Siam in 1688/Preface
The events which led to the overthrow of Phya Vijayen (Constance Faulcon) and the consequent departure of the French from Siam, in 1688, in the reign of Somdet Phra Narayana are somewhat obscure. Contemporary Siamese records have not been found, and it cannot be denied that the history which was compiled in 1795, and afterwards revised by Somdet Phra Paramanujit in 1840, treated the events as far as Constance Faulcon and the French Embassies were concerned more in the light of an interesting tale than as history.
The French records were all written from an individual standpoint; and it can be seen from these records that dissensions frequently arose amongst the French and that, for the most part, each pursued a policy for his own ends. The chief actors are best described as amateurs. This is especially the case with Constance Faulcon himself, who by nature clever, but uneducated and unscrupulous, became vain-glorious and overbearing in dealing with affairs of state which were beyond his grasp and control, and he brought upon himself the contempt and hatred of most Siamese without gaining the love or esteem of the foreigners. Phra Phetracha, sober and unscrupulous, placed himself at the head of the discontended party and thus at the death of Phra Narayana had no difficulty in regaining by vigorous measures that independence for Siam of which Faulcon and the French Missionaries and Envoys apparently had tried to deprive it.
The narrative of which I give a verbal translation in the following pages, and to which I have added a few notes to show, from Siamese sources, the personal status of the Siamese concerned, is said to have been written by Desfarges, who commanded the French troops in Bangkok.
The publisher's preface states how the MS. came into his hands, but we are justified in looking upon this statement with a certain suspicion. Whilst there is no doubt that the narrative is a true contemporary record, it was in all probability written by a Dutchman, attached to the Dutch factory in Ayuddhya, who had the greatest interest in preserving as far as possible the monopoly of the trade which would have been seriously interfered with if the French had succeeded in establishing themselves in Ayuddhya and gained a paramount influence there: He would thus try to make the acts of Phra Phetracha appear in as favourable a light as possible. A Dutch translation of the report appeared in 1692, and we have to look upon this as most likely the original.[1]
That Desfarges could not have been the author is made clear from the facts recorded by Lanier, who states in his Etude historique sur les Relations de la France et du Royaume de Siam, page 174:–
"Some weeks later (i.e., after December 5th. 1689) Desfarges (who had retired from Bhuket to Bengal) received from the Court of France his letters of recall. L'Oriflamme was starting for Europe convoying two vessels of the India Company, the Lonre (? Loire) and Saint Nicolas, with rich merchandize. The officers and two hundred soldiers embarked on these with their commander in the month of March, 1690. The passage was wretched, illness broke out amongst the passengers, and Desfarges and his sons, the Captain de Lestrille, de la Salle and half of the crew succumbed."
I have given as an appendix a translation of a letter said to have been written by an officer of the French garrison to one of his friends regarding the state of religion in Siam. The letter is a proof that even at that day persons drew largely on their imagination when a political purpose had to be served. The writer speaks in the introduction about several letters written which had also been replied to. Now considering that Laloubère, in whose suite the officer must have travelled, arrived in Siam on September 27th, 1687, and left again on February 3rd, 1688, and that the French occupation of Bangkok ceased about September, 1688, it is difficult to understand how letters could have been received and answered.
- ↑ Aanmerklijk en Naaukeurig Verhaal der Staats-Omkeringen, Nu Laatst in't Jaar 1688, in Siam voorgefallen. Bevattende de geledene smaadheden in, en't uytdrijven der Fransen uyt dat Rijk. Uit het Handschrift van den Oppergesaghebber der Franse al- daar, Door A. v. H. in't Nederduits vertaald. Tot Leiden Bij Frederik Haaring. 1692.