but at a Table apart and she is served by Women who are always prostrate in her presence This Princess has her Court consisting of Mandarins Ladies who see her every day and she holds a Council with her Women about her own affairs she distributes Justice to those belonging to her and the King having given her Provinces she maintains her Court with the Revenue It has happened that when her Women have been proved guilty of great slanders or reveaâ—ing Secrets of great importance she 〈◊〉 made their mouths be sowed up Before the death of the Queen her Mother she was as 't is said inclinable to grèat severities she goes sometimes a Hunting with the King but 't is in a curious Chair placed on an Elephant and where though she is not seen yet she beholds all that passes There are Horsemen who march before her to clear the way and if there be any one in the road that cannot soon get out he prostrates himself on the ground on his face She is all day shut up with her Women diverting her self with no work her dress is plain and light her Legs bare she has light Pumps on her feet always bare headed and wears her Hair not passing four or five Fingers long She is a great lover of sweet scents anointing her Head with oil for in those Countries their Hair must look shining to be fine she Bathes every day which is the custome of all Indians as well men as women I have learnt all this of Madam Constans who oft makes her Court to her All the Women which are in her Chamber are always prostrate with their faces 〈◊〉 the ground in a rank the ancientest are nearest her and they have the liberty to look on the Princess which 〈◊〉 have not in reference to the King be they of what quality they will for as long as they are in his presence they lye prostrate on the ground even when they speak to him The King has two Brothers The King's Brethren here are next Heirs of the Crown to the Exclusion of his Children When he goes out to Hunt or walk notice is given to all Europeans not to be in the way unless they will lye prostrate on the ground A while before he goes out of his Palace you hear the Trumpets sound and Drums beat who march before the King at this noise the Souldiers who stand in a row prostrate themselves their foreheads to the ground with their Muskets under them they are in this posture as long as the King can see them on his Elephant where he is placed in a close gilt Chair the Horse-Guard which attends him which consists of Moors is about forty all the King's Houshold are on foot some behind and some on one side holding their hands closed and thus follow him There are some of the principal Mandarins who follow him on Elephants ten or twelve Officers who carry Umbrellas about the King and there are onely those who do not prostrate themselves for at the same moment that the King stops all the other fall down on their faces and even those that are on Elephants As to the manner which the King of Siam observes in the reception of Ambassadors as those of Tonquin Cochinchine Colconda Malais Java and other Kingdoms he receives them in a great Hall covered with Tapestry the chief men of the Kingdom being in another Hall which stands lower and the Officers of lesser quality in another lower than the former all of them prostrate on Tapestry in expectation of the King's appearance at a window which is over against them the Hall wherein the Ambassadors must be is raised about ten or twelve feet and distant from this Hall thirty feet 't is known the King is upon appearing by the noise of Trumpets Drums and other Instruments The Ambassadors are behind a wall which encloses this Room in expectation of the King 's coming and the Minister's orders which the King sends by one of the Officers of his Chamber according to the quality of the Ambassadors after the Ministers have the King's command the door of the Hall is opened and then the Ambassadors appear with their Interpreters and the Officer of the King's Chamber who serves for a Master of Ceremonies and precedes them on his Knees his hands closed the Ambassador with his Interpreters follows him in the same posture with great modesty till he is come one half of the way where he is to go and then bows himself three times and so continues going to the nearest corner of the Halls where the Guards are and then he begins to bow again there is a Table between the King and the Ambassador about eight foot distant where lye the Presents which the Ambassador brings the King and between this Table and the Ambassador's there is a Mandarin who receives the King's words in this Hall are the King's Ministers distant from the Ambassadors about three paces and the Captain of the people whence the Ambassador is between him and the Ministers the King begins to speake first and not the Ambassador ordering his Ministers to enquire of the Ambassador when he parted from the Presence of his Master whether the King and all the Royal Family be in health to which the Ambassador answers what 's fitting by his Interpreter the Interpreter tells it the Captain of the Nation as they call it of which the Ambassador is the Captain to the Barcalon and the Barcalon to the King After this the King offers some questions about two or three Points concerning the Ambassador and afterwards the King orders the next Officer to the Table to give Betel to the Ambassador which is the sign to present him a Vest and immediately the King retires with the noise of Drums and Trumpets and other Instruments The Ambassador's first Audience passes between him and the Minister who examines the Letter and the Presents of the Prince who has sent them The Ambassador does not present the Letter to the King but to the Minister after some days of Council held on this subject When they be Ambassadors of Independant Kings as of the Countries of Persia the Great Mogol the Emperour of China or Japon they are received in this following manner The Grandees of the first and second rank go to the foot of the window where the King is to prostrate themselves according to their qualities on Tapestry when those of the third fourth and fifth rank are in a lower Hall and expect the King 's coming who appears at a window which jets out of a wall and is raised ten foot the Ambassadors are in a place out of the Palace expecting the Master of the Ceremonies who comes and receives them and there are the same Ceremonies used which I have already mentioned The Ambassador entring into the Palace puts his hand upon his head marches through two Halls to the Stairs which are over against the window where the King is and when he is there he claps one
her and the Bolt-sprit of this Ship laid on cross my Stern I caused about twenty Musquet Shot to be fired among her Men which immediately made her clear her self of us and taking the advantage of the Wind and clapping on all her Sails we knew not what Nation she was of for no body in the Ship spoke one word and we observed but few Men on board her I suppose her to have been some Merchant Ship guided by unskilfull hands they did our Ship some mischief but the damage was repaired next morning On Tuesday being the twenty eighth at night we discovered the entrance of the Strait of Banca and on the twenty ninth in the morning we entred therein Although we had a good Dutch Pilot yet we ran upon a muddy bank of Sand there being many of this kind in this Strait and ti being usual for Vessels to meet with them without much hurt therefore this did not much disturb us for I caused a small Anchor to be cast on the side of Sumatra and in less than two hours we got off clear from this Bank We were three days passing this Strait The Isle of Sumatra is on the left and contains two hundred and fifty Leagues in length and about fifty in breadth The Hollanders have four or five Fortresses here its people are Mahometans and under the Regiment of five or six Kings The Queen of Achem possesses one of the largest Countries and governs with great Authority and Regularity The Hollanders are in a manner Masters of all these Princes they deal with them for whatsoever the Island yields where 't is said there are golden Mines great quantities of Pepper Rice all sorts of Cattle and in some Cantons the people are very barbarous and the Kings are oft at war one with one another Those who receive the Hollanders protection are ever the strongest 'T is the same in the Isle of Java for three hundred Europeans do beat five or six thousand Men of these Nations who know not tho Art of War It lies four degrees Southward of the Equinoctial Line The Dutch have a Fort on the side of the Strait of Banca strengthened with twenty four pieces of Canon the Fort is built upon the River called Palembone which runs so violently into the Sea that three or four months in the year in rainy weather the water of it when in the Sea does yet keep its freshness The Isle of Banca lay on the right hand of us being about fourty Leagues long The Dutch have a Fort there and drive a considerable Trade with the Natives of the Countrey 't is said to be a very good and fruitfull Countrey when I sailed by the River of Palembone the Dutch were there lading two Vessels with Pepper On the third of September we past the Line again by the help of good weather the air being temperate and without excessive Heats so that I still wore my Cloth suit till I past over to the Coasts of Africa We came before the Strait of Malaca which has four or five passages or entrances but the Streams were so great and running sometimes against us that we were forced oft to cast Anthor for when the Calm took us the Streams forcibly carried us a great distance but we left not this Coast by reason of the Winds which always â—low from the land and greatly helped us in our course I believe this Countrey 's Air to be good for we had many sick who were all recovered by â—t On the fifth we discovered the Isle of Polimon which is inhabited by Malaises who are Mahometans This is a plentifull Countrey and obedient to a Prince by whom 't is governed The Queen of Achem has some pretensions to it and for this effect she sends thither every year some Vessels but this Prince being not willing to engage in a War against her his people pay her Tribute There came a small Boat to our Ship side which brought us some Fish and Fruits This Isle is distant from the Continent about six Leagues part of its Coasts was heretofore subject to the King of Siam but it has been since some years in the possession of two or three Kings one of which is the King of Malais This is a very unsociable Nation and will enter into no Commerce From the fifth to the fifteenth we had but small Winds and very variable and Calms which caused us oft to cast Anchor as also by reason of Streams which run along this Coast From the Strait of Banca to Siam the Land is not wont to be left The same day we found our selves before Ligor which is the chief place belonging to the King of Siam The Hollanders have a habitation there and liberty of Trade 'T is hard to express the Joy which the Siamoises whom we brought along with us had to see their own Countrey and it cannot be better compared than to that which we felt at our return when God brought us safe to Brest Here died a young Gentleman having been ill five months with a bloudy Flux whom the King sent to attend me in my Voyage he was a Youth of great hopes and I was much afflicted at the loss of him In short thanks be to God on the twenty fourth we cast Anchor before the River of Siam Our whole Ship 's crew were in good health I sent to the Bishop of Metellopolis Mr. le Vacher a Missionary who came with the Mandarins into France and whom I brought along with them with charge to entreat him to come to me that I might learn what had happened this eighteen months since the King of Siam sent into France On the twenty ninth the Bishop came on board with the Abbat of Lionne who informed me of whatsoever had past telling me that the King of Siam having heard at midnight of my arrival by Mr. Constance one of his Ministers he shewed great joy and ordered him to go and advertise the Bishop of it and to dispatch two Mandarins of the first rank who are in a manner as the chief Gentlemen of the King's Chamber are in France to assure me of the joy he conceived at my arrival They came two days after on board me whom I received in my Cabin the Bishop sitting by me and they and others sitting down on Carpets laid on the floor it being the custome of the Country to sit in that manner there being no person but the King who sits higher They told me the King their Master had commanded them to shew me the Joy he had at my arrival and at the News of our King 's having vanquished all his Enemies and become absolute Master of his Kingdom Having denoted to them how much I thought my self beholden to the King their Master and answered what they offered touching our Prince I told them I was extremely satisfied with the Governor of Bancok for his reception of those I sent him as also with the Presents he had made me They replyed
Sleeves with Diamonds which lookt like a kind of Collar and Bracelets He had a great many Diamond Rings on his fingers I cannot say what kind of Shoes or Stocking he had on having onely in this Audience seen half his Body He had fourscore Mandarins in his Parlor where 〈◊〉 was all prostrate on the ground and who never left this posture all this while The King is about fifty five years of age well shaped somewhat tanned as all of those Countreys are having a chearfull countenance his inclinations are Royal he is couragious a great Politician governing alone magnificent liberal a Lover of Arts in a word a Prince who by his Wit has freed himself from diverse Customer which he found in his Kingdom borrowing of strange Countreys and especially of Europe whatsoever he thought might most contribute to the Honour and Happiness of his Reign These Mandarins whom I now mentioned had neither Shoes nor Stockins and were apparelled like those I have heretofore spoke of with Caps like the King 's and each of them had a Box wherein he put his Betel Arreck and Tobacco By these Boxes a Man may distinguish their Qualities and Ranks some differing from others Affter the King had discoursed with me an hour he shut his Window and I retired The place of Audience was about twelve or fifteen steps high 't was finely painted within with flowers of Gold from the top to the bottom the Floor was covered with rich Tapestry at the end of this Parlor there were two pair of large Stairs on each hand which led into the Chamber where the King was in the middle of these two pair of Stairs are Windows to which you must go up some steps before which there were three great Umbrella's they were of Cloth of Gold and their Sticks painted with Gold one was in the middle of the Window and the two others on both sides 't is through this Window we saw the King's Throne and through which he gave me Audience Mr. Constans carried me afterwards to view the rest of the Palace where I saw the white Elephant who ate and drank out of Gold I saw also others very fine ones after which I returned to my Lodging in the same Pomp wherein I came which House was well enough and all my retinue were well accommodated in it I was informed that Mr. Constans had given order from the King to all the Mandarins 〈◊〉 foreign Nations that dwell in his Kingdom to come to these Lodgings and being there he told them the King was minded they should see in what distinct manner he treated the Ambassadours of France and those of other Nations This distinction being due to the King of France a most mighty Monarch and who knew to requite the Civilities shewed him These Mandarins were astonished and answered they had never seen an Ambassadour from France and were persuaded that the singular reception which the King gave him was due to the Character of so great a Prince seeing his Victories have long since been known to the remotest parts of the World and therefore they were not surprised at the King's distinction At the same time Mr. Constans ordered them from the King to come and complement me The same day at night Mr. Constansâ—an â—an e again to see me and then we had a longer conversation There were â—n my Lodgings a great number of Mandarins and Siamoises as a guard and to furnish us what things we needed at the King's charge On the ninteenth there came a great many Mandarins to attend me and Mr. Constans with a Present of Fruits and of that Countreys Sweet-meats The same day the Bishop of Metellopolis was sent for by the King to interpret his Majesty's Letter On the twenty second the King sent me several pieces of strip'd Satin morning Gowns of Japon and a set of Gold buttons and to the Gentlemen which accompanied me some stuffs of Gold and Silver Indian work the King's custome being to present at one's arrival Stuffs wherewith to make Cloaths after the fashion of the Countrey But as for my part I made no new Cloaths and there were onely the Gentlemen of my train who did it At night being accompained by the Bishop I went to give a visit to Mr. Constans On the twenty fourth the King seâ—â— me word he would give me Audienâ—â— the next morning On the twenty fifth I came to the Palace with all my Train together with the Bishop the King gave me 〈◊〉 particular Audience wherein he told me many things of which I gave aâ— account to his Majesty I Dined 〈◊〉 the Palace Garden under great Treeâ— and I was served with several Disheâ— of Meat and Fruits the chief Mandarins as the great Treasurer the Captains of the King's Guards and otherâ— attended us this Treat held three oâ— four hours and there was in the Garden a Pond in which there were 〈◊〉 great many rare Fish and amongâ—â— others there was one which represented the countenance of a man On the twenty ninth I went to give a visit to the Barcalon who is the King 's chief Minister who seemed to me to be a man of sense the Bishop accompanied me and was Interpreter to us bothâ— On the thirtieth I went to the Palacâ— to see the Pagod or the King of Siam domestick Temple there was then iâ— the Court of the Palace a Combat or to speak better an Elephant fight for the Elephants were tyed by the two hind feet on each of them rode two men who held in their hands a crook with which they governed them as Horses are managed by a bridle they struck them several times to animate them and the Elephants had fought well no question had they had liberty they onely gave one another blows with their teeth and trunks the King was there present but I did not see him We past through this Court into several others and afterwards came into the Pagod the Portal appeared to be ancient and well wrought the whole building indifferent handsome and of the form of our Churches in Europe we saw several Statues of Brass gilt which seemed to offer sacrifices to a great Idol all of Gold about forty foot high on the side of which Idol there were several other small ones some of which being also of Gold had lighted Lamps fastned into them from the top to the bottom of them At the end of this Pagod there is another great Idol on a stately Tombestone I afterwards went into another Pagod adjoyning to the first and I past under into a Vault like a Cloister where there were Idols on each hand gilded who had each oâ— them a Lamp burning before them which the Talapoins which are the Priests of Siam do light every night In this Pagod was the Tomb of the deceased Queen who died about four or five years since 't is magnificent enough and behind this Tomb was another of this present King 's Predecessor's represented by a great Statue lying
Majesty's Interests were as dear to him as his own I thereupon ordered Monsr de la Mare to remain with the King who gave to him a Vest of Stuff of Gold The King told me he would send a little Elephant to the Duke of Burgundy which he shewed me and having a while thought on it he said that if he should give one onely to the Duke of Burgundy he feared lest the Duke of Anjou should take it ill and therefore he would send two and I designing to part the next morning to go on board I presented the Gentlemen to him who were with me to take leave of his Majesty the King wisht them a good Voyage The Bishop would have presented to him Messieurs the Abbat de Lionne and le Vacher Missionaries to take their leave of him but he told the Bishop that as to those two persons they were of his Family and that he respected them as his Children and that they should take their leave of him in his Castle afterwards the King retired and I attended on him to the end of the Wood taking the way of Louvo because the King had a House in the Wood where he usually tarries whilst he is busied in this Game of Elephants On Wednesday the twelfth the King gave me Audience of Leave the Bishop was there he was pleased to say he was very well satisfied with me and my Negotiation he gave me a great golden Vessel which they call a Boss and this is one of the most honourable marks of the King's Favour he told me he would not have the accustomed Ceremonies about it because there might be something which would not please me by reason of the Genuflexions which the greatest of the Kingdom are obliged to make on this occasion There is no Stranger in his Court excepting the King of Camboye's Nephew who has received the like Mark of Honour which signifies that one is an Oyas a Dignity in that Countrey comparable to a Duke in France there are several sorts of Oyas which are distinguished by their Bosses This Monarch had the goodness to tell me several things in such an obliging manner that I dare not relate them and in all my Voyage I received such great Honours that I should scarce be believed were they not sole due to the Character His Majesty has been pleased to honour me with I received also a thousand Civilities from his Ministers and the rest of his Court Messieurs the Abbat of Lionne and le Vacher took at the same time their leaves of the King who having wisht them a good Voyage gave each of them a golden Crucifix the Foot of it being Silver At the end of the Audience Monsr Constans carried me into a Parlor surrounded with Water-spouts which was in the Palace where I found a Table very well spread after the manner of the Kingdom of Siam The King had the goodness to send me two or three Dishes from His Table for he dined at the same time about five of the Clock I went into a gilt Chair carried by ten Men and the Gentlemen who accompanied me rode on Horseback we entred into our Barks and were attended by a great many Mandarins the Streets were lined with Soldiers Elephants and Moorish Cavaliers 'T was the same also in the morning when I had my last Audience all the Mandarins that accompanied me to my Barge went into theirs and came with me there were about an hundred Barges and I arrived the next morning being the thirteenth at Siam about three in the morning The King of Siam's Letter and his Ambassadors for France were with me in a very stately Barge attended by several others The King made me several Presents amongst which was a crucifix the body of which is Gold a Cross of Tambacq which is a metal more esteemed than Gold in that Countrey with several other Curiosities of the Indies and the Custome of these Countries being to gratifie those who bring the Presents I gave to the Steers-men of the King's Barges about eight or nine hundred Pistols As to Monsr Constans I took the Liberty to give him a piece of Houshold-stuff which I had brought along with me from France and to Madam his Wife several Presents to the value of an hundred and fifty Pistols the King also gave Presents to the value of seven or eight hundred Pistols to the Abbat de Choisy in China Cabinets Japon Works and other Indian Curiosities On the fourteenth at five of the Clock at night I parted from Siam accompanied by Mr. Constans several Mandarins and a great many Barges and arrived at Bancoc the next morning the Forts by the way and those of Bancoc saluted me with all their Artillery I remained a day at Bancoc because the King had told me in an Audience that being a Soldier he desired me I would view the Fortifications of it and to tell his Servants what it wanted and to pitch on a place whereon to build a Church I drew a small draught and gave it to Monsr Constans On the sixteenth in the morning I parted thence accompanied by Mandarins the Forts saluted me and at four of the Clock I arrived at the Bar of Siam in the Shalops belonging to the King's Ships on board of which I went about seven of the Clock On the seventeenth the King of Siam's Frigat in which were the Ambassadors came and cast Anchor near my Ship I sent my Shalop which brought two of the Ambassadors and I afterwards sent back the same Shalop which brought the other Ambassador and the King's Letter which was written on a Leaf of Gold rowled up and put into a Gold Box we saluted the Letter with the firing of several pieces of Cannon 't was laid on a Table with a Canopy over it and when the Mandarinsâ—ast â—ast near it they reverenced it after their manner it being their custome to â—oe the greatest Honours they are able to the King's Letter The next morning this Ship left us and went back again up the River and at the same time appeared another Ship of the King of Siam's who came and cast Anchor â—ear us in which was Monsr Constans â—e came on board of me the next morning being the nineteenth where he diâ—ed and afterwards he went to land in â—â—y Shalop I saluted him with twenty pieces of Cannon and we parted with â—o small trouble for we had begun a strict Friendship and treated one another with the greatest confidence he is a Person of great Sense and Merit I was astonisht to hear no News of Monsr de Vacher a Missionary of the French Company and of my Secretary who were to have been on board before me having been informed that they parted from the River of Siam on the sixteenth with seven Gentlemen who were to accompany the King of Siam's Ambassadors and several of their Domesticks this made me think they were lost aâ—â— made me resolve not to tarry for theâ— for the Wind was favourable bâ—
Monsr Constans desired me to have patience one day whilst he would senâ— along the Coast for News of them The next morning being the twentieth part of these People came oâ— board four of the Gentlemen belonging to the King of Siam's Ambassadors and most of their Domesticks having been unwilling to embark themselves in a Boat they had gotten by the way because 't was too shallow they told me that the same day being the sixteenth they came near our Vesseâ— at eleven at night and thinking to caâ—â— Anchor they had not Rope enough iâ— their Boat which they perceived iâ— seeing their Boat fall off from the Vessel then there arose a great Wind which made the waves arise and the Streams ran against them which carried them fourty Leagues out at Sea with great danger of being cast away they told us they had left the others about twenty five Leagues off who were thrown upon a muddy bank so that they are not to be expected so soon which made me resolve not to go away before next morning I believe I ought 〈◊〉 this place to speak of the Jesuits which were embarkt with us at Brest and whom we left at Siam They were â—ather Fontenay Tachart Gerbillon leâ—â—mte Bouvet and another Men of Vertue and Learning whom the King had chosen to send to China to make Mathematical Observations I think I â—m bound in Justice to say of them â—â—at when we were arrived to the â—ape of Good Hope the Dutch Goverâ—our was very kind to them and gave â—hem an House in the Garden belonging to the Company very fitting to â—ake their Observations in where â—hey carried all their Mathematical Inâ—truments but as I remained but six or â—even days in this place they had not â—â—me to make a great many These Fathers have been very usefull to me in â—ny Voyage to Siam by their Piety their good Examples and the pleasantness of their conversations I had everyday near five or six Masses said and 〈◊〉 had set apart a Chamber for that very purpose All the Festivals and Sâ—â— days we had a Sermon or a short Eâ—â—hortation Father Tachart one of theâ—â— catechised the whole Ship 's Company three times a Week and the same â—â—ther has done much good in the Shipâ— for discoursing familiarly with the Seâ— men and Souldiers there 's not one 〈◊〉 them but performs his Devotions 〈◊〉 composed all differences which arâ— amongst them These Fathers went 〈◊〉 Siam intending to embark themselves on Portugal Vessels which are to 〈◊〉 met with commonly at Macao aâ—â— which return to China They fouâ—â— here Monr Constans the King of Siam 〈◊〉 Minister who very much loves the Jâ—suits and protects them he has entertained them at Louvo in one of the King's Houses and defrays all theâ—â— Charges himself In an Audience which the King gavâ— me I told him I had brought with 〈◊〉 six Jesuits who intended for China to make Mathematical Observations and that they had been chosen by the King my Master as the most capable in this Science He told me he would see them and was very glad they were reconciled with the Bishop he has spoke to me several times on that Subject Monsr Constans presented them to him four or five days after and by good hap for whom there was then an Eclipse of the Moon The King bid them bring along with them their Mathematical Instruments into a House where he was going to lie a League off of Louvo where 〈◊〉 commonly is when he takes the pleasure of Hunting the Fathers faiâ—ed not to come there and planted themselves with their spectacles in a Gallery where the King came about three of the Clock in the morning which was the time of the Eclipse They made him see in their Instrument all the Effects of the Eclipse which â—id much please him he shewed them much respect and told them he knew Monr Constans was their Friend as well as Father de la Chaize He gave them 〈◊〉 great Crucifix of Gold and of Tambacq and bid them to send it from him to Father la Chaize he gave another smaller to Father Tachart telling them he would see them another timeâ— Seven or eight days before my departure Mr. Constans offered the Fathers that if two of them would remain at Siam the King would be very glad of it they answered they could not being ordered by the King of France to make what haste they could to China he answered this being so they must writâ— to their General to send a dozen of them as soon as he could to Siam the King having told him he would build them Prospect houses Churches and 〈◊〉 other Conveniencies Father Fontenâ—â— made this known to me I told hiâ— he could not do better than accept oâ— this proffer seeing in the end thiâ— must turn to a great advantage he told me upon my encouragement 〈◊〉 intended to send Father Tachart intâ— France on this occasion which I approved of Father Tachart being a man of great Wit and who would undoubtedly effect this business Letter not being sufficient to remove seven objections which might be raised wherefore I brought him with me home This Father has moreover much assisted me as also the Gentlemen which accompanied me whom he taught during our Voyage a considerable part of the Mathematicks I shall say nothing of the great qualities of Mr. the Bishop of Metellopolis nor of the Progress of the Missionaries in the East seeing that according to their Custome they will not fail to give the publick a full relation of what concerns Religion in those Countreys I should have great satisfaction to have met there with Monsieur the Bishop of Heliopolis the King of Siam told me one day what Joy 't would have been to him to have seen an Ambassador in that Countrey from France but it did not please God to give us that consolation and we were informed that he had ended in China his laborious Pilgrimage But before we relate our Arrival at Brest I believe it will be convenient to give an Account here of what I remarked during that small time I was in the Kingdom of the Manners Customs Government Commerce and Religion of these People Of the Government State Manners Religion and Commerce of the Kingdom of Siam in the neighbouring Countries and several other particularities EVery day the Mandarins whose place it is to do Justice meet together in a Hall where they hear Causes This place is in the King's Palace where those that have any request to make stand at the door till they be called and then they enter with their Petition in their Hands Strangers who have any complaint concerning Traffick offer it to the Barcalon who is the King 's Chief Minister and determins all Affairs about Commerce and the occasions of Strangers in his absence his usual Deputy does it and in both their absences a kind of Aldermen There is an Officer appointed to see after the Taxes and others for other matters
When Affairs have been examined an account thereof is given to the Officers within the Palace who relate the same to the King sitting then on a high Throne all the Mandarins prostrate themselves with their Faces on the Ground and the Barcalon or others of the Chief Oyas acquaint the King with the Affair and their Judgments thereupon which he confirms or alters according to his Will and this extends to the chief businesses but he oft causes matters to be brought into the Palace and sends his pleasure in Writing The King is a most absolute Prince and a Man may say him to be the Siamoises God they dare not call him by his Name He punishes most severely the smallest Crime for his Subjects must be governed in a strict manner he sometimes makes use of Souldiers of his Guard to punish the guilty when their Crime is extraordinary and sufficiently proved Those who are commonly employed in these sort of Executions are an hundred and fifty Souldiers or thereabout who have their Armes painted from the Shoulder to their Wrists the common punishment is thirty forty fifty or more stripes on the Shoulders of the Criminal according to the greatness of the Crime others are peckt into the head with a sharp pointed Iron as to Accomplices in a fault worthy of Death after the Head has been cut off from a real Criminal 't is tied about the Neck of the Confederate and is left exposed to the Sun for three days and three nights which gives a most filthy stink to him that carries it In this Kingdom the Law Talionis is in great use the worst punishment was not long ago to condemn Malefactours to the River which is such another kind of punishment as the Gallies or rather worse but now they are punisht with Death The King minds building more than any of his Predecessours repairing the Walls of Towns raising up Pagodes and adorning his Palace building Houses for Foreigners and Ships after the European Fashion he is very kind to Strangers retaining several of them in his Service and desirous of more The Kings of Siam were not wont to let themselves be seen as this does they lived always alone but this present King lives like others but Monsr Berithe an Apostolick Vicar made use of a certain Brame who being a kind of Boufon had great liberty of speaking to this Monarch by whose means he gave the Prince to understand the Power and Manner of the Government of our great Monarch and also the Customs of all the Kings in Europe so that he being a Man of Sense as I already observed he thought fit to send for Monsieur Berithe and afterwards several others since which time he is become very affable and accessible to Strangers Those who administer Justice are called according to their different Offices Oyas Obrat Oyas Momrat Oyas Campeng Oyas Ricchou Oyas Shaynan Opran Olvan Oeun Omun Heretofore when the Kings would not let themselves be seen the ministers did what they pleased but the present King who wants not Judgment and is a great Politician will be ignorant of nothing he has sixt to him Mr. Constans of whom I have several times spoken He is a Greek by Nation a person of great vivacity of spirit and extraordinary prudence he can and does do all things under the King's authority in the Kingdom but this Minister would never accept of any great office which the King has offered him several times The Barcalon who died about two years since and who by right of his place had the management of all affairs of State was a person of great abilities that acquitted himself well in his employments and was greatly beloved he that succeeded him was a Malais by nation which is a Countrey near to Siam he made great use of Mr. Bacon an English man to bring the King into an ill opinion of Mr. Constans and render him suspected but the King understâ—od the others malice caused him to be cudgeled to death and dispossessed him of his office he that enjoys it at present lives in good intelligence with Mr. Constans As by the Laws introduced by the Priests who are called Talopoins 't is not allowable to kill so Malefactors were heretofore condemned to the chain or led into some Deserts to perish there with hunger whereas this present King causes their heads to be struck off and throws them to Elephants The King has spies to know whether matters of any importance are concealed from him he most severely chastises those who abuse their authority Every strange Nation established in the Kingdom of Siam has particular Officers and the King takes of all these Nations persons which he makes general Officers throughout all his Kingdom There are many Chinoises in his Countrey there were heretofore many Moors but some years past he discovered so many foul treacheries amongst them such frauds and enormities that he has banish'd most of them out of his Countrey The commerce of strange Merchants was heretofore very considerable but since some years the various revolutions which have happened in China Japon and other parts of the Indies have discouraged all Trade Yet 't is hoped seeing all these disturbances are quieted Trade will flourish again and that the King of Siam by means of his Minister will send his Ships to take in the most pretious commodities in all the Eastern Countries and reduce all things to their first state They make War after a different manner from most Nations driving their Enemies out of their places without doing them any farther harm than the making them slaves and if they bear Arms it seems rather they intend to affright them by shooting on the ground or up into the air than to kill them and if they doe 't is rather out of necessity than by their good-wills but this happens seldom because all their Enemies follow the same method There are Companies and Regiments who are detached from the rest during the night who go into the Enemies Villages and lead away all the Inhabitants captives as well Women as Children the King gives them Lands and Buffalo's to cultivate them and when the King has need he makes use of them These late years the King has made War against the revolted Cambogions assisted by the Chinoises and Cochinnoises where he was forced to fight in earnest and there were several Souldiers killed on both sides He has had several Commanders that are Europeans who instruct them to fight after our manner Before this War there was a great commerce between their States and that of Siam drew great advantages by the great quantities of Gold Musk Elephants teeth and other Merchandises which came from Laos in exchange for Linen and other Goods The King of Siam is still at wars with the King of Pegu he has several Slaves of this Nation There are People of several Countries in his Kingdom the Moors were in great abundance as I already said but now several of them are fled into
the Kingdom of Colconde who were in the King's service and have carried along with them above twenty thousand Catis each Catis being worth fifty Crowns The King of Siam wrote to the King of Colconde to send him back those Fugitives or oblige them to pay the Sum but the King would not listen to the proposal which has put the King of Siam on proclaiming a War against him and taking a Ship at the time when I was at Siam belonging to him whose lading is valued at an hundred thousand Crowns There are six Frigats commanded by English and French who cruise on those Coast Of late the Emperour of China has given leave to all Strangers to come and Negotiate in his Kingdom this permission is onely for five years but 't is hoped it will be continued seeing 't is of great advantage to his Countrey The King of Siam has a great many Malais in his Kingdom they are Mahometans but good Souldiers yet their Religion differs much from the Moors The Pegorans are as numerous in this Countrey as the originary Siamoises There are also a great many Laoises especially towards the North. Here are also eight or nine Families of Native Portuguises but of those which are called Mesties above a thousand that is to say those who are born of Portuguises and Siamoise women The Dutch have there onely one Factory The English the same The French also The Cochinnoises are about an hundred Families most Christians Amongst the Tonquinoises there are seven or eight Christian Families The Malaises are in great numbers who are most of them slaves and who consequently do not make a body The Macassars and several of the People of the Isle of Java are there establish'd as also the Moors under the Name of these last are comprehended Turks Persians Moguls Colcondoises and those of Bengala The Armenians make a separate body they are fifteen or sixteen Families all Christians the greatest part of them are Horsemen of the King's Guard As to the manners of the Siamoises they are a People very docible which proceeds rather from their nature which desires quiet than any other cause and therefore the Talapoins who make profession of this apparent vertue forbid the killing of all sorts of animals yet when any others kill Pullets or Ducks they eat their flesh without troubling themselves who did the murther or wherefore they were killed The Siamoises are generally chaste having but one Wife but the rich People such as the Mandarins have Concubines who remain shut up all their lives The people are trusty and seldom steal but 't is not the same with some of the Mandarins The Malaises who are very numerous in this Kingdom are a very base People and great Thieves In this great Kingdom there are several Pegovans who have been taken in War they are a more stirring and vigorous sort of People than the Siamoises the Women are given to liberty and their conversation is dangerous The Laoises people the fourth part of the Kingdom of Siam and being one half Chinoises they partake of their manners their craft and inclinations to shirk handsomely their Women are white and not ugly very sociable and consequently perilous In the Kingdom of Laos a man that meets a woman to salute her with the accustomed civility kisses her publickly and did he do otherwise he would grievously offend her The Siamoises as well Officers as Mandarins are generally rich for they spend hardly any thing the King giving them Servants who are obliged to maintain themselves at their own cost being as it were slaves they are under an obligation to serve them for nothing half a year and these Masters having many of them they make use of one part whilst the other rest themselves but those who do not serve them pay them every year a sum of money their Victuals are cheap it being onely Rice Fish and little Flesh and there 's great plenty of this in the Countrey their Cloaths last them long being entire pieces of Stuff which do not so soon were out as our Apparel and cost very little Most of the Siamoises are Bricklayers or Carpenters and there are very good workmen amongst them exactly imitating the curious Works of Europe As to Painting they are in a manner ignorant of the use of it there are Carved works in their Pagodes and their Tombs are well polished and very stately They colour finely with Lime which they soak in water which they draw out of a Tree found in the Forests which makes it so lasting that it dures an hundred or two hundred years although exposed to the injury of the weather Their Religion to speak properly is onely a parcel of Fabulous Tales which serve onely to bring respect and profit to the Talapoins who recommend not so much any Vertue to them as that of giving them Money They have Laws which they strictly observe especially outwardly Their end in all their good works is the hope of a happy Transmigration after their death into the body of a rich Man of a King or great Lord or of a tame animal as Cows or Sheep for these People are so far Pythagoreans they for this reason do much esteem these Animals and dare not as I have noted kill any of them as knowing not but they may kill their Father or Mother or some other of their Relations They believe a Hell where great enormities are severely punished onely for a time as also a Paradise wherein men of vertue are rewarded where having become Angels for some time they afterwards return into the Body of some man or other animal The Talapoins chief business is to read sleep eat sing and beg they go every morning to the Houses or Barges of persons they know and stand there for a while with great reservedness holding their Fan so that they cover half their Faces if they see any one disposed to give them any thing they tarry till they have received it they eat whatsoever is given them whether Pullets or any other flesh but they never drink Wine at least before people they perform no office nor prayers to any Divinity The Siamoiâ—â—â— believe there have been three great â—alapoins who by their most sublime â—erlts in several thousand Transmigrations have become Gods and having been so have moreover acquired such great merits that they have been wholly annihilated which is the term of the greatest merit and the greatest ecompence attainable being no longer fired by their frequent changes of bodies The last of these three Talaeins is the greatest God called Naâ—don because he has been in five thousand bodies in one of these Transâ—igrations of a Talapoin he became 〈◊〉 Cow his Brother would have killed him several times but there needs a great book to describe the miracles which they say Nature and not God wrought for his preservation In short this Brother was thrown into Hell for his great sins where Nacodon caused him to be crucified and for this foolish reason
Wars and they being enemies to labour they love onely those things that are easie so that those Plains and Forests which are to be seen on the Mountains serve for a retreat to Elephants Tygers and wild Cows Deer and Rhinocero's and other Animals which are here in great quantities As to Plants and Fruits there are several in the Countrey but which are not of great use and which cannot be easily brought over by reason of the length of the way There are no Birds but what we have in Europe excepting one like a Black-bird which counterfeits the laughing of a Man his singing and whistling the Fruits the most esteemed are Durions they have a very strong scent which does not agree with every body but as to their taste 't is excellent This fruit is very hot and dangerous to ones health if a Man eats much of it There is a great Nut about which is a kind of Cream shut in a rine which my Palate could never approve of Mango is in this Countrey in prodigious quantities and this is the best Fruit in the Indies of an exquisite taste no ways incommoding unless a Man eats too much of them then indeed they may cause a Fever it 's like an Almond but as big as a large Pear The Mangoustan is a Fruit like a green Nut which has within it a white Fruit of a sharp and pleasant taste like that of a Peach or Plum it 's very cold and yet stringent The Jacques is a great Fruit which is very good but hot and causes Fluxes in the Bowels when one eats of it with excess The Nana is like the Durion that is to say in respect of its Skin it has at its end a crown of leaves like the Artichoke its meat is very good tasting like a Peach and Apricock together it 's very hot and strong which makes it commonly eaten soakt in Wine The Figs are a sweet Fruit of a kind nature yet somewhat phlegmatick there are of them all the year long The Ate is a very good sweet Fruit and does no hurt there are who esteem it more than all the Fruits in the Indies There are Oranges of all kinds which are very good The Pataie is a very good Fruit but the Tree which bears it lives onely two years The Penplemouse is a wholesome Fruit which is like the Orange but of a sharper taste There are several other Fruits which are not so good They began some years past to sow Corn in the high Countries near the Mountains which comes up well and is very good As also Vines which have been several times planted but to little purpose being eaten up to the roots by a sort of Ants. There are a great many Sugar Canes which yield abundance as also Tobacco which the Siamoises eat with Arrek and Lime As to the Arrek the Siamoises esteem this Fruit more than any other for this is their common food there is such a great quantity of it that the Markets are full of it and a Siamoise would think himself guilty of a great undecency should he speak to any one without having his mouth full of Arrek Betel or Tobacco There is no City in the East where is seen more different Nations than in the Capital Town of Siam and where so many different Tongues are spoken it is two Leagues round and half a League long well peopled although so much under water that it resembles rather an Island there are none but English French Moors and Chinoises who dwell in the Town all the other Nations being lodged round about it in Camps each Nation by themselves who should they come all of them into one body would take up as much room as the Town does but the reasons I before mentioned hinder most strange Nations to come and bring any thing with them The people are obliged to serve the King four months in the year and longer if he needs them he gives them no pay they being obliged to keep themselves and therefore the Women work to maintain their Husbands As to the Officers from the greatest Lords of the Court to the meanest of the Kingdom the King onely allows them some small gratifications being as much slaves as the rest and this saves a great deal of money As to far distant Provinces whose Inhabitants do not actually serve each singular person pays him a Tribute I arrived at a time when the Countrey was wholly under water the Town seemed the more pleasant for it the Streets are very long large and streight there are on both hands Houses built on Piles and Trees planted round about them which makes a fine sight and you cannot go to them but in a Boat you would think you see at one look a City a Sea and a vast Forest where are several Pagodes which are their Churches most of which are gilded about these Pagodes there are places like Church-Yards planted with Trees which are for the most part Fruit-Trees the Houses of the Talapoins are the biggest and finest and are very numerous This Countrey is wholsomer than any of the Indies the Siamoises are commonly well shap'd although all of them have tanned Countenances they are well sized their Hair black which they wear short by reason of the heat they Bathe often which contributes to the preservation of their health the Europeans who dwell there do the same to avoid sickness They go about all their business in Barges during the Inundations which lasts six or seven months together The King rises in the morning and holds a great Council about ten of the Clock wherein all affairs are treated of which being ended his Physicians assemble to know the state of his health and he afterwards goes to Dinner he makes but one real Meal a day and after Dinner he withdraws into his Apartment where he sleeps two or three hours and 't is not known about what he imploys himself the rest of the time it not being permitted his Officers to enter into his Chamber About ten at night he holds another privy Council where there are seven or eight Mandarins of those which are most in his favour which Council lasts till mid night Afterwards he has Histories or Verses made after their manner read to him to divert him and commonly after this Council Mr. Constans tarries with him alone to whom he opens his whole mind the King being sensible of his vast parts his Conversation pleases him and he seldom can get away till three of the clock in the morning and this is the manner of the King 's living At certain times he takes pleasure in hunting as I already observed he is always well drest He has no other Children but a Daughter who is called the Princess Queen of twenty seven or twenty eight years of age the King greatly loves her I was told she was a handsome woman but she has never been seen by any men she eats in the same place and at the same time her Father does
A RELATIâ—â—â— Of the Laâ—â—â— EMBASSY OF Mons r. De Chaumont Kn t. TO THE COURT OF THE KING of SIAM With an Account of the Government State Manners Religion and Commerce of that Kingdom LONDON Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in S. Paul's Church-Yard 1687. A RELATION OF THE EMBASSY OF Mon r. De Chaumont Kn t. TO THE COURT OF THE KING of SIAM With an Account of whatever past that was remarkable in his Voyage I Parted from Brest the third of March 1685. on the King's Ship called the Hawk accompanied by one of His Majesties Frigats named the Maline and that with so favourable a Wind that in seven days we arrived at the Madera Islands we thus happily past on till we came to four or five degrees northward of the Equinoctial line When we were overtaken by a calm and suffered extreme heats but which yet did not much incommode us the wind began again to blow and we past the line three hundred and fifty degrees five minutes of longitude thirty days after our setting out We found the water here to be as fresh and good as if it had sprang from some pleasant fountain which made us neglect to use that in our Jarrs At five degrees southward of the line we found the Winds very inconstant but the heats not troublesom and I left not off my winter garments in all this passage The Winds though variable yet carried us our course so that we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope the 31st of May to take in fresh water and other Provisions although my old store was not exhausted We cast anchor late at night and found in this road four Dutch Vessels that came from Holland and had on Board a Commissioner who was to order affairs in behalf of the East-India Company Monsieur St. Martin Major General a French man who has been in the Dutch service this thirty years was also in one of these Vessels intending for Batavia where his Employment lay The Commissioner General sent to complement me the first day of my arrival and the next morning his Nephew and Secretary came to offer me whatsoever 〈◊〉 might want The Inhabitants of the Countrey brought presents of Fruits and Cattle and the Dutch Vessels saâ—uted our Ships after the accustomed manner The Dutch have here a small Fort and near an hundred Houses about a Musquet shot off it which are well built and in good order The situation of this place is very pleasant although bounded by a great Mountain inhabited by an infinite number of Monkies which oft come down into their Gardens and spoil the Fruit. There are also several Summer-houses two three and four leagues off in the countrey and beyond this vast Mountain there is plain near ten Leagues long where are several Houses well inhabited and which are every day increasing The Climate is mild enough their Spring beginning in October and ending in December their Summer lastâ— January February and March their Autumn is in April May June and their Winter in July August September the heats would be very greatâ— were they not moderated by gentle Gales The Dutch East-India Company have here a most pleasant Gardenâ— whose great Walk is fourteen hundred paces long it is planted every where thick with Citron Trees This Garden is ordered into Apartments in one of them you may see Fruit-trees and the rarest Plants of Asia in the other the most exquisite of Africa in the third such as are choicest in Europe and in the fourth such Fruits and Plantâ— as grow in America This Garden is very well kept and of good use to the Dutch by a great quantity of Herbâ— and Roots which it supplies them with for the Refreshment of their Fleets when they come here to pass to the Indies or returning to their own Countrey I found there a French Gardiner who had heretofore learnt his Trade at the Gardens of Monsieur at St. Cloud The Soil is very good and yields good store of grain A person worthy credit has assured me he saw an hundred and sixty Ears of Corn on one stalk The Inhabitants of the Countrey have fair Countenances but herein deceitfull for they are mere bruits they go naked excepting that part which they cover with a nasty Skin of a beast They till not the Ground yet abound with Cattel such as â—ows Hogs and Sheep They scarce eat any of these their chiefest dyet being Milk and Butter which for cleanliness sake they make in Sheep Skins They have a root which hath the taste of the Kernel of one of our small Nuts which serves them for bread They are indifferently skilled in Simples which they can use in the Cure of Wounds and other Distempers The greatest Lords amongst them are they that have most Cattle which they watch and keep themselves They ofâ— have wars with each other about their pastures Are greatly annoyed with wild Beasts there being more than a few Lions Leopards Tygers Wolves wild Dogs Elephants and other savage Creatures All their Arms are a kind of poisoned Lance to strike these Beasts with They have a kind of Toyls wherewith they enclose their Cattel at night They trouble not themselves much about Religion yet observe some slight Ceremonies to the Full-moon which do not signifie much Their Language seems difficult to be understood They have much game as Pheasants Partridges three or four sorts Peacocks Hares Coneys and Deer in such abundance that sometimes a Man shall see near twenty thousand together in a plain We ate some of these before mentioned and found them admirable good The Sheep are here very large of fourscore pound weight commonly Here are great quantity of Cows and Oxen. The Sea in this Bay is full of Fish which are of good relish some of them having the taste of Salmon This place abounds with Sea-wolves and when in our Shallop we perceived an infinite number came tumbling by us of which we could not kill one Several wild Horses scamper along the plains which if I mistake not are inferiour to none in other parts both in strength and beautifull colours and shapes I brought along with me one of their Skins they are hard to be mastered This being such a good Countrey the Hollanders send continually fresh people to it who make every season considerable discoveries Some say they have found out Gold and Silver Mines of which 't is not to be expected they should say much themselves The water is here very good proceeding from several Springs near Rivers which abound as I already noted with Fish We parted from this Road the seventh of June with so favourable a North Wind and North North West that we soon got into the open Sea and that night steered to Bantam we endured vehement Rains and met with great Seas till we reached the Isles of Madegascar which was on the seventeenth of June On these Seas you perceive great quantity of Birds but find therein no Fish Till July we encountred
with boisterous Seas and met with variable Winds which forced us forty degrees southward where we found a Western Wind with which we made great way The twenty fourth the Maline Frigat was separated from us by bad weather being driven to the North. The third of August we found the Sea less troublesome and the weather more favourable and at break of day discovered an Island seven or eight leagues before us which surprised us it not being described in our Chart It is situated ten degrees nineteen minutes of latitude Southward This Isle lies convenient for the finding of the Isle of Java which cannot be distant from it above an hundred and fifty Leagues and since we understood 't is called the Isle of Money being ill set down in our Maps which place it near that of Java This Isle lies very high we coasted yet two days with a good gale and on the fifth about eight in the morning we discovered the Isle of Java which gave us much more Joy and the seventh following we found our selves between the Princes Isle and that of the Emperour which make the entrance of the Straits The Isle of the Emperour lies on the side of Sumatra and the Isle of the Prince on the side of Java We lay four days between these Islands the Winds and Streams opposing us in so violent a manner that what we gained in twelve hours we lost in four by means of calms which often happened Before we entred this Strait the Frigat which lost us on the twenty fourth of June came up to our Ship side this day before we knew who she was The thirteenth we left these Islands behind us and cast Anchor within a League of Java There came on board us several persons in little Boats who brought us the Countrey Fruits such as Coco's the water which is contained in them being excellent drink as also Melons Citrons and several otherlike Presents which much refresht our Men tired with the fatigues of the Sea and over-run with the Scurvy On the sixteenth in the morning we came to Bantam where I found the Maline Frigat which tarried For me two days The Captain of it came and told me that the Governour of the place would not give him entrance but onely presented him with some Fowl and Fruits whereupon I sent Mr. De Forbin my Lieutenant to compliment this Governour from me and entreat him to grant me leave to land my sick Men to take in fresh water and other necessaries He returned answer he was not the Master of Bantam and that there was a King of the place who would not admit any stranger to his Countrey The Hollanders make use of this King's Name being unwilling that strange Vessels should come amongst them especially the Europeans Since they have settled there they have driven all other Nations out 'T is a great Town and well peopled by the Natives before the Hollanders became Masters of it 't was the chiefest place of the Indies for Commerce people came there from Europe Persia China Japon the Great Mogol's Countrey and divers other parts but now the Hollanders have got all into their Hands which is of vast advantage to them for this place may be compared to what heretofore was Cales in Spain As soon as I received the Governour 's Answer who yet told me that if I would go to Batavia I should find there a kind reception I therefore weighed Anchor and set sail for that place to which there 's but fifteen Leagues I was three days before I arrived there for having no Pilot that was acquainted with those parts I fell on several Islands which caused me to cast Anchor every night and in the day time to move with small sail sounding all places I went over but I arrived on the thirteenth at night where assoon as I had cast Anchor I sent my Lieutenant to the General to complement him and to desire leave to bring my sick Men on shoar and take in refreshments He took my Complement in good part and returned answer he would take care I should be satisfied I sent next morning sixty five sick Men on shoar who all recovered their healths in seven days that I tarried at Batavia On the nineteenth in the morning the General sent me a Complement by three Officers the Summ of which was to desire me to come on shoar offering me his own House to lodgeâ— in After necessary Thanks I answered I wished my Orders would have permitted me that Liberty The General sent me a great Shalop laden with all sorts of Indian Fruits Herbs new Bread two Oxen two Sheep and thus continued for several days presenting us On the twenty second I landed incognito and viewed the Town in a small Boat 'T is like Venice having Chanels which run through every street and planted with great Trees which yield an agreeable shade as well to the Chanels as the Streets the Houses are built as they are in Holland there is a Citadel indifferently well fortified the Town in enclosed with a Wall and great Ditch but not deep The Houses round about it are extreme pleasant being related to curious Gardens and Fish-ponds wherein are admirable Fish of all sorts In this Town the Traders are exceeding rich and spare no cost â—or their Delight neither do they deâ—y themselves unlawfull satisfaction with Women I took the liberty my self to entertain four or five of them â—t divers times in my walks in the garâ—ens their dresses are like the French There is in Batavia about fifty Coaches some of which are very stately their Horses are none of the biggest but to make amends are in so good plight â—hat they need no spur This Town â—s a place of vast Commerce and its Riches are so great that the Inhabiâ—ants need not be sparing of their Money 't is well peopled and the Dutch keep a strong Garison they have there â—ear three thousand Moors who are â—laves and several of the Natives they â—eep under their Obedience who live â—bout the Town The Isle of Java in which this City is situated is very populous contains two hundred Leagues â—n length and forty in breadth it has five Kings over whom the Hollandersâ—re â—re Masters they are Mahometans I sent to the General for a Pilot for Siam mine having never been there he lent me one who had sailed there four times for these civilities I sent Mr. Forbin to thank him On Sunday being the twenty sixth of August at six of the Clock in the morning we set sail and steered our course to pass the Strait of Banca we advanced that day ten Leagues with a small Wind and at nine at night I was told of a Sail that made towards my Vessel whereupon I bid the Officer be prepared when immediately I saw out of my Window this Ship coming up to us we called out to know what she was but could have no answer and coming on the Deck I found all our Men provided for
to fifteen hundred Tun laden with Cloth Coral and divers other Commodities from the Coasts of Coromandel and Suratte as Salt-petre Tin and Silver he draws thence raw Silks Satins Tea Musk Rubarb Purcelins Varnisht Works China-wood Gold Rubies They make use of several Roots in Physick which turns much to their advantage The King sends to Japon two or three small Vessels laden with Merchandise there being no need of sending Money such as Hides of all sorts which are good Commodities there for which they sometimes receive Wedges of Gold and Silver Copper and all sorts of Goldsmiths Work as also Tea Cabinets and other things He sends sometimes two or three to Tonquin of three hundred Tun at farthest with Cloth Coral Tin Ivery Pepper Salt-petre and other Commodities of the Indies for which he has Musk raw Silks varnisht Wood wedges of Gold To Macao the King sends a Ship for the most part laden with the same Merchandises as to China One may send there also to good advantage Fans of Gold Silver Silks and Arms for which you receive the same Merchandises as at China but not at the same rate At Laos the usual Trade is carries on as well by land as by water sometime Flat Boats go there in which are sent Cloth and Linen of Suratte and the returns are Rubies Musk Gum Elephants Teeth Rhinoceros Horns Buffalos Skins and here is great profâ—â— in this Trade because there 's no risâ—â— to run To Camboye the King sends small Barks with Cloth Suratte Linen and Kitchin Utensile which come from China for which he has brought him Elephants Teeth Benjamin three fortâ— of Gums Buffalo's Skins Nests oâ— Birds for China of which I shall speak hereafter They sometimes send to Cochinchim but seldom for this People is untractable being most of them unfaithfull which hinders Commerce they can when they go Silver of Japon to great Profit yellow Wax Rice Lead Salt-petre red and blackâ—Cloth white linen Vermilion and Quick-silver For which they have rawâ—Silk Sugar candied Birds Nests which are made like those of Swallows found on Rocks by the Sea-side they are a good Commodity for China and several other places for these Nests being well washed and dried they become as hard as horn and they are put into Broths they are of admirable virtue to the sick and languishing persons and to those who are troubled with pains in their Stomach I have brought some of them into France When there 's no Vessel to be had at Fret they send one to Suratte laden with Copper Tin Salt-petre Elephants Teeth Japon Wood and several other Merchandises which come from other parts of India and the returns are Linen-cloth and other European Commodities when there comes none from Siam You may also trade to the Coasts of Coromandel Malabar and Bengala the Commodities are Elephants Tin Salt-petre Copper Lead and the returns are Linen of all kinds There is seldom any trade to Borneo this is an Isle near that of Java where the returns are Pepper Dragons bloud white Camphire yellow Wax Gold Pearl Diamonds the best in the World The Prince that possesses this Island is not willing to permit a Trade fearing always some surprise and will suffer no European to settle in his Countries There have been some French Merchants there for he trusts them rather than any other Nation There is also a Trade driven to Timor an Isle near the Molucques whence is drawn yellow and white Wax Gold Slaves c. and thither is sent Linen of Suratte Lead Elephants Teeth Powder strong Waters some sort of Arms red and black Cloth and Silver The People here are peaceable and negotiate fairly Here are a great many Portugueses As to the Commodities of Siam there is onely Tin Lead Ivory Skins of wild Beasts and Elephants there will be store of Pepper in time that is to say the next Year L'arrek Iron good quantity of Rice but you may find here Commodities from all the places before mentioned and very cheap Here are brought pieces of English Cloth and Searges Coral and Amber Cloth from the Coasts of Coromandel and Suratte Money in Piastres which are truckt but as I now said most Merchants have left trading here since the King would turn Merchant there being brought few Goods for the Ships that were wont to come here came not the last year so that here 's little to be found all being in the King and his Ministers Hands who sell for what they please The Kingdom of Siam is near three hundred Leagues Long without reckoning the Tributary Kingdoms to wit Camboges Gehor Patavi Queda c. It 's bounded northward by the Kingdom of Pegu and by the Sea of Ganges on the side of the West and from the South by the little Strait of Malaca which was taken from the King of Siam by the Portugueses who have been Masters of it near sixty years the Hollanders have taken it from them and are the present Masters of it on the East it 's bounded by the Sea and by the Mountains which divide it from Camboges and Laos The situation of this Kingdom is advantageous by reason of the great extent of its Coasts lying as it were between two Seas which open the passage to so many vast Regions its Coasts are five hundred Leagues round and are every where accessible from Japon China the Philippin Islands Tonquin Cochinchine Siampa Camboge Java Colconde Bengala and from all the Coasts of Coromandel Persia Suratte Arabia and Europe and therefore the Countrey is capable of a great Commerce would the King permit all people to come and trade there as heretofore The Kingdom is divided into eleven Provinces to wit that of Siam Tanaserin Josalam Reda Pra Jor Paam Parana Ligor and Siama These Provinces had heretofore the Quality of Kingdoms but are all now under the sole power of the King of Siam who sets Governours over them There are some which may retain the Name of Principalities but the Governours depend on the King and pay him Tribute Siam is the principal Province of this Kingdom the Capital City is situated fourteen degrees and an half of latitude northward on the side of a great and stately River and Vessels laden come up to the City which lies above forty Leagues distant from the Sea and reaches above two hundred Leagues up the Countrey and 〈◊〉 this means it leads into part of the Provinces which I have above mentioned This River abounds with Fish and its sides are well peopled although they lie under water one part of the Year The Earth is indifferently fruitfull but ill drest the inundation proceeds from great Rains which fall for three or four Months together which makes their Rice grow apace so that the longer the inundation lasts the more Rice they gather and so far are they from complaining that their greatest fear is of dry weather There are several lands lie untilled for want of Inhabitants which has happened by the preceding