Page:Siam in 1688 - Frankfurter - 1908.pdf/39

 example. M. Constance had been arrested at the same time with arms in his hands accompanied by several Christians fighting for the faith of Jesus Christ, and, having witnessed this spectacle, suffered the same torment as the prince.

This tyrant, whose first success increased his fury, had the brothers of the King put in velvet bags and had them knocked down with wooden clubs. He then had the house of M. Constance pillaged, where his children and all his servants were arrested and made prisoners. Madame Constance, several times urged by the son of this Usurper who was in love with her to enter amongst the number of his wives with a promise to have always for her the greatest consideration, replied that his offer would never shake her. Finally this cruel man seeing that he could do nothing with her made her the last of his slaves, and made her suffer the most cruel torments. He had her arms broken and had her thrown with her children in a building where the elephants were lodged, from which a French Officer rescued them and conducted them to Bangkok.

The populace went to the Seminary and to the Jesuit Fathers, where after having robbed them all of what they were possessed, they seized them and, treating them with great cruelty, prevented that anything should be given for their maintenance.

The King, who knew of these events and who was shut up in the palace in the hands of his enemies, asked for money from this tyrant and, after having received it, distributed 50 écus of it to each Jesuit. Then, more afflicted by seeing the French Catholics ill treated than by the illness from which he was suffering this Monarch died. The usurper had himself at once proclaimed King and, after the promise he had made for the establishment of liberty and of the Siamese Religion, he only thought of expelling the French from the country together with those who appeared in favour of the late King and of M. Constance.