lained more at length by
this information which I am presenting, and which I drew up in Sian
before the religious, together with the persons who went with me,
to clear myself and in order that it might appear thereby that the
embassy was accomplished. I petition that it be examined, and a copy be
given me as a safeguard for my exoneration in all particulars. In fact
the Sianese robbed and captured us and we were carried as prisoners
to the city of Judea, [26] which is in the kingdom of Sian. Here we
found the fathers and other Christians, who had come from Canvoja,
and who were in a sad and unfortunate captivity; they were allowed
no churches or provisions, but must seek their food as alms from the
heathen, so that the affliction and misfortune which they undergo is a
most pitiable thing. When we were all joined together and saw what we
must suffer, we decided to seek some remedy. We considered the state
of that kingdom, and that the king had expended his substance and had
few Sianese troops, on account of the many who had died in the war
with Camboja and the war which he was carrying on with Pegu--who had
sent a great army against him, so that there were none left in the
city except children and women; and that he is a very cruel tyrant
and a persecutor of the holy Catholic faith, and will consent to no
Christian place of worship in his kingdom, but rather destroys them,
and burns those which he may find in other kingdoms. He receives
in his kingdom the worship of Mahoma, which is preached with his
consent, and he gives permission to his subjects to turn Moors. We
also considered the king of Canboja was such a friend of ours that
he protected our faith, and that he was so placed that he would be
heartily pleased to aid the Spaniards with all his power against that
tyrant, because the latter would then be destroyed and put in the
power of the Spaniards. For this is what he wishes, even although he
should help the Spaniards to win all the kingdoms in the neighborhood,
of which there are more than twelve; for I have always heard this from
him, and further that he wishes to be a Christian and that his whole
kingdom should be Christian. Accordingly, pondering over what means we
could use to advise your Lordship of all this--as you are a person so
jealous of the honor of God and the service of his Majesty, and are in
a position to remedy it all; and, with so good and certain an ally,
would win all those rich kingdoms and redu