Requesting That the People's Minds Be Settled請鎭定人心。啓
國家之所以維持者人心而已雖危亂之際人心凝固則國安人心離散則國危已然之事莫不皆然如前史所載百官接踵宵遁人心至此則不待敵兵之至而可知國勢之不可爲矣往在壬辰之雙侍從扈衛之人率多中路逃走當時之事已極寒心不可歸罪於小民之無知者也近日上使出營之報纔至曲折未及詳知也倭之變動未聞太急也副。天使尙在倭營處置有所未聞也假使賊兵將動豈至於一二日之問徑造都城哉而人心洶洶如驚濤駭浪不可止息數日之內去者太半閭𨶒傅聞雖未知端的與否而皆云宰相臺侍朝士之中亦有先出家屬卜物者人心如此紀綱解弛惟知保身之計略無殉國之意彼四方將士其何以責其奮勵向敵村港愚民亦何以責其安集不散乎此而不治則雖有金城湯池堅甲利兵皆無可爲其爲痛心可勝言哉朝臣之先出家屬以搖人心者令法官覺察以。聞坊里之間先爲出去者令漢城府五部書其某某人姓名藏諸備邊司以待後日處置且往日壬辰之事出於倉卒。朝廷多有未及區處之悔今則懲創前事必不令小民狼狽失所各宜安心田宅治其所業母得妄自輕動自陷於顚沛之域令出而不爲聽從者當從重律治罪决不輕恕以此意掛榜曉諭何如
What a state holds out by is the hearts of men, and nothing else. Even in a time of peril and disorder, when the hearts of men hold together the state is at peace, and when the hearts of men scatter the state is in peril. What has passed has been so in every case. As the former histories record, all the officials fled by night one after another; when the hearts of men come to this, it may be known that the state's array is beyond help without waiting for the enemy troops to arrive. In the calamity of the Imjin year, those who attended and guarded the king for the most part fled on the road, and what happened then was already utterly disheartening. The blame cannot be laid on the people, who know nothing of it.
Of late only word has come that the chief envoy (上使) has left the camp, and the particulars are not yet known in detail. We have not heard that the Japanese movements are very urgent, and the Heavenly Envoy (天使) who came as deputy is still in the Japanese camp, so we have not heard what has been arranged. Even supposing the enemy troops meant to move, how should they reach the capital straightway within a day or two? Yet the hearts of men are in turmoil like startled waves and fierce billows and cannot be stilled, and within a few days more than half have left. As this is talk going round the streets I cannot know whether it is true or not, but all say that even among the ministers, the censors and attendants, and the officials of the court, there are those who have sent their households and baggage out ahead.
The hearts of men being thus, discipline has gone slack, and men know only how to contrive their own safety and have almost no mind to give their lives for the state. How then shall we chide the commanders and soldiers of the four quarters to rouse themselves and face the enemy, and how shall we chide the foolish people of the country villages to settle in peace and not scatter? If this is not set in order, then though there were a wall of iron and a moat of boiling water (金城湯池), firm armor and sharp weapons, nothing at all could be done with them; can the pain of it be told?
As for the court officials who send their households out ahead and shake the hearts of men, let the office that deals with offenses look into them and report; and as for those who have left their neighborhoods first, let the Five Precincts of the Capital Bureau set down their names and keep them with the Border Defense Council, to await disposal in days to come.
And in days past the Imjin affair came suddenly, so that the court had much to regret in not having dealt with it in time. Now, taking what is past for a mirror, we shall surely keep the people from being ruined and losing where they live; so let each set his mind on his field and his house and tend his own livelihood, and not fall of himself into stumbling and sprawling by moving rashly and lightly. Would it not be well to post a notice admonishing them that whoever does not follow when the order has gone out will be punished by the heavier law and will by no means be lightly pardoned?
Interlinear notes 1
丙申四月
The fourth month of the Byeongsin year.