Page:Siam in 1688 - Frankfurter - 1908.pdf/44

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49

Palace in the same way as a Royal Prince. He was of a dwarfish appearance, and had the nick name of dwarf. was in constant attendance on the King during the last illness. He He was killed by being pushed down from the palace wall by order of Hluang Sarasakdi by one Khun Phitak Raksa, a Palace Guard.

5.Opra Petracha (i.e. Phra Phetraja) (Debraja). He was at the head of the Elephant Department, a resident of Ban Phlu Hluang in the district of Suphanburi. He was very skilled and was entirely in the confidence of the King, whom he accompanied on all his warlike expeditions and during the illness of the King was appointed Regent.

His son Nai Dúa (Hluang Sarasakdi): The annals relate that he was the son of King Narayana with a Laosian captive, daughter of the Prince of Chiengmai. His mother was given in marriage to Phra Phetraja. Many stories of his valour and cleverness are related of him in the annals, also that the King recognised him as his son. Both were enemies of Phaulkon. He was during the illness of the King appointed Maha-Uparaj.

6.Thlée Pousonne = Thale Chubson, a lake in the neighbourhood of Lophburi, with pleasure house.

Louvo = Lavo = Lophburi. (See Giblin: Lophburi past and present; vol. v. iii).

7.Ambassadors in France. The chief Ambassador sent was Nai Pān, who after his return from France, on the decease of his elder brother Lek, was made Minister for foreign affairs. (Phya Kosa). In the reign of Phra Phetraja he was, according to Kaempfer, Minister for foreign affairs and High Chancellor. About the Embassy to France Bowring, vol. ii. 445, may be compared. King Mongkut, writing to Sir John Bowring, asks him to procure a book relating to the visit of the Siamese Embassy to France, in return of the French one to Siam, of which it is said one of our ancestors has been head.

"There is a statement written here of that Embassy on its return from France. All these statements an unsatisfac-