1873.] 
Sir Arthur I J . Phayre —The History of Pegu. 
-i 9* ef 
155 
number of them increaseth daily the rest of the soldiers are armed with 
bows and arrows, pikes and swords, “ hut their armour and weapons are very 
naught and weak this was compared with the European armour and 
heavy pikes of the period. The account given by this observant traveller 
shows that the native histories do not exaggerate his power and magnificence. 
Indeed, they state the number of his soldiers much below that given both by 
the Portuguese historian and the Venetian. The latter concludes this part 
of his narrative by stating—“ The king of Pegu hath not any army or 
power by sea, but in the land, for people, dominions, gold, and silver, he 
far exceeds the power of the great Turk in treasure and strength.” 
The traveller also describes how “ the king sitteth every day in person 
to hear the suits of his subjects,” he sitting “ up aloft in a great hall on a 
tribunal seat, with his Barons round about while on the ground “ forty 
paces distant” are the petitioners “ with their supplications in their hands, 
which are.made of long leaves of a tree,” and a present or gift according to 
the weiglitiness of their matter.” If the order be favourable, “ he commandeth 
to take the presents out of their hands ; but if he think their demand be not 
just or according to right, he commandeth them away, without taking of 
their gifts or presents.” So the pitiless Bureng Naung had a conscience, 
when sitting as a king to hear his people’s complaints. 
The Talaing history records that the emperor desired another expedition 
to Leng-dzeng, to retrieve the last disaster there, and “ destroy the head 
and not the mere tail of the cobra.” The levy of an army was commenced, but 
the people murmured loudly, and many were heard to say that it was better 
to die at home than to perish of hunger and fatigue in a far country. The 
Shans were equally discontented, and some of the Tsaubwas, it is said, were 
supported in their opposition by the emperor’s half brother and son-in-law, 
the king of Ava. The project was deferred for the present, but in 1571, the 
emperor determined to place Ubarit on the throne of Leng-dzeng. He 
marched in October of that year, and arriving at Maing-zan, laid in stores 
of grain. He did not march into the country, but issued a proclamation 
that he had come to place the rightful heir upon the throne. He then 
bestowed, the regalia upon Ubarit with much good advice, and departed, 
leaving his tributary at Maing-zan with some troops. He reached Hantha- 
wati in May, 1575. But a new expedition against Mogaung and Monyin 
had now become necessary ; for those restive states had refused to join the 
last expedition to Leng-dzeng, and were in open revolt. A force directed 
by the emperor himself proceeded north from Ava. The Tsaubwa of Monyin 
was killed, but the other lied, and though the troops followed him into 
regions where there was only snow for water, they could not capture him. 
In Leng-dzeng, however, the course of events was more fortunate. The 
usurper was delivered up by his own olficers, together with his son, and the 
