twice a day, for two hours time, in the Morning after he was up, and at Night before he went to rest. Of the truth of this, there is a most Illustrious Monument in that Never-enough to be admired Speech of his to Monsieur Constance, in Answer to the French Ambassador's Memorial, when he press'd him much to declare himself a Christian; which, because of its singular worth, I think it not amiss to insert it here, as Father Tachard has deliver'd it to us in the 5th Book of his first Voyage to Siam, pag. 309. of the Paris Edition, in Quarto, which runs thus in English:
I N Answer to the French Ambassador, you shall tell him from me, That I think my Self extremely obliged to the King of France his Master, finding in his Memorial the marks of his most Christian Majesties Royal Friendship; And since the Honour that great Prince hath done me, is already made Publick all over the East, I cannot sufficiently acknowledge his Civility: But that I am extremely troubled that the King of France, my good Friend, should propose so difficult a thing unto me, wherewith I am not in the least acquainted; that I refer my Self to the Wisdom of the most Christian King, that he himself may judge of the Importance and Difficulty that occur in so nice a matter, as the Change of a Religion receiv'd and follow'd throughout my whole Kingdom, without Interruption, during the space of Two thousand two hundred and twenty nine years.
Besides, it is a matter of Astonishment to me, that the King of France, my good Friend, should so much concern himself in an Affair that relates to God, wherein it would seem God do's not at all interest himself, but leaves it wholly to our discretion; For could not the true God, that created the Heavens and the Earth, and all things that are
