Page 172 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM
164
to But Dala and de Brito
prisoner Syriam, P'ya quar-
relled over the and when, before the end ofthe same
spoils,
the of Ava attacked de Brito
year (1612), King Syriam,
was left to defend himself unaided. His own subjects
hated him, for he was a fanatical Catholic, and had
treated the Buddhist with the vilest
religion contempt.
They admitted the Burmese army by night, in April
1613. De Brito was executed, with fearful tortures, and
the unfortunate Prince of Taungu also fell a victim to the
vengeance of the King of Ava. P'ya Dala, thinking that
his turn would come made full submission
certainly next,
to the Thus Siam almost without
conqueror. lost,
knowing it, most of the Peguan possessions which King
Naresuen had won by so much hard fighting.
Later in 1613 the Siamese managed, by way of retalia-
tion, to strike a shrewd blow at the King of Ava or of
Burma, as he may from now onwards fairly be called.
One of the King's brothers, the Sagaing Prince, was sent
as Governor of Re a town not far to the north of
(or Ye),
Tavoy. The Governor of Tavoy made a surprise attack
on Re, captured the Burmese Prince, and sent him as a
to
prisoner Ayut'ia.
The King of Burma immediately attacked and captured
Tavoy. He then went on to Tenasserim, but the Siamese
were ready for him, and with the aid of some Portuguese
mercenaries drove him off with considerable loss
they
(January 1614), They then retook Tavoy. This placed
Siam in what was at that time her normal territorial
condition. was but a of war. was
Pegu trophy Tavoy
then
regarded as Siamese soil.
As Tharawadi Min, the Burmese
previously mentioned,
Prince of in himself under
Chiengmai, had, 1595, placed
Siamese and ever since that the
protection, year Chieng-
dependent upon
mai dominions had been more or less