RALPH FITCH ad. 



1583-91 



way which doeth goe to the palace, and the she and 

 he do runne in : for it is like a wood : and when they 

 be in, the gate doth shut. Afterward they get out the 

 female : and when the male seeth that he is left alone, 

 he weepeth and crieth, and runneth against the walks, 

 which be made of so strong trees, that some of them 

 doe breake their teeth with running against them. 

 Then they pricke him with sharpe canes, & cause him 

 to go into a strait house, and there they put a rope 

 about his middle and about his feet, and let him stand 

 there three or foure dayes without eating or drinking : 

 and then they bring a female to him, with meat and 

 drinke, and within few dayes he becommeth tame. The 

 chiefe force of the king is in these elephants. And 

 when they go into the warres they set a frame of wood 

 upon their backes, bound with great cordes, wherein 

 sit foure or sixe men, which fight with gunnes, bowes 

 and arrowes, darts and other weapons. And they say 

 that their skinnes are so thicke that a pellet of an har- 

 quebush will scarse pearce them, except it be in some 

 tender place. Their weapons be very badde. They 

 have gunnes, but shoot very badly in them, darts and 

 swords short without points. The king keepeth a very 

 great state : when he sitteth abroad as he doth every 

 day twise, all his noble men which they call Shemines 

 sit on ech side, a good distance off, and a great guard 

 without them. The Court yard is very great. If any 

 man will speake with the king, he is to kneele downe, 

 to heave up his hands to his head, and to put his head 

 to the ground three times, when he entreth, in the 

 middle way, and when he commeth neere to the king : 

 and then he sitteth downe and talketh with the king : 

 if the king like well of him, he sitteth neere him within 

 three or foure paces : if he thinke not well of him, he 

 sitteth further off. When he goeth to warre, he goeth 

 very strong. At my being there he went to Odia in Odia a city in 

 the countrey of Siam with three hundred thousand men, 

 and ivvQ, thousand elephants. Thirty thousand men were 



489 



Siam. 



