66 On the History of the Burma race. [No. 2, 



On the death of Tho-han-bwa, the Burmese wished Meng-gyi Ran- 

 noung to become king. But he refused, and recommended them to 

 choose the Tsau-bwa, of Un-boung, named Khun-mhaing-ngai, who 

 was a relation to the late king Shwe-nan-sheng Na-ra-pa-ti. The 

 Tsau-bwa accepted the invitation, and came to Ava. He ascended 

 the palace in the year 904. Ran-noung became chief minister, but 

 after about a year, wearied with worldly affairs, he became a Ra-han 

 in the province of Mek-kha-ia. Khun-mhaing-ngai determined to 

 attack the new king of Prome. He was supported by seven powerful 

 Tsau-bwas, and in the month Nat-dau 905 (November 1543), they 

 proceeded by land and water against that city. The tributary king 

 of Prome, Tha-do-dham-ma Ra-dza, had no force sufficient to meet 

 them in the field, so he shut himself up in Prome, which was well de- 

 fended with guns. As soon as Meng-ta-ra Shwe-hti heard of this 

 attack, he came to the rescue with a large army. The Shans 

 were defeated near Prome, and Bhureng Noung followed them up 

 the river Irawati, as far as the city of Pu-gan, which was captured. 

 Governors were appointed to all the provinces which were occupied 

 above Prome, and having made such arrangements for future security 

 as seemed advisable, Meng-ta-ra Shwe-hti returned to Pegu, which he 

 reached in the month Wa-goung 906 (August 1544, A. D.) 



The governors who had been appointed to Tsa-leng and other 

 districts, had desultory fighting with the officers of the king of Ava. 

 But the confusion among the northern Tsau-bwas became daily worse. 

 The son of the Tsau-bwa of Mo-nhyin, named Tsa-lun-ngai, leagued 

 with Kyau-hten, who had been governor of Tsa-leng, and enabled 

 him to take possession of Tsa-gaing, where he set himself up as king 

 in the year 907. In the same year died Khun-mhaing-ngai after a 

 reign of three years. He was succeeded by his son, who had been 

 Tsau-bwa of Mo-bye. He took the title of Na-ra-pa-ti. This king 

 did not join with his kinsmen, the Shan chiefs, but entered into 

 friendly relations with Meng-ta-ra Shwe-hti. He strove also to con- 

 ciliate the ruler of Tsa-gaing, Kyau-hteng. This ruler urged on by 

 the Tsau-bwa of Mo-nhyin, named Tsa-lun, gradually collected forces 

 with the view of attacking Ava, His measures were complete by 

 the year 913 (A. D. 1551), when he had a large force and a fleet, to 

 cross the river and attack Ava. The king Mo-bye-meng, however, 



