Page:Great & wonderful revolution in Siam (1690).pdf/21

 Leagues of Siam; so great a Detachment of the Army before and behind them, to hinder their getting into the Town; and making a vertue of necessity, they put themselves into a poisture of Defence, resolving to sell their Lives at as dear a rate as they could; but some Mandarins coming up to them, told them they were in no danger, in regard they assur'd them, they were come, not only to do them no harm themselves, but to prevent their receiving any from others and their business was to bring them back to Louvo, as the King had expresly commanded them: The French Gentlemen were soon overcome by the power of so fine and obliging Expressions, and presently surrendred themselves into their hands; for to do otherwise was not possible for them, there being no proportion betwixt the fewness of their number, and so great a Body as they had to dispute with. And the truth on't is, they were treated the first day with kindness and civility enough; but it was not so the next, for they strip'd them of all, and ti'd them to Horse-Tails, in which miserable condition they forc'd them to march, and in great Ceremony brought them back to Louvo, treating them most outragiously all along as they went, in so much that Monsieur Bresley the Ingineer dy'd soon after, and the rest had much ado to outlive the Miseries and Indignities they suffered. They no sooner arriv'd at Louvo, but they were Chain'd two and two together, by the Neck, and so thrown into Prison; all their Domesticks were treated in like manner, as well as all the other French that staid at Louvo.

All this was contrived and executed with that diligence and secrecy, that may seem very surprizing and unaccountable to those that hear it: For the French that were at Bancock and Morgen, had not the least knowledge of what had been