Was that the guy who had to cut off the other guy's head, because he took the chicken down?
He was the main character. The Pilot. The one who became an English Samurai.
Yes, and no, and it was a pheasant. When his man servant removed the rotting bird, that Blackthorne had hung up to cure, in English fashion, he had violated Blackthorne's command as a Samurai, and was automatically executed. Blackthorne was outraged that it was done without his permission, since he had meant the command as a joke.
It just proved that the Japanese are real low in the humor department, like democrats.