1
劉抃 （呂翀 〈（艾洪葛嵩）〉 趙佑 〈（朱廷聲等）〉 戴銑 〈（李光翰等）〉 陸昆 〈（薄彥徽等）〉 蔣欽周璽 〈（塗禎）〉 湯禮敬 〈（王渙何紹正）〉 許天錫 〈（周鑰等）〉 徐文溥 〈（翟唐王鑾）〉 張士隆張文明 〈（陳鼎等）〉 範輅張欽周廣 〈（曹琥）〉 石天柱
Liu Qian. (Lu Chong (Ai Hong and Ge Song)〉 Zhao You. (Zhu Tingsheng and others)〉 Dai Xian. (Li Guanghan and others)〉 Lu Kun. (Bo Yanhui and others)〉 Jiang Qin and Zhou Xi. (Tu Zhen)〉 Tang Lijing. (Wang Huan and He Shaozheng)〉 Xu Tianxi. (Zhou Yao and others)〉 Xu Wenpu. (Zhai Tang and Wang Luan)〉 Zhang Shilong and Zhang Wenming. (Chen Ding and others)〉 Fan Lu, Zhang Qin, and Zhou Guang. (Cao Hu)〉 Shi Tianzhu.
2
劉蒨，字惟馨，涪州人。 弘治十二年進士。 授戶科給事中。 劾戶部尚書掞鐘縱子受賕，論外戚慶雲侯、壽寧侯家人侵牟商利，阻壞鹺法，又論文選郎張彩顛倒銓政。 有直聲。
Liu Qian, courtesy name Weixin, came from Fuzhou. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of the Hongzhi reign. He was made a supervising secretary in the Household Section. He impeached the Minister of Revenue, Si Zhong, for allowing his son to take bribes; denounced the households of the Qingyun and Shouning marquises for profiteering at merchants' expense and undermining the salt laws; and accused Zhang Cai, director of the Selection Bureau, of reversing proper personnel policy. He won a reputation for blunt integrity.
3
武宗踐阼，未數月，漸改孝宗之政。 蒨疏諫曰：「先帝大漸，召閣臣劉健、李東陽、謝遷於榻前，托以陛下。 今梓宮未葬，德音猶存，而政事多乖，號令不信。 張瑜、劉文泰方藥弗慎，致先帝升遐，不即加誅，容其奏辨。 中官劉郎貽害河南，宜按治，僅調之薊州。 戶部奏汰冗員，兵部奏革傳奉，疏皆報罷。 夫先帝留健等輔陛下，乃近日批答章奏，以恩侵法，以私掩公，是閣臣不得與聞，而左右近習陰有干預矣。 願遵遺命，信老成，政無大小，悉咨內閣，庶事無壅蔽，權不假竊。」 報聞。
Not many months after the Wuzong Emperor took the throne, government began to drift from the Xiaozong pattern. Qian submitted a memorial of remonstrance: "When the late emperor was near death, he called Grand Secretaries Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian to his bedside and entrusted Your Majesty to them. The coffin has not yet been interred and his benevolent commands still stand, yet policy runs contrary to them and imperial words are no longer trusted. Zhang Yu and Liu Wentai mishandled the late emperor's medication and brought about his death, yet they were not promptly punished and were even permitted to defend themselves. The eunuch Liu Lang had done harm in Henan and ought to have been prosecuted, but was only reassigned to Jizhou. The Ministry of Revenue proposed eliminating superfluous personnel and the Ministry of War proposed abolishing honorary commissions, yet both memorials were set aside. The late emperor left Jian and his colleagues to assist Your Majesty, yet lately rescripts on memorials have let private favor override law and private interest mask public duty—the Grand Secretariat is kept out of the loop while intimates around the throne intervene in secret. I beg Your Majesty to honor the deathbed charge, rely on experienced ministers, and refer every matter, large or small, to the Grand Secretariat, so that business is not obstructed and authority is not seized by others. The court acknowledged receipt of the memorial.
4
正德元年，吏部尚書馬文升致仕，廷議推補。 御史王時中以閔珪、劉大夏不宜在推舉之列。 蒨恐耆德益疏，上疏極論其謬。 章下所司，是蒨言，詔為飭言官毋挾私妄奏。 孝宗在位時，深悉內臣出鎮之害，所遣皆慎選。 劉瑾竊柄，盡召還之，而代以其黨。 蒨言：「用新人不若用舊人，猶養饑虎不若養飽虎。」 不聽。 尋與給事中張文等極言時政缺失五事，忤旨，奪俸三月。
In the first year of Zhengde, Ma Wensheng, Minister of Personnel, retired, and the court debated successors. Censor Wang Shizhong objected that Min Gui and Liu Daxia should not be among the nominees. Qian, fearing that senior statesmen would be further marginalized, submitted a strong memorial refuting the proposal. The memorial was referred to the responsible agencies, which sided with Qian; an edict then admonished censors not to lodge partisan charges. Under Xiaozong the court well understood the harm of eunuch military commanders and chose them cautiously. Once Liu Jin seized power he recalled them all and installed his own men. Qian argued: "Using newcomers is worse than keeping the old—it is like feeding a hungry tiger instead of a sated one. His advice was ignored. Soon afterward he and supervising secretary Zhang Wen and others sharply criticized five major policy failures, provoked imperial wrath, and were fined three months' salary.
5
劉健、謝遷去位，蒨與刑科給事中呂翀各抗章乞留，語侵瑾。 先是，兵科都給事中艾洪劾中官高鳳侄得林營掌錦衣衛。 諸疏傳至南京守備武靖伯趙承慶所，應天尹陸珩錄以示諸僚，兵部尚書林瀚聞而太息。 於是給事中戴銑、御史薄彥徽等，各馳疏極諫，請留健、遷。 瑾等大怒，矯旨逮銑、彥徽等，下詔獄鞫治，並蒨、翀、洪俱廷杖削籍，承慶停半祿閑住，瀚、珩貶秩致仕。 既而列健、遷等五十三人為奸黨，及翀、洪並預焉。
When Liu Jian and Xie Qian resigned, Qian and Lu Chong, supervising secretary of the Punishments Section, each submitted urgent memorials asking that they stay—language that implicated Jin. Earlier, Ai Hong, chief supervising secretary of the Military Section, had impeached the eunuch Gao Feng's nephew Delin for taking command of the Embroidered-Uniform Guard. The memorials reached Nanjing at the post of Pacification Commissioner Zhao Chengqing; Yingtian prefect Lu Heng copied them for his colleagues, and War Minister Lin Han sighed heavily when he heard. Then supervising secretaries Dai Xian, censor Bo Yanhui, and others each sent urgent memorials in fierce remonstrance, begging that Jian and Qian be retained. Jin and his clique were enraged; they forged an edict to seize Xian, Yanhui, and the rest, tried them in the imperial prison, and had Qian, Chong, and Hong beaten at court and expelled from office; Chengqing's salary was halved and he was retired, while Han and Heng were demoted and sent home. Later they branded Jian, Qian, and fifty-three others a treacherous faction, and Chong and Hong were named among them.
6
瑾敗，起蒨金華知府，舉治行卓異，未及遷輒告歸。 嘉靖初，起知長沙，遷江西副使卒。 御史範永奎訟於朝，特予祭葬。
After Jin's fall Qian was appointed prefect of Jinhua; his governance was excellent, but he resigned before he could be promoted. Early in Jiajing he was summoned to Changsha, then promoted to vice commissioner in Jiangxi, where he died in office. Censor Fan Yongkui appealed at court, and special sacrificial honors and burial were granted.
7
呂翀，廣信永豐人。 弘治十二年進士。 其請留健、遷言：「二臣不可聽去者有五。 孔子稱孟莊子之孝，以不改父之臣為難。 二臣皆先帝所簡以遺陛下，今陵土未幹，無故罷遣，何以慰在天之靈？ 不可一也。 二臣雖以老疾辭，實由言違計沮，不得其職而去。 陛下聽之，亦以其不善將順，非實有意優老也。 在二臣得去就之義，在陛下有棄老成之嫌。 不可二也。 今民窮財殫，府藏虛罄，水旱盜賊、星象草木之變叠見雜出，萬一禍生不測，國無老成，誰與共事？ 不可三也。 自古剛正者難容，柔順者易合。 二臣既去，則柔順之人必進，將一聽陛下所為，非國家之福。 不可四也。 書曰『無遺壽耇』。 健等諳練有素，非新進可侔，今同日去國，天下後世將謂陛下喜新進而厭舊人。 不可五也。」 既削籍歸，後起雲南僉事。 遷四川副使，修成都江堰以資灌溉，水利大興。 嘉靖初卒。
Lu Chong came from Yongfeng in Guangxin. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. In his plea to keep Jian and Qian he wrote: "There are five reasons these two ministers must not be dismissed. Confucius praised Meng Zhuangzi's filial piety because he did not dismiss his father's ministers. Both were handpicked by the late emperor for Your Majesty; the tomb earth is not yet dry, yet they are removed without cause—how can this console his spirit? The first reason they must stay. Though both cited age and illness, in truth their counsel was blocked and they left because they could not do their jobs. Your Majesty let them go because they would not simply comply—not because you truly meant to honor their years. For them this was proper withdrawal; for Your Majesty it looks like casting aside experience. The second reason. The people are exhausted, the treasury bare, and floods, droughts, bandits, and omens in sky and earth come in waves; if calamity strikes and there are no elders in government, who will manage affairs? The third reason. From antiquity the upright are hard to keep and the compliant easy to gather. Once they are gone, compliant men will advance and Your Majesty will do as you please—that is no blessing to the state. The fourth reason. The Book of Documents says, "Do not abandon the elderly and venerable." Jian and his colleagues are seasoned and no newcomer can match them; if they leave together, the world will say Your Majesty loves the new and scorns the old. The fifth reason. Stripped of rank and sent home, he was later appointed assistant administration commissioner in Yunnan. Promoted to vice commissioner in Sichuan, he restored the Dujiangyan irrigation works and greatly improved water management. He died early in the Jiajing reign.
8
艾洪，濱州人。 弘治九年進士。 授兵科給事中。 武宗立，詔清核騰驤諸衛及在京七十二衛軍。 給事中葛嵩剔抉無所徇，得各監局占役者七千五百余人，有旨送各營備操。 既而中官魏興、蕭壽等撓之，格不行。 洪率同官抗論，竟不能得。 又劾英國公張懋、懷寧侯孫應爵、新寧伯譚佑、彭城伯張信，並請斥陜西鎮監劉雲、薊州鎮監劉瑯阝。 不聽。 雲尋調南京守備，乞以其養子偉為錦衣千戶。 洪復率同官劾之，事乃寢。 洪在兵科久，諫疏多可稱。 削籍後，復罰米二百石輸宣府。 後起官，終福建左參政。
Ai Hong came from Binzhou. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. He was made supervising secretary of the Military Section. When Wuzong ascended, an edict ordered a full audit of the Tengxiang guards and the seventy-two capital garrisons. Ge Song, supervising secretary, investigated impartially and found more than 7,500 men illegally held for service by the directorates; an edict ordered them sent to camps for training. Eunuchs Wei Xing and Xiao Shou then blocked enforcement and the order lapsed. Hong led his colleagues in protest but could not prevail. He also impeached Zhang Mao, Duke of Ying, Sun Yingjue, Marquis of Huaining, Tan You, Baron of Xinning, and Zhang Xin, Baron of Pengcheng, and asked that garrison eunuchs Liu Yun of Shaanxi and Liu Lang of Jizhou be removed. The throne did not act. Yun was soon transferred to Nanjing as commandant and asked that his adopted son Wei be made a thousand-household of the Embroidered-Uniform Guard. Hong again led his colleagues in impeachment, and the request was dropped. Hong served long in the Military Section and many of his memorials were praised. After expulsion he was fined two hundred piculs of grain payable to Xuanfu. He was later reappointed and ended as left assistant administration commissioner in Fujian.
9
葛嵩，字鐘甫，無錫人。 弘治十二年進士。 由行人擢禮科給事中。 閱薊州軍儲，核貴戚所侵地，歸之民。 正德初，以厘營弊力抗權幸。 請出先朝宮人，諫射獵，因劾魏國公徐俌。 又偕九卿請誅劉瑾。 瑾怒，斥為奸黨，罷歸。
Ge Song, courtesy name Zhongfu, came from Wuxi. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. Promoted from courier, he became supervising secretary of the Rites Section. Inspecting Jizhou military stores, he verified lands seized by imperial relatives and restored them to commoners. Early in Zhengde he fought camp abuses and boldly resisted powerful favorites. He urged release of palace women from the previous reign, remonstrated against hunting, and impeached Xu Fu, Duke of Wei. He joined the Nine Ministers in calling for Liu Jin's execution. Jin was furious, labeled him a traitor, and dismissed him.
10
趙佑，字汝翼，雙流人。 弘治十二年進士。 由繁昌知縣召為御史。
Zhao You, courtesy name Ruyi, came from Shuangliu. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. Summoned from magistrate of Fanchang, he became a censor.
11
正德元年六月，災異求言，佑上言：「太監劉瑾、丘聚、馬永成輩日獻鷹犬，導騎射，萬一有銜橛之變，豈不為兩宮憂？ 鎮守內臣鄧原、麥秀頗簡靜，而劉璟、梁裕擠代之。 戶部議馬房草場召民佃種，寧瑾竟自奏止。 李興擅伐陵木，已坐大辟，乃欲賂左右祈免。 他如南京守備劉雲，倉場監督趙忠、韋雋、段循，俱夤緣增設。 乞置瑾等於法，罷璟、裕毋遣，而汰革額外冗員。 自今政事必諮大臣、臺諫，不為近習所搖，則災變自弭。」 奏入，群奄大恨。
In the sixth month of Zhengde's first year, when omens prompted open counsel, You wrote: "Eunuchs Liu Jin, Qiu Ju, Ma Yongcheng, and the rest daily offer hawks and hounds and lead Your Majesty in riding and archery; should the reins fail, would this not trouble the two palaces? Garrison eunuchs Deng Yuan and Mai Xiu had been relatively restrained, yet Liu Jing and Liang Yu displaced them. The Ministry of Revenue proposed leasing stud pastures to farmers; Jin himself memorialized to block it. Li Xing had illegally felled tomb timber and deserved death, yet tried to bribe court intimates for release. Others—Nanjing commandant Liu Yun and granary supervisors Zhao Zhong, Wei Juan, and Duan Xun—were all added through patronage. I ask that Jin and his associates be punished, that Jing and Yu not be dispatched, and extra posts be eliminated. If hereafter policy is referred to ministers and censors and not swayed by favorites, omens will subside of themselves. When the memorial arrived, the eunuchs hated him bitterly.
12
帝將大婚，詔取太倉銀四十萬兩。 佑言：「左右以婚禮為名，將肆無厭之欲。 計臣懼禍而不敢阻，閣臣避怨而不敢爭。 用如泥沙，坐致耗國。 不幸興師旅，遘饑饉，將何以為計哉？」 九月，宛平郊外李花盛開，佑言：「此陰擅陽權，非偶然也。」 帝皆不納。
The emperor was about to wed and ordered four hundred thousand taels from the Grand Canal treasury. You wrote: "Those around the throne use the wedding as a pretext for boundless spending. Planners fear reprisal and dare not object; Grand Secretaries avoid conflict and dare not argue. Money is spent like sand and the state is exhausted. If war or famine comes, what recourse will there be? In the ninth month plum blossomed outside Wanping; You said: "Yin is usurping yang—this is no accident." The emperor rejected all of it.
13
是時，中官益橫，佑與同官朱廷聲、徐鈺交章極論。 章下閣議，將重罪中官。 事忽中變，劉健、謝遷去位。 瑾遂大逐廷臣忤己者，指佑與廷聲、鈺及陳琳、潘鏜等為奸黨，勒罷之。 瑾誅，佑用薦起山西僉事。 卒。
Eunuchs grew bolder; You, Zhu Tingsheng, and Xu Yu submitted fierce joint memorials. Memorials went to the Grand Secretariat, which was to punish eunuchs severely. Events suddenly shifted; Liu Jian and Xie Qian resigned. Jin expelled opposing officials, branding You, Tingsheng, Yu, Chen Lin, Pan Tang, and others traitors and forcing them out. After Jin's fall You was recommended and appointed assistant commissioner in Shanxi. He died in office.
14
朱廷聲，字克諧，進賢人。 弘治十二年進士。 嘉靖中，終刑部右侍郎。 徐鈺，字用礪，江夏人。 弘治九年進士，終四川左布政使。
Zhu Tingsheng, courtesy name Kexie, came from Jinxian. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. Under Jiajing he rose to vice minister of Punishments. Xu Yu, courtesy name Yongli, came from Jiangxia. He received his jinshi in the ninth year of Hongzhi and ended as left administration commissioner in Sichuan.
15
陳琳，字玉疇，甫田人。 弘治九年進士。 由庶吉士改御史，上端本修政十五事。 出督南畿學政。 劉瑾逐健、遷，逮戴銑、陸昆等，琳抗章言：「南京窮冬雷震，正旦日食。 正宜修德弭災，委心元寮，博采忠言。 豈宜自棄股肱、隔塞耳目？」 瑾大怒，謫揭陽丞。 瑾敗，遷嘉興同知。 世宗時，終南京兵部右侍郎。
Chen Lin, courtesy name Yuchou, came from Putian. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. Transferred from Hanlin academician to censor, he submitted fifteen reforms for restoring fundamental governance. He was sent to supervise education in the southern capital region. When Jin expelled Jian and Qian and arrested Dai Xian and Lu Kun, Lin protested: "Nanjing had winter thunder and a New Year eclipse. Now is the time to cultivate virtue, trust senior ministers, and gather loyal counsel. How can Your Majesty cast aside your chief ministers and seal off your ears and eyes? Jin was enraged and demoted him to assistant magistrate of Jieyang. After Jin's fall he was made vice prefect of Jiaxing. Under Shizong he ended as vice minister of War at Nanjing.
16
潘鏜，字宗節，六安人。 弘治九年進士。 有孝行。 為滿城知縣，憂歸。 繼知滑縣，擢御史，陳時務大計四事。 孝宗嘉納之。 正德初，以論高鳳為中人所惡，傳旨鏜黨太監王嶽，除其名。 八年起廣東僉事，謝病歸。
Pan Tang, courtesy name Zongjie, came from Lu'an. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. He was known for filial piety. As magistrate of Mancheng he left office to mourn his parents. He later governed Huaxian, became censor, and proposed four major policies. Xiaozong approved them. Early in Zhengde, criticizing Gao Feng earned eunuch hatred; an edict linked him with Wang Yue and struck his name from the rolls. In the eighth year he was appointed in Guangdong but resigned ill.
17
戴銑，字寶之，婺源人。 弘治九年進士，改庶吉士，授兵科給事中，數有建白。 久之，以便養調南京戶科。 武宗嗣位，偕同官請敕六科檢詳弘治間所行進賢、退奸、節財、訓兵、重祀、慎刑、救災、恤困諸大政，備錄進覽，凡裁決機務悉以為準。 報聞。 逾月，言四方歲辦多非土產，勞費滋甚，宜蠲其所無。 又請勤禦經筵，俾密勿大臣從容獻納。 既乃與給事中李光翰、徐蕃、牧相、任惠、徐暹及御史薄彥徽等連章奏留劉健、謝遷，且劾中官高鳳。 帝怒，逮系詔獄，廷杖除名。 銑創甚，遂卒。 世宗立，追贈光祿少卿。
Dai Xian, courtesy name Baozhi, came from Wuyuan. He received his jinshi in the ninth year of Hongzhi, entered the Hanlin, and became supervising secretary of the Military Section with many proposals. Later he transferred to the Nanjing Household Section to support his parents. When Wuzong succeeded, he asked the Six Sections to compile Hongzhi policies on promoting worthies, removing villains, saving funds, training troops, honoring rites, cautious punishment, and disaster relief as standards for governance. The court acknowledged the request. A month later he argued that many tribute items were not local products and levies should be cut where goods were unavailable. He also urged regular attendance at the classics lectures and leisurely counsel from trusted ministers. Then with Li Guanghan, Xu Fan, Mu Xiang, Ren Hui, Xu Xian, and censor Bo Yanhui he memorialized to keep Liu Jian and Xie Qian and impeach Gao Feng. The emperor was furious, imprisoned them, beat them at court, and expelled them. Xian was gravely injured and soon died. Shizong posthumously made him Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments.
18
李光翰，新鄉人。 弘治十二年進士。 授南京戶科給事中。 正德改元，災異求言。 光翰偕同官疏劾太監苗逵、高鳳、李榮及保國公朱暉，且言大學士劉健等疏陳鹽法事，留中不報，將使老臣不安其位。 帝不省。 既削籍歸，後起臺州知府，與蕃同舉治行卓異，尋卒。
Li Guanghan came from Xinxiang. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. He was made Nanjing supervising secretary of the Household Section. At the Zhengde change, omens prompted open counsel. Guanghan and colleagues impeached eunuchs Miao Kui, Gao Feng, and Li Rong and Defender Zhu Hui, and noted Liu Jian's salt memorial was withheld, unsettling senior ministers. The emperor ignored them. Expelled, he later became prefect of Taizhou; he and Xu Fan were praised for governance, then he died.
19
徐蕃，泰州人。 弘治六年進士。 授南京禮科給事中。 武宗嗣位，復先朝所汰諸冗費，蕃等力爭，不納。 後起江西參議，從都御史陳金討平東鄉寇。 嘉靖時，累官工部右侍郎。
Xu Fan came from Taizhou. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Hongzhi. He became Nanjing supervising secretary of the Rites Section. When Wuzong succeeded, Hongzhi cuts were reversed; Fan fought in vain. He later served in Jiangxi and followed Chen Jin in pacifying Dongxiang bandits. Under Jiajing he rose to vice minister of Works.
20
任惠，灤州人。 弘治九年進士。 由行人擢南京吏科給事中。 正德元年九月，偕同官諫佚遊，語切直。 後起山東僉事，未任卒。
Ren Hui came from Luanzhou. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. From courier he became Nanjing supervising secretary of the Personnel Section. In the ninth month of Zhengde's first year he bluntly remonstrated against idle travel. He was later appointed in Shandong but died before assuming post.
21
徐暹，歷城人。 弘治十五年進士。 武宗即位，擢南京工科給事中。 正德改元，因災異上言七事，且請斥英國公張懋、尚書張昇等，撤諸添註內官，明正張瑜、劉文泰用藥失宜致誤先帝，及太監李興擅伐陵木，新寧伯譚佑、侍郎李鐩同事不舉之罪。 帝下之所司。 後起山西僉事，進副使。 平巨盜混天王，民德之。 卒於官。
Xu Xian came from Licheng. He received his jinshi degree in the fifteenth year of Hongzhi. When Wuzong ascended he became Nanjing supervising secretary of the Works Section. At the Zhengde change he listed seven reforms, demanded dismissal of Zhang Mao, Duke of Ying, Zhang Sheng, and added eunuchs, and prosecution of Zhang Yu, Liu Wentai, Li Xing, Tan You, and Li Tang. The emperor referred the memorial to the agencies. He later served in Shanxi and was promoted to vice commissioner. He suppressed the bandit Hun Tianwang and won popular gratitude. He died in office.
22
陸昆，字如玉，歸安人。 弘治九年進士。 授清豐知縣。 以廉幹征，擢南京御史。
Lu Kun, courtesy name Ruyu, came from Gui'an. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. He was appointed magistrate of Qingfeng. Recognized for integrity, he was promoted to Nanjing censor.
23
武宗即位，疏陳重風紀八事：一，獎直言。 古者，臣下不匡，其刑墨。 宋制，御史入臺，逾十旬無言，有辱臺之罰。 今郎署建言，如李夢陽、楊子器輩，當加旌擢，而言官考績，宜以章疏多寡及當否為殿最。 二，復面劾。 舊制，御史上殿，被劾者趨出待罪，即唐人對仗讀彈文遺意。 近率封章奏聞，批答未行，彌縫先入。 乞遵舊典面奏，立取睿裁。 三，明淑慝。 尚書劉大夏、王軾以病乞休； 侍郎張元禎、陳清屢劾不去。 賢不肖倒置，實治亂消長之關。 宜勉留二人，放元禎等還田裏。 四，核命令。 近者言妨左右，頻見留中。 事涉所私，輒收成命。 乞令諸曹章奏俱具數送閣，已行者得考稽，未行者易奏請。 五，養銳氣。 御史與都御史，例得互相糾繩，行事不宜牽制。 六，均差遣。 御史以南北為限，顯分重輕。 自今除巡按面命外，其他差遣及遷轉資格，宜均擬上請，以示一體。 七，專委任。 河南道有考核之責，請擇人專任。 八，勵庶官。 郎中田巖、姚汀、張憲，員外郎李承勛、胡世寧、張嵿、顧璘等二十人，皆宜顯擢。 章下所司。 又劾中官高鳳、苗逵、保國公朱暉，因請汰南京增設守備內臣，廣開言路，屏絕宴遊騎射。 帝不能從。
When Wuzong ascended he memorialized eight reforms to strengthen discipline: first, reward blunt counsel. In antiquity ministers who failed to correct faults were tattooed. Under Song rule a censor who spoke nothing for ten weeks was shamed. Today officials like Li Mengyang and Yang Ziqi should be honored, and censors ranked by memorial quantity and merit. Second, restore face-to-face impeachment. Under the old practice, censors presented impeachments in court and the accused were made to withdraw and await judgment—preserving the Tang custom of reading charges in formal parallel prose. Lately memorials are routinely sealed and submitted, and before the emperor's reply arrives, cover-ups are already underway. I ask that the old practice of face-to-face presentation be restored, with immediate imperial judgment. Third, distinguish the worthy from the wicked. Ministers Liu Daxia and Wang Shi sought retirement on grounds of illness; while Vice Ministers Zhang Yuanzhen and Chen Qing, though repeatedly impeached, refuse to go. The worthy and the unworthy are reversed—a matter that truly governs whether order rises or falls. The two ministers should be urged to stay, and Yuanzhen and the others should be sent back to their fields. Fourth, verify imperial orders. Lately when words offend those at the emperor's side, memorials are frequently withheld at court. When matters touch private interests, completed orders are promptly revoked. I ask that all bureau memorials be numbered and forwarded to the Grand Secretariat so that enacted orders may be audited and pending ones easily resubmitted. Fifth, nurture censorial resolve. Censors and the chief censor may by precedent impeach one another, and their work should not be constrained. Sixth, equalize assignments. Censors are divided between north and south, plainly marking one as weightier than the other. Henceforth, aside from face-to-face appointments as touring inspectors, other assignments and promotion criteria should be submitted uniformly for approval, to show equal treatment. Seventh, assign dedicated responsibility. The Henan circuit bears responsibility for evaluations; I ask that a dedicated officer be chosen for the task. Eighth, encourage ordinary officials. Directors Tian Yan, Yao Ding, and Zhang Xian; Vice Directors Li Chengxun, Hu Shining, Zhang Ding, and Gu Lin, and twenty others—all deserve visible promotion. The memorial was referred to the relevant offices. He also impeached eunuchs Gao Feng and Miao Kui and Defender of the State Zhu Hui, and asked to cut the newly added eunuch garrison commanders at Nanjing, open channels for counsel, and end feasting, roaming, and mounted archery. The emperor would not comply.
24
時「八黨」竊柄，朝政日非。 昆偕十三道御史薄彥徽、葛浩、貢安甫、王蕃、史良佐、李熙、任諾、姚學禮、張鳴鳳、蔣欽、曹閔、黃昭道、王弘、蕭乾元等，上疏極諫曰：「自古奸臣欲擅主權，必先蠱其心誌。 如趙高勸二世嚴刑肆誌，以極耳目之娛； 和士開說武成毋自勤約，宜及少壯為樂； 仇士良教其黨以奢靡導君，勿使親近儒生，知前代興亡之故。 其君惑之，卒皆受禍。 陛下嗣位以來，天下颙然望治。 乃未幾，寵幸奄寺，顛覆典刑。 太監馬永成、魏彬、劉瑾、傅興、羅祥、谷大用輩共為蒙蔽，日事宴遊。 上幹天和，災寢疊告，廷臣屢諫，未蒙省納。 若輩必謂『宮中行樂，何關治亂』，此正奸人欺君之故術也。 陛下廣殿細旃，豈知小民窮檐蔀屋風雨之不庇； 錦衣玉食，豈知小民祁寒暑雨凍餒之弗堪； 馳騁宴樂，豈知小民疾首蹙頞赴訴之無路。 昨日雷震郊壇，彗出紫微，夏秋亢旱，江南米價騰貴，京城盜賊橫行。 可恣情縱欲，不一顧念乎？ 閣部大臣受顧命之寄，宜隨事匡救，弘濟艱難，言之不聽，必伏闕死諫，以悟聖意。 顧乃怠緩悅從，巽順退托。 自為謀則善矣，如先帝付委、天下屬望何？ 伏望側身修行，亟屏永成輩以絕禍端，委任大臣，務學親政，以還至治。」 疏至，朝事已變，劉健、謝遷皆被逐。 於是彥徽為首，復上公疏，請留健、遷，而罪永成、瑾等。 瑾怒，悉逮下詔獄，各杖三十，除名。 昭道、弘、乾元逮捕未至，命即南京闕下杖之。 江西清軍御史王良臣聞昆等被逮，馳疏救，並逮下詔獄，杖三十，斥為民。 後列奸黨五十三人，昆、彥徽等並與焉。 瑾誅，復昆官致仕。 世宗初，起用，未行而卒。 薄彥徽，陽曲人。 弘治九年進士。 授四川道御史。 嘗劾崔誌端以羽士玷春卿，有直聲。 至是，被杖歸，未及起官卒。
At the time the "Eight Partisans" held power in secret, and court governance grew worse by the day. Kun joined censors from all thirteen circuits—Bo Yanhui, Ge Hao, Gong Anfu, Wang Fan, Shi Liangzuo, Li Xi, Ren Nuo, Yao Xueli, Zhang Mingfeng, Jiang Qin, Cao Min, Huang Zhaodao, Wang Hong, Xiao Qianyuan, and others—in a fierce joint memorial: "Since antiquity, treacherous ministers seeking to monopolize power have always first bewitched the ruler's mind. Zhao Gao urged the Second Emperor to impose harsh punishments and indulge every desire, to the limit of sensory pleasure; He Shikai told Emperor Wucheng not to burden himself with diligence and restraint, but to take pleasure while still young and strong; Qiu Shiliang taught his faction to lead the ruler into extravagance and keep him from Confucian scholars who might teach him why dynasties rose and fell. Their rulers were deluded, and in the end all met disaster. Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the realm has looked up in hope of good governance. Yet before long eunuchs were favored and established law was overturned. Eunuchs Ma Yongcheng, Wei Bin, Liu Jin, Fu Xing, Luo Xiang, Gu Dayong, and their like deceived him together, daily given to feasting and pleasure. He offended Heaven's harmony; calamities piled one upon another; court ministers remonstrated again and again, yet won no heed. That crowd surely says, 'What does pleasure in the palace have to do with order and chaos?'—this is precisely the old trick by which villains deceive their ruler. Your Majesty dwells in broad halls on fine mats—does he know that common people in patched eaves and broken roofs have no shelter from wind and rain; in brocade robes and jade fare—does he know that common people cannot endure scorching heat, bitter cold, driving rain, and hunger; galloping in feasting and pleasure—does he know that common people, wracked with grief and furrowed brows, have no way to bring their grievances? Yesterday thunder shook the suburban altar; a comet appeared from the Purple Palace; drought raged through summer and autumn; rice prices soared in Jiangnan; and bandits ran rampant in the capital. Can Your Majesty indulge every desire without a single thought for these things? Grand secretaries and ministers entrusted with the late emperor's charge should set things right as they arise and relieve hardship; if their words go unheeded, they should prostrate themselves at the palace gate and die remonstrating, to awaken the sacred mind. Yet they are slack and slow, pleased to comply, yielding and hiding behind excuses. For their own sake this may be well enough—but what of the late emperor's charge and the realm's hopes? I humbly hope Your Majesty will turn inward and reform himself, swiftly remove Yongcheng and his like to cut off disaster at its root, entrust affairs to great ministers, devote himself to learning and personal rule, and restore supreme governance. When the memorial arrived, court affairs had already changed—Liu Jian and Xie Qian had both been driven out. Thereupon Yanhui took the lead in another joint memorial asking that Jian and Qian be retained and Yongcheng, Jin, and the others be punished. Jin in anger had them all arrested and sent to the imperial prison; each received thirty strokes of the rod and was dismissed from office. As Zhaodao, Hong, and Qianyuan had not yet been brought in, they were ordered beaten below the Nanjing palace gate. Wang Liangchen, the Jiangxi censor overseeing military affairs, hearing that Kun and the others had been arrested, rushed a memorial to save them; he too was sent to the imperial prison, beaten thirty strokes, and expelled as a commoner. Later a list of fifty-three treacherous partisans was drawn up, and Kun, Yanhui, and the others were all included. When Jin was executed, Kun's office was restored and he retired. At the beginning of Shizong's reign he was recalled to office but died before he could take up the post. Bo Yanhui came from Yangqu. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. He was appointed censor of the Sichuan circuit. He once impeached Cui Zhiduan for letting a Taoist priest defile the office of Director of Rites and won a reputation for bluntness. On this occasion he was beaten and sent home; before he could be recalled to office he died.
25
葛浩，字天宏，上虞人。 弘治九年進士。 由五河知縣擢御史，數陳時政闕失，孝宗多采納。
Ge Hao, courtesy name Tianhong, came from Shangyu. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. Promoted from magistrate of Wuhe to censor, he repeatedly pointed out failures in current policy, and Xiaozong often adopted his advice.
26
貢安甫，字克仁，江陰人。 弘治九年進士。 授長垣知縣。 孝宗時，擢御史，嘗疏劾壽寧侯張鶴齡。 正德初，考功郎楊子器以山陵事下詔獄，安甫疏力救。 兵部尚書劉大夏為中官所扼，謝病去，戶部侍郎陳清遷南京工部尚書，安甫率御史請還大夏而罷清。 報聞。 彥徽等公疏，安甫筆也，瑾知之，故列奸黨以安甫首南御史。 家居十年，終歲不入城市。 後起山東僉事，甫三月，引疾歸。
Gong Anfu, courtesy name Keren, came from Jiangyin. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. He was appointed magistrate of Changyuan. Under Xiaozong he was promoted to censor and once memorialized against Marquis Shouning Zhang Heling. At the beginning of Zhengde, Merit Evaluation Director Yang Ziqi was sent to the imperial prison over the imperial tomb affair, and Anfu memorialized forcefully to save him. Minister of War Liu Daxia, constrained by eunuchs, resigned on grounds of illness; Vice Minister of Revenue Chen Qing was transferred to Minister of Works at Nanjing; Anfu led the censors in asking that Daxia be restored and Qing dismissed. Word came back. The joint memorial of Yanhui and the others was in Anfu's hand; Jin knew this, so when listing the treacherous faction he placed Anfu first among the southern censors. He lived at home for ten years and never entered the city all year round. Later he was recalled as Assistant Administration Commissioner of Shandong; after only three months he cited illness and returned home.
27
史良佐，字禹臣，亦江陰人。 弘治十二年進士。 由行人擢御史。 後起雲南副使。 平十八寨苗，賜白金文綺。 浚海田，溉田千頃，滇人頌之。
Shi Liangzuo, courtesy name Yuchen, also came from Jiangyin. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. He was promoted from courier to censor. Later he was recalled as Vice Commissioner of Yunnan. He pacified the Miao of the Eighteen Stockades and was granted silver and patterned silks. He dredged coastal fields and irrigated a thousand qing of land; the people of Yunnan praised him.
28
姚學禮，巴人，家京師。 弘治六年進士。 正德元年，公疏諫佚遊，不納。 後起雲南僉事，終參議。
Yao Xueli came from Ba and made his home in the capital. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Hongzhi. In the first year of Zhengde he joined a joint memorial remonstrating against idle roaming; it was not accepted. Later he was recalled as Assistant Administration Commissioner of Yunnan and ended his career as Administration Commissioner.
29
張鳴鳳，清平人。 弘治九年進士，為永康知縣。 有政績，擢御史。 後起湖廣僉事，進副使，母憂歸，卒。 蔣欽杖死，別有傳。
Zhang Mingfeng came from Qingping. A jinshi of the ninth year of Hongzhi, he served as magistrate of Yongkang. Having distinguished himself in office, he was promoted to censor. Later he was recalled as Assistant Administration Commissioner of Huguang, advanced to Vice Commissioner, returned home on his mother's death, and died. Jiang Qin was beaten to death; he has a separate biography.
30
曹閔，上海人。 弘治九年進士，為沙縣知縣。 被征，民號泣攀留，累日不得去。 既與昆等同得罪。 後當起官，以養母不出。 母終，枕塊，得寒疾卒。
Cao Min came from Shanghai. A jinshi of the ninth year of Hongzhi, he served as magistrate of Shaxian. When he was summoned, the people wept and clung to him, and for days he could not leave. He then suffered punishment together with Kun and the others. Later, when he was due to be recalled to office, he declined because he was caring for his mother. When his mother died he mourned on a straw pillow, contracted a cold illness, and died.
31
黃昭道，平江人，弘治十二年進士。 後起廣西僉事，再遷雲南參政。 撫木邦、孟密有功。 終左布政使。 王弘，六合人，弘治六年進士。
Huang Zhaodao came from Pingjiang and received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. Later he was recalled as Assistant Administration Commissioner of Guangxi and was transferred again to Administration Commissioner of Yunnan. He distinguished himself in pacifying Mubang and Mengmi. He ended his career as Left Provincial Administration Commissioner. Wang Hong came from Luhe and received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Hongzhi.
32
蕭乾元，萬安人，弘治十二年進士。 王蕃、任諾鞫獄時，抵不與知，不足載。
Xiao Qianyuan came from Wan'an and received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. Wang Fan and Ren Nuo, when interrogated in prison, adamantly denied knowledge and are not worth recording.
33
王良臣，陳州人。 弘治六年進士。 官南京御史。 瑾誅，起山東副使，終按察使。
Wang Liangchen came from Chenzhou. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Hongzhi. He served as a Nanjing censor. After Jin was executed, he was recalled as Vice Commissioner of Shandong and ended his career as Surveillance Commissioner.
34
蔣欽，字子修，常熟人。 弘治九年進士。 授衛輝推官。 征擢南京御史，數有論奏。
Jiang Qin, courtesy name Zixiu, came from Changshu. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. He was appointed investigating magistrate of Weihui. Summoned and promoted to Nanjing censor, he repeatedly submitted critiques and memorials.
35
正德元年，劉瑾逐大學士劉健、謝遷，欽偕同官薄彥徽等切諫。 瑾大怒，逮下詔獄，廷杖為民。 居三日，欽獨具疏曰：「劉瑾，小豎耳。 陛下親以腹心，倚以耳目，待以股肱，殊不知瑾悖逆之徒，蠹國之賊也。 忿臣等奏留二輔，抑諸權奸，矯旨逮問，予杖削職。 然臣思畎畝猶不忘君，況待命衽席，目擊時弊，烏忍不言。 昨瑾要索天下三司官賄，人千金，甚有至五千金者。 不與則貶斥，與之則遷擢。 通國皆寒心，而陛下獨用之於左右，是不知左右有賊，而以賊為腹心也。 給事中劉蒨指陛下暗於用人，昏於行事，而瑾削其秩，撻辱之。 矯旨禁諸言官，無得妄生議論。 不言則失於坐視，言之則虐以非法。 通國皆寒心，而陛下獨用之於前後，是不知前後有賊，而以賊為耳目股肱也。 一賊弄權，萬民失望，愁嘆之聲動徹天地。 陛下顧懵然不聞，縱之使壞天下事，亂祖宗法。 陛下尚何以自立乎？ 幸聽臣言，急誅瑾以謝天下，然後殺臣以謝瑾。 使朝廷一正，萬邪不能入； 君心一正，萬欲不能侵，臣之願也。 今日之國家，乃祖宗之國家也。 陛下茍重祖宗之國家，則聽臣所奏。 如其輕之，則任瑾所欺。」 疏入，再杖三十，系獄。
In the first year of Zhengde, Liu Jin expelled Grand Secretaries Liu Jian and Xie Qian; Qin joined his colleague Bo Yanhui and others in urgent remonstrance. Enraged, Jin had them arrested and sent to the imperial prison, beaten at court, and reduced to commoners. Three days later, Qin alone submitted a memorial, saying: "Liu Jin is but a petty eunuch. Your Majesty personally treats him as your innermost confidant, relies on him as your eyes and ears, and employs him as your right arm—yet you do not know that Jin is a rebellious man, a thief who devours the state. Angered that we memorialized to keep the two chief ministers and restrain the power-seeking villains, he forged an edict to arrest and interrogate us, had us beaten, and stripped us of office. Yet I reflect that even a farmer in the fields does not forget his lord; how much more, lying at my post, witnessing the abuses of the day—how can I bear to stay silent? Only yesterday Jin demanded bribes from provincial officials throughout the realm—a thousand taels per man, and some as much as five thousand. Those who refused were demoted and expelled; those who paid were transferred and promoted. The whole realm shuddered with dread, yet Your Majesty alone keeps him at your side—you do not see the thief beside you and take a thief for your innermost confidant. Supervising Secretary Liu Qian pointed out that Your Majesty is dim in appointing men and muddled in conduct; Jin reduced his rank and beat and humiliated him. Forging an edict, he forbade all remonstrating officials from speaking out of turn. To remain silent is to fail by sitting and watching; to speak is to be punished unlawfully. The whole realm shuddered with dread, yet Your Majesty alone keeps him before and behind you—you do not see the thief around you and take a thief for your eyes, ears, and right arm. One villain wields power; the myriad people despair; grief and lamentation shake heaven and earth. Your Majesty, however, remains oblivious and does not hear, letting him ruin affairs under heaven and overturn the laws of the ancestors. How can Your Majesty still stand on your own? I beg you to heed my words: execute Jin at once to answer the realm, and then kill me to answer Jin. Let the court be rectified once and ten thousand evils cannot enter; let the ruler's heart be rectified once and ten thousand desires cannot invade—this is my wish. The state of today is the state of the ancestors. If Your Majesty truly values the ancestral state, then heed what I submit. If you treat it lightly, then leave yourself to be deceived by Jin. When the memorial was submitted, he was beaten thirty blows again and imprisoned.
36
越三日，復具疏曰：「臣與賊瑾勢不兩立。 賊瑾蓄惡已非一朝，乘間起釁，乃其本誌。 陛下日與嬉遊，茫不知悟。 內外臣庶，凜如冰淵。 臣昨再疏受杖，血肉淋漓，伏枕獄中，終難自默，願借上方劍斬之。 朱雲何人，臣肯少讓？ 陛下試將臣較瑾，瑾忠乎，臣忠乎？ 忠與不忠，天下皆知之，陛下亦洞然知之，何仇於臣，而信任此逆賊耶？ 臣骨肉都銷，涕泗交作，七十二歲老父，不顧養矣。 臣死何足惜，但陛下覆國喪家之禍起於旦夕，是大可惜也！ 陛下誠殺瑾梟之午門，使天下知臣欽有敢諫之直，陛下有誅賊之明。 陛下不殺此賊，當先殺臣，使臣得與龍逢、比幹同遊地下，臣誠不願與此賊並生。」 疏入，復杖三十。
Three days later, he again submitted a memorial, saying: "I and the villain Jin cannot stand together. The villain Jin has harbored evil not for a single morning; seizing an opportunity to stir trouble is his original intent. Your Majesty daily disports yourself in pleasure, oblivious and unaware. Officials and commoners within and without tremble as if on ice above an abyss. Yesterday, having twice memorialized and been beaten until flesh and blood streamed, I lie wounded in prison—yet I cannot remain silent; I wish to borrow the imperial sword above to behead him. Who was Zhu Yun, that I should yield even slightly? Your Majesty, try comparing me with Jin—is Jin loyal, or am I loyal? Loyal or disloyal—the realm all knows it, and Your Majesty knows it clearly too; what grudge do you hold against me that you trust this rebellious villain? My flesh and bones are all worn away; tears stream down my face; my seventy-two-year-old father—I can no longer care for him. My death is nothing to regret, but the calamity of overturned state and ruined house for Your Majesty may arise overnight—that is what truly deserves regret! If Your Majesty truly kills Jin and displays his head at Meridian Gate, the realm will know that I, Qin, had the courage to remonstrate boldly, and Your Majesty had the clarity to execute the villain. If Your Majesty does not kill this villain, you should kill me first, that I may join Long Feng and Bi Gan in the underworld; I truly do not wish to live together with this villain. When the memorial was submitted, he was beaten thirty blows again.
37
方欽屬草時，燈下微聞鬼聲。 欽：「念疏上且掇奇禍，此殆先人之靈欲吾寢此奏耳。」 因整衣冠立曰：「果先人，盍厲聲以告。」 言未已，聲出壁間，益淒愴。 欽嘆曰：「業已委身，義不得顧私，使緘默負國為先人羞，不孝孰甚！」 復坐，奮筆曰：「死即死，此稿不可易也！」 聲遂止。 杖後三日，卒於獄，年四十九。 瑾誅，贈光祿少卿。 嘉靖中，賜祭葬，錄一子入監。
When Qin was drafting the memorial, he faintly heard ghostly sounds under the lamp. Qin said: "Thinking that once the memorial goes up I shall bring extraordinary calamity, this must be the spirit of my ancestors wanting me to suppress this memorial. Thereupon he straightened his robes and cap and stood, saying: "If you are truly my ancestors, why not speak loudly and tell me? Before he finished speaking, the sound came from within the wall, growing ever more mournful. Qin sighed and said: "Having already committed myself, by duty I cannot look to private ends; to keep silent and fail the state would bring shame on my ancestors—what could be more unfilial! He sat again and wrote resolutely: "Die I may, but this draft shall not be changed! The sounds then ceased. Three days after the beating, he died in prison at the age of forty-nine. When Jin was executed, Qin was posthumously given the title Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. In the Jiajing reign, he was granted sacrificial rites and burial honors, and one son was enrolled in the Imperial Academy.
38
周璽，字天章，廬州衛人。 弘治九年進士。 授吏科給事中。 三遷禮科都給事中。 慷慨好言事。
Zhou Xi, courtesy name Tianzhang, came from Luzhou Guard. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. He was appointed supervising secretary in the Office of Personnel. After three promotions he became chief supervising secretary in the Office of Rites. Bold and fond of speaking on affairs of state.
39
明年擢順天府丞。 璽論諫深切，率與中官牴牾，劉瑾等積不能堪。 至是，命璽與監丞張淮、侍郎張縉、都御史張鸞、錦衣都指揮楊玉勘近縣皇莊。 玉，瑾黨，三人皆下之。 璽辭色無假，且公移與玉止牒文。 玉奏璽侮慢敕使，瑾即矯旨逮下詔獄，搒掠死。 瑾誅，詔復官賜祭，恤其家。 嘉靖初，錄一子。
The next year he was promoted to Vice Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture. Xi's remonstrances were fierce and penetrating; he repeatedly clashed with eunuchs, and Liu Jin and the rest could not long endure it. At this time he was ordered together with Assistant Director Zhang Huai, Vice Minister Zhang Jin, Censor-in-Chief Zhang Luan, and Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Yang Yu to investigate imperial estates in nearby counties. Yang Yu was a Jin partisan; the other three all deferred to him. Xi showed no false courtesy in word or bearing, and in official communications to Yu gave only the bare dispatch form. Yu memorialized that Xi had insulted the imperial envoy; Jin immediately forged an edict to arrest him and send him to the imperial prison, where he was tortured to death. When Jin was executed, an edict restored his office, granted sacrificial rites, and provided relief to his family. At the start of Jiajing, one son was enrolled for office.
40
又御史塗禎，新淦人也。 弘治十二年進士。 初為江陰知縣。 正德初，巡鹽長蘆。 瑾縱私人中鹽，又命其黨畢真托取海物，侵奪商利，禎皆據法裁之。 比還朝，遇瑾止長揖。 瑾怒，矯旨下詔獄。 江陰人在都下者，謀斂錢賂瑾解之，禎不可，喟然曰：「死耳，豈以汙父老哉！」 遂杖三十，論戍肅州，創重竟死獄中。 瑾怒未已，取其子樸補伍。 瑾誅，樸乃還，禎復官賜祭。
There was also censor Tu Zhen, who came from Xingan. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. At first he served as magistrate of Jiangyin. In the early Zhengde reign, he toured the salt administration at Changlu. Jin allowed his private agents to enter the salt trade, and also had his partisan Bi Zhen use pretexts to seize marine goods and encroach on merchants' profits; Zhen judged all these cases according to law. When he returned to court and met Jin, he gave only a formal bow with joined hands. Jin was angry and forged an edict to send him to the imperial prison. Jiangyin men in the capital plotted to collect money to bribe Jin for his release; Zhen would not allow it, and sighed: "Death is all there is—how could I defile the elders of my home! He was beaten thirty blows, sentenced to exile at Suzhou in Gansu, and with grave wounds died in prison. Jin's anger not yet spent, he seized his son Pu and made him fill a military register. When Jin was executed, Pu returned home, and Zhen was posthumously restored to office and granted sacrificial rites.
41
湯禮敬，字仁甫，丹徒人。 弘治九年進士。 授行人，擢刑科給事中。
Tang Lijing, courtesy name Renfu, came from Dantu. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. Appointed courier, then promoted to supervising secretary in the Office of Punishments.
42
正德初，上言：「陛下踐阼以來，上天屢示災譴。 不謹天戒，惟走馬射獵，遊樂無度。 頃四月中旬，雷電雨雹，當六陽用事時，陰氣乃與之抗，此幸臣竊權，忠鯁疏遠之應也。」 已，又論兩廣鎮監韋經，又偕九卿伏闕請誅「八黨」。 劉瑾銜之，尋以其請當審奏囚決之日，有訴冤者屏勿奏，指為變祖制，謫薊州判官。 後列奸黨給事中十六人，禮敬居首，罷歸。 未幾卒。
In the early Zhengde reign he submitted: "Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, Heaven has repeatedly shown disasters and reproof. Not heeding Heaven's warning, you only gallop horses and hunt, indulging in pleasure without limit. Recently in mid-April, thunder, lightning, rain, and hail struck—when the six yang forces should hold sway, yin forces rose against them; this is Heaven's response to favored ministers usurping power and loyal, straight-spoken men being kept at a distance. Thereafter he also criticized Wei Jing, the superintendent of the Guangdong-Guangxi garrison, and together with the Nine Ministers knelt before the palace gate requesting execution of the "Eight Partisans." Liu Jin bore a grudge; soon, because on the day for reviewing prisoners and announcing sentences he had requested that those appealing injustice be barred from reporting, he was charged with altering ancestral institutions and demoted to assistant magistrate of Jizhou. Later, when the sixteen partisan supervising secretaries were listed, Lijing was named first and was dismissed to return home. Before long he died.
43
瑾惡言官譏切時政多刺己，輒假他事坐之。 禮敬得罪後，有王渙、何紹正。
Jin hated that remonstrating officials criticized current policy and often aimed barbs at him; he would always use other pretexts to convict them. After Lijing suffered punishment, there were Wang Huan and He Shaozheng.
44
王渙，字時霖，象山人。 弘治九年進士。 由長樂知縣征授御史。 正德元年，應詔條上應天要道五事，語多斥宦官。 明年出視山海諸關，以病謝事未行。 盜發其部內，都御史劉宇承瑾指劾渙失報。 逮下詔獄，杖之，斥為民。 瑾敗，復官致仕。
Wang Huan, courtesy name Shilin, came from Xiangshan. He received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. Summoned from his post as magistrate of Changle, he was appointed censor. In the first year of Zhengde, responding to an edict, he listed five essential matters responding to Heaven, his language largely condemning eunuchs. The next year he was sent out to inspect the passes of Shanhai; citing illness he declined the appointment and did not go. Bandits arose within his jurisdiction; Censor-in-Chief Liu Yu, acting on Jin's direction, impeached Huan for failure to report. He was arrested and sent to the imperial prison, beaten, and reduced to commoner status. When Jin fell, his office was restored and he retired.
45
何紹正，淳安人。 弘治十五年進士。 授行人。 正德三年擢吏科給事中。 中官廖堂鎮河南，奏保方面數人，且擅擬遷調。 吏部尚書許進等不能難，紹正劾之。 瑾不得已責堂自陳，而心甚銜紹正。 及冬，坐頒歷導駕失儀，杖之闕下，謫海州判官。 屢遷池州知府，築銅陵五十余圩以備旱潦。 宸濠反，攻安慶，池人震恐，紹正登陴固守。 事平，增俸一級，遷江西參政致仕。 池人為立祠，與宋包拯並祀。
He Shaozheng came from Chun'an. He received his jinshi degree in the fifteenth year of Hongzhi. He was appointed courier. In the third year of Zhengde he was promoted to supervising secretary in the Office of Personnel. The eunuch Liao Tang, stationed in Henan, memorialized recommending several provincial officials and took it upon himself to propose transfers and appointments. Minister of Personnel Xu Jin and the others could not refute him; Shaozheng impeached them. Jin had no choice but to order Tang to submit a self-accusation, but he deeply resented Shaozheng. When winter came, Shaozheng was convicted of impropriety while distributing the calendar and guiding the imperial procession; he was beaten beneath the palace gate and demoted to assistant magistrate of Haizhou. After several promotions he became prefect of Chizhou, where he built more than fifty embankments at Tongling to guard against drought and flood. When Chen Hao rebelled and attacked Anqing, the people of Chizhou were terrified; Shaozheng mounted the walls and held firm. When the affair was settled, his salary was raised one grade and he was transferred to Jiangxi as administration commissioner before retiring. The people of Chizhou built a shrine for him and worshipped him together with the Song official Bao Zheng.
46
許天錫，字啟衷，閩縣人。 弘治六年進士。 改庶吉士。 思親成疾，陳情乞假。 孝宗賜傳以行。 還朝，授吏科給事中。 時言官何天衢、倪天明與天錫並負時望，都人有「臺省三天」之目。
Xu Tianxi, courtesy name Qizhong, came from Min County. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Hongzhi. He was transferred to the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor. Longing for his parents, he fell ill and submitted a petition begging leave. Emperor Xiaozong granted him a post horse for the journey. On returning to court he was appointed supervising secretary in the Office of Personnel. At the time the remonstrating officials He Tianqu and Ni Tianming, together with Tianxi, all enjoyed great public esteem; the people of the capital spoke of them as the "Three Heavens of the Censorate and Secretariat."
47
十二年，建安書林火。 天錫言：「去歲闕里孔廟災，今茲建安又火，古今書版蕩為灰燼。 闕里，道所從出； 書林，文章所萃聚也。 《春秋》書宣榭火，說者曰：『榭所以藏樂器也。 天意若曰不能行政令，何以禮樂為？ 禮樂不行，天故火其藏以戒也。』 頃師儒失職，正教不修。 上之所尚者浮華，下之所習者枝葉。 此番災變，似欲為儒林一掃積垢。 宜因此遣官臨視，刊定經史有益之書。 其余晚宋陳言，如論範、論草、策略、策海、文衡、文髓、主意、講章之類，悉行禁刻。 其於培養人才，實非淺鮮。」 所司議從其言，就令提學官校勘。
In the twelfth year, a fire broke out in the publishing quarter of Jian'an. Tianxi said: "Last year the Confucian temple at Qufu was destroyed by fire; now Jian'an has burned as well, and printing blocks of books ancient and modern have been reduced to ash. Qufu is where the Way has its source; the publishing quarter is where literature gathers. The Spring and Autumn Annals records the burning of the Xuan Pavilion; commentators say: 'The pavilion was where musical instruments were stored. Heaven's intent seems to say: if you cannot administer government and commands, what use is ritual and music? When ritual and music are not practiced, Heaven therefore burns their storehouse as a warning. Recently teachers and scholars have failed in their duties, and orthodox instruction has not been cultivated. What those above esteem is mere ornament; what those below practice is leafy branchwork. This calamity seems intended to sweep accumulated filth from the grove of scholars. Accordingly, officials should be dispatched to inspect on the spot and publish editions of the classics and histories that are truly useful. As for the stale formulas of late Song, such as Lunfan, Lungcao, Celue, Cehai, Wenheng, Wensui, Zhuyi, Jiangzhang, and the like, printing of them should be entirely forbidden. This would by no means be a small benefit in cultivating talent." The responsible offices deliberated and accepted his proposal, ordering education commissioners to collate and verify accordingly.
48
大同失事，天錫往核，具得其狀，巡撫洪漢、中官劉雲、總兵官王璽以下鹹獲罪。 內使劉雄怒儀真知縣徐淮廚傳不飭，訴之南京守備中官以聞，逮淮系詔獄。 天錫及御史馮允中論救，卒調淮邊縣。 御史文森、張津、曾大有言事下吏，崔誌端由道士擢尚書，天錫皆力爭。
When disaster struck at Datong, Tianxi went to investigate and fully established the facts; Grand Coordinator Hong Han, the eunuch Liu Yun, Commander-in-Chief Wang Xi, and others all suffered punishment. The inner attendant Liu Xiong, angered that Magistrate Xu Huai of Yizhi had not properly provisioned his kitchen, complained to the Nanjing garrison eunuch, who reported it; Huai was arrested and imprisoned in the imperial prison. Tianxi and Censor Feng Yunzhong pleaded for his release; in the end Huai was transferred to a border county. When Censors Wen Sen, Zhang Jin, and Zeng Dayou spoke on affairs of state and were imprisoned, and when Cui Zhiduan was promoted from Daoist priest to minister, Tianxi contested each matter with all his force.
49
十七年五月，天變求言。 上疏曰：「外官三年考察，又有撫按監臨，科道糾劾，其法已無可加。 惟兩京堂上官例不考核。 而五品以下雖有十年考察之條，居官率限九載，或年勞轉遷，或服除改補，不能及期。 今請以六年為期，通行考察。 其大寮曾經彈劾者，悉令自陳而簡去之，用儆有位。 古者，災異策免三公，陰霖輒避位。 今大臣不引咎，陛下又不行策免，宜且革公孤銜，俟天心既回，徐還厥職。 祖宗禦內官，恩不泛施，法不輕貸。 內府二十四監局及在外管事者，並有常員。 近年諸監局掌印、僉事多至三四十人，他管事無數，留都亦然。 憑陵奢暴，蠹蝕民膏，第宅連雲，田園遍野，膏粱厭於輿臺，文繡被乎狗馬。 凡若此類，皆足召變。 乞敕司禮監會內閣嚴行考察，以定去留。 此後，或三年、五年一行，永為定制。」 帝善之。 於是令兩京四品以上並自陳聽命，五品下六年考察，遂著為令。 惟大臣削公孤及內官考察，事格不行。 尋與御史何深核牛馬房，條上便利十四事，歲省芻豆費五十余萬。
In the fifth month of the seventeenth year, heaven-sent omens prompted a call for remonstrance. He submitted a memorial saying: "Provincial officials undergo triennial review, with further supervision by grand coordinators and surveillance commissioners and impeachment by the censorate and remonstrance bureaus; the system cannot be made stricter. Only senior officials of the two capitals are by custom exempt from review. Yet although officials below the fifth rank have a rule of decennial review, most serve only nine years in a post, or transfer on merit, or return after mourning and receive a new appointment, and cannot reach the deadline. I now ask that a six-year term be set and review be applied universally. Those great ministers who have previously been impeached should all be ordered to submit self-accusations and be culled, to warn those in high office. In antiquity, calamities and portents led to the dismissal of the Three Dukes; prolonged rain would make them yield their posts. Today the great ministers do not accept blame, and Your Majesty does not dismiss them; they should for the time being be stripped of their grand-counselor titles and wait until Heaven's mind turns again before slowly resuming their duties. Our ancestors governed the inner eunuchs: favor was not spread indiscriminately, and the law was not lightly waived. The twenty-four directorates and offices of the inner palace, and those who manage affairs outside it, all had fixed quotas. In recent years the seal-holders and vice-directors of the various directorates often number thirty or forty, and other managers are beyond count; the same is true at the secondary capital. Overbearing and extravagant, they devour the people's substance; mansions touch the clouds and estates fill the countryside; fine grain cloys the mouths of carriage men, and brocade covers the backs of dogs and horses. All such things are enough to summon calamity. I beg that the Directorate of Ceremonial, together with the Grand Secretariat, be ordered to conduct strict review and fix who stays and who goes. Thereafter let review be carried out every three or five years as a permanent rule." The emperor approved. Thereupon officials of the fourth rank and above in both capitals were ordered to submit self-accusations and await the throne's decision, and officials below the fifth rank were placed under six-year review; this was established as an ordinance. Only the stripping of grand-counselor titles from great ministers and review of the inner eunuchs was blocked and not carried out. Soon afterward, together with Censor He Shen, he audited the Ox and Horse Stables and listed fourteen measures of benefit, saving more than five hundred thousand in fodder expenses each year.
50
方瑾用事，橫甚，尤惡諫官，懼禍者往往自盡。
While Jin held power he was extremely overbearing and especially hated remonstrating officials; those who feared disaster often took their own lives.
51
海陽周鑰，弘治十五年進士。 為兵科給事中，勘事淮安，與知府趙俊善。 俊許貸千金，既而不與。 時奉使還者，瑾皆索重賄。 鑰計無所出，舟行至桃源，自刎。 從者救之，已不能言，取紙書「趙知府誤我」，遂卒。 事聞，系俊至京，責鑰死狀，竟坐俊罪。
Zhou Yao of Haiyang received his jinshi degree in the fifteenth year of Hongzhi. Serving as supervising secretary in the Office of War, he investigated affairs at Huai'an and became friendly with Prefect Zhao Jun. Jun promised to lend him a thousand taels of silver but afterward did not give it. At the time Jin demanded heavy bribes from all who returned from missions. Yao could see no way out; when his boat reached Taoyuan he cut his own throat. His attendants tried to save him, but he could no longer speak; he took paper and wrote "Prefect Zhao misled me," then died. When the matter was reported, Jun was brought to the capital in custody; Yao's death was laid at his door, and Jun was punished in the end.
52
平定郗夔，弘治十五年進士，為禮科給事中。 正德五年，出核延綏戰功，瑾屬其私人。 夔念從之則違國典，不從則得禍，遂自經死。
Xi Kui of Pingding received his jinshi degree in the fifteenth year of Hongzhi and served as supervising secretary in the Office of Rites. In the fifth year of Zhengde he was sent out to verify military merit in Yan-Sui; Jin assigned the task to his own man. Kui thought that to obey would violate the national code, but to refuse would bring disaster; he hanged himself.
53
瓊山馮颙，弘治九年進士。 為御史，嘗以事忤瑾，為所誣，自經死。 颙初為主事，官軍討叛黎符南蛇久不克，颙歷陳致變之由，請購已革土官子孫，俾召集舊卒，以夷攻夷，有功則復舊職。 尚書劉大夏亟稱之，奏行其策。 正德初，偕中官高金勘涇王所乞莊地，清還二千七百余頃。 而不得其死，人皆惜之。
Feng Yong of Qiongshan received his jinshi degree in the ninth year of Hongzhi. Serving as censor, he once offended Jin on a matter and was framed by him; he hanged himself. When Yong was still a director, government troops had long failed to subdue the rebel Li Fu Nan She; Yong set out in detail the causes of the uprising and asked that descendants of deposed native chiefs be recruited, so that they might gather old soldiers and use tribes against tribes, restoring their former posts if they achieved merit. Minister Liu Daxia praised him repeatedly and memorialized that his plan be adopted. At the beginning of Zhengde, together with the eunuch Gao Jin he investigated estate lands solicited by the Prince of Jing and cleared and returned more than twenty-seven hundred qing. Yet he did not meet a proper death, and all regretted it.
54
瑾誅，天錫、鑰、夔、颙俱復官賜祭，且恤其家。 嘉靖中，天錫子春訟冤，復賜祭葬。
When Jin was executed, Tianxi, Yao, Kui, and Yong all had their offices restored and were granted sacrificial rites, and their families were given relief. In the Jiajing reign, Tianxi's son Chun petitioned over the injustice, and sacrificial burial was granted again.
55
方瑾敗時，刑部員外郎夾江宿進疏陳六事，言：「忤逆瑾死者，內臣如王嶽、範亨，言官如許天錫、周鑰，並宜恤贈。 又附瑾大臣，如兵部尚書王敞等及內侍余黨，俱宜斥。」 疏入，帝怒將親鞫之，命張永召閣臣李東陽。 東陽語永曰：「後生狂妄，且日暮非見君時，幸少寬之。」 永入，少頃執進至午門，杖五十，削籍歸，未幾卒。 世宗初，贈光祿少卿。
Just as Jin was falling, Su Jin, an assistant department director of the Ministry of Justice from Jiajiang, submitted a memorial setting forth six matters, saying: "Those who died opposing Jin—inner attendants such as Wang Yue and Fan Heng, remonstrating officials such as Xu Tianxi and Zhou Yao—should all be given posthumous honors. Again, great ministers who attached themselves to Jin, such as Minister of War Wang Chang and the like, and the remaining partisans among the inner attendants, should all be dismissed." When the memorial entered, the emperor grew angry and was about to interrogate him personally; he ordered Zhang Yong to summon Grand Secretary Li Dongyang. Dongyang said to Yong: "The young man is reckless, and with dusk falling this is no time to see the sovereign; please be a little lenient." Yong entered; shortly afterward Su Jin was seized and brought to the Meridian Gate, beaten fifty times, stripped of registry and sent home; before long he died. At the beginning of the Shizong reign he was posthumously made Vice Director of the Imperial Sacrificial Office.
56
徐文溥，字可大，開化人。 正德六年進士。 授南京禮科給事中。 劾尚書劉櫻、都御史李士實、侍郎呂獻、大理卿茆欽，而請召還致仕尚書孫交、傅珪。 時論以為當。
Xu Wenpu, courtesy name Keda, came from Kaihua. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Zhengde. He was appointed supervising secretary in the Nanjing Office of Rites. He impeached Ministers Liu Ying and Li Shishi, Vice Minister Lu Xian, and Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review Mao Qin, and asked that retired Ministers Sun Jiao and Fu Gui be recalled. Contemporary opinion held this appropriate.
57
寧王宸濠求復護衛，文溥諫曰：「曩因寧藩不靖，英廟革其護衛、屯田。 及逆瑾亂政，重賄謀復。 瑾既伏誅，陛下又革之，正欲制以義而安全之耳。 乃曰『驅使乏人』。 夫晏居深邃，靡征討之勞，安享尊榮，無居守之責，何所用而乏人？ 且王暴行大彰：剝削商民，挾制官吏，招誘無賴，廣行劫掠。 致舟航斷絕，邑裏蕭條，萬民莫不切齒。 乃今止之，猶恐不逮，顧可縱之加恣，假翼於虎乎？ 貢獻本有定制，乃無故馳騁飛騎，出入都城，伺察動靜。 況今海內多故，天變未息，意外之虞實未易料。 宜裁以大義，勿徇私情，罪其獻謀之人，逐彼偵事之使，宗社幸甚。」 時宸濠奧援甚眾，疏入，人鹹危之，帝但責其妄言而已。 又請擇建儲貳，不報。
When Prince Ning Chen Hao sought restoration of his bodyguard, Wenpu remonstrated, saying: "Formerly, because the Ning princely house was unsettled, Emperor Yingzong abolished its bodyguard and military colonies. When the traitor Jin threw the government into chaos, heavy bribes were paid to plot restoration. After Jin had been executed, Your Majesty abolished it again, precisely to restrain him by righteousness and keep him safe. Yet now it is said, 'We lack men to drive and attend.' He dwells at ease in deep seclusion, without the toil of campaigns; he enjoys honor and glory, without the duty of guarding a post—what need has he of attendants? Moreover the prince's violent conduct is widely known: he strips merchants, coerces officials, recruits ruffians, and carries out plunder on a broad scale. River traffic has been cut off and market towns lie desolate; ten thousand people gnash their teeth at him. Even to restrain him now may not be enough—how can he be allowed to grow more reckless and be given wings like a tiger? Tribute missions follow fixed regulations, yet for no reason his swift riders gallop in and out of the capital, spying on movements. Moreover, within the realm troubles are many, heaven-sent omens have not ceased, and unforeseen dangers are truly hard to foretell. Your Majesty should judge by great principle, not private feeling; punish those who offered the scheme and expel his spies—the altars of state would be greatly fortunate." At the time Chen Hao had many powerful backers; when the memorial entered, all feared for Wenpu, but the emperor only rebuked him for reckless speech. He also asked that an heir apparent be chosen and invested; there was no reply.
58
十年四月復偕同官上疏曰：「頃因災異，禮部奏請修省。 伏讀聖諭，謂『事關朕躬者，皆已知之』。 臣惟茲一念之誠，足以孚上帝迓休命矣。 雖然，知之非艱，行之維艱。 陛下誠能經筵講學，早朝勤政； 布寬恤以安人心，躬獻享以重宗廟； 孝養慈闈，敬事蒼昊； 舍豹房而居大內，遠嬖幸而近儒臣； 禁中不為貿易，皇店不以罔財； 還邊兵於故伍，斥番僧於外寺； 毋昵俳優，盡屏義子； 馬氏已醮之女弗留乎後宮，馬昂梟獍之族立奪其兵柄； 停諸路之織造，罷不急之土木； 汰倉局門戶之內官，禁水陸舟車之進奉； 出留中奏牘以達下情，省傳奉冗員以慎名器。 則陛下所謂『事關朕躬』，非徒知之，且一一行之，而不轉禍為福者，未之有也。」 報聞。
In the fourth month of the tenth year he again joined his colleagues in submitting a memorial, saying: "Recently, because of calamities and portents, the Ministry of Rites memorialized requesting self-reform. Reading Your Majesty's edict in reverence, it says, 'Matters concerning my own person—I am already aware of them.' Your subject considers that this single thought of sincerity is enough to win Heaven's trust and receive its blessing. Yet though knowing is not hard, doing is hard. If Your Majesty can truly attend lectures at the classics colloquium and hold early audiences with diligence; proclaim clemency to settle the people's hearts, and go in person to the ancestral temples with offerings; nourish the empress dowager in filial devotion, and reverently serve Heaven; leave the Leopard Quarter and dwell in the inner palace, keep favored minions at a distance and draw Confucian ministers near; forbid trade within the palace, and stop the imperial shops from extorting wealth; return frontier troops to their original units, and expel Tibetan monks from outside temples; do not dote on actors, and dismiss all adopted sons; let not the already-married daughter of the Ma clan remain in the inner palace, and immediately strip the Ma Ang clan—worse than wolves and jackals—of its military command; halt weaving commissions on every circuit, and stop non-urgent construction projects; cull the inner attendants at the granaries, bureaus, and gate offices, and forbid tribute sent by land and water, by cart and boat; release memorials held back at court so that grievances below may be heard, and reduce superfluous specially appointed posts to safeguard official titles. Then what Your Majesty calls "matters concerning my own person" would be not only understood but truly enacted—and calamity would turn to blessing as never before." The memorial was noted and filed.
59
初，帝聽中官崔瑤、史宣、劉瑯阝、於喜誣奏，先後逮知府翟唐，部曹王鑾、王瑞之，御史施儒、張經等，又入中官王堂譖，下僉事韓邦奇獄。 文溥言：「朝廷刑威所及，乃在奄侍一言。 旗校繹絡於道途，縉紳駢首於狴犴，遠近震駭，上下屏氣。 向一瑾亂政於內，今數瑾縱橫於外。 乞並下堂法司，且追治瑤等誣罔罪。」 帝不聽，遂引疾去。
Earlier, the emperor had heeded false accusations by the inner attendants Cui Yao, Shi Xuan, Liu Lang, and Yu Xi, and in succession had arrested Prefect Zhai Tang, department secretaries Wang Luan and Wang Ruizhi, and Censors Shi Ru and Zhang Jing; he also accepted a slanderous report from the inner attendant Wang Tang and imprisoned Vice Commissioner Han Bangqi. Wenpu said: "The court's penal reach now hangs on a single word from a palace eunuch. Brocade guards swarm along the roads; gentry and officials are herded into prison; near and far are shaken with terror, and above and below hold their breath. Once one Jin threw the government into chaos from within; now a host of Jins run rampant without. I beg that Tang be handed over to the regular judiciary, and that Yao and the others be prosecuted for false accusation." The emperor would not listen, and Wenpu thereupon resigned on grounds of illness.
60
世宗即位，廷臣交薦，起河南參議。 未幾，以念母乞歸。 撫按請移近地便養，乃改福建。 尋遷廣東副使。 上言十事，多涉權要，恐貽母憂，復引疾歸。 行至玉山卒。
When Emperor Shizong took the throne, court officials jointly recommended him, and he was recalled as administration commissioner of Henan. Before long, longing for his mother, he begged to return home. The grand coordinator and surveillance commissioner asked that he be moved nearer so he could more easily support his mother, and he was therefore transferred to Fujian. Soon afterward he was promoted to vice commissioner of Guangdong. He submitted ten proposals, many touching powerful figures; fearing this would bring grief to his mother, he again resigned on grounds of illness. He died at Yushan while on the road.
61
翟唐，字堯佐，長垣人。 弘治十二年進士。 由壽光知縣召為御史。 正德四年出按湖廣，奏言：「四川賊首劉烈僭號設官，必將為大患。 湖廣、陜西壤地相接，入竹山可抵荊、襄，入漢中可抵秦、隴。 今內外壅蔽，獎諭切責率皆虛文，宜切圖預備之策。」 時劉瑾竊柄，以唐言「壅蔽」，尤惡之。 兵部尚書王敞希指，言今蕩滌宿弊，唐乃雲然，宜令指實。 會瑾怒稍解，乃切責而宥之。 久之，遷知寧波府。 市舶中官崔瑤藉貢物擾民，為唐所裁抑，且杖其黨王臣，臣尋病死。 瑤奏唐阻截貢獻，笞殺貢使。 帝怒，逮下詔獄。 巡按御史趙春等交章救之。 給事中範洵亦言唐被逮日，軍民遮道涕泣，請宥令還任。 帝不聽，謫雲南嵩明知州。 再遷陜西副使卒。
Zhai Tang, courtesy name Yaozuo, came from Changyuan. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. From magistrate of Shouguang he was summoned to serve as censor. In the fourth year of Zhengde he was sent out to inspect Huguang and memorialized: "The bandit chieftain Liu Lie in Sichuan has assumed a title and established offices; he is certain to become a great scourge. Huguang and Shaanxi share a border; by entering Zhushan one can reach Jing and Xiang, and by entering Hanzhong one can reach Qin and Long. Now obstruction blocks both within and without, and rewards, admonitions, and stern rebukes are all empty form; urgent plans of defense should be drawn up. At the time Liu Jin held power in secret, and because Tang's words spoke of "obstruction," he especially hated him. Minister of War Wang Chang, seeking to please Jin, said that now accumulated abuses were being swept away, yet Tang spoke as he did; Tang should be ordered to substantiate his charges. When Jin's anger had eased somewhat, Tang was sternly rebuked but spared. After some time he was transferred to prefect of Ningbo. The maritime-trade eunuch Cui Yao used tribute goods to harass the people and was restrained by Tang, who also had his follower Wang Chen beaten; Chen soon died of illness. Yao memorialized that Tang had obstructed tribute missions and beaten a tribute envoy to death. The emperor grew angry and had Tang arrested and imprisoned in the imperial prison. Surveillance Commissioner Zhao Chun and others submitted successive memorials in his defense. Supervising Secretary Fan Xun also said that on the day Tang was arrested, soldiers and civilians blocked the road in tears and begged that he be pardoned and returned to his post. The emperor would not listen and demoted Tang to magistrate of Songming in Yunnan. After a further promotion to vice commissioner of Shaanxi, he died.
62
王鑾，字廷和，大庾人。 正德三年進士。 授邵武知縣。 入為都水主事，出轄徐沛閘河。 十一年，織造中官史宣過其地，索挽夫千人，沛縣知縣胡守約給其半。 宣怒，自至縣捕吏，鑾助守約與抗。 宣誣奏於朝，逮系詔獄。 以言官論救，守約罷官，鑾輸贖還職。 已，分司南旺，又捕誅中官廖堂侄廖鵬之黨。 嘉靖初，遷武昌知府。 鎮守中官李景儒歲進魚鲊多科率，鑾疏請罷之。 楚府征稅，茶商重困。 鑾謂稅當歸官，力與爭，王詆為毀辱親王。 鑾遂請終養，不待報竟歸。 後吏部坐以擅離職守，奪官。
Wang Luan, courtesy name Tinghe, came from Dayu. He received his jinshi degree in the third year of Zhengde. He was appointed magistrate of Shaowu. He entered service as a director in the Directorate of Waterways and was sent out to oversee the sluice-works of Xu and Pei. In the eleventh year, the weaving eunuch Shi Xuan passed through the region and demanded a thousand boat haulers; Magistrate Hu Shouyue of Pei County supplied half that number. Xuan grew angry, came in person to the county to seize clerks, and Luan aided Shouyue in resisting him. Xuan lodged a false accusation at court, and Luan was arrested and imprisoned in the imperial prison. Thanks to remonstrating officials pleading for him, Shouyue was dismissed from office and Luan paid a fine to ransom himself and return to duty. Later, while serving at Nanwang, he again captured and executed followers of Liao Peng, nephew of the eunuch Liao Tang. At the beginning of the Jiajing reign he was promoted to prefect of Wuchang. The garrison eunuch Li Jingru each year submitted pickled fish and imposed heavy levies; Luan memorialized asking that the practice be abolished. The Prince of Chu's tax levies had left tea merchants in deep distress. Luan held that the taxes should belong to the government and contested the matter forcefully; the prince denounced him for insulting a royal kinsman. Luan thereupon asked to retire and support his parents, and without waiting for a reply went home. Later the Ministry of Personnel punished him for leaving his post without authorization and stripped him of office.
63
張士隆，字仲修，安陽人。 弘治八年舉鄉試，入太學。 與同縣崔銑及寇天敘、馬卿、呂柟輩相砥礪，以學行聞。 十八年成進士，授廣信推官。
Zhang Shilong, courtesy name Zhongxiu, came from Anyang. In the eighth year of Hongzhi he passed the provincial examination and entered the Imperial Academy. Together with his townsman Cui Xuan and Kou Tianxu, Ma Qing, Lu Shan, and others, he sharpened one another in learning and conduct and became known for both. In the eighteenth year he became a jinshi and was appointed investigating magistrate of Guangxin.
64
正德六年入為御史。 巡鹽河東，劾去貪汙運使劉愉。 建正學書院，興起文教。 九年，乾清宮災，上疏曰：「陛下前有逆瑾之變，後遭薊盜之亂，猶不知警。 方且興居無度，狎昵匪人。 積戎醜於禁中，戲幹戈於臥內。 徹旦燕遊，萬幾不理。 寵信內侍，濁亂朝綱。 致民困盜起，財盡兵疲。 禍機潛蓄，恐大命難保。 夫裒衣博帶之雅，孰與市井狡儈之群？ 廣廈細旃之娛，孰與鞍馬驅馳之險？」 不報。
In the sixth year of Zhengde he entered service as a censor. While inspecting the salt administration of Hedong, he impeached and removed the corrupt transport commissioner Liu Yu. He founded the Zhengxue Academy and revived literary and moral instruction. In the ninth year, when the Qianqing Palace burned, he submitted a memorial saying: "Your Majesty has already suffered the upheaval of the traitor Jin and afterward the disorder of bandits in Ji—yet still you do not take warning. You still live without measure and draw close to unworthy men. You stockpile arms in the inner palace and play with weapons beside your bed. You feast and roam until dawn, and leave the myriad affairs of state untended. You trust inner attendants and foul the order of the court. The people are distressed and bandits have risen; wealth is exhausted and troops worn out. Disaster smolders beneath the surface; I fear the Mandate may not long endure. Is the dignity of scholar's dress worth less than the company of market rogues? What is the pleasure of broad halls and fine mats compared with the peril of saddle and spur?" There was no reply.
65
出按鳳陽。 織造中官史宣列黃梃二於騶前，號為「賜棍」，每以抶人，有至死者，自都御史以下莫敢問，士隆劾奏之。 又劾錦衣千戶廖鎧奸利事，且曰：「鎧虐陜西，即其父鵬虐河南故習也。 河南以鵬故召亂，鎧又欲亂陜西。 乞置鎧父子於法，並召還廖鑾，以釋陜人之憤。」 鑾，鎧所從鎮陜西者也。 錢寧素昵鎧，見疏大恨，遂因士隆按薛鳳鳴獄以陷之。 鳳鳴者，寶坻人，先為御史，坐罪削籍，諂事諸佞幸，尤善寧。 與從弟鳳翔有隙，嗾緝事者發其私，下吏論死。 刑部疑有冤，並捕鞫鳳鳴。 鳳鳴懼，使其妾訴枉，自剄長安門外，詞連寶坻知縣周在及素所仇者數十人，悉逮付法司，而鳳鳴得釋。 士隆與御史許完先後按治，復捕鳳鳴對簿，釋在還職。 寧怒，令鳳鳴女告士隆、完治獄偏枉。 遂下詔獄，謫士隆晉州判官。 久之，擢知州。
He was sent out to inspect Fengyang. The weaving eunuch Shi Xuan set two yellow clubs before his escort and called them "Imperial gifts"; he used them to beat men, and some died. From the censor-in-chief down, none dared intervene—until Shilong impeached him. He also impeached the brocade-guard commander Liao Kai for corrupt profit, saying: "Kai abused Shaanxi just as his father Peng abused Henan by old habit. Henan was thrown into disorder because of Peng; Kai now seeks to throw Shaanxi into disorder as well. I beg that father and son Kai be punished by law, and that Liao Luan be recalled, to appease the anger of the people of Shaanxi. Luan was the man from whom Kai had set out to garrison Shaanxi. Qian Ning was on intimate terms with Kai; when he saw the memorial he was deeply enraged, and therefore used Shilong's investigation of the Xue Fengming case to trap him. Fengming was a native of Baodi; he had earlier served as censor, was convicted and struck from the rolls, and fawned upon various favored sycophants, especially cultivating Ning. He had a feud with his cousin Fengxiang and instigated investigators to expose Fengxiang's private affairs; Fengxiang was imprisoned and sentenced to death. The Ministry of Justice suspected there had been a miscarriage of justice and arrested and tried Fengming as well. Fengming, in fear, had his concubine plead injustice; she cut her throat outside Chang'an Gate, and the accusation implicated Magistrate Zhou Zai of Baodi and several dozen others whom Fengming had long hated—all were arrested and handed to the judiciary, while Fengming was released. Shilong and Censor Xu Wan successively investigated the case, rearrested Fengming for trial, and released Zai and restored him to office. Ning grew angry and had Fengming's daughter accuse Shilong and Wan of partiality in handling the case. Shilong was thereupon imprisoned in the imperial prison and demoted to assistant magistrate of Jinzhou. After some time he was promoted to magistrate.
66
世宗立，詔復故官，出為陜西副使。 漢中賊王大等匿豪家，結回回為亂。 士隆下令：匿賊者罪及妻孥，無赦。 賊無所容，遂就擒滅。 築堰溉田千頃，民利之。 卒於官。
When Emperor Shizong took the throne, an edict restored him to his former rank, and he was sent out as vice commissioner of Shaanxi. In Hanzhong the bandit Wang Da and others hid among powerful families and joined with Hui Muslims to raise rebellion. Shilong issued an order: whoever harbored bandits would have guilt extended to wife and children, without pardon. With nowhere to hide, the bandits were captured and destroyed. He built dikes and irrigated a thousand qing of fields, to the people's benefit. He died in office.
67
張文明，字應奎，陽曲人。 正德六年進士。 授行人，擢御史，巡按遼東。 尋按陜西。 鎮守中官廖堂貪恣，文明捕治其爪牙二十四人，堂大恨。
Zhang Wenming, courtesy name Yingkui, came from Yangqu. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Zhengde. He was appointed a courier, then promoted to censor and sent to inspect Liaodong. Soon afterward he inspected Shaanxi. The garrison eunuch Liao Tang was greedy and unrestrained; Wenming arrested and punished twenty-four of his agents, and Tang deeply resented him.
68
十三年，車駕幸延綏。 文明馳疏諫，極陳災異，且言江彬逢惡導非，亟宜行誅。 朝臣匡救無聞，亦當罰治。 帝不省。 既而文明朝行在。 諸權幸扈從者，文明裁抑之，所需多不應。 司禮太監張忠等譖於帝，言諸生毆旗校，文明縱勿治。 帝怒，命械赴京師，下詔獄。 明年春，言官交章請宥，不報。 比駕旋，命執至豹房，帝將親鞫。 文明自謂必死。 及見帝，命釋之，謫電白典史。 時劉瑾雖誅，佞幸猶熾，中外諫官被禍者不可勝數。 文明止於貶謫，人以為幸。
In the thirteenth year the imperial carriage visited Yan-Sui. Wenming sent an urgent memorial of remonstrance, laying out heaven's warnings at length and declaring that Jiang Bin had embraced wickedness and led the emperor astray—that he ought to be put to death without delay. The court ministers who had failed to intervene should likewise be punished. The emperor paid no heed. Before long Wenming presented himself at the emperor's traveling court. He checked the powerful favorites in the imperial retinue and refused most of what they demanded. The director of ceremonial Zhang Zhong and others denounced him to the emperor, claiming that students had beaten brocade guards and that Wenming had let them go unpunished. The emperor flew into a rage, had him shackled and sent to the capital, and cast him into the imperial prison. The following spring, remonstrating officials submitted memorial after memorial pleading for mercy—but received no answer. When the imperial procession returned, Wenming was brought to the Leopard Quarter, where the emperor meant to question him in person. Wenming was certain he would die. When he at last faced the emperor, he was released—but demoted to recorder of Dianbai. Though Liu Jin was dead, favored sycophants still held sway, and remonstrating officials inside and outside the court who met ruin were beyond number. Wenming escaped with nothing worse than demotion and exile—many counted him lucky.
69
世宗立，召復故官，尋出為松江知府。 甫抵任，卒。 巡按御史馬錄頌其忠，詔贈太常少卿。
When Emperor Shizong ascended the throne, Wenming was restored to his former rank and soon appointed prefect of Songjiang. He had scarcely taken up his post when he died. Surveillance Commissioner Ma Lu commended his loyalty, and the throne posthumously made him Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
70
陳鼎，字大器，其先宣城人。 高祖尚書迪，死惠帝之難，子孫戍登州衛，遂占籍焉。 鼎舉弘治十八年進士。 正德四年授禮科試給事中。 鎮守河南中官廖堂，福建人也，弟鵬之子鎧冒籍中河南鄉試。 物議沸騰，畏堂莫敢與難。 鼎上章發其事，鎧遂除名，堂、鵬大恨。 會流寇起，鼎陳弭盜機宜。 堂囑權幸摘其語激帝怒，下詔獄掠治。 謂鼎前籍平江伯資產，附劉瑾增估物價，疑有侵盜。 尚書楊一清救之，乃釋為民。 世宗立，復故官，遷河南參議。 妖人馬隆等為亂，鼎督兵誅之。 改陜西副使，擢浙江按察使，廉介正直，不通私謁。 召為應天府尹，未任卒。
Chen Ding, courtesy name Daqi, came from a family originally of Xuancheng. His great-grandfather, the minister Di, perished in the troubles of Emperor Hui; the family was assigned to Dengzhou Guard and registered there. Ding received his jinshi degree in the eighteenth year of Hongzhi. In the fourth year of Zhengde he was appointed probationary supervising secretary in the Office of Rites. The Henan garrison eunuch Liao Tang, a Fujian native, had his brother Peng's son Kai fraudulently register and pass the Henan provincial examination. Public outrage ran high, yet fear of Tang kept anyone from challenging the matter. Ding memorialized and exposed the affair; Kai was struck from the rolls, and Tang and Peng came to hate him bitterly. When roving bandits rose up, Ding laid out measures for suppressing them. Tang had his powerful allies cherry-pick phrases from Ding's words to enrage the emperor; Ding was thrown into the imperial prison and tortured. He was accused of having earlier inventoried the Duke of Pingjiang's estate, colluded with Liu Jin to inflate valuations, and embezzled the difference. Minister Yang Yiqing intervened on his behalf, and he was released to live as a commoner. When Shizong took the throne, Ding was restored to office and made administration commissioner of Henan. The sorcerer Ma Long and his followers rose in rebellion; Ding led troops and put them down. Transferred to vice commissioner of Shaanxi and then promoted to surveillance commissioner of Zhejiang, he was incorruptible and upright and would accept no private audiences. He was summoned to serve as prefect of Yingtian but died before he could take up the post.
71
賀泰，字誌同，吳縣人。 弘治十二年進士。 由衢州府推官入為御史。 武宗收京師無賴及宦官廝養為義子，一日而賜國姓者百二十七人，泰抗言其非。 諸人激帝怒，謫衢州推官，終廣東參議。
He Tai, courtesy name Zhitong, came from Wu County. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. From investigating magistrate of Quzhou Prefecture he was appointed censor. Emperor Wuzong took Beijing riffraff and eunuchs' fosterlings as adopted sons; in one day he granted the imperial surname to one hundred twenty-seven men, and Tai protested that this was wrong. His enemies enraged the emperor; Tai was demoted to investigating magistrate of Quzhou and ended his career as administration commissioner of Guangdong.
72
張璞，字中善，江夏人。 弘治十八年進士。 由歸安知縣召授御史。 正德八年出按雲南。 鎮守中官梁裕貪橫，璞裁抑之。 為所誣，逮赴詔獄，死獄中。 世宗嗣位，贈太仆少卿，賜祭葬。
Zhang Pu, courtesy name Zhongshan, came from Jiangxia. He received his jinshi degree in the eighteenth year of Hongzhi. From magistrate of Gui'an he was summoned to serve as censor. In the eighth year of Zhengde he was sent to inspect Yunnan. The garrison eunuch Liang Yu was greedy and overbearing; Pu checked his excesses. Framed by Yu, he was seized and sent to the imperial prison, where he died. When Shizong succeeded to the throne, Pu was posthumously made Vice Director of the Court of the Imperial Stud and granted state funeral honors.
73
成文，大同山陰人。 弘治十五年進士。 由知縣擢御史。 正德中，阿爾禿廝、亦不剌與小王子戰敗，引所部駐甘肅塞外，時入寇，掠陷堡寨五十有三。 巡撫張翼、鎮守太監朱彬等反冒奏首功千九百有余，以捷奏者十有一。 文出巡按，盡發其奸。 翼等賄中人傾文。 會文劾僉事趙應龍，應龍亦訐文細事，遂逮文，斥為民。 嘉靖中起用，累官右副都御史巡撫遼東，告歸，卒。
Cheng Wen came from Shanyin in Datong. He received his jinshi degree in the fifteenth year of Hongzhi. From magistrate he was promoted to censor. During the Zhengde reign, Altanishi, Yibulai, and the Small Prince were defeated in battle and withdrew with their followers to camp beyond the Gansu frontier, raiding inward from time to time and overrunning fifty-three fortified posts. Grand Coordinator Zhang Yi, garrison director Zhu Bin, and others falsely claimed more than nineteen hundred enemy heads and submitted eleven victory memorials. When Wen went out on inspection, he exposed their fraud in full. Yi and his allies bribed palace eunuchs to bring Wen down. When Wen impeached Vice Commissioner Zhao Yinglong, Yinglong retaliated with petty accusations; Wen was arrested and stripped of office. Recalled during the Jiajing reign, he rose to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and grand coordinator of Liaodong, retired on his own request, and died.
74
李翰臣，大同人。 正德三年進士。 官御史，巡按山東。 吏部主事梁谷誣歸善王當沍謀叛，翰臣劾谷挾私。 近幸方欲邀功，責翰臣為叛人掩飾。 逮系詔獄，謫德州判官。 終山東副使。
Li Hanchen came from Datong. He received his jinshi degree in the third year of Zhengde. He served as censor and was sent to inspect Shandong. Department director Liang Gu falsely accused Prince Guishan Danghu of plotting rebellion; Hanchen impeached Gu for acting out of private malice. Imperial favorites seeking credit accused Hanchen of shielding a rebel. He was arrested and thrown into the imperial prison, then demoted to assistant magistrate of Dezhou. He ended his career as vice commissioner of Shandong.
75
張經，興州左衛人。 正德六年進士。 官御史。 出按宣府，劾鎮守中官於喜貪肆罪。 為喜所訐，逮系詔獄，謫雲南河西典史。 尋卒。 世宗初，贈祭如張璞。
Zhang Jing came from Xingzhou Left Guard. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Zhengde. He served as censor. Sent to inspect Xuanfu, he impeached the garrison eunuch Yu Xi for greed and abuse of power. Denounced by Xi, he was seized and cast into the imperial prison, then demoted to recorder of Hexi in Yunnan. He died soon afterward. At the start of the Shizong reign he was granted posthumous sacrificial honors, as Zhang Pu had been.
76
毛思義，陽信人。 弘治十五年進士。 官永平知府。 正德十三年駕幸昌平，民間婦女驚避。 思義下令言：「大喪未舉，車駕必不遠出。 非有文書，妄稱駕至擾民者，治以法。」 鎮守中官郭原與思義有隙，以聞。 立逮下詔獄，系半歲，謫雲南安寧知州。 嘉靖中，累遷副都御史、應天巡撫。
Mao Siyi came from Yangxin. He received his jinshi degree in the fifteenth year of Hongzhi. He served as prefect of Yongping. In the thirteenth year of Zhengde, when the imperial carriage visited Changping, common women fled in terror. Siyi issued an order declaring: "The great mourning has not yet been completed; the imperial carriage will not travel far. Without official writ, anyone who falsely claims the emperor is coming and harasses the people will be punished by law." The garrison eunuch Guo Yuan, who bore a grudge against Siyi, reported the order to the throne. He was immediately seized and thrown into the imperial prison for half a year, then demoted to prefect of Anning in Yunnan. During the Jiajing reign he rose to Vice Censor-in-Chief and grand coordinator of Yingtian.
77
胡文璧，耒陽人。 弘治十二年進士。 正德初，由戶部郎中改御史。 出知鳳陽，遷天津副使。 中官張忠督直沽皇莊，縱群小牟利，文璧捕治之。 為所構，械系詔獄，謫延安府照磨。 嘉靖初，累官四川按察使。
Hu Wenbi came from Leiyang. He received his jinshi degree in the twelfth year of Hongzhi. At the start of the Zhengde reign he was transferred from director in the Ministry of Revenue to censor. He was sent out as prefect of Fengyang, then promoted to vice commissioner of Tianjin. The eunuch Zhang Zhong oversaw the imperial estate at Zhigu and let his followers extort profit; Wenbi arrested and punished them. Framed by Zhong, he was shackled and cast into the imperial prison, then demoted to proofreader of Yan'an Prefecture. At the start of the Jiajing reign he rose to surveillance commissioner of Sichuan.
78
王相，光山人。 正德三年進士。 官御史。 十二年巡按山東。 鎮守中官黎鑒假進貢苛斂，相檄郡縣毋輒行。 鑒怒，誣奏於朝。 逮系詔獄，謫高郵判官。 未幾卒。 嘉靖初，贈光祿少卿。
Wang Xiang came from Guangshan. He received his jinshi degree in the third year of Zhengde. He served as censor. In the twelfth year he was sent to inspect Shandong. The garrison eunuch Li Jian used tribute missions as a pretext for harsh levies; Xiang ordered the prefectures and counties not to obey. Jian flew into a rage and lodged a false accusation at court. Xiang was seized and cast into the imperial prison, then demoted to assistant magistrate of Gaoyou. He died soon afterward. At the start of the Jiajing reign he was posthumously made Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments.
79
董相，嵩縣人。 正德六年進士。 官御史，巡視居庸諸關。 江彬遣小校米英執人於平谷，恃勢橫甚。 相收而仗之，將以聞。 彬遽譖於帝，械系詔獄，謫判徐州。 嘉靖初，召復故官。 終山東副使。
Dong Xiang came from Song County. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Zhengde. He served as censor with charge over the passes at Juyong and elsewhere. Jiang Bin sent a junior officer, Mi Ying, to seize people at Pinggu, swaggering with impunity. Xiang arrested him, had him beaten with the staff, and prepared to report the matter. Bin quickly denounced him to the emperor; Xiang was shackled and thrown into the imperial prison, then demoted to assistant magistrate of Xuzhou. At the start of the Jiajing reign he was recalled to his former rank. He ended his career as vice commissioner of Shandong.
80
劉士元，彭縣人。 正德六年進士。 官御史，巡按畿輔。 十三年，帝獵古北口，將招朵顏衛花當、把兒孫等燕勞。 士元陳四不可。 先是，帝幸河西務，指揮黃勛假供奉擾民，士元按之。 勛懼，逃赴行在，因嬖幸譖於帝，云：士元聞駕至，令民間盡嫁其女，藏匿婦人。 帝怒，命裸縛面訊之。 野次無杖，取生柳幹痛笞之四十，幾死，囚檻車馳入京。 並執知縣曹俊等十余人，同系詔獄。 都御史王璟及科道陳霑、牛天麟等交章論救，不報。 謫麟山驛丞。 世宗立，復故官，出為湖州知府，遷湖廣副使。 修荒政，積粟百萬余石。 事聞，被旌勞。 嘉靖九年，屢遷右副都御史，巡撫貴州。 居三年罷。
Liu Shiyuan came from Peng County. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Zhengde. He served as censor with charge to inspect the capital region. In the thirteenth year the emperor hunted at Gubeikou and planned to summon Huadang, Ba'ersun, and others of the Doyan Guard to a feast of reward and consolation. Shiyuan argued that this should not be done on four grounds. Earlier, when the emperor visited Hexiwu, the commander Huang Xun used the pretext of imperial service to harass the people, and Shiyuan investigated him. Xun fled in fear to the imperial encampment and, through a favored minion, slandered Shiyuan to the emperor, claiming that upon hearing the imperial procession was approaching, Shiyuan had ordered the people to marry off their daughters at once and hide their women. The emperor flew into a rage and ordered him stripped naked, bound, and interrogated in person. In the open field there were no beating staffs, so fresh willow branches were taken and he was flogged forty times until he nearly died; he was then locked in a caged cart and rushed to the capital. The magistrate Cao Jun and more than ten others were seized as well and imprisoned together in the imperial prison. Chief Censor Wang Jing and the supervising secretaries Chen Zhan, Niu Tianlin, and others submitted memorial after memorial pleading for him—but received no answer. He was demoted to assistant postmaster of Linshan. When Emperor Shizong ascended the throne, Shiyuan was restored to his former rank, sent out as prefect of Huzhou, and promoted to vice commissioner of Huguang. He carried out famine relief and stockpiled more than a million shi of grain. When word reached the throne, he was commended and rewarded. In the ninth year of Jiajing he rose to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and grand coordinator of Guizhou. After three years in office he was dismissed.
81
範輅，字以載，桂陽人。 正德六年進士。 授行人，除南京御史。 武宗久無子，輅偕同官請擇宗室賢者育宮中，以宋仁宗為法，不報。 先後劾中官黎安、劉瑯及衛官簡文、王忠罪。 又論馬姬有娠，不當入宮。 語皆切直。
Fan Lu, styled Yizai, came from Guiyang. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Zhengde. He was appointed courier, then made censor at Nanjing. The Wuzong Emperor long had no son; Lu and his colleagues asked that a worthy member of the imperial clan be selected and reared in the palace, taking Emperor Renzong of Song as the model—but received no answer. In succession he impeached the eunuchs Li An and Liu Lang and the guard officers Jian Wen and Wang Zhong for their crimes. He also argued that Lady Ma, being with child, ought not enter the palace. In every case his words were sharp and forthright.
82
尋命清軍江西。 寧王宸濠令諸司以朝服見。 輅不可。 奏言：「高帝定制，王府屬僚稱官。 後乃稱臣，其余文武及京官出使者皆稱官。 朝使相見以便服。 今天下王府儀註，制未畫一。 臣以為尊無二上，凡不稱臣者，皆不宜具朝服，以嚴大防。」 章下禮官議。 宸濠馳疏爭之，廷議請如輅言。 宸濠伶人秦榮僭侈，輅劾治之。 又劾鎮守太監畢真貪虐十五事，疏留不下。 真乃摭他事誣之，遂逮下詔獄。 值帝巡幸，淹系經年。 至十四年四月始謫龍州宣撫司經歷。 未幾，宸濠及真謀逆誅，御史謝源、伍希儒等交章薦輅。 未及召，世宗立，復故官。 遷福建僉事，轉江西副使，致仕歸。 又用胡世寧薦，起密雲兵備副使。 討礦賊有功，歷江西、福建左、右布政使。 卒官。
Before long he was ordered to inspect military households in Jiangxi. Prince Ning Chenhao ordered the various offices to receive audiences in full court dress. Lu refused. He memorialized: "The founding emperor established the system by which the retainers of princely establishments were addressed as officials. Later they came to be called subjects; all other civil and military officers, and capital officials sent out on missions, were addressed as officials. Envoys from court met one another in ordinary dress. Today the ceremonial regulations of princely establishments throughout the realm are not uniform. I hold that there is no second sovereign to be honored; all who are not called subjects ought not wear full court dress, so as to maintain a strict barrier." The memorial was sent down to the ritual officials for deliberation. Chenhao sent an urgent memorial contesting the point, but court deliberation recommended adopting Lu's proposal. Chenhao's actor Qin Rong was presumptuous and extravagant; Lu impeached him and had him punished. He also impeached the garrison eunuch Bi Zhen on fifteen counts of greed and cruelty, but the memorial was detained and never forwarded. Zhen then gathered other matters to frame him falsely, and Lu was arrested and thrown into the imperial prison. While the emperor was on tour, he remained imprisoned for more than a year. Only in the fourth month of the fourteenth year was he demoted to administrator of the Longzhou Pacification Commission. Before long Chenhao and Zhen were executed for plotting rebellion; Censors Xie Yuan, Wu Xiru, and others submitted memorial after memorial recommending Lu. Before he could be summoned, Emperor Shizong ascended the throne and Lu was restored to his former rank. He was promoted to commissioner of Fujian, transferred to vice commissioner of Jiangxi, and retired. On Hu Shining's recommendation he was recalled to serve as vice commissioner for military preparedness at Miyun. He had merit in suppressing mining bandits and rose in succession to Left and Right Provincial Administrator of Jiangxi and Fujian. He died in office.
83
張欽，字敬之，順天通州人。 正德六年進士。 由行人授御史，巡視居庸諸關。
Zhang Qin, styled Jingzhi, came from Tongzhou in Shuntian. He received his jinshi degree in the sixth year of Zhengde. From courier he was appointed censor with charge over the passes at Juyong and elsewhere.
84
十二年七月，帝聽江彬言，將出關幸宣府。 欽上疏諫曰：「臣聞明主不惡切直之言以納忠，烈士不憚死亡之誅以極諫。 比者，人言紛紛，謂車駕欲度居庸，遠遊邊塞。 臣度陛下非漫遊，蓋欲親征北寇也。 不知北寇猖獗，但可遣將徂征，豈宜親勞萬乘？ 英宗不聽大臣言，六師遠駕，遂成己巳之變。 且匹夫猶不自輕，陛下奈何以宗廟社稷之身蹈不測之險。 今內無親王監國，又無太子臨朝。 外之甘肅有土番之患，江右有皞賊之擾，淮南有漕運之艱，巴蜀有采辦之困； 京畿諸郡夏麥少收，秋潦為沴。 而陛下不虞禍變，欲縱轡長驅，觀兵絕塞，臣竊危已。」 已，聞朝臣切諫皆不納，復疏言：「臣愚以為乘輿不可出者有三：人心搖動，供億浩繁，一也； 遠涉險阻，兩宮懸念，二也； 北寇方張，難與之角，三也。 臣職居言路，奉詔巡關，分當效死，不敢愛身以負陛下。」 疏入，不報。
In the seventh month of the twelfth year the emperor, heeding Jiang Bin, planned to leave the pass and visit Xuanfu. Qin submitted a remonstrance, saying: "I have heard that a wise ruler does not despise blunt, forthright words when accepting loyal counsel, and that a man of fierce loyalty does not fear the death penalty that follows extreme remonstrance. Recently rumor has swirled that the imperial carriage intends to cross Juyong and travel far into the frontier passes. I judge that Your Majesty does not aim at idle wandering, but likely intends a personal campaign against the northern raiders. Do you not know that the northern raiders are rampant? Generals may be dispatched to lead the expedition—how can the Son of Heaven himself be troubled? Emperor Yingzong did not heed his ministers; the six armies rode far afield, and so arose the disaster of the Jisi year. Even a common man does not lightly risk himself—how can Your Majesty, bearer of the ancestral temples and altars of state, tread into immeasurable peril? Within there is no imperial prince to supervise the realm, and no crown prince to preside over court. Abroad: Gansu suffers from Turfan troubles; Jiangyou is disturbed by Hao bandits; the Huai region faces hardships in grain transport; Bashu is afflicted by procurement burdens; The capital districts have had a poor summer wheat harvest, and autumn flooding has brought disaster. Yet Your Majesty does not guard against calamity and change, but wishes to loosen the reins and ride far to display arms beyond the frontier passes—I, your servant, am deeply alarmed." Thereafter, learning that the earnest remonstrance of court ministers had all gone unheeded, he submitted another memorial: "In my foolish view there are three reasons the imperial carriage must not leave: public hearts are unsettled and provisioning is vast and costly—the first; crossing distant perilous routes while the two palaces are left in anxious suspense—the second; the northern raiders are swelling in strength and are hard to contend with—the third. My duty lies on the remonstrance track; by imperial order I inspect the passes, and in duty bound I should give my life—I dare not spare my person and fail Your Majesty." The memorial was submitted; there was no reply.
85
八月朔，帝微行至昌平，傳報出關甚急。 欽命指揮孫璽閉關，納門鑰藏之。 分守中官劉嵩欲詣昌平朝謁，欽止之曰：「車駕將出關，是我與君今日死生之會也。 關不開，車駕不得出，違天子命，當死。 關開，車駕得出，天下事不可知。 萬一有如『土木』，我與君亦死。 寧坐不開關死，死且不朽。」 頃之，帝召璽。 璽曰：「御史在，臣不敢擅離。」 乃更召嵩。 嵩謂欽曰：「吾主上家奴也，敢不赴。」 欽因負敕印手劍坐關門下曰：「敢言開關者，斬。」 夜草疏曰：「臣聞天子將有親征之事，必先期下詔廷臣集議。 其行也，六軍翼衛，百官扈從，而後有車馬之音，羽旄之美。 今寂然一不聞，輒雲『車駕即日過關』，此必有假陛下名出邊勾賊者。 臣請捕其人，明正典刑。 若陛下果欲出關，必兩宮用寶，臣乃敢開。 不然萬死不奉詔。」 奏未達，使者復來。 欽拔劍叱之曰：「此詐也。」 使者懼而返，為帝言「張御史幾殺臣」。 帝大怒，顧朱寧：「為我趣捕殺御史。」 會梁儲、蔣冕等追至沙河，請帝歸京師。 帝徘徊未決，而欽疏亦至，廷臣又多諫者，帝不得已乃自昌平還，意怏怏未已。 又二十余日，欽巡白羊口。 帝微服自德勝門出，夜宿羊房民舍，遂疾馳出關，數問「御史安在」？ 欽聞，追之，已不及。 欲再疏諫，而帝使中官谷大用守關，禁毋得出一人。 欽感憤，西望痛哭。 於是京師盛傳「張御史閉關三疏」雲。 明年，帝從宣府還。 至關，笑曰：「前御史阻我，我今已歸矣」，然亦不之罪也。
On the first day of the eighth month the emperor went in disguise to Changping; urgent reports said he would leave the pass at once. Qin ordered the commander Sun Xi to shut the pass, take in the gate keys, and hide them. The eunuch Liu Song, stationed to share defense, wished to go to Changping for an audience; Qin stopped him, saying: "The imperial carriage is about to leave the pass—today is the day when you and I meet life or death. If the pass is not opened the imperial carriage cannot leave—we would defy the Son of Heaven's command and must die. If the pass is opened and the imperial carriage can leave, affairs under Heaven become unknowable. Should anything like 'Tumu' occur, you and I die as well. Better to die for keeping the pass closed—death and yet imperishable fame." Before long the emperor summoned Xi. Xi said: "The censor is here; your servant dares not leave without permission." The emperor then summoned Song instead. Song said to Qin: "I am the household slave of our lord—how dare I not go." Qin then shouldered the imperial rescript seal and hand sword and sat beneath the gate, saying: "Whoever speaks of opening the pass—beheaded." At night he drafted a memorial: "I have heard that when the Son of Heaven is to undertake a personal campaign, he must first fix a date, issue an edict, and convene court ministers for deliberation. When he departs, the six armies flank and guard him and officials attend in escort—only then come the sound of chariots and horses and the glory of banners and feathered standards. Now all is silent and nothing is heard, yet it is suddenly said 'the imperial carriage will cross the pass this very day'—there must be someone using Your Majesty's name to leave the frontier and collude with bandits. I request that this person be seized and punished according to law. If Your Majesty truly wishes to leave the pass, the seals of the two palaces must be affixed—only then dare I open it. Otherwise I will defy the command unto ten thousand deaths." Before the memorial arrived, messengers came again. Qin drew his sword and shouted at them: "This is fraud." The messengers fled in fear and reported to the emperor, "Censor Zhang nearly killed us." The emperor flew into a rage and turned to Zhu Ning: "Go seize and kill the censor for me." Just then Liang Chu, Jiang Mian, and others caught up at Shahe and asked the emperor to return to the capital. The emperor hesitated undecided; Qin's memorial also arrived, and many in court remonstrated as well—the emperor had no choice but to return from Changping, though resentment lingered. After more than twenty days Qin was inspecting Baiyang Pass. The emperor, in plain dress, left through Desheng Gate, lodged overnight in a commoner's house at Yangfang, then raced through the pass, repeatedly asking, "Where is the censor?" Qin heard of it and pursued him, but could not overtake him. He wished to remonstrate again, but the emperor had the eunuch Gu Dayong guard the pass and forbid anyone from leaving. Qin, moved to anguish, wept facing west. Thereupon the capital widely repeated the saying "Censor Zhang shut the pass with three memorials." The next year the emperor returned from Xuanfu. When he reached the pass he smiled and said, "The former censor blocked me—I have returned now," yet he did not punish him.
86
世宗嗣位，出為漢中知府。 累官太仆卿。 嘉靖十七年以右副都御史巡撫四川。 召為工部左侍郎，被論罷。
When Emperor Shizong succeeded to the throne, Qin was sent out as prefect of Hanzhong. He rose in succession to Director of the Court of the Imperial Stud. In the seventeenth year of Jiajing he served as Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and grand coordinator of Sichuan. He was summoned as Left Vice Minister of Works, then dismissed after impeachment.
87
欽初姓李。 既通顯，始復其姓。 事父母孝。 有不悅，長跪請，至解乃已。
Qin originally bore the surname Li. Only after he had risen to prominence did he at last restore his original surname. He was filial toward his parents. When they were displeased, he would kneel and plead at length until their anger had passed.
88
周廣，字克之，昆山人。 弘治十八年進士。 歷知莆田、吉水二縣。 正德中，以治最征授御史，疏陳四事，略言：
Zhou Guang, styled Kezhi, came from Kunshan. He received his jinshi degree in the eighteenth year of Hongzhi. He served in succession as magistrate of Putian and Jishui counties. During the Zhengde reign he was summoned for outstanding governance and appointed censor; in a memorial setting forth four matters he wrote, in summary:
89
三代以前，未有佛法。 況剌麻尤釋教所不齒。 耳貫銅環，身衣赭服，殘破禮法，肆為淫邪。 宜投四裔，以禦魑魅。 奈何令近君側，為群盜興兵口實哉！ 昔禹戒舜曰：「毋若丹朱傲，惟慢遊是好。」 周公戒成王曰：「毋若商王紂之迷亂，酗於酒德。」 今之伶人，助慢遊迷亂者也。 唐莊宗與伶官戲狎，一夫夜呼，倉皇出走。 臣謂宜遣逐樂工，不得籍之禁內，乃所以放鄭聲也。
Before the Three Dynasties there was no Buddhist teaching. Lamas, moreover, are held in contempt even within Buddhism itself. With copper rings in their ears and ochre robes on their bodies, they trample ritual and law and indulge in lewd wickedness. They ought to be cast out to the four borderlands to keep demons at bay. How can they be allowed near the ruler's side and furnish rebels with a pretext for taking up arms! In antiquity Yu admonished Shun, saying: "Do not be like the arrogant Danzhu, who loved nothing but idle wandering." The Duke of Zhou admonished King Cheng, saying: "Do not be like King Zhou of Shang in his deluded disorder, drunken in the virtue of wine." Today's actors are precisely those who abet idle wandering and deluded disorder. Emperor Zhuangzong of Tang frolicked intimately with actor-officials; one night a man cried out, and he fled in panic. Your servant holds that musicians ought to be driven away and not registered within the forbidden precincts—this is how licentious music is banished.
90
陛下承祖宗統緒，而群小獻媚熒惑，致三宮鎖怨，蘭殿無征。 雖陛下春秋鼎盛，獨不思萬世計乎？ 中人稍有資產，猶畜妾媵以圖嗣續。 未有專養螟蛉，不顧祖宗繼嗣者也。 義子錢寧本宦豎蒼頭，濫寵已極，乃復攘兌攵貨賄，輕蔑王章。 甚至投刺於人，自稱皇庶子。 僭逾之罪所不忍言。 陛下何不慎選宗室之賢者，置諸左右，以待皇嗣之生。 諸義兒、養子俱奪其名爵，乃所以遠佞人也。
Your Majesty inherits the imperial line of the ancestral house, yet petty men offer flattery and beguilement, so that the three palaces are locked in resentment and the orchid hall knows no auspicious sign. Though Your Majesty is in the prime of life, will you give no thought to the plan of ten thousand generations? Even a man of moderate means, if he has some property, still keeps concubines in hope of continuing his line. There has never been one who devoted himself solely to rearing an adopted son and paid no heed to ancestral succession. The adopted son Qian Ning was originally a eunuch's menial servant; favor lavished on him has already reached its limit, yet he also seizes goods and accepts bribes and treats the royal statutes with contempt. He even handed out calling cards to others and styled himself an imperial bastard son. The crime of presumptuous overreach is more than one can bear to speak. Why does Your Majesty not carefully select worthy members of the imperial clan, place them at hand, and wait for the birth of an imperial heir? All adopted sons and foster sons should be stripped of their titles and ranks—this is how sycophants are kept at a distance.
91
近兩京言官論大臣禦寇不職者，陛下率優容，即武將失律亦赦不誅。 故兵氣不揚，功成無日，川原白骨，積如丘山。 夫出師十萬，日費千金。 今海內困憊已骨見而肉消矣，諸統兵大臣如陳金、陸完輩可任其優遊玩寇，不加切責哉！ 請定期責令成功，以贖前罪。
Lately, when censors of the two capitals criticized grand ministers for failing in their duty to repel invaders, Your Majesty has generally shown leniency; even when military commanders violated discipline, they were pardoned and not punished. Hence martial spirit does not rise, victory seems nowhere in sight, and white bones on field and plain pile up like hills. When an army of a hundred thousand is dispatched, a thousand in gold is spent each day. Now the realm is exhausted to the bone—can commanders-in-chief such as Chen Jin and Lu Wan be allowed to roam at ease and toy with the enemy without stern rebuke! I request that a deadline be set and success demanded of them, so that they may atone for their former crimes.
92
寧見疏大怒，留之不下，傳旨謫廣東懷遠驛丞。 主事曹琥救之，亦被謫。 寧怒不已，使人遮道刺廣。 廣知之，易姓名，變服，潛行四百余裏乃免。 武定侯郭勛鎮廣東，承寧風旨以白金試廣，廣拒不受。 伺廣謁御史，攝致軍門，箠系幾死，御史救之始解。 越二年，遷建昌知縣，有惠政。 寧矯旨再謫竹寨驛丞。
Ning, upon seeing the memorial, flew into a rage; it was detained and not forwarded, and an edict was issued demoting Guang to assistant postmaster of Huaiyuan in Guangdong. The director Cao Hu pleaded for him and was demoted as well. Ning's anger did not cease, and he sent men to lie in wait along the road and assassinate Guang. Guang learned of it, changed his name, altered his dress, and traveled secretly more than four hundred li before he was safe. Marquis Wuding Guo Xun governed Guangdong; following Ning's intent he tested Guang with white silver, but Guang refused to accept it. Waiting until Guang came to pay his respects to the censor, he had him seized and brought to the military headquarters, beaten and bound until he nearly died; only when the censor rescued him was he released. Two years later he was transferred to magistrate of Jianchang, where his benevolent governance won praise. Ning forged an edict and had him demoted again to assistant postmaster of Zhuzhai.
93
世宗即位，復故官，歷江西副使，提督學校。 嘉靖二年舉治行卓異，擢福建按察使。 鎮守中官以百金饋，廣貯之庫，將劾之。 中官懼，謝罪，自是不敢撓。 六年，以右僉都御史巡撫江西，墨吏望風去。 將限豪右田，不果。 明年拜南京刑部右侍郎。 居二年，暴疾卒。 嘉靖末，贈右都御史。
When Emperor Shizong ascended the throne, Guang was restored to his former rank, served as vice commissioner of Jiangxi, and supervised the schools. In the second year of Jiajing he was cited for outstanding governance and promoted to surveillance commissioner of Fujian. The garrison eunuch presented him with a hundred in gold; Guang stored it in the treasury and prepared to impeach him. The eunuch was afraid and apologized; from then on he did not dare interfere. In the sixth year he served as Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief and grand coordinator of Jiangxi; corrupt officials fled at the mere report of his coming. He planned to limit the landholdings of powerful families, but the plan did not succeed. The next year he was appointed Right Vice Minister of Justice at Nanjing. After two years in office he died suddenly of illness. At the end of the Jiajing reign he was posthumously made Right Censor-in-Chief.
94
廣初以鄉舉入太學，師章懋。 在裏闬，與魏校友善。 平生嚴冷無笑容。 居官公強，弗受請托，士類莫不憚之。
Guang first entered the Imperial Academy through the provincial examination and studied under Zhang Mao. In his home district he was on friendly terms with Wei Xiao. All his life he was stern and cold and never smiled. In office he was upright and firm, accepted no private requests, and men of learning all feared him.
95
曹琥，字瑞卿，巢人。 弘治十八年進士。 授南京工部主事，改戶部。 既抗疏救廣，吏部擬調河南通判。 寧欲遠竄，乃改尋甸，再遷廣信同知。 寧王暨鎮守中貴托貢獻，頻有征斂。 琥攝府事，堅持不予，士民德之。 擢鞏昌知府，未任卒。 嘉靖初，贈光祿卿。
Cao Hu, styled Ruiqing, came from Chao. He received his jinshi degree in the eighteenth year of Hongzhi. He was appointed director in the Nanjing Ministry of Works, then transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. After he submitted a bold memorial pleading for Guang, the Ministry of Personnel proposed transferring him to vice prefect of Henan. Ning wished to banish him far away, so the appointment was changed to Xundian, and he was later transferred to vice prefect of Guangxin. Prince Ning and the garrison eunuchs used tribute missions as a pretext and repeatedly imposed levies. Hu, acting in prefectural affairs, firmly refused to comply, and officials and commoners alike were grateful to him. He was promoted to prefect of Gongchang but died before taking up the post. At the start of the Jiajing reign he was posthumously made Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments.
96
石天柱，字季瞻，嶽池人。 正德三年進士。 當除給事中，吏科李憲請如御史例，試職一年，授戶科試給事中。 乾清宮災，上言：「今日外列皇店，內張酒館。 寵信番僧，從其鬼教。 招集邊卒，襲其衣裝。 甚者結為昆弟，無復尊卑。 數離深宮，馳驅郊外。 章疏置之高閣，視朝月止再三。 視老成為贅疣，待義子以心腹。 時享不親，慈闈罕至。 不思前星未耀，儲位久虛。 既不常禦宮中，又弗預選宗室。 何以消禍本，計久長哉！」 屢遷工科都給事中。
Shi Tianzhu, styled Jizhan, came from Yuechi. He received his jinshi degree in the third year of Zhengde. When he was about to be appointed supervising secretary, Li Xian of the Personnel Section asked that the precedent for censors be followed—a probationary year—so he was made a probationary supervising secretary of the Revenue Section. When the Palace of Heavenly Purity burned, he submitted a memorial: "Today imperial shops are set up outside and taverns opened within. Foreign monks are favored and trusted, and their demonic teaching is followed. Frontier soldiers are gathered and made to wear their garb. In extreme cases they are sworn as brothers, and no distinction of rank remains. Again and again one leaves the deep palace and races through the outskirts. Memorials are shelved in the high loft, and audiences are held only two or three times a month. The seasoned and mature are treated as excrescences, while adopted sons are treated as trusted intimates. Seasonal sacrifices are not attended in person, and visits to the empress dowager are rare. No thought is given to the fact that the heir apparent has not yet been named and the succession has long stood empty. One neither regularly resides in the palace nor pre-selects members of the imperial clan. How can the root of calamity be removed and long-term planning secured!" He was promoted in succession to Chief Supervising Secretary of the Works Section.
97
十一年，都督馬昂進其女弟，已有娠，帝嬖之。 天柱率同官合詞抗論，未報。 又上疏曰：「臣等請出孕婦，未蒙進止。 竊疑陛下之意將遂立為己子歟？ 秦以呂易嬴而嬴亡，晉以牛易馬而馬滅。 彼二君者，特出不知，致墮奸計。 謂陛下亦為之耶？ 天位至尊，神明之胄，尚不易負荷，而況幺麽之子。 借使以陛下威力成於一時，異日諸王宗室肯坐視祖宗基業與他人乎？ 內外大臣肯俯首立於其朝乎？ 望急遣出，以清宮禁，消天下疑。」 卒不報。
In the eleventh year the commander Ma Ang presented his younger sister, who was already with child; the emperor favored her. Tianzhu led his colleagues in a joint remonstrance, but received no answer. He submitted another memorial, saying: "We your servants have asked that the pregnant woman be removed, yet we have received no decision. We privately suspect that Your Majesty intends to establish the child as your own son? Qin replaced the Ying house with the Lü house and perished; Jin replaced the Sima house with the Niu house and was destroyed. Those two rulers were simply ignorant beyond measure and so fell into treacherous schemes. Are we to say that Your Majesty will do the same? The throne is supremely exalted; even a descendant of the divine cannot easily bear its weight—how much less the child of a petty man. Even if by Your Majesty's power it were accomplished for a time, would the princes and imperial clansmen later sit by and watch the ancestral foundation pass to another? Would ministers within and without bow their heads and stand in that one's court? We hope she will be sent away at once to clear the palace precincts and dispel the doubts of all under Heaven." In the end there was no reply.
98
泰山有碧霞元君祠，中官黎鑒請收香錢為修繕費。 天柱言祀典惟有東嶽神，無所謂碧霞元君者。 淫祀非禮，不可許。 十二年四月詔毀西安門外鳴玉、積慶二坊民居，有所營建，天柱等疏請停止。 帝皆不省。
On Mount Tai there is a shrine to the Princess of the Azure Clouds; the eunuch Li Jian asked to collect incense money for repair expenses. Tianzhu said that in the sacrificial canon there is only the god of the Eastern Peak; there is no such being as the Princess of the Azure Clouds. Improper cults are contrary to ritual and must not be permitted. In the fourth month of the twelfth year an edict ordered the demolition of commoners' dwellings in the Mingyu and Jiqing wards outside Xi'an Gate for some construction project; Tianzhu and others submitted memorials asking that it be halted. The emperor paid no heed to any of them.
99
是年，帝始巡遊塞外，營鎮國府於宣府，天柱率同官力諫。 孝貞純皇后將葬，帝假啟土為名，欲復巡幸。 天柱念帝盤遊無度，廷臣雖諫，帝意不回，思所以感動之者，乃刺血草疏。 略曰：
That year the emperor began touring beyond the frontier passes and established the Pacification of the Realm Prefecture at Xuanfu; Tianzhu led his colleagues in strenuous remonstrance. When Empress Xiaozhenchun was about to be buried, the emperor used the breaking of ground as a pretext and wished to tour again. Tianzhu, reflecting that the emperor's roaming knew no bounds and that though court ministers remonstrated his mind did not turn, thought how he might be moved—and so drafted a memorial in his own blood. It read in summary:
100
臣竊自念，生臣之身者，臣之親也。 成臣之身者，累朝之恩也。 感成身之恩欲報之於陛下者，臣之心也。 因刺臣血，以寫臣心，明臣愚忠，冀陛下憐察。 數年以來，星變地震，大水奇荒，災異不可勝數，而陛下不悟，禍延太皇太后。 天之意，欲陛下居衰绖中，悔過自新，以保大業也。 尚或不悟，天意或幾乎息矣。 喪禮大事，人子所當自盡。 陛下於太皇太后未能盡孝，則群臣於陛下必不能盡忠。 不忠，將無所不至，猝有變故，人心瓦解矣。 夫大位者，奸之窺也。 昔太康田於洛、汭，煬帝行幸江都，皆以致敗，可不鑒哉！ 方今朝廷空，城市空，倉廩空，邊鄙空，天下皆知危亡之禍，獨陛下不知耳。 治亂安危，在此行止。 此臣所痛心為陛下惜，復昧死為陛下言也。 凡數千言。 當天柱刺血時，恐為家人所阻，避居密室，雖妻子不知。 既上，即易服待罪。 聞者皆感愴，而帝不悟也。
Your servant reflects privately: those who gave birth to my body are my parents. Those who formed my person are the grace of successive reigns. The heart that, moved by the grace that formed my person, wishes to repay it to Your Majesty—this is your servant's heart. I prick my blood to write my heart, to show my stubborn loyalty, hoping Your Majesty will see and understand. For years stars have shifted, the earth quaked, floods and strange famines multiplied beyond count, yet Your Majesty did not awaken until disaster struck the Grand Empress Dowager. Heaven means for Your Majesty to remain in mourning, repent, and renew yourself to preserve the dynasty. If you still do not awaken, Heaven's warning may fall silent altogether. Funeral rites are the great duty a son must fulfill himself. If Your Majesty cannot be filial to the Grand Empress Dowager, ministers cannot be loyal to Your Majesty. Without loyalty, anything may happen; if crisis strikes, the people's hearts will collapse. The throne is what traitors covet. Tai Kang hunted at Luo and the Ru, and Emperor Yang went to Jiangdu—both were ruined. Should this not be a warning? The court is empty, cities empty, granaries empty, frontiers empty—the world knows ruin approaches, yet Your Majesty alone does not. Whether the age is ordered or chaotic, safe or endangered, depends on this conduct. This is what I grieve for Your Majesty; again I risk death to speak. The memorial ran to several thousand words. When Tianzhu pricked his blood he hid in a private room lest his family stop him—even his wife did not know. After submitting it he changed clothes to await punishment. All who heard it were moved, yet the emperor did not awaken.
101
逾月，兵部尚書王瓊欲因哈密事殺都御史彭澤。 廷臣集議，瓊盛氣以待，眾不敢發言。 天柱與同官王爌力明澤無罪，乃得罷為民。 瓊怒，取中旨出兩人於外，天柱得臨安推官。 世宗即位，召復舊職。 遷大理丞，未幾卒。 久之，子請恤，特予祭。
A month later War Minister Wang Qiong sought to use the Hami affair to execute Censor-in-Chief Peng Ze. Ministers met to discuss; Qiong waited arrogantly and none dared speak. Tianzhu and colleague Wang Huang forcefully proved Ze innocent, and Ze was merely dismissed as a commoner. Qiong was furious and used an inner rescript to exile both; Tianzhu became magistrate of Lin'an. When Shizong ascended he was recalled to his former post. He was made vice director of the Court of Judicial Review and soon died. Long after, his son petitioned for honors and special sacrifices were granted.
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贊曰：諫臣之職，在糾慝弼違。 諸臣戒盤遊，斥權幸，引義力爭，無忝厥職矣。 武宗主德雖荒，然文明止於遠竄，入關不罪張欽，其天姿固非殘暴酷烈者比。 而義兒、閹豎，煬竈為奸。 桁楊交錯於闕庭，忠直負痛於狴戶。 批鱗者尚獲生全，投鼠者必陷死地。 元氣日削，朝野震驚，祚以不延，統幾中絕。 風愆之訓，垂戒不亦切乎。
Appraisal: The duty of remonstrating ministers is to correct wrongdoing and support what is right. These men warned against dissipation, expelled powerful favorites, and fought on principle without disgracing their posts. Wuzong's personal virtue was wild, yet Zhang Wenming was only exiled afar and Zhang Qin went unpunished when the emperor returned through the pass—his nature was not the most cruel and violent. Yet adopted sons and eunuchs fanned the flames of wickedness. Pillories filled the court and loyal men suffered in prison. Those who rebuked the throne might survive, but those who held back for fear of collateral harm were destroyed. The dynasty's vital force waned daily, court and countryside were shaken, the reign did not last, and the line nearly broke. The lesson of excess and misrule—was its warning not severe?