In the name of the king of Canvoja, whose ambassador I am, and on
behalf of the religious and other Christians who are in captivity
in the kingdom of Ssian, and on my own behalf, as ambassador to your
Lordship, I petition and beseech that you be pleased to attend to the
giving of the aid which has been sought by him. And now I petition
in the name of this poor and much-beset king of Canvoja, who is so
friendly to our nation and to Christianity, more especially at present,
when he has been ruined and is in danger of a return of the king of
Sian against him (who would make complete the ruin and desolation of
his country), so good a friend of ours, who has no one to aid him. And
especially will this aid now be of profit and of immense importance,
as the king of Sian is without troops of war and has them scattered;
and each day he is becoming more powerful and is possessing himself
of the kingdom of Pegu--whose king likewise is a very close friend
of the Christians--and he is destroying Christian lands and churches
which lie within that kingdom, in large numbers. If the aid which
your Lordship would send were joined to the power of Canvoja, the
principal city of Sian might easily be taken; and then the other
kingdoms could immediately and easily be won, for when this one is
undone the others have no spirit to defend themselves singly. As the
said king of Canvoja continues always to favor and help the Spaniards,
as it is certain that he will do, Yndia cannot come to aid in this as
it has so many enemies at its gates; and, if your Lordship lend this
most just aid, you will add greatly to the service of God our Lord,
and it will redound to the great increase of the Christian religion,
and will augment the royal crown of the king our lord--besides being
a work of charity to succor the man who cries for favor and help,
that he may become a Christian. For when he becomes so it will be very
easy to bring all those of his kingdom over, with some little effort