Siam

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of SIAM and the trade of the coast thereof.

Under the title of Siam I will comprehend the Citie of Tenaserim, a famous towne of traffique, and the Metropolis of a Kingdome; also Pottana, another Citie on this coast, not farre distant from Siam it selfe, being a place where the English Merchants have a residence and hold a Factorie; and lastly Siam as the principall, and as one upon whom the rest have a dependencie, both in matter of government and trade. This Citie then of Siam some yeares past (as appeares by the relation of that worthy Merchant Raphe Fitche, and others) was the prime of all these and the neighbouring Regions; but being for twenty-one moneths besieged by the King of Pegu, who after foure moneths march incompassed it with a million and foure hundred thousand Souldiers, and at length by meanes of treason and not of strength gained it, drove the King thereof to that desperation that he poisoned himselfe with all his wives and children; since which time it hath obeyed severall Princes and beene subject to sundrie Masters, according to the various chance of warre, and of this Countrey, which in one age is seene here so diversly to alter into sundry shapes; for a petty King which now commands one onely Towne or Province, in a few yeares comes to be a great Emperour over severall Kingdomes, and peradventure that that great Emperour who now commanded so many severall Nations, within few yeares after is glad to rule over a small Province, Citie, or Iland, which the Princes of Pegu and Siam have of late yeares to their great griefe found too true by experience.

This Citie of Siam is yet notwithstanding the former suffered calamitie, a place of great traffique, not onely hence to Cauchinchina, Macau, Cantor, Mallacca, Cambaia and the Ilands, Sumatra, Borneo, Banda and others by Sea, but also is much augmented by the inland trade thereof, partly to Martavan, Tenaserim and others, which are seated on the same Land, but as seated on the backeside thereof, and as injoying thereby the commoditie of another Sea, but the same is found proper for trade by its owne commodious scituation, being on the bankes of that great and famous River Menan, which runneth hither through or rather thwarteth India, arising in the lake of Chiamay, as they terme it, at least 22 degrees from this Citie, where it issueth into the Sea, and is here found about the moneth of March so to overswell his bankes, and the neighbouring Countrey, that it covereth the earth for 120 miles in compasse, and therefore the Inhabitants are said to retire themselves during this inundation to the upper part of their houses, so purposely made to avoide the inconveniencie of the waters, every house then having a boate or frigat belonging thereto, by which meanes they converse together and traffique, as on dry shoare, till the said River returne to her wonted channell againe.

The Kings of this Countrey as indeed of all these Regions, are for the most part Merchants, who gave the English admittance to trade and residence here about 1612; upon whom he bestowed also a faire house for their aboad, and ware-houses to lay up their merchandise; where since for some yeares they have continued, but of late yeares have left it off and discontinued, upon the little benefit this scale and Countrey affoorded them.

The principall commodities of this Citie and coast, are cottonlinens of severall sorts, and that excellent wine or distilled liquour, called here by the name of Nipe, made of Cocos or India Nuts, and hence transported into all parts of India, and the adjoyning Regions: here is also great quantitie of Benjamin, and of lacc: wherewith the hard wax is made that is brought hence into sundry parts of the World, also that costly wood called by the Portugals palo dangula, and calamba, which being good, is weighed against silver and gold; for rich perfumes, and the wood sapon used by dyers; also heere is Camphora in great plenty, Bezar stones and gold in some measure good store; also heere is found Diamonds, Nutmegs, and some other Spices, which the Countrey of it selfe affordeth for the maintenance of the trade thereof.

The coines here currant as I am informed are these following.

The first is a Taile which is worth 4 Ticalls, or 17 shillings ten pence, or eighteene shillings sterling.

A Ticall is accounted 4 masse, or 4 shil. 4 d. in circa sterling.

A masse is accompted 4 copans, about 13 d. sterling.

A copan is accompted 750 cashe, or 3¼ d. sterling.

A taile is 16 masse, and accompted worth 14 Rials of eight Spanish.

And 20 taile is a cattee worth 48 Rials of 〈◊〉 Spanish.

And 1 taile of Siam is worth 2 tailes of Iapan.

And note that in Pottana and elsewhere on this coast coines find little alteration in currant prizes and rates, except upon some extraordinary occasions, when some of these species are sought out, and provided by Merchants to transport into other places where the same do turn them better to benefit; and note that at Pottana,

A masse is as above worth 4 capans.

A capan worth 4 conderies.

A conderie is 100 cashe, which is 800 cashe, which is 50 more then at Siam as is above mentioned.

The measures and weights are not come to my knowledge.

So leaving Sciam and the trade of this coast, I shall repaire to Mallacca inhabited and fortified by the Portugals, and of great consequence in these parts.

1694. The present state of the universe by John Beaumont.

SIAM. (Book Siam)

I. THE present King of Siam is about forty years of Age.

II. He is a Pagan, tho the people of Siam are generally Adiaphorists; that is to say, all Religions are indifferent to to them, because they believe them all good; wherefore they tolerate them all, so they may consist with the Laws of their State.

III. The Capital City is Siam; its said to be one of the finest a Man can look on. The buildings are of an admirable Structure; and the Temples, Monasteries, and gilded Towers appear so rich and beautiful that they surpass all may be imagin'd of most stately.

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Siam, a great Kingdom in the Peninsula or almost Isle of India, beyond the Gulph of Bengala: It is bounded on the North by the Kingdoms of Pegu and Ava, on the East by those of Camboja, Laos, Jangoma and Tango; on the South by the Gulph of Siam; and on the West by the Gulph of Bengala, lying in the form of a half Circle, and is about four hundred and fifty Leagues in compass. Some affirm that the Kingdom of Siam extends it self from the Point of Malacca, to the Kingdom of Pegu and Laos, which are its bounds towards the North; that it has the Sea of China for its Eastern Boundary, and the Indian Sea on the West, so that it constitutes a great Peninsula▪ And add, That our common Maps do not give us a true Description of the Provinces and Limits of that Kingdom, and that therefore some in that Country are employ'd to make a more exact Map. Siam is commonly divided into eleven Provinces, which formerly had each of them the name of Kingdoms, viz. Siam, Martavan, Siara, Tanass•rin, Keda, Pera, Ihor, Juncalaon, Paarn, Parana and Ligor, some of them still retain the name of Principalities, but they who possess them pay Tribute to the King of Siam, whose Subjects they are. There are also other Countries which have the name of Kingdoms, and are Tributary to the King of Siam, as the Kingdoms of Camboja, Gehor, Patane, Queda, Singora, &c. the most part of which do every Year present a Nosegay of Golden Flowers instead of Tribute. The Air of this Country is Good and Healthful, and Strangers easily accustom themselves to it. The Sea Coast is extreamly well Peopled, as lying convenient for the Arrival of Shipping from Japan, China, the Philippine Islands, Tonquin, Cochinchina, Sciampaa, Camboja, the Isle of Sonda, and all the parts of India on this side Ganges, and the Gulph of Bengala, from Persia and Arabia, yea and the Kingdoms of Europe too. The Country is very Fruitful and abounding with Corn, especially Rice, and Fruits of all sorts. It hath Mines of Lead, Pewter, Silver and Gold, but it is not fine. The Elephants yield abundance of Ivory; and Trade furnisheth it with all the most precious Commodities of Asia, as Silks and Sattins, China Wood, China Ware, Musk, Silver, Gold, all manner of Goldsmiths Work, Pearls and Precious Stones. The French have a Factory in Siam the Capital of the Kingdom, and the Portuguese dwell here in great Numbers, and yet there are not above nine or ten Families that are true Portuguese, though there be above a thousand of those they call Metys, that are born of Portuguese Fathers and Siam Mothers. There are above a hundred Families of the Inhabitants of Cochinchina, who are most of them Christians; and of the Inhabitants of Tonquia that are setled in Siam, there are about seven or eight Christian Families. The English also and Hollanders have each of them a Factory here. The whole Country generally abounds with Turks and Mahometans. The Houses are mostly of Wood built upon Posts or Pillars, because of the Inundations that happen there every Year; but the Chinese and Moors have built several of Stone, which are fair Buildings. The Riches of the Country appears by their Pagodes or Temples, whose Ornaments are generally of Wrought Gold, by their Scructure, which is Magnificent, and by their great Numbers. The Country abounds with great and pleasant Rivers, whereof the most part do overflow the Banks, whilst the Sun is in the Northern Signs, that is, from the Month of March to September, which contributes much to the Fruitfulness of the Country: and it is observed as a Wonderful Effect of Providence, that the Ears of Rice rise higher by the same degrees as the Waters rise. In Siam are Serpents of about twenty Foot long, which have two Heads; but that which is at the place where the Tail should be, does never open, nor hath any Motion at all. There are also a sort of Animals very Venomous, about a Foot long, with a forked Tail, its shape being much like that which our Painters give to Salamanders.

Of the King of Siam. The King of Siam is a most Absolute Monarch, and the Honour his Subjects render to him is no less than Adoration, as appears by their Posture while in his Presence, even in his Privy Council, which continues sometimes for four Hours together, and all the while his Ministers of State lye Prostrate before him. Whenever he goes abroad, all must withdraw, neither dares any Person be found in his Presence without an express Order from him; and all the Doors and Windows must be shut up wheresoever he passeth, except only at those Solemn times, wherein for a great Favour he is pleased to shew himself to his People. In the last Embassy the French King sent thither, the French themselves had orders not to stir out of their Lodgings when the King went abroad. Neither is any one suffered to come near the Palace whilst he is there. When he goes into the City, he is carried on the Shoulders of twelve Servants in a Chair or Sedan of Gold; and if it be a day of extraordinary Solemnity, he rides on an Elephant, seated on a Throne of Gold. When he has a mind to take his Pleasure upon the River, he enters into a most sumptuous Barge, and takes his place under a State of Cloth of Gold, accompanied with some of his Lords called Mandarins, and all the rest of them follow him, every one of them in his Barge, sometimes to the number of a Thousand. On Festival days the Mandarins are all dress'd in Stuff of the same colour, such as the King himself names; who shews himself in publick to his People twice in a Year with extraordinary Pomp and Magnificence: At these times he is always accompanied by his whole Court, and makes a Show of all his Riches and State. At the first time of his appearance in publick, two hundred Elephants are led before him in State, amongst which there is one White Elephant, which the King has so high a Value for, that amongst the rest of his Titles, he esteems it his Glory to be called The King of the White Elephant. This Elephant is always fed in Vessels of Gold, and at his Death, his Funerals are celebrated with the same Pomp and Solemnity, as is usual at the Interment of the greatest Princes of the Kingdom. The second time the King shews himself upon the River, accompanied with two hundred Gallies, wherereof each hath four hundred Rowers. And forasmuch as this second shewing of himself is in the Month of November, at which time the River begins to fall, the Priests take this occasion to make the People believe, that it is the King only who hath the Power to put a stop to the Inundation of the River; and the silly People accordingly persuade themselves that the King at that time goes to slash the Waters with his Cymeter, and by this means forces them to return to the Sea. The King at both these times of his appearing in publick, goes to visit two Temples, whereof the one is in the City of Siam, the other about six Leagues from the City up the River. There is also another time wherein he goes abroad out of his Palace, but without any Show, to pay a Visit to a Pagode or Temple, which is in an Isle where the Hollanders have their Lodge. All these three Pagodes are very richly adorned, and the Building is very fair and sumptuous, and all the Altars in them are thick set with Idols of Gold and Silver. The Temple the King visits in the City, hath near four thousand Idols all Guilt, besides the three chiefest which are of Massy Gold. That which is six Leagues from the City is never opened but to the King, and the Priests; the People lying prostrate without Doors, with their Faces on the Ground. The Pagode which is in the Hollanders Isle, hath a kind of Cloister belonging to it, that is very pleasant. The Great Idol that is here, is surrounded with three hundred others of different bigness, and in several Postures. The King sends every Year five or six great Vessels, which they call Sommes, to China, laden with those things the Chinese stand in need of, and two or three to Japan. And he drives a like Trade to Camboja, Cochinchina, Tonquin, and all the Coasts of India and Persia, and especially to Suratte, from which places he fetches all manner of Rich Merchandises, which he sells at the Price he sets himself.

The King hath but one Wife that is called Queen, but he hath a great number of Concubines. He fares very Deliciously, yet drinks no Wine, but only Water, because their Religion forbids the drinking of Wine to all Persons of Quality, and their Talapoins or Priests. The Kingdom is Hereditary, but so as that the Brothers come to the Throne before the Children, who do not enjoy the Succession till after the Death of their Uncles.

Of the Princes and Great Officers of the Kingdom. There are three sorts of Princes at the Court of Siam; The first are the Princes of the Royal Blood, the Kings of Camboja, Gehor, and the other Kingdoms Tributary to the King of Siam. The second are the Princes of Laos, Chiamay and Banca, which have been taken in War, and some others that have voluntarily put themselves under the Kings Protection. The third are those whom the King has been pleased to raise to the Degree of Princes. These at solemn days hold great Cups of Gold and Silver in their Hands, which are the Ensigns of their Dignity. There are seven great Officers in the Kingdom of Siam. The first in Dignity next to the King, and who hath the Honour to sit in his Presence, is called Maha-omma-rat; the Chacri hath the Superintendence of all Affairs, whether of War or Justice; the Aahoum is the Generalissimo of the King's Armies by Sea and Land; the Ok-ia-Vang takes care of the Affairs of the Kings Palace; the Ok-ia-Praklang hath the care of all Foreign Business, and of the Kings Magazines; the Ok-ia-Pollatep hath the Charge of the Kings Revenues; the Ok-ia-Jombarat is the Sovereign Judge in all Criminal cases. Besides these Great Officers, the King hath a Treasurer called Ok-ia-Pagdi. Those who possess these Primary Dignities, do with the Kings consent dispose of all the other Inferior Offices in the Kingdom, and are responsible for the Faults any of the Subordinates may commit in their several Stations. The Council of State is composed of many Mandarins, who give the King their Advice by way of Remonstrance, but can resolve nothing, the King reserving to himself the Power of approving or rejecting their Advice. The King bestows the Title and Quality of Mandarin on whomsoever he pleaseth, without having any regard to the Birth of the Party, forasmuch as all his Subjects are his Slaves, whom he raiseth and casts down according to his own good liking. In Matters of great Importance the King himself gives Judgment; the Mandarins indeed do first examine the Case to be tried, and then make their Report to the King; who being seated upon an high Throne, after that he hath taken full Cognisance of the Matter, pronounces the Sentence, which is writ down in his Presence. For the Determination of ordinary Cases there are Courts of Judicature established in the several Cities, but so as to admit of an Appeal from them to the Council of Siam, the Capital of the Kingdom, whose Judgment is Final and Decisive. This Council is composed of a President and twelve Counsellors.

Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants of Siam. Those of Siam commonly affect no Costliness in their Clothing; the Men and Women of the Common People are dress'd much alike; they have a piece of Stuff which they call a Longuis, of about two Yards and a half long, and three quarters of a Yard broad, which they wrap about their Body, in the manner of a Petticoat, reaching from the Waste below the Knee, but that of the Women reaches to their Ancles: When it is cold and rainy Weather, or that the Sun is extraordinary hot, the Men make use of another kind of Longuis, wherewith they cover all the rest of their Bodies; and the Women instead thereof wear a kind of White Scarf: Both Men and Women cut their Hair. The Clothing of the Mandarins does not differ from that of the common People whilst at home, save only that they wear finer Stuffs; but when they go abroad they wear a Longuis of Silk, or of painted Linnen, of about six or seven Yards, but so well fitted to them, that it hangs no lower than their Knees. The more considerable Mandarins have under their Longuis a straight pair of Drawers, the edges whereof are laid with Gold and Silver: They also wear Vests that are wide in the Body and Sleeves. They wear Indian Shooes without either Shooe-tyes or Buckles, that they may with the more ease put them off when they enter the Kings Apartment. Upon solemn days and Festivals, when they appear before the King, they have Caps on their Heads of a Pyramidal Figure, which are ty'd under their Chins. The King bestows upon some Mandarins Coronets of Gold or Silver, much like those of our Dukes, which they wear about their Caps, as a special Mark of Distinction and great Honour. The Siamese are very Kind and Civil, and do not want Affection to Strangers, but the most part of them are Dissemblers and Distrustful. Neither doth Justice take less place amongst them than Friendliness and Peace. When any Vessel is Shipwrack'd on the Coast, they are bound by Law to bring to the capital City, all that can be recovered of it, to the end it may be restored to the Owners, which is observed also with Respect to Foreigners and Strangers. They do not love Labour, but leave that Drudgery to their Slaves and Women, who are fain to Till the Ground, and to take care of their Houshold-Affairs, whilst the Men are otherwise employ'd. They are no expert Navigators, no more than other Eastern People, the command of the King's Ships being left to Europeans. As for their Jonkos, which is a sort of Vessel used by the Chinese, they are commonly managed by those of that Nation, who though they boast of having had Knowledge of the Mariners Compass for above two thousand Years, yet for all that are not very expert in the Art of Navigation. The Siamese have three and thirty Letters in their Alphabet; and they write as we do from the Left to the Right, whereas the Inhabitants of Japan, China, Cochinchina and Tonquin write from the Right to the Left, and from the top of the Page to the bottom. The Mony of the Country is of Silver, in the form of a Musket-bullet a little flatted: The basest Mony they have, is a sort of Shells brought from the Maldive Islands.

They fancy that it is misbecoming a Man to have White Teeth like the Beasts, and therefore they blacken them with a Varnish made on purpose, and to give time for the Colour to stick, they abstain from eating for a day or two. They are much addicted to the taking of Betele, Arcque and The. The Betele is the Leaf of a Tree that bears the same name; Areque is a Fruit much about the bigness and figure of one of our Acorns, which they cut into four pieces, and then mix with a Lime made of Sea-shels, and wrap it in a Leaf of Betele; which strange Mixture is so pleasing to their Taste, that all of them chew it continually wheresoever they are. And it is a great piece of Civility amongst them, to present those that come to visit them with Betele and The. Their own Country furnisheth them with Betele and Areque, but they have their The from Japan and China. Nobility is not Hereditary amongst them, the places of Trust and Honour which the King bestows make Noble-men, which are only distinguish'd from the common People by these Offices. Though their Religion allows Polygamy, yet there are but few amongst them that have above one or two Wives. As to the Women of Quality, the greatest Respect that can be shewed to them, is to turn ones back upon them when they pass by. They are generally much addicted to their Superstitions, and the Worshipping of their Idols, which appears from the Multiplicity and Magnificence of their Pagodes, and by their Liberality to the Talapoins. They say there are above fourteen thousand Temples in the Kingdom, and fifty thousand Talapoins, which are their Priests or Doctors. They greatly affect Magnificence in their Funerals, the Talapoins telling them, that the greater Expences are made at any ones Obsequies, the more Advantageous Lodging it procures to the Soul of the Deceased in the Body of some Prince; or at least some Noble Animal; for they believe Transmigration.

The Funerals of Great Men are celebrated in this manner: They make a Funeral Pile of Bamboos or great Canes, covered over with Paper of different Colours; on which they lay as much sweet Wood as the dead Body weighs: And after that the Priests have repeated some Prayers, they light the Pile, and burn the Body to Ashes, which are gathered up, and reserved in Urns of Gold or Siver. They do not burn the Bodies of Malefactors that have died a shameful Death, but bury them.

The Religion of the Siamese. Their Religion cannot be known but from their Books writ in the Balic Language, which with them is the Tongue of the Learned, and very few amongst them do understand; and besides neither do these Books always agree together, which makes the Search into these Points the more difficult. The Sum of what hath been gathered from them is to this purpose: They believe a God, but their Notion of him is very different from ours, for by this word they understand a Supreme Being consisting of Spirit and Body, whose Property it is to help and relieve Men; that is, to give them a Law, to teach them the true Religion, with other Arts and Sciences needful to them. The Perfections they attribute to him, are the Union of all Moral Virtues, and that in the highest degree. They believe his Agility to be such, that in a Moment he can transport himself at what distance he pleases; that he can either Appear or make himself Invisible when he will; that he knows all things, and is the Teacher of all Men; that his Body is more Shining and Glorious than the Sun; that he was brought forth in time, and doth not continue for ever; that he is become a God, after having obtained an absolutely perfect Virtue in the several Bodies, through which his Soul hath passed from time to time, and divested his Body of all Humane Passions and Motions by a great number of Transmigrations. That he arrives at this highest Felicity when he dies never to be born again, and that he appears no more in the World. This Death is to be understood of the Eternal, which Rest this God enjoys in Heaven, after a certain number of Ages, during which he hath filled up the number of his Elect, whom he was to bring up to the State of Saints. And then, say they, another takes his place, and governs the Universe, that is to say, teaches Men the true Religion. And this other God is a perfect Man, who hath merited to become a God by his good Actions, and is arrived to the highest Degree of Holiness. Those who have lived well here become Saints, after that they have attained abundance of Virtues, and pass'd through many Bodies, where they have been purified from all manner of Vices; but for to become God, an incomparable Sanctity is required, and such as is exempt from the least Defect whatsoever.

They believe a Paradice and Hell, but they suppose neither the Pleasures of the one, nor the Torments of the other to be Eternal, and that the longer or shorter stay in the one or other is determined, according as one hath done more Good Works, or committed more Sins. Hell according to them is divided into eight Mansions, which are so many degrees of Punishment; they believe also there is a Fire that burns the Damned. They distinguish also eight degrees of Bliss in Heaven; and in the three first of these Mansions they suppose there are Kings, Princes and People, and that in them the Saints do Marry. The Souls of Men that are born again into the World, according to their Opinion, come from three different places, viz. from Heaven, Hell, or the Bodies of Animals: The Souls that come from Heaven, have always some advantagious Marks to distinguish them from others; they are adorned with Virtue, Beauty, Health and Riches, and are born Princes, Lords, are Handsome and well-shap'd. See here the Principle of that Respect these People have for Persons raised above others, or that are of an Illustrious Birth, because they look upon them as Men that e'er long will become Gods or Saints at least, as having deserved that elevated State of Glory by their Good Actions. They that come out of the Bodies of Beasts, are much less Perfect than the former, but those that come from Hell are the worst of all, and are exposed to all manner of Disasters. The Talapoins also teach, that there is no good Action which is not rewarded in Heaven; nor Wicked which is not punish'd in Hell; that therefore when a vertuous Person dies he goes to Heaven, there to receive the Reward of his Good Works; and if he be Guilty of any considerable Sin, he dies in Heaven, to be born again in Hell, there to suffer the Punishment due to his Sin: But if he be only Guilty of some lesser Sins, he enters the World again, and animates the Body of some Beast; and having in that condition satisfied the Demand of Justice, he becomes a Man again as before; and so a Man passeth from one Transmigration to another, until he either become a Saint or a God. They believe Angels, but suppose them to have Bodies, and of both Sexes: They distribute them into seven Ranks or Orders, allowing each Order a different Heaven; and that their Office is to watch for the Preservation of Man, and to take care of the Government of the Universe. Each part of the World hath one of these Intelligences to preside over it. They attribute Angels to Stars, to the Earth, to Cities, Mountains, Forests, the Wind, Rain, &c. They own no other Devils but the Souls of Wicked Men, who being got out of Hell, Wander for a time up and down the World, and do all the Mischief to Men they can. The God whom the Siamese Worship at present, is called Sommon-ok-hodom, and the Talapoins say, that his Brother Thevathat became Jealous of him, and waged War against him; but being unable to deprive him of his Divinity, he set up a new Religion, whence a Multiplicity of other Sects proceeded; and, say the Christians, have their Religion from this Thevathat, who, as they say, is punish'd in Hell for Persecuting his Brother, and by this means endeavour to deter the People from the Christian Religion. Their Doctors say, that Sommon-ok-hodom having taught the true Religion to Men, died never to be born again, and ascended to the eighth Heaven, there to enjoy the most perfect Bliss. His Body, say they, was burnt, but his Bones are preserved till now, which are of a wonderful Virtue, and cast a wonderful Brightness, that dazles the Eyes of Spectators, as a certain mark of his Divinity.

The Talapoins who are the Priests, Religious and Teachers of the Siamese, are look'd upon as the true Imitators of their God; they have little or no Commerce with the World; they never salute any Lay-man, no not the King himself. Their Monasteries are so many Colleges for the Training up of Youth, and all the Children of Persons of Quality are sent thither, as soon as they are capable of Instruction. They live very Austerely and Abstemiously, they obey one Head, who is the Priest of the Great Pagode of Siam the Capital of the Kingdom. They are clothed in yellow Linnen, and have their Heads shorn; they are under a Vow of Chastity as long as they are Priests, but they may quit their Priesthood and then Marry. There are also a sort of Female Religious or Nuns, but they make no Vow, nor have any peculiar Rule to observe. They have no particular day in the Week set apart for their Devotions, besides the days of the four Quarters of the Moon. They observe a kind of Lent which lasts three Months, during which they abstain from several sorts of Food. They Pray for the Dead, and Bury them with abundance of Ceremony, for besides Musick, without which no considerable Persons are ever buried, their Funerals are often accompanied with Stage-Representations and Fire-works. They easily agree with those that are of a different Religion, because they believe that all Men may be saved in their own Religion, so they do but exercise themselves in Virtue and Charity.

They give us this Systeme of the World: They suppose the Heaven and Earth to be Increated and Eternal, and cannot conceive that the World ever had a Beginning, or will have any End: The Earth, according to them, is not round, but a flat Superficies, which they divide into four square parts separated from each other by Water; the whole Earth is encompass'd with a very strong and prodigious high Wall, on which Wall are ingraven in great Characters all the Secrets of Nature. In the midst of these four parts of the World, there is a very high Mountain, about which the Sun and Moon circulate continually; and by the daily Revolution of these Stars, Day and Night is made. The Earth hath under it a vast depth of Waters, which supports it, as the Water doth a Ship, and a violent Wind which blows continually, keeps the Waters that support the Earth from falling down. Chaumont Embassy of Siam, Choisy and Fa. Tachard Travels to Siam.

Siam, the capital City of the Kingdom of Siam; The Portuguese gave it this name, for the Inhabitants call it Crungsi ayu tha-ya; Crungsi signifies Excellent City. Their Historians call it also Crung teppa Ppra ma hà nà Kon, i. e. The Angelical, Wonderful and Extraordinary City. They call it Angelical, because they suppose it Impregnable: It is built in an Island, made by the River Menam (i. e. Mother of Waters) which thereabouts is very broad and deep; some Authors suppose it to be an arm of the River Ganges, but they are mistaken, for it hath its rise towards the Borders of Laos, from a great Mountain, it overflows every Year, and drowns all the Country about the City. The Water of it is very Healthful, but it abounds with Crocodils of a monstrous bigness, which devour Men when they find them alone and unarmed. The Figure of the City is almost round, and is about two Leagues in compass. The Suburbs which are on each side of the River are as large and as well built as the City: It hath many fair Streets, and Channels all along them drawn very regularly, on which one may go by Water almost to every House in the City. The Buildings of it are of admirable Structure, and the Riches of the Temples outvy any thing that is to be seen elsewhere throughout all India. All their Steeples are guilt, which make a Glorious show at a distance. The King's Palace is upon the Bank of the River, and of so great a compass, that one would take it for a City, and all the Towers and Pyramids of it are likewise Gilt, and the Kings and Queens Apartments enclose inconceivable Riches. Gold and Precious Stones dazle the Spectators Eyes wheresoever he turns them; neither is the like to be seen in all the East, except only in China. In the Year 1634 the Hollanders built a House here, which is one of the fairest their East-India Company have in the East. Trade hath drawn to this City many Nations, who are setled here; but there are none besides the English, the Hollanders, the Portuguese, the French and the Moors, that is to say, the Turks and Mahometans, that dwell in the City; other Nations are lodged about the City in Camps, that is to say, each Nation by themselves. Amongst the Pagodes or Temples of Siam, the most Sumptuous and Magnificent is that which is in the King's Palace; at the Gate of it there is a Cow on one side, and on the other a most hideous Monster, the inside glitters with Gold; the Walls, the Ceeling, the Pillars, and all the Figures, are so well gilt, that they seem to be all covered with plates of Gold. After one is entred some paces into this Temple, there stands a kind of Altar, on which there are four Figures all of Massy Gold, much about the heighth of a Man, that sits cross-leg'd, as is the custom of those of Siam. A little further is a kind of Quire, where is seen the richest Pagode or Idol of the Kingdom (for this name is given indifferently to the Temple and Idol) this Statue is standing, and with his Head toucheth the Roof of the Temple; it is about forty five Foot high, and seven or eight broad, and the Wonder is, that though of this bigness, yet it is all of Gold: According to the Proportion of it, it cannot take up less than an hundred foot square, that is, 12500 Pounds of this Metal (for one foot square of Gold weighs 125 Pound) and accordingly must be worth at least above twelve Millions and five hundred thousand French Livres. They say that this prodigious Colossus was cast in the very place where it stands, and that afterwards the Temple was built over it. At the sides of this Colossus there are several other Statues of a less size, which are likewise of Gold, and adorned with precious Stones. About a hundred paces from the King's Palace, towards the South, is another Temple, which is not so Sumptuous as the former, but its Structure more Fair and Regular. It is built in the Form of a Cross like our Churches, and hath five Domes at the top of it, that which stands in the midst being the greatest of all the rest; the Roof is covered with Calin or Pewter gilt. This Temple is adorned with forty four great Pyramids very well wrought, and with Symmetry placed round it, on three Stages or Platforms of different heighth; of these Pyramids some end in a point, others are round at top in form of a Dome: The whole Building, together with the Pyramids, is enclosed in a kind of square Cloister, where along the Galleries on one side stand above four hundred Statues of Brick gilt, placed in a very fine order; the other side next the Temple is open. Fa. Tachard Travels to Siam.