word Gaz signifies as well the Face or Countenance as it bears the force of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Person The Nestorian Heresie asserting two Persons in Christ they so abhor that for that very reason they will not admit of his two Natures and two Wills tho they positively acknowledge his Divinity and Humanity For they affirm Christ to be true and perfect God and also true and perfect Man and to consist in one Individual Person of Divinity and Humanity without Confusion and Commixtion Farthermore They acknowledge the most Sacred Merits of Christ to be most sufficient and efficacious for the Sins of the whole world and consequently of all Mankind and this Gregory himself affirm'd to be true nor have I found in any of their Books which I have happen'd to see any thing that contradicts what he asserted However as the Greeks do they deny the Proceeding of the Holy Ghost from the Son yet all this while they acknowledge him to be equally the Spirit of the Father and the Son and to be a Person subsisting of himself For thus they declare in their Liturgy We believe the Father sending that the Father is in his own Person And we believe the Son who is sent that the Son is in his own Person and we believe the Holy Ghost who descended upon Jordan and upon the Apostles that the Holy Ghost is in his own Person Three Names One God Not as Abraham who is elder than Isaac nor as Isaac who is Elder than Jacob. It is not so The Father is not Elder than the Son because he is the Father nor the Son Elder than the Holy Ghost nor the Holy Ghost lesser or Younger than the Father and the Son nor is the Son Younger than the Father because he is the Son Not as Abraham who commanded over Isaac in respect of Generation because he begat him nor as Isaac who commanded Jacob. It is not so in Divinity The Father does not command the Son because he is the Father neither is the Son greater than the Holy Ghost because he is the Son The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are Equal One God one Glory one Kingdom one Power one Empire But concerning the Hypostasis or Person of the Holy Ghost really distinct from the Father and the Son the Author of the Organon thus discourses But least any one from what has been already said should infer that the Holy Ghost is not a perfect and distinct Person therefore said Christ to his Apostles I will send you another Comforter By which we know that the Holy Ghost doth exist together with the Father and the Son and also together in his own proper Subsistance or Person Not that the Holy Ghost is partly in the Son partly in his own Person but one and the same existent in his proper Person and existent with the Father and the Son Gregory being ask'd whether this were the unanimous and constant Opinion of all the Ethiopian Doctors reply'd It was I thereupon urg'd Why they deny'd that the Holy Ghost proceeded from the Father seeing they asserted that he was equally the Spirit of the Father and the Son He desir'd That I would first expound what was meant by Proceeding from the Father and then he would give the reason of the Denyal and that for his part he kept to the words of the Scripture John 15.26 and 16.24 Who goeth out from the Father and takes from the Son and that he sought no farther For that it was not lawful in Disputes concerning the most abstruse Mysteries of the Holy Trinity to argue by Consequences but to stick close to the very words and Expressions of Scripture themselves That I should consider what would follow if we should argue from the Unity and Equality of Essence to the Characteristical Proprieties of the Persons As if any one should undertake to averr That Christ is the Son of the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost is one and Coeternal God with the Father Some such kind of Argument his Countryman Tzagazaab may be thought to have had in his Brain when he wrote That Christ was the Son of himself and the Beginning of himself because he was co-essential with the Father whose Son he was By the way we are to understand That the Ethiopians instead of the word Vazzea went forth or proceeded and in the Preterperfect tense use the word Saraz to budd or sprout forth Thus Claudius in his Confession I believe in the Holy Ghost reviving Lord Zasratz em Ab who proceeded or sprung from the Father They never add from the Son altho the Liturgy Printed at Rome and Tzagazaab's Confession runs thus Zasraz em Ab vavalde who sprouted forth or proceeded from the Father and the Son Where 't is much to be doubted that from the Son was inserted by another hand We proceed to the Sacraments of which they neither have the common name nor number For they are utterly ignorant of Confirmation and Extreme Unction They make use of the word Mastar for a Mysterie whenever they go about to intimate the Mysterie of the Participation of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ Otherwise they do not think it necessary to signifie the Seals of Faith by any other Vulgar name not us'd in Scripture or to make much dispute about the Number Only said Gregory They make use of Baptism according to the Institution of Christ and with the Ceremonies anciently made use of by the Church But the Fathers of the Society reported That the Ceremonies of Baptism were so deprav'd and corrupted among the Habessines that they were constrain'd to Rebaptize great Numbers under a Condition As for the Holy Communion they Administer it indifferently to all both Layety and Clergy as it is the Custom in all the Churches of the East Neither has any thing more alienated their minds from the Fathers than their finding the Layety to be depriv'd of the Cup by the Latins Gregory being demanded what he thought of the real Presence of the Body and Blood in the Lord's Supper made answer That he acknowledged it Adding withal according to his manner when any Discourses arose of Matters more difficult and abstruse than ordinary Retzitze nagare vet 't is a nice business or Mastar vet It is a Mystery When I produc'd him these words in the Liturgies Lord now lay thy hand upon this Dish Bless it Sanctifie it and Purifie it that so thy Body may be made holy therein Again Lay thy hand upon this Cup and now bless it sanctifie it and purifie it that thy Blood may become holy therein In another place Lay thy hand upon this Spoon of the Cross to prepare the Body and Blood of thy only Son our Lord and God And in another place Convert this Bread that it may become thy pure Body which is joyn'd with this Cup of thy most precious Blood And out of the Eucharistic Prayer which bears the Title of the 318 Orthodox Divines these
according to the frequent and ancient custom of the Orientals CHAP. VIII Of the Rivers of Habessinia more especially of Nile its Fountains and Course as also of the Lake Tzana Many Rivers there more precious than Metals The Fountains originally from Rain-water An Encomium of Nilus In Scripture it is call'd The River 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Schichor or Niger By some of the ancients Astapus and Astaboras In the Amharic Dialect call'd Abawi or the Patent of Rivers it flows not in Paradise as some of the Fathers thought Admiration caus'd the desire of knowing its Original that the Ancients plac'd in the Mountains of the Moon The Portugals discover'd the true Fountains their description from Peter Pays not different from Gregories It rises in Sicut it has five Heads It mixes with the Lake in Dembea It passes by the principal Kingdoms of Habassia encircles Gojam runs through Egypt and so into the Sea Gregories Ethiopic Description He alledges That all the Rivers of Africa fall into Nile He limits that assertion Some fall into the Sea The true causes of the overflowing of Nile Jovius blam'd A double Channel of Nile Niger the other Channel The old Relation in Herodotus explain'd Whether the King of Hebessynia can divert the Course of Nile Rivers suckt up in the Sand. Zebeus falls into the Indian Sea The Habessines unskill'd in Navigation The Tzanic Lake with its Islands BUT much more excelling and far more precious Gifts of Nature than those of Metals flow from the Mountains of Habessinia that is to say several remarkable Rivers more profitable to the Natives and the neighbouring Nations than Gold it self so much the Subject of human Avarice For the Rain-water soaking through the pores of the Earth and the clefts of the Rocks is receiv'd and as it were cistern'd up in the hidden Caverns of the Mountains where after it has pass'd through many secret conveyances of Nature at length it meets with some hollow place and breaks forth Sometimes oppress'd by its own weight it reascends and seeks for passage at the tops of the Mountains themselves which is the reason that in Countries where there is little or no Rain there are few or no Fountains but where there are frequent Rains the Rivers are large and swelling The Effect demonstrating the Cause (c) No truer opinion concerning the Original of Rivers Aristotle quotes it in his Meteorologies l. 1. s 4. c. 1. but without reason dissents Most Neoterics defend it See Isaac Vossius De Origine Nili Fluminum c. v. But Nilus owing to Habassia for its source for plenty of Water for sweetness wholsomness and fertility of the same excells all other Rivers of the World In sacred Writ by reason of its Excellency it is sometimes call'd Isa 23.3 The River absolutely and particularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from its black Colour and by the Greeks for the same reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it runs with black a muddy Water Some of the Ancients tell us Plin. 5.9 7.3 that it was then by the Ethiopians call'd Astapus and that the left Channel of it about Meroe was nam'd Astabora which others have understood concerning other Rivers that flow into Nile But this we let pass as obscure and doubtful whether meant of Nilus and our Ethiopians or no for the Habessines in their vulgar Language have no other name for Nile than that of Abawi And that as some think from the word Ab which signifies a Parent as if Nilus were the Parent of all other Rivers But this derivation neither suits with Grammar neither does (d) It is in the form of an Adjective Heavenly Golden So Abawi signifies Paternal Abawi simply signifie a Parent neither if you rightly consider it is it agreeable to Sense for Nilus does not send forth from his own Bowels but receives the Tribute of all other Rivers So that he may be rather said to be their Captain and Prince than the Father of them And therefore the Egyptians out of a vain Superstition call'd him their Preserver their Sun and their God and sometimes Poetically Parent In our Ethiopic or the Language of the Books this River is call'd Gejon or Gewon by an ancient mistake from the (e) For in the time of the 70 Interpreters it was so called who render'd Shichor Jer 2.18 where the Prophet speaks positively of Nile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gihon The same you shall find in the Book of Syras Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Geon and that from the Hebrew word Gihon because it seem'd to agree with the Description Gen. 2.13 which encompasses the Land of Ethiopia whereas it only encircles Gojam but only glides and passes by all the other Kingdoms of Ethiopia If you object That Gihon had its source in the Terrestrial Paradise 't is twenty to one but that they extol their own Country for Paradise For you must understand that many of the Fathers of the (f) Theodoret in c. 2. Gen. 9.19 Austin l. 8. de gen c. 7. Abulens in c. 2. Gen. 9.15 26.9.2 Church were of the same opinion which that they might defend they brought the River Nile under Ground and under the Sea into Egypt well knowing that no body would follow them thither leaving their Readers to find out the way Certainly the Ancients never inquir'd so curiously into the Nature or Source of any River as they did in that of Nile neither were they ever so deceiv'd for it was a thing altogether unusual for any other Rivers in the World to overflow in the most sultry Season of the year an Inundation so wholsom and profitable to Egypt So that the ignorance of the cause of it fill'd the minds of the Ancients with so much admiration that both Princes and private Persons desired nothing more than to know the Head of that River which was the Original of their Happiness in so much that there were some Emperours and Kings who sent great Armies in quest of the satisfaction of their Curiosity tho with all success (g) As Cambyses Alexander Ptol. Philadelph J. Caesar Nero c. Most of the ancient Geographers by meer conjecture plac'd the Fountains of this River beyond the Equinoctial Line in I know not what Mountains of the Moon to the end they might deduce the cause of its swelling from the Winter Rains of those Regions For they could not persuade themselves that the Sun being in the Northern Signs so much Winter or Rain could be so near to cause so great an increase of the Flood tho there were (h) So Pliny l. 17. c. 18. wherever Summer Rains are not as in India and Ethiopia some who made it out plainly enough but that Credit would not be given to them (i) Photin in Bibl. n. 249. in the Life of Pythag. Agatharchides Strabo and others See Vossius d. l. c. 20. But by the Travels of the Portugals into Habessinia and the sedulity of the Fathers
only Vice prevail'd in Church and State At that time there was a certain Priest who neither like a Latinist nor a Christian had Baptiz'd several Infants in Nomine Patria Filia Spiritual Sancta which Baptism was however confirm'd by Zacharias the Pope by reason of the good intention of the Baptizer That Sinners after Baptism are reconcil'd to God and the Church they make no Question However they teach that there must be a Repentance for these Sins and that Repentance to be made known by Confession But to enumerate all and singular their particular Sins with all their circumstances they think it neither commanded of God nor at all necessary And therefore they only say in general words to the Priest Absan Absan we have Sinn'd we have Sinn'd So that when the Roman Priests press'd them to particular Confession they never acknowledg'd any more than three if they had been guilty Homicide Adultery and Theft To confess any more they could not be induc'd without great difficulty The Offender is Absolv'd in very few words together with some gentle stripes upon the Side with an Olive twigg which is thought sufficient to deliver him from the Power of Satan But as for them that have committed any of those great Crimes before-named they are not only chastiz'd with severe Reprehension and bitter Language but many times also severely Scourg'd to the end they may not only hear but be sensible of their Absolution Tellez reports That the Metropolitan sometimes hears Confessions himself and that when he understands the heinousness of the Crime he rises up and after a sharp rebuke of the Penitent he cryes out Hast thou done this Dost thou not fear God Go too let him be Scourg'd thirty or forty times Presently the Executioners are ready who streight prepare their Scourges and give the miserable Sinner six or seven cutting lashes the rest being remitted at the Intercession of the Standers by There was one who to avoid so sharp an Absolution of his Crime requested of the Metropolitan sitting in his Seat of Judicature that he might make his Confession in Private to whom the Metropolitan How Shall not thy Sin be made manifest at the last day before all the World Tell therefore what it is The unfortunate Offender believing it his duty to obey openly confess'd it was the stealing of Oxen. By chance the Owner of the Oxen was there who being glad that he had apprehended the Thief presently accus'd him so that the poor Fellow being Convicted of the Fact by his own Confession before so many Witnesses was constrain'd to restore the Oxen and undergo a severe Punishment beside But as the Habessines are generally of a soft and mild Disposition for the most part so soon as they have committed any notable Offence they presently run to their Confessors and confessing they have sinn'd desire to receive the Communion for the quiet of their Consciences But this they do not do till they come to be at least Five and twenty years of Age. For till then they prolong their years of Indiscretion pretending Childish Innocence So that if a Young man die before he be Twenty years old they bewail him in these words Oh! let my Soul be like the Soul of this Innocent So great a Confidence they have in the honest Inclinations of their Youth The whole Divine Service of the Ethiopians is compleated by the sole Administration of the Sacrament and reading some few broken parcels of Chapters out of the New Testament for they neither make use of Sacred Hymns nor of Preaching Which when we seem'd to wonder at Gregory ask'd me Whether we thought our Preachers could speak any thing better then what was written in the Sacred Scripture or the Homilies of the Fathers of the Primitive Church Whether we thought their Sayings more efficacious than the Word of God Whether we did not fear lest those Preachers should utter something which might be repugnant to our Faith and Salvation which might prove of dangerous Consequence especially among the Plebeian and rustic sort of People We answer'd That the Worship of God requir'd it and that the use and end of Preaching was at large set forth in Scripture to the end we might understand the benefit of them But the Ethiopians to supply this defect have Compos'd several Liturgies and Homilies of which mention has been already made To these they add several Portions of Scripture usually appointed to be read which are fourfold out of the Evangelists the Acts the Epistles of St. Paul and the rest of the Canonical Epistles to which they give the Titles of Wengel the Evangils Gheber the Acts Paulus and Hawarja the Apostle But in the general Liturgy which they call Canon Kedasi the Canon of the Mass there are all their Ceremonies to be found with all their Prayers accustom'd to be apply'd to the several Varieties of Duties to be perform'd all their Instruments and Vessels being sanctify'd by certain Prayers and Ejaculations For in the Sanctuary stands the Holy Table which they call Kedesat Terphez vulgarly Manbar It differs from their Common Tables for that you may go round about it and place what you please upon it Only it is cover'd with a Canopy sustain'd with four Pillars at each Corner Upon this they place the Sacred Vessels First the Tabot or Chest A little Table so call'd but the reason why I never yet could find for that it has no resemblance of a Chest it being an Oblong Quadrangular Table upon which the Dish and the Cup are set and therefore I must repair to conjecture which I shall willingly submit to the Judgment of the Learned The most ancient Christians when for almost three Ages together they could not have the Opportunity of Administring or receiving the Communion in Public were constrain'd to take their Opportunities in Dens and Caves but for the most part in the Church-yards in the silence of the Night To which purpose they either carry'd the Bread Wine Cup and other Utensils wrapp'd up in Linnen or otherwise conceal'd to the place where the Congregation met Whence it seems very probable to me that they might make use of the Coffins themselves or some Chest in the fashion of a Bier to conveigh their Sacred Utensils under the pretence of carrying forth their Dead Which Chest being thus conveigh'd into the Church-yard or Cave where they met serv'd also instead of a Table about which the Communicants sate and receiv'd in their Order If they found any Bones of the Holy Martyrs scatter'd about they gather'd them up and put them up in this Chest which Custom in after Ages became a Law If they were driven from their Habitations or constrain'd for fear of Tyrannical fury to seek new abodes this Chest was still carry'd from place to place where the Bishop or Presbyter resided who was to perform the Sacred Duty And thus they came to be call'd either Chests by their proper Names or Tables in reference to their Use
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
Nation and not permitted to have any commerce among them But it has afforded me much more matter of grief that there should be such and so great Animosity nmong the Western Christians that as things stand there is no Counsell or help to be afforded for the ease and restitution of the Eastern Church or for the suppression of those Barbarous Idolaters The HEADS of the several CHAPTERS in the following HISTORY Book I. Of the Nature of the Country and Inhabitants THe Proem contains the Chief Writers of the Habessine Affairs which the Author follows or contradicts where he takes an occasion to give an account of Gregory the Habessinian whom Ernestus Duke of Saxony sent for to his Court at Gota together with the Argument and Method of the whole Treatise Chap. I. Of the various Names of the Habessines and the Original of the Nation from Arabia the Happy Chap. II. Of the true Situation and Bounds of Habessinia and the Kingdoms and Regions bordering on every side upon it Chap. III. Of the Division of Habessinia into several Kingdoms and Regions and what is at this day under the Dominions of the Negus Chap. IV. Of the vulgar Chorographical Table of the Country and the Authors new one with the Authors advice in reference to a Universal Geographical Alphabet Chap. V. Of the temper and nature of the Air and Soyl of the three not four Seasons of the Year the stupendious Winds and other Meteors Chap. VI. Of the high Mountains of Habessinia and their Rocks of a most Miraculous Form their advantages and conveniencie more especially of the Rocks of Amhara Geshen and Ambasel Chap. VII Of their Metals and Minerals more especially their Salt and Stibium Chap. VIII Of the Rivers of Habessinia more especially Nile its Fountains and Course that Niger is a Channel of Nile whether the Course of the River may be altered or turned another way to prevent its overflowing of Aegypt as also of the Lake Tzana Chap. IX Of the Fertility of the Soyl in general double and threefold Harvest Of the Vegitables and Plants Of the Psylli proving their Art of relieving the Poyson'd to be artificial not natural Chap. X. Of the Fourfooted Beasts the Bull Elephants the Unicorn c. Chap. XI Of Amphibious Creatures the River Horse the Water-Lizard and the Torpedo Chap. XII Of Birds the Casawaw and Pipi their tame Geese and Feeders Chap. XIII Of Serpents and Insects the Boa Salamander Hydra Chersydra Locusts and Ants. Chap. XIV Of the Nature and Disposition of the Inhabitants of the Jews and other Nations in Ethiopia Chap. XV. Of the Languages us'd in Ethiopia the Amharic and Gallanic Dialects Chap. XVI Of the bordering Nations more especially of the Gallans and the manners and customs of the Kingdom of Zender and their King who resembles an Ape Book II. Of their Political Government Chap. I. Of the Kings of the Habessines and their various Titles Names and Atchievments both true and fictitious Of the Name of Presbyter John the Stile of their Letters The Queens and the Titles of the Princes and Princesses of the Blood Chap. II. Of the Catalogues of the ancient Kings of the Habessines for the most part Fictitious Of the Royal Families their Antiquity and first of the Ethnic Family Chap. III. Of the Salomonean Family descended from Menihelec Son to Solomon by the Queen of Sheba whose Parentage and Place of Nativity where she Rul'd is discours'd Chap. IV. Of Menihelec the Son of Makeda and his Posterity Of Candace Of Abreha and Atsbeha brothers and of Caleb who Subverted the Kingdom of the Homerites Chap. V. Of the Zagean Family and the Kings that sprung from that Line more especially of Lalibala Chap. VI. Of the Restauration of the Salomonian Family and the Succession from thence David and Claudius c. in whose Reign the Jesuits first entred Habessinia Chap. VII Of the Kings of this Centurie till the present time Of the Counterfeit Jacob and the Impostor Tzaga-Christos in France A genealogical Table of the Habessinian Kings Chap. VIII Of the Royal Succession and Imprisonment of all the Kings Sons but the Eldest in the Rock Geshen Chap. IX Of the Kings Prerogative in Civils and Spirituals Chap. X. Of the Puissance of the Kings of Habessinia and how the Power of the Gallans might be Ecclips'd as also of the Royal Revenues Chap. XI Of the Royal City of Axuma and the Inauguration of their Kings Chap. XII Of the Kings Court his Table and manner of Feeding the Custom of receiving Embassadours and of the Grand Court Employments Chap. XIII Of the Royal Camp which may be compar'd to a Royal City Chap. XIV Of the Militarie Discipline of the Habessines Chap. XV. Of the Wars of the former Century more especially the Fatal Adelan War and how they were relieved by the Portugals Chap. XVI Of their Leagues and Embassies to the Portugheses and the Pope and the King of Portugal's reciprocal Embassies to them Chap. XVII Of the Viceroys Governours and Rulers of Provinces and their various Titles Chap. XVIII Of the Tributaries to the King of Ethiopia and the manner of presenting Petitions and Complements to the King Chap. XIX Of their Courts of Judicature and Law Proceedings their Appeals and Punishments Book III. Chap. I. Of the Ancient Religion of the Habessines and Tzagazaab's idle Confession of Faith their Judaic Rites their Circumcision abstinence from Swines Flesh and observing the Sabbath c. Chap. II. Of the Conversion of the Habessines to the Christian Faith Cedrenus and Callistus Confuted Chap. III. Of the advancement of Christianity by the assistance of Nine Holy Men. Of the Portentous Miracles of their Saints Their rigid Monastical Life of Tecla Haimanot and Eustathius and the Orders and Institutions of their Monks Chap. IV. Of the Holy Book among the Habessines the Translation of the Scripture into their Language their Division of the Bible Their Councils and Epitomie of the Habessine Religion the Book of Enoch and their Magical Prayers Chap. V. Of the present Religion of the Habessines and the Errours imputed to them by the Fathers what they Believe concerning the Trinity the Communion Transubstantiation Purgatory the Immortality of the Soul Angels c. Chap. VI. Of the Modern Rites and Ceremonies of the Ethiopic Church Chap. VII Of their Ecclesiastical Government Chap. VIII Of the separation of the Habessines from the Greek Church Chap. IX Of their first Quarrels with the Jesuits Chap. X. Of Susneus's Submission to the Pope and the Tumults and Rebellions that arose thereupon Chap. XI Of the Arrival of a Patriarch from Rome and the Progress of the Roman Religion during the Reign of Susneus Chap. XII Of the decrease of the Jesuits Power and their fall the Restoration of the Alexandrian Religion and the causes of so great an Alteration Chap. XIII Of the Expulsion of the Patriarch Chap. XIV What happen'd after the Expulsion Book IV. Of their private Affairs Chap. I. Of the Ethiopian
made a most lofty Panegyric in Praise of the Pope not without some Reflections upon the Blindness of former Ages then he fell to commemorate what had been done of later Times How That the Emperors of Habessinia had sent their Embassadors formerly to Rome and that lately one of them had requested thence a Pastor and Evangelical Preachers that therefore now the Time was come wherein his Majesty was bound to satisfie the desire of his Ancestors and to submit himself and his Subjects to the See of Rome The King Commanded the Grand Chamberlain of his Houshold Melca Christos Prince of Samena to return an Answer who after he had extoll'd the Merits of the Portugueses It is now the King's Intention said he to fulfil the Promises of his Ancestors by yielding Obedience to the Roman Pope But as he was going on the King interrupted him saying That this was not the first day of his Intention to surrender his submission to the Roman Pope as having long before promis'd it to the Superior Father of the Society of Jesus Presently the Patriarch after a short answer unfolded a Book containing the four Evangelists and then the King falling upon his Knees took his Oath after this manner We Sultan-Saghed King of the Kings of Ethiopia believe and confess That St. Peâ—er Prince of the Apostles was by Christ our Lord Constituted Head of the whole Christian Church and that Principality and Power over the whole World was given to him when he said Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and I will give to thee the Keys of Heav'n and at another Time when he said to Him Feed my Sheep In like manner we believe That the Pope of Rome lawfully Elected is the true Successor of St. Peter the Apostle in his Government and that he has the same Power Dignity and Primacy of the whole Church of Christ Therefore we Promise Offer and Swear true Obedience and humbly submit our Person and our Empire at the feet of our Holy Father Urban the VIII of that Name by the Grace of God Pope and our Lord and to his Successors in the Administration of the Church So God help us and these Holy Evangils After the King had done his Son Basilides the King's Brothers all the Viceroys and Peers as also all the Clergy and Monks then present took the same Oath After this Ras-Seelax hastily Drawing forth his Scimiter brake forth into these passionate Expressions What is done let it be done that is to say Let past things be forgotten But whoever for the future shall not do it since it becomes every one so to do shall feel the weight of this An Act which to most that were present seem'd very severe especially to those who had taken part with Gabriel at whom those words were constru'd to be principally levell'd Moreover he added an unusual Clause to his own Oath That he also swore Allegiance to Basilides as Heir and Successor to his Father and that he would also be his faithful Vassal so that he would promise to Protect and Defend the Holy Catholic Faith otherwise that he would be the first and most profess'd of his Enemies As if it had bin lawful for a Subject to impose new Conditions of his Subjection upon a most Absolute Prince and Monarch not bound by any Laws of Man such as is the King of Habessinia However the King said nothing nor durst Basilides as being under the Tuition of his Father take notice of it Nor indeed was this Condition added to his Oath any advantage to the Roman Church but rather serv'd to hasten the Ruin of Ras-Seelax This Solemnity concluded with an Anathema after the Ethiopian manner upon all those that for the future should forget or break this Oath Immediately after several Edicts were Publish'd That none for the future should say Mass or Exercise the Priestly Office except such as were licens'd by the Patriarch Thereupon the Ordinations of the Alexandrian Metropolitan not being accompted lawful most of the Priests were constrain'd to receive new Ordinations from the new Patriarch upon this Condition That they should all observe the Roman Forms of Worship and not give any succour or harbour to Rebels who offended in that Nature was to be severely punish'd It was also farther enjoyn'd that in the Celebration of Easter and Observation of Lent the Canons of the Church of Rome should be faithfully follow'd There was also one thing more than usual exacted by the Patriarch who having a great mistrust of the Ladies of the Royal Blood caus'd a It is still a Proverb among the Ethiopians Zaqon Qawino What is done let it be done Decree to be made that they also upon a prefix'd day as being more zealous for the Alexandrian Opinions than the Men should take the Sacred Oath of Supremacy to the Pope as if they had bin a distinct Body Politic from the Men. But whether it were put in Execution or how done I do not find In the next place great care was taken for Building a Patriarchal Seat and for settling an Annual Revenue for support of the Dignity of the new Primate to which purpose a place was chosen out in the Confines of Bagemdra and Dembea call'd Debsan as also another in the Imperial Camp near Dancaz Residencies also for the Fathers were built in several Provinces of the Empire to stock it with Jesuits Maiguagua or Fremona in Tigra Ganeta Jesus with a fair Church Gorgora in Dembea Azazo Enabeesse vulgarly Nebesse Hadash by the Portugals Adaxa Kolala Leda-Negas Serca Temhhua Atthana in Bagemdra The same year also Lent was kept after the Roman manner with all the Solemnities of the Passion Week as also Easter according to the Roman Calendar Which occasion'd most violent Commotions over all the Empire and more especially among the Clergy and Monks Who being ignorant of the Computation and the Cause thought it a high breach of the Canons of the Nicene Council and the Paschal Cycle therein prescrib'd Neither could the Edict be equally dispers'd over so many far distant Regions for want of Printing In the mean time they were very busie in Baptizing the Converted and ordaining of Ecclesiastical Persons many of which had bin already Baptiz'd and Ordain'd Sermons were also Preach'd in several places after the manner of Europe wherein it was necessary for the Fathers to Cite many places of Scripture if they desir'd to be accompted Learned Thus the Fathers of the Society made a daily and very great Progress insomuch that the Number of Baptiz'd and Converted to the Roman Religion amounted to many Thousands About two years after the Patriarch made a Visitation assisted by some of the Sodality in which vast Numbers of People were some of them Rebaptiz'd others Confirm'd to the great good-liking and applause of the King and his Peers who had never seen such things perform'd by any of their Metropolitans before Others look'd asquint upon these prosperous beginnings seeking