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
the King contracted into Baleganz The eighteenth Gedm bordering upon Dawaro toward the East The nineteenth Gojam (e) Erroneously Goyame in the Mapps Worse Goroma by Godignus Lib. 1. cap. 4. pag. 15. pronounce it with the French Gojam A Kingdom wonderful for its situation and famous for the Fountains of Nile therein now discovered For the River Nile almost surrounds it in manner of a Peninsula But that it cannot possibly be the Island of Meroe as Tellezius believes we shall prove in our Commentary Godignus affirms that it contains twenty Provinces but conceals their Names The twentieth Kingdom is Gombo The one and twentieth Gonga The two and twentieth Guraghe The three and twentieth Ifat adjoyning to Shewa toward the East The twenty fourth is Samen by Tellezius called Cemen and numbred among the Provinces The twenty fifth Set whose Inhabitants are Pagans The twenty sixth Sewa in the Amharec Dialect Shewa as the Portugals call it Xoa or Xaoa a very large and most opulent Kingdom formerly much frequented by the Abessine Kings and then more famous than Amhara It is distinguished into the Upper and the Lower there are in it several Monasteries and some Towns as may be seen in our Mapp Dabra Libanos the seat of Jeeghi chief Overseer of all the Monks was formerly in this Kingdom The twenty seventh is Shat in Portugueze Xat The twenty eighth is Tegre or Tigra one of the principal Kingdoms and the first as you enter into Ethiopia The Native Country of the former Kings who kept their Courts at Axuma The most noble part of it lyes toward the Red Sea and is called Bahr the Sea or Medra-Bahr the Land of the Sea or a Maritim Province comprehending under it three Toparchies The Governour Bahr-Nagash resides in Dobarwa (f) In the Mapps of Dobarua Erroneously Barva worse Barna The Prefectures belonging to Tegre are 1 Abargale 2 Acsum or the Prefecture of Axuma the ancient Residence of the Kings 3 Adet 4 Afa-macuonen 5 Agamja 6 Amba-Sanet (g) By Tellez called Ambacanet Pag. 119. 7 Bora 8 Upper-Bura 9 Lower-Bura 10 Beta-Abba Garima 11 Doba near Angora inhabited by Pagans 12 Enderta 13 Garalta 14 Hagarai 15 Memberta 16 Nader 17 Sahart 18 Salawa 19 Sanafe 20 Sire 21 Taderar 22 Tamben 23 Torat 24 Tzam-a 25 Tzerae 26 Wag 27 Wajrat All which are inhabited by several Nations and People But there are not so many Governours as Prefectures For that sometimes two or three Prefectures are under one Governour For Bora Salawa and Wag are all under one Tetrarch The Prefectures under Bahrnagas are 1 Bakla whose Inhabitants are all Graziers and change their habitations abiding in the Summer in one place all the Winter-time in another 2 Egala 3 Hamacen It consists of three Towns which are subject to the King of the Habessines however they choose their own Magistrates and are Governed by their own Laws like a Petty Common-wealth and often give Protection to Exiles and Fugitives 4 Marjan 5 Marata 6 Sarawe 7 Zangaren The twenty ninth Kingdom is Walaka in the Portugueeze Language Oleca or Holeca The thirtieth Wed by the Portugals called Ogge These are the Kingdoms which Gregory numbred up to me and left the Names of them written down in the Ethiopic Characters to the end I might pronounce them genuinely and express them as adaptly as could be done in conformity to the Latin Letters Tellezius reckons more which nevertheless he does not distinguish in his Mapps by great Letters as he does the other Kingdoms that is to say 1 Alamale 2 Aura 3 Bahargamo 4 Betezamora 5 Boxa which nevertheless he says is a Country of Enarea l. 1. c. 8. Guniar Manz Marrabet Mota On the other side some Kingdoms he omits some of which however he has inserted in his Geographical Mapp and of some he makes mention in his History l. 1. c. 13. as Fatagar Gafat Gajghe Ganibo Ganga Set Shat The most remarkable Provinces which have their peculiar Governours are 1 Emfras between Bagemdra and Dembea 2 Mazaga 3 Mugar near to Sewa 4 Tzagade 5 Wagara 6 Walkajit The rest you shall meet with in our Geographick Tables Now of all these Kingdoms and Provinces the King of the Abessines enjoys at present 1 Amhara 2 Bajemdra 3 Cambata 4 Damota 5 Dembea 6 Enarea 7 Gojam 8 Samen 9 Part of Sewa with some other Kingdoms of lesser note And for Provinces those of 1 Emfras 2 Mazaga 3 Tzagade 4 Wagara 5 Walkajit Which Kingdoms and Provinces comprehend the best part indeed but not the half of the ancient Habessia The rest the Galans have either subdued or else utterly laid wast as we shall relate in due place CHAP. IV. Of the Vulgar Chorographic Table or Mapp of Habessinia and the Author 's new one The New Mapp of the Habessines The new one found fault with as Erroneous Look'd on as ridiculous by Gregory by reason of the ill writing and because of the ill understood Names of Barnagassus Tigremahon Ambiancantiva which are explained The ambiguous powers of Letters Advice to concert a certain Geographical Alphabet The Authors contest about his own Mapps BUT to the End that all things may the more clearly appear we shall produce a new Chorographical Mapp of Habessinia the old one that goes begging about the World for an Author being altogether uncertain I was not a little asham'd to hear the sedulous Ethiopian Gregory upbraiding as he did the vanity and carelesness of our People to obtrude such absurdities upon the Commonweal of Learning and to defile otherwise most (h) As those of Ortelius Jansonius the Atlas's of Gerand Mercator Bleau and others beautiful Pieces of Geography with such fabulous impertinencies While they made public to the World Mapps of such consequence without any sufficient Authority or any light by what Pen of what Nation or in what Language they were first written as if they designed on purpose to deceive the Reader that so he might not be in a Capacity to judge of the Truth which if it were their aim they did not miss of their intentions in regard they led several persons otherwise eminent and of great judgment into foul mistakes who cryed up the Empire of the Habessines for the largest in the World as being little less than all Europe too unwarily trusting to their fictions When I first shewed the vulgar Mapps to Gregory sometimes I made him laugh sometimes I made him angry For before I call'd to mind that the Latin Letters were to be pronounced after the Portugal mannet I asked him concerning the Kingdoms of Xoa Gojam and other Regions from whence the Portuguezes had either taken away or to which they had added the Latin Letters a d do as being their Articles of declension (i) As Abugno for Bugna Barua worse Barua for Dobarua Amara for Amhara Ambadora for Ambadarho c. without any regard to the Letter h. But when I expected an Answer he knew not what I meant till I
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
in the word Axumites Cedrenus An. 15. of Justinian and Ptolomie Scaliger mentions the Name of Axumite upon certain Pieces of Coyn in the fore-recited place Others in reference to their Original have confus'd them with the Homerites others by reason of their vicinity with the Nubeans Most of the Ancients called them Indians as they did all those Nations under the Torrid Zone whose particular Names they understood not Yea the Red Sea it self is by some (l) So Procopius Gazeus calls it in his Comment upon the forementioned Tenth of Kings and others as Scaliger observes in Comp. Eccles Ethiop c. of the Ancients called the Indian Sea so that 't is no wonder that the Nations bordering upon it should be called Indians Neither did the Portugueezes know any other Name in the beginning of the former Century For Damianus de Goez calls their King the great Emperor of the Indians (m) In his Relation of the Embassie of Mattheus to the King of Portugal Which diversity of Names has begat no small Confusion in our History For some things are attributed to our Abessines which are appropriated to the true Indians (n) Which chiefly happens in the History of the Conversion of the Habessines set sorth by Adesius and Frumentius which the Writers of Ecclesiastical History have hitherto almost all of them understood concerning the true or Asiatic Indians Theodoret in Hist Ecclesiast Lib. 1. Cap. 22. And some things written concerning another Nation of Ethiopia are imposed as peculiar to the Habessines At Rome upon the first Printing of certain Ethiopick Books their Language was said to be Chaldean and they themselves erroneously called sometimes Chaldeans at other times Indians But the Name of Abessinia or Abassia now known to all the World shall be the Name which (o) Posken in Paersat Psalt Ethiopic Edit Rom. Ambrose Theseus Intred in Ling. Orient Pag. 1â— we shall retain with that of Ethiopia sometimes More especially when we shall discourse concerning their Kings their Ancient Language or their Ecclesiastical Affairs all which admit themselves to be distinguished by the Title of Ethiopick which the Abessines themselvs do also allow CHAP. II. Of the Situation and Bounds of Abessinia The Situation above Egypt and degrees of Latitude The Error of Jovius and the vulgar Tables The true Latitude The conjectural Latitude The Bounds toward the North and toward the East Toward the South Toward the West IN Africa above Egypt beyond (a) Sub Egypto most write but erroneously Nubia lies Habassia very near between the Eighteenth and Sixteenth Degree of Northern Latitude being (b) So B. Tellez Historia general de Ethiopia alta called by some the Upper Ethiopia It extends not altogether so far as the Equinoctial Line much less can it be said to cross it Which notwithstanding almost all Geographers and Historians have hitherto asserted whether it were that they did not rightly understand the Sayings and Writings of others or whether deceived by the Credit of Paulus Jovius who writes that the Kingdom of Sceva Sewa or Scheva beholds the Anartick Pole elevated in two and twenty degrees whereas it is in no place to be seen where Shewa lies Which mistake as seems most probable he too unwarily drew not from the Abessines utterly ignorant of those things but from a certain Ancient Geographical Map of Africa the Author of which has so far extended Habessinia that he has joyned it to another Region known only to himself fearing to seem ignorant of what lay between by leaving a space As if it were a shame to be ignorant of that which flies the piercing examination of human wit and can be no otherwise discovered but by experiment But the Jesuits mores kilful in Spherical Discipline by the Assistance of the Astrolabe were the first who taught us that same true Latitude from the North to the South already mention'd But they were not able to make it out Yet so far as could be rendred most probable and certain by conjecture and the length of Journeys the Portugals do reckon this Kingdom where it is broadest to contain a a Hundred and Forty of their Leagues But the longest Journey directly Westward is to be accounted from the Red Sea to the farthest Limits of Dembea For most sure it is that the Bounds of this Empire do from the East and West as it were Conically lessen besides that the Gallans have torn several of its Members from it Toward the North it has adjoyning to it the Kingdom of Fund otherwise Sennar by the Portugals called Fungi a part of Ancient Nubia Toward the East it was formerly bounded by the Red Sea But now the Port of Arkiko with the adjacent Island of Matzua being taken all that Coast obeys the Turk who are Masters of that Sea A Sea that affords but little convenience for Harbors full of Shelves and Quick-sands and besides that the Islands which belong to it are Untill'd ill Inhabited and labouring under such a scarcity of Water in the midd'st of the Sea that they neither afford Accommodation nor Security to Strangers for which reason they are but little visited The Mouth of the Streight is very narrow and of so ill a fame for frequent Shipwracks that the Arabians call it Bab-elmendeb the (c) In the Vulgar Mapps tho of later Editions mistakenly called Babelmandel The Interpreters of the Nubian Geographie pronounce it Bab-Almandab and render it The Dreadful Mouth Pag. 20 Port of Affliction To those that enter into it the Kingdom of Dancale appears upon the left hand The Prince of this Territory is a Friend to the Abessines and Commands the Port of Baylur where the Patriarch sent from Rome first Landed and travelled thence into Abessinia More within the Streight lies the King of Adela a Mahumetan a Profest Enemy and in the last Century the Scourge of the Habessines Next follow in their Order the Kingdoms of Dawaro Bali Fatagar Wed Bizamo Cambata with several other Provinces either possessed or wasted by the Barbarous Nation of the Gallans From thence the Countries winding about the Eighth Degree toward the South Alaba and Jendero by the Portugals called Gingiro Kingdoms of the Gentiles terminate Habessinia till you come to Enarea the last Kingdom seated between the Eighth and Ninth Degree of Latitude toward the Northwest Lastly the River Maleg and Nilus it self rolling along through several vast Desarts close up the Western Limits Nor are there any other Nations worthy to be mentioned thereabout till you come to the North and the Kingdom of Sennar already nam'd unless the wandring Ethiopians which the Ancients called Numades and Troglodytes and the Abessines Shankala CHAP. III. Of the Division of Habessinia into diverse Kingdoms and Regions The Regions and Kingdoms of Habessinia are variously recounted and numbred up Nnumerical faults Gregories enumeration and pronunciation The Limits of Ambara and the Prvinces Angota Bagemra with its Prefectures Balia Bizama Brigna Cambata Conta
those Fountains and Spring-heads have been since discover'd so long and unsuccessfully sought for by the Ancients Athanasius Kircher has describ'd them from the Relation of Peter Pays who view'd them himself In the Kingdom of Gojam saith he and in the Western Parts thereof in the Province of Sabala which the Agawi inhabit are to be seen two round Spring-Heads very deep in a place somewhat rais'd the ground about it being quaggy and mershy nevertheless the Water does not spring forth there but issues from the foot of the Mountain About a Musquet Shot from thence toward the East the River begins to flow then winding to the North about the fourth part of a League it receives another River a little farther two more flowing from the East fall into it and soon after it enlarges it self with the addition of several other Streams About a days journey farther by the Relation of the same Peter it swallows up the River Jema then winding Westward some twenty Leagues it turns again to the East and plunges it self into a vast Lake This Relation differs not from what Gregory has discoursed to me only he particulariz'd the names of the Countries that perhaps were the more special Denominations of those places of which Sabala was the more general Name For as he related to me the Spring-head of Nile is in a certain Land call'd Secut upon the top of Dengla which perhaps is the name of a Mountain He also affirm'd that it had five Spring-heads reckoning in the Heads of other Rivers which have no particular name and are therefore taken for the Nile But it passes through the Lake Tzanicum preserving the colour of its own Waters like the Rhosne running through the Lake Lemann and the Rhine through Acronius or the Lake De Zell Then winding to the South it washes on the left hand the principal Kingdoms of Habessinia Bagemdra Amhara Waleka Shewa Damota and takes along the Rivers of those Countries Bashlo Tzohha Kecem Jema Roma and Wancit Then on the right hand embracing Gojam its Native Country almost like a Circle and swell'd with the Rivers of that Region Maga Abaja Aswari Temci Gult and Tzul it turns again to the West as it were bidding farewel to its Fountains and with a prodigious mass of ramass'd Rivers leaving Habessinia upon the right hand rolls to the North through several thirsty Nations and sandy Deserts to enfertile Egypt with its Inundations and there makes its way through several mouths into the Sea For the more certain Demonstration of the Truth it will be of particular moment to insert the Relation of Gregory himself perhaps the first that was ever made public by an Ethiopian Epist d. 20. Octob. 1657. The Course of Nile is like a Circle it encompasses Gojam but so that it never returns back to its Head making directly to Sennar And therefore Gojam lies always upon the right hand of Nile but all the other Kingdoms of Ethiopia as well those that lye near as those at a distance remain still upon the left As it flows along it takes in all the Rivers great and small with several Torrents as well Foreign as Habessinian which by that general Tribute acknowledge him their King who having thus muster'd together all the Waters of Ethiopia jocundly takes his leave and proceeds on his Journey like a Hero according to the Command of his Creator to drench the Fields of thirsty Egypt and quench the drowth of Thousands The Spring-head of this famous River first shews it self in a certain Land which is called Secut upon the top of Dengla near Gojam West of Bagemdra Dara the Lake Tzana and Bada Rising thus it hastens with a direct course Eastward and so enters the Lake of Dara and Bed as it were swimming over it Passing from thence it flows between Gojam and Bagemdra but leaving them upon the right and left speeds directly toward Amhara Having touch'd the Confines of Amhara he turns his Face toward the West and girdles Gojam like a Circle but so that Gojam lies always upon the right hand of it Having past the Limits of Amhara it washes the Confines of Walaka and so on to the extream bounds of Mugara and Shewa Then it slides between Bizama and Gonga and descends into the Country of the Shankelites Whence he winds to the right hand and leaves by degrees the Western Clime upon the left hand to visit the Kingdom of Sennar But before he get thither he meets with two great Rivers that plunge themselves into his Streams coming from the East of which one is call'd Tacazè that falls out of Tigra and the other Guangue that descends from Dembea After he has taken a view of the Kingdom of Sennar away he travels to the Country of Dengula and so comes to the Kingdom of Nubia and thence turns to the right hand in order to his intended Voyage for Alexandria and comes to a certain Country which is call'd Abrim where the Stream is unnavigable by reason of the Cliffs and Rocks after which he enters Egypt Sennar and Nubia are seated upon the shore of Nile toward the West so that they may drink of his Waters besides that he guards their Eastern Limits as far as he approaches near them But our People and Travellers from Sennar after they have cross'd Nubia quit the River Nile leaving it upon the right hand toward the East and ride through a Desert of 15 days journey upon Camels where neither Tree nor Water but only Sand is to be seen but then they meet with it again in the Country of Riffe which is the Upper Egypt where they either take Boat or travel a foot in Company with the Stream But as to what he wrote concerning the flowing of great and small Rivers into Nile he explains himself in these words All great Rivers and smaller Torrents flow into Nile excepting only two The one is call'd Hanazo which rises in Hangota and the other Hawash which runs near Dawara and Fatagara But as if this had not been enough he goes on with a farther Explanation in another Epistle as follows But whereas I told you in a Description of Nile that all the Rivers of Ethiopia flow'd into it except two I am not to be understood as if I spoke of all Ethiopia For those Rivers that are upon the Borders of the Circuit of Ethiopia which are near the Ocean they fall into the Sea every one in their distinct Regions Now the Countries adjoyning to the Ocean are these Canbat Guraghè Enaria Zandera Wed Waci Gaci and some others The Native Country of Nile being thus discover'd the cause of his Inundation is manifest For most of the Countries under the Torrid Zone when the Sun returns into the Winter Signs are wash'd as we have said with immoderate Showers So that the prodigious mass of Waters that randevouzes from all parts cannot be contain'd within his Channel and therefore when it comes into the Levels of Egypt
the Tegran or the Language of Tigra is to be understood of our Ethiopic Though it be true that since their Kings left Axuma the Dialect of this Country is very much alter'd yet still it approaches nearest to the Ancient Language which is as we but lately said now call'd the Ethiopic so that the Abissines themselves if they meet any doubtful word in this Language presently consult those of Tygra concerning the signification John Potken a German of Cologne now Ancient and Gray was the first that divulg'd this Language in Europe and then setting up a neat Ethiopic Printing-House in Rome there Imprinted the first Ethiopic Books that is to say the Psalter with the Hymns of the Old Testament and the Canticles In this deceiv'd that he gave too much Credit to certain Idle Habessines who Affirm'd That as well their Language as their Ethiopic Characters were (o) Ambrose Theseus his Contemporary mildly reproves him for it in his Introduction to the Oriental Languages for saith he with tenderness to his age and friendship Thy Learning very much fails thee in this matter Now Theseus stifly affirms The Habessines to be Indians and their Language Indian perhaps the more tolerable Errour of the two Chaldaic I could not find out the Cause of so Gross an Errour neither had Gregory ever heard it in his own Country perhaps it fell out by reason of the likeness of the Language though indeed it agree with the Chaldaic no more than with the Hebrew or Syriac for it approaches nearest to the Arabic of which it seems to be a kind of Production as being comprehended almost within the same Grammatical Rules the same forms of Conjugations the same forms of Plurals both entire and anomalous so that whoever understands either that or the rest of the Oriental Languages may with little labour understand this our Ethiopic Neither is it useful alone for the understanding of the Habessine Books and Affairs but for Illustrating and Expounding the rest of the Eastern Languages and first the Hebrew of which there is yet a small remainder in the Bible insomuch that the genuine significations of many words are to be fetched from the neighbouring Dialects and many texts of Sacred Writ borrow that Light from hence as shall be more amply demonstrated by Examples in our Commentary One more then ordinarily remarkable we shall here produce The Latines called the most Elegant and Delightful piece of Workmanship of the Most Omnipotent God Mundum or the World in imitation of the Greeks who nam'd the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ornament (p) For the Greeks borrowed their Letters and many other things from the Phoenicians as Bochart and many others declare at large assuming the same Word not from Native Invention but from the Phoenicians by whom the World but more especially the Earth is called Adamah or Beautiful I know it is vulgarly deriv'd from the signification of (q) So most Lexicon-Writers Buxtorf tells us that Adamah Earth is so call'd as being of a Red or Clay Colour Schindler affirms The true Earth before it is dig'd is Red and that Adam was Form'd out of Red Earth Which are said vainly and gratis neither does Kimchi in his Book of Roots mention any such Derivation Redness because the Hebrew Root Adam signifies to be Red. But how much of the Earth can we aver to be Red certainly a very small quantity so that it is most insipid to derive the Etymologie of so vast a Mass from Redness Therefore first Created Human Being himself the common Parent of us all deriv'd his Name Adam not from the redness of the Earth but from the Absolute Perfection of his Frame and Shape as being the Master-piece to speak more Humano of his (r) But after his Fall having lost his Primitive Beauty he was admonish'd of his Mortality by an Allusion to the Word Earth out of which he was Created Creator For this signification which has hitherto been unknown to the Lexicon-writers of most of the Oriental Languages is most apparent from the Ethiopic in which Language Adamah signifies Beautiful Elegant and Pleasant Nor do the Ethiopians understand the Word Adam otherwise than of a thing that is Beautiful And there is no doubt but that the City Adamah before it was destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah seated upon the Banks of Jordan which are often compar'd to the (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gaz-Jehovah the Paradise of God according to the Vulgar Latine Version Garden of the Lord was so call'd from the Pleasantness of its Situation But Axuma being relinquish'd and the Empire being translated into the Heart of the Kingdom the Vulgar use of this our Language ceas'd For the Zagean Line failing when they set up a Sewan Prince where the Amharic Dialect is vulgarly spoken and that some others who were Exiles in the Rock of Amhara were call'd to the Government the Amharic Dialect came into request For the new King not well understanding the Language of Tygra and having advanc'd about his Person his own Friends that spake the same Language with him brought his own Dialect into the Court and Camp which being long fix'd there and in the Parts adjoyning was seldom remov'd into Tygra In imitation of whom the rest of the Nobility and great Personages used the same Speech Thus the Amharic Dialect otherwise call'd the King's Language being carry'd along with the Camp and Court over all the Kingdom t got the upper hand of all the other Dialects and the Ancient and more Noble Ethiopic Language it self and at length became so Familiar to all the Chief of the Abissines that you may easily by the use of that one Dialect Travel the whole Empire though in several Parts so extreamly differing in Dialect from one another It differs from the Ethiopic both in Construction and Grammer so that he who understands the one cannot comprehend the other yet he who understands the one may easily learn the other because that for above half the Language as far as I can judge the words are common to both Gregory could hardly be perswaded to Translate me the Lords Prayer and some few Texts of Scripture into the Amharic Dialect by reason of the difficulty to write it For it has seven peculiar Characters not usual in the Ethiopic however the Ethiopic retains its pristine Dignity not only in their Books but in their Divine Worship as also in the Kings Letters Patents and Commissions which are dispatch'd in his Council Therefore they are accounted Learned in Ethiopia that can but Read and Write it for it is to be learnt out of Books and by long use as also by the Assistance of School-masters too though they are very rare there for they have neither Grammer nor Dictionary which Gregory beheld here not without Admiration At first he extreamly wondred what I meant when I requested of him the Root of any Ethiopic Word at what time I was compiling my Lexicon and
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
would be too tedious to rehearse the Originals of these Chimera's only we must take notice of this by the way that Beldi-gian and Taras-ta-gian were the figments of Men of no Credit but Gian-Belul derives its Original from the Cries of Petitioners with which they address themselves to the King But setting aside all these idle Derivations and Surmises which are ridiculous even to the more ingenious sort of Habessines themselves most certain it is that the Name of the King of the Habessines is no more in the Ethiopic Language than Negus King But in the Titles which both he himself and all the Habessines use he is call'd Negusa Nagast (e) Erroneously Nuguca Nagasta in Tellezius l. 1. c. 2. p. 5. Zaitjopia King of the Kings of Ethiopia (d) As Urreta and Tzagaxi in Reference to some Rulers of Provinces and Viceroys that are under him who are also dignified with the Title of Negus or Nagash In the Amharic Dialect he is saluted Hatzeghe which they render Supream Prince and given to none but to the Prince as the French in their Address use the word Sir Hence the Arabian word Aticlabassi or as Ortelius pronounces it Asiclabassi compounded from the foremention'd word Hatzeghe the Arabic Article El and the National name Habesh Hatzeg-el-Habesh or Supream Prince of the Habessines When they add the Proper Name they cut the word short Hatzè as Hatzè-Susneus Hatze-Jacob Hatze-Basilides The Persians and Indians honour him with the Title of Padeshah which is given to none but the greatest Kings in the Empire as to our German Empire the Kings of India Persia Turky and China who have several Governours and Princes under their Subjection which the common People call Emperors and as this King by Tellez is call'd in the Portugal Language O Emperador Abexim Emperor of the Abessines which his Title seems to Intimate in regard a King of Kings may not unproperly be call'd an Emperor Neither shall we derogate in the least from his Title as being so highly Eminent above all the Barbarous Kings of Africa both for his Power and the Honour of being a Christian Among the Ancient Arabians the Kings were always call'd Najashi as the Kings of (f) Pharao in the Egyptian Language signifies a King Joseph L. 8. c. 5. al. c. 2. Bochart in Hieroz P. II. L. V. Aegypt were call'd Pharo's and the Roman Emperors Caesars But as to the Proper Name of the King it was the ancient Custom that at his first coming to the Crown he was saluted by the Souldiery with a new Name for lucks sake and generally the change was made of the Christian Name However they do not cast it quite off as the Popes do but assume both together Thus Zar-a-Jacob in an Epistle to the Tome of Councils writes himself Zar-a-Jacob and our Imperial or Inauguration Name Constantine This Name design'd for a good Omen generally signifies Reverence and Veneration as Atznaf-Saghed Venerable to the Ends of the Earth Melec-Saghed a venerable Ruler Sometimes they take the Names of Gems as Adamas-Saghed the venerable Diamond Encua-Saghed or Wanag-Saghed a Precious Gemm This was the Name of David the Son of Naod the Father of Claudius Whence I believe it came to pass that his Embassador Tzagazaabus being sent into Portugal call'd him Pretious John instead of Prete-Gianni as judging that the Person could not but be precious that bare the Name of a Precious Gem. Sometimes several Names and those variously pronounc'd are clapp'd together For that same David besides the two Names already mention'd was Baptiz'd Etana Denghel The Virgins Incense or as others will have it Lebna Denghel The Virgins Storax But this multitude and variety of Names often renders the History imperfect while many times that is spoken of many Persons which should be only said of one Thus that famous King Caleb that ruin'd the Kingdom of the Homerites was by the Greeks call'd Elesbaas The King's Seal which they use in Sealing their Letters is a Lion holding a Cross with this Motto The Lion of the Tribe of Juda has won Ridiculous therefore are those Arms which are set forth by a certain French Author in the Fabulous History of Tzagaxi and which the Impostor himself assum'd in his Epistles to John Wisling a Physitian of Padua King David's Titles which are vulgarly published are very tedious and corrupted but here by us amended I Etana Denghel The Virgins Incense by my Name in Baptism by my Inauguration Name call'd David beloved of God the Pillar of Faith descended from the Tribe of Judah the Son of David the Son of Salomon the Son of the Pillar of Sion Amda Tzeonis The Son of the seed of Jacob Zar-a-Jacob The Son of the hand of Mary Baeda-Mariami the Son of Nahu or Naod according to the Flesh Here some have interlarded The Son of St. Peter and Paul according to Grace that there might be something to oppose the Flesh Emperor of the Upper and Lower Ethiopia and of many other Kingdoms and Provinces King of Shoa Gafata Fategara Angota Bara Dawara Hadea Bali Ganza Vanga Gojam where are the Fountains of Nile Amhara Bagemdra Dembea Vagna Tigra Sabaim whence the Queen of Sheba Midre Bahr c. Methinks I am now writing out not the Abessine but the long Scroll of Russian Ostentation But the Portugals taking the Advantage of the Abessine Simplicie swell'd up this Title for them or else over-perswaded the Habessines to do it themselves that after the European manner their Epistles which Alvarez was to g carry to the Pope and the King of Portugal might render his Negotiation more formidable and magnificent For neither before nor after did the Letters which the Habessinian Kings sent to the Princes of Europe appear with any such tumid Style or ostentatious Loftiness The first Letter from Helena brought by Matthew into Portugal began with onely a bare Salutation without any Title to omit the false and forgotten names of Kingdoms in those other forged Titles Again how nonsensical it is for a Prince to mention such an uncertainty as the Queen of Sheba's Country or the Fountains of Nile among the Titles of his Empire as if the Fountains of Nile were such a Miracle to the Abessines as they were to the Greeks and Latines What a pleasant thing it would be if any one should add to our Emperour's Titles the Fountains of the Danaw in the Dukedom of Schawben which were also unknown to the ancient Philosophers How idly are those proper names of Son of the Pillar of Sion Son of the Seed of Jacob Son of the hand of Mary turn'd into Appellatives Then for Naod Alvarez reads Nabu which makes me believe him to be the Author of that surreptitious Title because he mistakes the word all along in his Itinerarie But to insist no longer upon these figments the Genuine stile of the Ethiopic Letters which was made known and attested to me by Gregorie is also to be found in Tellezius where the King
Relation and to be understood of that same ancient Asiatic Prester Chan Neighbouring at that time upon the Persians But he ascribes this passage to the Emperour of the Abessines and that it came to pass Twelve years before his coming Philip Nicolai believ'd him and inserted this Figment into his Book concerning the Raign of Christ adding the Year 1562 at what time the Affairs of the Habessines were in their most afflicted Estate CHAP. XVII Of the Vice-Roys Presidents and Governors of Provinces The various Titles of Vice-Roys and Governors Ded Azmat the Common Title of Presidents The cause and Original of this Variety And of the Imperial Title THE Vice-Roys Presidents and Governours of Countries which the King appoints and layes aside at his pleasure are not call'd by any common sort of Title but according to the several Kingdoms which they govern derive to themselves particular Appellations Some there are who are honour'd with Royal Titles as Negus Gan. King of Gan Enareja Negus King of Enarea Others are thought worthy the ancient appellation of Nagasi in the Amharil Dialect Nagash which word signifies a Ruler Commander or Lord. And was formerly more especially attributed to the Ethiopian Kings by the Arabians as has bin already said as Bahr-Nagash Ruler or Regent of the Sea Coast. Gojam-Nagash Regent of Gojam Walaka Nagash Regent of Walaka The word Ras put absolutely or with the proper name of the person signifies the Chief Commander or General of an Army but if the name of the Kingdom be added it signifies the Governor thereof the same with the Germans Hauptman or Lands-Hauptman as Angot Ras Captain of Angot Bugna Ras Captain of Bugna This Title Tzagazaabus assum'd altho he were but a Monk while he subscrib'd to the Confession of Faith by him set forth as followes Bugna Ras Arch-Presbyter Tzagaza-ab Embassador from Jan Beluli Hatze Lebna Denghel Some suffice themselves with the Title of Shum which is otherwise common to all the Governors of Guraga and Cambata Guraga-Shum Governor of Guraga Cambata-Shum Governor of Cambata whom at other times they call the King of the Hadians The Vice-Roy of Tigra is call'd Macuenen as Tigre Macuenen President or Judge of Tigra The names of the rest are not to be expounded out of the Ethiopic Language being perhaps words significative in the vulgar Dialects as Amhara Tzabfaldam Damota Tzabfaldam Shewa Tzabfaldam Dembea Cantiba Bagender Azmat Gedma-Katen Ifata Walasma Fatagar Asgua Samen Aga-fari The Governor of Diabai is call'd Ded-Asmat which is properly the common Title of all Presidents and signifies the Captain of a Provincial Militia or a Colonel This diversity of Titles seems to arise from hence for that the ancient Possessors of these Kingdoms before they came to be reduc'd under the Power of the Habessines assum'd those Titles of Dignity to themselves which afterwards the Vulgar People gave to their several Governors in their distinct Idiomes Or else the Governors themselves retain'd the ancient names the Kings of Ethiopia conniving at it as esteeming it for their Honour to have so many Persons of several Dignities at their devotion For because the Governors and Vice-Roys of Provinces assum'd to themselves the Titles of Negus and Nagasi therefore the Ethiopic Kings took an occasion to give themselves the Title of Negusa Nagast or King of Kings CHAP. XVIII Of the Princes that are Tributary to the Kings of Ethiopia and of others subject to him that claim absolute Dominion in their own Territories Tributary Princes never Forty much less Sixty Gregory acknowledg'd but Four appointed by the King for a time That Dignity hereditatary to some few The next equally Subject The reason All call'd Servants even the Queen herself which seem'd very severe to the Portugals The same Custom among the Rasses The Kings Pavilion sacred The strange behaviour of Suppliants and various manners of supplicating How the King carries himself toward Suppliants The Ceremonies of Suppliants among the Turks and the Indians The gentleness of the European Princes begets them love THat the Kings of Ethiopia formerly had several Tributary Kings under them we have already declar'd (f) This Dam. de Goez relates of him in his Book concerning the State and Kingdom of Presbyter John 11.11 Matthew the Armenian reckn'd them up tho untruly to the number of Fifty tho most erroneously Nor did they write with more Truth who tell us of Fifty or Forty when as they have not so many Vice-Roys Gregory knew but Four that is so say the Kings of Sennar Dancala Garaga and Enarea As for the King of Sennar he has often revolted and made Warr upon the Abessines The King of Dencala is a firm Allie but oblig'd to no sort of Tribute All the rest whether Kings or Governors are by the King himself appointed to govern such and such Kingdoms and Provinces and are only pro tempore Some few there are that claim a supreme Dignity by right of Inheritance But all of Royal descent and all other of the Nobility who are reputed to derive their Pedigrees from the Israelitish Race are equally subject to the King without any distinction of Dukes Earls Marquesses and Barons as (g) Ibid. n. 13. There are saith he in Abassia Lords Dukes Earls and Barons innumerable I would be willing to know how they are call'd in the Ethiopic Language Matthew fabulously asserts For the Kings of Ethiopia as most of the Eastern Kings deem it not a decent thing to command Illustrious Families Not believâ—ng that Servitude can be expected from those that are accustom'd to Command themselves Moreover they presume that Hereditary Dignity is an obstruction to Vertue that Men are more certainly made than born great and that they will prove more faithful whom they have rais'd from the Dust then such as claim their Fortunes from their Ancestors Therefore the Kings of Ethiopia accompt themselves onely Lords all others they look upon as Servants in that particular not sparing their Brothers or their Kindred So that when they bestow any Government upon them they use this form We have created our Servant such a one Governour of this or that Province Nor do they ever discourse them but in the singular number Thou whereas we generally make use in our Language of the second person plural No other Epithite do they afford their own Queens tho of the highest Rank of Nobility We have caus'd to Raign that is We have taken to Wife our Servant such a one Nor do they disdain these Titles but on the contrary call themselves reciprocally his Servants This word Servant was very ill digested by a generous Portuguese as looking upon the title of Slave to be a disgrace to him that was a Freeman And therefore he offer'd a good Summ of Money to him that according to Custome was to proclaim the Government conferr'd upon him to leave out the word Servant and onely to proclaim his bare name but could not obtain it Nor is the Negus of Ethiopia
himself to the Pope But in regard he durst not adventure to do it publickly he first conjur'd Peter not to reveal the Secret and then told him That he was Convinc'd by his Arguments that there was no other Universal Pastor and Vicar of Christ upon Earth beside the Pope of Rome That to deny it to him was to deny it to Christ that whoever did not follow his Example was not of the true Church and that therefore he had Decreed to request a Patriarch and Fathers from Rome to instruct his People Altho so sudden and so unexpected a Declaration of a King could not choose but infuse a joy unspeakable into the heart of Peter yet he contain'd himself only what his duty bound him to he could not but highly extol the Pious Intentions of the King Nor did the King delay The Secret with which he had trusted Peter under Oath he himself made Publick and presently set forth an Edict That no Person should any longer observe the Sabbath as a Holy day And indeed he was so forward that Peter was fain to check his Celerity and put a stop to his Career However Letters were written to Clement the VIII and Philip the Third King of Spain and Portugal and deliver'd to Peter's care for their safe and honourable conveyance In these Letters he offer'd his Friendship his Soldiers and his Workmen and withal requested some of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus to instruct his Subjects These things were not so privately carry'd but that they were discover'd by some of the chief Nobility of the Kingdom who were no way satisfy'd at these underminings of their ancient Religion wherefore they conspir'd against their Prince and flew him in Battel Zadenghel being slain all Peter's great Hopes vanish'd of a sudden not only through Zadenghel's fall but by reason of the Civil Wars that ensu'd between Jacob and Susneus contending for the Royal Diadem And so all Promotion of the Roman Religion surceas'd till Jacob being vanquish'd and kill'd in the Field Susneus became Lord of Habessinia Who again kindly receiv'd and entertain'd Peter together with his Companions and to all his Requests lent a most gracious Ear. The Ecclesiastical Affairs of Habessinia were then but in a Low Condition there not having bin any Peace in the Country for about Fourscore years so that perpetual Wars had almost extinguish'd the Studies of peaceful Arts nor were there enough to perform Religious Duties in their Churches but less to obviate the Encroachment of insinuating Errors and Abuses in Religion The Metropolitans Persons for the most part the most ignorant that could be imagin'd took no more Cognizance of the Churches which they were appointed to govern then if they had bin under Foreign Jurisdiction only they took up their time in the Ordination of all sorts without any due Examination Therefore the King and his Nobility observing the Diligence of the Fathers in instructing the Habessine Youth their Zeal in the Conversion of the People their Eloquence in Preaching unheard of before their Sanctity of living so necessary among Neophytes and Proselytes were possess'd with so much Admiration and Affection toward them that they could promise to themselves no other way for restoring their decay'd Ecclesiastical Worship but by their means Therefore Letters were sent to the Pope and the King of Spain to request their Friendship and the Assistance of the Portugueses Peter Pays enlarg'd upon the same Subject and added much more concerning the King's Affection to the Roman Religion Frequent Disputations also were appointed of which the chief Theme was concerning the two Natures in Christ which being easily demonstrable out of the Writings of the Habessines themselves gave the Fathers great Advantage over the Ethiopian Doctors The Chiefest of all the Nobility Ras-Seelaxus the King's Brother by the Mother's side publickly professed the Roman Religion and receiv'd the Eucharist openly according to the Roman Manner whose example many of the Great Commanders in the Army both Collonels and Captains follow'd especially seeing the King's favour so constant toward the Fathers of the Society At length the King himself having receiv'd the Answer of Paul the V. in a Letter dated the 31 of January 1623. Promis'd to yield him Obedience as Universal Pastor of the Church and that he would admit a Patriarch sent from Rome so that necessary Succors were sent him withal without which it was impossible to accomplish a business of so much Difficulty and Importance He also signified his Intentions to send an Embassador with Father Antonio Fernandez after another manner and in another Equipage then had yet bin usual To say truth the King publickly favour'd the Roman Religion without any opposition in regard that the Sword had cut off the greatest part of the stiffest and most obstinate Defenders of the Alexandrian Worship Only the Monks remain'd behind who were baffled still in all their Attempts of Dispute Therefore the King to the end he might make it manifest to his whole Kingdom that he had not rashly but upon Mature Deliberation and as it were overcome by the force of Truth given way to a new Religion appointed a Solemn Dispute where he enjoyn'd most of the Nobility of his Kingdom to be present The Subject of the Disputation was again the repeated Question concerning the two Natures in Christ as if that had bin the utmost limit of all their Controversies And no question it might be true what Tellez has written that the Habessines were vanquish'd upon the first onset For the reality of the thing supported by so many Authorities and Reasons afforded an easie Victory Nevertheless there was another Dispute appointed some few days after which prov'd no less successful than the former Wherefore the King as if the War had now bin at an end and that now Truth had merited her Triumph put forth an Edict that all Persons for the future should believe and hold That there were two Natures in Christ between themselves really distinct but united in one Divine Person This Edict was little regarded by one particular Monk more wilful and stubborn than truly zealous who being for his Contumacy brought before the King and speaking in his presence more irreverently than became him was severely Scourg'd for his sawciness Of the Pain and Anguish of which Chastisement tho the Monk was only sensible yet the fear of it kept others in awe who not understanding that he was punish'd for his malapertness thought he had bin so severely dealt with for denying the two Natures These things being spread abroad Simeon the Metropolitan at that time absent hastens to the King with his Complaints That unusual things had bin done without his knowledge and that Disputes about Religion had bin appointed in his absence The King well understanding how unable he was to grapple with the Fathers in Dispute made him answer That since he was come he would appoint the same Disputations to be heard over again To which Simeon had not a
Letters and manner of Reading Chap. II. Of their Books and Learning their Lawyers and Physitians certain of their Opinions in Philosophy their Poetry Chap. III. Of the Appellative Names of Men used by the Habessines Chap. IV. Of their Domestick Oeconomie Matrimy Polygamie Dyet Habitations and Burials Chap. V. Of their Mechanic Arts and Trades Chap. VI. Of their manner of Travelling and the several ways into Ethiopia Chap. VII Of their Merchandize and the Commodities of the Country THE HISTORY OF ETHIOPIA OR THE KINGDOM of the ABESSINES I Am now about to write the History of the Abessines concerning whom there have been many large but few true Relations For these People having translated themselves from the Maritime Regions of the Arabian Gulf into the more upland Parts of Africa by reason their Commerce with Foreigners has been very inconsiderable have been known to very few of the Europeans Besides that the Name of Ethiopians which they assume to themselves is common to so many Nations that it has render'd their History very ambiguous for that many things generally spoken of the Ethiopians were more particularly attributed to the Abessines Neither were they wanting to their own honour while they appropriated to themselves whatever was said either in Scripture or elsewhere to their advantage Others there are who to wast their idle hours and designing some fabulous Inventions or to represent the Platform of some Imaginary Common-Wealth have chosen Ethiopia for the Subject of their Discourse Believing they could not more pleasantly Romance or more safely license Age and then an Exile for that contrary to the King's Command he had followed the Fathers of the Society into India and consequently exercised in Misfortune he had laid aside all Levity and Ostentation the Vices of Fortunate Youth So that although in truth I was sufficiently able by vertue of his Instructions and the knowledge which I obtained from him of the Ethiopic Language to have out done all those that have gone before me yet I was unwilling to refell the Errors of others upon the Credit of one single Person till I had more Authorities to support me Nor did I therefore underake this difficult Task only to consume my leisure hours in confuting the Errors or mustering up the different Opinions of Authors without any prospect of Publick-Benefit The History it self of this Nation deserves the Labour of an Accurate Pen. For whether you consider the Temper of the Clime or the Condition of the Soyl you shall hardly find in any other Part of the World more frequent Miracles of Nature The Countrey is situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equinoctial Line and enjoys a wonderful variety of Air The Champion Levels feel the Heat the Hilly Parts are no less subject to Cold. For this reason the Thunders are most dreadful and frequent Tempests terrifie both Man and Beasts Their Prodigious Mountains over-look the Clouds themselves Neither Olympus nor Athos here accounted Wonders nor Atlas it self which the Ancients fancied to be the Support of Heaven are to be compared with them Their Rocks of various Shapes and Figures so amazingly steep as not to be ascended yet inhabited Their surrounded Valleys rugged and representing Abysses for profundity Metals they also have but chiefly Gold did they know how to find and dig it forth Their dryest places in Winter are overflowed in Summer For those Advantages which the Rains afford the Fields in other places the Rivers supply in Ethiopia Among those Rivers Nilus for vastness and fame far exceeds all the Rivers of the whole World Whose Fountains so diligently sought by the Ancients are not only here found but it also now appears that the River Niger is no more than its left Channel Nor do all the Rivers of Habassia as in other Places empty themselves into the Sea but are some of them suckt up in the Sand so that it is more difficult to find the Mouths of those than the Sources of other Streams Plants they have of admirable Vertue and Beasts of all sorts many of which are unknown to us The largest also both of Foul and four-footed Beasts are here to be found The celebrated Unicorn so curiously sought for in all other Corners of the World was first seen here Cattel without number much larger than ours feed in the vast Woods affording Pasture sufficient as well for the Wild as Tame Nor is the variety of the Nations and People less to be admired so strangely differing in Language Customs and Ceremonies that it may be thought some distinct Part of the World rather than a particular Kingdom However all Abessinia Obeys one King who by reason of certain Princes that are subject to him calls himself Negusa nagast zait joperia King of the Kings of Ethiopia He derives his Descent from Solomon King of the Israelites by an ambitious tho dubious Claim defending the long series of his Family whether true or false with the force of Antiquity However it be this is certain That the Monarchy of the Abessines and the Royal Line are no less Ancient than any among the Europeans And for their Power they were formerly more Potent than any other of the African Kings But their Wars in the preceding Age with the Adelenses has brought them very low Afterwards they were so debilitated by the Fury of the Gallani that Abessinia is scarce to be found in Habessinia it self if you compare it with what it was in the times of Alvarezius But that which deserves the greatest admiration is the antiquity of the Christian Religion which first began under S. Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria at what time Frumentius Preached among them the Opinions and Ceremonies of which Church they still retain So that many Primitive Rites in other Places obsolete are here still in Use But that deplorable Schism which arose in the Council of Calcedon for which they alledge other Causes than our Writers do withdrew the Abessines all together from the Catholick Church at that time Flourishing while they followed the Patriarch of the Jacobites and rejected the Patriarch of the Melchites Yet all this while for so many Ages they have suffered no considerable Change in their Divine Worship till the beginning of this last Century at what time being split into Divisions by the Artifices of the Jesuits they have been cruelly shaken with Civil Discord and Bloody Wars some Adhering to the Romish other the Alexandrian Religion Of which and other things it is our Design to treat more fully in this our History and so to handle the matter as to discourse in the First Book Of Natural Things as the Situation and Names of the several Counties the Temper of the Climate the Condition of the Soyl the several Customs and Languages of the Nations and Inhabitants In the Second Book Of the Political Government the Succession of their Kings their Laws their Acts of War the Revenue of the Kingdom and the like In the Third Of their Ecclesiastical Affairs the
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
writing to the Pope uses only this Introduction Let the little book of the Letter from Malec-Saghed King of the Kings of Ethiopia come to the hands of the Holy Roman Patriarch In the same manner writing to the King of Spain Let the little book of the Epistle or Letter from Atznasf-Sagned King of the Kings of Ethiopia come to the hands of our Brother the Lord Philip King of the Kings of Spain Thus he also writes to his Subjects Let the Codicile of the Letter sent from Sultan-Saghed King of the Kings of Ethiopia come to the hands of our Servant N. N. Hear what we say to thee and what wee write to thee But Tellezius a Person of a more excellent Wit condemns and laughs at this Catalogue of which he accompts Damianus-Goez to be the Author He himself produces another as appears by the Order of the Kings and the years of their Reigns wherein he has traced the Succession as far back as from King Solomon trusting to the Credit and Tradition of the Habessines So that he numbers ninety and nine Kings but does not name them all He also omits all the Kings of the Zagean Family as unlawful Successors though it be the part of a Historian to recount as well the evil as the good the unjust as well as the just Princes in honour of their Virtues and in detestation of their Vices Moreover he says it is not the least part of that Glory which belongs to the Abbessines that they have such a long and ancient Series of Kings Nor is it to be question'd that though they cannot fetch their pedigree from Solomon yet they are able to deduce it from Atzbeha and Abreha two Brothers under whom the Christian Religion was first received among the Axumites and may contend for antiquity of descent with the most ancient Royal Families of Europe not to speak of the diuturnity of the Monarchy which is much more ancient Formerly the (i) See the learned Egyptian Cronical Canon of Sr. John Marsham and the Authors by him cited Egyptians boasted the antiquity of their Kingdom before that of all other Nations The (k) See John Newhoff's description of China c. 8. Chineses extend the Pedigree of their Kings beyond the Flood Johannes Magnus reckons up Kings of Swedland from the Deluge Others in other places take the same liberty whether out of love to flatter or fiction I cannot tell as if there were more pleasure in deceiving the Credulous then shame in being deceived by the Wise For no wise men will contaminate their works with such Fables or if indeed such Kings had ever been what does it signifie to them or their posterity if nothing more be known of them but only a monstrous kind of a name Our Gregorie had never (l) See the Catalogue annexed to Tzagaxi's fabulous History and Jerome Veechietti c. 39. heard of that same Cusus not his Nephevvs whom these Genealogy Writers put in the Front But being ask'd concerning King Arwe he made answer that there was an ancient Tradition among them that the most ancient Ethiopians worship'd for their God a huge Serpent in that language called Arwe-midre Whence it came to pass that some would have Arwe for the first King but however that he was slain by one Angab who for that bold attempt was created King and had for his Successors Sabanut and Gedut Tellez omitting all these Ethnic Kings as fictitious begins from the Queen of Sheba whom we shall follow rejecting that fabulous and corrupt Catalogue which numbers up a hundred seventy and two CHAP. III. Of the Salomonean Family which is said to have its Original from Menile-heck the Queen of Sheba's Son who came to visit Salomon The Ethiopians derive their Kings from the Queen of Sheba The relations of Tellez and Josephus Both reconcil'd The Tradition of the Arabians Their Contention with the Abessines Mendez his Argumuets for the Abessines The Opinions of Tellez and Gregorie The Author suspends his judgment for several reasons WE find in Sacred Writt that we may begin at the Fountain of Antiquity that the Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem to hear and behold the Wisdom of Salomon and that she brought along with her precious Gifts as Gemms Gold and Spices Our Saviour tells us A Queen of the South 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that came from the ends of the Earth to hear the Wisdom of Salomon The Ethiopic version renders the Queen of the South Nagasta-Azeb (m) Tellez erroneously takes Azeb for a proper name p. 63. which signifies the same thing Her therefore the Ethiopians assert to be their Queen and have her History written at large but mix'd with sundry Fables We shall transcribe the Summ of it out of Tellez who saith That the Queen of Ethiopia Maqueda understanding from her Merchant Tamerin the certainty of the Report which had bin spread abroad concerning the great Power and Wisdom of Salomon with a great train of her Nobility and Royal presents gave him an Interview at his own Court where she learnt from him the true Worship of God And at her return after a certain space of time she brought forth her Son Menilehec begot by Salomon and whom he had nam'd David This young Prince was afterwards sent to Jerusalem to his Father where by his order and care he was Exactly instructed in the Law of God Being grown up he was anointed King of Ethiopia and sent back into his own Kingdom accompany'd with several noble Israelites and Doctors of the Law who were joyn'd with him as Friends and Companions and Ministers of State among the rest went also Azaria the Son of Zadoc the High Priest And this is that Prince from whom all the Habessine Kings and the chiefest of the Nobility derive their Pedegrees to this day But then follows a Tale no less insipid then misbecoming the new King That these noble Jews nefariously and Sacrilegiously took away with them the Ark of the Covenant together with the Tables of the Ten Commandements the Temple being carelesly lookt after and the Gates being left open as it were by the Providence of God Presently the Mother upon his return resign'd her Kingdom to her Son David obliging him and all the Nobility of the Nation That they should never for the future admit a Woman to rule over them but onely males of the Line of David But it has bin the Long and Serious Enquiry of the Ancients of what Countrey and of what Progenie this same Queen of Sheba was Josephus while he writes the Antiquities of the Jews an Author not to be contemn'd tho in Forraign matters not so well vers'd affirms her to be one Nicaule mentioned hy Herodotus And yet in the Modern Editions of Herodotus there is no such Name to be found unless she should be the same whom he calls Nitocris That Nicaule according to Josephus was not onely Queen of Ethiopia but of Egypt in which 't is to be fear'd he is foully
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
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
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
was equally Venerable as are most of the Princes of the Royal Blood of Habessinia in the most flourishing years of pleasing Youth and through his Experience of Adversity and Prosperity worthy of the high degree to which he had arriv'd and which was more than all mild and ready to Forgive For among all the crow'd of so many Enemies he never punish'd any as by Law he might have done but without any disgrace suffer'd them to continue in their several Offices and in the same degrees of Honour even the Queen her self so mild and gentle even to a fault is the Disposition of those Kings saith Tellezius Moreover he behav'd himself with an undaunted Courage in all sorts of Danger For he had hardly grasp'd the Helm of Government in his hands when the Gallans understanding the Divisions at Court fell into Habessinia with three Armies and overthrew the Governor of Gojam who presum'd to fight against the King's Command whereupon the King arriving soon after leading an Army tir'd by a long March with a greater Courage than Force he assail'd the Enemy who pufft up with Victory bore down the Habessines with so much Violence that the Captains finding their Battalions recoil perswaded the King to betake himself to an early flight When he disdaining the motion as arguing Effeminacy leapt from his Horse and advancing with his Sword and Buckler cry'd out Here will I die you if you please may flye perhaps you may escape the fury of the Gallans but never the Infamy of deserting your King The Habessines mov'd with such a Speech and the Countenance of their Prince cast themselves into a Globe and with a Prodigious fury like Men prepar'd to dye broke in among the Gallans and constrain'd them to give back which the Fugitives perceiving presently return'd and renewing the Fight gain'd a glorious Victory with such a Slaughter of the Enemy that a greater had not been made among them at any other time The King believing that the Advantages of such a Victory were not to be let slip did not indulge himself to be as soon overcome with Banquets and Luxury under pretence of Refreshment but with a swift March led his Army over Mountains and Rocks against the other Body of the Enemy which with the same success he put to Flight The third Army not daring to withstand the force of the Habessine retreated into the Fastnesses of their Country Of these Four hundred thought themselves secure with their Prey in a steep and almost inaccessible Mountain But the Habessines now contemning their Enemies already terrify'd with the Slaughter of their own People couragiously drave them from their Holds and slew them every Mothers Son About the same time Peter Pays a Jesuit arriving in Habessinia at the Request of the King went to Court and so oblig'd him with several Discourses concerning Matters as well Ecclesiastical as Civil that at first privately then publickly he embrac'd the Latin Religion which he testify'd by Letters as well to the Pope as to the King of Spain then Philip the Third and preferr'd the Portugueses before his own Habessinians But this same Kindness of his to Strangers and a Foreign Religion begat him the Hatred of his People and caus'd his own Destruction For the Nobility of the Kingdom took it in great disdain to see their Ancient Religion chang'd and that the Patriarch of Alexandria should be deserted And they were the more enflam'd out of their Envy to the Portugals and the Rancour which they bore to Laeca-Marjam the King 's principal Friend Therefore they Conspire against him among themselves The Head of the Faction was one Saslac born of mean Parentage but of great fame for his Experience in War and for that reason proud He was exil'd by Jacob but recall'd by Za-Denghel and made Governor of Dembea consequently ungrateful and out of an inbred Stubborness frowardly disdaining Obedience Ras-Athanasius was drawn into this Society a famous Captain and a Man of great Conduct and being first in Dignity frown'd to see that he was but Second in the King's Favour and therefore he proves a Traitor to a most excellent King as one that had forgot who set the Crown upon his Head But the Cause of Religion was the main pretence the most prevalent to put the Minds of People into disorder for they were not ignorant what Preparations were making at Court for the introducing of the Latin Religion Frequent Complaints were therefore divulg'd abroad That the King was Revolted from the Church of Alexandria the Common Mother Church and that there was nothing intended by his frequent Discourses and familiarity with the Jesuits but the Abrogation of the Institutions of their Ancestors and the Introduction of new Ceremonies and Foreign Priests into the Kingdom That the Portugals would come in and establish their Religion by force of Arms and when they had done that would endeavour also to take the Kingdom from them That it behov'd them to succour their Distressed Countrey and that such a King was not to be endur'd who had first deserted the True Worship of God These things were easily inculcated into those that were of the same mind before But there was nothing which alienated so much the minds of the People as that the Portugueses had been heard to say That the Reduction so they call'd the Conversion of Ethiopia was but vainly attempted if it could not be upheld by force of Arms. The King having detected the Conspiracy calls the Portugueses together confiding in them as Foreigners and Men of the Latin Religion then marching with all speed toward Gojam he was deserted by the way first by Ras-Athanasius whom tho he suspected he durst not apprehend then by Jonael one of his Principal Captains Their example many others following forsake the King The King seeing himself left with a slender Guard applying himself to Peter Pays spoke these words This therefore befalls me because I am desirous to shew them the way of Truth and to set free the Weak from the Oppression of the more Powerful Thereupon Peter and the Commander of the Portugueses John Gabriel advis'd him to Protract the War till the heat of the Rebels fury waxed cool that his Friends with his Innocent Subjects would repair to his Assistance that the rest would in time come to themselves and repent their folly That Sedition was like a Torrent violent at first but that it abated by degrees But the King impatient of delay look'd upon Protraction as a Diminution of his Honour and being too full of Courage and in his boyling Youth resolv'd to try the Fortune of War that rarely accompanies rashness before the Rebels should encrease their Numbers So he Marches with a small Army of scarce Twelve thousand Men thinking to fall upon them e're they were aware of his coming This over-hastiness had but ill success For most of his Adversaries were Men experienc'd in War who did not follow their business negligently and besides they were as
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
friendship cannot long remain in one and the same Brest and that the fruit of Treason being reap'd there is no farther need of the Traitor the King commanded him to be apprehended and carried away into the steep Mountain of Gueman in the Kingdom of Gojam He would not put him to death as not believing it became a noble Prince to take away a mans life for fear of a future crime But he making his Escape about a year after invaded Waleka where having gather'd together some Troops of Vagabonds and dissolute Persons he supported himself by Robbery and Rapine till at last making his Incursions into Gojam he was there slain by the Pagans His head being brought to the King was fix'd upon a Lance and set up before the Royal Pavillion to be view'd by all the World no man pitying his misfortune in regard that all people knew his advancement had cost the loss of so many innocent lives Not so inglorious was the end of Ras-Athanasius and yet sufficiently miserable For he every day losing more and more of the Kings favour was at length the contempt of all men Insomuch that his wife the daughter of Malec-Saghed unaccustom'd to brook indignities forsook his bed Thus once the next to Supream authority now the next to most dejected misery not able to o'recome the anguish of his mind he fell into a Fever of which he dy'd But Susneus to establish himself in his Dominion by all ways courted the friendship of the Portugueses as being skilful in the art of Gunnery and Fire-arms the chiefest terror of those Nations hoping that not without reason by their assistance to defend himself as well against his own Subjects too much addicted to Tumults and Seditions as the Kindred and Friends of the slain Kings And not only so but to render himself formidable to the Gallans To that purpose he kindly receiv'd the Fathers of the Society then living in Dembea He sent for Peter-Pays and most courteously gave ear to him and treated him as his familiar Friend And as he was favourable and bountiful to them so did he dayly afford many testimonies of his kindness to the rest of the Portugueses and the more to oblige them he set up the Latin Religion nothing terrify'd by the example of Za-denghel And indeed the Fathers had such a power over him that at length he surrender'd himself to the Pope and together with his Son sware obedience to him as Universal Bishop and Vicar of Christ abrogating the Religion of Alexandria Which was afterwards the occasion of horrid uproars bloody wars and the slaughter of many great Personages But the possession of a Kingdom won by the Sword seldom enjoys a perfect tranquility especially when the death of the Predecessor comes be in question For presently that is to say the very next year up starts a counterfeit Jacob who alarum'd all Habessinia with the fear of a new War Some there were that acknowledg'd they both knew and saw the dead body of King Jacob after the blood was wip'd away but no man durst assert himself to be the Person that kill'd him The Counterfeit therefore addresses himself to the Monks of the famous Monastery of Bizan in the prefecture of Bahrnagassus where he remain'd and to hide the fraud as if his face had bin disfigur'd with his wounds went always vail'd Nor was it long before his Story was believ'd Not so much out of respect to his own Person as out of malice to Susneus whom they hated as a Person that was unknown to them and by his exilement inur'd to the Savage Customs of the Gallans Neither were they pleas'd with Raas-Seelech his brother by the Mother's side whom he had made Viceroy of Tigra whom they look'd upon also as a forraigner So that he not being able himself to quell the Disturbances the King was forc'd to advance himself But the Rebels having intelligence of his coming fled several ways to avoyd fighting Their Captain with only four of his Associates and some few Goats which he carry'd with him for their milks sake secur'd themselves by a painful Pilgrimage through the most wild and uncouth concealments of Nature that the Rocks could afford him where it was impossible to trace him So that the King dispairing after a tedious search to find him out return'd to Dembea and having solemniz'd his Inauguration at Axuma after the ancient Custom of the Country he made Ansalax Governor of Tigra in the room of his Brother who afterwards by the help of two Noblemen that counterfeited themselves their friends having apprehended the Rebels put them to death But what was more strange our Europe it self could not some time after discern an Aethiopian Counterfeit of the same name For in the Year 1631. a certain Impudent Counterfeit by the names of (i) For so the Ethiopic word Tzaga Christos is pronounced There is a Relation of this Person extant Entitl'd The Strange Accidents of the Travels of His Highness Prince Zaga-Christ of Ethiopia c. very absurd and full of Fables Tzagax assuming to himself to be the Son of Jacob came into France and producing several Recommendatory Letters and Certificates from the Credulous Monks of Palestine was taken for a Great Prince and expell'd Heir to the Kingdom of Ethiopia and Entertain'd with a large Pension from the King after the Example of some of the Princes of Italy which is to consider what may be Correspondent with their Munificence toward an Exile of so great Dignity rather then to enquire who he really is Which was to be admir'd For that both at Rome and in Portugal there were at that time extant several annual Relations by which it was apparent that Jacob was slain in Battel Young and never marry'd above Twenty years before But that which added to the Credit of the Impostor was his graceful Presence with a Countenance wherein Seriousness and Frankness were wonderfully intermix'd that while he kept company with other Princes as Bochart himself told me he seem'd to excel them all both for beauty of form and sweetness of disposition and particularly that his Majestick Aspect strook all his beholders with admiration Whether that Beauty were really in his Person or whether the Novelty of the thing or the Opinion that he was of the Race of Salomon byass'd their Judgments Tho otherwise no reason could be given why he acted the part of the Son of an Ethiopian King unless it were to contend with (k) Relating to the Daughters of Thespius Hercules or (l) See Suetonius in Claud. Juvenal Sat. 6. Tacit. Annal. l. XI Plin. X. 23. Messalina for the prize of most enormous Lust And indeed it may be thought that fearing his Imposture should be discover'd he rather chose to bring himself to his end by the pleasing debaushes of Luxury than to fall under the Hangman Being dead he was branded with this Epitaph Cy gist le Roy d'Ethiopie L'Original ou la Copie Here lyes the King
of Ethiopie Th' Original or else the Copie Gregory being question'd concerning him made answer That the Report of him reach'd Egypt and the Countries next adjoyning and he had heard from the Governess of Ruma being a Woman of noble descent that Tzagax came to her and told her he was the Son of Arzo who was the Brother of Zadenghel the Son of Lesana and Grandchild to Menas The same thing he affirm'd to his Countrymen in Egypt and to those that liv'd at Jerusalem For to them he did not dare to counterfeit himself the Son of Jacob in regard they well knew that Jacob was slain in the Eighteenth year of his Age or thereabout without any legitimate off-spring But for Arzo he liv'd an obscure life and whether he had any Children or no there was no body knew Let us now therefore return to Susneus Susneus descended from the Royal Line bigg tall and strong Limb'd and in such a Body a large Soul His Countenance affable and pleasing with a high Nose and thin Lips nothing different from the Europeans but only in colour He was Prudent Courteous and Liberal and well read in the Ethiopic Books and which is most necessary to him that will ruffle for a Crown he was Warlike Patient of Labour and had among the Gallans learnt to be Content with any sort of Dyet However he was unhappy during his Reign by reason of his continual Wars and the frequent Rebellions of his Subjects whom he sent to compel by force to submit to what he thought convenient to enjoyn them He swore obedience to the Pope before he had weigh'd what benefit he might get by it And therefore toward his latter End he was forc'd to indulge that Liberty for the maintaining of which many Thousands had already lost their Lives He dy'd in September in the Year 1632. leaving several Sons and Daughters behind him Basilides by his Inauguration name Seltan Saghed after the Death of Marc his Eldest Brother succeeded the Father Who to quiet the Minds of his Subjects Exterminated the Jesuits together with their Patriarch out of all his Dominions so that he would not permit the Portugals a Priest to say Mass which the severity of Menas allow'd them All the rest of his Brothers if the Fidelity of Tellezius do not here give way to his Passion he put to death upon bare allegation of Crimes committed Neither do we know any thing more of certainty concerning him he refusing any farther Commerce with the Europeans for fear of the Forces for which he heard the Fathers were solliciting both at Rome and in Portugal to revenge the Indignities he had put upon them After this I saw certain Letters which the King of Abysinia Af-Saghed the Son of Alam Saghed sent to the Governour of Batavia written in Arabic of which we shall have occasion to say more in another place for I am not certain whether or no Basilides did not make use of a double Sirname nor whether he were the Father of that same Af-Saghed I have here inserted a Genealogic Table of the Last Kings of Habessinia which I had from Gregory but now more Corrected out of Tellezius A GENEALOGIC TABLE of the Kings of Habessinia from BAEDA-MARJAM Son of Zara-Jacob Grandchild of Amda-Jesu who liv'd about the year of Christ 1460. to the Reign of Basilides 1632 c. BAEDA-Marjam Son of Zara-Jacob otherwise Amda Jesu Born about the year 1465. whose Second Wife was Helena 1. ALEXANDER came to the Crown about the year 1475 and dyed without Children 1490. 2. AMDA-SION dy'd in the year 1491. after he had Reign'd Six Months 3. Naod fetch'd from the Rock of Amhara to the Crown dy'd in the year 1504. leaving his Widow Moghesa behind 1. N.N. The Eldest born in the Rock Amhara before his Father came to the Crown therefore forc'd to yield to the Second Brother 2. David Sirnam'd Etana-Denghel Lebna-Denghel and Wanag-Denghel Born about the year 1492. made King 1504. dy'd 1540. leaving his Widow Kabelo-Wanghel behind 3. Romana Warck wife 1. to N. N. 2. to Abucher 4. N. N. who Escap'd from the Rock of Amhara 1. Victor in the Field Slain before his Father's Death 2. Claudius Sirnam'd Atnaf-Saghed Born toward the end of 1522 made King 1540. Slain March 1559. in a Battel against the Adelans 3. Jacob dy'd before his Brother Claudius 4. Menas Sirnam'd Adamaes-Saghed made King 1559. Slain in Battel April 20. 1562. 5. N. 6. N. 7. N. three Daughters of whom Alvarez c. 61. Tascar's Natural Son made King by the Rebels in Opposition to his Uncle taken in Fight July 1561. and thrown Head-long from a Rock 2. Basilides Slain in a Battel against the Gallans His Wife was Hamel-Mala the Viceroy of Amhara's Widow who had Three Sons Rasselach Afach and Almanach 3. Zertza-Denghel otherwise Malech-Saghed made King 1562 and dy'd 1579. His Wife was Marjam-Sena AQUIETER ABALE Lecanaxos Susneus Sirnam'd Malech Saghed then Seltan Saghed Born 1571. made King Jacob being slain March 10. 1607. dy'd Sept. 1632. He had many Wives but dismissed all except the First N. N. The Wife of Ras-Athanasius Jacob a Natural Son Born 1589. Made King at 7 years of Age call'd the Infant King depos'd 1603 Recall'd 1604. Slain March 10. 1607. Za-Marjam another Natural Son Za-Denghel alias Atznaf-Saghed Born 1577 Slain in Battel by his own Son Octob. 13. 1604. Arzo whose Son Tzaga-Christos called himself Lecanaxos Marcus These two Deceas'd before their Father Malacotawit Wife of Elias Viceroy of Tigra-Basilides sirnam'd Seltan-Saghed then Alam-Saghed Born 1607. made King 1632. Claudius Basilides Brother by the Father's side Canafraxos Jacobus Justus Za-Denghel Za-Marjam Lebna-Denghel and others For as Tellez writes he left 25 Sons and many Daughters behind him as Wanghelawit the Wife of Tecla George Viceroy of Tigra N. Wife of Za-Marjam Viceroy of Bagemdra N. Wife of Anda Michael Bahrnagash 1. Constantine dy'd before his Father 2. Justus 3. David 4. John 5. Becuerta-Christos Wife to the Viceroy of Tigra with others whose Names are not known Place this Table in the Second Book between Folio 192 193. CHAP. VIII Of the Royal Succession and the Imprisonment of the Kings Children in the Rock Geshen now quite out of use Certain Succession the Safety of Kingdoms Two Bonds of Government How far Prudence how far Nobility and Power prevail Election not alwayes to be preferr'd before Succession more agreeable to Liberty The Males only succeed in Abassia Their Claim dubious hence Wars The Inconveniencies of Hereditary Kingdoms The ill Events of uncertain Succession The Imprisonment of the Kings Children Tellezius's Relation of it The Custom for 300 Years abrogated by Naod Alvarez's Relation it disagrees with Tellezius reconcil'd No president for half a Century The pleasantness of those Rocks fabulous The severe usage of those Princes there The severity of the Governour displeasing to the Prince pleas'd him when King FRom what has bin said it appears that the Succession of the Kings of Habessinia is uncertain
and that there is no great difference made between the Legitimate and he Illegitimate However the most assured Safety of Kingdoms consists in a Constant and Establish'd Settlement of Succession But if in Hereditary Kingdoms it may be lawful either for the King to choose one of his Sons or if it may be lawful for the Nobility not so much to regard the order of birth as the disposition and conditions of him that is to govern or to respect the favour of the People War and Sedition must of necessity follow They that are set aside will never be quiet nor shall they want Factious Abettors and Associates The Grand Pretence more Especially in Elective Kingdoms is this That Conditions cannot be distinguish'd by Nativities but the best may be taken by Election and Judgment A specious pretence in words but vain in Reality while the Imbecility of human Nature prevails which is guided by the affections and obeys rather Favour and Hatred than Virtue which usually happens in great Assemblies But there are two Pillars which sustain the Safety of great Monarchies Reverence and Authority which they that Govern never can reconcile to themselves either by Wisdom or Probity alone For there are many who will esteem themselves if not their Superiors yet their Equals and men very unwillingly obey their Equals much less their Inferiours so that it is altogether vain and pedantic what Plato writes concerning the Felicity of Kingdoms That they should be Govern'd by Philosophers while other Aids are wanting A Philosopher how wise soever would hardly find a Subject that would obey him three days together for his Philosophies sake There ought to be something External and Visible which as well the vulgar and ordinary sort as the prudent Equally acknowledg which is not subjected to the fluctuating and inconstant determination of Men. For this reason in the Election of Kings and Princes Nobility and Power are preferr'd before Wisdom and Sanctity of disposition Yet the one requires the assistance of the other The one is the cause that the Subject willingly and freely obeys the other compels the refractory to submit And therefore because Election does not bring much more advantage to a Kingdom than the chance of birth but is rather liable to Tumults and Seditions many People have (m) The Swedes in the last Century The Danes in our memory The Chineses of old Joh. Newhoft Descript Chin. c. 18. abandon'd it of their own accord However it approaches nearest to Liberty because the Electors may prescribe Laws and Conditions of Government to the Person that is to be Elected tho that same wariness proves many times ineffectual Because the Prince upon refusal either positively cannot or else will be very unwilling to be brought to an accompt So impossible it is that there should be a compleat happiness in this World And therefore it is the part of a good and prudent Statesman to prefer that form of Government which he finds (n) That the Wise call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preserve the present state of the Republic Isoc against Collimalh Established But I return to the Habessines among whom there is this most prudent Constitution That only the Male Issue shall govern or the Male kindred nearest in blood But because the Determination of the Fathers and Mothers and the chief Nobility happens frequently to be intermix'd and that the natural Issue is likewise if male allow'd the same Priviledge for want of Legitimate Off-spring hence it comes to pass that their Successions are most unhappy and turbulent the chief cause of all their Calamities We have already declar'd how Helena with the consent of Marc the Metropolitan preferr'd David the second Son before Naod the Elder Brother as having nothing else to advance him but a meer brutish strength The Civil Wars between Menas and Tazcar his Brothers Eldest Son between the Illegitimate Son of Malec-Saghed and Zadenghel his Legitimate Kinsman and lastly between Jacob and Susneus and all about the doubtful right of Succession are sufficient Arguments to prove what we assert Tellezius indeed declares That according to the Lawes of Ethiopia the natural Sons do not succeed But in another place he so discourses concerning their Law alledging the Example of John the First King of Portugal that the Reader may perceive that he varies in this from his other Relation But the chiefest Inconvenience which uses to arise in hereditary Kingdoms where the Succession is ty'd to a certain Family proceeds either from the sence of Rivalship and a jealousie which they that rule have of them that are nearly related in blood or from their Ambition which always animates the Factious Dismal are the Examples among the Barbarians where there are no Laws or Rules for Succession but all things are at the Will of them that bear sway or else of Fortune her self What ruin'd the Family of the Caesars What the Roman Empire but onely that the Creation of the Emperors was inconstant and unfix'd and at the Will of the Souldiery Certainly it was a great Oversight in Augustus Caesar after he had vanquish'd all his Rivals and had all the Power in his own hands that he ordain'd no certain Settlement of Succession The Emperours of the Turks to prevent the Crimes of their Brothers more impiously put them to death and punish that Disloyalty which perhaps was never intended The Ancient Kings of Abessinia to rid themselves of these Fears were wont to shut up their Brothers under safe Custody where they might abide unknown to turbulent Spirits and so be uncapable of attempting any thing against the raigning Prince and yet be ready to supply the want of Successors The Rocks of Geshen and Ambasel were set apart to this end The whole Story from the Relations of Antonie d' Almeyda runs thus The Emperour Icon Imlac had five Sons others say nine which he lov'd all alike Out of which affection he most imprudently advis'd them to raign all with Equal Power or which was worse to govern by turns The Youngest impatient of the delay of so many Years design'd with himself not to part with the Scepter when once he had got it into his hands but to send away his Brothers to some distant Rock and so continue the Kingdom to his own Posterity But being betrayd by one of his peculiar Friends who rather chose to accept of a reward from the raigning Prince than to expect a guerdon from him that was to raign he was taken in the same snare which he had laid for his Brothers and sent to the Rock Geshen But lest the King might seem to have consulted more for his own than the Security of the Kingdom he also shut up all his own Sons which he then had in the same place After which this Custom continu'd as a Fundamental Law in Ethiopia for above Two hundred and thirty Years by which means the raigning Kings were secur'd from danger of Civil Wars among Brethren till in the Year
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
due Priviledges His Prerogative in Ecclesiastical Affairs was most apparently made manifest by the making of that severe Decree for the abrogating the Latin Worship and restoring that of Alexandria Moreover the King summons the Synods of the Clergy as often as need requires he sends for the Metropolitan out of Egypt exercising plenary Jurisdiction over him and all the rest of his Clergy and punishing them according to the nature of their Offences which the Examples recited by Alvarez sufficiently demonstrate In one thing however he differs from our European Kings that he never nominates to Ecclesiastical Benefices For the Patriarch of Alexandria sends a Metropolitan at the request of the King indeed but he knows not who or what he is He also admitted the Patriarch whom the Pope sent tho not he but the King of Portugal nam'd him Neither are there in Ethiopia any other Ecclesiastical Dignities and therefore the Prerogative of nominating Bishops and Archbishops signifies little or nothing In Seculars he acknowledges no positive Laws And well it were that he did not think himself also altogether free from the Fundamental Laws of his Realm upon which the Safety of the Kingdom depends For Naod dispenc'd with the wholesome Constitutions of his Ancestors by vertue of which the Kings Children were sent to the Rock of Amhara And Malec-Saghed would have preferr'd his natural Son Jacob before his Brothers Legitimate Son Zadenghel both which prov'd very disadvantagious presidents to the whole Nation But such things frequently come to pass where the Kingdome is without Estates For they are the most Trusty Guardians of the Law and the true Bulwarks of the Peoples Liberty against the Encroachments of the Ambitious For they have a more vigilant eye and tender care over the Common-weal of which they are themselves Members than the Friends of Princes whose Fortunes hardly descend to their Heirs so that a man may admire at their Counsels who taking away the Priviledges of Estates endeavour to assume the whole Power into their own hands as deeming every slight bond of the Law to themselves heavy and intollerable So that they are forc'd to distribute those Favours and Kindnesses which are due to their fellow Citizens among the Souldiery whose fidelity is brittle and inconstant not caring who are poor so they be rich and many times the Souldiers turn those Arms which were put into their hands for the defence of their Prince against him being put upon the ferment either by the Ambition or the Wealth of some particular person Which in Habessinia as in all other absolute Goverments frequently happens to the destruction of those that bear the sway He has also the sole disposal of Peace or Warr and indeed all the Prerogatives that a King can claim both the greater and the lesser Regalia are solely at his devotion tho he makes no use of many of them merely because he is ignorant of them as the Prerogative in reference to Metals Coyning of Money and the like As for the liberty of Hunting he grants it to all in regard there are such multitudes of Wild Beasts that breed up and down in the over-grown Woods and high Mountains that it is not onely troublesome but dangerous to find out their haunts by which means that which in other Countries is a Pleasure to the Abessines becomes a Toyl and Detriment One thing is much to be admir'd and rare ev'n among the Turks which is that no private person whether Peasant or Lord except some few can call any thing his own All the Lands and Farms in the Country belong to the King and are held by the Subjects onely at the Kings pleasure so that no man takes it amiss if the King takes away their Lands and bestowes them upon another as he pleases himself and that not onely after two or three years but also the same year they were given So that it often happens that one man ploughs and another man sowes Whence it comes to pass that they are more submissive to their Kings then a Servant to his Master or a Vassal to his Lord they serve him in Peace and War and bring him Presents according to their Ability in hopes of obtaining new Farms or for fear of losing those they have For being commanded out of possession they never grumble but presently obey without the least distast against the King or envy to the person that succeeds in their Room Custome and long use prevailing while they see the same happening to others However there are some ancient and Illustrious Families especially in Tigra who enjoy by right of Inheritance not only Lands and Possessions purchas'd by their Ancestors but some certain Prefectures also retaining their ancient Title as Bahr-Nagash Shum Serawè Sirè Temben and others as also Cantiba in Dembea over whom the King claims no other Authority than to confer the public Employments every two year or yearly or as he pleases upon others yet so as that they be of the same Family CHAP. X. Of the Power and Revenues of the Habessine Kings The Power of the Habessine Kings formerly great Formidable to their Neighbours it fail'd after the Saracens came in Play Yet strong at home till the Adelan War and Incursions of the Gallans Easie to be restor'd The wayes and means Our Princes unkind to Forraign Christians Demonstrated by Examples They took no care of their Sea Ports The Kings Revenues the Natural Commodities of the Country what they are His Tribute Farms Herds the Prices of things low The King has enough to supply him both in Peace and War SO great and so absolute a Power and so uncontroulable a Dominion over their Subjects one would think should render the Kings of Ethiopia vastly Potent and so no doubt it would if other things were correspondent Certainly of old it was vastly great when they kept their Courts at (o) Nonnosus in Bibliothec. Phot. n. 3. calls the Ethiopians the Homerites and Saracens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stoutest of the Nations at that time Axuma for there was no considerable Empire near then to withstand their Fortune and for that cause the adjoyning petty-Princes were all at the devotion of the Habessinian Kings But as to what several have written through mistake or misapplication of the name (p) Scal. in his notes ad Comp. Eccl. Ethiop but I know not by what Authority of their Expeditions into the North parts of Asia they are all meer fables and figments Yet this cannot be deny'd but that formerly they were very terrible to the neighbouring Nations for they made several Expeditions into (q) The Arabians wont to use this Computation From the Invasions of the Abessines For so Altcodajus They computed their years from the Arabians invading Abessina Arabia We have already mention'd the Famous and Successful War with Caleb made against the Homerites With no less Renown King Cyriacus hearing of the Christian Persecution in Egypt led a very numerous Army against the
(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
horseback a practice very necessary in such a Country where many times there is no use of Horse In brief the Military Discipline of the Habessines is very irregular rather the fault of the Captains that know not how to command them than of the Souldiers For they run away without any fear of Infamy or Punishment neither do they know how to rally when they are once disorder'd so that the first array being broken the rest are carry'd away like a Torrent neither do they strengthen their Wings with Reserves neither do they separate the Veterans from the Raw Souldiers disheartning the Courage of the one by the unequal mixture of the other The fury of the first Onset for the most part wins the Field for which reason the Gallans surpassing the Habessines in heat and violence have so often vanquish'd them They are not easily perswaded to avoid the Combat believing it sloathful and dastardly to tire out an Enemy by delay and wait for opportunities Which has bin the Ruin of many of their Kings that have joyn'd Battel with more Courage than Prudent Advice The Kings themselves for the most part bred up in the field command their own Armies themselves or else they create a Ras to command in their stead One thing more remains behind That this Country is very much infested with Robbers as well as Enemies who many times robb in Troops like Souldiers and very much infest the Roads and this without any searching after or care taken to punish them by reason that the King and the Governours being wholly busied with continual Wars have no time to ridd the Nation of these Vermin who being pursu'd presently shelter themselves among the Rocks and Mountains CHAP. XV. Of the Wars in the last Century Especially of the Fatal War of the Adelans Their ancient Wars incertain the distance between Egypt and our Ethiopia Caleb's Expedition into Arabia The Wars of the last Century First the Adelan dreadful The Lamentations of the Ethiopians at Rome Caus'd by the sloath and voluptuousness of their Princes The assistance of the Turk and Fire-Arms The Portugals assist the Habessines The Enemie vanquish'd by Gomez His Fame His Fidelity tempted by Grainus but in vain They both act warily Grainus fights and his Horse shot under him A second Battel The Enemies Camp taken Gomeus forces the Jews Rock Gomez wounded kill'd his death reveng'd by Claudius Grainus overcome and slain The Kingdom at quiet The Adelans recover strength vanquish and kill Claudius To whom Menas succeeds who is also slain in the Field Serzadenghel vanquishes the Turk Civil Wars after his death WE shall forbear to set down over-ancient or incertain Relations concerning the Expeditions of the Kings of Ethiopia into Egypt in regard it does not appear to us what part of Ethiopia those Writers mean or how far the Empire of the Abessines of old extended For those things which Historians have deliver'd to memory in reference to the Ethiopians adjoyning upon Egypt are not presently to be apply'd to the Ethiopians For that the distance between Egypt and our Ethiopia comprehends Eight or nine degrees or a hunder'd German Miles and more In which wide space Nubia was seated so that there might be Kings of other Ethiopick Nations next to that And therefore till we see the Histories themselves of the Abissines we are unwilling to publish Incertainties for Certainties But that the Habessines did make several Famous Expeditions into Arabia is a thing not to be question'd insomuch that some of them have made a Computation of their Years from thence and that the Kingdom of the Homerites was totally subdu'd by Caleb we have already declar'd To omit then several other Wars wag'd with their Neighbours the Stories of which are to us unknown as for example that with the Nubians in the 25th Year of the former Century recorded by Alvarez the most lamentable and most fatal was that War which they enter'd into with the Adelans their Ancient Enemies True it is indeed that in the beginning of his Raign David vanquish'd them in several Battels But after the Turks had vanquish'd Egypt and some Ports of the Red Sea the Adelans strengthen'd by their assistance turn'd the Scale of Fortune and were always Victors For King Adelis sent one Ahmed a Mahumetan vulgarly call'd Grainus or Grannus that is to say Left-handed with an Army to invade Habessinia and revenge the Losses of the Adelans He about the Year 1526 subdu'd all Fatagara For the first two Years the War was carry'd on with various Success but the next Twelve Years to the Year 1540 at what time King David deceas'd the Habessines had the worst of it The King having lost the choicest of his Kingdoms and his Second Son Menas who was taken Prisoner languish'd out the rest of his days in the Rock Damus And indeed the Habessines were brought to that low and miserable Condition that they began to despair of their Countrey For such are the Lamentations which we find made by those that liv'd at Rome in the Epilogue printed after the Gospel of St. John Not without reason do we weep when we call to mind the Captivity of our Brethren our Countrey layd wast Our Temples Burnt our Books and our Sanctuaries consum'd with Fire and the Profanation of our Monasteries by that wicked and impious Grainus a Companion for Goats a Perscutor and Invader of the Sheep from Waigaci to the Red Sea Among the Causes of such a Torrent of Calamities these may be reck'nd not to be the least for that the King vanquish'd by his own sluggish humour had given himself wholly up to the Temptations of Pleasure so dedicated to Women that he permitted some of them to have their Idols in his Palace Next the Turks out of their inbred hatred to Christianity had supply'd their Mahumetan Friend with Fire-Arms and such as knew well how to use them whose Thunder then by the Abessines first heard they were not able to endure nor did they know how to cure the Wounds which the Bullets made as not being accustom'd to them besides that on the other side the Mahumetans so numerously abounding throughout Abessinia favourably every where entertain'd those of their own Sect. Many also of the Abessines themselves following as is usual the Fortune of the Victor forsook their Native Soveraign So that now every thing threaten'd utter destruction and desolation when the King lurking among the Rocks began to bethink himself of craving Succour from the Portugals To that purpose in the Year 1535 one John Bermudes a Portuguese was sent Who first arriv'd at Rome in the Year 1538 where he was made Patriarch joyntly of Ethiopia and Alexandria and afterwards went into Portugal in the Year 1539 and there obtain'd a Commission from John the Third to the Vice-Roy of India to send Assistance to the Abessines Their Commander was Christopher Gomez a Person of great Valour who in the Month of July in the Year 1541 enter'd the Kingdom
with Six small Field-Pieces and Four hundred and fifty Musqueteers At first they had a very severe March for they wanted Horses and Teams the Country being so wasted that they were forc'd to carry their Luggage and Conveniencies upon their shoulders over most rugged and steep Mountains Nevertheless these Souldiers few in number but all choice men and coveting the honour to restore the King of Habessinia to his Kingdom and his Liberty patiently underwent all sorts of hardship This caus'd a change of Fortune so that now the late Victors were every where put to flight astonish'd at the Execution of the Guns In the first place Gomez assail'd the Rock Amba-Sanet which was thought invincible and forc'd the Enemy to quit it Whereby he won to himself great Fame and highly Encourag'd the Habessines First therefore the Kings Mother confiding in this small Force left a certain Rock which gave access to none nor permitted any to ascend but as they were drawn up or let down with Ropes and chear'd them with her presence Claudius who lay sculking in the Kingdom of Shewa had writ word he would be suddainly with them but durst not adventure through so many Numbers of the Enemies that lay in the way So that Gomez with some few of the Habessinians was constrain'd to bear the whole burthen of the War with a most incredible Courage The Barbarians were not ignorant of the Gallantry of the Portugals nor did they believe their own People had hearts sufficient to withstand the Fury of the great Guns And therefore thinking it convenient as well to try the Disposition of Gomez as to spie what Force he had they sent certain Commissioners to him pretending to blame blame his rashness and to offer him safe Conduct as being deceiv'd by the Abessines if he thought fit to return But Gomeus as it were provok'd with the indignity they had put upon him gave them an answer that favour'd both of fierceness and contempt telling them That he was sent by the most Potent King of the Portugals to revenge the Injuries done to the Habessines and that his coming was not to return again but to fight Grainus The Enemies Force in that place was 15000 Foot and 1500 Horse together with 200 Turkish Musqueteers whom Gomeus had most reason to fear But he confiding in the Courage of his own men tho but a small parcel resolv'd upon a Battel However he keeps within his Camp On the other side Grainus would not stir well knowing the Portugals had Provision but for a few days which being spent they would be forc'd to forsake the Hill where they lay Encamp'd and so might be easily environ'd by his Numbers Nor did that cunning in part fail the Barbarian for the Portugals were forc'd to forsake their Camp but could not be surrounded by the Enemy in regard their Field-Pieces and Musquets struck such a Terror into the Mahumetans that they contemning all Orders of their Captain would not stir And it so happen'd that Grainus himself riding about to force his men on was wounded in the Hips with a Musquet Bullet and had his Horse shot under him The fall of the Captain quite damp'd the Courage of the Souldiers so that they presently retreated and the Portugals keeping the Field look'd upon themselves as Victors Twelve days after the Barbarians renew'd the Fight for which the Portugals were prepar'd While both sides fought at first with equal Success an Accident happen'd lamentable in sight but yet the cause of the Victory For while the Souldiers went with their lighted Matches to fetch Powder a Barrel took fire the noise of which so terrify'd the Barbarians Horses that their Riders not being able to rule them they disorder'd the Body of the Army which the Portugals observing lay'd all their force upon the Turks who being put to flight the rest easily follow'd However they could not pursue them far because they had but Eight Horses Nevertheless the Enemies Camp was taken and plunder'd This was the work of that Summer for the Winter coming on put an end to farther Action The Winter now declining the Portugals who thought nothing too difficult for them to undertake attack'd another steep Rock in Samen call'd the Jews Rock which was kept by the Adelans with a Garrison of 1500 men For it was large and contain'd many Fields Meadows Fountains and Streams The attempt was occasion'd by a Jew who had bin formerly Governor of the Rock who hearing of the Courage of the Portugals advis'd the taking of it in regard there were many Horses in it which the Portugueses principally wanted and the more to encourage them he promis'd to shew them such by-ways that they might be able to surprize the Garrison adding withal That there would be no safe Passage for Claudius so long as the Enemy held that Pass Gomez understanding by the Queen that the Jew spake truth undertook the Enterprize with prosperous Success for having slain all the Barbarians he got a Booty there of Fourscore brave Horses Three hundred Mules several Slaves and other good Plunder beside After which he restor'd the Rock to the Jews understanding they had always bin faithful to the Habessines In the mean while Grainus finding there was no good to be done against the Portugals without Guns and Fire-Arms sent for immediate Assistance from the Neighbouring Turks and petty Basha's of Arabia So that he obtain'd from the Bashaw of Zebid a fresh Supply of Seven hundred some say Nine hundred Musqueteers and Ten Field-Pieces Some noble Arabians also that were his Friends came to his assistance Gomez either knowing nothing of this or else heighten'd by his two former Victories never staying for Claudius as he ought to have done in regard he delayed somewhat longer than was expected nor yet tarrying for some of the Portugals who brought Horses along with them Or whether it were that he was constrain'd to it as having no place of Retreat and did not believe that Grainus himself would appear before the Winter was over gave the Enemy the opportunity of a Battel But being over-powr'd by the Turks he was wounded with a Musquet Bullet in the Thigh He himself having lost many of his own Souldiers and the stoutest of his Commanders by the help of the Night escap'd to a Rock The wounded and weary were all slain the rest dispersed themselves into the Woods while the Camp became a Prey to the Enemy Fourteen only accompanied Gamez the most of them wounded who void of all assistance without food or medicaments refresh'd themselves by the Fountains which afforded but small relief There they were apprehended by the Turks and Arabians and carried to Grainus exulting for joy of his Success He causing about a hundred of the heads of the Portuguezes to be brought and laid down before him upbraided Gomez for his madness in undertaking a War against him and then after he had receiv'd a stern answer from his Captive caus'd him to be tormented to death
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
was hardly thought worthy so high an Employment and they were afraid of future shame for having acknowledg'd a false Embassadour After many and long delays at length they were satisfy'd and in return another Embassie was decreed to the Habessines and Odoardus Galvan was sent upon that Employment He dying by the way Rodorick Limez was sent in his room whose Priest was Francis Alvarez who left behind him an Itinerary written in the Portugueze Language in a plain and ordinary style tho afterwards for Curiositie's sake translated into several (a) By Michael de Selves into Spanish by others into Italian and Dutch Jovius promis'd also to do it into Latin but fail'd Languages Six Years Rodoric Limez resided in Ethiopia before he was dismiss'd by the King that he might be in a Capacity to make the same return of Kindness to the Portugals At length he sent him back joyning with him Tzagazaabus with Letters to the Pope and the King of Portugal flourish'd at the beginning with those usual Titles which we have already recited But what is to be admir'd 〈◊〉 Tzagazaabus arriv'd not at Rome till the Year 1539 being detain'd at Lisbon Certain other (b) Extant in Alvarez Damianus a Goez of the Ethiopian Customes and Tom. 11. Hispian Illustrat p. 1250. Letters were also recommended to Alvarez who carry'd them to Bononia and made a long Discourse of the Respect and Reverence which the Kings of Habessinia had to the See of Rome They were read before Clement the Seventh and the Emperour Charles the First with the general Applause of the Court of Rome but with no Success For that Claudius the King plainly deny'd to ratifie either those things or what John Bermudes afterwards related at Rome to the same effect as if never given in Command nor so understood but that the business of the Embassie and consequently the Letters themselves had bin faign'd and contriv'd by the Portugals However the Habessinians being reduc'd to very great streights at the Intercession of Bermudes had an assistance of Four hunder'd and fifty men granted and sent into Habessinia by the Command of John the Third But Peter Pays positively writes That this was done at the request of the Queen of Ethiopia And that Stephen Gomez who sail'd into the Red Sea to burn the Turkish Ships and by chance came to an Anchor before the Iland of Matzua after he had consulted his Councel of Warr resolv'd to send the said Supply as seeming to be for the honour of God and the King Of which Consultation there had certainly bin no need if the King had Commanded the Supply before However it were that Succour was not onely very necessary but very advantageous to the Habessines From which time the Habessines were not onely gratefully but honourably receiv'd among the Habessines nor did they then refuse the Latin Religion but frequently went to the Portugueze Chappels and admitted Them into Theirs Moreover they also gave Liberty to the Habessinian Women that were marry'd to the Portugueses to go to Mass with their Husbands and to partake of the same Ceremonies with them So that during the Raign of Claudius there was great Hopes both at Rome and at Lisbon that the Habessinians might be perswaded to embrace the Romish Religion But that Hope proving vain there was for some time a Cessation of Embassies and the Abessinian Friendship with the Lusitanians was almost interrupted untill by the Artifices of the Fathers of the Society the Minds of the later Kings were somewhat more inclinably dispos'd to give Obedience to the See of Rome Upon that Letters were written to the Pope and the King of Spain who was then also King of Portugal and answers upon them which gave an Occasion to Susneus to decree an Embassie into Europe To that purpose (c) Mistakenly Tecur-Egzy in Tellezius l. 2. c. 3. Fecur-Egzie was chosen and with him Antonie Fernandez was joyn'd who were commanded by unknown and by-ways to Travel Southward till they reach'd Melinda upon the Shore of the Indian Ocean from whence the Passage was more Easie and Safe into India Thereupon setting forth out of Gojam they Travell'd through Enarea from thence into the Kingdom of Zendero and so to Cambata the Last Kingdom under the Habessine Dominions Thence Travelling into Alaba they were forbid to go any farther by the Governour of the Province who was a Mahumetan He apprehended the Embassador with his Train and had not the Law of Nations bin of some force among the Barbarians for they had about them to shew both their Letters and Presents from the Emperour they had bin put to death with the Law in their own hands Being by that means set at Liberty after a Years and seven Months time spent in hard Travel after many sad Experiences of Savage Barbarity and a Thousand Jeopardies they return'd home without effecting any thing Nor can any reason be certainly given why those unknown and dangerous Ways were chosen thorough so many Barbarous Nations so many Wild and Desert Countries when the Road lay so plain through the Kingdom of Denoale in Friendship with the Abissines to the Port of Baylur which the Patriarch of Portugal afterwards securely made use of as if so tedious a Journey had bin impos'd upon the Undertakers not so much to go upon an Embassie as for the Discovery of Forraign Countries and By-Roads for the Direction of Travellers After that there happening a difference between them and the See of Rome all manner of Commerce and Communication with the Europeans ceas'd Insomuch that now they would with great reluctancy admit those whom before they so highly admir'd and with great difficulty would dismiss out of their affection to Arts and Sciences especially if they suspected them to be Clergy-men or under Religious Vows For which reason they try'd them first by offering a Wife to every Stranger Otherwise they rarely send any Embassadors abroad unless it be into Egypt when they have need of the Metropolitan For they are not onely ignorant of forraign Affairs and Languages but of the Ways and Roads of other Countries By reason of their Vicinity to the Turks and thence their frequent Commerce one with another sometimes they are forc'd to send Embassadors to Constantinople as in the Year 1660. So in the Year 1661 one Michael was sent thither with the wonted Presents a living Tecora several Skins of dead ones Pigmies and the like as Thevenot writes In the Year 1671 another Embassador was sent with some of those painted Beasts and Letters to the Dutch Governour of Batavia But they who are sent are generally Forrainers Maronites Armenians or else Arabians But as for what Leonardus Rauchwolf writes in his Itinerary it is altogether vain and false That Presbyter John having made a League with the Persians sent a Persian Bishop with so many Priests that in Two years time they converted Twenty Christian Cities to the Christian Religion It seems to be an old and confus'd
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
with Crosses Censors and Holy-water and that with a pace so swift that it is a difficult matter to follow them The Body is for some time set down by the Grave during the reading of a certain Paragraph out of St. John's Gospel after which the Body being found and sprinkl'd with Holy Water is not let down but thrown into the Sepulcher King Claudius being desirous to Solemnize the Exequies of Christopher Gomez upon the Anniversary Day that he had lost his Life for the Recovery of Abassia summon'd together all the Priests Canons Monks and all the Neighbouring Poor People and to the first being about Six hundred he gave a Royal Funeral Supper to the last being about Six thousand he distributed a large and noble Alms. They on the other side recited the whole Psalter quite thorough and made the Sky ring with innumerable Allelujahs a Ceremony that serves alike as well upon sad as joyful Occasions Thus when Marcus the Eldest Son of Susneus was Buried they sounded forth Marcus is Dead Hallelujah Marcus is Dead Hallelujah And this they repeated so often and so loud that the Fathers but newly then arriv'd in Ethiopia were astonish'd to hear such an unwonted cry not being able to tell whether the Ethiopians rejoyc'd or lamented So strangely are all Nations delighted with their own Customs CHAP. VII Of the Constitution and Form of Ecclesiastical Government in Ethiopia as also of the Priviledges of the Clergy The Clergy enjoy no immunity Their Head or Abuna created by the Metropolitan of Alexandria His Place in Councils The present State of the Alexandrian Church deplorable The Clergy ignorant the Patriarch Illiterate The Habessine Metropolitans ordain the Clergy only No Bishops nor Arch-Bishops The Icegue governs the Monks They acknowledge but four Oecumenical Patriarchs The Catalogue of Metropolitans incertain They do not reck'n these sent by the Pope After Mendez one call'd the Cophtit His Successors The Orders of Deacon Presbyter and Sub-Presbyter The Clergy Marry but not twice WE have already declar'd That the Supream Power in Ecclesiastical Affairs is invested in the King Therefore all Ecclesiastical Causes except only in very slight Matters are all determin'd by the King's Judges Neither do the Clergy or Monks enjoy any sort of Ecclesiastical Immunity or Priviledge of Exemption Nor does the Canon Siquis suadente diabolo hujus Sacrilegii reatum incurrerit quod in Clericum vel Monachum violentas manus injecerit c. help them at all but that upon offences committed they are punish'd as Lay Persons by the Secular Judges And many times they are sensible of the rough and violent hands of wicked Men without any fear of Excommunication But as to what concerns the Law of Order or the Diocesan Law those things are left to the Clergy Their Chief Head is call'd Papas or Metropolitan Tho the Title or Sirname of Abuna that is to say Our Father be more frequently given him He by ancient Custom at the King's desire is Consecrated to that Dignity by the Patriarch of Alexandria and sent out of Egypt into Ethiopia For they do not think it fitting for the Patriarch to nominate any one out of their own Nation tho never so skilful in their Language Laws and Customs It being provided by those Nicene Canons extant in the Arabic Language That the Ethiopians shall not Elect or Create a Patriarch but that their chief Chief Prelate shall be under the Jurisdiction of Him that resides at Alexandria And a little after That if the Council be held in Greece and the Prelate of Ethiopia be present he shall have the seventh place next the Prelate of Seleucia For they are very obstinate in maintaining their old Customs tho it happen to be one of their greatest Misfortunes The State and Condition of the Alexandrian Church being quite different now from what it was formerly that is to say altogether miserable and deplorable For both the Patriarch and his Clergy are a poor sort of contemptible and rustic People and void of all common Endowments They are as it were the Servants and Slaves of the Turks whose continual vexations so terrifie them from undertaking Ecclesiastical Employment that many times they receive their Ordination by constraint and with Tears in their Eyes which requires nothing more from them than to read Arabic For the Coptic or ancient Egyptian Language as it was spoken in the times of the Grecian Kings and as Athanasius Kirker has given a view of it to the Europeans is now almost buried in Oblivion Their Churches are either all destroy'd or very near to Ruin the Turks not suffering them either to Rebuild or Repair The Patriarch if he can but only read and write and understand the Scripture after an ordinary manner is thought sufficiently worthy of St. Mark 's Chair Hence it may be easily conjectur'd what sort of Persons are sent into Ethiopia for the Government of so many Churches In the time of the Fathers of the Society there was sent such a sad Tool into Habessinia to be the Abuna that being rejected for his Simplicity he was forc'd to Grind Corn for his living To whom another Succeeding not much better gifted gave occasion to the Courtiers to jest and cry We have a Miller still Now as these Patriarchs know very little so they do as little only in set forms of Words they ordain Under-Clercs just as wise and learned as themselves For this reason the Fathers of the Society little regarded the Ordinations of the Abuna but when any of the Abessine Priests came over to them they ordain'd them again after the Roman manner not without the great resentment and indignation of the rest In none of their Kingdoms or Provinces have they any Bishops or Arch-Bishops So that unless the Icegue with the assistance of his Monks had taken some care of the Church all thought of Religion had fallen to the ground long e're this This Abuna is by some tho improperly call'd Patriarch his truer Title being that of Bik Papas or Bik Papaste Prince or Master of the Metropolitans of whom they acknowledge only Four to be of equal Power and Dignity among themselves Among these they reckon the Roman Patriarch to be the First and call him Bik Papaste Zaromeja or the Roman Patriarch For they have no higher Title to give to any one who may be thought Superior to a Patriarch The first Metropolitan of Habessinia was Frumentius the Ethiopic Apostle From him to Simeon who dy'd with Elius in defence of the Alexandrian Religion they reck'n in order Ninety five Metropolitans We have not yet seen the Catalogue but in the Ethiopic Register they are Number'd up in this Order Abuna Abba Matthew Abba Salama Abba Jacob. Abba Bartholomew Abba Michael Abba Isaac Abba John Abba Mark who was Metropolitan in the Time of David Abba Joseph In the Reign of Claudius was receiv'd into the Kingdom with great Pomp without any regard had to John Bermudes whom the Pope had
sent into Abessinia with the Titles of Patriarch of Alexandria and Ethiopia As little respect did the Habessines give to John Nonius Barret and Andrew Ovieda Portugueses dignify'd at Rome with the Titles of Patriarch and sent into Ethiopia by the King of Portugal About the beginning of this last Century one Peter upheld by the Factious Party withstood Za-Denghel who favour'd the Romanists In the Time of Susneus Simeon already mention'd came into the Kingdom who being Slain and the Miller depos'd Alphonsus Mendez was by the Pope at the Instance of the Fathers of the Society preferr'd and by the Abessinians admitted to be their Patriarch tho not acknowledg'd under any other Title then that of Abuna Zaromeja or the Roman Abuna But he together with his Companions being soon after expell'd another call'd the Cophtit was sent in whose Company Peter Heyling of Lubeck travelled to the Habessine Court. To him succeeded one John and about the year 1651. another call'd Mark who being depos'd for his vitious life Michael succeeded him Lastly about the year 1662. one Gabraxos was order'd to supply his Decease As for the Cathedrals or Principal Churches they have their chief Overseers which they call Komasat Such a Komos was Peter the Ethiopian whose acquaintance was courted by Paulus Jovius It is their Duty to take care of the Secular Matters of the Churches and to compose the differences between the Clergy-men so far as their Jurisdiction extends Over the Churches that belong to the Camp the Debtera Gueta Presides as much as to say the Ruler of the Canons The Debterat or Canons being those Persons who are particularly employ'd in those Offices that require the addition of Hymns and Sacred Melody The Nebrat seems to be their Dean Next to whom in Dignity are the Kasis or Presbyter and the Nepheh Kasis or Sub-Presbyter the Dejakon or Deacon and Nepheh Dejakon or Sub-Deacon As for those Under-Ministers which in the Primitive Church were known by the Name of Readers they are quite out of Use as are also Deaconesses of which however they have the greatest need by reason of the frequent Baptizings of full-grown Women to whom their assistance while the Ceremony of their Baptism requires them to be naked is most necessary All Ecclesiastical Persons when they walk publickly abroad carry a Cross in their hands and offer it to all they meet to be Kiss'd having hardly any other note of Distinction from the Layety The same sort of Cross the Seculars also carry who to the end they may be admitted into the Sanctuary desire to be ordain'd Deacons as also most young Children All the Clergy except the Monks are permitted to Marry Neither will any man deny but that it was Lawful for the Catholic Bishops of the Primitive Church the Presbyters and Deacons to do the same which was also upon the Persuasion and Arguments of Paphnutius a most Holy Man allow'd of and approv'd by the Fathers of the Nicene Council as both Socrates and Sozomenus testifie whose Credit justify'd by all Antiquity was never yet call'd in question especially being confirm'd by the practice and so many clear and undeniable Presidents of the Primitive Church till Siricius and Innocent the First took upon them to order it otherwise in the Latin Church Among the Eastern Churches honest and lawful Matrimony was in much more high esteem than faithless Batchelorship obnoxious to perpetual concupiscence Wherefore the Grecians Armenians Russians but more especially our Ethiopians not only permitted their Presbyters to Marry but soonest prefer the Husbands of Wives insomuch that the nearest way to that Preferment is to Marry For they take the words of the Apostle Let him be the Husband of one Wife for a Precept yet understand it only so as not to extend any farther but to one single Marriage And therefore their Clergy never offer to covet repeated Wedlocks which even by the Seculars were not approv'd in the Eastern Churches The Novatians detested a second Wedlock after Baptism as equal to the Crime of Adultery The Latin Fathers also gave it an Ignominious Character reproaching it with the Scandalous Title of honest Adultery But in after Ages the Matter being more wisely consider'd it was not thought material whether the same Person Married one or more Wives after Death had once made the Seperation so that the Matrimony were lawful since there appear'd no reason to the contrary For which was alleadg'd the famous example of one Woman at Rome that had surviv'd the Two and twentieth Wedlock But the Habessines still observe their ancient Laws in regard that by the ancient Canons they that Marry twice are accompted unworthy of Holy Orders CHAP. VIII Of the Separation of the Habessines from the Greek Church in the Time of the Council of Chalcedon The Council of Chalcedon Dioscurus Condemn'd From thence the Melchites and Jacobites The great Damage to the Church by that Schism The Ethiopians defend Dioscurus The Ethiopians Condemn the Council of Chalcedon and call Timotheus and Eutyches Hereticks They acknowledge two Natures in Christ The words Essence Substance Person and Nature ambiguous to the Abessines A doubt concerning the Disputations of the Fathers with the Abessines about the two Natures How they are to be Disputed with The Jacobites abstain from the Arabic word for Nature which the Eutychians use The Dissention deplor'd THE Alexandrian Church remain'd in Unity with it self and with the Greek Church till the Council of Chalcedon by us call'd the Fourth Universal Council which Marcian the Emperor Summon'd to appease the Discords and Dissentions that were risen among the Bishops and Divines by reason of the Doctrine of Eutyches This Eutyches a Constantinopolitan Abbot asserted That both the Natures of Christ the Divine and Human upon his Incarnation immediately became one and the same and that therefore there was but one Nature and one Will in Christ For which reason they that held this Opinion were call'd Monothelites Thereupon it was Decreed in this Council That Christ was of the same Substance with the Father according to his Deity but Sin excepted of the same Substance and like to us in all things according to his Humanity One and the same in two Natures united yet without mixture mutation division or distance both Natures acting that which was proper to it by Communion with each other Dioscurus also the Patriarch of Alexandria was condemn'd as a Heretic Defender of Eutyches and not only so but being publickly whipp'd he was sent into Exile and another put up in his room who because he follow'd the Emperors or the Royal Religion was therefore call'd a Melchite or Royalists according to the Arabic word The Contradicters of this Opinion were call'd Eutychians afterwards Jacobites from one Jacob a Syrian who stoutly defended the Doctrine of Eutyches Hence arose a most fierce and outragious Schism in the Church of Alexandria defil'd with Blood and Slaughter which was the reason that not only the greatest part of the
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
would take the pains to come to Matzua he would order some Person to be there both to give them a befitting Reception and Conduct them to his Court. Besides all this the King was no less fearful least the Portugals as it had befallen several other Kings in India should make him their Tributary and under the pretence of Religion powre into his Country a great force of Soldiers Arm'd and furnish'd with Fire-Arms Especially remembring what great Exploits a small Number of Portugals had perform'd in his Kingdom but a few years before A Jealousie that not long after increas'd to that height that when King David had seriously negotiated with Roderigo Limez the Portugal Embassador about the Recovery and Fortification of Matzua and Suaqena and had also offer'd assistance of Forces Provision and Money afterwards the Business was not only no farther mention'd but also the Portuguese Aid so necessary and so much desir'd was utterly refus'd so that he chose rather to leave the Port of Arkiko with the Island adjoyning in the hands of the Turk then to give Admission to the Portugals So prevalent is the fear of Foreign Domination But now Claudius's answer being return'd into India strangely surpriz'd the Patriarch Barret and his Associates who imagin'd that all things would have bin smooth and easie according to their wishes Thereupon after long deliberation they came to this result Lest the Patriarchal Dignity should be hazarded with a Prince ill affected which would be to the Detriment of the Pontifical Authority and a contempt of the King of Portugal by whose recommendation and favour they were sent that the Patriarch should remain in India with Melchior Caymero Bishop of Nice and that Oviedo should go alone to the end he might take his measures by the Event of Oviedo 's Success Oviedo being thus dispatch'd away with Five more Associates was kindly receiv'd by Isaac at that time Bahrnagass or Governor of the Sea-Ports The Common People ignorant of their Errand nor altogether averse to the Romish Ceremonies receiv'd the Bishop and his Associates with great testimonies of Kindness even to the kissing their hands The Romanists laying hold upon the occasion resolv'd upon a Procession from their own to the Habessine Church and were by them beheld with mutual Charity without the least upbrading or reproach of the Novelty The King also entertain'd them with great kindness only he took it ill that they should talk to him of yielding obedience to the Roman Pontiff Nevertheless as he was a most Prudent Person and worthy the high Dignity he enjoy'd he always carry'd himself with so great Moderation toward the Bishop that he still left him with some hopes of Success In the mean time the Roman Religion was every where freely exercis'd and no man forbid who defir'd to embrace it But the Bishop not content with so much favour began to press the King more urgently That at length without more delay he would submit himself to the Roman Pontiff He reply'd That his Ancestors had in sacred things given their Obedience to none but the Successors of St. Mark nor did he see any cause why he should desire Innovation and disturb his People well contented with their Abuna But the Bishop still continuing his Importunity The King told him That since he was come to him from a Region so far distant upon so honest a Negotiation he would consult with his Friends and his Learned Men upon a Matter of so great Importance Oviedo understanding that the King did nothing but spin out delays and hearing withal that the King's Mother and all the Blood Royal together with the Nobility and greatest Doctors of the Nation were utterly averse to any Alterations wrote an Epistle to the King wherein he put him in Mind That his Father had acknowledg'd the Pope of Rome for the Vicar of Christ that several of his Learned men had besought him that Claudius had wrote to the King of Portugal and that his Father had Commanded that they should not desire an Abuna from any other place then from Rome and that He himself had publickly promis'd Obedience to thee See of Rome That if any doubt remain'd concerning any Articles of Faith he should bring those things to a Publick Dispute and hear the Arguments on both sides it being but just that the Party that was foil'd should acknowledge and follow what the other had maintain'd for Truth and that the King should well consider whose advice he took or what Persons he consulted in so important an Affair That the Ends and Interest of Parents or Kindred were not to be regarded That the love of Christ was to be preferr'd before the love of Relations who being busied in Teaching his own Doctrine in the Temple of Jerusalem would not make use of his most Holy Mothers advice by which he shew'd that in the Cause of God no Man is bound to Communicate his Intentions to his nearest Friends Whether the King made any Answer or what it was is not known But Gregory told me That the sence of the King's Commands and Letters was quite different from the Expositions of Alvarez Bermudes and others addicted to the Roman Religion made of them at Rome and that it could not be otherwise in regard that before the Reign of Susneus the Habessines had never known what that Obedience meant Hower the King that he might not seem to distrust the strength of his own Cause and the learning of his own Subjects permitted frequent Disputes not yet made Publick by the Fathers of the Society From this Tellez reports That the Habessine Doctors appear'd very ignorant and illiterate in all their Disputes as never having Study'd Logic Syllogisms nor Enthymemes nor having any knowledge of the Subtleties of Scholastic Divinity From whence the Reader may readily Judge of the Progress and Events of such Disputes Tellez goes on and says That Claudius â—â—ary of the illiterateness of his own People for the most part undertook the Discourse himself and gave Oviedo not a little Trouble Moreover he complains That the Habessines when they were worsted would never acknowledge it but always boasted of the Victory and so all those Disputes came to nothing It was therefore thought more convenient to betake themselves to writing Nor did the King decline the Combat but answer'd them with other Writings tho they have not as yet bin permitted to visit the European Regions Oviedo impatient of his ill Success and finding he could not bring the Ethiopic Prince to do as he would have had him resolv'd to a more severe but unseasonable course And therefore to testifie his Indignation he left the Court and publish'd a Writing Where in he branded the Habessines with several Heresies and exhorted his Portugueses to have a care of them Which did not a little offend Claudius For a mind free and subject to none when once it refuses the persuasion of Argument is the more exasperated by affront and reviling Nor can it be
thought that any Prince will suffer himself and his Subjects to be traduc'd for Heretics within his own Dominions Not long after Claudius was slain in a Battel against the Adelans to whom in regard he dy'd without Issue his Brother Adamas-Saghed Succeeded a Person quite of another disposition as one that retain'd nothing of his Moderation or Clemency For whatever Indulgencies Claudius had granted to Oviedo and the Embracers of his Doctrine he recall'd them all nor would he so much as permit that the Habessine Women who were Marry'd to the Portugueses should exercise the Religion of their Husbands to which he added many other severe Edicts declaring openly That his Brother was therefore punish'd by God because he did not persecute the Religion of the Franks as it is frequent to attribute Adversity or Prosperity to neglected or protected Religion Nay he proceeded so far that having sent for Oviedo he threaten'd him with Death if he continu'd divulging and sowing Roman Paradoxes in his Dominions Which when the Bishop refus'd to consent to saying That God was to be obey'd rather then Man he drew his Scymiter in a rage and unless the Queen and some of the chief Nobility had prevented him had undoubtedly dispatch'd the Bishop to the other World The Bishop therefore in this desperate Condition of Affairs retires to Fremona where he lay conceal'd thirty whole years together and assuming to himself after the Death of Barret the Title of Patriarch officiated among his own Portugueses without any further molestation in regard that Melec-Saghed after his Father's violent Death shew'd himself more mild and temperate to the Portugueses who behaving themselves more modestly gave him no cause of Provocation But at length all the Avenues into Habessinia being shut-up by the Turk and the Fathers that were sent thither being all taken and slain the State of Religion among the Portugueses was reduc'd to that extremity that all the Fathers being deceas'd there was none remain'd alive to officiate Divine Service At length Melchior Silvanus an Indian Vicar of the Church of St. Anns in Goa and for that reason disguis'd both by his Language and Colour ventur'd into Ethiopia and there officiated till the Arrival of Peter Pays after which he return'd into India leaving the said Peter as he had bin before all alone in his office of Priesthood CHAP. X. Of the New Mission and its Success till the Coming of the Roman Patriarch The Religion of the Portugueses very low in Habessinia New Hopes upon the arrival of Peter Pays Who Taught School at Fremona with the admiration of all The King sends for him Curiously receives him And permits Obedience to the Pope He abrogates the Observation of the Sabbath He obtains the King's Friendship by the Pope's and K. of Portugal's Letters The King therefore hated and slain Susneus Succeeds He perceives the Ignorance of his own Doctors and applys to the Fathers Several Disputes The King's Brother Embraces the Roman Faith Susneus promises Obedience to the Pope He causes a publick dispute concerning the two Natures in Christ. The Habessines confuted The King's Edict A disobedient Monk punish'd The Metropolitan complains The Event The Edict renew'd The Alexandrinians provok'd They Excommunicate the Romans The King resists Simeon replies Thence a Rebellion The Metropolitan's Anathema Elius the Head of the Conspirators slain So is Simeon The Sabbath abrogated The Effects Jonael the Viceroy Revolts The King defends the Abrogation Jonael hides himself Slain by the Gallans The People of Damota Rebel Vanquish'd The King publickly Embraces the Roman Faith New Commotions by his Son Gabrael He is slain THE Arch-Bishop of Goa and the Fathers of the Society were not ignorant of the afflicted Condition of the Roman Worship in Habessinia And therefore whereas before they had conceiv'd vast hope of Total Conversion of Ethiopia now the case was so far alter'd that they found themselves put to a Necessity of providing for their own few Countrymen least they should be utterly destitute of Provision for the Salvation of their own Souls as not having any Priests to perform Religious Duties among them Mov'd therefore by the Instigation of Conscience they took it into serious Consideration least while they were busyed about Subjecting Abassia to the See of Rome that nothing belong'd to it they should loose their own Countrymen Professors of their own Religion who had reason enough to forsake those that forsook them And therefore they made it their whole study how to supply them with Priests to govern their Ecclesiastical Affairs And indeed many had attempted the Journey but in vain Till at length with the dawn of the new Century new hopes began to shine forth For Peter Pays after his first unfortunate Attempt which had expos'd him to various Hazards and a Captivity in Arabia undertook a second Journey into Ethiopia wherein he prosperously Succeeded being well skill'd both in the Countries Customs and Foreign Languages and able to endure the temperature of those Climates John Gabriel a famous Portuguese Collonel had given King Jacob then reigning notice of his coming and had so possess'd the young Prince with the worth of the Person by the high Commendations which he gave him that so soon as the Winter was over the King sent for him But he being soon after depos'd Zadenghel was advanc'd in his Room Thereupon Peter Pays kept himself still at Fremona where not believing his time could be better spent than in instructing the Portuguese Children he chose out some of the riper Ingenuities and in a short time so manur'd them that they were able to answer to any Question propounded to them concerning the Christian Faith A thing both unwonted and wonderful to the Habessines to hear from Children what they could hardly expect from Persons of years and Experience But considering the Person he was not so much wonderful neither for he was a Man of a quick and ready Wit that could fit himself to all Humours of an affable and complaisant Temper and well skill'd not only in the Liberal Sciences but Mechanic Arts. The fame of so acute and laborious a Person and so happy in his Instruction being spread over the Neighbouring Regions in a short time reach'd the young King's Ears who being covetous to see such a Master and such Scholars by his Letters invited him to Court Thereupon in the Month of April 1604. accompany'd with two Portuguese Youths arriving at Court he was honourably receiv'd by the King as if he had bin one of the Nobles of his Kingdom not without great distast taken by the Monks whose Sloth compar'd to Peter's Diligence and Industry render'd them contemptible to most The next day several Disputes began about Controversies in Religion which the King was pleas'd both favourably and patiently to hear Mass was also said after the Roman manner and a Sermon Preach'd with which Zadenghel was so taken that having Communicated his Intentions to some of his intimate Friends he resolv'd to submit
word to say And thus a second Victory being won from the Primate of Ethiopia himself a more severe Edict concerning the two Natures was publish'd by the Cryer making it Death for any Person to deny the contrary By this so sharp a Decree as if it had bin the loud signal to Battel it is incredible to think how the minds of the People were incens'd As for the Controversie it self they did not think it of so high a Concernment as to engage divided Parties in Blood and Massacre about it In regard that all acknowledg'd both Divinity and Humanity in Christ so that the Question was only about a word But let the Question be what it would such a severe way of proceeding was never heard of before in Ethiopia as being altogether contradictory to the mildness of Christ and his Apostles and the Lenity of the Primitive times So then if Men were to be scourg'd and whipp'd because they could not apprehend two Natures in Christ what must they expect if other Questions should be started about Innovations of greater difficulty in the Doctrine and Ceremonies of the Fathers Exasperated with these fair pretences Simeon the Metropolitan together with several of the Nobility and among the rest Jamanaxus alias Emana Christos another of the King's Brothers by the Mothers side and lastly almost all the Interested Clergy and Monks met and held Consultations together to prevent the threatning Mischiefs and lastly combin'd to live and dye for the Defence of their ancient and settled Religion To this end Simeon under pretence of incumbent Duty which was to be watchful over the Preservation of the Constantinopolitan Religion fix'd an Excommunication Publickly upon the Dores of the great Church belonging to the Camp against all that embrac'd the Religion of the Franks or ventur'd to Dispute concerning it The King tho highly offended with this unexpected boldness of the Metropolitan durst not adventure to revenge himself However he Publish'd another Edict whereby Liberty was granted to every Person that so pleas'd to embrace and exercise the Fathers Religion already establish'd by fair Disputes and Arguments on their side Which so little terrify'd the undaunted Metropolitan that he thunder'd out his Anathema's against all that maintain'd two Natures in Christ. The Moderate Party bewail'd these Paper Skirmishes which they foresaw would break forth and end in Slaughter and Misery and that the King's Decrees would never be establish'd without the effusion of much Blood Sensible of these Fears several of the great Personages of the Kingdom together with the King's Mother Ite-Hamelmala most earnestly besought the King to desist from what he had begun and not to raise up implacable Seditions to the Ruin of himself and his Kingdom After which the Metropolitan with many Monks and Nuns came to the Camp and implor'd the King not to innovate any thing in Religion otherwise that they were prepar'd to lay down their lives for the Religion of their Ancestors At last the King referr'd the whole Business to another Colloquie which continu'd for Six days one after another but without any Success A clear Testimony that Controversies in Religion are not to be decided by Disputes After that all the Clergy throw themselves at the King's Feet and with Sighs and Tears beseech him Not to change a Religion so quietly Establish'd in Ethiopia for so many Ages by so many of their Emperors But nothing would prevail the King remain'd inexorable and immoveable so that the Petitioners departed full freighted with Exasperation and Rebellion Immediately all hopes of Concord and Agreement being lay'd aside the Sword was next unsheath'd whence follow'd those terrible Commotions and Bloody Wars that have almost ruin'd the most flourishing part of Ethiopia The Chief of the Conspirators were Jamanaxus Aelius the King's Son in Law Viceroy of Tigra the Eunuch Caflo and several others But to give the better Colour to their Rebellion and Design of Killing the King the Metropolitan caus'd a new and more severe Excommunication to be fix'd upon the Chief Church in the Camp by which all the partakers of the Latin Religion were Anathematiz'd In the mean time the Fathers of the Society relying upon the King's Favour hasten'd to get all things ready that might be of advantage to Establish their Doctrine To that end they translated Maldonatus upon the Four Evangelists Toletus upon St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans Ribera upon the Hebrews and some others into the Ethiopic Language which some esteem'd others by reason of the intermixture of Amharic words contemn'd as full of Barbarisms and Soloecisms But as for the Lord's Prayer and the Salutation of Mary being nothing but the Latin written in Ethiopic Characters they abhorr'd 'em as looking upon them to be nothing but Magic Spells On the other side the Alexandrians fell upon the Fathers with all the bitterest Invectives that might be those Paper Skirmishes being generally the fore-runners of more Bloody disputes In pursuance of which Aelius by an Edict Commands all the Franks to depart out of Tigra and the Alexandrians to follow him by which means having muster'd up a compleat Army he openly Rebels Simeon Curses the Franks but loads Aelius with his Blessings upon which he no doubt relying resolv'd to fight his Father in Law then upon his March against him with a strong Force notwithstanding all the Perswasions of his Wife to the contrary Fierce therefore and in the heat of his young Blood and over-confident of his own Faction not staying so much as to take his Breakfast but as it were Drunk with Fury and Rage only with a small Troop about him he leaps his Horse into his Father's Camp asking Where the King was and so what between the astonishment of some and the wonder of others what the Matter should be he rode up without any hurt to the King's Pavilion where at length the Alarum being taken he was soon surrounded Ston'd and Stabb'd to Death and so dearly paid for his rashness The Captain thus Slain the Soldiers betake themselves to their heels Simeon between the Fugitives and the Pursuers stood alone by himself like a man stupifyed whether not at first observ'd or neglected as a Clergy-man but at length being known he was Slain among the Crowd Both their Heads were sent about the Kingdom and expos'd as a Public Spectacle The Eunuch Caflo had his Head struck off Jamanaxus was pardon'd Thus the Kindred of Kings for the most part escape the Punishment of those Rebellions to which they themselves have given Life and Encouragement The King who was never fearful now more emboldened by his Victory now questions other Heads of Religion and soon after by Public Edict prohibits the Observation of the Sabbath as Judaical and Repugnant to Christianity In answer to this Edict some Person without a Name had written contemptuously of the Roman Religion reflecting severely upon the Fathers of the Society whom he call'd the Kindred of Pilate as being a Roman and withal sharply menacing
the King himself Tellez reports That it was stufft with places of Scripture but nothing to the purpose The King more incens'd by this Writing renew'd the Edict about the Sabbath and commanded the Husbandmen to Plough and Sow upon that Day adding as a Penalty upon the Offenders for the first Fault the Forfeiture of a weav'd Vestment to the value of a Portugal Patack for the second Confiscation of Goods and that the said Offence should not be prescribed to Seven years a certain form usually inserted in their more severe Decrees Certainly it must of necessity be true what Tellez reports of the Natural Piety of the Habessines since they were thus to be compell'd to the Neglect of the Sabbath by such Severe Laws when we can hardly be induc'd by stricter Penalties to observe the Lord's-Day Among the rest one Bucus a stout and famous Soldier felt the utmost rigour of this Decree for being accus'd to have observ'd the Sabbath he was made a most severe Example that others of less consequence might not think to expect any Mercy From thence Jonael Viceroy of Bagemdra took an occasion to Revolt alluring all to his Party who were displeased with the Edicts Upon which News many of the chiefest of the Court both Men and Women of which several were near allyed to the King with Tears in their Eyes besought him once more not to expose himself and the Kingdom to Calamity but to take Pity upon so many poor afflicted People offending out of meer Simplicity and Ignorance and not to disturb the Minds of his People with such unseasonable Changes The King far from being mov'd with their Tears but rather the more displeas'd to see so many all of one Mind that at once he might answer all confirm the wavering and terrifie the Headstrong having summon'd together the Chief Nobles and Commanders of his Army that attended the Court in a short but grave Oration put them in mind of past Transactions upbraiding them among the rest For that they had depriv'd Zadenghel both of his Life and Kingdom because he had forsaken the Alexandrian Religion to embrace the Roman Faith That for his part after his Victory obtain'd against Jacob he had bin severe to none but rather had pardon'd all nevertheless he was disturb'd with daily Seditions and Rebellions under pretence of changing his Religion when he only reform'd it For that he acknowledg'd as much and the same that others did That Christ was true God and true Man but because he could not be Perfect God unless he had the Perfect Divine Nature nor perfect Man without perfect Humane Nature it follow'd that there were two Natures in Christ united in one Substance of the Eternal Word Which was not to abandon but explain his Religion In the next place he had abrogated the Observation of the Sabbath Day because it became not Christians to observe the Jews Sabboth These things he did not believe in favour of the Portugueses but because it was the Truth it self determin'd in the Council of Chalcedon founded upon Scripture and ever since the time of the Apostles deliver'd as it were from hand to hand and if there were occasion he would lay down his life in defence of this Doctrine but they who deny'd it should first examine the Truth of it Having finished his Oration a Letter was brought him from Jonael containing many haughty Demands and among the rest the Expulsion of the Jesuits The King believing there would be no better way than to answer him in the Field Commanded the nimblest of his Armed Bands to March of which the Rebel having Intelligence and not willing to abide his Fury fled for shelter among those inaccessible Rocks whither it was in vain to pursue him Thereupon Susneus well-knowing that the Revolters would not be able long to endure the Inconveniencies and Famine that lodg'd among those inaccessible places blockt him up at a Distance So that Jonael at length weaken'd by daily desertions fled to the Gallans who being at variance among themselves kept their promis'd Faith but a short time for being underhand tempted with Rewards by the King they at length turn'd their Protection into Treachery and slew the Unfortunate Implorer of their Security This Bad Success however did not terrifie the Inhabitants of Damota inhabiting the Southern parts of Gojam who upon the News of the Prophanation of the Sabbath as they called it with their Hermites that sculk'd in the Deserts of that Province ran to their Arms. Ras-Seelax otherwise their Lord and Patron in vain Exhorting them to continue their Obedience whose kind Messages of Peace and Pardon they refus'd unless he would burn the Books Translated out of Latin into the Habessine Language by the Fathers and deliver up the Fathers themselves to be Hang'd upon the highest Trees they could find Thus despairing of Peace Ras-Seelax set forward tho deserted by the greatest part of his Forces who favoured the Cause of their Countrymen so that he had hardly Seven Thousand Men that stook close to him while the Enemies Body daily encreas'd However he resolv'd to Fight them knowing his Soldiers to be more Experienc'd and better Arm'd besides that he had about Forty Portuguese Musquetiers in his Camp When they came to blows the Victory fell to the King's Party tho it cost dear in regard that about Four hundred Monks that had as it were devoted themselves to die for their Religion fought most desperately of which a Hundred and fourscore were Slain Hitherto the King had not made Publick Profession of the Roman Religion partly out of fear of stirring up Popular Tumults against him partly being loath to dismiss his Supernumerary Wives and Concubines but at length encourag'd by so many Victories he lay'd all fear aside and publickly renounc'd the Alexandrian Worship and confessing his Sins after the Roman manner to Peter Pays dismiss'd all his Wives and Concubines only the first of those to which he had bin lawfully Marry'd His Example convinc'd many others who were not asham'd to keep many Mistresses but Adultresses also Not long after the King signify'd his Conversion to the Roman Religion to his whole Empire by a Publick Instrument not without the Severe reproof of the Alexandrian Patriarch The sum of his Manifesto was That having deserted the Alexandrinian he now reverenced only the Roman See and had yielded his Obedience to the Roman Pope as the Successor of Peter the Prince of the Apostles for that that See could never err either in Faith or good Manners and then he exhorted his Subjects to do as he had done He also discoursed at large concerning the two Natures in Christ and tax'd the Ethiopian Primates as guilty of many Errors But neither the King's Example nor his Exhortation wrought upon many For at the same time his Son Gabriel began to study new Contrivances tho with no better Success than they who had taught him the way For when he had intelligence that Ras-Seelax was marching
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
but only by a Tacit Connivance and that in the mean time there should be a Cessation of all Penalties and Mulcts Upon this the King intending a Third Expedition against the Lasteneers to make his Soldiers the more stedfast and obedient he put forth an Edict by which in general words an Indulgence was granted for the Exercise of all ancient Ceremonies not repugnant to Faith Thus every Person being left to his particular Liberty the Alexandrian Worship was again to the great Satisfaction of the People freely exercis'd but to the great grief of the Portugueses especially the Patriarch who presently wrote to the King complaining That contrary to his advice a Lay Prince should publish an Edict of that Nature in reference to spiritual Affairs for that it belong'd to him to set forth such Decrees putting him in mind of the words of Azariah the High-Priest to King Uzziah and of the Punishment that follow'd and admonishing him to amend that Fault by publishing some other Edict which should be propos'd by the assistance of some one of the Fathers of the Society The King obey'd and propounded an Edict which contain'd Three Articles 1. That the Ancient Liturgy but Corrected should be read in the Mass 2. That the Festivals should be observ'd according to the ancient Computation of Time except Easter and those other Festivals that depended upon it 3. That whosoever pleas'd instead of the Sabbath might fast upon the fourth Holyday And then as for answer to the Patriarchs Complaints he made this reply That the Roman Religion was not introduc'd into his Dominions by the Preaching or Miracles of the Fathers but meerly by his Edicts and Commands not by the assent of his People but of his own free will because he thought it better then the Alexandrian Therefore the Patriarch had no reason to Complain But these Concessions not being sufficient and coming too late prov'd altogether ineffectual not serving in the least to pacifie the Lasteneers or any other of the Discontented Parties CHAP. XII Of the Decrease of the Roman Religion and the Restoration of the Alexandrinian The Fathers ill Success The King prepares to restore the Alexandrian Religion Over-perswaded by the Queen and his Son The Decrees resolv'd on in Council The Patriarch makes a grave Speech to the contrary Vpbraids him with his Victories and threatens him At length he Supplicates but in vain The Edict passes Signify'd to the Patriarch who proposes a Medium The Edict publish'd to the great Satisfaction of the People The Ancient Ceremonies us'd An Invective Satyr against the Fathers The sudden Change censur'd WEE have hitherto seen the great Progress of the Roman Religion in Ethiopia the Authority of the Patriarch advanc'd to the utmost extent the King and his Brothers together with a great many of the Nobility some sincerely some feignedly favouring the Jesuits For the Latin Worship was with great diligence impos'd and exercis'd all over several Provinces of the Kingdom Many of the Habessine Priests were Ordain'd by the Patriarch and great diligence was us'd for the building of Churches and Colleges Already besides the Patriarch they had increas'd their Number to One and twenty Companions that is to say Nineteen Fathers and Two Brothers of the Society distributed into Thirteen Residencies Nor could the Fathers but be well pleas'd with so many Thousands of Baptized and Converted People for certainly the gaining of so many lost Souls by Baptism was not to be despised When on a suddain behold a suddain Change upon which the Banishment of the Fathers and the Subversion of the Roman Religion ensu'd For the Fathers believing that the opportunity of the time was not to be neglected made it their Business to abrogate all the Alexandrian Rites even those which were formerly tolerated under the Roman Bishops on the other side the Common People Wedded to their Old Customs but more especially the Monks and Clergy the chief Supporters of the old Religion most stoutly oppos'd their Proceedings Besides them several of the Nobility either out of Hatred of the Romans or out of Ambition frequently revolted and through the strength of their unaccessible Rocks easily eluded the King 's more mighty Power A most remarkable Lesson to teach us That that sort of Worship to which the People are averse is not easily to be introduc'd by the Prince and that it is no piece of Prudence or Policy to attempt the Liberty of those who are well defended by the Situation of their Country Therefore the King tho otherwise most addicted to the Fathers wearied with so many Exclamations of his own People growing in years utterly disliking the present posture of Affairs and fearful of what might ensue tormented with the continual Importunities of his Friends his Jealousie of his Brother the Contumacy of the Lasteneers the Diminution of his Prerogative and the dread of losing his Kingdom at length began to think of abrogating the Roman and restoring the ancient Alexandrian Worship And which was more to be admir'd a prosperous Fight with the Lasteneers was that which settled his wavering Thoughts For making a fourth Expedition against them he came upon them so unlook'd for that he gave them a Total tout Killing eight Thousand upon the place with several of the Leaders of the Faction and chief Deserters of their King and Country The Portugueses rejoyc'd at the News believing the Rebellion quietted by this Victory and that for the future nothing would presume so much as to hiss against the Roman Religion But it fell out quite otherwise For they who favour'd the the Alexandrian Religion the next day carry'd the King to view the Field of the Battel and shewing him the multitude of the Slain thus bespake him Neither Ethnics nor Mahumetans were these in whose Slaughter we might have some reason to rejoyce No Sir they were Christians once your Subjects and our dear Countrymen and partly to your self partly to us related in Blood How much more laudable would it have bin for these couragious Breasts to have bin oppos'd against the most deadly of your Enemies This is no Victory because obtain'd against your own Subjects With the same Sword wherewith you Slaughter them you Stab your own Bowels Certainly they bare no hatred to us whom we make War upon so cruelly Only they are a verse to that Worship to which you would compel them How many have we already kill'd upon this Change of Ceremonies How many remain behind reserv'd for the same Slaughter When will these Bloody Conflicts end Forbear we beseech your Majesty to constrain them to Novelties and Innovations lest they renounce their Allegiance otherwise we shall never behold the Face of Peace again We are hated even by the Gallans and Ethnicks for abandoning our ancient Ceremonies and are therefore by them call'd Apostates For it seems that the King of Adel having apprehended and put to Death two of the Fathers travelling into Habessinia thorow his Country in the accompt which he
gave to Susneus of what he had done haughtily call'd him Apostate Nor is it to be question'd but that the Mahumetans and Neighbouring Nations were much Scandaliz'd at the Alteration of the Habessinian into the Roman Religion not out of any love to the one or hatred to the other but for fear the Portugueses strengthen'd by the Habessines should become their Masters The Turks also were mad that the Metropolitan of Ethiopia was no more to be sent for out of Egypt for by that same Tye they held the Habessines fast and lyable to what Conditions they pleas'd To these incessant Importunities the Queen joyn'd the pow'rful Charms of her own Supplication conjuring him by all the Obligations of Sacred Wedlock and common Pledges of their undoubted Offspring To be well advised what he did and not to ruin his Kingdom Himself his Fortune and his whole Family With the same importunity his Eldest Son Basilides and his Brother by the Mothers side Jamanax hourly sollicited his disturb'd mind and the better to accomplish their ends they underhand procur'd the Gallans that serv'd the King to desire a dismission as being unwilling to fight any longer against the Habessines in a quarrel about a new Religion Thus the King's rigor mollify'd at length Basilides after he had summon'd the Nobility and chiefest of his Father's Counsellors together held a Council wherein it was concluded That there was no other remedy to allay the Disorders of the Kingdom but by restoring the Alexandrian Religion And the better to perswade those that were of the Contrary Opinion they gave it out that the Romanists and Alexandrians were of the same Opinion in points of Faith That both affirm'd that God was true Christ and true Man And as for the asserting One or Two Natures they were only words of little Moment and not worth the Ruin of a Mighty Empire So that the King induc'd by these reasons gave liberty to every one that pleas'd to return to the Alexandrian Forms The Patriarch was not ignorant of these Transactions Whereupon being accompanied with his Coadjutor the chief of the Fathers he desir'd Audience of the King Which being granted after a short Pause Sir said He I had thought that we had lately bin the Victors but now I see we are Vanquish'd On the other side the Lasteneers being overthrown and put to flight have obtain'd their desires Before the Battel was fought 't was then a time to Vow and Promise but now to fulfil The Victory was gain'd by the Catholic and Portuguese Soldiers the God of Hosts favouring the Catholic Religion These are therefore but ill returns to his Divinity For I understand here has bin a Decree made giving free toleration again of the Alexandrian Religion But this is not a place I see to advise with Bishops and Religious Persons the illiterate Vulgar the Gallans and Mahumetans Women here give their Judgments in Matters of Religion Consider how many Victories you have gain'd from the Rebels since you have embrac'd the Roman Religion Remember that you embrac'd it not compell'd by force or fear but of your own free choice as believing it the Truer Neither did we come hither as Intruders we were sent hither by the Pope and the King of Portugal at your request Neither did they ever design any other thing in their thoughts but only to unite your Empire to the Church of Rome And therefore beware of exciting their just Indignation They are 't is true far distant hence but God is at hand and will require the Satisfaction which is due to them You will throw an indelible blemish upon the Lion of the Tribe of Juda which you bear for your Atchievement You will blur your own renown and the Glory of your Nation Lastly you will be the undoubted occasion of innumerable Sins by yâ—ur Apostacy which that I may not see nor feel the threatning revenge of the Almighty Command this Head of mine to be immediately strick'n off This said with tears in their Eyes the Patriarch and his Companions fell Prostrate at the King's feet in expectation of his Answer The King not any way concern'd reply'd in few words That he had done as much as he could but could do no more neither was a total alteration of Religion intended but only a Concession of some Ceremonies To which the Patriarch answer'd That he had already tolerated some and was ready to indulge more which did not concern the Substance of Faith So that he would put forth another Edict that all things might remain as they were To which he receiv'd no other reply but That the King would send certain Commissioners to Treat and Discourse with the Fathers Nor had they a better answer from the Prince who being an Artist at Dissimulation sent them away unsatisfy'd with ambiguous words Upon the 24th of June The favourers of the Alexandrian Religion to the end they might get the Decree already mention'd put in Execution Address themselves to the Emperor and choosing Abba-Athanasius for their Prolocutor beseech him That he would by a Publick Edict be pleas'd to give his Subjects Liberty to return to the Religion of their Ancestors that otherwise the Kingdom would be utterly ruin'd The King assented and order'd certain Commissioners to signifie his Pleasure to the Patriarch They presently fell sharply to work with him and upbraided him with the frequent Rebellions of the People Aelius Cabrael Tecla-George and Sertzac and with the Slaughter of so many Thousands as fell with them That the Lasteneers were still in Arms for their ancient Religion that all ran to them and deserted the King because all the Habessines pin'd after their ancient Religion However that for the future it should be free for every one to be at his own choice which to follow for so from the Time of Claudius till lately there had bin Peace and Quietness between different Opinions while the Portugueses exercis'd theirs the Habessines their own Religion After a short time of Deliberation an Answer was carry'd back to the King by Father Emanuel D' Almeyda That the Patriarch understood that the Exercise of both Religions would be free in his Kingdom That for his part he had an equal love for Ethiopia as for his own Native Country and therefore for his part he was ready to grant whatsoever might be done with safety to the Purity of sound Doctrine But that there was still a difference to be made between those who had not yet embrac'd the Roman Religion as the Lasteneers for that they might be conniv'd at but they who had positively embrac'd the Roman Faith and had bin admitted to Confession and the Sacraments no indulgence could be granted to them without committing a great Sin to return to the Alexandrian Schism By this Temperament the Patriarch design'd to have put a Bar upon the King and all the Court which had already publickly made Profession of the Romish Ceremonies But the King almost spent with Vexation and Grief made
reason by Argument you can never subdue the Will Eighthly That the Devil had put it into the Heads of several Catholicks to make a corresponding Agreement between the Catholick and the Alexandrinian Religion asserting all to be Christians as well Alexandrians as Romans That all believe in Christ That Christ saves all That there is little Difference between both Religions That both have Conveniencies and Inconveniencies their Truths and their Errors but that the Wheat was to be separated from the Cockle Ninthly That the Ecclesiastical Censures seem'd very heavy to the Habessines especially when they heard the Patriarch name Dathan and Abiram in the Excommunication CHAP. XIII Of the Expulsion of the Patriarch and the Exilement of the Fathers of the Society The Alexandrians quarrel with the Fathers who are accurs'd Their Churches taken from them Susneus Dyes Ras-Seelax renouncing the Alexandrian Religion is Overthrown and Banish'd Others put to Death The Fathers Dispossessed of their Goods Sent to Fremona The Patriarch by Letters Demands of the King the Causes of his Banishment and a New Dispute The King's Answer The Fathers depart for Fremona Afterwards quite thrown out of the Kingdom AFter the Publication of the King's Edict the Alexandrians being now absolute Victors endeavour'd with all their industry to be quit with the Fathers and expel them quite out of Habessinia To which purpose they omitted no occasion of daily quarrel and contention First accusing the Patriarch for endeavouring by Seditious Sermons to stir up the People to Sedition and to turn them from the Alexandrian Religion for that he had openly exhorted his Hearers to Constancy But understanding that Basilides was displeas'd and gave out threatning words they thought it requisite to act more moderately Soon after the Fathers Churches were taken from them believing that would be a means to put a stop to the Roman Worship And first they were constrain'd to quit their Cathedral at Gorgora a stately Structure after the European manner At their departure they carry'd with them all their Sacred Furniture brake all the Sculpture and spoil'd the Pictures that they might not leave them to be the sport of their Adversaries doing that themselves which they thought the Habessines would do And this Example they follow'd in all other places from whence they were expell'd In the mid'st of these Transactions Susnèus's Distemper increasing and more and more augmented by his continual anguish of Mind he ended this Life the 16th day of Decemb. 1632. The King being Dead the Fathers Adversaries set upon Ras-Seelax in the first place as the Principal Favourer and Protector of the Roman Religion and first of all they promise him all his former Dignities all his Possessions and Goods upon Condition he would return to the Alexandrian Religion Upon his refusal they bring him bound in Chains before the King and pronounce him guilty of Death But the King declaring that he would not pollute his hands with the Blood of his Uncle commanded him to be carry'd to a certain remote Place near to Samenar and sequester'd his Goods And as he was great so was he attended in his fall by several others as Atzai-Tino Secretary of State and the King's Historiographer Walata Georgissa the Queens Cousin In short whoever had favour'd the Fathers were all sent into Exile and some put to Death perhaps because they had bin more bitter in their Expressions than others against the Alexandrian Religion For some had call'd it a Religion for Dogs After all this the Enemies of the Fathers still insisted That nothing was yet done so long as the Patriarch and the Fathers were suffer'd to abide within the Confines of the Kingdom Neither would the Lastaneers be quiet till they heard the Fathers were all thrown out of Ethiopia but would look upon all things transacted for the re-establishment of the Alexandrian Religion as fictitious Stories There needed not many words to press him that was already willing First of all therefore their Goods and Possessions were taken from them then all their Arms especially their Musquets and Fire-Arms But before that they were sent to Fremona where as we have already declar'd Oviedo the Patriarch resided for some time But before their Departure the Patriarch wrote a certain Letter to the King to this Effect I did not adventure to come into Habessinia with my Companions of my own accord but by the Command of the Roman Pontiff and the King of Portugal at the request of your Father where having taken the King's Oath of Obedience I officiated the Office of Patriarch in the Name of the Roman Pontiff and the King of Portugal Now because you Command me to depart my humble request is that your Majesty would set down the Causes of my Exilement in Writing subscrib'd with your own and the hands of some of your Counsellors and Peers that all the World may know whether I am compell'd to suffer for my Life and Conversation or for the sake of my Doctrine I granted the Ceremonies desired by your Father except the Communion under both Kinds which only the Pope himself can dispute with The same also I again offer so that you and your Subjects will yield Obedience to the Church of Rome as the head of all other Churches My last request is That as the Matter was Debated at first so it may be referr'd to another Dispute by which means the Truth of the whole affair will more manifestly appear To this Writing the King thus reply'd Whatever was done by me before was done by the Command of my Father whom I was in Duty bound to Obey so that I was forc'd to wage War under his Conduct both with Kindred and Subjects But after the last Battel of Wainadega the Learned and Unlearned Clergy and Layety Civil and Military young and old all sorts of Persons made their Addresses to my Father Crying out How long shall we be perplexed and wearied with unprofitable things How long shall we encounter Brethren and Kindred cutting off the right hand with the left How long shall we thrust our Swords into our own Bowels Especially since we learn nothing from the Roman Religion but what we knew before For what the Romans call the two Natures in Christ his Divinity and his Humanity that we knew from the beginning to this time For we all believe that our Lord Christ is perfect God and perfect Man perfect God in his Divinity and perfect Man in his Humanity But in regard those Natures are not separated nor divided for neither of them subsist of its self but both of them conjoyn'd the one with the other therefore we do not say that they are two things For one is made two yet so as the Natures are not mix'd in their Subsistence This Controversie therefore among us is of little moment neither was it for this that there has bin so much Bloodshed among us but chiefly because the Blood was deny'd to the Layety whereas Christ has said in his Gospel Unless
no other answer than this How can this be done I am now no more Lord of my own Kingdom So they were forc'd to depart as they came Presently the Drums beat the Trumpets sounded and Proclamation was made by the Voice of the Cryer O yez O yez In the first place we propounded to ye the Roman Religion esteeming it the best But an innumerable multitude of Men have perish'd through dislike of it with Aelius Cabriel Tecla-George Sertzac and lastly with the Rustick Lastaneers And therefore we grant you the free Exercise of the Religion of your Ancestors It shall be lawful for you henceforward to frequent your own Churches make use of your own Eucharistic Arks and to read the Liturgies after the old Custom So farewell and Rejoyce It is a thing almost impossible to be believ'd with what an Universal Joy this Edict was receiv'd among the People The whole Camp as if they had had some great Deliverance from the Enemy rang with Shouts and Acclamations The Monks and Clergy who had felt the greatest weight of the Fathers Hatred lifted up their Thankful voices to Heaven The promiscuous Multitude of Men and Women danc'd and caper'd The Soldiers wish'd all happiness to their Commanders They brake to pieces their own and the Rosaries of all they met and some they burnt Crying out that it was sufficient for them to believe That Christ was true God and true Man without the unnecessary Disputes concerning the two Natures From thenceforward the old Ceremonies were made use of in the Communion Grapestone Liquor instead of Wine And the Holy Name of Jesus forbidden to be so frequent in their Mouths after the Roman manner and some that did not observe this Caution they ran through with their Lances Some few days after a general Circumcision was appointed not minding the pain of such a piece of Vanity so they might not be thought to have neglected any thing of their ancient Rites in favour of the Fathers Some there were also that us'd the ancient manner of washing themselves upon the Festival of the Epiphany believing themselves thereby purify'd from the guilt of having admitted the Roman Religion Others ran about Singing for joy that Ethiopia was deliver'd from the Western Lyons Chanting forth the following Lines At length the Sheep of Ethiopia free'd From the Bold Lyons of the West Securely in their Pastures feed St. Mark and Cyril's Doctrine have o'recome The Folly's of the Church of Rome Rejoyce rejoyce Sing Hallelujahs all No more the Western Wolves Our Ethiopia shall enthrall And thus fell the whole Fabrick of the Roman Religion that had bin so long rearing with so much Labour and Expence and which had cost the Effusion of so much Blood to pull it down So vast and haughty Tow'rs that have bin long time Built if once you undermine the Foundation tumble in a moment Some there were who accus'd the Fathers of the Society as if they had ruin'd the fair Progress they had made by double Diligence and over-hasty Zeal For most of the Portugueses and many of the Habessines themselves that were well affected to the Roman Religion took it ill that things should be so suddainly chang'd which might have bin longer let alone without the least injury done to fundamental Faith For as tall Trees that have taken deep root are not easily Eradicated so inveterated Opinions which we have as it were suck't in with our Mother's Milk are not to be overcome but by length of time great Lenity and much Patience For Humane understanding if compell'd puts on Obstinacy as it were in revenge of injur'd Liberty Nor did some that were the Fathers great Friends make any Question that had they left some things indifferent which the Pope himself many times freely tolerates so it be acknowledg'd as the Act of his Benignity and Dispensation as the Computations of the holy Times the Communion under both Kinds and some other things which the Primitive Church without any Scandal tolerated and permitted as the Marriage of Priests the Fast of the fourth Holyday the Observation of the Sabbath and some other things which depended meerly upon Custom and not upon Divine Precept and had only minded in the mean time the Business of Conversion and Preaching they had gain'd not only the Habessines but the Pagans themselves and working by degrees had brought their design at length to perfection But they relying wholly upon the Favour and Successes of the King were presently for compelling the Habessines to conform of a suddain in all things to a strange and uncouth Innovation The Latin Tongue must be us'd in their Publick Sacred Worship and their daily Prayers the Angelical Salutation the Lord's Prayer and the Apostolic Creed must be said in Latin written in the Ethiopic Characters in which Eve Maria grazia Plena c. sounded strangely and odly to the Habessinian Pronunciation Which by degrees so alienated the Affections of the Habessinians from such a sort of aukward Devotion so that at length all the Wars Seditions Pests of Locusts Famine and all the Calamities that follow'd and the severe Penalties that were inflicted upon the Alexandrians were lay'd upon the Fathers which begat them Hatred instead of Reverence and Banishment in the room of Favour and Affection From what has bin said Men of Prudence will easily find the causes of so great a Mutation Nevertheless it will not be improper to add those other which Tellez has assign'd First he says That the strict Tyes and Laws of Matrimony according to the Catholic Faith were not so well brook'd by the Habessinians being allow'd by the Alexandrian Religion to Marry one or more and to Divorce as they saw good Secondly That besides Incontinency Avarice Ambition Envy Hatred had got a head among them especially against Ras-Seelax whose Power they could find no better way to pull down than by Persecuting the Fathers for whom he had so indear'd a Kindness Thirdly That many were possess'd of the Church Lands of which they were unwilling to make restitution Fourthly That the Secular Judges complain'd that the Patriarch summon'd all Matrimonial Causes to his Tribunal Fifthly That others were enrag'd to see Churches built with Lime and Stone for they call'd them Castles not Churches built by Ras-Seelax to the end he might make himself Master of Ethiopia Sixthly That the Monks were incens'd to see the Fathers only in Esteem and themselves formerly so highly reverenc'd afterwards contemn'd and slighted so that as the other grew great they should become nothing at all Seventhly That the Habessines always appeal'd to the Manners and Rites of their Ancestors not believing it to be just to condemn them of Error who had bin accompted Holy Men for so many Ages or to hear and follow Innovations neglecting the Laws and Customs of their Fore-fathers For through the vitiousness of Humane Malignity saith Quintilian Old things are always applauded Novelties held to be loathsome So that although you overcome the