30 On some Siamese Inscriptions. [No. 1 



their teacher and instructor, enlightening the Thai, that they might 

 know truly the merits and understand the law. But amongst the 

 people, living in this country of the Thai, there is nobody equal in 

 regard to firmness and boldness, in regard to courage, pre-eminence 

 and strength, equally powerful to overcome the host of enemies. 



The country stretches far and wide, being enlarged by conquests. 

 On the side of sunrise, it extends to the royal lake, stretching in two 

 lines through the low grounds along the banks of the river Khong 

 (Mekhong), up to Viengchan and Viengkham, which two forts have 

 been placed there to form the boundary posts. On the south side it 

 comprises the people who inhabit the district Phrek in Suphanna- 

 phumiratburi, the boundary line being marked by Petchaburi and 

 Srithammarat on the shores, which are washed by the waters of the 

 sea. On the side of sunset, it extends to the countries of Xot and 

 Bangkapadi, and there are no frontiers along the waters of the ocean. 

 In a northerly direction it. comprises the town of Phleh (Pre), the 

 town of Nairn, the town Phlua, stretching to the banks of the 

 large river, where the country of the Xava (Xao) constitutes the 

 boundary. There are eatables cultivated in this territory, that the 

 multitude of villagers and citizens may be provided with food, as it 

 is right and just, according to the laws of line men." 



The discussion of the many important points, alluded to in this in- 

 teresting inscription, I must leave for another occasion. It has been 

 remarked above, that this truly enlightened king, under whom, the 

 people might with more propriety than now, have been styled " the free" 

 (Thai), appears to be identical with the famous Phra Kuang, (at least 

 with one of the different representatives of this name). The Siamese 

 chronicles place his reign generally in the seventh century, but the 

 Peguan history confirms his having reigned at about the epoch here 

 mentioned, which has to be reckoned most probably in the Mahasak- 

 kharat : if not, as the era appears to be counted backwards, it begins 

 with the holy period of 5000 years. The first king of Siam makes 

 the date of the inscription 1198 of the Christian era. The town of 

 Sukhothay is one of the oldest capitals of Siam and continually cele- 

 brated in the Phongsavadan muang nua, where one of the Brahmini- 

 cal ancestors is called by the name of Satxanalai. The town of Tak 



