Page 209 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM
197
a State which had for been in communica-
long friendly
tion with Siam, and urged King Narai to embrace the
tenets of Islam. The French missionaries were
greatly
but the was not much the
perturbed, King impressed by
merits of Mohammedanism, and at a later date stated that
if he were ever to his he would
change religion certainly
never become a Mohammedan. It of note
is
worthy
that has never made a
though Christianity very general
to the the
appeal Siamese, particularly upper classes,
Mohammedanism has attracted them even less.
In February 1669 Monsieur des Bourges, Secretary to
the of who had returned to France in
Bishop B6rythe,
1663, appeared again in Siam, accompanied by six more
and a Bull from the new Clement
priests, bearing Pope,
IX, whereby Siam and some of the neighbouring States
were under the of the Church at
placed jurisdiction
thus French ecclesiastical
Ayut'ia, recognising ascendancy
in Indo-China. Monsignor Lanneau was later (1664)
consecrated Bishop of Metallopolis, to reside in Siam,
with to establish missions the East,
power throughout
with the of the of and
exception possessions Spain
Portugal.
By 1676 there was a Catholic seminary at Ayut'ia,
attended over a hundred Siamese
by pupils. youths
were being prepared for holy orders, and a female com-
munity, known as Votaries of the Cross, was established.
No means were of adherents for the
neglected gaining
Church of Rome.
On May 27th, 1673, t^ie Bishop of Heliopolis returned
to after a and adventurous
Ayut'ia, long very journey.
He bore with him letters from Pope Clement IX and
King Louis XIV to King Narai. The Siamese monarch
was anxious to receive the letters in solemn public
audience. The that must be
Bishops stipulated they