Edict Not Allowing Choe Jeonghwa (崔正華) to Decline the Office of Deputy Privy Councillor崔正華讓樞密副使不允敎書
云云。亞調鼎之司。號本兵之地。帝王之命。皆所對揚。軍國之謀。靡不參斷。宜遴斯選。求得其人。卿早以世家。擢登朝著。寡辭沈默。常不露於鋒鋩。臨事恪勤。率皆循於邊幅。其若南都司鑰而入處秋部。左轄提綱而遷拜冬曹。動輒優閑。誰敢議駮。矧爾外祖。相予先王。憫諸赴邏之軍。露宿山野。凡所止屯之處。列營館居。是三韓軍將所幸蒙賜。而至今稱頌者也。以汝服休之勞。有玆積善之慶。宜厚寵恩者久矣。故將機密以處之。是授猶遲。何疑而讓。云云。
And so forth.
It is called the office that is second to the chief minister who seasons the flavour of the cauldron, and the seat that is the root of the soldiery. There is nothing it does not do in bearing up and sending abroad all the sovereign's commands, and in taking part and deciding in the counsels of army and state; it is right therefore to make this choosing hard and to seek the fitting man.
You, my lord, were early chosen up into the court from a house that has held office generation after generation. Sparing of speech and quiet, you never showed the point of your blade; coming to affairs with care and diligence, you followed in the main the measure of the law. You held the lock at Namgyeong and then came within to the Ministry of Justice; you held the headrope as Left Assistant Director and were then transferred and appointed to the Ministry of Works. At every move you were ample and unhurried; who should dare to speak ill of you?
How much more when your mother's father was chief minister to our late king, and, pitying the soldiers who went out on patrol and slept in the open on hill and field, had tents and lodges set out at every place where they halted and encamped. For this the soldiers and generals of the Three Han happily received his kindness, and praise him to this day.
To the toil of your diligent labour is added the felicity of this heaped-up goodness; it has long been right that my favour toward you should be made thick. Therefore I treat you with the seat of the secret councils, and even this appointment is late. What do you doubt, that you decline it?
And so forth.