Memorial of thanks from His Excellency (令公) to the Queen Dowager令公謝大后表
云云言。伏蒙睿慈今月日特差降使某官，副使某官等。封臣爲某公者。十行寶札。驟宣綸綍之辭。三尺微軀。遽玷盤維之秩。傴僂拜命。凌兢失圖。伏念臣識謝辨聰。質虧岐嶷。髫年已過。雖僅至於成人。乳臭猶存。顧未堪於立社。何意睿明之眷。曲收孱弱之資。特降恩章。俾昇侯服。乘綠車而煥彩。佩金鈕而增輝。此蓋伏遇王大后殿下。慈惠爲心。柔嘉維則。篤生聖嗣。大開流慶之源。爰及後孫。致荷疏封之禮。臣敢不溫恭循度。勤儉率身。仰奉坤闈。第切壽昌之祝。力扶王室。益輸忠孝之心。云云。
And so forth, and I speak. By your bright affection, on such-and-such a day of this month, prostrate I have been visited with your sending especially an envoy of such-and-such an office and a deputy envoy of such-and-such an office and the rest, to invest your servant as Duke of such-and-such.
With a precious writing of ten lines you unfolded at once the words of a rescript, and a small body of three feet has at once sullied the rank of those who hold up the state. Bowing my body I receive the command, and in fear and trembling I do not know what to do.
Prostrate, I consider that your servant's knowledge does not reach to brightness and quick understanding, and his stuff has fallen short of distinction from childhood. The years of tufted hair are already past and I have barely come to manhood, yet the smell of milk still remains, and looking back, I cannot bear the work of setting up the altars of the state.
How could I have thought that your bright regard would bend down and gather up a frail stuff, and sending down especially a gracious writing would let me rise to the robes of a feudal lord? Riding a green carriage, the light is bright; wearing a golden seal, the shining is increased.
This is because, prostrate, I have met with Her Highness the Queen Dowager, who makes affection and grace her heart and gentleness and beauty her law, who in thick measure bore a holy heir and so opened wide the spring from which blessings flow, and who, reaching down even to later descendants, lets them be visited with the rite of enfeoffment.
How should your servant dare not follow the measure in gentleness and respect, and govern himself in diligence and frugality? Looking up and bearing up the Queen's Palace, I shall only pray earnestly for your long life and flourishing; and striving to uphold the royal house, I shall offer up still more a heart of loyalty and filial piety.
Interlinear notes 1
中謝。
Here the words of thanks (中謝) are inserted.