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^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 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 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 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 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^ 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 fije 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^ 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 Grrmhe^ 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* 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, 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 haig 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_, 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- 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 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 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 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 pHrifain 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 / 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 deUe 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 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^ 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($ 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: ^<^- '•* •>^