S. Lj- . 'o 6".
Srom t^e £t6rari? of
(J)rofe66or ^atnuef (^ifPer
in (glemoti? of
3ubge ^amuef (ttlifPer Q0recfeinribge
^reeenteb 6)?
^amuef (gtiffer QBtecftinribge &ong
to t^ feifirari? of
(prtnceton C^eofogicaf ^eminarj
COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND
ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE
LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
SCO
:^fuh
jt'
\
'%
/
,/.
N^.
$^h : t>'r. m 5^
M^
/
y^
■^^
X
\
THE 4i0/^J^,
Church-Hiftory ^^
O F
ETHIOPIA.
WHEREIN,
Among other things, The Two Great
Splendid Roman M i s s i o n s in-
to That Empire are placed in their true
Light.
To which are Added;,
An Epitome of the Dominican Hiftory of
That Church. And an Account of the Pra-
dices and Convidion of MARIA of the
Annunciation^ the Famous NUN dl Lisbon,
^/Compofed
By Michael Geddes, D. D. Chancellor
of the Cathedral Church of Sarum.
Printed for Ml\ C^iftDelf, at the Rofe and Crown
in St. PW's Church- Yard. MDCXCVL -
/f2^.
u
V
To the Right Honourable
AND
Right Reverend Father in God,
HENRY,
LordBiOiopof LOND02^5
One of the Lords of His M A j E S T Y's
Privy Couneil.
May it pleafe Tour Lordjhif^
H E follovi^ing Book be-
ing the Hiftory of a
Church that was never
at any time under the
papa/ Yoke, and which
when its Princes, inftead
of being Nurfing Fa-
thers, ftruggled hard of late years to have
brought its Neck under it ; never refted
until it had both broke that infupportable
Yoke afudder, and fecured it felf from
ever having the Uke Attempts made again
upon its Liberty : To whom can it fo na-
turally go for PatronagCjas to a Noble and
Great Prelate , who had the Courage ,
when Popery was in the heighth of its lafi:
A % Triumph
Ttiumph among tis, in his own fingle Per-
(bn to give it thefirft Publick Check that
it met with ( a kindnefs the Church and
State of E^^glaTid wi\l^ I hope, never forget,
I am fure they ought nor); and who has
furthermore, for near thefe Twenty Years,
made it his chief Study , by creating a
tight underftanding betwixt all Antipapal
Churches, to unite them all into one Bo-
dy ; that fb they may be the better able to
withftand their common Enemy, who is
flill indefatigable in his Endeavours to
bring all Churches yet into bondage.
Which Confideration , together with
the great Obligation the Compiler of this
Hiftory is under, to neglefl: no opportuni-
ty of owning to the World how much he
has been beholden to your Lordfhip ; as
they have put me upon dedicating it to
You, fb I cannot but hope, that a Perfon
of Your Lordfhip's High Birth, and admi*
rable Benignity and Iweetnefs of Temper,
will both pardon my Prefumption in fb
doing, and pafs by any weakneffes that
may difcover themfelves in the Compo-
fore ; and alfb accept it as a fmall Tefti-
mony ofmy being,
Tour Lordfhifs
Devotedy and mofi humble Servant^
Michael Geddes.
^
/
THE
PREFACE.
WHEN in the Preface to the Synod of
Diamper^ / promifed ^ from Portu-
guefe Relations , to give jome Acr
count of the Churches which were never within ths
Bounds of the Roman Empire ; I intended to have
begun with the Church of Moful^ or Babylon 5 hut
not having hitherto bee7t able to procure thoft Infor-
mations of it 7i>hich I had then fome reajon to ex-
feB y and havings during my nine Tears Rcfidencc
at Lisbon^, furmjhed my f elf with all the Portu-
guefe Bocks 7i.'hich do any ways treat of Ethiopia,
1 was Jerjwaded by fome Friends to alter my mi?id.y
and to begin with That Church '^ which of all
others y till within thefe Two hundred years^ had had
the leaf Co>nmunication with the Roman ; and
which y notwithftandlng all the pains its F7'i?ices and
the j-efuits have been at of latCy to bring her under
the Bondage of the Papacy ^ has ^ tho with a terrible
jirugglcj maijitained her Primitive Liberty and In-
dependency on that Ambitious and Ufurping See ;
and does to this day^ with greater !Zeal than every
ajjen them..
And that I may not feem Adum agere in pub-
lijhing an Hiftory of Ethiopia after the Learned
Mr, Ludolphus : / am to ac^^uaint the Reader y
That whereas the two great Splendid Roman Mif-
iions into that Empire y are the mofi remarkable
things that have come to our knowledge in the Hi^
fiory of that Church ^ jo if fome of my Learned
Friends are not mifiahny Tiwje Ttvo Alijfionsy with
A ; all
V
The Preface.
aU their Steps and Circuwfiancesy are here placed ii»
a truer Light than they were euer fee7t in before.
And tho I will- not fromife that my Conjed:ures
upon the dark and hidden things of thofe Miffions
are all true 5 as who indeed that makes many^ and
efpecially in matters which ha^je been indujhioujlj
difguifed by men of Art^ will 'venture to promife ?
yet this I can fafely fay y that I ha^ue ndf made one
hut what 1 thought I had fome ground for • And as
to matters of fadl^ / do aJJ'ure the Reader ^ that in
the matter of the Miffions^ I ha^vefet down feju or
noncy but what 1 had out of Roman-Catholick
Writers, and licenfed by the Inquilitioh, and who
for the moft part were Jcfhits,
There are Four things^ whereof ^ if I am not mi-
fvaken^ this Hifiory wtH abundantly fatisfy the Im-
partial Reader.
The Firft is. That the Roman Miffionaries, but
efpecially the JefuitS^ hanjmg neither the gift of Mi-
raclesy fior of Vatience, to wait for the Jloii^ ifues
of the old method of con'verting Nations by preaching
the Faith to them y are e'very where { jvhcre they
can come at them) for dij'patchmg it 2^'/?/? Dragoons,
or by fome other violent and janguinary way. The
JefuitS being all to a man of the fame opinion with
their great Apcfile of the liidies, Francis Xaveir,
whoje Maxim y as Ravarette informs m , was :
Mientras no eftiuveron debaxo del Mofquete,
no a via de ver ChrilHano de provecho ; that is
to fayy Miffionaries without Muskets do never
make Converts to any purpofe : The truth of
which Maxim y John ' Bolunte, a Miffionary Je-
juity tells z^y is confirmed by univerfal Experience^
Mi en el Brafil (jatth he) Peru y Mexico, Flo-
rida, Philipinas, y Maluca, ha havido Chri-
ftianidad.
The Preface.
ftianiddd^ ni Converfion, finla fombra de vel
Poder Secular ; that is^ Neither in the Brafils,
Peru, Mexico, Florida, the Philipins, orMa-
luca, have any Converfions been made, with-
out the help of the Secular Power ; affirming
in another flace of his Book , Que en nenguna
parte fe ha hecho fruto fin Armas, that ^, That
Miffionaries have done nothing any where,
without Military Arms.
The Second is, That there is no Tyranny in the
World equal to that which the Roman Prelates
( -where they have the Secular Arm at their com-'
mancl) do co7ttinually exercife, and that without the
common relent ings of humanity y upon all forts of
people y that will not turn to their Religion.
The Third ts , That Miffionaries, when ever
they have infpired a Prince^ the main Body of whofe
Subjects are jinti-papifisy with a bigotry to introduce
their Religion into his Countryy do commonly before
they have doju with him , either run him cut of
breathy or make him run his head again^ a wall.
The Fourth isy That Ambition did very early
take pojfejfion of the Jefuits Order, that Society
not being above ten years fanding in the Worldy
when it had engroffed a Miff on to it felfy which did
promife both greater and cheaper Honours to its Mi"
nifiers than ever any Miffion had done before.
The clear difcovery of which Truths y together
'^ith that of the true Spirit and Temper of Miffio-
naries, and theVrectpices they put Princes uponywho
are fo unhappy as to be their Convert Sy muft make
This Hiftory to be of fome ufe to all Proteftant
Countreys y which may therein y as in a glafs Jee,
what treatment they are to expcB from Popery y when
ever the Supream Power is in its hands,
A 4 I have
\
The Preface.
I have as an AfUndix ^ given the Reader an
^fitonte of the Dominican Htftory of Ethiopia^
^rit- by a Friar of that Order ^ and fr'mted at Va-
lentia, in the Year i6io. a7td not only Ucenfed by
the Inquifition3 and all the -other Regular and Se-
cular Licenjers, of the Diocefsy but recommended like"
"ivife hy them to the World^ as a true^ ujeful^ and
edifying Hificry : As aljo a Full Account of the Pra-
ilijes and Conviclion of Maria of the Annuncia-
tiori;, the Famous Lisbon l^un*^ which I take to be
tipo fuch Originals in their fever al kindsy as are not
eafily to he met v^ith.
h Catalogue of the Authors out of
whom this Hifloiy was compoted.
A'Thanafim.
Riiffntis.
Thiolofiorgim.
Elnnri72us»
Tauhis Vcnetus,
Damianm Goerc
Zaga !Zaho.
Francis Alvarez,,
The Patriarch Bermudeso
Jfihn de Barros,
Antony de Goiirea.
Oforif^s,
Tereira,
The
Wufijle
Job Ludolfhifs,
Barcnim^
wnias a Jefa,
Spndanm.
Thefe that follow were
all Jefuits.
Maffeius.
Gmriro.
Fays, '
Godinm,
Almeyda,
Fer7ia?ideZj.
Tellez,.
Bodriguex,,
Vega,
The Patriarch Mendcs,
The Mifftcnarks Letters.
Vmchm.
A
<^
J
TABLE
A.
THE ^huna (or Patriarch)
never grants any In-
dulgences, pag. 88. A
falfe Account of his Eleftion,
,111. His Office, 112. He
comes to Court, and is angry
with the Conferences that had
been held without his leave,
30 1- Th« Conferences are re-
newed before him ,301. He
leaves the Court in wrath, and
excommunicates the Emperor,
301. He promotes an AfToci-
acion in defence of their Reli-
gion, 505. Being invited to
Court, goes thither well guard-
ed, 305. The Ahunci and Monh
wait on the Emperor in a Bo-
dy, 306. Upon the Emperor's
tlighring their Comp1aints,they
leave the Camp in a rage, 3 07.
He goes againft Julitu in per-
fpn,^3o9. and is llain, 311.
Adam fucceeds Claudius j 2or. a
fierce Enemy to Popery, 201,
is flain in battel, 206. is fuc-
ceeded by his Son Malac Saged,
who takes no notice of the
Miffionaries, 207.
Alaf is fucceeded by his Son
Adjam Saged , the prefent 'Evri'
yQiOi oi Ethiopia, 465.
The Agaus take up Arms, 303.
The Agaus having fent to a Prince
of the Royal Family, who had
^
taken fan£luary among the
Gaules , to take the Crown of
Ethiopia upon him , take up
Arms in defence of their Re-
ligion, 3;; 5.
AlbuOjUerque fends two Envoys to
Helena J the Governefs o^ Ethio-
pia, 43.
Akltijah, the moft famous of all
their Monafteries, 31. The
Difcoveries were intermitted
and revived again by Alphonfo.
The Alexandrian Submiflion he
refers to, was a mere Trick,
231.
They make a Remonftrance of
their Cafe to the Emperor,
160.
They by a Trick neceflitate
the Emperor to declare his
willingnefs that his good
Subjects fliould enjoy their
old Religion, 390.
The ftrong Mountain of Am-
bucanet is ftormed by Gamay
130.
Father Antony Fcrnande^s Let-
ter to the Father Villtor of
the Indies, 320.
AmbafTadors from the Portu-
guefe and Hahajfms had their
Audience of the Pope at
Bono?iia, 78.
The Habajjin AmbafTidors fub-
miffion to the Pope, 79.
AmbafTadors are fent from £-
thiOpia 10 PortHgdj 289.
A par-
A Table.
A pitriculat Account of the
Ambaflador'sjourny, 295.
They are induftrioufly fentout
of the way, 294.
They are kindly received by
the Comical King of Gin-
giroy 297.
They are ftopt by the Prince
of Combute , upon an inti-
mation of their not having
h^^n fent by the Emperor,
ibid.
They are fuffered to proceed
on their Journey, 299.
They are thrown into Jayl by
the King of ^laha, and af^
ter wards fent home drip-
ped, ibid.
The Archbifliop of Goa fends one
Syha , a Secular Prieft , into
Ethiopia^ 229.
The Archbifhop o?Goa writes
to the y^buna to fubmic him-
fel f to the Pope afier the
Example of the Patriarch of
Alexandria, 231.
Athanateuss Letter to the King
of Portug/il, 281.
Ws Letter to the Viceroy of
the Indies J 282.
B.
BAhurnagays takes up Arms
againft Ada-m^ 203.
He h routed, and goes over to
X\\t Turks, 20^.
He brings the Tuyh into Eth'i-
op a , and delivers Matrua
and the other Scaport-Towp.s
to them, ibid.
Bartholome-a* de Tiroli, Founder of
the great Dominican Convent
Aklujab^ 47c.
BaJtMes throw* his Uncle Rax.
Celln into Prifbn, p. 396.
He fendeth for the Patriarchs
and Fathers Arms , and ba-
nilheth them all to Fremona,
396.
Having extirpated Popery, re-
covers moA of his loft Pro-
vinces, 465.
After an happy Reign of Thir-
ty two years, he is fucceed-
ed by his Son Aelaef Saged,
John Bermudes htioxt he went, was
was confecrated a Biflhop by the
Abuna.UabaJJin Ordination by a
fingle Eutychian Btjlop, was al-
lowed to be valid by the Pope
when he came to Rome, 1 20.
Bermudes having his Title to
the Abunafhip of Ethiopia
confirmed by the Pope, goes
from Rome to Lisbo?i, i 21.
Where he afted as the HabaJJin
Ahuyw, ibid.
He returns to Goa, having, as
'tis faid, obtained an Order
for 400 Soldiers, ibid.
C.
TWO Italian Capuchins Come
to Suaghcnjy 453.
Six French Capuchins are fent
by feveral ways into EthiO'
pia, 4«ro.
Don Edward Calvam, chief of the
Embafly, dying in the Ifland
of Camera , was fucceeded by
Lima, 48.
CaviQam and PayOj who both un-
derftood Arahick , are fent by
the way of Memphis to find out
HabaJJia, 40.
CaviSam
A Table.
CaviSam ( Payo dying by the
way) goes firft to the Indies y
then to the Southern Coaft
of j4frick , and at laft enters
into Hflhci(p..'i, 40.
He was kindly enterrained by
the King , whofe name was
Alexander, 4I.
He was detained as a Spy by
King l^ahod, ibid.
He fends an account of the
Country by an Hab/»JJin
Monk, ibid.
CeUa Chrifio:h Letter to the Pope,
2-91.
He turns Koman-Catholick, 18$.
The Cardinal of Portugal prevails
with the Pope to call the Pa-
triarch out of Ethiopia, 2 1 o.
The High Chamberlain s Speech,
541.
The Church that had been turn-
ed into a Mofque , is confe-
crated by the Abuna, 131.
The Churches built by Queen
Sheba , and Queen Cmdace ,
473.
Claudius the Emperor invaded by
Nur^YiXngoi Adelf 199.
Gives him battel, in which he
was (lain, 200.
Claudius hath foTne fuccefs in
the beginning , but was
quickly after obliged to re-
tire to the Mountains, 122.
The Coadjutor's Letter to the
Emperor, 181.
He goes to Court, 182.
He is received with great ce-
remony, 183.
He urges the Emperor to fub-
mit himfelf to the Pope,
184.
The Coadjutor thunders out an
Excommunication, 197.
A Di;ilogue betwixt the Ewpe^
ror and Coadjutor^ 2 02.
The Coadjutor and the Fathers
mode Prifoners by the Turks,
206%
The Patriarch dying at Goa,
the Coadjutor becomes Patri-
arch, 207.
A Conference between the £w.
peror and a Portuguefe abouc
Religion, 178.
Several Conferetices about Religi-
on, 195, 300.
The Congregation de Propaganda
fd2y being diffatisfied with the
Conduft of the Portuguefe Je-
fmts in Ethiopia y takes the Mif"
fion from them , and gives ic
to the CapucbinSy 446.
The Congregations anfwer to
the Patriarch, 45 j.
The Cmrticrs finding thit none
bu?: Papifts were favoured ,
turn civil to the Fathers and
their Religici, 300.
The Country is much alarmed
therewith, ibiu.
The Croifade is tOL-lly defeated,
and the old Abmia llain, 311.
A fifth Croifade raifed againft the
Emperor, 349.
D.
TH E Damotes take up Arms
for their Religion , and
are routed, 318.
The Et/jperor DanjicCs Letter to
Emanuel YiXng o£ Portugal, 50.
His Titles, 5^0, jr.
His Letter to King John the
Third of Portugal, 58.
His Letter to the Roman Pon-
tijfF,<54.
His
\.
A Table.
His fecond Letter to the Ro-
ma7i Pontiff! 71.
He brings a terrible Storni up-
on himfelf, by feeking to
enter into an Alliance with
the Portuguefe, 1 1 8.
He fends one John RerTnudes a
Poriuguefe ( after having gi-
ven him a Title to fucceed
the Jbuna when he died j
to Rome and Lisbon, to fo-
licit and haflen fome Suc-
cors, 120.
Vemhea Lake, its Defcription, 4.
its Iflands, ib.
Eight Dominicans arrive at Ethio-
fi^, and are kin4Iy received by
Prejfer Johrij ^6'j,
E.
E Manuel King of Po>-^fe'^^/,fends
a fplendid EmbaiTy to the
Emperor cf Hah^JJia^ 47.
Hs fends Almeida with a great
Fleet to take Oj-ts^us , and
fome other Seaports in the
Indies J 42.
The defign of the Hahajfm Em-
'bay^f, lie.
The Empror being acquainted
with the arrival of the Portw
gucfes, writes to (Sama to come
and join him, 128.
The ETnperor being reftored to
the quiet poflellion of his
Kingdom, quarrels with the
Portuguefcy 145.
The chief caufe of his quarrel
was, the Ahuna urging him
to turn Roma7i Cathalick pre-
fently, 145.
He is refolved never to turn
Roman Catholick^ i\6.
He thereupon writes to the
Patriarch of Alexandria, to
fend an Ahuna into Ethiopia
as formerly, 147.
He enrages the Portuguefe there-
by, ibid
He receives the Ahuna, whofe
Name was Jofeph, at Deherea,
148.
He rids himfelf of the Pop'tjb
Patriarch Bermudes, ibid.
His defence of himfelf and his
Faith, 1(^7.
His Confeilion of Faith, 185.
He offers to lay the Debates
about Religion before his
Council, 189.
He anfwers the Coadjutor's
Book, and writes one in de-
fence of his own Faith, ig6.
He invites Father Peter to
Court, 239.
He greatly admires Father Pe-
ter^s Sermon, and therefore
fent him his Dinner from
his own Table, 248.
He difcovers his [ntention to
father Peter to turn Roma^
Catholicky 250.
His Letter to the Pope, 2 j i.
His Letter to the King of
Spain f 253.
He marcheth againfl the Re-
bels, 257.
He is killed fighting, 2^9.
The t^ew Emperor fends to Father
Peter to come to him, 273.
He offers to write to the King
of Portugal and the Pope, and
is encouraged by Father Pe^
tei' to do it, 275.
His Letter to the Pope, zl6.
His Letter to the King of
Spain i 278,
^' Thefe
A Table.
\
Thefe Letters were probably
forged by fome Miffimary^
280.
A mock Emperor fet up and
maflacred, 284.
The Emperor and his Brother
Raz CelU Chrijios, convin-
ced of Chrifl's having two
Natures, soj.
He publiCheth an Edift, prohi-
biting any to affirm that
there is but one Nature in
Chrift, 301.
He publilLeth a Proclamation,
commanding all his Sub-
jefts to turn Roman Catho'
He is addrefTed to , not to
trouble his SubjeSs about
their Religion, 504. «•
He is deaf to all fuch Addref-
fes, so*?.
An Attempt made upon his
Life, 308.
Upon his Vi£lory, prohibits
his Subjefts to obferve Sa-
turday, 312.
A fevere Libel eomes out a-
gainft him, 312.
By a fecond Proclamation, he
commands all Subjects to
work upon Saturdays, 203 .
A Rebellion breaks out upon
it, 313.
His Speech thereupon, 315,
He fends an Army againft the
Rebels, and routs them,
317.
He reconciles himfelf to the
Church of Rctw^, 319.
He grows jealous of his Bro-
ther RazCeSaj 331.
He fends him againft Gabriel,
who was at the head of a
Croifadgf 332,
His Letter to the Patriarth,
335.
He is obliged to employ his
Brother againft them, 357.
Dom Jpolinar cP^lmcyda brings
Letters, and a Jubilee to tha
Emperor, and to the Princey
3(?4.
The Emperor"* s Zeal revived by
this Letter, and a Jubilee,
3(?8.
He is defeated by the Peafants
of Lsifia, 372.
He is paflionately addrefled
for a Toleration, ibid.
He {peaks to the Patriarch a-
bout it, and will nor be de-
nied, 373.
The Toleration proelaimed.The
Patriarch's Proteftation a-
gainft it, 374.
The Emperor''s Wnfiver to the
Patriarch'' s Protefiationy I'j'j,
He declares his Refolution to
continue a Roman Catholick,
379-
The Patriarch baffled in a great
point of his|urifdiaion,3 80.
The Country People in good
humour by a Toleration, yet
not fatisiied cirithout re-
eftablifhmenc of their old
Religion, and banifhed the
Patriarch and Fathers of £-
tkopia. Raz, Cella going a-
gainft' the Peafants v/ith an
Army, is routed, 381.
The Romanijis have all their.
Churches and Lands taken
from them. The Emperor
dieth, and is fucceeded by
his Son Bafihdes, 395^.
The Emperor marcheth againft
them, and obtaineth a Vi-
^ory,382, He
A Table.
He IS moved by the paffionate
Remonftrances of the Gran-
dees and others, to reftore
the yilexandrim Religion.
383.
The Patriarch and Fathers en-
deavour to divert him, 385:.
He continues immoveable in
his Refolution, 388.
The Patriarch'' s ManifeftD, 392.
A proclamation for refloring
the Alexandrian Religion.
Feftivities thereirponj 394.
'*The Emperor hearing thereof,
commands the Patriarch and
Fathers to leave Ethiopia^
412.
He vs^rites to the Bajbtw of
Suaqhem, 454.
The Bajhavp murthers them all
three, and fends their heads
to the Emperor, ^^/^.
The Emperor s Library founded
by Queen Saba, 47 1 .
His Treafury, 47 2 .
The Emprefs arrives at the
Camp, 117.
The Eucharifi is adminiftred to
Children when they are bapti-
zed, 95.
Eugenifa the Fourth ttanflates the
Council from Florence to Rome,
upon a fliam Pretence that the
Emperor of Ethiopia was fend-
ing an Ambafllidor with a
fubmiflion of himfelf and his
Church to him, 23.
Epmethetii made King of the Ua-
tnerites, depofed by the HabaJJin
Army, which put Abraham in
his place, 17.
Ethiopia, the Climate, r.
The true Title of che Emperor^
ibid.
The Provinces, 2,
Its feveral great Rivers befid^
the Nile, 6,
Its great mixture of People, 7.
The Court Language is Am^
char a, ibid.
The Emperor names his Succef-
for, tb.
The Reyal Arms, ib.
The Queen of Sheba reported
to have been its Emprefs,
Her Son by Solomon faid to
have introduced Judaifm in-
to it, 8.
The Eunuch that was baptized
by Philip, is faid to have been
of this Country, and ta have
introduced Chriftianity in-
to it, 9.
Frumentius, Bilhop ofAxum, its
• • Apoftle, 10.
Co7jftantias\ Letter to the Prin-
ces of Axum, II.
Nine Monks come into if, 14.
Jiijlinian fends an Embally in-
to Ethiopia, 15.
The bufineis of the Embaflfy,
16.
The Ethiopians fend an Am-
baflador to the Patriarch of
Alexandria, 17.
^ames the Abuna of Ethiopia
depofed by the Qileen, and
reftored by the King after-
wards, 18.
The feventh place in a gene-
ral Council given to the A-
buna of Ethiopia, by the ^-
rabick Canons of the Coun-
cil of Nice, ?.o.
The firll DifcQvery of the
Church of Ethiopia by the
Portugtiejes, 29.
The account of the Succeflion
of their grand Abbots , 29.
Two
/
A Table;
F.
TW O Fathers are fent from
B'emona to congratulate
Sufeneus, who took the Name
of Seltem Sagedy 272.
StVQn. of the Fathers purchafe
leave to go to DiOy but the
Patriarch is detained, 433.
Four Fathers condemned as
Traytors, and executed by
the Mob, 44^.
Father Ferwandes fblliclts for
Troops, 208.
Tht French King's Rage againft
Protejiants, fuperior to that of
the y^rians againfl the Ortho'
doxj 1 3.
GjSma enters into Ethiopia
with his Troops, and the
Roman Patriarch, 12$.
He fends an hundred of his
men to fetch the Emprefs to
his Camp, 116.
He is intercepted in his march
towards the Emperor by
Granhe, 132.
An huffing Meflage , with a
ridiculous Prefent,is fent to
Gama by Gra?ihe, ib.
Gama returns Granhe a Mef.
fage, with a Prefent no lefs
huffing than ridicuIous,i3 3.
Ga3?2a befieged on all iides by
Granhe f 13 4*
He opens a paflage to himfelf,
'^ with the bravery of his
men , being afiifted with
Artillery, ik
He obligeth Granhe to retreat,
^
Gama condu£led by a Jevf to a
Mountain, of which, and a
great drove of Horfcs, he
makes himfelf Mafter, 1 3 7,
He routed and taken Prifoner,
1 40.
Is beheaded, 141.
The Gauls invade Ethiopia, fur-
prize Buco the Viceroy , and
are driven home by Raz CeSa^
Granhe, a Mahometan Frmce, ob-
tains feveral Viftories over
David, 119.
He drives him at laft, in a
manner, out of his Empire,
ib.
Granhe being reinforced by a
Body of Turks, and a Train
of Artillery , forceth Gama
to come to a Battel, 139.
Granhe killed fighting, 144.
H.
np H E King of HabaJJ!a vi-
"''• 6iorious over the King of
y^den, I9,
Pretty Stories fent from Ha^af
fia, 34^.
The HahJl^ns hold the Scri-
ptures to be the psrfeft Rule
of Faith, 3f.
Their Monafteries little Villa-
ges, 30.
Monkery much the fame in
Habajjta', as it was in the be-
ginning,?^.
They are Eutychians, ib.
They deny the Pope's Supre-
macy, ib.
The Emperor is Head of the
Church, 32.
Their Priefts marry, ib.
They
A Table.
They have divers Forms of
Baptifm, ib.
All that are preferit zx the Ce-
lebration of the Sacrament
muft communicate. They
do -not deviate, nor adore
theHoft, nor keep it after
the Communion.They break
it after 'tis confecrated, z^.
They reckon the receiving of
it breaks their Faft, ib.
They do not believe Tranfuh-
fi/^ntiation^ 33.
They have only a General Con-
They deny Purg^ttcry , Confirm
mation, and Extreme Uiitiion,
They condemn Graven Ima-
ges. They keep Saturday and
Sunday. Their Offices are
all in the Vulgar Tongue,
34-
They are devout. They never
gn into a Church with their
hhoes on, nor fit in it but
upon the ground, 3T.
They feldom preach, ib.
The Habaj]?n Et»bafy tO the
Pope little regarded, 74.
After having iay'n five years
neglefted at Liibon, it was
fent to Rcme as an honou-
rable Appendix to a Portu-
guefe Efnbaffy^yy.
The Ha'iy.xJJins believe Original
Sin-, 89.
Their Clerks may marry, ib.
The HabaJJlns have a great Ve-
nerarion for their Churches,
91.
They are all baptized eveiy
year on the day of the £/>/-
pha7iy, <;2.
They circumcife both Men
and Women, 93.
They give the Euchariii to
Children when they are
baptized, 95.
Circumcijlon is not oblerved by
them as a Sacrament, but a
Civil Cuftom, 96.
Children of Chriflian Parents
before baptized, called half
Chriftians, 98.
Confirm.^Mon and Extreme Un-
Bion no Sacraments.. The
Scripture the perfeft Rule of
Faith, 100,
They all yeceive the Sacrament
in both Elements. It is not
kept in their Churches ; it is
never received but in the
Church, loi.
1 1 is never adminiftred but
once a day in a Church ; it
is not fliew'd to the People.
No Maps faid for the DeacI,
102.
Juftificatiori of their abftain-
ing from Meats made un-
clean by the Lav/, 103.
An exprefHon of the greatnels
of ihe Hab^JJiii Ze«I againft
Popery^ 1 64.
The EmpL-efs Hdena. fends two
Envoys to /llhumerque, 44.
Father Hicrom is feiit into £«-
rope to folicit for Troops,
and to juftify the 'Jcyuits
Condu6: in Ethiopia, 443.
He obtains nothing at Rome
but Blellings, and at Madrid
and Lisbon but fair Promi-
ses, 444.
The Ho7)2er:tes conquered by the
Ethiopia?};. Their Deliverers,
1(5.
A rldic\2»
/
A Table.
I.
A Ridiculous Impofiure does
Popery fomediirervice,3^2.
The iTifavte Don Henry , the firft
and moft zealous Promoter of
the difcovery of unknown
Countries, 36.
Ignatiua Loyola labours to engrofs
the mbajjin Miflion to his new
Order, 149.
The Jefuits leaping fo quickly
into fuch high Dignities,
contrary to their Vows,
create them Enemies, 159.
Two Jefuits are fent in a dif.
guife to Ethiopia, 216.
They were difcovered , and
made Slaves in jdrahta^ 227.
A Maronite Jefuit is fent in di(^
guife to Ethiopia, ibid.
H$ is difcovered and put to
death, for having profefled
himielf a hiahometan^ 228.
The Jefuits ere£l a College at
D;«, 2?3.
Jacob ^ the Natural Son of Malac
Saguedy was then Emperor,
237.
Jacob is depofed, and Za Dan*
guil m^dQ Emperor, 239.
Some Inftances of the Jefuits
facrificing all other Interefts
to that of their own Order,
241.
Upon Jacobus delay of coming
to the Army, he is chofen
Emperor by them, 264.
A Meftage is fent to him by
the Army, 26$.
The Army upon receiving a
Letter from Jacsbj declare
for him, 266,
Jacob comes to the Army,
267.
Jaiob makes Stifun^ns great
OiTers, provided lie would
give over pretending to the
Crown, 268.
Jacob marcheth towards Sufw
nxuf, 269.
His General goes over to S«/tf-
nxus^ 270.
Jacob and Sufu7iaM come to a
Battel, 27 1.
Jacob is killed fighting, ibid.
The General of the Jefuits makes
the Emperor s SubmifTion to
the Popey without any Com-
miflion from him to do it,
323.
He fends^ a Nuntio to acquaint
him therewith, ibid.
The Jefiiits reckon their work
^done, before it was well
begun, 345.
They never wrought Miracles
in Ethiopia f 379.
The Cruelty of the Perf^cu^
tions raifed by them, 4I0.
The two remaining Jefuits in
Ethiopia are protected by the
Peafants of Lafia^ 45 I.
Julttis enters into an Jfociation,
and takes the Field againft the
Emperor, 303.
Julius the Emperor's Son-in-law,
takes up Arms for the defence
of their Religion, 308.
He marcheth with a great
Croifade againft the Emperor,
309.
The
A Tgble.
K.
HE great Champion Kebo
is fsnt into Tigre CO be fa-
cnficed,3 59.
.Theiv.V«jj cf S&^/w's Letter to the
Ewpror of LiJ:'^piay 2 85.
I--
Lrjy put to death for her
^^ PMi^ion, 351.
The Hiilory of the Lij^i?« f7««,
, caJled i>,itf;7'.^ of the AnmrnciA-
ti-n, 481.
The hnpfiiirc difcovet^d, 485.
Her Pin;ifucs afTigr/d, 486.
M.
T* H E iHand of Miidera firfl:
"* difcovered. No M^tjfes are
fa id for the Dead by the H^^^/-
/?«-<•, 102.
A long Jufi:ific:.t!on of their
abflaining from M-ats that
are made unclean by the
Law, 10;.
The King of Mofnhuccas Speech
to his ;Subje6ls, afer he had
mafiacred all t!ie Portu^u.f^s
that were in the City, 435.
ilt is judified in part by a
Portuguefc Hidorian, 442.
The Portugitefe are biffied be-
B
N,
Iver l<lile, its Original, 3.
Caufe of its Kifing, 5.
It was known by the ^naenti,
ibid.
Diverted from coming down
to Egypt, and turned into its
old Channel again, upon the
interceffion of the Bifliop of
Akxmdriaf I9.
o
Kity undertakes to prote£^
t\\'i Patriarch, 422.
Ke promiPjs to carry the Pa-
triarchs and Fathers to Mat-
ztia, 429.
Gkay finding no P or tuguefe Suc-
cors com'^, delivers the Bi-
fhop of Nice and three Fa-
thersj who by his Conni-
vence remained behind in
his Coontry, to the Emperor,
Th^-7 u-' V* 2IJ Four .cotx4eirined
as Trayrois, 3i^d 8X^catv4
by the Mch,/^^6t.
A Patriarch, two E:f}jo^s Co-
I ^ sdjutors, with tea Fryars^
ail of the "jejuits Order, are
nominated to go into Eihjopia,
150-
The Patriarch and one of his
Coadjutors are confccrated
at Lisbon, \'y^.
The old Patriarch was lodged
at the "jefuits College in Goa^
Sent home and dropt in the
Ifland of ^t. Helena^ I 74.
The Patriarch's Anfwer to the
Tlie Patriarch arrives at Goa,
355-
The Patriarch lands at Bajlar,
33(5. He
A Tabic:
He comes to Court, 3^8.
He is gracioufly received by
the Emperor^ ibid.
He preacheth before the £w-
peror^ 339.
A neT^^ Revenue is fetled upon
hirti, 344.
He excommunicates a great
Man for keeping Church^
Lands, 353.
He haftens the downfal of Po-
pery by two indifcreet Afts,
35i.
He oppofes a Tokrat'mi when
propofed to him by the £»2-
pero}\ 363.
A Toleration is proclaimed. The
Patriarch''s Proteftation a-
gainftit, 374.
Is baffled in a great Point of
JurifdiHiQn^ 380.
Is advifed by his Friends to
give over Preaching, 39^5.
The RomaJiijis have all their
churches and Lands taken
from them, ibid.
The Nero E7f!peror difarms the
Patriarch and Fathers, and
banifheth them all to Fre-
n.Qna, 396.
The patriarch'' s Letter to the
£w7/)^ror thereupon, 398.
The Emperor renews his Or-
ders for banifhing and dif-
jf.-ning them 400.
The Patriarch'* s fecond Letter
to xXvi Ewpcror, 401.
The Principle of the Seekers is
advanced by the Patriarchy
4.05.
The Patriarch, fo foon as arri-
^^ed at Frentona, fends Four
"Jefuits to the Indies to fo-
licit for Troops, 421.
He fues to Okay,^ difcontented
Lord, for Prote^ion againft
the Emperor, 422-
Oiay undertakes to prOteG!
him, ihid.
The Patriarch fends to Okay
for a Guard, 47.7.
The patriarch and Fathers are
lodged fafe in Okay's Terri'
tories, 428.
The Patriarch and inoft of the
Fathers are put into the
hands of the Turk at Matzua^
. 43'-
He gets toG()^,44^.
He fends and dedicates a BooK
written on the Six firft Gg-
veral Councils, with a Cate-
chifm, to the Congregation
, De Propaganda Fide, 45 j.
Me gives Sacred Reliques tc
the Capuchins of Gca, 4^0.
He fends an HahaJJin and a Ba*
Kean into Ethiopia , willi a
Commiflion to a PrieH to
be his Vi car- General, <f5r.
The Patriarch is named to the
Afchbiflioprick of Go a, but
was dead before his Nomi-
nation arriv^ed, 4^4.
An inhumane Perfecution is rai-
fed againft the Jlexavdriam^
353-
Father Peter, a Spamjh Jefut^,
fteals into Ethiopia, 237.
He fends the Secular Prieit
home before he went to
Court, 24'. .
He is highly complimented
by the lOvg, and the whole
Court, ^47.
He withdraws from Court up-
on a (light pretence, 255.
A Rebellion breaks ouc preBnt-
a 2 ly
A Table.
ly after. He repairs to the
^ Viftorious Rebels, 261.
Finding them divided, he re-
tires to wait to fee where
the Crown would fix, ilfid.
Jie builds the Emperor a Hand-
ing Palace y 307-
Pi'pe jilexavder the Third pre-
tends to have received an
Ambaflador from Prefter yohn,
21.
Pope Clement pretended to 'have
received an EmbafTy from
the fame Prince, 11.
The Pope gives a Title to the
Crown of Portugal to all the
new Countries they fliall
difcover, 38.
The Pope''s Anfwer to the Ho'
bajjin Ambaflador, 80.
The Pope fends an Italian Bi-
fhop to Ethiopia^ 229.
The Popes Letter to the Em*
peror, 288.
The Popes are civil I er to re-
more Hereticks, than dome-
ftick ones, 289.
The wonderful change Popery
had wrought on the tem-
pers of its Converts 952.
Pope Urban the Eighth's Letter
to Seltew Saged Emperor of
Etkiopi.iy 3 64.
The King of Portugal thinks of
fending a new Patriarch into
Ethiopia s 149.
VViTely fufpefting that things
were not fo ripe in Ethio-
pia as they were reported to
be, fends an Envoy for true
intelligence, 160.
Tlie Ajlrolabe and 7ables of DecH-
nation found out by the Portw
At the River Zaires in the
Kingdom of Congo, thePor-
tn^uefes firft heard of the
HahaJJtnSj 39.
The Reafon why the PortU"
guefes fent no Troops into
Ethiopia, when fo ftrongly
folicited to do it, 220.
The Prelate of the Jefuiis Order
was an Ufurper, 173.
It is probable that there never
was any fuch £w/>^r(»* as Pr^^^r
John, 22.
The Rigor of the Priors of P/«-
rimanos and ^Selujah, who are
the chief Inquifitors of Ethio*
pia, 471.
The Proclamation for reftoring
the Mexandrian Religion, 394.
Q
TH E ^een- Mother hearing" of
a Portuguefe Fleet being in
the Red Sea, fends two Envoys
to the Admiral , to implore
fome Succors, 123.
They obtain 400 Soldiers of
the Portuguefe ^dr/iiral, which
were commanded by Don
Chr'tfiopher de Gama, 1 24.
R
R.
^ Z Cella Ckr'tflos's Letter to
the Patriarch, 334.
He is accufed of plotting with
the portuguefe to make him-
felf Emperor J 354.
He is routed by the Peafann,
381.
He writes paflionately for
Troops, 462.
He is put to deach; 464.
Kodri'
A Table.
Rodriguez the Jefuit, who went
with the Envoy into Ethiopia y
his account of their Voyage
and Negotiation, 162.
No mention of Rodriguez ha-
ving (ttn. the old Patriarchy
tho his chief bufinefs in
Ethiopia was to fetch him
from thence , if ho found
him alive, 172.
Rodriguez, frights the old Patri-
arch out of his Province f to
make room for his Succef-
for, 172.
The Romanifis lofe ground at
Court daily, 359.
The Romanifis have all their
Churches and Lands taken
from them, 19^.
S.
STory of the Queen of Sheh
and her Son, 94.
Seltem Saged curferh his Grandfa-
ther's Soul, for not having fub-
mitted himfelf to the Romijh
Church, 24.
SufunaM proclaims him{elf£w/>^-
ror, 262.
He will have the Crown or
norhing, 268.
Syha^ under the difguife of a
Bane an Sailor, gets into EthiO'
fia, 250.
T.
n^ Ecla Haymonot his Miracles,
-* 468.
He founded the Monaftery of
Plurimanos, 469.
Father Torquato is fent by the Pa^
tuarch to Suacfhem , for to
bring him intelligence, 455.
He meets with the News at
Moqua , of Dajilides being
turned Mahomet an^ 457.
At Suajhem, he hears of the
three Capuchins having been
murthered, 458.
He is fortunate in finding the
Skulls of the two Italian
Fryars, and a Bone of the
French f 45:9.
A Tribute laid on the Patriarch
of Alexandria, by the Cailiffo£
Egypt, l^.
A Trick of an Alexandrian Monk,
177.
V.
'T* H E P'iceroy of Gojam pro-
claims the Prince Bafilides
Emperor of Ethiopia, 369.
The Viceroy firft wheedles, and
next threatens the Fathers
and the Portuguese to furren-
der themfelves and Arms,
but is hind red by the news
of a great Army advancing
towards him, 3 69.
He commands a Monk, his own
firft Coufin , to be put to
death for having turned RO'
manCatholicky 370.
The Vicerofs Servants beincj
tortured for railing againft
Popery, the Viceroy is fecretly
put to death foon after,37 1.
The Viceroy, who had no Ships
nor Troops to fpare for
Ethiopia, UrAs both for Mom^
bucca , upon, icb having re-
voked, 43 4.
A Table.
A Cenfure on Zagstzahas Con-
2. feffiort of Faith, 117.
Za Mariam carries the meffage
Z^gazahas^ the H.da;ff?7t Am- thereof to the Patriarchy ^pr'.
ba;frador at iMon , his ac- The Emperor Zera JacoFs Letter
count of the Religion and to the HahJJIn Monks at Jens-
Cuftoms of hisCountrey, 81. faiem^ 25.
^
BOOKS Primed for Rich. Chifwell,
F o L I a
w
Hart on s Anglia Sacra, in two Volumes.
Dr. Tho. Brovon^s Vulgar Errors, and other Works.
His Religio Medici alone : With Dighy's AnnocatioHf.
Tho. Pope Blount Cenfura Celebriernm y^uthrum.
Clark's Annotations upon the Bible.
FafciculM Rerum Expetendarum d^ Fugiendaru^Tif in two Vol. per Ed'
'varduw Brovpn»
Hifi:ory of the Ifland of Ceilon^ by Cape. Knox.
Of the State and City of Gene'va.
And Antiquities of the Church of Peterhurgh.
Dr. 'John Light foot^s Works, in two Vol.
R'a[hworth\ Hiftorical Colleaions, ift. Vol,
'. Idem 2d. Part, in 2 Vol.
7- — ■ Idem 3d. Part, in 2 Vol.
The Laws of the Kingdom of Scotla7id at large, with Skene de Ver-
horurn fignificatione.
Dr. Toroerfc-ns Explication of the Apoftles Creed, Ten Command-
mandments, Lord's Prayer, and Sacraments , ift 4 Vol.
QUARTO.
DR. Pet. ^Sixs Remarks upon the Ecdefiaftical Hiftory of the
ancient Churches of Piedvmit and yJ^hgef/fes, in 2 Parts.
Biihop Burnet's Colleftion of Trafts, relating both to Church and
, State, from 1678. to 1694. in 3 Vol.
t>c. Crcjmr of the Judgments of God upon the Roman Cath. Church.
• Camdeni & lUujirium yirorurn ad Carndenum EpijioU.
Difaufitio?:es Critica de ^ariii Bibliorum Edit iambus.
The London Divines Examination of Bellarmm's 1 5 Notes of the
(Jhuich, with Tables.
— Ex-
«r-
'Books Printed for Rich. Chifwell.
Examination of the Texts which thQ Pap ijls cite for proof of
their Religion, with Tables.
Dr. Patrick ( now Lord BiOiop of Ely ) his Parable of the Pilgrim.
— His Commentary on Gimps.
— His eight Sermons upon feveral Ocofioiis.
Ufjern lU(ioria DogJtuttica de Script urU (i^Sacru Vernaculis.
JVarrcJi's Geologia : Or, a Difcourfe of the Eariii before tlie Deluge,
in anfwer to the Theory of the Earth.
Dr. V/i-iki\ eleven Treatifes agaiiiH: Popery^ in 2 Vol.
Dr. Temnfon ( now Lord Archbilhop of Canterhury ) h\$ account of
the Conference with Pulton the Jefuit.
—His nine Sermons upon feveral Occauon.s.
The fccret Confults, Negotiations and Intrigues of the Romijh Party
in Ireland, from i6<5o, to 1689, for fertkmcnt of Popery in that
Kingdom : With feveral other Treatifes and Papers relating to
thofe Affairs.
An Impartial Hlftory of the Wars in Ireland, in two Parts, with
Copper Sculptures. By Mr. Story, prcfent in the fame.
OCTAVO.
LOrd Bacon's Genuine Remains ; with an account of his Works.
By Dr. Tennifon.
Dr. Bhrtons Difcourfes, or Sermons, in 2 Vol. with Archbiftop TiU
lotfans Preface.
Dr. jokn Conant^s Sermons.
The Letters of Father Paul, Councellor to the State of yenice ; with
an account of the fame, in a large Preface.
lulJics Difcourfe of the Government of the Thoughts.
The Jefuits Memorial for the intended Reformation of England,
found in King James'r-. Clofet.
The Indian Prince, cr Silf taught Philofopher.
A Ditcouife of Simony, by Mr. Meiford.
The prefent State of Germany, by Edmund Bohun Efq;
The Unreafonablenefs of the Romanifts.
Bifhop Wilkims Principles of Natural Religion.
Dr. iVakt's Sermons and Difcourfes.
Dr. Salmons Supplement to his London Difpenfatory.
Bifhop Piifri(:;^'s Anfwer to theTouchftone of the Reformed Gofpel,
— Expofition of the Ten Commandments.
— Prayers for feveral extraordinary Occafions.
Confiderations of Eternity, by Drexelius, 1 2°.
Bifhop IVafenhaWs Method and Order of private Devotion;
'Books frintedfor Rich. Chifwell
Lately Printed.
DJ-cofon of the Origin of all Laws. Fol
Archblfliop Cranmers Memorials. Fol.
The Prefent State of England^ by Dr. Chamberlane, 8^°. 1694.
The Hiftory of the Troubles and Tryal of Archbifhop Lmdy wrcJte
by himfelf ; publifhed by Hen. Wharton, Fol.
WhartOKi Hijioria de Epifcopis & Decmis Lond'tnenfibfis & Affaventfibus-
Archblfliop Tillotfons Sermons of Sincerity and Conftancy in the
Faith and Profeflion of the True Religion ; publiflied from the
Originals, by his Chaplain Dr. Barker, S^'*. i^pj.
— His 16 Sermons on feveral Occafions, being a 2**. Volume;
publiflied from the Original, by Dr. Barker, %"•. 1696.
Remarks on Mr. Hil/''s Vindication of the Primitive Fathers, againfl
Bifliop Burnet.
Animadverfions on Mr. HilTs Vindication of the Primitive Fathers,
againft Bifliop Burtiet.
Dr. WiSiaws's Sermons of Divine Revelation, preached at the Lefture
founded hy Robert Boyle Efq; for the Year «695;.
His Vindication of Archblfliop TiUotfons*s Sermons againft
the Socintans ; and of the Bifliop of vVorcefiers Sermon of the
Myfteries of the Chrifl^ian Religion. To which is annexed, a
Letter from the Bifliop of Salubury to the Author, in Vindication
of his Difcourfe of the Divinity of our Saviour, 4*°.
Refle£tions on a Libel lately printed, entituled, [ The Charge of S9-
ei/wifm againSi Dr. Tillotfon confideredy &c. ] 4*°.
Dr. Salmtnxvpovi theLowdozDifpenfatory. The6*^ Edit. 8^°. 1696.
A Difcourfe of the Power and Eflicacy of Charity: By Mr. John
Whitefoot Senior, of NovTvich,
A Difcourfe concerning Coining the New Money lighter. In Anfwet
to Mr. Lock's Confiderations about Rarfing the Value of Money.
By Nicholas Barbon, Efq;
ADVERTISEMENT.
HErlins Cofniography, with very large Additions throughout
the whole, made by Edmund Bohun, Efq; is Htted for thePrefs,
2nd will in fliort time be begun to be printed by Subfcription.
I
THE
Church-Hiftory
O F
Hahajfia^ or Ethiopia Aha.
/^B AS SI Ay or Ethiopia
Aha y or Ethiopia fuper
Egyptumy which are all
the fame^ according ro
the Neweft and beft Ac-
counts we have of it^ is
9 Degrees in lengthy
reaching from Bergawo
in the 8th Degree of
Northern Latitude , to Focay, which is in the
17th Degree of the fame Latitude; and about
140 Leagues in Breadth y taking it from the
Shoar of the Red Sea to the Banks of Nile.
The King or Emperor of Habajjia , is cal-
led the Naggafy that is^ the Lord or Ruler, and
not Prefier, Presbyter y nor Pretojohny which
Tide was tirft given him by the Portuguefesy
upon their imagining him y when they firft
difcovered this Empire, to have been the great
Chriftian Prefier Johny who had been fo much
talked of, and fo little known m Europe ; not
B confi^
The Cli-
mate oi
The tnid
Title of
the Em-
peror of
Ethiopia,
t The Church Hijlory
confidering, that all that had fpoke of that
Great Prince^ had placed his Empire in A/ia,
to the North of China , and not in Africa :
And as to Zaga Zahi, calling him in his Re-
lation publiihed at Lisbon y Vreciom John^ in
that he play'd the Embaffador, rather than the
Hiftorian , not caring to undeceive Europe at
the expence of a Title which made his Ma-
iler's Name much greater in it^ than it would
have been otherwife.
Now though our Geographers have in their
Maps been very liberal to this Emperor, ha-
ving extended his Empire 30 or 40 Degrees
from South to North, his Neighbours have
not been fo kind to him , who within thefe
100 years have very much contra6led it.
The Pro- TheCountries he is at prefent in pofleffion of,
vinces of SLTQ'Tigrey Gojam^Awhara^ Dembya, Bf.gemeder^
Ethiopia, Ej^areay part of Zoa, Maz^aga^ Salem^ Ogarciy
Ahergaly Holcaity Salgade^ Cemeny Saloa, Oz^ecay
and Doha : The Countries that have been ta-
ken from him, are Anget^ Doaroy Ogge, Balliy
Adeay Alam-ale Oxela, Garjz,, Betaz^amoray Gti-
rague y Sugama y Baharguma y Catrhut y Boxa,
Gumery Couch , Damota , Mora- Aura , Habera,
Oyfaly Guedemy Mar abet ^ Mmz,y Bera?nOy with
all the Ports he had formerly on the Coafl: of
the Red Sea, Ttgrcy which is the chief King-
dom in the Habajpan Empire, begins at Mat^
x.my a fmall Ifland not far from Arkikoy a Sea-
port Town in the i ^th Degree of the Nor-
thern Latitude ; it is 90 Leagues in length,
and 5-0 in breadth, and is by much the moft
Fertil and Trading Countrey in Ethiopia, for
which realbn the Jefuits fixed their firft and
greateft
o/ E t M 1 O *> I A. I
greateft refidence in a Town called Maego^a^
or Fremona y wliich (lands near the middle
of ift
The Kingdom of Bagemder lieth to the
North of Tigre^ and reacheth to Amhara, and
to the Banks of Nile ; it is about 60 Leagues
in length, and at prefent not above 20 iri
brcadthj feveral Provinces having lately beed
torn from it, which when united, made its
breadth to be near equal to its length.
The Kingdom of Gojam is jo Leagues iri
length, and 5 o in Breadth , and is in a man-
ner eneompaiTed by the River Nile , whole
Head is near the middle of it, in a Countrey
called Sacahala ; it is either the Ifland of Me-
roe^ fo much celebrated by the Ancients, or
elfe there was never any fuch place.
The Head of N//^, which was fo long reckon- The on*
ed among the Chief Secrets of Nature,is now SV"*^ ^f
known certainly to be in a Lake in this King- ^^ ^'
dom of Gojam y the Lake which gives birth to
it, is not above a Stones throw over, and fo
full of Bufhes, that in the Summer ont may
ftep upon them to two deep and clear Foun^ -
tains, which are near the midde of it, and
hot 40 yards from one another ; the Streams
of which Fountains, as is vifible from the Ver-
dure of the Herbage , doth run under ground
for near half a mile , where they break out ;
and being join'd, do make a good large Brook^
and then bending Northward, after a Courfe
of I ^ Leagues, the River Jama runs into it ;
after which Conjundion it bends its courfe to-
wards the Eaft, and is prefently joined by two
Rivers more 5 wliofe names are Kdti , and!
B % Brand i
% The ChurchHtjlory
Branti * after this it runs diredly Eaft^, till it
enters the great Lake of Bembea , which is
about 20 Leagues diftant from its Head* in a
right Line; and without intermixing its water
with thofe of the Lake, runs into the Chan-
nel it hath opened to it felf on the North fide
of it.
A Defcri- This Lake, which the Hahaffins call the Sea
prion of o? Demhea, lieth in the Latitude of 1 3 Degrees
Td^^^^ and a half , and on its South-fhore is about
m ea. ^^ Leagues in length, and on its North 35-^
not reckoning its windings, which make it a
great deal more ; near its middle, and where
it is deepeft, it may be about 10 or 12 Leagues
over : Its Waters are very clear and wholfom;
it abounds with Fifh of ail forts, and has great
herds of Sea-Horfes, which come afliore daily
and graze on the Plains ; but for Snakes and
Crockodiles it is as free from them, as it is
from Trkans and Mermaids , by which it has
been reported to be inhabited.
Dix^ers great Rivers befide the Nik difcharge
themfelves into this Lake, which is the com-
mon Receptacle of all the Prodigious Flouds
of Rain which in the Winter Months do tum-
ble down from the high Mountains of Dem*
bea ; and this Lake having no other fource for
this vaft body of Water but the Channel of the
Niky it makes bold with that, and thereby in-
creafeth its Stream prodigiouily.
Iflunds In ^^^^ lu^^ko, of Demhea is adorned with One
fhe Lake «ind twenty Iflands, fome of which are pretty
viDmha. large, namely that of Dek^ which contains as
much Arable Land as 40 Yoke of Oxen can
plough ; there are feveral Monafter ies in kvcn
or
of E
T H I O P I A. 5f
or eight of fhefe Iflands^ which were nndenN
ly very great ; they do all abound with Oran-
ges, and other delicious Fruits. Even within
Habaffiaj the Nile has fome Catarads^ its firft
is near a place called Depeqem , which is about
9 or lo Leagues above the Lake of Dembea ;
the fecond is 6 or 7 Leagues below it in the
Kingdom of Begamder, at which it makes a
prodigious noife ; the fall of the firft is about
5-0 Palms^ and that of the fecond about twice
or thrice as much.
The caufe of the rifing and falling of the. The tme
Thames at Oxford , is not more certainly Caufe of
known ;, than that of the Nik in Egypt is ^-^^^f^^ •
now ; for the Winter in Ethiopia y which ^ ' ^*
is one continued Storm of Rain, being iri
the Months of June, July and Augufi , by.
fending a vaft body of water into the Lake
of Dembea , which has no Other vent for its
Waters than the Channel of the Nile, doth
fwell that River to a prodigious heighth, all
which Torrent of water being kept together
by fteep Mountains on both fides, until it
comes down into Egypt ^ which is a flat open
Countrey ; it there expands it felf, impregna-
ting the Land thereof with its Mud, which was
hindred from fubfiding before by the uncon-
ceivable rapidity of that River , while it was
pent in on all fides by high Mountains.
This is the true Caufe of the rifing of the it was
Nile ; which though the world would not, it known by
feems, believe, was told by Nearcbus, Pliny, theAnci-
Straboy and others ; neither is their calling ^""'^ ^.^^
them the Summer-Rains any Argument at all , ^ . />'/;„/
of thpfe Learned: Men having been ignorant Ub, y. f. 9.
Bj of
^
Several ^
great RIh
ver.sbe-
fides the
Jsftte hav^
dielr
The ChurchHlJlory
of the time of the Year when they feli, but
rather the contrary; for notwithftanding the
Habajfms upon the account of thofe great Rains
jdo reckon jme^ J^^Jy and Jugufi, their Win-
ter Months, yet in Egj'pt and all other Places
without the Northern Tropck^ they are reckon-
ed Summer.
Ikfides the Nik ^ there are feveral other
great Rivers that rife in Habaffia; namely,
Pacaz,ay whofe Head is in the Mountain of
Axgm^ in the Kingdom of Angot ; and the
River 2^ ^^e, which is much bigger and fwift-
fountains er than the Nik ; it rifeth in the Kingdom of
ioEt^Jo^ta, Nareay and taking its Courfe Southward falls
into the Sea at Momhoca ; Haoa is I ike wife big-
ger than the Nik ; it rifeth in the Kingdom of
T^aoa^ and running North-Eafiy doth the fame
good office to the parched and thirfty Coun-
tries of Addd and Zegla^ that the Nik does to
Egyfi ; and as the River Maceh, which rifetH
within Two Leagues of Fremona in theKingdoni
of Tigre, does to the dry Province of Derqhem.
Now that Countries wherein it feldom or
never rains, fhouldhave that great want thus
fupplied by the overflowing of Rivers , is a
clear evidence both of the Goodnefs and Wif-
dom of Providence.
Habajjla is reported by the Jefuits to abound
with pure Gold ; which we have reafon to
' think was reprefented by them to be much
liner and more plentiful than it really is^ oh
purpofe to prevent the Kings of For ruga I and
Sfam growing weary of the gr^at Charges of
their Mifllons. Where the Land is Arable, it
. isfiiid $oipr^uce good Wheat and Barley;
-J and
of E
T H I O P 1 A
and in feveral places to have Three Marvefts
in a year. It produceth likewife Silk , which
is gathered off the Bullies, as it is in hkiia ; and
in fome places extraordinary Sugar Ganes.
Its Horfes and CowS;, with which it is faid to
be well llock'd, are much larger than the Ru-
rofeans. It has alfo great ffore of Lyons and
Elephants, and thofe of thebeft Caft ; but the
Wild Beaft that is the moft remarkable in it, is
the Giratacahemy that is to fay, the Smooth"
bead , which is reported to be fo tall, that a
Man on Horfeback may ride under its Belly.
There is a great mixture of People in Ha- r^^^^^^^ £5
hajjia , from which the Countrey is faid by a great
fome to have had its Name. mixture of
As Heathens, Jews, and Mahometans of fe- People ia
ver Nations J but the Main Body of its Peo- ^'^^'''^"'*
pie are Chrifiia??s. The Jev^s fpeak Hebrew^ or
rather Syriack ; the Heathens as many different
Languages as there are Kingdoms ; but the
Court-Language, and which is fpoke by all
Perfons of any Quality, is the Amehara, The
Empire does not defcend to the EldeftSon, but
to him whom the Emperor at his death is
pleafed to Name for his Succeflbr. The Empe-
rors formerly kept their Court in the City of
Axum, from which the African Ethiopians were
commonly caWtdAxumites; which is atprefent
reduced to a Village of about a hundred Fa-
milies. The Royal Arms of Habafia are a
Lyon holding a Crofs, with this Motto, The
Lyon of the Tribe of Judah is ViBoy-ious. I do but
juft mention thefe things, my Intention in this
Work being to write the Ecclefiaftical , and
not the Natural or Civil Hiftory of Ethiopia,
B4 Of
8 The Church^ Hijiory
Of the Religion of the Hdh^iSim.
flie TT T is a conftant Tradition among the Ha-
Queen of J[ bajfms y That the Queen of She ha that
shda IS went to Vifit Solomon , was Emprefs of their
to^ liave Countrey^ whofe Name^ they fay^ was Ma-
been Em- meda ; and who^ within a few weeks after
prefs of jhe returned home^ was delivered of a Son,
Ethjopia, Begat by Solomon^ whom ftie Named Meni-
leber,
Menlleher , fo fbon as he was of Age tQ
undertake fo long a Journey, was fent by his
Mother to Jerujakm to receive his Father's
BlefSng^ and to be Inftruded by him in the
Law or Mofes^ and all other ufeful Sciences.
Solomon having received his Son when he
arrived at ^erufalem^ with great Tendernels
and Affection, made him change the Name of
Menllehtry for that of Da-vid ; and havingtho-
Kcr Son roughly Inftruded him in the Jevjijlj Religion,
^y ^'^f'-j ^^^ made him promife to introduce it into
mhive^ his Empire, he difmilTed him with Noble
in^trocJii- Prefents, giving him alfo feveral Priefts and
<^ef Ju; Levites to take horne with him to affifthim in
daifm m- ^j) gQQ^ ^ Work. Da'vid being returned home,
did with the help of the Priefts and Levites^
fet iqi mediately about introducing the MofaUal
Law into his Empire, and was fo fuccefsful,
that in a few years it was embraced by the
whole Body of his People, and continued to
be profeiJed by them, un^il the Publication of
the
o/E
T H I o p r A.
the Gofpel among them. Upon which Fable,
for I cannot look upon it as any other, they
have built an hundred more, which are much
fitter for a Legend than an Hiftory.
Neither is the HabaJJins having ufed Cir-
cumcifion, any argument at all. of their ha-
ving been ev^er of the JejmJJj Law ; flnce
there is nothing more certain, than that that
Rite was the ancient ufage of the Ethiopians ^
and divers other Nations, v/ho were always
Enemies both to the Jev^s and their Religion.
And as the HabaJJins will have their Forefa-
thers to have been oiF the Jewifli Faith, from the
days of Solomon till the Preaching of the Go-
fpel ; fo they will have Chriftianity to have
come among them early in the AfoJI^ks
time.
It being a Tradition among them, That The Eu-
the Eunuch that was Baptized by VhtUf the "uch that
Deacon , was Steward to their Emprefs ; ^^^ b^pti-
and who returning home after he was Chri- "^pj^nip \
ftened, Converted his Miftrefs and her whole fa id [o
Empire to the Chriftian Faith, in the Profef- have been
fion whereof they have ever fince continued ^ ^^^
ftedfaft. Which Story , notwithftanding I .^Tto'^'
take it to be of a piece with that of the have in-
Queen of Sheba and her Son, yet this may be troduced
faid for it , That it has a greater Air of pro- Chnfti-
bability than moft of the Traditional Hifto- "^^^^ '"^°
ries of the firft Converfions of Countries.
What is known from Hiftory of the firft
Introdudion of Chriftianity into Ethiopia^ is.
That in. the beginning of the Fourth Century,
one Meropiusy a Chriftian Philofopher, going
into India with Two of his Scholars, whole
Names
rrumsntitis Namcs wcfc Frumentius and Aedefius^ had the
Bifliop of misfortune to touch on the Coaft of Ethiopia ;
the"^po! where Meropius was inhumanly Murthered by
ftle of the Natives^ but his Two Scholars having
Ethiopia, their Lives fpared^ and being found to be
Youths of fine Parts^ as well as Beauty, they
were carried to Court, where Frumentius was
put into the Secretaries Office, and Aedejius
into the Buttery.
When the Emperor, who had always been
very kind to them, came to Die, he gave
them both their Liberty ; but as they were pre-
paring to make ufe of it and remrn home,
the Queen Regent was importunate vi^ith
them to Itay , and to undertake the Tutelage
of her Son til! he was of Age, which they
having confented to, did during that time,
write to all the Roman Merchants refiding
in the Ports of Ethiopia^ that were Chriftians,
to alTemble together to Worfliip God, as they
themfelves, and the Converts they had made
at Court, did Daily.
When their Pupil came to take the Admi-
niftratjon of the Government upon himfelf^
they both dcfired Leave to return home,
which having obtained with great difficulty,
they left Ethiopia ; Aedefius went to Tire
to live with his Relations ; but Frumentius ha-
ving a greater love for his Religion , repaired
diredly to Alexandria^ with an intention to
acquaint the Biihop thereof, who at that
time was the Great Athanafius ^ with the
footing Chriftianity had taken in Ethiopta.
St. Athanafius^ who was overjoyed at this
gcod news_, having confuted with his Clergy
what
ofE
T H I O F 1 A. II
^what was fit to be done^ pei fuaded Fmrnen^
tiusy whom he obferved to be a Perfon of
great Zeal and Piety, to be Confecrated a
Biftiop by him, and to return into Ethiopia
with that Chara<5ber, to accomplifli a Work he
had fo happily begun ; and accordingly he
was Confecrated a Bifhop by St. Athanafius ;
and going back to Ethiofia^ did in a fliort
time Convert both the Emperor and the main
Body of his People to the Chriftian Faith.
This Account of the Introduction of
Chriftianity into Ethiopia^ is to be met with
in the 9th. Chapter of the ift. Book of Ruffi-
pusy who faith he had not this Story from the
chat of the People, but from Aedefius's own
mouth, who was Ordained a Presbyter at Tire,
And as Frumentius was undoubtedly Ortho-
dox as to the Dodlrine of our Lord's Divinity
when he was Confecrated a Bifhop by St.Atba-
Tfa/itts; fo the World coming afterwards to
complain of its being turned Avian ^ could
not (hake his Conftancy in the True Faith, as
appears from Cojifl^ntiuss Letters to the Princes
of Axum , whofe Names were Abra and
Az^ha ; which Letter I fliall here fet down as
I find it in St. Athanafim^ Apology to that
Emperor.
AS there is nothing Tve fiudy fo much as the cofijf,
knowledge of the Truth, fo we reckon our tiuis L^t*
Jehes obliged to recommend the fame diligence and ^®^. ^^ "^^
indufiry to all forts of people , that we may aU ^^^"^^^ V*
think jo of theuivmity, as topajs aw lives tn hope,
4ind without dijfevtion, concerning what is true and
■jufi.
Wherefore
(tH»
II The Church' Hijlory
Wherefore fince we do think fit to extend, this our
Care to you no lefs than to the Romans^ ii^e do en-
join you to maintain the fame DoBrines with them
in your Churches \ and to that end to fend Bijhop
VrnmQntms into Egypt with all fojfihle expedition^
there to be judged by the moft Venerable George,
and the other Egyptian Prelates^ in whom is the
Supreme Authority of Ordaining and yudging af
Bijhops. For unlejs you will pretend to be ignorant of
what, all'^ the world knows , you muf be fenfible that
FrumentiuS was confecrated by Athanafius, a man
made up of wickednefs^ and 7vho not being able in
the leafi to 'vindicate himfelf^as to any of the Crimes
he fiands charged withal^, was thereupon depofed,
and has fince that turned a Vagabond^ roving from
one Countrey to another^ as if he hoped to lofe his
Guilt by flnfting his dwelling.
In caje Frumentius jhould yield a ready obedi^
encey and give a full account of the whole Confpi-
racy^ fo that it jhall be certified that he does not
dijje?tt from the Ecclefiafiical Law's y and the Faith
that is now eflablifljedy and it doth appear that he
if a Perfon of a Good Life, he may thtn be ordain-
ed a BiJJjop ; which atprefent he is not of Right,
. TVhereas if he Jhall feek delays y and decline
■coming to Judgme^ity that will be an undeniable
Proof of his having been f educed by the words of the
mofi Profligate Athanafius ; as alfo of his acting
zmpioujly againft Gody and of his being involved
in thejame Crimes whereof Athanafius fiands con-
viBed : In 7vhich cafe if he Jhould be Juffered to go
en without controuly as he will do all that he can to
corrupt your People with his TVicked and Impious
Words y and not only difiurb and defiroy the Churchy
nnd belch out Blafphemies again fi the Supreme God i
of E
t H I O P 1 A. 15
fo he will likewife brlvg Ruin and DefiruBion upon
<ill Nations, Whereas if he could be perfuaded to
come and converge familiarly with Venerable George
and other Learned Men^ he would reap great Bene^
fits thei-ehyy and return to his BijJwprick well in^
firuBed in all Ecclefiaftical Difcipline. God pre*
ferve you, my moft dear Brethren.
As this Letter is a clear demonftration of
the greatnefs of the Jrian Rage againft the
Orthodox, which not being fatisfied with
having Perfecuted them with the utmoft Bar-
barities in all parts of the Roman Empire,
purfued them beyond its bounds ,• fo fuch a
Doundlefs Rage was never more conlpicuous
in Confiantius, or any other Perfecutor of the
Profeffors of the True Faith, than it was in
a Modern Prince, who not being contented The
with having harafs'd and deftroyed feveral ^f"^f
Thoufands of Proteftant Families within his j^'"^*
own Kingdom, did within thefe Ten Years againll
write to all his moft dear Brethren , the Great Prote-
Turk not excepted^ to drive all his Proteftant ^ants, fu-
Subjeds, if they did not prefently turn Roman ^^l^^^r ^°
Catholicks, out of their Territories ; or which Brians a-
was worfe, did by Solemnly withdrawing his gainft the
Protection from them iri Popifh Countries, Orrho.
leave them at the mercy of the Inquifition. ^°^'
Baronius in his Roman Martyrology, accord-
ing to his humour of multiplying Saints, has
made Two of a fingle Frumentius^ for where-
as in the Martyrology, it is faid among the
Indians^ for fo the Habaffins were called anci-
ently, of St. Frumentiusy who was there firft a
Captive, and afterwards Ordained a Biftiop by
St. Jtha-
14 The Qmrch^HiJiory
St. Athanajiusy and did propagate the Gofpet
thorough that Countrey; the Cardinal in his
Notes adds, At the fame time there lived ano-
ther Frumentiuiy who Was Bifhop of Axum in
Egyp ; whereas Axum is in Ethiopia^ and not
in Egj/pt ; and was the City Frumentius men-
tioned in the Martyrology was Bifliop of.
TMofiorgiuSy who was himfelf an Arian^
(peaking of Theophilus 7W«j, having been fent by
Conftanum on this Embafly, infinuates as if the
Ethiopians had been turned by him to the Avian
Sed. But Philofiorgius being the only Hifto-
rian that infinuates any fuch thing, we have
little reafon to believe it upon his bare
word.
^jj^g About the Year 480. Nine Monks are faid
Monks to have been fent from Rome into Ethiopia j
come into their Names were Araguai or Michel^ Akf,
Ethiopa, Q^^i ^ ^y^^ Adimata^ Cuba^ Garimay Saham,
Lebanos y Fantaleon; the Patriarch Mendez ,
who quotes the Chronicon Axumenfe for this,
truly obferves. That by Rome here, is meant
Greece ; which after the Roman Emperors had
fixed their Court in it, was called in thefe
remote parts by that name ; but the Domini-
cans iti their Hiftory of Ethiopia^ of which
the Reader will meet with an Epitome in the
Appendix, will have all thefe Monks, though
dead near a Thoufand Years before Dominick
was born, to have been Friers of his Order
fent from Old Rome, and having turned Adi-
mata^ whom they call Imata, into a Woman ;
they have made her likewife a Holy Sifter of
their Order that accompanied the Eight Bro-
thers in their Miffionw
Metaphrafieif
o/ E T H I O P I A. 15
Metaphrafiesy and after him the whole herd
of Legendaries^ do fpcak of one Eleshean a
Chriftian King of Ethiopa in the time of
jHftin the Emperor ; of whom, and of his
having Vanquirfied a Jewifli Tyrantln Jrahia,
who had been a Cruel Perfecutor of his
Chriftian SubjeAs , they have framed a
tedious blind Story, that is not fit to be
offered to any Reader that has not a Legen-
dary Nofe.
But as moft Fables have fomething of
Hiftory for their foundation , fo if this of
Elisbean has any, it muft be the foUowiug
Hiftory that is met with in Procofius's Perfian
War.
Juftinian the Emperor being engaged in a yujiinian
War with the Perfians in the Year j;o. fent fends an
one Julian Embaffador to the King of the EmbafTy
Axumitesy or the African Ethiopians, and to the ^V'.
King of the Homerites^ Nation Inhabiting the '
Afiattck Coaft of the Red-Sea that is oppofite to
Ethiopia, to engage them, being Chriftians, to
joyn with him againft the Perfians, the com-
mon Enemy of their Religion.
The King of Ethiopia's Name at that time
was Hellefieus, who a few years before had
out of Zeal for Chriftianity, the Chriftian
Hotnerites having complained to him of their
being miferably oppreffed by the Jews and
Heathens they lived among, croffed the Red-^
Sea with a Numerous Fleet and Army, and
having in a pitch'd Battel Defeated and Killed
the King of the Homerites^ who had been a
Cruel Perfecutor of Chriftians, he advanced
ons Efimetheus^ an Hommte Chriftian to the
Throne,
1(5
The ChurchHtJlorj
Embafly,
Throne^ but upoli Condition that he and his
SuccelTors for ever ftiould pay a yearly Tribute:
to the Crown of Ethiopia,
The bufi- The main thing propofed by the Ambafla-
Fmham?^ dor to the Ethiopian for the incommoding of
"^ "^ '' the Verfiansy was to open a Trade for Silk to
the Indies y which the Romans ^ who ufed to
buy thofe Silks of the Verfians^ would promife
to take off his Mediants hands : But for the
Hofmrites ^ the Ambaffador defired Efimethm^
who was their King at that time^ to enter in-
to a League Offenfive and Defenfive with their
Neighbours the Madaans^ v/ho were Sarazens ;
and having joined their Armies^ for to invade
Ferfia, The Kings did both promife to do
what the Romans had defired of them ; but
when they came to execution , they found
their parts not to be feafible ; the Silks that
were brought by the Indians being all con-
fl-andy bought up by the Verfian Merchants,
who lay much nearer to them than the Ethio-
pians 'y and for the HomeriPes , the vaft Deferts
they were to pafs thorough before they could
come at the Ferfians , difcouraged them ^ at
this time^ from attempting it, though King
Abraham did attempt it afterwards , but
with no fuccefs.
But as it is the common Fate of Nations^
that invite their Neighbours into their Coun^
quered by trev, to be conquered by their Deliverers, fo
the Ethio- jj. £^j.^(j yyjt-j^ ^YiQ Hcmerites at this time ; for
Delive-*^^^ the Servants, and Thieving part of the Ethic-
pian Army , finding Arabia a much better
Country than their own, they refolved to re-
main where they were i and not b'^ing long
con-»
rites con-
fers,
o/E
T H I 0 r I A. I?
contented to live among the Homerttes as In-
mates , they fet up to be their Mafkrs j and
having by force of Arras depofed Efmethe/^f, Rfmcthm
they beftowcd the Crown upon one Ahmhain ^^^^
a Chriftian ^ but who had formerly been a fi^e"f^^"^^.
Slave to a R.oina7% Merchant that refided at the) rita, de-
Port of Add in Etbiovld. pofed by
Helkneftcm having received Advice of the f^eH^^/rp
Pranks his Subjedls, that remained in Arabia, h-l^^r
1 . * j-r 1 J r 11- 1 • Which puC
werepltymg, dilpatchea 3000 Soldiers thi- yitrahavi
ther to chaftife their Infolence^ and reftore his in his
Creature Efimetheris to his Royal Dignity ; pl^ce.
which thofe Troops were fo far from doing,
that having been corrupted by fome Emillci-
ries fent among them by Abraham fo focn as
they landed^ when they came to engage the
Rebels^ after having ilain their Chief Com-
mander, who was a Prince of the Bloody they
all went over to them, with a Refolution to
Ibnd by Abraham to the lad.
Hellene fier^s being much troubled at thi^
Lofs^ fent a greater Army than the former a-
gainft Abraham j\v\\\ch. coming to blows, was
totally routed by him ; after which Heiyjefieus
growing weary of the Charge of the War.gave
it over, leaving the unfortunate Efimcthcus to
his unkind Stars.
Elmkinm y in his Saraz.en Hiftory, reports, TiheEtko'
That in the 39?/^ year of the Hegira, which p^'^rjs fend
is 6)^ of Our Lord, an Ambaffador was fent JJ\Ambaf-
from Ethiopia to Simon Sfms^ the Jacobite Pa- ^j^^ Patrl-
triarch of Alexandria, to intreat him to ordain arch of ^
them a Eirtiop, and fome Presbyters ; which kxandria.
the Patriarch having , I know not for what
reafon, deny'd to do , the Ambafladcr com-
G plained
i8
yames the
yibiinA of
Ethiopia
depofed
by the
Queen ,
and refto-
red by the
King af-
rerwards.
A Tri-
bute laid
nn the
patriarch
a'ria by
tlie Calif
The Church Tilflory
plained of bira to AdulmeUm the Saracen King
of Egy^t 5 who commanded the Patriarch to
ordain him as many as he defired ; but the
Ambaffador did fo highly refent Symons de-
nial ^ that when he offered him his Service^
he would not make ufe of him^ but employed
another Bifliop ; which was the caufe of great
Difturbances in the Church.
In the ^6i(t year of Diocletian ^ which is
the 2^^<)th of our Lord, faith the fame Hifto*
rian , there was a Bifliop in Ethiopia whole
name was James^ whom, the Queen, taking
advantage of her Husband's abfence in the
Wars, banirtied Ethiopia, fubftituting another
Bifliop in his room , for which the Kingdom
was plagued with a great Drought, and Pefti-
lence ; but the King returning home, and be-
ing much diffatisfied with the Queen for what
flie had done, fent to the Patriarch of Egypt,
v/hither the depofed Prelate was retired, to
command him back to his Province; which
the Patriarch did , and the Bifliop , when he
return'd , was received with the general joy
of the whole People.
In the Eighth year of Chalifatm Adutamidi^
or as others will have it, in his Seventh year,
which was the z6)th year of the Hegira, one
Michael being Patriarch of the Alexandrian
Jacobites, he had a Tribute of 20000 Crowns
laid upon him ; for the advancing of which
Sum, he was obliged to fell to the Jeivs the
fourth part of all the Churches in yllcxandria,
and the Lands belonging to him in Habaftay as
alfo the Church in the Neighbourhood of
Mf^laca in Cofvoim ^ in the City of Mifra ,
and
of E
T H 1 O P I A,
H
and to tax every Chriftian at a Kirati yearly ;
all which amounted to but half the Sum of
the Tribute.
In the 807?^ year of the Marty s^ which Is The Nile
the 116 ^th of Chrift, the A^;f/t^ being extream- ^i^erted
ly low in Egyf>t , the King thereof, whofe ^^^^^^^
name was Mufiaufirm, fent the Patriarch Mt- to Eg^pt^
chael with rich Prefents to the King of Ethw- and turn-
pi^, who having received the Patriarch with ^^ ^"^0 it3
great refped, did, at his requeft, order the ^^i^^^^"
Nile to be turned into its old Channel again, upon^the
out of which he had diverted it ; whereupon Intercefll^
the Nile rofe in one night to its ufual heighth on of the
in Egyfty to the great joy of the King and ^^^^P ^
the whole Coun trey, who, when the Patriarch driaT"
returned home, did him great honours.
Tauhts Venet7.is reports, that in the year 125-8.
an HahaJJin King having been hindered by
his Councellors from going in perfon to J em- The King
falemy did fend a Bifliop thither, with rich Of- of Hai^ajjia
ferings, who,was not only robbed of all he had ^J.^^"?*^
as he pafled thorough the Kingdom of Aden^ j^j^g ^
but upon his refufal to turn Mahometan , was Men,
fent home with a mark of infamy upon his
Body ; at which barbarous Treatment the
HabaJJin was fo much incenfed , that having
got together a great Army, he marched a-
gainft that Sarax^eii Tyrant; and having beat
him in a pitched Battel, and made great De-
folations in his Countrey for fome Weeks, he
returned home laden with Spoils and Honours*
Haiton Armenm in his Dire(5lions to the
Chriftians , how to recover the Holy Landy
advifeth them to write to the King of the
Nubians y meaning the Habaffins^ to invade
C ^ Egyft
%b The ChtiYcUHiflory
Egyft With ii numerous Army, which would
divert the Saracens from coming with their
whole force againlr them into Syria.
When, or wherefoever the Arahick Canons,
falfly attributed to the firll Council of M.^^were
made, the '}^6th of them relates wholly to the
Biihop o? Ethiopa-y and runs as follows,
The 7th f I ^ HE Ethiopians h^.ve no fewer to create
place in a J|^ ^^ ^jj^^f^ ^ Tatriarcby whoje T relate muflr
Courc'l ^^ rather under the JurifdiBion of the Vatri^
given to ^^^^ ^f Alexandria ; or in cafe they jhould come
■the A buna at any time to ha've one among them in thk
of Ethiopia place of Patriarchy and who jhould he filed Ca-
J^ ^.^, tholicus, he flmll 7My notwithftanding that^ have
Canons of ^ ^^l^^^ ^^ ordain Archbijhop , ^x other Tatri-
th^Coun.' arch s have y having neither the Honour nor
ciloiNice, Authority of a Vatnarch : And if it [Ijould fo
happen that a Coune.il fiould be affembkd zn
Greece , and this Trelate jlwuld he prefent at
it y he fliall have the feventh Vlace therein ^
next after the Bijhop of Seleucia ; and in cafe
he Jhould have at any time power given him
to ordain Archhipops in his Frovince y it jhall
not he lawful jor him to ad^afwe any of the
Natives to that Dignity ; wkofoever does not
yield obedience to this y ts excommmncated by the
Synod,
If there were nothing elfe to prove thefe
Arahick Canons to be fpurious, this Canon
alone would do it abundantly ; it being plain
from Eeclefiaftical Hiftory, that the Title of
'Patriarch was not known-in the Church for
fome time after the Celebration of die Firft
of E
T H I 0 P I A. 21
Nicene Council ; neither was there any Bilhop
or Chriftian in Ethwpa at that time : Frttmcn-
thts y who was the Apoftle , or firfl: Bifhop
thereof, having been confecrated a Bifhop by
Athafiafms , when he was Primate of Alexan-
dria^ which he was not till after the Niceve
Council.
In the Year 1 177. Pope Akxa7tder the llld^ ^opey^lix^
while he was at Fenice, whither the Emperor ^ilf '' ^^^
Frederick had driven himj either received^ or tends'to"
pretended to receive^ a Meflage from the have re-
Great Chriftian Emperor Prefier John^ defiring ceived an
to fubmit himfelf to his obedience, and to^"^^^^^'
have a College at Romey and an Altar at jerii- pllfUr
falem for the ufe of his Subjeds. yo/;«.
The Pope having made a noife with this
Meflage , pretended to fend Thilif a Phyfici-
an, who was faid to have brought it, back
again with a Letter to Prefier John ; I fiiall
not trouble the Reader with that Letter; for
belldes that it contains little elfe than Hyper-
bolies of St. Peter and the Pope's Supremacy,
it is probable that that whole Affair was a mere
Fidion, invented on purpofe to make the Ro-
man Emperor afliamed of perfecuting the
Pope, at the fame time , when fo remote a
Chriftian Emperor was ready to throw him-
JTelf at his feet. For had this Meflage of Phi-^
/;/)'s, whom fome call Peter, been a real thing,
it would certainly have taught the Court of
Rome in what part of the World Prefier Johns
Empire lay, v/hether in Afia, near Tartarj ;
or in Africky beyond Egypt : Whereas, long
after this, that Empire, though called jEr^io/?//?,
was ftill fuppofed to lie fooiewhere in the
C 3 North
tl
Fope Cis'
ment pre-
tended CO
^ave re-
ceived an
EmbalTy
from the
fame
It 19 pro-
bable that
^ere was
never any
fuch Em-
peror.
The ChurchHiJiory
North of JJui ; for which reafon it was ftiU
joined in the fame Miflipns with the Tartars
and Rtithensj and committed to the Charge of
the Dominican Provincial of Voland^ as being
its next Neigbour.
In the Year 1508. Vrefier John was brought
upon the ftage again ; Pope Clement the \tb
being faid tq have received a moft fplendid
EmbalTy from him^ confifting of 3 o Ambafla-
dors, by whom he was affured, that their Ma-
fter had no lefs than 74 Kings under him,
and who J, excepting five of the fmalleft that
were Mahometans , were all Chriftians ; and
that he had likewife within his Dominions an
127 ArchbifliopSj every one of which had
20 BiJhops under his Jarifdidion : Which pi-
pus Fraud was fpread about at that time on
purpofe to encourage the Latins to undertake
a new Expedition to the Holy Land, being at
fured of the Affiftance of this mighty Chrifti-
an Emperor, whofe Dominions were ftill re~
ported to lie convenient enough for the car-
rying on of a Holy War in Syria ; infomuch,
that I am apt to think , that the whole Story
of this Enchanted JJtatick Chriftian Empire
was invented and kept up by the Trumpeters
of the Holy War for that very purpofe ; no
fuch Empire hiving ever to this day been dif-*
covered in JJla ; what is reported by the Fcr-
hgueje Miffionaries of the Kingdom of Thybot^
amounting to no more at moll , than that
thofe People were formerly Chriftians, but
without the leaft Evidence of any Trejlerjohny
or Great Cliriftian Empire having ever been
in thofe Parts. But how they coir^e to call a
Coun-
of E
T H I O P 1 A. 2}
Countrey which they fuppofcd to lie towards
Scythia, Ethiopia, is one of the unaccountable
Blunders of thofe Ignorant , though Fraudu-
lent Ages ; unlefs we will fay, That they ha-
ving heard fomething of a Chriltian Empire
in Ethiopia, did either, for the forefaid Ends,
induftrioufly tranfiate it into Jfia-^ or were fo
ignorant in Geography, as not to know what
part of the World Ethiopia lay in.
In the Council of Florence (for fo low we EHgeniuf
muft come before we meet with any thing the W^
more of the Ethwptck Church) Eugemus the "heCoun-
l\hh, after he had difmilTed the Greeks, find- cil from
ing it neceiTary for his Affairs to have the Florence to
name of a Council ftill fitting, fo long as that Rome u^^
o^Bafil, which had depofedhim, and chofen fj^^'^l^^
the Duke of Savoy Pope, was on foot againft ^1,3^ ^he '
him 5 but being withal defirous to have it at Emperor
Rome, for want of a better, gave this for the oiEtmopi^
reafon of his tranflating it from Floreme thi- |^" 7^'
ther : That it was convenient that the fplen- AmbaiTa-
did Embaffy from Zerah Jacob the High and dor with
Mighty Emperor of Ethiopia , which was on a fubmif-
its way to that Council, with the fubmiOion ^^^^^^
of that Church and Empire to the Pope , ^^^ ^^^
fliould not find the Council fitting in fuch a church to
paultry Town as Florence, but in the Metro- him.
polis of Chriftendom, which would add fome-
thing of Authority to it, and accordingly it
was tranflated. _
But as it is certain that no fuch fplendid
Ethiopick Embaffy ever came to Rome, fo it is
as ccrtain,that it was never fo much as thought
of in Habajpa ; on the contrary , Zera Jacoby
when he was folicited by lome Jerujakm
C 4 • Monks
2 4 ^^/'^ Church' Hipory
Monks on this Occafion ^ did abfolutely re-
fufe to fubmit his Church to that of Rome ;
for which denial, the Jefuits above 200 years
after his death, made Sultan Saged^ his Great
Mtan sa- Grandfon^ and their Convert^ to curfe his Soul
ged cur- ' ^^ ^^"^^ ^^^ ^f Hdly faying, A curfe on King Ze-
feth his ra Jacob, 7i^bo was the caufe of our not being at
Grand£i- fh^s time in the Portuguefe or Roman Faith^ for
?!^ "/'^ 7vhich he is now tormented in Hell,
'Q.r^^ Now though this Convert had been never
fubmSred fo certain of Zera jacoh\ being in Hell for
Mmfelfto having deny'd to fubmit himfelf to the Pope;
pl? ^^^T^^^ y^t confidering he was his Great Granfather,
.. *uic4. j^g niight very well have fpared hisCurfes;
fuch impious Expreffions of Zeal , for I can
call them no other, being much fitter for the
Mouths of Profligate JlgcriJie Renegadoes ,
with whom they are faid to be common, than
for a Prince who turns from one Sed of Chri-
ffianity to another. Befides^^^^r^ Jacoh^ abating
iiim that one thing of his having refufed to fub-
mit the Etkiopck Cliurch to the Roman , vi^as
no fuch Mifcreant as to dcferve to be thus cur-
fed by his Pofterity : as appears by a Letter
written by him to the Hahaffin Monks at Je-
mfahm, to whom he fent the Colledion of
Canons which is nov/ at Rome , giving' them
Hkevvife feveral Lands for ufes which the
' Church of F>.ome allows to be pious ; this Mo-
naftory of HabafJns ftands on Mount Gabm\
\ Zera
o/E
T H I o p r A.
M
Zera Jacobs Letter to the Habaflia
Monks at Jerufalem.
In the name of the Father , anH Son^ and Holy The Em-
Ghofiy one God ^ whom I adore with all my perorZer^
heart ^ and on whom I rely with all my /^" ^
ftrength^ and with all my mind^ to whom I t^g Hahaf.
am bound with the tye of [acred Worjhipy Jin Monks
which is not to he broken, st Jerufa*
iem,
THIS Letter is 7mtten in this Book of Ca-
nons by us Zera Jacobj whofe Name ^ fence
we took the Go'vernment upon us^ is Conftantine,
in the 8th year after the God of Ifrael in the mul-
titude of his mercies was pleajed to place us on the
Throne of the Kingdom of ijUlO^l^^being in Seava,
which is called Teglet.
Let this come to the hands of my beloved^ the
College of Saints who re fide at Jerufalem the Holy
City.
In the peace of the Lord. Amen.
J do proclaim you "very happy ^ for halving in the
firfi place obeyed the word of the Gofpel^which faith y
He that forfaketh not his father and mother,
wife and children j, d^c for which reajon you hanje
left the worldy and haz>e taken upon you the Toke
of Monkery 5 the word of the Prophet hath likewife
hound youy which faith, I will not go into the
tabernacle of mine houfe, nor climb up to
my bed ; neither will I give fleep to mine
eyes^ nor flumber to mine eyelids, until I find
the
26 7he Church* Hijiory
the houre of the Lord, the habitatian of the
God of Jacob. Whereupon you determined to repair
to Jerufalem, the City of the Great Kingy not being
difcouraged from going thither ^ either hy the Incom-
fKoditiesof the Journey^or the heat by day^ or the M
hy night ^noT by the dangers of Robbers 5 where when
you arrivedyWhat was j aid by the Vrofhet was fulyl"
Jed in you : Let us therefore go into his houfe^atid
worfliip in the place where the face of our
Lord (food y for to you it is gi'uen to kifs the flaie
which his Trefence hath hallowed y from his Nativiiy
to his Afcenjion : For which caufe I do 'very much recf
en your Trayersy and on the Afflictions you havefuf
feredfor God^s fake.
I do falute you from the bottom of my hearty
fayingy Health to you the Sons of Ethiopia, whorr.
the Earthly Jerufalem hath tyed to her felf, thai
Jhe may convey you to the Heavenly,
Health he to your Faith which is ferfeB in tht
Trinity 5 and to your courfe of life, which is like tt
that of Angels.
Health he to your Feet which walky to yotr
Hands which touchy to your Lips which kifsy la
your Eyes which do freely behold Galilee wheie
God was IncarnatCy and Bethlehem where he wis
horny taking our Nature ufon himy and the Caije
where he lay, and Nazareth where he was educa-
ted y and Jovian where he was baft iz^ed y that hi
might cleanfe usy and Corontum where he fafie^
for our fake y ^« J Calvary where he was crucified foi
our Redemptiouy and Golgotha where he was bu-
ried and rofe againy that he might quicken usy am .
the Mount of Olives where he afcended to his Fa^
tber avd our God, that he might i?itroduce us intj
the hmr Fail of the highefi Heavens ^ into which
hi
o/E
T H I O T I A^ 17
he himfelf entred^ and introduced the Afoflles who
jvere before uSy and the Oratory of Sion where the
Comforter defcended on our Fathers the Afojirles,
Health be hkewife to your EyeSy vjhich behold the
Light that cometh out of the Sepulchre of our Lord
pn the Old Sabbath , to wit , on the E'ue of cur
Fajfover,
May your Peace, and Love, and Prayers,
and Benedidions be with me for ever.
Amen.
Behold I have fent you this Book of Synods,
that you may receive Confolation from
it on the Old Sabbath, and on the Lord's
Day, and that they may be a Memorial
of me through all Ages. Amen.
T Zera Jacob, whofeNameyfince God was flea-*
1 Jtd to -place me on the Throne of the Empire ^
is Conftantine, in the Eighth Tear of my Reigny
do Beofueath unto you the Land of Zebla, and
Half of aH the Tributes arifing from it^ for Two
Tearsy which amounts to an Hundred Ounces of
Goldy toward your Food and Rayment j and do
gi've it to the Monaftery 0/ Jerufalem, that it
may be a Memorial of my Jelf and of our Lady
Mary, and for the Celebration of Her Feafts^ to
wit , That of her "Nativity on the iH of May,
that of her Death en the zzd of January , and
that of her Tranjlation on the lyth of Auguft ;
as aljo of tbe Feafts of her Sony our Lord Jefus,
on the 29th of December, when he was Born,
to be celebrated by you at Bethlehem, together with
the Fefiivities of his Fajjion, and lively RefurreBi-
m
%i The ChuYchHifloYy
on from Death, You Jhall Ukewife celebrate all the
Feftivities of our Lady Mary_, which in the Book
of her Miracles are Thirty two in number » And
Jhall furthermore keep a Lamp burning for me in the
Sepulchre of our Lord \ and another in the 'Entry
thereof \ and on the right fide one ^ and on the left
another • as alfo at the place of his Burial three ;
three aA the Monument of our Lady Mary in
Gethfemane ; and at the f lace where Mary Mag-
dalen faw him one j and in our Chappel three ;
one alfo at Bethlehem where our Lord was born ;
and another at the place in the Mount of Olives
where our Lord afcended. Let them he 'all main-
tained at my Charge ^ and take care not to fuffer
them*' to go out at any time^ nor to give way to any
Terfon contributi?Jg towards them, Andfince I do
rely on the Bond qf your Love y let your Prayers
and BenediBions be with me thorough all Ages.
Amen.
My Beloved , Don't you offer to fay.
Light defcendeth only upon us , that
your glorying in your felves be not in
vain; fmce you know that evil attends
glorying^ and blefling humility. Veace
he imth you^ the Veace of our Lord be with
you. Amen.
The Jefuit Guerrira, fpeaking of the fore-
mentioned Ethiofick Embafly, faith. That the
whole Story of it was either a mere Fiction,
not knowing its like, of its having been made
ufe of for fo great a purpoft by a Pope, or
that it had no manner of effect.
But ic is no jaiattci: whether it was a Fid:ion
^ or
©/"Ethiopia^ 29
or a Reality , fo long as it furniflied a good
pretence, for a prefent turn, and tended to
the Difparagement of the Council of Bafil ,
which, together with the ground it flood upon^
was blown up purely by Tricks of this nature ;
the Yoke the Council of Confiance had laid on
the Neck of the Vafacy^ beng broke by Pre-
tences, of the Greek and all other Churches
and Patriarchs having fubmitted themfelves
to is.
This is all that I have been able to meet
with in Greek or Latin Hiftory concerning the
Church of Ethiopia before the Year 1490,
when it was firft difcovered by the Portugaefes,
And as for Hiftories of their own, I do not
find they have any, befides fome Fabulous
Legends of the Lives of their Monks ;
of which I lliall only give the Reader a
Tafte.
In the Life of Tecia Haymanoty the moft fa-
mous of all their Monks both for Piety and
Miracles, the following Account of the Suc-
ceffion of their Grand Abbots is given.
The Angel St. Michael gave the Cowl to
St. Anthony ; St. Anthony gave it to St. Macari-
us ; Ada car his gave it to Vachomtus \ Vachomms
to Abbot Araguniy or Michael^ who was one
of the Nine Monks that came into Ethiopia ;
Aragimi gave it to Baz^ana ; Baz^ana to Maz,-
ralmoa ; Maz,ra!moa to Abbot yohn j yohn to
Abbot yejus ; J^f^s to Tecla Haymanot , to
whom Chrift appeared , and promifed, that
whofoever fhould kill a Serpent upon a Friday y
.jliould be pardoned all the Sins he had com-
mitted in Forty Years.
But
JO The Church'tiijlorj
But notwithftanding the Lives of the Ha^
iaffm Monks are all of a piece with the Lives
of all the other Monks that are extant, that is,
extreamly fabulous ,• yet this muft be faid for
them, that Monkery continues to this day
much the fame among them, as it was in the
beginning, from which in the Church o(Rome
it is fo ftrangely degenerated.
Monkery For in HahaJJia , any one that has a mind
much the to be a Monk, retires thereupon to the Defart,
H^a^a as ^^^^^^ ^^ P^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Habit he pleafeth, or
it was in j^^dgeth to be moft futable to his pretenfions.
the begin- Their Obligation fo long as they profefs
ning. themfelves Monks , which they are always at
their liberty to give over, is to faft every day
in the Year till three a Clock in the After-
noon, and to AlTemble together at Midnight,
and at other certain Hours to perform their
Devotions ; they do generally exercife great
Aufterities upon themfelves, being very Ihid:
in their Fafts, many of them eating but once
in two days, and ibme never but upon Sun^
days ; fome of them are faid to have made
Holes in the Trunks of Trees , and to have
lodged in them till the Trees have grown to
fliut them in.
"their Their Monaftries are more like Villages
Mona- than Roman Convents , every Monk having
ftriesare his diftind dwelling Houfe with as much
Jrl^ ^^^' ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^ cultivate,
^^ * and when they come to dye they difpofe of
their Goods as they pleafe, only the Land re-^
mains ftill to the Monaftries. Now this courfe
falls in exadly with that of the Primitive
Monks, who always lived in Defgrts, where
they
of E
T H I O P I A. 31
they worked hard^ and were under no Vows;
whereas the Roman Monks have their Mona-
ftries in or near Princes Courts, and in all
Populous Cities ; and tho generally hurried
into that Profeflion , either by their Parents ,
or by fome fudden fit of Melancholy, are fet-
tered in it by Vows for their Lives, and are
fo far from putting their Hand to any work ,
that they are every where become proverbial
for Lazinefs ; and as for their Buildings, they
are much more like Palaces than the Dwel-
lings of People that have renounced the
World, and taken a Vow of Poverty upon
them.
The moft famous of all their Monaftries,
is that oiAlelujahy wherein formerly there are
faid to have been 40000 Monks together, all
the Country about having been given to the
Monks thereof to cultivate.
I do not find that any fort of Learning did
ever flourifh among the Habaffins, fo that they
have but few Books befides the Bible, the
Canons of the firft Councils , the Homilies
of the Greek Fathers, and the Lives of their
Saints.
The Hahajjins do hold the Scriptures to be The ;/^
the perfect Rule of the Chriftian Faith, info- bajfmshol^
much , that they deny it to be in the Power ^^^ ^^"P"
of a General Council to oblige People to be- [he^lgr. ^
lieve any thing as an Article of Faith, with- feft Rule
out an exprefs warrant from thence. of Faith.
Their Canon of Scripture confifts of 8j
Books ; the Old Tefiament confiding of 46, and
the Mvof 39.
As
32
The ChurchHiJlor^
They are As to the Dodrine of our Saviour's Incar*
Eutychiam nation, they are all Eutychians , holding that
there i^ but one Nature in Chrift , which is
the Divine, by which they will have the Hu-
mane to have been fwallowed up j they were
led into this Herefy by Diofcoms^ Patriarch
of Alexandria , who was condemned with
Eutjches for it , by the General Council of
Calcedon^ whofe Authority they for that rea-
fon rejed, pretending that its Decrees were
impofed on the Church by Marcian the Em-
peror; on which account they call all thofe
who have yielded Obedience to it , MelUtes
or Roydifisy as they themfelves are called Ja-
cobites from one James^ a Syrian , who was a
great Stickler for the Eutychian Herefy.
They allow the Bifhop of Rome to be the
p ^ firfl: Patriarch , but condemn his pretending
premacv!" ^^ ^ Supremacy over the whole Church as
Antichriilian 5 and do deteft Popery to that
degree, as to declare. That of the two, they
would Iboner turn Mahometans than Roman
Catholicks.
The Supream Authority in all Caufes Ec-
clefiaftical and Civil, is in the Emperor. They
have but one Bifliop at a time , who is ftiled
the Ahuna , that is , our Father ; he is always
an Alexandrian Monk, and upon notice of a
Vacancy, is confecrated and fent into Ethiopia
by the Alexandrian Patriarch , to whom this
Church hath always been fubjecl ; he has the
feverith place in a General Council ; he Or-
dains only by Impofition of Hands ; he hath
Lands both in the Kingdom of Dembea and
tigre^ from which, befides feveral Perquifites ,
he
They de-
ny the
premacy.
The Em-
peror is
Head of
the
Church.
o/E
t H I o r I A
n
he receives a confidemble Revenue. Their T/ieir
Priefts may Marry after they are in Orders^ Priefls
and as often as tliey are Widowers. Marry.
They are faid to have divers Forms of Bap- Theyhavd
tifm, "VIZ.. I baptize thee in the Holy Spirit; ^^i^ers
I baptize thee in the Water of Jordan ; Let p°^"?i ^^
God Baptize thee; Come thou to Baptifm. ^'^^'^"^^
They Circumcife both Males and Females^ and
all are Baptized every Year on the Feaft of
Epiphany ; they hold that Men derive their
Souls, no lets than their Bodies, from their
Parents; and that the Children of Chrifnaa
Parents, and efpecially of a Chriftian Mother^
are laved notvvithftanding they dye wirhouc
Baptifm.
They celebrate the Eucharift but
once a day in a Church , at which ^11 that are prefent
none muft be prefent without com- ^L's\ 'ater^l
municatmg; the I ,aity as well as the communicate. They
Clergy receive the Cup; they do do not elevate nor a-
not elevate, nor WoriKip the con- f^^^^^% ^°^ ' "o^
fecrated Elements, neldier are they ^If'n- ' ' -^^ 2T:
. r \ ^ ' 1 '^ munion. They break
kept aicer the Communion ; they it after it is confecra-
confecrate unleavened Bread, which ted. TIrey reckon the
they break after it is confecrated; receivhig of it breaks
they reckon the receiving of the ^^
Sacrament breaks their Faft, for
which reafon they never receive it on Fafting-
days till after Three a Clock in the After-
noon. They do not believe Tra7i[uhj}ar}tiati- They da
criy as is plain from their Liturgy, in which ^P^ ^
the Words of Inftitution are thus fet down, rja^^^
'I his Bread is my Body ^ this Cup is my Bloody tion.
which Propofitions the Romamfis themfelves
acknowledge cannot be underftood otherwifo
than tiguracively. C Ludol-
34 T7;e Church" Hijlory
LuMphus farther tells us, That when he.
^sked Gregory the Huhajjm , Whether he did
not think that the Subilance of the Bread and
Wine was changed and converted into the
Subllance of the Body and Blood of Chrift ?
That he made anfwer. That no fuch fort of
Tninitdbftcnaiaticn was known or underftood
by his Coiintreymen^, who were not fo fcru-
pulous , neither did they ufe to ftart fuch
thorny Qucftions. Neverchelcfs it feemed to
him probable and likely, That the Common
Bread and Wine was changed into the myfte-
rious Reprefentation of the Body and Blood
of Jefus Chriil, and fo was altered from Pro-
phane to Sacred , to reprefent the true Body
and Blood of Chrift to the Communicants.
Than which Declaration, nothing can be more
agreeable to the Doctrine of the Church oiEng^
land concerning the Eucharifb. Finally, Vanl dt
Rooy Secretary to the Dutch Eafi-lndia Compa-
ny, was in the Year 1691. told by the Habaf-
fin Ambaffador , who was fent to the Gover-
nor of Bata^jia , T'bat Tranfubftantiation and
the Adoration of the Confecrated Bread tn the
Sacrament , were what the Hafaaflins abhor^
red.
They have They confefs their Sins only in general,
onlyage- faying, Habafea, HabaJJca, I have famed, 1
fe^Ton ' ^^'^^ fa^^^d , without defcending to particu-
lars.
Thefy de. They deny Turgatory , and know nothing
ny Purga- of Confirmaticn and Extream Unclion : they
rcry,Con- "^ ^ -^
firmation, and Extream Un^Ion. They Cf)ndemn Graven Images.
They keep Saturday and :iu?ida;. Their Offices are all in the Vul-
gar Tongue.
condemn
o/ E T H i 0 P I A. ^i
co7jJemn Gra'vcn Images ; they keep both 5a^
turday and Su?jday ; and do never fail on ci-
ther of them^ nO:, not in Lent^ nor lipon any
day betwixt Eafier and JVfntJuntide ; their
Church Offices are all in the Vulgar To?jgue y
and are performed with extraordinary Devo-
tion^ but efpecially their Litafjks ; they go all
betimes in the morning to Cliurch to pay
their Devotions , which they do with great
fervour, and for the mod: part leave fomething
of an offering behind them.
Whenever they come to any place that has They are
a Church, let their Bufinefs be never fo ur- very de-
gent, they repair to it immediately; they ne- ^"^; .^.
ver go into any Church with their Shooes on, ver^go "
nor fit down in it, iinlefs it be upon the into a
ground ; on all occafions they exprefs a deep Chmdi ^ .
fenfe of Religion, but chiefly when they vifit ^^."htheif
the Sick, which they are very forvvard to do : ^or fft in'
They are charitable to the Poor, and to all it, but u^'^
Strangers, if they are iatisfied of their not be- on tht
ing of the Reman Church ; for all v/hofe Mem- gro«i^d.
bers, the Cruel Perfecutions which were raifed
and carried on for fome years by th& Jefuits^,
while the Emperor was at their Devotion, have
created a perfed deteitation in them, l^he
whole of their Divine Service confifts in read- TJiey
Lng the Scriptures^and fome Homilies of the Fa- Seldom
thers, and the Adminiftration of the Sacra- P^^^^*^'
ment, preaching being a rare Exercife among
them ; at which when Mr. Ludclphus feemed
to wonder , he was asked by Gregory the Ha*
hafin^ Whether we of the Weft^rn Church
thought our Preachers could fay any thing
better t\\^vi what was written in the Sacred
D z Scrip-
l6 The Church^ Hijlory
Scicred Scriptures , and the Homilies of the
Fathers ? or whether we thought their Say-
ings mort efficacious than the Word of God ?
and whether we did not fear left thofe
Preachers ftiould utter fomething which might
be repugnant to our Faith and Salvation^ and
which might prove of dangerous confequence
to the Peace of the Church ?
J/f Account of the Difcovery of Ethiopia
by the Portuguefes.
The 7«- T^O ^ ENR I QUE the Fifth, Son of Don
jante Don JL^ Joci'n the firft King of Portugal by his
^T"^' ?^ ^.ueen the Lady Philipa^thQ Daughter of John
nioft zei- ^'^ Gaunt Duke of LajKafier^DQmg a Prince much
Jons Pro- addicted to the ftudy of Mathematicks^ was the
meter of firft tiiat ever entertained any thought of ma-
the difco- king Dlfcoveries on the Weftern Coaft of
very of jfyica, to which he is faid to have been en-
unknown ^ T I r t c - 1 -I
Countiiej. couraged by lome Inrormation he receiv d
from the Moors in Barbary , when he was a
Soldier there under his Father ; he was Mafter
of the Military Order of Chrijf- ^ which toge-
ther with his other Ecclefiaftical Penfions,
brought him in a great Revenue ; all which,
together with his whole time, he refolved to
dedicate entirely to the gratification of his
Curiolity after new Difcoveries.
And in order to the better carrying on of
this his great Defign , he retired from Court
to a place in the ^Igar^jes^ called at that time
Tarajiahle^
of E
T H I o r I A. J7
Ttrratjnhle^ but fincc, from him^ Villa de Infante ;
a few Months after his retirement^ he fitted
out two Ships^ which having paffed the Pil-
lars of Hercules^ at that time the mn ultra of
Navigation ^ they failed to the Vromoniory of
Ga7jarii7 , but were difcouraged from proceed-
ing any further , partly by Itrong Cun-cnrs,
and partly by that Frowontory , running fo far
into the Sea^ that they could not difcover its
Cape.
This firft Voyage was made in the Year His \\\
141 o. after which it was 10 years before the ruccefwt
Infante could prevail with any body to make a ^i^-
fecond Attempt ; the firft Adventurers having
to excufe their Cowardice , reported terrible
things of the Dangers they had efcaped.
Neither did the Infante^ during all that time^ Not dif-
efcape thedifcouragement that new and great couraged
Enterprizes do commonly meet withal ; his \^l^^'
DefignSj for fome years, having been not only Raiiery,
the Jeft of the Lazy Buffoon^but were alfo cen- nor by
fured asChimera'SjOr Idle Projeds^ by Men of ^rave
Speculation and Gravity, who fiid, The Coun- Nonfenfe,
treys the Infante was m quelt 01, were neither jng ^^
better, nor worfe, than the Sandy Deferts of wirh his
Arabia ; that God having allotted thofe Coun« Projefts.
tries to Wild Beafts for their habitation , if
men ftould offer to intrude into them , they
would either die, or turn wild like the Na-
tives ; and that the very fight of them would
turn Whites, Negroes ; that there had never
wanted younger Brothers among Princes, who
had fought to remedy the misfortune of their
Birthj by new Difcoveries, but which had al-
ways mifcarried : That the hfante\ Father,
D % who
58 Tlye ChurchHiJiory
who wns a wife Prince^ finding Portugal want-
pd People;, had invited Strangers from all
iparts into it , and had given them Lands to
cultivate ; whereas^ if his Projed: jhould take
efFe6r^ it would tend to the depopulating of
it ; with a great many other fuch idle Refle-
xions.
But the Infante^ who had too great a Soul
to be difcouraged either by Railery, or grave
jslonfenfe, having with much ado Vv^rought
fome Manners up to an Opinion of the feafi-
blenefs of the Undertaking, in the Year 1420.
he equipped feveral VeiTelSj which after ha-
ving met with violent Storms, difcovered the
Ifland of Madera ; after which he went on
Thelfland difcovering more and more yearly, until they
of 'Made- made the Mountains of U^.na^ which lie 360
j^r „ Leagues to the Southward of Ganaria.
diicover- _o ^ -n r
^^ 1 he Infante y to encourage the Vortuguejes to
The Pope go 01 1 with the Difcoveries he had fo happily
gives a begun, obtained a Bull from Vo^q Martin the
th*'c o^ Vi^/&, and which was afterwards confirmed by
o^Ponu. divers other Popes , whereby he gave to the
gal to all Crown of FortMgal a Title to all the Countries
the New ^\^^i iliould be difcovered by its Subjects fr^m
the^^foaU ^^^'"^ Promontory of Gnnana , to the fartheft
difcover. ■^^^'^'^^•
The Dif- -^^^ notwithuanding this Grant, after tlie
coveries hfamc's Death, thefe Difcoveries were for
were in- fome yeais at a fiand, until they were renew-
termirted, q^ again by Alfho7ifo the V//>, whofe Captains
ved a^glhi ^^'^^^^ ^^^''^ beyond the Mountain of Le^j7ta^ as
by y4l'^ f^r ziCahcvcrr^ey and afterwards advanced as
fharifi V. far as the I^romontory of St. Catherm, which
is tv/o degrees and an half to the South of
ihe Equator, John
of E
T H I o r 1 A.
\9
John II. who fucceeded /ilphovfo , fct his
heart extreamly on carrying on thofe Difco-
vcries ; and having got feme Eminent Ma-
thematicians about him, he commanded thcni
to confult together to lee whether they could
invent any thing that might be of ufc in long
Voyages ; the moft eminent of them , were
Rodrigo and Jofephe, his two Phyiicians , and
one Martin Bohejno, who had been Scholar to yixe
Johannes Monteregtm. Thefe Learned N4en ^ AlTrohbc
after divers Conferences , invented the Ajho- and Ta.
lahey and the Tables of Declination. \^^ "f
With the help of this Inftrument, one Cmms^ Jion^ w* r
a famous Sea-Commander , carried on the found out
Difcoveries as far as the River Zaires in the by the
Kingdom of Coiigo. This River is laid to rife Portugues.
in the fame Mountains with the Nile^ and in ^//t^,)!^'
the Winter to run into the Sea with that vio- ^^ j./^^"' '
lence, as to make the Water frefK for 80 Kingdom
miles : Here it was the Tom^guefes ftrft heard o^cojigo,
oUhtHahaJJins, and of their being Chriftians^ ^^u{e!'^"a
of whom , when King John came to be in- "^^^^j ^^
formed;, he refolved tofendfome by the way of the Habaf
Egypt J to try to get into that Countrey ; die /^v.
firll that were fent being ignorant of the Ara-
btch Tongue^ were quickly difcouraged, who
having vifited Jerufalem, returned home with-
out doing any thing.
Only to excufe themfeives, they raifed Sto-
ries that w^ere enough to have daunted others
from attempting that Voyage a fecond time.
But the King underilanding what it was
that had made his firft Attempt mifcarry, and
having found two men who were both great
Mafters of the ylrahkk Tongue, whofe names
D 4 were
40 The Church^ Hipory
Cavilham vvere Tetro Ca^ilhcim ^ and Alfhonfo Tayo ; he fent
and p^;'o x\^Qi-^ on the fame Errand^ with a ftrid charge
under-^^ not to come back without an Account of the
Hood ^ra^ Scituation and State of the H^^/7//zw Empire and
htck, are Religion , promifing them great Rewards if
fent by ^j^ey did it effeaualiy.
o/Mm- They went firft to Alexandria , and from
phis to thence to Memphis , and from thencQ to Me-
iind out de?;ay where being informed of the Indies be-
h]aba[fia, \^g on the left hand , and Hahaffia on the
right, they agreed to part there ^ and having
caft lots, it fell to Fayo's (liare to go to Hahaj-
fia^ and to Cavilham to go to the Indies , having
appointed to meet at Memfhis:, after they had
made all the Difcoveries they were able in
their feveral Provinces. Tayo^ whofe Province
was Hah/rJJla , died by the way before he got
Cavilham, thither ; but Ca^nlham had better luck , and
^"■^ K^^u arrived iafe in the Indies ^ where having ob-
^"^ ^ff o ^ ferved all the Chief Ports and Commodities
f^rft to the ^f thofe Countries , he made Maps of the;
Indies , one 5 and fet down an exa6t Account of the
then to other, which were afterwards of great ufe to
the Soil' ^i^g Vortimiefes. as Vv^eli as an encourap;ement
thern , ^ ■> ^ • ' i • -n,T • kc
Coaft of ^^ ^'\^'c^ to go on m theu' Dilcoveries. Alter
Africk , having finifhed what he had to do in the h-
andatlaft dies^ he lailed to the Coall oi Jfrick , where
enters in- ii^^ving touched at Oramata^ and the Promon-
nsi ^' ^^^y ^^ -^'''W/^-^ :, and at Rapi v\^hich Hands on
the Mouth of the River Se-tm, as alfo at Mtlm-
Jf, Qudca^ and Cefhala^ he was there certain-
ly informed by the Merchants and Mariners^
that there was a paffage to the Indus ^ in the
Iv.atitude where the Cape of Good Hope was
Jince difcovered to be.
Cavilbam
o/E
T H 1 o p r A. 41
Cavilham being overjoyed at this Intelli-
gence^ made all the hafte he could to Memphis^
where being arrived , he met with the bad
news of Pajos Death ; and tho he was wil-
ling to have returned to Portugal with the In-
telligence he had got , yet remembring how
much the King's heart was fet on the difco-
very of HabaJJia, of which he was able to
give him little or no Account, he refolved to
take a Journey thither, wWch he did, having
firft fent the King in writing an exad Infor-
mation of all the Difcoveries he had made in
the Indies, and on the Coaft of J.frkk , by
fome Merchants that traded from Memphis to
Lisbon,
In the Year 1490. Ca^vilhoim firfl: entred in- csvUham
to Hahaljia, of which at that time one Efcan- enters in-
iJtr or J/^.wiWer was Emperor, who being fa- ^^^^^'
tisfi'd of the truth of what Ca'vilham had told kindly en-
him, of his having been fent to him by the tertained
King oiPortugaly and of the Greatnefs ot that ^X ^^^
King; he entertained him civilly, and was ^JJ^J-J
preparing to have fent an AmbalTador along Name was
with him to Portugal, but was prevented from JUxander.
doing it by Death.
But Nahodj who fucceeded Jlexa7jder , was He was
fp far from executing what his Father had de- detained
ilgned, that he would neither fend himfelf, ^ ^?Py
nor fuffer Ca'vilham to return home, whom he ^^hod^
looked upon and treated as a Spy. H f d
Ca-uilham finding that there was no hopes of anaccount
his ever getting out of Ethiopia, perfuaded an of the
HabaJTin Monk, who was going to Jerufalem, Country
to take a Journey to Lisbon, by whom he fent ^^^"^^""f^"*^
the King a full Information of the State of ^]^„"
the Monk.
42 The Church* Hifiory
the Hahafftn Ghurch and Empire^ which com-
ing fafe to the King's hand^ gave hitn abun-
dant Satisfadion.
N^hod having reigned ij Years, vi^as fuc-
ceeded by his Son Lehna Danguily or David,
who being a Child at his Father's Death, the
Empire during his Minority was managed by
his Grand-mother Helena^ who had been Wife
to the Emperor Beda Mariam^ and who for
her admirable Wifdom and Learning, was
highly efteemed by all forts of People. She
had a great Dowry in the Kingdom of Goiawy
where ihe built the moft ftately Church that
had ever been feen in Ethiopia.
This King had three Names ; his Baptifmal
Name was Leha Da^gmly his fecond Name,
which he took when he affumed the Govern-
ment, was David ^ his third was Omy Segued^
he was a Prince of great Courage j but as
we fhall fee hereafter, was ruined by the vaft
hopes he had conceived of the Advantages
that would accrue to him by his new Alli-
ance with the Vortugiieje,
Emanuel, Emanuel fucceeding yohit , both in the
King of Kingdom of Tortugal, and in his heat for car-
Portugal j-ying on the Difcovery of the Indies-^ after the
^^id^w'ixh Great Gama^ having got thither , and en-
a great trcd into Alliances with the feveral Princes ,
Fletrc to did reckon that there VvMS no fecurity to his
t2ktQr» Xrade in thofe Parts, without getting feme
^me'o. of ^h^ ^-^ ^^''^ ftrongeft of its Ports into
ther Sea- his own Hand ; he thereupon fent Francifco
Ports in de Almeida v/ith the greateft Fleet that ever
the India, ^^g f^nt before or fmce to the Indies^ to take
Adenum^ Ormm^ Malaca^ Scc. to which and all
that
o/E
T H I 0 P 1 A.
4 J
that he was able to Conquer in thofe Parts ,
the Popes^ vvIk) pretend to a right to difpofe
of all Infidel^ as well as Heretical Kingdoms,
had given him a Title.
Almeida, failed from Lisbon widi his great
Fleet on the ^6tb oi March in the Year i foi.
and after a troublefom Voyage arrived at Quwla^
where he depofed the King, and beftowed the
Crown upon the moft popular Man he could
hear of; and having found a convenient Sci-
tuation for a Caftle^ he run one up in tw«ity
Days, and left a good Garifon in it, wliich
commanded both the Port and the Town ; from
Qmola he failed to Momhacca , which having
taken by AiTault, after having plundered the
Town , he burnt it to the ground ; after that
he failed to Cranganor'y where he likewife built
a Cattle which commanded both the Port and
the Town.
In the Year i ^o^, Alfhonfo Alhtjucrqtte ha-
ving plundered moil of the Towns upon the
Coaft of Alelinde^ failed to the Ifland of Soca-
tora, the Inhabitants whereof are Chriftians
of the Jacobite Sed , as the Hahajfins are ,
where having taken the Fort of Bennmum by
Storm, he entred into the Terfian Gulph; and Muquer-
after having deftroyed the Ports oi Ornate and 3'"^ f^^^s
Mafcat, and taken Zaor , Orfaz^ana , and Or- ^^yj^""
mzfs , he fent two Envoys , whofc Names ueUna the
were Joan Barmudes^ and Joan Gomez , to Governefs
the Emperor of Habaffia , who was well- o^ ^^bio-
known in thofe Parts, to defire fome Troops ^^^'
of him.
The Emprefs Helena^ who was ftill Go-
vernefs of that Empire^ having heard of the
great
44 T7;^ Church' Hi/lory
great things that had been done by the TortU"
gueje Captains every where in the InMes, re-
ceived thofe Envoys with great Ceremony,
and expeding to reap great Advantages from
an Alliance with a Nation that was (o power-
ful at Sea , flie difpatched one Matthew an
Armenian , Ambaflador in her Grand-Son's
Name to the King of Portugal ^ joyning an
Hahajfm of fome Quality in Commimon with
him ; their Bufinefs was to conclude a League
ofFenfive and defenfive betwixt the Crowns
of Ethiofia and Portugal^ and that in order to
drive the Turks out of all the Ports they
were poffeffed of on the Coaft of the Red^
Sea,
The Ambaffadors having got to Goa^ were
there very kindly received by Albuquercfue ^
who had taken that City but a little before,
and were carried to Lisbon by the Fleet that
went thither in the Year 1 5* i v where they
were fplendidly received by the King: Matthe-w^
beiides his Letters of Credence, carried a piece
of the true Crofs from that Emprefs to the
King, which had been fent her , for Names
fake, it is like, by the IhbaJJin Monks at Jeru-
I a km.
n
oe
o/E
T H I O P I A.
45
The Letters of Helena , Grand-Mother of
David, the Precious John, to Emanuel,
KJng d?/ Portugal, written in the Tear
1509.
In the Name of the Father , Son , and Holy
Ghofi y o?}e only God in Three Ferfons : The
Healthy Grace, and EenediBmis of our Lord
and Redeemer fefus Chrtfi , the Son of the
Virgin Mary , Born in the Houfe of Beth-
lem, he upon our beloued Brother , the moH
Chriflian Kmg Emanuel, Lord of the Sea,
and Conqueror of the a'uel Infidels^ the Ma-
hometans.
THE Lord Proffer )0Uy and give you ViEiory The Em-
over all your Enemies , and may your King- prefs/f^/e-
doms and Dominions be ff read far and wide by the "'' ^ ^^7
devout Brayers of the MeJJengers of Chrijly our Re- j^j^g q£
deemery the Four Evangelifisy St, John^ St, Luke, Portugal,
St. Mark^ and St, Matthew^ ophofe Holinefs and
Prayers prejerve you.
We do certfy yoUy mofi beloved Brother y That
your tii'o Envoys are airived at our Court y the one
ts named John^ 'ivho jaith he is a Priefl \ the other
IS named John Gomez, upon Ti'hofe having defered
Succour and Provifmis of ttSy we jent our Ambajfa-
dor Matthew, a Brother of cur Service y with the
good leave of our Patriarchy Mark, ovho gives its
Bleffwg y and (ends Presbyters -to Jerulalem , and
who IS oirr Fathery and the Father of our King-
dom Sy and the Pillar of the Faith of Chrifi y and
of thi Holy Trinity , to your great Captain y who
fghteth
'4d The Clmrch-Hijiory
jighteth for the Faith of our Lord yefus Chrifi iti
India _, to ki him knmt> how ready we are to
fuffly him vJith what Soldiers and Provifions he
fiands in need of
We are informed that the Prince of Cair is
bringing together a great Fleet to go againfi yours^
to he revenged on you for the damages he has fu-
ftained hyyour Captains in the Indies, whom may
Godfo frofper daily ^ that all Infdels may he brought
under the Toke ; we have determined to fend Forces
to your ajffiance againfi the faid Vrince 5 they Jhall
he ordered to the Straits of Mecha, namely to Ba-
bel _, or Mendel , unkfs it fhould he more conve-
nient for your Service that they jhould be fent to
the Torts of Jidda_, or Thur, that fo we may drive
the Mahometans and Infidels out of the World^
and that the Gifts and Oblations which are fent
to the holy Sefulch'e may no longer he devoured by
Dogs.
*The promifed time ^ which wai foretold hy
Cbi'ifi to his Mother y is now come, who faidy That
in the laft days a King (boiild rife among the
Franks that would deltroy the v/hoie Race of
Mahometans y and Barbarians j now this mujl un*
doubtedly be that very time,
Whatever mr AmbaffadorM^tdiQV/ Jhall fay to
you^you ma) give credit tOy as if it were fpoken by
us in perfon • he is one of our chief Minifiers ^ for
^vhich reafon we fent him to your Court,
We had committed this MeJJ'age to the Envoys
you fe?it us y had 7ve not betn afraid kjl by that
means our j^ff airs might 7iot have come Jo ftrjctUy
to your knowledge y ai we defne they Jhould,
We fend you by this our Amha-ijador Matthew,-
s. Crofs that k undoubtedly 7724de out of the Crojs
whereon
of E
T H I 0 P I A. 47
n^jereon our Saviour Chrifi was crucified at Jeru- She fends
lalem : Wc made two Crqffes out of a piece thereof ^^^ ^'"S *
that waf fent to as ; one whereof we keep to ^^^Qf
cur fe lire s y and the other we have feyit to you hy ^j it came
our Amhaffador ; the Wood is of a black colour y and to her
U hangs hy a fmall Silver Riiig, ^^om 7^-
Furi hermorcj If you (Jjall think fit to marry y ei- ^"f"^'
ther your Daughters to our Sons^ or your Sons With
our Daughters y it will he extreamly accef table to us, Shedefires
and will be much for both our Advantages y by lay- a Daugh-
hig a foundation of a Brotherly Alliance betwixt zfs, ^^^ c^^'
Uhich Marriages we are and jJjall always be ready i^f/oi X
to enter into with you : What remains , is^ That Prince.
the Health and Grace of our Redeemer Chrifl Je-"
fusy and of our Holy Lady the Virgin Mary, may
extend themj elves to you, your Sons and Daughters^
and your whole Family, Amen.
JVe do furthermore certify jouy That in cafe yon
and we join our Forces, we jlially with God's affi^
fiance, be ftrong enough to deftroy the Fnemies of
our Hcly Faith ; for at Sea, where by reafon of cur
Empire's lying fo much withi?j Land , we are not
able to do any thing , I^oit, praifed be God, are the
mofl powerful of all, J ejus Chrift being your Helper*
for in truth, the things do7ie by you in the Indies
are miraculous, and more than humane : If you will
fet out a Fleet of a 1000 Ships, we wiU take care
tofurnijh them ivith aWNecelfaries.
Upon the Emperor oiHabaffmh having made
this glorious Propofition to him. King Ema^mel
refolved to fend a fplendid Embaffy to his
Court, named Don Edward Calvam, who had
been Secretary of State to two Kings, and
AmbalCidor at the Courts of F/e?w<«, France and
Rome, and one Rodriguez, de Lima, and Francis
Alvercz,,
4-8 77;e Church^HiJio)^
AtvereZy one of his Chaplains in Ordinary^ t6
go Ambafladors/ending rich Prefents by thera,
both to the Emperor, and his Grandmorher.
Thefe Ambaffadors, with Matthew in their
Company , went to Goa ^ on the Fleet that
carried the Viceroy Lofez, Suares ; by whom
they were fent in the Year 1 5*20. with a ftrong
Convoy to Arkikoy a Port in the Red-Sea^ be-
longing at that time to the Hahajfms. Galvam^
who was the firft in Commiflion, ^yi^g by the
way, in the Illand of Camara^ was fucceeded
by Lima ; who having made but a fliqrt ftay
at Arkikoy begun his Journey towards the Ha-
hafm Court, where when he arrived, he was
received by the Emperor with extraordinary
joy and kindnefs ; Matthew, who died in the
way betwixt Arkiko and the Court , having
been fplendidiy interred by the Ambafladors
in the Monaftry of Bifcym,
The Ambafladors who were to have retur-
ned to the Indies by the fame Fleet they cajiie
upon, having brought their Negotiation to a
Ipeedy ilTue^made what hafte they could back
to Arkiko, where, to their great mortification,
they found the Fleet they were to have em-
barked upon, gone, the Moncons or Tradc-
, Winds , which in thofe Seas blow fix Months
from one Point, and fix months from the op-
pofite, not permitting them to wait any lon-
ger for them : And to encreafe die mortifica-
tion of this Difappointment, they met with
Letters which had been left for them by the
Admiral, that advifed them of the Death of
King EwiWuel, the greateli and moft fortunate
Prince that ever wore che Crown of Fcrtue^a!,
The
o/E
T H I O P I A. 4p
The Ambciilhdors not knowing how long k
might be before they ihould have a. Fleet to
carry them to Goa ; and being certain , that
by reafon of the Moncon it mufl: be at leaft
fix months before one could poflibly come to
them^ they returned to the Court again, where
they remained four years before any opportu-
nity for Goa offered it felf. But at the end
of four years they embarked upon a Fleet at
Arkiko, fent on purpofe to fetch them, carry-
ing an Habajjin Ambaffador home with them
with Letters to the King of Portugal and the
Pope.
The Ambafladors did not arrive at Lisbon
before the Year i5'27. where the Habajjin
Ambaffador, whofe name was Zaga Zabo,
v/as received with all the marks of friendfhip,
and kindnefs; but whatever was the caufe of
it, he was, to his great forrow, detained above
lo years in that Court. He hath given the
World a large Account of the Faith and Cu-
ftoms of the Habajjins^ which, though falfe in
abundance of Particulars, I fhall fet down at
length , having firft tranflated the Habafjin
Emperor's Letters to the Pope, and the King
of Portugal,
Tin
The Church Hijlory
The Letters of the mo [I Serene David, Em*
feror of Ethiopia, to Emanuel Kjng of
Portugal; writ in the Tear i'y2i.
In the name of God the Fat her ^ as it jvas ahvays^and
7vho has no beginning • In the name of God the only
Son J who was like unto him before the light of the
Stars was feenyand before he laid the foundations of
the Sea y but who in time was concei'ved in the
Womb of a Virgin without Human Seedy and
without Marriage y for after this manner was
the knowledge oj his Office : In the name of the
Comforter y the Spirit of Holinefsy who knoweth
all Secrets that are, or ever were, and all the
height of Heaven y which is fufiained and upheld
without Pillars y and who enlarged the Earthy
which before was not knoji^ny nor createdy from
the Eaf^ tp the Wefiy and from the South to the
Isforthy neither are they Firfr and Secondy but a
Trinity joind in One Eternal Creator y and One
Cou77cily and One Word thorow all Jges. Amen.
THESE Letters are fent by Mani Tinghil,
that ^isy the Frankincenie of the Virgin^
which was the name that was given me at my Baf^
tijm ; but the name I af'umed when I took the Go^
vernment upon mey is David^ the Beloved of Gody
the Pillar of the Faithy of the Race <?/ Judah^ the
Son of D3.Yidy the Son 0/ Solomon^ the Son of
the Pillar of Sion y the Son of the Seed of Jacob,
the Son of the Hand of Mary, the Son of Nau, by
the Flcjhy Emperor of the Great and High Ethiopia,
and of Mighty Kingdoms a?id Provinces , Kmg
(f Xoa and AfFate, and of Fatigar, a77d of An-
gote
of E
t H 1 O P I A.
5«
gote and Bara^ C7id of BAaligaura^ a7id of Adca,
^nd of Y^nguQy mid of Goiam^ v-^here the Nile
riftth'^ and c^/'Damarua^ aiul 0/ Vaquem Edri,
Ambea, Vagni, Tigri, Mahon^ and Sabaym ^
where Qjieen Saba lix^edy and of Barnagaes, and
Lord of all the Cotmtries as jar as Nubia on the
Confines of Egypt.
Tbefe Letters are addreffed to the moflr Tote?2t
and Excellent King Emanuel , li^'ho li'veth in the
lo've of God, and oj^ho continues fiedfifi in the Ca-^
tholick Faith J the Son of the Jpofiles Peter and
Paul^ Kmg ^/Portugal ^»^ Algarves^ the Friend
of ChrifiianSy the Fnemy, Judge and Concjueror of
the Mahometans, a?id Heatkns of Africk and
Guinea, from the Vromontory and Ijland of the
Moon, to the Red-Sea of Arabia, Perfia and Or-
mus, a7jd of the 71^ hole Indies, a7?d of all the Fro^
"vinces y Jflands and Lands belonging to thefn^ the
De fir oyer of the Mahometans , and of all the
tiiighty Heathens ; the Lord of Towers, and of
High Caftles and Walls, the Propagator of the
Faith of Jefus Chrift.
Teace be -with you yKingFATiznutlyWho relying uf^
on God* sAfljfta?7Cc ydo flayghter r^^Mahometans,^?;^
TV nh your Fleet and Armies e'uery where drtiie the In--
fide Is out as Dogs : Peace be With the Queen your
Wife,r/:?c Friend of Jefus Chrift, ^W the Servant
of the Virgin Mary^ the Mother of r/:>e Saviour of
the World : Peace be with your Sons, who are as
flouriihing Lillies in a Spring-Garden, and are as
^ Table furnillied with Meat : Peace ie with your
Daughters,7//,6oj e Attire adorns them,^i Tapiltry
does a Palace : Peace be with all your Kindred,
who are procreated out oftheSctd of the Saints, af
th€ holy So'ivtun faith ^ The Sons of the Holy ^r^
52 Tk Church Hi flory
hiejjed , and are great both at home and abroad :
Peace he v nth your GounztViOr?>^ Officers^ Magi-
ftrates and Judges : Veace he with the Governors
ofycm-Ca(x\QSyand¥YOntiQrs,andofall your ftrong
places : Peace he with all Nations, People, a?id
Cities, and all their Inhabitants, excepting Maho-
metans and Jews ; Feace he wirh all Pariflies,
and with all that are £iithful to Chrift and you.
Amen.
O, Lord Kingj and my Father , I am inform-
ed, That when the fame of my Name frfi reached
your ears y by the Voice of my Amhaj]ador Mat-
thew, that you forthwith ajfemhled all your Arch^
bifhops, Bifhops ^?;^ Prelates, to return thanks to
God for jo good News, and that you did alfo recei've
Matthew ivith great kindnefs and ref'pe&- : U^en
I came to hear of this , I was O'veryoyd likewife^
and did return thanks to God for it, as did alfo all
my People, I was much troubled at Matthew'^
Death , who dyed in the Monaftery of Bafayn,
'within my Dominions, as he was returning home ^
he was not fent by me, for I was then but a Boy of
I I years of j^ge, and had not taken the Govern-
ment upon me after my Father^ s death, but by
Queen Helena, whom I reverenced as my Mother,
and who at that time adminifred the Affairs of
the Empire. Matthew Oi^as by Prof f ion a Mer-
chant , and his true name was Abraham, which ■
be changed , that he might travel thorow the
Turkilli Dominions with the more jecurity.
But having, notwithfanding his Dijguife, been
dif covered to be a Chrifiian , at Dabul he was
cafi into Prifon , where he lay till he was taken
eut by Jome of your flout Soldiers, upon his having
acquainted them with his Confincmmt^ and his be-
ing
of E
T H I O P I A. 5 J
trig our Amhajfador. The General of your ylrT^y^
after he had rejcued him out of the hands cf the
Enemy y took care to con'vey him to your Court '^ at
"whichy as Matthew was ^uju'lual w acauaintivg
you with all that he had in Comrm\]mi to {ay , [o
he was the ja7ne in [ending me word how honou-
rably he was entertained by you, and how ynu had
loaded him with Gifts , all which was ccnfrmed
by your Ambafjadors^ who were corrucyed hither by
Didacus Lopez de Segueiea , the Adtmral of
your Fleet ; and by the Letters which were to ha've
been delivered to me by Edward Golvam , who
died in the Ifland of Camera, and were delivered
by the furvivwg Ambafadors. I rejoyced exceed-
ingly at the fight of yuur Letters , and did return
thanks to God for them, I was overjoyed likejpije
to fee your Am bajfadors have GvoKqs on their breafts^
and did enquire of thim concirnmg the Rites of ths
Chriflian Faith 5 being defirous to hiojv which ars
the True. But the thing that affetted me with ths
moft devotion , ivas the Story your AmhafJadors
told me^ of Ethiopia having been frft di; covered
to your Fleet by a Miracle : TVljich after it had gi-
ven over all hops of finding it ^ was conducled to
one of our Ports by a Red Crofs that appeared one
morning in the Heavens 5 as this appears to me to
have been a Adiracle , fo undoubtedly the Admiral
of your Fleety who had fuch an extraordinary ho-
nour done to him , muft be exceedingly beloved of
God,
This mutual Embafjy of ours was foretold by the
Frophet in the Book of Ltfe^ and in the Fajfion of
St. Victor, and in the Writings of the hloly Father Sy
which do all teftify. That a great Chrifiian King
fliould conclude a Peace with the Emperor of Ethio-
E 5 pia :
54 ^^^ Church Hifiory
pia : Btft: little did I expeB that this prophecy ~ ii^ouid
ha^e been fulfilled in my days. But God knew it
certainly J p'-aifed be his Name^ who firfi" brought
Awbajj'adors from you to me^ that I might likewife
fend Ambafadors to you.
My Father in Chrift^ and Friend^ it is my de-
fre that we jhould be of the fame Religion ; I ne'ver
had an EmbaJJy fent to me before by any Chrifiian
JCingy 7mther was I certain that there was aChri-
fiian King any ivhere befides my felfy haz'ing been
always encompafjed with Moors^ the Sons of Ma^
hornet^ and with Heathens and Slaves, Wjo do
vot acknowledge God^ and 7mth Jome who worfhip
Wood and Fire, and omth others that worftiip Ser--
pents as Gods , with 7vhom I have ne^ver lived well^
becaufey though the Faith has been preached to them^
they refufe to come to the Truth. I am tiow at eafe^
God havivg given me refl from all your and my
own Enemies 5 againfl jvhom when I march
with my Armies ^ they turn their backs toward us 5
my Captai?is are aljo cvery-where viBorious over
them- : So that God is not angry 7vith me^ but as
the Pfalmift has it. He hath tulfilled the deHre
of Kings, who defire nothing but what is
righteous : For jvhtch^ no paije is due to us^ but
'all thanks ought to be returned to God ^ for it ,
is he that hath given us the World ^ and the
Land of the Gentiles fcr ever ^ and all the
Countries from your own Borders to thofe <?/^ Ethio-
pia : For which I do give great thanks to Gody and
ido p!'cclaim his 'tnighty Fowcr^ hoping the Sons of
the Gentiles will he brought unjer the Tvke ^ and
to the knowledge of the true Faith 3 fcr I do not in
the leaf dcuht^ hut that your Sons^ and you ^ and
ly Jhall abundantly rejoice in cur Vitfories j and you
muft
of E
T H I O P 1 A.
55
mufi- never give o-ver pr/ijwo^ to God until he his
put you m VaJJefJion of the Holy Temple of Jcrula-
lem, which at frefent is in the h.mds cf the Eiie-
mies of Chri(f-y that is^ of Mahometans^ Hea-
thenSj a7?d Hereticks ; which work if you could
perform, ycur hand will be full of praije.
Of the ylmbajjadors you fent unto we vnth
Matthew^ Three died by the way ; the yidmiral.
of your Fleet y after haviijg had a Conference at
Matrua with the Ki?:g of Bernagays^ who is cur
Vaffaly dijpatched the furvivmg Ambaffadors with
great Gifts to our Court : Tour Gifts were ac-
ceptable to me, but your Name is more J^recious to
me than all Jewels and Treafures.
But let us fafs over thefe things, and begin to
Treat how we may Invade and Con<^uer the Ccu?j'
tries of the Infidels ; I for my part will Contribute a
Hundred thoufand Drachms of Gold, and as inany
Thoufand Armed Men, and moreover Timber y
and Iron y and Copper y towards the Buildi?jg
and Equippi7ig of a Fleet y with abundance of
Trovifions of all forts ^ let us therefore joyn toge-
ther. And whereas it is not our Cufroniy nor
agreeable to our Dignity y to fend Ambaffadors to
any Prince to fue for Peace y you did therefore firft
fend Ambaffadors to defire a Peace with mey where-
in you verified the Words of Chrifty for it is written y
Bleffed are the feet which bring peace ^ for
which I am alfo prepared after the manner of the
Apofi^les, who were unanimous and of one Heart,
O Kingy and my Father Emanuel ; the Only
Gody who IS the God of Heaven, and is always
the fame y growing neither older mr younger y pre-
ferve and prote^ you.
E A Thi
5^^ Tl?e Church^ Hijiory
Tloe 'Envoy y of thofe that arriued^ Tvho was fir fi.
in CGmmijJlon^ was vamed Rodrigo Lima_, -with
Tuhom was joyned one Ffancis Alvarez, who for
the firiguhr Fiety and Vrobity of his Life^ was
^ery dear to me 5 he did aljo return 'very prefer
anjwers 10 all the <juefiions I ^ut to him concerning
Religion I you ought therefore to p-efer htm^ and
to cJJ him Mafter, and to employ him in the Con-
v,erfion of the people of Matrua and Zeila, and of
all the other Jflands of the Red-Sca_, all which are
on the Coafi of our Empire y I have befiowed a Crofs
and a Sr*ff upon him^ as Badges of Authority ^
and Jiwtdd hanje you to do the fame ^ and to make
him Bifjop of thofe Countries ^ for he jpelldej craves
ity and is 'very fit for that Office, God he propitious
to yoUy that jo you may always he VaVumt againft
your EneynieSy and may hrii^g them all under your
Feet,
G od g^i'ant you a long life^ and make you parta-
ker of as good Places tn the Kingdom of Heaven
as I wifljfor 'my flfj for I have heard many good
thn gs of youy and have feen with my eyes what
1 7KVcr expetfed to have feen : May God make
thi?7gs Jucceed from good to better ^ ayjd may your
place be ever the Tree o^Liky wh^ch is the place
of the Saints.
1 as y cur little Son_, have done what you Com-
manded me • »<?/;.:/ if you will fend Ambajfadors to
mCy I will dways obey you ^ that fo we may help
one another • ai^id whaicver ycur Ambajfadors piaH
arrive^ a: thefe did at Matrua^ or at DalacaQl,
J wVl be jure to take that care of them that you
defire I jhoiddy there bci?.g nothing I am jo amhiti-
ous of J as that ive jhould be united in Councils and
Atiions j and wbifjoiver your Eket foall come upon
o/E
T H I O P r A
•57
tr>y Coaft^ IJl)all jojn them immediately with an
Army : And whereas on my Borders there are r.o
ChrifiianSy nor Chrifiian Churches^ I am willtvg to
give all thoje Tro'vinceSj which Border upon the
Mahometans, to your Subjects to hhahit ; make
hajh therefore to execute what you have begim.
In the mean time I would ha've you J end me
fomeofyour Learned Men, as alfofome Gravers of
Images of Gold andSilvQVyandfome Lead,Copper_,
cpjd Iron Smiths, as al/o jome Printers, that under--
frand our Letters ^to Print Books for our Churches^ and
jome that kmii^ how to make Bracelets, and how
to Gild Metals, they Jljall he all VJ'ell entertained
%n my Palace ^ and 71^'henever they jh a II have a mind
to return home^ they fl) J II he well Rewarded for
their Pains 5 and I do Swear by Chrifi Jefusy
who is Gody and the Son of Gody that they jljaU
ha'ue free leave to depart »
This I do defire and expeB from your known
Virtue and Goodnefsy being fenfible that you have
a great kindnefs for mey by your having treated
Matthew fo Honourably a?td Liberallyy and by
having J ent him back as you did.
I do mofi earneftly defire to have all the fore-
mentioned Artificers fent hither y and do fromifa
that you Jloall never have any caufe to repent of
your having fent them \ for I will take care that
they jliall all be well rewarded j wherefore fince a
Fathtr ought not to deny what his Son defire s of
himy and you are my Father y and I am your Sony
let us be joyned together as two Bricks are in a
Wally that jo we may be two with one Hearty and
may agree in the Love of Chrifi- Jejusy who is the
Head of the JVorldy all that are in him being as
Bricks joyned together in a Wall, Amen.
-The
58 7he Church* Hlfiory
The Letters of the fame David Emperov
of Ethiopia, to Kjng John the \\\d.
of Portugal, written in the 2>/rr
1524.
In the Name of God the Father Almighty^ Maker
of Heanjen and Earthy and of all things that
are made^ 'vifible and invifihle : hi the Name
of God the Son J the Council and Prophet of the
Father ^ and in the Name of the Holy Ghoft^
the Comforter and Having God : JVho is ecjual to
the Father and the Son^ and 7i>ho fpoke by the
mouth of the Prophets^ and infptred the Apofiles^
that they might Thank and Praife the PerfeB
Trinity in Hea'ven and en Earthy and in the
Depths always. Amen.
ITJoe Frankincenfs of the Virgin^ for that
was my Baptijmal Name^ hut who with the
Scepter of my Kingdom ha^ue taken the Name of
David. The Beloved of God, the Pillar of the
Faith, the Offspring of Judah, the Son of David^,
the Son of Solomon, Kwgs of Ifrael, the Son of
the Pillar of Sion, of the feed 0/^ Jacob, the Son
of the hand of Mary, the Son of Nau hy the
Fhflo ; do faid thefe Letters and this Amhafjadory
to the Greatefi, mofi Powerful^ and High, John
King of Portugal and Algerves, the Son of King
ElTianuel : Peace he with you, the Grace of our
Lord fefus Chrifi he with you always. Amen.
When 1 heard of the Poiver of the King your
Father, hy whom the Moors, the Sons of the
filthy Mahomet , 7i^ere juhdued ^ I gave great
Thanks
o/E
4 >
T H I O P I A.
iTjanh to God for the hcreafe and the Qreatnefs
of the Crown of Confervation in the Houfe of
Chriftianity. I Jul liktu'tjt uil.e great ple^Jwe in the
arri'val of the ylmhajjadors who brought that Kings
ojwrds to usy becauje by that weans afingular Lo^e^
Friendflwpy and Correffondaicey w^s efiablijhed be-
twixt usy in order to the Extirpating of all the
T Ticked Mahometans and the Unbelieving Hea^
thcns tbat lie betwixt our two Kingdoms. But
while I was full of this ^oy^ before I had fent any
Ambajfador to him, I receizfed the News of your
end my Father s Death y which turned my Joy fud-
denly into SorroJVy whereof our Court , 'Prelates y
and Monks y andy in a wordy all our Faithful Sub-
jechy did dec fly partake : Our Sorrow upon this
News becoming equal to our former Joy,
Sir y From the bcgin?img of my Reign there
was 770 AmbaJJ'ador rwr Enx'oy fent to me by the
King or Kmgdom of Portugal^ but by your Fa-
ther, who fent fome of his Captains hithcry and
with them fome of his NobleSy and Clarksy and
Deacons y who brought with them all the TJte7ifils of
a Solemn Mafs.
I muft tell you y J was overjoyed at their ar-
rlvaly and did recei-ve them 7i^ith great Aff'ecliony
difmijfing them after they had done their Bufinefsy
that fo they might return home m Peace and with
Honour : But being come to the Port of the Red-
Sea that is on my Border Sy thty found the Admiral
of their Fleet gone ^ whoy as he certified me him-
felfy could watt no longer for themy by reafon of a
Cufiom that you ha^uey of changing your Admiral
every Third Tear, which, together with 7w other''
Fleets having touched at any of my Ports fcr
fome Tears after, was the caufe of your Am-
bajfador^s
59
V
r ^/
60 The Church" Hijiory
hajfadors having ft aid fo I erg at my Cour ^
1 do now [end, what I deftre of jou, by Bro
ther Chriltopher Licanot ^ whofe Baptifmal
Name is Zaga Zabo, that is to fay y The Grace
of the Father^ vjho nyill lay my Demands before
you, I do Ukewife [end Francis Alvarez to the
Pope, toyeild Obedience to him in my NamCy as it
is juft I jhould.
O Lord my Brother Kingy atten d and apply your
felf to the Friendjhip that was begun betwixt us by
your Father y and do not negleB to fend Letters and
Ambajjadors to us frequently ^ for I am extremely
defer ous to receive them from youy as fr'om my Bro-
ther : And fince we are both ChriftianSy and the
Mahometans^ though JVicked^ are ft ill in Peace
7mth all of their own SeB^ it is fit it jhould he the
fame betwixt us. And I do declare^ That for the
future I will receive no Lmbafjy fr om tbe King of
Egypt^ nor from any of thoje Kingdoms^ which
have formerly fent Ambaf'adors to us, nor from no
other King but only from your Highnefs^ from
who?n 1 do earneftly defer e to have them come ^ for
the Mahom etan Kwgs, by reafcn of the diffh'e?ice
that IS betwixt us m F^eligicn^ do never look upon me
as their Friend^ and do C7'!ly preteiid to have a
Kindnefs for mCy that they ?yiay Trade with the
mere conveniency and fecurity within my Domifiions^
from whence they draw great Profit ^ exporting
Tearly great Quantifies of Goldy whereof they are
extremely CovntOfiSy while at the fame time they
have no real Friendfinp for me^ for which reafon I
take no fleajiire in their Gain^ but this having
hem d Ctiftom of my Anccftorsy was to be endured^
though afier ally the o?7ly thing that hinders me
from making War upon thmiy and Confounding
themy
o/E
T H I O P I A^ 6 1
tbem, is the fear of p'ovokmg them thereby to 'v'to^
late and defiroy the Temple ^Z* Jerufalem, -where
the SefulcJore of Chrifi isy which God hath bee7i
f leafed to leave in the hands of thofe filthy Maho-
metans^ and to dewoUjl] the Churches that are in
Egypt and Syria ; this is the only caufe -why I do
not Invade and Conquer them^ "which I am forry I
am not at liberty to do,
O King^ I can by no means rejoyce in the Chri-
ftian Kings of Europe^ who ^ as I am informed,
do not agree in one hearty but are at War one with
another ; be you all Unanimous^ and in Friendjhip
one 7uith another^ for my own part, had I a Chri-
ftian King m my Neighbourhood, I would never he
ahjent from him. I do not know what to fay of
thefe matters, nor ivhat to do, fence God feems to
have ordained things to be as they are.
My Lord, let me have Amhafjadors from you.
frequently j for when 1 fee your Letters I think I
behold pur face ; there being a greater Friendjhip
betwixt thofe that live far af under, than betwixt
Neighbours , by reafon of the (Ironger defer e
they have one for another \ for he that has hid
his Treafure thinks the oftner of it , and loves it
the more for not feeing it, according to what Chrife
faith in his Gojpel, Where your treafure is there
will your hearts be alfo ; my heart is therefore
with you, becaufe you are my Treafure, and you
ought alfo to make me your Treajure, fo as fincerely
to joynyour Heart with ours,
O Lord and Brother, obferve this word, for 1
am told you are very Wije, and inWifdo^ like your
Father, of which, 7i^hen I was informed, 1 re-
turned Thanks to God for it, and throwi?ig away
Son'ow, did put on Joy, and faid, Elejfed be
the
/
6t The Church Hi ftorj
fkSonth^tis'V/Kc, and v/ho has a great Head 5
the Son of Kifig Emanuel who fits upon the Throne
of his Kivgdoms,
Sir, Have a care you do not grow wearjj fince
you are no lefs Valiant than your Father, and do
not difco'uer your felf to be Weak againfi the Ma-
hometans and Gentiles y whom , with God's
Affifance^ you may eafily Conquer • and ha^ve a
care how you fay. The Forces left me by my Father
are f mall '^ for they are abundantly (uffjcienty and
God will always help you : I have Men_, Gold>
a?3d ProvifionSj like the Sand of the Sea, and the
Stars of Heaven ; fo that we two being United^
way with eafe deftroy the whole Barbarous Race of
Mahometans; I defire nothing of you ^ but Expe-
rknced Officers to Difcipline and> Command my
Soldiers.
O FJngy thou art ofajufi Age, whereas Solomoflr
took the Government upon himjelf when he was but
jz years old, and notwithfianding that had great
Tower y and was wifer than his Father, I alfo
when Nau my Father died ^ was but 1 1 years of
Age, and have, notwithftanding that, with God's
affiftance, accfuired more Power and Riches fince, I
fate on the Throne of my Father, than ever he had^
having conquered all the Neighbouring Nations and
Kingdoms'^ we have both cauje therefore to thank
God for Jo pngular a benefit. Hearken to me. Bro-
ther, and Lordtf for there is one thing I miifi re-
quefi of you, which is. That you would Jend
me fome of your Learned Men, as alfo Jome
Artificers, that undcrfiand Lo7V to make Images,
and how to Print l^ooks,and to make Swords,^;;^
all forts of Military Weapons, vnthfome Mafons^'
Carpentersp^^/r/phyfigiansWSurgeonSj^^^^/^we
v*.'h^
o/ E T H I O P I A. 6j
who skill to beat Gold, andg\\dy and hoiv to work
in Mines : I would aljo ha^t jome that know how
to cover Houfes with Lead, and to make Tile ;
in a wordy all forts of Artificers jlmll be welcom
to mey namely yfuch as make Piftols. Help me J be-
feech youy to all thefe things, as one Brother ought
to help another y and then God Will help you out of
your Troubles,
The Lord hear your Prayers, and Petitions, as
he has recei-ved holy Sacrifices at all times, namely,
the Sacrifices of Abel, and of Noah when he was
in the Ark, and that of Abraham when he was
in the Land of Madiam , and of liaac when he
went from the Trench of the Oak , and of Jacob
in the Houfe of Bethlem , and that of Mofes in
Egypt, and of Aaron in the Mount , and of Jo-
fhua the Son of Nun tn Galgala, and of Gideon
on the Rock, of Samplbn when he was in a dry
and thirfty Land, and of Samuel in Rama of the
Prophets, and of David in Naceea, and of Solo-
mon in the City of Gabeon , and of Elias in
Mount Carmel, when he raifed the Daughter of
the IVidcw oz/er the Pit to life ; and of Jehola-
phet in Battail, and of Manafles when he turned
to God after having finned, and of Daniel in the
Den of Lions, and of the three Companions, Si-
drach,Mefack and Abednego, tn the fiery Fur-
nace, and of Hannah before the Altar, and if
Nehemiah, iz^ho together with Zerobabel buUt '
the fValls ; and of Matathias with his Sons , on
the fourth part of the Earth ; and of Efau upon
the Bleffed : In the fame maijner may God receive
your Sacrifices , and Supplications ; and affift you,
and be on your fide againft all mcked??ejs , at all
times.
Peace
(^4 The ChurchHiflory
f eace be with you ; I do embrace yoa
with the Arms of Holinefs ; as I do
alfo your whole Council ;, and all your
Archbiiliops , Bifliops^ Priefts and Dea-
cons ^ and all Men and Women; the
Grace of God ^ and the Blefling of the
Virgin Mary ^ the Mother of God^ be
with you^ and with all People. Amen.
The Letter of David, Emperor of Ethio*
pia, to the Roman 'Pontiff y in the Teat
1524.
In the name of God, the Father Almghty ^ maker
of Heaven and Earthy and of all things vifible
and invifible ; in the name of Jefus Chrifi the
Son of Gody -who was the fame with him from
the beginning of the Worlds and who is Light of
Light y and very God of very God ; and in the
name of God the Holy Ghofy who is true Gody
and froceedeth from the Father.
I The Kingy at whofe Name the Lyons do tremhky
who am by the Grace of God called Achami
Tinghil,f/&^? is r^e Frankincenfe of the Virgin ;
the Son of Kin^DsLvidythe Son of Solomon//j^ Son
of the Ha7id of Mary, the Son of N3.U by the FleJJjy
and by Grace the Son of St. Peter and St. Paul ;
do fend thefe Letters.
Feace be 7vith you^
O J Hit
of Ethiotik. 6^
O yufi Lord, and holy, fowerful, pure af)d fa-
cred Fat he)', who art the head of all Btfliofs, and
fear eft 7ic-hody , becaufe thtre is none that hath
fower to curje thee^ who art the mofl xvatchful Cu^
rate of all Souls , and the Friend of Vilgrims y
and the [acred Mafler and Treacher of the Faith^
and the Enemy of every thing that offends the Con-
icience, and the lo'ver of all good Man?jcrs^ and a>
holy Perfon, whom all do blejs and pratfe.
O happy and holy Father, I do obey you with re*
verence, becaufe you are the peace of all, and do de-
ferve whatfoe'ver is good \ fo that it is but jufty that
according to the divme Commands of the Apoflles,
all jlwuld yield obedience to you : This belorgs to
you 5 but they ha^ve Itkewije commanded us to re-
•verence all Bijhops, Archbijljops and Prelates, and
to lo've you as a Fcthtr, and to re^vercnce you as a
King, and to beliez^e in you as a God,
For which caufe I do humbly with bended knees,
f77ul with a fincere heart y tell you , holy Father,
That you are my Father, and I am ynur Son*
Holy and mof mighty Father , I'P'hy have you
never fent any Nuncio's to m ^ to be infoi'77ied of
our health \ for fnce you are our Fa [lor , and we
are your Sheep, you ought not to have -been unmind"
[til of m, 710Y ought you to have 7'eckoned us to have-
been too remote from your Territories, for j our Nun-
cio s to have viftted us ; feeing from the mofl re-
mote Kingdom of the Earth, that is Portugal_, ^/7«r
Son, King Eniaauel , has commodioufly fnt his
Ambaff'adors to us j fo that if God had deferred
calling him to Heaven , the thi7jgs he and I were
treat mg about , had undoubtedly had a happy I/Jue
before thu time,
F IJlmJd
66 Tl)e Church Hiflory
1 Jhould he glad to hear healthful things from
you by certain l^tmcios^ halving ne'ver had a word
from your Holwefs^ nor heard of you by any other
way ^ but by fome of our 'vowed Pilgrims ^ who
Tieither carried Letters from us to youy nor brought
any from you to us ; and who therefore^ when we
enquired of them^ could only tell us, That going from
Jerufalem ^ after they had performed their Vows
there , to "vifit the Threflwlds of the Jfofiles at
Rome^ they had fecn you, giving us a general Ac'
eoimt of your Ajfatrs, I took great fleafure in their
Relations, beholding in them the Image of your holy
Countenance, which af feared to me to be like that
of an Angel^ and I muft own, that I do lo'ue and
reverence you : Neverthelefs , it would he much
more grateful to me, devoutly to contemplate your
Words and Letters : I mufi therefore beg it of you y
that you would fend a Nuncio to me, to exhilerate
my heart with your Blejfing 5 for fince we agree in
Faith and Religion^ that is the thing of the
World that I defire moft, and that my Frieudlhip
may be as the Ring you wear on your Finger , or
as the Gold Chain that is about your Neck, that
fo I may be always m your heart a7td memory :
Friendinip being much increafed by grateful Words
mid Letters, when holy Veace, from which all hu-
man Joy doth flow naturally , embraceth them :
For as one that is very thtrfiy is extreamly defirous
of cold watei'j, as the Scripure has it ; fo Nuncio'' s
and Letters coming to me from remote parts, either
from your Holinefs, cr any Chriflian King, will fiU
my heart with extraordinary Fleafures ; fuch as
theirs are filed with, who after a Vitlory , come
to gather rich Spoils : All this may be done with
great eaje, now the King of Portugal has opened a
7lUlj
o/ E T H 1 O P I A. (J7
ii^ay to it ; who fome times fince fent JlmhnJfadorSy
with other Perjuns of Quality , to us, which ii^as a
thing had rifver been done by any Chriftian King,
or Pope, before to any of our Anceftors : Only m
the Archives of our Great Grandfather Y^Qva Ja-
cob, who was King of all the Kings of Ethio-
pia , and a moft Formidable Prince , the Copies
of fome Letters to him from Eugenius the Ro-
man Pontiff are ft ill p-eferved^ the purport where-
of is as followeth,
^' XT^Ugenius the Roman Pontiff, to ow helo^
Tj " ^ed Son King Zara Jacob, the King
^^ of all the Kings of Ethiopia, and who is migh-
^^ tily dreaded: He goes on, and tells him. That
^^ his Sen John Palcologus, who had been dead
*^ two years y the King of the Kings of the Ro-
^^ mans, had been called by him to celebrate a holy
^^ Synod , to which he came accompanied by Jo-
^^ feph the Patriarch of Conftantinople, and a
*^ great many other Archbifhops , Bifhops , and
^^ Prelates , as aljo with the Procurators of the
'^ Patriarchs of Antioch, Alexandria, and Je-
" rulalem, who had all united themfehes to htm,
^' m the love of the holy Faith, a7ul Religion :
" So that now the Unity of the Church was re-
^^ efiablijl)edy and all the old Controverfies, tho-
^^ ro0f God^s afffance, were ended j and what e^uer
'^ was erroneous J and contrary to Religion, diffi-
'^ pated, and right Order re ft or ed^ which had filed
^^ all Feovle with joy.
We do here fend you that Letter of Eugenius,
7vhich has been preferred entire ^ and would liki^
wifi ha'vs fent you thf whale Order a^ul Fower of
6i The Church Hi jlory
the Pontifical Benedidion 5 had it not been fo
large a Volume, it hein^ bigger than the Book of
Paul to ihe Gentiles ; the Nuncio's that brot4ght
theje Papers from the Pope hither , ivere Theo-
dore, Peter , Didimus , and George, the Ser-
vants (?/Jefus Chrift : Ton would do well^ holy
Father , to command your Papers to be looked
every among iMch^ it is kke, you will meet with
fome Records of thefe Matters. Tou may fee by
this, holy Father, that tf you jlwuld be f leafed to
write any thing to us , the memory thereof will be
■preferz^ed in our Archives thorough all Ages : And
hapfy is the Man whoje Memory is preferzfed in
the Records <?/ the holy City af Rome, the
Chair of St, Peter , and St, Paul , who are the
Lords of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the
Judges of the World ; and my believing them to
be fo, was the caufe of my writing theje Letters
to your Holinels, that I may obtain your Favour,
and that of your holy Conclave, and therewithal
all forts of Blefjings , and the increafe cf all good
things,
I do furthermore fupplicate your Holinefs, to
fend us the Images of fome Saints, namely, that
of the bleffed Virgin Mary , that by that means
your Holinels may be frequent in our Mouths, and
Memories, and that I may be always delighting my
Jelf in your Gifts : For the fame reajon I do ear^
ncfHy intreat you, to fend me fome Learned Men,
and Artificers, namely. Carvers of Images,
Sword-Cutlers, and Gunfmiths , and Gilders,
and Carpenters , but ejpecially Artificers who
knew how to Build Hcujes irith Stone , a77d to
cover them 7vtth Lead and Copper j I flwuld be
glad likewije y to have fome that underfiand how
ta
o/^ E T H I O P I A. 6^
TO wake Glftfs^ and MuHcal Inftruments , and
how to play 7/A'!1 upon thcm^ vitb jome Pipers and
Trumpeters : 7'hefe Artificers / dtfre chiefly
from your Holinefs ; hut m cafe you jhould haz'e
mne to (pare, I mufi iiitrcat you to order Jowe of
the Chriltian Kings^ your Sonsy who are all at
your Commands , to fend them unto me : Which
Artificers^ ii^hen they arriz/e hcre^ jJjall he treated
hoiiourahly j and rewarded according to their dc^
ferts ; tk.y fhill alfo have good Wages^ and vjhen-
ever they jlhill defire ity they jliall have free leave
to return home ^ and be well rewarded for their
pains 5 for I will detain no body againfi- his willy
how beneficial foever his fiay fijould be to me : But
to pafs to other things,
Imujt expoftulate with you, holy Father : PP'hy
do you not exhort the Chriftian Kings, your Sons,
to lay down their Arms, as becomes Brethren, and
to agree among themfelves 5 feeing they are all your
Sheep , and you are their Pafior ? Your Holinefs
is not ignorant of the Gofpel-Commands, and of its
living faid, A kingdom divided againit it lelf
cannot ftand, but will become deiblate. For
tf thofe Kings would but all join together, they would
ouickly deftroy all the Mahometans, and with eafe
demcliflj the Sepulchre of their Falfe Prophet :
Apply your Jelf therefore to this, holy Father, that fo
there may be a firm Peace and Confederacy efiablijlied
among then:, and exhort them to affijf us, who are
b^fieged on all fides by Wicked Mahometans, and
Moors ; The Turks and Moors can ajfifi one ano-
ther, and their Kings and Rulers do all agree to-
gether : I have a Mahometan for my Neighbour,
who is co7iflantly fupplied with Arms_, Horfes,
md ail Military Weapons, by Princes of his own
F 3 ' Sedj
70 Tl^e Church Hijlory
SeB^namelj/he Kings 0/ India^Perfia ^»<^ Egypt ;
this is a great mortification to me^ to fee the Enemies
of the Chriliian lleligion enjoy Peace ^ and live
together like Brethren ; and at the fame time^ to
fee Chriltian Kings, my Brethren^ not in the ledft
cojicerned at the Injuries I endure ; not one of them
ojftrir.g to fuccour me as becomes a Chriftian, not--
"withftandivg the filthy Sons <?/ Mahomet are aU
'Ways ready to fuccor one another ; not that I defire
any Soldiers of them^ for I have enough of my owny
and to fpare 5 hut all that I defire of them, iSy onlv
their Frayers and Supplicatio?^Sy and your Holinels^
and my Brethren's Favour : The reafon why I want
your Friendjhipy isy that I may he furnijhed by you
with fuch things as are necejjary to terrify the Ma-
hometans^ the Enemies of the Name of Chrift :
And that my Neighbours may be made fenfible of
my being favoured by the Chriftian Kings, my
Bre^iren , and of their being ready to ajfifi me
whenever there Jhall be occafion 'y which would be
much for the honour of all of us that are of thi
fame Faith and Religion, an4 do intend to per^
fifi therein,
God fulfil your Defires to the praife of Jefus
Chrif}-, and of God our Father ^ who is praifed by
all thorow all Ages ; and ycu, my Lordy and holy
Fathcry with all the Saints of Chrifi at Rome,
embrace me ; ajid let all my SubjeBsy and all that
dwell m Ethiopia, be received with the (ame E?n^
braces 5 and let thanks be returned to Chrifi with
your Spirit,
Theje Letters your Holinefs will receive from my
Brother y John, Kwg of Portugal, the mofi Fow^.
erful Son of King Emanuel, who will fend them
to you by our Ambaffador Francifco Alvarez.
A Second
of E
T H I O. P 1 A. 71
A Second, Letter of David, Emperor of
Ethiopia, to the Roman Pontiffs writ-
ten in the Tear 1524.
HAfj)y and holy Father ^ who art made hj
God the Confervator of the Nations , and
vjho doft fit in the Chair of St. Peter ; To thee
are given the keys of the kingdom of heaven ;
fo that whatfoever thou binded or loofeft on
earth , is bound and loofe in heaven , accord-
ing to what Cbrifi hath faid m St. Matthew*/
Gofpel.
I the Kingy at whofe Name the Lyons tremble y
who at my Baptifm was called Atami Tinghil,
that is r/6f Frankincenfe of the Virgin, but who^^
when I took the Adminiflration of my Empire upon
me,aj]umedthe Names of David the Belo'vedofGod,
the Pillar of Faith, the Fnnce of Jud^hy the Son
of Solomon , the Son of the VHlar of Sion^ the
Son of Zara Jacob, the Son of the Hand of Ma-
r)', the Son of Nau by the Flejhy Emperor of the
Great and High Ethiopia, arid of "vafi Kingdoms
and Dominions ; .King of Xoa, and CafFate, and
Fatigar, Angot, Baru, Baaltinganze, Adea,
Vanga , and Mahon , and Saba , from whence
the Queen of Saba went ^ and Barnagays ; the
Lord of all Nnhhy to the Confines of Egypt : All
which Countries , and a great many more not here
mentioned^ are under our Dominion \ neither haue
I mentioned the fore^named out of Pride y or Vai^j-
gloyy or for any other reafony but that the Great
God may be the more praifedy who of his fingular
bounty has bem pleafed to beftow the forejaid Chri-
F 4 fiian
72 The Churcl>Hipory
ftian Empires upon my Ancefiors , and oi'ho hath
likewife been gracicus to me^ after a special manner ^
that I might corjftantly do jeruice to his Religion ;
making ?ne Lord of Ad el ^ and the Scourge of the
Mahometans ;, a7td Gentiles , who do i^orjhip
Idols : I do after the manner of ether Chriftian
Kings ^ my Brethren y to whom 1 am no-ways infe-
rior ^ either in Tower or Religion^ fend to kijs your
Holmejs^s Feet : iVithin ynj own Territories y I am
the Tillar of Faith^ neither am I af/Jfed with any
Foreign Succors , but I do ^lace my 7i>hole trufi and
confidence in God^ as my Ancefcrs did before me^
who ha'ue all been fufiai7ied and goz>crned by him^
t^er fmce his Angel (poke to Philip ;, who inftru-
Bed the Eunuch of the powerful Queen Candace^
Emprefs of Ethiopia ^ in the Faith , as he was
coming from] cmf^lQm to G^zii'y Philip then bapti-
z.ed the Eunuch^ and the Eunuch afterwards baf-
tix^ed the Quee i ^ 7rith the greatefr part of her
Court y and People ^ who frcm that day to this ,
ha've continued Chrifiiansy and ftrong in the Faith :
My Ancefiersy without any other than Di-vlne Af-
filtance y harve propagated the Faith thorow ^uafi
Regions y which lltkewife labour daily to do ; being
fixed bet wee?} the large Borders of my Kingdoms y
as. a Lycn encompajjtd within a JVood ; and firong-
ly fortified againft the Mahometans y and other
Nations y that are EjiCmtes to the Chrtfiian Faithy
and who will not gi^-e ear to the Word of God y and
my F^xhcrtaticn : For which reajcn , I with my
Sword girt about mcy do perfecute themy and will
hy degrees expel them y relying on the Di'uine AJfi-
fiance y which is ne-ver wanting to mey which is
more than all Chriflan Kings can jay y who ,
if they would but agree together y might with
the
^^<
o/E
T H I o p r A,
the help of your BleJJing^ eafdy enlarge the Bounds of
thetr Empires ; of which Bltjfmg I do partake,
jimofig our Books there being Letters "ivhich 7Pere
ftnt by Pope Eugcnius vith his Blejfng to Zera
Jacob y V'hich Blejfing ha^virg dcjcended to me^ I
do now enjoy tt, f.nd refcycc in it mainly.
The Holy Temple ^/Jenidilem is a place I ha^fe
great feneration for ^ and do frecjuently fend Obla-
tions to It by our Pilgrims ; and I would fend both
mere and greater^ were 1 net Beficged en all fides
by Mahometans a7:d Infidels ; who befides that
they Rifle cur Mefjengers, 7i^ ill not allow them a
free fafjage , whereas if the ways were but once
opened y 1 fliould then be able to Ccrrefpo7id with the
Roman Churchy as well as other Chriflians, to
whom, as to the Chriftian Religion , I am riothing
inferior ; for as they belit^e One Right Faith, and
One Churchy (o I do pTofefs the fame, and do mofl
(incerely believe in the Hcly Trinity , and in One
Gody and in the Virginity of our Lady the Virgin
Mary ; Ido alfo held all the Articles of the Chri-
ftian Faiihy and do keep them as they were writ by
the Jpoft.les,
And now that our good God has been pleafedy
by the hand of the moft Potent and Chriflian Ki?jg
Emanuel, to open a way by which ive may Cor-
refpofjd by Amdafjadors ; fnce we are joyned in
the Faith , let us likewije with all other Chrifl^ians
joyn together in the fer^vice of God. During the
time the Ambaffadors of that King ii/ere at
our Court y we received the News of his Death,
and of his Son, and my Brother John,, hax'i?jg
Succeeded to the Crown j and as I was extremely
fijjiicied at the News of the Death of the Father,
jo I did very much rejcyce to hear of his So?i's
hr,vi^?g
7]
74 7he Church' Hijiory
ha'uing fucceeded him ; for 1 do hope that hy joynmg
ourforcesy we fijall he able to open a pajjage both by
Sea and Land, thorow the Regions of the Wicked
Mahometans^ and to terrifie them to that degree^
as to dri^e them quite out of thofe Countries^ fo
that Cljriflians way go tOy and return from Jeru-
lalem without any molefiation ; and I do mofi 've-
hemently dejire to partake of the Divine Love in
the Temple of the Apofiles Peter und Paul : / do
Uke7vife defire to receive the mofi Holy BleJJing of
Chrifi^s Vicar y which your Holmefs is undoubtedly.
And as the things 1 hear of your Holinefs by our
Tilgrimsy which go from hence f^Jerufalem^ and
from thence to Rome^ and that not without a
Miracle y do fill me with incredible Joy and T lea-
fur e 5 fo there is nothing I would re Joyce info much^
as to have a fijorter way found out for my Ambaf-
jadorsy that fo I might hear from you before I die ,
which I trufi in God I Jliall do by fome means or
ether, I befeech God to freferve you in Health and
and Holinejs,
I Kifs your holy Feet^ and do humbly beg
} our Bleffing. Your Holinefs will re--
ceive thefe Letters from our Brother,
John King of Portugal, who will fend
them to you by our AmbalTador Franas
Alvarez,,
The Ha- \^q j-^ay judge what mean thoughts King
bafy to""' J'^'"' h^^ ^f thefe Letters and Amballadors to
the Pope ^^^ Pope, by their lying unregarded Five
little re- Years at Lisbon before they were lent to Rome;
garded. and by his fending them at laft, only to do
Honour to his Nehpew Don Martin de Fortuga/^
when
fv
<
0/ E T H I O P I. A. 7y
when he fent him Ambaflador to that Court
with the following Letter.
To the mo ft Holy Father in Chrift, an J the
moft BleJJ'ed Lord ^ Pope Clement the
I lid. i?y Divine Providence frefiding
over the whole Church.
To the moft Holy Father in Chrtfi, ami the moft
Blejfed Lord, the mofi devout Son of the fame
Holinefsy John^ hy the Grace of God, King of
Portugal and Algarves on this fide and the
other Jide of the Sea 0/ Africk, Lard cff Guinea,
and of the Conquefis^ Navigation^ and Com-
merce of Ethiopia , Arabia , Perfia , and
India : After having moft humbly ktjjed your
Holy feet,
MOST Holy Father in Chrift^ and moft After ha-
Blefled Lord : The King^ my Lord and ving lain
Father, being fenfible how acceptable it would be to i^'^^i
God, that the moft remote Regions of Ethiopia and ^^ i^^hon
India, which in thefe farts had been only heard of it w^as fent
by a doubtful fame, flwuld be Sailed to by the in- to Rome,
dujtrious Navigation of Chriftians, did at the be- J^V ^^ an
ginning of his Reign , fend divers of his Caf tains ^^^^^^f
and SubjeBs with great Fleets, to difcover the pendixto^
Coafis of thofe Countries^ which he did to that Portuguefe
end , that the Mahometans and Heathens of EmbafTy.
thofe Climates might be brought to acknowledge the
Truth of the Chriftian Faith, not knowing but
that fome Nations which were Chriftians already,
(for juch there were reported to be) might be found
oat in the Courfe of fucb Difcoverksy thus th
rough
76 The Church' Hijiory
rough the Divine DireBion^ the whole Country of
Guinea ipas travelled over ^ in jvhich the King
of Manicongo , Tuith vaft numbers of his Suh-
jeBs.y was Bapiz>ed'y as were feveral other Na^
tions in India^ Perfia, and Arabia, by the Indu-
firy and Piety of our SuhjeBs^ and even thoje
£r evinces which were not forward at firf; to em-
brace Chriftianity, do ftow begin to follow the
Example of their Neighbours ^ who notwithftand-
ing the great Loffes he fufiained in his Ships ^ Cap^
tmns y Nobles , and other Subjects , was not, as
becomes a Vioits Chrifian^ difcouraged thereby , jo
as to give over thole Voyages ^ iyt the Progrejs
whereof our Fleets have penetrated into the Red-
Sea^ in which no Chrifiian Ship had ever been be-
fore y that Sea being jvholly in the hands of the
Turks ; and did after a long andjharp Wiir difcovcr
the Coafts of the moll- Potent King of Ethiopia ,
who is commonly called Pretegya^ and who with_
all his SiibjeBs is a fVbrJhipper of Chrifl 'y to
which King our Father immediately difpatched an
Ambafjador, with an intention to reduce him to
the Obedience of the Holy Apofiolical See ^ by cer-
tifying him , That your Holmefs fits in the Chair
of St. Peter, and are the only Vicar of Chrift
upon Earthy to whom all Chriflum Kings do ipith
great Ve?ieration ufe to yield Obedience, And not
long after , the (aid Kmg of Ethiopia fcnt two
AmbaJJadors , in Company vnth ours when they
returned home \ one of which was his Natural"
born SubjeB , and the other a Stranger j during
which timey God was pleafed to take our Father s
Soul to himfelf'y and v^e having fucceeded him
in the Throne y did withour delay endeavour by
our Captains that were in India ^ to certify the
faid
(
o/E
T H I o r I' A. ';y
[aid K'trjg of Ethiopia of our Father s Death, and
of our Refoliilicn to curry on and finijJj what he
had fo glorwujiy begun fcr the Service of Chrifij-
an'tty : This cur DecUration havp-g been highly
extolled by the faid King^ he thereupon diffatched
an Ambafjador to us, who ts (till Refidtnt at our
Court, and with him our ChaflainFTcLTiCiS AW^TQZ,
who was one of the AjnbafjaJors fent wr^ Ethiopia
hy our Father, This Francis Alvarez is nowfent by
the faid King to Rome, to yield Obe dunce to your
Holinefs in that Kings Name, and in, the Name
of all his SubjeSlts : H'e have detained him here
for fome time , being wiUirg for divers Reafcns^
that he jlwuld accompany our dear Nephew, Mar-
tin de Portugal, our Coun cellar and Ambafja-
dor, whom we have ordered to frejent the jaid
Francis Alvarez , Ambafjador of the faid Ki?jg
of Ethiopia, to your Holinefs, to yield Obe dunce
TO you y as alfo to accjuaint you with what the
Ambafjador of the /aid King that was fen t to tss ,
has laid befm'e us, together with the Copies of that
Kings Letters to us 5 wherefore your Holmtfs will
do a thing that will be very acceptable unto Cjod,
if in all this Affair you do give entire Credit to
the faid Martin, our Ambafjador y for artairJy
great thanks ought to be returned to God , for ha-
ving m the ti^e of your Pontificate dof^e fa
gr^at a favour to your Holinefs , that a Tort ion
of Chriftians, who as to the largnefs of their Ccur.-
try y are nothing inferior to this of ours , fliould
confent to the Catholick Faith , arjd to the Ro-
man Church y by yielding 0bedie?jce to it. M^e
for our farts are very thankful to God, for having
made uje of our Mini fry in the ReduBwn of this
Kt^g : There being iiQthirg wore for the fraife of
trff€
78
The Por*
fuguefe
and Ha-
bajjin Am-
bafladors
had their
Audience
of the
Pope at
Bomnia,
The Church' Hijiory
true Tiety, than to behold Ethiopia joyned with
Europe in the Unity of the Chrifiian Vrofejjion^
May our Lord God he f leafed to encreafe and pre^
fer^e the Felicity of your Holmejs according to your
own defire^
Dated at Settuval the zZth
o{ Mayy 1552.
King ^ohn having made the Hahajfm Em-
peror's Complements, in his Letters to the
Pope, to amount to a formal fubmiflion of
himfelf, his Church and Empire, to him,
muft make his having detained an Embaflage
of that Moment, and which he himfdf Mag-
nifies lb much, fo long at Lisbon^ to be the
more wonderful : But what it fhould be, that
after having flighted this EmbaiTy for five
long Years, induced him to trump it up thus,
if it were not to do his Nephew Honor, is a
Myftery I ftiall leave to the Reader to un-
riddle ; having only obferved , that there
were two Creations of Cardinals foon after
it came to Rome.
The Portuguefe and Habaffin Ambafladors
being arrived at Bononia, where the Pope and
the Emperor Charles the Fifth were together
at that time, they had the 29th of January
given them for the Day of their publick Au-
dience. When being introduced into a pub-
lick Confiflory, at which the Emperor was
prefent ; the Portuguefe prefented his Matter's
Letters to the Pope, together with the Co-
pies of thofe which had been fent to him
and his Father by the Kingoi Ethiopia. When
ths
1
of E
T H I 0 P I A.
79
the Vortuguefe had done, the Hahaffm prefented
his Mafter's Letters to the Pope, and with
them a Gold Crofs that weighed about a
Pound. And having made the fubmiflion of
the Emperor of Erhiopta, and of his whole
Church and Empire, to his Holinefs, he was
afterwards admitted to kifs his Foot, and af-
ter that his Hand, and at laft his Mouth ;
and having delivered the following Speech in
Tortuguefey it was fpoke aloud in Latin by the
Secretary of the Vortuguefe EmbafTy.
MOST Holy and Bleffed Father , the mofi The H»^
Serene and Votent Lord David I Kmg of ^^^^^^
the Great and High Ethiopia, who ts commonly fubmif.
called Pretegya , and who IS no lefs glorious for fion to the
the veneration he has for the True Religion^ than Pope.
for his Empire y Wealthy and Kingdoms y has Jent
this Amhaffador to your Holinefs 7vith the Letters
he has deli'vered to youy commanding him to yield
obedience and fuhjeBion to your Holmejs , in his
Namey and m that of his Kingdoms, as ChrtjFs
Vicar , and St. Peter's Succefjor , and the Chief
Tontiff of the whole Church , and to prefent you
with a Gold Crofs, which he hopes your Holinefs y
not regarding the value thereof which is but fmally
but the veneration thai is due to it , for ChrijFs
having fuffered thereon for our fakes y will be pleaj-
ed to accept of j befeeching your Holinefs yin rhe name
of the faid PrmoCy to accept of all that he has offer--
edy with a pious aff'eHion of a Father y for your mofb
devout Son.
To which Harangue the Pope's Secretary
returned the following Anfwer.
Our
80 The Church*Hijlory
The f^\l^ ^ ^^fi ^^(y Lor J Joth receiz/e you^ my
Pope's \J Lord Francis Alvarez^ the Amhafjador of
^" h^^H ^^^ ^^-^ y^r^ ??^ David, X/;?^ 0/ Ethiopia, toge-
haffm Am- ^^^^ 'ii'tth his Obediencey Gift and Letters^ with a
baifador. good PFilly and Taternal Ajfe^iony and doth re-
turn T'hanks to God that fuch Letter s^ and fuch an
AmbajJ'ador jhould come in the time of his Ponti-
ficate, from fo great and remote a Chrifian Em-
feror ^ he hath heard what you ha've faid^ with
Attention and great Joy^ and has with his Vene-
rable Brethren^ the Cardinals^ gracioufly accepted
of your Maflers Obedience^ as aJfo of his Gift y both
for the Hhnour that is due to the Holy Crofsy and the
good AffeSlion of the Donor, And he doth furthermore
highly extoly in the Lordy the mofi ferene King of
Portugal, who befides the other great Ser^vices
done by himfelf and Progenitorsy to the Common-
wealth and Chrifiian Faithy has likewife dejerved
well of King David, by having entred into an
Alliance with himy a7id having procured your be-
ing fent with thefe Letters to the Pope, What re-
mains isy hts Holinefs will endeavour to the utmofi
of his Power y fofar as the great dijlance that is be-
twixt their Countries will permit y fo to fat is fie the
defires of the faid Kingy as to make htm jenfible of
his beiftg in the Place of a mo ft dear Son in Chriff-y
and in the AffeBion and Efleem of his Holincfsy
and the Holy Apoflolical SeCy no lefs than oth^r
Chriflian Princes, And his Holinefs will treat
with the A^baffador of Portugal and yon co7iccrn-
ing thefe Aff^irsy and will by hts Letters and Nun-
cio's Return an Anfwer to all that your King has
defired,
Zaga
of¥.
T H I o r I A.' 8 1
Zaga 2aha hdving nothing elfe to do at 7.ngaZa-
Lishofj, and being willing to ingratiate him- ^"^'^ ^^^
felf with that Courts by reprefenting the Ha- Ambalfa
hajfjJn Church as agreeing with the Roman in dor at uj-
the Chief Docftrines wherein the Reformers bon) Ac
contradict her ; did put Pen to Paper ^ ^^^*^ul^^^
drew up the following Account of the Reli- ^j^^^ ^^^
gion, Cuftoms, and Rites of his Countrey. Cuftoms
of his
___. Counrte>^
^n Account of the Habaffin Religion^ and
Cujloms^ compofed hy TLzga. Zaba, the
Kjy)g of Ethiopia'/ Ambaffador ; and
tvritten with his own Hand at Lisbon.
In the Name of our Lbrdjefus Chrifi. Amen.
WE believe in the Name of the Holy
Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghoit , who are One Lord , and Three
Names ; One Divinity , and Three Faces,
though but One Similitude ; and are an equal
conjunction of Perfons ^ equal, I fay, in Di-
vinity 5 One Kingdom , One Throne , One
Word, One Spirit ; the Word of the Father,
and the Son, and the Word of the Holy Spi-
rit ; and the Son is the lame Word, the Word
with God , the Word with the Holy Spirit,
and with Himfelf, without any defed, or
divillon ; the Son of the Father, the Son of
the very Father, without any beginning, and
at firft the Son of the Father without a Mo^
ther 5 the Segret and Myftery of whofe Na-
G tivityf
8 1 The Church Bijlory
tivity is known to none but the Father,
Son y and Holy Spirit. This Son in the
beginning was the Word y and the Word
was the Word with God , and God was the
Word : The Spirit of the Father, the Holy
Spirit, the Spirit of the Son the Holy Spirit,
and the Holy Spirit its own Spirit ; without
any diminution or augmentation ; That Holy
Spirit is the Comforter of the living God,
^fjo proceedeth from the Father and the Son^ and
Tvho [pake by the month of the Trofhets , and def-
cended in a flame of fire on the Apoftles in the gate
ofSicn, and who p-eached the word of the Father ^
which Word the very Son was all over the
World ; wherefore as the Father is not firft,
notwithftanding he is the Father; nor the
Son laft ^ notwithftanding he is the Son ; fo
likewife the Holy Spirit is neither firft nor laft,
but they are Three Perfons in OnQ God,
who feeth, and is feen by no-body ; and who
by his only Council created all things. The
Son did of his own accord, the Father being
willing^ and the Holy Ghoft confenting, def-
cend from his higheft Habitation, and was
incarnate by the Holy Spirit in the Womb of
the Virgin Mary ; who was adorned with a
double Virginity, the one Spiritual, the other
Carnal ; he was born without any Corrup-
tion, his Mother, Mary ^ remaining a Virgin
after her delivery ; and by a Miracle, and a
fecret Fl^me of the Divinity brought forth her
Son Jefus^ without blood, and without pain ;
who was perfedly Innocent , and without
Sin ; being perfed: God, and per fed Man ;
and having only oue Afped^ he grew by de-
• grees
O/ E T H 1 O P I A. 83
grees as an Infant , fucking the Milk of the
Virgin Mary , his Mother ; and coming to
Thirty Years of Age^ he was baptiz'd in Jor-
da?}y and did walk^ and was weary^ and did
hunger and ihirfl:, as othermen do; all thefc
things he fuffercd voluntarily^ and of his own
accord, and wrought many Miracles ; refto-
ring, by the power of his Divinity, light to
the Blind , curing the Lame , cleanfing the
Lefers y raifing the Dead ; after all v*/hich_, he
himfelf was apprehended, and whipt, and
fcourged , and crucified ; He languiflied and
died for our Sins , and by his Death over-
came Death, and the Devil ; and by his lively
Agony diffolved our Sins, and bore our Infir-
mities : By the Baptifm of his Blood, that is^
his Death, he baptized the Patriarchs, and
Prophets , and defcended into Hell ^ where
the Souls of Adam and his Sons were^ as alfo
his own Soul, which was from Adam^ which
Soul Chrifl: received from the Virgin Mary^
who by the power and fplendor of his Divi-
nity _, and the ftrength of his Crofs , broke
the brazen fiery Gates of Hell, binding Sata7i
with Iron Chains , and refcuing Adam and
his Sons. All thefe things Chrift did, becaufe
he was full of the Divinity ; and the Divinity
it felf was with his Soul , as it was alfo with
his moft holy Body, which Divinity gave vir-
tue to the Crofs ^ and was what he always
had^ and will have for ever ^ in Trinity and
Unity in common with the Father ; Neither
did Chrifl , during the time he was in the
Flelh , ever want the Divinity and Dignity
thereof for on? moment. He was buried;, .md
G 2 on
84 Tfe ChurchHijlory
on the third day Jefus Chrift himfelf;, i|ie
Prince of the Refurred:ion ^ the moft fweet
Jefus Chrift , Jefus Ghrift the Prince of the
Priefts ^ Jeiiis Chrift the King of Ifrael^ did
with great power and ftrength rife^ and after
having finillied all things which were foretold
by the holy Prophets^ he afcended with glory
into Heaven^ and fitteth at the right hand of
the Father^ and will come with glory^ carry-
ing a Crofs before him ^ and in his hand a
Sword of Juftice^ to judge the quick and the
dead ^ of whofe Kingdom there Ihall be no
end. I believe one Holy Catholick and Apo-
ftolick Church ; I believe one Baptifm, which
is the Remiffion of Sins ; and I do hope for
the Refurredion of the Dead^ and the Life of
the Age to come. Amen.
I believe the holy Lady Mary to be a Vir-
gin both in Spirit and Fleft^ and do reverence
her as the Mother of God^ the Charity of all
Nations, the Holy of Holies, and the Virgin
of Virgins. I believe in the holy Wood of
the Crofs, the Bed of the Agony of our Lord
Jefus Chrift the Son of God, who is our Salva-
tion, for thorough him we are faved ; which,
notvvithftanding it is an offence to the Jews^
and to the Gejinks fooliilinefs, we do preach,
believing it to be the power of the Crofs of our
Lord Chrift, as our Dodor St. 'Paul hath com-
manded. I do believe St. Veter to be the Rock
of the Law^ vi'hich Law is built upon the ho-
ly Prophets, and the Foundation and Head
of the Catholick and Apoftolick Church of
the Eaft and Weft, where the Name of Our
Lord Jefus Chrift is , the Power of which
Church
of E T H I 0 V I A^. 8 J.
Church is in St. Feter , as is alfo the Kins;-
dom of Heaven^ with which he can open and
ihut^ bind and loofe^ and who lliall lit with
the other Apoflles, his Companions, upon
Twelve Seats with honour and praiie^ together
with our Lord Jefus Chrifl: ; who upon the
Day of Judgment is to pafs Sentence upon us,
which will be a day of joy to the Saints, and
of forrow and gnaihing of teeth to Sinners,
when they ihall be thrown into the flames of
Hell , with their Father the Devil. I do be-
lieve the holy Prophets , Apoftles^ and Mar-
tyrs, and Confeffors, to have been true Imi-
tators of Chrifl: , whom ^ together with the
moft holy Angels of God, I do venerate^ and
honour, and do in the fame manner embrace
and reverence all their Followers.
I believe there ought to be an Oral Con-
fefHon of all Sins made to a Prieft, by whofe
Prayers, thorough Our Lord Jefus ChriiV, I do
hope to obtain the falvation of my Soul : I
do furthermore acknowledge the i^<?w^« Pontiff
to be the firfl: Biftiop and Paftor of all the Sheep
of Chrift. I do likewife obferve and obey all
Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbifhops, and Bi-
(hops, of whom he is the Head of the Mini-
fters of Chrifl.
This is my Faith,and Law,and the Faith and
Law of the People of Ethiofta^ who are under
the Empire of Precwm Joh?i ; which Faith and
Love of Chrift are fo eftablifhed among us ,
chat neither Death, nor Fire, nor Sword, re-
lying on Chrift's affiftance, lliall ever be able
to oblige me to deny it, this being the Faith
G 3 we
U The Church Hijlory
we are all to carry on the Day of Judgment
before the Face of Our Lord Jefus Chrift.
I come now to explain the Difcipline^ Do-
cStrine^ and Law^ which the Apoftles^ affem-
bled together at Jerujalem ^ did lay doWn in
the holy Bocks of Synods and Canons^ called
by us Manda Abet h Us ^thok Books of the Law of
holy Church are Eight in number; concerning
vvhich^ having had fome difcourfe with feve-
ral Learned Men here in Fortugd ^ I never
met with one that had ever heard of them
before. The Obfervances prefcribed in thofe
Books are as folio weth.- (i.) That we are to
faft upon all Wednefdays ^ in memory of its ha-
ving been decreed by the Jewijh Council up-
on that day^ That Chrift fliould be put to
death : We are commanded likev^ife to fail
upon all Friday Sy becaufe Chrift was crucify 'd,
and -died for our Sins on that day ; upon
which two days we are commanded to eat
nothing till Sun-fet. During the 40 days of
Le?7t we are commanded to £ift with Bread
and Water, and co be employed feven hours
in the day in Divine Service ; bv the fame
Edidrs we are commanded to Adminifter the
Sacraments in the Evenings of iVcdvefdays and
Fridrjs, becaufe our Saviour expired at that
time on the Crols : We are furthermore com-
manded to afiemblc together unanimouOy on
the Lord's Day in rhe^Church tliree hours af-
ter Sun-rifing;, to read and hear the Books of
the Prophets, and rffier wards to preach the
Gofpel, and Adminifter the Sacrament; they
have furthermore appointcdNinc days to be ob->
rcfved
O/ E T H I O P 1 A. 87
(erved as Feftivities in honour of Chrift, to
wit, the A7mimciM'io7i , the NatLvity^ the C/r-
cumcifiofjy the Purification, or Day of Candles,
of Baptifm , of TrcVsJ.figurjtmi , Palm-Stm^Idj,
until the Ochi'ves of (jood-Fridny , which are
twelve days, of the Afccnfion and Pa fit (cop, with
their Feftivities according to thefe Books : We
are without exception to e.it Flerti every day
from Rafter to Pcutccoft, neither are we bound
to faft till after the Otta^ss of Pentecofl-, which
is obferved for the greater honour and vene-
ration of the RefurretfHon of our Lord Jefus
Chrift ; they command us likewife to celebrate
the Days of the Death and Affiimption of the
Virgin Mary with great honour : But befides
the Precepts of the Apoftles^ a certain Precious
yohn, whofe name was Zara Jacob, ordained
3 1 days in every year to be kept in honour of
the faid BlefTed Virgin ; and a day in every
Month in honour 0I Chrift's Nativity, which
is always the 2)th of the Month ; and a day
likewife in every Month to he obferved in ho-
nour of St. Michael.
Furthermoi-e, in obedience to the faid Syj^od
of thcAtioftle'Sy we do celebrate the day oiStSi^-
iphQn,a?2d other Martyrs ^2nd are bound by the In-
Itinition of the Apoftles to obferve tv/o days,
to wit, the Sahbath, and Lord's-Day, on which
k is not lawful for us to do any work^ no not
theleaft, on the Sabbath-Day, becaufeGod,
after he had finillied the Creation of the
World, refted thereon : Which Day, as God
would have it called the Holy of Holies, fo the
not celebrating thereof with great honour and
devotion, feems to be plainly contrary to God's
G 4 Will
88 The ChurchHtjlory
Will and Precept^ who will fujfer Hea^ven an^
Earth to fafs away fooner than his Wordy and
that efpecially^ fence Chrifi came not to diffol^ve
the Law^ hut to fulfil it. It is not therefore in
imitation of the Jews ^ but in obedience to
Chrift, and his holy Apoftles^ that we obferve
that Day, the favour that was fliewed herein
to the Jews being transferred to us Chnfiians ;
fo that, excepting Lent ^ we eat Flefh every
Saturday in the Year; but in the Kingdoms of
Barna^ausy Tigre^ and Mahon^ the Chriftians,
according to ancient cuftome, do eatFleflion
all Saturdays and Sundays^ even in Lent, We
do obferve the Lord's-D^y after the manner o£
all other ChriftianSj in memory of Chrif's Re-
fmreBion : But as we are fenfible that we have
the obfervation of the Sabbat h-Day from the
Books of the La :iyy and not from thofe ofth€ Go-
A Falfe- jf"t4 ^^ we are not ignorant that the Gofpel is
Iiood. the end of the Law and the Prophets : On
thofe forementioned Days , we believe the
Souls of the Jufl: departed this Life, not to be
tormented in Purgatory^, which eafe will be
granted by God to them upon thofe two moft
holy Days/" until the term of their fufferiDg
for their Sins is expired, and they are- entirely
delivered; to the ihortning and micigacing of
which Torments , we believe the Alms diat
are given for the relief of the Souls in purga-
tory do contribute much ; towards the remif-
iion of which Souls, tho- j^atriarch graph's m In-
The^hi' (lulgences y 7i'hich we hdie've belongs to God only ^
Tia never ^^ ^Y\tx he only conilitutes the time of their
InHu]4a- puniiliment; neither does the Fa/narch grant
ges. ^ Indulgences on any occajm. The Gofpel obligeth
of E T H I o p r A." 8p
us to obferve only die Six Precefts y which
Chrift with his own mouth has explained, as
follows, I oi^as bung}')', and you gave me meat ; I
Tvas thirfiy , and you ga^ve me drink • 1 was a
(t r anger y and you entertained me y naked y and you
covered me ; ficky and you vifited me ; in prtfony
ayd joH came unto me ; which are all words that
will be fpoke by Chrift at the Day of Judgment ;
For the Law _, as St. Taul fays, fljeweth m our
jlnsy which Law^ without Chrtfiy none is able to The Hx'
keep : Paul witnefleth likewife, that we are all ^#w^ Re-
born in fin, by reafon of the Tranfgreflion ^*f^^^."'
i^ndCurfe of our Mother £^e; PW faith fur- S^nalbin.]
thermore, that we died thorough Adam, and
do live thorough Chrift, who of his infinite
mercy gave us thefe Six Precepts, that when
he comes in Majefty to judge the Quick and
Dead, we may be laved : With which Words
and Precepts he will on the Tremendous Day
of Judgment allot everlafting Glory to the
llighteous, and to the Wicked Fire and Ever-
lafting Damnation. We do reckon only five
mortal Sins y as they call them, which are ga-
thered out of the laft Chapter of the Revela-
tions y where it is faid, IVithout are dogs y and
witches y and unclean perjonsy and murthercrsy and
idolaters , a7id every one who Icveth and maketh
a lye.
It is conftituted by the holy Apoftles, in the clerks
Book of Synods , that it is lawful for Clerks to may mar-
marry y and that even after they have fome ^y-
knowledge of Divine Matters ; who after
they are married, are received into the Or-
der of Presbyter, to which none are admitted
before they are 30 years of Age 5 neiiher are
Baftards
po The Church*Hiflory
Baftards ever admitted to it. Holy Orders
are conferred by nope but the Patriarch; and
after the death of their firft Wives, neither Bi-
ft ops nor Presbyters are permitted to marry a
fecond time^ unkfs the Tatriarcb fiali th'mkfit to
Aiffence ivith them^ivhlch he docs fometimes ^to emi-
nent Perlbns^ and when it is for the Publick
good : Neither are they fuffered to kee^ Concu-
hinesy unlefs they do voluntarily give over of-
ficiating, after which they mu ft no more med-
dle with holy things ; and this is fo ftridly
obferved ^ that the Presbyters^ who marry a
fecond time^ muft not prefume fo much as to
take a confecrated Candle in their hands; and
if any Bifliop or Clerk is found to have had a
Bafrardy he is deprived of his t)rdersy and all
liisEcclefiaftical Benefices ; andhisGoods^ if he
dies without Children lawfully begotten, do
all go to Freciom John ^ and not to the Patri-
arch : That it is lawful for Presbyters to have
Wives, we have received from St. 'Paul^ who
would rather have both Clergy and Laity to
marry, than to burn ; v/ho faith likewife, that
a Bi/Iiop rnuft be the Husband of one Wife,
that 15 unbiameable and fober, and in the fame
manner the Deacons; and all Ecclefiafticks as
well as Secular ought to have their own law-
ful Wives. Our Monks, notwithftanding this,
do not marry, and neither Laicks nor Clerks
among us can have above one Wife at a
time.
With us Marriages are not celebrated at the
Door of die Church, but in private Houfes ;
we arc taught likevv^ife by the Conftitution of
the Apoftles, That if a Prieft is convicfled of
Adultery^
o/E
T H I O P I A.
Adultery y Murther , Tfjeft^ or of having gi'ven
falfe Tefiimony ^ that he ought to be deprived
of his Orders, and punifhed as other Malefa-
dors in the lame kind ; and that an Eccleil-
aftick, or Layman, after Iiaving known his
Wife, or having been polluted in his ileep,
ought not in 24 hours after that to enter into
the Cliurch, which Women are not to enter
into, till the 7th day after theirmenftrua's are
over,and until they have waflied all the Clothes
they had on at that time : Furthermore , a
Woman that is delivered of a Man-child , is
not fuffered to enter into the Church till after
40 days, and of a Female, not till about 80
days, which Cuftom of the Old Law is com-
manded likewife by the Apoftles, whofe Laws,
Conftitutions and Precepts, we do, fo far as
we are able, obferve in all Cafes.
It is likewife forbidden among us to fuffer The Ha-
Heathens^ or Degs^ or any other fuch CreatMves^ hajfim
to come within our Chwrches ; neither is it law- ^^^'^ ^
ful for us to go into them otherwife th(m bare^ ?!!!^:I^
]COt \ or to lai4gh^ walk.^ or J^it^ or fj)eak of Je- for their
cular things , in them : For the Churches of Churches.
Ethiopia are not like the Land wherein the
People of Ijrael did eat the Pajchal Lamb y as
they were going out of Egyft , where God
commanded them to eat -wuh their jhooes on^
and ivith their loins girt ^ becaufe of the pollution
of the Imd : But they are like the Mount Smai^
where the Lord fpoke to Mofes^ f^'iying, Mo[esy
Mo/es, ftft ojf' thy jlwoesy for the ground vjhtreon thou
treadeft y is holy : Now this Mount Sinai was
the Mother of our Churches , from which
they derive their original, as the Apoftles did
from
9^ The Church^ Hijlory
from the Prophets y and the New Tefiament
from the OlJ.
Furthermore it is not lawful for a Prieft^ or
Layman^ or any other Perfon of what condi-
tion foever^ after the receiving of the Vene-
rable Sacrament, to Spt from Morning till Sun-
TheH^- fety and jvhoe^uer does it^ is feverely TimiJIjed, In
daj/ins are Memory of Chrift v^e are alfo Baptized every
all Bapti- 2>^r on the day of Epiphany ^ which is not
every year ^^^^ ^Y ^^ ^^ ^ ^^^^§ neceffary to Salvation,
on the day but only for the Praife and Glory of our
of the Lord; Neither is there any Feaft that we Ce-
Efiphmy. lebrate with fo great Solemnities as this, be-
caufe it was on this day that the Moft Hoiy
Trinity firft appeared manifeftly, when our
Lord Jefus Chrift was Baptized in the River
of Jordan^ on whofe Head the Holy Spirit
Defcended at that time, in the Figure of a
Dove^ and a Voice from Heaven faid. This is
?ny beloved Son^ i^i vjhom I am well f leafed:
. Which Holy Spirit being in the Shape of a
White Dove ^ did appear with the Face and
Figure of the Father and Son in One Divinity :
After the lame manner Chrift was feen by
the Prophets under various Forms and Simi-
litudes ; firft in the Figure of a White Ram^
for the prefervation of Ijaac the Son of Abra-
ham ; after the fame manner he called Jacob
Ifrael'^ and Jacob called Judah^ to whom he
gave power over his Brethen, A lions Ji^'help^
laying, Aly [on thou 7venteft up to the prey, and
refi77g didfi lie down as a lion, and as a lionefsy
who fhall rouz^e thee? He manifefted himfelf
like wife to Alofes in the Figure of a flame of
fre on momp Smai , and in the iikenefs of a
Rock
ofE
T H I O P I A. ^5
Roch to the Holy Prophet Daviel; and to
Ezekiel :i9> thQ So7t of mnn\ and to Ifaias in the
Form of an Infant ; he appeared to King
Dci'uid and Gideon in dew upon a fleece ; and
befides the forementioned^ was feen under di-
vers other Similitudes by the Holy Vrophets ;
under all which various Figures^ he ftill bore
the Similitude of the Father ^nd the Holy Ghoft ;
and fince God_, when he Created the World,
faid. Let fis make man after our own image and
ftmtlttudey and he did make Adam after his
own Similitude ahd Image; we do for that
reafon fay. That the Father^ Son, and Holy
Gbofi^ are Three Faces in one Sifnilitude and
Divinity.
We have alfo retained Circumcifion from -^^^y q^[^^
the time of Queen Saha till this day; this cumcife
Queen's true Name was Mae^ueda , who both Men
had Worfhipped Idols after the manner of her ^"^ ^°'
Anceftors^ until having heard much of the
Wifdom of Solomon^ fhe fent a Prudent Per-
fon to Jertifalem to certifie her whether that
King*s Wifdom was fo great as it was reported;
and after being fatisfied that it was fo, flie
took a Journey to Jerusalem her felf^ where
among other things, fhe was Inftruded by
Solomon in the Law and the Prophets, and had
the Books thereof beftowed upon her: As
jhe was on her Journey home, fhe was Deli-
vered of a Son begot by Solomm^ whom fhe
Named Meilech^ and carried with her into
Ethiopa ; where having remained till he was
Twenty Years Old, he went up to Jerufalem
to Villt his Father, and to learn Knowledge
and Wifdom by him ; the Queen by Letters
in^-'-eated
94 1^1^^ Church'HiJiory
iritreated Solomon to Confecrate his Son Mei-
A blind kch King of Ethiopia^ before the Ark of the
ftory of Covenant and the Teftament of the Lord,
o{Ma^ and that alter fach a manner;, as to make it
and her Unlawful, for the future, for a Woman to
Son, Reign in Etoiofia^ as was then the Cuftom,
and that the Males only in a dire6l Line
ihould Inherit the Crown ; Meikch when he
came to Jerufdem^ did with eafe obtain all
his Mother had defired, and inftead of Mei-
kch^ was Named David by Solomon:^ who
having fufficiently Inftruded him in the Law
and other Sciences, fent him home to his
Mother, in^much greater State and Splendor
than he came with, fending feveral of the
Nobles, and of their Sons, in his Train to
ferve him, and together with them Az,arms a
Prince among the Priefts, the Son of Sadock^
who was likewife a Sacerdotal Prince ; where-
upon Az>anas put David upon asking leave of
his Father for him to offer Sacrifice before
the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord for a
profperous Journey, which he obtained ; Az.a-
rias after having with great fpeed and fecrecy
got Tables made in imitadon of the Tables
of the Covenant of the Lord, did whilft he
was offering Sacrifice, with great dexterity
fteal the true Tables of the Ark of the Cove-
nant, and put his new ones in the place of
them, none but God and himfelf being con-
icious to what he had done ; this among us
in Ethiopia is declared to be a mod certain
and facred Truth, being delivered to us in the
Hiftory of the faid King David, which is a
Book about the bigaefs of St, Ptwh Epiltles, and
very
of E
T H I O P I A. 95'
very pleafanc to read : When D^i/ziwas come
to the Borders of Ethiopia^ Jz^arias- going one
day into his Tent, difcovered to him what he
had lb induftrioufly concealed^ telling him he
had brought the Tables of the Covenant of the
Lord along with him 5 whereupon D^wid went
ftraightways with him to the place where diofe
Tables were kept^ and after the example of
his Grandfather D^'vidy danced before them
with great exultation^ as did alfo the whole
Company : When he returned home^ his Mo-
ther refigned the Empire to him immediately,
from which time^ which is now near 2600
Years to this day, the Empire of Ethiopia has
defecended from Male to Male in a Right
Line. We have alfo ever fines retained the
Law of God and Circumcifion^ and the Mi-
ni dries prefcribed by Solowon to his Son for the
Government of the Court ; all which do to
this day continue in the fame Families, and
in the fame Order; neither is it lawful for the
Emperor to put People of another Race into
ajny of thofe Offices. Furthermore, at the
Command of the faid Queen Macfueda , Wo-
men are Circumcifed alfo among us: Men
and Women are Ctrcumcifed on the Eighth day,
but Male-Children are not Baptized till the The Eu>
Fortieth y nor Female till the Eightieth day charift is
after their Birth, without it be in cafe of ^^^g^^'^jj'
Sicknefs, and when that happens the Chil- children
dren are not allowed to Suck their Mothers when
until after ih^y are purifed -^ the Water where- they are
in Children are Baptized is Confecrated by Exor- ^^?^^^^'
alms 'y and on the lame day they are Chriftned,
they Recei've the Vencrnbk Body of Chrifi under
the Element of Bread. We
^6 Tf?e ChurchHifiory
We were among thefirft Chriftians that
received Baptilm^ that Sacrament having been
brought among us by the Eunuch of Candace
Queen of Ethiopia^ who is fpoke of in the
ABs of the Afofiles ; his Name^ according to
our Tradition^, was Indick, from which time
to this day^ both Baptifm and Circumcifion
have been in ufe among us, and mod Reli-
gioufly and Chriftianly obferved , and
thorough God's Grace will be fo for ever.
We do obferve nothing but what we find in
the Law and the Prophets, and in the Books
of the Synods of the Apoftles ; or if any
thing elfe is obferved by us, it is done only
for the fake of Order, and for the Peace of
the Church, fo as not to reckon it to be a Sin
Circumci- not to obferve it • wherefore our Circumcifi-
^hf^^T^ on is not Uncleannefs, but it is the Law ^nd
by them ^^^^^^ which was given to our Father Ahra^
as a Sacra- ^^^^ ''^nd which he received from God as a
ment, but Sign, not that he or his Sons fliould be Saved
f-^frtf!!^^ by Circumcifion, but that his Pofterity might
be diftinguiflied thereby from all other Nati-
ons ; and as for what is fignified by Circumci-
fion, we do obferve it exadly by having our
Hearts Circumcifed ; neither do we Glory
upon theaccount of Circumcifion, or prefer
our felves to other Chrillians thereupon, or
reckon our felves for it the more acceptable to
God, with whom there is no acceptance of
Perfons, as Tatd te.ftifies; who tells us liivewife^-
that we cannot be Saved by Circumcifion, but
by Faith ; for in Chrift Jefus neither cinumcl^
fan a^aileth any thing^^ nor uncircumcifion^ hut a
miu QYQatuK $ now $y this, faul did not in-
tend
Cuftom.
of E T H I o V I ^^. p7
tend to deflroy the Law^ but to eftablifh it,
for he himfelf was Circumcifed^ being of the
Seed of Bciijam'm j he Circumcifed Timothy
likewife after he was made a ChrilHan, his
Mother being a Jf^'ivefi^ notvvithftanding his
Father was a Gevtile^ knowing that God ap-
prov^es both of Circumcifion that is in Riith,
and of Un circumcifion which is by Faith_,
for as he himfelf tells, hz was made all things
to all men^ that he might [a^ve all '^ to the yews he
became a Jew, that he might gain the jfews^
and to thofe that were tmder the law, as if he had
been ttfuhr the law, which he was not, that he
ynight gain thofe who were under the law\ and to
thofe who were without the law, as if hs had
been without the lavj, whereas he was not with-
out the Law of God, but was in the Law of
Chrift, that he might gain them who were with-
out the Lw j he alfo became weak, that he might
gam ihe weak , which he did, that he might
iliew that it was not by Circumcifion, but by
Faith diat we muft be Saved ; and fo when
he Preached to x}l\q Hebrews, he fpoke to them
^% Hebrews, faying, Godhath at fundry times, and
in dinjers marmers J poke to our forefathers by the
Prophets ; and from thence proved to them
that Chiift was of the Seed of Da-vid ac-
cording to the Flefh ; he Preached likewife to
them, That Chrift was with our Fathers in
their Tents in the Defart, and did lead them
by the hand of Jojlma into the Land of Pro-
mife ,* he furthermore teftified. That Chrift
was the Prince of the Priefts, and had entered
into the Holy of Holies, which is the New Ta-
bernacle 5 and had by the Sacrifice of h^
p8 The Church Hiflory
Body and Bloody aboliflied the hkcd of Goats
and Btillsy by which none that canie^ could
be juitifiecl 5 and that he had fpoke to the
Jews in divers manners, and did fafFer him-
jTelf t-o be WorlKipped by his People with
divers rites, and an holy and un corrupt Faith.
TheChil- Furthermore, Thofe Children are locked
drenof upon by us as Half-Chnfi-ta7ts*^ Vv^ho, as I am
Chriflian ^qJJ^ ^j.^ reckoned to be Heathens by the Rc-
before^ '^^^ Church , upon account of their dying
they are without Baptifm ; whereas being the Children
Baptized of the holy Blood of Parents, who have been
are called Sandified by Baptifm and the Holy Spirit,
Tjnf.^''' and the Blood of our Lord Jefo Chrift, up-
on which Three Tcilimonies, all that are
Chriftians are reputed to be fuch, they ought
to be eileemed hhlf-Chnlttans'^ for there are
^jree who bear Witnefs on Earthy the Spirit ^
the Water , aiid the Bicod , as St. John tcM-
fieth in his firft Canonical Epiftle ; the Gofpel
fairh likewife, That a good tree hringcth forth
good fruity and an cud tree e-vil fruit 'y wherefore
the Children of Chrifiians are not as theChii-
dren of the Gamlesy Javs, and Alahometans^
who are dry Trees without Fruit, but are
qhofen in the Womb of theii' Mothers, as
the Prophet Jeretny and John the Baptift
were.
The Children of Chriffian Women are
fiiithermore Chofen and Sandified by the
Communication of the Body and Blood of
our Lord Jefus Chrift, received by their Mo-
ther^, from whom they derive their Nourifli-
irnent, during the time they are in their
Wombs y for as ati Infiint in the Womb re-
joycetU
o/ E T H 1 O' P I A. ^5>
joyceth or is forrowful^ according as its Mo-
ther is affeded, fo ic is nourifhed iikevv^ifc by
its Mothers nutritr.ent ; for as our Lord
faith in liis Holy Gofpcl, ^fhojoever fl}ull cat ?r,y
body anil drink my bloody Jljall 71c vcr tafl dcrah ;
and again, He that eatttb wyhody^ avd d.Yinkdh
7ny hived J ^)nll he with me : Paul likewife fpeak-
eth to the lame purpofe, when he fiith, the
u?jhelie'vif/g husband is jitpified by the btlie-vwg
ijj/fe, and the unbclie'VP/g vnfe by the believing
husband y othervjife your childre7t would be
unclean , ivbcreas now they are holy. Now
if the Children of an Uubelieving Mother
are notwithftanding that, Sandified by the
Faith of their Father, how much more holy
mud they be, vvhofe Father and Mother are
both Believers ? For which reafon it is much
more pious to call fuch Infants before they
are Baptized, Half-Chnfttans^ than Vagans. .
The Apoftles in their Bonk of Synods do
likewife affirm. That all who had Faith,
though they were not Baptized, may be called
Half-Chrifiians ^ in which Books it is did, that
if a y^w^ or Gentile, or Mahometan, do em-
brace the Faith, he ihall not be received pre-
fently, but muft firft come to the door of the
Church , there to hear Sermons , and the
words of our Saviour Chrift, and that being
difpofed to Believe, he may under ftand what
Chrift'' s yoke /;, after which he may be called
an Half'Chri/nan, even before he is admitted
to Baptifm ; which is alfo according to the
Gofpel, which faith. He that belie'veth, and is
baftiz^edy floallbe favcd] but he that bdicu^th noty
Jhall be co?ukmned,
H 2 It
100
Confirma-
tion and
Exrream
Unftion
no Sacra-
ments.
Tlie Scri-
pture the
parfefit
Rule of
Fdidi.
The Church" Hijhry
It is alfo the cuftom among us^ for Women
when they are with Child to Confefs their
Sins and receive the Lord's Body before they
are Deliv^ered ; and they who negled to do
this^ are looked upon as Wicked and Impious
Chriftians, as are alfo their Husbands for not
having obliged them to it.
Confirmation and Extrcam XJ-nBion are
not reckoned Sacraments among us , neither
are they in ufe in our Churchy as I fee they
are in the Roman,
We do furthermore reckon it contrary to the
Law of Moj^es^ and the Inftitutions of the
Apoftles ^ to eat unclean Meats ^ from all
which v/e do abftain merely in Obedience to
the Law and the Scriptures ; which with us
confifts of Eighty one Books , that is to fay ,
the Old Teftament confifts of Forty one
Books, and the New of Thirty five ; which
Canon, or Number of Books, we have ex-
prefly delivered to us by the Apoftles them-
lelves, and to which it is not lawful for us to
Add or Diminijh any thing, no not though
an Angel from Heaven fhould perfuade us to
it 5 and we do look upon him as Accurfed^
that fliall offer to do any fuch thing ; fo that
neither our P^^r/^'/v^ nor our Bifhop do reckon
that they can either by themfelves, or in a
Council y make any Laws ^ That People are
under an Obl'c-atw?i of a Mortal Sin to oh-
ier'vc.
In the Books of our Synods it is ordained
by the Holy Apoftles, That we muft confefs
our felves before we can receive Penance
fiom a ConfelTor, according to the greatnefi
of
/E
T H I O P I A.
101
of our Sin : Th^y teach us like wife how we
ought to Pray^ and fa ft, and how to exer-
cife Charity. Confeffion is much in u(e a-
mong us; for we have no fooner committed a
Sin, than we run and throw our felves at the
feet of a Confeflor ; this is the conftant pra-
ctice of all Men and Women of whatfoever
Quality or Condition ; and whenever we
Confefs y we do receive the Body of our
Lord under both Species, and in Wheatenand
Unleavened Bread ; fothat if we Confefs our
felves daily, we do daily receive the Sacra-
ment, as well Layicks as Ecclefiafticks. The
Sacrament of the Eucharift is not keft in our
Churches, as it is here in Europe ; neither is it
at any time Adminiftred to the Sick, until
after they are recovered. All among us
Layicks, as well as Clerks, do receive the Sa-
crament at leaft Three times a Week ; which
is never received any where but in the Church,
no not by the Patriarch, or Precious John him-
felf
We do always make ufe of the fame Con-
feiTor, and do never go to any other^but when
our own is abfent, to whom when he returns
we are bound to repair. The ConfeiTors do
in the Name of the Church, abfolve from all
Sins, there being no cafes, no not the moll:
heinous, referved to the Bifiiop or Patriarch ;
Presbyters are not allowed to Confefs them-
felves to thofe that they Confefs ; and among
us all Presbyters and Monks, and all Officers
of the Church, do live by their own Labour ;
for the Church hath no Tyches, it has Lands
which are Cultivated by the Priefts and
H I Monks,
They ali
receive
the Sacra-
menr in
both Ele-
ments.
It is not
kept in
their
Chuichesw
It is never
received
but in th6
Church.
101
The ChurchHiJlory
The Sa-
crament
is never
admini-
ftred
above
once a day
in a
Church.
Ic is not
ihevved to
the Peo-
ple.
No Mufiis
are laid
for the
Dead.
MonkSj either in Perfon^ or by their fervants ;
and as for Alms, they receive none but thofe
that are offered in the Church for the Burial
of the dead, and other Holy Offices ; it not
being lawful for any of them to beg about
the llreets, or to extort Alms from the com-
mon people.
Furthermore^ in our Churches there is ne-
ver hut one Mcifs a day^ which we do reckon
to be a Sacrifice 5 neither is it lawful for us^
according to ancient Cuftom, to Celebrate
more ^ for which Mafs we never receive any
Money ,* the Sacrament of the EuchariJIr is
not JJjewed to the People amo7?g us ^ as I ob-
ferve it is here ; and all Priefts;, Deacons^ and
Subdeacons, and all People whatfoever that
are prefent at the Celebration, are obliged to
QGmmimkate, We fay no Maffes for the re-
mijjion of Sculs , but our Dead are Buried in
a Confecrated Place with Prayers and CrolTes^
over whom, among other things, v^^e recite
the beginning of St. Johns Gofpel, and do
offer Alms for them the day after they are
Buried, and at certain other times, when we
tiave Funeral Feafts.
This is what I hazfe to faj of our Faith and
Religion,
But whereas fince my coming to Tortugal,
I have had feveral Debates with fome Dodors,
namely with Didacus Ortis Bilhop of the Ifland
of St. Thomas, and Dean of the King's Chappel,
and Fedro Alagalho, concerning the dijVmEli-
on of Meats, it will not be improper for me
to fay fomeching of it in this place.
It
o/ E T H I O P 1 A. 103
It IS to be obtcrved^ that it is in obedience
to the Old Teihiment that we obferve a di-
ftindion of meats, which diiiindion is or-
dained by the IVord of God, who was after-
wards born of the Virgin Mary, and walked
andconverfed with his Apoltles; which Living
Word of God had always an entire and ir-
revocable Speech or Word, and who did no
where in his Gofpel (ay, that fuch things
might be eat, as were before prohibited as un-
clean. For as to thofe words in the Gofpel, That
wbatjoe'ver entreth into the mouth doth not defile the
maji^ hut that which cormth forth of ths mouth J
Chrift's intent therein, was not to diffolve the
Law he had formerly enaded, but only to con-
fute theSuperltition of theye%^'i,who blamed the
Apoftles for having eat Bread with unwafhen
hands ; neither did the Apoftles , while they A long
converfed with Chrift, make ufe of unclean Juftifica^i
Meats , or fo much as tafte any thing that ^!^? °^
was prohibited by the Law, which was what ftainina
none of them offered to tranfgrefs, no not from
after the time of our Lord's Paffion, when Meats thac
they besran to preach the Gofpel: there being a^emade
1 • • 1 • xif • • c \^ •. ° unclean
nothmg m their Writings trom whence it can ^ ^^^
be gathered, that they did ever kill or eat any Law.
thing that is unclean. It is true, Taul faith^
Eat all that is 'old in the piambks, asktvg nothing
for confidence Jake 5 and again , If any that are
infidels incite you to a jeafij and you are dijpojed '
to go, eat whatjoe^jer ts fiet hefiore you, asking no que*
fiions fior confcii'nce Jake : And again, Ifi any one
fij<ill jajy This is offered to idols , do not eat for his
Jake that told you jo, and for ccnfcience Jake, &C.
All which fWfpoke in compliance with thofe
H 4 who
I04 Tl:>e Church' Hifory
who are weak in the Faith , betwixt whom
and the Je7i's there were frequent Debates ;
and in order to the putting a flop to thofe
Difputes y the Apoftle complied much with
the weaker Chriftians^ which he did not do
that he would have the Law broke^ but that
by gratifying fijch People in the relaxation
of Rites, he might allure them to the Faith.
The fame Apoille faith likewife, Let not
him that eatetk^ ^-^/}ifi kim that eateth net ; for
he that eateth^ eateth unto the Lord ^ and he that
eateth notj eateth not anti} the Lord. It is there-
fore an unworthy thing to reprove Chriftians,
who are Strangers ^ with fo much bitternefs^
as I have been reproved here^ concerning this
very matter^ and other little things^ which do
no ways belong %o Faith : It wo^ld certainly
be much wifer for Chriltians^ whether Greeks,
Armenians^ Ethiopians^ or of any of the Seven
Chriftian Churches^ to bear with one ano-
ther in Charity^, and in the Bowels of Chril%
in all fuch matters^ and to fuffer one another
to live and converfe with their Chriftian Bre-
thren^ being all Sons of Baptifm^ and unani-
mous in the true Faith ; neither is there any
caufe why they fliould debate fo fiiarply about
Ceremonies ; or why every one ftiould not be
fuffered to obferve his own, and that without
hating and perfecuting others for theirs ; nei-
ther ought any one in a ftrange Countrey to
be debarred the Communion of the Church
for obferving his own Churcli-Ceremonies.
As to that we meet with in the JBs^ of
Teter's feeing a Cloth let down from Heaven
by the corners, wherein vvere all Four-footed
Beafts,
o/E
T M I o p r A* loy
Beafts^ and all creeping Creatures^ and Birds
of the Air ; and of his having heard a Voice
that commanded him, to rife, aful kill, and eat ^
to which Feter replied^, Far be it from me, Lordy
for I ha've nci'cr cat any thing that is common and.
unclean ; to whom the Voice anfwcred , Mljat
God has purified , that do 7;ot thou call unclean j
which having been done three feveral times,
the Veflel was then immediately taken up in-
to Heaven ; whereupon the Spirit fent him
ftraightways to Cefareax.oCor?ielms,2iho\y Man,
fearing God, to whom when Feter fpake, the
Holy Spirit defcended on all who heard the
Word of God : After which Feter baptized
CortieliMs and his whole Family : Now when
the Apoftles and Brethren^ who were in Ju-
dea , came to hear of what Feter had done,
they were angry , and asked him , How he
came to go to men who -were wncircumcifed ,
and to eat v/ith them ? but after Feter had de-
clared to them the whole Vifion , they were
fatisfied, and returned thanks to God, faying,
He hath gt'ven repentance unto life to the Gen-
tiles y and they remcmbred the word of the
Lord, whidi he fpoke when he afcended into
Heaven, Go ouer all nations, and preach the Gof-
pel to all creatures, in the name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghofl \ and he that beheveth, and is
baptized, fliall be faued ; and he that belicveth
not, fliall be condemned : Then the Apoftles be-
gun to preach the Gofpel over the whole
World to every Creature, in the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, infomuch that
their found went thorough the whole Earth :
Now this Vifion , wherein things clean and
unclean
io6 7he Church^Hi/iory
unclean appeared^ we of Ethiopia interpret
thus : The clean li'uing Creatures were the
Teopk of IJrael , the unclean were the Gentiles ;
who were therefore faid to be unclean,
becaufe thej vjorjhipped Idols, and did the
Works of the Devil^ which are unclean. So
that the Voice faying, Feter kill;, was the fame
as if it had faid , Teach and preach the Faith,
and the Law of Chrifi , both to the People of
Ifraely and the Gentiles ; befides^ it is moit cer-
tain^that we read no where in the Scriptures of
Teter, or of any other of the Apofties, killing
or eating any thing that was unclean after
this Vifion : We are to obferve likewifcj That
when the Scriptures fpeak of Bread , it is not
to be underftood of a Corporal Food, but of
the Dodirine of the Gofpel.
It is therefore advifeable for all Doclors and
Preachers to teach high and fublime things of
this Linen Cloth which was Ihewed to Feter,
and not low things, vvhich do no way apper-
tain to Salvation ; and leall of all to draw Ar-
guments from thence^ to prove it to be law-
ful for us to eat things that are unclean, fee^
ing no fuch matter can be gathered from the
Scripture; but that is not all, for the Apoflles
themfeives , in their Book of Synods , have
forbid us to eat any thing that is firangled or
tore , or half eaten by Beafi , • or Blood , be-
caufe the Lord loveth cleannefs and fobrlety,
and hateth gluttony and pollution; and loveth
thofe much who abilain from Flefh , and
thofe more who fall with Bread, and Water,
and Herbs, as John the Baptifi did, who eat
nothing elfe : As alfo Paul the Hermite, who
lived
o/E
T H I O P I A. 107
lived in the Defert, and farted 80 years ; as
St. Anthony ^ and St. Macarms ^ and a great
number of their Spiritual Sons^ who never fo
much as tafted Flefh.
Wherefore, Brethren, we ought not to con-
temn and perfecute our Neighbours 5 for
St. James faith. He that ffeaketh e'vll of his bro^
ther y or jitdgeth his brother ^ fpeaketh e^uil of the
law : Paul teacheth likevvife , "That it is much
better for people to refi fat is fie d with their own tra-
ditions , than to contend with their Chrlfiian bre-
thren about the law ; and that in fuch matters they
ought not to be wijer than is neceffary _, but to be
wife to fobriety^ according as God hath dealt ta
every man a meafure of faith. Wherefore it is
a very undecent thing to contend with our
brethren about the law and diftindlion of A chari-
meats, fince meat cannot commend us to God 5 table Ad-
andefpeciallyfinceSt.P^/Jhathfaid, Whether "^omnon.
ye eat pleittifuUy ^ or do not eaty ye are never the
worfe : Let us therefore look after higher
things, and the food that is heavenly, and for-
bear fuch low and empty difputations. What
I have writ concerning Traditions , I have
not writ out of a fpirit of contention , but
to defend my Countreymenagainft the violent
reproofs of thofe who paid fo little refped to
the moft Potent Precious John and his SubjedSjas
to load them with Reproaches, calling us Jews
and Mahometans y becaufe we circumcije , and
fanBify the Sabbath , after the manner of the
Jewsy and do continue our Fafts till Sunfet,as
the Mahometans do : They do likewife objed to
us with great bitternefs. That our Prieib do
marry, after the manner of the Lay-men ;
and
io8 71)6 ChuYchHiJlory
and that miftrufting our fir[t Bapfifmy we are
baptized yearly ; and that we circumcife not
only Males but Females alfo, which the Jews
never did ; laftly^ that we obferve a diftindi-
on of Meats with great ftri(5lnefs ; and that
we call Children Half-Chriftians before they
are baptized : To which things I was obliged
to return an Anfwer^ to vindicate our people
from the Calumnies that are caft upon them,
and to render the Roman Do(5lors more affable
t6 us, who, how pioufly I will not fay, have
ever lince I came into Fortugal^ which is now
Seven Years, deny'd me the Sacrament; fo
that, 1 cannot fpeak it but with extreme Grief
and Tears, I am treated by my Chriftian Bre-
thren as a Heathen and an Anathema : He
that enliveneth all things , to whom I com-
mit it, does take notice of thefe matters.
I was not fent by the moft Potent Lord the
Emperor of Ethiopia^ to the Roman Pontiff, and
to the moft Serene John King of Portugal, to
brangle and difpute, but to contracSt a Friend-
iliip and Alliance betwixt them ; not to in-
creafe or diminifti Human Traditions, but to
enquire diligently into the Errors of ArutsxhQ
Prince of Hereticks j and to learn whether
the European Chriftians do agree with us in
confuting his Opinions ; upon account of
whofe Errors a Council of Three hundred
and eighteen Billiops were affembled at Nice
under Pope Jidtm : And that I might learn
like wife whether what the Apoftles have com-
manded in their Book of Synods, was obfer-
ved among the European Chriftians ; to wit.
That Two Councils be edebrated every Year
in
o/" E T H I O P I A^ 109
in the Chriftian Churchy to treat concerning
Matters of Faith ; the firft whereof they or-
dered to be affemblcd at the Feaft of Ttnte^
cojf-^ aod the fecond on the loth. of OBoher :
And to Icara alfo how it ftood betwixt us as
to the Errors of MacedorAus\ upon whofe ac-
count a Council of an Hundred and Fifty
BilKops was affembled at Conftantinofk under
Pope DdTKajus : And alfo the Errors of Nefto-
r'lftSy againft whom a Council of Two hun-
dred were affembled at Efbejus under Pope
Celefime : And laftly^ That I might be inform-
ed of the Fourth and Great Council of Chal-
ceci
071^ affembled upon the account of the Er-
rors of Eutychesy at the time when St. Leo was
Biihop of Rome ; from which Council^ after
having had hot Difputes^ the Bifliops returned,
without having concluded any thing for the
Peace of the Church ; both Parties maintain-
ing their own Opinions.
The Books of which Synods, and of divers
others that were afterwards celebrated, my
Lord the Emperor of Ethiopia hath by him,
who is very much troubled, as are alfo all his
Chriftian Subjeds, at the Tares which the De-
vil, the Enemy of Truth, has fovv^n among
Chriftians.
Our people from the beginning have ac-
knowledged the Romafj Pontiff to be the firft
Bifhop, to whom, as the Vicar of Chrift, we
do at this time fubmit our felves ; and in
whofe Court we would be frequently , were
it not for the great diftance we are at from it,
and our being denied a free paffage through
the Malmman Kingdoms whicJi 1} e betwixt
us ;
1 1 o The Church' Hijlory
us ; infomuch that many times after having
expofed our Perfons to great dangers^ we are
not able to get thither.
The moft Prudent and Invincible King
Ema?7uelj of happy memory^ was the firft that
by Divine Direction opened a Paffage by his
Navigation to the Eafi-hdies; which for the
future gives us great hopes of a cominodious
Correfpondence : Emanuel msLdc himfelf Ma-
jFter of the Red Sea with his Fleets j not being
difcouraged from doing it by the greatnefs of
the Charge, that fo he might augment the
Faith of Chrift, and open a Paffage for us to
eorrefpond with him, and to make ufeof each
other's affiftance ; by which means we do
hope, with our united Forces, to drive all the
Mahometans and Heathens not only from the
Coafts of the Red-Sea^ but alfo out of Arabia ^
Terfta^ and Ivdia, And as we do not in the
lead: doubt but that we Ihall be able to do
this, fo \VQ do wifh that all European Chriiiians
were in Peace with one another, that fo they
The «3e- ^ might join together , in order to expel the
H^tvl^ ' Ei^^^^^es of the Crofs of Chrift out of the
EmbifKr. Mediterranean Countries, and Fo^nus, and other
Provinces ; that according to the Word of
Chrill, there may be but one Lav^, one Shepherd,
and one Pafior, upon the face of the whole earth 5
of which we have two Prophecies, one in the
Prophecies of St. Eicator, and another of St. 5/-
noda a Flermit, born among the Rocks in the
extremities of E^gypt ; both which Prophecies
do agree in this matter : For which reafon we
have reckoned the Events of thofe Prophe-
cies tQ be drawing near, ever fince my moft
Potent
of E
THIOPIA. Ill
Potent Lord had Ambafladors fcnt to him by
the Serene and Wife Kin^E?^ .v-//c/. And it is
certain, that ever fince that time my Prince
hath thought of nothing fo much, as of de-
ftroying the ALhometans from off the Face of
the earth ; for the advancing of which defign,
and of fome other matters which I have laid
before the moft Serene King Jobn^ the Son of
Emavud^ I was fent hither by my moft Potent
Lord^ and not to engage in frivolous and
empty Difputations. I do willi the great God
may iDring the Intentions and Endeavours of
my Prince, which I was fent hitherto promote,
to an happy Iffue, fo as to be for his Glory.
Ha'uwg given fome Account of thefe things ^ 1
Tvill noiv with great Brevity fay (omething of
the fate of our Patriarchy and Empire.
When our Patriarch dies, Frecious John our
Emperor immediately difpatcheth a Meffenger
to the Monks that live at Jerufakm ; who A fair^ ac
having received notice, and the Prefents that count of
are fent to the Holy Sepulchre by the Emperor, ^^^ r'^if ^"
do ftraightways chufe a Patriarch by a Majori- ^^,^„^^ ^
ty of Voices, who muft always be an Alexan-
drian Monk, of an unblameable life.
When they have chofen a Patriarch, they
feal up their Votes, and tranfmit them by the
Emperor's Meffenger , to the Patriarch of
Alexandria^ refiding at Grand Cairo, who im-^
mediately confecrates the Monk that is chofen
to that great Dignity, and fends him with the
Meffenger into Ethiopia, The Perfon elec^led,
according
1 1 1 The ChurchHiftory
according to ancient cuftom^ muft be a Monk
of the Order of St. Anthony the Hermit ; and
who when he arrives in Ethiopia^ is there re-
ceived with great Joy and Honour. This Af-
fair is not fometimes finifhed under a Year or
two ; during which Vacancy^ all the Rents
of the Patriarch are paid to Precious John.
The chief bufinefs of the Patriarch is to con-
fer Holy Orders ^ which none befides him can
either give or takeaway. He collates to no Bi-
iliopricks 5 nor any other Ecclefiaftical Bene-
fices j which are all in the Gift of Precious
John, who beftows them as he thinks good.
When the Patriarchy whofe Revenues are ve-»
ry great;, dieth^, the Emperor is his fole Heir.
It is furthermore the bufinefs of the Patriarch
to excommunicate all fuch as are obftinate ;
to which Cenfures there is (6 great a Refped:
paid;, that all who flight them are condemned
for their whole life to a llrid and perpetual
Faft. He grants no Indulgences, neither are
the Sacraments of the Church denied to any
Sinners, but Murtherers.
The Patriarch in our Tongue is called Al;u-
7ia ; only he who at prefent is in pofTeffion of
that Dignity^ is called by his Baptifmal Name,
which is Mark ; he is an Hundred Years of
Age and upward.
With us the Year begins on the Firfl: day of
September y which falls always on the Vigil of
John the Baptift ; the other Holida}'S5 as the
Nativity^ Eajlery See. are obferved at the fame,
time as they are in the Roman Church.
The
ofE
T H ! O ? I A. I 1|
The Gofpel and Faith of our Lord Jefus
Chrift was tirll: preached among us by Philip
the Apoftlc. If you would know the name
of our Emperor , it is always Precious Jobv^
and not Presbyter John , as it is liere fallly
reported to be in our Language : It is John
Belul^ and in the Chalde, John Encoo , or Pre-
cious or High John : Neither is he ever called,
as Matthav falflv reported ^ Emperor of the
Habajjms, but of the Ethwpavs • for he being
an Armenian did not thoroughly underftand
our Affairs , and leaft of all thofe relating to
our Faith y which made him report feveral
things to the wife King Emanuel of happy
Memory, that were falfe; which was not done
by him with an intention to deceive ; for he
was an honeft Man, but becaufe he was not
well Inftrud:ed in the Matters of our Reli-
gion.
The Empire does not of right defcend to
the Eldeft Son, but to him on whom the Em-
peror is pleafed to beftow it. So the prefenc
Emperor was the third Brother , and got the
Crown by a Pious piece of Reverence : For
the laft Emperor having when he was upon his
Death- Bed commanded all his Sons to fit down
by him on Royal Thrones , they all did fo>
except my Malter, who faid. Far be it from ?m
TO fit tn the Chair of my Lord ; for which ai5t
of Piety, his Father bellowed the Empire up-
on him. His Name is Dat^irl, and his Domi-
nions of Chriftians and Heathens are very
large, in which there are divers Kings, Prin-
ces , Earls , Barons and Nobles , who are all
extreamly fubmiffive to his commands. He
i hath
114 The Church Hijlory
hath no other than Foreign Coin within his
Territories^ Gold and Silver being paid, and
received among us by Weight : We have a
great many Cities and TownS;, tho not built
as they are here in VortugaL Precious John
keeps his Court perpetually in the Camp,
which he does on purpofe to accuftom the
Nobility to the HardHlips and Exercifes of
War : Neither is it to be omitted, that vi^e are
Befieged on all Sides, by the Enemies of our
Faith, with whom we have frequent Battels,
but are always Vidoriciis ; which Victories w©
Attribute to the Divine Atliftance.
A Written Law is not in ufe among us^
neither are the Complaints of Litigants Tran-
faded by Papers, but by word of Mouth ;
which makes,that Law-Suits are not Protraded
by the Avarice of the Judges and Advoc^ftes
to any great length.
I am to tell you likewife, that Matthew wsts
not fent by our Emperor David^to the Invinci-
ble and Powerful King Emanuel oi happy Me-
mory, but by Queen Helena^ who was Dowager
to the Emperor j The Hand of Mary , who
was Grandfather to David , and who, David
being under Age, at that time was Regent of
Erhiofia i She was undoubtedly a molt Wife
and Religious Princels , and was Miftrefs of
fo mucii Learning, that ihe Compofed two
Books in the QbaJdee Tongue : The Title of
the firfc was Eitr^wn Clehaa^ that is to fay,
Fraife the Lord nnth Organs : in which Ihe dil-
courfjd Learnedly concerning the Trinity ,and
th^Virginity of the Blelxrd Virgin : TheSecond
'if called Ch^kk Cf^;?/, that is, th^ Beam of the
SUD;,
o/ Ethiopia. llj
Sun^ in which (he has divers accurate Difcour*
fes concerning the Law of God.
All thefe things relating to the Faith^ Reli-
gion, and State of our Countrey , I Zaga
Zabo, that isy the Grace of the Father 5 a Bifhop
Presbyter, and Bagama Raz,, that is to fay , a
Soldier and Viceroy of the Vrovmce of Bagana,
could not deny to Thee Damianm my deareft
Son in Chrift, nor indeed to any one that
fhould have defired it of me : And that for
two Reafons.
1. Becaufe I was commanded by the Moft
Potent Lord , Precious John , Emperor of
Ethiofta^ not to conceal any thing relating to
our Faith and Countrey, from fuch as Ihould
defire to have an account thereof, but to
Communicate the whole truth of all fuch
matters to them , both by Writing and word
of Mouth.
2. Becaufe I judged it convenient to ac-«
quaint this part of the World with our Man"
ners. Rites and Inftitutions ; and that the ra-
ther becaufe I had neither faid, nor writ any
thing thereof before ; not that I grudged my
labour , but becaufe no Chriftian Soul fince I
came into Portugal^ had ever defired me to
do it , which is a thing I cannot wonder at
enough.
I do therefore, knowing you tobeextreamly
curious to be acquainted with our Affairs, be-
feech you by the Wounds and Crofs of Chrift,
to Tranllate this Confeffion of Faith and Re-
ligion into the Latm Tongue, that fo the In-
tegrity of our Manners and Rites may be
I a known
ii^ 7he Church'^ Hiftory
known to all European Chriftians ; and if you
ihould at anytime happen to go to Rome^l muft
intreat you to Salute thePope^Cardinals.Patri-
archs^ Archbilliops , Bifliops and all the other
WorlTiippers of Chrift in my Name with theKils
of Peace: And to defire the Pope to fend
Francis Alvarez, back to me with an Anfwer to
the Letters of my Moft Potent Lord the Em-
peror of Ethiopia, that fo I may at lafl: return
to my own Country^ and once more fee my
own Houfe , having been detained here too
long already; and that before I am arrefted by
Death ^ which by reafon of my great Age I
muft be in a fhort time^ I may carry back an
Anfwer to my Mafter ; and having finiflied my
Embafly^ may Dedicate the remainder of my
Days to God , and Divine Matters : And in
cafe this Treatife ihould not be fo accurately
Compofed as it ought to be , I muft befeech
you to Corred it , and Adapt it to the Latm
Phrafe^ but fo as not to alter the fenfe.
Finally I muft intreat you, in the Tranfla-
tion thereof to confult the Old and New Te-
ftaments^ that you may the better underftand
out of what Books I have taken my Quota-
tions_, and may be able to tranflate them the
more faithfully. And in cafe matters ihould not
be focurioufiy handled therein ,as to fatisfy Cri-
tical Readers, the fault thereof muft be impu-
ted to my want of ChaUee Books, of which
I have not one by me ; thofe I brought from
home with me, having been unhappily loft in
the Voyage. So that what I fet down , was
what occurred to my Memory; which I have
. 4one with great Fidelity. Fanji^dlmy moft hc-
\ kvcd
of E T H I O P I k. 117
loved Sort in Chrif-, Lisbon^ the i^tk of April,
/;; the year of our jalvat'wn 1 5'54.
After having writ this, I called to mind the
paflage wherein I had affirmed. That Chrift
had defcended into the lower parts , for
the fike of Adarns Soul, and his own which
he receiv'd from his Mother, the holy Virgin
Mary : Of ths truth whereof we have a cer<-
tain Teftimony in the Books of Go^emmevt^ as
we call them ; which Books were delivered
by our Lord Jefus Chrift to his Apoftles, and
they are likewife the My fiery of Doctrines ; in-
fom.uchthat their Teftimony is admitted as in-
fallible among us. The Portuguefe Divines are
of Opinions that are contrary to thofe Wri-
tings y but that does not hinder that from be-
ing true which thefe Books affirm, v'-^- That
the Souls of men are derived from Adam ;
that is to fay. As ourFleili is derived from the
Flefh of Adam , fo our Soul, as a Burning
Light, is derived likewife from the Soul of
Adam, which makes us to be all of the Seed
of Adam, both as to Body and Soul.
In this large Confeflion of Faith , albeit . - -
Zaga Zaba difcovers himfelf to have been ^^ za^a^
piqued, by the Fortugnefe Clergy having teaz'd zabas
him as they did about his Religion , and to Confef-
liave difputed himfelf into fome warmth up- ^^ono£
on feveral Ceremonial Points ; yet as to the ^^*^
Dodrines wherein the Roman Church was at
that time contradided by the Reformers,
namely, the Tliree great ones, of the Pope's
I J Supre--
11 8 The ChurchHijlory
Supremacy y Tranfubfiantiationy and Pargatorjy it
is vifible that to ingratiate himfelf with the
Pope and King of Tortugal ^ and to make his
Court the better, he did both ftretch his Con-
fcience, and facrifice his Refentments to the
Publick Charader he bore : Thofe Dodrines
having never been at any time the Dodrines
of thQ HahaffmChmoh: Which Charge of In-
fidelity is juiflified both by the Jefmts, and his
Countreyman Gregory , who never (poke of
him but with deteftation , calling him com-
monly a Beafi of the Field, And as to his fay-
ing, that his Emperor's Name was Precwm^ and
not Fref^or John^ it was a plain Trick in him,
defigning by fuch a flight Corredion of that
word, to eftablifti the opinion of his Mafter
being the Prince was meant by Frefior John
in Europe : For whereas the prefent Emperor's
Name was Da^ldj fo I do not find that there
was one of the Name of John m the whole
Line of thofe Princes. Neither is there any
colour for its having been a conftant Title
among them.
The Em- -^"^ while Da^vils^ Ambaffador was thus de-
peror Va- tained at Lisbon^ difputing, Whether it was law*
-uid brings ful to eat Black-Fuddmgs^ he himfelf continued
0 terrible jnvolved in a rude and cruel War , brought
o-rMm^r upon him by his new Correfpondence with
feifhy" t^s Fortuguefesy whofe Name at that time
f tking to was become very formidable all over the Eafi.
tnier into Por whercas the Habajfmy as is plain from
sn alii- j^jg ^^^^ Letters, did exped nothing lefs from
the plltu- '^^^ ^^^ Alliance, than the utter extirpation of
^uefes. all his Lifidel Neighbours, Heathens and Mahc-
metcns'^ fo natural it is for people to overvalue
any
o/ E T H I O P 1 At' I 1^
any new and untry'd advantage, and to exped
much more from it than it is capable of yield-
ing; fo his Infidel Neighbours, and particu-
larly the Mahometans^ apprehending that an
Alliance betwixt the HabaJJins and i'ortugiiejes,
might prove a thing of dangerous confequence
to them, did all confpire to interrupt it, by
difabling the Habajfm, before any PortugHe(e
Troops could come to his affiftance.
In profecution of which Defign, one Aha- q^^^^^ ^
mfdy whofe Nick-name was Granhe , or Left Mahome-
Hand 5 a Mahor/ietan Prince , having joined r^wPiince,
his Forces with thofe of the King o\ Adtly obtains Co-
upon whom the Hahaffm had begun a War, ^^^^1^^*'
he marched againft Dauid, refolving to give ^ver d^-
him- Battel before he was reinforced by the Pm-- njtd,
tugueje Troops ; which though they did not
come in feveral years after, were expeded by
every Moncon. Da'vid being fluflied by fome .
former Vidories, and having an Army fupe-
rior in number to that of Granhe and Adel
joined together, was fo far from declining to
fight, that he marched diredly towards the In-
f.dels : The two Armies no fooner met than
they came to blows , and after a long and
bloody Fight the HabaJJins were totally routed,
moft of them being either killed or taken Pri-
foners.
Da^id having narrowly efcaped, retired to n^ ^^^^^
the Mountains , where he fculked about for himatlaft
Two Years with a fmall flying Body : During in a man-
whichtime Granhe madchimfelf Mafter of all P"p^^ ^
the beft Provinces of that Empire, burning jj^^ "^
down the Churches , or prophaning them
by converting then\ into Mo/quet whereever
be came. I 4 David
I20 Tl:e Church- Hijiory
Pavid D^?i;;W feeing his Empire in rmmincrit dan-*
fends one ^^^ ^f being totally conquered , difpatched
John uer^ ^ ^ ; ._ ^ , ■' ^ ^ ^ ^, , ^ j ,
wudes a ^^^^ fete Btrmudes^ a cortagueje^ who had been
Fortmruefe, in Ethiofui ever fince the Emprefs H^/^;?/? her
after iia- Governme'^v , to Ro«j?e and Lisvon^ to acquaint
ving gi- ^j-^^fg Courts with the III Circumftances he
Tide to ^ ^'^^ ^^'^ ^^^^ ^^ conjure them^, as they had any
fiicceed regard to the Prefervation of a great Chriftian
the Abuna Empire 5 to fend him fome confiderable Sue-
when he cors with all po-Iible Expedition ; for other-
K^^'a^i^d wife the //.7^#;? Church and Empire would
UshoH , to ^^^ fpeedily loil beyond recovery. And in or-
ibiicrte der to make his Court the better with the Pope
aadhaften and that King ^ he obliged the Ahuna Mark
fome Sue- j-jqj. Q^^^y j-q co7i[ecrate the (aid Bermudes, who
cors .
till then was a pure Layman ^ a Bifljop, but to
declare him alfo his SucceJJor in the See of
Ethiopia,
johi En--, BArmudes being thus confecrated a Biihop,
i^iudes, be- and declared SuccefTor to the Akunay began
went w-'s ^ Journey for Borne., over land ; and being
confecra- ^n'ived at that Court in the year i y 3 8^ was
tedaBi- gracioufly received by P^«/the Hid. who did
fhopby j;iot only allow his Hahafjm Orders to be valid,
liL'^^r^ but did furthermore confirm his Nomination
ha(jin Or- ^^ ^^^ Patriarchate of Ethiopia.
•dination So that whatever it is that hinders the Popes
^>yafingle from allowing the Ordws of the Church of
i^!^^'"^ England to he good , unlefs their Infallibilities
wVs^i]- ^^^^ coniradlc!t one another, it cannot be wliat
^owed to t^^sy pretend^ to wit^ either the Herefy of her
be viilid frf reformed Btfljcps , or their not having
by the hccn three to cc97j(rrac ; ilnce in this cafe y
^h^-^'h ^^^^ Confecraiion .of a B.jjlwp by a fwgle He-
came to '^^^i<^^^ Btjhof was. allowed hy the TQpe to be
Tmi. * - ' valid
t)/E
THIOPrx. Ill
VAlid. But England is England^ and Ethiopia is
Ethiopia y and Policy may not allow that they
fhould be both treated alike.
Bermtides having difpatched his own Bufi- Bermudei
nefs at Romey which was all that was to he done having
at that Court y which feldom or ne'ver takes the ex- got ^
fence of any Mijfions^or holy Wars ufon it felf\ further "''^ ^^^^^ fo
than its Blflfivgs jvtll go.VlQ began hisjoarney for [^jj,^^^^
Liskn, and being arrived there^ he was kindly Echiopia,
entertained by the King, to whom the Pope confirmed
hid left the honour of the whole expence and p ^^*
trouble of fuccoring Ethiopta^ and was acknow- f^^^'f^^^
kdged by hini;, and the whole Court, as Ha- to Lz/^JJ/
haffln Patriarch in Poffeffion , and not in Re-
veriion ; and as fuch, though I cannot learn
for what Mifdemeanor, he threw the Ambaf- Where he
Cidor ZagaZaha intoPrifon, loading him with ^^^^ as
Chains, in which he intended to carry him ^}^J!''^^-^'
home , had not the King interceeded for his ^ *'""'
Liberty.
The Patriarch Bcrmudes having, as it is faid, He re-
obtained an Order from the King to the Vice- turns to
roy of the Indies ^ for four or five hundred Tor- ^^^^ ^^-^
tuguefe Musketeers, embarked upon the Fleet j^s^ff-'/ob-
that was bound for Goa^ where he arrived in tainedan
the Year 1^39. but however the King's Orders Order for
were, if there were ever any, it was two years 4fo Sol-
after his landing at Goa, before any Tortuguefe ^^^"*
Succors fet their Feet in Ethiopia,
During this time, Da^id by fome means or
other, is faid to have got fo confiderable an
Army together, as to have ventured with it
out of his FaftnelTes, and to have beat Gran he
in a pitched Battel 5 but however this were,
i^ the progrefs of the War, which lafted from
the
Ill The Church^ HI ft ory
the Year 15*28. until the Year i5'4o. In which
Da^id died ^ it is certain he was driven by
Granhe out of the greateft part of his Empire,
he having no other Countries left him at his
deaths but fuch as defended themfelves purely
by their barrennefs and inaccefliblenefs^ fuch
Countries being the common Receptacles of
all conquered Nations , that have the conve-
niency of them.
DMvid David died in the 47?^ year of his Age^
dies, and and the ;6f^ of his Reign , leaving his Son
cd by hlf C^f«^^^ a broken and diftreffed Empire.and all
Son clau- P^i^ces , an Example of the folly of depend-
dm. ing upon remote Foreign Succors , and 01 be-
ing encouraged by the hopes of them, to pro-
voke their Neighbours, or to make them jea-
lous of them.
Claudius
has fome
fuccefs in
the be-
ginning,
but was
quickly
after ob-
liged to
retire to
the Moun-
tains.
Upon Claudius's coming to the Crown, the
Empire, as if its III Genius had departed with
David, began to rcrive a little ^ For he having
got a fmall Army together, marched from a-
mong the Mountains, and having furprized a
Mahometan Prince, whofe name was Amiriz,-
mon^ and defeated him in a pitced Battel, he
recovered the Province that Infidel had in the
late Scramble made himfelf mafter of.
But the Joy of this Succefs lafted not long,
for Amiriz^mon having recruited his Army
with Mahometan Auxiliaries , obliged Claudim
to come to a Battel, wherein he beat him to
that degree , that he forced him to retire to
a remote mountainous Countrey called Zaa,
only with 70 men in his Company ; Cabelo
Oangtid
o/ E T H 1 OP I a7 IZJ
Oafjguel the Queen-Mother, taking fanftuary Th«
at the fame time in an impregnable Mountain ^^f"
that was at no great diftance ti om the Red-Sea ; jgavbg^of
where flic had not been long, before fhe re- a Portu-
ceived advice of a great Vortugttefe Fleet being guefeFktt,
come into thofe Seas , whereupon fhe dif- ^^*^6 i"
patched two Envoys, who were Bahurnagays, ^^ ^^^^
and the Grandee Robel, to the Portugueje Adnii- ^wo En-
ral to befeech him, if they met with him, to voys to
fparc her Son fome Troops , and a Train of fhf Ad-
Artillery, to drive the Mahometans out of Ethi- !"*"^ ^^
ofia^ of which they were in a manner become (bme^Suc*
abfolute Maflers. cors.
The Envoys not knowing any place where The En-
they were fo like to meet with the Tortuzuefe ^oysmeet
Fleet, as at Matz.ua, repaired thither to wait r pj^^^
for it ; and the Fleet not having been able to s^tMatzua,
execute the Defign that had brought it into
thofe Seas, which was to have burnt the T«r-
kif} Gallies in the Port of Sues, happened, for
it does not appear that it was by Order , to
touch as they were returning home, at Mat*
z,ua , to the great joy of the HabaJJin Envoys ;
Who having waited on the Admiral, and de-
livered the Emprefs's Letters to liim, told him
plainly. That if he did not fpare them a good
Body of Troops,and a Train of Artillery, Ethio-
fia was for ever a loft Empire ; adding,That the
Fortune of a great Chriftian Empire was now
entirely in his hands ; and as it would be for
his immortal honour to fave it, and the rather,
becaufe it was nothing fo much as its new
Correfpondence with the Vortuguefe tliat had
brought this dreadful Storm upon it from all
Quarters ; fo they were certain his Mafter
would
I !4 "^/^^ Church Hijlor J
would not thank him^ for fuffering it to be
utterly loft^when it was fo much in his power
for to have faved it.
Upon thefe Paffionate Remonftrances of
the Emprefs , and her Envoys ^ the Admiral
called a general Council of War ^ to confult
wh.it was bcii to be done in fo important an
Aifair ; and after fome Debates /it was una-
nimoufly agreed, That fomethfng muft be done
to preferve a finking Empire ; and the rather^
becaufe it was vifible its new Alliance with
Tortffgal had brought this great ftorm up-
on it.
Tiiey ob- ^^^ Council of War having come to this
run 400 Refolucion^ feveral Perfons of Quality offered
.'^ddiei-s themfelves voluntarily to command the Troops
'i^y^'^^' that were to be employed in the Expedition ;
Adminl ^^^ ^^ ^^"^^ ^^^ PortUguefe Gentlemen tketr dttey
which they are jeldom or nezfer backward to 2^0 whither
V ere their homur calls them. The Perfon that V/as
^''^I'l^n' ^{amed to command in Chief, was Don Chri-
''•t7''^r ftopher da Gama. Brother to the then Viceroy
^j Gama^ Don Stephen da Gama^ and Son to. the Famous
Don Vapvo da Gama^ the Difcoverer of the In-*
dies.
The Tortuguefes fay. The Council of War
agreed to fend a 1000 Men under Gama, but
the Envoy would not hear of fo great a
number^, Bahwftagays having generoufly de-
clared, That he would never be guilty of
carrying Brave Men into a Countrey to ftarve
them; that for 400/ufficient Provifions would
be found, but not for more ; but whether
this was fo or not, the Vortuguele Hiftorians;
have made the 400 that were fent, to have
done
of E
T H I O P I A
«i5
done the work of 4000 Scout men ; tJyc com-
won fault both of the Portuguefe and SpanilK
U rttcrs 5 who by their Romantick way of mag"
nifymg the Feats of their Counpi-eyrKen y do
render the truth of the whole of them Jufpi-
cious.
On the 9th. of July 1^41. Gama with his Cama'^-^^
400 Seled Men, and a fmall Train of Artil- rers into
lery, were put afhore at Arkikoy having the £^^^«?'<^
Habajfm Envoys, and the Patriarch Bermudes ^^'"" ^'*-*
in their Company j they had a tirefome anTrh^'
March over Rocks and Mountains for the Romayi
iirft fix days, being many times forced for P^tri,it::i
want of Mules and Horfes, to draw their Ar-
tillery by ftrength of Arm j at which work
Gama is fliid to have been ftill one of the
foremofi: : After a continued titigue of fix
days they arrived at Deboroa, a Province be-
longing to Bahurnagaysy where the Monks and
Chriftians, who were retired into the Moun-
tains for fear of the Mahomctam , having
heard of their arrival, flocked in to them
from all parts, Praifing God;, and giving Ga-
ma and his Men a thoufand ble flings for ha-
ving come to deliver them out of the grievous
bondage they were brought under by the Ma-
hometans : Gama feeing them all in tears, en-
deavoured to comfort them, by telling them,
That as it was nothing but die Itrong dellre
he had to reilore their Prince and them to
their former free and happy Hate, that had
brought him into Ethwpay fo he did not doubt,
but with God's Affiftance , to do, it both
fpeedily and effe^flually for them, and to
make the Infidels repent of their having inva-
ded
Il6 The Church'HiJlory
ded a Brother and Ally of the King of Tor-
tugaly and of the Ravage they had made in a
Chriftian Empire. The People, being much
comforted by thefe affurances, waited upon
Gama to a Church that was not far off^ where
having all performed their Devotions^ Gama
with his men, repaired to the Tents that were
provided for them by Bahurnagays^ where they
were entertained with all the dainties the
Countrey did afford.
The day following Gama divided his men
into Six Companies, putting 5*0 in a Compa-
ny, and ordered the other 100 to be a Guard
He fends to the Royal Standard, and to be immediate-
an 100 of \y under his own Command \ the Captains
fitch Ihr ^^^^ J^^^ ^ M'onfo, Manuel da Curnha, Hum^
Emprefs fhrey da Ahreu, and Francis Velha ; Curnha and
to his Velha were difpatched immediately with their
Camp, Companies to wait upon the Emprefs with
Gamas Complement to her, and to guard
her to the Camp : The Emprefs when flie
heard of their being at the foot of her Pre-
cipice, for fuch it was, rather than a Moun-
tain^ ordered the Baskets to be let down, and
when flie faw them, llie weeped for joy, and
thanked God, and the King of Vortngal for
fo feafonable a fuccor ; and having enquired
after the ftate of Gama% health, and fome
other particulars, ftie ordered them to be
conduced to the Lodgings that were provided
for them^ where they were entertained as
handfomely as the place and the Emprefs's
Circumftances would afford. The next Morn-
ing the Emprefs, who was quite fick of her
Confinement; was let down from the Rock,
of E
T H I O P 1 A. 127
and having mounted a Miile richly equipped,
flie marched with her P or tugueje Guard towards The Em-
Gamay who when he had notice of her being F^fs ar-
near, rode out to meet her, having firft or- [j^^^^^^^
dered his men to ftand to their Arms, and ""**'
upon a fjgnal given, to falute her with three
VoUies : The Emprefs to do Gama the great-
er honour, Unvailed her head when he came
up to her, receiving him with extraordinary
refpecb.
Gama after having done the Obeifancesthat
were due to her Charader, told her. That as
he and all the Men flie faw, were fent by the
King of Portugal to her and her Son s Affi-
fiance, fo they were all to a man refolved to
facrifice their Lives for the Faith of Chrift,
and in defence of that Chriftian Empire.
The Emprefs thanked him very cordially, and
told him God would certainly reward him for
fuch a fervice, though her Son and llie ftiould
happen never to be in a condition to do it,
not but that ftie hoped, that his Valour and
Conduct would raife them to a capacity of
being bountiful to their Benefadors.
After the Compliments were over, the
Emprefs with the Ladies that attended her,
went to the Tent that was provided for
them, being waited upon to it by Gama^ and
moft of his Officers. On the fecond day after
her arrival in the Camp, Gama drew all his
Men up in a body before her Tent, and ex-
ercifed them before her ; flie was extreamly
pleafed with their Perfons and Difcipline,
and promifed her felf great things from fo
well Difciplined a body.
In
128 The Chunk HtJIory
m
In a Council of War, at which the Emprefs
and Bahurnagays were prefent, it was agreed,
Thpt their Camp (hould remain where it was
till the end of OBoher, and that in the mean
The Em- time they fhould fend to the Emperor to ac-
peror be- quaint him with the arrival of the tortuguefe
ing ac- Troops. The Emperor, fo foon as he received
with^the advice thereof, writ immediately to Gama^
arrival of defiring uim to March towards him with all
the Portw the hafte he could make, to prevent the Ene^
guefes, j^jgg putting himfeif betwixt them to hinder
writes to ^1 . ^ • ^o*
Gama to their conjunaion.-
come and But whatever was the caufe of it, it was
joynhim. the 5'th. of December before Gama decamped
from Dehora ; when taking the Emprefs along
with him, and being joyned by 2000 Ha-
hajjinsy he Marched toward the Emperor in as
good order as the nature of the Countrey
would permit him ; the Mahometans , who
were employed by Granhe to raife Money,
flying before him as he Marched ; and the
Habajjinsj fo foon as their Lor^ Darn were
gone, running in to him from all parts for
J^rotedion, fupplying him with all Neceffa^
ries. On the ill. of February 1 5-42. they came
before a ftrong Mountain which Granhe had
got into his hands by Treachery, into which
by reafon of its Commanding ill the Coun-
trey about , he had put a Garifon of i f 00
men ; this Mountain is not above Three days
March in a right line from Debora ; but what
made them to be near Two Months in getting
to it , was their having fetched a great Com-
pafs in order to the reducing of feveral of the
- beft Provinces to the Emperor's Obedience,
wliich
o/E
T H ! O P I A.
129
which they did only by Marching thorough
them.
Gama finding all they had done, if they did
not make themfelves Mailers of this Moun-
tain^ would fignify nothing, did refolve, what-
ever it coil him, to attempt it ; the Emprefs
was much againft his doing it, and gave this
for her Reafon , That ihould the tcrttiguefes be
baffled in that Attempt, as cohfidering the
Strength of the Place and the Garifon, it was
too likely they might, the Mahorr/dans to
whom at prefent their Name was become ter-
rible, would recover their courage again : But
Gama offered fuch ftrcng reafons for their not
leaving fuch a Garifon behind them, that the
Emprefs vvas overcome by them, and gave her
confent to its being Attaqued.
The Mountain was both High and Steep,
and on the top of it was aPlain of nearaLeague
in compafs, in whicli was water fuf-ficient for
the Garifon : It had Three Entries which were
all ftrongly fortified both by Art and Nature ;
The Chief of them was called Amha Cane',
which is the Name of the Mountain it felf :
The Second is • called Amha Xamhut : The
Third Amha GadaUt, They had all of them
Governors, with a Guard of Five Hundred
Men well Armed, with Bows and Scimit'ers to
defend them.
Gama after having ftridly Survey'd it,)udged
it the beft way to make an Affault upon all
the Entries at once • and accordingly charged
Travxis Velho , and Adanoel da Cunba with the
Firll , and ^ohn de Faijfeca , and Francis d^
Ahrc'ii^ , vv^ith the Second ; who had each of
K them-
130
The Church Hiftory
The
flrong
Moun-
tnn of
net /is
ilormed
by Garn.t'
them Three Field-Pieces, taking the Third,
which was by it. uch the ftrongeil, to himfelf.
In the Night he ordered feveral falfe Attacks
to be made^ on purpofe to make the Enemy
fpend their Arrows^ which they did in great
[dowers^ without Killing or Wounding one of
the TortHguefes ; who having performed their
Devotions^ and received the Patriarch's Blet
img, advanced fo foonasit was Day with their
Artillery ; with which having plaid for fome
time upon the Entry ^ they afterwards fell
palmall upon thofe that Guarded them^ by
whom they were warmly received and repulfed
twice : Gama^ who little expeded to have met
M/ith fuch a ilout Refiftance;, was much con-
cerned to fee his Men beat off fo ; neverthe-
lefs refolving fmce he had begun it^ either to
carry his Pointy or to lofe his Life in the En-
terprife ; he made a Third Attack ^ in which
after a long liruggle ^ he obliged the Enemy
to leave the Pafs ^ and Retreat with a great
lofs of Men to the top of the Mountain : The
other two Paffes were like wife opened by hi?
Men much about the Cime tirne ; but the Ga-
rifon after this was fo far from offering to Ca-
pitulate^ that they difputed every Inch of the
top of the Mountain with the Portii^tiejesy
fighting it out to the lad man : Of the Tor-
iuguefes there were but 7 Killed^ and 40 wound-
ed in all this Adion.
Gama fo foon as he was abfolute Mafter of
the Place^ fent down one to willi the Emprefs
Joy of it ; and to defire her , to do her
Mountain Amba Camet the honour to vifit it,
affuring her that jhe might now lafely do it ;
there
O/ E T H i O P I A. 121
there being not one Mahometa^t left alive upon
it ; the Emprefs was over- joy 'd at the News,
and having magnified the Porrugueje Valour
and Conduct beyond meafure , Ihe returned
her Thanks to Gama for the great Service he
had done Iier Son in reducing fuch a ftrong
Place, but defired to be excufed from villting
of it : For befides that it was very fteep , llie
had not courage enough to behold the Car-
cafTes it mufl: be covered withal. He fcnt like-
wife to the Patriarch to come up and Confe-
crate the Mojquey which he did, Dedicating it The
to our Lady of Viclory^ in which after he heard Churcrj
Mafs , and Buried his Dead , he went down ^^^^ ^^^
to wait upon the Emprefs, who received him ^^ -^^^ ^ ^
with the greateft Joy and Refpecl imaginable, Mofque,
extolling his Courage and Condudt to the is con-
Skies. She gave the Government of the ^^^^^^^^
Mountain to a Captain that was in her train, ^1^
whofe Anceftors had formerly been Governors
of it.
The Camp continued near this Mountain
all the Month of February ^ for the fake of the
wounded men; during which time, Gama re-
ceived a MefTage brought by two Tortuguefes
from Manuel dQ Vafco7%jelho^ who had beenfent
by the Viceroy with Five Ships, to learn
where the Turkiflj Galleys were , and with a
fredi Supply of Arms and Ammunition. Up-
on this advice Ga?7fa fent Franc if co Velbo with
a Guard of 40 Fcrtugiufes well armed and
mounted, to Matz^ua, where Vafconjelho was
with his Fleet, with an Order to receive the
Arms and Ammunition that was fent to him
by his Brother ; to whom he gave a full ac-
K 2 count
13 1 Tk ChtirchHiJlory
count by Letter ^ of the State of Affairs in
Etbhpia, and of all that he had done in it.
Having difpatched this bufinefs , and their
wounded men being all either dead or cured^
the Emprefs and Gama marched into a fertile
Countrey^ whofe Prince was a Chriftian^ by
whom they were joyiiilly entertained, want-
ing for nothing that was neceffary for their
Camp. But they had not been many days in
thefe good Quarters, before Goiima received
Letters from the Emperor , defiring him to
niarch towards him with all the hafte he could,
he being informed that Granhe had refolved
to get betwixt them with an Army , which
neither of them alone could be able to deal
with.
Gama \s Upon this Advice Gama made long Marches
intercept- to have got to thcEmperor, but was notwith-
ed in his ftanding that intercepted by Gra^ihe ; from
d h'' ^^^^^^5 upon Valm-Sunday, he received a Mef-
Emperor ^^g^^ telling him;, That henwitdredat his ha'v'mg
byGranhe. the I?77fudence to come as he did into his Kingdom
OiJith a Handful of ?y?en ^ for which^ tho he well
/r defewcd to be chajfijed^ to difcourage others from
■w'rh^^ri- ^^ki?)g fuch mad AdubJtures j yet coiifidering he
diculous '^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^^Jy ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ wheedled into it by
Prefent is the Emfrefs, who was certainlj the falfeft IVoman
fent to i^j, tjjg 'iuorld , he was ready not ojily to pardo?j him^
Gama by j^,^^ ^^ conuey him and his men fafe back to their
Ships j defiring him withal to accent of the rrejent
he hadfe?}t him, ivhich was a Monk s Cowl, and
a Rofary of Beadsj as much ?nore proper for him
than a Sword and Ar7770Pir. G a 777 a treated the
Meflenger civilly, prefenting him with a Silk
Veft and a Medal^ bidding him tell bis Mafter^
That
Granhe,
)/■ E
T H I o r I A.
n
Tlut he fhoiild have an Anfvvcr fioni him in
a day or two.
A Council of War having been called
thereupon, it was agreed that Gawa fhould
return the following Anl'wer to Grriihe^7hat he
Oi^as feni /»r<? Ethiopia l^y the great Lyon of the Sea ^
and the mo^ -povjerful Lord of the Earthy whoje cu^
fiom it was to fuccor all that are in difirejs ; and luho ,
ha-ving beeji informed that the mojt Chrifitan Em-
feror of Ethiopia^, his Brother in Arms^ was con--
^ueredy a?id in a manner dri'vcn out oj' his Em-
fire by hifdcls^ and the Enemies of the holy Catho^
lick Faith y had fen* him vjith fome Troops to refiore
him to his Empire, which tho they were but few in
number y yet he did not doubt but they were enough
to fight the greatefi Armies of one who had been Jo
wicked y as without any reafon or colour of jitfice^
to difpofjefs a Prince of his Empire y and that not with
his own jheiigthybut becaufe the true God ii^as pleafed
to permit it to be fo for the chafrifemeni* of the Sins
of the HabaffinSj wihoje F/rath he hoped was now
abundantly jatisfied with what thty had already
fuffered y fo that he would now in his great mercy
refrore them again to their Ancient Liberties y and
gizfe the?» the Lands of their Forefathers^ of which
he hadfo unjufHy robbed them. With this Anfwer
he fent him a large Lookmg-glafs with a pair of
Finchers y Juch as TVomen uje, Grarihe though Gams re
defperate mad at this Anfwer and PrefeAc, ^"^"s
yet could not forbear faying y That Captai;js ^^^^^
who had the courage to fight Armies 7vith handfuls ^^ith
of meny defer^ued to have great horiours done them Prefent
by all Princes : But perceiving the Vortuguefes "o ^^fs
were not to be perfuaded to lay down their r "?i.
Arms, he thought the beft way to deal with cuIqu" '*
K : fuch
Granhe a
age,
134 ^^^ ChuYchHiJlory
fuch defperate People, would be to ftarve
them; which he reckoned would be eafie for
him to do , they being at that time but % 5-0
fighting Men, whereas his Army confifted of
15-000 Foot, and ipo Horfe , befides 200
T'lifh with Fire- Arms.
But the Mahometans y after having befieged
Gama at a diftance for fome days, being afna-
med of taking fuch a courfe with a Body of
■ men, which they reckoned would not be a
Breakfaft to them, did oblige Granhe to change
his Meafures, and to lead them up to the
Enemy, whom when they came near, they
Gma. be- found ftrongly encamped. Granhe finding the
^il^rt ^" Enemy thus polled, and being neither willing
hy Granhe. ^^ difcourage his Men by marching back
again, nor to hazard them by making an Af-
fauk, ordered a Breaft-work to be run up
within Musket-iliot of them , from behind
which he for fome day mauled the Vonuguefes
with his Fire- Arms ; Gama^ whofe number
could not long endure this fport, refoived
whatever it cod: him , next night to diflodge
the Infidels, which with the help of his ArtiU
iery he did in a few hours, obliging them to
keep their former diftance, v. hich was with-
out Cannon Shot of his Camp , in which
A(ftion he had feveral wounded, but not one
killed.
a a^l? After this G^ma was more at eafe for
to hirnfelf the prefect ; yet being fenlible that this would
With the not do his bufinefs, the Enemy, as they lay,,
bravery of i^eeepij^ig him from fupplies of Provillons, he
Lls Men, ^^^^ forced to decamp , which he did before
fkrtTd with ^^-J^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^y §^c>^ order, bringing up the
Artillery. Rear hirnfelf The
o/ Ethiopia. 1^5
The Infidels perceiving To foon as ir was
light, that the Fortuguejcs had left their Camp,
purfued them with great fury^ reckonin^^ now
they had got them upon plain ground, to
have made iKort work with them.
But Grrm<iy when they were come near him,
plied them fo with his Artillery, that lie made
them retreat in diforder^ leaving; feveral of
their bed men dead^ or wounded, behind
them, Graiihe himfelf having his Horfe fliot
under him, and receiving a v/ound hi his Thigh
with a Musket-bullet ; there were 1 1 Von r/-
guefcsy one of whom was ^n Enfign, killed in
this Action , and feveral wounded ; Gam.T.
himfelf having received a flight wound in the
Leg y who having lain ftill 12 days to cure
his wounded men, and cbferved that the Ene-
my had refumed his firft method of ftarving
them, he determined to fall upon them in their
Quarters, which he did with good fuccefs^
driving them from their Pofls, and making a
great Daughter among them ^ in this Attack
Gama loft 14 more of his Torrtiio-iicfes . belides
two that were blown up by a Barrel of Gun-
powder, which took fire by accident^ the noife
of which was of no fmall advantage to him,
the Enemies Horfes being put into fuch a dis-
order therewith , that the Officers were not
able to bring them together again ; he had
likewife 70 wounded , two whereof died of
their Wounds.
Granhe finding there was no breaking this He obli-
Body o^Fortnguejes by reafon of their Difcipline geth Gm;.
and Artillery, the noife whereof neither his ^^^° re-
Men nor Horfe could bear , he retreated for ^^^^^'
K. 4 eight
^6 Tl?e Church^ Hijlory
eight days together into a Mountainous
Countrey, leaving the Tortuguefes to the mercy
of the heat^ and barrennefs of Ethiopia, which
he hoped would make an end of them in a
little time.
Gama having thus rid himfelf of the Ene-
my;, removed his Camp to the Banks of a
large and pleafant River^, where he had been
but two days^ when the Portuguejes he had fent
to / Utz^ua returned to him ^ but without
bringing any thing of that they were fent for,
the Ships that brought the Arms and Ammu-
nition having been frighted away before they
got to Adatz.ua , by fome Intelligence they
had received of a Fleet of TtrrkifJo Gallies ma-
king towards them. Bahmuagays like wife came
back to him at the fime time with a Body of
500 Hahafjln Foot and 30 Horfe.
Gama^ though much troubled at this dif-
appointment, yet that he might lofe no time,
refolved with this fmall Reinforcement to
purfue GYar>he^ and if it were poffible^, to drive
him out of the FaftnelTes he was retired to :
And fo inftead of marching towards the Em-
peror, as he had been dellred, that he might
engrofs the whole, glory of overcoming G'r^?/Z'e
to himfelf, he marched from the Emperor af-
ter him for eight days; but as we ihall fee by
the fequel of the Stoi-y, was at all this pains
to catch a 'Tartar, "He had fallen upon Granhe
as foon as he came up with hini, had he not
been hindred by the Emprefs, who protefted
againil coming to a Battel before they had
their whole Army together, and with much
a-do perfuaded him to cxped the Emperoi'
with
o/E
T H 1 o p r A.
M7
v/ith his Troops, which were reported to be
much greater than they were.
While Gama was in thcfe quarters, a certain
Jew, who was Governor of a ftrong Moun-
tain called O.ity, m the Province of Cer,icv,
came to wait on him, and to let him know.
That in the neighbouring Mountains there
were great numbers of curious Horfes which
were but weakly guarded , offering if he
would fend any of his men to feize them, to
be their Guide hirnfelf ; he further told him, g^/? con-
That it Was abfolutely neceffiiry for him. to ^"^^^ ^y
make liimfelf Mafter of all the Paffes of that ^^^^^ ^
Countrey, for otherwife it would not be pof- tain, of
fible for the Emperor, who he knew was not which,
ftrong enough to force his way to come at ^"^ ^
him ; Gama was much concerned at the laft ^l^^^^ ^^
part of the Jtwh Intelligence, having ima- Horfes he
gmed the Emperor to have been much makes
lironger than he affured him he was j where- ^imfelf
upon he asked the Empi-efs what flie thought '"'^^^r-
of the Jz-iv^ report concerning her Son's Ar-
my? She told him frankly. That jJjg thought it
was but tco true ; hereupon he determined to
go, and either make himfelf Mafter of thofe
Horfes and Paffes, or die in the Attempt. In
purfuance of which refolution, that he might
nqt alarm Granhe, he marched fecretly out
of his Camp by night with a loo of his For-
tugucjcsj and never halted till he came to the
great River Tavaz^e, over which he was forced
to waft his men upon Boracho's, or Hides full
of Wind y but what was worfl: of all, when
they came near the Mountain his deiign vv^as
upon, lie found the Garifon much ftronger
than
1^8 The Church^HiJIory
than the Jew had reprefented it to have beeii^
there being no fewer than 5000 Foot and 400
Horfe in it; but Gama was gone too far
to think of Retreating, and therefore Fight
he muft;, and did; and after having killed the
Governor Cid Ahamed with his own hand,
the Infidels being but raw men, difperfed up-
on it, and were moft of them knocked on
the head by the Jeu^s, who are the Natives of
that Countrey ; the JeiD who was the Guide,
is faid to have been fo ftruck with this Vido-
ry, and particularly with there not having
been one Fortuguefe Killed or Wounded in
the whole Acftion, that looking upon it as a
Miracle , he immediately turned Chriftian ,
and thereupon had the Government of the
Mountain conferred upon him by Gama^ be-
ing ordered to fend word to the Emperor of
the Paffes being opened for him and his Ar-
my: There v/ere 300 Mules, and 800 good
Horfes taken, all which Gama ordered to be
brought after him to the Camp, whither he
Vv^ith the greateil part of his Men Rode Poft,
fearirig leii: he might have been intercepted by
Neither was Granhc Idle all this Winter,
who having obferved that his Army, befides
that it vv^ould require time to bring them to
endure the Thunder of Cannon. were flrange-
\y cowed by their having been Beat fo often
by a handful of Vortugticjes, writ to the Bafljaw
of 7.ehid^ a Province in Arabia^ for fome Tm-k-
ijh Troops, and a Train of Artillery, to en-
able him to deal with the Vortuguefes ; repre-
fenting the driving of them out of Ethiopia^
as
o/E
T H I O P I A.
M9
as one of the belt Services that could be done
the Grand Seigmor: The Ba^iaw having 3000
Turksj all Veteran Soldiers^ for the Guard of
the Red-Sea y fent him 600, fome fay 900 of
them, with feveral Peices of Ordnance ; and
befides thefe, he is faid to have received con-
liderable Supplies from fome of his other
Friends in Arabia,
Thefe Foreign Troops came up to Grayihe
the very night that Gama returned to the
Camp ; with which Auxiliaries he inftantly
advanced towards the Portuguefes, and En-
camped fo near them, as to make them both
hear and feel that he had now got Cannon as
well as they.
Upon this new fcene of Afiairs, Gama
called a Council of War to confult what was
fit to be done, and it being agreed on
all hands, That there was now no poffibility
of Retreating , no, nor of waiting where
they were till the Emperor came up with
them, they had therefore nothing to think of
but of Fighting it out, fo as either to Con-
quer, or to fell their lives dear ; only, that
they fhould do all that they were able to avoid
coming to Battel before the Mules and Horfes
that had been taken lately by Ga?/7a arrived in
the Camp.
But Gra?jhe having now got men that were
not afraid to go upon the mouth of a Cannon,
advanced next day within Musket-iliot of the
Tortuguefes, refolving if they did not come out
to Fight, to i\ovm their Camp , which he
reckoned himfelf ftrong enough to do : Gama
perceiving their defign, Sally'd out to demo-
lilh
Granhe
being re-
inforced
by a Body
of Turks
and a
Train of
Artillery,
forceth
Gawa to
come to a
Battel,
Gama
140 The Church' Hijlory
lirti a Mount Granhe was raifing to plant his
Cannon upon^ and which would have com-
manded his whole Camp ; in which Sally he
made the Turks give ground ^ until over-
powered by Number, he was forced to retreat ;
having loft fome Officers^ and feveral of his
Soldiers in the Adion ; Gama made feveral
other brisk Sallies, but was ftill repulfed with
lofs, and in one of them was himfelf Wound-
routed ^^ ' When night came on, the Emprefsand
and taken all the Officers were at <^^ama to retire to the
Prifoner. Mountains^ it not being poffible for them to
holdout another day again ft fo great and well-
difciplin'd an Army : G,-ma was put into
fuch a rage by die motion^ that he drew his
Swordj and brandifhing it, cri'd out, They that
will fie al away by night may do it ^ hut for my own
fart I am refolved to ft ay and fiojot the Infidels ;
and if his Coimtreymen would be fo baje as to de-
fert him and Izu've him alone to defend the Campy
he could not hinder them^ but out of it he was re^
folved not to fiir unlefs it was to Fight the Enemy,
The Officers finding there was no perfuading
of Gama to go with chem^ laid violent hands
on him, and having fet him upon a Mule, car-
ried him with them as a Prifoner. They,
were not well got out of their Camp with
Gama, ( the Emprefs and Patriarch having de-
parted fome time before ) when the Turks
broke into it, where finding 40 Portuguefes,
who by reafon of their Wounds had been left
behind, they knocked them all on the head ;
and underftanding that Gama could not be got
far, a Body of Turks was ordered immediately
to purflie hini;, who having before Sun-rifing
got
of E T H I O V I \l 141
got between him and the Mountains^ by noon
they found them lying under a Tree quite
fpent with the lofs of Blood, and the Fatigue
of the Battel 5 and having mounted him on a
Horfe^ they carried him to Granhe,
The Portugueje Hiftorians^ as if they reckon-
ed that to ha've neither Fear nor Wit, -were the true
CharaBer of a Hero, do according to their cu-
ftom, on this occafion facrifice Gama'j dijcreti^
on to the Refutation of his Courage : Who^ they
fay, upon Granhe\ asking him, Hcrw he nrntld
ha've treated him^ had the Fortune of War made
hi?n his Vrtfoner ^ made anfwer, 'That he 'would
haut cut off his Head, and have fent it as a Fre-
fent to the Emperor. The foolijJj Bravery of which
Anfiuer was fo far from obliging Gra?jhe to
give him his Life, that he gave him Lex talio-
-nis ; having, after he had treated him barba-
roully for a day or two, orderd his Head to be Gamnhz^
chopped off in his prefence ; at which the headed.
Turks ^ who defign'd to have made a Prefent
of him to their Baffa, are faid to have been
very angry.
A Fortugucfe who was a Prifoner, and pre-
fent when Gama was murthered, having af-
terwards made his efcape, gave an ample ac-
count of all the Particulars of Gama's carriage
at his death; and among other things, affirm-
ed, that he faw with his own eyes a great foun-
tain of moft delicate water gujh out of the earth
Gama'i Head fell upon, when it was chopped off.
This Miracle was the eafier fwallowed, it
being no more than what the Heads of all Le-
gendary Saints have done^ who have happened to
be heheadtd*
This
14^ The Church'HlJlory
This is the fubftance of the fo much cekbra^
ted Exfedition of Don Chriftopher Da Gama^
which as I have related it^, is I doubt big
enough for the belief of any indifferent -perfon y
but is much too great for that of the mofi ere-
dulousy if impartial y as it is magnified by his
Countre)^men ; to whofe Romantick way of
OPriting their Lives ^ the Memory of their Heroes
( of which Race few Kingdoms of its hignefs have
"produced either more or greater than Portugal ) is
little beholden : Which common Fault in the Spa-
nifli and Portuguefe Writers^ I do not in the
leaft attribute to any defeB of Natural Judg-
ment in theWy that being a talent that few flatt-
ens excel them in ; but purely to their reading Ro-
mances fo much when they are youngs and efpecially
Ecclefiafiical ones^ that is^ the Lives and Legends of
their Saints ^ the Writers whereof ^ inftead of trcu-
hling themfelves to colleB Informations ^ dojhut them-
felves up in a Cell y and fay every thing of their
Hero that they think will make for his Honour.
After this Rout^ the Emprefs and Patriarch
retreated to the ftrong Mountain Gama had
The Em- made himfelf Mafter of a little before ; where
peror they had not been Ten Days^ before the Em-
"^hTP^ peror came to them with a fmall Army ; but
andPorL- ^^^^ing after fome Months got a Body of 700
guefes. Horfe and 8ono Foot together, he refolved to
march and offer the Enemy Battel , being
ftrongly urged to it by the Vortuguefes , who
tho but 90 in number^ were mad to revenge
the Death of their General.
Cunhay who after the Defeat had retreated
with 40 of his lortuguefes into Tigrey was fent
to to come and join the Grofs 5 but that not
being
' o/ E T H I O P 1 A. 145
being poffible^ by reafon of the Enemy's being
ported betwixt rhem , the Emperor advanced
with the Forces he had with him ; and being
come within fight of the Enemy, encamped
himfelf ftrongly for fome days ; during which
time there were frequent Skirmifhes ; in all
of which the Fortuguefes are faid to have done
Wonders , if not to have wrought Miracles.
The Habajfin General, in whofe Condud and
Courage the Soldiers placed their chief con-
fidence, happening to be flain in an Ambufli
the Turks had laid for him, the Emperor had
much ado to keep the Army from difperllng
upon* that unlucky Accident ^ and to prevent
it, was obliged to offer the Enemy Battel
fome days fooner than he had otherwife in-
tended to have done.
The Tortuguefes having defired it, had the
Van given them, and were joined with ^$o
Hahaffin Horfe, and 3 foo Foot : The Rear ,
which was commanded by the Emperor in
Perfon, confifted of the lame Number of
Horfe and Foot.
The Enemies Van, which was made up of
200 Turks vi^ith Fire- Arms, 600 MoonJIjHovk^
and 7000 Foot, was commanded by Grarhe
himfelf 5 and the Rear, confifting of 600
Horfe, and 6000 Foot, by a great Th-kifi
Captain.
The Two Armies were no fooner drawn He fights
into the Field, tha-n they ran upon one ano- and routs
ther, with great Fury, making a great Slaugh- Granhe,
vcr on both fides ;; and the Body of Turks
happening to charge the HabaJJins that were in
the Van , gave tb^m fuch a fhock as obliged
them
§44 ^/^^ ChurchH'tflory
them to retreat in great diforder ; which
having been timely obferved by the Tortu-
guefes, who were hewing their way through
the Battalions they were engaged withal,
they wheeled about^ and attacked the Vido-
rious Turks with that vigor^ that they quickly
forced them to give ground , and with the
lofs of a great many of their belt men to re-
tire to their Grofs ^ but the Vortuguefes not
being content with that^ followed their Blow,
and with Ae Affiftance of the Hahaffins who
had rallied again, broke into the Main Body
of the Enemy, fo as to make it give ground
apace ; which being perceived by Granhe^ he
galloped up to them, and having put himfelf
on their Head, did adthe part both of a great
Captain, and a ftout Soldier, till he received
Granhe ^ Mortal Wound with a Musket Bullet in his
killed breaft : His men when they faw him fall from
fishting. his Horfe^ inftead of feeking to revenge his
Death, or to carry off his Body, threw down
their Arms , and betook themfelves to their
heels ; only a Turhfij Captain who was near
him when he received his Death's Wound,
defended his Body with his Scimiter in his
hand till he fell dead upon it, and fold his.
own life dear.
The TortugMefes and Hahaffins purfued the
Enemy fo clofe, that few of them efcaped;
the Turks were all killed to 14, who keeping-
together in a Body, got before it was day to
the place where Granhe had left his Queen^
whom with a vaft Treafure in Gold and Jew-
els, they conveyed to a place of fafety, to the
great loft andforrovv of die IkhaJTms.
It
o/E
T H ! O r I A.
>4J
it is faid there was not one Tortuguefe kil-
led or wounded in this Fight ^ which they
will have to have been a miracle^ owing to the
Standard they had bore ever fince Gamas\ death,
which was cur Lady of mercy ; whereas before,
when they loft men , they had fought under
the Ba?mer of the five JVotmds of Chrifiy which are
the Arms of the King of Portugal.
Upon the news of this Vi(fl:ory all the The Em-
Princes and Governors of Ethiopia, who had peror be-
llded with Granhe, flocked to throw themfelves ^"S ^^^^
at the Emperor's feet, who by pardoning them outer ^of-
all to a man, was immediately reftored to the {tKionoi
full and quiet poffeffion of his Empire. his King-
The Emperor for fome time after the Vi- doni,quar-
dory, careffed the Portuguefes highly, acknow- It!^^ .
ledging on all occafions that he owed his guefes!'
Crown purely to their Valour : But whether,
it was that the Emperor, after the fafhion of
too many Princes , looking upon the Services
the Portuguefes had done him^ as too great to he
7'ewarded by him^ did for that reajon begin to hate
thefn^ as a reproach to him j or that the Portu-
guefes overvaluing their Services , 7vhich is likewife
a com77Jon fault on the other fide , did grow trou-
blefome and injolent thereupon , and demanded The ctlef
greater Reii^ards than were jufiy or than the Em- caufe of
feror could conveiiiently give them ; or whether ^^^^ Quar-
it was the Patriarch's teizing the Emperor /w- ^^^ ^" .
frantly to declare him/elf a Roman-Catholick y it is urging
certain they came in a fiiort time to an open the Em-
rupture, the Emperor accufing the Portuguejes P^^or ^^
of Impertinence and hjolence y and the Portu- '^".^^ Sf '
gucjes the Emperor of Ingratitude , and breach tholick"
af Fatth^ pretending he had promifed the King prefently.
L of
14^ The Church Hijlory
oiPortugaL that v'henfoever he fhould be refto-
red to the peaceable poffeffionof his Empire^he
would iirrnediately declare himfelf a Roman-
Cat hoUck y u7ul gi've the third fart of his Do"
mimons to the Portugiiefes.
But the Emperor, as he abfolutely denied
his having ever made any fuch promife, fo he
conjured the Patriarch not to trouble him any
more about his Religion^ being refolved never
to change it for that of Popery, which he
called Nefi-orianifm , and accufed of worjhip-
The Em- p^g Four Gods ; adding , That he was the
peror is Pallor and Prelate of all the Franks that were
refolved jj. Ethiopia ^ but had nothing to do with his
turn Ro- Subjeds, v/ho had a Prelate of their own, to
man-Ca- wit the Patriarch of Alexandria^ in whofe obe-
tholick. dience, after the Example of his Anceftors,
he was refolved to live and die.
The Patriarch finding he was not to be
perfuaded to embrace Popery^ was for trying
whether he could not terrify him into it, by
obliging the Tortuguefes by his Cenfures, not
to ferve him any longer until he made profef-
fion of it.
The Emperor is faid at firft to have laughed
at this Excommunication, as the effed of the
impotent Paffion of an angry old man, who
would needs be exercifing jurifdidtion where
he had none ; and it is more than probable,
confidering his prefent Circumftances, and
the fmall number the Portugaefes were then re-
duced to, that he continued to do fo to the
laft : Notwithftanding it is reported , That
when he found the Tortuguefes would ferve
him no longer , unlefs he declared himfelf a
Roman-
O/ E T H 1 O P I A. 147
Roman-Catholick , that he fubmitted^ ab-
juring the Ah'xandr'uin Faith , and making
profeffion of that of Rome in the hands of the
Patriarch.
But however that were, it is certain, that
the Emperor at this time did not only declare.
That he would never jubmit himfelf a??d his
Empire to the Tope y who befides that he was
a Neflorian Heretick , had nothing to do
with a Church, which from its very firft
foundation had been all along fubjed to the
Patriarch of Alexandria ; but to Hiew the
World that he was in earneft^ he writ to the
Patriarch of Alexandria to fend an Ahuiui into
Ethiopia^ according to the cuftom of his Pre-
deceffors.
The Patriarch and Portuguefes, when they
came to hear of this Meffage, did iiorm and
threaten at fuch a rate, that the Emperor be-
gan to conlider how he might rid his Coiintrey
of Guefts who would be fatisfied with nothing
lefs tlian the extirpation of its Ancimt Reli-
gion _, and the efiablijliment of Popery ; the
toleration of their own Religion , w^hich he
reckoned a great favour , being what they de^
fpifedy and reckoned to be no kindnefs at all :
Whereupon the Em.peror is faid to have given
fecret Orders for 2000 Soldiers to be fent to
difarm, if not malTacre all the Portuguefes that
were in Ethiopia^ as a People not to be endu-
red any longer ^ but the Fortugitejes having had
timely notice of this Plot againft their Lives,
did by keeping ftill together in a body, pre-
Ysnc the execution of it.
L 2 The
148 The Church- Hijlory
The Emperor having the news brought him
of the Jhma he had fent for, being on his
Journey ;,to manifeft his great Zeal for his Re-
ligion , went as far as Deboroa on purpofe to
meet him : Where;, when the Ahuna^ whofe
name was Jofefh^ arrived^ he was received by
him with the greateft Feftivities that had ever
been feen before in Ethiopia on the like oc-
cafion.
The Patriarch BermuJes , who Could not
endure to think of any Ahma in Ethiopia be-
fides himfelf, pofted after the Emperor to try
to prevent it ; but the Emperor hearing he
was coming after him, and not caring to be
fchooled by him any longer, ordered him to
be apprehended, and carried Prifoner to one
of his ftrong Mountains, from whence, after
fome Months confinement, he was refcued by
his Countrymen, and carried by them into
7/>r^, where he lived under the protedion of
Bahurnagaysy the great Patron of the Vortu-
gnefes, until he was carried off to the Indies by
the Jefuits to make room for a Succeffor of
their own Order, as we Hiall fee hereafter.
The Emperor^ now he bad rid himfelf of
the Popifh Patriarch, who would never let
him be quiet day nor night with his Religion,
began to exprefs great kiiidnefs again to all
the Vortuguafes that remained , employing fe-
veral of them about his Perfon , and giving
fuch Eftates to the reft, that there was not
one of them but what kept his Horfe or Mule,
and lived with the Equipage of a Gentleman ;
infomuch that there was but one hard thing
whereof they could accufe the Emperor ,
whicli
of E
T H I O P I A.
4?
which was^ That he would not fujfer them^ after
he had told them above an hundred times that he
would never change his Relfg/on , to trouble htm
any fnore about it.
But while things flood thus as to Religion The King
in Ethiopia^ all the News in Vortugal and Rome of Porut-
was^ that the Tcrtuguefes\\:i^ rcfrorcd the Em- '^^i^^'"^^
pcror to all his Dominions^ and had thereby ^ ^^^ p^f
obliged him to that degree^ that he was not triarch ia-
contented with declaring that he would fub- to Ethio-
mit himfelf to the Roman Church ^ but that P^-
he would make his whole Empire to do the
fame ; which News ^ fo flow was their In-
telligence from thence , continued to be be-
lieved by moft people in Europe as undoubted-
ly true^ for at lealt three years after Claudms
had made a folemn declaration to the con-
trary, and that nothing in the world Hiould
ever oblige him to change his Ancient Faith
for that of Rome.
Ig7iatim Loyola being fenfible that his new ignatim
Order had every-where a great many Ene- -^oy^'^ la-
mies, and efpecially among the other Orders ^^^^^p^^
of Friars , who were all grown jealous of its ^he uahaf'
over-topping them ; was calling about to find fm Mifiloa
fome great work for them to do, wherebv to his
they might for ever eftablifh their Reputation ^^^ ^^'
in the Roman Church ; and believing all that
was reported of the greatnefs of the Hahajjin
Empire, and of the good difpofition it was in
to fubmit it felf to the Pope, he laboured day
and night to obtain that Province for his
Fryars ; and that he might interefl himfelf
therein with the better grace , he begged
leave folemnly of the Pope to go into Ethwpa.
L 5 in
1 50
A Patri-
arch, two
Bifhops,
Coadju-
tors, with
lo Friers
all of rhe
Jefuits
Older, are
nomina-
ted to go
JntoEihio-
fia.
The ChurchHiffory
m perfon to promote the fubmiffion of that
Church to him ; which being denied him to
his great grief, he begged that fince he him-
felf was not thought worthy of that honour,
that a Miffion of his Friars might be fent thi-
ther, and this he plied fo clofe, as to carry it :
For befides that he himfelf was indefatigable
in the purfuit thereof, he commanded all the
Jefuits that were at Lisbon, to wait upon the
King at leaft once a Month about it, and one
Lewis Go77calves da Camara^ ajefuit, who was
of a Noble Family in Tortugal , not to fail to
fpeak to the Vortuguefe Embaffador at the
.Court of Rome once in three qays concerning
it ; • which that Father obferved fo pundually^
and teized the Embaffador fo much about it,
that the Embaffador s Servants v/hentheyfaw
him coming , ufed to fiy of him , Here comes
our Lord's Tertian Ague.
By thefc indefatigable diligences ^ Jgnatim
carried both his points, which were, That a
fplendid Mifiion ihouid be fent into Ethiopia to
take the fubmiffion of that Church to the Ro~
iTuiTi, and that none but his Friars diould be
imployed in it ; and having the Nomination
of thejn \^i to hi mi elf, he named one John
Nunes Baretto a Tcrl:ugmj<rtO go Fritriarch , and
Andrew O'viedo a Spanidid , and Mdchior Car-
fieiro a TonugtiejCj whj6 were to be both made
Biihops ; the firft m Hieropolis , and the fe-
cond of Nice ; and to be Coadjutors to the
Patriarch, and who in cafe they Survived him,
were in their turns to fuccccd him in that Dig-
nity ; to which he added ten Jefuits more, ha-
ving, as he told the Emperor iu his Letter to
him.
o/ Ethiopia. 151
him, pitched upon that number^ that the Pa-
triar ch and his twelveCompanions might repre-
fentChrill and his tvvdveApoftles : Upon Ig^in-
//«j Nomination ofthefe Miffionaries^the Pope's
Bulls. for Authorizing them were difpatched to
Ltshon 5 the Bull of the Patriarch Elcd was as
followeth :
Julius Bifhop, the Sewatit of thz Servav.ts of
God J To my Beloved Son]o\in EL cJ of 'Ethio-
pia, y fivd of all the Kingdoms fuhjecl to Precious
John the lliufrious Emperor of Ethiopia^ Health
and Afofolical Bemdiilion.
WHEREAS -we have heen lately follici-
ted in your ]><ar/ie^ which to us and cur
Brethren is very acceptable j we with the Council of The
our faid Brethren have by our Apofolical Authority ^ j^^P^'^
"promoted you to the Patriarchal Church of Ethio- ," p ^^
pia.,a)7d of all the Kingdoms belongijig to our beloved fecrating
Son in Chrift^ Precious John, the Vilufirictts Em- of the
peroY of the j aid Ethiopia, which is at this time in a "^^ Ua-
manner deftitutt of t heConJolation of a Pafor\ Making '^/'" f ^"
andConjHtutmg you by the faidCouncil and Authority ^
Patriarch and Pafior thereof duri?2g your Life ^ or
for fo long as you jJiall keep the Charge , Govern-
ment y and Adminifiratic?i of all the u^ff'airs Spiri-
tual and Temporal of the /aid Church ; as we do
alfo Confiitute our Beloved Son Andrew, EleB of
Hieropolis , and Melchior EkB of Nice , your
Coadjutors y with full^free^ and entire faculty ^ power
and authority y to make^ treaty exercije^ and procure
all things in general^ and every thing in particular j
which do of right and cuficm belong to Juch Coad-
jutors y from this time forward in all matters of
L 4 Jurifdi^ion,
iji The Church'' Hijiory
yurlp.iBion ^ and after they are confecratedy in aU
n<!atters of Order likew'tfe ; and in cafe of accident s^
wc ha've pro'uided that the [aid EleBs y Andrew
and MdchiOTyfiaB after a certain form cr manner
he jucctjfi'vely Fafiors and Patriarchs of the [aid
Church 5 and we ha^ue fent you hy a certain Mefjen-
ger your Fall, which is the Enjign of the ferfeB
fewer of the Pontifical Office y taken from the body
of the hlejjed St. Peter^ which was defired of us in
your behalf with that infiance as is fittingy and as
'was fignified by youy after the manner and form as
'was therein declared y and as is more amfly con-
tained in our Letters, And we ha'ving confidered
the great dtfiance of the faid Church from the Court
of Rome y and how difficult a thing it is to come
from thence htthery and how great and dangerdus
either by Sea or Land the Voyage is \ and being for
that reajon deprousy fo far as we are able with
a good CcnfciencCy to eafe you and your SucceJJors^
the Patriarchs of Ethiopia y and of all the King-
doms belonging thereunto y of fuch a fourney 5 we
do grant to yoUy and the faid EleBsy Andrew and
Melchior^ upon their ceafing to be Coadjutors , and
to all your other SucceJJors of the faid Patriarchal
Church of Ethiopia y and the Kingdoms thereunto
belonging for all times to comcy the fri'vilege of
ivearing the forejaid Pally within the Church of
Ethiopia y and all the Kmgdotf^is thereof upon the
Fefn'ities of Eafter^ Whitfunti(Je, and Chrift-
mas y as alfo upon thofe of Circumcifiony Epiphany y
and Ajcenfan of our Lord ; as aljo upon the Feafi
of Corpus Chrifti, St, Stephen^ St. John^ Palm-
Sunday^ r/je.Thurfdayvr-W Saturday m the holy
Week y and of the invention of the Crojs y and of
John the B apt if j and en all the dijys 0^ the Apo-
o/E
THIOPTA. J55
files, and on the Three Feftivities of the BleJJed Vir-
gin , and 07% AU-Saints-day , and on the dap of
the Confecration of the Chief Churches under their
jurifdiction, and on the dnys whereon yon ordain
Friefisy or Conjecrate BiJJjops • and j,f it (Iwuld Jo
happen , which God fm'bid y that the jaid Tall
flwuld either he lofi by the way, or he Jlolcvy or fliould
he any other way emhez^tled , you may in that caje
make and hlejs fuch another Vail y which you and
your SucceJJ'orsy hy us infiitutedy may ufe as is ahove
frefcrihed y you Jhall likewife caufe a Crofs to he
tarried before you in all places of your Tro^
ruince,
When the Archhifiiops and Bipopsof the fa id Frc-^
^ince fiiall he Elected hy our heloued Sons , the
Chapters of Churches y or according to the cuftom of
the place , but fo y that it JJjall always he in your
power to fupply all defe^h tf any jhould happen to
he in the Forms of their ElcSlwns , and he appro-
ved ofy and Confirmed y and Infiituted hy yoUy they
jljall then he obliged with all pofpble expedition to in^
timate their EleBion y Confirmation ajiA Inflitution
to the Apofiolical See y taking an Oath of duefide^
lity to ity in the form hereafter preja-ibed ; and ha-
'ving given the cufiomary obedience y fliall Jend the
faid Oath likewije to the jaid See.
And you hemg affified by the faid Andrew and
Melchior^ Elettsy tf they are prefe?ity or otherwtfe ^.
youy they not being to he had _, or they being out of ^Ho^f Sf
the Office of Coadjutor y may , being ajffilted by the Con-
two lawful Pfiefts ordained according to the fccrarion
cuftom of the Church of Romey until {\xch time ^^^ ^*-
as you can have two Bifliops lawfully Confe- oneBi^^
crated y in which cafe you muB be affified hy two and two
Bfpjops y and not hy two Fresbyters y Confecrate Presby-
the ten.
154 -^^^^ Church^ Hi ftory
the faid Archbiiliops and Bifliops fo Ele<5led,
Confirmed and Inftituted, they having firfl p-e-
feinted to yot^y or to others y their Letters ^ certifying
their EkBion^ Confirmation and Injtitution^ as alfo
the form of the Oath of obedience that they have ta^
ken : And the Archhijhops thus Confecrated , after
they have the Pall given them^ may ufe all the In^
fignia of Archhijljops ^ as the Bijhops fo ordained
may likewife all thoje of Bifljofs^ and may likewife
confecrate the holy Oily and confirm and confer ho"
ly Orders y and ferform all the other Offices appeV"
taining to a Bijhop y and may likewife refpeBively
exercije the ordinary power y and whatfoever is pro^
per and customary for Archhijhops and Bifhop to ex^
ercife ; you may aljo give to Archhtfhops thus Con-
fecratedy the Tally which is the fign of Pontifical
Perfie^ion y which they jhall tpje after the manner
above prefcrih'ed ^ jou may likewife divide and dt-
fi'inguijl) the Provinces and Diocefes of the faid Arch-^
bifhops and Bijhops , which have not hitherto been
divided y and may alfo grant Licenfes to all fuch
as you fiiall judge fit to Preach and Declare the
word of God to the People ; and if they are Priefisy
to adminifer all the SacrammtSy excepting thofe of
Confirmation and holy Orders y and to Conjecrate Al-
tars y with all their Ornament Sytoget her with the Sa^
cerdotal VefimentSy and all other things Jave Cha-
lices and Pat ins 5 you may likewife abjolve all per^
fonswhatfoever within your Province yor that are any
other way your SubjeBsy by a Diocefany as well as
Patriarchal right y from all manner of Sins _, and
'Excom?nunications which they may have i^icurredy
and from all Sujpe7')fionsJnterdit}syand other Cenfures
and Ecckfiafiical Penalties how great joeveryvayytho
of that vumber which are rejervcd by the Bulla
C^na
o/E
T H I O P I A.
»55
Ca^na Domini, injoiningthem healthful penances in
allfuch cafes in proportion to the nature of their fatbits ;
you may likevjije Communicate faculties to Btjfwps^
to ahjohe in all juch cafes as you or the Patriarchs
of Ethiopia for the time beifjg fliall judge convent^
ent ; and if it jljall he thought fity you may by your
felf or others diffenje with all perfons as to any ir-
regularities they haz/e contra^hd by Bigamy ^ p'o-
^Jtded it was not true j or Homicide^ Jo it was not
'voluntary ; which when they are fo^ ^uft ne^er be
difpenced withal but on great occajionsy and for the
fuhlick goody and for want of Jge alfo ^ and ivitb
any of the other impediments to holy Orders , or the
exercife thereof ^ as aljo as to the Saa'ame7)t of
Matrimony in whatfoe'ver degree of Affinity or Con-
fanguinity Spiritual or Carnal ^ tJwje <rtily excepted
which are prohibited by the Di'vine Law j and
Spiritual Affinity in Matrimony jhall never be con-
traBed betivixt the Godfather and Godmother^ and
tJoeir Godchildre?7 \you may aljo commute Vows in-
to any pious work y provided they be Jiot the folemn
VoTi^s of Religion and Chafiity,
At thre-; times in the T^ear^ to wity Chriftmas,
Eafter and Whitfuntide , you may grant plenary
Indulgences to all People of the jaid Provmce y whp
being contrite have voluntarily confejjed their Smsy
obl.'ging them before you grant them y to Fafi^y and
devoutly to befeech God in behalf of all the faithful
of the Roman Chm'ch 5 and on any other days you
may grant Temporary Indulgences and Remtjfion of
SinSy which mu(l never exceed the term of Ten
years 5 you may likewife give licenfe to your Friars
to read Heretical Booksy and may at your plea^
[ure unitey annex, and incorporate Ecclefiafiical Be-
nefices into Churches or other Pious and Religious
places
t^6 The ChurchHtJiary
flacesy for the Spiritual or Temporal advantage of
the Neighbours ; and may ereB and found general
TJniverfities and Colleges^ 'wherein People may take
all Degrees of Mafter and DoBor ; and Ukeivife
Hofpitals for the Poor^ the Sick^and Str anger s^Male
and Female 5 as alfq Monafleries and Colleges for
Boys and Girls ^ and Orphans ; in all which ^ works
of Piety and Charity may he exercifed: Tou may
either in your Perjon^ or by yonr Deputies, vifit
with a Plenary JurifdiBion all the faid Univerji"
ties y Colleges , Hofpitals , Monafieries , and all
other Religious Houfes of 7vhat Order or Sex fo^
ever, and reform them as well in the Head as in
the Members*^ and Chafiijey CorreB, and Punifl)
allthatjhall be found faulty, and may remove them^
from one place to another. You may alfo, if you
find it necejjary, found Religious Houjes of both
Sexes, and approve, difprove, or extinguijh Juch as
are already founded , or may reduce divers
Religions to one , and reform their Conftituti-
ons , by either adding to them , or taking
from them , as you jhall think fit in the Lord,
Tou may give Licenje to the poor. Religious ,
or not Religious, to beg and defire Alms in the
name of any Saint, Tou {hall furthermore in our
Name, and in that of the Holy See, declare to the
people of your Province, the Faith of the Roman
Churchy and which are the Canonical Scriptures
that they ought to hold and follow in every thing:
Tou mufi likewife condemn the writings which the
Roman Church rejeBs and condemns • and mufi-
determine and declare to them which Ecclefiafiical
precepts do oblige them under the penalty of a mortal
fin, and which do ?70t, Tou may further by your
Authority, fo thai Tiothing be changed tha^t is de-
creed
o/E
T H I O P I A^ I J 7
cree^ hy the Divine and Natural LaWy make Or-
ders concerning all matters which are of pofitive
right, even fo far ai Excommumcations, Sujpenji--
onsy hterdifls, and other Ecclefiafiical Sentences^
Cenfuresy Penalties, and Irregularities, which any
may have incurred upon the account of fuch mat-
ters, declaring which are Obligatory, and which
are not, until fuch time as the Apoftolical See
fliall otherwife order. Ton may alfo grant Difpen-
fattens concerning all fuch matters, and may Legiti-
mate Bafiards, and others that have any defeB in
their Birth. Ton muf create a Notary, who hy
the Apoftolical Authority may fee all the mat-
ters executed, which can he done hy any Legate de
Laterre, or Nuncio of the [aid See. Tou may
alfo make Compofitions with any People for Ecclefi-
afiical Fruits or Revenues that have been unjuflly
received, and employ the Money to foine Fious ufe.
Finally, yon may lawfully and freely do and execute
all things in general, and every thing in particular,
that appertains to the Edification and Salvation of
Souls, or that are feafonable, until fuch time as ycu
fimll receive an anfyver concerning them from the
faid See ; and to you, our Son John EleH, in cafe
the faid Andrew, and Melchior, or either of
them flwuld happen to die before you, we do hy theft
Prefents, and the faid Apoftplical Authority,
grant a Faculty, and a Plenary and Free Power ,
fieely and lawfully to Name and EleB one or more
Coadjutors, who fljall fucceed one afiother in the
faid Church ^Ethiopia, and the Kingdoms there-
unto belonging, and to hfiitute and Co7ijecrate them
Biffjops and Succeffors, obliging them to intimate
their EdeBion, hflitution, and Confecration to the
faid See, in the manner aforefaid, and to take an
Oath
1 5 8 The Church* Hijiorj
Oath of Fidelity and Obedience thereunto^ as is
above frefcnbedy and by Letters to acc^uaint the
[aid See therewith •* All which muft be done with
the Approbation of the Council that is to be ereBed
for the handling of all weighty Affairs^ and which
you JJjall hereafter Confiitute. All Confiitutions and
Apoftolical Ordinances, and Refer^uatoriesy though
cf Cathedral Churches^ or of this Patriarchal
Churchy tho confirmed by Oath, or Afofiolical Con-
firmation, or by any Confirmation^ Statutes, Cufiomsy
or any other 7vay to the contrary notwithfianding.
Given at St. Peters in Rome, on the 17th.
day of February, in the year of our Lord
155-4. in the jth. year of our Pontificate.
The Bulls of the three EleBs being come
to Lisbon, the King looking upon it as the
greateft honour that had ever been done to
The Pa- Portugal to have a Patriarch confecrated in it^
triarch, made great Preparations for tiiat Ceremony ;
^ft '^ f^ the Patriarchy and the Biihop of HieropoUs, u^ere
adiutors^' both confecrated in the Church of the Trinity
are Confe- -^ n<2^->* by Dunrtthan d'Abreu^Bl (liop of Porta legree,
crated at and Dom Gafper Biihop of die Ifland of St. Thc-
Usbon. ^^.^^ ^j-^(j p^j^ Peter Bilhop of Hippo ; Melchior
Eled of l>iice, having Sailed from Lisbon for the
Indies four days before the arrival of the Bulls,
But notv^ithllanding the King and the
v/hole Court honoured this Confecration with
their prefence^ yet 1 do not ^i\^ that any of
the great Prelates of the Kingdom were pre-
fent at it ; which^ together wich its not ha-
ving been peiformed in the See Church, but
in the Chappel of a Convent^, and that by
tv/o
o/ E T H 1 O P I A.' I5P
two Titulars, and the Pooreft Bifliop in Por-
tt4gdl ^ makes me fiifpecl: that the great
Prelates were not over-well pleafed with this
upftart Order leaping fo foon into fuch high
Dignities.
For about the time of this Promotion, and
which it is like enough might contribute
fomething towards it, there was a moft terri-
ble ftorm raifed both in Sfain and France a-
gainft the whole Order of the Jefuits,
Don John J Archbiiliop of Toledo ^ who conti- ^^^^
nued a mortal Enemy to it till his deaths Jefuits
driving them out of the Uni^erfity of Com- leaping fo
pletum in the year 15*5' 5*:, and frohtbiting all his 9"^^^^y
'Prtefis, upon fain of Defriuationj to make u[e of {|| j^ ^
any of their Exerctfes ; and prohibiting all others^ nities
iifon fain of Excommunication^ to confefs them- contrary
jehes to any of them. The Sorhon likewife de- }^ ^^^i^
clared about the fame time, That the Society of ^^^'^'^^
J ejus ovas dangerous to the Faith ^ a difturber of the them
Teace of the Church , pernicious to Monafiical Re- Enemies.
ligiony and^ in a word^ 7vas for Defiru^ion^ and
7wt for Edification,
There were two things, one would think,
might have beenfome rubs in the way of this
promotion, though we do not find they were
in the leafr.
The firft was, That there was a Patriarch,
and one of the Pope's own Confirming, then
living in Ethiopia^ of whom we ftiall hear more
hereafter.
The fecond was, the Vow that is taken by
the Jefuits, never diredly nor indirectly to
feel^ :^fter any Ecclefxaftical Promotion, either
within
i6o Tl?e ChurchHiJlorj
within or without their Order ; which th^y
had violated with a witnels^ in feeking after
a Miflion of this nature, which was not to
be performed without fome high Prelates.
Neither do we any where read, that Ignatius,
when he laboured fo hard to get his Friars
employed therein , did dedre only the
Miniftry of it for them, leaving the Prelacy
thereof to fuch as were under no Vows to the
contrary.
But however the Clergy flood affeded,
the King was extreamly pleafed with th^'s
Promotion, and prefented the Patriarch with
extraordinary rich Veftments , and with a
noble fet or Plate for his own Altar;- all
which, upon this Miflion mifcarrying, was
afterwards given by King Seba(rian to the
Jefuits College at Goa , where the Patriarch
had lodged it.
The Patriarch, by reafon of his Bulls not
having come till fome days after the Indta Fleet
departed, was obliged to wait a year for the
The King next Fleet ; during which time he lived for
iJ-feTT f ^^^ ^^^^ P^^'^ ^^ ^^* ^^'^^^^ ^^^^ HoMk of the
placing" " P^ofeiTed Jefuits at Lisbo?!, of whofe Chappel
that he laid the firft Stone.
things But notwithftanding it was generally be-
were not Ijeved both at Rome and Lisbon^ that the Ha-
Etkhpil^ ^^ffi'^ Church and Empire were as good as re-
as they conciled to the Pope ; yet there did not wane
were re- fome fober Heads at Lisbon^ who doubted whe-
ported to ther all things were fo well in Ethiopa as they
be fends ^^^^ reported to be , and as it is plain the
for true^ Pope and Jpjatim thought they were ; the
Intelli. former in his Bull , calling tho Emperor his
genee. Beloved
o/E
T H ! O P I A. l6l
Beloved Son, and the latter calling him his Lordm
C6rifj in his long Letter that he writ to him, and
in a f tyle as if he had been a fecond Pope of Rome.
This Letter of Ignatius is fet down at length
by Mafft'usy and all the other Writers of his
Life^ in which there are but two things that
are remarkible ; the one is , his quoting the
Firft Council of Confiantinopky and the Coun-
cil oS.Chalcedon for the Authoritative Supremacy of
the Tope ; .whereas thofe Councils do place the
Tope's primacy of Order , which was all they al-
lowed him^ on a bottom that quite deftroys
the Florentine Supremacy ^ founding ir purely
upon the Secular confederation, of Old Rome l^e-^
ing the firfi City in the Roman Empire, And
the fecond is^his proving from Pope Marcellus\
Decretal Epiftle , which is acknowledged by
all Learned Roman-Catholicks to have been
a Spurious Brat of the Eighth or Ninth Cen-
tury, That God did exprefly command St. Pe-
ter to fx his See at Rome.
But to return to the thread of my Story.
The King having been made jealous by
fome of his Miniftcrs^ that Ethiopia might not
be altogether fo well difpofed to fubmic it felf
to the Pope, as was commonly believed, gave
Orders to Don Peter Mafcarenhas , who Com-
manded the Fleet that Sailed for the Indies
four days before the coming of* the Pope's
Bulls to Lisbon, fo foon as he arrived at Goa,
to difpatch an Envoy thither to bring certain
tidings of the prefent ftate of its Affairs ;
who accordingly fo foon as he was arrived
M at
i6i
Rodriguez
the Jefiiir,
who went
with the
Envoy in-
to Erhio-
fi/^, his ac-
count of
vhcir
Voyage
and" Ne-
The Church Hiflory
at Goa^ fent one James Bias Oprefies^ joyning
Father Gancdro P^odriguez.^ a Jefuit, with him,
into Eth'wfin^ to bring Intelligence how mat-
ters liood there ; this Jediits chief, if not on-
ly buiinefs in Ethiopia^ as we fiiall fee here-
after;, was, if he found the Patriarch Bermu-
cks alive, to' fetch him oiF, to make a clear
ftage for his Succeffor ; fmce it would not
have looked well to have had two Topjh Pa-
triarchs together in Ethiopia.
Thefe Envoys failed from -Goa in Fehmary
1 5" 9 5', and in ^o days landed fafe at ArUko^
where having relied themfelves for fome time,
they continued theirjourney by Land till they
came to the place where their old Friend Ba-
hurvagays refided, who having received them
with great kindnefs, fent them with a good
Convoy to the Court. But
The Jefuit Rodriguez, having given the
World a very particular relation of all this
Negotiation at the Haknjjin Court, I fhali fet
it down word for word as he reports it.
On the 26th. of Aiciy we came to die King
of Ethiopia s Court, which is nothing but a
Camp full of Tents ; the King v/as pleafed
to give us a publick Audience the fecond day
after our Arrival, into whofe prefence when
we Vv^ere introduced, we found him feated in
a Chair hung round with Silk Curtains, as
indeed the whole Tent was, the Floor of the
Room being covered with a rich Carpet.
James Duis having delivered our Letters to the
King, he Commanded them to be Read in
thf. hearing of all the Fortuguejes that belonged
to
(/Ethiopia. i6^
the Court^ who were all permitted to be pre-
font at the Ceremony. In which Letters our
Lord the King having acquainted him with
his intention of fending one of his Courtiers,
with a certain number of Friars of Good
lives and found Dodrine next year to him ;
the King when he heard that^, was all of a
fudden in a great diforder , and had his
thoughts fo taken Up with it^ that when we
fpoke to hirn^ he never returned us any an-s
fwer that was to the purpofe^ but difiiiifled
us to return to our Tents. Within two or
three days after this Audience^ the King took
a Progrcfs to vifit his Grandmother ^ who
lived at a place that was Eight or Ten days
Journey ftom the Camp, in which he left us^
without having given any order about our
Entertainment, and without fending us fo
much as any thing of a Complement : So
that I do not know what vv^ould have become
of us, had not an honourable TortugMeJe car-
ried us to his Houfe, which was Two or
Three Leagues from the Camp, and Enter-
tained us there till the King returned, which
he did not in a Month.
During that time I compofed a Treatife of
the Errors of Ethiopia^ and of the Truth of
our Holy Faith, with an intention to have
prefented it to the King; who, as I was told
by a Votuguefe that was much in his Favour,
had no Idndnefs for the Ron7;m Font iff, and
had faid openly. That he jhod'in 7Joneed of the
Friars the King of Portugal was fo forward to
find hi??;, he wg fully refohed ntz^^r tojabmit him^
/'^'^ to thi Roma:n Church.
M 2 I was
I ($4 '^^'^ Church Hiftory
I was informed likevvife by all the Tortu-
guefes of the Court, That feveral of the Gran-
An ex- dees had been heard to fay^ That they would
ptethon of j^Q^^^y pi^ themfd'ves under the MahometanSj
nefs^oKhe ^^^'^'^^ turnV^^^\^s: This put me upon writing
Habajjiu all that I could have Preached to them^ if I
Zeal could have fpoke their Language^ that fo I
agamd might by the anfwer the King returned to it,
^^^^^'' clearly difcover his thoughts which he had fo
long diilembled : when we heard of the
King's being returned to the Camp, we went
prefently to wait upon him, and were told by
feveral Tortnguefes that belonged to the Court,
That the King had not fo much as once men-
tioned our Names fince our Audience.
Now the Treatife I had compofed being in
Pcrtifgf^efe , it was neceifary if I would have
the King to read it, to get it Tranflated into
ChakUe ; whereupon I writ a Letter to the
King himfelf, to defire him to let me have a
couple of Learned Monks to Tranflate the
Truths of our Faith into Chaldee^ I having
put them together on purpofe to lliew how
little reafon his people had to call us of the
Roman Communion, Heretkks'^ and to affirm
that we were worfe than Me.hometans ; and
being informed that the Habajjins had a Book
among them, written by the Schifmatkks and
Hereticks of Akxandria^ from whence they
have their AhmaSy having paid a Tribute to
the Turk for that privilege, Entitulcd, The
' .Adulterj of the Vr^nks '^ wherein, among other
things, the Council of C^/c^/Zo?? is condemned,
pretending that it taught that there were I our
Perfons in the Holy Trinity; and we are
likewiu
o/^ E T H I O P I A. 1^5
likewife charged with divers Errors, 1 begg'd
of the King that I might have a fight of that
Book.
The King would not let me have the Book,
and, was very angry that I had been told of it;
but as to the Monks I had defircd, he order-
ed a couple to come to me, but they had
not well begun the Tranflation, before either
out of fear that the King would be difpleafed
with them if they went on with it, orbecaufe
he had privately Commanded them not to do
it, they gave it over ; fo that I was obliged to
repair , to a VortugneU Captain to fpeak to
them to finijli it j; who with much ado pre-
vailed with them to go on : The Interpreter
on my fide was a worthy Tortuguefey who un-
derilood both the Languages well.
Having at lad got my Treatife Tranflated,
the next thing I had to do, was to gee it writ-
ten out fair, and having defired an Amanuen-
fis of the King to do it for me^ after having
granted me one, he repented prefently, and
lent me word, That if I would let. him fee
my Treatife as it was, he would read it over,
and that otherwife he would never trouble
himfelf with it ; fo I was obliged to carry it
to him as it was, having firft dated it, and put^
my name to it ; it bore date the 20th. of Au-
gufi. When I delivered it to him^ I was ac-
companied by a P(?rf?/^«/^/e Captain, and Seven
or Eight more of the fame Nation : and af-
ter having paid the cuftomary Obeifances, I
began a fliort fpeech concerning the occafion
of my coming into Ethiopia ; but the King in-
terrupted me ^ and began to talk of other
M 3 things,
1 6$ The ChurchHiJiory
things^ as one prepared to ward off the blows
that I had defigned to have given him ,• when
I had put my Treatife into his hand^ he be-
gun to read in it^ but had read but a little
way, before he Vv^as put into fuch a paffion
by it, as made him vomit out the poifon he
had fo iciig concealed, tellirg me, I had de-
llred iea^^e to fet down the Truths of my own
Faith, and lo have feme Monks to Trandate
them into Ckddts^ but inile.?.d of that, I ha4
charged thofe V7ith Errors Vv^ho had none , he
told me further^ That that was a work no
ways proper for a fimple Prieft, like me, but
u^is the work of fome Great Biihop, or Pre»
lacc, like the Pope. I made anfwer. It was
true I was but a mean man, but the things I
had fet down were iieverthxiefs the Truths of
theGofpel, and of the Holy Councils, whom,
and not me, I defired his Highncfs to hear.
He told me, I had impofed leveral things up-
on them Vv^hich they never held. I replied^
I knew very well that his Highnefs was in no
Error of -Faith , but that his Subjeds vv'ere;
and that I had fet down, nothing but what
was true, and what I was ready to demon-
ftrate to him. He faid. He was no friend to
Difputations, but there was one thing he v/as
certain of^ which was that S/i^/r/JM had always
held th(^ lame Faith that it did now, or ac
leaft that it had for above a Thoufind years j
that Difputations were never to be ufcd bur
with Heathei^Sy and that his Faith being thus
Ancient, tlierc was no body before me had
ever preiumed to fay it was Erroneous.
To
o/ E T H I O P 1 A. 167
To this I anfvvered^ That God did fome-
times for peoples Sins faficr llich things^ and
that his Highncls had reafon to thank God,
for having in his time vifitcd Erljiopu witli th.c
truth of die Gofpel :. lie fiid the Catholick
Church was divided into four Chairs , and
tliat they had from the beginning been fubjecl:
to one of them : I replied , it was true^ but fo
it was likewife^ that all Churches were Anci-
endy fubjed: to the Roma?i Biftiop, who was
above all the refl , as his Highnefs was above
his Subjeds ; infomuch that the three other
Chairs for having denied obedience to the Ro-
man^ were all become Schifrnatical ^ together
with all thofe who were fubjed to them ; That
his Highnefs if he Vv^ould be pleafed to perufe
my Treatife ^ would therein meet with full
Anfwers to all his Objedions, exhorting him
to take care not to make himfelf of that number '
of People the Prophet fpeaks of ^ who would
not underRand;, that they might do well. Af- The Em-
ter a great deal of arguing^, I told him that my pL-mr'sde-
defign in v/riting that Paper, was to difcover fence of
how his mind ilood difpofed towards the Pope, ^^^^^^.^^
and the Learned Friars which his Brother the ^^-^^^^
King of Vortugal was about to fend to him ;
for that if he was not willing that they fhould
come, it would be to no purpofe for the King
to* fend them fo far ; I did therefore befeech his
Highnefs to declare whether he intended to
fubmit himfelf to the Pope as he had promi-
fed ; he faid he had learned Friars enough in
his Kingdom, and that it was needlefs for the
King of Fortugal to trouble himfelf to fend him
any more 5 and as for the Pope^ That he had
M 4. never
1 6^ The Church Htjlory
never yielded him any obedience ; that Submif-
fion y that was carried to him , by Gafper de
Magalfoaens , being what he had never made,
and was either a trick or miftake of the Monk
who Tranflated his Letters to the King of Vor^
tugal ; concluding^ That he was refolved never
to yield Obedience to any Patriarch, but the
Patriarch of Alexandria , whom he would al-
ways obey, as all his Anceflors had done be-
fore him. When I found the King thus abfo-
lutely determined, I took my leave of him ;
who after I was gone, begun to extol me for
a mighty Scholar , faying , He 7vo?idaed hoiv
it was fojjlhle for jo pnng a man to have attained
to fo great a ftcck of Learning : I was tpld like-
vACq that he read my Treatife over, and that
after he had once read it, it vj^s feldom out of
his Fland , and that he was ftili ihewing it to
his Mother, and Brothers, and the Grandees
of the Court ; and that upon the Jhnnas ha-
ving denounced an Excommunication againft
all that fliould read it, tlie King-had fent to
him for leave to read it again, and was put in-
to fuch a Paflion, by the Abuna\ having de-
ny'd ic to him, that he called him Mahometan y
and Here! id- ^ faying, He would read thh Alco-^
ran of Mah6.net hfrnfelf and at the \a7ne-t1me
not grue him have to read a godly Book 5 com-
manding him ihereuppn hnce he was their
Ahunay to aniwer a Book that was written by
a poor Clerk who had no Dignity : To wiiich
the Ahunc^.^ anfwer was, Tbat he did not come
into Ethiopia to difptte^ cut to curfcr holy Or-
ders*
Th(
o/E T H I o p r A.^ i6p
The Court hov/ever being divided about
this Affair, fome feeming to favour the Roman^
but moft 5 and efpccially the Queen-Mother^
and all her Creatures (tickling for the Alexan-
drian Faith ; the King refolved to call together
fome of the moil Learned among his Monks,
to have their Opinion in the matter ; and in
order thereunto he commanded my Treatife
to be Tranflated into Hah a [fin ^ leaving out
thofe Palfages he vi^as difpleafed with when he
hrft looked into it ; namely ;, that where I
fpoke of the Pope St. Leo, and of Diofcorm Pa-
triarch of Jkxandria , whom they reckon 'a
Saint, as they do Leo, to be Excommunicated
and Accurfed , and for whom they have fuch
a detedation, that they cannot endure fo much
as to have him named , rejeding the Council
of Calcedon and its Decrees, which they fay er-
red in the Faith , in condemning St. DioJ'conts
as they unjuftly Stile him : Since which time
they have always been feparated from the Re-
w a. I Churchy having now for 1067 years been
involved in the Herefy of Scrgms, Vaulas, and
Tp-husy who v/ere all condemned in the Sixth
Council of CG?2ffantif2ople ; and in that of Eutj-
chcs like wife, which holds that there is but one
nature in Chrift.
The time being come when I was to receive
the King's Anfwer , I fent to know when I
fliould wait upon him ; he fent me back word,
his Father's Embaffador waited Ten years in
Yortugal before he could be difpatched. I un-
derftood by this the King was for entertaining
me with delays, on purpofe to keep me from
returning with the Fleet which waited for us,
for
I/O The Chuf^chHi/iory
for fear leaft we might difcover the weaknef^
of his Empire to them ; and fo when I went
to have my Conge from him, in order to my
returning to Dehora^ he commanded one to
tell me^That fo great a man as I was^ and who
had come fo far^was not to be difmiffed quick-
ly : Befides, that I could go no where, where
I could do fo much good, as where I was, in
confeffing the Fortugmfes ; neverthelefs if I
\i^as refolved not to remain in Ethiopia ^ he would
then defire me only to wait a month longer
for his Anfwer ; and if I did not receive it
then, I might look upon my felf as difmilTed.
Prefentiy after this he removed his Camp to a
place that was two days journey from the place
where it was ; we followed the Camp ; and
being in the Field on Saturday and Sunday ^ we
fet up an Altar whereon we faid Mafs on both
thofe days,where I was vifited by three Monks,
who defired to have feme Difcourfe with me
about Matters of Religion : One of them who
was a Scholar, told me, 'That all that we did, ap-
feared well to him, exceptmg that of cur not ohfer-
"v'wg Saturday, and that of our toting Hare and
Sivines Flefh. Neverthelefs after this he dif-
gorged feveral Errors in Faith, namely , that
. the Sculs when they leave the Body cannot frefently
behold the Divine Ejjence, but are placed in a ter^
refirial Faradtfe. That the Holy Spirit does not pro-
ceed fro?n the Son J hut fro?n the Father only. That:
the Son as to his Humanity was equal to the Father,
Jhat none hut Mahometans and Infidels were
damned eternally m Hell, I returned anfwers to
all thefe Errors, atid declared the contrary
'iYuths to him, both from Scripture and Rea-
fon^
o/Ethiopia» 171
fon ; With which he was fo fully fatisfied, that
whiipering me in the Ear, that the two other
Monks who were illiterate might not hear
him^ he faid, Hbat 1 had told him was the truthy
and that he believed it to be jo in his heart.
The Month being expired;, I went to wait
upon the King for his Anfwer^, and for leave
to return home ; he bid me go in a good hour j
and as for the Fathers the King of Tortugal
dellgnefl to fend to him^ he faid. He bad appoint^
ed oyie to wait /z/"MatL'ua to receive them whe7i they
landed y bei?ig defirousto hear what they had to fay to
him. With this I took my leave of him^ and
pafling thorough theCountries where divers of
the Tortugtiejes lived, I confefTed them and their
Families, and Married feveral of them to their
Concubines, having firft reduced them to our
holy Faith. There was one among them who
WMS nearly related to the King. And whereas
the Churches of that Countrey , befides that
they belong to Schifmaticks , have no Altars
accommodated to our Service, whereever we
vv'ent, v/e carried an Altar with us to celebrate
on.
While I was in one of thefe places, I recei-
ved a Complement from a Prelate of a great
Monaftery of Monks of the Order of St. An-
thony^ and one likewife from the Prelate of a
Nunnery, which were two Leagues off. This
Monaftery of Monks is one of the biggeft in
Eihiofia , it is called Debra Libanus , and is of
fuch Credit, that all the Faith of Ethiopia de-
pends upon it in a manner ; for which reafon
the Prelate thereof is in high Efteem ; I went
to give him a Vifit^ being attended by all the
VortU'
172. The Church^ Hijlory
Tortuguefes of the place,, but he happened to be
from home ; we neverthelefs took a view of
the Monaftery ^ which is no ways like ours,
neither as to Buildings nor as to their way of li-
ving ; every Monk having his diftindDwelling-
Houfe and Land belonging to it^ which he
cultivates with his own Hands ; lb that the
Habajfm Monafteries look like Villages , the
Monks having their Houfes on one fide of
the Streetj and the Nuns theirs on the 9ther ;
but not being kept afunder, the Nuns are fre-
\ . quently troubled with Great Bellies.
Thefe Monks are neither of the Order of
Nomenti- 5|.^ Fravcis^ nor St. Auftm^ but were founded
2"/^^L^"' ^y ^"^^ ^^^^^"^ Haymanot, that is. The Vlant of
having ^^^ Faith, who was of the Order of St. An-
feenthe tho??j. This Haymanot is a great Saint among
old Patri" them, and is (aid to have killed a prodigious
X \ 'eF ^^^T^^^ ^^^'^^ '^^'^ worihipped by the Heathens
bufinijfsiri ^^ ^ Qo^, whom he converted by that means
Ethiopia to the Faith that is ftill taught in Ethiopia,
was to ^ Thus m.uch of Rodriguez,' s Relation the Je-
fetch him r^jj.- |^^^^,g thought fit "to make publick ; in
thence - if ^'^^^^^^^ ■' notwithftanding there is not one
he found wordof thc Patriarch Bcrmudes ; yet that does
bim alive, not Iringer it from having been Rodriguez,^
chief if not only bufinefs in Ethiopia, to fetch
f 'fhf 'h ^™ ^^^^^ thence.
o'l Pn^^^ For in a Letter of that Patriarch's, printed
arch out ^^ Lisbon m the year i ^6S, it is laid, 1 hat ra-
of his ther Rodriguez was with him feveral days be-
Province, [q^q he went to Court; and that when
room for ^^^ returned from thence, he CAme to him
his Sue- ''igain in a moft defperate fright, pretending
ceffor. he had narrowly elcaped having been mur-
thcred
o/" E T H I O P I aJ 175
thered^ for having iifferted the Roman Do-
ctrines ; adding. That it was a madnefs for
any one to think of reducing Ethiopia to the
Rowan Church, till the Heat they were in at
prefent againfl: it, was over.
Now what can be the meaning of the Je-
fuits having fo induftrioufly fupprelTed all this ;
RocJriguez.'s Relation, as they have printed it,
beginning immediately after his having left
the Patriarch, and breaking off abruptly juft
before he returned to him again ; but that
they were not willing that the world fhould
know that the firft Prelate of their Order
was an Ufurper, and that they were forc'd J^^ ^^^^
to make ufe of art, to vacate a Province for fhejefui^s
him ; which, as it was no good beginning, fo Order was
their Ethwfick Miflions , as we fhall fee here- an Ufur-
after, fucceeded accordingly. Befides, what P^r-
other dit^}gn could Rodriguez, have in pretend-
ing to return to the Patriarch in fuch a mor-
tal fright, as if he had narrowly efcaped ha-
ving been murthered for defending the Roman
Church, which according to his own relation
was falfe; and in reprefenting theReduclion of
Ethiopia to him as a thing not to be thought
of .^ but only to fright him away, which it did.
For by that means Rodriguez, carried him with The old
him to Goa^ v/here he lodged him in the Je- Patriarch
fuits College ; a Civility, that Order feldom ^"-'^^ ^^^<^S-
or never pays to any Foreigner that they jf^^-^'^^®
have not fome defign upon ; where after ha- Colleixein
ving kept him a Year, they embarked him for Coa.
Lisbon, not taking any notice of his ever ha-
ving feen or fpoke with his SuccefTor, not-
withfianding.they were for fome Months to-
gether
174 ^"^-^^ Church Hijiory
getherin the fiime College. But the poor old
Patriarch, the Jefuits know beft by what ac-
^^!l^d°"^^ cicfent^ was dropt in the Voyage^ in the foli-
in the^^^^ tary Ifland of St. Helena; where after having
liland of done Penance a Year^^ which was long enough^
St. Helena, any one would have thought^ to have fent
fuch an old man into the next worlds he met
with an opportunity of proceeding on his
Voyage, and in the year 15 5* 8, arrived fafe
at Lisbo7ty where he lived fome years after,
never refigning his Patriarchate, but with his
laft breath.
Tellez. the Jefuit apprehending th^t this Blot
of their firfl: Prelate's having been an Ufur-
per, might at fome time or other come to be
hit, has endeavoured to cover it, by affirm-
ing that Bermudes was never Patriarch of
Ethlofm , but of Alexandria ; for which he
quotes both a Treatife of his own, and his
Tombftone in the Church of St. Sehafiian Pe-
dretro m Ltshov^ in both which, faith 7t/Z?2:., he
is filled Patriarch of Aleyiandria : But if this
be not to cut a knot that he is not able to un-
tye, nothing is fo; for befides that all the Hi-
^oriansof his time fpeakof him IHU as Patri-
arch of Ethwpia^ all of them, the Jefuits not
excepted, agreeing that the Pope gave Bermu-
des no new Orders or Tide, but only con-
hrm'd thofe that had been conferred on him
by the Ahtma and Emperor of Ethiopia ; who'
it is certain did never pretend to make a Pa-
triarch of Alexandria, It is a }k:.^}: for any
one to think tliat the Pope would bellow the
fecond Title in the Church upon an obfcure
Itinerant , and who was ordained Per faltum
. by a lingle Ethiopian Bifhop^ * A^
o/ E T H I O P I A.' 175
As to Tellez's two Authorities for Bevmudes
having been Patriarch of Alexandria^ all that
can be faid to them is, That if there be any
fuch things^ they muft have been foifted into
thofe Monuments ^ by thofe who were con-
cerned to have him pafs for Patriarch of
Alexandria, and not of Ethiopia : Tho by the .
way^ it is fomewhat Itrange, that Tellcz, who
lived moll of his time within a Mile of the
Church of St. Sehafiian Pedretra , iliould not
quote that Tombftone upon his own know-
ledge y but upon the Authority of a Book.
Farthermore^ fuppofing Berwudes to have had
the Tide of Alexandria given him by the
Pope, that does not hinder but that he might
have h^tn^ylhtma of Ethiopia too ; it being the
Pope's common pradice to- confer the Oriental
Patriarchates upon Prelates that arepoffefTed
of other great Bifhopricks : So Cardinal Bo^
7Jiface was Bifhop of Tufctdum, and Patriarch
of Confiantinopk ; and Cardinal Cajetajms was
Archbiihop of Capua, and Patriarch of Anti-
och : And I do not believe there is one Prefi-
dent for the Popes having ever conferred any
of thofe high Tides upon any Prelate th^t
had not another Bifhoprick.
Finally^ Vius the IVth, during the time
Bermudis was Patriarch , treated with Ga-
briel Patriarch of Alexandria, about his Sub-
miffion to him as Patriarch of that See : The
Hiftory of which Treaty , as not being fo-
reign to my purpofe^, I Ihall here fet down.
As the Popes when they are in any ftraits^
Which they do always reckon themfelves to
bgj
ry6
The ChurchHiftory
The Popi
endea-
vours to
hire the
Patriarch
of Alei:an'
dria to
fubmit
himfelf
and his
Church
to him.
Comple-
ments
lira in ed CO
promifcs.
be In while there is any thing that looks like
a General Council fitting, are, after the exam-
ple of Eugenuis the IVth. for making a noife
with Eafiern Submiffions to them ; which is
done on purpofe to make the Latin Prelates
afliamed to go about to leffen a Power to
J which Foreign Churches and Patriarchs are
for yielding Obedience : Accordingly, Viits
the IVth, in the year 15^61, finding a Seffion
of the Council of Trent could not be put off
■ much longer, difpatched a couple of Jeluits,
whofe n2.\-nzsvjQVQ Rodriguez, and Eliamfs^ -with ^
Bills for a confiderable Sum of Money to
Grajjd Cairo^ there to treat with Gabriel Patri-
arch of Alexandria^ about his fubmitting him-
felf and his Church to the Roman See.
Gabriel till he had received all the Money
of the Venetian Conful, entertained' the Jefuits
with promifes ; but after he had fingered all
that he was to exped, he told them plainly,
when they urged him to make his folemn Sub-
miffion, and to deliver them an Inftrument
thereof to carry to the Pope, That he would
never do it, nor in the leaft violate the Efta-
biiHiment of ihe Council of Calcedon , which
made all the Patriarchs Independent one of
another, and the Heads of their refpedive
Churches ; . and that the Patriarch of Rome if
he iliouid fail into any prrors was no iefs than
the other Patriarchs to be judged by his Bre^
thren. The JejmtSj upon the Patriarch having
clia'iged his Note thus, alledged , J'h..:- he h.4
alnudy m a manner Submitted htmjclf To th^ Ro-
man See^ by halving in his Letters both to the pn^
jer,t Fope^ and to Paul the IVth. IHku them th
o/ E T H I o p I A.' \yy^
Vajlor of Vajtors y and Father of Fathers ^
and Head of the whole Church : To which
he reply 'd , That he ga^ue the Fofe thofe
Titles only m Civility , and that it was not
fair to jhain Complements that fafs betwixt
friends^ to fuch purpojes : and if there was any thing
in the Letters he fent to the Pope, that was not
agreeable with the DoBrine of the Churchy that it
was not to be laid at his door ^ hut at Abraham
the bearer Sy who to make his Court the better at
Rome, had foified fe'veralthifjgs i77to thofe Letters r^t .
which he knew would be grateful to the Fope, a7idrian
Abraham^ who was prefent when the Patriarch after ha-
made this Declaration^ did not deny his ha- ving taken
ving done it^ but fmiling, told the JefuitSy ^Jj-Q^e^^'*
That he beliez'erir-it was lawful on fe'veral cccafions denies to
to diffemble as much as that came tOy that being no fubmit
more than what St. Paul himfelf had done , who himfelf to'
declared J That he became all things to all men. "^"^'
He added further^That he had a Book wherein
it was laid ^ That St. Paul when he was among Y^^^\
the Heathens did aB as a Heathen 5 and to i??gratiate andrian
himjelf with them the more^ in order to their Con^ Mcnk.
^erfion at la(l ^ did worjhip thtir Idols. But not-
withftanding Fws was thus Defeated as to this
Patriarchal Submiffion, he had a Sham-one of
a Mock-Patriarch of Babylon ready for the
Council of Trent againft it Sate next
Year.
Rodriguez, as he was returning to the hdies^
had the following Account fent him by one
Jlfnfi de Franca, a F'm-tugueje Captain that
belonged to the Court, of a Conference
he had with the Emperor about Reli-
gion,
N His
178 The Church Hij%ry
His Highnefs^ faith Franca , iiitended to have
caught ??je in the fame traf he had fet for ycur Re--
Terence ; and halving drawn his water over great
flats to his Milly he charged me before all the Por-
tuguefes^ and the whole Courts with having called
him and Diofcorus, Hcrcticks ; I made anfv/er^,
'That our Sacred Writings of the holy Councils ^ and
cur -ether Hiflories of the Church for 1070 yearsy
had flill called them fo ^ and that the Eaftern
Churches that were fefarated from the Roman did
the fame : To this he repli'd ^ That tho our Hi-
A Confe- fi^^y '^''iJ^^ ^^^^■' ^^^^ /^ 3 y^^ ^^d knew what hk
rence be- ^^^ Scriptures laid of them, I rejoined ^ I was-
twixt the fenjthle that the Habaffins did look ufon us as Ne-
Emperor, florian Heretic ks, fret ending that we holdy that
p" ^ . there are Two Perfons in ChriJIr ^ which is what I
about Re- ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^J f^^^ ^'very day^ aijd that the Treatife
]jgion. youy Reverence Prefented to his HighTiefs ^ did not
frove the Truth of cur Faith ^ by ajfirming that it
7vas not credible that fo many Chriftian Kings being
all united in one Faith a?td under one Pafi-or, flwuld
he aU in the Wrongs aad the Emperor of Ethiopia
only in the Right ; He Anfwered^ I have hitherto
lived in Peace and Amity with all Chriftian Kings ^
and that it was I only that endeavoured to bring
him to be upon ill terms with them.
I told him^ the Pope, and my Lord the King of
Portugal., had fent me to reveal the jeer et of our Holy
Faith to him^ which was all that I endeavoured ^
and jor luhich if his Highnefs was difpleajed ji^ith
mcy I had a Religio?i and a King I would die for
fooner than deny them : He told me further, That
1 had reported among his Suhjetlsj that their Abu-
na's were fe?it to them from theTaYks, I anfweredy
that was a great truths fines noiie of them were ever
cc77Jecrated
©/"Ethiopia. i/p
confecrated at Rome, or fent from theme . He then
asked me, Wby^f^ice I was fo great a Romanili,
ami a Bigot for my Faith ^ 1 had dcfirtd to be
Baftiz,€d m Ethiopia , a?!d to receive the Eucha-
rifi from them ? As to BaptiJm,Ifaid there -was no
fuch ihingy 1 haz^ivg been Baptiz^td when I was bUt
Eio-ht days old ; but as to the Eucharifi , it was
truest hat being once dangeroufly fiick, I had defrred it,
which was a thiiig I thought I might lawfully do,
in the extream neceffity I was in at that time 5 and
that I would do tt again if there were the fime cc^
eafiony and could not have the opportunity of a Ro-
man Erief;, He told me, he would order it not to
he given to me ; 5r.Paul having i aid ^ there is but
one Faith and one Baptifm : To that I repli d^
IfSt^VsLulfaithfoy why is your Highnejs Baptjzed
cnce a year ? This put him into a great Paffion ;
and having given me a great many hard
words, he put his Hand to his Sword ; which
I having obferved^ I faid to him. Sir, I would
not have your Highmfs defer pumjlmg me ; fory
for \his Truth of the good Jefus , 1 do not fear all
the Kings oftfye Earth , nor none but him , whom
we dejire not to chafien as in his wrath : but for
youy I would have you to chafen me in your avger ;
for as there is nothing fo excellent as the Souly Jo Ire-^
gard nothing that is not Infinite, I /poke all this to
him with an extraordinary courage ,• fo that feeiijg
we much more refohtetban he had ever done at any
time before y he went away and left mt in the Field j
fo that by what lean perceive by him^ he will foomt
put hmfelf under the Turks, and jo will his whok
people tooy who are ^/// Dioicoreans,<^i <^r^ the Alex-
.nndrians, than yM ohedieacetothe Holy? ope.
i 8o The Church^ Hijlory
I did not cave to acquaint you ovith this foomr ,
for fear of having difcouraged your Re^uerence
fro?n ufing your utmofi diligence in your Of-
fice,
But while things were in this Pofture in
Ethiopia y at Rome and Liihon they ftill conti-
nued to reckon it as good as reduced to the
Ro?nan Obedience ;_ and that there was nothing
wanting to perfed it but the new Patriarch's
Prefence among them ; who on the 1 5'th of
March 1 5-5-6 fet Sail from Lisbon upon the Ship
called the Graca^ as Bifhop Andreiv did at the
fame time trpen the St. Vincent ^ and after
a Tempeftuous Voyage_ „ they arrived at
Goa on the 13th of September of the fame
Year.
The new ^^ cannot be expreffed how much the Pa-
Patriarch triarch was troubled at the News of the pre-
arrivesac fent Pofture of Affairs in Ethiopia y which
^0^' were brought by Rodriguez, to Goa a few days
before he landed^ it being a terrible difap-
pointment to him, to find that a Work which
he had thought would have done it felf, was
next to impodible.
The Patriarch and Bifhop, with all their
Companions, were lodged in the Jefuits Col-
l3ge , where they found the old Patriarch ,
but not a word of what paffed betwixt them,
or of their having ever fo much as feen one
another, tho' undoubtedly they did, having
been feveral Months together in the fame
Houfc. The new Patriarch having confecra-
ted Mdchwr Eled of Nicc^ they begun to con-
fult with the Viceroy what courfe they were
to
of E
THIOPIA. l8l
to take; the Patriarch notvvlthflanding Rodr:- He re-
£uez. melancholy Account of thinj^s, is faid to ^^^^^
u L 1 1.1 ^ there, and
have been extreamly zealous to have gone to ^^^^^^ ^-^^
his Province, faying^ He (IjouIJ either be able spamjh
to eff'eB there what he wjs jc?it to do y or jliotdd Coadjutor
ha^e the Honour of djifjo; a Alanyr. Nevcrthe- ititoEthio-
lefs, after feveral Consultations had been held ^'^^^^^^
about it, it was at lafl: refolved. That the Spa- portugucfe
inardy Bifhop Andrew , ihould be firft fent thither Troops to
with fome of the Fathers of the Million; but be fent af-
that the Patriarchy and the Vortuguefe Bifliop , ^^^ "^°^'
jTiould remain at Goa till things were more
promifing in Ethiopia than ac prefent they
were, of which , if it ever happened, Biihop
Andrew was to fend them intelligence.
In purfuance of this Refolution, Bifhop An-
drew embarked in February , and towards the
latter end of March landed at Arhko^ where
having made no ftay, he went on with a good
Train of Tortugueje to Deboraa , and was there
received by Bahumagays , the Prince of the
Country, with great kindnefs.
The Bidiop fo foon as he came to Debora y
writ the following Letter to the Emperor.
THE Heavenly Father, with his Son Confub- The Co-
fiantial and Eternal , aiid the Spirit the l]!t^^ ^
Comforter, one only God and Three Perfons, be al- j-q j-^e
ways with your Highnefs , with an abundance of Emperor.
his Divine Graces y that fo you may hi all things
know and folIo7i^ his mojt Holy Willy accarding to
what our Lord Chrift hath faid in St. John'i Gof-
fely My food is to do the will of him that
fent me ; teaching us likewije in St, Matthew'^
Gofpel to pray^ Thy will be done. Toe Catholick
N ; and
sSz The ChurchHiJlory
(tnd lllufirious Don John^ the "Third King of Por-
tugalj, after he had prevailed iinth his Holinefs to
fend a Patriarch 7vith fome jif'ociates into Ethio-
pia^ being thereunto moved by no worldly Interefiy
but purely by a *Zeal for Gody and the hove he has
for your Highnefs^ has been at a vaft Charge (the
f articular s whereof his Highnefs might be acquaint-^
ed withy if he fleafed) to convey them to the In-
dies^ where the Patriarch now remains ^ waiting
your Highnefs s Pleafure ^ that when he comes , he
may ferve Chrifi here the more ejf equally. It was
me-vcrthelefs thought expedient y that I and
forne of the Fathers of the Society jhould be fent
before y the Patriarch having before I left Goa^ in"
vefi. d me with full Authority y as his Coadjutory
which I was ordained to by his Holinefs ; and ac-
cordingly we are come as far as Deboraa^ where
wc have been kindly entertained by Bahurnagays^
and have ?net with very good Company y 7iamelyy
Francis Jacome y and divers other Portuguefes,
Our bufi^iefs here is to ferve Gody and your Highnefs y
whofe Royal p erf on and Eft ate may God pre ferve
for his gnater Service and Honour, Amen.
Beboraa the 2 6th of March _, i f 5^7.
Pegoes The Cpadjutor after having ftaid three
to Court. Weeks at Deboraay intriguing with Bahurnagays
about the Troops the Viceroy had proniifed
to fend after him^ begun his Journey to Court-,
being waited upon all the way by that
Prince^ and being come within a days Journey
of the Camp3 he was commanded to flop till he
received further Orders , where having waited
tv/o dayS;, he received Orders to advance^
and
O/ E T H I O P 1 A. 183
3.nd being come within Cannon-jliot of the
Camp y was commanded to pitch his Tent
therCj where having ftaid a Day and a Night,
about Noon a great Troop of the Princes of *'
the Blood , and chief Nobility , all well-
mounted and equipped, came to wait on him
to his Audience, two of which having alight-
ed, went into the Coadjutor's Tent, and ha-
ving complemented him in the Name of the
Emperor, told him, H^s Highnefs ivas ready to
give him a fuhlick Audience , d?jd had [ent the
jple?2did Body of Men he [aw^ to wait upon him to
tt. The Coadjutor having returned their
Complement, he robed himfelf in his Ponti-
ficalibus, and mounted a Horfe that had been
fent to him by tlie Emperor, and (befides the
Hahajjins, who paid their Refpecls to him one
by one) he advanced towards the Royal Tent,
attended with a numerous Train of Portuguefey
who to do their Religion and their Country
the greater Honour, had come from all parts
of Ethiopia to be prefent at this Solemnity.
The Emperor having, contrary to Cuftom,
ordered the Coadjutor, with his whole Train,
to ride into the firft Court of the Palace, had
placed himfelf with his Mother in a Window
behind Curtains , to fee the Cavalcade j and
after having waited a while in the firft Court,
they were all commanded to alight, and to ad-
vance to the fecond, where they were nor kept
long before they were conduded into the Tent,
betwixt a Guard of Old Men of the firft Qua- He Is le-
lity, who with Batoons in their Hands, ftood ^^)^^^^
all in good order, paying their Refpecls to the Ceremo-^
Coadjutor as he pafled by them with a pro- ny.
N A, found
IB 84 Tk ChuYchB'tJlory
found Reverence and Silence ; from the Anti-
chamber, where he did not wait long , he
was introduced into the Emperor's Prefence
by two of the Principal Minifters , whereof
his Friend Bahurnagays was one; and having
paid the cuftomary Obeifances, the Emperor
received him with extraordinary Civility, ask-,
ing him feveral Queftions about the King of
Vortugal^ and the prefent State of his Affairs ;
as alio concerning himfelf , and his Voyages,
and Journeys: So foon as the Emperor gave
over asking him Queftions , the Coadjutor
prefented the Pope's, Ignatius ^ and the King's
Letters to him, which the Emperor opened and
looked into immediately ; but he had not read
far, before the change that* was obferved in
his Countenance, did clearly difcover that he
was not at all fatisfied with their Contents ,
and particularly with their fuppofmg him to be
a Member of the Roman Church ; a thmgy faith a
Jefuit who was prefent at the Ceremony, as
far from his thought s, as Rome /'j/rc;;? Ethiopia;
neverthelefs, being a Wife and Well-bred
Prince, and if they would have let him alone
with his Religion, a great Friend to the Vortu-
guefes^ he fo far diifembled his Refentments,
as to difmifs the Coadjutor with great demon-
ftrations of Kindnefs, granting him leave to
come to him as often as he had any bullnefs
with him.
He ufges The Coadjutor at all his following Audien-
theEmpe- ^cs^ was at the Emperor continually 10 fubmit
rortorub- Jji^f^lf and his Kingdoms to the Fcpe^ alluring
felf to the ^^^"^^ though he would not be fo civil as to
Pope. believe him^ That the Pope was Chrift's
Vicar,
o/^E T H I o p r A.' 185
Vicar, and St. Feter's SuccefTor upon Earth,
and that diere was no Salvation for any one
out of his Obedience.
The Anfvver the Emperor returned ftill to "^^^ Em-
all the Coadjutor's paflionate aflurances was , P5^°^ ^!'
Tloat the Ethiopic|< Church had from the beginning refolutlon
been fubjed to the Chair of St. Mark at Alex- never to
andria, and that he was fo fully fat is fed of the do It.
Juftice of that Obedience ^ that nothing m the
wo7'Id fljould e^er be able to make him throw it off'i
and whereas he had been pleafed to charge
the Ethiopick Church with holding divers Er-
rors in Faith;, if he would be at the pains to
read over a Confeffion of Faith which he had
Publiflied lately^ he would fee how unjuft that
Charge of He^-efy was^ there being nothing in
that Confeffion that was not taught by Chrift
and his Apoftles.
The Emperor Claudius'^ Confeffion of
Faith,
In the Name of the Father^ Son^ and Holy Ghoffy
One God,
THIS is my Faith, and the Faith of my ^]^^ g^j.^
Fathers the Kings of Ifrael_, and the Faith peror's
of my Flock, which ts within the bounds of my Confefll-
Empire, o".o^
IVe Belie've in One God, and in his only Son ^^^ '
Jeftts Chrif , jijho is his Word , Tower, Council,
I'Pljdom, a7id who was with him before the World
was Created 5 and who in the laf days njifited us,
and without leaving the 7hrone of his Divinity ,
was
tU 7he Chunh'Bi/iory
Tvas made Man hy the Holy Ghofiy in the ivomh.
of the Virgin Mary 5 and who , ivhen he was
Thirty years of Jge^ was Baptiz^ed in Jordan $
and being aprfe^i Man^ was in the days of Pon-
tius Pilate Crucified^ and was Dead and Buried^
and Rofe again the Third Day 5 and on the For^
tietjj day after his Refurreclion^ did Afcend with
Glory into the Heavens 5 where he fitteth at the
' right hand of the Father ^ and Jloall come again in
Glory to Judge hoth the Quickand the Dead ^ whofe
Kingdom ^all ha've no End,
We Belie've alfo in the Holy Ghofiy the Lord
and Gi'uer of Life y who froceedeth from the Father*
We Believe one Baptifrn for the Remiffion of Sins^
and do hope for the RefurreBion of the Dead to
the Life to coyne^ Which is Everhfting, Amen.
We do walk in the plain and true way^ de^
dining neither to the right nor to the left from the
DoBrine of our Fathers y the Twelve Afofiles^
and of Paul the fountain of Wifdom^ and of the
Seventy two Difciplesy aj-^d of the Three hundred
and eighteen Orthodox Affembkd at Nice^, a?id of
the Hundred and ffty at Conftantinopie^ and of
the Hundred av Ephcfus.
Thus I Profefs^ and thus I Teach, I Clau--
dius Emperor of Ethiopia ^ my Royal
Name being Atz;:af Saghed , the Sor^
of Uaanag Saghed^ the Son of Naod.
As to our ohferving the day of the old Sabbath^
we do not hep it after the manner of the Jews,
who Crucified Chrifiy faying. His Blood be upon
us and our Children ; For whereas the Jews da
'-^~^- neither
o/ E T H I O P i aJ 187
neither drawwater^ nor light a fire ^ nor hoyl meaty
nor bake bread ^ nor go from one houje to another on
that day : We do adininifter the holy Supper there-
on y andy accordhjg to the Command of the Apo-
files in their Book of DoBrines^ do keep the Love-
Feafis, Neither do ive objer^ve^ it after the fame
manner as "ive do the Sabbath of the Firfl- day ^
which is a new day^ and of which David [aul^
This is the day that the Lord hath made, let
us rejoyce and be glad therein; For on this
day our Lord Jefus Chrifi rofe from the Deady
the Holy Ghofi likeimfe defended on this day upon
the Apofiles in the Tarlour of Sion ; on this day
Chrifi ivas alfo cojicei'ued in the womb of the
Holy and perpetual Virgin Mary, and will come
thereon to Reward the RighteouSy and to Funijlj
Sin7iers,
Neither do we Circumcife after the manner of
the Jews J Paul the fountain of Wifdom halving
told usy That to be circumcifed profiteth no-
thing, nor to be uncircumcifed, but a new
creation, which is Faith in our Lord Jefus
Chrift : And who told the Corinthians, That he
that had received circumcillon was not to be
uncircumcifed ; all the Books of St. Paul'j Do-
^rine concerning Circumcifion and TJncircumcifion
being in our hands : So that Circumcifion is 7J0
otherwifi in ufe among usy than as the Cufiom of a
Cotmtreyy as Incifion in the Face is in fome parts of
Ethiopia and Nubia, and the Boring of the Ears
in India ; what we do therein being in compliance
with a human Cufiom^ and not in Obedience to the
Mofaical Law,
And as to Swines Flejliy we do not abfiainfiom
that neither after the manner of the Jews, ncr in
Obedience
1 88 tlie Church- Hipry
Obedience to the Law of Mofes ; neither do we
abominate thofe^ or reckon them to be unclean that
do eat ity as we do not force thofe to eat it that
ha've a mind to abfiain from it^ which is according
to what our Father Paul writ to the Romans,
fayingy He that eateth^ let him not defpife
him that eateth not, for the Lord accepts both;
for the kingdom of God confifts not in meat
and drink : and in another place he faith. Every
thing is clean to the clean, but it is evil for a
man to eat with oiFence. It is faid likewife in
Matthew'j Gofpel, That nothing defileth a man
but what comes out of his Mouth:, all that goes
into the Belly being thrown into the draught.
This teacheth us. That all FleJJj is clean, and de-
firoyeth the whole Fabrick of the Jewifli Er-
rors.
Wherefore my Religion, aitd the Religion of my
Triefis and DoBors who teach by my Command
within the bounds of my Empire, is Juch as decli-
neth neither to the right nor to the left, from the
paths of the Gofoely and the Doflrine of Paul.
In the Book called'^ 3.nck, it is written, That
the Emperor Conftantine commanded ail the Jews
to eat Swmes fleflj on the day of our Lord's Refur-
reElion ; 7vhereas with us people are at their liber-
ty to abfiain from it or any other fort of flefh ; there
being fome that love the flefflj of Fifh, others of
Hens, and fome abfiain from Mutton, every one as
to fuch things follo7ving his own appetite ; there
being no Law nor Canon of the New Tefia?nent
concerning eating the fleflj of Terrefirial Creatures ;
all things, according to St, Paul, being clean to
the clean 5 and he that bdievcth may if he pleafe
eat
o/ E T H I O P I A^
eat all things. This is what I ha^e jvrlty that
you might know the Truth of my Religion,
Written at Damot on theild* of
in the Tear 1 5'5'5'.
The Emperor finding that no declarations
he could make of his Refolution never to
forfake the Religion of his Countrey ^ were
able to make the Coadjutor give over teizing
him, for quietnefs fake told him one day.
That notwithfianding he was fully jatisfied with
the Religion of his Ancefors in every pointy never-
thelefs ft'ce a Perfon of his CharaBer and Autho^
rity had come fofar to ferfuade him to [uhmithim-
felf to the Fopej he was willing to lay that whole
matter before his Council^ that he might have their
Opinion about it.
The Coadjutor being fenfible that this was
only to put him oif with delays, and at laft
to lay the blame of his not turning Roman-
Catholick on his Councellors, whom, and
efpecially the Queen-Mother, and the Offi-
cers of her Court, he knew to be mortal
Enemies to Popery , he endeavoured to di-
vert him from a courfe from which he ex-
pected no good, by the following Letter.
To the High and Powerful Emperor.
SUch as are m Office have two ways of fpeak-
ingy the one is as in their owti Perjony and the
otbtr as in the toft they are in. So that tho as to
"what concerns their oimt Perfonsy they ought to be
bumble and patient when they are contradi^edy as
our
89
The Em-
peror of-
fers to lay
the De-
bates a-
bout Re-
ligion be-
fore his
Council
The Co=
adjutor
endea-
vours X.O
divert
him from
that
courfe by
x\\Q fol-
lowing
Letter,
ipo The ChurchH'tflory
our Lord himfelf was ri^hen he vjas upon earth both
in his Life and Death , ne^uerthelefs as to what
concerns their Office and Emhajfyy they mufi fpeak
the truthy withotu reffeB of ferfonsy as Chrifi did
when he anfwered the Trejident in a matter where^
in his Father^ Honour was concerned. What I
ha've to tell your Highnefs as a Tuhlick Terfin^ is
to lay before you the hufinefs that brought me int(>
Ethiopiaj«>/Vi> which notwithfianding your Highnefs
has been already acquainted both by Letter
and by other waysy I do now tell you again^ 'That
1 come from Rome , being fent by the Fope to be
Coadjutor to tbe Patriarch who is now in the In-
dies^ with whofe Authority I am invefted ; that,
as our cafe is at frefent y bei7ig what his Holinefs
opas pleafed to befiow upon me y as appears from a
Bull that I ha've brought with mey and which your
Highnejs may jee whe?i jou pleafe ; I do intend therc-^
fore at prejent to give an account of my having
hee?i fent hither by the Fopey and of 7phat moved
his H'jlmejs to fend a Patriarchy 7vith two Epifco-
pal Coadjutors y and fever al Jefuits of great Learn-
ing and Piety y into Ethiopia. When the Pope
fends a Legat or Patriarch to any Kingdom y he
does not pretend thereby to make it his owny nei-
ther can he Jell juch Dignities y for that would be
Simo7iy y but he is always moved thereunto merely
by the proipecv of doing good to their Souls y as
Chrifr hath commanded htm in the Gofpely bidding
hrm Feed his Sheep : And it was thus in our
prefent cafe y wberem the Pope y iPithout having
any temporal vieWy but purely for the fervice, of
Chrijf-y a?id the jpiritual good of thefe Kingdomsy
has do7ie your Highnejs this FavoWy bei?tg there-
unto movedy both by tk great love he hath for
youT
of E
T H I O P I A. 191
yoNr Highnefsy and for all CJmftian K'mgs^ who
are many in number^ and are all much concerned
for your Higbnefsy and the Grandeur of your State,
halving a great affeHion for you^ and by the good
defires and diffofitton he was informed were in this
Empire^ and which he had a mind to improve.
Now your Highnefs is to take notice, that thefe mo-
tives are things of great moment , and no flight mat-
ters betwixt juch Eminejit Perfons. Tour Father
writ a Letter to the Pope, a Copy whereof I my
jdf have feen at Rome;, wherein he did acknow-
ledge bis Holinejs to be Chrifl^s Vicar, dcfiring him
to lend him fome of his Learned Aden : And befides,
the King of Portugal, who is a Prince of great
Truth , [aid in my hearing ^ "that ycur Highnefs
had writ to him^ that your Father had command-
ed you never to fujfcr any Abuna or Vatnarch to
come into Ethiopia , but who jhoul.l be jent from
Rome J and that he Was furtioermore informed
from hence, That your Highnejs had publickly yield-
ed Obedience to the Pope^ which, notwithftanding
it was done during the IVar^ yet after the IV ar was Ug
over^ Dom John Bermudes continued Patri- know-
arch here for three years, your Highnefs ha- ledges
ving beftowed ail the Lands belonging to that ^^^j»«^^^
Dignity upon him. For which reajon, 7iotvjith- [,gg p
flranding his Holinefs jhould have demanded fome- tiiarch of
thing of you, confidering his good intentio?iSy and Ethiopia,
what he hath done in order to the fending of this
Mifficny together with the Trouble and Dajigers
whereunto we have expofed our Perfons, your High-
7iefs would have had no cauje to have been difpUa-
fed with him upon that account, how much lefs then
ought you to be fo, when he defires nothing from
you, and hath without any thing of felf-interelf fent
into
pi The ChurchHiflory
into your Empire the largeft- Powers of Spiritual
Gracesy that Jo. far as I know ^ wtre evtrjein he"
fore into any Chriftian Countrey ; and has furiher^
iTjore i?i his Bulls called your Highnefs, My Belo-
ved Son 5 giving you alfo the Title of^ The IIlu-
ftrious Emperor of Ethiopia.
Tour Highnejs muft there fere let me have your
Anfwer to what I have dejired of you in his Holi-
ncfs^s Name^ that I may take my meafures accord-^
ingly : And in cafe your Highnejs has any Scruples
about Matters of Faith^ you would then do well
to call a Convocation oj your Learned Men^ whofe
OhjeBions IJhaH endeavour to anfwer in the Name
of Chrifi ; for fnce the Faith of Chrifi is hut one^
as St, p2iu\ faith in the 4th. Chapter to the Ephe-
fians^ one God, one Faith^ oneBaptifm, why
(hould there he any differences among Chnftians ?
And why Jljould they not all agree in all Matters
cf Faithy fo as to hold nothing that is contrary td
the Gofpel of Chrifi ? And if there is any thing
wherein you think we are mi^aken^ and will offer
any rea'o?t for it either out of the Go/pel, or the
General Councils of the Church, we jhall he ready
to follow the Truth y as on the other fde, if you
fljould he made fe7?fihle of our heing in no Error ^
you ought then together with us to follow the Truth
of the Faith , according to what St. Paul faith in
his firfi' Chapter of his firfi Epifile to the Corin^
thians, See that you all fay the fame things,
that, fo there may be no Schifms , and not to
follow the cuftoms of your forefathers, when
they are contrary to the Truth. So when the
Dolirme of Truth 7uas preached by cur Lord Chrifi
to the Gentiles and Pagans, which he converted^
ought not they to have received his DcHrinesy al-
ledging
of E
T H ! O P I A. Ip]
htlghig they wen contrary to the Cuflows of their
ylncejtors^ and fo have ne^ver beUe^ved in Chrifi, to
their utter Verdition'y neither is the known Truth
to^ he fo) faken for fear or Jljan^c of the Uorld j for
our Lord Chrifi hath /'aid, He that is aftiamed
of mC;, and of my words, &c. David likewife
in the c^^th Pfalm faith, To day, if you wili
hear his voice^ C^'c. Tour Highnejs would do wcll^
therefore, to confido' how iniich it imforts you to
take good Ad'vice in an Jiff an of jo high a na-
ture, m which jeeivg all pur People do depend up--*
on you , cur Lord will call you to a ftriB Account
for their Souls. Confulcr bow dangerous a thing
ezfil Councellors are, as appears from the Caje of
Rehoboam ; and Jacob [peaking of fuch , [aid
of Simeon and Judah , they were Veffels of Ini-
quity , my Soul enter not into their councils ;
and David, They hanje taken evil Council againft
his People, And Ifaiah faith, The wife coun-
fellers of Pharoah have given foolifh counfel ;
for which reafon , Solomon in the 6th, of Eccle-
fiafticus faith , Be in peace with mrny: ne-
verchelefs have but one counfeller of a thou-
fand. Aind m the firf Pfalm , David faith ,
BlelTed is the man that entereth not into
the counfel of the wicked : furthermore Pa-
rents and Relations are feldom good Counfellers in
Spiritual Matters, As our Lord Chrift told St.
Peter m the loth. of St, Matthew, Flefh
and blood , faith he , hath not revealed this
unto thee. And the Prophet Micah in the ^th..
Chapter faith , A man's enemies are thofe of
his own houfe. And in the loth of St, Mat-
thew, Chrifi faith, Think not that I came. to
O bring-
ip4 '^^^ Church Hijiory
bring peace on the earth : I tell you nay,
but a fword ; for I came to fet a man at vari-
ance vvirh his Father, and the Daughter with
the Mother , and the Daughter-in-law with
the Mother-in-law ; and a man's enemies fliall
be thofe of his own houfe ; for he that loveth
Father or Mother more than me, is not wor-
thy of me. Jnd in the iith. of St, Luke, he
faith again, Think you that I came to bring
j)eace upon the earth ? A72d in tht i^th. Chaf-
fer of the fame Gofpel , he faith , If any man
come to me , and hate not Father and Mo-
ther , €^r. From all which we may learn , 'That
Tarents and Relations are commonly Spiritual £-
mmies. Chrift him/elf halving faid , A man's
enemies are thofe of his own houfe, and that
he came to di'vide the one from, the other ^ and that
whofoever hateth not Father and Mother in
fuch cafes, cannot be his Difciple. And what
he taught others as to this matter , he confirmed hy
his own Example, when without aski?tg his Holy
Mothers advice y who undoubtedly wottld never have
counfelled him to have done any thing that was
amifs ; he remained diffuting in the Temple ^ and
underfianding his Mother had been in great Vain
for him', and had been feeking after him, he made
her answer , when Jhe told him of it , Wift you
not that I muft be about my Father's bufi-
nels ; intimating to us by this Carriage , That in
Matters appertaining to God, we are not bound to
advife with our Friends and Tarents , and efpeci-
ally when they endeavour to hinder us from doing
what is good^ for in fuch cafes he commands us
to hate them, jSday our Loi'd give your Highnefs
good
of Ethiopia. ipc
good and true Couvfel in all things , and Grace aU
ways do his Willy and hereafter to enjoy his Holy
Glory. Amen.
The 2 id. of June^ in the Year ly^'y*
Now were ever a poor Emprefs^ and Coun-
cil of State libelled fo out of Scripture^ or
pelted out of a Concordance before ? Or was
the folly of a Peoples being obliged to be of
a Religion , becaufe it was the Religion of
their Anceftors for feveral Ages , ever more
feverely expofed ? Befides^ there is one thing
remarkable in this Letter , which is the Bi-
Hiop's affirming politively, That Bermudes was^
and did a6t for fome years as Patriarch of
Ethiopia y and as fuch had the Lands belong-
ing to that Dignity fetled upon him by the
Emperor.
After this Letter^ the Emperor and the Bi- Several
fhop had divers Conferences about Religion ^ Conferen-
but without any efFed^ the Emperor growing n^jf^Q^
daily more zealous for his Ancient Faith, and
averfe to that of Rome. The Bifiiop being
piqued with this ill fuccefs, challenged all the
Learning of Ethiopia to a publick Difputation ;
which being accepted, the Emperor himfelf
bore a great part in it, defending the Habajfm
Faith with that Dexterity and Learning, that
the Jefuits themfelves confefs he did fome-
times put the Bijliop hard to it to anfwer him.
The HabaJJins were fo encouraged by having
fuch a Champion on their fide , that the Bi-
fliop was never denied a publick Difputation
wh?n he defired it ^ and tho he is faid by his
O z Brethren
1^6 The Church^ Hijlory ^
Brethren to have ftill corne off vicftorious^ the
HahaJJins did always triumph ^ the Billiop be-
ing laughed at by them as the moft baffled
Man that ever pretended to weild an Argu-
ment.
The Bifhop growing weary of difputing ^
betook himfelf to his Pen again ; and having
Compofed a Treatife againft all the Hahajfin
Errors ^ he l^refented it to the Emperor ^
conjuring him to read it without Prejudice.
The Emperor promifed to do fo;, but was fo far
from being converted by it, that if it were
poffible he was fetled in his Ancient Faith
The Em- thereby more than he was before ; Writing a
peror an- Book not only in Anfwer to that of the Bi-
fwers the fliop's^ but One alfo in Defence of his own
Coadju* Chmxh ; declaring in them both , that he had
Book- and f^^^ ^^^ heard nothing to con'v'mce htm , that as cu
writes one Chriflian he was bound to fuhmit hmfelf and his
in defence Empire to the Fope.
tIIIu^^'^ The Bijliop finding liis Writings were as
Unfuccefsful as his Conferences and Difpu-
tations, left the Court in Wrath, retiring to
a place called Decome, where he had not been
long before he thundred out the following
Excommunication.
Faith.
Andrewd'
of E
T H I O P I A.
»97
Andrewd' Oriedo, by the Grace of God,
and the Jpoftoltcal See , Bifjjop of Hie-
ropolis , arid Coadjutor to the moft Re^
'verend father in Chrift arid Lord^ John
Nunes Baretto, Patriarch of Ethiopia.
AS it 2s profitable to Vuhlijlj and Praife fuch The Co-
tb'mgs as are Good, on fttrpofe to iiigage Pco- ^ ^^^^^
fie to folloiv them'y jo it is likew'tfe necejjary to De- ^^^ \j^
dare and Cenjure puhlick E'vils, that People ?7iay Excom-
a'voicl them. Wherefore, fines the People of Ethio - munica-
pia, notjmthfiandmg their having had all the Ar- ^^°"*
tides of the Roman Patth preadoed to them in fuch
a manner , that all that were difpojcd to learn it,
cannot hut he thoroTvly aco^uainted therewith, do
with great Ohftinacy continue to deny Ohedienc^
thereunto , and not only fo , hut did on the Ogge
oj the h(i Tear , cauje a Proclamation to he made
at the Market-Crojs , prohihitp?g all Perfons upon
pain of Death to go into any of our Churches ^
adhering fill to the Cuftoms of their Forefathers ,
and that as appears to us not cut of Ignorance, for
that cannot he , confidering how many things they
hold that are notorwufy Evd , and contrary to the
Service of our Lord.
We do therefore define , and by Sei^tence declare.
That all the People of Ethiopia, Great and Small,
Learned and Unlearned, do deijy to yield that Ohe-
dience to the Holy Roman Church which they
and all other Churches are in Duty hound to yield,
the Roman Church heing the Head of all Churches,
and the Pope of Rome the Father, Paftor, and
Superior of all Chnfiians. They do likewifie on di-
O X vers
ip8 The ChurchHiftory
"vers Occajtons repeat Baptifw, which is contrary to
the Faith. And do alfo fuhlickfy ohfer^e Satur-
day, 7Jjkich they did not formerly in Ethiopiaa
And do Circumcife themfehes^ and their Slaves y
as alfo all the Converts they do make at any time
to Chrifianity , forcing many of them to fuhmit to
it. They alfo hold it to he a Sin to eat Hare or
'S7mnes Flejhy or any of the Meats frohihited hy the
Molaical Law^ "which Law was aholijhed by the
Death of Chrifiy and is contrary to jvhat he has
commanded in his GoffeL Several among them
holding It Ukewife to he a Sin to go into a Church
on the' day on which they have known their TVtves^
which is no where prohibited by Chrifi or his
Church/ Their Learned Men do alfo with great
Zeal 7naintain , That there is hut one Nature ^ and
one Operation in C.hrifi ^ and that Chrifi^s Huma-
manity is equal with his Divinity ^ which is con*
trary to the Faith of the Gofpel ; and the Synods
which do teach y That Chrijl hath two Natures ,
and two Operations ^ and two Wills in one Per-
fony and that he is equal to the Father as to his
Divinity ^ hut inferior to him as to his Huma-
nity.
They do alfo keep a Fefiivity to Diofcorus^ the
Defender of the Heretick Eutyches^ 7vho together
with Eutyches ftarJ.s condemned hy the Church 5
for which reafon Diolcorus ought not to he efieem-
ed a Saint in Ethiopia ; holding divers other
things that are contrary to the Roman ivr/V^^ which
ought not to he., being there is hut one Faith^ which
is that of the Roman Churchy which hy reafon of
Chrifi^s promife to her can never err. We do
therefore ad?nonijh all our Spiritual Sons to fepa-
rate thcmfdves from thefe ^ afid all other Errors
O/ E T H I O P 1 A. ipp
^/Ethiopia, C^r. fo as not to fall into any of them.
And as for the Ethiopians, we do remit them
to the judgment of the Churchy and of the V relates
thereof y to Funijh them in their Perfons or Efiatesy
fuhlickly or fri'vately, or to ufe mercy with them tn
whole or in part, as they jl) all t hivkfit ; and efpecia lly
if they fljould he hereafter Co?t'L'erted j which God in
his Mercy give them Grace to be.
Made at Become in Ethiopia ^ upon the 2d.
of February y 15* 5*9. Gancalo Cardoz.o No-
tary Apoftolick ; Andrew Bifhop of Hiero-
polls.
This was publiflied in our Church of Dc^-
come on the 2d. of Febru.rrj 15" 5:9. Whatever
eafe the publication of this Cenfure might
give the Coadjutor's mind, which was ftrange-
ly exulcerated by the Triumphs of the Ha-
hnjfmsy it is- certain it had no more effedl up-
on the Emperor, than his Conferences and
Books had had ; MIjo the more he knew of Po-
pery and its waysy the worfe he liked it.
.But while Claudius his thoughts were wholly
employed in Difputing with, and Writing
againft the Billiop, and Fathers , Nur the Son
of Madi Ali Guafil, and the King of Adel^ ha-
ving obferved the prefent weaknefs of the
Habafin Empire, and how its Frontiers lay
open. Invaded it with a great Army ; and
meeting with little or no oppofition, were
got into the bowels of it before Claudius ever
lo much as dream 'd of an Tnvafion ; never-
thelefs when the alarm of it came from all
quarters, Claudius laying afide his Pen and
O 4 Books
ioo The Church HiRory
Boofcs^ called for his Sword ^ and having
fweeped together a confufed rabble of an
Army^, he took the Fields and being come
vvithin fight of the Enemy, was fo ill advifed
as to give him Battel ; in which Claudius was
not fo fuccefsful, as he was fiid to have been
in his ergoteermg Combats, his Army being
totally Routed, and he hirafelf Slain fighting
Manfully againft the Infidels.
The Forttiguefesy though angry with Claudi-
usy do him thejuftice to acknowledge that he
was a Tnnce^ of admirable 'natural 'Parts y and
for an Hahajfin^ of ^ery good Learning ; and as
he was every way much a Gentleman^ that he
.would alfo have been extraordinary kind to
the Tortugnefes that remained in Ethiopia iot
the great Service they had done, had it not
been for two things; the one was, that they
would never let him alone with his E.eligion,
which he was extreamly Zealous for; and
the other was, that under a pretence of intro-
ducing xhQ -Romizn Faidi into Etknfia, they
had a defign either to make themfelves Ma-
ilers of its Sea-ports, or to have put them in-
to the hands of a Creature of their own, as
they had done in fcveral parts of hdia, after
they had by fome plauiible pretence or other
got footing in them ; and as the clpfe Corre-
spondence they maintained with I^ahn-fiagaysy
the Hereditary Governor of the Provinces on
the Sea-Coaft, was fufiicient to' give Claudius
fome umbrage of this defign , fo if he ever
happened to intercept any of the Biiliop's or
Father's Letters, he muft have been abun-
j^antly fatisfiet] of the truth of it ; the fending
■ " ' ' of
o/E T H I o p r A. ipi
of Miflionary Troops into Ethiopia^ vvitbout
which the Ecdclkftical Miffionaries would be
able to do nothing there, being, as we fhall
fee hereafter^ the burdeji of all their Let-
ters.
- So feeble a thing is Popeyj to wake iray for it
[elf ujto a7jy Countrtyy without the ajfijtance of
ylfo({-olical Dyngootjs.
Nury after having ravaged and plundered
the greateil and richeft Provinces in Ethiopia^
returned home laden with Spoils and Honour;
but when he came near his Metropolis, in-
Itead of making a Triumphant entry, as was
expeded, he mounted a lorry Mule wretch-
edly Equipp'djand rid thereon thorough all the
Acclamations of his People ; and being asked
the reafon why he did fo, his anfwer was^
That five e it was God alone that won the late ViBo^
rjy It was hut -jufi that he alone jliould hanje the
whole Glory of it,
Claud:us having left no Sons, was Succceed- ^^.„„
ed by his Brother Adam^ who had been a fucceeds
Captive feveral years in Arabia^ and who c/^«^iax.
from the day he came to the Crown, deck- ^^^ ^
red himfelf an irreconcilable Enemy to the Church fierce Ene-
of Rome, and accordingly as his firft acl: of my to Po-
Government, was the prohibiting all Habaffins pery.
whatjoevcr, under fe'v ere Funijhmef^tSy to go into
the Latin Church ; fo his firft ad of feverity,
was the ordering of a Habaffin Woman for
hwving turned Papijly to be whipped thorough the
ftreets : and among other reafons that he gave
for the greatnefs of this his Rage againft Po- "
pery, one was, T'hat the halving Tolerated it: in
Ethiopia^ had coft his Brother his Life^ and h^
'Empire
2 01 The Church^ Hijlory
Empire a vafi treafure both of Money and Blood:.
And in order to the extirpating fo pernicious
an Inmate^ as he reckoned it to be^ he firft
took all the Lands which had been given by his
Brother to the PortUgaefes/t>r their Service ^ from
them 'y and afterwards their Children^ committing
them to the care of fuch as would be fure to Edu-
cate them in the Alexandrian Faith. After this,
he Commanded the Coadjutor to be apprehend-
ed and thrown into Frifon^ threatning to Burn him
and his Jefuits alive^ if they did not give over
forruptinghis People with their falfe DoBrines : And
having one day ordered the Coadjutor to be
A Dia- brought before him^ he fell upon him after a
logue be- moft barbarous manner, asking him^ Whether it
twixt the 'iijas not fufficient that he fuffered him to live in his
and^C^^d. ^^P^^^ to look after his Portuguefes, but he mufi
iutor. ^^ corrupting his Monks and Suhje^s with his He-
refies ? adding, let me advife youy as you love
your Lifcy not to tamper any more 7vith my Sub-
jeBs. The Coadjutor made anfwer, 7%at he
did nothing but what his Office obliged him to^ and
that he would do^ whatever it cofi him. This re-
folute Anfwer put Adam into fuch a fury,
that after having called the Coadjutor a great
many hard Names ^ and asked him. How he
durft come into Ethiopia to French his Lies and
Fopperies in it ? He flew upon him, and tore
his Robes, the Coui^tiers having much ado to
take him oflT; and having fent for him ano-
ther time, he told him afcer a great deal of
foul Language, That if he would not promife to
give over Corrupting his Suhj^Bs, his head Jhould
fay for tt. The Coadjutor without anfwering
a word^ Crojfcd his Arms, and hung down his
Heady
o/E
T H I O P I A, 203
Heady waking a tender of his Neck to him ; this
put Adain in fuch a rage^ That he drew bis
Cimiter in great fury with an intention of gratify-
ing the Coadjutor : But behold a Miracle, fay
the Jefuits, iVhcn Adanr i Jrm -was lifted up to
ha-ve giutn the fatal bloiv^ his Cimiter dropt out of
his handy to the gp-eat wort if cat ion of the Coadjutor^
who had flattered himfelf with the hopes of dying a
Martyr prefently : But though Jdam was hin-
dered by that Miracle from executing what
he had defigned, he was fo far from being
any ways foftened by it, that he told the Co-
adjutor with great difdain^ IVhat I warrant
yoUy you are ambitious of being made a Martyr by
rny hand ; go get you gone out of my prefenccy and let
me hear no more of you and your falje Dc^rmes ;
for if I doy I ftjallfind a bafer hand fomewhere that
jhall gratifie you in making you a Martyr y fince you
ha've a mind to be one.
But the chief caufe of Adam treating the
Coadjutor and Portuguefes thus, difcovered ic
felf in a fudden Rebellion that brake out a- Bahuma^
gainfl: him at this time, of which their old g^ys takes
friend Bahurnagays was one of the chief, who "P A™^
having retired from Court to his Government, ^J^Jj)^
kept upon the Sea-coaft in expectation of the
Tcrtuguefe Succors which the Viceroy had pro-
mifed to fend after the Coadjutor into Ethio-
pia 5 which not coming fo foon as they were
cxpeded, the Coadjutor had fent one Andrew
Galdamasy a Spanifh Jefuit, to the Indies to
haften them over, by aiTuring the Viceroy,
That there was no Converfion to be made in
Ethiopia without the affiftance of fome Ca-
tholick Troops. But Father Andrevj being
difcovered
204 The Church Hijlorf
difcovered at Arkiko^ as he was ready to have
embarked on a Ship belonging to the Baneansy
vv;is hewed in pieces by the Mahometans. Fa-
ther 'Teller after having pronounced Father An-
drew a Martyr ^ jaftifies the caufe of his deaths
by affirming ^ Que efia fempre a. pratica dojque
tern experientia de Ethiopia, que Jem as armas na-
mam que ^ defendam C" Author iz^em a cs pregado-
res Catholicosy nam poderam mmqua ter b SucceJJo
dejeiado entre aquelles Schifmatkos 5 that is to lay.
It had always been the opinion of fuch as had any
experience in the Affairs of Ethiopia , that unlejs
the Catholick Preachers were defended and au-
thor iz^ed hy Dragoons y they would ne'ver have the
fuccefs that was defred among thofe Schifma-
ticks.
Adam being fehfible of this, and dreading
nothing fo much as the coming of Fortugueje
Troops into his Empire, notwithftanding the
grofs of the Rebellion was in an Inland Pro-
vince, where they had Proclaimed one Tafia-
roy a Son of Adam's elder Brother, Emperor ;
He marched firil again ft Bahurnagays, refolving
if it were poflible , to break his Army before
it received a TorttigHefe Reinforcement. Adam
had two Battels with Bahumagays : In the firft
he is faid to have been worded by him , but to
have routed Bahumagays to that degree in the
laft, that he was forc'd to fculk about the Sea-
coaft with a handful of Portuguefesy all of that
Nation that were at liberty in Ethiopia^
having run into him when he firft took up
Arms.
Adam having thus quelled Bahumagays^ and
being informed , that now the Mo'^ons were
over.
o/E
T H I O P I A. 205
over, there was no fear of Ethiopia being trou- He is rou-
bled with any Vortuguefe Troops for one fix ^^^' ^"^
Months at leaft. He marched back to find fo^^e^^^
out his Nephew , who had been Proclaimed Turks.
Emperor, and being come up with him, he
obliged him to come to a Battel ; the Fight
continued obftinate for fome hours, but in the
conclufion the Rebels were overthrown, and
Tafcaro being taken Prifoner, had his head
chopped off immediately by his Uncle's order.
A^iam after thefe Victories thought to have
taken fome reft ; when intelligence was brought
him, that Bahumagays defpairing of finding
mercy at his hands, and of the coming of the
Vortugmfe which had been promifed him, had
with the handful of Fortuguefes that ftuck to
him , taken Sanctuary among the Mahome-
tans ^ and was incouraging them to invade
Ethiopa.
The honeft Author of the AJi.t Tortuguefey
faith. This trick of the Portttgiiefes going over
with Bahumagays to the T^urks, was fo ill taken
by the Hahaffin Emperors, that they could ne-
ver after that endure to hear of having any
Soldiers of that Nation in their Countrey ; but
as we ftiall fee hereafter, that did not hinder
the Miflionaries,who defiredto fee fuch Troops
in Ethiopia above all things in the world, from He brings
making bold to fend for them in their Names. f^« "^^""^^
The Mahometans having at Nao-ay's inftieati- ^"^^^^J'*^
on Marched mto Ethiopia with a great Army, delivers
had Arkiko and Matz.ua the only Sea-Ports of Matrua,
that Empire delivered to them by Nagay's crea- and the
tures J which places as they were of more im- p^^^^^ ^^^"
portance to themi than the whole Countrey xJ,^'ns
befides, to them.
20 6 The ChurchHlJlory
befides^ by making them Mailers of the whole
Coaft of the Red-Sea ; fohaving once got them
into their hands^ they havig^ taken care to keep
them, continuing Matters of them to this
day.
Adam not being able to brook this lofs,
and the great devaftations that were made
by the Infidels in the beft Provinces of his
Empire, refolved to venture it all, or to
recover what he had loft ; and fo tho he
was fenfible of his Armies being in all refped:s
inferior to that of the Enemy; yet being
pufhed on by his rage, he determined to
Aadh bid them Battel ; which the Infidels having
flain in accepted of, did maul the Habafms fo with
Satcel. i-j-jeij. Artillery, that they presently gave
ground, /^da?77 himfelf being overthrown upon
heaps of his flain Men , moft of the reft
that fled being either made Prifoners, or put
to the Sword. The whole HabaJJin Baggage
having upon this total rout fallen into the
hands of the Mahomet ayis ^ among it the
Coadjutor and his Jefutts^ whom Adam bad
carried along with him as Hoftages in all
TheCoad- his Marches, vv^ere founds and were all ftrip-
'^1^% ^^^ P^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^my before Bahumagays and hij
thers'are Portuguefe could come to their Relief
made Prl- ^^ ^^'^^^ notwichftanding the Bifhop and
f^ners by his Fathers had their full revenge of Adam
^th^ Turks, for having treated them fo barbaroullv ; yet
I do not find that they much bettereq tiieir
condition by it. One of the Fathers in a
Letter that was writ after Adam was flain,
telling his Brethren at Goa^ that at the wri-
ting thereof, they were ia as lamentable
an
of E
T H I O P I A. 207
an eftate as it is almoft poflible for men to
be^ in having neither Clothes, Bread, nor Cre-
dit ; and that the poor Coadjutor was in
fuch a Garb , that it was enough to make a
Chriftian's heart bleed to fee him in it.
Adam being flain , was fucceeded by his
Son Malac Saged y who was Crowned and
Anointed at Axm, and who tho he Reigned
Thirty Years, was never one day out of War
either with his Neighbours or Subjeds, and
as to the main v^^as Victorious ftill ; and tho
he hated the Roman Church no lefs than his f^^^^J ,
Father ; neverthelefs having his thoughts wholly by his Son
taken up with War , he gave the Coadjutor Malac sa-
and the Jefults , after they returned to Fremc- ged, who
na , no manner of Moleftation , unlefs they ^^^!^ "^
were troubled at his taking no more notice "hT^Jif-
of them than if there had been no fuch per- fionaries.
fons in his Countrey : Neither did the Coad-
jutors declaring himfelf Patriarch , upon his
having received advice of the Patriarch Bareu
to's death , who died at Goa on the Twenti-
eth of December ^ ^S^2. ^ i^g^ge the Emperor
to have ere the more regard for him ; and as the
Emperor gave the Patriarch no trouble in his
retirement, fo neither did the Patriarch give
him any, who defpairing of being able to do
any good in Ethiopia^ without the affiftance of t^iardf'
the Ponuguefe-Tvoo^Sy made the foUiciting of jying at
them his whole bufinefs. So in a Letter to Goa, the
the General of the Jejuits bearing date the Coadjutor
3dofjF«we, 15-66. he tells him. There was one p^^^^.^^
thing he and thu Fathers -were all agreed in^ which
was^ That nothing hut a good body of Portuguefe
Soldiers would ever be able to reduce Ethiopia to
tk
208
The Church'Hi/iory
The Pa-
triarch
follicits
hard for
Troops.
Father
Fermandei
do's the
fame.
the Obedience of the Roman Church ; and in one
of the fame date to the Redor of the Jefmts
College at Goa^ he tells him^, There -was one thing
he might be' certain of, which 7i>as^ that there was
no other remedy for Ethiopia, but a good body of
Portugaefe Troops adding, that if they had but
5* or 600 jl^out Musketeers ^ he would undertake
for the reducing 0/ Ethiopia to the Roman Church
in a ftjort time : Concluding his Letter with a
complaint, that more men were daily exfojed to
greater dangers for things of much lejs Importance ^
euen to the State^and where thejuccejs was infinitely
more doubtful. And Manuel Ferna?ides in a
Letter to the Provincial and Jefuits of Goa^
chimes exadly with his Patriarch, in this note.
T4^hatflmlll fajy faith Fernandes, my dear eftr Fa-
thers and Brethren I to blame your Reverences who are
in India for the great negleB of not halving J ent the
Troop whereoji the Reduclion of this Em^pre defends
mtirely^lknow jvould be unjuft'^being certam^that ij it
had been ht your Keuerence'' s pwer to ha^ve applied it^
that we had had that remedy long before this time :
Ne-verthelefs there is one thing I mufl beg of you y and
that isy That fince your Ke'verences do heartily wijh
that we had thoje Soldiers , tho it is not in your
yower to je?id them to us^ that you jvould pray ear-
ncfiiy to Chrifi to put it i?ito their hearts , in whofe
power it is to do it effeBually, I am likewife cer-
tai72 , that if your Re^uerences did but fee what is
loft here /Vz Ethiopia /or want of a handful of men ^
who would aljo be Me to poteB thoje who have al-
ready embraced our Faith ^ that you would run how-
ling and lamenting Jo great a lots thorough all the
jireets of the City : I'our Reverences may think of
this what yon pkafe^ but I do fay and affirm ^ That
the
o/E
T H I O ? I A.' 209
the Order (?/Jefuits has vo where fo mile iwJ. ^hri^
om an enter ^rlz^e upon their hands as this c/' Ethio-
pia , // they could but finijJ) it : Neitkr ought tt to
Jeem firange to you ^ that we flwidd fay, That a bo-
dy of Soldiers is fiecefjary to the rcdiitlion of this
Church , conJ!derifig that there is nothing more cer-
tain y than that at the fame time you lofe the fa^
'vour of the Kmg, the work of con'vcrjio^i goes on but
'very dull * and no woyider , fince cjcn in PortU-
galj the Prelates, if they had not the ajfiftance of
the Secular Arm, woidd not be able to do their du-
ties ; and though it is true that we pretend to have
no other bufinejs here but thefervice of God, and the
promotion of the good of peoples Souls ^ yet it ii
certain, that thofe Troops, if they were once here,
would quickly clear this Empire of all- its Foreign
ifnd Domeftick Enemies, chiefly oj the Turks and
Galls^ by whom it is at this time jo miferably
harafj'ed, and againfi whom the unhappy Natives
are not able to make head , who as they contraditt
cur Lord, fo our Lord contradiBs them in chafiifng
them with -flies, for the Galls are no better : It be-
ing an unconceivable thing, how fuch a forry naked
People jJwuld be able to do the thifigi that they do
againfi the Habaffins^ 7pho have both Arms and
HorJeS, 7vere it not that God ?nakes, and will make
IVur againfi them, until juch time as they flnill
give over making War agamfl his Divine Aia'^
jefiyi U'^erefore fince a good body of Soldiers would
remedy all our VJants, Spiritual and Temporal, let
me again beg it of your Reverences, to beftech God
to fend us this necejfary Succour,
I would have your Reverences likewife remember,
wit h how great Zeal and Charity our holy Father
Ignatius commanded cur Superiors m Portugal^
P not
2!o The Church Hiftory
fws to fail to [peak to the King, who is mw with
Gody once a Month ^ at leafi-, concerning the Ha-
baffin Mijjion : Bu7 though my mtent in putting
ycH in mind of this^ flioidd not be to engage you to
do the fame with the Viceroys yet this I will ajprm^
'That fincethis is the Caufe of God , and the Society ^
and Jo great a Caufe too, that you ought ne^er to
gi've over foliciting both God and Frinces about this
affair : So that it may never be faid of us^ They
begun to build;, but could not finifli. Finally ^
I do affure youy That if we had hut thofe Troops
once^ that not only Ethiopia_, hut another Europe
would he brought quickly to the Knowledge of
Qhrift^ and the Obedience of the Roman Church^
Thejefuitsof Goa^ Lisbon ^ ^nd Rome y were
fo inflamed by thefe paffionate Letters, that
the Cardinal Don Henry, who duiing the Mi-
nority of his Nephew Don Sebafiian^ govern-
ed Portugal, could not be quiet day nor night
for them, his not ordering fo fmall a body of
Men to be fent where they would infallibly
do both the Church and Crown fo great fer-
vice, being every where roared at by them,
as both the moft ungodly and impolitick thing
that any Government had ever been guilty or.
The Car- The Cardinal and Council of State, who
dinal of weighed things a little more foberly than the
"^rS/ ^ift^"^^'^^^ Jefuits in Ethiopia, finding they
wkrthe could not well fpare fo many Soldiers at that
Pope to time, from the more profitable Conquefts
call the they were going on with in the Indies, refolved.
Patriarch f^j^^Q |-|-^gy ^^Quld not Comply with the loud
Eili(>pf0, cl^^^ours of the Jefuits, to removes the caufe
of them, by writing to the Pope to recal die
Patiiarch
o/* E T H i O P I A • 2 1 1
Patriarch and his Fnars, and to fend them
fomewhere elfe, -where thy might do more good^
and make lefs7io'tje'^ by reprefenting the Con-
verfion of the Habajjins to him as a thing not
feilable.
The Pope^ who at that time was Tins die
Vth. beUeving what the Cardinal had writ to
him in the Name of the King of Portugal^
difpatched the following Letters of Revoca-
tion to the Patriarch, which the Cardinal took
care to forward with all poffible expedition.
To our Vener/ibU Brother, Andrew Ovie-
do, Patriarch of Ethiopia.
Fenerahle Brother, He.^lth and Afofiolical Bene-^
nediciiovy &c.
Br Letters from our Beloved Son Sebaftian, The
the llltiftriGiis King of Portugal, hss Am- Pope's
hajjador re(ide?)t at our Com'ty and by other Fer- Letters of
Jons of good Credit, we are wformed. That you ^^^^'<^^*'
havhig been fent by this Apoftolical See into
Ethiopia to reduce the People thereof to the know-
ledge of the Orthodox Faith, have not, after ha-
ving [pent jcveral years therein, been Me, by rea-
fon of the hardnejsof their hearts, and their obfi-
nacy in their anc'i^.nt Errors, to reap that fruit
•^bich might juftly have been expeBed of your
fmis Labours, whereas if you were employed in ths
IJland of Japan;, or the Province of China, Coun-
tries inhabited by Heathens, and 7vho at this
time jeem well difpojed to receive the Faith of
Qbrifty it if to be hoped that with God^s Affifi^ince
P 2 your
on.
Ill I'he Church' Hifiory
your Labours would be profitable tn thofe farts
where the Har^e^ is great y and the Labourers art
few.
We ha'ving be€7i thus informed^ and being mo-
'ved by brotherly Charity ^fuffering together ivithyouy
fince there is no likelihood of your reading that fruit
Tinker e you are^ which might jufily be expeBed from
your great Labours, and fo long a Peregrination *
and finding our f elves place d, though without our
Merits^ in this holySQ,^, and being fenfible of our
being debtors to all, and by our Office bound to pro^
mote the Glory and Honour of Almighty God, and
the Salvation of Souls, faluting you with the Cha-
rity of a Brother, and having received ample tefii-
mollies of your "Zeal and AffeBion to promote the
CathoUck Religion, we do exhort you in the Lordy
and in virtue of holy Obedience, and the remijfion
of all your Sins, Command you, by the fir (h opportu-
nity you (hall have of Sailing after the receipt of
thefe our Letters, to depart forthwith to the IJland
of Japan, or China^ there to Freach the word of
God according to the DoBrine of the Holy Roman
Church, who is the Mother and Miflrejs of all the
Faithful, and there to adminifier all the Sacra-
ments which do properly belong to the Epifcopal
FunBion, fo as trufiing in the Dtvi?te Mercy, to
endeavour to gain all the Souls you can to God j
and i?i order to the enabling you thereimte, we do
by our ApofioUcal Authority give you free leave and
full power to exercife all Epifcopal Offices in thofe
parts, or any other, that have not a proper BiJJjop :
So as to moke ufe of all thofe Faculties and Indults
which were granted to you by Pope ]n\ms the Hid.
of happy Me7nory, or by any other Roman Bijhopy
our fredecejjorsy 7mth relation to the Kugdom of
Ethiopia:
of E
T H I 0 P I A.
^M
Ethiopia : And we do likewife hy the fame Au-
thority di[fen[e with you fo favy that you may
without any fcruple of ConfcicncCy live a^id remain
in the aforefaid partSy unlejs there jhoidd happe?t
to he more hopes of reducing Ethiopia to the
Union of the Catholick Faithy than there is at
prefent.
Dated at Rome in St. Tetersy and Signed
with the Seal of the Fifherman^ on the
ift. of February i)6o.
The Patriarch, though Sick of Ethiopia y yet xhe Pa-
feems to have had no great ftomach for the triarch is
China or Japan Miflion, which, to fpeak the unwilling
Truth, was a hard impofition upon one of f°^he"r^".
his years : And fo , though in his Anfwer ^^^^.
which is here fubjoined, he affures the Pope
of his readinefs to fubmit to all his Com-
mands ; yet he fufficlently intimates, that he
was as willing torefign his Dignity, andferve
him orthejefjits in their Kitchens, as to keep
it, and carry it to China or Japan ; in which
affair, it is to be feared that the Patriarch's be-
ing a Spaniardy was of no advantage to him,
it being the cuftom of the Portuguefes when
they have got any Foreign Friars among them
in the hdiesy to put them upon the forlorn of
all dangerous Miffions, as they did Oviedo on
this, and Father Petery who was likewife a
Spaniard, on that of the Second Hahajfm Mit
fion ; as we lliall fee hereafter.
P 5 The
114 The ChuYchHiflory
The Patriarch's Jnfmr to the Pope.
Andrew d'Oviedo to Pope Vms the Vth.
Moft BlefTed Father,
His An- X^^ ^^^^ prefent year J^6jy Tvith fome Letters
fwer to JL fi^^ ^^^ College of St, Paul at Goa, a Cofy
the Pope, cf an AfofioUcal Brief from your Holinefs to me^
dime to 7y.y hands ; ivherein amorig other pious ^ de-
ruotity and holy things , are thtje 'words ; We do
exhort you in the Lord, and in virtue of ho-
ly Obedience, and Rendffion of your Sins,
<do command you, by the firft opportunity
you [ball have of failing after the receit of
thefe our Letters, to depart for the Ifland of
Japan y or the Kingdom of China, A7trJ a lit-
tle loiver there are thefe wo-^h^ We do further-
more by the fame Apoftoiical Authority, dit
penfe with you fo , that in cafe there is no
hopes of reducing Ethiopia to the Church,
you may go into thole parts, and there re-
main without any fcuple of Confcicnce.
To which Apojhiical Letters^ m lefs than if I
had received their original. [ prepared my felf to
yield ohedie^tce^ ai it is fit ^ uifr , and healthful ^^
that we fiould at all il/n-^ , and in whole ana in
fart obey your Holinefs ; for in obeying yon , Mofi
Holy 'Father , we obey Chnfr the only begotten Soi%
of God , m ii^hofe place you are upon earthy our
Head and Father ^ and the Mafter of aU faithful
Chrifiums 5 aU the Indulgence j Order ^ and Tower
of the Church of Chrijt being derived from you to
all others : The holy Mother-Church cf Rome,
■ wboje
(/ E T H I O P 1 aJ II J
whofe Faith m'ver did tjor never will fjii, and
who is the Mother and Adifhefs of all the Churches
in the world , and of all faithful Chriftians^ being
continued in your Pontificate.
As to your hauing commanded me to go to the.
IJland oj Japan by the firfi convenience , J havi
had no opportunity fince I received your Commands y
and fo ayn excused for not being gone ; neither in
truth can I embark here with any Jafety^ there be^
ing a thoufand Turkifli Ship, and not one Chri^
fi-ian in the Port of Matzua at this time. As to
•what is faid of having any hofes of the reducing
of Ethiopia , Ijlwuld quickly have ftich hopes y
could we but have Five or Six hundred Portu-
guefes fent hither from the Indies, according to
what was agreed before I left Goa^, upon the ad^
'vice they had received there y of the obftmacy of the
King of Ethiopia, and which we have been now
long expe^ing. Were this once dojie y I fl)ould not
only hope to fee Ethiopia quickly reduced, but
Jhould be infallibly certaiji of it : With which
Troops we jhould not only be able to convert all
this Empire, but in77u?nerable mtdtitudes of Hea^
thens aljoy into whofe Countries they might march
from hence, without croffng any Sea : Which Hea-
thens being a fimple fort of people, and not much
addicted to Idolatry, might be converted with great
eafe. We have bee?^ told that great numbers of
them have petitioned the King of Ethiopia to be
made Chrifiians, but have been denied out of tem-
poral refpeHs, the Ethiopians reckoning that after
they are Chrifiians it is not lawful to make them
Slaves y as they do now in vafi numbers. The
Heathens that defired thisy were of Damut, a
Countrey that abounds with Pure Gold; and ts faid
P 4 to
^i6 The Church Utjlory
to reach to thzKingof Portugal'j Territories which
are about Mofarabique and Sefalia. There are
Heathens liktwije t?i another Countrey called '^intiXly
ivhich is alfo full of Fine Gold^ and who about
three years ago offered to a Prince who is nearly re-
lated to the King of Ethiopia^ if he would but
dtfiji- from the V/ar he had begun upon them, both
to turn Chriftians y and to fay him a Tearly Tri-
buie. It is from among thefe Heathens^ but chiefly
rhcje of Dambiit, that the Mahometan Mer-
chants 5 7i>ho are in great fiumhers in theje farts ^
do daily hify "vafi numbers of Slaves , which they
Jell to the Moors and Turks; Thefe Heathens
would turn Chrifiians 7mth all their heart s^ for they
cry <;:'}.d take on lamentably when they are carried
to the Ships j to which they are driven i?i fuch
herds y that I am ferfuaded that the Turks ha<ve
had at leaf an Hundred thoufand of them y who
make them all Mahometans, and who after-
wards are know7i by exfcrience to become fiout
Soldier Sy and to do the Saracens great Strnjice
both by Sea and Land. Jill which mtjchiefs Fi've
or Six hundred Portuguelc Soldiers^ if we had
them herCy would remedy y and would do extraordi-
nary [er'vice to the state of India, and to all the
Chrifiians thereof ; for if the Turks Jlwuld once
make themfelnjes Mafters of Ethiopia , it would
he of fatal confequence to the PortUguefe Intereji
m the Indies ; there bei-zig divers things in this
Countrey y that would be fcwiceable to them in re-
ference to their Galley Sy as Slaves y Irony and other
Trovifions.
The Ki>ig that firfi began to ferfecute our Holy
Faithy and all his Miniflers y are now in their
Graves j and his So7iy who now reigns y is not Jbjo^
lUtCy
o/E
T H I o p r A. 217
If^e, the Royal Authority having been much jliakeii
and impaired of Lite, God in his yujttce ha^ving^
fo ordered things, that he that refujcd to obey him^
and jiibmit himfelf to the Roman Church , from
which all that have fe fanned the?r?fel'ues obfiinate^
ly have been defiroyedy and have falle?i under the
yoke of hifidels , jliould not be obeyed by his own
Sub]dh. The feo^le here are all in pecesy arid are
fo cowed by the dcvafations the Turks have madu
^movo- thcmy that they think of nothing, hut how
to live and keef their Efiates, But tho the late
King and his Mtniflers were fojfeffed with a ftrange
Rao-e again fi the Catholick Faith, and us Catho^
licks, the common feople and feme others feemed to
be well enough dijpojed tmvards it. For our part
we have not been ffaring of our pains to preach to
them j and befides divers Conferences and Difputa-
tions both private and publick that we have had
with them, ive have written divers Treatifes
againf their Errors, and have got them trayiflated
into Ilabaffin ; fo that all the DoBri7jes of Faith
have been jufficiently promulgated to them, if they
could but be perfuaded to embrace them ; not but
that there are great numbers of them who are fa-
tisfied of the truth of our Faith, but who either out
of jhame, or fear of punijljment, are afraid to Vro^
fejs It : For which reajon there are feveral that
would be glad to fee fome Portuguefe Troops here
to defend them in the Faith after they have p'o-
fcjjed it y out of which, by reafon of their being
but jveak therein, they are now eafily terrified, as
a g7'eat many have been ; tho there are fome who
nofwithjlanding all the contradiBion they have met
withal, do continue fiedfafi therein.
2i8 The Church" Hijidry
It is a common Tradition herCy That the PortU-
guefes are to come among them to make them of
the fame Faith with themfelves ; and they fay
further^ and we believe it to be true, That this
difiraBed Empire will never be in peace or any tO"
lerable order, until they co?ne 5 which though they
Jhould, and with an intention of offering ViolencCy
would gxYQ no offence to any bodyjnot to Gatho-
licks to be fure^ there being no reafon why they
fliould be offended at it ; no nor the liabaflins
neither, for I am ferfuaded that if fuch a number
of Portuguefe Troops were here, their name 7mth-
out firiking a ftroke would do the work, fo that
they would look more like Friends than Enemies 5
and I am certain, that if they had come 7vhen we
ex'peBed them, this whole Empire had been in the
Obedience of the Roman Chnrch before this time,
and it will be the fame thing if they jhould come
%ow»
Wherefore, mof holy Father, fince all the fe things
do belong to your Office, who are the Unwerjal
P aft or, feed thefe your jheep with wholfome food,
and p'ovide a neceffary reynedy for them, by wri--
tir,g to the moff Serene King of VoTtu^sX for fom,^
Troops, and by accjuainting his Ambafjador at your
Court, with the neceffity there is of J ending them
hither \ for to tell your Holinefs my mind frankly,
I am of opinion. That Ethiopia ought not to be
deferted.
But after all^ if there is no perfuading the
King of Portugal to fe^id a body of Soldiers hither ,
for which for the good of Ethiopia, let me beg it
of your Holinefs a fecond time to write to
him, he muff then be defired to fend a good Fleet
hither to carry off the Qatkoltcksi for ficuld it be
fuch
o/ Ethiopia^ 2I
fitcb a one as is talked of^ it woM not he able to
carry one of them to the Indies, the Turks beitig
'very firovg at prejent in Matzua a?ui ail theje Sea-
forts ; and ivhate^er is done^ let us not loje any oj
the Catholicks tbav are here, by leaguing them in the
hands of Hereticks and Infidels ; who after the
Heads of their Families and Priefisy who are mor^
talas well as other men^ are deady will be in dan-
ger of being lofi.
Finally y I defre to he ad'vifed of what your Ho^
I'tnefs would ba've done j and as to what concerns
my own Perfon^ moft holy Father ^ I am by God's
Grace prepared to Obey your Willy by either conti-
nuijig where I am^ or by going to Japan_, <??• to the.
Turks tf your Holinejs jJjculd Command mky or
by laying down my Patriarchal Dignity , to ferve
my Fathers the JejuitSy or your Holinejs in your
Kitchcny or in any other pfi. And ij itfljallfeem
good to your HoUnefsy I do beg fome Indulgences of
you for the remtjfion of our Sins* Farcwel great
Father,
Fro;^ Ethiopia the ijth.
fl/June iy66.
Andrew Patriarch of Ethiopia.
This Letter of the Patriarch's gives the
Reader a clear view of tVie true temper
cf the Roman Miffionaries, and of the
methods they are for making ufe of in
the Converfion of Heretical Kingdoms to
the Roman Church; it difclofeth iikewife
the true fecret of Bahumagay/s Rebellion,
which
2 20 The ChurchHiJlory
which was of fuch fatal confequence to
Ethiopia ; it being faid in this Letter , That
the Coadjutor before he left Goa^ had a pro-
mife that a good Body of Tortuguefes fliould
be fent after him ; as it is alfo, that if
thefe Troops had arrived when they were
expeded, which was when Bahumagays was
firft in Arms ^ the HahaJJln Church had
been reduced to the Obedience of the
Koman before the writing of that Letter.
Now what fhould it be that hindered
the Tcrtuguefe Government , which ftill
pretended that the propagating of the Ro-
nmn Faith ^ was its chief aim in all its
remote Conouefts^ and v/hofe tide to them
all, was founded foleiy on that pretence,,
fiom fending fuch a handful of Men , to
do the Church fo fignal a fervice as the Coa-
vertii^g of another Europe to it ?
Therea- It was not that they were fearful that
fon why the Number of Soldiers that was defired,
the Porfw- ^^3^1^ ^^^j. |-^^^.g j^ggj^ .-^\^ ^^ j^^yg ^^^^
(rr^eles lent , i r t ^ t •
no Troops ^^^^ g^'<^^t work ^ Tor tnat confidermg
intoEthtO' what was done by Gama with a fmaller
pia, when number , and that it is not common
fo flrong- ^yjj.!^ ^i^g Tortuguefes to dilh'uft their own
tedlo'^do fti'^^'^gt'"^ 1^^ f^^cli cafes; whatever was, this
if, could not be the caufe of it ,• and if
this was not, one may venture to fay, it
was not that they reckoned it a fcandalous
thing to go about to Convert an Hcretica I King^
dom by Dragoon Miilionaries, that being a
thing, as the Patriarch truly obferves in his
Letter^ That no true Roman Catholtck could he
offended at.
The
©/"Ethiopia^ Hi
The true caufe therefore of their de-
nying fo inconfiderable an aid to do fo
great a work, though fo vehemently foli-
cited to do it , was , that though at firft
they had promifed themfelves great mat-
ters from the redudion of Ethiopia to the
Obedience of the Romaii Church , they
found afterwards that the doing of it
would be of litde or no advantage to
them y by reafon of its lying quite out
of the way of their great Indian Trade ,
and its having no native Commodities to
countervail the great Charge, its remote-
nefs, and the neighbourhood of the Turks,
would neceffarily put them too, to main-
tain an intereft in it.
Neither were the Patriarch and Fathers
fuch weak Men as not to know at what
their bufinefs ftuck , who therefore took
care in all their Letters to aflure the Go-
vernment, that befides divers other Commodi-
ties, there v/as abundance of F'me Gold in
fome parts of Ethiopia ; and that Damut ,
which might eafily be Converted by 600
Soldiers, and ovhich was likev^ife full of Gold,
did reach to Mofambie^ue and Sefala , the
bed Portuguefe Plantation in the hdies ;
but the Government , it feems , either did
mt believe thefe reports. Or thought they
f}ould Buy fine Gold there too dtar to tur?i
to any account.
So that the Spani^ Minifter had this
among other Inftances undoubtedly in his
eye, who told Vhilip the IVth. 7hat it -was
a vain coric^it the IVorld had entertained of
the
22 ^ The ChurchHiflory
the 2^eal of the Portuguefes ufon the ac^
count of the Con^verfions which had been
made h^ them in the Indies ; /or it was
Co'uetoujnefs and not Zeal that had engaged
them to make all thofe Con^uefis 5 the Con-^
"verfions that had been made in thofe farts
having been performed by the Di'vine Tower^
and the Charity of a fev^ particular Friars^
the Crown and Govemmeitt halving had no
other aim therein^ but the Robbing of King*
doms and Cities^ and there were fiill the
greatefi Converfons where there was mofi to
gratifie their Co^jetoufnefs ; but where there
was nothing to be had ^ there the People were
Obdurate and not to he wrought upon. And
fo we fee their Zeal expired quickly where it
2i^as not animated by Covetoufnefs y a7ul how
they who had nothing elfe to fay , but Lord
open unto us , were not thought fit to enter
into Hecven.
The Cardinal-Regent having prevailed
with the Pope to recal the Patriarchy
did order Ruy Laurenco de Ta^vara _, who
went Viceroy to the Indies in the year
15-67. fo foon as he arrived at Goa ^ to
fend fome Ships to Ethiopia to fetch off
the Patriarch and the Fathci^-s • but Ta^vara
happening to die in the Voyage , thofe
Orders ^ whatever was the reafon , were
never executed ; though if they had^ fo
foon as it was poffible;, the Ships would
have come too late for the Patriarchy
The Pa- who died at Frenam Otl the ^^th, of July
triarch in the year 1567.
dieth.
of E
T H I O P I aV 215
Thus ended the Firft great HahaJTm The un-
Miffion 5 from which Ignatius had promi- ^i-PP^^
fed fo much Honour to himfelt and this^Mif:
his Order: Which ^ as it was no happy fim.
thing for the Jefuits ; fo 3 excepting the
Second Miflion, it was the worft thing
that ever befel Ethiopia.
THE
"5
THE
SECOND PART.
I A
I" mtel Fern
T the time of the Patmrch's death,
of the Five Jefuits that went with
him into Ethiopia, there were but
Three left alive ; they were Ma-
Fernandez, , the 7no[t fajfwnate Solicitor for
Dragoons y who died at Fremona in the year
1^83. Antony Fernamkz. y who died at the
fame place 10 years after, and Francis Lopez,,
who lived till the year i5'97. after whofe
death there was not one Roman Prieft left alive-
in Ethiopia,
For Nine years after the Patriarch's deceafe,
the Jefuits feemed to have given the Hahajfm
Miffion quite over; none of that Order,
that we read of, having, during that time,
attempted to go thither : But upon Thilif the
lid's, (who pretended to a much greater
Zeal than any of his Anceftors for the fer-
vice of the Roman Church ) coming to the
Crown of Portugal, they refumed the thoughts
of it again ; and not knowing but that all the
Fathers who were in Ethiopia might be in the
Q next
Eihiopii^-
i 1 5 The Church Hijlory
next world ; that they might be found
by FhiUp in poireffion of that Miffion ,
they fsiit Two Fathers thither in the Ha-
bit cf Armenian Merchants^ lioping that un-
Two Je- ^^^ t^"^^^ difguife they might fteal into it with-
fujt^ are out being difcovered by the Ti4rhj who ha-
fer.r in a yj^^g got all the Haht^ffin Ports into their hands^
tw?"r!!!^° were extremely watchful to keep out Vortn-
gue/es.
The Two Friars that were fent on this dan-
gerous enterprife, were Antony de Mon[errato^
and Veter Vajs^ who were both Spaniards ; It
bang 'the Cufiom of the Portuguefe Superiors in
the Indies^ as has been obferved before^ when
they ha've any Foreigners under them^ to he fo kind
to them, as to give them fiill the mofl haz^ardous
Fof-s : Which;, by the way, is no great argu-
ment of the Friars being ahiVays the mofi fond of
the Miffions in ivhich their Lives are expofed to the
mofi danger , as in all their Hiftories they are
ftill reprefented to be; for if it were fo^ it is
very ftrange that the Fcrtuguefes having their
Countreymen ftiil the Superiors^ fhould not
have that Intereft in them, as to carry themoft
defirable Employments from Foreignei-s^ and
efpecially Spamards, of whofe Flonour they
are naturally fo jealous.
But however that were, in the year if 8 8.
the Two Spaniards were fent from Goa to Dio,
where they waited fome Months before any
opportunity of a pafTage for Ethiopia did of-
fer ; during which time they went but little
abroad, and when they did^, it was always in
a Turktfl) Habit ; in which they had fo difgui-
fed themfelves, that Mcnjerrate -ivas jehcdwith
fio^us
of ^
T H 1 O P I A. tlj
fortes 7?i tkfireet by the Boys for a Turk, and
Father Veter had like to ha^' heenjhot by a C
tint I for omilkivg tcj n^ar t'iK O.diance, iiv
laft a Mdmnctan Pilot being fpoke to Dy
the Governor oS, Mu\c.:tc, whither the Fathers
went from Dw, did undertake -to put them
both aThcar at the Port of Zcjh ; whereupon
the}' embarked on the 6th. of December , and
after a few days Sail meeting with a violent
Itorm, were driven ailioar on the Coafts of '^^'^..^
Arabia, where being difcovered to be Chrfi- covered'
an Priefts, they werebodifent by the Cover- .^^i ^^adc
nor of Defarto his Mafterthe King oi Zeal, Slaves in
who keeps his Court in a City of Arabia Ft- y^rabta,
Itx, called T^mm , Vv^herein they were both
kept Slaves Seven years.
The Superiors at Goa having received ad-
vice of this, named one Ahr.ham de d'cr^js,
a Maronke jdmt, and James Gonfahes, to go AMaromti
into Ethwfur' but Fath.r^M-^. wh^n he ^;-;^.^
came to Goa from M^ihba^-, mUead ot bather ^^^^^ ^^
Jamesy who was a Vortugaefe ^ had an Habaf- EthopU
fm Youth given him for his Companion.
The Maromte and Uabajlh being arrived at
Dio, found a Ship belonging to the Bcneans
ready to fet Sail for Mafz.ua , vs^hercon they
embarked as Turks'^ and when they landed ^ac
Matz.ua, were kindly received as true Mujjd-
mm by the Governor, v/ho himfelf was a
Cimfl-lan Renegade, Theje are the hvtntlons, as
the hceroy Albuquerque told Father Abraham.'??
Goa -ivhefi he Pf jaw htm in his Turkilli Hab:t,
■jijhtrcwith the Jejmts feek to Jcr^'e God^ and t?
hrinor ^ouls to tbar Creator^
O z The
t.m.
128 T/;e ChurchrHiflory
The Governor not having the leafl: fillpi-
Cion of Father Abraham being a Chriftian ,
and much lefs a Prieft, gave him leave to go
into Ethiopia at the firll word ; but being told
He is dif- by the Skipper that brought him^ that he had
covered fome reafon to think that he was a Vortuguefe
and put Prieft^ he lent a hue and cry after him/ which
forhaWns having overtook him before he was got to Ar-
pi-ofdf^d ^i^Oj brought him back to Matz.ua j the Go-
himfelf a vernor^ when Abraham was brought before
Mahorni' him^ being in a great rage at him for his ha-
ving impofed upon him as he had done ^ af-
ter he had given him a great many hard
\yords^ asked him, Whether he 7uas a Muffel-
rnan or a Chriftian ? Abraham not thinking
lit to diflemble any longer, told him boldly he
was a Chriftian, Are you fo^ jaid the Gcvernor,
then by the Great God if you do not turn Maho-
metan immediately, youjliall lofe your head for
halving pretended to be one : Abraham made an-
fwer, Aiy Life, it is true, is in your Power, but
to make me turn Mahometan is not, neither vnll
leaver doit: Whereupon the Governor, with
a Renegado fmy, commanded him to be tortured^
which being done, he ordered his head to be
Chopped offy but without raifing a Jpring offrefi
water, for that would ha^e been a great benefit to
the IJIafid, 7vhich is much incommoded for want oj
it • but inftead thereof, a prodigious Fire wasfeen
for Forty Nights together o'ver the place where his
Body was Buried. v
Gregory the Xlllth. having been informed
of tlie great want the Fortuguefcsth?.t were in
Ethiopia were in of a Prieft, did order one
John Baptijta, an Italian, to be Confecratcd a
Bifhop,
of E
T H I 0 P I A. 229
Bi/llop, with an intention of fending him to
them. This JoJm Bnf^ifca had been fent by The Pope
Gregory before ^ with Letters to J^mha Jchn, r--nds an
Patriarch of yiltxjrulria, to pcrfuadc him to gin^'opto
fubmit himfelf to the Koimm Churchy as he E!hiop:.x
was afterwards by Sixtus the Vth. to Gahriel,
Patriarch of the laid See, on the fome errand j
it is not (aid whether Biihop Bjptifia re-
turned to Rowe with G^hricFh anfwer to
Sixtus y or having delivered his Letters at
Cayr^ and finding all the Avenues to Ethiopia
by Land flopped by tho Ti^rks^ did go to Gca
for aPallage ; but certain it is that he got thi-
ther^and that he had not been there long,before
the Viceroy D072 Edward de Memz.es embarked
him upon a fmall Z^^y7v^/.^//^7'"cVeirel^ which had or-
ders to put him afiioar fomewhere in Ethiopia ;
but the Ship he was upon happening to touch
at the IGand of Camera, and it being difcovered
there that Baptifia iiuis a Chrijtian Bijhop hoimd
for Ethiopia^ he was thereupon Alurthered by \j^\^^ i^
the Turks. But though the yefmts do riot in any ingd!f;o-
of their Hifiories that 1 ha^ve jee-n^ fo much as mer.- covered
tion this Biflms Name, jwt cariy^o-. tt's like, that ^Y^^ ^'^^'
■ n J J I 7 1 ^ 1 ^ / ' • thered by
it Jhotild he kyioivn^ that any that was not of tfjeir ^|^^ 7-^;.;^/
Order was employed in this Mijjion j yet, I hope,
his not having been a yefuity nor fent by their Su~
periors^ did no ways contribute to his en d'^ his being
fc7it to Ilabaflia at that time, and after fuch n^^^
a manner, being a thing that dees not look very Archbi-
welL Ihop of
In the year 15*97. Dom Alexo de Mcnez,es, Go^fc-iids
the moll politick Prelate that ever was in thofe aTe^ular
parts, looking upon himfelf now there was Prj^^j
no Patriarch of Ethiopia, as the. ordinary Prelate Etj^
into
3 thereof.
\pa.
2^0 The ChurchHifioyy
t hereof y as he was Trimate of the Indies, did take
t\\c Hahajjin Affair into his own bands^ and
having caft about hov/ to have Intelligence
from thence, and to fupply the Portuguejes that
vvere there with a Prieft, he did at laft fall
upon the following expedient.
There was one Bekhwr dc Sji^a^ a Con-
verted Bramevy who was Vicar of the Church
of St. A7m in Goa j whom tlie Archbirtiop
after he had determined to fend him into
Ethiopa, ordered upon fome Informations
he pt etended to have received againii him, to
be thrown intoPrifon, threatening him with fe-
vere Cenfures if what he was accufed of
ihould be proved ; having at the fame time
fc concerted the matter with Syha'^ that he
V5/as to break Javi on a certain night, and
come to him in a diiguife at a place called Bar--
rlez,^ which he vv^as then going to vifit, being
ii) the mean titiie to let his Hair and Beard
grovs/, the better to difguife hirafelf. When
the night agreed upon was come, Syl^a ha-
viiig broke Jayl , went diredly to Rczrdez, ^
where the Archbilhop kept him private, and
to blind the matter the more, feemed to be
very angry at his having made his efcape,
iind to lUe extraordinary dih'gence to catch
him again .
Syha un- - ;, ,S;/WlfeivinK ava_v vcd his IiiilrudicDS, and
^.% ^H r being put into a Jmizijh Habit with Pendants
f^!;;;j^^in,hisEars,^was fbnt privately by the Arch-
<r3ii; " - ^ ^■^"li^ptp Dh*y where he remained hcG&rraotiW
iiit- ^'hip oirered .for Ethiofia^ on board which
i:^) \v\cA liirpfv^If a Sailer \ and during the
'■■■' '\ "^'r.-^-^<:c h?*^^^-''^\v"''I ''"'ilelf fo amons;
o/ Ethiopia. iji
the Mariners as not to be in the Icaft fufpeift-
ed by any of them of being a Chnfiian, The
Ship being arrived :it her Port^ Sjha the firft
time he wejit alhoar, made the bed of his
way for Etbiofin^ and h.aving got to Dcboraa^
was entertained there with great joy by the
TortHguefis ^ who had been for fome }'ears
without a Priefl: of their own Religion.
The Jefuits, that nothing might feem to
have been done toward^? the rediidion of
Etbiopa without their having had fome hand
in it^ will have the Archbilliop to have fent
Sjha thither at their requeil : But this was
not all that Archbilhop Mcv.ez.es did in this
matter ; for having received advice of Syhas
being arrived in Eib/opij, he thereupon writ a
Letter^ not only to the Roman CatboUcks, hnt
to tbe Abuna likewife^, exhorting him to jubjnit Trie
himfdf and bis Church to the Pove '^ and among Archbi-
other Arguments he made ufe of to perfuade ^-"'P ^'^
him to fuch a fubmiflion , he fent him fj-^jj^^'^f
a rich p-efent , together or/fb the fohi.in fuh- ^.^^^, ^^
mijjlofi of tbe Alexandrian Vatriarch of h'mijejf fubmic
and his -ivhoU Church toV ope Clement ^^t^VIIIth. himfelf to
as it is pompoufly publillied by Baromus in an ^'^^. ^^Pf
Appendix to the Sixth Tome of his Ecclefi- exa^mnie
aflical Annals; Cohjuriyig him to follow the exam- of the Pa-
fle of that great Frelate 7i^hom bis Church had fo triarch of
/o77g oumedjor her Head. ^^exan-
But this Alexandrian fuhmiffcn ^ notwith- j^^ ^i^^,
flanding Earonius was in fach haftc to make a avdnan
flourifii v/ith it, that he clapt the Hiilory fubmiflT-
thereoi to the end of the Fifth Century , «" ^^ ^e-
-ivas a mere impofiure ; for whereas it is faid to ^,^5^^'
Inve been made /»/ Gabriel Patriarch of Alex- mere
Q 4 andria;, trick.
a J X The Church^ FJiJlory
andria^, the Fatriarch of Alexaandria'i Name at
the time ivhen that ftihmijjion is reported to have
have been made ^ was not Gabriel, to Mark,
So little pains are the hungry Eaftern Monks^ who
come to Rome with their mock [uhmijjionsy aty to
make their Impofiures look probable.
The Learned Father Simon fpeaking of
Archbifhop Menezes having made ufe of this
fubmiffion to perfuade the Jbuna of Ethiopia^
after the example of his Patriarchy to fubmic
himfeif to the Pope^ faith, The Archbijhopwas
voty it feemsyjenjihle that the Church of KomQ had
been impofed on in that matter ^ and that Baronius
was too credulous in pubU^ing the alls of that fub-
miffion under the Name of the Fatriarch df Alex-
andria, and cf the Catholick Church,
And Thomas a Jcfu^ a Carmelite Friar, (peak-
ing of the fame in his Sixth Book de Converfio-
ne on. mum Gentium frocuranda^ faith. In the time
of Clement the Vlilth. a FiBitious EmbaJJy of
the Alexandrian Churchy was brought to the Ro-
man Font iff : PVherem Mark the Fatriarch^ and
with him all the Frovinces of Egypt, and the
parts adjoyning' to it , did acknowledge the Fope to
be the Head and Umverfal Fafior of the Churchy
as Baronius writes at large at the end of his Sixth
Tome J but the matter thereof comirig afterwards
to be more diligently looked into ^ it was found
to he a lie^ and the fiBion of one Barton an
Impcftor, And yet iiotwtthjt anding this diico-^
very , the Hiftory of that jubmijjion coyitinues
to vapiuf ftill in all the Editions of Baronius'j
Annals that have come out fince.
The Archbijhop fent the Abmja likewife a
Confeffion of his own Faith , tdiing him
withal,
I
o/E
T H 1 o p r A. 255
withal, That in cafe he would fuhrnit himfelf to
the Pope^ as he was in duty bound ^ that affair
would be managed much to his advantage by the
Portuguefesj he writ alfo to Clmmt the
Vlllth. defiring him to lay his Commands on the
Tatriarch of Alexandria, who was now under his
Obedience^ to oblige the Habaffin Abuna to follow
his Example : He writ alfo to Belchior da Sylva^
to fend fame Habaffin Boys to Goa to be infiruSled
m the Roman Faith and Rites, And laftof all,
he writ to Thilip the lid- for a yearly Venfion
for the Portuguefes that were in Ethiopia ; of
whom he obtained 1^00 Cntz^adoSy which
were to be paid to them yearly out of the
Jloyal Revenues of the Indies^ to which he
himfelf added 500 Fardaos , and prevailed
with the Mifericordia at Gca to give |the fame
Sum : Of aU which there is not 07ie fyllable to he
met with in any of the Jefuits Hifiories ; whereas
had this Archbijhop been of their Order, as he was
of the Auftin, the world would have had whole
Volumes in Praife of his great Zeal and hduflry
in this Affair.
The Jefuits being defirous to recover the
Habaffin Miffion, which both the Pope and the
Archbilhop feemed to have taken out of their
hands, did in order thereunto, labour hard to
have a College for their Friars at Dto ; and
having got fome Benefactors to contribute to-
wards the building and endowing thereof,
they fent Father Gafper Snares from Goa to Dio
to begin the Work. But the Baneans , of xhe Je-
which Dto is full , knowing that the Jefuits, fuits ereft
where-ever they fetled , did turn Traders, did a Collegf?
ftrongly oppofe their having a College there ; '^^ ^'^■
pretending,
Ij4 ^^-^^ Church^ Hijiory
pretending^ Tijat it would certainly ruin the
Trade of the Tort ; by which Pretence^ and
great Bribes , they fo far influenced the Vice-
roy^ that he put a full ftop to it ; of which
the Jefuits of Goa , Lisbon and Madrid, made
fuch Tragical Exclamations, that the King
wrote a. very angry Letter to the Viceroy
about it. Commanding* him to fiut his hands
againfi the Bribes of the Baneans, and not to he
frighted from pious Works, hy fuggefiions that they
would tend to the ruin of Trade, fmce the reafon
why he fent Viceroys into India, was not to encreafe
his Re'venue , hut to ad'vance Chrifiianity : The
Viceroy and Baneans were fb mortified by this
fevere Letter, that they did not only give way to^,
but did contribute largely towards the build-^
ing of the faid College, which by that means
was finiflied in a fhort time.
The King had writ likewife to the Viceroy,
To fiirnifli the Jejuits with fix Ships, to ccn'veigh
their MiJJiG7iaries into Ethiopia ; but they having
but three Friars to fend thither, who were Fa-
ther Peter, who had been ranfomed a year or
two before j and Father Anthony de Angelis, a
Ncopclitcin , and Father Anthony Fernandes, a
Tortuguefe ; the Viceroy reckoning that two
Ships luere fufficient to carry three Friars, and that
fix would not be enough to fight the Turks, if they
happened to meet with them , fent but two to
them to Dio, where they were now fetled in
their new College, one of which was forced
back by a Storm to Damon, the otiier getting
to T>io, but much damaged both in her Hulk
and Rigging.
Father
o/ Ethiopia. ijj
Father Feter having, daring h^s feven years
Captivit)' in Arabia^ made himfelf a perfed
Mailer of the Arabick Tongue, did converfe
much ac Dio, where he palfcd for an Armenian
Cljrijtia7i with t\\t Muho,.^eians that, came to
trade there, but chiefly with a Servant of the
Ibjliaws of Snaqhcmy wb.ofe na:ne wa5 Rccu-
ani jga , with whom he contracted an inti-
mate familiaritJ^ This Aga happening one
day in difcourle to ask the Tather, IVhj, after
(even rears cafti'vity ^ he did not think, of return-
ing home to his own Countreyy meaning Armenia j
the Father told him. That there -was nothing that
he was fo defirous of as to fee Armenia, but that
he was afraid to 'venture himfelj agaip in the
TurkiiK Territories : Aga thereupon did frank-
ly undertake to put him in a way to get home
with fafety, offering to carry him along with
him to Ma^z^ua and Sn^^cihem^ and from thence
to Cay- , from whence he promifed to fend
him with a Pafs to Jerufalem ^ from which
place he might return home without any dan-
ger. The Father having thanked Aga for his
kind offer, told him he jvould accent of it^ pre-
<vulcd he would give him leave ^ when he was at
Matzua, to make a f^ep into Ethiopia, to negotiate
a little buftnefs he had to do there '^d^Cmng him with-
al not to let the Gove'rnor of Dio know any thi?}g
of his dcfign of retiirnwg home^ for that he would
certai?7ly flop hirn^ if he came to hear of it, Aga^
who did not know but that he might have
occafion to return to Dio again, and for that
reafon, being unwilling to do any thing
whereby he might difoblige the Governour^
told the Father , That though he jlwuld be very
glad
2^6 The Church Hi/lory
glad to ferve him in taking him along with him,
yet unless he could obtain leaue of the Go'vernour to
go, he mufi pardon him for not doing it : The
Father being well pleafed with thts fcrufle of
^ga'Sy did promife iince he would not carry him
without it, to try to obtain leave of the Gozfernour
to go with htm. And with fuch 'Enganos or Tricks,
laith a Jefuit, Father Peter cheated the Devil
The Father having communicated the
whole Farce to the Governour, he was fo well
pleafed with it , that he helped to carry it on ,
by fhewing Aga extraordinary Civilities for
the kindnefs he intended to do to the good Ar-
menian.
On the 22^ of March i6o;. Aga and his
Armenian fet fail from Dio, and on the ±(>th
of April they arrived fafe at Matz>ua ; where
the Bartiaw being in the Countrey , the Fa-
ther^ upon-^^^'s recommendation, was treat-
ed very kindly by Mufiadem, the Lieutenant-
Go vournor , who at the firft word granted
him leave to go for fome time into Ethiopia
to negotiate the bufinefs he pretended to have
there. Father Veter, notwithflanding his ci-
vil treatment, v/as in pain till he was got
from Matz^ua, and having notice of fix Chri-
ftkins that were bound for Ethiopia , he took
the opportunity of their company, and ha-
ving fixed his Journey on the <^th of May, he
went to take his leave of his Patron Aga, who
promifedto wait two mo'-thsfor him ^f Matzua,
by which time the Armenian affured him he
would be with l^im ag-ain.
In feven days the Father and his Company
got to Deboraa ', where he was waited on by
Captain
O/" E T H I O P I A^ 2J7
Captain JoImGahrtd^ with feveral other Tor- Father/*^
tuguefes, who did all accompany hiiii to Fre- ^'^^^ ^ pf'
monay where Father Syha refided , and the fteais into
Patriarch and moft of his Companions had Ethiopia.
been buried.
The firft thing he did after his coming to
Fremona^ was to acquaint the Emperor, whofe
name was Jacob, with his arrival, and to ojfer
him his jervice ; the Emperor returned him a
kind Anfwer, telling him. That after the Win-
ter was over , he Jhould he glad to fee him at his
Courf.
This Jacoh was a Natural Son of the lafi Em"
peror Malac Sagued, who having left no Male- ^a^jural
Children by his Emprefs Mariam Cima, had ^q^ of
named this Jacob at his Death his Succeflbr, Malac sa-
in wrong to his Nephew Za Dajiguil, the Son .?«^^ was
of his Brother Le^ena Chrifo : For notivlthftand- ^^^" ^"^'
ing it is m the power of the Habaffin Emperor to
name his Succejjory he is by the Laws of the Land
tied to nominate a Male of the Royal Blood horn
in Wedlock,
Jacob was but an Infant when his Father
died ; which was perhaps the chief reafon
why the Emprefs and Grandees of the Court
jvere fo z>calom for his 7iomination , hoping durijjg
his long Minority y to have the Governme?it wholly
2n their oiim hands. And fo the firft thing they
did after the old Emperor's breath was out of
his body, was to fecure Za Da-nguil, that he
might give them no moleft'ation ; which they
reckoned they had done fufficiently, by ma-
king him a clofe Prifoner in the liland of
Deck^ in the Lake of Dembea,
For
2^8 The Chtirch^Hiftory
For Seven Years the Government was en-
tirely in the hands of the Emprefs and her
Two Sons-in-law^ Ras Athanatens^ and CW/-
ihide the Viceroy of 7igre, who had been the
chief Promoters of JacoFs Nomination to the
Crovv'n J and who halving tafied of the fii^ect of
So^jereign Authority y were very umvilling to part
with it to}^coh,7w'w he was of Age, according to
the Cufto77i of the Empire^ to tcrke it upon him-
fclfi and to prevent that^ they had given him
an Education which they reckoned would
have rendred him both mifit to govern^ and
have difpofed him to liave been fatisfied with
the Ciify and gawdy Title of Emperor^ without
trouhlmg himjelf with the exercife of its Authority,
But they found themfelves miftaken ; Jacob
fo foon as he was Fifteen^ declaring, He was
no7r of Age to govern both Himjelf and the Em^
fire ; and that he would be no longer under Tu-
fdagCy nor be kept a Minor all his days^ out of
v^ratitude to thofe who had helped him to the Title
of Emperor y but 7Vith a dcfgn of keeping the Sove-
reign Authority in them] elves.
The EmpreCi and her two Sons refented
this Treatment from a Creature of their own
niakivgy fo highly ^ that they refclved to try to un^
wake him again ; and that they might do it
with the hetter grace ^ they pretended Vo be trou-
bled in Confcic?ice for the Injury they had done to^
2^a Danguil, in having perjuaded the late Empc--'^
ror his Uncle to lay him ajtde^ who was his true
Heir: And having with this and fome other
Popular Pretences brought moil of the Gran-
dees of the Court into a Confpiracy to de-
pofe Jacobs and advance Za Dcnguil to the
■ " Crovvn^
)/" E
T H I O P 1 A. 239
Crown, they fo ordered the matter, that Za :iacQbh
Dangtiil appeared in the Camp, and was pro- Depofed,
claimed Emperor by them, before Jacob ever ^^^,,^^a
fo much as dreamt of their having any fuch madeEm-
deiign : Neverthclefs being advertifed there- peror.
of by the Acclamations of the Camp, he put
himfelf on Horfeback , not to fight , but to
make his efcape , which he did only with
eight of his Servants : But as he was pofting
towards the Mountains, the Countrey rofe
upon him, and brought him back a Prisoner :
The new Emperor , though advifed by feve-
ral of his Counfellois to cut off his Ears and
Nofe, would not confent to It ; the Habaffins,
as we Jliall fee hereafter y tmtil their Trinces came to
he inflitencd by Jefmts^ bemg 'very merciful in
their ftmi^iimnts ; fo he Contented himfelf
with fending him into the remote Province
of Ncrea, ordering the Governor thereof to
keep him a clofe Prifoner.
This Revolution happening the Winter af-
ter Father Feter came to Fremo77a^ he conti-
nued there till the New Government was
thoroughly fettled ; during which time he
employed himfelf in tranflating a Book of the
Chrifiian DcBriyje , compofed by one Mark
Jorge J a Jefuit ; which is faid to have been a
Piece much admired in Ethwfia,
The Emperor being naturally curious , and 'j^j^g ^^_
hearing great things of Father Veters V/tfdom peror in-
and Learning , from fome of the Grandees, vices Fa-
who had a great mind to have him at Court, ^^^e^^^^^^"
to cabal with him about Tortugueje Troops, he ^° °"'^^'
writ the following Letter to him, to invite
him to come to bini.
i^o The Church Hijiory
THE Letter of the Emperor Afnaf Sagued
cometh to the Honourable Father and Ma^
fter of the Portuguefes : How doyou"^ Hear the
good things God hath done for us: We were feven
years a Vrijonery and did fujfer innumerable TroU"
hies ; hut God taking compajfjion of our Mifery^
has delivered us out of Tr'jfon^ and made us the
Head of All ; according to that of David, The
Stone which the Builders rejected, is made the
Head of the Corner. May the Jame God that
hath begun this JVorky bring it to a good IjJ'ue :
Hear more ; iVe are ^very defirous to fee you here ^
and w6uld have you bring the Books of the
Laws of the King of Portugal^ if you have them^
along with you^ for wejhould be glad to fee them.
As the Father was preparing, upon the
receipt of this Letter, to have gone to the
Court with the Viceroy of Tigre^ he was
flopped by the News of the Gauls having in-
vaded Ethiopia with Three Armies at once ;
having been encouraged to do it by the un-
fettled Pofture they expeded to find the Af-
fairs of that Empire in, after fo fudden a Re-
volution. But they quickly found them-
felves deceived ; for notwithftanding they
defeated the Viceroy of Tigre, who had con-
trary to the King's Older come to blows with
them, their Two other Armies were both
totally routed by the Emperor.
The Emperor being returned vidorious to
his Camps, the Viceroy of Ti^r- feiit to Fa-
ther Feter to come to him, that they migiit
go to Court together 5 who before he icic
FrePfOiiiy
ofL
T H ! O P
A.
FrewojUy took care to pack, the Seculrr Vrkfi
Belchior dc Sylva to the Indies ; which was
fotnewhac llrangc^ confidering that when he
was gonCj there was not a Roman ?r/>/? left at
Fremona, to officiate to the Portugucfes , the
Fatficr himfclf being on the wing for the
Court. But the truth of the matter is^ the
Jefuits knowing that with the ajjifiance of 4
or ^00 Portuguefes SoUicrs, they jJwuLl be able at
any time to reduce Ethiopia to the V^oxwznChurch^
and not defpairi77g in jome jiwElure or other of ob-
taining fuch a Succor y they fiudied nothing fo much
as the engroljincr the whole Honour of Jo great a
Y eduction to their own Order • and for that rea-
fon they did all they could to hinder Foreign-
ers from intruding themfelves into it;, which
made Father Tetcr choofe to leave the Vorttt-
guejes at Fremona without any Ro?nan Prieft^
rather than with one who was nojefuit.
But however it were in thofe early days^
Luis Soteloy a Spamfi) Francifcan^ in his Letter
written from Omura in Japan, vv^here he was
a Prifoner^ to Pope Urban the Vlllth. and
James Collado, a Dominican of die fame Na-
tion^ in a Memorial prefented by him in die
year 165 1. to the King of S'pain, have proved
beyond contradiclio-n ^ That the Souls of the
Jejuits are wrapped up fo entirely in their own Or^
dery that they will facrifce all other Intereflsy that
of Con'vtrting Heretical and Infidel Kingdoms not
excepted^ to its Interest and Honour. Which Letter
and Memorial y tho extreamly well ivcrth the read-
i?:gy being too long to be here inferted^ 1 jliall only
fet down jo much of them as is fuffcient to jufiify
this Charge:
R Sotdo
141
Fjther
Peter {"tn^^
the Secu-
lar Plied
home be-
fore he
u-ent to
Court.
Some In-
fiances of
thejefuits
fjcrificing
all other
Interefts
to that of
their own
Order.
241 The ChtlnhHtjlory
Sot do about the middle of his Letter^ delivers
what follows:
IF a Friar of any other Order ^ do either out of a
Zeal of Charity^ or hewg called by the Faithful^
come into thefe Farts, to give Spiritual Confolation^
or - to adminifhr the Sacraments of the Church,
after he has heard the Conjefjions of great mimhers
of perfonsy 7vho have not jeen a Friefl in Twenty
years, to Confers themjehes to, and Confirmed fuch
as ivtre wavering in the Faith, and reftored fuch
as had Afoftatijed from it ; the Provincial of the
yefuits fljall no Jconer hear thereof, let the Fr evince
he at never fo great a diflance fro?n him, and not-
7vithftandi7ig he had never jet his foot in it before,
than he pall immediately fly thither to opprejs Jo
good a Minifi-er : To 7vhom he will reprefent. That
that Countrey being a Fariflj under his yurifdiElion,
he ought 7iot to have admmifrcd the Sacraments
therein^ and upon pretence of the Feoples being
his Sheep, 7vill hinder him from performing any
more Religious Offices to them. And if the Friefi
fhould happen to have the courage to ask him, Whyy
if thoje Feople are under his care, he had aban--
doned them for fo lo7ig a time ? And whether hs
thought that one who had fo dejerted his Flock^
onght any longer to be eficemed its Faflor ? The
Jejuit will anfwer him jvith , What Authority
have you to ask me any fuch quefiion ? Or to med"
die With things that do 7wt belong to you? And ha^
ving affirmed that he has a right to what he pre-*
tends to, he will produce the Council of Trent,
and readthe Conftitution to him, Which prohibits
Priefts upon pain of Excomniunigation to
admi-
of E
T H 1 O P I A,
M5
adminifter the Sacraments in any Parifli vvicl>
out the Curate's leave : Neither wi!l he contait
himjdf with that^ hut will render that Confiitttti-
cn into Japan, a7id fublijlj it to all the People,
And tn caje the fat d Father jlwuld replj, That the
words of the Council ha've no relation to the
Countries of Infidels, or to places which are newly
Conijertedy or to Chriftians who are Notices in the
Faith^ but are to he underfood only of Countries
which have been «7;^f r Chriftian Princes for divers
Agesy and of a^jcient Parifljes where People have
been long Chriflians ; ThefefuitJIjally notii^ithfrand-
ing thaty treat him fublickly as a Tranfgrejj'or of
the Council, and do all that is in his power to drive
him awajy forbidding the People to take ajiy nc^
tice of hmty or to have any communication vjith
him ; and if after that, any Chrifiian jlwuld, ei-
ther out of Compifflon or Devotion, receive him in-
to his Houjcy orJJwuld enter hbtjfelf into the Bro-
therhood of the Rofary , or of the Cord of
St. Francis, he fliall berepnmarjded for it as botfle-
roufy, and he treated by the yefuit with as much
contempt, as if he had i?itirely renounced the Chri-
fiian Faith,
And as to the places ^uhere the yefuit s are ordi-
narily refidentj the Faithful dare not Jo -much as
offer to entertain a Friar that is not of their Order ^
nor have the lea(t ccmmu7ncatio7i with fuch a one^
unlefs it he privately • and if the Jesuits come to
hear of it, they will Chafitje them fever ely for it*
which point they carry jo far, as not to juffer any
to be of their Congregations that are of a pyaternity
of ajiy other Order, A few lines after Sotelo
adds : If Friars who are not of their Society do at
fivy time addrejs themfelves to the Governor, or
K 2 Vicar-
244 ^^'^ Church Hi fiory
Vicar-Generaly to demand judicial Informations con-^
cernmg the iviartyrdom of any of their Brethren^
ovho ha've lo(i^ their lives fer the Catholick Faith^
he will not [o much as give them the hearing 5
whereas in the cafe of any of their own Brethren^ or
of any that have been Baptized by them^ extrava-
gant relations are prefejttly exhibited, on furpofe to
Jet all the ji'orld a talking of them.
If any thing that is great and illuflrious is done
hy any other Friars, the Jesuits do all that they can
either totally to fiifle it, or by artifices to eclipje the
glory and merit thereof y oppofifig all the tmderta^
kings of all other Friars, and refrefenting them as
things of little cr no benefit 5 either accufing what
they write of falfiwod, or attributing it to envy, or
feme other evil fajfion. And when they the7n]elves
have at any time been th'S caufe of any difafiers, let
it be never fo notorious, they 7Pill throw the blame
thereof off their ovrn Society, and attribute it to
the indifcretion, impudence, or bad condu^ offoms
other Friars,
Neither can they endure that a?iy thing fiwuld be
hegun by Feople that are 7Wt of their Society • and
let it be never fo vipble, that their Order is not able
alone tojupport the burthen of Convert i7ig a Cotm-
trey, yet there is no bringing them to admit of others
to help them to bear it. Finally he tells us.
That at the fame time when the ^ejuits did all they
could to hinder all other Friefis and Friars from look-
ing i7ito Japan^ that there 7i^ere but Thirty of their
Order iyi it , which was a very fmall number
for an Ifiand confijHng of Sixty fix King-
doms ^ a?}d ?nore than Two hmdred Prm-^
ces.
1 kmitf
)/•£
T H I O P I A.
245
Ikmw^ fiith Father ColLido in the Preflicc
of his Memorial, That the Jefuits have m all
thefe Kingdoms jet thd:nltlucs againji all other Kc-
clejiafiicks^ having publifljed things to the prejudice
of all other Orders^ and the Friars thereof that
arenotoriotijly fall e'^and have unjufilj endeavoured to
difcredit them, by charging them irith things they
were no "ivays guilty ofy and for which the Jefuits
themfelves only were to he blamed. And in the
Body of the Memorial he affirms , That at the
fame time when there were a Million of Chvi-
ftians difperfed over J^Lpa-n^and but 25 Jefuits vj/jo
were Vriefis in it • that notwithfanding that
fmall nuynber^ they laboured day and 7iight both ap
Rome and Madridj/o hinder any other Friars from
being [ent thither ; and having advifed the fet-
ling of a free Trade betwixt Macao and the
Vhdipins, as a thing of great advantage to the
Crovi^n of Spain ^ he faith, none but the Jefuits
had €Vi r oppofed it^ and that they had done it for
no other reason , but becaufe there are Friars of <?-
tber Orders in the Philipins, among whom they
would be afraid to exercije Trade , and all the li-
berties thereof y as they did i7i China and Japan,
where there were no frajige Friars :o obferve what
they did.
Father Veter having Packed the Secular Prieft
away, went to wait on the Viceroy , taking
tivo Boys of Portuguefe extraction along with
him ; who having got a Roman Catechifm,
that had been tranilated into HabaJfmj^tvkdiXy
by heart, the Viceroy was fo much delighted
with their repeating it, that hearing them do
it one day, he faid to thofe that ftood next to
R 3 him.
2 4^ 1^^ ChurchFTtflory
him , Are you not amaz,ed to fee in how Jhert a
time the Holy Father hath taught thefe Children fo
many Godly things ? adding ^ hut thefe wretched
Monks of ours are jufi good for nothing. The Fa-
ther whenever they made any halt^ went pre-
fently to vifit the Viceroy, who received him
always with great Ceremony , obliging his
own Monks whenever the Father waited up-
on him, to withdraw. The Monks complained
aloud of this treatment of the Viceroy's, hut
they had their comjilaintSy faith a Jefuit^ and the
Father his Honours '^ but without telling us what
it was that made this Ambitious Viceroy court
the Father at fuch a high rate , unlefs we will
believe that it was only for his having taught two
Boys to jay their Catechifm well.
The Emperor's Camp, or Court, for they
are t'*ie fame in Ethiopia , was at that time at
a place called Oudegerc^ upon the flioar of the
lake of Dembea , where the Father was no
fooner arrived, than the Viceroy procured him
an audience ; ^ and had poiTelTed the Emperor
vyith fuch a high conceit of his extraordinary
Abilities, that when the Father, after having
kiffed his hand, offered to have retired, he
commanded him to fit down by him, asking
hi ra feveral Queftions concerning the Pope,
the King of Sfain ^ and the Affairs of Europe^
and the Indies. To all which Queftions , the
Father returned fuch anfv/ers as he knew
would pleafe the Emperor.
The Viceroy upon the Emperor's doing the
Father fuch extraordinary Monours , asked a
Fortugueje Captain that ftood by him, what he
thought the Monks ^ who were jo angry at the Ci-
'vilities
(?/ E T H I O P 1 A." 247
'vlltties he had jl)e'iued him on his ^JouY7icy ^ would
fay now of the greater honour i dojie him by the E?n~
percr hiwfclf ?
The Emperor^ after they had difcourfcd a
confiderable fpace of time together , made a
fign to the Father to withdraw , having firft
commanded his Officers to entertain him
fplendidly^ and according to his deferts ; and
having fent for him betimes^ the next morn-
ings he entered into a long and ferious difpute
with him concerning the Hab^.JJin and Roman
Faith ,• which being ended ^ the Two Boys,
upon the Viceroy's having told the Emperor
what an aflonilliing thing it was to hear them,
were called in to fay their Catecbifm , whicli
they did fo much to the fatisfaclion of the Em-
peror, that he asked the Father after they had
done , TVhether he had not the Que fi ions and y^V;-
fivers they had repeated to admiration^ in TFriting :
The Father having imagin'd, that the Empe-
ror might be defirous to fee the Catechifm,
was provided with one,which he prefcnted to
him immediately ; and the Emperor having
read it over before he ftirred, extolled it to
the Skies as the Mafter-Piece of Ethio-
pia.
The Viceroy's Brother-in-Law, and Com-
panion in the Government during Jacob's Mi- Father
nority , Rays Athanates^ entered likewife into Peter is
a cloje Friendjhip with the Father, making his ^&^h
Court to him, by fending every day almoll for j^^'J^f^^"
his Two B6ys to come and fay their Catechijm ly tj,e
before him, and extolling their Performance and King nnd
their Mailer's dexterity beyond either th.e Em- ^^^ ^^ hols
peror or the Viceroy : Now if Two Boys ha- Couit.
R 4 ving
248 The ChurchHtflqry
v'mg heen taught to fay their Catechtfm well^ was
the Foundation of the great fa'vour the Father was
in at Court j it is the only infance in Hifiory fer'-'
haps of the favour of a whole Court's having been
obtained by fo flight a bufinefs.
The Emperor having read the Catechifni
feveral times over ^ was fo charmed with it5^
that nothing would fatisfy him ^ Iput the Fa-
ther's Celebrating the Roman Mafs in his hear-
ing 5 which he did^ with all the Solemnity
that a fmgle Prieft in his circumftances could
do it y and after Mafs^, gave him a Sermon of
an hour long , but happening as he was draw-
ing to a conclufipn^ to &y that he had a great
deal more to add^ ivere it not that he ivas afraid of
being tedious to his Majeftj ; the Emperor fent
him a Mefiage to go cn^ for that he fiiould take
great pleal'urc m hearwg more from him : Where*
upon the Father gave him half an hour more.
The Emperor was fo well (atisfied both with
the Majs and the Sermon ^ that he fent the Fa-
ther his Dinner from his own Table j and ha-
ving called him to him in the Evening ^ he
enquired of him^ concerning the fignificatioa
of every particular Ceremony and Veftment
that lie had made ufe of in the Mafs^ appear-
ing to be extreamly well pieafed with all the
Father's Anfwers : A little time after the Em-
prefsDGwager^ikf<^i?vv7;?if Zima^commg to Court,
defired to hear the Father fay Mafs and
Preach ; and having heard him^ commended
both the Mafs and Sermon extreamly ;, decla-
ring^ That fie could he content to I rue in a dejert
all her days vSith Jo Godly a man as Father Peter :
So tliat the Father had now got aU the Three
o/E
T H I o p r A. Z49
lite Go'verfiors at his Devotion ^ who^ as is pro-
bable from the fequel of the Story ;, ha^ a great
mind to be governivg again ^ "which they knew a>
few Portuguefc Troop would help them to with
eafe at any tnne.
As for the Emperor^, he was either not fen-
fible of this Vlot y or elfe he endeavoured to
countermine them , by canjjing the Father as
much as they could do for their Lives : And
fo one day when the Father was to preach be-
fore him^ the Chair he ufed to fit in when he
preachedj happening to be out of the ivay^ the
Emperor ordered his own Chair of State to be
carried to him ; and having feated himfelf on
the Ground^ laid^ That it was not reafonahle for
the Treacher and Alafler to fiand^ and the Hearer
and Scholar to ft j and after having thanked
the Father for his good Difcourfe^ he told him.
That now his name 7vas high tji Ethiopia ;, he
would advife him as a friend ^ to he careful how
he did any thing whereby he might forfeit the opi^
tiion the world had of his Wifdom and Holmejs ,
For^ J aid he^ the flcfl} is always fghting againft Wy
and overcomes us many times before we are aware :
for which good admonition the Father kiffed
His hand^ and having returned him* many
thanks ^ promifed him always to remember
it.
The Emperor having fent for the Father
one day , after having fliut himfelf up with
him, and his Favourite Habitucum Laca Mart-
am ^ in his Clofet, required him to fwear upon
the Ci'ofs not to divulge the fecret he was a-
bout to impart to him 5 which the Father ha-
ving done, he told him, That heirig now fully
con-
t50
7he Church^HiJlory
to Father
Peter to
turn Re-
nian-Ca-
tholick.
The Em- convinced that the Tope ivai the Head and Univer-
peror dlf- y^/ ^Pafior of the Church ^ he was refohed to fuh-
tmmlion ^^^ himfelfto him^ and to defire htm to fend a Fa^
triarch ivith a competent numher of Friars in-
to Ethiopia to infiruB his Fcople in the true
Faith,
The Father ^ who was overjoyed to hear
thefe words from the Emperor^ threw himfelf
at his feet, wifliing him a long life^ that he
might be able to accomplifh a defign that
would be fo much to the benefit of his own
Soul^and the Souls of his People. In purfuance
of which Refolution ^ the Emperor is faid to
have prepared an Edi(5t^ prohibiting the obfer-
'vation of Saturday, and of divers other Habat
fin Rites, and to have been for running on Jo fu-
rioufly ^ to i72troduce Popery into his Empire ^ that
Fathe.' Peter found himfelf obliged in policy
to give a check to his Zeal^ by telling him,
77jat it 7i>ould he fafer and better to proceed more
flowly^ for fear of ruining his great defgn by Pre-
cipitation, The Emperor asked him with heat,
JVhy he was a gain f his making ha fie to introduce
the true F'aith into his Kingdom ? IVhat^ did he
think hii SubjeBs would murther him for attempt-
ing to do it ? Adding, IFhat if they jliould, do you
think I can lofe my life for a heiter Cauje ? The
Father made anfwer. That though to lofe his
life on fiich an account , would he a great Mercy
and Honcur to his Madefy \ yet it would not he
fo^ hut an irreparable lofs to his SubjeBs in fuch a
JunBure, Here Ltfca Mariam interpofed, and
told the Emperor the Father loved hmij and had
given him good advice 5 but the Emperor inter-
rupting him^ faid, Come^ come^
we mitfi lof
e 710
time.
o/ E T H I O P X A. 151
ilmejhere are Letters Iha've writ to the Tope and the
K'wg of Portugil coficervhjo^ this Ajfair ; and
having put them into the Father's liands ;, he
defired him to tianilate them into the Langua-
ges of thofe Courts ; which Letters, tho they
were never fent ^ the Emperor having been
flain in the Field before any opportunity of-
fered, I Ihaly here fct down.
TH E Letters fent hy Afnaf Segued, Emfe- The Em-
feror of Ethiopia, do come to the much Ho- P^^^^ ^
Tjoured Father and Humble Vaflor the Godly and ^j^g pope.
Holy Clement y Pope of the Noble City of Rome.
Teace be 7pith your Holinejs^ the Peaee of our
Lord Jefiis Chrlf-y who did partake of Poverty
with the Poor , and of Honour with the Ho770ura-
hie ; Prefer've your Holineffe^s Life and Perfon as
the apples of Eyes, Amen. Ho7i' is your Holinefs ?
Hear, Sir, what we 7i^rite,
After we had afcended the if krone , a certain
Friar ivhofe nayne is Peter Pays, of the Society of
Jejusy a7id who hath the Toke of the Law of Chrift
upon his necky did "vifit us 5 and has ginjen its a i/f-
ryparticular account how your Holinefs labours
even to theJJjeddmg of your blood to defiroy Sin j
may the Eternal God, who has begun this wark^
b/mg it to an happy IJfue : We being informed that
your Holinefs decs never walk out of the Paths of
truth , we rejoiced much at it ; Praife be to God
who hath given us a good Paftor, who guards
the folds with his Holinefs , and judgeth the poor
with truth. He hath likewife told us, that you are
always ready to affif Chriftians that are in nccef
fity • and to afford them Stre7?gth and Comfort,
having
25^ T'k ChurchHi/iory
hav'wg learnt the LeJJon of Saint Paul , 'who in
his Efifile to the Galatians faith ^ While we have
time, let us do good unto all, but chiefly to
thofe of the Houftiould of Faith ; for which
reafon your Holinefs ajfifis Chrifiian Kings chieflj.
Wherefore fince God hath been f leafed tp he/low on
m the Empire of our Fathers , we are defirom of
entering into a firiB Friendjhip with yoUy and with
our Brother Philip King of Spain : And in order
to make it the cloler and more lajling , we do wijh
that he would fend his Daughter hither to be
married to our Son, and with her feme Soldiers
to help us : For we have Infidel Enemies
called Galls_, who when we go againfi them ^ flee he-
fore us J hut fo foon as our hack is turned^ are ma-
king inroads ufon m again. For the defiruclion of
this Enemy it is that we defire to have feme
troofs from you y with Artificers of all Trades ^ and
Fathers to tn(iruB tts^ that we may he of one heart
and one body 5 and that the faith of Chrifi which
is de/lroyed by the hands of Infidels^ may he eft^a-
hlifeied 3 and that there 7nay he pace and love a->
?riong us.
"This 7vas formerly de fired by our Anceftors^ hut
it did not pleafe God it jJjould be accomplified in
their times 5 hut the Turks, who then hindered it^
may now with eafe be driven out of the Ijla72d of
Matzua ; for iMch reafen 7ve intr eat your Holi-
nefs to recommend this our reejue(t to our Brother ^
deprijjg him to comply there^vith^ arid to execute it
fpeedily. We do not trouble your Holinefs with ma-
ny words , being vjcll ajjured of your readinejs to
grant vjhat we Jhall defire. See that the Fathers you
J end hither be learned and holy^ that Jo they may be
."ikh to inftruct tis in whatfoevcr is n&cejjary to our
SouL\
o/* E T H I O P 1 A.' 255
Souls ; 1 Jhall add no more , a few 'words heing
enough to the wife.
The Emperor of Ethiopia shctt^r to the
King of Spai;7.
TH E Letter vn'it by the Emferor Afnaf Se-
gued, Cometh to our Brother Don Philip
King of the Kings of Spain. Teace he with your
Majefiy : The Peace and Love of our Lord Jefus
Chrifiy and the Sign of the Holy Crofs, he always
with your Majefty. How is it with you i As I
returned from the War to the place where I oi^as to
rejide all the Tflnter ^ a certain Father , whofe
Name is Peter Pays, of whofe Learning and
Tiety I had heard before ^ came to 'vifit me^ I was
very glad to hear the account he gave of the ft ate
of your Majejlys Healthy and the welfare of your
Ki?jgdomSy and did return Thanks to God for ha-
ving given you fuch Profperity^ that none of your
Ljjemies are able to d'lfurb it : May our Lord
increafe the number of your Majefy's .jears^ and
bring what he hath begun to an happy iJJ'ue,
Hear^ Sir^ your Majefy is not ignoraiit^ that
m the days of the Emperor Afiiaf Segued, when
a certain Mahometan, called Granhe, invaded
Ethiopia, and defiroyed all our Churches ^ a Confe-
deracy was concluded' and confirmed by an Oath
betwixt our two Crowns \ and that when my An-
ce(tors fent to John King of Portugal for fome
Succors^ he fent us fome which were Commanded
by Don Chriftopher de Gama, and which in
co?jjt!?i^ion with onr Army^ Co7ic^uered that Ma^
homecan. The High and Mighty God^ who ex-
alteth
254 T^l^^ Church'HiJlory
alteth the humhle^ and throws down thefroud^ heing
our heifer: Jifter which there was Peace and
Quietnefsy the force of the Mahometan,, who had
fiot the fear of God before his Eyes^ being broken in
fieces.
The Portuguefes remained among us in great
Honour y wanting for nothing till the day of
their Death y as their Tofienty do not to this
day.
Wherefore we being Chriftians no lefs than our
AnceBurSy and under the obligation of the fame
Oathy 7ve ought to have the fame Enemies y that is y
the Galls_, who defiroy our La-ads j and who when
we go againft them with our Armies y do run away
from us y but fo jcon as dur back is turnedy doy as
Banditti^ make inroads into our Emfire \ for
"ivhich reafon we do defireyour Majefiy to fend us
fome Soldiersy and with them your Daughter to
be Married to our Son^by which means our Alii'
ance will be firmer y and we pall be one P.odyy and
cfone Heart : Our Son is Seven years Oldj and
your Daughter, as we are informed ^is but Three 5
fo they jhall be bred together with the milk of JVif-
domy and pall be taught the Holy Scriftures, I do
alfo wijJ} that your Majefiy would with your
Troop fend me Artificers of all Vrofeffw^iSy and
that you would do it fpeedily 5 that fo being united
in the Faith of Chrifiy there may be Peace and
Love betwixt us ; arid that this Em fire y which is
the Land of our Lady^, and of Chrift our Re-
deemoTj may not be lofi. The Mahometans are
extreamly Zealous for their Secly and do whenever
there is occapon helf one amther ; ajid ought not
your Majefiy to do the jame for your Fait by which
is above all?
As
of E
T H I O p I A.
^55
As to ivhat we write to you concerning your fend-
ing your D^ghter hither y you dre not to think
that we dcfire her for any other end^ than to efiahlijlj
an Alliance between us^ and that Jhe may he a,
"fledge of Feace for the future. May Gody who
can do all things ^ fulfil our wijhes.
Hear fart her ^ Brother, in order to the efi^ahlifh-
merit of our Affairs ; Do you fend a Viceroy to the
Ifland of Matzua^ and my General fba II be at the
fame time at Arkiko on the Continent ; by which
means we fljall bridle the Power of the Turks ;
and being Ma/I^ers of thofe farts, we jvill fend our
Merchants ovith all forts of Goods and Trovijions
iyito yoar Conquefts, and will divide the Cufioms
between us j our Countrey is very Rich, and 7i^ants
for nothing , and the reafon why we have not hi-
therto fent any Aier chants to thefe farts with Fro-
vifions of HonQy , Gold^ and Slaves^ is becaufe
we have a mind to finch the Turks_, for whom
we have no kindnefs ; but when your Viceroy is
072ce ccme with his Portuguefes, we fhall quickly
fend Merchants to them with all forts of Commo^
dities. May our Lord God bring what we deprCy
and what is grateful to your Majesty, to a hapfy
ijjtie, that fo the Power of the Turk^ which is
a great Stone of Scandal, may be utterly broke.
It does not appear by thefe Letters that the
Emperor was in fuch a violent fit of Zeal,
when he wrote them^ for a Roman Patriae ch,
and for fubmitting his Church to the Pope
immediately, as he is reported to have been
in when he deUvered them to Father Peter ;
for though in both of them he writes very
earneftly to havz th^ Infanta^ and fome Troofs
fent
256 Tl?e ChtirchHiflory
fent vVith all poffible expedition^ he does not
fay one word of his Church's fSfcmiflioh^ or
61 a Rornvn Patriarch : And in cafe Father
Veter^ when he ace^uainted the Emferor with the
Infanta's ^ge^ did, to make his Court the better^
feed him ivith, hofes of cbtainino^ her for his black
Prince^, it was no more than what his Countrejman
Guridamore did here in England^ either with the
jame Infanta, or her Sisfer^ and the refiitutidn of
the Palatinate.
It might have been expeded, that Father
Teter^ now he had brought the Emperor
to be a Bigot for Popery, beyond what he de~
fired, fhould have ftuck clofe to him till he
had done the Vv^ork, and that no fmall matter
Jliould have made him to have left the Court,
where his prefence was fo neceffary ; but
whatever v\/as the true caufe of it , the Fa-
ther all of a fudden defires leave of the Em-
peror to go to Nanina^ a place two days jour-
ney from the Court, pretending to be called
thither by extraordinary bullnefs ; and when
Father Pf- the Emperor, who was very unvv/illing to
ter with- p^j,j. ^-j.^^ j^Ij^^^ would needs know what this
from extraordinary bufmefs was , he told him.
Court up- There was a Portuguefe or two Sick at that place^
on a flight andthat he mufi 72eeds go and hear their Confejfwn
pretence, ^.^y^^^ ^f^^y ^^^j . ^^^q Emperor finding die Fa-
ther was not to be perfuaded out of his jour-
ney , allowed him two Months , which he
reckoned was time long enough for the hear--
ing of two Confeffions, to be abfcnt from
Court. But the Father, who had left the
main body of the Tcrtuguejes not a year before
without any Confcffor^ to go to Court with
the
J
o/ E T H ! O P I aT 157
the Vicerov of 7/^r^^had not left the Court above
a Month, when the true caufe of his retiring
broke out in a Rebellion, that was Headed
by his good Friend Raz, Atha7iateusy the Ha-
hafin Earl of JVarvyick^ who having upon a
difguft, taken the Crown off Jacob's Head
and placed it on Za DanguH\ was now for
taking it from Za Davgml again, being di-
fpleafed with him for preferring Luca Manam ^ Rebell^
to him. So hard a matter it is for Vrinces to on breaks
fleafeFeofky "who either ha've^ or think they have out pre-.
beefi injirrumental in help7ig them to their Crowns, *^^^^ys^
But whatever it was that had difpofed the ^^^*
People for a new Revolution, whether the
£mperor's Male-admiviflratwn of Affairs , or
only an itch for the Feftivity of a new Acclama-
tion ^ or 3. falfe comfaffion for the defofed Empe-
ror ; it is certain Za Danguil was defer ted by
the main body both of the Grandees and
People ; neither would they be fatisfied un-
lefs they had Jacob reftored to his Throne
again.
But Za Danguil being a Prince of great
Courage, refolved they Ihould not have the
Crovn but 7vith his Head ; and having made
up a fmall Army, marched diredtly towards
the Rebels, who, as he was informed, were
encamped on the banks of the Nile.
Ncmina^ where Father Veter continued ftill\,
confefling his two Portuguefes, happening to
be in the Emperor's way as he marched, he
fent for the Father to come and fpeak with him; 'j'he Em-
and when he faw him^ he cried out^ Alas! peror
your Reverence fees ii^'hat they are doi?7g to me for marcheth
indeavotvvio- to (Ikw them the way of Truth, and agamft^f^'^
^ ^ ^ -^ J / .^ Rebels,
^ becauj€
258 7??^ Church Hiflory
hecaufe I will not fuffer the great to Opprefs the
fmall ; What would jou ad'vife me go do in this
cafe ? The Father is faid to have been lorry
to fee him Vv^ith fo fmall an Army ; and ha-
ving comforted him as v/ell as he could, to
have advifed him to put his trufi in God^ and to
avoid corning to a Battel, It is faid farther,
that he offered to have gone along with him ;
but having told him at the fame time. That
his Spiritual Fatients were not yet reco'veredy and
that he v^^as bufie, repairing the Chappel the
Tortuguefes had in that Village ; the Emperor
bid him flay y and go on with his good Works y hut
he fure to recommend him to God in his Vrayers ;
and after two Months were expired, not to
fail, where-ever he fhould be^ to come to
him.
The Emperor hearing that Athanateusy who
muft have left the Court much about the fame
time with Father Veter, had not as yet joined
his Troops with thofe of Za Selajfe; whofe
pretence for Rebelling was Religion being in dan-
ger ; endeavoured to have got between them,
fb as to have hindered their conjunction ; but
Athanateus having had notice of this defign,
defeated it, by paffing the River Nile fooner
than otherwife he intended to have done ;
Upon this defign mifcarrying, for want of ha-
ving been kept fecret, or by having been com-
municated to fome of Athanateus Friends that
were about the Emperor 5 John Gahnely who
commanded all the PortuguefesthsLt were in the
imperial Army, advifed the Emperor to de-
lay coming to a Battel, and the rather becaufe
the Heads of the Rebels were men of fuch
difFerenc
of E T Ri o V iTii 255^
different defigns, that it was not likely that they
could hold long together ; but the Emperor
puflied on by his own natural Courage, and
provoked by the Infolency of the Rebels, was
deaf to this advice, and fo did not only
March dired:ly towards them, but did offer
them Battel fo foonas he came up with them:
and notwithftanding Seventy of his beft
Troopers , who, I doubt, were Vortuguefesy
before a ftroke was ftruck, went over to the
Enemy, that did not hinder the Emperor
from engaging with them ; the fight was
bloody for fome time, the Vidory continu-
ing doubtful , till the Emperor , as he was
fighting in Perlbn more like a Heroe than a
General , was Slain ; upon whofe fall , his The Em-
Men reckoning that they had then nothing to pe/or is
Fight for, threw down their Arms, and cri'd ^l^f^- ^
out for Quarter. Thofe of the Tartuguefe ^'S^^S-
Blood on both fides, are faid to have done
Miracles on this occafion ; but we have had
fo many of thofe Miracles in Gama's ExpeMtioVy
that it would make the Reader fick to trouble him
with any more.
There are faid to have been Two hun-
dred of the Roman Catholick Profeffion
in the Two Armies; which if it was
fo , it ought to have obliged Father ?tter
to have gone with the Emperor, to have
Confeffed thofe that were in his Army
before they engaged , rather than to have
ftaid behind to do it to Two of that Profeffi-
on, and whom he had then been Confeffing
for above Six Weeks.
Sa But
l6o "The Church^ Hijiory
But as we know little of what the Jefmts
did in Ethiopia y hut from their own reports^ fo if
any thiirg he hrought to light in the managing of
thefe Mif/mis that Joes not make much for the
honour of their Order, the difco'very thereof muft
he owing purely to the irrefiftihle power of truths
'ivhich^ though never fo artificially diiguifed^ will
ft ill give jome glimpfes of it Jelf
The Emperor , though not actually recon-
ciled to the Church of Rome when he was
(lain;, is faid for his good inclinations to it^ to
have had a Miracle wrought on his Body ; it was
770t to hring him to life again ; which the Empe-
ror who took it out of the Earth to give it a
more honourable Enterment , would have
been very forry fiiould have been the effed of
his Piety ; but the Miracle wasy That his Body
^vhen taken out of the Ground Ten years after it
had heen lodged m it, was found intire : A plain
evidence^ faith a Jefuit, of the integrity of his
Faith, Death not hemg fir on g enough to exercife its
tyranny on a hodj which had heen fo incorrupt in
all matters of Jufiice.
As to Father Peters lamenting the Empe-
ror's Death fo much as he does in a Letter, I
do not take that to be any argument at all of
his not having heen privy to the CG77f piracy, hut of
the Confpirators having either carried things far-
ther than he 7Votdd have had them, or perhaps than
they themfelves at firft intended, or of his having
ieen too far engaged therein hy his firft Fatrony
the Viceroy of Tigre, hefore he jaw the Court, to
go back 'With honour or (afety,
Athanateus amidft the triumphs of his Vido-
ry, was not unmindful of his Friend Father
Tetery
o/^ E T H I O P I aT l6l
Peter ^ but writ to him to repair iiiimcdi- Father p^-
dtely to his Camp, promifing to g^a^t,him [^^^^y-^
every thing that he ihould defire of him,; The aorious^"
Father^ his two Spiritual Patients beiog either Rebels.
Dead or quite Recovered by this time,' ac-
cepted readily of the invitation, and being'
come to AthanatcHs's Camp, was received by^
him with extraordinary Kiadnefs and Rc-^
fped.
But the Father after he had been fome ■
time among the Rebels, finding their Heads
ftrangely divided how they fliould difpofe of Finding
the Crown now they had it in their hands^ them di-
fome of them being' for reftoring it to Jacobs retires ^^tt>
and others for giving it to Stifcfieus, a Baftard vvaittofee
Son of Faciladasy the Third Son of the Eni- where the
peror Da^'td 5 he judged it his fxfeft courfe Crown
to retire to Fremona , there to wait till he ^^o^^^ ^''^'•
faw where the Crown would fix ; and ha-
ving received advice of the arrival of fome
Jefuits at Fremona^ that furnifhed him with a
fair pretence for leaving Athanateus to go thi-
ther, to learn what news they brought from
the Imltes : And having got Athanateus's pro-
mife, That the Vortugnejes who were in the
Emperor's Service iliould not be punifhed
with the lofs of their Eftates, which they
were reckoned to have forfeited, he took his
leave of him for fome time.
The Father when he came to Fremona^ found
the Two Jefuits there, who were to have
come along with him from Dio ; and within
a few days after. Two Fathers more came to
him, who were Father Lawrence an Italian ^
and Father L«/; a Vortuguefe-^ fo that the Jefuits
S ; were
t6t
TheGtan-
dees are
divided,
fome be-
ing for
reftoring
Jacob J
Others for
Crowning
and fome
for them-
felves.
Sufenefi4
proclaims
jiimfelf
Emoeror,
T})e ChurchHijlory
were iipw as ftrong as ever in Ethiopia, only
they warned a Patriarch.
Father Tetevy during this his retirement ^ is
faid to have taken a great deal of pains to lit-
tle purpofe^ with an HahaJJin Monk to convert
him to the Roman Church ; |3ut what the Fa-
ther could not do , was done one Night by a
dream the Monk had; which was, That he
JhouU certainly he damned if he did not go frefently
and confefs hirnfelf to the Father : Whom we
fliall leave confejjing his dreaming Con^vert j^
ai]d return to fee what the Rebels ^re do-
ing.
The Grandees, tho they all agreed to pull
down the late Emperor, yet when they came
to fill the Throne again, fell all in pieces, fome
being for reftoring Jacchy and others for pro-
claiming Sufene^^Sy without fo much as once
mentioning the Son of the late Emperor, be-
ing afraid, it is like, to put the Son in the Throne
they had dragged the Father out of.
This Sufeneusy as has been obferved, was a
natural Son of Faciladas^ the Viceroy of Gojam^
the Third Son pf the Emperor Da^jid, He had
been moft of his time in Arrns , not againft
the Emperors, but their Minifters, who he pre-
tended had^n|uftiy deprived him of the Lands
that were left him by his Father ; by which
courfe of life he was become the befl: Captain^,
and had got a fmall body of the beft Difclpli-
iied men in Ethiopia under his Command.
Upon the prefent Vacancy of the Throne,
Siifeneas ylooking upon his own title to it to be
the fame with that of Jacohhy who was a ba-
ftard no lefs than he, fends his Confident Bella.
Chri^
o/ E T H I O P 1 A. 1^5
Chrifiosy to Raz. Jthanateusy to acquaint him
with his intention of pretending to the Crown,
and to try if he could perfuade him to declare
for him, making vaft promifes of what he
would do for him if he would help him to
it.
Athanateusy who upon fbme heats which had
happened between them ^ had left Za SdaJJe,
who was altogether for reftoring Jacob^ recei-
ved Sujeneus's Meffage but coldly^ which makes
it probable that he was for fetting up himfelf^
being incouraged to do it by fome promifes thac
had been made him of Tortugtteje Succors ^ but
Sufemus apprehending that it would be {oy
followed the Meffenger he fent to Jtbamteus,
in Perfon with his Army ; and being come
within a days March of him^ fent him word,
that if he did not dec|are for him prefently, he
would vifit him next day ^ and did not doubt
but to give him caufe to repent of his Irrefcw
lution. Athanatei4s being fenflble that he
could neither avoid coming to blows with Su^
feneus ^ nor was ftrong enough to deal with
him, fubraitted and joined with him in pro-
claiming him Emperor : Upon which rein-
forcement, Sufeneus difpatched a Courier to Za
Selapj and his Confederates, to acquaint them
with his being now proclaimed Emfcror 0/ Ethio-
pia, commanding them ufoh their Allegiance^ and
as they loafed themfelves and their Countrej, to lay
down their ArmSy and fubmtt themfelves feacea-^
hly to htm,
Za SelaJJky who was a turbulent man 5 and
Qared for no Emfercr that was not of his own
makings nor for them long neither^ was much fur-
S 4 prized
The Church F^ijlory
prized at this brisk Meffage ; and having cal-
led a Council of War, to confider wjjac was
beft to be done in this jundure, it was unani-
moufly agreed that they f]iould fend Sufeneus
back word , that they had jent for the Emperor
Jacob 5 and were e^ery day expecting him, to re-
jume the Crown he had been fo unjujirly defri'ved of,
Sufeneus^ tho much-troubled at this anfwer,
feiit ^hem a Second Meflkge immediately^ to
acquaint thetn^ ThsLtJince God had been f leafed
to bcjfo7i? th€ Crown upon him^ he was refolved ne--
^er to fart with it j but with his life ^ 7mther to
Jacobj nor to his Father Makic Sagued^ fhejlwuld
rife from th" Dead a7jd pretend to it,
Za SelaJJe, detaining tnis Second Meffenger
Prifoner , went himfeif \inth his Army to re-
turn an anfwer to Sufeneus ; who having re-
ceived advice of his advancing towards him,
and knowing himfeif not to be ftrong enough
to give him Battel^ retreated to the Mountains
of Amara^ leaving Athanateus to fhift for him-
feif 5 and to make the beft terms he could
with the Confederates , who upon his having
pleaded^ that he was condrained muchagainit
his will to give his confent to Sufeneus being
proclaimed Emperor^ was not only pardoned
by them^ but was reftored to his former Poft
in their Army ; which having waited fome
^r*s de-" Months^ and no Jacob appearing among them,
laying to the Soldiers began to Mutiny, telling their Offi-
come to cers plainly ;, 7'hat they would wait ro longer fr a
^^ , . Milkjopy'who had neither the wit to keep a Crcw/i
'^"^ r^T?^ when he had it. nor the couraze to come to ha^ve it
perorby reft ore d to him again. Za beiajje^ not knowing
them. what to {^yioxjacoii^ not having come all that
timej
Upon 7^-
o/'E T H 1 o p r A, i($5
time , and fearing left the Soldiers and Offi-
cers might declare Sufenens Emperor without
him , refolved to be iDefore-hand with them^
^nd to have the thanks of doing it himfelf:
And accordingly he difpatched a Courier im-
mediately to Siije?:e/fs y to invite him to come
and take the Empire upon him^ promifijg to
maintain him in the foffejjion thereof with the lajt
/Irop of his blood, Sufeveus^ tho overjoy'd at the
News, did not care to trufi: his perfon with
the Army, without fome farther affurance of
their good intentions, than Za Selafjes word ;
And for his farther fatisfadion in that matter,
he fent an eminent Monk to the Army, with
a Commiffion to adminifter an Oath of Alle-
giance to them ; and according to thecaftom
of Ethiopia, to Excommunicate all that fliould
hereafter withdraw themfelves from his Obe-
dience.
The whole Army having taken the Oath, A Mef-
the Monk after having pronounced an Ex- ^^5^ ^^
communication upon it , returned to Sufeneus f^"^ ^
with the good news of his being unanimoufly the Army.
Sworn Emperor with all the ufual Solemni-
ties ; and with the Monk there went Ten of
the chief Officers from the Army, to invite
the Emperor to make all the hafte he could to
come to them. The Ten Commiflioners from
the Army found Stifenens advanced to a place
called Begamcder , where they delivered their
Meffage to him, with this affurance. That the
Army now it had f laced the Crown on his heady
7vculd maintain it there, againji all fretcndcrs
oi'hatfoeverj particularly Jacob.
But
i66 7he Church'HiJiory
But while the Commiflioners were giving
Sufineus thefe^ffur-ances of the good Affedion
The At- and Fidelity of^the Army, Za SelaJJe received
my upon a Letter from jMcohy acqtuinting him with his
receiving being come as fa^^as Dembea^ and defiring him
from 7J- ^^ March the Ari^y that way to meet him ;
*Bb, chan- ^^ ^^^^IT^ was put \nto a great plunge by this
geth its Letter, not knowing what he had beft to do,
mind, and whether continue firm to Sufeneus , to whom
fo?him ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^^y t2kQn an Oath of Allegiance,
or to follow his inclinations in declaring for
Jacob ; and having called all his Confidents
together, and laid the whole matter before
them , they came to a refolution to declare
themfehes forjzQohyand did fof.ommzn.dLmg him
to be proclaimed Em fer or thorough the Army y and
the Army to march to meet him : The Officers and
Soldiers, who had fcarce done Swearing to 5«-
feveusy were no lefs than Selajje for laying him
afide, and adhering to Jacobs now they heard
he was coming to them, as their rightful and
undoubted Emperor. Za Selajje having com-
manded the Army to March, fent a Courier
in great hafte to the Commifliomers that were
with SufenettSy to acquaint them with the Ar-
my's having declared for Jacob : Upon which
notice. Eight of them ftole from Begameder ;
but the other two being flopped, paid for
all, being put to Death publickly as Trai-
tors.
Sufeneus not finding himfelf ftrong enough
to fight Selaf^e , retreated upon this News to
his former Faftnefs, not defpairing but that
ere long he might be in a capacity of chaftifing
-^ofe that had betray 'd him thu$.
Jacob-
4
o/ E T H I O P I A.' 167
Jacoh was met by the Army near the Lake J^coi,
of Demhea ^ which together with the whole ^5^^^ ^^^
Countrey ftrived to atone for their farmer iH ^^^"">''
ufage of him by the extravagancy of their Joy, and
Acclamations upon his refuming the Crffwm,
But among all the Grandees, Raz, Athanateus^
his old Governor , was the moft gracioufly
received by him^ being put immediately into
places of the greateft Truft and Honour about
him ; Who , as he was one day difcourfing
with the Emperor , took occafion to recom-
mend Father Veter to him , as a Perlbn of ex-
traordinary Abilities 5 and who , if he would
employ him, was capable of doing him great
Service ; acquainting him likewife with Za
Danguifs having a little before his Death writ
Letters to the Pope and King of Spain for fome
Tortuguefe fuccors.
The Emperor upon Athanateus having re-
commended Father Veter to him fo highly,
fent a Courier to Fremona , to invite him to
Court. The Father taking two Jefuits more
with him, repaired thither immediately , and
was very gracioufly received by the Emprels
fdariam Cima^ who was now likewife in great
power again J as he was by the Emperor alfo
when he returned to the Camp, which
he had been abfent from for fome
weeks.
The Emperor is faid to have had feveral Con-
ferences with the Fathers about Religion ; and to
have been perfuaded by them into the belief
of the Roman Church being the Head and Mi-
firefs of all other Churches ; promifing when he
raurned from an Expedition he was then go-
ing
2^8 The Church Hijlory
ingupon^ tofubmithimfelftoher ; and as an
earneft of his AfFedions for the Fortuguefes^ he
beftowed better Lands upon them than thofe
they had before.
Jaco^ Jacob, being fenfible of the fickknefs of the
makes 5j^- Ajf'eBions of his pople, and of the greatnefs <?/Su-
femus feneusV Sprite who ftill continued to look up-
%Ts^mo' ^^ himfelf, and ad as Emperor^ made him ve-
vided he ry honourable Propofitions , upon condition
would that he would give over pretending to the
give over Crown ; and would promife to live quietly
fn^ tothe ^^ became a good Subject; offering him by the
Crown. " Mediation of his Mother^, the Viceroy (hif of the
Kingdoms of Amara^ Olear^ and Xoa ; together
with all the Lands that his Father had dyed -poffef-
fed of 'which was all that he had fretended to in the
former Reigns,
But Sujenetis having wore the Crown , found
- /. fuch charms in it , that nothirg under it could
win have "now fatisfy him ; fo his anfwer to Jacob's Pro-
theCiown pofition was^ That fince it was God and not men
or no- that had bejhwed the Crown ufC7i him^ he only that
^*ii"g- ga^e it fljould take it from him ; being reJoL
^edy fo long as he had a head to wear it^ to keep,
it on tt, Jacob finding by this bold anfwer^
that his Controverfy with Sufeneus mufl: be
decided by the Sword, and not by Treaty, Mar-
ched againfi: him with a great Army , but Su-
feneus hearing of his advancing towards him
with a power much Superior to his, both
i,n Number and Strength , retired again to the
Mountains^ where he knew there was no at-
tacking him, but upon fuch difadvantages, as,
would make their Forces to be equal.
Jacob
<!
o/" E T H I 0 P I A^ l6p
Jacob being informed thereof , divided his
Army, in order to cut Sufemus off from all
Communication with the low Countries from "J^cob
whence he was to be fupplied with all necef- l^^^^j^
fary Provi lions ; hoping by that means either sufeneuu
to fiar've him , or brhig down his fiomach. But
Sufeneus finding that there was no remedy,
but that he mult either venture out;, and fight,
or ftarve among the Mountains ( to treat of
fuhmitting being a thing he would never once fujfer
to enter into his thoughts ) he refolved on the
former ; and being advifed of Za SelaJJe being
poftedwith half of the Army tiQ^r Mont a defer,
he fallied out of his Faftneffes upon him^ and
like 3.nothQr Scanderbeg, cut moft of his troops
in pieces, as they lay difperfed in their Quar-
ters ; Za SelaJJe himfelf having narrowly efca-
ped falling into his hands; who having carried
the bad News of his own defeat to the Empe-
peror, was fo coldly entertained by him, that
he refolved to deferf him, and go over to Su-
feneus , as a perfon on whom he thought Fro-
vidence juould one day or other certainly devolve the
Crown, And in purfuance of this refolution,
he difpatched a Courier privately to Sufeneus^
with the terms whereon he was ready to de-
clare for him, and affift him in his pretentions
to the Empire to the utmoft of his power. Su^
\meus was too fenfible of how great advantage
it would be to him, to gain fucha popular man
as Selafl'e to his party, to deny him any thing
that he defired ; and fo notwithllanding his
terms were extravagantly high , he granted
them all without making any words about
them ; knowmg that whenever he pwuld come to
he
2^6 The Church*Hiflory
he pojj'ejfed of the Empire y Selafles's turbulent
Spirit would undoubtedly furmjh him with fretencet
to jufiifie his not making good his fromifes to him^
in any particular that Jhould not he for bis honour
or fafety to grant to him,
Za 5e/^/^/s Gourier being rettirhed to him
with a full grant of all that he had defired of
Sufeneus, and that not only under his own
hand, but confirmed with the folemnity of
JfoF6 an Oath, he withdrew himfelf privately from
gowover ^^? Emperor's Camp, and having got into the
xoSufenm> Kingdom of Gojam^ of which he had been
made Viceroy a Iktle before by Jacoh , he
there in a fliort time got together a confider-
able body of Men, with which he Marched
and joyned Sufeneus, who received him with
all poffible demonftrations of joy and affecti-
on, as one fent from Heaven to help him to
the Empire, which he had fet his heart fo
much upon, that he did not care to outlive
the hopes of attaining it.
Su[eneus judging himlelf, with this Rein-
forcement , ftrong enough to fight Jacob ,
Marched out of the Mountains to meet him,
intending to decide their Quarrel by a piteh'd
Battel ; but when he came near Jacob's Camp,
finding him much ftronger than he thought
he had been, he changed his meafures, reioU
ving to ad: only upon the defence.
But Jacob having now got his Enemy out
of his Faftneffes, and knowing himfelf to be
much fuperior to him in number, for he is
laid to have had Thirty to One, determined
to fall upon him in his Camp , and haviiig
got between him and the Mouncains, he
com-^
o/E
T H I O p I A. 271
commanded the Signal for a general Aflaulc
to be given ; which being oblerved by Sufe-
neusy he called all liis Officers together, and
cold them, That finct it 'was not ninv jojjible for
them to avoid a Battel^ they mufi either rcfolve
to make themfehes Lords and Princes by fighting
manfully y or be content to be Sla^ves fo long as they
lived J That for his part he was refolded either to
Conquer^ or not to furvive the Battel^ defiring
them to Fight no longer than they faw him facing
the Enemy. That if they would Sally out of thetr
Trc?:ches and fall upn the Enemy y which he took
to be the befi courfe, it being 7i^hat the Enemy did
not exfeBy he 7Vould lead them 07i in Terfon,
The Officers and Soldiers being ftrangely ani-
mated by thi; brisk Speech, gave a Ihout, and ^^^^^ ^"^
laid. They were ready to follow him where fo^ njemus
r n 1 ' 1 1 1 7 r 1 COmC tO ^
ever he jhoulu lead themy or to go wherejoever be Battel.
would Command them, Sufeneus glad to lee his
men in fuchaheat, did not give them time to
cool^ but marched, or rather rufhed like a tor-
rent upon the Enemy, difordering them fo
by the violence of the firft fhock he gave
them, that they difperfed immediately, fo that
it was much more like a Slaughter than a Fight,
the Conqueror having loft but Three Men in
the Adion ; for wben-cver Sufeneus appeared^
the Enemy y according as his Hiilorian Ti7no
reports, fell before him as fo many dry leaves cff a
fig-tree before the windy or Itke a jwarm of Locufts
wh°n they jail into the Sea.
Jacob not caring.it's iike^to live to be Depofed j^toi, js
a lecond time, was killed fighting, as was alfo Killed
the Abuna^ v^^hom Jacob had carried with him fighting,
to falminatehis Excommunications againft his
Enemies. Raz.
Two Fa»
thers are
f-nt from
Fremona to
Congra-
tulate Sii-
fene us, ^ho
took the
Name of
Seliem Sa'
171 Tl?e ChtirchHiflory
Raz Athanateusj who had ftuck to yacoh to
the laft^ having made his efcape^ fhut himfelf
into the Monaftery of Dma^ where he con-
tinued till he had obtained liis Pardon, which
was procured by the New Emperor's Brother,
Raz, Sela Chri/lGs, the HeroCy as we fliall fee
hereafter, of the Jefuits Hiftories.
Sufeneus y whom hereafter we are to call
Seltem Saged, having Pardoned all that were
in Arms againfl: him, excepting the Mahomet
tauy Mahurdm y who had killed the Emperor
2ja Danguil with his own hand, had all the
Grandees inftantly at his feet, and the accla-
mations of the common People as loud as his
Predeceffor.
The Fathers, during all the time of this
broyl, kept c\ok ^t Fremona, expeding to fee
to vv/hom the Crown would fall at laft ; and
having received certain advice of Sehem Sa-
ged's great Succefs, and of his being proclaim-
ed Emperor every where, they fent two of"
their number to wait upon him, and Con-
gratulate him upon his late Vidory ; Father
Petery who had been fo very intimate with
/facoby not being looked upon as fo fie a Per-
fon for to carry this Complement.
The Two Fathers, whofe Names were
La-ivvencQ Romano^ and /intony Fen7az'de:z>y were
gracioufly received by the Emperor, who to
do, them the greater Honour commanded his
Purveyor to fend their Supper to them 5 and'
was afterwards fo mindful of them, as to ask
him whether he had fent them any Wine; and
being told, that by reafon o( the Wines being
diftributed among the Nobles before he was
ordered
of E
T H ! O f I A. 27}
ordered to fend them any thing, he had not;
the Emperor was very angry, asking him,
How he durft be guilty of fuch an Error ?
commanding him to go prefently and carry
his own portion of Wine to them, frying, /
^vill drink Water rather than they jl) all. When
the Fathers judged it proper, they went to
wait upon the Emperor a fecond time; who
after fome Complements, asked them, Whtre
they refided^ And being told by them5 I'hat
they had no certain Habitation m Elabaffia ; Tie
thereupon appointed them a Refidence in a
place near the Lake cf Demhea : The Fathers
having thanked him for his kind offer, told
him , That they -ivouhl be better [atisfed tf he
'wotdd be f leafed to order their former Refidence at
Gorgora, 'which had been taken from them after
they had built a Church there ^ to be ref^ored to them
again ; which he ordered to be done prefently,
commanding diem to write to Father Peter, c/ The Em-
whom he jaid he had heard great thi?:gs^ to ccme peror
to him ; but not being fatisfied with having ^ends to
bid them do it, he fent an exprefs to him him- ^^^^\^^ ^^
felf, to come to Court immediately: The
Father when he came vi-^as moit gracioufly re- him.
ceived by the Emperor ; v^ho every time the
Father waited upon him, which he did daily,
entered into a difcourfe with him about Reli-
gion.
Father Tellcz^y though he would not take
upon him to decide who had the beft Title to
the Crown, Jacob ov Sujenetts^ fets down what
was to be laid on both iides : Jaccb^ faith he,
ovas undoubtedly 77ighefi to the Cravn in the Royal
Lme^ in being the Sen of Malac Saged, li^ho was
, T Emperor,
ter to
come to
274 '^'^^ Church Hiflory
Emperor ; he bad hcfJes been Emferor himfelf for -
Sei;en years^ and that ivith the Affrohation of the
Teopky Tvho had alfo refiored him after he had been
Depo/ed for fome time j neither was his being a
Baffardany bar to hitn^ Jince according to the Na-
rural and Civil Law, a Bafiard may fucceed his
Father y ^5 John the Firflof Portugal did his Fa^
/■i>£)r Don Peter ; bejidesy ^M^Qntus was a Bafiard
no lefs than Jacob. On the other fide^ faith
Telkz^y it may be alledged. That Jacob halving
been defofed to make room for Za Danguilj 7vho
was both the true Heir, and was chojen by the
Grandees and Teofle ^ upon Danguil'/ death the
Throne became 'void, and the Election of an Em-
feror out of the Royal Family , de'volved to the
Commonwealth ; 7vhereupon Sufeneus, who was
the Grandfon oj an Infa?2te y was chofen Emferor
by the Army^ r//^^;/ Jacob' j halving delayed coming
to them : Concluding ^ That whatever Frinces
Titles or Frete?ices in jtich cajes ma^ be in Sfecula-
tiony according to the TraBice of the World ^ hs
has the befi Title that has the longefi Sword.
But to return to the Fathers^ who having ftaid
at Court till Winter^ obtained leave to go
to Gcrgora to fix a Refidence there; but
they had not been gone a Months be-
fore the Emperor writ to them to come
to Court again ^ declaring that he could
not be without their Company any longer :
The Fathers obey'd the fummons, and re-
paired to Coga^ a place near the Lake of
Dembea^ where the Emperor at that time
had his Camp. They were no fooner
arrived , but the Emperor gave them an
Audience;, and after that was over^ ordered
them
of Ethiopia. ty^
them to Dine with him;, chat is^ in the
fame Rooni;, though not at the fame Table.
The Forrugm{(s give a tedious account of
the particulars of this Entertainment ; the
main of which are^ That the Emperor does
not feed himfelf;, but has his Meat put into
his Mouth by his Pages ; that his Diet was
plain^ and without any thing of Cookery ;
and that he had neither Knife^ Spoon, Ta-
ble-Cloth, nor Napkin, and had Bread for
his Trencher j and never Drank till he had
done Eating.
Father Feter and his Companions never
miffed the Emperor's Lez?ee , the Emperor ta-
king great delight to difcourfe with them a-
bout Religion, and the difference that is be-
tween the Habajfm and Roman Churches ;
which Conferences having continued for 'j'j^gr;
fome time, the Emperor fent one day to Fa- peror ok"
ther Peter to come to him alone ; and being fers to
come he told him. That nowithftanding he write to
was convinced that he ought to fubmic him- ^^^^^^"g
felf and his Empire to the Pope, yet it would andThe^"*
not be fafe for him to attempt it, before he Pope,
had fome aflurance that the King of Vcrtugal and is en-
would affift him againft thofe who would op- couraged
pofe him in doing of it j That he intended p^^^r Jo^^
therefore to write a Letter to the Pope, and do ic.
another to the King about it. The Father
having extolled his good intentions, encoura-
ged him to write thofe Letters, alTuring him
of as good m Anfwer to them as he could
defire,
T 2 The
27^ "The Church'' Hiflory
The Emferor Seltem SagedV Letter to
the Pope.
The Em- TP ^ ^ Letter of the Emperor of Ethiopia^
peror's J^ Malac Eguet^ cometb to the holy Pope of
Letter to Rome^ with the Peace of our Lord Chrifi^ who
^ ^^^' lo'ued us^ and Tvajlied us from our Sins in his
hlood^ ayidhath made us a Kingdom and aPriefi-
hood to God the Father : May this Peace he always
with your Holinefs^ and the Catholick Church of
Chrifi. Amen.
^e ha^ue for a long time had a great affeBion
for the Chrifiians of your farts ^ upon the account
of the benefits this Empire received from them
when it was formerly refcued hy the Portuguefes
cut of the hands of Mahometans, and refored
hy them to its a?icient efiate and quiet ^ moft of
whoje Race died in our Father s Reign^ who was
willing they jlwuld enjoy what his Ancefiors had
given them ^ whereupo?i fo Joon asy through God^s^
Grace y I took the Gover?ime7Jt of the Empire upon
wey I determined to re?2ew our Alliance with the
Faithful People of Chrifi^ in order to remedy the
manifefi difraBions our Empire of late years has
heen put into hy the Mahometans ; for notwith-
fiandi?Jg we have fuhdued mofi of our Domefiick
Enemiesy we have Enemies flill that are much
wore Powerful^ that is ^ the Infidel Gauls, who
have Conquered a great part of our Empre, and
defi-royed mayiy of our Churches ^ and which is worfii
of ally are daily Invading usy and exercifing un-
heard-of Crndtics on Old Mm , Widows , and
Children
of E
T H I O P I A, 277
Childrerty whom -we are not able to profeB , VJit/j-
out being ajfi(i-ed by our Brother the Emperor of Por-
tugal y IVe do therefore implore his aul^ as our An-
cejlors did that of his PredeceJJors formerly j and
that there may he no failure^ we refolved to intreat
your Holmefsy who ts the Father and Fafior of all
faithful Chrijtiansy to write to our Brother^ to grant
us what we defire of him^ before the Gauls grow
fironger upon zts.
As to the landing of the Succors he ^jall fendy it
will be done without any danger ^ they that are the
Mafiers of our Coaf ^ being at this time 'very weah
at Sea 5 fo being ajjured that your Holinefs will af
ftjl us according to our neceffities^ we will trouble you
with no more words ^ but Jhall refer the relation of
the fiate of our Empire , and of the kindnefs where-
with we Treat thofe of the Portuguefe race , and
of the care we take of the Fathers and their
Churches, to Father Peter Pays ^ to whom I
have recommended the doing of it 5 and to whofe
account I defire you to give the fame credit as
you do to this Letter, We conclude, praying that
our hord Chrifi would preferve your Holinefs for
many Tears for the good of the CathoUck
Church,
Written in Ethiopia on the
\/[XhQiOMer, 1607,
Th^
27? The Church Hijhry
The Emperors Letter to the Kjng of Spain*
T^ ^ ^ "^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Ewf eroj- Malac
ter' tfthe A Eguet , comet h to the Emferor of Spain,
King of i-^^ ^'^% L^^^ of St, Peter, the Vr'mce of the Do-
Spaift. clors and of the Catholkk Church of our Lord , of
which the Apofile St, Paul faid^ I have betrothed
thee to one man, to prefent thee a chaft Vir-
gin to Chrift , To whom be glory ; and in
i?mtatkn of the mcfi jure Meffenger St. Gabriel,
7vho fainting cur Lady the Virgin^ faidy The Lord
fave thee ^ and of Chnfi our Lcrdy who on the
E'V£7nng of the Lord's-day after his RefurreBioriy
[aid to his Apofiks^ heiiig ajfemhled together y Peace
be among you ; a7id as St. Paul 7i>rites in all his
Epfiks^ The Peace of our Lord be with your
Majefty, our Brother i?/ the Faiih^that was freach^
ed by St. Peter , at the tip7e.when our Lord Chrifi
comnkmded his Apoftles to go all over the world,
and preach the Gofpel to all Nations , bapti-
zing theip in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the holy Ghofi. How is your
Maje/ly , arjd how is 'your Emfire ? 7ve are in
health thm-omh the hterceffion of St. Peter , your
an I oi4.r Maj¥a% May Chrift our Lord^ who is the
hcgirm'iv.g and end of all things ;, carry on thut
Amity and Frieftdfhif ivhich he hath begun hc-^
tween us.
The principal caufe of my writing to your Mafefy
at this time J is to reyiew the Familiarity and Cor-
reffo7idence which was heiween our Aitcefiors ; which
Friendfloipy together with the Adoption of the Holy
Spirit , has much enobkd us, V/herefore we defire
your
O/ E T H I O P 1 A, 17P
your Majeft-yy to fend us [owe firovg avd (tout ScU
diersy to help us to beat the E'tKwy cut of our Ports ;
jour Troops when they arrive vnll frjd us provided
with Armsy and all other necejjary Frovifofis of
War^ and in a readme fs to affift ther.i to the utmoft :
It being much filter that thcje Forts jliould be in your
Majcfiy's hands , than in the hands of the greatejb
Enemies of our holy Faith 5 your Majeflys Ancefiors
fent an Army of Gallant men into Ethiopia at a
time when the Fjiemy was ready to have defiroyd
our Faithy and Empire, We might deftroy all our
Enemies ivith great eafe^ if we were afjified by the
fowerful Kings that profefs the Gofpel ^ and who
do comfort our hearts with the Memory of heavenly
things y we bewg all Sons of Heaven, as ^r. John
witnefjethy faying ^ What is born of the flefli is
flefti y and what is born of the Spirit is Spirit.
Furthermore we are at war with another Enemy y
who are called Gauls, and who do give us much
trouble : Wherefore we befeech your Majefiy to
fend us fome flout Troops ^ and jttch as are Zealous
for our holy Apoflolical Faith , ayid that 7vith all
poj/lble Exjfdition : We on our part have for fome
time been ready to receive them \ and if they were
once comey it will quickly appear y that all that we
defign is feafible. For why, fince Chrift our Lord
is our Common Heady and we are all his Members^
and the Heavenly Father hath begot us all in o'ne
Womb of Baptifm^ and that not with corruptible
feedy JJiould we not be all tied in one chaiii of love
with one Soul and one Body,
If thefe Letters were writ by the HabaJJIn
Emperor, which I do very much doubt, they
plainly difcover that the Fathers chief Argu-
T 4 ment
z2q The Church'' Hijlory
ment to perfuade him to fubmit himfelf to
the Pope;, was the promife of Fortuguefe Troops ;
but the reafon why I fufped thefe Letters
not to have been writ by the Emperor , but
by fome Miffionary in the Indies , and who
had never fo much as been in Ethiopia ^ are^
1. That SeltamSagedj orSufeneus'j Father y was
mi>er Emperor^ as he is [aid in thefe Letters to
ha've heen, 2. Guerreiro^, in his relation of Ethio-
pia^ printed at Lisbon m the Tear 161 1 ^ fets
ThefeLet- them down under the name of the Emperor Jacob^
ters were^ or Malafequet. 3 . Their Thrafeology , excepting
probably ^^ affecfed^r inkling here and there of uncouth Vhra-
f me MT- -^"^^ ''^^ ^"^^^ ^^^^'^ Complements are fo much Spanifh,
flonary. ^^^^ ^'^ Habaffin has not lefs of the air of a Spa-
niard y than they have of the Letters that were
certainly known to ha<ve been 7vrit by fome of thofe
Emperors, Laftly ^ Fereira tells us y That the
Habaffin Emperors from the time that the remains
of Gama'i Troops went o^er to the Turl^^s y and
ajffied them againfi Ademas ^ dreaded nothing fo
muchy as the co?mng of Portuguefe Soldiers from
the Indies j hut whatever the E?npacors did y
there being nothing that the Jefuits dcjired jo ear-
mfilyy it is to be feai:edy that they made bold with
the Emperor s name i?j. theJolliciti?2g of them.
But there are more Letters behind y which
whether genuine or fuppoHtitiouS;, I lliall fet
"down 5 leaving them to the cenfare of the ju-
dicious Reader.
The
o/E
T H I o p r aT i8i
The Letter of Raz Athanateus to the
Kjng of Portugal.
THE Letter of Peace ami Lo^e ^ fent hy Athan»-
Kth^nUQUS ^Cometh to the High and Vaver- ^^^'^ ^^*
//// Emperor of Portugal , "u^tth the Peace of our King of
Lord Chrifi , who was Crucified on the holy Crofs Portugal,
for the Redemption of the World ; May this Peace
he always with your Majefi^y, The caufe of my
writing this Letter to you^ is the earnefi defire that
the Emperor and I both ha^ue to fee fome Portu-
guefe Troops in this Countrey 5 We do therefore mofi
earnefily hefeech your Majefiy ^ to [end us a Body
of flout well-difciplin d men y in order to there cO'
qjering of our Ports, which are at this time in the
hand of the Enemies of our Faith, When your Sol-
diers arri've , we Will take care that they Jhall be
fupplted with Arms , and all other Neceffaries.
Tour Majefiys Aiiceflors affified us, when the Ma-
hometans broke in upon us ; and we do to this
day remember what great things Chrifl wrought
for us by their means ; 1 mufl therefore a fecond
time intr eat your Majefty, to fend us a Body of fion:^^
Soldiers, whom when they arrive, I Jhall be ready
to receive with open Arms , and my mind gives
me they will come at fome time or other y concern^
ing which affair. Father Peter Pays will write
more at large to your Majefiy,
Written in Ethiopia the 13 th of
Decern tery 1607.
'Iht
iSi 7he Church'MJiory
The Letter of Raz Athenateus to the
Viceroy of the Indies
HisLettet ' I "^ -^ -E Letter of Feace and Love^ fent hy
lothQ \^ Athenateus, cometh to the great Viceroy of
vicetoy f^^ Indies, with the feace of our Lord Chrifiy who
hid' 1 died on the holy Crofsfor our Redemption j may that
Peace he always with your Excellency , and your
whole State, Amen.
Heary Sir^ Mf Father was always a great friend
to the Portuguefes that came into theje parts y ha^
*ving continually fa'voured them in all things , as I
have done ever fince his death y having on all occa-
pons affifted them hoth with my Interefi and my
Purfe ; and faved fever al of them when condemned
to dicy being willing to preferve the remains of the
firfi Portuguefes that came among us y until
more jhould come to them for the good of this
Empire,
1 have had it for Jome years in my thoughts ta
write to you , hut have fill been hindered by the
Wars we have of late bee?} fo much embroiled iny
out of which God has been pleajed to deliver us at
lafy and to give us an Emperor of a Sound Judg-
ment 5 and who governs all things with great pru-
dence ^ who upon my acquainting him with the great
need we ft and in of PortUguelS Succors y was plea-
fed to write him(elf to the Kmg of Portugal for
fomey commanding me to do the fame , and to ac-
quaint him y how much we defire theWy and how
much their coming will be for God's Service. I
muf therefore intreat your Excellency , to lend m
ycur
of IEj T H I O V I kl '^85
your helfi'ng'ha7id in this affair , that fo it may he
brought to a fpeedy IJJ'ue • Let there he at leafi a
TTjoujand Soldiers'fent^ and let it he done "with all
foffible Ex f edit ion y for which Ser^uice you will have
honota' m the fight oj God^ who willundouhtedly rf-
"Ward you for it ; and were there hut once a way
opened for it y your Excellency JJoall want nothing that
this Empire affords, I fl}all fay no more^ fince Fa-
ther Peter Pays , who is acquainted with all my
fecrets, can dtjclofe my whole heart to you. May
our Lord God bring all to an happy Iffue^ and grant
your Excellency many years of Life, Amen.
Had the Jefuits been fo kind as to have
publifhed thofe Letters of Father Veter , that
thefe refer to , we miglit then probably have
known the true caufe of that Father's having
left Za Da?tguiFs Court fo abruptly as he did ;
but however that were, ic is plain from what
Athenateus writes of the Father's being ac-
quainted with all his Secrets ^ fo as to be able
to difclofe his whole heart to the Viceroy , that
they two had been plotting together ; fo that
had the Thoufaiid Portuguefes Athenatem
wrote for fo earneftly, come, it is more than
probable that he would have made ule of them
for his own Service ; the getting the Ports of
Matz.ua and Arkiko into the hands of the Tor-
tuguefesy and the ereding of Ttgre by their At
fiilance into a Kingdom Independent of that
of Ethiopia , being a thing the Fathers even
when moft in favour with the Emperors, were
continually labouring to bring about : For
Athenateus was not only never in favour with
the Emperor^ whofe name he made ufe of in
thefe
284 The Church' Hijiory
thefe Ixtters, but on the contrary, as the Je-*
fuits themfelves confefs , he was reduced by
him to the Miferable condition of SLfrohre efcu-
dew y or foor Waiting-man : Neither is it un-
likely that it was Athenateus having ruined
himfelf and his Family , by intrieguing with
the Fathers^ that made him when he was up-
on his Death-bed rejed their Afliftance when
they offered themfelves to him 5 and that with
indignationjwof caring^ it is like^to have any thing
more to do with people that had deceived him jo
often. Tho to do the Fathers Jujtice , it was none,
of their fault that the Soldiers did not come hy
the firfi fair wind after they had fromifed
them.
But the Hahajfm Empire, notwithftanding
all its late great bleedings , was too full of had
A Mock humours to continue long quiet : For Seltam Saged
Etu^^nd ^^^ "^^ ^^^^ warm in his Throne, when a
Murfher- Fellow of bafe extraBion was fet up for the Em-
cd. peror Jacob; and though he is faid not to have
refembled him in the lead , either in Face or
Ferfon^ yet he aBed him fo well, that he was
followed by vaft Multitudes. This Terkin ,
after having coft Ethiopia a va{l quantity of
bloody was killed at laft by fome of the Gran-
dees of his own Party, being grown weary of
maintaining a Mock Frince at fo great a
charge.
Father Feter is faid to have made himfelf very
Popular on this occafion, by having perfuaded
the Emperor to pardon all the Common Feople^
and moft of the Nobles that had been engaged
in this Rebellion ; aslikewife to Pardon a great
herd of Peafants , who had provoked him
more
o/ E T H I O P I A^ 185
more by their Rudenefs and Jnfolence , than
by their having taken up Arms agatnfi
him.
The Emperor having thus rid his hands of The Em-
his Sham-Rival, removed his Camp from Coja,, ^^^^^^
to a place called Deqhana^ on the North-Side ^^^j. ^^
of the Lake of Dembea, which vi^as not far ceSa chri-
from Gorgora, the new Refidence of the Jefuits ; fios con-
by which means the Fathers had daily opportu- ^^^^.^^^j^^^
niries of waiting on him^and of Difcourfmg with ^j^^g ^J^
him about Matters of Religion. The argu- Natures^
ment of all others that perfuaded the Empe-
ror the moft efFc6lually of the truth of Chrift's
having two Natures, was the Fathers fhewing
him a place in his own Hamanot Abea^ a Book
of the fame nature with the Bihltotheca TatruWy
wherein it was affirmed^ That thatDoBrimwas
helte'ved hy all the Ancient Doctcrs of the Church j
and that Diofcorus , the Patriarch of Alex-
andria, 71^'as the firfi Bijlwp that had cTjer de-
nied it,
Raz Cella Chrifios , a Prince of great heat,
and who was made Viceroy of Gojam by his
Brother the Emperor at this time , was like-
wife convinced of the truth of that Dodrine ^^^^ ^^^i-
by the fame arp^ument ; and being once con- -^''^^^"'"^a
vincedofit, nothing would ferve him but he Roman Cdi-
would publickly declare himfelf a Roman Ca- tholick
thoiick upon it, reckoning that the Alexan- thereup-
drians 7vho had fo grofly imposed upon him iyi one ^^*
particular^ had Miflead him in every point wherein
they differ d from ?^5. Roman Church. He would
gladly have made his Abjuration and firft Con-
teflion at the feet of Father Veter ; but the Fa-
ther not happening to be in the way when
he
2^6 The Church'MiJiory
he was called to go againft the Gaulsy who had
made a great inroad into his Provinces^ he
would defer the doing of it no longer ; and
fo made them at the feet of Father Francisy
whom for that reafon he ever after called his
Mafter. Neverthelefs after the Expedition
was over^ he made a general Confeffion of
his whole Life to Father Peter ^ and with it a
Solemn and Publick Declaration of his refolu-
tion to Live and Dye in the Roman Faith : His
Example is faid to have been followed by
moft of his Officers , and by feveral of the
Grandees of the Court.
In the year 1 607. Father Veter having writ a
Letter to the K. of Sfain^ to acquaint him with
Sehem Saged being Eftabliflied in the Throne
of Ethiopia^ and to defire him to fend to Con-
gratulate his acceffion to it; and to thank him
for his kindnefs to the Fathers ; that King
Complied fo far with the Father's requeft^ as in
the Year 1609 to write the following Letter
to the Emperor.
THeKmg T\ /f O 5 r Powerful Emperor of Ethiopia,
Emperor <?/ Portugal ^W Algarves, Lord of GumQ2Ly^nd
oi Ethiopia) of the Conquefiy Navigation and Commerce of
Ethiopia^, Arabia^ Perfia and India^ &c. Do
fend y OH much Healthy as my Brother whom I loz^e
and prlr^e much : Now fiitce there has always been
a good Correfpondcnce and Amity between the Ew-
ferors your Ancejhrsy and the Kings of Portugal ,
to me it Jeemed jujl and fitting to write this to you y
to let yen know how inuch I rejoice at tJjt News of
youf
o/E
T H I o p I a;^ 287
your accejfwn to the Empire^ and jliall al'ways rejoice
to hear of your Trofferity , being ready as occafiom
fljall offer to jatisfy you in all things ; and accord-
ingly I have recommended your affairs to thefe my
Kingdoms , and to my State of India ^ and the
Viceroy thereof ^ that they knowing how acceptable
it will he to me^ may be jure to comply with all your
defires ; and that this our Amity may continue y I
do mojl fajftonately defireyoUy to Ti/rite all your News
to mey as 1 jliall do mine to you* I do eameffly re-'
commend the Friars that are in your Kingdom to
you 5 which is my chief Obligation y namely y Fa-^
ther Peter Pays^ dejlring that they no lefs than
the Portuguefes may be 'Treated as it is reafon^
able. Moff Tffwerful Emperor y whom I love
and prize as my Brother y May our Lord have
your Royal Verfon and State in his holy Vro-
te^ion.
Written at Madrid the lyth of
March y 1609.
The Emperor is faid to have been very
proud of this Letter, and the more becaufe
it was writ before the King had received the
Letter he is faid to have fent to him in the
year 1607. In the year 161 1 the Emperor
received the following Letter from the Pope,
in anfwer to that he is faid to have writ to
him in the year 1 607,
Paul
^88 Tipe ChurchHiftory
Paul the Vth'^ Letter to the Emperor
of Ethiopia.
io our mo(t dear Son in Chrifi-^ Health and Apg-
fioUcal BenediBion,
Tht TTf r "^ ^^"^^ thanks to God the Father of our
Pope's V V Lord Jefus Chrifi-y for having been fo mer-
Letter to ^-Jr^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^ ^^ nfiore you to your Royal Throne y
Emperor ^ ^^^ ivrite he has done ^ We do Congratulate your
fuccefsy and do commend you mightily for your Zeal
in Defence of the Chrifiian Faith ^ for which as
ove under ft and by your firft and fecond Letters y you
are very fervent : We have^ accor dingy to your de-
fires y recommended the mceffity of your Kingdoms
to our mofi dear Son in Chrijly Philip^ the Catho-
lick and Tojverful King of Spain y -who we hope
ovill be induced by his Magnanimity and Zeal for
the Chriftian Faith y to ajfifl you powerfully ^ havmg
order d our Afoftolical "Nuncio that is with his Ca-
tholick Majefty y to follicit what you have defired
with great diligejice. What remains y dear Son^ is
to exhort you io pr fever e confidently and immove-
My i?t the fear of Gody and Stoutly and Zealoufiy
to defend the Chrifiian name ; and to continue al-
ways devoted to the holy Roman Catholick and
A'^oftolick Church y your mcfi lo virig Mother , as
we in our Prayers oi^hich we make to God ^ before
the Mo(l holy Bodies of the Afofiles , for our Sons
the Chrifiian Kings and Catholick Prince Sy jlmll al-
'ways be jure to reme?nber you y and to beg of him
from 7vhom all good things do froceed^thathe jvouldfo
enlighten
11
o/ E T H ! o r I A. 289
^filtghteii your Underficuidmg with the Light of his
holy Spirit y that you may do his will ; a?id from
the inward Bowels of our Charity we do ^TJOjr ten-
derly gfve our Bh'(ji?igtoyour Majejly,
Written at Rome dC St. Fcttrs^ under the
Ring of the Fillierman , on the 4th of
January y in the Year 1611, and in
the Sixth year of our Pontificate.
It is plain from this Letter^ that the Popes
do not ftand fo much upon their Pundilio's
with remote Heretick Princes^ as they do with The Popes
thofe in Europe they reckon to» be Hereticks. are civijer
Taul in this Letter calling a Prince who was ^^ remote
a Profe:Ted Euychian Heretick , his mcf dear ^^^'^"^l
Son in Chrifi j a Title neitlier Urban would meftick "
beftow upon King James ^ nor Gregory the ones.
Fifteenth upon the Prince of Wales, in their an-
fwers to the unhappy Letters ^ wherein thofe
Princes had been fo civil as to give them the
title of The moft hlefftd Father.
The Emperor growing every day more and
more inclinable to the Roman Church , for
which his Brother Cella Chrijhs had declaied
himfelf openly a Champion^ fujfering none to be
about him ^ that were not either aBuafly of
her Communio7i , or that .appeared not to be
well dijpofed for it ; did upon the Receipt of
this kind Letter from the Pope^,, begin co
think of Profeffing himfelf a Roman Catholick
too ; but being (enfible that that could not
be done without raifing fuch a ftorm in his
Empire, as it would not be pdffible for him to
weather without Portu^uefe Troops, he is laid E"^bj/n-
to have refolved to lend an Embaffy to tiic ^'|^^ J5^^
King of Spain jto SoUicic that Affair by the way £VL/;°To
2po The Church Hijlory
of Mel'mde and Goa. The perfons named for
this Employment were Father Anthony Feman-
di'Sy and one Ti^cur Egz.y .^ an Hahajfm of Qua-
lity, by whom the following Letters were fent
to the Pope.
The Emferers Letter to the Pope,
The Letter of the Emperor Seltem Saged , cometh
with the Peace of the good P^f-or Jefus to the
Holy Roman Pope y Paul the Vth. the Head
and Pafror of the Univerfal Church.
Holy and Loving Father,
TTCT E haz/e recei'ved your Letter <?/ January
The Em. y ^ 1-6 1 1^ which is full of that lo've jvhere-
Letter to 'ii'tth a tender Fatho' is inflamed when he receives a
the Pope, feniterjt Prodigal Son ; a77d not having been able by
reajcn of the judden departure of the India Ship
to return you an anfvtr Jo foon as we de fired ^
we have novj deter ry.imd to do it by another way,
which we hop God will open mno us ^ and to that
end 7ve have fejjt Father Antonio Fernandes ^
of the Society c/ Jefus^ who has for Jome time reft-
ded at our Court ^ and with him our Embaffador
Tecur Egzy^ defiri^tg that jour Holinefs may have
fpeedy notice of our being brought by the f reaching
of the Fathers of the Society who are refident in our
JE.mpirey to the Knowledge of the truth ofthefaitb
of the Chair of the Blejjed St. Peter , and of our
being rejolved to embrace the Jame ^ and to yield
obedience to your Holinefs as the Head of the Uni^
verfal Church, fo as for the future to be governed
by a Patriarch of your fendmg ; and that ope may
he put into a condition of yield wg this obedience puh-
lickly^
of Ethiopia. t^\
lickly^ it will he necejfary for ns to bavefome Troops
from Don Philip t/je Powerful Kmg of Portugal,
•without which we JJ}ali ?je'ver be able to clo it opef!^
Ij. We do therefore mojt humbly befeech your Holi-
fiefsy that fince as you ha've writ to m^ you have
been f leafed to order your Apojhlick Nuncio refiding
at his Catholick Majcfiys Court ^ to follicit this Af-
fair with great diligence ^ that you will renew your
Orders to him^that jb they may be both ejf equally and
fpeedtly executed ^ and [o good an occafon may not
be lofi ; and that in our days^ and during his happy
years J our 'Empire may find this neccjj'ary remedy »
And fince you are the Father of all Catholick Kings y
hold its in the number of fuch ^ and as you offer
Frayers to God for them ^ before the moii holy Bo-
dies of the Apofiles^ do the fame for us your hitm^
hie Son,
Written at our Court of Dembea
on the 1 3 th of J a nuary^ 1613,
But as the Emperor's Brother, Ras Cella
Chrtftos , was the chief promoter of this Em-
bafly, fo he likevvife writ a Letter to the
Pope by it, which was as foUoweth :
7he Letter of Cella Chriftos Viceroy of
Gojam , Cometh mth the Peace of the
'Eternd Father ^to the Holy Father Paul
the Vch. the chief Pontiffs the Succeffor
of Ss. Peter, and Head of the Church.
Moft Beloved Father,
IF according to the Holy Scriptures , they who ^^^{^ ^f^'
were far off are come mar ^ I who was at a j g^ ^^ the
U 2 1'^/? Pope.
2p2 7he Church^Hijlory
*vafi diHance^ am now hrGugbt near hy
the Treaching of the Fathers of the Society
of Jefr-is that refide in this Empire y for I
ha'vm^ been commanded by my Brother Seltem
Sageo, 7?iy Lord the Emperor^ to be prefent at fe-
"veral Conferences betii^een the Fathers and our
Learned men ^ I came at lajt to the Knowledge of
' the Truth of the Faith cf the Chair of St, Peter,
and of that Chair s being the Head of the Univerfal
Church 5 which faith I thereupon embraced y and
obliged my Brother the Emperor to do the fame ^ and
to yield obedience to your Holinefs : But 7vhereas it
is not poj/lble for the Emperor to yield that obedience
openly ^ until fuch time as hefiall hazfe a Thoufand
Portuguefes fe7it by Don Philip the mofi Tower-
ful King of Spain to be bis Guards • and being
informed that m the Letter your Holinefs did my
Brother the honour to write to him ^ you fgnified
that you bad ordered your Apofiolick Nuncio reftding
at the Court of his Catholick Majefiy, to jollicit that
Affair with extraordinary diligence ; J took the
co7ifdence humbly to intreat your Holinefs^ to bring
it f^eedily to a conclufion ^ that fo that good ivork
may be done during my Brother the Emperor s Life^
and jo glorious a7i occafion of Ja-ving a loft flock ,
and of reftoring it to its true Taftor^ may not be lofi.
IVhsnever the Soldiers come, they will find me pre*-
pared to die in my Saddle with them for the faith y
if tberejlwuld be occafion, I fijall aljo with all my
force labour to confiram others to embrace it, and
to yield obedience puhlickly to your Holinefs ; and in
the mean time ^ I will do all I can to dijpoje and
ijicline our people to the faith which I am cndea^
^waring at this time by tranflatingy vjtth the affi_
fiance of the Fathers ^ the Commetitaries of Johj^
Mai.
o/^ E T H I O P I A^ 293
Maldonat upon the G off eh ; with an irJevt'tcn
of trayjflating fever al other Books after that is fii/flj-
ed. If here fore mofi hlejjed Father , let your Holi-
fiefs look ?ipon me as jour Servant y who am resol-
ved to defend your Avoftolkk See with my S'^i^ordy
as well as with all the Learning I am Mafier of ^
to the domg whereof IjJjall he much enabled y by the
Prayers which your Holinefs j1)all command to he
offered for me ^y our Humble Servant y before the mof;
holy Bodies of the Jpofiles.
Written at Demhea the 2d of
February y 161 5.
The way the AmbafTadors were to take be- A partJcu-
ing fetled y they begun their Journey in the ^^^ »c-
beginning of ilf«rc/j 161 5 ^ going hrft to Go- J^^^g^*^^
jam y where they were kindly entertain'd for baffador^s
fome time by the Viceroy; befides their Ha- Journey.
haffin Retinue, they were attended by Ten Vor-
tuguejesy Six whereof were to accompany them
only to the Kingdom of Nareay but the other
Four were to go with them to the Indies, On
the Fifth of March they departed from Om-
hrana with a ftrong Guard ; and having Tra-
velled Weft ward two days, they arrived at
Sinaffcy the chief Town of Gongas ; where ha-
ving in the Viceroy *s name, demanded a Guard
to conduct them to the N/7e , it was deni'd
them by thelnfidels, the Natives of that Coun-
trey being all fuch : Whereupon they dit
patched a Courier prefently to the Viceroy to
acquaint them therewith, who immediately
ordered three Companies of Soldiers to March
to Smaffe ; and after having Conveyed the
Ambafladors fafe to Ntk , in their return to
U 3 chaftife
Ip4 ^^^ ChurchHiJIory
chaftife the Gongaz^ians for their Infblehce; but
the Infidels having had Intelligence how much
the Viceroy refented their difobedience, in or-
der to pacify him ^ gave the Ambaffadors a
Guard, which v^^aited upon them to Minaf-
cet ^ a Town that ftands upon the wind-
ing v/hich the Nth makes towards Egypt,
The Embalfadors palTed that River which was
very high at that timQ.^^on.Borachoes or hides full
of Wind : After which they Travelled di redly
South till they came to the Kingdom of Na-
rea ^ whofe Borders are about Fifty Leagues
diftant from that River. The Cafres^ who are
the Natives^ though fubjed to the HahaJJiny
difturbed them fo much in their Journey ,
that they were forced to purcbafe a paf-
fage through the Countrey with trifling
Prcfents.
Being arrived at Gomlas^ they were kindly
entertained by the Governor^ to whom the
Viceroy had recommended them as his parti-
cular friends. ' Narea is the moft Southern
THey . Countrey cf Ethiotia^ and is about Thirty or
^ fl are ^^^^Y L^'-g'-^^s in compafs.; its Inhabitants are
Hnt ol^it rf,ckoned to be the bell and honefteft fort of
of their people in the whole Hahrffin Empire ; they
^'3y- ■■ are well Shaped^ and not very Black , and
have thin Lips and long Nofes ; the Countrey
is Fertile and Populous 3 and its chief Trade
is in Slaves jn the Buying and Selling of whom
, its Merchants are faid to be wonderfully ho-
netl. They v;cre hrft Converted to Chriftia-
nlty by MalacSagedj to which they had alwa}'s
been well difpoled.
From
o/ E T H I O P 1 A. 2p5
From Gonda the Embailaclors went In Six
days to the place where the Kama or Viceroy
of the Kingdom of Narea has his refidence,
by whom they were received very coldly 3
upon his being Jealous that their bufinefs was
to bring a Portuguefe Arn-iy hfto Ethiopia , to
force them to turn Kom^n-Ca:boI/chs ; a?!d ha-
ving called together all his Officers to confult how
to Defeat this pernicious defign, it was agreed
among them, that the befl way to divert this
ftorm, was to perfuade the Embafladors to
change their courfe , and to go to the Indies
by the way of Bdy^ and the Cape of Darfuj,
which they reprefented to be both the iliorter
and (afer way than that the Court iiadChaked
out for them ; knowing at the fame time^ that
it would be impollible for them to Travel
through the Countries which are in the road to
D.nff'u)\ feveral of them being fabjed: to Maho-
met ariVnncts^vjho would not faffer any pri-
vate Chriflian^ and much lefs ChriRian Em-
bafladors^ to Travel through their Countries.
Baly is a Kingdom that belonged formerly to
the Habajfm, but was then in the Pofleffion of
the Mahometa7is and Gauls ; it borders upon
Adel^ lying to the Eaft of 'Narea fo that the
Embafladors in going that way^ went back
again in a manner ; neither was the way that
the Court had order 'd them to take, much bet-
ter, by reafon of the vafl Deferts, and the un-
known Nations they were to have pafled
through before they got to Melmde.
The Viceroy having perfuaded them to go
his way , was very officious to furniHi them
withaGuardtocondud them out of hisKing-
U 4 dom ;
2^6 77;e Church- Hipory
dcm ; and to blind his defign the more^ fent
an Envoy to the King of Ghjgiro , through
whofe territories they were to pafs to obtain
a free and fafe paffage for them. Being arri-
ved at the Banks of !Zehce, which is a much
bigger River thah the Nik, and which running
like a torrent amongft Hqc^ Rocks ^ makes a
moil hideous noife , they met with a Bridge
which v^as only a fingle Plank reaching from
One Rock to another , and which beiides that
it was at a prodigious height from the water ;
it was fo weak as to bend with the weight of
one man ; but there being no other Bridge ,
they were conftrainqd to make ufe of this, and
in a days time they all paffed over it without
lofmg a man.
Being now in the Kingdom of G'mgiro^ they
halted at a Village not far from the Bridge,
fending the Viceroy's Envoy before, to ac-
quaint the King of the Countrey with their
arrival 5 but the King, who was a Heathen^,
was at that time fo much employed in fome
extraordinary Conjurations, that it was a
Vi^eek before the Envoy was permitted to
fpeak v/ith him ; but fo foon as the Solemni*
ty was over, he gave him an audience, and
fent word by him to the Emballadors to come
immediately to Court, promiilng to iliev/
them all the kindncfs he vv^as able.
The Emballadors being come to Court,
found the King fitting on the top of a Build-
ing not unlike^ JVatch-Tojver , it was 'Xiventy
fi'veVahnsm height, and about Thirty in hrsadth^
the Courtiers (land all on the ground about
it. , ^ . . .
; When
o/E
T H I o p r A, ip7
When the Embafladors offered to prefcnt They are
the Emperor's Letters to the King, he came ^^"^^y
down from his Throne, and having received ^^y the
them with great Ceremony, he Skipped to the Comical
top of it again : For be is J aid m all his poftures. King of
features y a7ul mot ions ^ to ha've refemhled a Baboon ^^^i^^"-
much n: ■ than a Man, After he had read the
Letters, he talked vvith the Embaffadors a con-
lid erablc time by an Interpreter, who repeat-
ed botht he King s Queftions,and the Embaffa-
dor s Anfvvers with a moft profound reverence,
and at laft difmiifed them with affurances of
his being ready to do them all good Offices.
The Embaliadors having made the King a
Prefent, obtained their Conge ; and depart-
ing next day, they came at night to a River,
which they croffed on Borachoes , that were
puftied to the other fide by men Swimming be-
hind them, and direded by one that Sworn ,
before ; when they had paffed this River, they ^jaf^^oTs"
were in the Province of Combute , the Prince are ftopt
whereof is Tributary to the HabaJJin. They by the
were kindly entertain^ by this Prince, till one P""ce of
Mayjqmr came to his Court , who though he upoJ'a^
pretended to have no other bufmefsthere^ but to indmati-
receiue the tribute that Prince paid ^ytt he was really of rheir
fent by the Grandees of the Court j who having "p^ ha-
fmelt out the fecret of that Embaffy, ordered fg^f ^y^^™
him to follow it , and to flop it if he could the Em-
poffibly. In purfuance whereof Manquer^ fo peror.
loon as he had an opportunity whifpered the
King in the ear. That the Embaffadors were not
pent by the Emperor , who knew nothing of them^
hut by another that 7vas to be namelejs'^ meaning no
doubt Raz, Cella, the Emperor's Brother, and
that
2p8 7he Church' Hijiory
that he ought not therefore to gi^ve any Credit to
their Letters of Credence ^ which were all forged in
the Emferors name^Thsit the bufinefs they were
going to the Indies and Portugal about , was to
bring an Army from thenee into Ethiopia, to com^
^el the people thereof to turn Papifis , which Army
was to be brought upon them through his Kingdom j
fo that he mu[i expeB to ha've the form they were
going to raife^ to fall firfi upon him, Amelinely
for that was the King's name , believing all
that Mano^uer had told him , fent prefently to
the Embaffadors to come and fpeak with
him ; and having admitted them to his Pre-
fence , he told them roundly , that having
been credibly informed , That they had no
CommiJJion from the Emperor y he could not
do lefs than fiop them^ till he had an anfwer
from him whether they were his Embaffadors or not j
and though the Embaffidors endeavoured to
fatisfy him prefently , by fliewing him their
Credentiah j yet that would not do, but wait
they muft until J me linelh2Ld the Emperor's An-
fwer by a Courier he intended to fend to him.
The Embaifadors finding there was no per-
fuading of Amclmel to let them go , defired
they might have leave to fend a Courier of
their own, with his, to the Court, which was
granted them, but at the end of the third days
jfourney, the Couriers were both flopped ;
and after having been detained there Six
Months, were fent back without having ever
been near the Court.
But the Emperor, or his Brother, who I
doubt was chiefly concerned in this Emhaf'y , hap-
pening to hear of the Embaffadors being
flopped
o/E
T H I 0 P I A.
^99
flopped 5 an angry Letter wis writ thereupon
to Amdmd in the Emperor's Name^, Com-
manding him not only to [Krmit the Ambafj'a-
{lors to proceed on tbeir Jowney^ hut to furnijh
them alio with fucb things as would be proper Pre-
fents for the Trinces throifgh whole Cou}?trh's they
were to fafu Whereupon Awelinel bauivg beggd
their Excellencies Pardon for halving detained them
fo longy and treated them jo rudely^ upon a rmfin-
formation\ and halving furnifloed them ivith [ome fine They are
Horfes for Prefents, he dumilTed them with a fufferedto
good guards which he commanded not to proceed
leave them, till they faw them fafe in the Touj,^^^^^^
Kingdom of Alaha, whofe Prince was a MaJyo-
metany and had no dependance on the HabaJJin.
The Ambaffadors had not been Three
days at that King's Courts whofe Name was
Alicoy before their old friend Mant^uer was up
with them again, who having told Altco the
fam<: fiory he had told Amelinel ^ the Mabome^
tan not troubling himfelf to examine whofe
AmbalTadors they were, ordered their Perfons
and Papers to he feiaed on frefently ; but the
Ambaffadors having had notice that there
was fuch an Order preparing, had burnt all
their Papers before the Officers came to ar-
reft them j and it was well for them they ,
had j for had Alico had any other Evidence he- ^\^^JJ^
fides Manquer's word^ That their bufinefs in the intojayl
Indies vjas to bring an Army from thence through by^the
his Kingdom into Ethiopia, it would certahdy King of
have cofi them their lives ; which though Alico ^I'^^^J ^^
[pared for want of fuch Evidence as the$r Papers ^ardsfent
would have furnijlied him withall^ yet he gripped home
them of their Equipage ^ and fent them hack the dripped.
way
^oo
The Cour-
tiers find-
ing that
none but
Papifts
were fa-
voored,
turn civil
to the Fa-
thers and
their Reli-
gion.
The
Countrey
is much
alarm'd
therewith.
Several
publick
Conferen-
ces about
Religion.
The ChuYchHiJiorj
way they came^ in a 'very tattered condition. Were
hut the true fecret of this Emhajfy knoivny we
might knoWy its like too what it was that made the
l^m^eror not long after this fo jealous of his Bro-
ther ^ as to turn him out of all his Offices,
But notwithftanding the Emperor did not as
yet profefs himfelf a Roman Catholick, as his
Brother did openly ; yet it being obferved by
the Ambitious Courtiers, That none were fa-
'voured by himy or Could fretend to any high fofi^
hut fuch as had either turfjedy or appeared to be
prepared to do ity whenever he Jhould give the
word ; they begun to Carefs the Fathers ex-
treamly, making their court to them, by under ^
valuing their own Clergy as a fack of Hypocrites
and Dunces y and by magnifying the Church of
Rome as a Bodvy that it was an honour for any
one to be a Member of.
Upon Poperies growing thus fafhionable at
Court y the Countrey , which is jeldom fond of
Court-fajhionsy was fo alarm'd by it, that it be-
gan to roar againft the Emperor and his Bro-
ther at a moft terrible rate, as bigotted Papifisy
that were refolv'd to deftroy the eftablillied
Religion by calling a Foreign Army in upon
them^ and the Fathers, as if the Habaffms
had not roared loud enough y to provoke them to
roar loudery gave OUt a publick Challenge at this
time to all the Learned of the Alexandrian Faith y
if it had any fuch, to defend their Religion y if
they were abky before the Emperor, Which bold
challenge being accepted y there were divers
publick Conferences about Religion held thereupon
before the Emperor ; In all which the Fathers,
but by their own Brethren^ are faid to have been
Vi^oriousy
o/ Ethiopia^ 501
ViBcrious, and by their great skill in School-
Dh'witj, to w/jofe fuhthties the Habaffins were
utter fira7igersy to ha've brffled them fljamefully at
ez'ery turii^ to the admiration of the vjhole Court-,
When the Monks and Fathers had done
Dilputing^ the Emperor;, with the advice of
his Cabinet Cotmcil ^ put forth a Proclamation An Edi£^
p-ohibitifig all his SubjeBs upon ft'vere VenakieSy is publiQi-
to affirm that there is but one Nature in Chrtfi^, ^ ^y ^^®
The Abunay Simon^ hearing of the Difputa- ^^fiM-
tions that had been held atCourt^ and of the ting any
Proclamation they had ended in, made all the to affirm
fpeed he could thither, and being come to ^^^^ ^^^^e
Court, he threatned the Emperor oi^ith an Ex- ^^^^^^^^^
communication for having held publick Diffutati- Chrift
ons about Religion without his leave. The Em- The ^bu^
peror endeavoured to pacify the angry Old Man^ »^ comes
by tellinp;him. That it was true that he had '^o Court,
permitted fome Conferences^ but for no other g^y ^^jj.j^ "
end, but to remove a Schijm that was in the the Con-
Church 5 but now that he was come, he mighty if ferenccs
be pleafedy ha^ue the Conferences renewed again. ^'^^ ^^^
The Abuna^ though his talent is faid not to ^^.^? ^^^^
have lain much that way, gave his Confent hjs leave.
to have the Disputations renewed ; and Learned
Men having been appointed on both fides to
manage the Debate, the Fathers in the Con-
ferences did demonftrate the Truth of Chnft's
halving two Natures fo evidently , from the 'j-j^g q^^^
Scriptures y Councils , and right Reajon^ that the ferences
Habaffins hSid nothing that was material to fay arerenew-
againftit,the Abuna himfelf not having offered e^ before
one word in defence of his Faith , when he ^^^'
faw his Monks moft miferably baffled.
It
3Ct.
— a-j-e^ The Church'HiJlory
It is remarkable^ That it was the policy of
thejefuits to make the DoBrine of ChnJFs ha-
ving two Natures^ and mt :hat of ihe Pole's Su-
pemacy^ againft which; by v/hat the Empe-
ror Claudius did^ we know the Habaffms had
enough to fay y the pint that 7vas d^hated in all
their fuhlick Conferences ^ which was not fo
proper, confidering that the Habaffins might have
believed that DoBrine^ as the Reformed and Greek
Churches do^ 'ivithout beirg the nearer to the Church
cf RomQ for it ; for it does not at all follow.
That hecaufe Chrifl had two Natures , that the
Tope mufi therefore be his Vicar upon Earth ^ and
that all Chrifiian Churches mujt jubmit themfehves
to him : The very Fathers that efiabUf^ed ihat
DoBrine in the Council of Calcedon^ having
denied that the Tope had any Supremacy ^ but
what he owed to Rome'j being the fir(t City in
the Roman Empire ; as I have obferved elfe-
where.
Upon the Habaffins being thus baffled upon a
" point the Church of Rome oi^as no more concerned
■in than the Church of England, the Fathers in
the heat of their triumph, did drive on the
Emperor at a mofr furious ratCj perfuading him
to {^i forth another Proclamation, making it
death for a^ny o?2e to deny that there are two ISfa-
tures -m Cbrijt : But the Abu7ia^ though he had
"thtAU- ^^^^^ ^o f^y fo'' ^^^'-f Teligion^t the Conferences,
7;a leaves endeavoured after he had left the Court, to
the Court make amends for hisjilence there , by roaring the
an wrath, Jqi^^qy through the Countrey as he wt'^.t home , and
commuV ^^^^g fenhble that beiides the Vv'hole body of
cates the ^^'^ People, he had the Emperor's Mother,
Emperor, and his half-brother Emana Chnjhsj with fe-
veral
of E
T H I O P I A. 305
veral other Grandees on his fide ; he was
no fooner got home, then he thundered out
an Excommunication againft all, not except-
ing the Lmperor, that had, or rfiould fubmit
themfelves to the Pope.
The Emperor was at firft troubled at this
Cevftive ; but being afterwards fatisfied by the
Fathers of its Nullity, he was provoked by it TheEm-
to fet forth a Proclamation, defiring all his pfQ^Q^^^d
Subje<5ls to embrace the Roman Faith^ Com- thereby to
manding that Proclamation to be publiflied publifii a
by the Judges throughout the whole Empire ; Proclama-
which molt of them did, notwithftandine it ^^«" Jo'^-
was contrary to their private Judgments. This 2\\\\\s
Proclamation having put the whole Empire /wf(? Subjefts
a flame J and provoked the Jgaus to take up to turn
Arms 5 the Abuna^ who waited only for fuch fj^^Tl^^'
an opportunity, fo foon as he found the Em- xhe^^-*
peror engaged in that War, writ Circular gaus
Letters to all his Confidents^ exhorting them and thereupon
all the Nobles and People, that -were not 'weary ^jkeup
of the Faith of their Forefathers^ to enter into an ^n, * , ^
Afjociation in Defence of it^ againfi the Emperor ^.a pro-
€ind his Brother^ who had now both declared them- motes an
fel'ves open Enemies to it, AfTociati-
Julius, the Viceroy oitigre, who had ^^^j.^^^'
Married a Daughter of the Emperor's, fo their Re-
foon as he had received the Abuna's Letter, ligion.
did not only begin to Perfecute the Fathers 7^.'//«/en-.
that refided at Fremofia, but feized likewife up- F^^^ ^"J^
on the Eftates of all the Hab^Jfns within his fate"the
Province that had turned Roman Catholicks, Field a-
declaring he would Defend his Religion agatnf all gainft the
the world, with the lafl: drop of Ins blood. The Emperor.
Emperor hearing of the Circuit- Letter, and
the
3^4-
77;e ChurchHiflory
The Em.
peror is
addrefled
to not to
trouble
hisSub-
jeds about
rheir Reli-
gion.
the AJJociation that was going on^ was very angry
with the Ahuna, wifhing he had him in his
hands to put a ftop to his enflaming his Subjeds
againft him ; but knowing that if he difco-
vered himfelf to be difpleafed with him^ that
he would either not come if he fent for him,
or come with fuch a Guards that it would not
be fafe for him to offer him any violence, he
thought fit to dijfembk his faffion fo far^ as to
write a kind Letter to him, defiring him to re-
fair to him with all pojjihle [feed, to jatisfy fome
jcru^Us 7vhich gave him great difiurbance 5 wri-
ting at the fame time to Father Teter to come
likewtfe ; wliich the Father did imrnediately,
bringing with him the news of the Verfecution
that was fet on foot in Ttgre againft the Fa-
thers and their Converts.
The Queen and feveral Grandees of the
Court feeing what a fior?n the Emperor was
like to raife by endeavouring to introduce Po-
pery into his Empire, waited upon him in a
body, befeeching him as he loved his Crown
and his peopky to give over that defign^ as a thing
not feafible, fince not only the Monks^ hut the
whole body of the 'Nation did openly declare^ That
they would Defend their Religion againft him and
all the world with their Lives and Fortunes, and
would dye a thousand Deaths fooner than turn Pa-
pifts. All which paffionatekemonftances were
fo far from Ihaking the Emperor's Zeal for
the introducing of Popery y that they inflamed it
to that Degree, that he one day told Father
Feter ^ That 720twithftandi?ig he was fenfible he
had fo far loft the hearts of his Subjects by the fa-
vour he JJjcwed to the Roman Religion^ that they
were
o/E
-^
T H I O P I A. joy
Ti/ere all really to rebel againft him ; neverthelcfs
be was rejolved either to loje his Crown, or to ejhi- He U deaf
bltflj that Fatth in Ethiopia. And as for his ^^,f^^^^^
Brother^ whenever he was fpoke to to re- ^ '*^^"*^'
nowice Fopcrj, and return to his former Faith ;
his anfwer was ftill, JVIjiU I have breath in my
body I will defend the Roman Faith -with my
Swordy my Tcngue, and my Pen,
The Jbuna, that he might not feem to be
wanting to his duty in fuch a critical jundure^ The ^k.
refolved to go and wait on the Emperor^ but ^^ being
with fuch a Train, that it fhould not be fafe jjjvited to
for him, if he had a mind to it, to meddle QoQsthU
with him^ the very Monks that attended him ther well
being more in number than the Royal Army, guarded.
The Abma and his Monks when they came
within hearing of the Emperor's Tent, gave
a generalpwut, That they came all prepared to die for
the faith of their Forefathers, being refolved to hear
no more arguments againfi it^ making the whole
Camp to ring with Jje72tent, Jjententy that is
to fay. The Ancient y the Ancient, meaning their
Faith.
The Emperor being willing to put a flop to
this fury, fent to the Abuna to come to, him ;
which the Abuna did ^ and having fpoke .their
minds very freely to one another, they agreed
to fummon a Convocation of the Ckrgy to meet on
Michaelmas-day, at which the Fathers were
to be prefent, and to be heard.
The Convocation being met at the time
appointed, itwasfo far from ^//^ryw^fZ^^^^^r of
the Habaffmsy which was the end for which
the Emperor had called it, that it put them in
<9 greater flams than they were in before ; for
X the
5c6 The Church' Hijlory
the Fathers knowing they had not one 'voice
on their fide in that whole body, were not for
having things put to the Vote , but for having
them diffutedy as if it had not been a Con'vocati-
en, hut only zrfiMicz Conference ; but though the
Fathers offered feveral Arguments in defence
of their Dodrines, which the Hahajjlns did not
fo much as pretend to Anfwer : Neverthelefs
the H ahaffin ftill kept their Ground, declaring.
That no Sophifiry fljould e'ver prjuade them out of
the faith of their Forefathers, The Convocation
having wrangled , for that was all the Jefuits
would fuffer to be done in it for five days ;
it broke up in a great heat, halving matters a
great deal worfe tha?j it found them,
the j^huna The Ah?ia and his Monks finding there was
and the j^q good to be done upon the Emperor, who
wait on feemed to be bewitched by the Jefmts, were for
the Empe- leaving the Camp immediately without taking
rorin a any farther notice of him ; but having con-
Body, fidered on't a little better, they agreed to wait
upon him in a body , to conjure him by all
that was facred , and as he loved himfelf, his
Pofterity and People , not to endeavour to
bring a new Religion in among them ; and
which, he could not but be fenfible, was the
Religion in the world that they the mofl hated ;
and fo without fending to him for an audi-
ence, which they had reafon to believe would
have been denied them, they went and threw
themfelves at his feet , and inftead of fpeak-
ing, raifed a mofi lamentable howl, as if they
had been fo many Ideots, fay the Fathers ; which
howl , having continued a good fpace , they
at laft recovered their fpeech;, crying with one
Voiee^
of E
T H 1 O P I A,
107
Voice, That his Higlinefs muft not think that he
was able to dcfiroy a Religion which had been
maintained in Ethiopia by [o many Em- ^ ^^^
ferors thorough (o many Ages. The Empe- Emperor
ror not appearing to be in the leaft mo- flighting
ved either by thdr Complaints or Threats, they ^h^ircom-
all ris and went away in a great Rage, fome {hey"leave
of them being faidj by their Enemies, to have the Camp
been fo far provoked by the Emperor's carri- in a rage,
age toward them, as to have confpired to Mur-
rher him and his Brother , as they went out of
the Camp, for Recreation ; but not having met
with an opportunity of executing that blach
defign, they all returned home with thQirAbmia ;
but with their Spirits fo exafperated, that it was
vifible to every body that they would not fuf-
fer the Emperor and his Jejuits to be long quiet.
Father Peter to divert the Emperor from
thinking of the troubles that he was like to p , .
bring upon himfelf and his Empire by his Zeal p^^^^
for Popery, put him upon building a ftandwg Builds the
Valace on a Peninfula in the Lake of Dembea. Emperor a
and there being no fuch thing as a Mafon in all ^^"^'ng
Ethiopia, the Father undertook the work him- ^ ^^^'
felf, and in a fliort time run up a Houfe which
the Jefuits lay would have been a convenient
Hunting Palace, for the beft King in Europe ;
The Emperor was extreamly pleafed with it ;
and the HabaJJins having never feen a Houfe
with Stories before, called it Habet , Labet,
that is, a Houfe upon a Houfe, While Father Pe-
ter was employed in Building , the other Fa-
thers were bufy Tranilatin? fome Commenta-
ries on the Scripture out o\ Latin into Habaffm j
namely, Maldonate on the Gofpel, Ribera on
X z the
3o8 7he Church' Hijiory
the Epiftle to the Hebrews , Tolet on St. TauVs
Epifties , and Vkgas on the Revelation^ who
were all Spaniih Jejuits ^ the Hahafjins not
being to know that any in Europe that were
not of that Nation and Order could write
feooks.
An at- While the Emperor was folacing himfelf in
tempt is his new Palace _, his Brother Amana ChrlHosy
made up- 'Julius the Viceroy of Tigre^ and one Calfe his
on the ^ Chamberlain, and chief Eunuch^ confpired to
jife^ Murther him in it \ and had done it, had it not
been for a Spring-Lock which fliut a door be-
hind him as he fled from the Confpirators y
of which Lock it is reported^ that the Emperor
when he firft faw it on the Door, would have
had it taken off^ as troublefome to open every
time he went into his iClofet^had not Father P^-
ter perfuaded him to let it alone, by telling him,
'Xhat it might atfome time or other do his Htghnejs
fome Service. . The Confpirators having made
their Efcape, had no remedy after fuch a hluk
attempt y but to take the Field ; and Jtdius be-
ing got into Tigre , he immediately fet forth
a Proclamation, commanding all within that
Julius the Kingdom Vvho were of the 'Roman Faith, to go
Emperor's to the Emperor and his Brother, who would
Son-in- make them welcom ; and all that were of the
Law takes {^^mz faith with their Fathers to repair to him,
fo^ the"^^ ^^^ being refolved to defend it with the latt
defence of drop of his blood.
their ^ This Proclamation brought the whole Coun-
Religion. ^-^ey in to Julius^ out of which having formed
a numerous Croifade , he marched diredly to-
wards the Nik with an intention to have fal-
len firft upon Raz> Qdla^ the great Champion
of
of E
T H I 0 P I A. 3 Op
of Popery ; but happening in his March to He
come near the place where the Ahiom refided, with a
he went to wait on him to have his Bleding ; ^^^^^ ^^^^^^
the Jbtwciy who was glad to fee him, was not fide a-
fatisfied with giving him a Thoufand Bleffings gainftthe
for being fo valiant for the truth j but though ^^?^^^^-
he was above a Hundred Years of Age he ^, , ^
would go in perfon in the Croifa^e^ telling ^^ J
JuliuSj That as he pould partake of the benefits of gaiufthim
that holy War^ if it had fuccefs ^ fo he was refolved in perfon.
hkewije to partake of its dangers. And whereas
Jtthm was for beginning with Raz^ Cella , the
Ahuna diverted him from it^ by telling him^
That fmce he was at the head offo great and z^ea-
loHs an Army^ he ought not to fpend its firfi heatsy
which were always the frongefi ^in lopping off Bran^
chesy but in firikijig at the Rooty which being once
deHroyed , the Branches would wither of them-
felves. He likewife encouraged the Soldiers^
by telling them , That thy fought for the beft
Caufe in the world ^ that is, the true Religion^ which
the Emperor and his Brother ^ if let alone ^ would cer-
tainly deftroy ; affuring them ^ That whofoe'mx
was flain in this holy War ^ would die a Martyr y
and go fraight to Heaven 5 thundering out his Ex-
communications at the fame time againfi the Empe-
ror and his Brother y and all that adhered to them,
as ApHates from the Faith,
The Emperor liearing that JuUus was
Marching towards him with a numerous and
Zealous Croifadcy fent to his Brother to make
all the haile he could to come and join him
with his Army ; but fearing left Julius, who
made long Marches^ might be up with him be-
fore his Brother could join him : He incamp-
X 3 ed
3 ID The ChnrchHiftory
ed his Army fo, that the Enemy's Horfe, in
which their main ftrength confifted, if they
fliould attack him in his Camp, would be of
Jittie ufe to them.
When the Armies were within fight of one
another, the Emperor fent his Daughter, who
was Wife to Julius^ to try if ftie could per-
fuade her Husband to lay down his Arms,
promifing him not only a pardon for what he
had done, but every thing that a fubjed could
reafonably defire of his Prince : And in cafe
Jhe [hculd not be able to bring him to fubmit,
fhe was then to try if flie could obtain a Cel-
fation of Arms of him for a few days ; but
Julius either reckoning himfelf fecure of a
Vlcflory 5 that would have the Crown for its
reward j or being fearfal to take the Empe-
ror's word after he had prpvoked him fo much,
w^ould hear of nothing but of Fighting ; fay-
ing, He would either die a Martjr for his Religi-
or J or by Conqueri?7g its E.nemics fecure it from he-
ing e^uer dafrofd : And that he might lofe no
He figKts ^^^^^ 3 he attacked the Emperor's Camp be-
th.- Em- fore his Princefs was well got back to her Fa-
prror's ther ; and having put himfelf at the head of
Ay^jy'j"^ a brisk, body of men , be advanced towards
his out-guards, who though they did notcom.e
in to him, would not ftrike a ftroke, telling their
Officers flatly. That they would 72i%}ir draw their
Swords againfi a man , iifho was fghtirg in De^
fnce of their Religion. Julius obferving this,
asked aloud all the way he went, where the
Err.fcror was, that was refohjed to dcfi^roy the Re^
Ugio-n of their Forefathers^ 7vhich he was there 7vith
his Sword in his hand ready to dtfaul agaivfi^ him
and
is killed.
of E
T H I O P 1 A,
J»
and all Manktjjd ; with vvhich^ as if it had been
the word o^ the Imperiali'sfs^ he advanced within
fight of the Royal Tent without having met
with the leall oppofition, until a body of 7;-
gru7js, who were pofted not fiir from it, put a
full ftop to his Career, thorough vc^hom as he
was hacking his way , he was knocked off
his Horfe with tlie blow of a ftone under the
left E} e ; and as he lay on the ground, had
his head prefently chopped off, which was
carried to the Emperor by a private Sentinel.
The Body that advanced with Tw/zV/j, having as
it were loll their Soul in their Commander,
was prefently hewed all in pieces ; and the
Tigrians following their blow , and the other
ImferialiBs who would not ftrike a ftroke be-
fore , joining with them , now that Jtdms
was (lain , they put the whole CroifaJe imme-
diately to the rout ; every man of them fo old ^Abu-na
foon as they heard of their General's being fl^^in.
killed, throwing down their Arms, and crying
out for Quarter. The old Jhuna was Itun-
ned fo with this fudden turn of things^ that he
was not able to ftir from the place where he
Iiad polled himfelf ; but though feveral of the
Imperialifts knowing him to be the Ahma^ had
out of Reverence to his charader and great
Age paffed by him without offering him any
violence ; yet a true Roman CathcUck^ fay the
yefuits, whofe name was Za Michael^ having
found him out, ga've him feich a blo7u in the mck
with his Lance ^ that he laid his head at his foot j
with whofe, and y////«i's death, this great Cm-
[ade vanifhed, having had no other effect,
than to enrage the Emperor more than he was
X 4 before
The Crai^
jaide is
totaJly
defeated,
and the
^12
The Em-
per-or up-
on this
Viftory
prohibits
his Sub'
jefts to
©bferve
i>aturday.
A fevere
Libel
comes out
againftthe
Emperor,
Tl;e ChurchHijlory
before againft the AlexanMa?7s^ and their Re-
ligion ^ who immediately upon this Vidory
fet forth a Proclamation ^ prohibiting all his
SuhjeBs uf07^ fevere penalties to chjtrve Saturday
dfjy longer.
This Tmpious Proclamation^ as the HahaJJijts
reckoned it, produced a bitter Libel, directed
by way of a Letter to the Emperor, wherein
he v^as told , That his Subjects 7vere all amaz^ed
at his wickednefs in commanding the violation
cif that Sacred day \ ad'vifing him not to he rid by
the Jefuits, 'who were an Ignorant little fcrt of feo-
ple ; and who being of the race of Pontius Pilate^
and Uncircumcifed^ did teach y that there are Two
Natures in Chrifi : Adding, That they were men
fw allowed t/f in the Gidfh of their own Fopperies^
and did run headlong like an unbridled HorJCf with^
out lcoki77g before them ; and did well dejer'ue to
ha-ve a Milfione tied about their Necks^ and to be
thrown into the Sea , and to be made partakers of
the Cur fe that bef el Tope 'Lqo for halving dented the
Unity of Chrifi's Nature ; and after a great hud-
dle of Texts of Scripture in favour of their
Doctrines^ it at laft admoniiliech the Emperor
that in cafe he was not weary of his Crown^ and
the high Dignity he had. recei'ued from the Topes of
Egypt , who wore the holy and new Ephod , and
here the badge of the Crofs^ togi-ve ever trying; (uch
ncv/ Expenmtnts : concludi?,g thus • Ah ! fVe do
here (end this precious jl one 7vhich ailightens the eyes
cf the blind 5 May it be for a?i offering , but may
the Swme ntnjer jee tt^ that jo they may net tram-^
pie it under their unclean feet "^ for it is written^ Tou
jhall 77ot throw Jewels befm'e Swine.
This
o/E
THioprA, 315
This Libel galled the Emperor fo terribly,
that to be re'vc?iged on its Authors, he publifhed
a Second Proclamation , by which he com-
manded all his Subjedsto work on Saturdays,
being to pay a Crown for the firft fault, and np|,g £j^.
to forfeit their whole Eftate for the fecond ; peror by
to which penalty the Offenders were to con- a Second
tinue liable Seven Years after the fault was Proclama-
committed, by which time the Fathers hoped m°nds°aS*
tb^t Tcfery might ha%'e got firevgth enough in his Sub-
Ethiopia to execute this Law as they fljould jee oc- jeftsto
cajion^ being [enfihle that there would be few or ^^^^
none of any Eft ate that would not be under its lapj. ^^°" j
This rigorous Proclamation being fent to
Joanel the Viceroy of Begameder ^ who waited
for fuch an opportunity to raife the people a-
gainft the Emperor, to publilli, he command-
ed it to be done prefently with great Solem-
nity, taking care at the fame time, to declare
to all the World, that it was what he abomi-
nated from his Soul : Neither was Joanel de-
ceived in his thoughts of the effects of this Pro-
clamation ; for the people no fooner heard of
the Emperors having comm.anded them un-
der fevere Penalties for to work upon Saturdays^
than they began to rail at him, as one who
had no Religion ; and who , for that and
other reafons was become fo intolerable to his
cubjiclsj that they miift be Be aft s of Burden to
endure him any longer ; and hearing that Joanel
had declared himfelf openly in all Companies
againlt what the Emperor had commanded , ^ break
they flocked to him from all Quarters, be- out upon
feeching him as he had any lo've for God and his ic.
Count rey^ not to jujfer their Religion to be thus
tram-
514 '^^^ ChurdpHiJiory
trampled on 5 promifing to die hj his fide in the de-
fence of it, yoanelhzv'mg forefeen what the Em-
peror ^ his Zeal for Tofery would quickly bring
thi7igs tOy had obtained a promife of confiderable
Succours from the Gauls whenever he fliould
take the Field ; upon the ftrength of which^
and the fury the Emperor's late Proclamation
had put the whole Empire into^ he formed a
great Army out of the people that flocked in to
him ; affuripg them ^ now he had taken
up Arms^ that he would never lay them
down until he had fecured their Religion to
them. When the news of this fecond Croifade
came to Court^ great numbers of the firfi:
Quality of both Sexes fet upon the Emperor
An ad- again, befeeching him as he lonjed himfelf and his
drefs is Emfire ^ to gi've ever all thoughts of introducing
made to J'opery into a Countrey ^ that of all things in the
theEmpe- ^^^y^ could not endure it,
trouble The Emperor , though much troubled to
his people find that foaiiel and his Caufe had fo many
with Po- friends in his Court ; yet not being willing
P^^^* to do any thing that might intimmedate his Con-
The Ad '^'^^'^"^ ^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ Grandees that had addreC-
dreiTersare fed to him, with an angry countenance. That
puniflied. it was his SuhjeBs duty to ohey^ a7id not to diffute
his Commands * and that he would teach them het^
ter ma?mers than to fly thzis in their Vrinces face^
when he did any thing- that difpleajed them ; and
hoping to have terrifi'd the Grandees from
troubling him with any more Addreffes , he
commanded one of the 7noH forward Addreffers
to be put to death y banilliing another of them for
his life to the Kingdom of Narea ; which
cruelty was fo far from having the efted: that
was
ofE
T H I O P I A.
3»5
was expected from it^ that it did but Exafpe-
rate peoples jpirits ^ and put them into a greater
rage agatnfi Popery than they were in before.
The Emperor, though he could not but fee
the ftorm thicken upon him on all fides , yet
was fo far from feeking to divert it by any
Compliances^ that having called a full AfTem-
bly of the Grandees^Monks^ and Military Offi-
cers together in the great Hall of the Pa-
lace, he made the following Speech to them.
YO U Ris againft the Emperor Jacob,
and halving Depofed htm for feueral Mij de-
meanors , you ad'vanced my Coufin Za Danguil ■*■ "^ f ^'"
to the 'Throne J whom for halving forsaken your Re- CpggpU
ligion, and embraced that of the Portuguefes, thereup-
you afterwards Murthered ^ and after having con- on.
f erred the Crown upon me^ you made Jacob King
a Second time ^ but though you intended to hanje
Depofed me, God was pieafed to gi've me Victory ;
from that day to this I haz'e done 7Prc77g to no body^
hut on the contrary , ha've pardoned great numbers ^
having been prodigal of my fax'ours to a fault •
but all this has net been fufficient to keep you from
Rebelling^ upon a pretence that I am endeavouring
to defiroyyour Religion j when^ in truth ^ I do only
feek to reform it ; for as I do profefs with you^
That our Lord Chrijl- is true God and true Man ;
fo 1 do moreover affirm ^ That as he canyjot be per^
feFt God without having the Nature of God, fo
neither can he be perfeB Man without a Human
Nature ; now fince it is evident by the light of
rcajon. That the Divine and Human Nature are
really diftinguifhed^ it mu(t follow therefore, that
there are two Natures in Cbrijf j and fince there
can
II 6 The Church Hijiory
can he no Confufion in the Godheady thofe fivo
Natures mufi necejfarily be united in one and the
fame Ferfon of the Eternal Word ; fa that what J
am doingy is not to forjake the Faith, hut to fro-
fefs it in truth. And I do further affirm. That the
Divine Nature is Superior to the Human, It is
true, 1 have forhid you to ohferve Saturday any
longer j and it is an amaz>ing thing that you who
value your felves upon being Chrijtians, Jhould he
for keeping the Sabbath of the Jews j what is
this, but, as the Prophet Elias faid, to go halt-
ing, &c, ? As this is my Faith, fo I do not follow t%
hecaufe it is the Faith of the Poituguefes, or of the
Roman Church, but hecaufe it is the Faith that was
ef-abltfljed by Six hundred Fathers in the Council
of Calcedon^ which Condemn d Diofcorus and
Eutyches y and for being a truth founded on the
Scriptures, and derived from the Apofiles, v>ho
were the Teachers of the World, Undeceive your
felves therefore ; for for this Faith I am ready to
lay down my life if there Jhould be occafion^ though
I muf- tell you at the fame time, it floall cofi them
their Lives firji that pall dare to contradiB me
therein.
How feafonable a Speech of this ftrain,
was^ in which Father Feter, who was now
become the firft Minifter^ had a hand un-
doubtedly, for one in the Emperor's Cir-
cumftances, let the world judge.
The Emperor having received an infolent
Eetter from Joanel, wherein he infilled upon
having the Jejmts all turned out of Ethiopia,
and his being declared Viceroy of Begameder
for his Life^ was fo incenfcd, that he march-
ed
o/E
T H 1 O P 1 A. ^17
ed agciinft him in Perfon ; but Joanel having
advice thereof, and knowing himfelf not to The Em-
be ftrong enough to deal with him, he Re- P^^°^
treated to the Mountains, where his Army's A^iny^ a-
Zeal being allayed by the want of Provifions, it gainftthe
inoulder'd to nothing in a ftiort time; fo that Rebels,
he was obliged with a fmall Party to take ^jj^ ^^^^^
fandluary among the Gauls^ who having been "^
hired to it by the Emperor, put him to
death.
The Emperor being returned to BoncaZy
where he intended to fpend the Winter, was
invited by the Fathers to come and vifit the
new Church they had built at Gorgora, which
he did with great Devotion , putting his
Shoes off when he entered into it ; but the
late Proclamation had bred too much til blood in
Ethiopia for to let it be long quiet. The Da-
rrwtes^ a People inhabiting the banks of Nile,
being thrown into fuch a rage by Raz, Cella,
their Viceroy's rigorous Execution thereof,
that they all flew to their Arms as one Man,
being likewife inftigated fo to do by great
droijes of Hermits , who being alarmed by the
late Proclamation, flocked to them from all
parts of the Defarts, railing all the way they
came at the Emperor and his Brother, as
^poftates, and at the Jesuits as thz Authors of
all their troubles*^ feveral of them running
over the Countrey as men difiraBed , and
roaring as they went , That all People ivere
bound in Conjcience to take up Arms againfi the
Emperor and his Brother ^ in defence of their Re-
ligion, which they feemed to be refolved to defiroy.
The
3i8 The ChuYchHtJlory
The Viceroy hearing of the mad work the
Hermits were making among the Damotesy
writ to fome of his Friends in thofe parts,
not to fufFer themfelves and the People to be
any longer abufed by fuch a fack of Ignorant
and Hypocritical Rafcalsy who taught them nothing
hut Lies ; but he could have no other anfwer
from them than. That unlefs he vjohU hum all
his Fopijh Books y and deliver up all his yefuits to
The Da* them^ that they might hang them all upon one
motes take ^^^^^ yV^^ ^ ^^^ ^^^ mifchiefs they had done in
for their Ethiopia, they would have nothing more to do
Religion, "^it^h him^ heing all to a man rejolved to live and
and are die in the Alexandrian Faith. The Viceroy
routed. j^q^ caring to part with his Books and Jefuits
fo eafily, advanced towards them with an Ar-
my of Seven Thoufand well-difciplin'd Men;
the Damotes were near double the Number,
having Four hundred Hermits who had de-
voted their Lives to their Religion , well
Armed vv^ith Targets and Launces ,- this great
inequality in numbers did not hinder the
Viceroy from offering them Battel fo foon as
he came up with them, which they having
accepted of, the two Armies quickly came to
blows, but the Damotes being raw men, and
not well Armed, were at the firft onfet put
to the rout, and befides a great Daughter that
was made among the Soldiers as they fled
towards the Mountains, there were One hun-
dred and eighteen of the Monks, with their
famous Captain Bat are , found llain upon the
Ipot where the Fight was ; the Viceroy is f lid
to have loft but One Man in the A<5lion, and
he tooy which made the lofs the lefs, was a
Heatheno
of E
T H I O P I A. 319
Heat ben » A Miraculous Evidence^ fay the Je^
fmts, of the Truth of the Roman , and of the
falfhood of the Alexandrian Faith.
The Emperor, when Father Peter Congra-
tulated him upon this Vidory, told him. He
had great reajon to thank God for />, for that had
the Damotes gahedthe leaft ad'vantage, hejliould
have had the 'whole Empire frefently in Arms
againf- him, whofe Spirits he believed Tvere 7J07u
pretty well Juhdued, and that after fuch a blovj, it
'Would not be fo eafy for the Monks or Hermits to
Roar them into any more Rebellions ; and where-
as he had hitherto been with-held by his fears ^
and his Wife's, which he was very unwilling to xhe Em-
have parted withal, from Reconciling hiinfelf peror re-
formally to the Church of Rome, he told the conciles
Father, he would delay to do it no longer ; ^^^j"^^^
the Father over-joyed to hear this, upon his chuj-^h q£
having firft Abjured all the Alexandrian Errors, Rg^e,
and made a Confeffion of his whole Life to himy
gave him Abfolution, and Reconciled him to the
Tope.
But the Father, overcome it is like by the
Joy of this Converfion, outlived it but a few
days ; his Death was much Lamented by the
Emperor and his Brother, to whom the Fa-
ther was become a perfedl Oracle, in all State, no
lefs than Church-matters,
Prefently after Father Teters death, there
were Three Letters writ from Ethiopia to the
Provincial and Vifitor of the Jefuits in the
Indies, to fend them a Patriarch, with as ma-
ny Fathers as they could fpare : The firft was
writ by the Emperor to the Provincial, the
iecond and third to the Vifitor, by Father
Luis
320 Tl?e ChurchHiflory
Luis de Azevedoy and Father Antony Fernandez.
The Contents of which Letters being mu^h
the fame^ I fliall fet down that of Father An-^
tonys only, which is the Jhorteft of them.
Father Antony Fernandez Letter to the
Father Vifttor of the Indies.
ITVrite ihis'with the good News of this Kingdom ^
to your Reverence y to engage you to order Pro-
ceffions to be made, and to have Maffes faid,
and the Te Deum fung, to return 1' hanks to God
for the favour he has Jhe7i^ed us in the Conver-
fion of this Empire, the doing whereof wtll very
much refrejh the Fathers and Brethren who labour
here with me^ and will fweeten the great hardfiips
they undergo.
The Emferer with his whole Court , and all the
Grandees ^ and Frinces Ecclefiafiical and Secular
of this Empire y have abjured their Errors ^ and made
a publick VrofeJJion of their Obedience to the holy
See cfRome.
The general Adminifiration of all Churches and
Tarijhes being put into my hands ^ 1 have E/lablifljed
Curates in them ally having made juch new Laws
as were necefj'ary ; and abolijhed all the old ones
that were contrary to the Roman Church, I have
hadfome thoughts of coming to jou^ and have been
ready to begin my journey ^ but have been ft dl hm^
dered by the Glory of God , which obligeth me to
keep clofe to the Emperor.
The thing we ft and moft in need of here at pre^
fenty is a Fatnarch, with a good r.urnber of Fathers,
to help us to carry on th'efe good beginnings. Tour
Reverence
o/E
T H ! O P I A. Jll
Reverc7jce canjwt hut he fe?ijih!e of this our wanty
without 7ny e?flargwg upon Jt, Our Fathers and
Brethren ought to run thorough fire a7jd ivatcr^
Tikes and Swords for to affft this Qountrey \ leH
having the promijed Land jljewtd us^ ive may he
excluded it thorough our own fault. Thtj ought to
flock hither with all fojfible fpecd ; for notwith(iand^
ing the Heirs apparent of the Empre y and all the
Trmces and Nobles thereof are at prefent true Ca^
tholicks 5 Neverthelefs jhould we happen to he de*
prvved of the 'Emperor and his Brother Zela Chri-
ftos hy deathy it is to he feared y that the Monks and
Habaffins might raife j editions to the pulling down
of all that "we have hilt ; and may perfuade the
peopky who are inore changeable than the windy to
abandon 7i^hat they have Jo lately embraced*
Wherefore your Reverence would do well to fend
2ts all the Fathers you can fpare ; let them he at
leap: Twenty y whom we jliall endeavour to accom^
rnodate the heft we cany until it jloall pleafe God to
raife up a Cardi?ial or Prince to have ccmpafto7i
upon thefe poor people y and to juccor thoje who la-
hour in their Converfon, No day pajjeth wherein
the Emperor do^s not fpeak to us to Je?jd for Two
hundred Fathers y faymgy God will provide for
them when they come, t amfenfble the Society
cannot furnijlj us with fo manyy though if it couldy
the Corn here is fo ripe for the Harvefiy that they
would all find work enough. We did at fir fi accom^
mo date our J elves to the customs of the Countrey^
that we might with the more eaje gain them to the
Lord j having be (ides the Fafis that are command-
ed, kept WednefdayS;, and ohferved Lent^ andEa,-
fter^ and the other principal FeaHsy according to their
file ; according to which y Eafter falls fometifnes a
Y Month
11 The ChiirchHiflory
Month fcoTicr than opith us ; reciting our Offices
Ukewife after their cufiom on the E'vening of Fafi-
ing:-days 5 hut fo foon as we found them difpofed
for ity Tve propojed to them the Rites, Cufioms, and
Ceremonies of the 'L^tm-Church , and the decrees
of the_ Fope , 7vhich they have now uniuerfallly-
agreed to ; fo that of late we have without any
co?7tradiBion, kept Eafter, and the other Feafis, ac-
cording to the Reman file. For the fettlement
vjhereof , they have earnefily demanded the Tables
of our Moveable Feafis, and the Eccleftafiical Epa5l,
to prevent their being mifiaken, I have by Letter
dejired our Frcvincial to fend us fuch Tables , that
any one of a common capacity may accommodate the
names that are in them, to the names of this Cowj^
trey. To which end I have fent him a Table that
ovas made here by a Catholick, who is very expert
hi Arithmetick, that he may examine it, and alter
it as he ^mll think convenient. And I do earnefily
hefeech your Reverence, to get this affair dijpatched
as foon as it is poffble, and to order continualFray-
ers to be made to God in our behalf, and in behalf
of this Ccuntrey : We have lofi two good Fa-
thers here ; God take us under his VrotcBion ^ for
this Miff on has juflrained^ a great lojs by their deaths '
this Empire, which wants I do not know how many
'Priefis, at prefent has only. Father jamQS Matos^
and Father Anthony Bruno^ who have the [ok
tharge of Gojam ; and Father Lewis d Azeve-
do, 7vho is gone lately to Ambra ^ and my Jelf^
Tvho am fixt at Court, Praifed be God we are all
in health at prefent j but Father Levvis"^ or-
dinary difiempers are Juch as demand a writ of
eafeforhim'y but Charity and a Zeal for Souls over-'
comes all dijfictikies ^ I do rcco?77me?id my felf
t^
o/ E T H I O P I A . J 1 J
to your Rtverences Trayers , and holy Sacri-
ficts.
March 3d. 1623.
How far Popery was from having got fuch
footing in Eth'iopa as this Letter reprefents it
to have had ^ will appear from the fequel of
the Story,
Such Reports as thefe of the Converllon
of Ethiopia, being tranfmitted to Rome
Mutio Vitelefa, the General of the Jefmts,
to fecure the honour of that Converfion to his
own Order, waited upon the Pope ; and with-
out any Commiffwn or Order from the Empercr to T^^'^^^"
do it, made a fubmiffion to the Pope in his "^J^X^y^
name with all the ufual Solemnities ; and not makes \Q
being able to obtain leave no more than Igm- Emperor's
tius, though he begg'd it of the Pope with the ^ubmiiTion
fame earneftnefs as his Patriarch had done, ^^^ p^pg
to go in perfon to Ethtofia, to finifh that great without'
work 3 he contented himfelf with fending any com-
a Nuncio to do it ; the Jejuit he employed n^i^i<^n
in this Embaffy, was ontMamiel d'Almcyda, ^l^f^\l^
who at that time refided at Bapaim in the In-
dies ; who with Three other Fathers arrived
at Eremona in Ethiopir., in the Year 1624.
where having ftaid a M6nth with his Brethren,
to inform himfelf of the true ftatc of Affairs^
he begun his Journey to Court ; where when
he arrived, he was received with great Cere-
mony by the Emperor ; who when the Nun-
cio at his firfl: audience offered to have kiffed He fends a
his hand, would not fufter him to do it ; but Nuncio
having commanded him to fit down by him, ^° *^*? ^^
he asked him feveral Cueflions concerning hi^**"*
Y % the therewirh.
5 24 Tk Church' Hifiory
the Pope^ and the King of Tortugal^ and the
Hate of Affairs in Eurofe ; the Nuncio percei-
ving that he took no notice of his Mafter
Vitelkfciy^i^ood up^ and told him^, That his Re-
-verend General Matio Vitellefci ^ 770t halving to
his great forrow been able to obtain lea've of the
Fope :o come hi perfon to Tvait upon his Highnefsy
had fent him to kifs his hand in his name y and to
return his Highnefs his thanks for the favours he
hadflieivd to the Friars of his Order \ and to ac-
quaint him furthermore^ with his haz^ing made his
Highiiefs fubmiffwn to the Fope^ who is the head of
the Churchy and Chrifi's Vtcar on Earthy by ha-
ving kiJJ'ed his HolinefVs feet in his name, Tlie
Emperor^ though furprized^ did not feem to be
difpleafed with the General for having been
fo officious ; but having commanded his Let-
ters to be read prefently by Father Anthony^
he w^as fo well fatisfied with them^, that he or-
dered his Hiftoriographer^ who was prefent at
the reading of them^ not to forget to infert them
mto his life.
The Emperor reckoning he had fo far fub-
dued the Spirits of his Subjed:s^ that he might
now do what he pleafed with them ; begun
to make bolder fteps towards the introducing
of Popery, than he had ventured to make be-
fore ; and in order to make the Alexandrian
Faith odious to his People , he fet forth the
following Mamfeftoy on purpofe to blacken the
Memories of their former Abunas.
The
of E
T H I O P I A.
325
The Manifefto of the Emperor Saltern
Saged Cometh to the whole ivorld of his
Empire.
HEAR what wc fay ayjd write in favour of The Em-
the ho!/ Faith ( which is true ^ and, has no P^^.^„
crookednefs tn tt ) of the great City of iLomQ, the P^^hflicth
Chair of St. Peter , whom our Lord Jejus Chrifi proachful
Confiituted the Trmce of the faithful ; telling him Manifefio
from his ovm holy mouthy from whence no error againftthe
could flow. Thou art Veter, &c. as he didalfowhe?i ^^^*''w«'''-
he was ready to he crucifd for the Redemption of
the world. Simon , behold Satan hathdefigned to
winnow thee as Wheat, but I have pray'd that
thy faith may not fail ^ commanding him like-
wije after his Refurreflion, and before his Ajcen-
fion ifj^he fleflj into Hea'venj to feed his Rams,
his Sheep and his Lambs, meaning by Rams, men,
by Ews women, and by Lambs children ; and thus
St, Peter had Authority gi'ven hi?n o'uer all Chri-
(lians. This 'venerable Prince of the Afo files, when
he was about to league the world, that he might go
to his Creator to recii've his reward, beo^ueathed this
p'i'uilege^andjpimacy to his Succeffon in the Chair
of Rome, where it has continued and will continue
to the end of the world ; fo that it [Jjall neither be
in the pwer of Moors nor Turks nor of any other
Creature to deflroy it ; thofe words of our Lord
Jefus, the Gates of all fliall not pervail againft
it being its jure defence.
So when a Contro'verfy arofe in the Church, the
firft Council of Nice , which confifted of Three
hundred and aghtem BifJjops, threw Arius out of
Y 3 the
I id The Church Hijiory
the Churchy for affirming the Son of God to he a
Creature ; as the fecond Council^ confifiing of One
hundred and fifteen Patriarchs and BijljopSy affem-
hied in the City of Conftantinople;, r//WMacedo-
nius^ for ajj'erting the Holy Ghofi to he a Creature j
and the third Council^ confifling of Three hundred
Bifijopy did Neftorius^ for dividing Chr'tfi into
Two Terjons^ the ' Divine and Human ; and the
fourth y confifiing of Six hundred and thirty Patri-
archs and BifwpSy af'emhled in the City: of Calce-
doiij Excommunicated the Rebellious Diofcorus^
forjoyning in Infidelity with Eutychesy in mixing
the Hu?nanity with the Diviyjity^ fo as to : make
One only ' Nature 5 whereas ^ it is moft certain ^
That there are Two Natures in Chrtfit^ the- Divine
and Hu7nan 5 on the account of whicj) Divine
Nature it was^ that the jaid Three hundred and
eigheeen Fathers did put the foUowkig VJords into
the Creed, We believe in our Lord Jefus Chrift
the only begotten Son of the Father^ and
who was with him berore the World was
Created 5 as on the account of his Human Na-
ture^ the follow wg words were added. And was
conceived by the Holy Ghoft^ in the Womb
of theVijgin 7Vf^-?7^ with the Gonfent of the
Father, and the Son , and of the faid Holy
Ghoft, Three Perfons and One only God ; the
Father and the Son not heirg named on that occa-
ficn, being no argument cf ihofe Fathers not be^
lieving ^>cy did not Co-operate therein with the
Holy spirit, hut it was done o?i purpofe to teach us.
That in the Mofi Bkfj'ed Trinity, be fides the opera--
tions ad Intra, there are operations ^d Extra ; ac^
( or ding to the holy Fathers y of tkofe ad Extra,
the ['forks of Po7ver are attributed to the Father ^
, thofe
o/ E T H I O P 1 A. J 17
thofe of TVtfdom to the Sotj^ uni thofe of Lo've to
the Holy Ghofi : Wherefore fmce the Incarnation of
the Son of God was for the Jake of the Sons of
Men^ a?td for that reajon luas a Ifork of Love :
The Three hundred a?jd eighteen Fathers did attri-
bute It to the Holy Sprit : Thoujrh in Virtue and
Tower y and the Creation of things ^ the Fat her y
Son, and Holy Ghofi y are 0?7e only Trui^God : The
Virgin Mary was wentio7icd hy them upon accomit
of the Human Nature, which in an inflrant united
it felf to the Eternal Terfon of the Son, who is
efjual in Di'vinity to the Father ; and that in our
Lord yefus Chrifiy beifig ojily One Verfon, there are
Two Natures , is written m divers Books of the
Holy Spirit, St. Matthew m the beginning of it,
calleth his Gojpel, The book of the Generation
of Jefus Chrift^ the fon of David^ the fon of
Abraham ; which was faid on the account of his
Human Nature ^ as it ivas on the account of his
Divine Nature that St. John faith, In the be-
ginning was the Wordj and the Word was
with God^ and God was the Word^ the Di-
vine Nature having neither Beirinning nor End j
whereas the Huynan Nature haJ a Beginnings
All which Writings notimthfianding, Euryches,
the Mafier of Mifchief, did affirm , That there
was only One Nature in Chrifi, and Jo mixed the
Humanity with the Divinity 5 now this Rebel was
followed by Diofcorus_, who affified him both in
word and deed, and having procured the Murther
of FlavianiuSj Patriarch rf Conftantinople^ for
having Excommunicated Eutyches^ and fome
other ohfiinate Here ticks that- were before him^
namely , Arius , Macedonius , Neftorius _, and
Sabellius j all wloicb mcttters having been fub-
Y 4 7mtted
3x8 T^?e Church^mjiory
THtttei to the Holy Roman Church, the Head of
all other Churches, on the account of the Empire
and Trimacy that it hath hy inheriting the Tower
of St. Peter, the Frince of the Jpofiles.
It is certain the Patriarchs who jucceeded DioC-
corus in the See of Alexandria , ha^ve not
Treached the true Faith, in having taught that there
is only One ^'Nature in Chrift ; and Jo being deflt-
tute of the true Faith, they have wandered out of
the paths of Patriarchs, BiJJjops, and Priefis, in
having had Wives and Children , and Grand'
Children, and have been intang-led in divers thinz^
not ft to he named j they have alfo taken Money
for Holy Orders ; and having Confecrated Salt
Stones for Altar Stones, have aferwards fold
them 5 having hkeiinfe tyranniz,ed cruelly over
thofe they Ordained, obliging feveral of them to
ferve them a Tear, or Six Months at leaf, inlaw-
ing Wood or Stone for their Palaces, before they
would Ordain them ; for which PraBice they were
Excommunicated by the Apoftle, who faid. He that
buyeth or felleth Orders, is excommunicated,
and has his portion with Simon Magus ' and
Judas, ■ . ■ ^
T'h'e Abuna Mark, was QonviBed by the Em-
peror Malec Saged , of fe-^eral carnal Crimes
which are not fit to be heard or Uttered, they beijig
of that kind fr which God rai-n.ed down fire from
Heaven j and being Deposed for having been guilty
of them, he was Banjjhed into the IJland ofDok,
where he dyed a frange death, his Belly fwelling
as hard as a 'Drum, ' ihe Abuna Chriilos Diila
kept feveral Ccncubmes, contrary to the cufom of
Patriarchs, as was well known b^ all his Contem-
poraries y and hy fome that are fi ill alive. His
'■ ■ Succefjor
o/E
THioprA, 375^
Succejfor Peter kept a Malaquis TVife, and having
htm co7i'vichd of Adtdtery^ he did Vevavce for tty
as may be tefl-'ified by je'veral Irumg JVitneffeSy
namtly ojie Jofeph^ avd one Marino^ who are both
Stravgtrsy a?}d not Habaflins ; and who adding
/in to finy did Excommumcate the Emperor Jacob,
after he had Reigned Se^ven Tears ^ as he did all
the People of Ethiopia likewife^ in cafe they did
not Depoje him, and Banifj him to the Ki?7gdom
of Narea ; and ha'ving placed Za Danguil /»
the iTorcne, he afterwards excited his SubjeBs to
Aiurther him, by Excommunicating them if they
did not do it 5 and as if all this had not been enough^
he took the Field with the Emperor Jacob againji
us, and was killed with him in the Fight. The
Abiwa Simon 7i>as guilty likewife of diz/ers enor-
mous Crimes, who befides his halving taken* one
Mali an Egyptian'^ Wife from him, and dishonoured
jevtral Virgins, he kept divers Concubines, and
happenifg to have a Child by one who was not able
to maintain it, to conceal his jhame, he ordered it
to be thrown to the Wolves, by whom it was de^
vowed J this every body knows to be true, namely ^
the Azages ; and %vho, when Julius Rebelled, in-
fiead of labouring, according to the cufom of Pa-
triarchs and Adonks, to make Peace, joyned with
him in his Rebellion, and having called his Soldiers
together, told them on the day before the Battel,
That he forgave them all,Toung and Old, their Sins,
notwithfanding they had broke all tbe Command^
jmndments , upon condition they would put all to
the Sword that they found in Arms inthe Emperor s
Camp, and that he 7vould Canoniz^e the Mail that
would kill the Emperor, afjitring them that all that
jhould be flain fighting againfi him, would die Mar-
tyrs.
5^0 7he Church^ Hijiory
tyrsy afid go flraightways to Heaven'^ encouraging
Julius'j Soldiers^ after the exafnfk of Sata?iy to
fight againfb us ; hut God was f leafed to gi've us
the ViBorj j and the Di'vine Jufitce having laid
its Military hands upon him^ he died an iU death.
But to return to our chief intent y thefe Patriarchs
in havingy from the time of Diofcorus , denied
Obedience to the Topes of Rome, who are the Sue-
cefjors of St, Peter, the foundation of the Faithy
and the Head of the Holy Church'^ and in having
affirmed that there is only One Nature in Chrifty
and in having refufed the Ordinances and Canons
of the Afoflles of our Lordy and wrefied all wri--
tings to their own wicked purpofesy have not lead
the People in the paths of Truth: Let us therefore
give over yeilding Obedience any longer to the Pa^
triaro>los of Alexandria, who are all Jacobites^
walkwg in the ways of their Errors y and treading
in the fteps of Arius, Macedonius, Sabellius,
Eutyches, and Diofcorus, and let us yeild Obe-
dience to the Bifljop of Rome, oi'ho fits in the
Chair of St. Peter, which Chair cannot Err in
any matter of Faith or good Man7iers. And do
you all in Peace follow the Holy Faithy which
Chrifi our Lord built with his Holy Blood on the
C.rojsy which he jljed for the Salvation of all
that do believe in bim-y for ever and ever. Amen.
This Manifello, notwithftanding it is Or*
thodox as to what relates to the two Natures in
Chrift, yet its throwng fo much dirt, and in
all probability unjufily, on the Memories of
the Habaffin Abuna's, was a thing infinitely
• below the Dignity, as well as Charity of a
Chriilian Bmpercr, who let his Religion be
what
o/E
T H I O P I A.
31
what it will, is nop to ."ii/rite Libels, hut to burn
tbem rather, m Conftantine ^/;V/. And as to the
policy of fuch a Manifefto at this time^ un-
iefs the Emperor's Affairs were in fuch a con-
dition, that it was fafe for him to proiwke his
SubjcBs to Rebel, that fo by jtibduwg them, he
might defiroy the ejtablijl)ed Religion wuh the more
ea[e, it was certainly (lark naught, there being
nothing that he could have done, that could
have enraged his People more againft him^
than the making of jucb lev/d refleSlions on Tre-
lates, for whoje Memories the Habaflins had a
mofi profound ^veneration ^ but Juch blunders as
thefe are to be expeSled in places where Frinces Coun^
cils are governed by People who ha'ue fpent mofi of
their days /;; a Cell, under the difcipline of a blind
Obedience,
The Emperor about this time finding that The Em-
notwithftanding he had enraged his Subjeds P^ror ^
aim oft CO a madnefs againft him by his Mani- Y^'^^IV^'
fefto's and Prookmations in favour of Pope- Brother,
ry, that Ills Brother Rjiz. Cella wasftill court-
ed by the whole Roman Party as their Head,
fo that he was left, in a manner, without a
Friend that he could confide in ; he refolved
upon fome pretence or other to ftrip his Bro-
ther, not only of the Viceroyfhip of Gojam,
but of all the Pofts of Authority that he was
pofTelTed of, judging it to be neceffary to his
fafety, to keep him as low as it was poflible ;
and efpecialiy if the Fortuguefe Succors fhould
come, which had been deHred. Raz, Cella, who
was a Prince of a violent and rafli Temper,
having difcovered his Brother's jealoufies of
bim, together wjth the refolutions they had
made
3ji 71)6 Church^ Hi/lory
made him take, did ftorm at fuch rate in alt
Companies, as to make the Emperor much
more jealous than ever ; who though refolved
to throw him down, yet being willing to do
it as gently as might be, he called him out of
Gojam to Command an Army he was fending
againft one Cahael^ who had raifed a Croifade
againft him.
He fends ^^^ Cellay though he was not ignorant of
him a- what was his Brother's defign in giving him
gainftc^- this Command, yet being fenfible that the
hrael, who Roman Party in Ethiopia was but a handful,
he^/of a ^^^ ^hat the Alexandrians, who were a Thou-
Croifade. ^^^^ ^^ One, would upon the Emperor's a-
bandoning all Popifli Interefts, which a rup-
ture with him at that time would have forced
him to, not only have forgave him all that
was paft, but would as one man have de-
clared for him , and ftood by him in de-
fence of their Religion ; he judged it moft
advifable for him to obey the fummons ,
and accordingly went and took the Com-
mand of the Army upon him , and ha-
ving made a Vow to Francis Xa'vier to build
a Church to him if he returned Victorious,
he marched againft Cahrael, who finding him-
felf too weak to refift the Royal Army,
truffed up his Baggage fo foon as it approach-
ed him, retiring with what fpeed he could to
the Gauls, by whom, being hired to do it, he
was 'Murthered ; which fuccefs was fo far
from reconciling the Emperor to his Brother,
that it madehim more afraid of him than ever.
Now while things were thus in Ethiopia,
at Rome and Madrid they thought it was mors
than
'-" 1
o/" E T H I O P I A. 3 5}
than time that a Patriarch were fent thither
with Two Coad jutors^and with the fame Power A Patrl-
as the former; and accordingly one Alfonfo arch of ^
Mendez. being named Patriarch, and James f^nf/crV*
Seco and John da Rocba, Bifliops of Nice and ^g^ ^^ nf,
HierofoUsy his Two Coadjutors by Fhilip the bon.
Fourth, they were approved by the Pope,
and having obtained their Difpenfations, for
they were all Three Jefuits , and Bulls, the
Patriarch and Bifliop Eled of Nice , were
Confecrated at Lisbon by Prelates of a much
higher Sphere than the former Patriarch ,
their Order by this time having pretty well
wore off the odium of Novelty ; the Confe-
cration of the Bifliop Eled of HierofoUs being
prorogued to the Indies,
On the 2 8ch. of May^ the Patriarch with TfiePa-
the Eledt of Hieropolis , the Bifliop of Nice triarchar-
having died in the Voyage, arrived at Goay ^^®^ ^^
where he ftayed till the 17th. of September, '
and then embarked for Cbaul, where he met
with the following Letters from the Emperor
and his Brother.
The Emperors Letter.
WITH the Teacecf the good Tfor^ho ^^^^^
ga've his Life for his Sheep , TVe do give peror's
"many thanks to God our Lord , who has granted Letter to
lis our de fires and petitions ; and has been pleaded the Patri-
ot? ftiljil the time , ivhen your Lordjljip was to ^^^^'
come to he our Patriarch, with two Biflwps Coadju^
tors, who will he all found little enough to help
thefe fraying Sheep in a for my day. May God
bring
534 ^^^ Church*>HiJlorj
bring your LordjUip to r^s in Peace and healthy and
give you fuch a fajfage ^ that we may have you
among us quickly y as the necejjity of this Empire
does require y with the greatnefs of which the Fathers
havey I freftime^, acquainted you at large , in the
meait ti?ne we do hefeech God fo to order matters^
that they may all redound to his Glory and Homw^
mid the good of fo many Souls,
May 1624.
iaz Cella Chrifios'i Letter to the ?&-
triarch.
« , #^1*1 HE Teace of our Lordy the eternal word
RdzCeuass J^ ^^ ji^hom all things were made y and all
tfothe f^'^ ^^^ f^^^ 5 ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^' humanity in the
fmhxCh, Womb of the intirely holy Virgin ; and with-
out grudging did offer himfelf m the Temtle of
the Crojs for our fake y Preferve your Lord-
jhips ferfon from all Tern f oral evils y jhedding the
dew of health Jo on the fleece of your life y as
to bring you in fafety to that high Dignity to
which he hath called you y and to which your Pre--
deceffor cculd never attain. Tour Lordfhtfs Letter
when I received tty threw me into fuch an Extafy
of joyy as that the Souls of the Fathers y when they
:were exfe^mg the Advent of our Savwury were
thrown intOy when that Ray of Divinity appeared
to themy in fo mUch that 1 may fafely fay y thM
from my Childhood to this day y I never felt any
exultation in my heart equal to thaty not being able
'^■' in the ballance of my heart to weigh the gold of
the joy I dtrived from your Lordfnp's Letter y which
'ivas pHrif<id by a ftro7igfiame of love^ on the ar^
rivai
1
o/ E
T H I O P I A.
315
rival of your Lordjlnfs Tiety ; vjhat fljall I re^
turn to God^ who is flow to anger ^ and of
great mercy ? and who do's not look ufon the
countenance of wy wtckednefs 'with the eyes of a
"vigoaous Juftice^ though he is a fearcher out eiien
of "venial Sins ; for having frclorged my life to
hear the joyful news which I have been ma?iy years
expeBtng , the Nerve of wy thoughts having for
a long time defended and hung on the Tree of you^'
Lordjhip's love ^ now as God who is intirely goody
and of abundant kindnefs, has made me wortlyy to
hear the news of your Lordjljip ^ and has thereby
unburdened me of that load of trouble which had
for fever al years lain I o heavy upon me for the fake of
the holy faith 5 fo he will^ I hope^ think me worthy to
fee your Lordjhip's face^ and to kifs your jhooesy be-
ing brim fu ft of Lcve and Charity. I muj} beg your
LordjJjip to make all the hafie yen can to tis^ and to
bring Multitudes of Fathers with you^ that fo this
Land of Ethiopia^ which zs at prefent in the way
of corrupt Do5irine , and in the crooked Faith
of Diofcorus^ and abounding with Errors , may be
wafted into the fecure harbor of the true faith
of St, Leo^ the Tope of Rome y and Succeffor of
St. Peter^ and Fafior of Pajhrs, This Coimtrey
is very large , and has many Tribes of Heathens in
ity 7vho do all dcfire to receive the Cloriftian faith j
and it is not long fmce I deftroy'^d a prodigious Idoly
7phofe bigmnwg was not known among them^ nor
the time when it ivas frft fVorJJnpped • it was
adored by a great many Tribes of FLathens^ called
AgUSj 7vho fence I burjit it to ajliesy have flocked
in great numbers to Baptifm j and it has been the
fame arm?ig the Caffres , neither do we want
fiiiy thirig but Fathers to perfect thefe Co?iverfio7Js J
for
33^ 77;^ ChurchHtflory
for which reason I hefeech you a fecond time to hrin(r
great Numbers of them with you^ &C.
What it fhould be that made the jefuits et
cetera fuch an Original of their Beu-Clerksy if
it was not^ that in the fufprejfed fart of it he
writ as vehemently for Vortuguefe Troops,
which they thought would not look well in
him at a time when he was upon fuch ill
terms with his Brother^ as he did in the part
they have publifhed^ for Fathers, let the Rea-
der difcover if he can ; but however this
were, it is certain, that when he was in dif-
grace with the Emperor his Nephew, that he
writ for fuch Troops at a more vehement rate
than he do's here for Jefuits.
The Pa- In May the Patriarch landed at ^aylar^ from
triarch whence he went difguifed to the King of
»!"^! ^^ Dancalis Court : The Dancalians, who attend-
ed him as his Guard, having heard that there
was an Jhm or Patriarch among the Fathers,
were ftill enquiring, oMch was the Patriarch :
We told them, faith the Patriarch himfelf. That
he died at Sea ; meanirig the Bijlwp of Nice.
The King entertained the Fathers, for the
Patriarch was ftill incognito, very courteoufly ;
and through ignorance refufed a Nohle Trefent
they would have made him, and accepted of
a Trifle,
On the 2 1/. of June the Patriarch arrived
.at Fremona, having one morning by the way
feen a Prodigious Star in the Heavens : Some
of the Fathers were of opinion, that it was
the Star which Conduced the Wtjemen to Beth-
lehem y but the Patriarch defented from them,
;md
Bajflar.
o/ E T H ! O P I A^ 3 J7
and detuonftrated it to be the Figure cf the
BlfJJed ytrgin Mary, who being the St^ar both cf
the Morning a7id the Sea, appc'ircd to thc?n To pre-
mife them her light ; which being agreed to
by all , the Hym7% , Ave Maria Marts Stella ^
&c. and x\\Q AntiphonaySttb ttium p'^eJidmmyWtvQ
fung to it.
The Patriarch continued at Fnmona till
Ncvember j the Emperor having fent him word,
that fb foon as he had made an end of chafti-
fing fome Jews that were in Arms againft him
in the Mountains of Ce?nen , he fhould have
orders to come to Court ; but Raz. Cella, who
would always out-do his Brother in civility
to the i^ow^«-Catholicks^ with his Prefent and
Complement ^ fent the Patriarch a llrong
Guards to wait upon flih whereever he went.
In December the Patriarch arrived at Gorgora^
where he ordained Twenty Friefis, ordaining fuch
of them as were in HabaJJin Orders^ "with a
Condition ; and permitting fuch of them as
were Married, to live v/ith their Wives. Not
many days after, he received an Invitation
from the Emperor to come to DaWcez,, where
the Court was at that time ; and being come
within half a League of the Royal Camp, he
was met by moft of the Officers of the Court
in their beft Cloaths, and a body of Sixteen
Thoufand Soldiers ; who after having made
him a profound reverence, opened to the
Right and Left to make a Lane for him.
Among the Grandees that went out to meei&
him , were BafiUdes , the Emperor's Eldeft
Son, and his fure Friend RaT:. Cella Chnfios.
z u
33
8
The Pa-
triarch
comes to
Court.
Heisgn-
cioufiy re-
ceived by
the Em-
peror.
The Church Biflory
In this State the Patriarch was Condu<5ted
to a Tent that was prepared for him without
the Camp ; where having put on his Tontifi-
ciah ^ the Princes and Grandees all alighted
and kijjed his hand, Vv' hen that Ceremony was
over, he Mounted again^ and was Condud:-
ed to a Tent within the Camp ; where having
put on his Mytre ^ he Mounted a ftately
Horfe richly equipped^ that the Emperor had
prefented him with ; and riding under
a fumptuous Canopy , that was fupport-
ed by Six Viceroys^ he advanced to the
Church Jan Jahet ^ having his Horfe led all
the way by Serca ChriHos the Steward of the
Houfhold.
When the Patriarch gatered into the Church,
he found the EmperOT there fitting on his
Throne with his Crown on his Head ; who
when the Patriarch drew near to him, ris up
and embraced him with great AiFedion , the
Patriarch having paid his Devoirs to the Em-
peror, went up to the Altar ; where having
ipent fome lime in Devotion, he feated him-
felf in his Fo?jtifical Chair , and begun a Ser-
mon, taking for his Text thofe words of the
Pfalmift , Behold how good a?2d pleajant a thing
it is for brethren to Hue together in unity. His
Difcourfe is faid .to have been the more ap-
plauded, for its having been the firfl Sermon
that was ever preached in Ethiopia by an ^huna :
Upon which,asif all Popes ^2?;^ Roman Archbijlwps
were constant and laborious Preachers , and mortal
haters of Money ; the Jejuits triumphed , and
made this refledion , That by this , // there had
been nothing elfc , the .Habaffins might have jeen
ths
O/" E T H 1 O P I A. Jjp
the difference there was henvixt their Church and
that of Rome, their former Abulias halving come
amon^ft them for no other end y but to get money
vut of them ; the Patriarch having given the
hleffwgy v^^as told the Emperor ftaid for him in
the great Hall of the Palace ; who when ^he
Patriarch came near^ ris up and made him fit
down by him in a Chair , that differed no-
thing from that he himfelf llite on ; the Em-
peror after they were both feated , enquired
very kindly about the Patriarch's health ^ and
the length and fatigues of his Voyage ; and J^r^^V^
fome Complements and Ejaculations having Emperor's
paffed on both fides, they fixed the day fubmitring
whereon the Emperor and all his Converts himfeif
were publickly to fwear obedience to the Pope iP^ ^'^
in the hands of the Patriarch. thTpope!"'
The Eleventh of December , which was the
day appointed for the Solemnity, being come,
the Emperor and all the Court-Converts re-
paired to the great Hall of the Palace, in
which there were two Chairs of State placed
hear the Throne, one on the right ilde for the
Emperor, and another on the left for the Pa-
triarch ; who being feated with his Ttara on
his head, and in a Cope of ^Iffergesy he begun
a Sermon, taking for his Text, Thou art Pe-
ter, &c. I fliall not trouble the Reader with
the Serm.on, there being nothing in it but the
common Roman Mmn-^jinms upon thefe words ,
and the grofs fallacy of confounding , the Sufre- The Pa-
macy the Church of Rome now fretends to, ^^^^^^^l jl
with that frimacy of Oi'der that was anciently gi- before the
^^:n to it purely in confideratm of Rome*i bang Emperor,
Z 2 thg
340 The Church" HiJJory
the firfi City in the Empire ; to which purpofe
the Patriarch quoted a Canon of the Council
of Nice, which he told the Hahajfms they would
find in their own Books , which run as fol-
lows :
There are four frmcifal Chairs in the World
7vhich are as the four Rivers that flow out of
Taradife ^ or as the four univerfal Winds,
or as the four Elements y hut above alt the
Chair of St, Peter has the Dignity and Fri-
macy ; and in the fecond place that of St,
Mark of Alexandria ; in the third place that
of St. John ; in the fourth that of Anti-
och 5 which 7vas alfo St, Peter'^ ^ from
which four all the other Bijhops are deri-
'ved.
Now this Canon^ befides that it is not a Ca-
non of the Council of Nice, which in its Con-
ftitution relating to the Hierarchy ^ contra-
dicts it in making Antioch and not Ephefus the
third Chair , and Jerufakm the fourth ^ it
overthrows that very Supremacy to which the
Hahajfms were about to fwear obedience , in
giving no other Primacy to the Roman , over
the other three Patriarchs than it do's to the
Alexandrian over the Other two^ which was un-
doubtedly a Primacy only of Order and not
of Jurifdidion ; for had the Primacy that is here
given to thefe Chairs , been given out of re-
iped to the Apoftles who were their firft Bi-
fhops^ then Ajjtmh muft have been the fecond
if not the firll: , and Alexandria the laft { but
notwithftanding it is not eafy to imagine,
that
of Ethiopia, 541
that the patriarch fhould be ignorant of thefa
two great flaws in his Canon ^ he concluded it
with this flowip), See vow to irJmn you ought to
give wofi Credit^ to a grojs Falfary or Cheats or to
a Decree of Three hundred and eighteen CathoUck
Fathers.
There was another thing he much wfifcd
tifony which was^ That there had been Hereti-
cal Biftiops in all the other Chairs ^ whereas no
Bijhop that had fate in the Chair of Rome,
had ever been fo much as fuffe^led of any Me-
rely ; which to fay no worfe of it, was a bold
wordy confidering I'hat Liberius /^w^j accufed
by all his Contemporaries of Arianifm ; and Ho-,
norius, Bifljop of the fame See, was condemned by
Name in Two General Councils^ as a Heretick,
But the Habaffins having little or no Knowledge
in Church-Hifiory y encouraged the Patriarch to
makefo bold with them.
When the Patriarch had ended Ms Sermon,
the Emperor Commanded the Viceroy of Ce-
men, who was Lord High Chamberlain, to
Ipeak in his Name.
There is but one thing remarkable in the xhe High
Chamberlain^s Speech^ that is, his faying, That Chamber-
the People of Ethiopia ^//r/ compel the Emperor l^ins
much againfi his willy to take the Crown upon himy Speech,
and that tf they would have let him alone, he
would have been much better conte-ated to have
lived and died in the Monaflery they found him in^
than to have been made an Empei'or. Now this
is very different from the Hiftory we have of
liim, which makes him, during Jacob and Za
Dangmh Reign, to have fcoured about with
Z 3 a Body
34^ ^^ Church FJifiory
a Body of Raperees^ and to have fought his
way to the Throne.
When the Chamberlain had done fpeaking,
the Emperor turned about to the Patriarchy
and told him^ Tour Lordjhip is not to think that
^vhat 1 am about to do noiv is anew things 1 halving
*^^ fome years ago yeilded Obedience to the FopCy in the
hands of the Father Superior ^ who is here prefent ;
neverthelefs being willing to do it again
with more Solemnity ^ he took the Book
of the Gofpels in his hand^ and Kneeling
down before the Patriarch, made his Sub-
miffion in the form following :
TheEtn-' TTtT E Seltem Saged, Emperor ^/Ethiopia,
Submifll^ VV Do Believe a?dCcnfe[s, that St. V^t^T
was Conjlittited Trivce of tbe Apoftks by our Lord
fefus Chrify as alfo Head of the w'hole Chnfiian
Churchy Chr'ifi having given him a 'Prmcifality
and Dominion over the whole World ^ whe7t he J aid
unto himy Thou are Peter ; andivhen at another
time he Commanded him to feed his Sheep, We do alfo
Believe and Confefs^ Th0theFopeoj KoiTiQ^ being
lawfully EkBedy is the true Succefj'or of the ApoHk
St, Peter in that Government^ having the fame
'Power' y Dignity y and Primacy over the whole
Chrifiian Church, And to the Holy Father Urban
^the Vnith. who is y by the Grace of God , Pope at
this tim?y and cur Lord , and to his Succefors in
the Gcvtrnment of the Churchy We do Promifey
Offer y and S7veary true Obedience and Subje^ion^
71^'ith all humility at his Fecty for our ow?i Perfon
and E7Kpir^ So hejp US God, and this Holy
Gofpel
Upon
<Dn.
o/" E T H I O P 1 A.' 545
Upon this Submiffion the Emperor was re-
prefented here in Europe , by the Miffionaries
as one of the greateft Saints that had ever wore,
a Crown : But upon his returning to re-efta-
blifli tlie Alcximdrian Faith again^ which he
did, not many years after, we have this great
Charathr recuntedy being reprefcnted on that
occafion, and that by the Cime Miffionaries,
as a wretch that had rwver any thing m him that
jvas good. So that Princes are Saints or Devils
withfome people y as they are Friends or Foe-s to the
Pope , of which Queen Elizabeth , and Mary
Queen of Scots, are a home infiance.
After the Emperor, the Princes, Viceroy s^and Tfie Sub.
Eccleiiafticks of the Court made their Sub- mifllon of
miflions, faying, J. N, do Prowifey Offer , and EJ*^
Swear the fame. So help me Gody and thefe Holy p^*" j^'
Gofpels. When the Solemnity of Swearing andEc- '
was ended, jR^;^ Cella Chrifios began an ha- clefia-
rangue, and having talked himfelf into an ^^^^^•
heat, he drew his Swo-rd^ and holding it up na--
kedy faid, what is nonv is noWy a?}d what is pafi
is pafy hut whofce^er Jhall not do his duty here-
after y this y fliaking his Sword , jliall be his
Judge,
After this, all that were prefent took an
Oath to Prince Bafilides, as Heir and Succeffor to
his Father y which Oath, fay the Jcfuits, when
the Great Raz. CelU Chnjlos came to take, he,
like a true Son of the Roman Church, took it
Tvith a Condition y worthy of his Courage and
Chriftianity, faying, / Swear to the Prince as
Heir to his Father in the Empire y and I do promife
to Obey him as a Loyal SuhjeBy fo Wag as he fmll
Holdy Defendy and Favour , the Holy Catholick
Z 4 Fatth,
144 "^^^ Church^ HiRory
Faith} 7vhich whenfce'ver he JJiall ceafe to do^ t
TifiU he both his firfi and greatejt Efiemy : All his
Officers and Servants taking the Oath to the
Prince with the fame Condition.
The Solemnity was concluded with an Ex-
comrmmication pronounced by the Patriarch;,
aginft thofe who iliouid at any time violate
thefe Oaths ; and with two Proclamations^,
the one frohihiting all Habaffin Triefts to perform
any Ecckfiafiical Office before they had preferred
themjelnjes to the Patriarch ; and the Other
Commanding all the SuhjeEls of the Empire, u^On
j>ain of Death, to embrace Vopeiy, and to difcouer
all ftfcb as adhered to their Ancient Relio-ion, Com-
wanding them Ukeivife to obfer've Lent and Eafter
according to theR Oman Stile,
A new re- The n^xt thing to be done^ W3.s to fettle a
venue is Revenue on the Patriarchy, fuitable to the
^f^^p ^^ heighth of his Dignity^, to v/hich the Lands
!u " snd Perquiiltes of the former Jbtma's were
not reckoned to be fufficient ; the Emperor
therefore beftowed a great Efhite in Land,
lying upon the {hoar of the Lake of Demhea,
upon himj giving him alfo the Palace of the
Emprefs Manam Eima, and ordering another
Palace to be Built for him in Dancaz^ where
the Court refided for the molt part.
The Patriarch having thus feathered his own
Nefty begun to look abroad, and having got
the Emperor to found a College for Sixty
Students at Dancaz., he begun to fend his Mif-
iionaries about^ and not having Fathers enough
forfo great an harvelV^ he was forcd to make
ufe of fuch Habaffms as were obferved to have
the moft Zeal for the Ro?y!a1^ Church.
And
ofE
T H I o p r A, 345
And as it is common with fome People to
reckon a work done before it is well begun, Theje-
fo when the News of thi^ folenin fubmiilion ^"'J^ ^^
came to Lisho?jy Ethiopia was reckoned to be ^^^^j.
the Pope's, as fure as Portugal ; for in a Book work
Printed there in the year 1623. by one Vega done be-
ajefuit, the World was told, that the ftr^our ^oreitwas
ovhere'ii'itb the Habaflins crowded into the hofom ^ ^'
of Mother Churchy was too great to be either ex-
p-ejj'ed or conceived, and that there VJas nothing to
he heard all over that vafi Empire , hut Vraifes of
the Roman Faith '^ Old andTomg, Rich and Poor,
declaring that there was nothing to be compared to
It ; and that whereas hitherto they had been as
blind as Bats, and miferahly impojed upon, they do
mw behold the Light, and are happily refcusd from
the Blindnefs and Cheats of falfe Teachers, the Ro-
man being the only Faith that defei^ved to be main-
tained"^ 'and if there flwuld be occafon, that is
worth the dying for. Nay, the Patriarch him-
felf, as appears from a Letter of his fent to
Portugal about this time, was pretty fanguine
too, having affured the Fathers of his Society,
That he Jfoke within ccmpajs when he faid, a?}
Hundred thoufard had been Converted within a
Tear to the Roman Church 3 which, confidering
that Ethiopia is no very populous Countrey,
was an extraordinary Harveft. And I do
well remember, that in the year 168). he
would have been looked upon at Lisbon as one
of the greatelt lyars in the World, that fhould
have denied that in Eight Months time above
Six hundred thouland Proteftants had been
Chriltened, for that was the word, in England.
There
54^ '^f^^ ChurchHiJiory
There were likewife a great many pretty
Pretty. ftories, either fent from Ethiopia or made at
^^^^^^ Lisbon, upon this occalion 5 I fliall only fet
^ntfrom (Jqv^h one of them, by which the Reader may
judge or thereit.
The Emperor having one day commanded
one of his Sons^ who was but a Child, to
take up the Cudgels for the Roman Church,
againft one of the moft Learned of the Ha-
hajjin Monks, Bellarmine, for fo the Emperor
ufcd to call that Child, took the Monk to
task prefently, asking him, without any pre-
meditation. Whether he Belie^ved Chrifi to ha^ve
been God before he -was Born ? The Monk made
anfwer, he did: Bellarmine then asked him.
Whether he did not believe God^s Nature to be dif-
ferent from Mans Nature^ The Monk an-
fwered, It was ujidotibtedly : Hold your hand then,
laid Bellarmine y finceyou acknowledge he was God
that took Ma^h Nature upon him. How can you
deity that there muft be T^vo Natures in Chrifi ^
with which argument the poor Monk was
firuck as mute as a Fifj. It is no great matter
whether this ftory vv^as true or not, it being
enough that it was pat for a Sermon upon the
Text, Out of the mouths of babes andjucklmgs, Scc.
But as all other Orders, as we have hinted
before, do accufe the Jefuit Miffionarics of
magnifying their own Labours and SucccfTes
thus, beyond all the bounds of Credibility, fo
theydo complain likewife of their difparaging
the Labours of all other Friars in their remote
Miffions.
Of which Proud and envious carriage, the
Jefuits refident at Jgra do, in their Letters of this
Year
o/ E T H I O P i A. J 47
Year to their Superiors at Goa, furnifh us with
a notable initance ; where , fpeaking of
fonie Friars, who, I fuppofe were Carmelitesy
being come newly to that City, they fay,
TJjey were Jo Jngh-flo7vny as to -pretend to 7ioth'mg
under Raifwg the Dead j adding, they have be-
gun to nwky hut we do not as yet bear, that they
have Raifed any that were Dead to Life ; We fray
God they may prove true Prophets.
But though the Roman Church was thus
Triumphant at Court, the whole l^ody of the
Empire , notwithftanding the late bloody
Proclamation , was extreamly prejudiced
againfl: it, and the vyhole Courts for its fake,
fo that the Patriarch's Miffionaries, where-
ever they went, mpt with but bad entertain-
ment.
Two of them going into a Church in
Tigi-e to fay Mafs, were Commanded, by a
Perfon of Honour that lived in the Neigh-
bourhood, to go and fay their Majjes fomewhere
elje^ and ?Jot in the Church whi re his Father^ who had
lived avd Med in the Alexandrian Faithylay buried^
but the Miffionaries knowing they had tlis
Government on their fide, made anfwer.
That he mufl not think to terrifie them out of their
Duties y 'I'or Mafs they came to fay there ^ and
Mafs they would fay. The Gentleman finding Two Ua-
they were not to be hindered by Threats, ^#« Mif-
offered them Money to forbear; and when ^^^^'f}^^
he found that would not do neither, he threw t;^!redfo^
himfelf down upon his Fathtr's gi'ave^ crying in faying the
a Tmghry Faffion, that he 7i'ould be buried with his Rorim
Fathtr^ rather thanfuffer a thing to be done there ^ ^'^^^^•
which he kmii) muf bz offhfve to his Ghof,
But
348 The ChurchHiJlory
But the Miflionaries taking no notice of his
wordSj performed their Mafles^ which pro-
voked the Gentleman to that degree , that he
had them both Murthered next Night in their
Beds.
The Emperor and the Court kept the Holy
Week and Eafier with the Patriarch at the
Church of Geneta Jefus^ where Raz^ Cellar the
Heroe of the Jefuits Hiftories , with his Cap-
tains, guarded the Sepulcher all Good-Friday at
night ; and in the proceffion there were feve-
ral that whift themfel'ves , after the fafhion of
Tortugal^ which was a ftrange fight in Eth'to-
pa.
The Patriarch having publifKed the Six firft
General Councils with a Catechifm in the Ha-
hajfin Tongue^, begun a Vifitation ; but finding
himfelf not able to endure the fatigue thereof,
he CQt it fhort , leaving it to the new Bifliop,
who was expeded daily from the Indies.
The Emperor upon his having been told that
the Patriarch had demanded no Fees of the
Clergy at his Vifitation, is faid to have refled-
ed upon the former Ahuna's ; who not having
fo great an Eftate, as he had bellowed upon
the Patriarch, did ufe to takefome; faying of
them, That they [eemed to hc^je held Vifitations for
no other end hut to get Money , the thing in the
World the Roman Vr elates and Jefuits hate the
mofi.
In the Year 1627, the Gauls made a great
Incuriion into Ethiopia ; and having furprized
the Viceroy Buco , who was a great Stickler
for Popery, they put him and his whole Army
to the Sword; but they were afterwards drive
home
o/E
T H I O P I A^ 54P
home by Raz, CelJa , who do's all the great
things in the Jefuits Hi (lories.
But the ill fuccefs of yulius, J oanel, ^nd
others who had taken up Arms in defence of
their Religion, had not fo far cowed the Zeal
of the Habaffi?is , as to make them fubmit
quietly to the Eftablilhment of Popery ; and
the difcontented Grandees , which are what
no Government ever wanted , knowing the
people to be extreamly angry with the Empe-
ror and the Court, are faid to have made ufe
of their Religious refentments for the carrying
on of their own private defigns.
And accordingly I'ecla Guergis, the Viceroy
of Ttgre^ who was Married to a Daughter of
the Emperor's, Publiflied a Proclamation on
the Fifth of No'vember ; wherein having decla-
red himfelf of the Alexandrian Faith , and
fivore to Defend it with the lafi drop of his Blood
agamfi all the world • He ordered all that were ^.J-?^^
of the fame faith to bring in all the Crucifixes j-aifed
and Reliques which had been forced upon againftthe
them by the Fathers ; and having got great Emperor,
numbers of them into his hands , he ??2ade a
Bonfire of them all, telling the Monks and Sol-
diers, who were rejoicing at the fight , That:
they might fee by this that he was in earnefi 5 and
not contented with having given them this aC-
furance of his having abfolutely broke with
his Father-in-Law and the Jefmts ; He Mur-
thered his own Chaplain in the fight of the
Camp, becaufe he refufed to recurn to the
Alexandrian Faith , giving his body afterwards
to the Officers of his Army, who with their
Cimiters cut it in a thoufand pieces,
Whea
35<^^ The ChuYchHiJlory
When the Emperor heard of this ntwCroifade^
he fent Keho Chrifim with an Army to fupprefs it
in the beginning \ who having Marched day
and nighty was up with Guergis fooner than he
Itisrou- ^^pected ; Guergis neverthelefs trufting to the
red, and Zeal and Number of liis Forces, accepted of
the Gene- a Battel when it was offered him by Kebo ; who
ral of It, having encouraged his men with a mort Speech^
Se Empe- ^ifperted the Alexandrians with the firft fliock
ror's Son- he gave them , few of them having been
in-Law, is killed fighting, befides Twelve Monks. Kebo,
taken. who was a Bigotted l^apift^ macJe i great
flaughter^ fparing neither Man, Woman, nor
Child ; and Guergis^ who had hid himfelf in
a Cave, being taken three days after the fight,
was fent by him under a ftrong Guard to the
Emperor, by whom he was condemned to be
burnt to Afhes, not for his Treafon, but for his
Apoftacy, ?.nd the Bonfire he had made ; who
having defired to fpeak with a Roman Prieft
before he died, had Father Antonio fent to him
by the Patriarch,with full powers to abfoke him
from all cenfures in cafe he found him penitent.
Guergis^ hoping that his turning jR^w/?;?-Catho-.
!ick would have helped him to a pardon, told
the Father he was extreamly ferry for what he had
done^ and defired nothing fo much as to be reconci-
led again to the Roman Churchy being refohed to
die in her FrutL The Father having made him,
abjure the Alexandrian Faith , confeffed and
abfolved him from all the cenfures he had in-
curred ; but Guergis perceiving that all that he'
was like to get by halving tumal Papilf , war
only to be hanged in the prijon as a Rebel , and not
burnt pihlickly alive as m Heretic k y when he
of E
T H 1 O P I At 35'
was brought to the place of Execution, he de-
clared openly, Tloat he died in the Alexandrian,
and not in the Roman Faith. The Emperor
when he heard of this, fent an order to bring
him immediately out of prifon, to hang him
on a Tree that Itood near the Palace.
When the Officers came to the prifon, they
found him hanging ; and perceiving that he
was not quite dead, they cut him down y and
carrying him to that Tree, hanged him upon
it. The Emperor carried all the Court-Ladies
to entertain them with this fad Ipedacle ; and
having 9ommanded them to look on the Dead
body , he told them , That from that day for-
wardy they would do well to look to themfehes and if
they either rejetled or forfook the Roman Fatth ;
net tc ex-peft a fardo7i for ity /ince he had denied
one to his own Son-in-Law for having done it^ and
to terrify the tender Sex the more^ about fifteen
days after, he cbmnianded Adivato^ a Lady of
great Quality, to be hanged before them upon
the fame Tree ; for vvhofe pardon, when the
Emprefs and all the Ladie: of the Court had
thrown themfelves at his feet, he ihaked them
off, faith Father Anthony^'^ith. the following AV
hle Fable.
There was upon a ti?ne a very ancient man^ who A Lady is
heing''told that a Child was dead , mad,e anfwer^ P"^ ^^
Children are tender Creatures ^ and a fmaU matter f ^^ p ,.^
'^fzyyies them off ^ a'fid being told afterwards there ^^ ^ ^'
•'as a Toung man deady he faid^ Confidering the
ya^mefs of Touth , that was no wonder 5 but when
he was told that an Old man was dead , he wrung
hi}"baTids^ (ind cried as if thi 7i^orld h^d hem at an
end^
352 Tipe ChurchHiflory
endy tmagimng death flood ready to arrefi him ^ S$y
faith the Emperor^ you could fee Guergis and his
Companions Juffcr without ffeaking a word in their
behalf y hut now one of your own Sex is to fuffer^ yoa
are all in an uproar to fave her j hut I will have
you all knowy Tijat this Shoeftring of Ahs. Jacob'/,
oifhom Guergis had Mmthered for being a Roman
Trie fly is frong enough to hang this SoWy and all
fuch as Jhe is.
Father Anthony, who was prefent at all thefe
Executions, has in his Relation of them, made
The won- fo true ^ remark upon the change Popery had
derful wrought on the Emperor's temper, and on the
Po"rv pr^^^ice of the Habajfmsy who feldom or never
l^^^ ufed to put Grandees, and much lefs Ladies,
wrought to death, for Treafon, or indeed for any
on the other Crime, that I fliall fet it down in his
temj)ersof ^^^ words; TVhofoever, faith he, (hall diligently
°"' read the Hifory of Ethiopia., and fijail ohferve t^e
ovanf of Vindicati've Juftice that was therein^ and
the Clemency Se\tQmSa,gQd had ufed before with all
that had Rebelled againfi him, mufi of neceffity
reckon his 'Pumjhi77g of Tecla Guergis /<? fe^vcrely^
to have been one of the great ef Miracles that had
ha^pe7'ied in many years in Ethiopia. For let
the Church of Rome be vyhat She will, as to
her vjorkmg Miracles that are any ways beneficial
to Mankind, they muft be very unjuft to her
that deny her the honour of working juch Mira-
cles as thefe in the tempers of her Converts. But,
as we fhall fee hereafter, tkfe Miracles of Cru-
elty did the Fathers no great k'mdncjs in Ethiopia
at lo7JZ run. Neither were the Cruelties of
an unprovoked Pe-rjecution at this time in Ethiopia,
Ids wonderful tlian thofe of War ; the inhu-
manit/
verts.
o/E
T H ! O P I A. 355
manity oF the former being fach, as to over-
take thofe^ who for Confcience Hike liad for- An inhu-
fakeii all that they had in the world ^ and had jP^^^.P^r;
Buried thenjjd'ves m Caves and Dens of the Ecirth 5 ,.^j^^^
out of which, when difcovered^ they were ei- againftthe
ther ferreted to be burnt, if they would not ^lexandri^
turn /^<7w^;w-Catholicks , or fmoaked to death ^"^'
in them. The memory of which Barbarities
is to this day fo frefli in the minds of the Ha-
hjjins, that as they do ftili continue to have a
great Veneration for thofe Caves wherein
their Brethren luffered Martyrdom , fo tliey
cannot hear a Jejni!: or a 7^^7;?.'77;-Catholick
fo much as mentioned, but with horror.
The Patriarch and Fathers reckoning them-
felves fure of the Emperor, after t/jeje miraca-
lorn cruelties^ for which they believed the Akx^
Cijidrians would never be reconciled to him,
begun to make holder (tep than they had ventu-
red to make before ; and fo the Patriarch having
been informed that an Ancient Nob!eman_,
who had been of the Council of State , and
Chamberlain to the Emperor, had jome Lands
•which belonged to the Church in his hands , hs
firft admonifiied him to refiore them to the Church
immediately \ which the Nobleman having re-
fufed to do , the Patriarch feeing him after-
wards at Mafs ^ ordered an Excommunication to .
be "pronounced againflr him j the Nobleman ha- ^ • "-l^"
ving never dreamt of any fuch Thunderclap^ Excom-
is laid to have been fo aftonifhed by its Cur- municates
fes and Maledictions ^ That Iiq fell upon the a great
f round y ^i zf Datham ^w^ Abiram, toTi'homtht j^^"/°^
;- • / / 7 7- II ; , / keeping
jixcommufucation had delivered him ^ had been church-
comingttfon him like tTvo furies to carry him ^uick L^nds,
A a do:^m
354
R^t Cilia
h accufed'
of plot-
sing with
l\\t POf'tti-
gutjes Co
mike
liimfelf
The ChiirclpHiJlory
aown into Hell ; but being come td himfelf
ngain , he befeeched the Emperor and the
whole Congregation to intercede with the Pa-
triarch in his behalf 5 promifing to reficre the
Lands to the Church immediately 5 which being
done^ the Patriarch abfohed him in forma Ec-
cIqCix ^ frikivg him 7vith a rod all the time the
Miferere ivas Singmg, At which exercife of
Difciflme^ though all the true Romanifts^ fay
the JejuitSy rejoiced, they that were Hereticks in
their hearts were mad to Jee themfel'ues fuhjeUed to
fiich reproachful fpinifiments,
*
In this Year the Foundation- .of the Patriar-
chal Church was laid at Dancez. ; the Emperor
himfelf having laid the firft ftone, and promi-
fed to build it at his own proper coft; and as
an Earneli of his De'Z'ctio?^ for our Lady ^ to whom
it was Dedicated ^ he took a Crown of pure
Gold off his Head and gave it to be employ "d
in gilding the Seats in our Lady's Chappel ;
k was to have been a large Church with three
Naves, but Fopery did ?wt ft ay lo7Jg enough in
Ethiopia to fee itfmjljed : For at the fame time
that its foundations were laid, the Emperor's
jealoufies of his Brother revived again ; one
Aielcha- Chrifos^ who was his firli: Coufin having,
affured both the Emperor and the Prince, that
Raz, Cella was continually plotting with the
Patriarch and the Fathers, to bring a Portuguefe
Army into Ethiopia , to make himfelf Emperor j
in which charge Melcha Chrifios was feconded
by one Lejfaim ChriHos^ who being an Officer
of the Army , was fccured by Raz. Cella , fa
foon as he heard of his being one of his accu-
fers.
o/'EthIopia. jjj
fers^ and condemned by him to be put to death
immediately as an Apoftate to i\\QAlexa7jdrian
Faith. Lejj'ana ^ to prevent the Execution of
this Sentence, appealed to the Emperor ; and
fearing left he might be difpatched out of the
way^ before he could have an anfwer from
Court, he broke prifon ; but being taken be-
fore he could get to the Emperor, he had his
head chopped otf,not for Herefy,norfor having
accufed his General, but for having broke Jayl.
But Raz Cella by fioppvg of Leffana'j mouth
thus , did of en a Thoufand againft him ; and did
Confir?n the Emperor and the Prince in their former . .
jealcufies ; it being in every body's mouth, that 9" £°Xj. ^
Raz Cella had murtherd LefTana for no other rea- ^^^^^
fon, hut becauje he "was privy to his pIotti7ig fecretly againft
with the Patriarchy and was ready to ha%;e pro- him is
'ved it upon him if he had been jujfercd to go to J^u^thered
Cowrt.
The difcovery of this plot gave a fatal blow
to Popery tn Ethiopia ; every body , but efpe-
cially the Prince, being fatisfied, that confider-
ing how odious Raz Cella had rendered himf elf to
the Habaffins, it could be nothing but his ha-
ving received fome affu ranees of a Portuguefe
Army, that could have put fuch fumes into his
head ^ fo that after this the Prince never gave
Over perfecuting the Patriarch and Fathers
Vntil he had rid Ethiopia of them,, as we ftiall
fee hereafter.
In the Year 1629^ the A^aus of Begameder
took up Arms for their Religion ; and having
Maffacred the Soldiers that were Quartered
upon them, and drive their Viceroy Za Ma-
A a 2 riam
by his
order.
35<5
The Agtis
take up
Arms in
Defence
of their
Religion.
T/;e Church^ Hiftory
r'lam out of the Province ^ they fent Envoys
to a Prince of the Royal Family^ who^ad ta-
ken fanduary among the Gauh^ to come and
take the Crown of Ethicfta^ which belonged to
him of right , upon him ; promifing to fiand
hy hnn In Defence of their Religion yjvith their Lives
and Fortunes. This Prince was probably Son
either to the late Emperor Jacoh^ or to Zii
Dangidily who are both faid to have had Sons ;
though we hear nothing of them after their
Fathers were flain^ unlefs we will believe Zaga
Chrifiiy who died at Ruel near Paris in the Year
1629, to have been the Son of Jacob ^ as he
pretended ; and who reported there^ that it
was v/ith the affillance of the Torttiguefesy that
Safeneus had Conquered and Murthered his
Father^, on the account of his being an Enemy
to the Roman Faith.
But whofefoever Son this Prince was whom
the Agaus had invited to take the Crown upon
him^ he came to them with the Envoys they had
fent to him j and having accepted of the Crown,
did fwear to defend the Alexandrian Faith
againft all the world : Upon which the Monks,
who were enraged almoft to madnefs, by the
Emperor's having commanded all his Subjetfts
of what Degree or Quality foever , immedi-
tely to turn Koxmn-Catholicks , flocked to
thdix Alexandrian Emperor from all Parts , de-
claring againft the Emperor, as another Julian
the Apofiate 5 and 'ii'ho was ?wt content with ha-
'ving abandoned the Religion of his Fathers hifnjelfy
hut he would force all the I'ecple ^fEthiopia to follow
his Example. By which tragical Exclamati-
ons they raifed the Councrey vvhereever they
came.
SB
of E
T H I 0 P ! A.
557
CAme^ chiefly the Teafants of Laf^a, who have
the reputation of being the ftouceli: Men in
the whole Empire. But the Emperor having
got together an Army of Twenty live thou-
fand Foot, and Two thoufind Horfe, March-
ed towards the Pealiints by the way of Gojam^
in the beginning of Fcbnurj, and having at-
tacked the llrong Mountain of L^fl-a on all
fideSj he was beat back, having befidcs his
General and feveral Perfons of the iirfl Qua-
lity, Seven hundred Soldiers flain in the Adi-
on. The Peafants flullied with this Succefs,
followed their blow fo clofe, that they ob-
liged the Emperor to Retreat; and had not
Kelpo CJjrifl-os come in to him very feafonably
with a Body of old Troops, it was thought
the Peafants would have gone near to have
hemmed him in among the Mountains ,
which if they had done, they Vv/ould have
had him and his whole Army at their mercy.
The Emperor, though very unwilling to
have employed his Brother any more, was
forced by the condition of his Affairs to do
it , not having a Man , befides him , that
knew how to Command an Army ; and ac-
cordingly he fent to him, to come and take
that Command upon him ; Rax. Cdla^ who
fince his Difgrace had retired into the Coun-
trey of the Jgaus^ having received this Mef-
fage from the Emperor, yeilded Obedience
to it ; and having, after he had got into
Gojawy placed Guards in all the Paffages the
Agatis had into that Province, he repaired to
Court, where he was received with great ap-
pearances of Refped and Affecflion.
A a : But
The Em-
peror is
obliged to
employ
his Bro-
ther a-
gainft
them.
358 The Churchj^ijlory
But die News, which came a few days after,
of the Jgaus being got into the heaj*t of
Gojam, which they were plundering at a moft
unmerciful rate, the Soldiers that had been
left by Raz, Cella to Guard the Paflages, having
all either run home , or gone over to the
Jgaus fo foon as they approached them, re-
vived Peoples former jealoufies of Raz, CeUa,
He IS ac- ^^ being in every bodies mouth. That he was
cufed of in a Corrcjpondence with the Agau'i, and had
treachery, flaced Juch Men in the RaJJ'es^ as he knew certain-
ly would go over to them, or that at leafi would
not opfofe them. Whereupon Raz. Cella that he
might clear himfelf of thefe fufpicions ^
Marched with all the fpeed he could towards
the Jgaus ; who having advice of his advan-
cing towards them , withdrew , returning
home full of the Spoils of that rich Countrey ;
which the Alexa?ulrians faid confidently, Raz,
Cellanught have prevented if he had had a mind
to it. But notwithftanding all thefe furmi-
fes, and that his having thus obliged the Agaus
to leave Goj.zm^ was no argument at all of
his having had no hand in letting them into it ;
the Emperor was, it feems, fo well fatisfied
with his Conduct, that he gave him the Vice-
i'oyiliip of that Kingdom again, giving the
Chief Command of the Army to the Prince,
The who was now become a mortal Enemy to the
F""^! '" Patriarch and the Fathers.
tht Ronmn inc jilexandnaTisYi^vmg thus got the Pnnce
and goes intirely in their Intereft, begun to contrive
intiiely how to rid the Court of all that were Cham-
'"'^ Wr- pionsfor Popery in it ; and having perfuaded
^intereii" ^^^^ Emperor to fend his Brother into Gojam^
"they
O/" E T H I O P 1 A.
they got him likevvife to fend Kehc ChriJIos^
who was the fecond great ftickler for Popery,
into Tigre, whereof he was Viceroy, pretend-
ing his prefence there was neceffary, by rea-
fon of its neighbourhood to the Peafants that
were in Arms.
Keho, though hewasfenfible upon whatde-
fign he was Commanded to his Governrnent,
yet not being in a condition to refufe, he pre-
tended to be very willing to leave the Court,
giving this for his reafon. That he wasrjot able to
hear the cddnefsthat mcreafed in it cliilj for Pope-
ry ; declaring. That he had much rather he flam
hj the Veafants of Lafta, Fighting for the Faith,
than mitinue Chamherlim to the Emperor , and be
obliged to Ferfecute thofe Good Men who had in-
ftrucled him thereiny which he faii^ plainly the
Court would be brought to do in a fiort time. Thus
KthoixiW of fears and difcontents left the Court,
and being arrived at Tigre^ went immediately
to Fremona, where having fpent fome days
with the Fathers, only about Ghcjlly bufmefs, jie
advanced from thence with a fmall Body in-
to the Kingdom of Amahara , where the
Prince had promifed to joyn him ' with the
Army ; but Kebo having been fent thither by
the Alexajidrians on purpofe to be Sacrificed,
no Prince came near him ; and having wait-
ed for him till his Provifions were all fpent,
the Peafants, as he was retreating to Tigre,
fell upon his Rear, and having Slain him, as
he was Fighting Manfully to have made good
his Retreat , his Soldiers , who were all in
their hearts Alexandrians , fo foon a5 they
Aa 4 faw
35?
t/janijls
lofe
ground at
Court
daily.
Their
great
Champi-
on Keho is
fent into
Tigre to be
Sacrificed .
I do Tl^e Church' Hijiory
faw their General fall^ went over to the Pea-
fants as to the Defenders of their Faith.
The Patriarchy who performed a folemn
Office for Keho's Soul, was wo/iderfuliy afRi-
ded for the lofs of fuch a Champion 5 and
as Misfortune/ do feldom come (ingle^ his tears
were not well dried up for this lofs, before he
received the bad News of Tecur Egz^i^ the
Grandee that was to have gone Ambaffador
to Fcrfugaly being killed by the Galls in an in-
rode they had made into the Kingdom of Da-^
motes.
Upon the fall of thefe Two Pillars of the
'Roman Churchy the Alexandrians about the
Court grew bolder every day, and having ob-
ferved the Emperor to be Melancholy upon
fuch a run of Loffes , they all waited upon
him in a Body, one of them, in the Name
of all the reft, asking him :
Siry We defire to knoyv bow longwe are to worry
one another thus ? 'The poor Feajants that are in
Arms have no Quarrel with your Highnefs^ hut
only for forcing them to he of the Roman Religion :
That Religion may^ perhaps^ he true, hut it is what
they do not underftand^ ?ieither will they trouble
themfcl'vesy hei?g wellfatisfied with their Old Re-
ligion ^ to (I-udy a New one 5 and fi h^ing refohfd
swucr to be of any other Faith but that of their
Forcpithrrsy they ha've fet up an Emperor^ who
has prowijed to defend the?n in the Vrofljion of tty
^catling us Turks aTjd Moors for ha-ving not only
embraced a New Reli(rion our j elves ^ but for Perje-
cuti-'^g ofthejn beca/fe they will not do //.The Empe-
ror tho he' returned them no anlWer to thefe
paflionate
o/E T H I o p r A. ^6i
paffioticite Remonflrances 5 encouraged them
by his (ilence and attention to what they Hiid,
to ply him daily upon that point; defiring
him, at leaft;, to leave his Subjeds to their li-
berty of biwg of which oj the 'two Religions they
liked heft.
But as when things are tumhUvg^ Q.^Qvy fmall The Pa-
ptfli hcijteris their fall ; fo there were Two AHi- triarch
• ?7i of the Patriarch's which gave Popery a ^j^^^"^
terrible fliake , in the tottering condition it ^^l ofTo"
was in at Court. pery by
The firft was^ His having commanded the tw-o in-
Corps of an Eminent Monk, who had been ^^^^^^^
for ieveral years General of the whole Order of ^ '^*
Tecla Haymonot , to be taken out of the
Grave, where it lay Buried in a Church, and
to be thrown into the open Fields, for his
having declared at his Death, That he died in
the Alexandrian, a-nd not in the Roman Faith.
It is not to be imagined, fay thejefuits, how
great a ftorm this adl of Difcipline put the
whole Empire into ; it being in every Body's
mouth. That the Romaniils vjere not [atisfed
with Terjecutiiig People 7uhile they were ali^ve^ who
would 770t trirji to their Relizion^ hut did Ferfecnte
them beyond the Grave ; which pits a flop to the
Rage of all other Nations and Se^s of People, by
Commanding their Bodies, cofJtrary to the Laws of
Humanity, to he taken out of the Earth , and
thrown for a Prey to Birds and IVild Beafh-.
The fecond was,the Patriarch having com-
mitted a Woman to Prilbn for being a If itch,
and, notwithftanding upon his having been
informed that there was a Law in Ethiopia-
which prohibited People to believe that there ts
any
^6z T/;e Church' Bifiory
any jticb thing as Witches-'^ the belief W hereof,
they fay^is founded upon the Error of the Ma-
mcheesy That there are Two Independent Gods^ a
Good oncy mtd a Bad o?ie ; he commanded her
prefently to be fet at Liberty ; yet that was
not fufficient to ftop the Clamour, or to keep
the Alexandrians from accufing the Vortuguejes
of being Manichees^ and who in defiance to the an--
cient Laws of the Emfire^ were endeavouring to
bring the belief of Two Eternal aTid Independent
Trincifles in among them.
There was another thing happened at this
time too, which, though in it felf ridiculous,
made a great noife, and did Popery fome diC-
feryice.
A Man, who appeared to be Diftra6ted,
running into the great Hall of the Palace,
cried out, He had a Mefiage from Hea^ven to de^
li'ver to the Emperor y the Alexandrians, who
were believed to have made the Farce, having
perfuaded the Emperor to hear what he had to
fay, he told his Highnefs, That it was now
Three days fince he was Raijed from the Dead,
and ha-ving fince been carried up to Faradife, was
fent by God to deliver the following MejJ'age ta
him :
or
Hear, O Emperor, I have bore with you fc
Jome Tears, expecling that you would have Re-
■pe?2ted of the great Sm you have been guilty of, in
forfaking the Religion of your Forefathers ; during
all which time the Bkffed Virgin has been on h'er
Knees before her So?i to Intercede for you 5 but lam
now to tell you, That in cafe yon do not Repent of
t hat's in ^ that God will Funtfliyoti 7mth a ftrarge
Judgments
o/ E T H I O P I Ai» 563
fudgfnevt. But notwithftanding, the Empe-
ror Commcinded the Fellow to be foundly
Whipp d for his News , the Alexandrians
made great ufe of what he had faid^ it being
reported over the whole Empire, That aji Avgd
from Heazfen had appeared to the Emperor "ivitb a
Comma-nd to him from God to return t& his Old Re^
ligiov. But among Other things^ the Emperor
is faid to have been diipleafed with himfelf for
having in t\\Q firjt heats of his new Reltgion jettkd
fomucb Land on the Fa triarchy which Tie would
gladly have had a pretence to have refumed
again^ to iettle it upon his Younger Sons ;
but whatever were the caufe of the Emperor
growing every day lefs fond of Popery^ the
Alexa^idrians being at him continually for a 7Z?-
leration, he promifed to fpeak to the Patriarch
about it, and accordingly having fent for him,
he told himy He had done all that was in his Heoppo-
power to have introduced the Roman Faith tnto ^^s a To-
his Empire^ but he was now fattsfied that it jvas r^^^^°"
n:t to he done by force^ it being vifihle that his pof^j ?q
Teople hated it more than ever ^f nee he Commanded him by
themto embrace 'a. Bcddcs^ there was an abfolute the Em-
necejfityof his grant ijig them a Toleration, fijice if he peror.
did not, he would quickly have Jiis whole E?npre
againfv him ; his Soldiers that he made ufe of
cgamfv the Feafants, being in their hearts no Icj's
Alexandrians than the Feafa?jts themjelves. The
Patriarch, who was extreamiy troubled to hear
this from the Emperor, told him. That his High-
ne/s was miferably mi/led by Evil Counfellors, who
under pretence of a Toleration fought the utter Ex-
tirpation of the Roman Faith. But the Empe-
ror urging itill, That fo?mtbmg muft be done to
faUsfy
3^4 The Church" Htjlory
fatisfy the minds of his SuhjeBs y the Patriarch
was forc'd to promife the Toleration of all fucb
Ancient Habaffin Cufioms as were not contrary
to the Faith J but upon condition that fuch a To^
leration Jhould not he Proclaimed '^ becaufe if that
were done_, the HabaffinSj, he Jaidy would Triumph
fo upon it J as to conclude that the Roman Church
was about to make Her Exit out (j/' Ethiopia.
While Popery was in this declining ftate,
Dom Apolinar D' Almeyda^ the new Bilhop of
Wiccy arrived in Ethiopay bringing a Jubilee
with him, and Letters from the Pope to the
Emperor and the Prince ; which Letters ,
though I have great reafon to believe they
were writ in Ethiopia^ in order to rekindle the
Emperor's Zeal for Popery , which was
flackened fo much of late ; I fliall neverdie-
lefsfet them down as they are publiflied by the
Jefuits, leaving them to the cenfure of the ju-
dicious Reader.
Tofe Urban the Vlllth. To Seltetn Sa-
ged Emperor of Ethiopia, Health and
Afojlolic.'il Benediction.
MOST dear Son in Chrifi 5 The Stream of
the River Nile doth at this time make
glad the City of God^ Fruits ft for the Banquets
of Angels being brought fom the thirfiy La7ul of
Ethiopia to the Talace of St, Peter ; there bei?ig
iwthing that the Mother of Riches , or that
Africk y which is fo fruitful of Monfers y can
bring to Rome , the Mother of Chrifi ianity y
that IS fo Precious andwonderfuly as your Majefty's
Lettersy addreffed to Gregory the X Vth of happy
Memory, to whofQ place ^ though unworthy cfity the
Holy
O/" E T H I O P I A^ J 6^
Holy Spirit has been fleafed to call us \ when we
read them we could not forbear weeping for joy , to
hear that the ^afi Empire of Ethiopia had fiibmit'
ted it felfto the Laws of the Roman Pontificate.
O happy Frince ! who after having Concjuered di-*
*uers Nations , and triumphed o'ver all your Ene-
mjesy ha^e been able to exalt the Trophies of the
Crcjs of Chrifi upon the Towers of your Provinces :
For you do really plant Hea'ven in your Empirey fo
long as the fa'vour of fo great a King is j ought af--
ter by the making a profcjfwn of the Catholick truth.
Go ony my Dear Son^ fi?ice God favours you, and
Rome by its applaujes exalts you to the Society of
thofe Princes y ii^'hofor having propogated the King-*
dom of Heaveny have an immortal memory in the
praijes of Mankind ; for notwithfianding your Ma^
jefys Empire is beyond the anciently known ways of
the Suny the Ap o ft olical Senate which comprehends all
the Nations of the Chriftian Commonwealth beholdeth
all your Heroic k A^ ion Sy giving manifold applaufes on
the Theatre of the world to your Majeftyy and to all
that are employed by you y in JuppreJJIng theraJJmefs of
Rebels yan d mbreakingt he horns of Fiends *We theVi"
car of the Almighty Adajefty in this Throne ywhich all
Chriftians do with bended knees adore yhave turned the
eyes of our Apoft olical jolicitude towards your Maje-^
fly, p'aying that the mosi exalted Arbiter of Prin^
cesy may Jend his Angels to be Soldiers in your Tri-r
umphant Armies • we arc not ignorant of what
fome people drive aty for we behold whole Legions of
Devils fighting agamjt the Scepter of Chrifty which
is the (Ircngth of your Majefty's Right-army we
know the Profejfors of falje Doclrines do likewife
whet their Toriguzs as a Sword y that fo they may
With the poifon of their Impiety infeEJ; the Bread of
nfe
-^66 The Churchflijlory
Life* Affume a courage therefore worthy of the
Race of David , in 7v^om the Houfe of Ethiopia
glories as in their Ancefior ; who 7vhen fuch people
placed their Camps againfi him^ did put his trufi
in Gody andfo found by Experience y that the name
of the Lord was the Tower of Dawidy guarded by an
heavenly Hofi^ajidpraifed by a ^iBorious Army, My
mofi dear Son^it is undoubtedly as you write ^ that the
Tefis of their Countreyy and the Difiurbers of the
people ftniU not ^ God ajjifiing you^ befuffered to reign.
IVe do moft ajfeBionately impart our ApofiolicalBe-
TiediBibn to your felf ^ and your befi Brother y and
to all your Royal Family and faithful People ; and
f mil pray continually that you may always ha^ve the
Arms of light fi'om the Santhuiry of the Di'vijjity j
and we da here 7mth the keys of the Vontiff open
ti7iio you the Treafure of the hea^oenly Indulgence 5
with whofe healthful riches we do at this time blefs
the Ethiopick Church ; we jhall likewife be always
mindful to follicit the moft Towerful King of Spain^
to gra?it you all that you jliall defire of the Auftrian
Houfe, Mo(l Dear Sony 7ve do embrace you in the
arms of our Apofiolical Charity ; and carrying you
in our hearts y we pall always adorn you with the
Fatronage of our Fo?itificate ; and while you do
ivith a Royal Fiety venerate the Fatriarch of Ethio-
pia, and his Coadjutors, you give Examples to
others to ho?wur the Friejlhood ^ and do yvhet the
(ollicitude of holy Frelates to labour in Ethiopia ; we
wiflj you joy of the .obedience of your people-^
who jo long as a Religious King fights under the
jlandard of Chrifty do never Bejert him.
Dated at Rome at St. Peter Sy under the Ring
of the Fiilierman, this Firft of February y
1627. in the Fourth Year of our Pontr-
fieatc. Vopa
of E T H 1 0 P I A. 367
Pope Urban the Wlllth's Letter to the
Prince.
Our Alofi Beloved Son in Chrifiy Health and Afo-
Jhlical Be'fjedictton.
H E TVealth of Nile floweth to the glory of Urhn's
your Name ; and you the Son of the Ethio- ^^^\ ^°
pick Em fir e^ do grow up in the hopes of a mofi ^herrince*
-powerful Principality y) on do neverthelefs under fi an dy
God having taught you , hovj miferahle you had
beeny had you ?wt drank of the flreams of the Gof-
pely out oj the Fountain of the Catholick Church ;
and if you had not hy adoring St. Peter in the Ro-
man Pontificate y been made the Son of God^ whofe
Pojjefjion and Workmanjliip the "whole frame of
Heaven and Earth is h% the Roman Church, The
holy Quire of Reigning Priejiv, and of Obedient JNT/r-
ttonsy do applaud the Heir that is to rule in Ethio-
pia with Cbrifiian Virtue ; rejoicing that a King-
dom is prepared for you , out of ivhich your trium-
fhant Father ^ the Scepter of 72^hofe Empire ts the
Rod of Dire ft ion y do's thorough the Divine AJfijla7icey
extirpate the Synagogue of Satan 5 you having been
Educated in the Domejiick imitation of fuch J^lcfi-
did virtues 5 and being tn a Poft that drajvs the eyes
of Heave?2 and Earth upon you* Such Councils are
expected from your Wifdom as are to he like the
!:ghts of the Holy Spirit ^ and the Thunderbolts of the
Uivine Vengeance, And being it/sthusy beloved Son^
■i'U muft not think of living at eafe in your Father's
FalacCy before you have made all Hthio^is. throw it
jelj at the feet ofSt^J?ctQTythatfo they may find Hea-
ven in the Vatican : Fsr the Dochinesofthe Pope^will
no:
3^8 Tl?e ChurchHtftory
not he only the hope of Salivation to you^ hut they
VJill he alfo the Anchor of quietnefs^ and the fafety
■ of your Dominicns. We do emhrace you^ mofi Dear
Sony with the Arms of Apo/i-olical Charity, and do
Tvijh you an obedient people and favourable Angels
amidfi the Trophies of your Arms , and the Joys of
ymr Vroj^erity 5 and ive do from the bottom of
our heart impart our fatherly BenediBiofi to
you>
Dated at Rome at St. Peter% under the Ring
of the Fiflierman , the Twenty Eighth
oi December, 1650. in the Seventh Year
of our Pontificate.
Now befides that^ the Phrafe of thefe Let-
ters do very much refemble that of the Patri-
arch Mendez., who affeded a Tinfil Oratory in
every thing he writ :*That to the Prince bears
Date the lame Month of the fame Year when
it was delivered.
This Jubilee, notwithflanding it was Laugh-
2eaTrevi- ^^ ^^ ^J ^^^^ Habaffms, who asked by what Au-
ved by thority the Pope pretended to forgive Sins^, is
thisLetcer, faid to have w^armed the Emperor's Zeal fo
for Popery again^ that the Difcourfe of a To-
leration feemed to be quite laid afide by
him.
The new Viceroy of Goja?n , Raz. Cella ha-
ving Ixien quickly turned out of that Govern-
ment , was fo enraged at this change in the
Emperor's mind^ that he was for depofing him
pi'elently as an irreconcileable Enemy to their
Religion J and for declaring the Prince^ who
was a hearty Friend to it ^ Emperor in his
room y
The Em-
peror's
Jabilec.
o/ E T H I O P I A.' '^6^
room ; and being encouraged fo to do ^ by
the Monks and Alexcwdrtavs that were about
him y he proclaimed the Prince Bafilides Em- y
peror of Ethiopia^ at the head of his Army ; ofCojZt
and having done it , difpatch'd a Courier to thereupon
him to acquaint him therewith, and to dcfire proclaims
him to join the Army lie had the command of, ^ ^ Pnnce
with his , that they might be able to fubduc '"^P^^^'
all the Enemies of their Religion ; but the
Prince was fo far from being pleafed with the
Viceroy's having frodaimed him Emperor, that
to iatisfy his Father of his having had no hand
in It , he fent the Courier xhat had brought J^^,
him the firft news of it to him in chains , to ^^^^^^c^a
punifh him as he ihould think fir. The Fathers, ^vith the
whofe Church of Co//^/^ was but at a fmall di- Viceroy
fiance from the Viceroy's Camp, were put in- ^o^ whac
to fuch a terrible fright by this Proclamation, ^^^^
that they immediately fhut their Gates ; and
their Convent being built very ftrong, as in-
deed all their Houfes in Ethiopia were more
like Caftles than Monafteries ; they refolved
to defend themfelves until an Army lliould
come from the Emperor to relieve them.
The Viceroy hearing how much the Fathers
were alarmM, and of their having taken all
the Vcrtuwjes of the Neighbourhood into
their Garifon, he fent them word, That they
had no reafon to be fo affrighted, for feeing
they did not come into Ethiopia before they
were fent for, no body could blame them for
having come , or for what the Emperor had
done llnce their Arrival ; and being extreamly
defirous to have wheedled them out of their
ftrong-hold, he bid the Melfengcr whifper
B b them
270 The Church Hijlory
them in the Ear^, That notwithftanding all he
li^d done^ he was ftiil a true Roman'C3.tho\ick
in his heart ^ having been forc'd to fet forth
he late Proclamation^ to quiet the Minds of
the People if it were poilible ; defiring diem
likewife to fend him the Horfes and Muskets
that had been left in their Convent by Raz, Cel-
la : but the Fathers not believing a fyllable of
what he faid^ refufed to open their Gates^ or
to deliver their Arms to the Meffenger ;
which provoked the Viceroy to that degree,
that he changed his note^ and fent them word^
That // tbej did nat deU<veY the Arms and Horjes
TO him p'ejentlj^ he would come for them him-
Jilf 5 and that if they did giz>e him that trouble ^
he would he at a Utile more for to teach them het^
icr 'manners thai-j to dtfohey his Commands, And
he had certainly been as good as his word,
had he not been hindered by the news of
a great Army advancing towards him a-
pace.
The Monksj who were got in flioals about
the Viceroy^ advifed him to do fomething to
fatisfy die people^ that he v/as in no CorreC-
pondence with the Courts but was in earneft
to defend their Faith ; adding, that there was no
fuch way of doing tliat^ as by making Exam-
ples of fome of thofe, who to pleafe the Em-
peror^ had changed their Religion ; the Vice-
roy approving of their advice^ commanded a
Monk who was his own firft Coulln ^ to be
put to death publickly for having turned Ro-
man-C^tho\ick,
The Prince^ who Commanded his Father's
Army; having received advice that the Viceroy
was
of E
T H 1 O P I A.
171
WAS Marching with all the fpecd he could to Ke
join the Pealknts of Lafia , croffcd the Nile, niarchetli
and by doing fo, put himfelf betwixt him and ^^^
them ; and having brought him to an Engage-
ment^ jiad an abfolute Vidory over him. Af-
ter which y that he might fully fatisfy his Fa- He routs
ther of the Viceroy's not having had the leaft rhecm-
encouragement from him to proclaim himEm- /f^- ^"^
peror, he fent him with feveral of his Chief yi'cerc)^"
Officers Prifoners to him , that if he would prifoner
give himfelf the trouble^ he might examine rohisFa'*
that matter to the bottom. The Emperor, ther.
who could not but take this extreamly well of
the Pnnce, having examined the Viceroy and
his Officers, commanded Seven of them to be
prefently put to death, Six of which are Ciid to
have died Romau-C^zhoYicks ; which the Se-
venth was fo far from doing, that when onel
of the Fathers told him at the place of Execu-
tion , That he would he Da7mied for him if he
were not Damned ij he died out of the Communion
of the Roman Church ; he bid the Father look to
himfelf that he be not Damned upon his ovjn account <^
for he was refol'ved to 'venture his Soul v>ith the
Alexandrian Faith , hy dying in it. Behold a
Miracle,fay the Jefuits ; the Seven bodies being
after they were Executed thrown to the Dogs ,
they all fell prefently upon the Alexandrian bo-
dy, and eat it up bones and all, without fo
much as offering to touch or fmell at any of
the Six Roman-C:Mho\\cks bodies that lay be-
fore them. One of the Viceroy's Chief Ser-
vants continuing to rail againfl: Popery , and
the Emperor for forcing it upon his Subjects ,
Was hanged by th^ thigh upon an Iron hook
"B b ^ diac
Tte Church' Hijlory
The Em-
peror is
defeated
by the
Peafants
of Lafta,
He IS piC-
fionately
addrefTed
to for a
Tolerati-
on.
that was driven into a Tree ; and after having
hung thereon for fome time^ for perfifting in
his railings he had his Tongue cut out ; the
Viceroy himfelf being fecretly put to death a
few days after. The Emperor having none
now to deal with but the Peafants of Lafla,
advanced towards them in perfon with a great
Army ; and having beat them out of three or
four of their firongeii xVlountains^ v/asin hopes
to have reduced them all to his obedience in a
{hort time ; but the fturdy Peafants were fo
far from being terrified into a fubmiffion by
thofe ill fuccelTes^ that they fell upon the
Viceroy of Begamedcr in his Quarters 5 and
having made a great flaughter among his
men^ obliged liim to retreat in great diforder.
The Em^peror^ who was grown old mid ti-
7neromy apprehending the Peafants to have
been much flronger than they were ^ and
fearing left he might be hemmed in by them
among the Mountains^ retired in a great Con-
fternation^ his Rear being clofely purfued by
the Peafants for fome Leagues. The Alexar;^
drums obferving the Emperor's Spirits to be
much dejeded by the difgrace of this Campaign,
renewed their Remonftrances to him , fome
of them asking him, Whether he thought it made,
a, Vr'mce look great in Hifiory, to hci've been conti^
Tiually fighting VJith his own Subje^Sy and ejpecial/y
his Peajarjts ? Otiiers telling him plainly ^ That^
if he did not fpeediiy grant his SubjcBs a Toleration y
that he 7vould be Dejerted bj his v^'hole Armjy who
would fight 770 lovger agatnft their Comitreymen^ only
for defending the Religion of their Forefathers^ and
which they themj elves 7vere ofy vc kjs tht-m the Tea-
of E
T H I O P I A. J7J
fafjts. The Emperor prouiiled them to fpeak
to the PatiiArcli iibout it ; and having accord-
ingly fent for hini;, he told him again^, That he
could not but be (evfiblc of his haumg done all
that lay in his foiver for to have e/hihliJJjed the j^g freaks
Roman Faiih in his Em fire ; and that ivhcreas to the
he had endeavoured to force his Suhjttts to embrace Patriarch
ityhe was now fatisfied that there was no bringing them ^tsout it,
to U by that Method ^ it being zfi/ible to every body ^^ ^^
that his having ujed it had had ?io other effeci but deni'd.
to increase his peoples aver/ton for that Religion. He
told him farther 5 that he had reaibn to fear.
That if he did not c^uickly grant a Toleration^ that
hefhould be Deferted by his whole Coi^rt and Army ;
but not being willing to do any thing in that
matter without his confent^ he had therefore
fent for him to advife with him about the
manner of it ; adding, Something mufi be done,
a7id that Jpeedilj. to <:^met the winds of the people.
The Patriarch , who was extreamly troubled
to hear the Emperor fpeak of a Toleration
again, made anfwer, That his Highness was mi^
jerably milled by evil Counjellors, who under -pre--
tence of a Toltration^ defigned the utter Extirpation
of the Roman Faith ; but the Emperor urging
ftill the neceflity there was thereof, the Pa-
triarch was forced to promife to give way to
the Toleration of all Juch Elabaffin Cujtoms as
were not contrary to the Roman Faith ; but upon
condition that the faid Toleration flwuld not bs
proclaimed , that fo it might look more like a
Co?mivence than a Toleration : Whereupon it
was concerted betwixt them, that the Habaf-
fins fhould be Tolerated as to Three things^ one
was the obfervation of Saturday • the Second, the
B b 3 . Fafi^
1^4 '^^^ Church Hijiory
Facing on Wednefdays and not en Saturdays ;
and the third was_, that they might ufe their an-
cient Offices according to his Emendations of
them.
The Alexandrians being acquainted by the
Emperor with what the Patriarch was willing
to grant them y feemed to accept of it very
thankfully ; only they told him it muil be pro-
claimed^ for if that were not done, it would imve
no eiFe(5i: at all on the minds of the people ;
which was the only end for which they had
defired it ; and not for their own fakes ^ who
pretended to be fo abundantly fatisfi'd with the
Doctrines and Cuftoms of Popery^ as to willi
the people could without dill urbing the Peace
of the Empire^ be brought to embrace it. And
ib having prevailed with the Emperor that it
fiiould be proclaimed ; proclaimed it was^ and
that with extraordinary Solernnities ; firft in
^jftieTok- the Camp, and afterwards over the whole Em-
:ration IS pjj.^^ j-q j-^^ great Joy of the people ; they that
procaim- -^j^t^iej-f^-QQrl how it truly was, reckoning it
however a good beginning • but for the gene-
rality they believed rt to be a Toleration of the
whole of their Religion.
ThePatri- The Patriarch hearing of the Toleration
^^^^l- ^^^' having been f reclaimed y and of the people
af^airft^c ^^J^^^i^S ^^ ^^ y ^^ ^ Toleration of their
^ * ' 7phoIe Religion^ he immediately drew up the
following proteftation againfl it^ and fent it to
the Emperor.
NOtwithftanding I told your Highnels,
Thar your SuhjeBs might he allowed to faft
Qi Wednefdays wfiead of Saturdays ^ and might
I
of E
T H I O P 1 A
37f
ufe their OlJiccs, as hy we amended j and excepting
lEjCi(\:Qi'andc/je Ftfiivities dt pendhig thereon ^that they
might okferve their Holidays as formerly • ?jiz^erthe^
lefs I declared to your Highmfs at the jj?ne time^
that It VKJs not to-be done by Procla?/!ation ^ which
as he that fubltjljeth thefrty fubhpieth them as he
thinks ft ^ fo all that hear them , do underfiand
and internet them as they like bcfi _, as we fee
it has happened in the preftnt cafe ; for though I am
(atisfi'd that your Highnefs defigned to grant no
wore by your P reclamation ^ bat what was agreed
on between us ; yet as I am tohl^ all the news euery
where is^ that your Highnefs hath by a Proclamation
commanded all your Subjects to return to the Alex-
andrian Faitk ; upon which conceit there ha^ue been
extra'uagant rejoicings in your Highnefs^ s own Campy
to the great Mortification of all true Catholicks,
TVhatever it was that induced your Highnefs to do
this J know you certainly y that God will one day call
you to a ftricl account for it. And that I and the
Bijlwp to whom the Holy Ghofi hath committed the
Gouer^iment of this Churchy which Chrifi pur cha-
fed with his bloody as it is faid in the Ads of the
Apofilesy may not be partakers of the fame Co?id em-
nation y We do jointly declare to your Highnefs y
That in this Vroclamation you have 7iot obfer'ved that
order that you ought to have done, 7i>hich being a
bufmefs of an Ecclefiaflical nature y the publication
thereof did not belo?jg to your Highnefs but to
us.
Tour Highfiefs would do v-'ell to remember what
the high friesl Azarias faid to King Ozias y in
the Tweyity Sixth Chapter of the Jecond Book of
Chronicles ^ O Ozias, it is not your Office to of-
fer Incenfe to the Lord y but it is the Office of the
B b 4 Vriefii
27^ T'he Church^ Hijlory
Triefi's and the Sens of Aaron, 'ivho were Confe-
crated to that Minifiry, Therefore come forth of the
SarMuarjy and defpfe not^ for this thing will not
he fcY your Honour in the fight of God, Tour High-
nejs would do w\ II likewije to remember the pumjh"
ment which immediatel'j hefel that King thereupon.
And fnce it was not thought fufficient to hanje thefe
Trcclaniations pihlijlied only m the Church ^ but it
tnuf be done aljo in the Camf, your Highnejs be-
fere you ordered that^ ought to have conjuked with
fome of the Fathers^ orjome other of your Chaflaifis^
or ii^'^th jcme ferfcn authoriz,ed by us to that fur-
fofey who would have taken care to have prevented
the offence that it has given ; for we are informed
by fome that were prefe?2t at the Solemnity ^ that the
people after the Froclamatio?i were heard to fay open^
ly y That now they ivere to have all their old Of-
fices c!gai7i without our amendmejits of them 5 and
were to obferve all their old Holidays^ not exceptifig
Eafter and the Feflivities that depend thereon ^ and
that they luere not left to their liberty y but jvere
commanded not to faft on Saturdays_, but on Wed-
nefdays. Wherefore^ that the lafl error may not
he worfe than the firfl^ your Highnefs mtifl fet forth
a Second Vroclamaticn with allnecifjary Explana-
tions of your mind ^ at the framing whereof I do
appoint Father James Mattos to be prefent m my
place 5 and jvhcreas it ts not convenient that it
jhould be done without the concurrence of AbetO
Earilides ; I do in the name of God ret^mre your
Highnejs to acquaint him with it j and I do far-
ther admonijio you to pray to the Father of Light for
Light ^ that fo you may not fxyour eyes fo much on
an Earthly Kingdom which is tranfiiory^ as to lofe
that of Heaven which is Eternal^ and that on Earth
likewifc. O. Patriarcha. The
o/ E T H 1 o p r A^ '^yj
The Emperor, though nettled with this
Proteflation, complied fo far with the Pa-
triarch's defires^ as^, widi the concurrence of
Father Jafnes, to publifh a jecond Vrcclamaticny
wherein he declared. That there v'as fiothwg he
dcfired jo much, as to hwve all his Subjetls of the
Roman Faith, and that his intention in his former
Prodamation, -was only to Tolerate Three Cufioms
that were not contrary :o that Faith, and that he
would never have done that, had not the Patriarch
given his confent to tt, Neverthelefs, he reckon-
ed he was bound in Honour to return a fliarp
Anfwer to the Patriarch, for his having made
fo bold with him in his Proteftation, which
he did in the following Letter.
\
The Letter of the Emperor Seltem Saged,
Cometh to the Patriarch rvith the Peace of
Gody Tvho is Bkjfed forever*
HEAR: TVe have received a Taper from •^\^^ gj^.
Tow Lordfhip, and do underftand all that is peror's an-
contained therein, rehting to the matters your Lord- fwer to ^
jiiif gave us leave to do, in order to fut afiof to Re- ^^\?5^^'
hellions, and to ciuiet the minds of our People^ La ^-^^ '
that they may no longer fight agamlv the Faith :
The particulars were. That they might Faft on
Wednejdays, and obferve their Feftivities as
formerly, a^id ufe their old Offices with your
Corrections: And being at Dancas, we were
defred by our whole Camp, fince your Lordfhip had
been pleajed to Difpenfe ivith our People as to thofe
Cuftcms, to acquaifit them therewith hy our Pro^
clamatwn ; which we confent ed to , the rather,
that .
378 ^^^ Church Hiflory
that the Rehels might vot think that they had f-ig-hted
us into fuch a compliance with them^ which they
would have done had we delayed the pubUjljing of
it a7iy longer , hut hewg now informed that their
minds are pretty well quieted hy what I have done^
1 have fuMifljed a fcccnd Proclamation, according
- to jour Diretlions 5 neither in this whole matter
have we done any thing but what was con-
certed between us : As to what your Lordjhip
faith 3 of their publifhing what they pleafe
that publi/h Proclamations ^ and of their un-
derilanding them as they pleafe that hear them;
that can proceed from nothing, hut from your Lord^
fi]if shaving heenmifinformed '^ for. How dare they
who puhlijl) our Vroclamations, puhlijh them any
otherways than as they are • or they that hear them,
under f and them otherwife ? So that I cannot ima-
gine, that any hody fljould have the impudence to
fay. That 1 had cha?iged the Faith to the great ffior-
tif cation of Catholicks ; when it is fo plain that I
have not made the leaf alteration therein i neither
did the Hereticks rejoyce fo much as you fpeak of,
they havi77g heen all tela hefore, that they were not
to ufe their for?ner Offices without your Emendations
of them : They mujl therefore have heen People of*
Fadioixs Spirits and of III defigns, that have put
fuch fiories in your head, fince we have done nc-
thing hut what your Lordfoip had agreed to ; nei^
ther did they, who puhlijlied cur Proclamation, ei-
ther add or diminijh any thing. Things heing thusy
your Lordpip might very well have fpared your
bidding us Remember Oz.ias, and comparing
us with one who was Punifhed by God with
the Leprofie for having taken the exercife of
thePrieftly Fiindion upon himfelf^ which as
hs
O/ E T H I O ? I A. 579
be ought '7J0t to brive done^fo ive hanjt Ttevcr offtreJ to
do it • hav'wg ovly pfl^IijJjcd a VrocLimation^ where-
hi there was nothing that you had i:ot agreed to
■hen the Roman Faith firfi took foctnig i« Ethio-
pia ; it 7vas neither introdnccd into it by the n^i^^ jg.
Preaching of the Jeluics^ nor by any Mira- fuitsnever
clcs that were wrought by them , 7ior by no wrought
other means^ but by our being convinced^ that ^^y j^'^^"
your Faith agreed with our Eooks^ and that ^^^^-^^-^
the Church of Ethiopia mujt therefore be in an
Error • it was this induced us to Eflabltfl) the Ro-
man Faith hy oi:r Commands and VroclamationSy
contrary to the Humour of our People, becauje
ive believed it to be true \ all which we ^id of our
own accord^ defftfinga vifihle Kingdom in hoves of
one that is invifible. As to your Lordjhip^s ad mo-
nijlmig us to fix our Eyes ?7ot on a Temporal but
en a Heavenly Kingdom; How many Sub-
jects have I had Slaughtered ? And how ma-
ny Provinces have I loft for having done fo ?
1 need not tell you their Numbers^ you know them
as well as I do my felf ; {0 that I cannot for my life
feey wherein I haue offended God in this whole mat-
ter. Had we been forced to have embraced your Faitby
you might then have had fame caufe to be jealous
that we have a mindtoforfake it y but having vo-
luntarily embraced it^ we cannot undo what we have
done y nor defiroy what 7i>e have built, 1 would The Em-
therefore advife your Lordjlnp for the future y fjot to P^^'^^ ^^-
havc your Ears open to falfe ai^d wicked meny that '^^^^^^^
put <uch things into your head, on to con-
tlnue a
ThisLetter, though it gave the Patriarch ^omanQx^
feveral Reprimands, as it did alfo his whole ^^oUck,
Order, in denying that any of them had
ever
380 The Church" Hi jlory
ever wrought any Miracles in Ethiopia ; which
is very (Irange, confidering how many they
pretend to work on all fuch occafions*: Yet
for the notice it gave him of a fecond Pro-
clamation, and the aiTurance of the Empe-
peror's refolution to continue ftedfaft in the
Roman Faidi^ he was fo well fatisfied with it,
that he judged all things to be fet pretty well
to rights again ^ and refuming his ancient
courage thereupon, ventured to do a thing,
which gave a terrible blow to his Patriarchal
The Pa- Authority. The cafe was this ; A certain
triarch is Judge having turned Monk, denied to pay a
a^^eat"^ yearly Penfion, which fome Lands which he
pomTof ^^^P^ ^^^^ i^^ h^^ hands were charged with, to a
Jurifdiai- certain PariOi Prieft; of which the Prieft ha-
on. ving complained to the Patriarch, he prefendy
commanded the Monk to pay the Prieft his
dues ; but the Monk , inftead of obeying ,
denied that he had any Jurifdiction over him,
appealing from him to the General of his
Order, as the proper Prelate in all fuch cafes ;
and the Caufe coming to be Tried at Court,
the Patriarch was caft, the Judges having
given their Opinion, That ths Pamarch ha^uir.g
no more Vaver than their former Abuna'j, had no
Authority ever the Monks , which the Vatnarch had
hitherto pretended to^ and had conftantly exer-
cifed j having in this, and an hundred things
befides, extended his Jurifdidion beyond what
any of the Ahunas had done.
The Country being put in a pretty good
humour by the Toleration, which, according
to the Patriarch's fears, was every where ex-
tended beyond its intention, the Emperor fets
about
ojTEthiopia. 381
about raifing a great Army to go againft the
Pealants ; who would not be fatisfied with
any thing untUr the Rc-eft ahliflimcnt of their Old
Religion^ and the Bavi^nrng the Patriarch and the
Fathers out of Ethiopia^, as the Caufes of all the
Blood that had bttnjlied in it for fe^ucral Tears,
But the raifing of fuch an Army as the Em-
peror deligned;, requiring time^ his Brother,
by the advice of the Alexandrians^ was fent
before to ftreighten them with a Flying Ar-
my. Raz, Cella upon his being denied his Old
Troops^ which were intirely at his devotion,
would fain have been excufed from going on
this Expedition j but the Emperor prelTed
him fo hard^ that he faw he muft either break
with him^ or do it ; and as his heart mifgave him
all the way he went^ fo his Succefs was anfwer-
able to his forebodings, for he was no fooner
got among the Mouniains, than he w^as fallen
upon by a Body of Twenty thoufand Pea- ^^- cell^
fants ; and being Deferted by his own Men, j^ routed
moft of which went over to the Enemy, he f^^tV^ ^"
narrowly efcaped being made Prifoner. The
Alexandrians, who it is probable had fent him
againlt the Peafants on purpofe to be beat by
them, could not conceal their joy on the oc-
cadon of this Defeat ; the blame whereof they
laid wholy at his door, which funk him lb
low, that he was never able to rife again to
do the Reman Church any fervice. The Em-
peror fearing Icaft the Peafants might upon
this advantage have advanged towards Dancasy
retired from thence to Gojam, to be at a
greater diftance from them; where having
made up an Army, that confifted chieily of
Gaulsy
38^
The Em-
peror
marchetli
againll:
them.
He ob-
tains a
great Vi-
Sory.
The Church'HiJtorj
Gaklsy beiiag afraid to truft his own Subjeds:
any longer, he went to offer the Peafants a:
Battel ; who llnce their late Vidory over Raz>
Celky had ventured down into the Low Coun-
tries, reckoning themfelves ftrong enough to
Fight any Army the Emperor could bring
againft them. The Two Armies having looked
each other in the face for fome Hours, the
Emperor, who had placed a ftout Body of
Gaulijli Horfe in the Front, ordered them to
fall on, which they did fo furioufly, that at
the firil Onfet, which is commonly the laft
too with the Hahajfm Armies, they broke
through the Peafants main body , which
Difperfed immediately , and Throwing
down their Arms, fled towards the Moun-
tains; the GWipurfjed them till night came
on; fo that though few or none of them
were killed Fighting, there were Eight thou-
fand of them found dead next mornings
whereas had they had the Courage to have
fought it out, they might, with half that lofs,
have had a Vidory ; tor had they but rout-^
ed the Ga^Js^ who charged them firft, it is
certain the Imperial Habaffim would either
have gone over to them, or have thrown
down their Arms. The Qomt- Alexandrians^
though they were extreamly mortified by thij
great blow, yet did fo manage the matter_,
that they gained their point by it ; for having
perfuaded the Emperor lo go next morning to
view the Field, which was covered all over
with dead bodies , and obferving him to
be touched with fo direful a light , they
came about him; and with Tears in their
of E
T H I O P I A.
385
eyes told him. Sir, Ton fee how nnuiy deadhoilics
are lypig berc'j IVb.ofc were all theje? iVere they
the Bodus of Mahometans or Heathens ? Ncy
mtfo rrAtchasoiieoftheWy huS they were all to a man
lyour Highvcjs\ Natural-horn SubjcBs , and our
aim Blood and Kindred -^ we do therefore beg
of your Highnefs to confider, lliat this is a
War in which, whether you Conquer or are Beat,
you thrufi a Sword, into your own Bowels, Neither
were thefe poor wretches, you fee lying here, dijja^
tisfied with your Highjiejs for any thing, but for
forcing a New Religion upon them : How many
Thoujands have already lof- thetr Lives in this
Quarrel ? ^nd hov^ many 'JHocuJands more muft he
Maffacred before Popery can he eflrabliflied in Ethi-
opia ? H' her ef ore, for God's fake. Sir, let your
People alone with the Religion of their Fathers ;
which you mu^ either do, or refolve to deftrcy
your E?npire with your ovm hands. We mult
tell your Highnefs farther , That the very
Gauls and Heathens do condemn us for what
'ii^e are doing, calling us Apofiates and Rencga-
■ dos for havmg forjaken the Religion of our An^
ceftors. And that they might clinch the mat-
ter, the Prince and Amana Chrifhs, had got
the Gauls, as the Emperor paffed by them, to
cry out. That they would jerve him no longer, he^
ing quite weary of Cutting poor Mens Throats for
710 other reafon but hecauje they would not leave the
Religion they had been Born and Bred in. The
Emprefs interpofed likewife, and defired him
for God's fake, and his own, and his Pofierities,
7iot to go on deftroyiyig his SuhjeEis at fuch a merci-
lefs rjte • aiid to confdtr- that in all his Wars with
tkmy hs did, as it were, but cut off his left hand
with
He IS mo-
ved by the
paflionate
Remon-
ftrances of
the Gran-
dees and
others, x.o
reftore the
Alexandria
an Religi'
on.
384 Tl?e Omrch'Hiftory
ivith his right ; and whether any thing could he
more dijho7Wurahlc.y than for a Frince to employ
Foreigners and Heathens to Majfacre his Chrifiian
SuhjeBs J and all this to introduce a Religion into
Ethiopia^ -which it was plain to all the World^ it
would ite'ver he reconciled to ?
Thefe paffionate Remonftrances one upon
the neck of another^ together with the fad
fight of fo many dead bodies^ did affed the
Emperor fo much^ that inftead of returning
to Dancaz. in triumph after fo great a Nidtovy,
he returned thither fo extreamly difconfolate,
that he did not care to fee or fpeak v\dth any
body.
The Patriarchy Biihops^ and Fathers^ hear-
ing how things went, haftened to Court, not
to Congratulate the Emperor upon his late
Vidory, for that their Friends had told them,
lie could not bear, but to fee if they could get
him out of the hands of the Alexandrians,
who at prefent were in full polTeffion of him,
the Champions of the Roman Faith being all
. either Dead, or in Difgrace at Court.
We are not told what pafled betwixt the
Emperor and the Patriarch at his firft Audi-
ence ; but whatever it was, a great Council
was called a few days after, to confider the
ftate of the Empire, and by what means the
Peace thereof might be reliored ; in which it
was quickly agreed. That there was no other way
of doing it, hut by refioring all the Alexandrian Rites
andCufioms, and by lea'vmg People to their Liberty to
he of which of the two Religions they pleafed. This
Refolution is faid to have teen oppofed by
one Ahithaca Johams, a Nephew of the Empe-
peror's.
o/ E T H ! O P I A. 3^j>
ror'9, who told the Council boldly , That all
the MiJcTU's o/' Ethiopia were owing to their Smsy
and mt to Vo^ery\ having been EHahhfied 'w ir.
To whom the Council gave no other anfwer^
but that/omelb!?7g must be done to reflore the Em-
pre to its fortmr peace ; and that there was nothmg
"WohLI do It J but what they had agreed to do. The
Patriarch being alarm'd with this refolution of
the Council^ lent immediately to demand an y]- P
audience of the Emperor ; and having obtain- t,.jjVch and
ed one with fome difficulty, he went on the Fathers
Twentieth oi June 1632, attended by the Bi- ^^n'tupoii
fhop of Nice, and Five Fathers, to wait upon ^^^''^ J° ^^"
him ; to whom lying in Bed very penfive, he fro^ d^
delivered the following Speech, the Billiop and ing it.
Five Fathers Handing behind him.
SI R , I thought we had had the Vithry in the
lafi Fight y but 1 7J0W begin to under fi and that
we had the worjt ont ; for not with Ihar^jng in rea~
lity the defign of the Rebels was to hanje taken your
Crown from you, neverthelefs what they gave out
was, that they fought only to have the Religion of
their Fathers refiored 5 fo that if they jjjould gain
that point, though shey ivere beat, they may be reck"
cned to have been ViHoriom ; but as before the En--
gagement jvas the proper time for the making ofFows
andPromifeSy fo now is the time fcr fulfilling them.
In order to Engage God to confer jvore fuch mer^
cies upon you, who by this lafi ViBory has as it were
fet his feal to all the former , and that for no other
end but to oblige your Highnefs to advance his Ijoly
Faith , under the banner whereof you obtai7Jed it.
Befd^s , it 7uas the Catholicks that are in your Ar^
C C my
J 86 The Church Hijlory
mj that did the 7Porky and ivho are not fo fenf as
your Highnefs is told they are. The reafon why they •
do not affear to he numerous^ is hecaufe they ha've
no favour jhe'wd the'm ,; ii^hereas if your Highnejs
ivoidd hut he "(leafed to call them ahout your Per-
fon^ ai2d hefiow all Offices of Honour and Trufl^ up^
on thewy you v^ould quickly fee ho7V they ivotddmuU
tifly y and how hy that means hoth your Empire
and the faith would fiourif} ; whereas of late they
have heen kept from cowing jjear you^ none hut Ser-
fents having heen admitted into your Councils ^ a
whole Ned of which Serpents did on Friday
laft a[femhle together in the Flail of your FalacCy
where they treated no longer ahout the out-works of
Religion^ hut laid the ax to the rooty confulting to-
gether how they might deflroy the Catholick Faith •
which they agreed at lafty to put to the Vote^ hy lea-
ving the People and Soldiers to he of jvhich Religion
they like heft ; who whenever they are asked whe-
ther they will have Chrifi or Barabbas ^ will
certainly prefer Barabbas^ for having heen of their
0W7i Office and Profefion, Sir y Matters of Faith
are not to he treated in ftich a manner, hut are to
he fetled hy Councils confifing of great numhers of
Bifljops y where they may he hady or elfe of Grave
and Learned Priejls and Friars> : For though in
Matters of State y thefe very men do not think fit
to confult with every hodyy hut only with perfons of
known Prudence and Experience ; neverthelefs m
Matters of Religion , the Otadores^ ~ Gauls ,
Mahometans and Heathens^ are reckoned to he
good Counjellors \ and are all called in hy them to
determine which is the trucy and which is the falfe
faith, I would have your Highnejs call to mind
the many mexiies God hath conferred on ycu fin ce yon
embraced
o/ E T H 1 O P I A. 1^7
embrdced the Roman Faith ; mid though ii is true
there hiTve hcui many Rtbelliu7Js^ which is a Flague
Ethiopia vezfer wasy vor never will he free frowy
until the Faith is deeply rooted therein ^ yet God has
always been fo hind to you^ as to lay the Ret els at
yow feety ami farticulrrly in the laft Fight ^ when
your cijfairs were come to a crifis ; fo that jcitr Arm
is not jhortnedy but extended. Retncn^bcr likewijey
that you did not forfake the Faith of Ethiopia out
of fear, the Fathers bcwg in ro condition to oblige
you to do it by force of ArmSy but you did it purely
upon your being convinced of its faljhoody a?id cf the
truth of that of Rome : Neither muft you forget^
that I did not come to you of my own heady but was
fent by the Roman tontiff' y and your Brother the
King of Portugal^ upon your having writ to them
fever al time to J end you a Fatriarch and fome Bi^
JJ)Ops ; in which affair if there w>as any delay y it
-was occafioned by the jealoufy they had of the fckle-
nefs of the Habaffins, which we ?iow beo^in fo eoc-
perience ; and wbich the King of Portugal had for-
merly had experience of, when he fent Don Chri-
ftopher De Gama hither with a flout body of
Troops y by whom this Empire 7i^as refcued cut of the
hands of the Mahometans ( who had Conquer'd
it ) and that not with an intention of keepi?jg it to
thcmfehesybutofrefiorwg it to your AnccfiorSyas they
did : Neither had the King 0/ Portugal ever any other
vieWy nor did he expe^ any other reward for what
he did for you y but only your Friendjhip y and the
unto7i of this Empire with the Roman Church ;
to which end I and the Biflidp that is here behind
me luere fent by his Holinejs and his Ma^efly to
you : Neither' did we come among you as Beggar Sy
but well flored With Books y and Tontifcal Veftments
C C 2 c^nd
388 The Church' Hifiory
and OrnamentSy they not being willing to charge
your Higbnefs 'ivlth jo much as the Maintenance of
our perjo?is, Ccnfidtr ^ Sir ^ how juf} cauje thofe
Trinces will ha'ue to he difpkafcd 'with you ; and
tJx'Ugh they may he at too great a dijtmce to have
due jatisfaBion^ God ne'verthelefs pi>ho is e'very ivhere^
ovill not fail to require it of you : Co?tfider like^mfey
7i'hat a blot this will be in the Scutcheon of the Li~
. on of Judah J, and ivhat an eterfial fiain both to
your own and your Empire^ s honour ^ and how many
Souls you will ruin by your A'^ofia^y 5 which ^ that
1 may not live tojee, nor the Divine Judgments
that 7vill befal you thereupon ^ let me beg it of your
Highncfs to command tny head to be here firuck off
before you. At thefe words the Pati-iarch , Bi-"
fhop^ and Five Fathers, threw themfelves at the
Emperor's Feet, to receive his anfvver. At
which fight, notwithftanding the By-ftanders
feemed to be all touched , the Emperor himfelf
did not appear to be in the leaft affeBed with
it , in fo much that the Patriarch faith thofe
Verfes of the Poet were very applicable to
him.
The Em-
peror
continues
immovea-
ble in his
sefolucion,
Nee Magis incept 0 vultum Sermone Movetur,
Quam fi Dura Sikx vel fiet Marpefia cautes*
Only making a fign with his hand that they
fhould rife, he asked the Patriarch 7vith what
face he could fay that he had not JJjewed favour to
the Catholicksy fince he had favoured none elfe
hut fuch ? but the Hereticksy faid he, are nuyne-
rouSy and all that have rebelled againft me , have
given no other reafojifor their doing it^ but my ha-
ving changed the Rdigion of my Countrey, How
many
o/" E T H I O P I A . 1^9
many T'hottfajuh have I hilled already tn order to
introduce Fopcry ? yiyjd how many Tbou{a77ds wore
muff I kill before I fljall he able to do it ? My
People are all weary of cuitirg one another s Throats,
and arc all upon the point of deferting mCy I can do
?w more than I have done. Befides, IVe are not
medlifjg with the Faith , hut only with fome
Citjioms ; or if any are about changing it ^ they
have not acejuai?ited me with it j if you are told
otherwije abroad, you mu(t i^icjtiire abroad whether
it he fo or not. For my own part^ / do here
Pro?KiJe, That 1 will never Decree a72y thing about
Religion, without firfi Cojifulting 72'ith jour Lord jliip i
The Emperor flopping here. The Patriarch
Replied, That as to the Cufioms of Fafiing on
Wednefdays, and of ufng their Old Ojjjces as he
had mended them, and of Obfervingthe Fefiivities as
formerly, which were all that his Highnefs had dc-
fired af him, he had granted them all already, and
was ready to grajit them every thing that was in
his Power, and ?iOt contrary to the Fairh ; 7if here-
fore fence his Highnefs did not intend that there
jlwuld be any Alteration made in Matters of Faith,
he befeeched him. to put forth a Proclamation,
declaring, That as he was of the Roman F^ith
himfelf, fo it was his Will and Pleafure, That all
his SubjeBs Jljould he of the fame ^ and that as
to matters of Cuflom he was ready to comply with
them therein, fo far as the Faith 7Vould permit;
him : In which requeft the Biftiop and Five
Fathers feconded him with great earneftnels,
but to no purpofe, the Emperor telling them
plainly, That he could do no more for Popery than
he had done*
C c 5 The
3^0 The ChurchHiJlory
The Patriarchy who was for leaving no
ftone unturned^ went from the Emperor to
wait upon the Prince, and having told him
the fame ftory he told his Father^ the Prince
feemed to be furprized with the news, and
returned iuch Anfwers as would have im.pofed
upon a weak Man 5 but the Patriarch know-
ing him to be Mafter of a mod profound
Diffimulation 5 and an inveterate Enemy to
the Ropia?^ Church, gathered from his ambi-
guous Anfwers, That ivithout a Miracle the Ro-
man . Faith could not he much lender fupported in
Ethiopia. So they all returned to the Patri-
arch's r'aiace d^fperately afrii^led with the
prefent lad profped of their Affairs.
The Ak:oandrians, that they might bring
~ the Eraperor undei* a neceifity of executing
what liau been agreed on in Council, had in-
duftriouily fpread a report. That on St. John
BuPtifi's day their Ancient Faith was to be re-
ftoicd to them ; which report having brought
all the Countrey to the Camp to be prefent at
the Solemnity, they then told the Emperor,
That there was no remedy but he ?mi/l- either
Refiore 4o his Teofle the Religion of their FatherSy
or run a great haz,ard of his Croivn^ fence the Tec-
fky 7vho were come in fuch vaft multitudes in
hopes of having it done, if they were difap-
pointed would be thrown into fuch a Fury,
that no body could tell ivhere it might end : The
Emperor made anfwer. That he was willing
his good SuhjcBs jhould ejijoy their Old Religion ;
but that he might ilot be worfe than his word
to the Patriarch, he commanded fome of his
Servants to go and wait upon him_, and ac-
quaint
3/ E
T H I O P 1 A
39'
quaint him with the neceOity there was of
gratifying liis People with a Toleration of
die Ah>:andrian Faith.
^^ M^riam^ who was in the number of
thofe that were commanded to carry this
MeiTage to the Patriarch, being admitted to
fpeak with him, told him in the Emperor's
Name and words, JVehavs embraced yom- Fa'uby
a7}d huve been at wucb pains about it ^ but cur Pjeo-
fk do not care for it ; (o, thcngh it was really cut
of hatred to Raz Cella, r^jr Julius took up Arms^
ne-vcrthelefs the pretence that helped hrra to an Ar-
my^ was, that be would defend the Old Rdigion ;
ovhoy with vafi multitudes of Teople that had flocked
in to him J was defircyed : Cabrael and Guergis
ujed the jame pretence, and had the jar/2e Jr/ccejs :
And Cerca Chriftos, and the Peaja7:ts who are
now in Arms, have no Quarrel 7vitb me, hut fcr
having prohibi: el tiem the exircije of their Reli-
gio?u The Faith of Rome is not had ; hut as I
have told you formerly , my People do not under^
ftand It, and are very well contented to live and
die in the Keligion they were brGughi up tn : I ar^t
refolved therefore, fince they are {o fo?id of it, to
let them alone with it j and if there are any that
are inclmMe to the Roman Faith, they fljall have
free Liberty to Profefs it, as the Portuguefes, who
have been among us ever fnce the Reign of Afnaf
Saged, have bed, V/hen Mariam had done
fpeaking, the Patriarch asked him. Whether
it was by the Emperor's Exprefs Order that he
had delivered him that Meffage f Mariam told
him /> was : The Patriarch made no other re-
ply, But that Ethiopia bad never been wiihoiit
Wars before the Roman Faith was Jimwn in it,
G G 4 (:nd
Ipt The Church^ Hijlory
md that he wcuU return an Anfwer to the Empe*
ror after he had ad'vifed with his Brethren : Who
having confulted together, drew up the fol-
lowing Mamfe/loy which they fent to the Em-
peror by V^thQV Manuel.
The Fa- • "XT' OUR Highnefs has fent me Tvord^ That
trurch s j|^ heiyjg upon the point of hfing your Empire
againft it fi^ /^^^ ^^'^^ ^^ efiaUiJh the Roman Religion^
jou are refolved to let your 'People ahne with their
Old Faith y and that you will at the fame time
grant Liberty to all that fhall hazfe a mind to em-
brace Popery.
Siry My JffeBion for you is nothing inferior to
that I ha've for the King of Portugal ; being as
ready to condefcend to e^very thing that is for
the Inter ef of your Kingdoms ^ as you can dejircy
provided it do not clajlj with the Purity of the
Faith J for as whatever is a Sin can ne'ver be for
the good of any Kingdom^ fo neither can I gra72t
any Juch thing, neither ought your Highnefs to dejlre
it of me. There are two things to be obferved in this
great Affair'^ the one concerns the PeafantSywho ha-
vmg never embraced the Roman Faith ^ your
Highneji may for fome time wink at their living in
the Herefie of their Fathers , the other y concerns
thoje who have embraced the Roman Faithy and
Conmunicatcd vjith that Churchy and not only foy
but have obliged themjdves by Oaths to be ahuays
Obedient to h^.r : NovHo thcje your FIigh?;efs cannot
fayy ToH may, if yon pleafe, live in the Faith of
your Fat her Sy firxe it would bt a grievous Sinagainfi
God in ycu to do jOy as it would be in me Ukewife
if I fijould either advife you to ity or confmt to your
dcmg it : And were it laipful for one that is a
Foreig77ery
o/E
T H I O P 1 A. 393
Foreigner y to meddle with your Govtr/jwnjt, or to
gi-ve arh'ice about it, I would tell you, that it is
my Opinion y That your Highnefs will certainly Rum
your Empire by granting Liberty of Confcicnce ,
which mufi 7jeceJ]'urily fll tt with DiJJent ions and
Ci-vil Wars ; For what but Blood and Wars can
follow, upon one fart of your Subjetts bciiig for the
Roman _, and the other part for the Alexandrian
Faith ? And muft not the having of an Abuna
for one Tarty, and a Patriarch for the other, ;«-
fallibly end in Two Kingdoms ^ and Two Kings ?
Whether the Patriarch believed the Popi/h
Party to be fo Numerous in Ethiopia as to
have made a confiderable divifion therein up-
on a Toleration^ or talked fo only to terrifie
the Emperor ; it is certain^ that the Tolerati-
on was no fooner publiflied, than the whole
Body of the Court and Countrey returned to
their Old Religion; infomuch that Father
Manuel happening, after he had delivered the
Patriarch's Mamfcfio to the Emperor, to tell
him. That by granting Liberty of Conjcience
he would undoubtedly Ruin his Kingdom ;
the Eroperor taking him up fliort , asked
him , How that was pojfible^ fince he had no
Empire left to Ruin^ And fo difmifled him.
And whereas formerly the Fathers^ when they
left the Emperor, ufed to be conduc5led out
of the Court with Ceremony, there was no
body now took the lealt notice of Father
Manuel, unlefs it were to make Faces at him
as he palTed through the Rooms ; but the Fa-
ther was not got out of the Court, when the
Drums beat for the Publilhing of the Procla-
mation
594 ^^^ Church* Hijiory
mation which he eame to have put a ftop to >
the Proclamation was as folio weth;
The Pro- TJ E A R y Hear : We formerly gave you the
cla mation Jfl Roman Faith y believing it to be true ; but
for relto- innumerable multitudes of my People having been
Alexandri- fl^^'^ ^P"^ ^^^^ account^ under the Comma^id of
mi ReJigi- JuliuSj GuergiSj Cerca Chriftos^ &c, as now alfo
on, among the VeajantSy We do therefore Reftore the
Religion of your Fathers to you^ fo that your Fnefi^s
are to take Pof[eJJion of their Churches again^ and
to officiate therein as formerly.
Never wms any Proclamation received with
greater expreffions of Joy than this was^ there
being nothing to be heard in or about the
Camp for fome Hours for the noife of the
Trumpets^ and of innumerable multitudes of
Toy and^ People continually ecchoing each other from
Feftivities '^^ quarters of die Camp with acclamations
thereup. and jhouts of, God Blefs the Emperor^ and let
on. the Alexandrian Faith FlouriJJo. At Night the
whole Ccimp and Countrey Vv/as lllurmnated
with Bonfires ^ into which mod:, if not all of
the Popifti Converts threw the Beads and Re-
Uques that had been given them by the Fathers^
and that with fo much Contempt and hdignati--
on, as abundantly manifefted that they had
never had any inward Refpcfl for their New
Religicn^ but had only proiFefs'd it out of fear.
The Patriarch and Fathers^, though morti-
fied to the laft degree by this fudden change
of diings^ neverthelefs fince the publick Exer-
cife of the Rom^n Worfliip was not prohibited,
they went on faying their Mafjes as formerly ;
and
o/ Ethiopia. ^95
and on the Sunday following the Proddmation,
the Patriarch himfelf Preached in the Cimp^ The Pa-
Vj\z\\,'o?;.'cPcJ]'a^csofivhofeStrnjon, (for hc could .'^'j'-pV^
not forbear reflecting feverely upon what had ^j^7,.^e^js
been done) the AUx.iJidrtiivs were fo much/;/- to give
r.iged^ that he was advifed by his Friends to over
forbear Preaching, till the ftorm the late preaching.
Proclamation had raifed^ was a little abated^
which^ they (aid;, it would be the fooner for
its being fo extreamly violent.
But the Alex^vadriansy who could not pre-
fently forget how hard they had been rid by
the Patriarch and Fathers when they were in
the faddle^ were never fitisfied till they had
all their Churches and Lands taken from xhe Ro-
them ; and had obtained a fecond Proclama- viAmfts
tion 5 which Commanded all the People of ^^^ve all
Ethiopia to be of the Atexandrian^ ar,d of no rh^rches
othtr Faith, The Emperor did not long fur- ^^^ i^-xn^^
vive this Revolution, ^ying the Seftemher fol- taken
lowing of an Hedick Fever , in the Sixty from
firft year of his Age. The Fathers will have jjl^"^-
him to have died in the Communion of their ^^^^ ^-J"
Church. But however that were, it is cer- eth, and
tain, he was buried by the Hahjjin Monks, is Suc-
and with their Offices, in the Church of G^w^r^ ceededby
Jefti, which they had taken from the Fathers. ^|,'|^";
The Prince BaJtUdes being Proclaimed Em-
peror fo foon as the breath was out of his
Father's Body, Raz. Cella coming amongft the
reft of the Grandees to Swear Allegiance to
him, was received by him with all the marks
of Honour and AiFed:ion that his near Relation
to him could pretend to; the Emperor, among
other
39<$
Ba:tlides
throws
his Uncle
P^az. Cella
into Pri-
ion.
The Church H'tflory
other kind things, telling him, TJjat hereafter
he fhcptld look upo?i him^ and treat him as his Fa--
theVy rather than as his U'?Kle,
But whatever was the matter, this kindnefs
betwixt the Nephew and Uncle was not long-
liv'd 5 the Fathers pretend that Raz, Cola's
conflant Zeal for their Religion, was the
caufe of it ; and particularly, his having ac-
*/^iainted the Emperor with his Father's having
appeared to him, and commanded him to tell
him, that it was a madnefs to lofe an Eternal
Kingdom, to fecure one that was Tempora-
ry : But what is certain is, that the Emperor
giving no credit to his Uncle's Vifion, had him
arretted and committed to Prifon as a Tray-
tor, disarming the Patriarch and Fathers at
the fame time, and commanding them from
all parts of the Empire, to VtLmona in Tigre^
the Viceroyfliip of which Kingdom he had
beftowed upon one who he was certain would
enter into no Cabals with them. The Order
run thus :
He fends
for the Pa-
triarch
and Fa-
thers
Arms^and
Baniflieth
them all
to fmm"
HEAR, My Lords , what We fay and
write ujUo you j Tou cannot he ignorant of
our hemg ingaged in a War with the Veafants of
Lafta , and of our Empires not halving had one
hours Reft fince this War begun : Tou muft therefore
fend us the Muskets and Carahijtesy and all your
other Arms ^ together with all the Powder and
Bullets that you ha^ue m your keeping : We ha've
fent Daniel and Miferata Chriftos to receive
them^ to whom you mufl not fail to deliver them ;
and when the War is over^ they Jhall all he reflored
to you again 5 or if you are willing to fell them^
they
ofE
T H I O P I A. 3p7
they will gi've you your price for them,There is an Alex-
andrian ^MVii arrivedhere^ he ha sheen for fame
time Incognito in the Kiijgdom of Narea i and who
when I dc fired him to Co7jfer holy Orders, made me
anfwer. He could not do it fo long as there was
a Roman Patriarch about us 5 for which reafon
we command jour Lordjliip to repair to Fremona^
and to take all your Fathers, and Books, and Goods
with yoH ; we fiall take care to appoint a Captain
to attend you thither with a flrong guard • with
which Orders the Mejfengers carried a ^verbal In-
ftruBion, which was, That if any opportunity
for the Indies fliould ofFer^ the Patriarchy Bi-
fiiop^and FatherSjhad free leave to make ufe of
it.
The Patriarch when he was ferved with
this Order, complained . the Emperor was ve-
ry hard upon them, and that he could not
judge otherwife but that his deUgn in taking
their Arms from them at the fame time he ba-
nifhed them to Tremoi:a, was, that they fliould
be all Murthered by the way ; as to the Arms^
he faid , they owed nothing to Ethiopia, and
as he was refolved never to give them av/ay^
fo he w?.5 no Gunfoith to fell Arms. Never-
thelcL if they were refolved to have thera
from him, they mi|^ht find them in fuch
a place, but that he v/ould declare to all
the World that he was robbed of them ;
but having before the Meffengers had feized
the Arms, received advice that Father James
was likevv/ife ferved with an order, to deliver
all the Cannon , Muskets and Armour for
Man and Horfe that were in his Cuitody ; He
fent
398 The Church' Hijiory
km for theMeffengersand told them, That he
now faw plainly what the Emperor's defign
was in demanding their Arms, and that he
would therefore write to his Highnefs about
it before he parted with them ; but the Mef-
fengers being very urgent to have the Arms
out of his Cullody, he agreed that they
fhould be depofited in the hands of any per-
fon they would name, till he had an aniwer
fi om the Emperor.
The FatrtardPs Let^^r to the Emperor.
DAniel Miferata Chriftos , and Danaceos,
ha've by Virtue of an Order from your High-
tnarcns ^^^/^ demanded^ all my Guns, Musket Sy and other
tife Em^pe. ^"^^^^ > I prefinllyfljewed them all the /4rms Ihad,
ror there- ^^d which are no'U) defofited in fafe hands , until I
upon. have an anfwer from your Highnefs, On the
jame Ships vnth thefe Arms ^ there came fever al
Cannons and Muskets which were all carried hack
to the Indies; only for the guard of my ferfon^ the
King^s Officers gave me Twe?jty four Musket Sy and
a few Carabines ; of the Carabines I have not one
left , having parted 7vith them all to your Father ^
and fome of the Grandees ; and of the Muskets^ I
gave Fourteen to your Father ^ 'Two to Raz Cell a
Chriftos , one to Caba Chriftos , and one to
Guergis, keeping Six only for the guard of my own
Houje a7id V erf on ; which ^ as they are all I have^
fo they are all very much at your Highnefs s Jervice ;
though at the jame time I cannot forbear telling your
Highnefs^ that your Father on fever al cccafions fent
Carabines both to me and the Fathers, with ivhich
we
of E
T H I O P 1 A. J99
we never did harm to a7jy body ^ ?wi- were they of
any other tre to us, hut to affright Robbers y ajtd
other iii'difpofed feople. And whereas your High-
nefs is flea fed to Ba?iijlj us to a place , to which we
cannot go hut thorough "uafi Dejerts, we might rea-
Jojjahly ha've expe^ed that ycu would have done us
the jame favour 5 hut injtead of that, to take the
Six Muskets from me which are my whole guard^
ts in effeB to take away all my Church-Oryiamejits
and Books, which are my whole Treafure, if not my
Life J this being to give the world to underfand,
that they have free leave to Murther the Bifnop and
the Fathers : This I kfww very well is the def!g?i
of thofe that gave you this advice, though they will
not let your Highnefs know fo much ; for though I
am fenjihle bow pure an heart lodgeth in your High^
nejs's breafi, and how like you are to your Father j
yet yoH h:ive undoubtedly thoje about ycu, that are
contriving how they may have us all Murthered j
and as there are Jevw^l things , which they have
Extorted from your Highnejs by their Importuni-
ties j fc this of hanijhing us to Fremona is one of
then?, which is done by them with an Intefjtion of
having us all Murthered, either by the way, or when
we are there, of which your Highnefs is to know
nothing u?itil it 71/ill be too late to remedy it. The
Lion when his Tteth and Claws are broke, becom-
ing the f port oj the Mcnkies \ and notwithfianding
the guilt of our Blood may lie upon others, the dif
grace thereof will fall upon ycur Highnefs : For
7vhat can the world jay hut that you disarmed us on
furpofe that we might he Robbed and Murfhcred j
and that after having ty'd us hand and foot , you thrciif
its in the way of Soldiers and Robbers ? J iim ifi-
formed likiwife , that your Highnefs has fc?it the
Jams
4^^ 'n^^ ChurchHtJlory
fame Orders to all the Fathers, which is really to
treat us as Rebels, none hut fuch having their Arms
taken from them by the Government ^ fo that with
our Arms you take away our Honour and Lives,
Now this being our cafe, your Highnefs would do us
a great favour if you would command us all to be
flain here , where our bodies will not he de-
voured by Wolves ; or if you would he fo kind,
as to command us to he put to death in the Camp ;
J do fromife to come in my richefi Pontificals to un^
dergo that Blow which would I hope be precious m
the Sight of God. May the fame God preferve your
Highnefsi
O. Patriarcha.
This Letter having had no effed upon the
Emperor^ whom the Patriarch for all his gi-
TN p ^^^§ ^^^' ^^^^ fweet words^ and throwing all
perorrel' ^^'^ blame of things upon his Counfellors,
news his knew to be the moft inveterate Enemy the
orders for Roman Church had in Ethiopia ; Miferata Chri-^
banifhing ^qs was fent back with a verbal Order , com-
and dif. manding the Patriarch immediately to furren-
them"^ der his Arms , and to declare upon Oath that
he had delivered all he had. The Patriarch
took this fo heinouily , that he told the Mef-
fenger, That he neither could nor would take
any fuch Oath , Bijhops being prohibited, by the
Sacred Canons to fwear : adding. His Highjufs
might venture to take his Muskets from him , who
being a. Clerk was to make ufe of no other than
spiritual Arms ^ but that it was more than he
durft do to a private Portuguefe Centinel, who do
not ufe to part jvith their Arms^ hut with their
Lives. The Meffenger perceiving the Patri-
arch
of E
T H ! O P I A.
401
arch was not to be perfuaded to Swear to the
Delivery of the Arms, defired that Two of
the Fathers might do it ; which being
granted, the Fathers delivered all their own
and the Patriarchs Arms, declaring upon Oath
that they had delivered all they had ; but
when the MelTenger urged the Patriarch after
he had Difarmed him, to begin his journey
to Fremona ; Fie made anfwer. That he would
neither go, nor promife to go thither, before he
had an Anfwer to a Letter he defigned to
write to his Highnefs.
The PatriarcUs Letter to the Emperor.
DAniel Miferata Chriftos, and Danaceos, The Pa-
have in your Majefly^s name commanded me triarch's
and all the Fathers , to go ^raightways into the J^cond
Vrovince of Tigre ; and haue gii;en us the reafon ^^^^^ ^^
7vhy your Highnefs has thought fit to hanijli us to that ^or.
Kingdom : My Anfjver to them was , That I
would neither go, nor promife to go thither
before I had your Highnefs's Anfwer to this
Letter.
Sir , I did not come into Ethiopia of my own
head , hut was fent hither hy the Roman Vontiff^
who is the Sufream Governor of the Church j and
ly your Brother the King of Portugal, after your
Father had intreated him hy Jeveral Letters to fend
a Vatriarch 5 and as it was at your Father s re-
^Hcft that I was fent , fo when I arrived here , /
was received hy him and the whole Empire as their
Fafior and Faibcr^ all of them Swearing in my
hands to he always obedient to the Roman Church,
D d 1 hrive
401 The Church Hiflory
I have ferved you all now thefe Seven TearSy as
Jacob keft the flock of Laban ;, according to the
'Talents God has befiowed on mCy by Freaching, Ad-
minifiring the Sacraments^ and vifiting Churches^
as is knoivn to all the world by fever al Books that
have given an account thereof ; and now all of a
judden you are for removing me from the Toft God
and your f elf f laced me in \ and for banijhing me
to Tigre^ and from thence in ajhort time to the In-
dies or Portugal^ there to be affronted by every bo--
dy that jhall jee me^fince they ca7jnot but thinky that
I who was Jo kindly entertain d in Ethiopia, muft
have do72efome very iU things to dcferve to be thus ba-
nifljedfrom the7Ke, But Juffofrgyou floould not fend
me to the Indies^, but jljould J uff'er me to have my
grave at the foot of the Patriarch Don Andrew
D' Oviedo'i Tomb in Fremona ; all the Indies
and Europe ;, ?iay all the jvorld y ii^hen they jhall
come to hear of my being banif^ed thither y will and
muft conclude that it is for fome great Mifcarriage
that 1 have been guilty of. IVhereforey that I may
he able to give fome account of my felf to the world y
I do in the name of God and Truth beg and re-
quire it of your Htghnefs y afid of all your
Nobles y That you would be fkafed to let me have
the reafons in writing why you have thought
ft to banijh me the Court * whether it be for my
having preached any falfe DoBrine y or for having
been guilty of any Jcandalous Crime 5 or for not ha--
ving funHually complied jvith the obligations of my
Taftoral funBiony or for having bee?% Injolent in my
Qvords y or too rigorous in funijhing , or for ha^
ving beenflothful or carelejsy or for what other caufe.
Tour Highnefs may remember y that when your
Father defired that hu Subje^s might be permitted
to
of Ethiopia, 40I
toretuYfj to feme of their a?jcient cufioms^ that 1 gra*
tiffd hiryj fully m that matter ; ajid that he ha-ppeij-
ivg at the end of our Treaty y to mention fo7ne other
cuHoms that he had not (poke of before ; I told
him^ That I was ready to yield to every thing
that was not contrary to the Law of God, one
thing only excepted, which was the giving
the Cup to the Laicks \ ii^hich, though not con-
trary to the Lav of Godj the conceffwn thereof he^
ing referred to the chief Roman Fcntiff^ the Suc-
cejjor of' St, Peter, and Chrifi's Vicar upon Earthy
it ivas not in my foiver to grarit it ; / promised ne-
'verthelefsy at the J awe time to "write to his Hclinefs
about ity and to lay the whole matter before him with
great flncerity^ that Jo he as a faithful and prudent
Steward might Ordain what was moH profitable ^
JVloat I did then offer to your Fat her , I do now again
cffer to your Hghnefs, and do dec! are ^ That if 'j cur
Highnejs and your Em fire will but contiyate in the
Obedience of the Kom^n Church, the head of all
Churches , and will but fellow her fait h, that I will
grant you all that I can with a good Conjcievce in
the form aforefaid. Finally I do befeech your High-
nefs befm-e yon fend me away, to afjemble all your
Learned men. to Treat and DUpure with me about
th^/tr doubts in Matters of Faith ; for confiding in
the Mercy of God and their good judgments ^ I
do not in the leafi doubt but that I pall he able to
convince them of their being in fcveral errors^ and
to oblige them to conlejs, that the Chair of St, Pe-
tor is juchy That the gates of hell can never
prevail againft it. This in my opinion would
be the be ft courje you could take to quiet the
minds of your people \ for that if this JJmild not be
^yielded tOjWhat can the common people fay j but that the
D d z Learned
404 Tf^^ Church Hi jlory
Learned mm of Ethiopia 'wne afraid to appear
before the Light of the Roman Doclors ; hut ha-
'vmg flmt tht^ir eyes^ do throiv themjelves into utter
day'hiefs. What is offered in jufiification of theit
Tjot yielding to this, to wit, that they fliall incur an
Excommunication if they do it , is intolerable ; fince
the Vatriarch of Alexandria^ no nor the fope him-
Jelfy has not povjer to lay an Excommunication upon
his SuhjeBs on that account^ and the reafon is,
hccaufe juch an Excom?nunication would tend to the
Deflruclion of the Faith, 7i'hich is known and made
tnanifefl by the Difputations of Learned men. It is
Iike7pije contrary to the exprefs command of God ^
and his Apofiles , St. Peter and St. Paul ; Chrifi
having commanded his Dijciples , and in them his
Tvhole Church to go and teach all Nations, Jews,
Gentiles and Here ticks ; and again, to feek and
they lliould find^ knocks and it ftiould be open-
ed unto them. And how is truth jought, or how
are its gates knocked at, but by Difputations ? It is
alfo contrary to what St. Peter ordered, who com^
mands all Chrifitans to be always prepared to give
fatisfaBio?^ to all that fljould defre a reafon of the
hope that is in them ; and in the lafi place, it is a
contradiBion to St. Paul, 7vho told his Dijciple Ti-
mothy, that a Bi[hop ought to be a Doclor ; and
ovriting to Titus, he declares wherein that DoBor^
flip conffis,and that it does, in being fo powerful in
found jDo6lrine, as to be able to convince Gain-
layers. Wherefore if your Learned men do think that
"ive contradiB the truth , why do they not endeavour
to convince us of it , and not jeek to excufe their
TJOt e?ideavouring it, by pretending that by ingc^ging in
a Difputation with us, they flwuld fall under the Ex-
communication of Three hundred and Eighteen Fa^
thers.
of E
T H I O P I A. 405
t/jersy there heingno n7iUmer of fotmdation for tloat
pretence, fmce Hoiliis, WtiOi', and Vincentius^r/J?^
Prejidens of that Council, were all the Legates of
Pope Sylvefter, the Mafier of Conftantine th?
Great' who undoubtedly never drew the Sword of
Excommunication agai?/fl- themfdves to thrufl it ifj-
to their own Bowels ; wherefore to flee to Excommu-
nication in fuch acajcy is to tritft to a co'vering that
cannot hide the'ignorance of him that feeks to cover
himfelf with it.
Sijice your Highnefs has heen plea fed to take all
my Arms from me, if I muf go to Fremona, 1
defre the favour of you, to let my Servajits have the
Muskets to Guard me thither, and they ^M hefent
hack to you again ; and if this Jlwuld be de7jied, I
hope your Highnefs will appoint a frong Guard of
Portuguefe Soldiers with Fire^Arms, to fee me
out of danger,
O. Patriarcha.
Though one cannot but be touched to fee
a Perfon^ who but a few Months before was
in fo high a Pofl^ treated thus rudely ; yet at
the fime time one can fcarce forbear fmiling
to find a Roman Prelate advancing the Princi-
ple of the Seekers fo high, as to make it to be The Prin-
defl^ruclive of Religion, and contrary to the Com- ciple of
mands of Chrift and his Apofles, to forbid People the 5^f^^>v
under pain of Excommunication, to difpute about *^ j 7^"/
Matters of Faith, denying it to be in the Pope's patriarch.
Tower to rob People of this Liberty ; notwith-
ftanding he could not but be fenfible that it is
v/hat the Pope does every where ; and that there
is no Dodrine whatfoever for which the In-
quifition would fooner Burn a man^ than for
D d 3 mam-
40^ 7T;e Church Hijlory
maintaming fnch a liberty of Inquiry into the truth
of Doctrines of Faith, to he the undoubted Trivilege
and Duty of every Chrtfiian. But this is not the
only inftance we have of the jefuits affirm-
ing. That the very fame DoBrine may he true in
cm Countrey, and falfe in another. The Patri-
arch's Letter having been read in the Coun-
cil, ic was Debated therein. Whether they
ftiouW gratifie him with a pubiick Difputation ;
and though that was carried in the Negative,
it Wcis judged convenient, however, that an
Anfwer in th^: Emperor s Name iliouid be re-^
turned to it: Wivch was as foUoweth.
The Letter of Seltem Saged, cometh to
the Patriarchy with the Peace of God.
My Lord,
TheEtn- TJ EAR what we jay and write to you :
peror's JLI ^'^^ ^^'''^^ received your Letter^ and do un^
anlwec to j-yO-^^^ ^// fjj-yt ^p contains : ■ As to your deprin^
the Patri- \ , , , ^ ^ r r -^ ^ ^
arch ^^ know why we have turned you ouv of the tojt
,'OU
wherei?i God and the Emperor had placed yt
Tour Lordpiip camiot but be fenjible^ that fo long as
we were under our Father the Emperor^ we ?iever
difoheyed hi?n in any one thing ; nor di^d we ever fo
wuch as open our mot-^th againfl any thing that he
did ; hut Wire fo fuhmiljive to htm in all things^
th.i:t we 7tever jaidy Iimll have this, or I will have
that^ or I like thisy or dijlike that^ mjomuchy
that I do not remember , that during his life^ I ever
did any thing of my own head^ hut did ft ill what
he Commanded me. As to the bufinefs of your
Religion^ cur Soul never entered into its Councils^
neither
of E
T H I O P 1 A.
407
neither tlul ive ever joyn with any Counfdlcrs ci^
tber to huild it uj>y or dejlroy tt. TVe need not be
told that the Emferor fent for your LcrdjJi/py and
that the Fathers likewije came with his Cov/c7}t ;
as we need not, that eijtr fine e your coming he has
been continually embroiled /;; Wars j or endea'vouring
to eflablijljyour Faith ; Fighting jometimes with his
Sons, and at other times with his Slaves^ whom
he had raijed from the dunghd to great honours :
Injomuch that from the fir f hour we were able to bear
Armsy we ha^ve never done anything, but fight in
obedience to our Father s Comminds, which 7ve al-
ways obeyed. After the Battel I had in the begin-
ning of this Winter with Ognadega^ our Learned
Monks and People having afi'embled themf elves
together in the Camp, took the cc^fiJen'ce to tell
my Father their thoughts freely in the folioiuing
words y Sir, How long are we to be plagued
thus, and to tire our lelves about things that
are good for nothing ? We defire to know.
When we are to give over fighting with our
Kinsfolk and Brethren ; or cutting our right
hand off* with our left ? IFhat great difereiice
is there betwixt the Roman Faith and ours ? For
do they of Rome tedch. That there are Two Na-
tures in Chrifl ; and bave noi we ahiniys believed
and taught the fa'fVe^ in affirming that our Lord
Chrtfi IS ferfecl God and perfett Man\ perfetl
Man as to his Humanity, and perfeB God as to
his Divinity ? But whereas thofe his Two Natures
are not Jeparated, his Divinity bei?7g United to
the Flejhy and not Jeparated from it ^ and his Flefli
to the Diviffity ; we do not for that reafon affyj-'?-
them to be Two, but Ofie ; bei7]g made Jo out of
two Canfesj and that not jo as to Confound and
D d 4 Mix
40 8 77;e ChurchHiJlory
Mix thofe Natures in their Beings j hut on the ac-
count of their . being one and the fame Principky
we call them hy the name of that JJnion \ fo that
our Controverfie with them in this matter is offmall
importance : Neither was it the caufe of our ha-*
'ving had fo much fightingj hut it was hecaufe they
denied us the Blood in the Communion^ not-
withfianding Chrifi has told us fofiiively in his
Gofpely that unlefs we eat the fielh of the Son
of man^ and drink his bloody you fliall not
inherit eternal Life. Jnd notwithfiandtng that
Chrifi himfelf when he Infiituted the Sacrament ^
after haijing given his Body to his Difciples, and re-
cei'ved it himfelf^ did not fay. The blood is in
my fiefli. which I have given you; hut on the
contrary J hefi^dy Take and drink, and divide it
among you : His Difciples doing as he Command^
ed them^ and as he ganje them to under fi and hy
faying^ Do this in remembrance of me. Nei-
ther was this the only thing that discontented the
Feople ; hut moreover the prohihiting them to Fafi
on Wednefdays ; which St, Peter and St. Paul,
and no fewer than Eight Synods y had Commanded
the?n to doy upon pain of Excommunication, Nei-
ther was that ally hut hecaufe they faw m Eat
and Drink in thefirfi week of Lent ^ Eating o?z
the Morning of Good Friday ; from which time
till Eafter they do never tafie any thing : They
heard liktwijey that we received the Sacrament m
the Morning on Fafiing-days ; ajtd that the Roman
Church permits People on Fafiing-days to eat Milk
and Buttery and to drink PTater^ havi7ig changed
all the Fefiivities of the Tear^ and fijfering Men
and V/oraen promifuoufly to enter into the Churchy
ivlthout keeping any out for being unclean. But
the
o/E T H I O P I A.^ 40^
the things of all others for which they abhorred us
the moji y was for jay wg. That they Baptiz,ed
themfehes as tf they were Heathens and Publi-
cans ; whereas, in truth, there is 7W great dijfe^
rence betwixt the Romanifts and them as to that
point : y^nd becauje the Romanifts treated their
'Priefts and Deacons, as if they had not been
in Holy Orders, giving them Priefthood up-
on Priefthood, and Diaconate upon Diaco-
nate ; and for burning fome of their Altars for no
other reajon, but becauje they were made of Woody
and Conjecrating thoje again that were made of
Stone, as if they had been Profane before • The
Monks were aljo inraged againfi the Romanifts
for not living like Monks, 7vho are not to he left
to their liberty whether they will Ff0 or not ^ and
becauje the Fathers took ft ate ufon them, and did
not 'vifit them according to the Cufiom of Monks.
For thefe and divers other reafons, the People
far and near were much difcontented, and f aid to
the Emperor, Hear what we have to fay, and
either give us leave to live quietly, or knock
us on the head, fince the War does thicken
upon us daily. Whe7i the Emperor was told this
hy all his People, he, without our joyning with them
in it, finding that there was no other way to quiet
their minds, and that he would not he able to
funijlj them much longer, commanded his CounJeU
lors to advife together what was befi to be do7je 5
who after a ferious confult came to this Refolution,
That they muft all return to their Ancient
Religion and Cuftoms.
Tour Lordjlnp in being acquainted with this,
will know the reajon why you are turned out of
pur Place^ 7i;hich God and the E?f^peror had be-
[towed
410 7he Church Hijlory
fto'wed on you ; and that the ^ery fame Emperor
that fent for your Lcrdjhipy and gave you your Au-
thoritjy was the Terjon that depri'ved you of it :
Wherefore Jince an Alexandrian Ahuna is on his
ovay hither y and he has fent us "wordy that he cannot
he in the fame Countrey with a Roman Patriarch
a'fid Fathers j we have ordered you to Repair to .
Fremona_, and there to remain. As to what your
Lcrdjhip now offers^ which isy That if the People
of Ethiopia will but co?Jtinue in the Obedience of
the Roman Churchy that you will dtfpenfe with
them as to all matters which are not contrary to the
Faith ; that comes too late now ; for how is it
foffible for them to return to that which they
have not only forfaken, but do abominate^
now they hate had a tafte of their Old Re-
ligion again ? For can a grown Man be born
againj or enter a fecond time into his Mother's
womb? Tour Lordjhip further defiresy That we
would affemble our Learned Men to Difpute with
you before you departy about matters of Faith :
This ought alio to have been dene in the beginning ;
^ef^desy Is that Caufe like to be fupported by
Arguments , which has been maintained
hitherto only by Force and Violence? By
Tlie Cru- faking Eftates from fome^ and throwing others
elry of the into Prifon^ and Punifhing others more fe-
onsr^Ta ' ^^^^^y > ^^^ ^^^^^ f^^ ^^ ^^^^ reafon^ but be-
by^the ^^^^^ ^^^^y "^^^^ not embrace your Faith ?
Jefuits. '^''^^ ^^ € ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ fufficienty you have
dragg'd great multitudes out of the Defarts,
who would have been contented to have lived
there upon Herbs^ and confined them to Pri-
fbns ; nay^the poor People that would have been
glad to have Buried themfeives in Caves^ not
having
o/ E T H I O P I aJ 411
having efcaped your Perfecution. Now what
a Barbarity would tc bc^ to go and teafe poor Fee-
pie Tvitb Arguments J who have fujfered fo much in
Defarts and Banifliments ? It watld certainly be a
'very unjufi things both m the fight of God and
Man. As to your Lord^nfs defiring to have a
Portuguefe Guard to attend you, that cannot be*
bnt we flhill appoint a very Honefi Man, and who
has a great train of Servants , to convey your
Lordjlnp, and all your Goods in fafety, to the place
whither you are to go.
This Letter gives us a great deal of light
into the Affairs of Ethiopia at this time. For
Firft j We fee pliiinly thereby, that Popery,
as to its Perfecuting fpirit^ is the fame in all
Climates ; it having no fooner got the Power
of the Government of Ethiopia on its fide,
than it made the penalty of not embracing
it^ the lofs of Eftare, Liberty, and Life;
and Herbs were reckoned too high a Diet,
and Caves and Defarts too good a Dwelling
for thofe that left all, and fled to them, to
preferve a good Confcience. Secondly, That
their denying the Cup in the Sacrament to the
Laity , and the validity of the Alexandrian
Ordinations, and not their believing that there
were Two Natures in Chrift, were among
the chief caufes of the Habaffins having fuch
an Averfion for Popery. Laftly, That Pope-
ry owed all the footing that it ever had in
Ethiopia to Violence ; fo that it no fooner loll
the affiftance of the Secular Arm, than it came
to nothing. There are two paffages likewife
in this Letter, which do feem to make it evi-
dent.
41 X Tl)e Church Hijiory
dent^ That the Hahajfins do not believe Tran-
fubftantiation ; the one is^ where they do
abfolutely deny our Saviour's Blood to be in
the Element of Bread ; and the other is,
where they feem to intimate. That our
Saviour made his Difciples underftand what
he meant, by calling the Bread and Wine in
the Sacrament,his Body and Blood, by bidding
them Celebrate it in Memory of him.
The Patriarch finding that there was no
remedy but that he mufl: go to Fremona^ and
that the Emperor would neither lend him
his own Arms, nor appoint him a Vortuguefe
Guard, did thereupon defire him to charge
fome Refponfible Man with the Books and
every thing elfe that belonged to the Church;
declaring that if that was not done. That he
would not take them with him : The Anfwer
the Emperor returned to this petition was
very fliort, which was, That for his fart, he
did 7iot know how to pack Goods, and that he mufi
therefore een do it himself, and ha'ving done it, be
gone with them. And the Patriarch having de-
fired to know who it was that was to be his
Convoy \ he had word fent him on Holy
Thurfday, That they were two Meffengers,
^nd two Nobles, who would go well attended
with Servants, and that he muft begin his
Journey next Morning ; which being come,
the Patriarch made his Farewel-Sermon ; and
The Pa- after that was ended, he took oiF his Shoes,
triarchbe- ^nd having fliaked the Duft that was on them
To" rnev ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ P^^ ^^■^^"^ ^^ again, and begun
to Frfw»o- ^^^ Journey ; on the Second day whereof he
na, difpatched the following Memorial to the Em-
peror. No?!'
ofE
T H I O P I A. 415
No'w that your Highnefs s Cotmfellors do reckon His Me-
that the fecurity of your Empire dos conjifi in the 'yo"^^ ^^
Extirpation of the Roman Fatth, which is the on- ^q^-qj.^
ly true Cathohck and ^Ipofiolick Faith ; and in the
Banifiiment of the Patriarch, BijJjop, and Fathers ;
I for 77iy part^notwithfianding I know your Highnejs
is mofi mijerably ahufed by thofe men, do fay with
Jonas, Take me and throw me into the Sea^ ic
being better that one man fliould die, than that
a whole Nation fliould perifli. Howe^ver your
Highnejs mufi know that the Roman Faith can
Tie'ver he defiroyed, it not being founded on the mud
wherewith the Nile flls Egypt , but on the firm
Rock of St. Peter'j Confeffion, to whom Chrifi hath
fromijed, that the gates of hell fliall never pre-
vail againft it * halving alfo faid to him at ano-
ther time, Peter, I have prayed to my Father
for thee, that thy faith may not fail. Where-
fore being now banijloed for having preached the
Goffel, I can fay with St. Paul, I labour even
unto bonds, neverthelefs the Word of God is
not bound.
Wherefore as Fathers when they come to die, or
when they are to part with their Children for any
long time , do /peak to them as Jacob did to his
Twehe Sons, or as old Tobit did to the young one,
and as Chrifi when he afcended into Heaven did
to his Dijciples^ fo upon my departure , I will
[peak to your Highijejs and your whole Empire
all the truths which it imports you to he acquainted
with.
In the Firfi place, 1 do tcfttfy to your Highnefs,
hefore God and Chrifi Jefus, who is to Judge the
quick
414 ^^^^ Church'' Hijiory
quick and the dcp.d. That the Church of Rome
is the Aiotbevy Mifrrcfs, av2 Head of all Churches^
Chr'ift ha'v'tyig commanded her in the f€rfo?t of her
Foimdcr St, Peter, to confirm his brethren, and
feed his llieep ; that is, all the faithful of the
Ti^crldy who are all the Sheep of Chrifi ; fo tLt
none can ha've God for their Father y hut they
who have this holy Church for their Mother ^ out of
which there is no Salvation^ no more than there was
cut of the Ark in the time of the Deluge 5 and I do
farther declare^ T'hat your Highnefs and all that are
in your Emfire^ who have violated the Oath you
made in my handsy To live and die in the Faith afid
Obedience of the Roman Churchy have incurred
thereby the Excommunication which was pronoun^
ced by 7ne and divers Triefis in the fiame of God at
that time^ and by the Juthority of St, Peter and the
Roman Pontiff' his Succeffory from which you can-
not be abfclved before you return to the Obedience and
Union of holy Mother Church •
In the Second place I do declare, That I^folong as
I do live, and am not loofedfrom that bond of Spi-
ritual Marriage y iphich I have ContraBedwith the
Church of Ethiopia^ am the true Vatnarch and
Ta(tor y and Abuna thereof ; and that whofoever
is or Jhall come from any part, is a firangcr, and
cannot enter into it by the door, it 7wt being opened
to him by the faithful and prudent Steward^ to
whom chrifi has delivered the Keys of his Houfe ,Such
a one therefore mufi he an Adulterer , m taking a^io-
ther mans Wife 7vhile her lawful Husband is living, I
have been placed in this Chair by the true Succejjor
of St, Peter, and that with the fame Authority as
St, Peter placed his Dtjcipk St, Mark in the Chair
o/EthiopiaT 415
o/" Alexandria ; all that are in that Chair ^ a^d do
deny Obedience to the Tope and his SucceJ/orsy being
Fatriarchs only in na?ne, for the branch cannot
hear fruit of it felf if it continueth not in the
'vine.
In the Tlnrdflacey lam tofutyour Highnefs and
the Tvhole Empire in mind of thoje *ivords of St,
Paul y Be not deceived , for God, no nor men,
will not be Mocked by your pretending that you
hazfe rotforJakentheKoma-nfaithy but only tn jome.
cuftoms ; for it is plain ycu ha'ue departed from her
by divers Herefies 5 namely , the ujirg of Ctrcumci^
fon together v^ith Baptijm ^ the rep^utingof Eap^
tijm, the kiipr.g Saturday, and the ceremonial
Law about Leg ,! umleannejjesy and difinttions of
meat ^ and in dijjol'ving Marriages _, many of yoti
affirming that Chrifi is the Son of Ood by grace on^
Ij : Others affirming that there are Two perfons in
Chrifi ; others that he has one f>erjon made of TovOy
and that he has not two Wills nor tivo Operations 5
others that he died •without his Di'vinity^ others that .
the Humanity is eejual to the Di'vmttyj and is tuery
where, Tou do affirm likewijes that water jquetz,ed
from dry grapes may be Lor'ecrated , and that the
Souls of Children are derived from their Parents^
with a great many other things thav are repugnant to
the holy Scriptures^ and have been Condemned and
AnathematiZjed in divtrs Councils^
In the Fourth place y 1 do befeech your Highnefs
by the Frecious Blood of Chrifi y and by the BojveU
of Our Lady the Virgin Mary \ and I do in the name
of God, and by the Authority which he hath given
me by the Fontifcal Oil t but was poured on my head,
as
41^ The ChurchHiftory
as upon that of Aaron, on the day of my Confecra"
tioriy command you neither by force nor fromifes tQ
endea'vour to oblige the Portuguefes that jhall re-
main here to renounce the true Roman Faith : Nor
to fet any Captain over them that is not a Catho-
lick by Defcent, and chofen by Catholicks, And I
Jo pronounce the greater Excommunication to be Ip-
fo fa(5to incurred^ and do in^vocate the Indignation
and Curfe of Almighty Gody and of the holy Afo-
ftles 5 St. Peter and St, Paul, and of St, Tho-
mas , the Patron of India , and of St. James
the Great y the Vatron of Spain and Portugal , on
all that [hall any ways offend in this mat-
ter ^ or who jhall at any time forfake the Roman
Faith,
In the Fifth flaccy I do adzfertife your Highnefsy
and all and every one in your Empire ^ that there is
no Nation under Heaven that has the like Obligati"
ons to another y as Ethiopia has to Portugal, The
Portuguefes not having come among you , as the
Children of Ifrael went into Egypt witb Afjesy to
have them laden with Trovijions to fatisfy their
hunger ^ but were moved to it purely out of Charity
and Zeal for the faiths It is not above an Hundred
years fince they were fent by their King to his great
coft laden with A^rms and Muskets^ and accompa-
nied with a train of Artillery which is at this time
in your Campy with the Royal Arms of Portugal
upon themy with their Tockets full of Money y and
that not to make themselves Mafiers of Ethiopia,
nor to Conquer it for their King, but to deliver the
Habaffins out of a Mahometan Captivity , and
to free them from the Take which that curjed Se^
had laid upon their necks , for which great Service y
the
o/ E T H ! o r I A. 417
they have hee?i fo ill rewarded, that their Children
and Gratidchtldrenwere reduced to that Penury, that
the Kmg of Portugal was obliged to allow them a.
yearly Maintenance* Wherefore I do bejcech your
Htgbnejs , to let them c7jjoy the Priz/ileges which
their Fathers purchajed for them with their Blood j
a7id which have been granted them by former Kings
for their fervices.
In the Sixth place, 1 would have your Htghnefs
remember, that jeveral of the Fathers of the Society
'ivho are Eminent for their Piety and Learning, have
come into Ethiopia at divers times , not to feek
after Honours or Riches, but to ferve God and your
people in much humility ; and to teach them the
true faith, fome of them having given the greateft
Teftimonies of love that are pojfibk, m having laid
down their Lives for their Friends ; which Three of
them did, one after having been fever al years a pri-
foner at Matzua, and the other two at Adel ; and
thofe that are now alive have ferved your Father
with all the fidelity of Dolors, Servants, and
Slaves, as he himjelj has many times told me , all
which notwithflanding, after they had built fever al
Churches and Houfes , they are now turned out of
them all j and that in the midfl of Winter their
Churches and Goods being all given to the Enemies
of the Roman Faith j the Fathers that were at
Gorgora having in little more than three Months
time been fmt from three feveral places ^ they that
oi'ere at Dembea and Gojam having been likewife
ttrrned out of all , notwithflanding all which hard
ufage, they coyjtinue to pray to God to Efiablifh your
Highnefs^s Empire for ever 5 and that he would
give J on a Hcufet hat has the true faith for its Foun-
E e dation^
45 8 The Church Hijlory
datiof}^ and Heaven for its Roof, Furthermore I
7Vould have your Highnejs remember y That your
Father de fired the BijJjop of Rome to fend a Fa-
triarch and BijJoops into Ethiopia ; at Ti^hoje requefi-
he Jent me and a Biflwf 5 we 7Pere both Mafiers of
Divinity , and Readers of the holy Script tires : Nei-
ther did the mojt Catholick Powerful and Munifici-
ent King of Portugal, expeB that your Father
Jhoidd have remitted Gold to him to defray the
charges of our Ali/fcn y or that he jlrndd have
taxed'-his Nobles on that accomjt ; but he took the
71^'hole charge thereof upon himjelfy which amounted
to feveral Thou/and Oijuea^s, giving us alfo many rich
pieces to make Pre/ents of Jome of which are at
this time in your Royal Palace y and in fever al great
Houfes in Ethiopia : Neither did he fo much as
charge your Father with the Maintenance of our
perfonSy having fent me yearly an Hundred Oqueas
to Jupport my Dignity. No7V ail the return you have
mafe to your Brother the King of Portugal^
ajid to the Eiflwp and me for all the charge and
trouble that we have bee7t aty is to throw us cut of
all at a hloWy and to entertain another without
knowing who he isy or from jvhence he comes j
threatening us like Cater pillar Sy againf whom whe?i
they comey the whole Countrey is up in Arms ^ fo
that according to the word of David;, I am caft
out like a locuft ; youy in ivhat you doy fulfilling
what Chrifi /aid to the Jews, I came in my Fa-
ther's name, and you received me not j a^wther
ovill come in his own namcy and him you will re^
ceive ; the Children of Ifrael ii^hen they went out
of Egypt carried not only their own gcodsy but the
Egyptians aljo which they had borrowed ; where-
as, we are forced to leave a great part of our own
goods
of E
T H 1 O P 1 A.
419
goods hehhid us ; hut fnice we mujt leave them all
when we come to die^ that gives us but little trou-
ble ; hut what affiiBs us mojt is that your Highnefs
JJjould fend the fame Meff'age to us ^ which another
King delivered with his own Mouth to Mofes and
Aaron in the Twelfth of Exodus \ Arife and go
from among my people ; and that with the fame
hajh as he forced the Jews out of Egypt hy night ^
it heing faid the Egyptians frejjed the Hebrews
to depart fuddenly^ J'-J^^'g^ if ^ hey do not depart
this nighty we are all dead men ; imputing the
death of their Firf-bcrn to the frejtnce and detention
of the Children of Ifrael ; whereas in Jufice they
pjould have attributed it to the hatred they bore to
the Hebrews^, who had been their deliver trs, and to
their own cruelly , in having thrown their Sons into
the Nile. After the fame manner Ethiopia ought
to impute the jufi punifhments they have received
at the hand of God, to the unjujl hatred they have
for the Portuguefes their refiorers\ and to their
Manifold fubltck and fcandalous Sinsy fome wherC"
of I piall jufi mention :
Mofi of their men are for having feveral Wives ^
and their Women are for changing their Husbands^
Their Monks care not to have any thing more of
Monks than the habit ^ chufmg the Houfes of the
Court of Ladies for their Mona/leries. The Nobles
are for making themjelves Lords of the Church
and her Lands, indulgwg the flefli in aU things , and
would have their Vaftors to be as fo many Statues ,
in having neither Eyes to Jee their Sins^ nor Mou^^^
to reprove them, nor hajids to chaflife them,
Novjfo lo7ig as theje Sins continue in Ethiopia^^A?
Sword will never depart from it. Open yottr EycSySir,
E e 2 and
410 The Church Hijlory
a?id folloVJ the truth according to your kncwledge
thereof ^ and jnffer not the good Nature and Un-
derfiajiding which God^s given you^ to he ruind hy
evil CounfeUors • hut do juftice to your SuhjeBs^ re--
tnemhering 7vha/ God hath [aid hj the Ecclelia-
fticus. That kingdoms are Tranflated from
one to anotHer^ and from one Family to ano-
ther^ by reafon of Inj ulliee. Andfince we are
not to jee one another again, hefore we meet at the
Tribunal of God's Juflice, I muft tell you flainly^
That though I jhould not accufe you there , you will
accufe your felf J your Empire y the G off el , theCoun-
cilsy and the Books of the Fathers, and DoBors of
the Church which I hrought for your InfruBion^
and you have rejected^ will all accufe you there.
Neverthelefsyly the Bijhops and Fathers, imitating
our Ma[ter Jefus Chrift, who when he was on the
Crofs frayed for his Murtherers, not attending to the
hatred Jvherewith they perfecuted him, hut to the
precept of his Father s and his own willingnefs to die
for them I do from our hearts pray, that God of his
great Meriy would pardon you and your whole Em-
pre, and remove from you and it the Scourges of
his wrath, which the examples in holy Scripture
threaten them j/jithal who will go on in their Sins,
And whereas the Gauls fince the time your Ance-
ftors hroke the Oath they made to the Portugueles,
That they would receive the Roman Faith , have
become Mafiers of the great eft part of your Em^
fire y fo I pray God , that the remaining part
thereof may not be loft on this occafion whtrem there
have hee7i fo many Oaths and Excommunications^
7vith fuch a clear knowledge of the truth j injomuch
that what Saint Stephen /s!/^^ of the Jews^ may be
truly applid to you } You do always refift the holy
Spiiit
of E
T H I O P I A. 4^^!
Spirit after the Example of your Fathers. M^^y
that Divine Spirit, which is the Temple and For-
trefs of Truth, enlighten a^id jhetigt hen your High-
nejs to knovj and lozie the Koin3.n-Catholu:k Faith^
which is the true way and life,
Offonfo Patriarch of Ethiopia^ Banifhed
for Jefu5 Chrift.
The Patriarch having been rifled by the
way by a company of Banditties, arrived at
Fremona on the i^th o{ April ; and not being
able to think of returning to the Indies to live
tliere as a Vn^uate Friar , and v>;here he knew
his Condu^ would be cenfured , if for no Other
reafon for its having been unfuccefsful -^ he be-
gan to confider whether he might not^ in
cafe the Emperor fiiould command him to de-
part his Kingdoms , which he every day ex-
peeled he would do , find feme Nobles that
would undertake to protect him againlthim ^ but
being fenlible that that was not to be done any
other way, but by giving affurances^ that a
VortHguefe Army would come in a lliort time
to fuccor them, he immediately difpatched
four Fathers to Goa^ to JoUicit the fending of an
Army to them^ as the greatefi Serziice that could be ?• ?^r
done either to God or the Crown of Portugal j foonashe
and having done this, he thought he might arrived at
very well encourage fome of the Grandees to P^emoyja,
take them under their protedion by promifes of f^"^^^^^"^
-n r A 1 • 111 lelmts to
a Fortugueje Army bemg ready to embark at ^j^^ j^^^^^
Goa, to come to their afliftance ; and being in- to foUicic
formed that Prince John Kay, the Heir of their for
old friend Bahurnagays^ was living, difcontent- Troops.
E e 5 ed.
42 i The ChurchHiJiory
ed^upon his own Lands which were Mountai-
nous , and not far from the Sea Coaft , he
fent two Fathers to him^ to try if they could
perfuade him to undertake their froteB'ion^ by pro-
rnifes o^ great things the Vcrtugueje Army that
was coming would do for him. The Envoys
managed matters fo^ that they brought O Kay
to promifc to proted them^ it being agreed be-
He fues to *^^'^i^^ ^^^ ^^^ thera^, Ihat whevjoever the Em-
o Kay a feror jlmdd command the Vatriarch and Fathers to
difcon- ha've Ethiopia^ that he jhould J end a Trocp of
tented Horfe to fetch them from Fremona into his own
A*^ Lands j where^ 7i^hen he had them once, he fromi-
againftrhe /^^ ^^ defend them till the Portuguefe Army
Emperor, arri'ued,
o Kay un- This O Kay you muft know was one of the
derrakes chief Leaders in Guergis\ Crotfade for the extirpation
to protea of Popery ; which^ though the Patriarch knew
''^^* well enough^ yet being fenfible that he was
dtfcontented with the Emperor and the Court,
and believing Ambition to be much flrrcnger in
him than Religion^ he thought he might be a
man proper enough for his purpofe^ the very
Peafantsof Lafa being made pfe of by the Fathers
agalnft the Emperoi-^ as we iliaii fee hereafte r.
The Emperor^, who vi'as too jealous of the Pa-
triarch and the Vorttigueje^ not to have his Sfies
The Em. ^p^j^ them, having received advice , That the
hearing Patriarch was caballing with O Kay^ fent an
thereof, Exprcfs With a precifc order to the Patriarch
commands and Fathers , immediately to depart his Em-
thePatri- pji-g^ tclHng thcm if they would go to Matzua,
R^h t ^^^^^' ^^ embark for the Indies, that he ji^ould write
leave ^'^ ^^^ Bajhajp of that Tort , to treat them ci'villyy
Ethiopia, (tnd help them to a ff^Jj'age,
The
of E
T H ( O P 1 A. 415
The Order they were fjrved with^ run
thus : Fro?n the day that Vcfcry came frjl mto
Ethiopia, our Emjfire has ne'ver had ens day of
Feace , which was what it always enjoyed before.
Tf^hcnfore fince our Empre is "vtry tiear ha'vmg
heen ruined by yott^ ire do firittly comma-nd you ail
to depart frejaitJy ' which, if yon will do quietly y
and go to MatZUd, we ii^ill recotTi mend you to the
Bajhaw of that place. The Patriarch , vvhofe
bufinefs it was to gain as much time as polfi-
ble, writ thereupon a very fubmifiive Letter to
the Emperor,begging moil paffionarely of him^
not to deUver him and the Fathers to the Turks^
the moft inveterate Enemies both of their Reli-
gion and Nation , which he would do if he
lorced them to go to Mat z.ti a ^3. Port which be-
longed to thofe Infidels. But the Emperor was
fo far from being prevailed with to revoke his
Order, that he renewed it with greater rigor
in the following Anfwer to the Patriarch.
The Letter of the Emperor Seltem Saged
Cometh to the Patriarch, Bijhop , Fa-
ther James , and the rejl of the Fa-
thers.
HEAR 'what we fay and write : Afma The Em-
Guergis , Taca Chrifios , and Melch percr's
Chriftos y ha^e acquainted us with all that you \^^p V*^
ha've Jaidy and with all your excujcs when they l ^^
commanded you in our name to return to the place depart.
from whence you came. In the firfi place you fay^
Ton did not come hither of your ovjn accord , but
were fent hither after you had been invited by di-
E e 4 vers
414 77;e Church' Hijlory
'vers Letters. Whatjja'v.e you forgot the reajons Igave
you formerly ^why I was obliged to fend you away ? and
I do much wonder that you Jhould offer togi've me the
trouble of repeating them to you again ; / need not tell
you what hath happened betwixt you and the people of
Ethiopia_, and what a ftrug^gle you ha^ve had with
them to oblige them to embrace your Religion j hut
one thing I mufi tell you^ That if you continue vot
to regard either the power of God 7vho is aho've^ or
of the 'Emperor here below ^ that you jhall not live
Two and Twenty years^ no nor one year y no nor half
of one in Ethiopia. There is no need of telling
you V)hat Infinite Multitudes of people have jojt
their lives becauje they would not turn Papijls ^ or
how great Troubles and Perfecutions wy Father en--
dm ed for your fake^ fince you cannot but he Jenfible
of them, as you are alfo of his having given over
your Religion y when hejajv plainly he was not able
any longer to Jupport it ^ Jo that as it was he that
firfi introduced it^ fo it was he that put an end to it.
After which he returned to the Foundation of hts
F^tthers, which is the Rock of the Faith of Alexan-
dria, and fortified it fo by his Proclamations ^ that
it is never to be removed.
As to your puttwg us in mind of the valiant Por-
tuguefes y who came hither in the time of Alhaf
Saged to defend the Faith ^ it is what we very well
knoWy andive do conjejs that they did us very good
fervice in helpirg us to peace ^ hut as they fiever qf
fered to deftroy the Religion of ^thio^is, ywhich was
delivered by the Fathers and the Apojfles 5 fo our
people ntver offered them a?2j violence \ hut as they
deferved much for having delivered us out of the
haiids of the Mahometans ^ fo they were all well
rewarded
o/E
T H I O P I A. 42J
rewarded by the Emperor^ ha^vhig Lands gi^en
them where they had no Inherit ance ; which Lands
are evjo/ed to this day by their Pofierity, none e^tr
aski7Jgthe:rj the queflion, JVhat do you make here ?
jis to what you fay y of your having re jerked the
Abfoluticn of the Excommunication you ha^ve laid
upon Ethiopia, fi to your jelf that none but you
can Abfolve her of it ; That is eafily afifwen^d :
For jvhen the Fathers began to Freach Popery in
Ethiopa, By what means did they oblige the Peo-
ple to embrace it ? TVas it by Excommunications ^ or
by doing any thing that looked like a Miracle ? JVb,
it was by neither of thofe methods^ but it was
furely by the force of the Imperial Authority : And
did not the fame hand that threw them into Pri-
fonsy fet them at liberty again ^ Neither car* you
but be fenfibky that there was not fo much as one
P^r/o;^ w Ethiopia that embraced your Religion 'vc-
luntarily.
As to what you have f aid of Ethiopia ^^/>2^ your
Wife, it was 720 where e^uer Written or Decreed^
That a Woman (l)a!l be bound to a Husband co7itrary
to her own Conjent^ only becaufe her Father and her
Mother will have tt fo ^* for which reafon your
Lordjhip cannot but be fenfible that Ethiopia was
never your Spoufe^ fince^ as we have obferved^
There was not one Perfon that belonged to
her^ that embraced your Faith voluntarily.
As to the Vow you fpeak of, it admits of Jeveral
dtftin^ions ; fome make a Vow to relinojuifj their
Eflates without turning Monks ^ fome Vow to live
and die Virgins ; and others^ not being Virgins y for
the Love of God^ to live Chaftly : The force of
all which Vows is rejolved into their havmg been
voluntary \ which y whm thej arey they Sin that
do
42<5 The Church'^ Hijiory
do not ohferve them ; the faculties of the JViU and
Confent being fo in the nature of the Soul y as
to Go'vern its animal Towers ^ ^vhich are the
Flejh : This is a true account of the nature of
Vows, And as to your pretending that you can-
7Wt lea've Ethiopia^ becaufe you are under a Voii}
to her J that need not trouble your Confcience, fince
you ha've not left her^ butjhe has left you * neither
do you flee from her ^ but jjje flees from yoUy
as a Coward does from a Battel, We
are ready to be your Lordjhifs JVitneJJesy that
you Loved Ethiopia very much ; as we are ready
to be her Witnefjes toOy that jhe could never endure
yoUy who have given her fo many bitter Votions :
Wherefore what we have to fay to you^ is^ in a
v^ordy Be gone all of you to your own Countrey in
"Peace : And we do call God to witnefs of our ha-
ving been no ways accefary to any injuries that you
may have fufiained • for as it was the Emferor our
Father who invited you hither y fo it was he that
difmiffed yoUy we having had no hand neither in
the one or other ; on the contrary ^ we have hither-
to TroteBed yoUy and are at this time fighting with
the Xague that Robbed you, with an intention of
reforing all your Goods to you that 7ve can recover \
and as you have no reafon to comflain of us for
your having been plundered ^ fo that you may not be
Robbed a Jecond time, we have appointed 'ZjS, Ma-
riam, and the Nobles of Sararoa and Ameftea^
to convey you fafe to Matzua ; where ^ if you pkafe^
ycu may buy a Ship to carry you home • having alfo
^rit to the Bafmw of that Forty in Arabick^ to
ufe you kindly y and to puffer you to part in peace.
As to the motion you have madcy of returning to
the Indies by the way of Dancaly:, and the Fort
of E
T H I O P I A. 427
of Bahur, a way, which your fdj exccpteJ, vcne
e'uer yet came^ tlje h)nhef>s and all the ether Por-
tuguefes^ having come ccntijiitally by M^CZUa ;
we mu(i- tell yoH, that ncv^ jonr Expulf?0/t is dcter^
minedy it is to no pftrpoje to r.IIedge rcajons why you
cannot go ; and that if you (Jjculd jljujjle any longer
With our Orders , that it will be your Ruin, Ha^ve
we taken a7jy thmg from you that you ha've got m
Ethiopia^ that you jlwuld difobey us, and fay you
will not go ? this is not right. Be gone tlxrefore^
ii^ithout fnakmg any further reply or excuje, your
Expulfion bei?:g determined, as you will imderfiand
by the Ordtr you jvill receive.
The Patriarch perceiving that if he ftaid
any longer at Fremoyia, he muft either go vo-
luntarily to Matz.ua, or be fent thither in
Chains ; the new Abuna who was now got to
Court^ and who I reckon had the chief hand
in all all thefe fevere Orders, having as little com-
-pajfiojt for the Romanifts, as they, when they were
in Power, had had for the Alexandrians ; he
difpatched a Meffenger to O Kay to acquaint The Pa-
him with the danger he was in, and to defire triarch
him to fend fome Soldiers prefently to help J^"^^ ^^
him to make his efcape ; fending the Coadju- ^ Quard?
tor and Six of the Fathers at the fame time
privately to a difcontented Nobleman in the
Saroa , to try if they could perfuade him
to joyn with O Kay in proteding them ; but
though that Grandee^ like a Brutal Man as
he was, told the BifKop and his Companions,
That he would have nothing to do with them\
O Kay, according to his promife, fent his Bro-
ther with a good Body of Men to a palTage
within
4i8
Tl)e Church Hi/lory
The Pa-
triarch
and Fa-
thers are
lodged
fafe in
O Kays
Territo-
ries.
The Em-
peror
treats
wkhOKay
to deliver
them up
to him.
within a few Leagues of Fremona, whither
his Confederate Tecla Mariam^ who had been
gained likewife by the Patriarchy had under-
took to convey them in fafety. The manner
of their efcape being concerted, the Patriarch
and Fathers having put themfelves in a difguife^
lb foon as it was dark^ Hole out at their back-
door ; and being come to the place where
Tecla waited for them^ they were conduded
by him to O Kayh Brotlier, who conveyed
them to O Kay^ by whom they were received
with all teftimonies of kindnefs , and for
their fecurity, were lodged by him in an im-
pregnable Mountain in the Province of Bur^
where they had not been many days before
the Coadjutor and his Six Companions came
to them^ not having been able to bring any
of the Nobles they had vifited, into an Ajjo-
ciation to Secure them.
The Emperor was much troubled when he
heard of O Kay's having undertaken to Protect
the Patriarch and Fathers againll him in Ethio-
pa, and being fenllble that nothing but an
affurance from them of a Portuguefe Army
could have tempted one of his Trincipks, who
had on all occafions fliewed himfelf a Zealous
Alexandrian^ to have done it ; he refolved to
fend to O Kay^ and to grant him every thing
he would defire^ on condition he would fur-
render them to him, to difpofe of them as he
fhould think fit. O Kay^ though overcome by
this Trofofition when it was made to him^ yet
had too much Honour to deliver Feopky 'who^
upon his halving promifed to Frotefl them^ had put
tkwfelvcs into his hands, tq to the refmtmmti of
an
ofE
T H I O P I A. 4lp
an imaged Prince ; neither would he upon any
terms }eild to the cutting off' of Father Lobo'j
Head, on which the Emperor infifted much,
knowing him to have been the moft attire
•promoter of an j^ffociation agamft him amongfi- his o Kay will
SubjeBs : All the Court could bring O Kaj to, not yeild
was to carry the Patriarch, Biftiop, and Fa- f^° ^^^^^
thers to Mdtz.ua ^ and there to leave them to ^l^^^^'
fhift for themfelves as well as they could, and carry
to fufFer them to be notified in the Emperor's them to
Name, to depart Ethiopia in two days upon pain ^"tx.ua.
of Death.
The Patriarch, when the Meffenger had
notified him, and asked him, Mether he thought
he had not been the caufe of blood fad enough al-
ready in Ethiopia ? Made Anfwer, That he -was
under an higher obligation to the Emperor of
Heaven not to leave his Sheep ; for whom he was
ready to lay down his life among devouring Wolves*
And having obtained leave to (peak with O Kay^
he asked him. What he intended to do with him
and the Fathers now he had them in his hands ?
He made Anfwer, Not to deliver you to the Em^
peror, but to convey you in fafety to Matzua,
where you will not be long before you will meet with
c.n opportunity ot rtturmng to Dio, or jome other
Fort htlonging to the Portuguefes m the Indies.
The Patriarch not at allfatisfied with this An-
fwer, after having told him. That it was only
to have avoided btihg Jent thither by the Emperor^
that thty had dcfired his FroteBion ; and that he
had promtjed them oft ener than ojice^ to fecurethem
in his Province until the Poituguefe Fleet, which
they daily exptBed, arrived with Succors: Asked
him again, ffhether he had determined to violate
his
430 The Church^ Hijlory
his Faith Tvith theml TowhichO Kay returned
this fhort Anfwer, That there. opas no remedy for
ity and that they mufl prepare themjelves to begin
their Journey to Morrow, The Patriarch finding
there was no good to be done with O Kay^, ad-
dreffed himfelf to the Company, conjuring
them in the Name of God, To confder what a
%jicked thing it was to be the Executioners of the
expulfion of a true Vafior and Tatriarch^ and cf
the Preachers of the Go/pel 5 and that by having a
hand therein, they would all incur the greater Ex-
ccmmunicationy from which the Tope only was able
to Jbfche the?n. But he could have no other
Anfwer fiom them. But that thej would ^e?iture
that^ being refolded whatever were the Confequence
cf ity to execute the Emperor s Orders,
In tiie Morning the Patriarch being fpoke
to, to begin his Journey, inftead of that begun
an Harangue^ which was heard quietly by the
Company till he came to inveigh bitterly againft
the Emperor and his Counsellors for what
they had done to him. Whereupon the Ha-
hafjlns interrupted him, telling him. They would
not hear their Frince railed at jo without a caufe^
and that he muf come away prefejuly, for the
Company waited for him to guard him to Matzua,
and not to hear him Preach, or rather Declaim
againfi Ethiopia and its Pri^jce, The Patriarch
finding there was no flaying for him in Ethic-
fia, prevailed with O Kay, who^ it feems, had
a mind to play a double Game before he began
his Journey, to wink at the Coadjutor and
Father Jacmto ftealing away to Cafla Mariam,
and Father Luis and Father Ermw to Canti-
hazara, who had both proraifed to fuffer them
to
o/ E T H I O P 1 A. 431
to abfcond in their Lands till a Vortuguefe Ar-
my fliould come to relieve them ; and upon
the Journey^ he perfuaded O Kay himfelf by
the fame argument^ to carry two of the Fa-
thers back with him to abfcond in his Terri-
tories^ promifing fo foon as he got to the In-
diesy to haften the fending of a Fleet that
would make them all Princes quickly.
O Kay having conducted the Patriarch to the T^g Pa-
Gates of Jrkico, and delivered him to the Go- rriarch
vernor of that Port^ returned home with the and mod
two Fathers that were to abfcond with him ; °^^^^^ ^^'
and the Turk having been told that the puTinro
Patriarch had a vaft Treafure with him y th« hands
did , in hopes of a great Prey , not only of the
recei've him at the Gate with Ceremo?jy, but car- ^"^^^ ^^
ried him home with him to his Houfe^ where ^'^^^^^'
he treated him with a Refped that is not ufu-
ally paid by Men of his Nation a^id Religion to
Chrtjtians of whatfoever Quality they are ;
but this Cowflaijance was too unnatural to laft
long ; for upon the Officers, whom he had
appointed to fearch the Baggage, returning
and whifpering him in the Ear, that they had
met with nothing of any value, befldes two
fmall Silver Chalices, he difmiffed his Guefts
very abruptly, commanding them to be carri-
ed ftraitways to the Cuftom-houfe to be
fearched there; which having been done with
lefs fuccefs than the Baggage, there being no-
thing found upon them bellies two fmall Silver
Crolles, and a few Reyals of Plate, the Go-
vernor was put into fuch a rage by the difap-
pointment, that he commanded them to be
conveyed immediately to Matzua^ where ha-
ving
43i
Tl?e ChurchHtJlory
The Go-
vernor ha-
ving
Squeezed
all that he
could out
of them,
fends
them to
Sua^hem,
ving landed about Midnight^, they were con-
duced by the Baneans, the Friends of Mankind
in gemral, to a houfe which they^ upon ha-
ving received notice that they were coming,
had provided for them ; but they had not
been many hours in their Lodging, before
the Governor, who was refolved to fqueeze
Ibmething out of them before they went to
Suacjhcm^ ( the Bafliaw whereof had, upon the
lame Information of their having a great
Treafure in Gold and Jewels, fent an Order
immediately to bring them before him) arrived
in the Ifiand 5 and the Fathers very well
knowing what it was that had brought him
thither, went by times in the Morning to
wait upon him with a Prefent of Six hundred
Pieces of Eight, which they had borrowed of
the Baneans j the Governor, though he took
the Prefent, did it after fuch a contemptuous
manner,as fufficiently intimated that he exped-
ed a great deal more from them before he parted
with them. But finding there was no more
came, he, upon fome pretence or other, or-
dered a Boy that was in the Patriarch's Train,
to be taken up, threatning to fell him to the
Arabians if he were not ranfomed with Sixty
peices of Eight within half an hour ; which
Sum was likewife borrowed of the Baneansy
and paid within the time. After a Months
ftay at Matz^ua^ they were all embarked for
Suaqhem, where when they arrived, the fiarely
Bafl]a72^ would not 10 much as fee them ; but
having ordered their Verjons and Baggage to be
fearched , he fent them word , Tioat ujider
Thirty thoufand Crov^ns they H'ere not to thiyik of
♦ having
o/E
T H I o r I A. 435
having leave from him to go to the Indies. Ne-
verchelels, after much Barteri?ig, the Baneans
having brought liim down to Four thoufandy
paid the Money ; and having provided a Ship
to carry them all to Dio , as they were upon
the flioar ready to have Imharked, word came
from the Bafhaw^ That he had give?; leave
only to Stven to depart , of "which number ^ the
Patriarch was not to he one ; pretending to
detain him till he had advice from Dio
how matters flood there as to their Com-
merce.
Seven of the Fathers, Two remaining be- ^^^^^^ ^c
hind with the Patriarchy embarked on the t^Q Pa-
6th. of Auguft 1634. and after a Voyage of thers pur-
Eight days, during which time they fuffered ^^^^^
a thoufand affronts from their fellow-Paffen- g^^^l^
gers, who were going Pilgrims to Mecha ^ but the"''
and who reckoned it to be meritorious to abufe Patriarch
Chriftian Priefts, they were put afhoar at is detain-
Dio ; where two of the Fathers, who were '
fent by the Patriarch from Fremona to folicic
for Troops, were arrived but a few days be-
fore, the other two having died in the Voy-
age, which had been extreamly tedious. By
the firfl: opportunity that offered. Father Ada^
mtely and Father Jerom^ embarked for Goa 5 The Fa-
where being arrived, they were at the Vice- f^^^^ ^®-
roy Don Michad de Noronha. day and niffht, "^^ ^?^ r^
tor to lend a Fleet with lome Troofs to Ethwpm ; ji^jr the
reprefenting the taking of the Ports of the Vice-
Sua^he?n and Matz.ua ^ as a thing that Five royhard
hundred Soldiers, with Two Men^ of War, ^°j^^^
would do widi eafe ; and magnifying the ^^^ ^^^
advantages the Grown, as well as the Church, fo.
F f would
434
The Church Hijlory
But can
obtain
nothing
but fair
promifes.
*The
Viceroy,
who
had no
Ships nor
Troops to
fpare for
Ethiopia,
finds
both ibr
Momhca
Upon its
having re-
voiced.
would reap from the Tortuguefes being Matters
thereof. But though there was never any
thing preffed with greater heat and zeal than
this Expedition was by the whole Clergy of
Goa 5 Secular and Regular ^ who were all '
poffeffed by the Two Fathers^ That the Re^
duB'ion of another Europe to the Ohedievce of the
Church of Rome, would infallibly he the confequence
of tt j Yet all they could obtain of the Viceroy,
was only Commendattons of their 2^eal^ with a
general promife of undertaking that work fo
Joon as the pofiure of his Affairs would allow him
to do it. But the Fathers knowing where
their buiinefs ftuck, endeavoured to obviate
all thQpoliticalJrgunsents th^tcould be brought
againft it, affirming with the greateft confi-
dence. That the conqueft of thofe two Torts would
o^en another Indies to the Portuguefes ; and that
the Cuft'0f?7s of them alone 7vould do much more
than defray the Charges of Co?jquering and Keep-
ing them ; and that there was no reafon to think
that the Turks jvould not ft down quietly with the
lojs of two fuch imfortant flaces, fince they had
lately lofi- the whole Kingdom of Gemen, and the
Forts of Moqha, Odieda, a?7d Cameran, which
were all places of greater moment to them than
Suaqhem or Matzua^, without ever fo much as
attemfting to reco-verthem again, ^
But tho the Viceroy had neither Ships nor
Troops to fpare at this time for an Hahaffin
Expedition, he no fooner heard of the lols
of Momhocay a Port belonging to the Vortu-
guefes upon the fame Coaft with Suaqhem^ but
which is much nigher to Goa^ and more in
the way of Trade, than he found * Both to
fend
of Ethiopia. 45^
fc^nd thither ; the Iliftory of which lofs was,
in lliortj as follovveth.
The Governor of the Citadel of M077J-
hocijj a place^ faith our Hiftorian;, tbat^feemcd
to have Tyraipncal Governor i aita'iUd upon it ,
having upon fome pretence or other^ in the
year 16 14. put the King of that Countrey,
who was a Mahometan^ to deaths he fent the
Vrincey his eUe(t Son^ who was but a Boy^ with
his Father's Head to Goa , where being put
into the hands of the y:!ufim Friars^ he was
Co?jvcrted by them^ and Chnjtemd by the Name
of Hierom, and after Thirteen years refidence
among them^ was Married to a Vortuguefe La-
dy; and having folemnly Snhmitted himfelf
and his Kingdom to the Fcpe, was fent home
with his Q^^een^ v/ith a promife of having his
Crown reftored to him again. But the Go-
vernor of Momhoca, though he allowed Do?i
Hierom the Title of King^ treated him much
more like a Slave than a Prince^ not fuffering
him to exercife the leaft Authority, nor to have
a hand in any publick bujinefs. The Royal Title ^
without any thing of Tower, making Do7t
Hierom uneafie ; and having nothing elfe to
do, he flole frequently by night to the place
where his Father s Corps lay buried y where, after
having bitterly bewailed his unfortunate end, he
ftill performed fome Mahometan Ceremonies to
his Ghofi ; which having been obferved one
night by a Tortuguefe, he went prefently, and
acquainted the Governor therewith; who
concluding from thence, as well he might,
that Don Hierom, though he profeffed himfelf a
F f 2 COriJriany
4)^ Tf^^ Church^ Hijlory
Chriffiany was a Mahometan in his heart, in-
tended to have him apprehended in order to
fend him to the Inquifition of Goa, as an
Apellate: But the King, having by fome way
or other had advice of what the Governor
intended, refolved to be beforehand with him, •
and either to fend him to the Inquifition of
Heaven next morning to anfiver for his Tyranny ^
or to lofe his Life in the Attemp ; which, know-
ing what the Inquifition of Goa was, he
reckoned to be preferable to being lodged in
it ; and having, in purfuance of this refoluti-
on, by night with great fecrecy got Three
hundred of the ftouteft and faithfulleft of
the Cajfrees together in a Body, hcjurprized
the Citable! betimes next Morning, where ha-
ving Xi//^ J the Governor Peter Ltytam de Gam^
baa with his own hand, he put the whole
Garifon, not fparing the Governor's Lady and
Daughter, to the Sword ; and having done
his work in the Citadel, he Marched into the
Town, and before night had not left one
Vortugmfey EccleflalHck or Laick, alive that
he could lay his hands on. So foon as the
Maffacre was over, he went to the Lady
Church, where having mounted the Pulpic,
The King arid ^ commanded all the Natives who had
oiMombo- turned Chriftians^ to be brought before him,
f^'sSpeech j-jg niade the following Difcourfe to them.
to his Sub- °
76crs 3 iter
he had rnpl H E High Ala hath for many years (uffered
MafTacred JL the ln\ults of Men \ but the time appointed
^^^ r /^^ ^^^^^ period being comey he would endure them
orugueje ^^^ lofjn-ey ; havijip; now in one hour revenged, tie
that were ^ ■ ^ J r r , o^/t^ r^
in the Crimes of jeveral Ages. Thz Portugueies came
Ciry. from
o/^ E T H I o p I A. • 4]7
from the dark fljades of the day^ wto this County cy^
where the true light jh'mes j who after halving dc^
fircyed great numbers of African and Afiatick
Kingdoms, and having been Vy rates in both Seasy
had the impudence to fret end that they had no other
hufinefs with us, but to teach us VoUcy for the
Earth, and to iyjflrucl us in the way to Heaven,
As if either Divine or Human Laws did di-
recfl the deftroying and robbing of men on
purpofe to brihg them to embrace true Do-
d:rines ; is not this wonderful DoBrine, to put a
Crofs into our Hands^ that they may take
our Scepters out of them, and our Crowns
from off our Heads, and to rob us, as they have
done all other Natio^is, of our Liberty ?
Their coming at frfi into thefe Faris, though
drawn hither by nothing elfe but their unfatiable
covetoufncfs, and defying to have a Trade with usy
was well enough 'y but to force us to it, whether
we Would or ?wt j and infiead of helfing us to
Goods, and Honour, to encourage us to trade with
them, to fleece us to our 'very Souls if we did it^
or refufed it, is fuch an Heavenly or earthly LaWy
as I muf own I do not underfiand. Let us for
once grant them. That we are, as they fay, without
the Knowledge of the True God^ What then?
Can there be a?7y fuch God as (Ijall command us
to be Robbed of our Lands, Crowns, Lives, and
Liberties, and of our Wives, Children, Brethrevy
and Kinsfolk, that fo we may be brought to the
Knowledge of him ? No, mofi certain it is, that
there can be no fuch God 5 fnce to be God, is to be
Jufi : So that the Robberies which we of Africk
and Afia do daily fujfer at the hands of thefe enor-
F f 3 tnous
458 Tie ChurchHij%ry
mous Strangers^ are hjufllces which will infaUlhly
he pmnfiied at his Di'vine Trihmjal j for the "very
Men that Joplmsder us^ do at the fame time teach
usy That when the Son of God fent his Mlnifiers
to Freach his 7iew -haw over the World ^ that one
of his InfiriiBions to them was, that they jhould
frofofe it to the Gentiles, and if fowe refufed to
hear themy that they fiould go then and tender it
to others : For had this work been to have been done
hy^ Violence y their Mafer was fsjfciently able to
ha-ve done one of thefe two things for his Minifiersy
either to have endued them with fuch a Divine
Power as could not be refifted, but muft have
obliged all People to have furrendred them-
feives to them ; or have given them Armies
to have forced the World to a fubmiffion.
Whereas it is moft certain^ that thole Mmifers
had no order to take any thing from any body,
or to compel any to receive their Dodrines :
Which makes me wonder how the Portuguefes,
who fret end to be fuch Singular Miniiters of
tho^Q DodLnntSy jlwtdd frfi force us by War io
embrace them^ and after we have embraced thew^
fiiould Rob us : I0oat Jljall I call fuch People as
thefe ? 3l>^ Preachers of the Divine Law, or
the Doctors of Fluman Covetoufnefs ? Who
call us Barbarians before we hear them, and
after we have heard them, make us their
Slaves ? With what plaufible pretences did they
fyfi come ajlwar he-re ? And how did they after-
wards make thtrnjelves fa far Ma(ters of this
Cify, as to oblige wy Anccfiors to accept of their
own Crown from their hands ^ and who , after
they had ferved them faithfully j were rewarded
by themwithKt'^xo^.d-i^S;, Treacheiy, Violence,
and
o/ E T H ( O P 1 A. 4J(>
and Death. But to fafs otjcv vhat is ancitnt^ and
to go no higher than my Father y Who amcng joiiy
though your Bowels were nefis of Scorpions ^ or of
worfe creatures y tf there be ajiy^ do rot lament the
AUmory of what he Juffered at their bands^ e^cn
to the taking away of his life by barbarous and ty-
ra?wical Aiethods ? I ha^e a thoufand times ^ and a
thotifand to thaty ^vifired the Tomb of ?rjy good, but
unhappy Father ; and I ne'vcr did it once , but I
heard his blood crying to God for Jufiice _, as aljo
for ije7igea72ce u^07i my Soul\ which made me cor.fidtry
how he had provoked the Portuguefes to Murther .
him as they did y or what I had done to de^
jerve the jame treatment. As to my Father ^
he was eafily jufiified ^ and as to my [elf y I
a7n not fen fib le that I c'uer did any thivjg to offend
them y unlefs it were by turni?2g Chrifiian ; whichy
though it may jeem ftrangey yet lively Experience
af tires uSy that it is their common practice to Refpe^
and Reverence us fo long as we continue to profejs our
0W71 Religion yand to perj ecute and abominate us fo foou
as 'we arc perfuaded by them to pr(fefs theirs, I need
not tell you y that I was bred up among them at Goa,
where I faw fo much of their InfohncCy that I do
much more wonder at iheir not havi77g committed
greater herCy than at their having committed thofe
they have at Goa. / faw the King of Ormus
thrown into Jay 1^ and his Crown taken from
him and given to another , only upon a pre-
tence that he was Mad ; though all his Madnefs
was, his having refufed to give them as much
to let him keep his Crown y as he to whom
they gave it had offered for it ; for with them
we are Catholicks, or in our Wits, according
as we give ; If we give them much, though we
F f 4 arc
44<5 77;^ Church Hi^Rory
are Infidels ^ they reckon us Chriftians ; and
though we are Fools^ they recko72 us Wife ; on the
contrary^ if we give them but little, then let us he
never fb V/ifs ^ 7i>e are reckoned Mad J and
though Chriftians^ arc reckoned Infidels ; fo that
it miijt he our Purfes , and not our Minds ^ that
mufi ju/tify us with this Nation ^ which boafis fo
much of Politenefs and Jufiice, If their Religion
teacheth them thefe thij^gs ^ it canriot he a good Re-
ligion I hut if it does not , they then mufr he *very
Wicked to dishonour it as they do hy their innumera^
hie Infolencies ; hut however that is^ I am certain^
we have reajon to feek to fecure our necks ^ and ei-
ther to for fake their Religion as bady or to abominate
them as the wcrfi of men^ which I will always he
jure to do^ hut will at the fame time acknowledge^
that were their AEiions conformable to their Vreach^
ingy that they would not be ill men, Neverthelejs we
have the Law of our own great Tro^het to fave usy
and which of all other Laws will do it the mofi ef-
feBually : Neither jljall I fail to take fever e Venge-
ance on my felf for having forfakeit it for their
LaWy And that without feeking to excuje my felf,
hy 7ny havmg been converted by thetn at an age
when I was not capable of vnderftranding their
Cheaty or of fore feeing my own ruin thereby^
But this I mu^ Jaj in my own juftificationy That I
difcovered the error I had committed at the fame
time I came to the uje of my reajon i a7}d retraced
it in my hearty though till this day it was not fofftble
for me to do it fuhlickly j but though 1 have been
Jlow in doing ity I do hope the glorious atchievements
of this day ivill abundantly comfenjate for that my
Jlownejsy being confident that our mofi: jufl Prophet
ivill obtain a pardon for me from the jubUme Ala
for
o/E
T H I O P I A. 441
for my having delivered tJjis his people from that
(iiameful flavery they have hee?) fo long held in by
vile Portuguefe Tyranny^ called by its ^rofejj'ors the
Catholick Churchy wbo[e mi/chiefs are now legible
in their (ufferings ; it being God's property to cha^
fiife horn (pie hjolencicsy and to favour regular pro-
ceedings ; fo we fee they are all fallen hj the edge of
our Swords^ and the flight of our Arrows ; and be-
ing tied ha?id afid foot by the enormity of their
Crimes y none of them have offered to make the leaft
reftjfance, neither have any of them efcaped. Where
•was that Courage they fo much boafi of y and that
Jufiice which they fretend favours them ? By this
you may all feeplamly^ that we are Superior to them^
both as to a righteous Law , and in true Courage ;
as alfo that you were cheated by their cunning per*
fuafions y to leave the brea/is of our true Religion^
wherein you had been Educated y in returning to
which jou Jhall have me for an example. As to
thofe who have never Apofiatiz^edy I have nothing
to fay to them upon this point ; but what lam now
about to fay y cojicerns you all equally '^ which isy That
you join together to recover your ancient Liberty ^aijd
to defend your Ancient Kingdom yrevlving the glory of
your forgotten Cavalry y which informer ages was fa-*
mous all over the world, Tou now know by Experience
what the Portuguefes arey who when theyfirfi Con^
quered this Cityy took advantage of our unwarinefs j
but ivhereever people are watchfulythere they are either
heat yor depend on their craft for thatywhich weexpe^
only from our Arms, Let them come now when they
willy and they flja II find what their courage or craft
will fgnify to them ; for as I am^refolved to believe
nothing that they jay y fo havi^ upon this happy
day cleared this placQ of themj whenever they come^
I Will
44^ ^'^^ Church* HiJIory
1 7Pill defend it with ?mre ruigor than I attacked tt ;
and howjhould they be able to retake this City ^ who
'ivhen they had it in their -poffejjion^ were not able to
keep it ? Wherefore do but ohferve my Orders y and
you jhall live in honour andfafety^ and be freed from
Tyranny in your Houfes,
The Tortuguefe Hiftoriaiij who relates this
Speech^ makes the following refle6tions upon
it ; Thus this blaffhemous man harangued his infa-
mous SeB y in which he was become learned^ re-
'vilirg our Religion ^cf which he was not ignorant jbut
was fptefully Jet againfi it ; but as to all other
things mentioned by him relating to the temper
and government of the Vortuguefesy they were,
laith he^ J '"^ ^'^ him, and fo much i^ the more
fity^ with more of truth than faffion : adding, Nei-
ther could this Trince be faid to be Dijloyal in ha-
diMomh^ '^^'^S. ^'^'defuch an InJurreBion ; for whereever Ty-
<•/? juftifi'd ^^^^7 becomes Exorbitant y and is not to be curbed
in "part by by gentle Methods y it cancels all the Bonds of AUe-
a Portu^ glance ; Self-Vrefervationy 7vhether Natutal or To-
^eje Hi- Ijticky being a thing that is indifpenfably neceffary ;
for would it not be afleafant thing y that one jhould
load a776ther with infufferable Injolenciesy trufing to
thisy That the injured ferfon will not offer to de-
fend himfelfy for feary forfoothy of beir/g thought
Ji/lo)'aly though at the fame time he has no other
way to remedy himfelf but by being fo ? For it is un-
doubtedly a much Icfs fault to be unfaithful to a Ty-
rant ythan to efiablifli aSuccefjionof Tyrants by a tame
obedience*
But the Vigeroy not having the fame
thoughts of the Revolution oi Alomboca as our
Hiftorian; fo foon as he heard of it, difpatch-
ed
o/ E T H I O P 1 A. 44;
ed his Eldcfl: Son with d Fleet of Sixteen Ships
and Five Hundred Soldiers^ to recover it, and
to chaftile tlie Ker.egado King and his Cajfnes ;
but they defended themfelves fo bravely, that
after a clofe Siege both by Sea and Land for ^i^g p^^^
feme Weeks, they obhged the Portuguefes^ af- tugurfes
ter having lofl: moft of their Soldiers^ to return are baffled
to Goa with difgrace. ^^^^^'^
The HaL:ffi7i Solicitors, who had defired ^^'''^'''''^
the {ame number of Ships and Men for Mat-
zua, having put down this lofs in their Book
of Judgments , and finding there was nothing
to be done for them at Goa, refolved to fend
Father Hierom to the Courts of Lisbon^ Madrid^
and Rome^ to fee what could be done there ;
as alfo to give fuch a Narrative of the Change
in Ethiopia , as would vindicate the Jefmti
ComluEi: in that Empire , which they had
reafon to fear would be blamed for it in
Europe,
Father Hierom^ after a tedious Voyage from Father
Goa to Angola^ and from Angola to BrafJly and ^^^^-^^ i'
from Brafiho Carlba^ena in the Weftr-Indies, and ^^^ ^"^^
r ^1 ^ ^ J • 1 iV Europe to
irom Carthagena to Cales^ arrived at lalt at (i^iicitefor
Ushcn on the Eighteenth of December, 1636 ; Troops,
where having given in a Memorial to the Infanta and to ju-
Dona Margaret , who was Governefs of Tortu- ^^y.
gd at that time , and finding there v/as no- Condu6t
thing to be had at that Court, on the Twen- in Ethio-
tieth of January he begun his Journey to Ma- fi^*
drid, where the King and the Conde Duke ha-
ving given his long ftory the hearing, fent
him back to Lisbon with fome , though fmall
hopes of doing fomething for Ethiopia ; but
being returned to Lisbon, he found a Letter
from
444 ^^^ Church^ Hijiory
from the T ortuguefe Affif\3.nt o( thQ J efuks at
Ro7my commanding him to repair thither with
all poffible expedition ; a true narrati^ve of the late
Re'volution in Ethiopia being a thing their Order
fioodtn great need of at that Court, The Father
being got to Rome ^ gave his General Mutio
Vttellefchi a full account of that whole affair ;
and after that^ was admitted to kifs the Pope's
foot^ to whom he delivered along Memorial
of all that had palled in EthiGpia^ and of all
that was to be done for the recovery of it; and
the Pope having laid that whole bufinefs before
a Junto of Cardinals , the Father folicited
them continually to come to fome efFedual
refolution about it^ biit to little purpofe^, he
being able to obtain nothing of them but good
wijhes and hleffings^ of which the Pope himlelf
too is laid to have been ^ery liberal But the
^5 ^^' Father;,v\^ho was a great Traveller ^knowing that
thino at' Matz.ua and Suaqhcm^ as weak as he had repre-
RornehvLt fented them to be ^ were not to be taken by
Bleffings, fuch Ordinance ; and finding that there was
j" v^^ ^/' ^^ other to be expected from that fpiritual
Lisbon but ^o^^^:> trudged back again to Madrid^ where
fair pro- by his Inceffant Sollicitations he obtained a
mifes. Letter to the Viceroy, recommending the bu-
finefs of Ethiopia to him^ fo foon as the affairs
' of the Government would permit; with which
Letter, which ngnify'd juft nothing, the Father
returned toGo.'7;upon whofe illfuccefs^Father Tel-
lez, makes the following Exclamation;7l>ii was an
occajionv^herein all the precious fewels of Sp3.in ought
to have been fold ^and all the facred Treafures o/Rome
to have been ope?2ed ; but for our Sins, thofe fervors of
Chrifiianitj which difcoveredthemfelves in the Croi-
fado's
ofE
T H I o p 1 A. 445
fado's "which were undertaken for the recovery of the
Holy Landy and the Zeal of Converting the world, and
of .reducing Ethiopia^ are now in a manner ext in-
giu(l)ed. ThePatri-
But what rcfledcd the moft on the Devo arch gets
tion of the State of the Indies, was their ta- ^° '^'"*'
king no care to Ranfom the poor Patriarch and
Fathers, who remained Slaves ftill at Suaqhcm^
and who finding they were forgot at home ,
were forced at laft to give Commiffion to
the Baneans to treat with the Bailiaw about
their Ranfom; who having brought him down
to Four thoufand pieces ofEight^they advanced
the Money^ and embark'd the Patriarch and his
two Companions on a Ship that was bound for
Dio 5 where being arrived after a months Voy-
age, and finding a Ship ready to Sail for Goa^
they went on Board , and being got thither^
revived the bufinefs of EthioviaAg^Xn, but with
no better fuccefs than its former Solicitors.
But. to caft our Eye back upon Ethiopia, O OKay^d.-
Ka)',m whofe Lands the Bifhops of Nice and the ^"8 "^
three Fathers had abfconded for near five Years, Succours
finding the Promifes of a Tortuguefe Army he come, de-
had been fo long fed withal, came to nothing, livers the
he treacheroufly delivered them all into the Bilhopof
hands of the Emperor, who having ordered fhreeFa-
them to be brought in Chains to the Camp, thers,who
they were all four tryd and condemn'd to by his
Death as Tray tors. But it not being the Cuftom ^onni-
o{ Ethiopia, fay the Jefuits , to put People to ^^",^^]^-
eath, though condemned to it, tor Treaion, behind in
(they Ihould have excepted the time when they his Coun-
govern'd the Court, for then no Body was fry, to the
fpared that was convicled of it) \ that Sentence Emperor.
was
44^ T^he ChuYchH'tflory
They are was changed into Banifliment^ a Favour that
all four ^^-^5 j^^. ^f YittlQ ufc to them ; for being fent into
j^gj 2^ " the Country of the Jgau\ the Mob ris upon
Traytors , them^and hanged them all four upon one Tree,
and exe- pelting them f jrioufly with Stones as they hung.
T'm^k But notwithftanding Father Hierom's Nar-
^ ' ratwe of this Revolution , which was un-
doubtedly favourable enough to his Or-
der ; there did not want thofe at Ro?m ,
The Con- who imputed it chiefly to the rafh and furi-
%e^T^I^ ous Conduct of the Vcrtuguefe Jefuits^ who
glndff'dc, ^^^^y f^y t>y not following Father Veter\ Ex-
being dif: ample of introducing Popery by degrees ;, but
fatisfied having got the Emperor and his Brother on
with the ^j-,g-j. ^j^g_^ y^tx^ for doing it in a day^ had
ofthe"?oV- I'^-ii^'d that whole Defign by their Precipitation.
tugu^e Je- Neither was it only the Enemies of that Or-
fuits in der^ of which it never yet wanted good ftore
Eihiopa , ^iniong the Clergy that talked thus ; the Car-
Miffion'^ dinals Be fromganda fide ^ having themfelves
thereof declared. That they had tlie Cime thoughts of
from it, by taking that Miffion out of the hands of
them, and xh^ Fcrtugueje Jefuits , and committing it to
^h^ C-^^ ^° French and It^alian Capuchins. Neither were
chins,'^ ' ^^^^ Cardinals much miftaken in tliis matter ;
for in truth, the thing that ruined the Interefi:
of Popery in Ethiopia , was the Vortuguefe Fa-
thers, even when they were mcft in favour
with the Emperor, caballing ftill with Princes
and Governors, who were their Converts, to
Canton Etbiopia into feveral Independent
Kingdoms; together with their prefumine,
that with four or fivQ Flundred Tortuguefe Sol-
diers, they fhould be able at any time to re-
duce Ethiofia to the B.orna?} Churchy which
conceit
of Erniovi hi 447
conceit made them the lefs fearful of com-
mitting Errors, or of precipitating things.
This defign of breaking the Habaffm Empire
into feveral Independent Principalities, how-
ever they might condemn it at Ro>m for not
having fucceeded, they could not in general
condemn it either as impolicick or fmful ; it be-
ing vifible to all theWorld,that the great Fabrick
ofthe Papacy vi/as eredled and eftabli/hed by the
fame courfe; that is, by its having broke the
Roman Empire into a great many Indepen-
dent Kingdoms ; for which reafon, the keep-
ing of thofe Kingdoms from ever confolida-
ting again into one great Monarchy,* is vifibly
the chief care of the Court of Rome ; which,
let the moft CathoUck ^ or the moft Chnf^iany
exprefs never fo much Zeal for their Religion,
immediately turns their Enemy, whenever
they begin to think of being Univerfal Mo-
narch.
Now, though I cannot fay, That the great
Tal.'jfoxy Archbiftiop of La Tueba de los An-
geks had the mifcarriage of this Miffion in his
eye, wlien he called upon Innocent the icth
in his fecond Letter to him, bearing date the ^
8th of January J 1649. to w6gh the Services
and Dijjtrvices the Jefuit Order had done the '
Church in an equal Ballance; nevertheleft ,
confidering how the Fathers by caballing with
Princes, and plunging themfelves over head
and ears into Politicks in. Ethiopia^ did, as it
were, in one day deftroy all the Effeds of their
long and great Labours in that Empire, vv^hat
that Learned and Pious Prelate has faid, is fo
very pat on this occafion, that I fljall lay it be-
fore the Reader, I do
448 Tl?e ChurchHiflor^
As I do voluntary confefs^ faith Palafox, a-
hut the middle of the Letter^ That the Jefuits have
by their Virtues^ no lefs than their Writings,
and both by their Words and Examples, done
great Service and Honour to the Church of
God ; fo I do aflure your Holinefs , that by
fome troublefome Qualities , not to fpeak of
Defeds which belong to them, they have done
the Church more harm than good; it is there-
fore your Holinefs's bufinefs to weigh the one
againft the other in your Apoftolical Balance ,
to fee which does preponderate. For, as a
Prebend or Benefice is unprofitable to him
that injoys it, when its Charges exceed its
Revenue ; fo a Religious Order may be faid
to be prejudicial to the Church , when it
brings more damage than profit to it; and
elpecially, when there are other Orders and
Ecclefiafticks , who may be as ferviceable
to the Church, without being prejudicial to
her.
Suppofe all the Jefuits to labour hard in the
Service of the Church, yet w^hat do all their
labours fignify , if they themfelves deftroy all
^ the effeds of them , or make them groan un-
der the feet of the Grandure and Authority
'they have ufurped to themfelves.^ What ad-
vantage can a Biiliop derive from their Afli-
Itance , if they dijhonour and perfecute him,
Vv^henever he does any thing that they do not
like .^ What fruit can the People reap by their
Inftrudions, if they raife Troubles and Com-
motions among them.^ Of what advantage is
it to Parents to have their Children taught by
them, if they rob them of their fvveet Com-
pany,
of E T H I o p I A^ 445^
pany by taking their Children from them ,
and afterwards throwing them many times off
fliamefully for trivial reafons ? Furthermore ^
What advantage have Minifters of State,
Grandees and Princes, by being fometimes
well-ferved by them in their Courts , if the
greater part of them are fo far from being in-
gaged by neceflity, in fuch Affiiirs, that they
intrude themfelves into them of their own ac-
cord with a Prefumption, v^hich is prejudicial
to the State, and does very much diminifh that
efteem Spiritual Minifters ought to be had in,
rendering themfelves thereby odious to the
Laity, by entering into all the Intrigues and
Secrets of Families, which they pretend to
govern no lefs than the Mafters thereof; and
all this under the colour of the Spiritual Go-
vernment of their Confciences , tumbling no
lefs fcandaloufly than pernicioufly from Spi-
ritual to Politick Matters, from Politick to
Prophane, and from Prophane to Criminal.
What does it fignify, that the Jefuit is more
flourifhing than any of the other Orders , if
out of a fecret jealoufy, it darkens and op-
preffes all its Credit, and all its Power, Riches,
Learning , and Pens , by publiihing Books
that do it? And what is the Church profited
by its Books, if at the fame time flie is difturb-
ed by the many dangerous Opinions intro-
duced by its Fryars, who have transformed >
if not deftroy'd the Wifdom which is truly
Chriftian, and have rendred the truth of Chri-
ftianity it felf doubtful. What the Apoftle
teacheth being certainly true, which is, That
the Knowledge of thofe who will learn things
G g which
45 o The Church Hijlory
which do not belong to them, is deftrud^ive.
Which leffon ought to teach both them and
uSj not to feek after a Knowledge that will not
be governed by Charity. In a -word ^ If it
pleafe your Holinefs^ what other Religious
Order has ever been fo prejudicial as this to
the Catholick Church , or has filled all
Chriftian Countrys with fo great Commo-
tions?
The Cardinals Be propaganda fide ^ being refol-
ved^ itfeems. That neither the Vortugufe Jefuits
nor Government fiiould have any thing more
to do with the Converfion of Ethiopia^ named
Six French fix French Capuchins to go thither ; who ha-
Opu- ving by their King's Intereft at the Vort^ ob-
fentbv^fe. "^^'^^^^^ Letters of Safe ConduB from the Grand
veralways Signiov to pafs through Egypt '^ four of them
mto EthiQ- repairied thither ;, the other two being order-
p^' ed to try if they could find a paffage into
Ethiopia by the way of Magadaxo and Vale ;
but thofe two having , as the Jefuits tell us ,
more Fervour than Experience, came ftiort
home, and were murthered by the Caffrees fo
foon as they came among them ; two of the
Tour of foi^r ^hat went to Egjpt , having got into the
them are Kingdom of Tigre^ by the way of Alatzua, in
murther- ^]^q Habit of Merchants, upon their being dif-
th' Gather covered to be Popifh Prieils, were prefently
two con- P^^ fo Death ; the Emperor having made a
tinue at Law , requiring thofe that difcovercd anj to
Matx.Ha» l;e Popijl] Priefis or Fr)fars , tmmediately to kill
them , without troubling his Court ivith them.
The other two who had landed at Suaqhem ,
finding there was no getting into Ethiopia^
from thence returned to Matz^ua^ where hear-
ing
o/" E T H 1 O P I A . 451
ing of the Death of their two Companions,
they thought it was better to ftay where they
were^than to go any further ; fo that the Frcjich
Capuchins, as the Jefuits , who I doubt were
not over-well-pleafed with their being employ'd,
tell their ftory, made a very fhort bufinefs of
their Habaffm Mijjiofi.
But though they would fend no more Je-
fuits from Rome to Ethiofta ; there were two
of the old Fathers remaining dill in the Coun-
try, and who had ever fince the Patriarch's
Departure abfconded in the Lands of Za Ma-
riam, the Prince of Demhea^ a Province in the
Kingdom of Tigre ; and who, now Jolm O Kay
had ferved them fuch a dirty Trick ^ was to
be King of 7/^-^, when the lovg-look d for Por-
tuguefe Fleet and Army came'^ they were Fa-
ther Brum an Italian^ and Father Luis Cardegra
a Tortuguefe ; the Court having had intelligence
that Za Mariam nothwithftanding he was in
Arms in Confederacy with the Peafants of 'x\\t vxo
Lafta to defend the Alexandrian Faith , which remaining
they ftill pretended was in danger , had two Jefuics in
Roman Priefts concealed in his Country ; fent to ^^^••'''^'^»
Za Mariamy either to deliver them up to the tefted^'
Emperor, or to put them to Death himfelf, by the
hoping by this difcovery to make the Peafants Peafants
of Lafia jealous of him , as a fecret Friend to °^ ^''^'^'
the Roman Church , notwithftanding all his
high Pretenfions to the contrary ; and upon
7^a Mariam having denied that he had any
fuch Priefts in his Country ; the Viceroy of
Tigre to fpoil the 'Double Game he was playing,
writes a Letter to the Monks , that were
among the Peafants, to let them know what
G g 2 a Cham^
45^ ^^-^ Church^ Hiflory
a Champion for the Akxandriajt Faith they had
in Za Mar mm ^ who had for feveral years kept
two Roman Priefls concealed about him, in
hopes that a Vortugue[e Army would be fent to '
conquer Ethiopia ; to prove the truth of which,
if they would not take his word for it, he
offered to fend them two unqueftionable Wit-
nelles; the one an Hahaljln, who had been bred
among the Jefuits 5 and the other a Vortuguefey
whom he had intercepted, coming with a
Meffage from the hidies to 'Za Mariam: But
as God would have it^ fay the Jefuits , notwith-
ftanding It was all true^ that the Viceroy had writ
to the Monks ; yet Za Mariam having lodged
the two Fathers privately in the Mountain of
Aryiha Salama^ did face it down fo, as a Trick
of the Viceroy's to break the Confederacy;
that the Peaiants and Monks not believing a
word of it, continued ftill to look upon Za Ma-
riam as a true Alexandrian^ and on the Empe-
ror and the Court as ftill Popirtily affe(5ted, for
having attempted to create a milunderftanding
betwixt him and them : Now, this was a plea-
fant turn enough for to bring the Peafants of
Lafta^ when they could get none elfe to do it^
to jernje the ends of Poperj^ the thing in the World
they hated the mofi , and which they thought they
oi^ere the?^ fighting againfL
The Emperor finding the Peaiants were
not to be undecei'ved , ordered the Viceroy of
Ttgre to march againft them with a numerous
Army, who having brought them to a Battel,
routed them totally; and their Head, Za Ma*
riam y being taken the day after the Fight,
was cut in pieces by the Soldiers , who were
fo
of E
T H I O P I A. 45 ^
fo inraged by their Gcnerars being kiird, th.it ThePea-
they gave no Quarters : In Za Mar'tam , fay ^^""^ ^ ^^'
the JefuitS, the hifi Pillar of the true Faith, nnd Jj^nrd/and
the Foundations of all our hopes m Ethiopia fell to the two
the grotmd, Fnrhers
The two Fathers having loft their Protc- f^ken and
£koVy were quickly difcovereu^ and being put ^^"^^ '
into the hands of one LejJ'ano, a violent Alex-
andrtan, he carried them to a great Fair that
was in the Neighbourhood^, where he hanged
them both in the Market-place , after whofe
Death there was not a Jefuit of any Nation
left in Ethiopia.
In the Year 1646. the Congregation De pro-
paganda fide fent two Italia?} Capuchins to Ethic- Two iia.
pia y who having got to Siiaqhem by the way ^^'^"Capu.
oi Grand Cair , they found one of the French *^
Fryars of the former Million there ^ and ha- suacfhem.
ving confulted together 3 what courfe they
were to take^ die wife Italians were for wri-
ting to the Emperor for leave to come into
his Country to preach the Gofpel in it; which
being agreed to^ they writ a Letter to him,
wherein, contrary to the courfe that had been
taken by the Tortuguefe , who were ftill for
making the difference betwixt the Alexandrian
and Roman Faith as wide as they could poffi-
bly; they were for perfuading the Emperor
that he and they were of the fame Faith, and
that being fo, they hoped his Highnefs would ^^
not*be againft their coming into Ethiopia to vvrlte to
preach the fame Faith that his Highnefs pro- theEmpe-
FelTed. ror for
But the Emperor was fo far from beine ^^^^^^.^
i_ ^x ' r^ y • r- i ° come into
overcome by this Capuchm Complement , j^j^ q^^^^
G g 3 which try.
454
The Em-
peror
writes to
the B;3-
fhaw of
to rid him
of them.
The Ba-
fhavv
murthers
them all
three, and
fendstheir
Heads to
the Empe-
ror.
The ChurchHiJlory
which contradicted all the Jefuits had told him
of their Herefies ; that upon reading the Let-
ter 5 he roared out as if he had been mad ,
faying ^ T4^''hat is it not enough ^ that I ha^ve been
■perjecuted for fo many years for my Religion by
JPortuguefe from the Eaft , hut that I mufi have
Italians come from the Weft to ferfecnte me for it
afrejlj. And inftead of returning any Anfwer to
their Letter^ he writ to the Bamaw of Suaqhewy
who valued himfelf much upon his being a
Renegado Chriftian^ To eafe him of thefe, and
all the Frjars that jlwitld come to his Port at any
time y complaining that he could not have one
days^<fuiet for them in his Kingdom ^ and that
having rooted out the Portuguefe , a new fet of
People were come to dijlurh him 'with new pre-
tences.
The Bafhaw being glad of the opportunity
of at once gratifying the Emperor , and his
own Renegado Zeal, commanded the two
Italians to be murthered in his Prefence, and
the French Fryar who had a Pafsport from the
Grand Signicr^ to be affaffinated;, fending their
three Heads to the Emperor, who as a Re-
ward^ made him a Prefent of three Bags of
Gold Duft 5 promifing him as many Bags of
Gold Duft , as he fhould at any time fend
him Heads of Roman Fryars. (Jpon which
Correfpondence betwixt the Emperor and
the Governor of Suaqhem^ a report was rait-
ed of Bafdides having turned Mahometan
not long after he had baniftied the Patri-
arch.
The
of E
T H ( O P 1 A
455
The Patriarch being extreamly dcfirous to
revive, if it were poflible, thcjcfuits loft in-
tereft in the HubciJJln Million^ in the year
1646. fends and Dedicates a Book he had
writ on the Stx Firfi General Cou?icih , and
a ^^.atechifrn he had made in Ethiopia for the
ufe of that Church, to the Congregation cie
Tro^aganda fide ; from whom, the year follow-
ing he received the following Anfwer.
Mod Illuftrious and mpft Reverend Lord :
TH E Books compofed by jour GracCy with
great diligence and ^luly^ ( as appears fro7n
the frequent tefiimonies of Scripture which are in
them ) together with your moji Elegant Epiftle
Dedicatory to this Holy Congregation de Vrc-
paganda fide, have been received by the moft Emi-
nent Fathers of the faid Congregation, with
a joyful mind \ and who have ordered two things
concerning them, the one is. That the Jaid Books
he delivered to the Portugiiefe Affiftant of the
Jefuits Order, that fo all that is in them relatijjg
to the Habaflin Errors^ ayid all that your Grace
has wi'it m Confutation of them, may be notedy
and being digefted into a Book^ may be Vrinted in
the Prejsof the faid Holy Congregation, for the
ufe of the Mijfionaries of Ethiopia. The other is.
That fome Perfons^ Secular or Regular, of which
there is great flenty in this City, be deputed to Exa-
mine them, and give in their Opinion of them*
All whichy with their Thanks for having De-
dicated thofe Books to them, the faid mofi Emi-
nent Fathers have ordered to be imparted to your
Grace : Which 1 here do in their Name^ and in their
Trefencey with great chearfiilnefs ^ as J do alfo
G g 4 #r
45^ 'n^^ Church^ Hiflory
offer pu my own Service^ hefeeching Chrifl U fro^
' Jperyou^
Your Grace's mofl: Affedionate Brother,
Aloj/fius^ Cadinalis Cafonius,
At Rome the i^^th, of
OAober^, 1647.
This Letter, though very civil, did not an-
fwer the Patriarch's defign in his Prefent; for
notwirhftanding there is mention in it of an
HahaJJin Miffion, there is not one fyllable of
reftoring it to the Jefuits.
Father In the year 1648. the Patriarch, who con-
Trent b ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^""^ fufficiently mortified by the
the^Patrl Congregation de Propaganda fide refleding fo
arch to much upon his Condud, as to take the bufi-
Sunqhem nefs of his Church out of the hands both of
^^•-Th- his Order and Countrey, notvvithftanding he
Int'-fli-^"^ had complied fo far with what was ordered at
gence. Rome, as not to fend a Portuguefe ; yet he ven-
tured to fend an Italian Jefuit to Sua^^hem to
try if he could get into Ethiopia to fend him
intelligence how matters flood there.
Father Tor^uato , which was the Jefuit's
name that was fent, having put himfelf into the
habit of a Merchant, embarked upon an Eng^
lijh Ship at Surat diat was bound for Saaqhemy
which having touched at Moejha'j the Father,
who was fent ioEthiopia chiefly for Intelligence,
pi^eicnded to meet with the News there, of
Bafiltdes having declared himfelf a Mahome-
tan^ and of his having fent into Arahia for
Piiefts
o/ E T H 1 O P 1 A. 457
Priefts of that Sc6t to come and inftrud his
people therein.
This News put Father Toy-cjuato into fuch a
paflion, tliat he refolved without ufing any
precautions, to run prefently into Etbwpa to Father
confound thofe hfuUl Priefts, before they had Torcfuarg
time to fpread their contagion there. But be- ^f^.^*^ ,
ing on the wrong fide of the Sea, and fearing ^[^^ ^^
that he had not Faith enough to crofs ir upon Morjua,o£
his Coat, as many a Friar had done a greater Sea, Bafdid.s
and -when they had not half [0 much bu^nefs ; he "^'"g
refolved when he came to Matz^ua^ to be go- i^iJU^g^
verned by Father Anthony, the Frefjch Capu- tan.
chin, whom he expeded to have found there,
as to his going on tliat Errand. But whether
there were any colour at that time for this
ftory of Bflfiltdes being about to turn Mahome-
tan, if he was not turned already ; it is no
news for Monks and Friars to throw fuch
Icandals on Princes that have any ways vexed
them ; witnefs their ftories of the Iconaclafts
Emperors being fometime turned Jews^ and
fometimes Mahometans ; and of our King
John having offered the Emperor of Morocco,
if he would affift him, to be of his Religion ;
and of Charles Mart el's Soul being fome years
after his Death feen in Hell for his Sa-
crilege.
On the 6th. of May, the EngUjli Ship the
Father was on Board, failed from Moqua, and
on the 1 2th. touched at Dela, the biggeft
Ifland in the Red-Sea , it being Twelve
Leagues in Length, from whence they failed
diredly to Suaqhem ; where being come to
an Anchor, the Mafter fent ailioaj' forpratick,
which
458 7he Church' Hijlory
which he had fent to him at firft word^ with
a Prefent of freih Provifions from the Gover-
nor. The Father^ who walked upon the
Deck as if he had been the Sufercargo, ha-
ving enquired of the Watermen that came
aboard^ How the Chrifiians that were in Suaqhem
At sua^ did ? They made Anfwer^ That they knew of
qioem he ^Qj^g ffj^p j^Q^Q fj^^y^ » j~Q^g f^^f jjjgyg there former-^
the^hrc'' '^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ Ethiopia. Next day the Fa-
Capu- " ther went alhoar with the Mafter to enquire
chins ha- farther about the Friars^ but v/as not able to
ving been learn any thing concerning them^ only he
the"ed ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ fome of the Baneans ^ That the
Fathers that were there had been for fome time
dead : But the Mafter of the Ship having ob-
ferved that the Father was much troubled that
he could learn nothing of his Brethren^ told
him^, He needed not enquire any farther after them,
for he could ajjure him they had been all Three
Murthered by the Order of the Bajhaw 5 which
was afterwards confirmed to him by a Banean,
who told him farther^ That the Bajhaw had
firictly forbid all People to ffeak of it.
The Father being now fatisfied that the
Friars were all Murthered, his next bufinefs
was to get their Bodies^ or fome part of them
at leaftj to carry with him to Goa ^ which,
with the ^ory of Bafiltdes being turned Maho-
metan, he reckoned would make him wel-
come there; but here he was at a greater
lofsthan he was before, confidering the hatred y
fay the Jefuics, that the Englilh Hereticks have
for all Sacred Relicks ; neverthelefs, being refbl-
ved to carry fomething home befides his Moqh^
News, for I do not find that it was confirmed
at
o/E
T H I O P I A. 459
at Suacjhemy he ventured to fpeak to an Evgl/jl)
Sailer y the Mailer having forbid him to go any
more aflioar^ for fear or bringing the Ship in-
to trouble, to go to a certain Ifland, that lay
but a little way off, and if he found any dead
bodies there, to bring them to him, promifing
to pay him well for his pains ; the honeil
Sailer told him he -ivould do bis hefi^ and going
aihoar he picked up Two Skulls aitd a Bofie^ and
having brought them privately aboard^ deli-
vered them to the Father ; who, though he
had never feen any of the Friars^ knew the
Skulls at firjir (ight to he the Heads of the Two ,, • r
Italians that came laft\ and which was altoge- tunate in"
ther as difficulty he knew the Bone to be the finding
Bone of Father Antony s right Jrm^ which the Skulls
was as lucky as could be, for had it happened y^j^^^'^o
to have belonged to either of the Skulls, prlars^and
which were both vifibly Italian, he mud then a Bone of
have either fent his Sailer allioar again to the Fr€?:c,b.
have busked for more Bones, which was not
to be done without danger, or which would
have been a fad thing, he muft have gone
home without a Relick of the French Friar.
With this rich Treafure, and his Mocfha,
News, Father Torquato returned well fatisfied
to Goa, where he was made welcome by the
Patriarch, and was reckoned by all, bur efpe-
cially the Capuchins of that City, to have
made a good coafting Voyage. The Patriarch
having paid his devotion to the R clicks, did^
contrary to the cuftom of his Order, to en>
courage the Capuchins in their New Million^
part with this noble Treafure to them, but
upon condition^ that if the Congregation de
Vro^
4^o Tl)e Church'HiJlory
Propaganda fide fliould at any time demand what
The Pa- Evidences they had of their being true, that
fTinVas ^^^^y fliould remit an exad information thereof
to give ^^ i^* The Patriarch hoping, it is like, by
thefe Sa- this means to fatisfie the Congregation, that
cred Re- the Jefiiits, for all their having reprefented the
JhTca-'' ^^P^^hi^ Condua in the Hahaffm Miffion to
puchinsof have been one continued blunder, were fo far
Goa. from their being difpleafed with their being
Iblely employed therein, that they hazarded
their lives to help them to the Relicks of their
Martyr'd Brethren.
I have not been able to learn, whether the
abovenamed Congregation did ever give it felf
the trouble of enquiring into the truth of thefe
reliques ; but moft certain it is, that if it did,
that their want of natural Evidences was abun-
dantly fupply'd by fuch as were Miraculous ;
for they having been, as all new-found reliques
are, undoubtedly much prayed to, if Ten out
of a Thoufand that pray 'd to them when they
were fick did but happen to recover , there
were juft fo many fubftantial Witneffes of
their having a Miraculous Virtue in them to
demonftrate them to be true ; and for the faith-
lefs Nine hundred and ninety that died, their
unfuccefsful Prayers were never heard of to
confront theTeftimony of Ten living Witnef-
fes ; and being thus atteftedjthe Congregation
could not have deni'd them its Approbation,
fuch Teftimonies as thefe being all the Evi-
dence the Church of Rowe has for the greateft
part of her Sacred Reliques : Neither would
its having been afterwards difcovered, as it
was^ that the Heads of thofe Tliree Friars
were
of E T H I O V I \] . 461
were fent by the Bajliaw who cut them off,
as a Prefent to the Emperor of Ethiopia^
have been any argument at all againft the
truth of thofe which were lodged at Goa^ there
being nothing more common in the Church
of Rowe, than to have the fame individual
Reliques^ and efpecially Heads, at the fame
time in feveral Countries, and all of them
working Miracles in Confirmation of their be-
ing genuin.
The Patriarch that he might not lie at Goa,
doing nothing for his Title of Illufi-riffimo, in
the Year 16^0, fent a Banean and an HabaJJln,
who were both Romanifts , with a Commit '^\^^ ^^"
fion to one Bernard Nogiteiro an Hahaffin Prieft, fenJsai,
but of Vortuguefe Extradion , to be his Vicar- uabajfin
General in Ethiopa^ during the time of his ab- and a Ba-
fence from it. manimo
The Baman and HahaJJin having got to ^^g^'""
Moqha, were detained there a whole Year by a Com-
the War that was broke out betwixt a King in miffion to
Arabia^ and the Bajlmw of Suaqhem ; but the ^ P^ jeft to
Envoys that they might do fomething for their ^^^^q^^"
Money, fent the Patriarch fome News, which Hi
notwithftanding it did not agree very well
with that Father Torquato, had picked up at
the fame place not long before , tliey knew
would be pleafing to him. The News was.
That his Siiccejj'or Mark had been Depojed , for
having been guilty of all the Crimes that thty could
think of \ namely, for having Danced frequently
with his Gatar m his hand^ thorough the Streets
Tuith publtck Strumpets ^ and that a Monk, whofe
3jame was Michael, was made Abuna in his place.
In October i65i,the two Envoys having got to
Mat7:,ua
4^1
The Prieft
accepts of
it, and
writes for
Pertugttefe
Troops.
The Church* Hijlory
MatZaua, ftole by night from thence to a place
in Ethiopia called Engana, from whence having
fent an Exprefs to Father Bernard y he was
with them in a few days ; and having gladly
accepted of the Commiffion they brought to
him^ he wrote by them to the Patriarch,
complaining that the Fortuguefes feemed to
have forgot that there was any fuch Countrey
as Ethiopia ; where they had been expecting
fuccors from them till they were weary^, telling
a lamentable Story of what Raz, CeUa Chrifios
had fuffered becaufe he would not turn Alex-'
andrian^ and how his Gout^ though extreamly
violent, did not torment him half fo much^ as
the difappointment of the Vortuguefe Troops
he had been fo long promifed. But we have
that Prince telling his own Story in the fol-
iov/ing Letter, which came to Goa about this
time.
Moji l}lt4>firiom Bifhops and Governors of
the Indies.
The Letter of Raz Cella Chriftos cometh "with
Peace and Health in our Lord Jefus Chrijty To
all mofi Chrifiian Catholicks , and to all the
faithful of the true Church of our Lord.
Raz CeUa ^\ ' ^ ^^^ i'^^ ^^^ Truth , / do not know
writes J^ vjith what Tongue or Words to begin
pafHonate- to relate to you , the Ferfecutions of our Mo-
^y ^°' ther which I am at this time lamenting* O Holy
and mofi Merciful Chrifl Jefas, nailed to the Crojsy
do Thou reckon them up^ and make them to be
known
Troops.
o/ Ethiopia. 46}
known to all the Friars, ReBors, Prelates, BiJIjops,
Archhijljofs, Viceroys, Rings , Vrinces and Gcver-
Tjors, that Rule on the other fide of the Sea ; / «f-
"ver in the leafi doubted, but that you would fo far
ha'ue concerned your felf for the CathoUcks that are
here , as to have delivered them from the Tyranr.y
of this Ferverfe and Barbarous Nation , and that
the doing thereof would not have been fo long de-
layed but for my Sins ivhich are Infinite : Tou feem
to have been all dtfiemblers ) formerly when there was
not fo much as the name of a Church, or of a Ca-
tholick in Ethiopia , the iPortuguefe came to our
Ajfifiance , and delivered us out of the hands of the
Mahometans ; but now notwithfiandtng there is
an Infinite number of faithful people in it, there is
no body feems to remember us, all our Brethren, and
all thofe whom the Zeal of the Houfe of the Lord
did eat up, feeming to be dead.
What, is the Pope, our true Pafior and mofl belo-
ved Father , removed from the immoveable Foun-
dation of the Roman Church ? if he is not. Why does
he not firetch forth his Rod and Staff' of Conjolati-
on to theje his Sheep, before we depart this Mif era-
hie Life, or before we are eat up by the Alexandrian
Hereticks. Is it pofiible that there is 77ot one Prince left
in Portugal^ that has the Zeal of Don Chriftopher
Da Gama/cr Chrifiianity , nonorfo much as one
Prelate left to procure fome remedy for us either from
Heaven or Earth 5 I can fay no more, but though
my Mouth isflopt, my T'cars are not j but being cv-
vered with Sackcloth and Afiies, I do mofi humbly
beg fuccor from all the Faithful, and that with all
Expedawn, before all be lofi. I am at this time m
Chains tnaPrifon, and am daily temptedwith pro-
TTjijes of liberty, if Ijvill btttretur^i to the Alexan-
drian
4^4
Tl?e Church'HiJioyy
RazCella
is put to
death*
The Pa-
triarch is
named to
the Arch-
bifhoprick
of Goa, but
Avas dead
before his
nominati-
on arrived.
drinn Faith ; the Heretich feeking in me to de"
firoy all the CathoUcks in Ethiopia, and to Extir-
fate the Roman Faith out of it,
TVherefore if there he any Chrifiians left beyond
Sea ^ or any that ha've a Zeal for God ^ let them
know and under f and that we afe their Brethren in
Chrifl- Jefus ; and that we (hall then^ and not he-
fore^ helic've that they ha've us in their hearts^ when
they jjjall deli'ver us out of the hands of He-
reticks y and out of this our Egyptiaa Bon^
dage.
This Unfortunate Prince is faid to have fuf-
fered Death not long after this^ for his Religi-
on 3 or rather for holding a Correfpondence
with the Portuguefes , for whom the Emperor
vvas poffeiTed with fo ftrong an Averfion, that
he made it Death for any of that Nation , or
for any of the Roman Faith to come into
Ethiofia,
In the Year 16^6, the Patriarch was no-
minated by tlie King of Portugal^ to the Arch-
biilioprick of Goa ; which Dignity he did not
live to take polTeffion of, having departed this
life on the Twenty ninth of June before the
arrival of the Fleet, by which the nomination
was fent. He died in the Seventy Seventh
Year of his Age , having been Sixty Three
Years a Friar of the Society ; of whom though
his Brethren the Jefuits have wrote great
things , the poor Ethiopck Church might juftly
apply to him what Mofes's Ethiopick fPife faid
to him in a fajfwn ^ TboH hafi been an Hmband
of blood to we.
Bafilides
o/ E T H ! O ? I A." 4($<J
Bafduks having by a total extirpation of Po. Bapudes
pery out of his Empire, quieted the minds of ^^^vingoc-
his Subjeds, fet about recovering the Provin- y^D^vt
ces his Infidel Neighbours had during the Ha- recovers
bajfin broils about Religion, tore from his Pre- moftofhij
deceffors ; and was fo profperous in his Wars ^?^ P^cs
as to regain moft of them, having, if Morad ^^"^*5»
the Habcijfm Ambaffidor at Batauia, did not
ftretch , extended his Empire Northward to
the confines oi Nuhia, and Southward to Ha-
ded ^ the people of which Kingdom were con-
verted by him to the Chriftian Faith.
Bajduks having Reign'd Two and Thirty Afrer^
Years, was after his Death fucceeded by his {j^PPY .
Son Aelaf Saged, in the Year 1665-. -^^^^/ Thif"°^
fwayed the Etbwpick Scepter Fifteen Years, Two years
without doing any thing that was Memora- isfucceed-
ble, only having heard of the greatnefs of the ^^ by his
Dutch power in the hidies, he fent one Morad, ^^" /'^^'^
an Armenian J his Ambaffador^in the Year 1672,
to the Governor of Bata'via.
Saged,
^f/^fdying in the Year 1681, wasfucceed- j^./^f^^
ed by his Son Jajo Adian Saged , who fent fucceeded
Morad a Second time to the Governor of Ba- by his Sort
tavia in the Year 1689. The account Morad ^-^/^w* so*
gave of his Malter, was. That he was exceed- -^^^j, ^^«
ing tall of Stature, had a fierce Countenance, Emperor
and was very brave and wife , and of indefa- oiEthio^Ui
tigable application to bufinefs ; and as to his
affairs both at home and abroad , he affirmed .
them to be in a moft fiourifhing condition.
The Letters of thofe Embafiies , together with
the Dutch Governors anfwers to them, are pub-
liihcd by the great Mr. Luddvhas at the end of
H h his
^66 The ChurchHiftory
his Commentaries , as are alfo the Anfwers
which were given by the faid AmbaflTador^ to
the Queftions which that Learned Perfon had
fent fome Years before to the Indies ^ for
which I refer the curious Reader to that Learn-
ed Book.
of Ethiopia, ^67
A
Short Account
o F T H E
Dominican Hiflory (?jf Ethiopia.
Compofed by Father Le'^ts Ve
Uuretta, a Dominican j and Print-
ed at Vdentta in the Year 1 6 lo.
IN the Year 15 16, Eight Dominican
FriarSj with a Holy Sifter, Santerd from
RDjne to Jerufalem, where having Vifited
. the Holy Sepulcher, taking Bethlehem m
their way, they went down into Egy^t^ and
from thence to Ethiofia ; and hanng there
Learned the Language of the Countrey per-
fedly in a few days, they begun to preach to
the Aftonifhment of that whole Empire, con-
firming the truth of all they taught by Miracles .
Prefter John the Emperor hearing of thofe
wonderful Preachers,fent to bid them welcome
into his Empire , and to let them know they
had free liberty to build Convents enough
H h 2 therein
468 7he Church'' Hi Jlory
therein to hold all Europe^ and to exercife
their power of hquifitors upon all his Subjects ;
and that he would allow them alhthe fame Pri-
vileges and Immunities that they enjoy "in the
jLiitm Church. The Fathers overjoy'd at this
news, begun prefently to make ufe of the li-
berty that was granted them ; and having pe-
netrated Six Hundred Leagues into Ethwpa,
they came at laft to the Lake of Cafates, on
the other fide of the E^tiimBial y where the
head of the River Nile rifeth, where upon the
Mountains of the Moon, and in the Kingdom
of Gojam^ and among the Caffres, and in the
Provinces bordering on the Cape of Goodbope,
they built feveral Convents , filling them all
prelently with Friars of their own Order, mod
of which came afterwards to be as famous for
their Learning and Piety as they were for their
Miracles ; but the topping man of all thofe
Novices was one Tecla Haymonot , the only
Child of King Sacafah, and Queen Sarab ; who
having wrought diyers Miracles in his Infan-
cy, when he came to be a Man preferred the
Dominican habit to a Crown , and came af-
terwards to be the Chief Glory of his Order,
having had the Honour done him, whenever
he faid Mafl, to have the Wafer and the Wine
brought down from Heaven to him by an
Angel ; and whenever he went to any City
to Preach , he was conftantly attended by all
the Lyons, Tygers, Wolves, Snakes, and Ser-
pents in the Neighbourhood, who never left
him till he difmifled them with tjie bleffing ;
for which they all expreffed themfelves very
thankful ; and who having founded a Mo-
naftery
of Ethiopia. 469
naftery for Npie thci{((wd Domivicm Fridrsy
obliged tlje Devil to do all the fcrvile work
thereof for Seven Years ; which he did alone
fo exadly , that the Convent has never been
fo well ferved fince^ which made an Rmperor
when he was told of it fay. That Teda Hamo-
hot was to blame , for not havhig made the
Devil [er*ue the Convent as lopg as it ft-ood.
While the Friars were thus emploved , the
Holy Si(hr was not idle , who as if fhe had in-
tended to have taken the Emperor at his word,
built a Monaftery^ wherein fhe placed Five
Hundred Dominican Bcnta's of the third Rule.
This great Nunnery was at firlt called Bado
Nagh, but at this time Santa Cl.iva ; the Hifto-
ry of all which Convents is to this day curi-
oufly Painted in the Cloifters of the Flm-ima-
nosy whither any, who are fo unreafonable as
to doubt of the truth of them, may go and be
fatisfied.
The Monaftery of Vlurimavoi, in which
there are Nine thoufand Dominican Friars,
was founded by Tccla Haymonot ; It is four
Leagues in Compafs, and hath Eighty Dor-
mitories, which have all the great Church at
one end , and the Refedory at the other.
Some of thefe Dormitories have One hundred
and twenty, fome One hundred and fifty, and
fome Two hundred Cells. Every Dormitory
has a particular Chappel and Library belong-
ing to it. The great Church is Six hundred
paces long, and fo it had need, fince all the
Friars repair to it together on Sundays and
Holidays. The Second great Dominican Con-
vent in Ethiopia, is that of the AMujah^ wliich
H h 5 was
47 o Tl?^ Church ITtJJory
was built by Barthohmeiv de Ttroliy a Domini-
can Friar ^ who was Confecrated Bifhop of
the City of Dangola at Rome ; it has but Se-
ven thoufand Friars ^ who on high Days Dine
all together in the Refedory.
From thefe two Convents ^ there are vaft
numbers of Miffionaries fent once a year to
Arabia , Bengala ^ Siam^ Pegu and China ; as
alfo to CofjgOy Monopatata^ and the Cape of
Goodhofe 3 by fome of which Miffionaries the
King of Congo and Jngola, was Baptized in
the Year ij8o. Thefe Miffionaries do all re-
turn home at Whitfuntide ; and oiir Hiftojian
being fenfiblethat that was more than ffeffi and
blood could welldojvery difcreetly prevents the
objedion^by telling us they came back nothing
but Skin and Bone.
Thefe two Monafteries have been the
greateft Seminaries of Martyrs that have ever
been in th" world , above Three hundred
thoufand of thcii Friars having fuffered Mar-
tyrdom, in feveral parts J which is more than any
other Order befides the Dominicans can boaft
of. For in the Emprefs Helena's time, who
was her felf a Dominican Beata , Eight hun-
dred Friars of the Alelujah alone luffered death
in feverai Provinces for preaching theGofpel ^
at which the good Beata was fo much trou-
bled^ that fhe fent to all the Mahometan
and Heathen Merchants that were within her
Empire^ to let them know that they fliould
Trade no longer in Ethiofiaj if they did not
take more care to preferve her Friars lives in
their Miffions.
The
o/ E T H { O P 1 A . 47 I
The Priors of thefe two Convents are by
the Pope's Letter Conftituted the chief h^ui-
tors of EthiopLz 5 where the Inquijitwn is
more rigorous than in Sfain ; for it relaxeth
all Hereticks and Apoftates to the Secular Arm
for their firft fault , though never fo penitent ;
vvho being relaxed^, are always thrown,, without
mercy, to the Lyons.
But the wonder of the world is the Empe-
ror's Library founded by Queen Saha ^ upon
the Mountain of Amara^ where the Convent
of the holy Crojs (lands ; its Foundrefs hand-
felled it with Solomon's own Works , and the
other Books he Prefented her withal , among^
which are the Books of Enochs Noah^ Ahrahaniy
Job J Sec. And the Emperors have been ever
fince buying all the Books they could hear of
to put into it ; fo that at prefent it contains
above a Million of Books all very £iirly writ-
ten, and richly Bound, an hundred and Thir- •
teen thoufand of which are Hebrew and Ara^
hick : Neither is there any Book whofe lofs is
bewailed here in Eurofe , but what is to be
met with there ; of which Gregory the Thir-
teenth being informed, he fent Antonio Qrka
and Lorenco Cremones into Ethiopia to fee whe-
ther that Library was fo great and rich as it
was reported to be ; who having feen it ,
found it much greater than Fame had made
it ; and returning home, brought the Talmud,
and Cabala with them to compare them with
thofe the Jewi of Italy had in their hands.
It is not very well ftored with Latin Ecclefia-
fligal Authors, having none of the Ancients,
belide St. Hierom and Saint Ambrofcy tranflated
H h 4 into
47^ ^^^ Church^ Hiflory
into Greeks and St. ^«//;? tranflated into Jr^r
hick ; and of the Moderns^ only Thomas Aqm-
nas^ ^t. Antonio^ the Diiedory of the Inquifi-
torSj and Lewis de Granada, who were all Do-
minicans j and if our Author fent them his
Hiflory, the Lihrarians , who are Two hun-
dred^ if they did not give it one of the belt
places in their Library ^ were very unjuft to
him ; fince if it had not been for him, their
Library , in all probability, had never been
heard of in Europe ; the two unworthy men
who had been fent to vifit it by Gregory the
Xlllth. having made no noife at all of it
when they returned. The Key of this Li-
brary, as of the Richeft Treafure in Ethiopa,
is always put into the Emperor's hand when
he is Crowned, who delivers it to the Abbot
of the Monaftery of SanBa Cruz, , with a
ftrid charge to look carefully after it as the
chief Jewel of his Empire.
The Emperor's Treafury, which may very
v;eli be reckoned the fecond, if not the firft
Wonder of the Worlds is upon the lame
Mountain , into which ever fince Queen
Shtbas time, they have been amaffing vait
quantities of Gold and Silver^ and Precious
Stones , without having at any time ta-
ken one Farthing out ; fo that if the whole
world were to be fold, there is more Money
in this Treafury than would buy the Fee-
limple of it.
Ethiopia has but Twelve Archbifhops and
Seventy two BiiKops ; which fmall number
confidering the vaftnefi of the Empire , they
cannctbe perfuaded to increafe^ becaufe it re-
prefents
o/E
T H I O P I A. 473
prefents that of the Twelve Apoftlcs^ and Se-
venty two Difciples ; fo in all their Cathe-
drals hkewife, they have never more nor few-
er than a Dean and Twelve Canons, who do
all live in Community with their Bifhop, who
has the whole Tithes of his Diocefs ; when a
Canon dies ^ he is fucceeded by the Eldeft
Prieft of the Diocefs^ and the Billiop when he
dies, by the Eldeft Canon, and the Archbifliop
by the Eldeft Bifhop of the Province ; the
Eldeft Archbifhop is always the Pope's Legate
that OfhcQ having been annexed to that Dig-
nity by Clemeiit the Vllth. Befides thefe they
have a great number of Titular Archbifhops
and Bilhops, who are all named by the Empe-
ror, Empow'red thereunto by feveral Popes
Briefs. The Archbifhops and Bifhops vifit their
whole Provinces every Sixth year, whofe Ex-
communications are fo formidable, that none
can defpife them longer than they can faft,
fuch as are Excommunicat-ed not being fuffer-
ed to eat or drink any thing before they have
made their fubmiflion.
Their Churches, namely that of the AUelu-
jah, which was built by Queen Sheha in imi-
tation of Solomons Temple,in form of a Crofs,
and is now Dedicated to St. Humphrey ; and
that which was built by Queen Candace men-
tioned in the JBs of the Apoftles, and Dedi-
cated by her to the Virgin Mary^ are exceffive-
ly Rich and Magnificent , fome of them ha-
ving Three , fome Five Naves, and all richly
adorned with various Pidures and precious
Stones^ but chiefly Granata's.
As
474 ^^^ Church'^Hifiory
As to the Doctrine of the Hahajfm Church,
in all matters of Faith they are and were ever,
or at leaft iince the time that the Eight Domi-
nican Friars went among them, the very fame
with thofe of the Church of Rome ; all that has
been reported within thefe Two hundred
years by the Jefmts and Portuguefes of their
being Hereticks, being notorioufly falfe.
The occafion of which falfe Reports was as
followeth :
Moft of the Four hundred Vortuguefes who
went into Ethiopia with Gama, being Je-ws in
their hearts, were not long there before ima-
gining themfelves to be out of the reach of the
Inquifition, they openly profeffed Judaifm, to
the grep t fcandal of the Portuguefe Nation, but
they quickly found themfelves deceived ; for
the Dominican Inquifitors having heard of
this Jpofiacj y did with great fecrecy order
them all to be apprehended by their FamtUars ;
but the Jews having their Familiars too _, our
Autlior upon this occafion affirming die
whole race of them to he ail Magicians , and
m Confederacy with the Devil , made their
efcape before the Inqulfaion or its Familiars
could lay their hands on them, fome of them
running into the Kingdom of Bemo ; where
notwithftanding they taught the Natives how
to make Gunpowder ; it had been well that
they had all gone, for then there would have
been none left to have run to Goa , to have
raifcd fuch lyes of the HabaUws, as thofe who
went thither did , who purely to juftify
themfelves , and to be revenged on the
HahaJJm
o/E
T H I O P I A. 475
Hahajfin Inquifitors , reported that the Hahaf-
fins were all Mortal Enemiei to the Tope
and his Sup-cm acy ^ and did hold feveral He-
refies^ which was the reafon why they did
not care to live amongft them any longer.
Here our Hiftorian falls into a moft violent fit
of Railing againll thofe Fortuguefe Jqws^ and
for their fake againft their vyhole Race, cal-
ling them an Impious , Cruel, Malicious^ Vefii-
lent , Contagious, Infamous, Vile, Nafij, Loath*
fome Generation ; and at laft defires all the
Devils in Hell to fetch the 'whole Race of
the?n, for having dared to report fuch impu-
dent lies of an Empire that was much more
Catholick than France, in having received
both the Inquifition, and the Council of Trent ,
which was what Fra7ice could never yet be
perfwaded to do ; he likewife blames the
old Chriilians among the Vortuguefe for having
been fo eafy as to give Credit to fuch malici-
ous and groundlel^ Reports; and as to what
the Popes, and the Kings ofPm-tugal have faid
and done upon fuppofition of the Habafim be-
ing Enemies to the Roman Church, he faith,
they had been miferably impofed upon by the
ftories which were raifed by thofe VtUanous
"Jews ; as they were alfo in the cafe of the Pa-
triarch Oviedo , who at the fame time that
he was revoked by the Pope, becaufe there
was no hopes of his doing any good in Ethio-
pia, by reafon of the Emperor and the Peo-
ples obftinacy in the Alexandrian Faith, was
reverenced by all the HabaJJins as a Saint, and
beloved by them as a Father , and liftned to
as a wife Man , and reckoned as .an Apoftle
fent
47^ Tl^^ Church' Hijlory
fent by God to them ; and was fo far from
being in Difgrace with the Emperor, that he
was Prefident of his Latin Council. It is true,
the Portuguefe Patriarchs and Fathers having
done feveral indifcreet things , whereby they
had difobliged the Habajjin Clergy, grew fick
of Ethiopia quickly, and returned to the Indies.
The Portuguefe, faith he, being a People who
cannot live long out of their own Country,
or at leaft from among their Countrymen ;
whereas Bifhop Andre Oviedo being a Spaniardy
and one who weighed and confidered things,
would neither leave his Flock, nor quarrel
with them about Trifles, and fo lived and died
in Ethiopia with great Honour , his Memory
being precious amongft them to this day 5 of
the truth of which the Pope was quickly af-
terwards fully fatisfied ; for the HahaJJlns of St.
Stephens Colledge at Rome, underftanding how
their Church was mifreprefented, fent one of
their Body immediately to acquaint the Empe-
ror Menna , who fucceeded Claudius , there-
with y who was put into fuch a Rage by the
news of his being reprefented not to be a Ro-
;;2^»-Catholick by the Portuguefe Jews, that
he prefently made a Law, prohibiting all Por-
tuguefe upon pain of Death to come into
Ethiopia without a Certificate of their being
Old Chriftians, from the Inquifitions of Lisbon
and Goa: He writ alfo immediately to Goa,
Lisbon , and Rome, to difabufe thofe Courts,
and to let them know, that none but rafcally
Jews would have had the Impudence to have
reported. That he and his Empire were not
true Roman Catholicks; He writ alfo to the
Colledge
d/E
T H I O P I A. 477
Colledge of Cardinals, and particularly to the
Protedor of his Empire, obliging his Coun-
cil of State to do the fame , with paffionate
Declarations of their great Zeal for the Roman
Faith; and to give the Pope yet further fatis-
fadion, he made a new Submiffion of himfelf
and his Empire to him. Alexander the Third,
who fucceeded Menna in the Empire, reckon-
ing that his Predeceflbr had not done enough
in fending only one Ambaffador to the Pope,
lent an Embaffy to Rome, which confifted of
Twenty four Priefts, and Two Gentlemen,
to yield Obedience in his Name to the Holy
See,
So much of the Dominican Hiftory ofEthio-
fia. In which, though it is an Octavo of 1 1 ; o
odd Pages , and a fmall Print , there is not
one fyllable of truth from the beginning to
the end ; yet notwithftanding that , I do not
know that I ever faw an Hiftory in any Lan-
guage that had more of the Magifterial Air of
Truth in it, the Author feeming every where
to value liimfelf extreamly upon his Fidelity,
and his care of fetting down nothing with-
out being firft well affured of its Truth; ap-
pealing conftantly to Authentick Records,
though a great way off, for fuch falflioods as
had the leaft of the Colours of Truth in them ;
infomuch, that in the beginning of his Book,
he faith with the greateft affurance imaginable.
That none couU doubt of the truth of any thing
he had reported in his Hiftory ^ but Scepticks,
"ivho called the truth of all things into cjuefiicn ;
as in another place he refle(5ts feverely upon
the
47 8 The Church^ Hijiory
the Jeliiits, Majfenis and Mariana^ accufing
them both of not having had that facred re-
gard for Truth in their Writings , which all
who write Hiftories ought to have ; and as if
he had a mind to impofe his Fidions upon
God^ as well as Man , for Truths^ he con-
cludes his Legend of the Lives of feveral Ha-
hajjin Dominican Saints , fome of which we
have reafon to believe were never in Nature ,
or if they were ^ were undoubtedly neither
Dominicans, nor Papifts^ with the following
Prayers to them.
MOST Glorious ^ lllufirious ^ and Holy
Saints , who heipg now in the Coslefiial
Falaces , cloathed with Robes of Immortality 3 do
enjoy the clear Vifion of the mofi Holy Trinity ^ and
being difarmed of your bodily Weapons , wherewith
you fought fo manfuUy in the Worlds are now feat-
ed under the Shades of the Vitlorious Valms , and
of the Trium-^hant Laurel, in the Tavillions and
Tabernacles of Glory ; Vardon me aU my Faults ;
far don all my Errors ; pardon my weak Capacity ;
pardon the Injury I ha^ve done the height of your
Triumph ^ worthy of all Immortal Trophy , by nry
rude Ten 5 and pray for $ts, O mofi Glorious Saint Sy
who in Company of the Angelical Spirits , and in
the Ccelefiial Quire of God , do Sing the Sandtus
of the Mafs of the mofi Holy Trinity y and are per-
petually employed in the Vraifes of God y pardon
the unpoltjhednefs , JJjortnefs ^ and grojjnejs of my
Tofigue^ your ProweJ/es being Jo Great, your Works
fo Heroick , and your ViBory jo Glorious , that no^
thing but the Tongues of Angels are fit to celtbrate
them* fray for us, 0 high exalted f rimes, ivho
do
o/E
T H I O P I A. 479
Jo live as Grandees in the Talace of the King of
Glory , and are as Cavaliers of the Golden Key in
the Cabi7i€t of God , being always in his Prejence.
Pardon that little that I have writ of yiur Feats ^
your Glories being fo gr-eat that no Pen , without
it be taken from the tilings of Archangels^ is fit to
celebrate then?. Pray for us, Moft Glorious Stars
of Heaven^ mofi: Re ff Undent Meteors of the Earthy
Golden Artiz,ans of the Church y and the bright
Light of the Predicant Order, who out of the PuU
fits did afionifl) the World like Thunder ^ confound-
ing Hereticks and Pagans , and converting Souls
to God, Pardon me^ if the brightnej s of your Vir-
tues IS ecltpfed by the little I have faid cf them^
and fray for us, Afofiolical P-reachers, who are
in Glory about the Father of Light , far don me if
your Travels y Miffions y Peregrinations y Sermons ^
and Labours y Virtues and Prodigies y or if the
Glory of your Glory is not aggrandized as it ought
to be. And fray for us y Valiant Martyrs ^ 7vho
'iiHth your Blood confirmed the Truth of the Gof
fely conquered Tyrant Sy triumphed over Wild Beafisy
and with your hands full of Palms y and your Heads
crowned with Laurels are entered into the Pa-
laces of Heaven 5 far don my Ignorance y and fray
fc}' m.
Sacred Virginsy Riming Religious y the Glory of the
Worldy the Honour of Heaveny the Beauty of Hu-
mane Nature, and the fingular Ornaments of the
Order of St. Dominick y far don all the DefeBs of
this Booky in relation to your Praijes y and fray
forr m. Amen.
After this ftudied Prayer, (which is a fuffi-
cient Indication of the Roman tick Genius of
the
480 I7;e ChurchHiflory
I the Man j be^ imagining I fuppofe, that Pro-
teftants^ notwithftanding all his Apologies,
and begging of Pardons for having faid fo
little of his Heroes , would not be fo civil as
to believe one half of what he has faid of
them, falls foul upon them, and thanks God
that he did not write thefe things to Luther
and Cahin^ or any other excommunicated He-
reticks y who do ignorantly y brutally , rafijlj ^
and hlaffhemoujly deny the profitable Inter-
ceflton of the moft glorious Saints with God ;
but to moft Catholick Spaniards ^ whofe Cn-
/iidity having never been tainted with the He-
refies of their Neighbours of France and Eng-
land y he hoped would fwallow his Book of
Prodigies without chewing; and efpecially
coming recommended to them by all its Li-
cenfes^ as a Book of wonderful Edification to all
pom Soulsy moft of them vouching likewife for
the truth of it.
Its Licenfers and Vouchers being no ie(s
Men , than Don Batafar de Boria , Dodor of
Law, Archdeacon of Xativa^ Canon of the
Church of Valentia , and Vicar-General and
Official of the Archbiflioprick of Valentia, Ju-
an Tafqualy Redor of the Church of St. Mar-
tiny and Licenfer of the Patriarch of Antiochy
and Archbirtiop of Valentia, Fryar Raphael Ri-
fhez, Prior Provincial of the Dominicans in the
Kingdom of Arragon, ' Fryar Lupero de HnettCy
and Fryar Jeronymo Mos , Licenfers of the
Tribunal of the Holy Office of the In^uifition^
who do all in their Licenfes give great Com-
mendations, both to this Hiltory and its Au-
thor*
But
o/ Ethiopia. 4S1.
But this Hiftory having been written chiefly
to blali: the riling-Repiitation of the Jcfuits^
And the credit of all their Reports; its having
fo many, and fo great Vouchtrs for its Truth,
and the Majh'v of the Satred VaUce like wife,
to whom it is Dedicated, for its Patron, was
not enough to hinder the Jefuits from expo-
fing it, fo foon as ever it crept out of its cell,
to the world in its true colours; whole Batta-
lions of them filling upon it at once at fuch
an unmerciful rate, that, as 1 have been told,
they made the Dowmicavs fo much afliamed
of this Romance, which they had endeavoured
to have obtruded upon the world for a true
Hiltory, that they have laboured ever fince to
get all the Copies of it into their hands to
deftroy them'; for which reafon I fhall do all
that 1 can to preferve that which I have, by
grjing it to a library y which , vext to that of the
J^mperar of Ethiopia*;, is thegreatefi- in the IVoM.
But this is not the only pious fraud the Dc-
mtmcans have mifcarried in after having pro-
mifed their Order great honour from them ; HIrtory of
but above all is that of the Nun at Lisbon^ the the Liibon
Hiftory whereof 1 fiiall here fet down more Nun, cal-
at length, than I have fecn it any where in ^^r ^'^^\^
x)° I ^ of the ^w-
one Book. „«„,,^,,„.
Maria , or the Annunciation , was Born
at Lisbon^ and at the age of Thirteen was
put into the Dcminican Convent of the
A7tnunci(ition in that City ; in which, fo foon
as fhe was of age to do it, flie profelTed her
felf a Nun ; which fhe had not done long,
before fhe begun to have Miraculous VifonSy
and to be daily vilited by Chnfi in Ferfon*
I i whom
The Church' Hijlory
whom {he ftill faluted with the Doxology
thus ^ Glory be to the Father ^ and to Thee , and
to the Holy Spirit, Whenever fte received the
Sacrament, her Soul was in a Rapture, and
was honoured with the Vifion of the Heaven-
ly Coire of Angels ; and v/hen ihe embraced
the Crucifix, which ftie ftill called her Hus-
handy icconftantly darted out beams of Light
much brighter and ftronger than thofe of the
Sun.
One day as {he was at her Devotion, Chrift
appeared to her, and made her a promife to
vifit her again upon St. 'Thomas Aqumass day,
and thereon to do her the greateft honour that
any Creature was capable of.
Maria having acquainted Antonio de la Cerda,
the Provincial of her Order, who upon her
Name being fo high for Miracles, was become
her Confeilbr, with the Promife' had been
made her, {he was directed by him how to
pi'cpare her felf for the reception of fo great
a favour; whofe Direc^liions {he pundually
obferved/or never was any creature more fub-
rniflive to a ConfefTor.
- Thomas Af^uinas\ day being come, and
all the Nuns and Friars being affembled
to Mattins, while Maria was in a moft
profound fit of Devotion , Chrift Crucified
appeared to her , and in the fight of the
whole Congregation, printed all the Wounds
of hi? Head, Side, Hands, and Feet, upon
the fame parts of her Body ; {he had Two
and thirty Wounds (fiich as Thorns ufe
to make; on her Head , ?.nc[ in her Side
a Gafh
O/ E T H i O 1? 1 A* 48J
a Ga(K that refembled a Wound made
with a Spear , and on her Hands and
Feet the Wounds were of a Triangular
Figure, as if made by a Nail: and in
order to excite the Devotion or the ab-
fent as well as prefent , the Rags (he laid
to the Wounds on Tburfdays, had always the
Fi've Wounds of Cbrifi printed on them in
the form of a Crofs ; and happy was the
Roman Catholick Prince or Princefs whd
could obtain fome of thofe Sacred Rags.
'The Pope he had one^ and the King of
Sfaiiiy who was ftrangely devoted to her,
had another ; and the Emprefs had one
fent her againft fhe lay in ; neither was
there a Roman Catholick Prince or Prin-
cefs in Europe, but what had obtained oilc
of them by fome intereft or other. Para^
WHS y in his Hiftory of the Inquifition ,
faith. That he be'mg at that time an Ine^mji^
tor m Sicily y [an> one of them 'which had
been fent to the Viceroy Don Henrique de
Gufman's Lady , who , he faith , adored it
as the moft Sacred Relick in the World. And
Vhilip the 11*^. to fatisfie the World that
he firmly believed all that was reported of
the Sandity and Miracles of the Lisbon
Nun, had the Royal Standard of the Arma-
da , which came againft England in thef
year i5'8S. Blefled by her.
The Inquifitlon , whofe bufinefs it is to
enquire feverely into the truth of things
which are reported to be Miracles, having
fummoned her Confeflbr, and all the rell
li 2 of
484 '^T^e ChurchHiftory
of die Friars who belonged to the Con-
Axnt 5 to appear before them ^ was fully
fatisfied by their Depoficions and Oaths,
as Eye-WitnelTes , of the Truth of the
vvh6le matter, as it was reported. Where-
upon Gregory the XIIP^'. writ her a very
Godly Letter, exhorting her to Humility,
Thankfulnefs , and Perfeverance in her
Devotions j and as there was no Roman
Catholick that did in the leaft doubt of
the truth of what was reported of her
by her Confeffor , who publifhed a large
account of her Miracles ; So the poor
Proteftants were triumj^ied over ftrangely
on that occafion, as the moil perverfe He-
reticks that ever were in the World , for
neither believing thoje reports ^ rjor going to
Lisbon ivhere their own eyes ii-ould convince
them of the truth of the?n. So Fetrus Ma-
theiis in a Bullary he Printed in France at
this time, and which I have now by me,
after a long encon2imn of the Lisbon Nun, adds.
Nihil cfi cjuod poffit hujiis Hifl^ori^ viritati in
ficiarij viuit e?iim heata F/rgo ui-vunt Sorores
tefies , locus vi/ltury d^ clariJJifnorHm Theologo^
rum Oculato teftimonio/'?c^^/w?- & cmfirwatur\
that is^ Nothing ca?} be offered in contraditlion
to this (l-Qvyy for the bleffed Virgin is fill
living , as are the Sifhrs alfo who are her
Witneffes ; the Flace is vifited, and the Jrhole
is proved and confirmed by mofi eminent Di^
vines, who 7vere Eye-JVitnej]'es I0 it. After
all this , one would little have expeded
that this fraud could have mifcarried , or
at leaft fo far as to have been Owned
and
o/ E T H I O P I A. 485
and Condemned as a meer Cheat, by the
Inquifition it felf: But fo it was; for the
Lady Abbefs (which for her greater Morti-
fication the Nuns and Friars had forced
her to be) when Ihe wanted nothing hiit
to have Died to have been Canomz^ed a
Saint for her extraordinary Piety and
Miracles , finding all that fhe faid was re-
ceived by every body as an Oracle; fiie
begun to mutfer^ That it was revealed to her
that Thilip the II'*. had no Title to the
Crown of Tortugal^ but that the right thereof
was in the Duchefs of Brag^nz^a : The confe-
quence whereof beings That Pbiltp muft
either refign that Crown, or the Title of
the Mofi CathoUck , or look upon her , he
had exprefs'd fo great a veneration for ,
as an Impofior ; he chofe the latter ; the
Inquifition ftdking the Oracle Dumb fo
foon as it began to Jntip/nlipije : For the
Inquifition having thereupon ordered her
Wounds 3 and odier Pretenfions , to be -j^^g j^^:
fearched to the bottom , they were at poftor dif-
it quickly; her Wounds being found not covered,
to lye 10 deep as her Skin ; and upon
examination to be nothing elfe but marks
made thereon very artificially with Red
Lead, Whereupon flie was Condemned
by the Archbilhop of Braga and Lisbon^
the Bifhop of Guarda, and the Apoftolical
Inquifitors , of whom at that time the
Cardinal Archduke of Auftria was the
Chief , as an Hypocrite and ImpoJ^or ,
upon the Eighth day of Decewhcr lySS.
being in the Thirty fecond Year of
her
486 7he Church^ Hi flory
her Age, to the following Penan-
ces.
Her Pe- ift- She was to be a Prifoner during
nances her Life, in fbme Nunnery out oi Lishony
afligned, and which muft not be of the Dominican
Order.
2^. For Five years after the day of
her Sentence , (he was not to have the
Sacrament Adminiftred to her, excepting
on the Feafts of Eafler , Whitfuntide , and
Chrifimas , or unlefs the receiving thereof
fhould happen to be neceflary to the
partaking of the Benefits of a Jubilee.
3**. On every Wednefday and Friday of
the Year fhe was to be brought into the
Chapter-houfe of the Nunnery, and there
to be Whipped publickly before all the Nuns,
all the time the Miferere Met Dens was
Reading.
4«^. At Meals fhe was not to be fuffered
to fit at a Table , but muft have her Meat
given her fitting on the Pavement of
the RefeSlory ; neither muft any Perfon
eat what fhe leaves ; and both before and
after Meat (he muft lie a-crofs the door
of the Refed:or5' , where the Nuris muft
tread upon her as they come ih and go
out.
5^^ She muft, during her Life, keep
the Ecclejiafiical Fafi , and muft never be
chofe Abhefs , nor bear any Offce in the
Nunnery, but muft always be the Loivefi
in the Convent.
e\ She
o/ E T H 1 O P I A. 487
6\ She muft not be fufFered to fpeak
with any Body within, nor without the
Convent, without the Abbefs's Leave.
7*'^. All the Rags ftained with Blood
which had been dillributed by her, and
all her falfe Relicks, and all Pid:ures of her^
muft be brought into the Inquifition ; or
where that cannot be done conveniendy,
muft be carried to the next Prelate.
La/I-lj y She muft never be fufFered to
cover her Head with her Veil; and on
all Wednefdays and Fridays of the Year,
muft be Fed with nothing but Bread and
Water; and muft every day in the Re-
fedory make a publick Confeffion of her
Crime before all the Nuns.
Unhappy Nun I had 'ft thou but let
alone Prmces Titles, and had'ft made no
other ufe of thy Impoftures, but to have
confounded Vrotefiants and their DoBr'mes ,
thou might'ft have died with the Honour
of thy Wounds, and have been Wor-
ftiipped upon an Altar, and have wrought
a Thoufand Miracles before this time ;
and that very Court which condemned
thee to all thefe fliameful Punifliments for
pretending to them , would have Con-
demned all of Impiety and Herefie who
fhould have prefumed to have called the
Truth of any of them in queftioni
I could never learn what was done to the
Provincial her Confeflbr, and the other
Friars, among whom w^as the great Leivis de
Granada , for having impofed fuch a Cheat
on
488 Tl>e Church'Bi/tory^^Scc.
on the Pope, the Inquifition^ and the whole
Roman Catholick World ^ however, it is
plain from the firft Penance mentioned
in the Sentence, that the King of Spain
did not care to truft fo dangerous a Too!
any longer in the hands of the Dommkan^
Friars.
FINIS.
'■7
}// ■'>■
-I
!|:-,
:H:
^<^- '•*
•>^
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11