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the gossip of the bazaar which reached them necessarily in a distorted form. Nevertheless these foreigners all agree that, for reasons variously explained by them, the Siamese had no historical records, and we may in support quote Jeremias Van Vliet, chief of the Dutch factory in 1636, who, in his description of Siam, printed, Leyden, 1692, says:—
"However much old chronicles and trustworthy historians of the past, are witnesses of the times, councillors for the present and signposts for the future, the Siamese have little knowledge thereof. The position, Government, power, religion, manners and customs and other remarkable things of foreign or outlandish nations are unknown to them, they have also no curiosity to inquire into them: of antiquities of their country, of the beginning of war, of the conclusion of peace, of the loss of countries and towns, victories or defeats in battles, famous heroes or excellent persons in virtue and knowledge, etc, they have few descriptions, thus that their principal descriptions consist in the laws of the country, the fundaments of their religion, the lives, deeds and praise of some dead kings whose fame was not so much based on Royal respect as on service rendered to the gods, temples and priests living in their country, and these descriptions were mostly committed to the care of the priests, by whom also their ceremonies, punishments, exhortions, consolations and instructions are formed. Thus amongst the nobility, the rich or civil population, not many chronicles or historical records are known, with exception of those which are reported verbally or are related in discourses."
Without attaching any undue weight to anything noted down by Père Tachard it may also perhaps be worth recording the entry which he made under date November 19th, 1685. He writes:—
"Je ne vous ai pas dit que M. l'Ambassadeur obtint hier une chose qui sera fort agréable au Roi. C'est les chroniques du Royaume de Siam.
"Il y'a peine de la vie à les avoir chez soi et sa Majesté les accorda agréablement quand on lui dit que cela feroit plaisir au Roi."
These chronicles have, however, up to now not been traced.
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