Letter sent to the Great Officer of the Mongols送蒙古大官人書
右啓。今月某日。我國使介至。伏聞帥府新統大軍。始開蓮幕。未及旬朔。先聲大震。凡列國之人。莫不拭目改觀。庶幾蒙被德蔭者皆是。況若區區弊邑。其欣躍之心。倍萬常倫也。兼蒙鈞慈憫我國兩𤳖行李之久淹者。今悉放遣。此亦銘感罔極。言所不旣也。所諭予及崔令公之出來事。如前上舊帥府書所陳。我等旣畏懼大國。入此山海之間。則其於出覲。日益滋怯。所以難之耳。傾仰之心一也。寧有他哉。伏惟閣下諒情而寬之。兼所諭趙兵馬發遣事。其寢疾至今。猶未佳裕。故未卽依敎。不然。叔璋之往來上國慣矣。豈今憚其行哉。宋立章者。前已承舊帥府所及。其時卽差人就所配海島收拿發來。待之久矣。然以此時風水甚惡。邈無消息。故未卽捉遣。惶恐惶恐。前所遣詣大皇帝處我國使優之進退。專在閣下之指揮。伏望善爲之辭。導達於皇帝闕下。幸甚。無任戰汗之至。不宣。再拜謹啓。
I report. On a certain day this month our country's envoys arrived. Prostrate, I hear that your headquarters has newly taken command of a great army and opened its tent for the first time, and that in less than ten days the report that went before it has resounded mightily. Among the men of many countries there is none who does not rub his eyes and look again; so it is with all who hope to come under the shade of your virtue. How much more our paltry district, whose heart leaps with a joy ten thousand times its ordinary measure. Together with this, your lofty mercy has pitied our country's two embassies that were long detained, and has now released them all. For this too my graven gratitude is without end and more than words can tell.
As to the matter you instructed, of my coming forth together with Lord Choe (崔令公), it is as I reported in the letter submitted earlier to the former headquarters. Since we have already come in among these hills and this sea in fear of the great country, as for going forward to present ourselves we only grow by the day more afraid and find it harder. Our heart, inclined and looking up to you, is one and the same; how should there be any other intent in it? Prostrate we hope that Your Excellency will weigh our circumstances and look upon us leniently.
As to the matter you instructed besides, of sending Jo Byeongma (趙兵馬): he has been laid up ill and is not yet recovered, and so we could not carry out your instruction at once. Were it otherwise, Sukjang (叔璋) is well used to going back and forth to the great country, so why should he now shrink from that road? As for Song Ipjang (宋立章), we had already received what the former headquarters said of him, and at that time at once sent men to go to the island of his banishment and seize him, and waited long. But at that season the wind and water were exceedingly rough and there was no word at all, and so we could not seize and send him at once. I am in awe and dread.
The advancing and withdrawing of our country's envoys sent earlier to the Great Emperor rests wholly upon Your Excellency's direction. Prostrate we hope that you will speak well for them and lead them to report beneath the Emperor's palace, and it would be most fortunate. I cannot contain the utmost of my trembling and sweating. Here I break off. Bowing twice, I reverently report.
Interlinear notes 1
壬辰十二月
This was in the twelfth month of the year Imjin (壬辰).