Page:Great & wonderful revolution in Siam (1690).pdf/25

 But it was to no purpose to insist on such a Condition, for it was positively deny'd him, and yet write he must, being under an unavoidable necessity of doing it; yet in writing, he did so disguise his Hand and Stile, by chusing such extravagant Terms and unusual Expressions, as that Monsieur Bruham might know, in case the Letter came to his hands, there was some further Mystery in it, and that he was not to give Credit to it; and, by good Providence, it fell out just as he could have wished, the Letter being received and understood in the Sense it was designed.

Monsieur des Farges return'd no sooner to Bancock, but he abandon'd the Little Fort, and drew off all the French into the Great Fort, not having Men enough to hold out in both places. All the Houses that were near to it, he caused to be pillag'd, and then burnt; and all the Cannon that he could not carry away or use, to be nail'd or broken. And because he had not time enough to demolish or raze the Fort, by reason of the great number of Forces that Opra Pitrachard sent after him, and follow'd him to take possession of the place; he did what was possible to ruin it all to pieces with his Cannon.

Opra Pitrachard perceiving by this, that Monsieur des Farges had discover'd his Rebellious Designs and Practices, and that there was no prospect or hopes of his Return with this Soldiers to SIAM, he sent down an Army of about Threescore thousand Men, made up of Mahumetans, Chineses, and Malayans, against the Fort of Bancock, to besiege the French in't, with Orders to cut all their Throats. But such was the Resolution and Bravery wherewithal they defended themselves, that this open Investing and Attacking of