which the country was—all of which is explained more at length by this information which I am presenting, and which I drew up in Sian before the religious, together with the persons who went with me, to clear myself and in order that it might appear thereby that the embassy was accomplished. I petition that it be examined, and a copy be given me as a safeguard for my exoneration in all particulars. In fact the Sianese robbed and captured us and we were carried as prisoners to the city of Judea,[1] which is in the kingdom of Sian. Here we found the fathers and other Christians, who had come from Canvoja, and who were in a sad and unfortunate captivity; they were allowed no churches or provisions, but must seek their food as alms from the heathen, so that the affliction and misfortune which they undergo is a most pitiable thing. When we were all joined together and saw what we must suffer, we decided to seek some remedy. We considered the state of that kingdom, and that the king had expended his substance and had few Sianese troops, on account of the many who had died in the war with Camboja and the war which he was carrying on with Pegu—who had sent a great army against him, so that there were none left in the city except children and women; and that he is a very cruel tyrant and a persecutor of the holy Catholic faith, and will consent to no Christian place of worship in his kingdom, but rather destroys them, and burns those which he may find in other kingdoms. He receives in his kingdom the worship of Mahoma, which is preached with his consent, and he gives per-
- ↑ Better known as Yuthia (a name corrupted from the Sanscrit); it was the ancient capital of Siam, and lies on the river Meinam, fifty-four miles above Bangkok.
