the like to great persons and truly it is admirable to see how full of substance and with how few words these sort of writings are penned They have not the Italian manner of keeping of Books and yet fail not in their calculations they reckon with little pellets stuck upon little sticks upon a board for the same purpose after the manner of the Chineses wherewith they will add multiply and divide with more facility and certainty then we with Counters They have many Books and Libraries though the common people are most illiterate The Deyro himself writeth the Annales of his Country and all other Books are written by himself or his Lords and Gentlemen which are at least eight hundred strong or by their Wives and Women for these Gallants as well Men as Women being of kin and married into each other do nothing but spend their time in all worldly pleasures and the studies of humain knowledge Men are esteemed and honoured with Titles in this Court according to the merit of their understanding not their births and it happens sometimes that the greatest are by their weakness and folly brought down and unconsidered These Grandees proud with their birth and breeding consider no body but themselves neither converse with any save only their own Comrades for their dwellings and streets joyn upon each other being invironed and shut up from the rest of the world They speak a higher style then the vulgar wherein all their learning is couched and many of them esteem themselves more noble then the Emperour being indeed dignified with higher and more honorable Titles then their Soveraign Printing and Gun-powder was in use in this Nation above one hundred and fifty years before we in Europe had the knowledg of them these they learned from the Chineses who have had them long as their Histories and Chronicles filled with wonders too long for this short relation to mention do abundantly witness An Extract out of the Governour of Indiaes Letter to the Overseers of the East-India-Company touching the Traffick in Japan THis year trade as we mentioned in our last of the twelfth of this instant hath been but little advantagious by reason of the disasters at Sea which hath much weakned and put behinde hand the India Capital or Stock which will without question suddenly change God preserve the Company from more misfortunes at Sea We hope if your Honours will second us this following year with fifteen Tonne of Gold and Merchandise we shall be able to make a return of thirty being the Indian Commodities may probably rise more then they are now fallen Iapan will in all appearance yeild us eleven or twelve Tonne profit Persia at least three hundred thousand and the other indulgent Cantoors above three Tonne The Dutch expences which arose this year will certainly fall being the building and fortification of the dwellings and pack-houses come to cease There is but little hope of advantage from the Enemy nor shall we be able to Cape much this year about Spirito Sancto by reason of the Portugals sufficiency We will endeavour to better all things by an advantagious negotiation hoping much from Iapan It were not strange if the Chineses were hindered to frequent that Kingdom or diverted by us They profit fifty Tonne of Gold every year and more by the Iapan trade for they transport more then for one hundred Tonne yearly God grant that we may enjoy this trade alone and that the Gold Mine in Formosa flourish that the ingaged may once enjoy the fruits of their charges and pains by rich returns without sending any monies out of the low Countries I send you herewith a Copy of Siragemondenne Governour of the Island Kisma in Naviga-sacki where the Companies Servants and Factors do reside and trade his Letter which I mentioned in my last be pleased to consider of the contents thereof with such as understand the affairs of Iapan It seems if we do not meddle with Christianity but behave our selves modestly they will grant us the more liberty and greater freedom in trading we will order all things to the most advantage of the Company and endeavour for as much as it shall be possible that we may enjoy all or at least the principal trading which God grant of A Formosa a Land enriched with Gold near China and lately conquered by the Castlians A short Relation of the Profits and Advantages which the Dutch East-India-Company in Iapan might acquire in case they could compass the China Trade and Commerce By Leonard Camps MAny men are of opinion and have by experience found that during the time it pleased the mighty States General of the united Provinces and his princelie Excellencie to give their Subjects leave to saile into the East-India for the increase of Traffick and the common good that to what place or by what Prince soever we come we were admitted and received for fear of harm or for hopes of profit and yet I believe as my Predecessours did before me that his Imperial Majesty of Iapan suffered us not to harbour and to trade freelie in his Countrie upon these considerations but only to shew the goodness of his Nature the greatness of his Dominions and his civilitie to Strangers especiallie those Nations who came into his Countrie as Friends His Majesties goodness to Foraigners appears abundantly in this in that he still suffers the Chineses to traffick in his Land favouring them in his impositions more then his own Subjects whereas they persecute the Iapaners in their own Territories as Enemies having set a price upon their heads which by mistake hath cost many a Portugal his life further his ambition doth not extend beyond the bounds of his own Empire and contenting himself with those confines God and Nature hath prescribed him he wages no war against his Neighbours neither suffers his Subjects to molest or disturb any out of his obedience No foraign Princes fall out by his instigation neither doth he give or demand help or assistance upon any account His power and might consists in the vastness of his Kingdom and multitudes of his Souldiers he hath arms at will Castles that seem impregnable Provisions in abundance and Treasure without end The plenty of Gold Silver Copper Iron Lead and Pewter Mines is great and the abundance of Silk Cotton Hemp and thousands other commodities incredible Brifley this Countrie wants nothing having no need of its neighbours at all whence his Majesty never sought to foraign Princes and yet received all that came or sent to him with all imaginable civilitie and kindeness The Spaniards and Portugals not ignorant of the commodious scituation might and riches of the Japanish Empire were no less earnest in the enlarging of their own state planting the Christian Religion and advancing their traffick there where other Princes seemed to desire Don Iohn the first of that name and the tenth King of Portugal was very industrious in this Disquisition his Countrey men having in fourscore years
hath of old been great vvars betvvixt them of Pegu and Siam vvith various success the King of Pegu pretending to the Monarchy of the neighbouring Kingdoms vvhich he hath formerly had and as yet possesseth in part so that the borders of these Kingdoms are quite ruined and unpeopled and these Princes of late years content vvith inroads and sudden invasions vvith small flying Armies of tvventy or thirty thousand men vvhich they have ordinarily for defence of the frontiers The Siammers have had likevvise vvars against other Princes as the Kings of Jangoma Tangou Langhs-jaâ—ghâ— and lastly against the King of Siam and stoutly defended himself against those great Armies which were sent to reduce him of late the Kingdom hath been in peace until the usurpation of the last deceased King who having destroyed the true Heirs and possessed the Government contrary to order was likewise himself slain together with his Brothers and the Crown seized upon by another of the blood who after several civil and forraign broils enjoyed it peaceably and governs at present with great reputation and honour continuing still his wars with them of Pegu and the Rebel Cambodian This Prince as well as his Predecessors is kinde to Strangers but respects and esteems the Netherlanders more then the Portugals which the late King sufficiently testified when upon the taking of a Holland Yacht in the River Anno 1624. the Spanish Gally of Don Ferdinando de Silva was violently seized upon by his command and restitution and satisfaction made to our Company hereupon he was forced into a war with them of Manhila and suffered much in his China voyages which was well recompensed by the seasonable assistance of six Dutch men of war which were lent him to be employed against his Rebels of Patany The King hath more then three thousand tame Elephants in several parts of his Kingdom each attended by two or three men wherein much of his greatness doth consist for these Beasts are very much esteemed in India especially when trained up to the wars the rest are employed to carry Ordinances Tents and Provisions to the Camp These creatures being great very strong and strangely docible are taken in several parts of the Country and disciplined as followeth A Troop of fifteen or twenty tame she Elephants which were taken when they were young are driven into the Wilderness with two or three fellows to observe them the wilde ones upon sight of them associate with them one or two at once which are driven with the rest insensibly into a great square building with high stone walls and encompassed on the outside with trees which cover them as soon as these Beasts are decoyed in a great turn pike is shut behinde them and gates to hinder their return when they are entred further into the square place the tame Elephants being brought up to it by their teachers upon notice from them slip away through other gates for the purpose so that the wilde ones being left alone are out of other little squares whereof one is in the middle vexed and tormented with all manner of inventions to make them angry and furious the above mentioned squares are made of great thick posts well nigh two fathoms high but so far distant from each other that a man may creep betwixt them so that when the Elephant with his running turning and winding seeks to revenge himself upon his tormenters they save themselves behinde these posts at length when the beast is weary and sufficiently tormented thee is a great door opened into which he runs to save himself which is immediatly shut upon him and he restrained to a narrower prison and is there bound to two or three tame Elephants placed for the purpose this done they are led into a covered house where cross planks being contrived under the wilde ones belly they are hoyssed up with pullies and left as it were half hanging for some time so that with this invention and help of the tame ones they are wholly tamed in three or four moneths and rendred supple and useful The Court is for the most part present Galleries being builded for the Spectatours at the taking and tormenting of the Elephants which is most pleasant to behold These Beasts are sometimes taken in the open fields being environed with tame ones and caught in snares and jins but this way is dangerous although often practised and both shew how fabulously Writers have informed the World in this particular A white Elephant esteemed by the Indians a wonder in Nature hath been found in Siam and no other known Land it is esteemed by the inhabitants as the Prince of the Elephants and hath been so treated by the Kings of this Country who have had of them in the Palaces many times and caused them to be served in state often visited them and honoured their Vassals with more then ordinary respect These white Elephants have formerly occasioned great wars betwixt the Siammers and their Neighbours and some sixty years since against the King of Pegu who proving victorious did not only take the white Elephant prisoner but obliged the King of Siam to become his Tributary which yoke the following Princes did not only cast off but gloriously revenge their Predecessours misfortunes During my first residence in Siam the then King took two young white Elephants but both died shortly after to his great grief This Nation believes somewhat more then humain natue of this creature alledging they do not only respect him for his whiteness but for his divine understanding which appears in his pride and glorying when he is treated in state and of his melancholy and sorrow when those honours are denied him or that the black Elephant refuses him his obeissance The Siammers as also the Neighbouring Nations are all Idolaters and Heathens so that they have every where great and little Temples and Cloysters for the service of their Gods and the dwellings of their Priests These Edifices are builded of Wood and Stone very Artificial and sumptuous with guilded Towers and Pyramids each of the Temples and Cloysters being filled with an incredible number of Idols of divers materials and greatness gilded adorned and beautified very rich and admirable some of the Idols are four six eight and ten fathoms long amongst the rest there is one of an unimaginable greatness being one hundred and twenty foot high In these Temples and Cloysters there are many Priests and religious Men disciplined and very obedient to their superiours being all subject to the Arch Flamin or Prior of the great Temple of Iudica whose spiritual power is vastly great though subordinate to the Kings All the Clergy whereof there are in Iudica alone at least thirty thousand are clothed without any remarkale difference in yellow linnen clothes having their heads all shorn The learnedst amongst these are professed Priests out of which the Regents of their Temples are chosen who are held in great esteem and reverence by the People preaching teaching and offering
and chief Ministers of State these come dayly to Court and dispatch all Publick Affairs by his Majesties directions and are as likewise the other minor Senators highly respected and honored by the subordinate Kings and Lords The chief of these have two hundred thousand pounds a year the middle half so much and the lesser thirty twenty and ten thousand pounds per An. Their Authority and Power is confined to the Emperor's Pleasure none of them upon pain of Banishment or worse daring to advise a second time after Answer once received from the Prince His Majesty chuses these his Councellors out of those Gentlemen that have served well and long having been bred up in the Court with him and had the address to please him most All the Affairs of the Kingdom pass these mens hands but they are very circumspect in observing his Majesties eye and pleasure before they adventure to propose advice or answer and all to continue in his good grace and favour nay they are fo fearfully slavish that they approve of whatever the Prince proposes and though the ruine of a Province depended upon it will not seem to have sentiments differing from his The quality of his Princes and Lords and their might THe Revenues of the commanding Lords as appears by their specifications are very great and yet they have by reason of their vast expences enough to do with their moneys First they are obliged though never so far distant from Court to reside six moneths every year in the City of Jedo to wait upon the Emperor Those of the North and East come one half year which being expired they are relieved by them of the South and West who depart with his Majesties leave after much Ceremony Feasting and receiving of Presents back to their several Countries Thus they take their turns at Court which is infinite expensive by reason of their numerous trains some of them travelling to and fro with one two three four five and six thousand men The Lord of Firando where our East-India-Company hath a Lodge being but one of the least among them travels with three hundred Men Gentlemen and others and hath in his two Houses at Iedo above a thousand Persons Men and Women Thus each Lord lives according to his Means and Dignity rather profuse then sparing so that the City swarms with Men and Attendance which makes the Markets high and very dear Their sumptuous Buildings their gorgeous Cloathing of their Servants especially their Women and their Attendants their Feasts their Presents and other extraordinary Expences of that proud and pompous Court do sufficiently keep under these great Men for their Charges surmount their Revenues and they are found most commonly to be much behinde hand Besides all this his Majesties orders the making of several publick Buildings as High-Ways Channels Castles and the like all which are divided amongst the aforesaid Lords then at Court each his share which they cause to be made without respect of expence to the envy of each other with all speed and industry imaginable The chief Lords when they build new Palaces for themselves do besides the ordinary Gates and Doors cause another great and sumptuous Port to be made beautified with Statues and wrought all with hard Wax or Indian Lack and richly guilt This Entry being finished it is covered all over with Plancks to keep the Sun and Rain from it and continueth so inclosed and shut up until such time as the Emperour honours that House with his presence After his Majesty hath passed and re-passed through the said Gate it is wholly shut up and never opened more no man being afterwards found worthy to go in or out at that Door which hath been graced with the Princes entry His Majesty doth go but once to feast in one House all the preparations for his entertainment being made ready long before with great care and cost every thing being adorned with his Arms and afterwards never used more but preserved with great devotion in remembrance that the Emperour did vouchsafe to eat in that House His Majesty is always invited three years before hand in which time the preparations fit for so royal a Guest are making After the Emperour hath been there one day the Princes of his blood his Councellors and the Kings and great Lords are treated with incredible magnificence three whole Moneths together Briefly the building of such a Palace and the treating of so great a Prince is sufficient to make a rich King poor and yet these ruinning profusions are not to be avoided When his Majesty goes a Hern-hunting and hath taken some of those Birds being of great esteem in those Countries he sometimes bestows one of them upon one Favorite or other which Present costs the Receiver at least a half years Revenue for the Gift is so highly valued having been taken by the Emperor's Hawks and given with his own hands that the whole City seems to partake of the joy it being abundantly testified by Feasting and Presents The Lord of Satsuma had lately the honour to entertain the Emperour in his new Palace but with better fortune then any of his greatest Princes for his Majesty was so well pleased with his treatment that he made him a Present of Beans as he pleased to tearm it for his Horses worth threescore thousand Pounds a year The Emperor disposes of the marriages of his great Lords who entertain their Wives which are ordered them by him with extraordinary carresings they receive and lodge them in their best Palaces and allow them ten twenty c. to a hundred and more Gentle women and Maid-Servants according to their abilities to wait upon them when they go abroad to visit their Friends which is allowed but once a year Their Women follow them in shut Pallacquins forty or fifty in number each of them with two Chamber-Maids on each side of their Pallacquins one These Pallacquins are very richly made wrought with Lack and inlaid with Gold carried some nine foot from each other in good order with great modesty The Wife that is given by the Emperor is the Mother of those Children which succeed in their Father's honors but if she prove Childeless or have no Heir male the Kingdom or Government is ordinarily bestowed upon a Stranger to that Race and Family Every Lord may have as many Concubines as he pleases or can maintain whereby Children indeed are multiplied though none inherit but those that are legitimate These Lords enjoy all the pleasures they can imagine in the fruition of their Women Houses Gardens Ponds Walks Musick Plays and the like They suffer no Men to come into their Wives Houses upon any pretence whatsoever unless it be some few who are next of blood and that but very seldom these are kept close and careful and all their Women young and old great and of lower condition must thus spend their time without any manner of conversation with men the least suspition is punisht with death it
being the least one and one sixth of a Tayle Their Silver Money is of the Alloy of Dollers cast into long figures of no certain weight but by guess they put so many of these together as weigh fifty Tayles the which being neatly lapped up in papers are distributed as occasion serveth They have yet a lesser Silver coin like a Bean weighing from one Dutch Shilling to ten and lastly the Casiens already mentioned of differing worth from one Doller to three one fourth the thousand Their Yard the Measure of their Grain and their Weights are equal and not differing at all VVhat Beasts and Fowl they have THis Countrey produceth Horses Bulls for they never geld their Cattle Cows Deare and Swine both wilde and tame in great abundance There are likewise plenty of Bears Dogs Cats and the like there is no end of their Fowl especially Swans Geese Ducks Herns Eagles Hawks Pheasants Pigeons Snipes Quails Partridges and all manner of lesser Birds VVhat Medicinal VVaters THey have several Fountains and Springs of hot Medicinal Waters proper for the curing of many Diseases and succesfully used for that purpose some are Sulphurous some taste of Copper others Iron Tin Allom and the like Mettals and Minerals partaking of the qualities of those they pass by I have seen of these Springs one whereof being Tinish burst out of a hollow in the side of a Mountain some ten foot in the round this â—ole was by reason of its depth very obscure within its Orifice or Mouth being strangely beset with sharp Stones not much unlike the short teeth of an Elephant or those which Painters appropriate to Divels The Water flows continually out of this Cavern in a great quantity and is not hot but a man may sit in without disturbance I have seen another at the foot of a Mountain near the Sea which rendered its Water but at times ordinarily twice in twenty four hours but this flowing did not continue above an hour when the winde blows East and stifly it flows thrice and sometimes four times in a day and night This Water rises out of a stony Pit being covered with huge massie Stones of very great weight when the time of flowing comes it bursts out of the earth in so great a quantity and with such a forceable winde that those great Stones are violently moved and shaken the streams gushing and spouting three or four fathoms high with so dreadful a noise that it equals that of a Cannon or the falls of the greatest Rivers This Water is so very hot that it is impossible to boyl ordinary Water to its height it singes where it falls and left to its self continues hot thrice longer then any other This Well is surrounded with a Wall for fear of harm little Conduits being made to convey its Streams to the neighbouring houses where it is used by way of bath for the curing of all distempers and maladies How the Kings Princes and Peers of the Kingdom receive Audience of his Imperial Majesty and what train they must have THe solemn and great feasts of this People are manifold the first and greatest is New-Years-Day then the second and third Day of the third Moneth the third and fifth Day of the fifth Moneth the fourth and seventh Day of the seventh Moneth and the fifth and ninth Day of the ninth Moneth Besides these his Majesty gives publick Audience twice every Moneth at new and full Moon to all his Kings Princes Lords and Gentry who according to their qualities and orders do homage and reverence to him The train and attendance of these Grandees are appointed the greatest of them may not exceed an hundred followers the lesser being also stinted and proportioned according to their revenues Some of these Princes have indeed four or five thousand as well Men as Women in their services but these they keep in their Palaces and may not enter the first ring of the Castle nor into the City with them Now such as are permitted to come into these two places with an hundred Servants may not enter the second ring of the Castle with more then twenty Attendants neither may they be seen there on horse-back it being the dwellings of the Princes of the blood and the Councellours the great ones are carried here in Pallaquins or Sedans others of less quality going on foot which is no difficult thing the waies and streets being finely paved and the middle of them set with great flat free-stones which are kept extraordinary neat and clean But no Man whosoever is suffered to enter the third ring of the Castle where the Emperours Palace is but on foot and only accompanied with two Servants and a Boy to carry his Shoes they of the second rank are allowed but one Servant and a Shoe-carrier and those of the last rank only a Shoe-carrier There never happens any the least disorder running playing bawling or confusion among the people at these shows every one continuing in a serious and silent posture as if they were in the Emperours presence Every one in this Procession marches in his order and rank so that there is not the least stir even amongst the Servants The Souldiers stand in the Galleries we formerly mentioned and certain sworn Commissioners go to and fro to observe both them and all others so that the least stir and noise is capital This strictness is not burthensome but grown so familiar by custom that the least irregularity or tumult is not heard of The same order is observed in all the Towns of the Countrey the streets being all uniform each end of each of them being shut with Barrocadoes in the night and kept with watches so that no body is suffered to go out without a Ticket from the chief Magistrate which is delivered to the Magistrate of the street for the conveniency of those who need them to fetch a Midwife Physitian or some near Friend in case of necessity the Barrocadoes are opened to such messengers as these and none else so that they never have any tumults in their streets roberies murthers house-breakings or any such unwarrantable disorders Their Language manner of VVritings and Reckonings and how far they transmit their History to posterity THe Chineses Iapanners Corees and Torquains have their distinct Languages wholly strange to each other neither have their Characters any resemblance and yet they have another fashion of Letter common and understood by the Studious and Learned of these four Nations in this their Sciences Wisdom are written although the Contents and Characters be general understood and read by each in his own Tongue They write with Pencils and ready enough most of their Errands are done by Letters which by reason of their quickness in dispatch is no let to them and the surer way A man that can contract much matter into few lines and intelligible which is that which they all practice is greatly esteemed amongst them for such they imploy to write their Letters Petitions and
gilded Cabinets and Tents each in their Barges apart lastly the Gentry Courtiers Guards and other Attendants follovv the vvhole amounting to five or six and tvventy thousand persons The River is bordered on both sides vvith Boats and an infinite number of People vvho reverence and adore their King in his passage vvith bended heads and folded hands The Dominion and Revenue of the Crovvn is great amounting yearly to many Millions arising out of in-land Commodities as Rice Sappang Tin Lead Salt-peter as also the profits of the Sand and Mountain Gold which are only sold by the Kings Factors to forraign Merchants He hath also his Customs for outlandish Wares his Tributes and Presents from subject-Subject-Princes and Governours of Cities and Provinces who know how much they must contribute as also the profits of his Traffick with Chormandel and China add to these the inland trade carried on by his Factours in the City Iudica or elsewhere and his Majesty of Siam will be found to be one of the richest Princes of India There are several Officers appointed for the receipt of incomes who must account every year and that exactly Most of these monies are expended in building and repairing of Temples in rewarding of merits and defraying the publick charges of the Kingdom the residue being brought into the Treasury which is esteemed rich and great The Laws and Customes of Siam are strange though orderly in the succession of their Princes when the King dies it is not his Son but his Brother who is Heir to the Crown but in case he have no Brother then indeed his Son steps in by course whose Brothers do succeed successively lastly all the Sons of the eldest Brother who hath reigned follow by turns the Daughters being wholly excluded any pretence to the Government But this order is not alwaies observed the Scepter being sometimes usurped by him of the family who is most powerful and most gracious with the people which is the present Kings case who having raised himself before his turn caused all his Competitors and their Adherents to be slain to the end he might peaceably enjoy what he had unjustly got and leave the Crown to his Brother or Children after him The ordinary Justice both Criminal and Civil is administred through the Kingdom according to their ancient Customes and Laws by Officers purposely appointed But in the City of Judica they have besides the ordinary Courts of Judicature a Colledge of twelve Councellours with one principal President which doth definitively decide all Appeals and other businesses whether Criminal or Civil It is indeed permitted though with extraordinary expence and cost to appeal to the King and his Council who ordinarily confirm and cause the former sentence to be put in execution In this and lesser Courts all Civil disputes are brought in by Lawyers and the cause being pleaded and witnesses examined on both sides before the Commissioners the Secretary makes an extract of the whole which being writ in a Book it is signed by both Plantiff and Defendant or others deputed by them that done the Book is sealed up and kept by the Judge till next Sessions at which time it is again opened in the presence of both parties and their debates heard noted and sealed as before So that the Lawyers by their several exceptions demurs and practices do very often delay and keepe up the parties for many years until at length after much sollicitings and expence the cause is anew opened and examined and finally adjudged and ended by a full Colledge But in Criminal matters as injuries robberies murther treason or the like the guilty or suspected person is apprehended imprisoned and examined if he deny the fault against witnesses or great presumptions he is forced by torture to confession all which being noted in a Book and presented to the Judges they immediatly proceed to Sentence and Execution except in Capitall crimes such being reserved for the Kings pleasure who either pardons banishes or causes the condemned person to be put to death according to the sentence Offences are ordinarily punished as they are more or less heynous with cashiering banishments into Desarts slavery confiscations mutilation of hand or foot burning in oyl quartering and other severe executions Where the case is doubtfull no witnesses appearing nor no strong presumptions against the accused so that the Judge knows not how or what to do he then permits both parties to try it out by common purgation either by ducking under water holding their hands in boyling oyl to go bare-foot upon hot coales or to eat a mess of charmed rice this conjured mess being made up into balls is given them by the Priest with much ceremony and he that can swallow it without casting it up again and behaves himself in this and the other trials with most courage is esteemed most innocent and acquitted whilest the other whether accusor or accused is most severely punished according to the nature of the crime The Kings power and military force by water and land consists most of his own Vassals and Natives he hath indeed some few Strangers as Moors Malayers and some five hundred Iapanners the most esteemed for their courage and fidelity although the Prince now reigning drove them out of his Country but they are now crept in again so that most of his forces are Siammers who must serve without pay and be alwaies in a readiness the hundredth fiftieth twentieth tenth or fifth man being levied according to the Kings pleasure and occasions Besides these the Grandees have ordinarily some hundreds of men in their service who wait upon them in the field so that his Majesty can raise an Army when he thinks good of two or three thousand men with two or three hundred Elephants Victuals Ammunition and other warlike Instruments for all this his Armies seldom exceed one hundred thousand men and not ordinarily forty or fifty thousand as his affairs require either for offensive or defensive His foot are in reasonable good order though merely armed with Bows and Arrows Shields Swords Pikes and a few Guns the horse are not better though generally armed with Swords Shields Bows and Lances Most of their force consists in some hundreds of tramed Elephants each of them furnished vvith three armed men and they have a good quantity of Cannons but do not well know how to use them At sea his Majesty hath several Gallies and Frigots vvell provided vvith great Guns though the Seamen and Mariners are but pitiful The Pravvs vvherevvith the Siammers can stoutly scuffle are vvithout number but ill ordered and armed and yet sufficient to deal vvith their neighbouring enemies as unskilful as they are though far short of our Europian Vessels and Mariners either to fight or sail These Mariners especially vvhen their Princes have been brave have conquered many of the neighbouring Kingdoms and Provinces but being all human things they have their vicissitudes these victories did but follovv the fortune of their favorites There
fear of shame or punishment A man may keep as many Concubins as he pleases besides his Wife though they are in some subordinacy to her whose Children onely inherit the other being contented with small portions for their subsistence Great mens goods are divided after their deaths into three parts one part for the King the second for the Priests and their Funerals and the third for their Children The common People have other Customs the Bridgroom buyeth his Bride for a sum of monies of her Father or Friends whereupon the marriage is made and concluded with a little feasting but they may divorce like the great Ones at pleasure and marry again with the same liberty The Children deal their deceased parents goods equally except some little advantages for the eldest Son They have many other Customs in marriage and succession too long and tedious to write As for their Children they send them to school at five or six years old where they are taught to write and read and rendered fit for Trades and other employments some are continued in their studies by the Priests their Masters until they are called to Offices and advancements in the State and then they cast off the yellow frock others continue there out of hopes of being one day Heads of Temples and Schools or sharing in the Priesthood The Siammers who live in Towns and populous places are either Courtiers Officers Merchants Watermen Fishermen Tradesmen or Artificers each one containing himself in his vocation The Country people brew till plant and bring up fwarms of Cattel as Horses Kine Swine Deer and domestick Fowl as Geefe Peacocks Ducks Hens Pigeons and other tame creatures insomuch that provision is very cheap notwithstanding the abundance of at which is sent into the neighbouring Provinces for their supply and use They have Brick Lime Wood and all materials for building of Churches Forts Houses Ships Prawes Jonks and other vessels in great quantities The divers Towns of this Countrey have their several Trafficks and Commerce in the chief City the trading is very good and free in its course the principal commodities are Choromandes and Sura vestments all manner of China wares Jewels Gold Benjamin Gumlack Wax Sappang Agerwood Tin and Lead c. as also vast numbers of Harts-skins one hundred and fifty thousand of these creatures being caught yearly in this Countrey and fold with much profit to the Japanners They drive a great trade with all eating provisions especially Rice many thousand Tuns being transported yearly by forraigners This City by reason of its great traffick is frequented by several Nations as the Indians the more Western Asiaticks European Moors and Christian Merchants The King himself is also a Merchant and hath his own Ships and Factours trading to Choromandel and China being for that cause more favoured and priviledged then any other Prince he likewise trafficks to Pegu Ava Jongoma Langs-jang and other places besides his negotiations at home all which bring him incredible profit and no small disturbance to private Merchants all which do certainly manifest the great trade that is carried on in this Countrey The Monies currant is of very fine silver of a round figure and impressed with the Kings picture the kindes are a Ticlas a Mase and a Fong worth thirty pence seven pence half penny and four pence English or near upon They reckon ordinarily by Cattys each being twenty Tayls or forty eight Royals of eight and it is with this and no other coyn that they handle and trade with save that there is a lesser called Schulpkens or little Sheels wherof eight or nine thousand go to a Fong being brought out of Manilha Borneo and Lequeo very useful for poor people Before the coming of the Netherlanders into the Indiaes the Portugals had great correspondence and amity with this Kingdom being in such esteem and honour by the King that the Embassadours sent from their Vice-Roys Governours and Bishops of Malacca in India were not only well received by his Majesty but richly presented by him and many of the residing Portugals in this Country advanced to great Offices and preferments they had not only the free exercise of their Religion but their chief Priest had also a monethly pension allowed him for his more splendid subsistence thus they prospered here for many years until the Dutch Company got footing amongst them and gained upon them from time to time by taking their Ships and interrupting their trade with Santhome and Nevagatain insomuch that they are at present very low and out of credit occasioned more particularly by their taking of a Dutch Yacht by a Spanish Gally in the River of Siam which the King took so highly that he revenged it with his Arms which produced a war between him and Manilha and however the Portugals seemed unconcerned in this quarrel yet they wholly lost their credit at Court insomuch that the Bishop of Malaccas Vicar their chief Resident there is debarred of his usual access to his Majesty and his Ministers whereas in former times they were esteemed the onely and chief Merchants of the whole Kingdom This breach and difference between these two Nations was fomented by the Dutch and increased by several acts of hostility on the Portugals side who took many of his Majesties Ships and Vassals at Sea in revenge whereof the Portugal Vessels were seized on in India and all the present Portugals natives clapt up in prison who were after two years restraint upon a fictitious embassie restored to their liberty but this practice coming to light occasioned the seisure of a Castilian and a Portugal Vessel in the Havens of Ligoor and Tanaslary the men whereof were not released till after a two years restraint but then indeed returned with his Majesties Letters to the Governours of Manilha and Malacca with invitations of their former peace and traffick where it is probable they may return but questionable whether they shall ever recover their former credit and authority It is more then thirty years since the Netherlanders came first to Siam and were admitted of by his Majesty so that the Company have judged it necessary for the cherishing their traffick and alliance with so mighty a Prince to settle there to which end they builded a house or lodge of wood in the City of India where they trade in in land commodities and selling of clothes as also buying of Harts-skins Sappang c. which are sent yearly to Japan the Company indeed hath not profited much by reason of several misfortunes by this traffick but they have gained more reputation then any Europians besides by the great friendship and correspondence which is betwixt them and the King and also have had the benefit of transporting great quantities of all sorts of provisions in Batamia which friendship notwithstanding the several successions of the Princes disturbing the Companies Cantore and Servants is yet sufficiently conserved and continued and ought in my opinion to be cherished as absolutely necessary for the good and welfare of our Company as also in regard of the Kings civil usage of us and his aversion to the Spaniards our common enemy finally our factory established there in the year 1633. and trading during my four years direction are so much corrected and increased that the Company hath remarkably gained by them with probability with good mannagement of more signal advantages To which end the General and Councel of India caused in Anno 1634. a stone lodge with fit pack-houses pleasant apartements and a commodious landing place to be builded on the borders of the River Menam being one of the convenientest and best scituated of any that is unfortified in all the Indiaes And thus much we found good to discover of the customes and manners of the Kingdom of Siam being my observations during my eight years residence in the chief City of the Country I have followed the exact rules of truth according to my best knowledge and diligence in this short relation remitting the curious to the more large and more particular discourses of better and more exact judgements FINIS
Fosio Mimasacka 10000. Sango Wake Sakea 10000. Tonda Inaba 10000. Samnanda Nyki 10000. Ikenday Ietseses 10000. Miangi Simsen 10000. Iton Tangow 10000. Tonda Nayki 10000. All hitherto comes to 18395000 Here follow 's the Emperours Counsellors who receive their Sallary out of his Majesties Revenues whose Lordshipps wee likewise omit for brevityes sake and shall onely mention their names and Salleryes Doyno Doydonno President 150000. Sackey Outadono Chancelor 120000. Nangay Sywodonno 100000. Sackay Samikodonno 90000 Ando Oukiondonno 60000 Inâ—sâ— Cawaytsdo 50000 Inabe Tangedonne 40000 Sackay Auwado 30000 Sakay IamessicodoÌ„no 30000 Nayda Ingado 20000 Tsitia Winbondonno 20000 Misson Oukiedonno 20000 Metsendeyro Iemoudonno 20000. Iammanguyts Tassimandanno 20000. Matsendeyâ— Iurdonno 20000. Abe acoungo Donno 15000. Auwe Iamon Oukerodonno 15000. Ciongock SiensendoÌ„ne 15000. Itacaura Nistenda 15000. Nacsie Iucdonno 15000. Akimouta Taysionadonno 15000. Forita Cangadonna 15000. Miura Symadonne 10000. Maynda Gonoske donne 10000. Missona Iamacta 10000. Fory Itsuocamij 10000. Mury Oemonoskedonno 10000. Fondo Saniadonno 10000. The Totall 19345000. Moreouer his Majesty spends in his owne and his Sons Table and cloths together with his Wives and their Table Cloths foure Millions of Guilders yearly which in Sterling Moneys is 400000. His Majesties life guard being all persons of quallitie receive in pay and pensions yearly 500000. All these vast Expences amount to 283 Millions 450 thousand Guilders or 28345000 sterling monie What qualitie authority the supreame Magistrate hath THe supreame Magistrate in Japan is stiled Emperor in respect of the Kings Princes that are under his Obedience He is Soveraign Lord and Ovvner of the whole land and hath povver as it happened severall times during my residence there to banish and punish with death at pleasure his offending Kings and Lords and to give avvay their Commands and Treasures to those he fancies more deserving then they His dwelling place magnificence Traine The Imperial Citie of Iedo where his Maiesty resides is very great his Pallace coÌ„taynes in circuit six English miles being encoÌ„passed with three Moats and three Counterscharpes These Ditches are very deep being bordered on both sides vvith high and strong Stone vvalls strangely angular The first circumference entring into the second the second into the third and this againe into the second and first so odly that it is impossible by reason of the multiplicity of the poynts vvorkes to remember the fashion of the whole and it is not permitted to take the plaine thereof Such as enter must goe through a passage of three or foure hundred paces fortified with Eight or Nyne huge gates not right over each other but ansvvering the points and halfe circles in the mentioned vvalles betvvixt every tvvo ports there is a large plaine guarded with a Company of Souldiers and those being past several heights with broad stone Stairs and Walls which being likewise surmounted several great Plains bordered with large Galleries against the Sun and Rain do present themselves to the common view The Streets in the Castle are extraordinary large built on each side with goodly Pallaces belonging to the Lords of the Kingdom The Castle Gates are very strong and covered on both sides with iron Bars of an inch thick crossing each other and fastened with Bolts of the same every Gate hath his House large enough to contain two or three hundred Souldiers and defensible upon occasion within in the midst of the first circumference standeth his Majesties Pallace it is great and consisteth of several dwellings beautified with Woods to the envy of Nature full of Ponds Rivers Gardens Plains Courts places to Pickeer and Sport in and moreover contains all the dwellings of his Women The second Circumference is inhabited by the next Princes of the blood and those of the Council And the third is possessed with the proud Pallaces and dwellings of the severall Kings and principal Dukes and Lords of Japan The Cheifs of Lesser note have their Houses without the third Round each adorned according to the Dignity and Riches of the Owners all almost gilt so that this goodly Edifice appears at a distance not unlike a Mountain of Gold for all the Lords none excepted rack themselves to please his Majesty by beautifying his Castle and their own Habitations which their lawful Wives and Children do likewise enjoy after their decease continuing always under the Emperors eye as Hostages of their fidelity This City of Iedo is nine English Miles long and six broad and is as closely built as any City in Europe The Court how great soever is dayly crowded with multitudes of Nobles who with their numerous Trains with Horses and Palanquins make the Streets too narrow for their passage When the Emperor goeth abroad sometimes on Horse-back and sometimes carried in a Pallanquin open on every side he is ordinarily accompanied with these Lords who are called his Majesties Companions being all of them of high State and Revenues though without Lands or other Office save their attendance They are Persons extraordinarily qualified some in Musick and Singing others in Physick Writing Painting Elocution and the like These are followed by the Life-Guard all Persons of quality and choice being the natural Sons of Kings and Princes begot on their Concubines and uncapable of succession and the Brothers Cosins and Kindred of great Lords which by reason of their many Women are very numerous I will give you one example The Emperors Uncle King of Mito now fifty four years old hath as many Sons as he hath years and many more Daughters whose number is unknown After these follows part of the second Life-Guard which consisting of some thousands is so divided that half goes a Cannon shot before his Majesty and the other half follows at the same distance However the number of these Souldiers be great yet there is not one of them which hath not passed Examination and found to be thus qualified They must be active of body ready in the use of all sorts of Arms and somewhat knowing in their Studies especially well exercised and trained which they are to a wonder for when his Maiesty moves they go along Horse and Foot clothed all in black Silk and ranked before behinde and on each side of him They march in such comely order that never a one is observed to go out of his place and with such silence that they neither speak nor make any the least noise Neither indeed do the Citizens move their lips when the Emperor passeth nothing being then heard but the ruffling of Men and Horses The ways and streets are at such times made very clean strewed with sand and sprinkled with water No doors are shut and yet no body dares look out either at them or at the windows or so much as stand in their shops to see the Emperor pass all must keep within doors unless such who will kneel upon mats before them When his Maiesty goes on progress to Miako sometimes the imperial City which happens once every five
or seven Years to give the Deyro which is the true Heir of the Kingdom and lives there a visit the preparations are making an whole year before the orders are given on what day and with what train every great Man shall go to the end that the ways may not be pestered with their numbers Half of the great Lords according to their turns set out some days before then follows his Maiesty with his Councellers who are followed some days after by the remaining Kings and Lords The concourse of people at such a time is incredible the whole City though containing above One hundred thousand Houses not being big enough to lodge them all so that tents and huts are raised round about the same for the Souldiers and common People The distance betwixt Jedo and Miako is reckoned to be one hundred twenty five Dutch miles At every two or three miles there is a City or open Town and the whole is divided into twenty and eight Gists or Lodgings whereof twenty are strong Castles there is in every quarter from the first to the last a train of Gentlemen Souldiers Horse Provisions and all necessaries befitting so great a Prince ordered there for his reception and entertainment Those that set out with him from Jedo stay in the first lodging those that were there remove with him to the second those of the second to the third and so to the last so that each train and their dependants follow his Majesty but half a day until all of them according to their instructions marching in order do at length arrive at Miako leaving the aforesaid Castles and Lodgings to their usual Governors and Guards In the return from Miako to Jedo the same method is observed all things being prepared as formerly without trouble or confusion This year 1636 there is an extraordinary great Edifice and Building at Niko four days journey from Jedo which is to be the Burial place of the Emperors Father in whose Temple the great Copper Crown which the East-India-Company gave his Majesty last year is hung up There is likewise in this territory of Niako a very great Castle with double moats and stone walls strong and sumptuous there are several Palaces in it as also a great number of Artificers as Painters Masons Statue-Cutters Gold Silver and Iron-Smiths Cloathiers and all sorts of Handy-Crafts-Men who have their tasks set them but are well paid This Castle which seemed to require three years for its building was finished in five moneths though it lies far in the Country and out of all ways being only made to receive his Majesty in his ceremonious visits of his Fathers Sepulchre His Majesties Treasure consists in Silver and Gold packd in Chests each weighing one thousand Teyls that is about fourscore ordinary pounds weight these are placed in the several Towers of his Castle together with other legacies with their writings which are kept for their Antiquity This vast Treasure increases dayly for the Revenue of two moneths is sufficient to defray the Emperors expences how great soever for one whole year This Emperors Father being the Son of Ongoschio who possessed himself of the Government after the late troubles died about the fiftieth year of his age in the year of our Saviour 1631 being sensible of his end he called his Son to him and amongst many other good counsels concluded to this purpose My Kingdom and all my Treasures are yours but vvhat I recommend to you I likevvise deliver you The old Lavvs and Chronicles of the Countrey our vvritten Sentences and VVisdom are inclosed in this Cabinet the principal Ievvels of my Crovvn are likevvise in it receive them all as they deserve for they are mine and vvere highly valued by your fore-Fathers The Jewels which were accounted inestimable are these following whereof he gave to his eldest Son Emperor of Japan A crooked Sable called Jeiuky Massamme Another Sable called Samoys Another less called Bungo Doyssero A Pot called Naraissiba A great t'Siapol called Stengo A Manuscript called Anckocky kindo To his Brother King of Ouvvay and Atstanomia A Picture called Darme to be vievved backvvards A Sable called Massamme To his second Brother King of Kinokouny A Sable called Jees Messamme A Picture of Frogs To his third Brother King of Mito A Sable called Sandamme A Manuscript called Seuche These six pieces bestowed on the three Brothers are but of little worth in comparison of the six other given the Emperor and yet they are valued at a thousand gold Oebans that is forty seven Teylens a piece The Silver and Gold which his Majesty gave to the Princes of his blood to several of his favorite Kings their Wives his companion Lords his Soldiers and Gentlemen amounted upon account to above Thirty Millions sterling The present Emperor being after his Fathers decease in full and peaceable possession of the Government had as then no lawful Wife being much given to Sodomy which moved the Deyro to send him two beautiful Ladies of his own kindred and every way accomplished with a desire that he would be pleased to chuse one of them that best pleased him for his Midia or Empress He did indeed consent to the Deyros request but followed his old way of living so that the young Lady being destitute of the conversation she might reasonably expect was extreamly afflicted although she durst not let it appear for fear of her Husband's displeasure At length her Foster-Mother a Lady of great credit both in respect of her age and in that she had bred up so great a Princess finding the Emperor one day in a good humor adventured though very submissively to speak to him in behalf of her Mistris which she did as followeth Hovv is it possible that your Majesties affections should be carried avvay vvith such unnatural pleasures and that so beautiful a Creature as your ovvn Handmaid vvho vvould rejoice you in bearing another like to your Self should be forgotten certainly she ought to be preferred The Tyrant though till now in his frolicks grew angry yet said nothing but rising up retired immediatly and sending for all the Overseers of his Buildings commanded them forthwith to begin and build him a Castle with high Walls Moats Bridges and strong Gates as also to adorn it within with all manner of necessary and sumptuous appertainments and Lodgings The work being finished with more then ordinary haste the beautiful Queen her Foster-Mother and all that train of young Ladies which she brought with her from Miako were put into it where she is kept without the sight of men and intirely forsaken of her Husband The Emperor 's own Foster-Mother who was likewise in great esteem and respect as his own Mother being much troubled at this action of his Majesty and seeing he had no Children neither was like to have any whilst he lived thus sent into the several Countries in his Dominions to search out the most charming beauties that could be found which done she disposes of them
in such manner that his Majesty insensibly had the sight of them all among the rest there was a slight maid an Armorers Daughter who did so far please him and gain upon his affections that he lay with her The great Ladies of the Court seeing an Artificers Girl preferred before them all mad with jealousie and rage resolved to strangle her Childe in its birth which they cruelly performed but have hitherto kept the knowledg of so black a deed from the Emperor fearing his just indignation and revenge The Japan Chronicles write that this great Kingdom hath until this hundred years been still governed by an Hereditary Prince which they call Deyro who was in such reverence with the people that never any tumults or civil broils were raised against his Person or Authority He was esteemed so Sacred that to oppose him was judged no less criminal then to fight against the Gods both being inexpiable When any difference arose betwixt his subject-Kings so that they armed each against other there was a Generalissimo appointed to mediate their quarrels and punish if need were the offending or transgressing Prince For the Deyros themselves were esteemed so holy that they never trod upon the ground neither was the Sun or Moon ever suffered to shine upon them nothing of their Body was diminished or paired off their hair beard and nails being suffered to grow at length When they did eat their meat was still dressed in new pots and served up in new dishes They have twelve married Wives apiece who are severally honored and brought with various ceremonies to this height and state When the Deyro goes abroad he is followed with these twelve Women each in her Coach adorned with her Arms and Titles these have their Houses and Trains apart all in the Deyro's Palace built in rows six on a side very magnificent and beautified as the Coaches with their Names Arms and Titles The Concubines dwell likewise by themselves Supper is provided every evening in every one of these twelve Houses with voices and instruments though none knows who shall be honored with the Deyro's company Where the Deyro enters the banqueting and provision of the other eleven Houses is immediatly brought thither the other eleven Wives following with their Ladies and Musick to divert and make merry with her whom the Deyro thinks at present worthy of his conversation They have their Comedies likewise and such other pastimes as befit so splendid an entertainment When the Deyro is blessed with a Son the hoped Successor of that Empire a Nurse is chosen for him out of eighty of the loveliest Women of the Country young and Noble Wives to Persons of great quality and birth These Women are honored and received by the Deyro's twelve Wives and all his Women as also those nine principal Lords who are of his blood and kindred and next the inheritance in case he have no issue male with extraordinary ceremonies and feasting The following day forty are chosen out of the fourscore the which the number decreasing are entertained more honorably then before the day being spent in usual and pompous diversions the recited forty retain the Titles and Dignities of Foster-Mothers but are dismissed from further attendance though not without gifts and rich presents Ten are again chosen out of the remaining forty out of these ten three and lastly out of these three one in all which elections the honors ceremonies and presents are successively heightned Three days after the last chosen Nurse is again highly entertained which being done the milk is pressed out of her brests into the Childes mouth which all this while is held by one of the noblest Ladies of the Court which ceremony done the Nurse is as then esteemed worthy to take that Childe into her custody being it hath tasted of her milk and substance The Ceremonies and Feasts of their Weddings Childe-bearings and those other which they celebrate yearly are performed with much state and modest pomp and are at this day in use by the Deyro who wants nothing save that the Land is governed by another the reason and history whereof we will briefly declare The Office of Chief General was formerly the first in the whole Kingdom which ordinarily was conferred upon the Deyro's second Son but having then another Son which for the Mothers sake he was willing to advance he divided this great charge betwixt them with command that they should govern each his three years by turn This took for some time until one of them having tasted the sweetness of ruling was loath to quit so splendid an employment he therefore leagues with the great Lords of the Country and settles his power so fast during his Commission that neither the commands and entreaties of his Father nor the violence of his offended Brother were able to remove him Yet this being a business of so ill and so great consequence and like to embroil the Kingdom in disorders the Deyro resolved to chastise his rebellious Son which by the assistance of his Kings and the valour of his former General he did And this was the beginning and the first intestine war that ever happened against the Deyro's State and Authority The aforesaid General being for his good service continued in his command ordered his business so well that after his Majesties death he made himself Lord of his inheritance usurping the Government of the Kingdom wholly into his hands leaving yet the Deyra's Court in its former state and greatness his Successor to his Revenue and commanding he should be used in all things with the same respect and ceremony as before These proceedings produced another War another General being chosen who having overthrown the former usurped to himself what he had condemned in his Predecessor the Soveraignity of the whole Land which occasioned a third intestine War more cruel and more destroying then the other two For now the Kings and Governors of Provinces began to set up each for himself so that the Countrey was well nigh ruined Town being against Town and City against City by these dissenting Grandees During these troubles it fell out that a bold active Fellow formerly a private Souldier thinking it best fishing in troubled waters resolved to put in for a share Having therefore got together forty or fifty Companions as desperate as himself he in a little time what with his good fortune and good conduct grew very numerous and considerable and having taken several Castles and Towns drove likewise all that stood him out of the field so that in less then three years he became absolute and Soveraign Lord of the whole Kingdom He as the other Usurpers left the Deyro in quiet possession of all he formerly enjoyed except the Government which he held himself and was afterwards by the said Deyro unable to vindicate his own right acknowledged and crowned Emperor of Japan with unimaginable pomp and magnificence This Emperor whose name was Taycko being no less prudent then brave fearing
lest the great Lords of his Kingdom reflecting upon the lowness of his former condition might contemn his present Authority as disdaining to be governed by one less then themselves thought it best to keep them in action the better to divert them from caviling a new he therefore sent those Kings and Chiefs that he feared most with an Army of sixty thousand Men to war against Corea and reduce that Country to the obedience of the Iapan Empire These he held there with kinde messages and reiterated promises of succours seven whole years commanding they should not return till they had subdued and made conquest of all But the Army longing for their Country their Wives and Children and despairing of a return mutined and destroying burning and plundering all they could meet endeavoured the satisfaction of their pretended wrongs by the desolation of others The Coreans unable to endure this violence any longer sent an Ambassador to the Emperour Taycko who being admitted into his Court found means to take away his life by poison in revenge of the manifold wrongs his Country had suffered by the injurious ambition of this Prince The Kings and Lords commanding the Army in Corea hearing of their Emperor's death resolved to quit that Country and to return every one to his own in expectation and hopes who amonst them might be chosen to succeed in the Soveraignty The Emperor being removed left one only Son behinde him called Fideri about six years of age but before he died he appointed him a Governor one of the greatest Lords of his Country by name Ongoschio one whom he had obliged by his favors and relied upon above all others for his fidelity To this Person he delivered his Infant-Son with command that when he was fifteen years of age he should cause him to be crowned by the Deyro with the usual Pomps and Ceremonies as Emperor of Iapan Ongoschio being thus declared Governor of the Princes Person was likewise by Taycko's will and the consent of his Subject-Kings made Regent of the Kingdom during the minority which for some time he peaceably ruled in his Master's name But growing now weary of subordination he quickly forgot his promise made to Taycko and sealed with his blood Fideri being therefore to be removed to make place for his greatness he assaulted him first in his reputation by laying those things to his charge he was no way guilty of amongst others he accused him of distrust of his Tutor and that he made private preparations to extort the Government out of his hands by force before his time he laid likewise ambition and an untimely desire of honor to his charge in that he suffered himself to be adored as Emperor before he was invested with the Power and that the Kings and Lords of the Realm had done him that reverence which was only due to a received Emperor But armed ambition needs not many excuses Ongoschio musters his united forces in the Kingdom of Surnga and marching thence to Onsacka where Fideri held his Court besieged him with all his might Fideri having held out three moneths being now reduced to great extremity would prevent his ruine by a sordid submission he therefore sent to Ongoschio to beg his life quitting all his pretence to the Empire and desiring only to survive a Vassal to the Conqueror But Ongoschio refused all manner of capitulation and though Fideri sent out his Wife who was his Adversaries Daughter to supplicate his safety she could not be heard of her Father The Castle being taken the Palace where Fideri had retired himself with his Mother and chief Friends was encompassed with great posts and pallisadoes and much wood being piled up about it the unfortunate Prince and all them that were with him were miserably burnt and consumed with sire Ongoschio having thus destroyed his Master put all them to death who were considerable and of his party bringing the whole Empire under his obedience by force as Taycko had done before him The year following Ongoschio died not enjoying long what his violence had so quickly got him his Son Coubo or Coubosanna succeeded him who was Father to this present Emperor Chiongon now reigning The number of his Souldiers and their Arms. THe Revenue which is divided amongst the Kings and governing Lords amounts as is already demonstrated to 18400000 Coquyns or Pounds sterling according to which account each of them must proportionably entertain a select company of Souldiers always in readiness for the Emperor's service so that he who hath a thousand Coquyns yearly must bring into the field when ever he is commanded twenty Foot Souldiers two Horse-Men Thus the Lord of Fiarmor who hath 60000 Coquyns a year must entertain as he easily may one thousand two hundred Foot and one hundred and twenty Horse besides Servants Slaves and what more is necessary for the Train The number therefore of Souldiers which the Emperor hath continually in service entertained by the aforesaid Kings and Lords amount to three hundred sixty eight thousand Foot and thirty six thousand eight hundred Horse Besides these his Majesty hath one hundred thousand Foot and twenty thousand Horse which he paies out of his own Revenue and keeps for the Garrisoning of his Castles and Forts and the securing of his own Person Most of the Lords especially the most powerful do ordinarily keep double the number of Souldiers and many more then they are obliged to by their tax and all to out vie each other and the better to ingratiate themselves with their common Master as hath appeared at large in the late War The Horse-Men are all harnassed though the Foot have no other defensive arms then a Head-piece the Horse are armed some with short Guns some with short Pikes others with Bows and Arrows and all with Swords or Sables The Foot have likewise Sables Pikes and Halberts and those that are divided into Companies Fire-Arms every five Souldiers have their Commander armed as they are five of these Chiefs have likewise those who command them and their five and twenty and twice twenty five make a compleat Company commanded by two Heads who with their fifty are commanded by a Captain in chief five of these ordinary Companies are again commanded by another and fifty Companies have likewise their principal Officer the same method and order being held under the Horse His Majesty may easily and exactly know how many living souls how many Souldiers and how many Citizens he hath in his whole Kingdom Manieâ—e van Justitie in Jappon for the Houses being built by five and five and every five having their Commander who must register all them that are born and die within their Jurisdiction and report the same to their Lords who again are obliged to tell it their Kings and they to two Officers appointed by the Emperor for that purpose The Authority of his Councellors and Vassals THe Senators or Councellors hath each his Office apart excepting only four who are the principal
with his wings spread of pure Gold This structure was very beautiful being adorned on all sides with carved Images its angles plaited with pure Gold and the roof of it intimating the Heaven with Sun Moon and Stars There were fifty Persons all Gentlemen belonging to the Emperours clothed with long white Robes and Wax Head-pieces that carried this ambulatory Pallace Forty Gentlemen antickly dressed although armed with Europian Head-pieces and Pikes gilded at the ends went before the Deyro and these were of his Life-guard One of his principal Lords did immediately follow him armed as the other bearing in his hand a Shield stuck full of Arrows then came forty great Quirosols all covered with fine white linnen and belonging to the aforesaid Guards These were again followed by thirteen great Wax Chests carried by the Palanquyn Porters And lastly the whole procession was closed with four hundred persons all in white vestments marching six in a ranke in very good order The Deyro and his Traine were no sooner past but the evening came on and an innumerable company of people of all sorts the Stages and Houses which had been filled with Spectators had disgorged their burthens in the Streets so that the multitude was so immensly great that very many disorders happened as cutting of purses stealing murthering and robbing each other very many were stifled in the crouds and such as but once fell were sure never to rise being troden to death The noise all night was so great as if the City had been in an uproar and the insolencies grew to that heighth that many persons of quality who could not get out of the throng or were retiring to their houses were set upon and very many of them spoiled and murthered among others the Lord of Firandos Secretary saw his Servant robbed and a rich Cabinet of his taken from him before his own face whilest he himselfe had much ado to defend himself from the violence of these assaulters We were forced with our Servants to quit our stage and put our selves into the crowd because of the night and the danger to continue where we were which we durst not do without running the hazzard of being murthered the preass was so great that we were borne up by the people most of our way being but seldom able to put a foot upon the ground yet at length by Gods great blessing we got all without any considerable loss safely to our lodgings The Deyro and his Wives were lodged three daies and three nights in the Emperors Palace being served by their Majesties and their Brothers and the greatest Princes of their Court every meale consisting of one hundred and forty services This feasting being done the young Emperour gave the Deyro these following presents Three thousand Boates of Silver each of four Tayls and three Marses Two rich Sables Two hundred Iapan Gowns Three hundred pieces of wrought Sattin Twenty picols of raw Silk One great piece of Calombacq Five great Silver pots full of Musk. And ten beautiful Horses with their accoutrements The old Emperour gave him Two hundred pieces of Gold each worth fifty four Silver ones One hundred Indian gowns richly wrought Two great Silver pots full of Musk. Five Catti Calombacq Two hundred pieces of red Silk Five Silver pots full of Amber Greece And five brave Horses with their accoutrements His Secretary had given him Three hundred Boats of Silver equal with the other in worth And twenty Indian Gowns A Description of the Government Might Religion Customes Traffick and other remarkable Affairs in the Kingdom of SIAM Written in the Yeare 1636. by Joost Schouten Directour of the East-India-Company in that Countrey SIAM is a famous and potent Kingdom scituate upon the continent of Asia eighteen degrees Northern Latitude where it bordereth upon the Countries of Pegu and Ava twelve degrees it extendeth it selfe Westward to the Bengasche sea of Martavan to seven degrees where it borders upon the Kingdoms of Pay tany and Queda Southward from the Bengasche to the Patanys Ocean this Coast turns Northward to thirteen degrees making with its bowing the Gulf of Siam thence the Coast runs again Southward to twelve degrees and leaving the Sea terminates Eastward upon the Desart of Cambodia and the Kingdoms of Iangonia Tangou and Langjang to eighteen degrees even to Ava and Pegu so that the form of this Land is like an halfe Moon and containeth in its circuit four hundred and fifty Dutch miles one Dutch mile makes six English This Country which is in many places mountainous woody and moorish especially towards the Sea although for the most part even and clay and is likewise full of all sorts of Beasts and Fowls and Rivers replenished with abundance of Fish hath where it bordereth upon the Benga and Siams Seas many Islands Bays Havens and Rivers most commodious for the receipt of great and small Vessels I shall not particularize all only mention the chief River as the most frequented Haven of the whole Kingdom This River called by the name of Menam or the Mother of Waters is great wide and very long its course being not known unto them It passeth from the North Southward very swiftly through the Land of Ava and Pegu and several Provinces of Siam until that it discharge it self by three mouthes into the Sea of Siam it partaketh of the nature of those famous Rivers Ganges and Nilus flowing once a year so high that it covereth most part of the Countrey making it incredibly fruitful and destroying by this innundation which continueth four or five moneths all obnoxious vermin and creatures The greatest mouth of this River is that which lies most Eastward thirteen degrees and a half Northern latitude and in the middle of the inlet there is a great flat or sand a mile long that crosses the entry of the River five or six foot deep at low water but at heighth is fifteen or sixteen and in the Winter moneths when the the floods are great there is ordinarily seventeen or eighteen foot and more great Ships that go deep are forced to anker at four five or six fathoms water without this banck the ground being clay and good but those that pass this flat at high water enter the River without any more danger of runing on ground till they come to the Town of Banckock six Dutch miles upwards then the River grows narrower and more shallow Ships drawing eleven or twelve foot water being scarceable to mount to the City of India where they are sometimes forced to stay till the moneths of September October and November for water to return The Country is generally well peopled especially the lower part of it being full of Villages and Towns the principal whereof are Iudica Picelouck Sourckelouk Capheng Soutcethay Kephinpet Conseywan Pytsyay Pitsidi Lydure Tenou Mormelon Martenayo Lygor Bordelong Tannassary Banckock Pypry Rapry Mergy and several other all which are governments and heads of Provinces besides these there are many Cities and Burroughs full