seeming to be much offended asked whether I thought the Ethiopic Words grew upon Roots But when he understood the scope and use of the Question he cryed out O the Learning of Europe They are contented only with a Vocabularie wherein according to several Classes the Ethiopic Words are Explained in the Amharic Dialect They call it a Ladder in imitation of the Arabians who call such a kind of Book a (u) Such is the Great Kopto-Arabic Scale which Kircher published at Rome Great Scale or Ladder The more unskilfull seek for such words therein which they do not understand in the Ethiopic but there are very few that speak Ethiopic in Ethiopia it self Gregory was perswaded to speak it for my sake using at first many Amharic Words which I observ'd also to happen in the Writings of their more unlearned Authors before he could accustom himself to the true Ethiopic Both but especially the Amharic are very difficult to pronounce for there are Seven Letters in both k. t. d. t. e. p. tz whose true Power unless it be that of d. is altogether unknown to the Europeans so that it is almost impossible for them to shape their Tongues to speak several words which makes me very ready to believe Plinie when he Writes L. 5. That the Names of the People and Towns in Africa are not to be utter'd but in their own Languages Besides the sound of their Vowels is so harsh and unpleasant that they almost scare the hearer the obscurity of their Language and Pronunciation corresponding with the Darkness of their Complexions But this variety of Speech is much more conspicuous in other Kingdoms and Provinces of this Empire Tellezius Elegantly Writes That there are as many Languages as Kingdoms nay that there are different Dialects and Inhabitants in one and the same Kingdom In Gojam saith he there are some Towns not far distant one from another the Damotans Gafatans Shewans Setans Shatans besides the Agawi the Gonge and the Natives whose Dialects differ as much as Portugueze from Italian or French But the Nobility and Learneder sort as we make use of Latine so they speak generally Amharic That which follows I had from Gregorie's Lips by which the difference of their Language may be the better understood The Language of Tigra comes the nearest to our Ethiopic as being least corrupted of all the rest To the Amharic Language those of the Neighbouring Kingdoms come the nearest though their Dialects are different one from another for that of Bagemdra is peculiar Angota Hata Gojam and Shewa use a Dialect common to one another Gafata makes use of many Amharic words but in so difficult a Dialect as requires a long time to understand it Dembea speaks a Language altogether different as well from the Ethiopic as Amharic The Language of Gonga is the same with that of Enarea but different from all the other Speeches of Ethiopia The Inhabitants of Cambat the Gallans Agawi and Shankali have each of them their distinct Languages so that there are Eight or more Principal Languages in this Kingdom and many more Dialects For an Example of some of these differences the following Words signifie all one thing that is to say Lord or Dominus Ethiopic Amharic Tigran Dembean Enarean Egzi-e Abet Hadari Ieg-ja Donza Gregory left me some words of the Gallan Language which I here insert to shew the difference between the Amharic and Ethiopic Dialects Ethiopic Amharic Gallan English Semaj Idem Kake Heaven Mabereke Idem Dagae Thunder Asat Idem Jbije Fire Amatzea Asat Anetza Asat Hije fuje bring Fire Maj. Wahha Bisan Water Firese Idem Tarej A Horse Qalebe Wesha Sareti A Dogg Hobaje Janedjero Tledesha A Baboon Halibe Watote Anne Milk Negus Idem Nekus A King Quesate Setotje Fute A Woman Ahuja Wanedama Abletsha My Brother Ahuteja Hate Ablete My Sister Hubalte Jaba Budeno Bread We shall say nothing of the Forrainers scattered over all the Kingdom who being naturally Arabians use their own Native Language which at Court and among the Merchants is well enough understood and therefore they who can speak that Language negotiate their own Affairs with ease in any publick Place The Jews make use of their own corrupt Talmudic which by Converse with the Natives is daily more and more corrupted As for the Greek Language the Habessines are utterly Ignorant of it though several Greek Words were transferred into their Country together with their Sacred Writings upon the Change of their Religion When I consider this great Variety of Languages I cannot sufficiently wonder at the vanity of those People who have presumed to confine the Languages of the World to a certain Number (y) Clemens Alexandrinus believed there were Seventy sorts of Languages Euphorus reckons up Seventy five upon an idle computation Plinie tells a strange thing Lib. 6. c. 5. That when the Citie of Dioscurias a City of the Colchi flourish'd by the relation of Timosthenes it held three hundred Nations of different Languages and that afterwards the Romans were forc'd to make use of a Hundred and thirty Interpreters to manage their Affairs in the same place but mistakes in Figures are easily committed Whereas all the Nations of the World are not yet known for if it be true what I have been told by several Mariners that upon the Coast of Africa the Languages vary at every Fifteen or twenty German Miles Distance it follows that that one Quarter of the World contains more Languages then all the rest by reason of the innumerable number of Nations which are cherish'd within the Bowels of so large a Continent CHAP. XVI Of the Neighbouring Nations and particularly of the (z) They are called Galla briefly by the Habessines we give them the name of Gallans lest while we discourse the Barbarism of the Galli we should injure one of the Politest and Civillest Nation in the World Nation of the Gallans The Adelans have almost ruin'd Habessinia the Turks possess the Sea Ports The Gallans more formidable The Relation of Gregory concerning their Original Another of Tellez both reconcil'd Their Laws Polygamy lawful among them Incitements to Courage Their Armes Graziers Their Dyet A formidable unquiet Nation Their Prince at present Their Deitie Circumciz'd capable of the Christian Religion Their acquisitions divided into Two Nations The Kingdom of Zendero describ'd Inchanters allow'd The cruel Election of their King the Kingdom of Alabat c. HItherto of the People at this time or formerly subject to the Kings of the Habessines Now it remains that we speak of their Neighbours that we may the better judge of the State and present Condition of the Kingdom The most cruel and bloody War which the Inhabitants of Adela wag'd in the foregoing Century under the Conduct of their Captain (a) The French read the word Gragne the Portuguezes Granhe Grainus against the Habessines so ruin'd their Affairs that they could never since recover their losses From whence as well the
caus'd large Pitts to be digg'd and then commanded the Christians to be burnt therein in heaps as it were for quicker dispatch Three hundred and forty perish'd in this manner in the City of (x) Negra by Niceph. Cullisto l. 18. c. 6. by others Najram Nagra together with St. Areta entomb'd in Fire Caleb being admonish'd by the Patriarch would not endure so much barbarous Cruelty but with an Army of a Hundred and twenty thousand Men and a Navy of 423 Vessels he cross'd over into Arabia and having vanquish'd Dunawas he he utterly destroy'd the Kingdom of the Homerites restor'd Nagra to the Christians and made St. Areta's Son Governor of the place To Dunawas succeeded Abreha Elasbram Jacsum F. Masruk F. but their Kingdom remain'd Seventy two years under the Yoke of the Habessines After these Saif-ibn-Di-Jazan of the race of the Homerites by the assistance of Anusherwan King of the Persians recover'd the Throne of his Ancestors but was soon after slain by the Abessines However the Persians at that time prevalent set up over the Sabeans other Kings whom the Abessines oppos'd and some they slew And thus this Kingdom harrass'd with continual Wars between the Persians and the Habessines at length when the Saracens began to grow powerful under Bazen the last King became tributarie to Mahomet And by this perhaps we are to understand what Abdelbachides writes concerning a Nagash of the Abessines whom he calls Atzhama as if he had revolted to Islamisin at the invitation of Mahomet But these things are confused and imperfectly delivered by the Arabes Greehes and Latins and besides that the diversity of names adds obscurity to the History For as to those Acts which Procopius attributes to Hellesthiaeus King of Ethiopia as if he having slain the King of the Homerites of which many were Jews set up another in his place Emsiphaeus by name and a Christian those things are proper to none but Caleb in regard that Kingdom being destroy'd by Caleb could not be again subverted by Ellesthiaeus But as for those things which are reported by Cedrenus and Nicephorus of Adad or David a certain Ethnic King of the Indian Axumites who demolish'd the Kingdom of the Homerites and by occasion of a former vow became a Christian they are altogether false For that there is no other History than that which we have related of Caleb to this purpose we shall hereafter declare when we came to discourse of the Original Christianity in Ethiopia For that the corrupt names of Damian of Damnus from Dunaam or Dunawas and other Circumstances demonstrate But 't is no wonder the History of the Homerites should be so confus'd among Strangers when the Arabians themselves complain that among all other Histories that of the Homerites is the most imperfect Our Poet before cited thus praises Caleb in the following Lines Peace be to Caleb who with the Lawrel wreath'd Behind him left such Monuments of his Power To Salem he his Royal Crown bequeath'd An Offering to his dreaded Saviour For he great Hero from his mighty deeds Vain glory scorn'd that proud ambition feeds The dismal Slaughter of Sabean Host So dismal that not one alive remain'd Swell'd not his thoughts of Victory to boast Yet glad to see his Sword so nobly stain'd Glad that by him the Homerites enslav'd Martyrs were now reveng'd and Christians sav'd Concerning the Martyrs of Nagra the same Poet goes on thus Your beauteous Starrs of Nagra I salute Such Themes would force loud Language from the Mute You brightly shine before the Mercy-Seat And like rich Gemms the world illuminate Oh may your Lustre reconcile my Sin Before the Judge of what my Crimes have bin Shew him your blood which you for him have spilt And beg Pacification for my Guilt To Caleb succeeded Gebra-Meskel or the Servant of the Cross so nam'd at his Baptism whom the Poet thus honours Peace to thee also King of high renown That in the Strength of God so much hast won Yet with thanksgiving to thy heavenly Lord Didst still ascribe the Trophies of thy Sword Concord and Peace adorn'd thy happy daies Thy reign resounded only Hymns of praise Glory to God thy Pious Cares oblieged And Peace on Earth from fear of thee proceeded The next to him in the Ethiopian Liturgy are Constantine and Fresenna or the good Fruit. Then followed an Interruption or discontinuance of this Line in the time of Delnoad who reigned about the year of Christ 960. But then the Scepter was usurp'd by another Race of which we are next to discourse CHAP. V. Of the Zagaean Line and the Kings that descended from that Race The Zagaean Line originally from the wickedness of a woman the Successors uncertain yet some of them very Famous UPon the Death of Delnoad the Zagean Family invaded the Kingdom and enjoy'd it Three Hundred and Forty years They first obtain'd it by the devices of a wicked Woman (b) The word signifies Fire Essat by Name Stigmatiz'd for Unchastity Sacriledge and Avarice in the highest degree Her Successors are uncertain and the Names which Marianus Victor produces together with the several years of their Reigns are very much to be suspected to omit what Tellezius learnedly writes That the Queens are never inserted in the Catalogues of those that Reign Nevertheless Victorius nominates one Tredda-Gadez who Murder'd all the Posterity of the Salomonean Family that he might Establish the Kingdom to his Son Yet in the mid'st of the Slaughter there was one young Lad of the Royal Blood who making his Escape to the Lords of the Kingdom of Shewa most passionately zealous for the Salomonean Line was there privately preserv'd The Kings of this Line are very enviously traduc'd by Tellezius as unjust and unworthy to be remember'd tho it has honour'd Ethiopia with many Renowned Monarchs of whom there is still a happy Memorial both in the Ethiopic Liturgy and among the Encomiums of my Poet as Degna Michael and Newaja-Christos or the Wealth of Christ who never appears in Victorius's Catalogue However he is thus Praised by the Poet. Peace to Newaja from whose Royal Loins Illustrious Princes born for high designs Ennobling more their high Descent his Praise Advanc'd and thence their own Renown did raise No wonder he dy'd Poor his Zeal was such He stript himself his Temple to enrich Himself had built the House of God and scorn'd To leave God's House behind him unadorn'd But the most famous and most renowned for his Magnificent Structures was (c) Alvarez makes mention of him c. 54. and 55. where he relates the same Story of the swarm of Bees Lalibala whose future Greatness was portended by a Swarm of Bees that while he was an Infant newly born lighted upon his tender Body without doing him the least prejudice Of him the Poet thus sings To mighty Lalibala Peace Who stately Structures rear'd And to adorn the Pompous piles For no Expences spar'd By vast Expence and hideous pains The Rock a
Damota Dewaro Dombeja and its Provinces Enaria Fatagara Gafata Gajghe Ganna Ganz Gidm Gojam Gombo Gongha Guraghe Ifat Samen Se◠Sowa Shat. Tigra and its Prefectures Those which are under Bahrnagassus Walaka Wed. Tellez reckons more Others he omits More remarkable Provinces What the King of Habessinia possesss at this day THE Regions of which Ethiopia consists are neither equally nor with the same observance of number but variously set down Most of them enjoy the Name of the Kingdom Menghest or Ethiopia in General perhaps because in ancient times they had their proper Princes and peculiar Laws as we know that formerly Spain was divided into several Kingdoms of the same nature The rest in the Amharic Dialect are called Shumet Prefectures which are not however Governed by Vice-Roys but are under peculiar Governours of their own which being confounded with the Kingdoms so call'd Hist l. 18. must needs render the number of the Kingdoms uncertain Paulus Jovius distinguishes the Empire of the Habessines into more than forty Kingdoms others add yet more which are more easily set down in writing than demonstrated In Epist Ev. Johan Matthew the Armenian first Ambassador to the Portugals from the Abessines will needs have (a) Dam. à Goez de legat Indorum ad Emanuel 3. Lus. Reg. sixty Tesfa Sionus who set forth the New-Testament in Ethiopic affirms sixty two Kingdoms in Subjection to his Emperor Unless perhaps the Numerical Character for sixty be mistaken for that denoting only twenty of which sort there are most frequent faults both in Prophane and (b) Ludovic Capell in Critic Sacr. Lib. 1. Cap. 10. brings an Example of Sam. Bochart in Hieroz suo lib. 2. cap. 27. ad Maccab. 1.6.36 concerning thirty two Soldiers upon one Elephant Sacred Writers P. Nicolaus Godignus from the Relation of John Gabriel a Portugueze Collonel a Person of great Fame and one that had long resided in Ethiopia asserts That the Abessine Empire according to its ancient Right comprehends no less than twenty six Kingdoms and fourteen Provinces But he mixes some Neighbouring Kingdoms which are no way Subject to the King of the Abessines and some he also omits (c) Certainly Godignus's enumeration is most confused for the most part ill pronounced as Leca for Waleka And why does he reckon Adela and Aucagurecè among the number of the Kingdoms when the latter is onely the Metropolis and no Kingdom watered by the River Hawashi for so it ought to be written and yet confesses that the Inhabitants are no way Subject to the Abessine Emperor However most certain it is that we may safely reckon twenty computing those which the Gallans have subdued Gregory named thirty to me adding perhaps some small ones which others allow to be no more than Prefectures These I shall reckon up from his own mouth and as he wrote them down himself that the (d) This was very necessary by reason of the great variation and corruption of Names so frequent in all Authors Reader may be assured of their true and genuine Pronunciation The first and that the best and most fertile is the Kingdom of Tigra but for Nobleness Amhara exceeds it which we shall put in the first place the rest following according to the Order of the Latin Alphabet Amhara is now the most noble Kingdom of all Ethiopia by reason of those inaccessible Fortified Rocks Ghesen and Amhacel where formerly the Kings Sons excluded from the Kingdom were secured and is therefore accounted the Native Country of the late and present Kings and of all the Nobility It lies almost in the Center of Habessinia having on the North the Kingdom of Bagemder upon the West Nile and beyond that the Kingdom of Gojam Upon the South it views Walake and Eastward beholds Angota The Provinces that belong to it are these that follow 1 Akamba 2 Amhacel 3 Anbacit 4 Armon-em 5 Atronca Marjam 6 Bada-Bad 7 Barara 8 Batata 9 Beda-gadal 10 Dada 11 Dad 12 Demah 13 Ephrata 14 Ewarza 15 Feres-Bahr 16 Ganata-Ghiorghis 17 Gesha-bar 18 Grumghe 19 Ghel 29 Gheshe 21 Gheshen 22 Hagara Christos 20 Karna-Marjam 24 Kicarja 25 Lai-Kueita 26 Macana-Celece where Gregory was Born 27 Malza 28 Shegla 29 Tabor 39 Tadbaba-Marjam 31 Tat-Kueja 02 Walsa 33 Waro 34 Wagda 35 Wanz-egr 36 Zar-amba The Second Kingdom is Angot which is also called Hangot The Third Kingdom is Bagembder in the vulgar Mapps Bagamidri a large and fertile Kingdom watered with many Rivers Gregory compared it with our Germany saying Here is much water as in Bagemhder The River Bashlo divides it from Amhara It is distinguished into several Territories 1 Andabet the Trumpeters Countrey 2 Atcana 3 Dahr more particularly like Germany as Gregory said 5 Este 3 Guna 6 Koma 7 Maket bordering upon Angota 8 Mashalamja 9 Nafasmauca 10 Smada 11 Tzama 12 Wainalga famous for the slaughter of Grainus in the former Century 13 Wudo The fourth Kingdom is Bali most Easterlie which the Gallans first subdued and thence afflicted the Abessines with so many Calamities The fifth Kingdom is Bizamo divided from Gojam by the River Nile The sixth Kingdom is Bugna in some Mapps called Abugana a mountanous and small Kingdom The seventh Kingdom is Cambata the Inhabitants whereof are called Hadja or Hadiens From whence it comes to pass that Adea or Hadea is in the Mapps erroneously called a Kingdom It is the last Kingdom toward the South lying not far from Enarrea for the most part Christians but mixed with Pagans and Mahumetans The eighth Kingdom is Cont by the Portugals called Conch The ninth Kingdom is Damot a Southerly Kindom seated beyond Nile and the Gafats The tenth Kingdom is Dawaro the Eastern limits of the Empire adjoyning to the Southern part of Bali The eleventh Kingdom is Dembeja or Dembea a Kingdom now famous for the Royal Camp continually pitched there The Prefectures belonging to it are 1 Arebja 2 Decal-ariva 3 Dehhana 4 Edn 7 Gaba 6 Guender 7 Kuara 8 Nara 9 Sarako 10 Sera-karn 11 Takuesa 12 Tenqel 13 Tshelga as it were the Gates of Abuassia toward Sennar 14 Walwad The twelfth Kingdom is Enarea inhabited both by (d) By the Portugals called Narea by Godignus Nerea lib. 1. cap. 4. Christians and Gentiles This Kingdom was subdued by Melech-Saghed who converted the Governour thereof to the Christian Faith Gregory very much applauded the Inhabitants for their Probity and Integrity he said it was a fertile Soile and abounding in Gold adding That he had heard from the Portuguezes that this Kingdom was five and thirty days journey distant from the Indian Ocean but would not assert it for Truth The thirteenth Kingdom is Tatagar formerly inhabited by Christians Eastward adjoyning to Bali The fourteenth Kingdom is Gafat bordering upon Damota The fifteenth Kingdom is Gajghe pronounce it as the French do Gajegue The sixteenth Gan by the Portuguezes called Ganhe The seventeenth Ganz Erroneously joyned with Bali and in the feigned Title of
eager to come to a Field decision before the King should gather Strength In the mean time the Enemies of the new Religion Rendevouz'd together from all Parts and among the rest Abuna Peter the Alexandrian Metropolitan and chief Head of the Rebellion who by an unheard of President in Ethiopia contrary to the Laws of God and Man absolv'd the Rebels from the tye of their Oaths which they had Sworn to their lawful Prince which they themselves had already broke by virtue of a detestable Excommunication of his Prince Thus more and more embold'nd and contemning the Majesty of the King they turn'd their Veneration into Hatred And so with mutual Animosity they joyn Battel The Portugueses who fought in the right wing maintain'd their ground a long time believing the Kings and the Cause of Religion to be their own But in the left Wing of which the King himself took charge all things went to rack for many fled over to the Enemy many look'd on without striking a stroke resolv'd to follow the Fortune of the Day Thus the King forsaken by his own fought bravely for a long time till Laeca-Marjam and the rest of his Guard being slain he was himself struck down from his Horse with the sling of a Lance. After that getting up again to renew the Fight he was stuck through the body and slain with several Darts thrown at a distance reverence of his person not permitting them to come near to hurt him The third day after the Fight he was taken up and buried without any Funeral Pomp in a little Chappel hard by the Field of the Battel Such was the end of the short Life and Reign of this Famous and Lawful King of Ethiopia A doleful Warning to admonish us that the Cause of Religion ought to be moderately and prudently handled And that it behoves a Prince not to thrust himself rashly into a Battel especially when there is no certain Successor For proof whereof the fatal Example of Sebastian King of Portugal may serve among the rest CHAP. VII Of the Kings of this Centurie To our Times Susneus aspires to the Crown acknowledg'd by Ras-Athanasius He requests the same from Zaslac Who refuses at first then submits But Jacob appearing he takes his part So does Ras-Athanasius Jacob again made King He desires an agreement with Susneus but in vain They take Arms. Zaslac beaten he goes over to Susneus A new War Jacob and Abuna slain The Victor's Clemency Zaslac imprison'd he escapes invades Waleka and Gojam Kill'd by the Pagans Ras-Athanasius dyes Susneus kind to the Portugals and Jesuits He submits to the Pope A Counterfeit Jacob but dares not stand the coming of Susneus An Impostor of the same kind comes into France His Conditions his Epitaph Alibi boasts himself the Son of Arzo Susneus's Nativity Conditions Vertues Vices and Death His Son Basilides drives the Jesuits out of Ethiopia He kills his Brothers A General Table of the last Kings of Habessinia KIng Zadenghel being thus slain the War indeed ceas'd yet Peace did not presently ensue For the Rebels not dreaming of such a speedy Victory had not consider'd of a Successor Wherefore as it were stupid with Emulation Ras-Athanasius departs for Gojam and Zaslac for Dembea without ever holding any common Consultation Thereupon Susneus hearing of the King's death and believing that the Kingdom was now fallen to Him as being the Son of Basilides the Nephew of Jacob and Grandchild of David and then being also a Young man train'd up in the Gallan Wars belov'd and surrounded with the choicest of the Military Bands he conceiv'd no small hopes of his design First therefore he sends before one of the Faithfullest of his Friends to Ras-Athanasius with instructions to declare to him in short That whereas the Kingdom belong'd to him by right of Inheritance he should come presently and joyn Forces with his In the mean time Susneus not expecting an Answer follows the Messenger with the nimblest of his Army and writes to Athanasius as if already made King That he was at hand and that therefore he should come to meet him and pay him the accustom'd honours due to him Athanasius amaz'd at the unexpected approach of Susneus void of Counsel the Danger being Equal on both sides either to refuse or admit him at length finding all assistance far distant and no hopes of delay to give him time to consult with Zaslac he rather chose to be before-hand with the new King's Favours than to hazard the uncertain Fortune of a Battel So that Susneus being honourably receiv'd into the Camp was saluted King Which done he presently writes to Zaslac That by the Providence of God he had recovered the Throne of his Ancestors and was now marching for Dembea therefore he should take Care that there might be Forces there ready to receive him and those deserved Favours which he was ready to bestow upon them But he tho astonish'd at the suddain News was unwilling to acknowledg him for King whom he had not made himself and therefore consulting with his Friends return'd for answer That he would then obey him if Jacob to whom he had already by Message offer'd the Kingdom did not come before June and therefore begg'd that short delay Susneus no way pleas'd with the Condition wrote back to him again That he was King already and therefore would give place neither to Jacob once before adjudg'd unworthy nor to his Father Malec-Saghed though he should return from the other World Zaslac having receiv'd this surly Answer equally mettlesom and diligent turns his Arms upon him and comes on briskly to meet him Susneus finding himself prevented with the speedy March of his Adversary and perceiving himself over-match'd and which was worse not well in health retir'd to the Craggy Mountains of Amhara Ras-Athanasius also whose precipitancy Zaslac had upbraided retreated into other Fastnesses to avoid the Fury of his Associate In the mean time there being no News of Jacob the other Captains and Commanders of the Army began to scatterwords of discontent That they would not be without a King that if Jacob would not come there was no Person fitter than Susneus neither would he be at rest till he had obtain'd by force what they would not give him by fair means Zaslac fearing the Inconstancy of his own People and consequently a Revolt orders Commissioners to be sent and by them surrenders the Scepter to Susneus who presently sent a Person to whom Allegiance should be sworn in his Name Which being done Ten of the chiefest Peers ride forth to meet the new King and to conduct him with a Pomp befitting into the Camp And now Shouts and Acclamations are to be every where heard Neither were Banquets wanting with all other Solemnities usual at the Inaugurations of their Kings when on a sudden new Commissioners from Jacob quite disturb'd their mirth with such a suddain alteration as with which Fortune never more odly mock'd before the hopes of those that
After that misfortune the King came up sad for the loss of Gomez whom he desired most earnestly to have beheld with his Eyes Nor were they less sad to whose assistance he came as well for the loss they had receiv'd as because he had brought so few Forces with him Therefore they lay still three or four months till they could raise more They being come the Portugals who were now reduc'd to a hundred and twenty and yet zealous to revenge the death of their Captain were very urgent with the King to fight giving him great hopes of Victory For they had intelligence that the Turks were return'd home leaving only two hundred behind them whether by Command of their Bassha or taking it ill that Gomez was not deliver'd to them The King though he had not above Eight thousand Foot and Five hundred Horse resolv'd to follow the Inclinations of the Portugals And first in a slight skirmish he routed some of the Barbarian Forces that marched before Then sets upon Grainus himself who led an Army of 13000 men and vanquish'd him Grainus himself the Terror of Habessinia for so many years was shot with a Musket Bullet by a Portugueze who reveng'd the death of his Captain All the Turks but fourteen were slain The head of Grainus was exposed to the view of the People in several Provinces and Kingdoms of Habessinia to the great comfort of the beholders For upon the sight of it the Abissines recover'd Vigour and Courage They congratulated their Kings Success and they who had revolted return'd to their duty pretending necessity for the fault committed The King considering the condition of those times thought it convenient to pardon all to confirm the wavering to win the hearts of his People by Clemency to rally his scatter'd Forces and to do all those things which were necessary for the re-establishment of his Kingdom Onely one of the principal Commanders to whom the King had granted his pardon the Portuguezes put to death as laying to his charge the Murder of Gomez His perfidiousness was thought to have deserv'd death and so justice prevail'd without any further notice being taken of it In the mean time the Gallans till then an obscure Nation were neglected tho they had invaded many Provinces already laid wast by the Adelans not being look'd upon as such as would have encreas'd so much to the future dammage of the Kingdom There was still a greater fear of the Adelans who having in time repair'd their Losses onely waited an Opportunity to make a New Invasion Soon after their Spies returning with intelligence that the Habessines were grown secure and consequently careless under Nurus their Captain they again broke into Habessinia with a mighty Force overthrew Claudius who advanc'd to oppose them and slew him After his Death Menas obtain'd the Crown hated by the People for his Cruelty From thence Intestine Wars ensuing the Turks being call'd into the Kingdom overthrew the King in Battel and slew him which gave them an easie advantage to make themselves Masters of the Port of Arkiko and the Iland of Matzua His Son Zerza-Denghel much more fortunate than his Father perform'd many brave Atchievements and beat the Turks of Tigra but could not regain Arkiko nor the Iland of Matzua He raign'd Thirty Years continually vex'd with the Gallans or harrass'd with Intestine Broyls After his Death Civil Dissensions and deadly Strifes between the Royal Off-spring about the Crown so weakn'd the Habessines tormented at the same time with the Gallans that from that time to this day they could never Master that Potent Enemy As to their Wars about Religion that arose in the time of the Fathers of the Society we shall speak more hereafter CHAP. XVI Of the Leagues and Embassies of the Habessinians To the Portugueses Helena sent Matthew an Armenian and wherefore After a long stay in India he Arrives in Portugal Suspected From Portugal Odoardus Galvan sent Ambassador To whom Roderic Linaeus Succeeds Alvarez his Priest He after six years dismis'd with Tzagazaabus to the Pope Which Letters Alvarez carried to Rome Read at Bononia and with what effect Vpon receiving the Portugueze Succour they do not refuse the Latin Religion Whence hopes of their Embracing the Roman Faith Letters sent to the Pope An Ambassie appointed without Effect Commerce with the Europeans interrupted nor admitted unless try'd by Matrimony Embassies rare in Habessinia unless to Constantinople or to Batavia Embassadors Forrainers A League with the Persians AT what time the Portugueses making several Voyages into India made War upon several Nations their fame reach'd the Abessinians also who glad that the Power of the Saracens was brought low and that Egypt and their Patriarch of Alexandria was restor'd to freedom were in hopes that the Passage to Jerusalem would be open At the same time also was Peter Covillian among the Habessines who had given them more certain Relations concerning the Portugueses Therefore Helena the Grandmother of David and Governess of the Kingdom as we have said sent an Embassador into Portugal one Matthew an Armenian skilful in Foraign Affairs and one that understood the Arabic Language joyning with him a Young Nobleman of Habessinia She was willing to employ a Forraigner either because she could find none among her own People that were fit for such an Employment or that she believ'd none of that Nation could get safely into Portugal that Kingdom being hated by the Neighbouring Nations by reason of the Pyracies of the Saracens Mattheus was certainly in danger and sometimes detain'd a Prisoner among the Arabians out of whose hands he us'd many devices to escape and at length got safe to God to Albuquerquez Vice-Roy of India together with his Colleague By whom tho he were nobly there entertain'd yet he question'd the sending him into Portugal Because such an Embassie seem'd no way Correspondent to the Dignity and Grandeur of the famous Presbyter John And therefore he resolv'd first to expect the Kings Pleasure Thereupon Matthew being detain'd Three Years in India at length in the Year 1513. he arriv'd in Portugal The (z) They are to be found after the Preface of Alvarez's Itinerary as also in the Treatise of Damianus a Goez concerning the Great Emperour of the Indians to Emanuel King of Portugal first printed at Dordrecht But Tellezius forgot himself when he writes That Matthew brought David's Epistle full of Titles for that is to be attributed to Alvarez or Tragazaabus Letters which he brought from Helena being written with the Ethiopic plainness without any bombast of gaudy Titles seem'd to contain more than they that sent them were able to perform For they freely offer'd safe Conduct and a Thousand other necessary Conveniences for Ships which was look'd upon as a piece of boasting Vanity by the Portugals who perhaps thought the Queen had spoken of the Indian Vessels of those Nations that lay upon the Red Sea Matthew himself an ordinary Merchant without any Magnificence of Train
but one and the same person that was Apostle and Bishop of the Habessines call them Indians or Axumites which you please This reconciliation of differing Writers was not known till this time nor does he undeservedly give the honour of the discovery to the Jesuites and that then and not before the Christian Religion was first introduc'd in Form as he calls it as being led by tradition also that Christianity had some kind of bloomings before in Ethiopia But what it was or to what growth it arriv'd there is no man that can unfold Neither does Ruffinus make mention of any Jewish Religion or any other deformed Sect that preceded On the contrary to use his own rough expression he sayes That this Land meaning Abassia was never broken up with the Plough-share of personal Preaching In short Gregory affirm'd to me that there was not any other Preaching of the Gospel in Habessinia then what was first begun by Abba Salma in the time of St. Athanasius and in the Reigns of Atzbeha and Abreha Brethren And this Abba Salma was Frumentius He is celebrated among the Metropolitans of Ethiopia in the Ethiopic Liturgie as also by our Ethiopic Poet as being the first that display'd the light of the Gospel in those Parts for which he gives him this Encomium Peace to the Voice of Gladness I pronounce The fair Renowned Salama for he at once Did open wide the Gate of Mercy ' and Grace And Ethiopia shew'd the splendid Face Of Truth and Zeal by which we Christ adore Where onely Mist and Darkness dwelt before Where we are to take notice of the words Mist and Darkness which the Poet would not have made use of if according to the Tradition aforesaid there had bin any knowledg of Christ in Habessinia before that time Moreover the same Poet makes this addition upon the same subject Peace to thee Salama who didst obey Divine Command Hid Doctrine to display That Doctrine which in Ethiopia shone Like the bright Morning Star and which alone To Ethiopia first by Thee conveigh'd Still makes the Grateful Ethiopian Glad Which Story of the first Conversion of Ethiopia being grounded upon a firm foundation must of necessity overthrow what (z) In the 15 year of Justinian N. 14. Cedrenus and after him (a) Many famous men were deceiv'd by their Authority as Joseph Scaliger in emendat tem Calvisius in Op. Arron John Laet in Comput Hist Univers Cherer in Hist Univers in Justinian Nicephorus Callistus a Historian of little credit have deliver'd concerning the Conversion of the Habissines as happening a long time after this For they write That Adad King of the Axumites who are no other than our Abessinians about the Year of Christ 542 and the 15th Year of Justinian 's Reign made a Vow That if he overcame the King of the Homerites he would Embrace the Christian Faith Whereupon succeeding in his Enterprize he sent Embassadors to Justinian and desir'd him to send him certain of his Bishops who were the first that divulg'd the Doctrine of Christianity in those places But we have already shew'd that the Kingdom of the Homerites was utterly subverted near Seventy Years before by Caleb Emperour of the Ethiopians afterwards it fell under the Dominion of the Persians the Habessines who were then Masters of those Territories and the defenders of Christianity in vain contending with the Persian Power which not long after was also constrain'd to yield to the Victorious Arms of the Saracens How then could it happen that the King of the Homerites should be overthrown by Adad Neither is it likely that Adad if there were any such King would send for Bishops so far off altogether ignorant of the Language and Customs of his Country which he might have had at that time much nearer at hand either from Alexandria or Jerusalem Besides that if it had bin so done Justinian would not have sent Jacobites but Melchites and so the Habessines would have follow'd the Opinions of the Melchites whereas they always were and still are known to be Jacobites Not to mention the (b) So in the Edition of Turrian but the 84. in the Version of Abrahamus Ecchellensis They are both in the Arabic and Ethiopic languages and brought into Europe in the last Century 36. Nicene Canon in which the Seventh Seat of Dignity in the Council is assign'd next after the Prelate of Seleucia to the Prelate of Ethiopia Which may certainly teach us That our Ethiopians at the time of that Council were most certainly Christians and were under a Christian Superintendent or Metropolitan And therefore it is apparent that those Historians were false in all their Circumstances CHAP. III. Of the Increase of Christianity in Habessinia the Original of their Monastical way of Living and of their Saints After Frumentius many Monks Some out of the Roman Empire and some out of Egypt Nine more remarkable nam'd The first Aragawi Extoll'd by the Poet for destroying the Kingdom of Arwè What that Kingdome was Pantaleontes Cell his Sepulchre and Encomium The Encomium of Likanus another of the Nine Other Doctors and Martyrs Portentous Miracles of their Saints Their Austerity Gabra Monfes-Kaddus the restorer of Monastical Living which began in Egypt by the Institution of Anthony Imitated by several Anchorites Their Spontaneous torments Anthonie's Successors The Tradition of the Monastical Scheme Icegue the Abbot his Habitation Abba Eustachius famous for Miracles He left Successors but no Institutions Habessinia full of Monks Their Institutions and Habits different from the Greek and Latin They practice Husbandry and bear Civil Offices THe Conversion of Ethiopia being thus begun by Frumentius many Pious men partly call'd by him to his assistance and partly of their own accord repair'd thither to Him We find in the Chronicle of Axuma that in the Raign of King Amiamid the Son of Saladoba many Monks came from Rome and grew very Numerous in the Country But by the name of Rome the Ethiopians mean the Roman Empire For in Imitation of the Arabians they call the (c) Frequent in the Saracen History of Elmacin where by the Lantin Language of Greek is still meant Greeks Errum who at that time were most prevalent in the Eastern Parts Nine of these Persons were more Famous then the rest who seated themselves in Tygra and there erected their Chappels It is most probable that they came out of the Neighbouring Parts of Egypt which at that time was under the Greek or Constantino Politan Emperours but their names were all chang'd by the Habessinians except that of Pantaleontes by whom they are number'd in this Order 1. Abba Aragawi 2. Abba Pantaleon 3. Abba Garima 4. Abba Alef 5. Abba Saham 6. Abba Afe 7. Abba Likanos 8. Abba Adimata 9. Abba Oz who is also call'd Abba Guba I find the most of them mention'd by my Poet who highly applauds them for their singular Piety and their extraordinary Miracles Of Aragawi otherwise call'd Michael he has
all Occasions of new Disturbances Some there were that openly resisted and would not permit any Priest under Roman Ordination to officiate in their Churches nay some of them they kill'd out-right As for the Countrey People tho they were passively Obedient to the King's Commands yet they lik'd their own old way best Among the rest there was one who having receiv'd the Cuff of Confirmation as their manner is and being ask'd by his Neighbour how he did Never worse said He than I have bin since I receiv'd the Patriarch's Box o' th' ear More than all this there was a Seminary set up for the Education as well of the Habessine as Portuguese Children for the Encouragement of whom and to invite others they caus'd some of the young Lads to Act a Comedy after the European manner But when they brought in Devils upon the Stage as the Scene requir'd some of the ignorant People believing them real Hobgoblins were so terrify'd that they flung out of the School crying out Wajelan Wajelan Sajetanet ametzea O Dear O Dear they have brought us Devils But the ensuing Tragedies more terrify'd the wiser sort For Tecla-George another of the King's Sons in Law for his Wives sake at difference with his Father having drawn into the same Conspiracy with him two Noblemen Gebra-Marjam and John Acayo revolted openly and by a Cryer solemnly proclaim'd That he renounc'd the Roman Worship and would Protect the Alexandrian by force of Arms. And that the world might believe he was in Earnest he caus'd all the Crucifixes Rosaries and other Ornaments of Popish Superstition to be burnt in a publick fire and to the end there might be no hopes of Reconciliation left for the Expectation of Confederates he took his Chaplain Abba Jacob who officiated after the Roman manner and after he had dispoyl'd him of his Stole and Hood put him to Death The King could not brook so great an Indignity and therefore sent Kebax Viceroy of Tigra with an Army against him who us'd such extraordinary Diligence that he soon surpriz'd the secure and unprovided Rebel overthrew his Army and took him and his Sister Adera Prisoners who because they had so furiously and contemptuously acted against the Roman Religion were both hang'd upon a high Tree Nor could all the Intercessions of the Queen nor of all the Noble Ladies could prevail tho they pleaded hard the disgrace done to their Sex and that it was never before known in Ethiopia that a Noblewoman was Hang'd especially being call'd by the King to behold so sad and infamous a Spectacle For they did not pity her because they thought her Innocent but for the Ignominy of her Punishment After this follow'd several other Accidents which as they brought a very great Odium upon the Patriarch and the Fathers so were they reckn'd to be the Causes of the general aversness of the People to the Roman Religion The Patriarch that he might exercise all his Authority in one single Act and shew the full extent of his Power having taken a pett against the Captain of the King's Guards for some frivolous Business that nothing belong'd to his Jurisdiction publickly in the Church in the presence of the whole Court thunders out an Anathema against him and sent him Post to the Devil It seems he had taken Possession of certain Farms which the Monks lay'd claim to and refus'd to restore them notwithstanding all the Admonitions of the Patriarch The Nobleman tho a Soldier hearing such a most Dreadful Excommunication by vertue whereof he was sent packing to Hell laden with all the Curses of Dathan and Abiram like one Thunder-strook fell into a Sound and lay for Dead But the Storm did not continue long For presently the King stept in to his relief by whose interposition and the Mediation of several of the Nobility he was re-admitted into the state of Grace However it was an Act which the Nobility took most heinously to heart among whom there were some that frown'd and chaf'd out of meer Indignation to see that their Church should be brought to such a degree of Servitude that a Foreign Priest should take upon him with so much Arrogance to Excommunicate and Bequeath to Eternal Damnation one of the Chief Counsellors of their Kingdom an Ancient and Famous Personage for the sake of a Litigious Farm which the King might take when he pleas'd from the Monks themselves if they were the Owners This Flame was fed by the addition of more fuel For the Icegue or Chief Abbot of the Monks being at that time lately Deceas'd who as we have already said is the next in Dignity and Authority to the Abuna he was Buried in a certain Church consecrated after the Roman manner tho he had bin an obstinate Zealot for the Alexandrian Religion Thereupon the Patriarch after he had soundly reprov'd the Rector of the Church Pronounc'd the Church profan'd by the Burial of a Heretic and therefore that Mass could not be said in it The Rector dreading the fatal stroak of the same dismal Dathan and Abiram Thunderbolt that lay'd the Great Commander sprawling without expecting any new Command causes the Carkass to be digg'd up again and thrown by This the Habessines heavily exclaim'd against crying out That the Franks exercised more cruel Severities upon them then their most exasperated Enemies ever practis'd among them to deprive their Dead of decent Burial now they might all see what the Living were to expect Tellez adds That a certain old Woman was cast into Prison upon Suspition of being a Witch but was presently set at liberty because it gave distaste For that the most Learned of the Habessines are of Opinion That there are now no more Magicians or Witches in the World and therefore that the Woman was unjustly wrong'd who was thrown into Prison by the Command of the Patriarch Thus the Minds of the People being generally incens'd the King himself began to look upon these acts of separate Jurisdiction in the Patriarch as Diminutions of his Prerogative the ancient Metropolitans never daring to attempt such things and consequently to alienate his Affections both from him and from the Fathers so that at length he gave ear to their Adversaries Who to bring down and curb the Excessive Power of the Patriarch which seem'd so intolerable to them more especially because they found him still inexorable in Matrimonial Causes prohibited by Divine and Canon-Law but chiefly in cases of Polygamy and Divorce they began their Addresses to him for those things which they knew he could not deny without bringing great mischief upon himself First That they might have liberty to say Mass after the ancient Ethiopian manner for that the Patriarch might mend the ancient forms where Necessity requir'd without abrogating the whole That the People hearing their ancient Services would be the more quiet in regard they would not so much mind the difference between the New and the Ancient form of Worship The Patriarch gave way to their
wanting Elated with these golden Promises his Temerity carry'd him so far as to send as if he had now bin the undoubted King of Ethiopia a Viceroy into Tigra To this Viceroy he allow'd a Select Band of Soldiers for his Convoy but they neglectful and careless of their Military Duties took their Pleasure so much that at length surpriz'd in the midst of their Jollity by the Royalists they were forc'd to leave Four thousand of their Party behind them Slain upon the Spot while the shatter'd Remainders speeded back to lay the blame of their ill Success upon the unwary Conduct of their Leaders But the Lastaneers intent upon revenge had at length the same advantage against the Royalists who were stragling to destroy the approaching Harvest and pay'd them home with equal Slaughter for Slaughter Thus Fortune ballancing both sides the Author of these Miscarriages was enquir'd after and as soon found by those that watched their Opportunities For presently Ras-Seelax was accus'd as if he had bin negligent in Executing the King's Orders and had not sent timely Succors to the over-power'd Combatants And his Enemies so far prevail'd that Articles were fram'd against him to which he was compell'd to answer which he did and justify'd himself so well that in words indeed he was acquitted but in Fact condemn'd For he was again degraded and all his feudary Possessions and Military Employments granted away to Basilides Thus Ras-Seelax being once more lay'd by it was no difficult matter to undermine the Patriarch and the Fathers For against them the general Complaint was made That they had no other Design but as they had subjected the Empire in Ecclesiastical Affairs to the Roman Pope so to bring it under the Dominion of the King of Portugal in Seculars To this end under the pretence of Temples and Residencies they rear'd up Castles and Walls from whence they could never be expell'd with Spears and Arrows Many other things of the same Nature they suggested which if the King now through Age more jealous did not absolutely believe yet he hearken'd to them with a more easie Attention However outwardly and publick he shew'd the same Kindness and Affability to the Fathers as before and kindly receiv'd the Bishop sent from Rome to be a Coadjutor to the Patriarch But when he brought the Diploma's of the Jubilee open'd at Rome in the year 1625. and then granted to Ethiopia he was derided by most Men who could not comprehend those great Vertues of Indulgencies which the Bishop boasted of For some began to Discourse among themselves like the Pharisees Who is this who also forgives Sins Who can forgive Sins but only God To which the King made answer with a severe Countenance That the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were given to Peter and that the use of those Keys belong'd to the Pope for the Granting Indulgencies However the Habessines as if those Indulgencies had afforded Materials for Sin bent themselves still more and more to Sedition and Tumult For the Revolt of the Lastaneers so well succeeding Sertzazax newly made Viceroy of Gojam so ill repay'd the King for his new favours that he not only revolted from him himself but which was more detestable to think he would have drawn in the young Basilides to have conspir'd with him against his own Father And when he could not prevail upon the young Prince he endeavour'd to have advanc'd another young Noble Gentleman of the Blood Royal to the end he might have reign'd himself under his Name But being overthrown and taken he was drubb'd to Death Seven of his Accomplices lost their Heads One of his chief Agents because he had vented horrid Blasphemies against the See of Rome and opprobrious words against the King was hung up upon an Iron Hook driven into a high Stake upon which after he had hung a whole Day because he repeated the same Provocations in the midst of his Torment he was at length run thorough the Body with several Spears and so ended his miserable Life So many and such lamentable Accidents as these pierc'd the very hearts of most People and the Lastaneers dispairing of Pardon hearing of such horrid Executions were the more resolute in their Rebellion Thereupon the King undertook a new Expedition with all his Forces against them and had taken the very Head and Ring-leader of all the Rebels had he not with a small Retinue made a shift to Escape yet he left behind him great store of rich Plunder But he could not be utterly Subdu'd in regard that so many Sculking Holes so many wide and spacious Rocks where those Savages liv'd and hid themselves like so many wild Beasts could neither be assail'd nor taken It happen'd therefore that Fortune wheeling about the Rebels overthrew a Select Party of the King's Forces and by and by with all their force lay hovering about the King's Army which they foresaw would in a short time want Provision The King therefore fearing to be clos'd up in those narrow Streights retir'd into Dembea before the War was at an end Which he did with so much hast more then it was thought he needed to have done that as it diminish'd his own fame so it gave Courage to the Rebels And now the Fathers great Enemies beholding the King 's Melancholly redoubled their Complaints That there would never be peaceful Days in Ethiopia so long as the Roman Religion bare so much sway That it was a very good Religion but above the Capacity of the People who would still prefer the Worship of their Ancestors to which they had bin bred from their Infancy before foreign Innovations which they understood not For who should perswade them That Circumcision was evil That the Holydaies of the Sabbath are not pleasing to God that the ancient Liturgy cannot be prov'd That the Roman Calendar is better then the Ethiopic That the Fasts of the Fourth Holyday are less acceptable to God then the Fasts of the Seventh How much more expedient and profitable were it to retain the ancient Ceremonies in such things as do not contradict the Substance of Faith But as for Ras-Seelax and others that endeavour the Contrary it was apparent they did it meerly to advance their own Designs against the King and Kingdom With these and such like Expostulations the King being overcome especially finding no other way of appeasing and quietting the Lasteneers and that Bagemdra was almost all in the Hands of the Enemy and at the same time all his Friends especially the Ladies of Quality laying before him the Danger he would be in should he be deserted by his Soldiers he at length press'd the Patriarch to remit whatever possibly might be remitted He foreseeing a terrible Storm tho sore against his Will thought 't was high time to lower his Sails for fear of Losing all while he hazarded the Saving of all Whereupon he submitted to the King's request nevertheless upon Condition That nothing Decreed should be remitted by Publick Acts
turn'd the Course of Euphratis several ways by sinking several new Cuts and Dikes And Cyrus King of the Persians being in wroth with the River Gyndes by reason of one of the Sacred white Horses drown'd therein divided it into a hundred and sixty small Streams the Summer's labour of his whole Army But there are other remarkable Rivers that owe for their Springs to Habessinia besides Nilus Of these the most famous is Tacazè which rising in Angota not far from Bagemdra out of the Mountain Ahguaga divides Tigra and Walkajit and so passing through the Ethiopian Nomades and the Kingdom of Dequin at length falls into Nile Melegi according to Tellez takes its rise in Damota and falls into Nile westward of Habessinia As for the other Rivers sufficiently large which Nilus receives from all the Kingdoms of Habassia we have set them down in our Chorographical Table and therefore forbear to name them here All these Rivers as well as Nile in the Winter time swell to that height as not to be contain'd within their own Banks Nor must we omit the admirable nature of two more Rivers of which the one call'd Hawash rising in the Confines of Shewa and Wed hastens into the Kingdom of Adel to quench the drought of those thirsty Soyls Nor are the Inhabitants wanting to themselves they gladly go to meet their welcom Guest and bring it in several large Cuts to water their Grounds And thus being frequently intercepted and wasted by degrees as if asham'd to carry a small portion of Water to the Sea it plunges it self into the Sand. In imitation of this the other River Mareb rising in Tigra not far from Fremonia encompasses a great part of that Kingdom then falling into the Kingdom of the Cafers as if the Stream disdain'd that Nation it hides it self for a long space under ground yet not so but that it affords both Water and Fish to them that dig eight or ten spans deep and at length disperses and leaves its divided Waters in the miry Fields of Dequin As for those Rivers that fall into the neighbouring Ocean Gregory remember'd no more than those already recited Zeb rising in Enarea and embracing the adjoyning Kingdom of Zenderò from whence it turns to the South and near to Mambasa is thought to fall into the Indian Ocean For as for the Abyssines themselves they are utterly ignorant of Navigation in regard that the Rivers being full of Rocks and Cataracts will not admit of it nor have they any Ports upon the Red-Sea Only upon the Lake Tzana which they call the Sea of Dembea they make use of little Cock-boats made of thick Water-torch or Cats-tail tho with great hazard and jeopardy to themselves It is situated on this side the Equinoctial Line in the thirteenth Degree and a half of Latitude The length of it is thirty the breadth twelve Portugal Leagues or somewhat (x) R. T. says where longest 35 Leagues Pet. Pays allows it 14 in breadth It is more largely describ'd by Kircher in his Oedipus Synt. 1. c. 7. p. 57. less It contains many Islands of which the biggest is 1. Tzana from whence the Lake derives its name for from thence it is call'd Bahr-Tzana or the Sea of Tzana (y) In some Maps Barcena but ill plac'd 2. Berghida 3. Dabra-Antons The Monastery of Antony 4. Dabra-Marjam 5. Daga 6. Dek famous for the Exilement of great Men. 7. Galila 8. Mecrahha 9. Metzlè 10. Qebran 11. Rima All which Islands Dek excepted are possess'd by the Monks There are also other Lakes in Habessinia but it is not of any importance to name them But since we have given an account of the true Rivers let us not omit that Fabulous Stream which they will have to run between Prester John and their own Country-men found out among the Figments of the Jews They call it Sabbation or the Sabboth River because it never runs upon that (z) Consult Buxtorf's Lexicon concerning this word day but upon the other days of the Week so rapid that it carries all before it And therefore their Religion they say forbids them to visit their Brethren on the other side as if they could not send some person of another Religion to bring them News from that Region or were unwilling to put their Pidgeons upon that Employment With so frivolous a fiction do they endeavour to comfort themselves for the loss of their Kingdom Ignorant where this River rises or where it ends whether in Asia in Africa or in Utopia nor do they trouble themselves to enquire how those miserable Souls got thither or how they shall get out should that unfortunate River deny them passage upon a Calm day Yet the Story is ancient tho not of any River in the extream parts of Asia or Ethiopia but of a River in Judea For Pliny writes of a River in Judea which us'd to be dry'd up every Sabboth day Josephus (a) Of the Wars of the Jews l. 7. Nic. Fuller Miscel Sacr. l. 1. c. 9. also makes mention of it and unless it be corrected in a plain contrary sense He reports it was observ'd by Titus the Roman Emperour as he march'd along But the later Jews more cunning at Invention lest it should be found no where have plac'd it in a corner of the World where no body shall find it An Addition to part of this Chapter What Gregory tells us briefly concerning the Fountains of Nile Tellez more at large recites out of the Relations of the Jesuits agreeable to those things which we have produc'd out of Peter Pays In the twelfth Degree of Northern Latitude to the West of Gojam in the Kingdom of (m) So write for Sabala Sacabala there is a certain Field and in that Field a certain Lake fill'd from two Fountains about a Stone 's cast distant one from another From them through a Subterraneal Channel which yet the verdure of the Grass betrays the Water flows eastward for about a Musquet shot but by and by bends to the North and about half a Portugal League farther bursts forth into a River and being soon after that enlarg'd with the addition of other Streams after a Course of 15 Leagues the River Gema bigger than Nilus loses its Name and gives Nilus the honour of her Torrent Then insensibly winding to the East and receiving two Rivers more Kelti and Branty it hastens (n) A Lake by others call'd the Tzanic Lake directly for Dembea which it glides through preserving its own Waters entire as if disdaining to mix more noble Waves with a viler Puddle These things are all deliver'd by consent that there may be no farther reason to doubt of the Fountains and Original of Nilus for the future CHAP. IX Of the Fertility of the Soyl in general and of the Vegetables and Plants in particular In Habessinia sometimes two sometimes three Harvests Tef a sort of Corn unknown to us They want Rice despise Oats feed their Horses with Barley
Polyhist c. 43. al. 30. out of Pomponius Mela. The Long-livers or Macrobii saith he Honour Justice Love Equitie they are very strong and particularly well-favoured But presently after he brings in the old Fable the Fable of the Sun which Herodotus sets forth at large L. 3. where he Treats of the Ambassie of Cambyses to the King of the Macrobii Their Women are also strong and lusty and bring forth with little pain as most Women do in hot Countries When they are in Labour they kneel down upon their knees and so are (l) Thus did the Hebrew Women as it is said of Elis Daughter in Law She fell upon her knees and brought forth delivered without the help of a Midwife unless very rarely And that they are Fruitful you may well imagine from the Multitude of People for though Habessinia be not so numerously Inhabited yet the Latine Patriarch Alphonsus Mendez going his Visitation in one little Province reckon'd Forty thousand in other places a Hundred thousand and in other places others of the Fathers Baptiz'd a Thousand two hundred and five Nor is it to be question'd but that if the Kingdom were at Peace if their Cities and Towns were Fortify'd and that they took care of their Granaries that the number of Inhabitants in so healthy a Country would soon be multiply'd Besides the Abyssines several other Nations Inhabit this Kingdom Jews Mahumetans with several Pagans mix'd amongst the rest The Jews formerly held several fair and large Provinces almost all Denbea as also Wegara and Samen stoutly and long Defending themselves by means of the Rocks till they were driven thence by Susneus at that time they also liv'd according to their own Customs whence perhaps arose the report already hinted at by us That they liv'd either within the Dominions of Prester John or near them under a Prince of their own Now they are dispers'd though many still remain in Dembea getting their livings by Weaving and exercising the Trade of Carpenters Others have retired themselves without the bounds of the Kingdom to the Westward near the River Nile adjoyning to the Cafers whom the Ethiopians call Falusjan or Exiles Most of them still keep up their own Synagogues have their own Hebrew Bibles and speak in a corrupt Talmudic Dialect The Fathers of the Society never took care to enquire when or upon what occasion the Jews came first into Ethiopia whether they are addicted to the Sect of the Karri or the Jews what Sacred Books they use whether with Points or without Points whether they have any other Books especially Histories or whether they have any Traditions concerning their own or Nation of the Habessines which to know would certainly be most grateful to many Learned Men in regard it seems very probable that there may be found some Ancient Books among them since they have liv'd so long and so securely in such inaccessible holds Next to these the Mahumetans are frequently admitted into this Kingdom intermix'd up and down the Country with the Christians employing themselves altogether in Tillage or Merchandizing Trade being all in their hands by reason of their freedom of Traffick which the Turks and Arabians grant them and the liberty of Commerce which they have by their means in all the parts of the Red Sea where they exchange the Habessinian Gold for Indian Wares There are yet many other Barbarous Nations that wander about in the sandy Deserts having no knowledge of God and living without any Government of King or Laws varying in Customes and Language having no certain Habitations but where Night compells them to rest Savage Naked flat Nos'd and blubber Lipp'd Agriophagi devourers of wild Beasts or rather Pamphagi All-eaters for they feed upon (m) For many of the Barbarians have been nam'd from the particular Dyet they fed upon as the Man-Eaters Fish-Eaters Ostrich-Eaters c. Solin in Polyhist c. 30 al. 43. Plin. L. 6. c. 30. Dragons Elephants and whatever they meet in their way The most sordid and vilest of Human Creatures L. 5. c. 8. Gregory described them to me as Pliny described the Troglodytes for they dig themselves Dens in the Earth which are instead of Houses they feed upon Serpents Flesh their Language being only an inarticulate Noise the Portuguezes called these sort of people Cafers borrowing the Word from the Arabians who call all People that deny one God Cafir in the plural Number Cafruna Infidels or Incredulous There are also other Pagans that have their peculiar Names and Regions as the Agawi that Inhabit the Mountainous part of Gojam the Gongae Gafates and the Gallans themselves otherwise the most professed Enemies of the Abessines but being expell'd by Factions of their own the King Assign'd them certain Lands in Gojam and Dembea and makes use of them against their own Country-men from whence they Revolted CHAP. XV. Of the various Languages us'd in Ethiopia particularly of our Ethiopic Erroneously call'd Chaldaic in the last Century The Antiquity of the Ethiopic Language its various Appellations formerly the natural Language of those of Tigra in that all their Books written The Tegian Language what Joh. Potken first divulg'd the Ethiopic in Europe and call'd it Chaldee by mistake more like the Arabic the use of it in the Hebraics An Example in the words Adama and Adam not so called from the Redness of the Earth What now the natural Habassian It differs from the Ethiopic which is much more noble to be learnt by reading and use for that they have neither Grammer nor Lexicon Few understand it difficult to pronounce Multitude of Dialects Eight Principal Languages They understand not the Greek The number of Languages in vain prefix'd not so numbred in Africa AMong so many and such variety of Nations it is no wonder there should be such diversity of Languages The most Noble and most Ancient Language of this Kingdom is our Ethiopic commonly so call'd by the Learned for the Attaining of which we set forth a Lexicon and Grammer some while since in England 1661. the Abissines call it Lesana Itjopia the Language of Ethiopia or Lesana Gheez and sometimes singly Gheez or the Language of the Kingdom or if you please the Language of the Study for that the Word signifies both also the Language of Books either because it is only us'd in Writing or else because it is not to be attained without Study and Reading of Books It was formerly the Natural Language of those of Tigra when the Kings kept their Court at Aexuma the Metropolis of Tigra in this Language all their Books as well Sacred as Prophane were written and still are written and into this Language the Bible was formerly Translated For whereas others Write that the Abessines read the Scripture in the Tegian Language (n) Walton in his Prolegomena before the Bible c. 15. out of Alvarez for the r. and the i. written without a Point after the Italian manner deceiv'd the Readers that 's a mistake for
Turks as the Gallans have taken an occasion continually to vex them with Wars and wastful Inroades And first the Turks after they had possest themselves of Egypt and slain the King of the Mamalukes sent a Fleet into the Red Sea to secure the Indian Navigation which is vastly profitable to Egypt for that the Portuguesses to the intent they might enjoy the sole Trade of India took all the Ships of the Saracens they could meet with pretending a hatred of their Religion The Turks therefore to shut up all the Ports of that Sea made themselves Masters of Suaqena and Matzua Islands that formerly belong'd to the Habessines which they might the more easily do in regard the Habessines having their handsful by Land took no care of their Sea Affairs But soon after they became sensible how vast an Inconvenience it was to have so Powerful a Neighbour finding what Potent Succours of Men and Fire-arms the Turks sent to assist their Enemies and those that revolted from them Nor are they less frequently sensible of it to this day in regard that neither Men nor Merchandize can be admitted into the Gulph unless they request it from the Basha or his Deputies with vast Expenses of rich Presents But the Fierceness and Cruelty of the Gallans is much more Formidable For they having Subdu'd many Kingdoms Provinces thirst after all the rest whence 't is very probable what Tellezius writes That unless they had fallen into Factions among themselves or that the Habessines were not so Invincibly secur'd within their own Rocks they had been e're this utterly destroy'd Therefore it seems but requisite that I should here give an Accompt of the Original and Customs of these People which I shall do as well from Tellezius as from the Lips of our Gregory himself What time Etana-Denghel sirnamed David was entangled in that fatal War with the Adelenses that other Plague brake forth about the Year One thousand five hundred thirty seven from the Kingdom of Bali A certain number of Servants being cruelly handl'd by one Matthew a Noble-man Revolted and despairing of Pardon associated to themselves all the Fugitives and Criminals that fled from the Punishment of their Mis-deeds and liv'd upon Publick Spoil and Plunder which they did with more success in regard the Inhabitants of Bali were not able to oppose 'em And for the Habessines they being involv'd in Wars with the Adelans contemn'd those inconsiderable Robbers Tellez affirms them a particular Nation and the same that Inhabited the Eastern Coast of Africa and the Places adjoyning to the Indian Sea perhaps those Servants of whom Gregory makes mention belong'd to that Neighbouring Nation and flying to their own Country-men for Aid discover'd Habessinia and those Countries which were by their Servitude well known to them And now the Gallans puft up with their success and rich Plunder and increas'd in their number having Subdu'd Bali over-ran the neighbouring Kingdoms But when they saw that what was won by Force must be defended by Force they began to make Laws among themselves very advantageous for the Enlargement of their detestable Dominion and the preservation of their untam'd and barbarous fierceness They are not so unlimited as to despise Matrimony like the Garamants nor do they live commonly with their Women but they have as many Wives as they please The young Men are not permitted to cut their Hair before they have kill'd an Enemy in the Field or some wild Beast an encouragement of boldness and hardiness to adventure that by such a conspicuous Mark the sluggish and cow-hearted should be distinguished from the bold and daring .. In their Banquets and Feasts the best Bit is alway set in the middle and he that takes it must be the first in any Perilous undertaking nor is there any long consideration every one prepares to win that Honour to himself Ambition stimulating their Fortitude but then there is a necessity of bringing some proof of an Enemy Slain first they bring the Head as the most modest part of the Body but if there be any doubt of the Sex for want of a Beard they cut off the most Obscene Parts of the Slain a thing foul to relate these they number and heap up before the Army as if their barbarous Fortitude could not be made appear without such kind of Testimony However by those parts it is not manifest whether he be a Friend or an Enemy that is Slain and therefore the Head decides that Question But their most prevailing encouragement in Battle is that because no man should be thought to Fight for base hire or out of servile Obedience for another man's honour but only for his own Reputation the Plunder is equally divided among them all They go to War as if they had devoted themselves for Victory with a certain Resolution either to Overcome or Dye from whence proceeds great obstinacy in Combat They use but few Weapons at a distance they fight with Lances or Darts hand to hand with Clubs or Stakes burnt at the end relying more upon their Courage than their Hands They make their Shield of the skins of Oxen or wild Bufalo's formerly they fought for the most part afoot now more frequently a Horse-back And though the Abessines are generally more in Number and better Arm'd as also more skilful Horse-men yet are they not able to withstand the violence of their furious Onsets But how they may be Subdu'd we shall then declare when we come to the Chapter concerning the Power of the Kings of Habessinia Being thus bred up to War they abhor all peaceful Callings believing it much better to ravish wealth then get it by honest Labour they willingly eat the Bread which they find among the Abessines but do not love to grind the Corn for they neither till nor sow their Lands never minding Agriculture but only grazing of Cattle their Herds they drive before 'em as well in War as in Peace through the most fertile Pastures upon the raw Flesh of which they generally feed without Bread and then drink their Milk using the same sort of Food and Drink both at home and in the field They never cumber themselves with any Baggage not so much as Kitchin Utensils only wooden Cups to drink their Milk in Such wild Nations are generally a Terror to civiliz'd People whom Aboundance renders slothful and Riches effeminate Thus the Cimbrians Goths Vandals and Normans over-ran the more civiliz'd Kingdoms of Europe Thus the Oriental Tartars formerly Invaded China The Gallans if at any time overcome by the Habessines retire with their Herds into remote Corners Opposing only wild Deserts and Solitudes for their Enemies to Encounter Every Eight Years they chuse one amongst them for their Leader as it were a kind of Master of the Horse whom they call Luva and him all the rest of the Captains obey but that is only in time of War his first Enterprize is to Muster the People together and Invade Habessinia for
the sake of Honour and Bootie They have a Language peculiar to themselves and different from all the rest of the Habessinian Dialects which argues their Original both forrain and common to all their Tribes they admit of Circumcision among themselves whether it be by any ancient Custom observed by many of the Neighbouring Ethnics or for that they find the Arabians and Abessines to do the same They have no Idols and but very little Divine Worship If you ask them concerning God or any Supreme Numen or who it is that Governs the Earth with so much Order and Constancy they answer Heaven which embraces in their view all the rest however they adore that Heaven with no Solemn Worship more barbarous than the Barbarians themselves nor yet are they altogether void of Humanity for they aspire to a large share of Ingenuity and in aptness to learn equalize the smartest of the Habessines From whence we may observe that there is no sort of Human-kind so fierce and savage which may not be civiliz'd by Education and Learning Many have submitted to the Instructions of Christianity and persisted constant in the Faith Tellezius testifies and Gregory farther witnessed That several Thousands of the Gallans were Converted to the Christian Religion and submitted to Baptism under King Basilides Now let me tell you this is that formidable Nation which has ruin'd the Power and Dominion of the Abessines insomuch that they have torn from the Abessine King above the half of those Territories which his Ancestors enjoy'd for after their Irruption out of Bali they made themselves Masters of the Provinces of Gedmam Angota Dawara Wed Fatagar Ifat Guragea Ganza Conta Damota Waleka Bizama part of Shewa and many intermix'd Kingdoms Nor had they stopp'd there had they not being rent into Divisions among themselves turn'd their Arms one against another and given the Habessines a little breathing time for Concord among Equals rarely long attends Prosperity At this time they are divided into certain Tribes Seventy or more and as it were into Two Nations of which the more Westerly are by the Habessines call'd Bertuma Galla those that lye to the East Boren Galla those Easterly and Southerly in a manner encircle Habassia and harrase it with frequent Incursions They have also separated Cambata and Enarea from the rest of the Body as having subdu'd the Kingdoms that lye between which makes it very difficult for the Abessine Prince to convoy home the Tribute of those Kingdoms Thus there is a necessity for the Habessines to be always in War with these People nor is there any hopes of regaining their ancient and pristine Glory unless that Nation be first reduc'd into order The King has prudently made use of their Intestine Discords for he has plac'd the Revolters in Dembea and Gojam and successfully makes use of their Arms against their Country-men for as they are the most excellent Antidotes which are compos'd of the most Venomous Animals themselves so the Barbarians themselves are the most prevalent Force against the Barbarians Now let us take a view of the Kingdom of Zandero till lately undiscovered although contiguous to Habessinia as being not above four or five days from it The Inhabitants are but little more civil than the Gallans only that they acknowledge a King and have an awful respect for something whether it be God or Devil The King being dead the next of Kin retire into the Wood and there modestly wait the Election of the Nobility who in quest of their King newly Elected among themselves enter the Wood guided by a certain Bird of the Eagle-kind which by the Noise it makes discovers the Conceal'd Person presently they find him surrounded with a Guard of Lyons Dragons and Panthers d assembled together by a sort of Incantation to the Ancients unknown At first he makes a resistance against the Electors and wounds those that he can that he may seem to be Constrained to take the Government upon him soon after as they are going along another Gang to whom it belongs of ancient Custom endeavour to Rescue their King from the other Party claiming to themselves the Honour of being the Persons that set the Crown upon the King's Head and purchasing the hopes of Royal Favour by means of a seeming Sport which oft-times proves very Bloody Thus instead of Inauguration the African Gentiles think it Lawful to attone the Devil with human Blood The King proud in the height of Poverty not contented with the few steps to his Throne gets upon the Beam of his House from whence he looks down as from a Gallery and gives Answers to Embassadors Antony Fernandez Travelling with the Habessinian Ambassador into that Kingdom having viewed this same Lybian Soveraign compares him for colour and gesture to a Rampant Monkey Nor does the word Zendero which is the Name of the Kingdom intimate much less in regard that Zendero signifies an Ape Tellezius adds That it is the Custom of those Barbarians if their King be wounded to kill him which is conformable to the Nature of Monkeys who having receiv'd a wound tear and scratch it so long till their Entrails drop out or that they lose all their Blood The next Kingdom is Alaba conterminous Easterly to Cambat the Governour of which in the Sixteenth Year of this Century was call'd Alico To the East Habessinia is bounded by vast Deserts and open Solitary level Wildernesses and therefore altogether unknown Southward it joyns to the Kingdom of Sennar or Fund Govern'd by its peculiar King formerly a Tributary to the Abessines but now Absolute He Possest a part of the ancient Nubia near to which adjoyn'd the Kingdom of Balou whose Inhabitants are by the Portugueses call'd Balous their King was formerly Lord of Suaqena and in friendship with the Abessines now he only receives the half of the Maritine Tribute from the Turks From what we have said it may be easily gathered with how many Adversaries and Enemies Ethiopia is surrounded so that the Abersines may not improperly compare their Country to the Flower of Saffron Denguelat set about with Thorns For being perpetually struggling with their Foes they rather apply themselves to the Arts of War then Peace which seldom thrive amidst the Noise of War and public Contention An Addition It remains to speak of the Portugals in Habessinia who are neither Africans nor Forreiners for that some time since they have submitted themselves to the Habessine Jurisdiction For of the Four hundred which Christopher Gamez brought to the succour of the Abissines in the Adelan War about One hundred and seventy superviving in the space of one Age multiply'd so fast that when the Fathers of the Society came thither they were able to Muster Fourteen hundred Fighting men a small handful but very considerable to the Party to which they adhere as retaining their ancient Courage and dexterity in handling their Arms for the use of Fire-arms superiour to the Habessines or any of the Barbarians
When the War with the Adelenses was ended and Grainus slain having certain Lands and Possessions granted them by Claudius they chose themselves Wives got Children and being furnish'd after the manner of the Country with Mules and Servants and other necessaries began to live comfortably for while the success of their assistance was fresh in memory they were courted and every where kindly entertained and had the free liberty of their Religion but these Priviledges were abridg'd by Menas successor to Claudius They impatiently brook'd to see their kindness so ungratefully retalliated it being the nature of Soldiers rather to do than receive injuries However their Lands were taken away for jealousie began to Rule or else exchang'd for worse and those bordering upon the Enemy so that at length the Kings of Portugal were forc'd to allow them Twelve hundred Patacks a year to maintain them In this last Century while the Fathers of the Society flourish'd they wanted for nothing but liv'd in great Prosperity but the Fathers losing their Credit they were again reduc'd to the extremity of Misery So that it was the fear of Mendez lest in that miserable Poverty forgetful of their Native Language and their Ancestors they should revolt to the Religion and Customs of the Habessines The End of the First Book CONCERNING Their Political Government BOOK II. CHAP. I. Of the Kings of the Abessines their Various Titles their Names and Arms. The King of the Abessines why called Prester John The King of Portugal sends to discover the Indian Trade and to find out Prester John One of them not finding him in India causes a false Report in Europe The true Presbyter John in Asia Why so call'd Ridiculous Expositions of his Name The true Title of the Kings of Abessinia They have a double Name relating to their Baptism and the Government sometimes treble which renders the Story uncertain Their Arms. Their Titles The Queens Title retain'd during Life The Title of the Noble Women THE King of the Habessines has been hitherto known to the Europeans by no other Title than that of Presbyter John which was first given him by the Portugueses The Occasion thus Peter the Son of Peter Prince of Portugal returning home from Venice carried along with him a Treatise of Paulus Venetus being a Discourse of the Affairs of India Itiner c. 52. wherein many things were more especially and magnificently written concerning Presbyter John which as the Portuguese Chronicles witness was the chief Motive to prosecute the Design of the Indian Navigation that Henry the Son of John the First had begun He being induc'd into a certain belief that there might a Compass be fetch'd about Africa by which means the Passage would be open into India as having read in the Relations of the Ancients that Hanno the Carthaginian sailing out of the Streights of Gibraltar came at length through the Ocean into the Red Sea and sent a Navy into the unknown Atlantic Sea to discover the Shore of Africa Whose Design John the Second pursuing to bring the Discovery to Perfection sent two Portugueses Skilful in the Arabic Language Peter Covillian and Alphonsus Payva to try what they could do among other things giving them more especially in charge to find out that so much celebrated Presbyter John that most wealthy King as he was reputed either in Asia or India hoping easily to obtain a League and Friendship with him as a Christian Prince They Travell'd through Egypt several ways into India and after a long and vain Search for Prester John Payva came home but Peter more inquisitive at length in some of the Ports of the Red Sea heard much talk of a most Potent Christian King of the Abessines that us'd to carry a Cross in his Hands as also of his Subjects who were great Favourers if not Followers of the Christian Religion Believing it therefore to be of little moment whether this famous Monarch liv'd in Asia or in Africa he certainly perswaded himself as being Ignorant both in History and Geography that this was the Prince so much sought after and thereupon gave Intelligence thereof to his own King while he himself continu'd his Journey into Ethiopia with a resolution to take a view of this Celebrated Presbyter Emperor who was look't upon as another Pope These glad Tidings the Portugals sooner believ'd than consider'd and so spread the News all over Europe for real Truth Credulity gaining easily upon those that are ignorant of Foreign Affairs and Kingdoms And now the Learned Men began to enquire into the Cause and Original of this same Appellation As it is the Custom generally to search for true Originals of feigned Names and wrest them after a strange manner to make good their own Opinions We find among the most Eminent Historians that formerly there was a certain Christian Prince that reign'd in the utmost Parts of Asia not far from the Kingdom of Tenduc toward (a) The most Skilful Geographers teach us That Cataya is no peculiar Kingdom but a Part of North China See Newhostus's China Embassy Cataya who being of great Power and Fame was by the Neighbouring Persians to signifie his remarkable Sanctity call'd Prester-Chan or Prince of the Adorers that is to say Christians or as Scaliger will have it Fristegiani the Apostolic Prince However the Name is to be pronounc'd we shall not contend but this is certain that the unskilful Vulgar having learnt the Name from the Italians who at that time were great Traders into the East call'd him by the Italian Name of Preste or Pretegianni or Giovanni after which the same Name prevail'd with all the People of Europe Thus his Name and his Fame continued for some Ages though under much obscurity For few understood that that same Asiatic Prester Chan was (b) Scal. in his Notes ad Comp. Ethiop but by what Authority he writes that the Ethiopians were beaten out of Asia by the Tartars I cannot apprehend driven out of his Kingdom by Cenchi or Cynges King of the Tartars Therefore for this reason because the Portugueses were greatly mistaken first in the Name and secondly in the thing it self that Name was given to this African King which belong'd to a King reigning some Ages since in Asia some Thousands of Miles distance Now after this Sir-name prevail'd among the Habessinians and yet there could be found no Cause or Signification of the same they began to find out (c) In the Itineracie of Hierome Wolsus words Foreign and altogether from the purpose to uphold their own Vanity as Gian-Belul Beldigian Tarasta Gian one among the rest super-exquisitely Critical perswading himself that Prete-Janni was faulty would have it to be Pretious-John as a Title more becoming the Person of a King This Epithete the Pope once assum'd and that he might not be thought to be in an Error many there were that obstinately maintain'd it l. 2. c. 2. so that Tellezius had much ado to instruct them better It
Emperours descended from the Ancient Romans But if as the Posterity of the Israelites they continue in their Offices or are so sollicitous to preserve their Posterity why not as well in preserving the Histories of their Ancestors and in perpetuating Kindnesses between their Relations and those of the same Tribe or Family why not more choice in their Marriages more earnest in Visiting the Temple of Jerusalem and in giving mutual assistance to their Brethren Especially when Rehoboam the Brother of Menehelec suffer'd that great Loss of the revolt of the Ten Tribes and when he was invaded by Sisack King of Egypt whom no man better than the King of Ethiopia could have diverted when the Jews were oppress'd by so many Enemies when they were carry'd away Captive to Babylon when ruin'd by the Kings of Assyria and when subdu'd by the Romans For then the Passages were free thorough Arabia or Egypt and the Red Sea was open Lastly which is of most moment if the Ethiopians receiv'd their divine Ceremonies and Religion from Salomon why not his human Learning For Learning and Religion generally go together as may be prov'd by the Examples of many Nations But as to this their manner of writing and reading differs very much though some of their letters seem to be borrow'd from the Samaritans Lastly the Jews inhabiting up and down all over Ethiopia it would be of great Concern to put these Questions to them When and how they came thither What they think of these Traditions of the Habissines and what they find in their Books concerning them it not being probable that all their Books should be lost in a Country so well defended by nature But we have made too long a Digression now let us return to Menilehec CHAP. IV. of Menilehec the Son of Makeda and of his Posterity to the interrupted Succession of the Salomonians Menilehec first King the interpretation of his name nothing certain of his Son or Posterity Christ born in the Reign of Bazen No mention here of Queen Candaces She reign'd in Meroe not in Habessinia Abreha and Atzbeha Brothers and Kings first Christian Kings A Triumvirate of Kings Their Successors The Subversion of the Kingdom of the Homerites by Caleb He restores Nagra to the Christians His Successors Saif-ibn-de-Jazan advanced by the Persians Slain Bazen the last submits to the Mahumetans The Greek Histories Confused Caleb's Encomium The Martyrdom of the Nagranites Caleb's Successors The Salomonean Line interrupted NOW then they acknowledg Menilehec-El-Haqim to be the first King Which name some interpret As He. Others As God created him like me Neither of which interpretations can be pick'd from the Ethiopic Language However Ebn-El-Haqim is apparently in Arabic the Son of Wisdome or of Salomon Tellezius gives to his Son the name of Zadgur whereas Gedur in Marianus Victor's Catalogue precedes Queen Makeda Then saith he four and twenty Kings succeeded till Bazen reign'd and yet in the next Chapter writes him to be the Twentieth from Menihelec the Son of Salomon but neither does he name them neither will we detain the Reader amidst these uncertainties There is less doubt that Christ our Saviour was born in the time of Bazen more particularly in the Eighteenth Year of his Reign Here is no mention made of Candaces whom some of the Ethiopians acknowledg for their Queen in this contradictory to themselves while they will not admit a Female to the Throne And therefore it is more proper that we should in expounding that place in the Acts c. 8. v. 27. which speaks of the Queen of Ethiopia's Eunuch find out some other more probable part of Ethiopia bordering upon Aegypt which with some probability we may conjecture to be the Island of Meroe in regard that Pliny testifies That in that Iland reign'd a Certain Woman call'd Candace and that the succeeding Queens assum'd that name afterwards for many Years After Bazen for the space of 327 Years Ethiopia was govern'd by Thirteen Kings as Tellezius records it But he mentions not one of their names perhaps because he found there was nothing of certainty From the time that (t) Abreha is an Arabic word contractedly spoken Abra Erroneously taken for Abraham which they pronounce Ibrahim Abreha and Atzbeha held the Scepter the Ethiopic History has afforded much more clearness and light and the names of the Kings are more certainly recited Of these and several other Successive Kings there is mention made in the Ethiopic Liturgy and otherwhere For in their Commemoration of the Dead there is this Ejaculation Remenber Lord Abreha and Atzbeha Kings of Ethiopia My Ethiopic Poet also gives them this Encomium Peace be to Abreha and Atzbeha They in one Kingdom did the Scepter sway And yet in Love and yet in Concord still They liv'd as Princes with one Heart and Will Like those good Men that with Religious awe Walk'd in the Precepts of Mosaic Law Their Lipps the words of Christ's own Gospel taught To build him Temples with their hands they wrought They are applauded for their Concord rare among Brothers who are partners in Royalty yet that it may so happen is clear by that great Sentence A Kingdom may endure Collegues in Kingship so They can but endure themselves But much more were they to be Extoll'd for embracing the Christian Religion at what time Frumentius Preach'd of which more in due place But more then this the Habessines give us another Example of a Concording and Unanimous Triumvirate These Royal Triumvers were Atzfa Atzfed and Amey who govern'd the Empire long and prosperously by turns as they agreed A thing which the Habessines will hardly perswade most people to believe unless it were in reference to the hearing such businesses as afterwards requir'd common Consultation or the executing such Decrees as were made by Common Consent tho in such Transactions likewise there must be harmony and agreement To them succeeded Arado Aladoba and Alamid at what time several Monks went out of Aegypt into Ethiopia to propagate the Gospel To Alamid succeeded his Son Tacena and after him Caleb his Nephew who flourished in the time of the Emperour Justin about the Year 522. The Greek and Latin Authors call him Eles baan Perhaps from the Ethiopic name of Baptisme Atzbeha with the Arabic article El. El-Atzbeha from whence Eles baas He was famous for the Subversion of the Kingdom of the Homerites and revenging the blood of the Christians slain by that Impious Dunawas for which he was placed in the Kalendar of the Saints It is a Story most worthy remembrance wherein the Arabic and Ethiopic Historians very punctually agree with the Greeks and Latins This (u) You have the History at large in Baronius Anuals who sayes he had the Story from an Author of an unspotted Credit and the Writings of that time Dunawas was the Last King of the Sabeans who were afterwards call'd Homerites in opinion a Jew and therefore one that afflicted the Christians with a most dire Persecution For he
where the Doctrine is not to be follow'd But tho he were Prosperous in his Affairs of Government and War yet in his Marriage he was unfortunate for his Wife Mariamsena brought him many Daughters but not one Son He had two Natural Sons of which one was call'd Za-Marjam and the other Jacob but they could not succeed by the Laws of the (h) Tellezius tells us l. 3. c. 14. that the Ethiopian Laws will not allow Bastards to succeed Which nevertheless is not agreeable with what he says in another place l. 3. c. 29. Kingdom And therefore it fell out with him as with many others who are more addicted to illicit Concubinage than lawful Matrimony that they want Successors from their own Loins and frequently expose their Kingdoms to War and Bloodshed upon Disputes of Succession First therefore he shew'd to the Nobility Za-Denghel his Brother Lecanax's Son as the Son of a Prince adorn'd in Royal Habit. Then again some few Months before his Death he began to change his mind either envying a greater Adoration to the Rising than the Setting Sun or whether it were that Za-Denghel himself certain of the Succession gave the less respect to his Uncle or whether his Disposition were not grateful to the Nobility However it were Jacob a Child of Seven years of Age never seen before to the King came to Court which was no obscure intimation that he would be preferr'd before Za-Denghel as being of the King 's own Blood The Grandees whether they durst not admonish the King or whether they had an intention to usurp the Government under pretence of being Guardians to the Minor consented to the King But soon after they taught us to understand how uncertain the Tranquillity of Kingdoms is where the Right of Succession is uncertain or that there are no Rules but that the grand Affairs of a Kingdom are at the disposal of Courtiers intent upon their own Interest Nevertheless most wonderful to relate when the King upon his return from the War with the Gallans fell sick and found himself near his end Right and Justice more prevail'd with him than Hatred against his Brother's Son or love to his own Illegitimate and therefore calling before him the chief of his Nobility he is reported to have spoken thus Seeing that the end of my life Approaches I thought that next the Care of my Soul that of my Kingdom was the chiefest the safety of which I have always held no less dear to me than the Salvation of my own Soul True it is that having none Legitimate I always lov'd Jacob as my own And I have observ'd in him Endowments of Mind not unworthy so fair an Inheritance so that I could not have had any reason to repent had I Establish'd him my Successor nor you had you yielded him Obedience But now I prefer the Love of my Country and the Laws of the Kingdom before my private Affection Therefore it is that I recommend to your Allegiance Za-Denghel my Brother's Son my nearest Kinsman stout in War Mature in years conspicuous for his virtues and one that by those virtues Merits the high Dignity which is due to him by Birth Having thus said in a short while after he expir'd An. 1596 But as it was a thing absolutely unexpected by the Nobility that the King would change his Mind so the Management of Affairs among themselves during the Minority of the King was that which they had already deeply fix'd in their minds nay more they had under-hand already divided the great Offices of the Kingdom And therefore repining to find the Power thus as it were ravish'd out of their hands they perfidiously enter into a Conspiracy To which purpose they conceal the Death of the King and sending away some few Bands of Soldiers drawn together in hast they cause Za-Denghel to be apprehended and carry'd away into the Island of Udeka lying in the Tzanic Lake and then changing his Imprisonment from Rock to Rock carry'd him up and down to prevent his Conspiring with the Neighbouring People The same Trap was lay'd for Susneus for that they fear'd least he being youthful and brave seeing the Order of the Succession so disturb'd should put in for a share and assert his Claim as afterwards he did But he escap'd in good time to the Gallans where he fix'd himself among them against the threatning Danger resolving if need requir'd to make use of their Assistance The Chiefs of the Faction were Ras-Athanasius a man of high Authority and Keflawahed Viceroy of Tigra who having cajol'd into the Conspiracy the Queen Dowager his Mother-in-Law covetous of preserving her Power by means of her Son's nonage as it were under colour of lawful Power they presently set the Crown upon the head of Jacob then a Child of Seven years of Age and therefore call'd the Infant King reserving the management of Affairs to themselves A trium-virate unusual with a Woman and therefore not like to endure long For seven years after Jacob coming to be of Age impatient of so many Tutors assum'd the Reins of Government into his own hands perhaps more imperiously than might become a Lad of 15 years of Age. The Guardians therefore taking it ill to be so soon depriv'd of their Power seeing their Obedience would immediately follow chose rather to obey their lawful King and render themselves deserving of his new Favours Therefore before Jacob could fix himself in his Throne as it were induc'd out of Repentance that they had preferr'd an Infant and Illegitimate before a lawful Successor and of ripe Age they recall Za-Denghel then lurking in the most remote Mountains of the Kingdom and salute him King by the Name of Asnaff-Saghed which they did the sooner and that with the more speed that they might have the less reason to give an Accompt of what was done to the new King Jacob with only Eight of his Guard for the rest had deserted him with his Fortune hastens to Samena to his Mothers Kindred but being known in his flight and taken he was brought back to Za-Denghel who shewing the Effects of a strange Compassion receiv'd his Rival with a singular Affection and Clemency and trusting to his own Right would never incur the censure of being Cruel in cutting off his Nose and Eyes which was usually done to others in the same Condition and to which he himself was advis'd For he scorn'd to pollute himself with a Crime after the manner of Tyrants who distrustful of their own Right or the Peoples Affections count it a piece of Policy to cut off their Rivals in Empire how innocent soever imputing to them before-hand the future Crimes that may happen to be committed not by them but any Promoters of Sedition However he sent the degraded King into Enarea the most remote Kingdom of Habessinia under a strict Guard in a short time to be restored to the Kingdom to his own Ruin Za-Denghel for Grace of Utterance and Majesty of Countenance
1590 at what time King Naod was sent for from the Rock to ascend the Throne He had a Son about Nine years of Age whom he dearly lov'd which Child one of his chief Courtiers steadfastly beholding Certainly said he to the King this Child grows apace The Boy was of an acute Witt and understood what the Courtier drove at and therefore fixing his weeping Eyes upon his Fathers Face Oh Father said he Have I grown thus fast to be hurry'd from your sight to the Rock Geshen Which word strook his Father so deeply to the heart that having assembl'd the Nobility of his Court and Kingdom he told them That such a wicked and inhuman Custom was to be renounc'd Which was immediatly done neither he nor his Council considering that private affections are not to be preferr'd before the Safety of a Nation And thus it came to pass through the Kings unseasonable tenderness that this same Custome receiv'd and continu'd in Habessinia so much to the Health of the Government was abrogated to the unspeakable detriment of the Kingdom And from that time never any Prince was Exil'd to those Rocks Alvarez writes That David being advanc'd to the Throne his Younger Brother with the rest of the Sons of Naod were sent away to the Rock and afterwards That one of the Younger Sons Escap'd but was taken and sent back and that he saw him there From whence it may be objected against Tellezius That this Custome continu'd after Naod's time But we have some reason to believe That he foresaw this Objection because he binds it with an Asseveration saying The thing is certainly true and is easie to be confirm'd as well by the Fathers of the Society as by the Example of Susneus who tho he had several Sons yet never went about to send any of them to the Rock But then again when he sayes Alvarez is to be believ'd in all things that he saw there is some need of Reconciliation That is to say That the Sons of Naod the Brothers of David were then carry'd to the Rock and that one of them after an Escape was taken and sent back So that the new Constitution might not help them tho it were a kindness to the Sons of the succeeding Kings The Reports concerning the Pleasantness of those Rocks and the splendid attendance upon those Royal Exiles are all ridiculous Falsities The Rocks we have describ'd already And as for the splendidness of Attendance when the Custome was in force most certain it is that those Princes were kept close Prisoners and they that either attempted to Escape or were assisting to their Escape lay under great Penalties The Princes themselves were harshly us'd Neither was any person permitted to come at them so that their Education could never fit them for a Crown but was rather to put them out of Hopes of having any thing to do with the Affairs of this World It is reported of one of the Keepers that one morning observing one of his Royal Prisoners putting on a Garment somewhat neater than ordinary he not only chidd him and tore the Vestment but gave notice of it to his Father all which the poor Prince was forc'd to take patiently Afterwards the same Prince coming to be King himself did not onely forbear to revenge the Injury but hearing that his Keeper was gone aside as dreading some heavy punishment caus'd him to be sought out and being brought before him half dead for fear both prais'd and rewarded him Exhorting him to continue in his Office as Faithful to Him as he had bin to the King deceas'd And thus we generally impose upon others what we are very unwilling to endure our selves CHAP. IX Of the Priviledge and Power of the King in Ecclesiastical and Civil Affairs The Kings Power absolute Experienc'd by the Jesuits Alphonsus the Patriarch offends the King He claims the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction He abrogates the Latin Religion calls Synods He forbears the right of Nomination not bound by the Secular Laws He has no Estates The benefit of them He enjoyes all Royal Priviledges but makes not use of all Hunting Lawful for all Private persons have nothing proper The King takes and gives as he pleases Certain Families excepted THe Power of the Abessinian Kings is absolute as well in Ecclesiastical as Civil Affairs Of which the Fathers of the Society have had sufficient experience in whose favour and to whose disadvantage he has exercis'd his supream Ecclesiastical Authority without ever consulting the Patriarch of Alexandria First when he put forth several Edicts for receiving the Roman Religion and abrogating the Alexandrian Ceremonies which was done with the consent of the Fathers Afterwards the state of Affairs changing when he dispenc'd by public Edict with certain Ceremonies that were indifferent Alfonsus the Patriarch reprov'd him It is not lawful said he for a King to put forth any such Edict as being purely Ecclesiastical and belonging to the Priestly Office and You ought to remember what the High Priest said to King Uzziah It belongs not to thee O King Uzziah to offer incense to the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron who are consecrated to that Ministry get thee forth out of the Sanctuary for it will not be imputed to thee as an honour by the Lord God to which the Patriarch added the Punishment that follow'd The King for that time gave way to the Patriarch and publish'd the Edict in another manner and form But not brooking the Comparison made between him and Uzziah among other things he gave the Patriarch this answer Wherefore didst thou bid us be mindful of Uzziah and wherefore didst thou compare us with him He was therefore punish'd by God for usurping the Office of the Priest which did not become him and because he offer'd Incense and Sacrifice to God which We never attempted to do onely We commanded an Edict to be publish'd about those Indifferent things which were agreed on between Us both Nothing more incens'd the King but that he saw his Prerogative call'd in question which for so many Ages had bin enjoy'd by his Ancestors and which was never deny'd by the Patriarch of Alexandria even before the Schisme Nor was he ignorant what the ancient Emperours after Constantine had done in the same Cases Nor was he so dull of apprehension as not to be able to distinguish between Episcopal rules and Kingly Jurisdiction which he thought belong'd to himself Which Prerogative tho he had a great Reverence for the Patriarch he would not part with but rather chose to publish another Edict which tended manifestly to the Diminution of the Patriarchal Power For the Patriarch had order'd a certain Monk to give some part of his Ecclesiastical Revenues to a certain Parish The Monk would not obey but complain'd to his Superiour one Iceg who obtain'd a Decree from the King wherein the Patriarch was enjoyn'd to keep to the Rules of the Metropolitans of Ancient Ethiopia and that Iceg should enjoy his
(r) So the Mahometans call themselves Muslims Wherefore Merwan Captain of the Saracens upon promise of mitigating his severity besought the Patriarch of Alexandria to perswade the King to desist from his design which he did and stopp'd the Progress of the King till he (s) Elmacinus Hist of the Saracens l. c. 17. heard that the Christians were better us'd Which tho it be reported of the King of Nubia yet several Authors attribute the same to the King of the Abissines in regard that by the Nubian Geographer Nubia (t) Bochapts Sacred Geography l. 2. c. 23. However most certainly Cyriacus had another name extended to the Fountains of Nile Gregory also affirm'd the same and that the History was to be seen in his Country But when the Saracens grew stronger and had invaded the Neighbouring Kingdoms the Abissines relinquishing Axuma and turning the force of their Arms against the more upland parts of Africa enlarg'd their Empire by the Overthrow of several weak and effeminate Nations no more regarding forraign Countries or the subduing of far distant Regions which was the reason that after that they perform'd nothing that was memorable abroad However they were Potent at home and had under them several petty-Princes that were their Tributaries And in this Greatness they flourish'd in the time of Helena and David till it was not only shaken by that Dreadful Warr with the Adelans but so overturn'd that it never could recover it self afterwards For about that time the Gallans also breaking out and never after that subdu'd layd wast and harrass'd the most Opulent and most Noble Provinces of the Empire and still to this day every year gain upon the rest with their continual Incursions However that Power which yet remains is so considerable that if they would but make use of the Arts and Arms of the Europeans they might not onely subdue those Barbarians but also recover their Lost Dominions For a Kingdom well order'd within under such a Monarch where the People are under so much subjection so large a liberty to do well or ill if Concord and Unity attended these Opportunities together with a constant method of Counsels it is impossible but that they must soon prevail over a wandring Nation divided among themselves into so many Tribes and Factions All their truculent and savage fury would be in vain if the streights of the Mountains were but well fortify'd and guarded with Field-Pieces They should also send forth several Colonies and give them a tast of the Blessings of Peace by which the wildest of Nations oft-times grow tame But which is more than all and which the Habessines most earnestly desire Towns should be built and replenish'd with people and an increase of Wealth be permitted by the Encouragement of Arts and Arms. Lastly if the Kng would remit something of his Prerogative which he has over the Estates of the Subject and reserving those Lands which are already till'd to himself would distribute to his Souldiers and the rest of his People such Lands as should be won from the Enemy every one his proportion and grant them an irrevocable Inheritance of such Lands settling also Dukedoms and Earldoms in fee-simple out of the Conquer'd Countries upon his Nobility and best deserving Captains no doubt but in a short time it would prove the most flourishing Kingdom in Asia greatly to the propagation of the Christian Religion And it seems but reason that in the settling and ordering his Kingdom the Habessinian Prince should be advis'd and assisted by the European Princes not onely out of Christian Charity and hopes of propagating Christianity over Africa but also to lessen the Power of the Turk which would follow were the Dominion of the Red Sea but wrested out of his hands and the Commerce of Egypt spoyl'd Ah! what pity it is that we should be so ill affected towards other Christian Nations that unless they are of the same Opinion with us in all points of Divinity or unless they promise us large Rewards or an ample share of their Profits we can patiently look on and see them perish while the most inveterate Enemies of the Christian Faith are enrich'd with the spoyls of their Wealth not considering that in the end the mischief will redound to our selves and that we shall one day unless God in mercy prevent it dearly pay for our Dissensions Thus we forbore to assist the Grecian Emperours and several of the Eastern Princes till they became at last a prey to the Ottomans Thus while none of Us lay'd it to heart Egypt was reduc'd under the Power of the Turk a vast addition to their Empire as if it were a Crime to breed up Doggs to hunt the Wolves Now the reason why the Abissines do not court with greater ardour the Alliances of the Europeans is plain for it is to be attributed either to their ignorance or their difference in Opinion from the Latines Moreover they fail very much in this that they permit the Turk to be Masters of the Ports and Ilands of the Red Sea whereby it is absolutely at their pleasure what Persons or Commodities shall pass in and out But they understand not that there is no Nation can be truly Powerful and Great that does not Command some Sea-Towns As for the Revenues of the King they are not paid in ready money but in the natural Productions of the Countries the most equal sort of Tribute For some Provinces afford Gold others Horses Cattel Sheep Corn and Ox Hides and some few where Weavers live send him Garments They bring their Gold rough and unrefin'd as they gather it up among the Sands of the Rivers or digg it out under the Roots of Trees or else with less Labour find it loose upon the Earth For they know not how to coyn money but after the ancient manner weigh their Mettal wherein they are many times gull'd by forraign Merchants who frequently deny the Gold to be pure and therefore change it for the meanest of their Commodities How much better might the King provide for himself and his Subjects should he with Money of his own Coyn buy up all the Gold in his Kingdom to his own and the great advantage of his People Enarea (u) 15000 Patachs of Portugal or German Dollars pays a Thousand and five hundred Ounces of Gold formerly much more To Susneus it pay'd but a Thousand and sometimes but Five hundred when the Enareans were either at Wars with the Gallans or else embroyl'd one with another Gojam pays every Year Eleven hundred Ounces and some Garments to the value of 3000 German Dollars together with Two hundred Fustian Tapestries very broad and close woven Formerly they also pay'd a Tribute of Horses but Malec-Saghed remitted that to the end they might be the better able to withstand the Gallans Out of Tigra he receives Five and twenty thousand Patachs Out of Dembea Five thousand As much out of other Kingdoms or sometimes less There are also
the Church first of all to read the Names of the Holy Martyrs out of the Public Registers as being a Duty owing to the memory of the invincible Testimonies for Christ Which the following Ages strain'd another way as if they had need of our Intercession and others as if we could not be without their Intercession made it a presence to invoke the Holy Saints as if they were present and heard them To which we may add That the Ancient Christian Orators and Writers of Homilies making use of their Rhetorick by vertue of that Figure commonly call'd Prosopopocia bespoke the blessed Saints and introduc'd them as it were returning Answers from whence it is not improbable that Suspition might introduce the Custom of giving the same Adoration to them as to God himself and worshipping them with Temples Altars and other Divine Honours Which nevertheless the Habessines do not do for though they keep Holydaies in memory of their Saints they do not call them Bagnabat Solemnities but Tjabarat Remembrances They also invoke them tho they know not after what manner they may be able to hear them and beg their Intercessions also especially of the most Holy Virgin Mary to whom they bear such an affectionate Reverence that they think whatever the Church of Rome has invented to her Honour all too little and yet they erect no Statues to her memory for all that being contented only with her Pictures When they were in a rage against those of the Roman Religion and pursu'd 'em in their fury with Sticks and Stones they cry'd out Kill Kill whoever is not an Enemy of Marie let him take up a Stone to stone her Enemies to Death But more than this they many times invoke the Angels as having for that perhaps a more specious pretence because they have bin frequently said to appear to good Men and Women and hear their Prayers Of these the Ethiopians reckon no less than Nine Orders which they borrow from their Names and Epithites given them in Sacred Scripture Malaeket Angels particularly so call'd or by another Name Manofsat Spirits Bitean Malaeket Arch-Angels Agaezet Saltanot Manoberet Hujebat Maqinenet Qirubil Surafel Lords 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magistracies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thrones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes Cherubims Seraphims Some there are who give them several other Sirnames as Bikanot Primores or Cheiftains and Arbabe or Arbab Asat as much as to say fierie Myriads Others there are who affirm That first of all there were Ten Orders of which the first whose Chieftain was Satanael together with his Associates revolted from God and that the Blessed hereafter shall succeed into their places which they assert to be the cause of the Devils inveterate hatred toward Man As to their forms of Catechizing Youth and Neophytes the following Accompt may afford very great Satisfaction as being written by Gregory with his own hand and all that he could then call to mind A Brief Accompt of the Heads of the Ethiopic Faith in which they usually instruct their Youth and Neophytes They are Extant more at large in Ethiopia but more succinctly as follows What God dost thou Worship The Father Son and Holy Ghost three Persons but one Deity Of these Three Persons which is the first which the last which the greatest which the least Their is no Person first or last no Person Superior or Inferior but all equal in all things How many Persons Three How many Gods One How many Deities One How many Kingdoms One How many Powers One How many Creators One How many Wills One Is God limited by time No For he is from all Eternity and shall endure to all Eternity Where is God Every where and in all things Is not the Father God Yes Is not the Son God Yes Is not the Holy Ghost God Yes Dost thou not therefore say there are Three Gods I do not say Three Gods but Three Persons and One only God Who begat the Son God the Father But the Holy Ghost proceeds from Father and takes from the Son Pray shew me some Similitude how Three Persons can be in one Deity The Sun tho he be but one in Substance yet in him are found three distinct Things Rotundity Light and Heat Thus we also believe that in one God there are three Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost equal in all things Of those Three Persons which was born for our Redemption The second Person viz. The Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ How many Nativities had he Two Which were they His first Nativity was from the Father without Mother without time The second from the Virgin Mary our Lady without Father in time she always remaining a Virgin Is Jesus Christ our Lord a Man or is he truely God God and Man both in one Person without Separation and without Change without Confusion or Commixture In the same manner do the Habessines Believe and Teach all matters of Faith viz. Concerning the Baptism of Christ his Fasting his Passion his Death his Resurrection his Ascention into Heaven and sending of the Holy Ghost Moreover That he shall return in Glory to Judge the Quick and the Dead That he is present in the Holy Sacrament That the Dead shall rise at the last Day That the Just shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but that Sinners shall be condemn'd to Hell They also believe the Catholic Church according to the Creed compil'd by the 318 Orthodox Fathers that met at the Council of Nice We shall not add more at present till more and those Publickly approv'd Books shall come to our hands that we may not imprudently attribute as some have done the Opinions of private persons to the whole Church CHAP. VI. Of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Ethiopic Church as also of the Habessine Temples Sacred Rites often an Occasion of Disturbance in the Church The Prudent Decree of the Apostles Paul's Condescension necessary Judaish Rites retain'd Many new Ceremonies invented by the Pope by the Alexandrian Metropolitan none The most ancient Ceremonies retain'd by the Abessines Their Churches dark like the Synagogues The Divisions of them and Quires The Nobility made Deacons The Bishops Lodgings Much honour'd They admit of Pictures They sign with the Cross Baptism of grown People Vndertakers why so call'd The Eucharist given to baptiz'd Infants Some frivolous forms of the Habessines constrain'd the Fathers to Rebaptize The Custom of Annual Bathing not effectual for Baptism The abuse of it The State of Ecclesiastical Affairs miserable in Habessinia The Reasons General Confession Absolution Before 25 years of Age they believe themselves Innocent Much Preaching Gregorie's Opinion of their Sermons They Read Homilies c. The Sacred Vessels for the Eucharist Why the Stone Consecrated by the Romans is call'd a Chest by the Habessinians A particular Discourse of the Author Leavened Bread The Wine distributed in a Spoon The defect of it supply'd The time and place for the Holy Supper
Chief among the Oecunomical Patriarchs On the other side the Pope laying hold of the occasion endeavour'd to Re-establish the former Correspondence and Amity not taking any notice of their being Monothelites or Favourers of the condemn'd Dioscurus To this purpose Baronius has set forth an Epistle taken out of Roger's English Annals written by Alexander the Third with this Superscription To our most dear Son in Christ the Illustrious and Magnificent King of the Indians the most Holy of Priests Which Epistle he erroneously believes to have bin written to Prester John whose Dominions were then very large in Ethiopia For that when Baronius wrote the King of the Habessines was reputed and commonly taken for Prester John But when Alexander the Third liv'd the real Prester John was then reigning in Asia Neither is any thing to be gather'd out of that whole Epistle that has any Relation to Africa or Ethiopia or the King of the Habessines nor are the Consequences of that Letter known to Baronius Only upon that occasion he conjectures that the Church of St. Stephen with the Buildings behind St. Peter's Cathedral were thereupon assign'd to the Habessinians though he is not certain by whom that Assignation was made whether by Alexander or any other Succeeding Pope Therefore if the Epistle were real we rather think it was written to the Asiatic Prester John then to the King of the Ethiopians Others there are that believe there was an Abessinian Embassy to Clement the Fifth residing at Avignon Nor is there any doubt made of the Embassy which Zera-Jacob sent to Eugenius the Fourth in the year 1439. toward the Conclusion of the Council of Florence Gregory had known nothing of it had he not seen the Embassador and his Retinue painted at Rome and known his own Countrymen by their Habit. In the former Century Francis Alvarez Priest to the Portugal Ambassadors sent into Ethiopia brought Letters from David to Clement the Seventh which he delivered to the Pope in a public Assembly of the Cardinals Charles the Fifth being there also present promising Reverence and Obedience withal to the Holy See in the Name of the King of Ethiopia It was a thing very grateful to the Pope that at a time when so many Northern Nations had revolted from the Roman See so many Kingdoms of the East and South should voluntarily submit to his Jurisdiction For which reason neither Alvarez's Credentials nor the words of the Epistle were over-nicely examin'd nor any extraordinary Scrutiny made to what Church or what sort of Religion the King himself was enclin'd to the end that had it been needful he might have bin absolv'd from the guilt of Heresie before his Admission into the Bosom of the Church For as we shall afterwards declare the Habessines made quite another Interpretation of their King's Intention In the mean time a certain form of Friendship long remain'd For when John Bermudes came to Rome to crave Assistance from the Europeans in the behalf of David so often vanquish'd by the Adelans Paul the Third hearing that the said Bermudes was by Mark the Metropolitan nominated his Successor and invested with Holy Orders made no scruple to confirm him and to ratifie the Ordination of a Schismatical Prelate There were then residing certain Habessines very good Men who Printed the New Testament with their Liturgies in the Ethiopic Language whom the Pope did not only tolerate but assisted at his own Expences In recompence of which Kindnesses they extoll'd and applauded the Benevolence of the Romans the Munificence of the Chief Pontiff and his Spiritual Daughter Hyeronyma Farnesia and acknowledg'd the Pope as the Head and Supream over all the Orthodox Christians Pius the Fifth also in his Letters to Menas tho a professed Enemy to the Romans call'd him his most dear Son whether he were ignorant of his hatred to the Latins which was a wonder or whether he had hopes to reclaim him by flattering Titles which Godignus rather conjectures to be the Pope's true Intention For this reason some there were who believ'd the Habessines to be Catholicks in the highest perfection and subject to the See of Rome tho Tellez deservedly taxes and derides their Credulity Nevertheless a vain hope had possessed the Minds of many of the more Zealous sort that that vast Kingdom then look'd upon to be four times as big as really it was might in a short time with little difficulty be annexed to the Pontifical Jurisdiction Among the rest the Founder of the Society of Jesus Ignatius Loyola bent all his Study to bring it to pass and to that end he shew'd a most Ardent desire to go himself and win the honour of Converting Ethiopia Which tho Julius the Third would not grant him the liberty to do nevertheless he so far prevail'd with him that by the connivance of John the Third King of Portugal the Patriarchal Dignity was conferr'd upon John Nonius Barret one of his Companions contrary to the Institutions of his Society tho Bermudes were then in Ethiopia already dignify'd with the same Title With him was joyn'd Andrew Oviedo a Bishop that if Barret through Mortality should miscarry he might not want an immediate Successor They Embarking in several Ships sayl'd into India In the mean time Claudius was become Successor to David his Father whose affection they thought it first expedient to sound before the Patriarch should expose himself to Casualties and Indignities Jacobus Dias was therefore sent before together with Gonsales Rodriguez and Fulgentio Freyre Jesuits who toward the beginning of February setting Sail from Goâ and a Month after arriving at the Port of Arkiko were there curteously receiv'd by the President of the Maritime Province and within the space of two Months brought to the King Who understanding that the King of Portugal was about to send Priests and other Ecclesiastical Persons to teach him and his People a new Religion was very much perplex'd in his Mind and long in Suspence what answer to return for he neither thought it convenient to admit them neither was he willing to offend the King of Portugal However he ventur'd upon several Colloquies with the Envoys the sum of which manag'd for the most part by Gonsalez tended to this That the Pope of Rome was Christ's Vicar upon Earth and the Supream Head of all Christianity and therefore if the Habessines were desirous of Eternal Happiness they should once more return and joyn themselves to their Lawful Head for that Christ himself had from his own lips asserted that his Church was but one Fold and over that but one Shepheard c. On the other side the Habessines made answer That an Affair of so great Consequence was to be consider'd and consulted upon with the other Patriarchs for to abandon their ancient Rites and Ceremonies upon private admonition and receive new ones was a thing full of danger and offence At length the King told them That if those Persons whom the King of Portugal should send