Page 182 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM
174
Before meeting his death, which was inflicted in the
usual way, by beating him to death with a sandalwood
club, he solemnly warned the young King against trusting
P'ya Kalahom. 1
Luang Mongkon, after making a vain attempt to murder
P'ya Kalahom, was also executed. He was a man of
Herculean and before to burst
strength, dying, managed
his chains, strangle one executioner, and very nearly
accounted for another. He had been offered his life
"
if he would enter the service. How can I do
King's
" "
so ? he asked. The King is dead." One is grateful
to van Vliet for the name of this
having preserved
brave man.
After the removal of Prince Sri Sin, King Jett'a was
Kalahom to in all kinds of
encouraged by P'ya indulge
and until was
folly dissipation, everyone thoroughly
tired of him.
He had been less than two on the throne when the
years
end came. P'ya Kalahom, little by little, had been
the external of The limit
usurping trappings Royalty.
was reached when he cremated the body of his deceased
mother 1 in a to that usual at a
style equal Royal cremation,
and caused all the functionaries to attend.
principal
The was at and he
young King's jealousy length aroused,
uttered the most violent threats Kalahom.
against P'ya
The latter, professing to think himself in danger, called
together all his supporters and attacked the palace. The
King's partisans were defeated, and he himself fled to
a He was and with
temple. captured executed, together
his mother. Before he
dying, bitterly reproached P'ya
1 One is reminded of the warning of Queen Margaret to Queen Elizabeth
(Woodvffle). Richard ///, act i., scene 3 :
"
Why strew'st thou honey on that bottled spider
Whose deadly web ensnareth thee about ?
Fool ! Fool ! Thou whet'st a knife to kill thyself."
1
Van Vliet says it was his father's cremation.