Page 215 - A History of Siam

A HISTORY OF SIAM
203
heathenish Grace," and accused him of firing the factory
and of at the bottom of all the troubles
being Company's
and losses at Not
Ayut'ia. very diplomatic.
Phaulkon, whom Strangh saw fit to insult so grossly,
was now one of the most men in Siam. The
powerful
new to Phaulkon was a "
P'rak'lang, quote himself, fool,"
and the Greek was to all intents and the P'rak'-
purposes
Whilst was
lang. Strangh irritating this dangerous
enemy, King Narai was arranging to make fresh overtures
to France. In the second Siamese
January 1684 embassy
set sail for This was headed two
Europe. embassy by
Siamese, and accompanied by a French priest. They
landed first in at and it is said that
England, Margate,
a was concluded them with Charles but
Treaty by II,
no trace of it has been found. then went on to
They
France, where they were well received. The members of
this mission were, however, men of inferior rank, and
their behaviour did not make a in
good impression
Europe.
These Siamese who had doubtless been
ambassadors,
informed that Christians were must have
monogamous,
been rather what saw at the Courts of
puzzled by they
Charles II and Louis XIV.
Relations between Phaulkon and the East India
Company did not improve. Not long after the departure
of the second Siamese to Phaulkon
embassy Europe,
seized and Peter Crouch and
imprisoned John Thomas,
the on their the for
Company's factors, ship Delight,
to deliver to him a of nails
refusing quantity consigned
to Japan. The East India Company had by this time
decided that the trade of Siam caused more trouble
"
than it was worth, and that Phaulkon was a naughty
" "
man and a wicked fellow." However, in 1685
the Council at Fort St. George sent a Commercial Mission