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16 ANAM.
rounded by flattering sycophants, who guarded every
avenue to the royal ear, was consequently ignorant of
the growing evils which his mal-administration had
produced. With astonishing infatuation, he abandoned
himself to his pleasures, and his government to
his insidious courtiers, who, taking advantage of exemption
from punishment, robbed the people, and
plunged the nation into an abyss of poverty and dis-
tress. This catastrophe was hastened by a general
corruption of manners, communicated by the empoisoned
streams which flowed from the court and capital,
and spread their baneful influence over all ranks and
conditions of the people.
" Notwithstanding the errors and defects of this
been of a mild
sovereign, he is represented as having
disposition, and secretly attached to the simple and
primitive manners of his ancestors; fond of his sub-
jects, always calling them his children; friendly to
the doctrines of Christianity, and treating its ministers
with great respect and indulgence."
The natural consequence of this state of things
were soon exhibited in a rebellion, followed by a civil
war, which for nearly thirty years agitated the country.
The details of this revolution are tolerably authentic.
In the year 1774, in the 35th year of the reign of
Caung-shung, the father of the late King Gia-laong,
the rebellion commenced in the city of Quin-hone, the
capital of the division of Chang, headed by three
brothers. The eldest, whose name was Yinyac, was
a wealthy merchant, who carried on an extensive
commerce with China and Japan; Long-niang, the
second brother, was a general officer, or war-man-
darin of high rank; and the third was a priest.
Their first care was to get possession of the person of
the king, which they effected, and put him to death,