AN ACCOUNT OF THE ARTICLES Drawn up here in ENGLAND by the East-India-Company AGAINST THE King of SIAM, And remitted to their Servants in India, as a just Ground to make War on that Prince; Together with a full Answer to every Particular; as 'twas prepared to have been Addressed to the Honourable the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses in PARLIAMENT Assembled: By Samuel White.  
And is now most humbly Presented to their Judicious Consideration, by his Brother George White.  
I Have already given a true Relation of some of the dismal Effects of the War our East-India-Company has made with the King of Siam: And I cannot but suppose that every Englishman will account himself so much a Party concerned in't, to be very inquisitive into the Grounds of this Quarrel, and desirous to know what intolerable Aggressions on the Part of the said King, has provoked the Company to do violence to that amicable Temper that is genuine to our Nation; and for which, to my knowledge, we have formerly been so much beloved and esteemed in all Parts of India: I shall therefore render a faithful Account of this Matter; engaging myself to prove all I affirm by undeniable Evidence, and then leave the Merits of the Cause to the Sentence of all Men in the World that can, and dare, judge impartially and honestly, including in that Number those very Members of the East-India Committee, who deserve that laudable Character.  
And first, I Premise (what I suppose will admit of no Objection) That the favourable Reception, and kind Treatment, which the Merchants of our Nation have always formerly received in that Country, has not been exceeded; if I may not say, equalled, at any Place within the Limits of the Company's Charter: Nor is it less true, that those Courtesies have not sometimes met with correspondent Returns: For there is an old Story still too new in those Parts, That in the time of this King's Predecessor, the Factors than Resident there, did privately withdraw themselves when they were indebted to the King, so considerable a sum as, ●●●ty Thousand pieces of Eight, on which Account the Trade was for many Years discontinued, till his present Majesty to take of that Obstruction, and give an obliging Invitation to the renewal of a Friendly Correspondence and Commerce; did in the Year 1660 freely and fully forgive the said Debt, by delivering the cancelled Obligations to Mr. Richard Bladwell, who being then bound on a Voyage from Su●●at to M●ccasser in the Service of Sir Matthew Andrews, was by adverse Winds forced to take shelter in the chief Port of that Kingdom; Whereby it appears That it has been in the Nature of this Benign Prince, to sup●●●trogate in generous Favours: But our present Business, is to inquire how he has since degenerated, and misbehaved himself, to incur the Company's Dispeasure in so high a degree, as has engaged them to draw their Swords to chastise him: And that this may be fairly tried, I will lay down the very Articles which were exhibited against the King; and examine the Validity and Justice of each of them particularly. Now their Demands were as followeth.  

The King of Siam is Debtor to the Honourable East-India-Company, for the following Particulars:  
 l. s. d. FOR Richard Burneby's Debt, from the 30th. of Sept. 1681. as by Siam-Journal H. fol. 5. and Journal I. fol. 13. Cattees 158 04 14. at l. 12 10. each Cattee is 1984 18 05  For five Years and three months' Interest thereon, at 10 per Cent. yearly, Interest on Interest, 1157 01 07   3140 00 00 For Thomas Ivat's Debt, from 30 Sept. 1683, as per Siam-Leidger I. fol. 6. Cattees 9 2. 8, at l. 12. 10. is sterling 0114 01 03  For 3 Years and 3 months' Interest, at 10 per Cent. accounting yearly Interest on Interest, 0000 41 09   0155 02 00 For Goods lost in the Fire, to the value of Cattees 114. 1. 3. as by Journal I. fol. 5, 6. Dated 30th. Decemb. 82. is Sterling. 1793 09 00  For four Years Interest thereon, 0832 04 00   2625 08 00 For Demorage of the Mexico-Merchant from the time of her Arrival there, being the 1st. of Sept. 1683. till her Departure, the 9th. of January 1683/4. is 131 days at l. 5. per diem,  0655 00 00 For imprisoning the Companies Factors and Servants, Peter Crouch, John Thomas, and Abraham Navarro, hindering their Trade by the Ship Delight.  2000 00 00 For the King's Debt, being Cattees 316. 15. 6. and several Debts, in all 332. 00 06. is together Cattees 648,15,12, as by Siam Journal I. fol. 13. Dated the 30th. Sept. 1683. is Sterling 7999 16 10  For 3 Years and 3 months' Interest at 10 per Cent. amount, accounting Interest on Interest, 1881 07 02   10791 04 00 For the Charge of the Company's Factor, and imprisoning of their Persons, beating some with Coffrees, overthrowing their Voyages, preventing their Access to the King, to make their Complaint, and the insufferable Dishonour done to the Company, and to our Nation in general, We demand  5000 00 09  23366 14 09   

This is an exact Copy of the Charge drawn up here in England against the King of Siam, and remitted to the Company's Servants at Fort St. George; But I will by no means do the East-India-Company that Dishonour to call it Their Act; tho' this, as many other such unaccountable things, has passed under their Name: For as I shall always pay a most Profound Respect to those Noble Lords who have condescended to be of the Committee; But can't be supposed to give themselves the trouble of a particular inspection into these Affairs; So I must also do right to some Honest Gentlemen that sit amongst 'em, who I am well assured could not be wanting to express their Abhorrence of this Evil thing, if it had come to be regularly examined and debated in their Court: And after these Salv●'s, in behalf of those to whom they are due, I must likewise give another true Character, In declaring that HE or They who were the prime Projectors, or did with deliberate forethought, approve, or assent to, this Instrument of Demand; were not only grossly ignorant of the Affairs of India, but even of the common Notions of Right and Wrong, according to the Sentiments of all the civilised part of Mankind: Or if the failure was not from want of Sense, I am sure it lays the heavier load of Gild on the Consciences of all are concerned in't; As a brief Enquiry into the Articles will sufficiently demonstrate.  
The first is, for Richard Burneby 's Debt, with Interest upon Interest, 3140 l.  
This Mr. Burneby, is that very Person I did occasionaly mention in the Account of the dismal Tragedy at Mergen, who after he returned to Siam by leave of the Company's Factors then residing in Batavia. My Lord Phaulkon according to his accustomed kindness to those of our Nation, promoted him to a considerable Employ in the King's Service, as he continued, till he unhappily lost his Life at Mergen; And it seems he stands charged with this great Debt to the Company; which however it happens, unless it can be proved that the King did by Word or Deed become bound for it; It may with as much reason be demanded of the Great- Cham, as the King of Siam.  
The next is, Tho. Ivat 's Debt, with Interest upon Interest, 155 l. 2 s. Which is an exact Copy of the former: For Mr. Ivat was one of the Company's Factors who came to Siam with Mr. Gosfright, and remained there in joint Commission with Samuel Pots, till upon some difference 'twixt them two he left the Company's Service, and was afterwards employed by the King of Siam on a message to the Governor and Council of Fort St. George, to request their assistance in procuring some Jewels for his Service: Of which unhappy Affair I shall say more afterwards, having only here to take notice, that Mr. Ivat died soon after his Arrival at the Fort on that expedition: But now how the King comes to be justly chargeable with his Debts to the Company, it lies upon the Author of the Articles to give the World some rational satisfaction.  
But these two are scarce worth wondering at when we come to the third, which is for Goods lost in the Fire and Interest thereon, 2625 l. 8 s. And this indeed is so surprising a Demand, that I confess I know not how to answer it, because I cannot possibly imagine what should be the meaning of it; for surely 'tis not intended for those Goods were destroyed when the Factory was burnt? and yet I think it must be so, because I never heard of any other Goods the Company lost there by Fire: Wherefore taking it so at a venture, I will tell the true Story of that unhappy Thing.  
Samuel Pots whom I mentioned in the preceding Paragraph, was left by Mr. Gosfright Chief in Commission for the Company's Affairs: And tho' I hear he is since dead, I must not on this occasion decline giving him his due Character, in declaring, that no Man could be more unfit for that Employ than he, who was a public disgrace to the Nation and a vexatious Trouble to all that were ever concerned with him, as I will prove by sundry credible Persons now in England, who can ground their Attestations on their own Experience. This Man among his many other Irregularities took into his protection several lewd Mariners who had Rebelled against their Commander, entertaining them as his Companions in the Factory, which was a House of the King of Siams, part of Brick, and part of Timber, very commodious in all respects, and not contiguous with any other Buildings, but stood in the midst of a large Yard enclosed with a high Pale of Bamboes'. And on the sixth of December 1682, about Ten at Night, there broke out a Fire in a Room made of Board's, that stood in the midst 'twixt the Timber and Brick-Buildings, formerly the Butler's Store-House; But at that time the Rendezvouz of the foresaid Seamen, whose roaring Revels there, were overheard by the Neighbourhood not above half an Hour before this happened: Mr. Potts was at a Friend's House near home when it began; And no sooner got into the Yard, but instantly Armed himself and his Seamen, keeping the Gate fast, under pretence of preventing any one's coming into steal, till such time the Fire had got so much head, 'twas