Requesting Generous Treatment of the Ming請厚待唐人。啓
訓鍊節目其載紀効新書者至詳至密今方一切依倣爲之但其文字及器械名物有難曉處趁此。天將未還之前令聰敏之人多般辨質洞然無疑然後可以訓習此意前已。啓達今朝使郞聽李自海往質于駱參將留營之人駱尙志稱云者尙志乃參將親屬又有宋侍郞所送金文盛七人同在一處見自海自言以侍郞之命將就劉摠兵之營訓鍊我國之軍來此數日而糧料支待疎闊多有怨恨之色至欲還去以此未得發言而退大抵我國接待唐人所當極致慇懃然後可以得其懽心而近因多事該掌之官其於支給供頓之際甚多稽緩臣聞高麗時有宋商李元者來寓於宰相崔茂先奴家茂先待之甚厚因學熖焇火藥煮取之法我國之有火藥實自此始今則南方之人多聚于此其間諳鍊軍機者何限必須待之以禮結之以恩使之傾倒所有傳授於我則其爲後日之利庸有旣乎且質疑時當有事知譯官可以解聽譯官一人與自海同爲質正疑處今來唐人金文盛最曉陣法人物亦甚蘊藉云亦令接待都監堂上問其來由使之訓誨爲當
As for the articles of training, what is set down in the Jixiao xinshu (紀効新書) is utterly detailed and without a gap, and we are now copying it all just so. Only, there are hard places in its writing and in the names of the weapons, so before the Ming generals go home a man of understanding must be set to ask it out in every way and make it clear, until it is plain and without doubt; only then can it be taught and practiced. This intent your servant has already reported before.
This morning your servant had the clerk (郎廳) Yi Jahae (李自海) go and ask one called Luo Shangzhi (駱尙志), a man left behind in the camp of Vice Commander Luo (駱參將). Luo Shangzhi is a kinsman of the vice commander. Also Jin Wensheng (金文盛) and six others, seven men sent by Vice Minister Song (宋侍郞), are in the same place; and seeing Yi Jahae they said of themselves that by the vice minister's order they had gone to the camp of Regional Commander Liu (劉摠兵) and come here to train our country's soldiers, and that some days had passed, but their rations and entertainment were neglected; and as they had much of a resentful look and went so far as to wish to return, he could not bring out his words and withdrew.
In general, when our country entertains men of Ming it must give its whole sincerity before their hearts can be won; yet of late, matters being many, the officers in charge are often most slow in supplying and entertaining them. Your servant has heard that in the time of Goryeo a Song merchant called Li Yuan (李元) came and stayed at the house of a slave of the chief minister Choe Museon (崔茂先), and Choe Museon entertained him most generously and so learned the method of boiling saltpeter (熖焇) down into gunpowder, and that our country's having gunpowder truly began from this. Now many men of the south are gathered here, and among them how should those practiced in the business of war be but one or two? If they are surely met with courtesy and bound with kindness, so that they pour out all they have and pass it on to us, how should the profit of later days ever be exhausted?
Further, in asking these things out there must be an interpreter who knows the business before they can be understood; so let one interpreter be sent together with Yi Jahae to set right the doubtful places. Jin Wensheng, the man of Ming who has come this time, is said to be the most versed in the art of formations and to be of a very generous nature, so it is fitting that the senior officials of the Reception Directorate (接待都監) ask the reason of his coming and have him teach.
Interlinear notes 2
癸巳十月
The tenth month of the Gyesa year.
The hanja given is 崔茂先, but the man who first obtained gunpowder is commonly written 崔茂宣. His learning the method of burning saltpeter from Li Yuan was before he rose to high office. — translator