Urgent Report on the Enemy's Outrage at Jeongneung馳。啓靖陵賊變狀
本月初八日二更提督自安城到開城府臣翌日與都元帥金命元自東坡馳來到提督下處問安則提督卽時改服出立廳上招臣等詣前行禮問慰頗致慇懃且曰沈遊擊雖在龍山倭賊狡詐豈可憑信吾自有定計願勿疑慮臣陳其進兵之意提督曰此事不可煩說吾當處置且云今已日晚明日再會商量又云南兵千餘明日當先送馬山臣等致謝而出臣又別具呈文極陳乘時討滅不可講解之意且押送城中逃來兒童二十口使之極陳近日賊勢孤弱之狀臣等旣出提督卽出牌文催促後來劉綎兵馬似是用兵之意而未可的知欲待明日更與諸臣極力祈懇適見京畿都事沈克明持左監司成泳報狀而來。宣靖陵賊禍至於此極臣子所不忍聞臣等痛心切骨求死不得卽立於提督門外相與涕泣號慟陳此賊狀提督亦加驚歎取見報來文書臣等與在此諸臣退來滿月臺前南望號慟俄而提督出牌文問我國軍兵駐箚何地明白開報以便分布臣卽於小紙書各處軍馬所在以送而臣等馳向東坡坡州欲更爲奉審以知實狀馳。啓計料此賊兇逆極天罔極之禍上及。陵寢而不能殲滅至今與賊俱生臣子之罪萬死猶輕緣由爲先馳。啓
On the eighth of this month, at the second watch, the Commander-in-Chief came from Anseong (安城) to Gaeseong Prefecture. The next day your servant, together with the Field Marshal Kim Myeongwon (金命元), rode from Dongpa and came to the place where the Commander-in-Chief was staying to pay his respects; and the Commander-in-Chief at once changed his clothes and came out and stood upon the great hall, and called your servants to come forward and perform the ceremony, and comforted and questioned them and treated them with considerable warmth. He said also: 「Brigade Commander Shen (沈遊擊) is at Yongsan, but the Japanese are cunning and crafty; how can they be trusted? I have a plan settled of my own; do not doubt or be anxious.」
When your servant reported the purport of advancing the troops, the Commander-in-Chief said: 「This matter is not to be spoken of at length. I shall deal with it as I ought.」 He said also: 「Today it is already late; let us gather again tomorrow and weigh it」, and 「A thousand and more southern troops I shall send on tomorrow to Masan (馬山) first.」 Your servants gave thanks and came out; and your servant also drew up a separate formal statement (呈文), reporting to the utmost the purport that the time ought to be taken to strike and destroy them and that peace must not be made. He also had twenty children who had escaped from within the walls brought up under escort, to report to the utmost the true state of the enemy's being lonely and weak of late.
After your servants came out, the Commander-in-Chief at once issued a placard (牌文) urging on the horses and men of Liu Ting (劉綎) who are coming behind, which seems to be a purpose of using troops, though it cannot be certainly known. We meant to wait for tomorrow and again, together with the several ministers, put forth all our strength and beg earnestly.
Just then, seeing that Sim Geukmyeong (沈克明), administrative officer of Gyeonggi, had come bearing the report of the Left Governor Seong Yeong (成泳), the enemy's outrage at Seolleung (宣陵) and Jeongneung (靖陵) proved so extreme that no subject could bear to hear it. Your servants, their hearts aching and their bones pierced, sought death and could not obtain it, and at once stood outside the Commander-in-Chief's gate and, weeping together and crying aloud, reported the truth of this enemy. The Commander-in-Chief too was startled and lamented, and took the reporting document and read it. Your servants, with the several ministers who are here, withdrew and came before Manwoldae (滿月臺) and cried aloud looking southward.
Presently the Commander-in-Chief issued a placard asking that it be clearly made known in what lands our country's troops are stationed, so as to make the dividing and disposing of them convenient. Your servant at once wrote on a small paper the places where the horses and men of the several parts are and sent it; and your servants mean to ride to Dongpa and Paju and look into it again and learn the truth and report by rider.
This enemy's cruelty and defiance reach to Heaven, and their boundless outrage has risen even to the royal tombs (陵寢); yet we have not destroyed them and live on together with the enemy to this day: your servants' guilt would be light though they died ten thousand deaths. Your servant reports the circumstances first by rider.
Interlinear notes 1
四月九日
The ninth day of the fourth month