254 ON THE GOVERNMENT 



Royal Appurtenances. 

 There are five things especially appertaining to royalty. The Setta 

 chatra (') or seven-tiered umbrella ; the P Jiatchanee (*) or fan ; the P,h'a kjian 

 (^) or sword, the diadem, and slippers. But it is also essential to regal dignity 

 that it should be attended by the Amancha, (*) which comprehends a (^) Mon- 

 tree or prime minister, a Parohita (^) or astrologer, an Ak,khaU,hatso or person 

 through whom the King is addressed [etiquette not permitting that he should 

 be personally spoken to in public] — a land surveyor, a Chattokjiaho (') 

 or umbrella bearer, a K,hatta kjiaho i^) or armour bearer, Chattantjia (') an 

 elephant, Atsaiva a horse, Phra tjiammarong noppharat (") a ring, set with 

 nine kinds of precious stones ; bearing perhaps allusion to the churning of 

 the ocean by the Gods, or to the nine gems of Vicramddityas Court ; and 

 lastly and un gallantly an Ak,khamahesee ("^) or queen, herself of royal blood. 

 Should a lady of equal rank not be obtainable, the King may marry one of 

 inferior or plebeian rank ; but she is not then entitled to the above appella- 

 tion. She can only claim the title of Phra Sanom. It is owing to this 

 punctilio that Siamese kings, rather than disgrace and confound their line 

 by an unequal alliance, prefer marrying distant scions of their own family; 

 and, when such cannot be obtained, their own sisters, like the Egyptian 

 princes of old. 



It would be only repeating what has been narrated by those who have 

 at various periods, some of them recent, visited Siam, were a description to 

 be here given of the state maintained at Court on common occasions of 

 ceremony. The historical account of the country by M. D. L. Loubere 

 in the 16th century ; Mr. Craufurd's mission ; and the late Dr. Finlay«on's 

 account in 1821-22 may be consulted with advantage. 



(') P. Satta chkatta. (-) P. Vijani. (') P. Khagga. (*) P. Amachcha. Q) P. Mantini 

 («) P. Parohita. (') P. Chhattagaho. (') P. Khaggaydho. (') P. Chhaddanta. ('") P. Assa. 

 P. Navaratana. (") P. Aggamahesi. 



