upon their Feasts and Holy daies These are prohibited the natural use of Women upon pain of being burned but they may alwaies and at pleasure upon declaration of their frailty or weakness quit their frocks and betake themselves to another life which happens often amongst them They have their morning and evening Song Readings and other Services celebrated in their Cloysters every day and frequented by their society They live upon the Alms and bounty of the King and great Ones as also on the fruit which their Church Lands bring forth but principally out of the sweet and labours of the Commonalty who unanimously share with them they sending every morning some Priests and Clerks out of their Cloysters with begging bags to receive these donations and charity Besides these Priests there are a sort of old Nuns shorn lodged in Chappels near the greatest Temples who assist very devoutly in all their preachings singings ceremonies and other Church services but all voluntary being tied to no rules or prescriptions These Heathens do generally believe however differing in many particulars that there is one upper God with many lesser Deities in Heaven who created all things that the Souls of Men are immortal and shall be rewarded or punished according to their merits and actions the good dwelling with the God in bliss whilest the wicked are tormented by the Devils that seduced them Their Religion is principally founded upon these points which have been delivered to them in writing many hundred years since and confirmed with the testimony of many holy men whose memory they worship in their Images which they have set up like so many lesser Deities who by their charity to the Church to the poor and to all things that had life they endeavored to merit Heaven and avoid the dreadful punishments of the Devils Those that are religious and superstitious in these buy ordinarily upon Feast daies multitudes of Birds and living Fish bringing them to the Temple and there give them their liberty esteeming it a great sin to kill not onely men but the more rude creatures fancying the souls of deceased persons to be transmigrated into them all other evils which Nature teaches us to be sin they account so too and are much preached against by their Priests The chief Ceremonies of this Idolatry are as we said preaching teaching singing evening and morning Prayers and offering of Sacrifice which is done with torches candles incense spices and flowers at the altars of their images which in their opinion represent the great God the lesser Deities and holy Men whereby they think their wrath is appeased to which end they celebrate with much solemnity at the new full and quarters of the Moon as also several other extraordinary Festivals with a fasting from any thing which hath had life for three moneths together they pray for the sick and also the dead who being first superstitiously shaven anointed charmed and with much ceremony as weeping cutting of the hair of the head by the next friend alms prayers of the Priests musick plays fire-works and other shows according to the quality and ability of the deceased burnt with fire their collected ashes are afterwards anointed and buried near the Temples a Pyramid rich and magnificent being erected over them so that these funerals are extreamly expensive to the survivors as well as honorable for the deceased The Priests carry themselves very moderatly to those of a contrary Religion condemning no opinions but believe that all though of differing tenets living vertuously may be saved all services which are performed with zeal being acceptable to the great God especially theirs they being convinced of its truth and innocency This constancy of theirs makes them not easily to be drawn to any other perswasion which hath been sufficiently attempted by the Portugals whose industrious Priests omitted nothing for their conversion and by the Mohometans who are no lesse zealous in their way though with little or no success by either of them and yet the Christians as also the Mahometans are both permitted the free exercise of their Religions in their Countrey However these Heathen be thus religious yet they fear and serve although contrary to the opinion of most of their Priests the very Devils whom they believe to be the authours and causes of all evil as the Gods are of every thing that is good and vertuous They adore these unclean Spirits in their sicknesses and misfortunes celebrating their feasts with instruments playing and offering attoning sacrifices of fruits and living creatures They are so strangely abominable in their gestures and actions that it is not fit for a Christian either to see or write them thus fondly searching his favour whose indulgences do but plunge them deeper in their unhappy mistakes and errours The people of this Countrey are reasonably well proportioned brown and tawny they are none of the best Souldiers though proud and insolent in their victories they are modest enough in their civil conversation though naturally light fearful incredulous dissimuled deceitful and very lying The men are lazy and slow insomuch that the women with their slaves are forced contrary to the customs of other Nations to labour the earth and do most of their husbands work besides taking care for their families and houses whilest the men follow their pleasure and divertisements abroad They clothe themselves both men women thin according to the hot climat they live in both sexes wear painted petticoats the men covering their upper parts with a short shirt with half-sleeves and the women with a thin cloth both ends hanging over their shoulders to hide their brests They wear for ornaments gold pins in their hair and rings of the same mettal on their fingers This is the ordinary wear high and low being all of a fashion and not distinguishable but by the richness of their vestments and the greatness of their trains which they much glory in The Gentry and Nobles have many slaves attending them when they go abroad some ten twenty thirty or more according to their abilities and greatness and not a Citizen or his Wife stirs in the streets without one or two of these slaves to wait upon them Their houses are builded according to the fashion in India of wood and reeds and covered with Coco leaves or tiles the floors are raised three or four foot high their appartements being commodious though but slenderly furnished only for sleeping and dressing what is necessary for their refection Their diet is but mean as rice fish and herbs they drink water though on Feast daies they indulge more the common people drinking ordinarily Arak or Brandy-Wine They differ very much in their customs about marrying great Persons need nothing but the consent of their Parents or Friends the Priests not intermedling at all the ceremony ending in feasting and rejoycing Husband and Wife may part again at pleasure dealing their goods and children without further circumstance and may re-marry if they think good without
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
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
Maccan the Iapanners fetched themselves betwixt two and three thousand Picols yearly as we have already observed from Courchinchina Courchin Manilha and other places more whereof they are hindred and receive none but what we bring them and at such rates as we shall please to put upon them The Cargasoon which I should require and which would be vented there infalliblie with profit out of which our Masters might have so much China ware as they demanded without the expence of a penny is as followeth 3000 Picols of white raw Silk at 180 Royals of eight the Picol amounts to R. 540000. 260 Ditto fine sodden Silk at 200 Royals the Picol R. 52000 500 Ditto raw Silk in short and long strings at 180 Royals the Picol R. 60000. 100 Ditto white Silk at 290 Royals the Picol R. 20000. 100 Ditto Flos Silk at 190 Royals thâ— Picol 15000 pieces of black Single at 2 Royals the piece R. 77500. 20000 Ditto coloured Armosyne at one Royal and a half the piece R. 30000. 2000 Ditto black Sattin at 8 Royals the piece R. 16000. 5000 Ditto good black Damask at 6 Royals the piece R. 30000. Transport for the following K. 5000 Ditto ordinary good black even Sattin at R. 30000. 2000 Ditto fine black even Velvet at 8 Royals the piece R. 16000. 5000 Ditto white even Sattin woven flat at 4 Royals the piece R. 20000. 2000 Ditto black fine watered Grogrum at 8 Royals the piece R. 16000. 2000 Ditto white Damask at three Royals and a half the piece R. 7000. 3000 Ditto white Cramosy red Damask at 5 Royals the piece R. 15000. 5000 Ditto Cramosy red L. at 4 Royals the piece R. 20000. 3000 Ditto paynted Calicoes at four Royals and a half the piece R. 13500. 3000 Ditto white L. at 3. Royals the piece R. 9000. 2000 Ditto paynted Calicoes at three Royals and a half the piece R. 9000. 5000 Ditto fine black Stuffs of all sorts worked with Gold and Silver at ten Royals the piece R. 50000. 105000. This aforesaid China Cargasoon being sent yearlie to Japan I engage my self to my Masters so long as God gives me health to serve them for nothing unless I return them in four or five moneths time in good Silver One million eight hundred and fifty thousand Royals of eight if that be not enough let them send more and the gain will be greater We have taxed the goods at twenty per cent higher then they will possibly be bought for and that purposelie as knowing well that these goods will first cost us more then the Portugals had them for at Maccan by reason of the fort and Cargasoon that we must necessarilie hold for the China trading I know it will fall heavy for our Masters considering their other expences to furnish us with so much as is here required if it cannot be done at once let them furnish us with the half the business can be so ordered here that one third part of the Japans and another third part of the Portugals principal be imployed so that the Masters need furnish but the rest which they may gaine back and all charges paid in six moneths The Overseers of the Company do intimate by their Letters their earnest desires to have great Cargasoons sent yearlie home for the easing of those vast expences they are at by reason whereof it happens to the great grief of our Governour General and Councel of India that many places fail oftentimes to furnish the desired quota the which hath obliged me to deliver this by writing to their Honours if they be pleased to hearken to it and furnish our demands yearlie without delaying if it cannot be found out of the China commodities alone it must be supplied with Europian wares as also with some Nutmegs Peper Eliphants-teeth and the like that we may shew that our givings out to our Masters shall not onlie reap the aforesaid profits but their Servant shall gain praise and thanks to the honour of the Netherland Nation Sixty four Tonnes of Gold and a half may be yearlie gained by these China Silke Wares besides other Commodities A description of the pompous and magnificent reception of the DEYRO in the City of Meaco when he came to visit his Imperial Majesty of Japan on Octob. 25. 1626. Written by Coenraed Krammer deputed from the East-India-Company to that Court and then present IN the year 1626. having had audience on the twentieth of October I took my leave of both the old and young Emperour four daies before the feast which seemed strange to them that knew it being their Majesties were so intent in their preparations for the Deyro's reception but these men did not know how desirous the Emperour was to dispatch the Hollanders before the feast however the Siammer and Portugal Ambassadours had not as yet been publicklie received and all by reason of the present business which took up the whole Court in so much that they were deferred till that was past we being therefore dispatched had the more leasure and desire to see this solemn entertainment and the rather being invited to a stay by the Lord of Firando and Cackusymondonne On the twenty fourth we went towards the Emperours Palace attended upon by all our Servants and having hired a place from which we might see the whole procession we were forced to stay there that whole night by reason of the great crouds of people that passed that way on the morrow following being the twenty fifth as soon as the day appeared we saw an innumerable company of people who filled the way up betwixt the Emperours Palace and the Deyro's Court The streets were made very even and strewed with white sand and railed in on both sides and guarded all along by Souldiers of both their Majesties and of the Deyro's all clothed in long white vestments with head-pieces of black wax and armed each with two Sables and a Pike for defence of the passage through which the Coaches and Horses were to march all running waters and ditches were covered with boards and planks and scaffols were raised on both sides the way for the spectators The first that passed were Servants that belonged to the Deyro and Emperour with many Palanquimos or Porters who carried the Deyro's baggage packt up in great square Wax Chests the covers whereof were painted with the Deyro's Arms in Gold to the Emperours Court These were accompanied with a great train of Attendants who were again followed by six and forty Palanquin Stooles or Sedans wherein the Women belonging to the Deyro's Wives were carried these Sedans were all of them curiously wrought of bright white wood six foot high laid with plates of Copper and finely painted each of these being carried by four lusty follows after them went one and twenty Sedans or Norimons for so they call them here covered with black Wax and gilded and behinde them some twenty seven more whose doors and windows were all gilded some of the Deyro's chiefe Lords were
of people which I omit as superfluous The City of Iudica the Metropolis of the Kingdom and seat of the King and his chiefest Nobles is scituate upon the River Menam in a little round Island encompassed with a thick stone wall about six English miles round the Suburbs are on the other side of the River closely builded and full of Temples and Cloysters lying in a flat and fruitful Country The Streets of the walled Town are many of them large straight and regular with channels running through them although for the most part of small narrow Lanes Ditches and Creekes most confusedly placed the Citizens have an incredible number of small Boats or Prawes which come to their very doors especially at floods and high water The building of the Houses is according to the Indian fashion slight and covered with Tiles but the City is beautified with more then three hundred faire Temples and Cloysters all curiously builded and adorned with many gilded Towers Pyramids and Pictures without number The Kings Palace is seated upon the River resembling a little Town apart great and magnificent many of its Buildings and Towers being entirely gilded This royal and admirable City is perfectly well seated and populous to a wonder being frequented by all Nations and is likewise impregnable as not to be besieged but six moneths in a year by reason of the innundations of the River which covers the Countrey round with its overflowings The Soveraignity and Government of Siam is in the King a Prince of a Noble and ancient family who hath been in possession of this Kingdom and the neighbouring Provinces many hundred of years this Prince is absolute in his Dominions disposing of War and Peace Alliances Justice Pardons and Remissions c. at his pleasure He maketh Laws without any advise or consent of his Council or Lords his will being the rule he walks by unlesse his goodnesse descend sometimes to counsel with his Mandoryns them of his Council these sometimes deliberate upon his Majesties propositions and present their result to him by way of humble supplication which he confirms changes or rejects as he thinks good He disposes Soveraignity of all the Dignities and great Offices of his Kingdom without respect of persons noble or otherwise except some of the Antientest and greatest Families to such as have or may serve him well whom he againe deprives of their honours for small faults so that they are all his Slaves and Vassals which the Great ones esteem an honour and put in their titles The King thus soveraignly disposing of all things doth notwithstanding nothing without some appearance of reason and conformity to the Laws of the Kingdom which however antient he by his usurped prerogative and power doth interpret and bow to his Arbitrary will and pleasure His Majesties Court and Train is exceeding great and glorious He seldom shews himselfe to the People and very sparingly to his Grandees and Officers of the Kingdom which happens at certain appointed times and daies when he gives them Audience he is richly clothed and crowned sitting upon a golden Throne at whose feet his Gentlemen and Attendants reverently kneel accompanied with three hundred armed Souldiers of his Lifeguard All as well Strangers as Subjects who have audience of his Majesty whilest they are in his presence must continually kneele with folded hands and heads hanging down when they speak to him it must be in this humble posture loading him with titles and praises his Answers are esteemed Oracles and his commands unchangeable so that he lives happy in all imaginable worldly pleasures having many magnificent Houses up and down the Kingdom as also other places Tents and Pavilions He eateth highly but his drink is simple water or Coco all strong drinks being prohibited by the Clergy and the Laws and esteemed scandalous His Majesty goeth ordinarily by water with eight or ten very costly and fine Barges each with eighty or a hundred rowers he sits under a gilded Pavilion upon a Throne accompanied with his Courtiers and other Barges to the number of three or four hundred with his Train and Guards waiting upon him most of the great Ones follow the Court at such times each in his rich gilded Barge or Praw so that the whole train of them is twelve or fourteen hundred and sometimes more When he goes by land he is mounted upon a gilded seat and carried upon mens shoulders the train being ordinarily the same all marching in order and great silence no body is seen in his way or sight but upon their knees with folded hands and bowed heads and bodies this reverence better becoming a celestial Diety then an earthly Majesty Once every year about the moneth of October the King of Siam shews himself by water and land in state to his people going to the principal Temple of the Gods to offer there for the welfare of his Person and Kingdom the manner follows When he goes by land the procession is led by two hundred Elephants each attended vvith three armed men these are follovved by many Musitians vvith Gomnies Pipes and Drums and a thousand men richly armed and provided vvith Banners Then march the great Lords of the Kingdom on horse-back many of them vvearing Crovvns of Gold upon their heads and every one vvaited upon by sixty eighty or an hundred men on foot Tvvo hundred Iapan Souldiers follovv these vvith bright Arms and rich Colours and much noise of Instruments then comes the Lifeguard vvith the King's Horses and Elephants richly adorned vvith pretious Stones and Gold furniture vvhich is follovved by many Servants loaden vvith fruits and presents for the Sacrifice accompanied vvith a svvet consort of Musick These are again follovved by many of the great Ones on foot vvith folded hands as also some Crovvned Grandees vvhereof one carrieth the gilded Standard and the other the Svvord of Justice his Majesty follovvs next in person in his royal Robes sitting upon an Elephant or else a gilded Throne carried upon mens shoulders and vvaited upon by many Lords and Courtiers the Prince or Heir of the Kingdom follovveth him and then in order the Kings Wives and Concubins seated upon Elephants in little enclosed Cabinets lastly the ordinary Courtiers follovv the vvhole provision consisting of fifteen or sixteen thousand persons having its rear brought up by six hundred armed men But if the King go by vvater then tvvo hundred Lords each in his Barge seated in a gilded Cabinet vvith eighty or ninety Rovvers lead the van these are follovved by ten extraordinary rich figured Pravvs or Barges the vvhich as also the Oars are all gilded each having ninety or an hundred Watermen The King is in the richest of them sitting like an Idol upon a golden Throne vvith his Lords in their humblest posture at his feet the royal Banner is borne by one of these Grandees at the head of the Barge in state The King's Brother follovveth next vvith his Train and after him his Majesties Wives and Concubins in