<論説>侍・凡下考

Abstract

中世における社会身分として、侍・凡下の別が行われていた。現存する史料の上からは、この区別の実態がもっとも明瞭なのは検断沙汰・服装の面においてである。中でも犯罪の嫌疑をかけられた時、凡下は拷問されるが、侍は拷問されないのが当時の通例であった。この侍の拷問免除規定の法源は公家法の有官位者に対する免除規定にあるようで、侍身分は律令制的官位を帯することができる者と系譜的に密接な関連を有するといえる。鎌倉幕府法においても侍・凡下の区別は厳格になされており、この侍もまた有官位者と関連をもつようであるが、郎等は侍とは認めていない。しかし在地で侍・凡下の身分差をいう場合には郎等も侍に入っているようである。これらの侍・凡下の具体的な在り方を通じて、中世身分制度の解明の手懸りを探りたい。

There was a status discrimination between the Samurai and the Bonge in the Middle Ages. According to the extant documents, it was in Kendansata (検断沙汰 the code of criminal procedure) and in the costume of those days that the discrimination was most evident. For example, as a rule, the Bonge was tortured when accused as a suspected criminal, but the Samurai was exempted from the torture. This privilege given to the Samurai seems to have originated in the privilege given to the person of official rank in the Kuge-law 公家法. So it may be said that the Samurai had a close connection genealogically with those who had been allowed the official ranks in Ritsuryō 律令 system. Then, when the status discrimination between the Samurai and the Bonge becomes an issue, it must be noticed that the Rōtō 郎等 was not included in the Samurai in the law of the Kamakura shogunale 鎌倉幕府, nevertheless, in reality in his residence it seems that the Rōtō was included in it. This article, by the consideration of the Samurai and the Bonge, aimes at finding a clue that should make clear the status system in the Middle Ages, especially in the days of the Kamakura shogunate.