Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

420

Next year, the Siamer, to be revenged, levied another great army, with which heover-ran all the inland countries of Pegu that lay near him, and annexed them to hisown dominions. The Peguer finding that he could not recover his lands withoutforeign aid and affiftance, invited the Portugueze, whofe name began to be dreadful inIndia , and by the great encouragement he gave them, got about 1000 volunteers intohis fervice. Neither the Siamers nor the Peguers at that time underftood the ufe offire-arms, and their noife and execution at fo great a diflance terrified them. Withthe Portugueze affiftance, the Peguer went with his army, which v T as very numerous,to find out the Siamer, and having found him, gave him battle, the Portugueze beingin the front with their fire-arms, foon put the Siamer to flight before they could cometo handy-blows, oh which he left the Peguer’s country in greater hafte than he cameinto it.

The King of Pegu was fo fenfible of the Portugueze fervice in gaining the battle, antidriving the Siamers out of his conquered country, that he made one Senhor ThomaPereyra (who commanded the Portugueze in the war) generaliflimo of all his forces,which preferment made the Portugueze fo infolent, that in a few years they becameintolerable to all ranks and degrees of perfons in Pegu.

Both Kings grew tired of war, but both too proud to make advances towards peace,fo that for many years they had ikirmifliing with fmall parties, though no fet battles, andwherever the Portugueze'arms went, they had victory to accompany them.

The King of Pegu, to have his forces nearer the borders of Siam , fettled hfs court atMartavan, and kept the Portugueze near him, to be ready on all occafions, either torepel or affault the Siam forces, as opportunity ferved, and Thoma Pereyra was thedarling favourite at court, he had his elephants of ftate, and a guard of his own country-men to attend him. One day as he was coming from court in ftate, on a large ele-phant, towards his own palace, he chanced to hear mufic in a burgher’s houfe, whofedaughter being a very beautiful virgin, had been married that morning to a young manof the neighbourhood. The general went to the houfe and wilhed them joy, and defiredto fee the bride. The parents took the general’s vifit for a great honour done them, andbrought their daughter to his elephant’s fide ; he being fmitten with her beauty,ordered his guard to feize her and carry her to his houfe.

His orders were but too readily obeyed, and the poor bridegroom not being able tobear his lofs, cut his own throat; and the difconfolate parents of their injured children,,rent their clothes, and went crying and complaining through the ftreets towards theKing’s palace, imploring their gods and countrymen to avenge them on the infolentPortugueze,. the common oppreffors of their country. Crowds of people came fromall parts of the city to hear and fee the tragedy ; their numbers grew fo great, that theftreets were hardly big enough for them, and their noife fo loud that it reached theKing ’s ears, who lent to know the caufe of their uproar. The meffenger returning,acquainted the King what had been tranfacled, and he, to appeafe the tumult, fent them'word that he would punilh the criminal, and accordingly fent for his general, but hebeing much taken up with the enjoyment of his new purchafe, made an excufe that hewas fo much out of order, that he could not then wait on His Majefty till he was better,which anfwer fo provoked the King, that he ordered the whole city to take arms, andto make a general maffacre on all the Portugueze wherefoever they could be found mcity or country. The King’s orders were put in execution fo fpeedily, that in a &&hours all the Portugueze were flaughtered, and the guilty criminal was taken alive, andmade fall by the heels to an elephant’s foot, who dragged him through the ftreets tmthere was no ikin. nor fleih left to cover his bones, which fpectacle appealed the enraged

populace*