lS69i] On the History of the Burma race. 69 



" Blm-reng Noung with the concurrence of all the nobles, Shan, 

 " Burman, and Talaing, took the guidance of affairs into his. own 

 " hands, and putting the nephew of Peits-tsa-rit into a ship, with his 

 " property, and giving him gold and silver, sent him away to the 

 u Kula country." From this time Meng-ta-ra Shwe-hti had little 

 more than nominal authority. 



In the year 910, the father of Bhureng Noung who was king of Toung- 

 li died. His title was Meng-rai Thi-ha-thu. He was succeeded by one of 

 his younger sons, and there was bestowed on him the title of Thi-ha-thu. 

 He is also called Meng Khoung. Bhureng Noung having now become 

 the virtual ruler, his descent is carefully traced in the history. On 

 the father's side he was descended from Meng-khoung-ngai, who was 

 governor of Toung-u, and was killed in the year 813. This Meng- 

 khoung-ngai was the son, or younger brother, of Ta-ra-bya who had also 

 been governor of Toungu and who was of Shan descent. Bhureng 

 Noung's mother was said to be descended from a half brother of 

 Nga-tsi-sheng Kyau-tswa, king of Pan-ya. Bhureng Noung had 

 two brothers, Meng-rai-tsi-thii, who afterwards became king of Mut- 

 ta-ma ; and Tha-do-dham-ma, who became king of Prome. There 

 were also two sisters. After their mother's death, their father had 

 married her younger sister, and had two sons by that marriage, 

 Bhureng Meng Khoung, who became king of Toungu, and Meng-rai 

 Kyau-hteng, called Tha-do-meng-tsau, who became king of Ava. 

 The family was originally of Shan descent. Having been settled for 

 three or four generations at Toung-u, it had become Burmese in 

 national feeling. 



In the year 911, a son of Bi-ngya-ran, the deposed king of Pegu 

 by an inferior wife, rebelled, and took the title of Tha-mein-htau- 

 ra-ma. He got together a force, and took possession of the fort of 

 Ma-kau. Bhureng-noung-dau without delay took measures against 

 him. He was defeated and fled, but managed to gain possession of 

 the fort of Than-lyeng (Syriani), and remained there secure. But he 

 was soon obliged to abandon the place, when a force was brought 

 against it, and fled to the westward. Bhureng Noung followed him 

 up, and fixed his head quarters at Da-la. At this time the tributary 

 king of Toung-u, Thi-ha-thu was in charge of the city of Pegu. 

 A Talaing nobleman, Tha-mein-tsau-dwut had been appointed go- 

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