《陈书·列传·卷十三》
到鄱阳王任南徐州刺史，敬重他的高尚，惭愧不能将他罗致，于是用谦卑的言词诚恳的意思，命令使者去邀请他，前后几次往返，马枢坚持以生病为由推辞。
及鄱阳王为南徐州刺史，钦其高尚，鄙不能致，乃卑辞厚意，令使者邀之，前后数反，枢固辞以疾。
When he arrived at Poyang Wang to serve as governor of Nanxu Prefecture, he respected his nobility and was ashamed that he could not win him over, so he used humble words and sincere meaning to order the envoy to invite him. After several rounds of travel, Ma Shu insisted on declining on the grounds of illness.