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
knee to the ground and then immediately a door is opened that he may appear before the King and the same Ceremonies are practised which I have already denoted There is a Golden Platter on the Table wherein lyes the letter translated and open having been received by the Ministers some days before in a Hall appointed for that purpose When the Ambassador is in his place the Minister's Deputy takes the Letter and reads it aloud which done the King asks the Ambassador some questions by his Minister his Minister by the Captain of the Nation and the Captain by the Interpreter as I have already observed Having learnt this manner of receiving Ambassadors which did not seem agreeable to the greatness of the Monarch by whom I was sent I desired two Mandarins who attended me by the King's order to inform him that I entreated him I might have the same reception which Ambassadors are wont to have in France which was granted me in the manner I related Departure from the Road of Siam Having given some account of the Religion Manners Customes and Situation of the Kingdom of Siam â— come now to relate my departure which was on the twenty second of December 1685. We hoisted Sail at three of the morning with a good Northern wind which continued all along the Coasts of Camboge which is a Kingdom adjoyning to that of Siam and Cochinchine The People of these two Kingdoms have the same belief and live after the same manner There past nothing remarkable to the Strait of Banca where I ran on ground on the side of an Isle called Lucapara on a Muddy bank where there were but three fathoms of water and our Vessel required above sixteen this did not much disturb me though it did much the Ships Crew whom I sent to sound about the Vessel I caused a small Anchor to be brought to which there was a Cable and we got off this bank in less than five hours and though I had a good Dutch Pilot yet I caused this Strait to be often souded I continued my course and arrived at Bantam the eleventh of January 1686. As soon as I had cast Anchor there I sent an Officer of my Ship to Complement the Governour and to have fresh provisions He sent me for a Present six Oxen Fruits and Herbs and I remained in this Road but thirty hours We weighed Anchor on the twelfth at night but the calm overtook us which obliged us to cast Anchor On the thirteenth I weighed Anchor and we had all that day calms and contray winds but at night there arose a small wind which made us double the point of Bartam and pass the Strait of Sonda in less than eight hours I was obliged to land at the Isle of Prince which is at the mouth of the Strait in expectation of the Maliâ—â— Frigat which could not follow us but at length joyned us On the fourteenth I held on my course directly for the Cape of Good Hope with a favorable North wind and North North-East The twenty third at break of day having made about an hundred and fifty Leagues we saw the Isles of Holy Cross which surprised us because the evening before I caused the Pilots point to be showed me who told me to be at farthest but fifteen Leagues of Latitude Southward and twenty of Longitude This Island lyes very low and had it been three or four hours in the night we had certainly run on ground but it pleased God to preserve us We attributed this error to the Tides which ran against us we past this Isle quickly the wind blowing hard and continued our course The Sea is full of Fish in these parts and there are a great many Birds the weather was fair and we every day made thirty forty fifty Leagues we were diverted by pleasant game we saw carried on by the Albucorps and Bonnitres and a small Fish called a flying-fish who when he sees himself pursued gets out of the water and flyes as long as his wings â—ie moist which may be as far perhaps as the flight of wild Ducks but there is a Bird which carries a great feather in its Tail longer than the others by half a foot and which has the form and almost the colour of a Straw he is always in the air and when he sees this flying-fish leave the water he lets himself fall down upon it as a bird of prey on his game and some times they go deep into the water after it so that this slying-fish seldom fails being taken On the fifteenth of February we found our selves not far from the Isle of Maurice where we met with a blast of wind that lasted us three days the Sea was extreme rough and gave us a great deal of trouble the waves passing oft over our Ship which made as to ply our Pumps to clear it of water On the ninteenth the Weather grew fair and gave us leasure to set to rights what the Sea had disordered The first night wherein this bad weather happened the Frigat that was with me left us the rendesvouz being at the Cape of Good Hope Keeping on our course we had more hard weather which much incommoded us the waves beating against our Ship in such a manner as threatened great danger On the tenth of March about two hours after noon we perceived a Vessel at first I thought it was that which had left me but coming nearer we saw her carrying English Colours and being willing to hear News and supposing she came from Europe I came up to her and sent out my long Boat with an Officer to know if there were any Wars for when a man has been long at Sea one Knows not whom to trust word was brought me 't was an English Merchant-Man who had parted from London five months since and had touched now here and that he intended streight for Tonquoin that the Captain had told him that there was no War in France and that all Europe was at Peace but yet there had been some troubles in England occasioned by the Duke of Monmouth who had placed himself at the Head of ten or twelve thousand men but that the King's Troops had routed them and taken him Prisoner and that he was beheaded and several of his Followers hanged and so this rebellion was ended He also told us that he had seen Land the day before seven Leagues off which made us judge that we were thirty or thirty five Leagues off of it We held on our course the rest of the day and night and the next morning at ten of the clock we spied Land seven or eight Leagues off us I sounded and we found fourscore fathom and upward we clapt on all our Sail to endeavour to get before night to the Cape of Good Hope the next morning at break of day we saw it and doubled it about ten of the clock we espied a Vessel windward of us and drawing near we found 't was the Frigat which
the Royal Houses of that colour All the Mandarins which came to receive me on the River still accompanied me The Princes also visited me They have all convenient Barges in the middle of which there is a kind of Throne whereon they sit and they usually go but one in a Barge on both sides of them are their Arms as Scimitars Swords and Darts and even Forks They are all cloathed in the manner I already mentioned A Portuguese whom the King had made General of the Troops in Bancok continually accompanied me and gave orders for all things I was attended with near fifty or sixty Barges some of which were fifty sixty seventy and eighty foot long having Oars from twenty to an hundred They row not after our manner they sit two on each bench one on one side and another on the other their Faces turned on that side where they go and have a Scul which they call Pagais being about four foot long with which they take a world of pains being contented with sod Rice and if they have a piece of Fish they believe they Dine sumptuously They eat of a Leaf which they call Betel which is like Ivy and a kind of Corn which they call Arrek putting Lime thereon and this gives it a taste They eat the Tobacco growing in their Countrey which is very strong all which blackens their Teeth which they esteem the handsomest A man may live after this rate for fifteen pence a month for they usually drink nothing but water They have a kind of Aqua vitae which they call Rack made with Rice When I came to a House which was intended for me all the Mandarins that accompanied me made a lane for me to pass through to my Chamber door On the thirteenth I sent word to the King by the Mandarins that were with me that I had been informed of the manner wherewith they were wont to receive Ambassadors and it being very different from that of France I entreated him to send me somebody to instruct me about my entrance On the fourteenth he sent me the Sieur Constance with whom I had a long conversation the Bishop of Metropolis being our Interpreter We had a tedious dispute and I would bate nothing of the mode of receiving Ambassadors in France which at length he granted me On the fifteenth the Tunquinoises came to complement me on my arrival The sixteenth the Cochinchinoises did the same The seventeenth Mr. Constance came to me and brought with him four stately Barges to carry the Presents which his Majesty sent to the King of Siam And on the same day the King gave order to all the Indian Nations that reside at Siam to congratulate my arrival and to pay me all the espect which is due to the character of an Ambassador to so great a King They came to me at six at night each of them habited after their own manner there were of forty different Nations and each of them of Kingdoms independent one of another and that which seemed most remarkable was that among the rest there was the son of a King who was driven out of his Countrey and taking Siam for his refuge entreated assistance toward his re-establishment their dresses were the same as the Siamoises some having Turbants others Armenian Bonnets and others bare-headed like the common Siamoises persons of quality having Bonnets of the same fashion of our Dragoons made of white Muslin which tye under their Chins with a string being all of them barefooted The King made Mr. Constance tell me that he would give me Audience the next morning being the eighteenth I set out at seven of the clock in the morning in the manner which I shall relate having first recited the honour wherewith the King of Siam received the King of France's Letter 'T is true he is wont to receive with respect the Letters delivered him by Ambassadors of foreign Potentates but he would give a distinct honour to that of our great Monarch There came forty of the chiefest Mandarins in the Court two of which were Oyas which is to say Dukes who told me that all the Barges were ready to receive his Majesty's Letter and carry my self to the Palace The Letter was in my Chamber in a golden Cabinet the Mandarins having entred prostrated themselves their hands closed and adjoyning to their foreheads and their faces towards the ground and saluted in this posture the King's Letter for three times together I being seated on a Throne near the Letter received this honour which was never paid to any but his Majesty of France which Ceremony being ended I took the Letter with the golden Cabinet and having carried it seven or eight paces I gave it to the Abbat of Choisy who came from France with me He walkt at my right hand a little behind and carried it to the water side where I found a curious Barge sumptuously gilded in which were two Mandarins of the chief rank I took the Letter from Mr. Choisy and having carried it into the Barge with me I put it into the hands of these Mandarins who laid it on a stately raised Table gilt I entred into another a very magnificent one which followed immediately that wherein was the Letter of his Majesty Two others also as stately as mine in which were Mandarins rowed on either side of that where the Letter was Mine as I now said followed after Mr. Choisy the Abbat was in another Barge next to mine and the Gentlemen which accompanied me and others of my retinue in other Barges Those of the Great Mandarins likewise were very fine and were on head of us There were about twelve gilt Barges and near two hundred others that followed us The King's Letter the two Barges that attended it and mine were in the middle All the Nations at Siam were attending and the whole River although very large was covered with Barges We moved after this rate to the Town whose Cannons were discharged which never was done to any other Ambassadour all the Ships saluted me likewise and at landing I found a great golden Chariot which onely the King rode in 〈…〉 took His Majesty's Letter and laid 〈◊〉 into this Chariot which was drawn by Horses led by Men I afterwards went into a glorious Chair which was carried by ten Men on their Shoulders the Abbat of Choisy was also in another but of less finery the Gentlemen and Mandarins which accompanied me were on Horseback all the several Nations which dwell at Siam walking on foot behind the Procession was in this wise to the Castle where I found the Souldiers who were drawn up on each side of the Street having Head-pieces gilt with Gold red Shirts on and a kind of Scarf of painted cloth which served them for Breeches but having neither Shoes nor Stockings Some of them were armed with Musquets others with Lances others with Bows and Arrows and lastly some with Pikes There wanted not musical instruments as Trumpets Drums Timbrels Pipes
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