Rescript Not Allowing Sin Seonju (申宣胄) to Decline the Office of Acting Great General of the Thousand Oxen Guard申宣胄讓千牛衛攝大將軍不允批答
云云。朕觀大將軍之職。自漢晉已下皆置之。至李唐始設十六衛之號。以冠其職。其所謂千牛者。掌執王刀宿衛侍從。多以高蔭子弟年少美容儀者補之。故時人目爲貴門之高選。居是寵者。不曰榮歟。爾生二代之相門。擁一時之人望。志略雄邁。有國士之風。姿貌魁梧。負丈夫之氣。夫有大將之器者。不可以偏將處之。況今虜氣熾盛。內外戒嚴。宜得勇敢之士。爲之爪牙。以備非常。故朕選諸在列之臣。崇以登壇之禮。是則物議所同。而非朕之私恩也。毋多謙讓。驟服恩榮。云云。
And so forth.
As I see it, the office of Great General was kept by all from Han and Jin onward, and coming to Tang the names of the Sixteen Guards were for the first time set up and placed before that office. What is called the Thousand Oxen takes charge of holding the sovereign's sword and of guarding and attending upon him; and it was filled for the most part by choosing, from among the sons of houses that enjoyed high hereditary favour, those young in years and fair of form. Therefore men of that time looked upon it as a high selection of the noble houses; shall we not call one glorious who enjoys this favour?
You were born into a house of chief ministers of two generations and have taken up the regard of a whole age. Your purpose and strategy are grand and outstanding, and you have the bearing of a scholar of the state; your form is large and stout, and you hold the spirit of a stout man. Now one who has the vessel of a Great General cannot be treated as a general of the flank.
How much more now, when the barbarians' force runs high and watch is kept strictly within and without, it is right to get valiant scholars, make them claw and fang, and so be ready for what comes unlooked for. Therefore I have chosen you out from among the officials in the ranks and exalted you with the rite of raising a man upon the platform. This is what the many arguments agreed in, and no private favour of mine.
Do not repeat your modest declining, but receive the honour of my favour at once.
And so forth.