 12th month of the same year was permitted to wear a form of kimono known as a hoi, thereby designating Nagashige as one of the inner retainers to the Tokugawa bakufu.(pgs.109-110).
In the 5th month of the 4th year of Enhō (1676), he was appointed as the 'lead gunner' to the musketry corp. In the 4th month of the second year of Tenna (1682), Nagashige was granted in increase in income to 500 koku, giving him a total income of over 3,030 koku. In the 5th month of the 2nd year of Genroku (1689), he was appointed as a yaribugyō, and in the 8th month of the 7th year of Genroku, was appointed as a flag (or hata) bugyō (literally a flag bearer). In the 8th month of the 14th year of Genroku (1701), old age (Nagashige was 81 at the time) forced him to give up the position of hatabugyō, and became another adviser to the bakufu. On that day he received five sets of seasonal clothing and 5 gold ingots in gratitude. In the 12th month of the same year, Nagashige retired, and received 300 sacks of goods to provide for him in his old age. In the 2nd year of Hōei (1705), Nagashige died (at the age of 85) and was buried in the temple of Chōeiji in Asakusa. (110)
As has been explained at length, Nagashige was an inner retainer, a hatamono, who steadily served in roles within the Tokugawa bafuku. It certainly didn't do him any harm to be the nephew of Matsudaira Izu no Kami Nobutsuna, otherwise known as the "Wise Izu". He was also well acquainted with the warrior-poet Ishikawa Jyōzan (1583-1672), who spent his twilight years at Jisendō in Kyoto, and was an acolyte of Jyōzan. In his final years Nagashige became known as the sole remaining survivor of the Shimabara Rebellion, and was known for speaking very bluntly on occasion. Nevertheless he still held ambitions even in his old age, and was neither abashed nor considered odd. (pg.110)
The Shichū Shishū, which condensed much of Nagashige's long life, is often regarded as a valuable historical resource because it explores the thoughts and ideas of one of the closest of retainers to the Tokugawa bakufu in the latter half of the seventeenth century. So how then did it differ to the samurai at the beginning of the seventeenth century? (pg.110)
Be care of what you say, and don't make enemies
Don't make enemies. That is was Nagashige repeated again and again. And in order to do that, one had to exercise caution with what one said. (pg.110) On the 8th day of the 7th month of the 6th year of Kanbun (1666) Nagashige wrote "少の義を云も敵のなき様にしあんして出言すへきこと也" (be aware of even your least significant words, and take care not to say things which wound the feelings of others and turn them into enemies). On the 21st day of the 1st month of the following year, he wrote "口はわざわいの門、舌は是わざわいの根源" (the mouth is the gateway to disaster, the tongue is the source of that disaster). (pg.112) It stood to reason, then, that one should speak as little as necessary. On the morning of the 11th day of the 12th month of the 10th year of Tenwa (1681), Nagashige wrote "是は云ても不苦（くるしからず）、いはでも苦しからぬと思ふことは、いはぬが能（よき）也" (Even if you think saying something is good, if you can get by without saying anything, then it's better not to say anything). (pg.112)
Then on the 11th day of the 11th month of the 1st year of Enhō (1673), under a title that could be translated as "training thoughts", Nagashige wrote the following;
"人能（よく）せんとて異見をいふめるは善なり しからば寸善尺魔有と思て 敵きたらんとしるべし敵出現してもと思ていふは各（格）別也 さなくは随分無敵（てきなき）やうにすべし"
Let's translate the gist of the above paragraph. "To think of another and act with sincerity is a good thing. However even though sincerity exists in good intentions, those who receive this sincerity might resent it and then become an enemy. If you have no problem with this then that is fine, but if you do have a problem, then you must not make any more enemies". (pg.112)
Be careful of what you say, don't aggravate your opponent. And of course, don't show any anger yourself. Do not get angry. This is what Nagashige argued so vehemently to family, underlings, and the next generation of bakufu officialdom.(pg.112)
In the 5th month of the 4th year of Enhō (1676), he was appointed as the 'lead gunner' to the musketry corp. In the 4th month of the second year of Tenna (1682), Nagashige was granted in increase in income to 500 koku, giving him a total income of over 3,030 koku. In the 5th month of the 2nd year of Genroku (1689), he was appointed as a yaribugyō, and in the 8th month of the 7th year of Genroku, was appointed as a flag (or hata) bugyō (literally a flag bearer). In the 8th month of the 14th year of Genroku (1701), old age (Nagashige was 81 at the time) forced him to give up the position of hatabugyō, and became another adviser to the bakufu. On that day he received five sets of seasonal clothing and 5 gold ingots in gratitude. In the 12th month of the same year, Nagashige retired, and received 300 sacks of goods to provide for him in his old age. In the 2nd year of Hōei (1705), Nagashige died (at the age of 85) and was buried in the temple of Chōeiji in Asakusa. (110)
As has been explained at length, Nagashige was an inner retainer, a hatamono, who steadily served in roles within the Tokugawa bafuku. It certainly didn't do him any harm to be the nephew of Matsudaira Izu no Kami Nobutsuna, otherwise known as the "Wise Izu". He was also well acquainted with the warrior-poet Ishikawa Jyōzan (1583-1672), who spent his twilight years at Jisendō in Kyoto, and was an acolyte of Jyōzan. In his final years Nagashige became known as the sole remaining survivor of the Shimabara Rebellion, and was known for speaking very bluntly on occasion. Nevertheless he still held ambitions even in his old age, and was neither abashed nor considered odd. (pg.110)
The Shichū Shishū, which condensed much of Nagashige's long life, is often regarded as a valuable historical resource because it explores the thoughts and ideas of one of the closest of retainers to the Tokugawa bakufu in the latter half of the seventeenth century. So how then did it differ to the samurai at the beginning of the seventeenth century? (pg.110)
Be care of what you say, and don't make enemies
Don't make enemies. That is was Nagashige repeated again and again. And in order to do that, one had to exercise caution with what one said. (pg.110) On the 8th day of the 7th month of the 6th year of Kanbun (1666) Nagashige wrote "少の義を云も敵のなき様にしあんして出言すへきこと也" (be aware of even your least significant words, and take care not to say things which wound the feelings of others and turn them into enemies). On the 21st day of the 1st month of the following year, he wrote "口はわざわいの門、舌は是わざわいの根源" (the mouth is the gateway to disaster, the tongue is the source of that disaster). (pg.112) It stood to reason, then, that one should speak as little as necessary. On the morning of the 11th day of the 12th month of the 10th year of Tenwa (1681), Nagashige wrote "是は云ても不苦（くるしからず）、いはでも苦しからぬと思ふことは、いはぬが能（よき）也" (Even if you think saying something is good, if you can get by without saying anything, then it's better not to say anything). (pg.112)
Then on the 11th day of the 11th month of the 1st year of Enhō (1673), under a title that could be translated as "training thoughts", Nagashige wrote the following;
"人能（よく）せんとて異見をいふめるは善なり しからば寸善尺魔有と思て 敵きたらんとしるべし敵出現してもと思ていふは各（格）別也 さなくは随分無敵（てきなき）やうにすべし"
Let's translate the gist of the above paragraph. "To think of another and act with sincerity is a good thing. However even though sincerity exists in good intentions, those who receive this sincerity might resent it and then become an enemy. If you have no problem with this then that is fine, but if you do have a problem, then you must not make any more enemies". (pg.112)
Be careful of what you say, don't aggravate your opponent. And of course, don't show any anger yourself. Do not get angry. This is what Nagashige argued so vehemently to family, underlings, and the next generation of bakufu officialdom.(pg.112)
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