— 70 — 



//sentations enticed our envoys to their country, and the king of Java , having 

 //heard of this, sent men to point out to them that they were misled and 

 //sent them back with great politeness ( 1 ). Since that time the commercial 

 //intercourse has been stopped. 



//The different countries are not of the samemind; Annam, Champa, 

 //Cambodja, Siam and Liukiu appear at court and bring tribute as before 

 //and moreover Liukiu has sent young men to study here. Whenever the 

 //barbarian countries send envoys, they are always treated with politeness 

 //and I am not at all indifferent towards them; but at present I do not 

 //know their mind. 



//If we send messengers to Java now , it is to be feared that San-bo- 

 //tsai will stop them on their way. I understand that this San-bo-tsai is 

 //originally a country belonging to Java. 



// You now may take my views and communicate them to Siam , with 

 //orders to bring them to the knowledge of Java." 



On this the ministers of the Board sent a letter saying: //As long as 

 //heaven and earth have been, the difference between* ruler and subject, be- 

 //tween high and low, has existed. The countries on all sides of China are 

 //united in one by our government, and formerly the different barbarians 

 //from over the sea came regularly to enjoy its influence; l)ut now San-bo- 

 //tsai has got bad intentions, it has cleceivecl our trusty envoys and made 

 //itself guilty of treachery. Our holy Emperor treats all the barbarians with 

 //the same benevolence and justice, how dare they then be ungrateful for 

 //these high favours and forget the duties of a subject towards his prince? 

 //If the wrath of the Emperor is aroused, lie may send an army of a hun- 

 //dred thousand men to carry into execution the punishment of Heaven, as 

 //easily as turning his hand; why do not the barbarians recollect this? Our 

 //holy Emperor has said that Annam, Champa, Cambodja, Siam and Liukiu 

 //observe their duties as subjects, but Sam-bo-tsai alone turns itself against his 

 //holy instructions ; though it is smaller than those countries, it ventures to 

 //be obstinate and so will cause its own ruin. 



//As you, Siam, reverently observe the dilties of a subject, so that 

 //the government ordained by Heaven has great regard for you, it has been 

 //entrusted to you to inform Java that it must speak to San-bo-tsai about 

 //its duties, and if this lattcr country changes its evil ways, it will be recei- 

 //ved kindly as before." 



(') The ünpcrial statement of the case is not quite correct; perhaps the cmpcror's pridc could 

 not openly avow that his envoys bad been killed. 



