Book XV 873*
The king had eunuch Cho Sun beheaded. The Office of the Inspector-
General submitted a memorial to the king: “In the previous dynasty, Cho
Sun presumptuously served in the Security Council and, concurrently, as
commissioner of the Capital Constabulary, displaying his power both in the
capital and the provinces and killing many innocent people. Furthermore,
despite the fact that the king he used to serve perished, he managed to sur-
vive, and everyone has hated him. Recently, he again flattered the old eunuch
Kim Sahaeng to establish connections and gained the king’s favor, while
deceiving him recklessly. His crime deserves to be punished by death. In
addition, he was in league with the clique of Chŏng Tojŏn and Nam Ŭn and
helped them from inside the palace, carrying out evildoing together. On the
day when Your Majesty ascended the throne, he uttered unspeakable words,
and everyone across the country said that he should be executed. We request
that you bring him to justice strictly in accordance with the law, confis-
cating all of his properties so that he can serve as an admonishment to
posterity.” The king granted the request.
10th Month
1st Day (Kyemyo)
The Merit Recommendation Office submitted a memorial to the king:
“We respectfully read your royal decree, and it stated: ‘Because it has not
been long since our dynasty was established, [officials] should have strived
in solidifying the foundation [of the new nation] and making a good start, so
that the Mandate of Heaven could be implemented and the dynasty handed
down over ten thousand generations. However, Chŏng Tojŏn, Nam Ŭn, and
other treacherous subjects took advantage of the situation in which the
former king was ill in bed for a long time and rose in revolt against the state.
Relying on a young nothos of the king, they tried to harm our brothers and
conspired to overthrow our monarchy, which has been already established,
and the calamitous effects of their actions became unpredictable. Duke Ŭian
Hwa, Duke Igan Pangŭi, Duke Hoean Panggan, Our Maj esty [Pangwŏn],
Marquis of Sangdang Yi Paekkyŏng, Left Chancellor Cho Chun, and Right
Chancellor Kim Sahyŏng, as well as Yi Mu and Cho Pak, assistant grand
coun cilors of the Chancellery; Ha Yun, Chancellery scholar; Yi Kŏi, assistant