Patent of appointment making No Jijeong Senior General of the Geumo Guard盧之正金吾衛上將軍官誥
云云。京邑爲衆大之居。不可無備。金吾掌徼巡之職。以禦非常。統玆驍勇之兵。選必英豪之士。某官某。剛腸嚼鐵。淸節礪氷。疾惡面折則張目敢言。見善心服則扼腕絶倒。歷位多矣。雖已作巨官豐祿之身。居室淡如。常自爲逸士高人之行。曩奉一麾之命。出專百里之城。摘發如神。吏莫能測。公廉守法。人不忍欺。及還宿衛之班。累荷甄升之寵。凡事上之忠謹。孰與汝之勤勞。非朕獨嘉乃能。抑其推轂者衆。考績亦當例轉。又可刓印之爲。肆登上將之班。蓋徇輿人之意。可特授云云。嗚戲。朕不以城池爲固。而保於良將。爾亦期金石其心。而輔予沖人。唯命之承。其祿不旣。云云。
And so forth.
The capital is a place where a great many people gather and live, so it cannot be without defense; and the Geumo Guard holds the duty of making the rounds and keeping watch, and so guards against what is unforeseen. If a man is to be set over these swift and valiant soldiers, he must be chosen, and he must be an outstanding person.
So-and-so, holder of such-and-such office, is firm enough within to chew iron, and clear in his integrity as though ground out of ice. When he hated evil and broke it down face to face, he glared and dared to speak; when he saw goodness and followed it with his heart, he seized men by the arm and rejoiced as though he would fall over. The posts he has passed through are many, and he has already become a man of high office and ample stipend, yet the house he lives in is plain, and he has always kept of himself the conduct of a hidden scholar and a lofty man.
Some time ago he took up the charge of a district and went out to hold a walled town of a hundred li in his sole charge. He uncovered and brought things to light as though by spirit power, so that the clerks could not reckon him; he kept the law fairly and uprightly, so that men could not bring themselves to deceive him. After he returned to the ranks of the palace guard, he several times received the favor of being singled out and advanced. As for loyalty and care in serving his sovereign, who could match your diligent toil? It is not I alone who hold your ability fair; those who push the carriage and recommend you are many too. Even looking only at his record of service, he deserves to be moved up in turn — so why again should I finger the seal and begrudge it?
And so he is raised to the rank of Senior General, following on the whole the will of the many. It may be specially conferred. And so forth.
Ah, I do not take walls and moats for my firmness but lean upon worthy generals; and I pray that you too make your heart firm as iron and stone and aid me in my youth. Only uphold my command, and your stipend will not come to an end. And so forth.