less esteem'd in their Sacred Registers while they cry Remember Lord our Father Eustathius with all his Children Of him the Ethiopic Poet thus sings Hail to thy pretious Mantle once the Boate Which with thy Burden on the Sea did floate Thy Pilgrimage a mighty Wonder shew'd Th'Obedient Ocean smooth and smiling slow'd And Rocks remov'd abandon'd ancient Rest To give free Passage where thy footsteps prest He also prescrib'd Laws to his followers but impos'd no Governour upon them neither are they very solicitous about that neglect pretending That Eustathius went into Armenia having nam'd no Successor and that therefore it is not lawful for them to appoint any one Every Abbot therefore is Supreme in his own Monastery and if any one dye another is chosen by the Suffrages of the rest of the Monks Habessinia is full of these sort of people to the great burthen of the Common-wealth to which they are no way profitable as being useless in the Field and free from Tribute However their Rules and Orders are very much different both from the Greeks and Latins For excepting their Sheemas and Crosses which they carry you can hardly distinguish them from the Laitie in regard they neither wear any Coat or Monastical Habit. Nor do they live in Monasteries but in some Village in scatter'd Cottages near to some Church or Temple They have certain Prayers of which they say such a number believing their Piety fully satisfy'd if they finish their Task which that they may make the more hast to accomplish they huddle over the Psalms of David with such a dextrous celerity that I who have heard 'em at Rome holding the same Copy in my hand could never follow them with my voice and hardly with my eyes Every one manures his own Ground and lives upon the product of his Labours of which they are also very liberal Otherwise they go and come every one without controul as they please themselves So that by no means their Farms can be call'd Cloysters nor they be said to be really Monks but onely unmarried Husbandmen and that onely while they preserve their Continency intire However they are branded with infamy if they forsake their Monastical way of living to marry Wives Nor are their Children capable of being admitted into the Clergy and it is taken for an affront to call any man the Son of a Monk Nevertheless they bear Civil Offices and are sometimes made Governors of Provinces as is apparent by the Example of Tzagazaabus who was a Monk as appears from Alvarez's Itinerary Of such as these the Question may be ask'd with St. Jerome If thou desirest to be accompted a Monk what doest thou do in the Cities what in the Camp or why dost thou undertake Civil Employments They could not choose but highly displease the Fathers of the Society which is the reason that they have always spoken of them with contempt on the other side the Monks have bin the main Obstacles of the Fathers Successes for which Reason Tellezius calls them Persecutors of the Catholic Faith Their Monasteries if we may so call their Villages are very numerous and dispierc'd over all Parts of the Kingdom and commonly go by the name of Daber a Mountain in the plural number Adebaruti Mountains as Dabra Bizen Dabra Hallelujah Dabra Damo Albamata and the like as being formerly built upon steep Hills Beside which they possess all the Ilands in the Tzanic Lake except Deka An Addition to the Third Chapter concerning their Nuns THat there are also Nuns in Ethiopia I gather from Tellezius But they are very ignorant and therefore the more obstinate in their devotion For proof of which the same Tellezius produces a very remarkable Story of one who by chance becoming blind was admonish'd by one of the Fathers to make Confession and embrace the Latin Religion unless she intended to go headlong to Hell To which the Nun made answer That she was willing to go thither of her own accord for that she found there was no Room for her in Heaven as being a person with whom God was displeas'd and had therefore depriv'd her of her sight without any cause of offence by her committed Upon which the Father press'd her the more urgently in hopes to deliver her from that more dangerous blindness of her Mind But finding her to continue obstinate after all his pains Since then said he thou refusest Heav'n get thee to Hell with all the Devils with Dathan and Abiram But I would not have thee take thy Religious Habit along with thee which is onely proper for those that desire the Joyes of Heaven And so saying he presently order'd her to put off her Nuns Vestments and to put on a sordid Vulgar Habit which wrought in her such a sadness and contrition that she soon after made her confession and reconcil'd her self to the Church of Rome CHAP. IV. Of the Sacred Books of the Habessines The Ethiopians together with the Christian Religion receiv'd the Holy Scripture according to the Version of the 70 Interpreters the New Testament from an Imperfect Copy and ill Printed The Old Testament divided into four parts The New Testament into as many The Revelation added as an Appendix To the New Testament are added the Constitutions and Canons of the Apostles as they call them divided into Eight parts Therefore they reckon several Sacred Books Three Oecumenical Councils A fair Manuscript of the Councils at Rome Books therein contain'd A Counterfeit Book of Enoch Magical Prayers Wherein Monstrous words seeming to be taken from the Jews The Form of the Jewish Anathematizing DIvine Worship is seldom found among any sort of Nations in the World to be without Books by which we apprehend from whence every particular kind of worship derives it self and by what means it got footing among the People for the words and the worship generally go together Which is the reason there are so many Hebrew and Greek words in all the Versions of the Bible and that we have so many Latin words in our Theologie The Habessines together with the Christian Religion receiv'd the holy Scripture And this Scripture was translated into that Idiom of the Ethiopic Language which was at that time more peculiar to the Inhabitants of Tigra from the Greek Version of the Seventy Interpreters according to a certain Copy us'd in the Church of Alexandria which the innumerable various Readings that are inserted into the English Polyglòtton Bibles from one of the same Copies plainly demonstrate with which the Ethiopic Translation perfectly agrees Especially in the 35 39 Chapter of Exodus which in other Copies are wonderfully mutilated Nor is it without reason that a Colonie as it were of the Alexandrian Church should follow the Sacred Copies of their Metropolis As for the Author and Time of the Translation I find nothing certainly deliver'd concerning either however it is most probable that it was begun at the time when the Habessines were (f) There is one who
has written a certain Ethiopic Martyrologie who asserts That Frumentius otherwise Abba-Salama was the Author of the first Translation but before I see it I will not undertake to affirm it converted or a very short time after and not in the time of the Apostles as some have reported and brought to perfection by several because the more rare and difficult words such as are the names of Gemms are not all alike in all the Books For example the Topaz in the 118 Psalm 127 Verse is call'd Pazjon in Job 28.19 Tankar in Revelations the 21.20 Warauri and so in many other words the same difference is observ'd But for the New Testament they have it Translated from the Authentic Greek Text tho as yet it has not bin brought into Europe pure and intire For the Roman Edition is printed from a lame imperfect Copy so that I was forc'd to fill up the Gapps which Tesfa-Tzejon had left from the Greek and Latin Exemplars This was observ'd by some Learned Men but not understanding the Cause it made them think that the Ethiopic Version had bin drawn from the Vulgar Latin Perhaps they did not understand these following Ethiopic Lines These Acts of the Apostles for the most part were translated at Rome out of the Latin and Greek for want of the Ethiopic Origiginal For what we have added or omitted we begg your pardon and request of You to mend what is amiss More then this the Publisher of the Book beggs pardon and excuses the defect of the Edition in regard of the ignorant Assistants which he had to help him Fathers and Brethren be pleas'd not to interpret amiss the faults of this Edition for they who Compos'd it could not read and for our selves we know not how to compose So then we help'd them and they assisted us as the blind leads the blind and therefore we desire you to pardon us and them This Excuse he also repeats in other places as being conscious of its being defective in several other places Nevertheless the same Edition was afterwards printed in England as an addition to that famous Poly Glotton of which there is no other reason to be given but that there was no other to be procur'd However they enjoy the holy Scripture entire and reck'n as many Books as we do tho they divide them after another manner For they distinguish the Old Testament which contains 46 Books into four Principal parts to which they joyn certain other Books of a different Argument consulting more perhaps the Convenience of the Volumes then the Dignity of the Matter They also mix the Apocryphal with the Canonical whether out of Carelesness or Ignorance is uncertain And as for Gregory he plainly confess'd he had never heard of any such word as Apocrypha The first Tome is call'd Oreth or the Law and the Octateuch for it contains Eight Books which are call'd 1. Zasteret or the Creation call'd also by another name Kadami Aret or the First Book of the Law or Zaledate or the Generation or Genesis 2. Zatzat Exodus 3 Zalewawejan of the Levites 4. Zahuelekue or Numbers 5. Zadabetra of the Tabernacle 6. Ejashu Joshua 7. Masafenet of the Dukes 8. Rute Ruth The Other Tome is call'd Nagaste or Kings and is divided into Thirteen Books 9 10. 1 Samuel or Samuel 2. Which nevertheless they call after the manner of the Greeks the 1.2.3.4 of Kings 11 12. Ebrewejen of the Hebrews II. Which nevertheless they call after the manner of the Greeks the 1.2.3.4 of Kings 13 14. Hatzutzan Of the Lesser or Inferior II. Thus they seem to understand the Greek word Paralipopomena 15 16. Ezra or Ezra II. 17. Tobed Tobia 18. Judic Judith 19. Ester Ester 20. Jjob Job 21. Masmare Of the Psalmes The Third Tome is call'd Salomon and contains Five Books 22. Maste the Proverbs 23. Maqebeb The Sermon Properly a Circle or an Assembly of Men Assembled together in a Ring 24. Mahaleja Mahuleje the Song of Songs 25. Tobeb the Book of Wisdom 26. Sirach Sirach The Fourth Tome is call'd Nabijat or the Prophets and contains Eighteen Books 27. Esjajas Isaiah 28 29. Eremjas Tanbitu Wakkakibu The Prophesie of Jeremie and his Lamentations 30. Baruch 31. Ezechiel 32. Daniel The next that follow as among us are Nesan Nabjat or the Minor Prophets 33. Hoseas 34. Joel 35. Amos. 36. Obadijah 37. Jonas 38. Michejas or Micah 39. Nahum 40. Habacuc 41. Sophonijas 42. Hag. or Hagjah 43. Zacharias 44. Malaqijas To these they add 45. Maqabejan the two Books of Maccabees Of all which there are at Rome in Manuscript the 1. Pentateuch 2. Joshuah 3. Judges 4. Ruth 5. Four Books of Kings 6. Isaiah In Print are Extant 1. The four first Chapters of Genesis 2. The Book of Ruth 3. The Psalter 4. The Song of Songs 5. Joel 6. Jonas 7. Sophoniah 8. Malachi With the Hymns of the Old Testament The New Testament contains Four and twenty Books and is also divided into Four parts of which the first is call'd Wenghel or the Evangel comprehending the Four Evangelists 1. Matthew 2. Mark 3. Luke and 4. John The second the Gober or the Acts viz. of the Apostles The third call'd Paulus comprehends the 14 Epistles of St. Paul 6. To the Romans 7. To the Corinthians II. 8. To the Galathians 10. To the Ephesians 11. To the Philippians 12. To the Colossians 13 14. To the Thessalonians 15 16. To Timothy II. 17. To Titus 18. To Philemon 19. To the Hebrews The fourth Hakreja or the Apostle containing the Seven Books of 20. St. James 21 22. St. Peter II. 23 24 25. St. John III. 26. St. Jude To which they add as a Supplement the Vision of John sirnam'd Abukalamsis A word corrupted out of the Greek Apocalypsis which they ignorantly took for the Sirname of St. John as compounded of the Arabic word Abu Kalamsis Here we are to observe that in the written Eastern Copies the Epistles of St. Paul are found single by themselves and this is the reason that in the Roman Copy of the Ethiopic New Testament they were Printed apart and not in the Order by us observ'd To the New Testament they generally annex a Volume which they call according to the Greek word Synodum or the Book of Synods It contains those most ancient Constitutions which are call'd the Constitutions of the Apostles in their Language Tazazate Precepts or Canons being an Explanation of the Primitive Rites and Ceremonies written by the Industry of St. Clement but they are very much different from those that are dispers'd among Us under the name of the Apostles These the Habessines divide into eight parts adding withall to the Canonical Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles as it were certain Novels as if they were of the same Authority and the most absolute Pandects of Christianity Hence it was that King David said to Alvaresius That he had Fourscore and one Books of Sacred Scripture that is to say Six and forty of
Old Testament reck'ning the Lamentations by themselves and Thirty five of the New Testament adding to the Twenty seven those Eight Books of Constitutions and Canons which the Ethiopians call Manda Abtelis the Signification of which were unknown to Gregory as being words altogether Exotic This was also the reason why Tefa-Tzejon has this Expression in the Title of the New Testament I have caus'd a New Copy to be Printed but without a Synod because he did not Print together with the said Copy those Canons and Institutions before specify'd Next to this Book which is also call'd Hadas or absolutely New the chiefest Reverence is given to the three Oecumenic Councils the Nicene Constantinopolitan and Ephesine with some other Provincial Councils which were receiv'd in the Church till the Schism of Chalcedon But we are to understand that beside the Twenty Nicene Canons always receiv'd by the Greek and Latin Church they also admit of Eighty four other Canons which are extant among the Copies in the Arabic Language And these in the foregoing Century Baptista the Jesuit Transcrib'd and brought to Rome where they were Translated into Latin They were all formerly fairly written in Parchment and by Zer-a-Jacob or Constantine Emperor of the Habassines in the year 440. sent to Jerusalem and thence brought to Rome in the year 1646. where I saw it in the Habessine House in the year 1649. It contains the following Books The Synod of the Holy Apostles for the Ordering of the Church of Christ together with all the Precepts Decrees and Canons which Clement the Disciple of Peter wrote The First Synod is that of the Council of Ancyra The Second Synod is that of the Council of Caesarea The Third the Council of Nice The Fourth of Gangra The Fifth of Antiochia The Sixth of Laodicea The Seventh of Sardis Afterwards follow the Acts of 318 Orthodox Holy Fathers Then a Treatise of the Sabboth Compos'd by Retud-Halmanor Next a Declaration of the Doctrine of the Law by Constitutions and Exhortations Lastly a Decree and Canon of Penitence The Book was written at Axuma with a Preface of the Kings written dated from Shewa Adjoyning to this Book are the Liturgy or the Publick Prayers for the Use of the whole Ethiopic Church They call it Kanono Kedasi the Canon of the Eucharist as being the Rule of Administration and of all the other Liturgies They are Printed in the Roman Copy of the New Testament before the Epistles of St. Paul but intermixed with Foreign Insertions For there we find it written concerning the Holy Ghost who proceeds from the Father and the Son which latter proceeding neither the Greeks nor Ethiopians admit Besides this General Liturgy they have several other Liturgies which are appropriated for several Holydaies Kedasi Za-gezen the Liturgy of our Lord. Kedasi Za-Ghezeten the Liturgy of our Lady Kedasi Za-Warjat the Liturgy of the Apostles Kedasi Zawedus Martium the Liturgy of St. Mark Which Inscriptions have deceiv'd some Learned Men who have branded them with the Characters either of Apocryphal or false Titl'd for that they were not call'd so by the Composers of them both the Text it self and the Name of the Author sometimes added to the Title demonstratively evince as for Example The Liturgy of our Lady Mary which Abba Cyriacus Metropolitan of the Province of Behens compos'd Of this Nature they have also sundry other Manuscript Liturgies which the Ethiopians call Equtet Korban or the Thanksgiving of Oblation It being their Custom to use Eucharistical Prayers and Homilies in the Administration of the Sacrament But their Symbolic Book or Compendium of the whole Habessine Religion is call'd Hajma Monoto-Abaw The Faith or Religion of the Fathers of which Tellez writes That it is a Book among them almost of great Authority and Credit as being as it were a Library of the Fathers it being Collected out of the Homilies of St. Athanasius St. Basil St. Cyril St. John Chrysostom and St. Cyril as also Ephrem the Syrian and the St. Gregories of which there are Four whom they acknowledge and highly esteem Gregory of Neo-Cesarea the Wonder-worker Gregory Nazianzene Gregory Nyssene and Gregory the Armenian Tellez adds St. Austin but of that I very much doubt the Truth the Writings and Names of the Latin Fathers being utterly unknown to the Abessines And indeed had that Book been Compos'd out of the Writings of the Fathers above-mention'd it might have been easily admitted by the Jesuits as an equal Judge between both Parties in their Disputes concerning the two Natures in Christ They have besides these several other Books that treat upon Sacred Subjects as Books of Martyrs and Lives of Saints which are call'd Synaksar in the Ethiopic Idiom Among the rest The History of the Fathers The Combats or Wrestlings of Martyrs The History of the Jews The Constitutions of the Christian Church A Book of Mysteries which Treats of Heresies written by St. George A Book of Epiphanius upon the same Argument The Spiritual Old Man The Harp of Praise in honour of the Trinity and the Virgin Mary Padab Tzahje The Splendor of the Sun which Treats of the Law of God Wedasi Ambatzi The Praise of God Matzehfe felsit bagzeten Marjam The Book of the Death of our Lady Mary In whose Praise and Honours there are several Hymns and Verses among which the most extoll'd is that which is call'd Organon Denghel The Virgins Musical Instrument Composed by Abba George an Abassine Doctor a Book not very ancient but in high esteem by reason of the great number of Similitudes and Allegories as also for the Elegancy of the stile and words But as to what Egidius the Capuchin writes to the famous Petreskius concerning the Prophesie of Enoch as if such a thing were extant in the Ethiopic Language in a Book call'd Matzhe Henoch the Book of Enoch the Story is altogether fabulous So soon as that noble Gentleman heard of this Book he spar'd for no Cost to get it into his hands till at length the Knavery of those he employ'd impos'd upon him another Book with a false Title The Book was afterwards lodg'd in Cardinal Mazarine's Library and the Preface Middle and End being Transcrib'd by a Friend of mine was presented to me but there was nothing in it either of Enoch or his Predictions only some few Notions there were and some very clear discourses of the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth and the Holy Trinity under the Name of one Abba-Bahaila-Michael There is another little idle and impertinent Pamphlet hardly worth taking notice of were it not so frequently currant in Europe Gregory call'd it Tzalot Betzet or a Magical Prayer and averr'd That it was not only not esteem'd but rejected in Ethiopia tho by us charily hoarded up in several Libraries It is writ with so much stupidity that you shall find therein many Prayers of the Virgin Mary to her Son stufft with monstrous words to which are attributed Vertues and Efficacies more than Divine
beginning of the Christian Religion and its Advance in those Countries their Differences with the Greek and Latin Church And Lastly in the Fourth Book Of their Domestick Concerns and Private Oeconomy An ETHIOPIC ALPHABET Divided into seven Orders according to the seven sounds of their vowells Hoi ha hu hi ha he hε ho  Lawi la lu li la le lε lo  Haut ha hu hi ha he hε ho  Mai ma mu mi ma me mε mo  Saut sa su si sa se sε so  Rεεs ra ru ri ra re rε ro  Sat sa su si sa se sε so  Kaf ka ku ki ka ke kε ko K. Eth. Bet ba bu bi ba be bε bo  Tawi ta tu ti ta te tε to  Harm ha hu hi ha he hε ho  Nahas na nu ni na ne nε no  Alph a u i a e ε o  Qaf qa qu qi qa qe qε qo  Wawe wa wu wi wa we wε wo  Ain a u i a e ε o  Zai za zu zi za ze zε zo Z. French Jaman ja ju ji ja je jε jo Y. French Dent da du di da de dε do English Geml ga gu ghi ga ghe ghε go  Tait ta tu ti ta te tε to T. Eth. Pait ê‘a ê‘u ê‘i ê‘a ê‘e ê‘ε ê‘o P. Eth. Zadai tza tzu tzi tza tze tzε tzo Tz. Eth. Zappa tza tzu tzi tza tze tzε tzo tz Eth. Af fa fu fi fa fe fε fo  Psa pa pu pi pa pe pε po  A Specimen of such of their diphthongs that could be gotten kua kua kue kuε  hua hue huε qua qua  quε gua gua gue guε A Specimen of their numbers or numerall figures taken from the Greek 1 3 4 8. 10 60 100 c.  A Specimen of the Amharie Letters Sh Engl. sha shu  sha she shε  Tj Hung. tja     tjε  nÌ„ Spanish      njε  Ch Germ. hha   haa   hho s French ja  ji ja   jo D Bohem dja     djε  Cia Ital tjha tjhu tjhi tjha tjhe tjhε  OF THE Nature of the Countrey AND THE INHABITANTS BOOK I. CHAP. I. Of the Various Names of the Abessines and Original of the Nation The Original of the Name of the Abassines is Arabian But they rather chose to be called Ethiopians more particularly Agazjan i. e. Free as the Germans call'd themselves Franks They transported themselves out of Arabia-Felix into Africa for they derive their Original from the Sabeans or Homerites Their Language agrees with the Arabian The Grecians call them Axumitae others Indians hence confusion of Story Erroneously called Caldeans The Name of Abassia or Ethiopia to be retained IT behoves us to begin with the Name of the Nation They are now generally called Habessines by others Abessines or Abassenes the Name being given them by the Arabians in whose Language Habesh (a) For Habesha speaking of a multitude of People is no more than Convenit or the multitude gathered together in the Second Conjugation Habesha congregavit or Congregated together From whence the words Habesh c. signifie a multitude of men gathered together from several Tribes of People So that the Abessines may not be improperly called by one Latin word Convenae or such as come together signifies a (b) The Germans sound it Shabash or Hhabash the Italians Habascia the French Habech the Portugueses Abex pronounced after the same manner with variety of Letters in regard of the Arabick Habesh which is the Original of all these words Ill written Chabatti for Chabassi in the Prolegoniena of Walton's Poly-Glotton Cap. 15. Pag. 98. Confusion or mixture of People which Appellation as being somewhat ignominious they for a long time despised neither do they yet acknowledge it in their Writings For they rather choose to call their Kingdom Manghesta Itjopia the Kingdom of Ethiopia and themselves Itjopiawjan Ethiopians assuming the Name from the Greeks tho it be too general and were formerly common as well to all tho swarthy Complexion'd People in Asia as to the Blacks of Ethiopia (c) Hence Ethiopia was by the Ancients divided into Oriental and Occidental into African and Asiatick Of which those Places of Scripture that speak of the Cushites are to be understood Now adays Ethiopia is only Attributed to Africa But if you require a special Name from them then they call their Kingdom Geez also the Countrey of Ag-azi or the Land of the Ag-azjan or (d) For which Gregory is my Author in a Letter to my self Freemen either from the Liberty they enjoy or their transporting themselves from one place to another for that the radical Word Geeza admits of both significations Perchance (e) See my Ethiopick Lexicon Col. 405. because that in ancient times translating themselves out of Arabia and Africa in search of other Habitations they assumed that Name in sign of Liberty as of old the Germans passing the Rhine gave themselves the Name of Franks (f) Which I believe as Agreeing with those Authors cited by Pontanus concerning the Original of the Franks For they are not Natives of the Land but came out of that Part of Arabia which is called The Happy which adjoyns to the Red Sea and from whence there is an easie Passage into Africa For the Abassenos formerly inhabited Arabia and were reckon'd (g) For the Sabeans and Homerites are the same from the Region of the Axumites the Red Sea lying between as saith Procop. Gazeus upon the Tenth Chapter of the Third Book of Kings Ver. 1. upon the words Queen of Sheba into the number of the Sabeans or Homerites as the ancient Geographers testifie (h) Stephanus in his Book concerning Cities upon the word Abasseni writes Abasseni a Nation of Arabia and relates out of the Arabicks of Uranius that they bordered upon the Sabeans and many other Convincing Arguments sufficiently prove For their Ancient Language which we call the Ethiopick is very near a kin to the Arabick They have also many Customs as Circumcision which are common with the Arabians Their Genius and the shape of their Bodies and the Lineaments of their Countenances resemble the Arabians much more than the African Ethiopians Besides that Severus the Emperor among the Vanquished People of Arabia caused the Name of the Abessines to be (i) Scaliger in Comput Eccles Ethiop de Emendat temp Lib. 7. Engraven on his Coyn. The Habessines themselves also while they claim the Queen of Sheba for their Princess betray their Original For the Arabians unanimously confess That she was descended from the Lineage of the Homerites The Grecian Writers ignorant of the proper Name from the Royal City Axuma called them Axumites (k) Stephanus makes mention of 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
of Answers and Replies and Rejoynders and Exceptions but avoid the noise of the Bar and the expences of Pleading And when he inveighs against Adamas Saghed the Prince of the Habessines he adds That he had forgot the Lenity Truth and Christian Piety which wonted to be almost natural to the Abessines But before all the rest he prefers those of Enarea by the Confession of the Habessines themselves For (g) For those are his words L. 4. c. 30. pag. 177. a. those he commends above all others both for their Endowments as well of Body as Mind and for their Courage and Fidelity A Testimony which certainly contains a very high Applause of a Nation otherwise rude and impolish'd so that if they had but the advantages of Education most certain it is that the Abessines would prove the most ingenious and understanding people of all Africa which is well known all over the East And therefore Servants out of this Nation are sold for more and more esteem'd than Slaves out of any other of the Black Nations whatever For which cause some Learned Men are of Opinion that the King of the Abissines was therefore call'd Prester-Chan for that in the Persian Language Prester-Chan signifies (h) Jacob Golius at Blancard alleadges in his Notes upon Curtius A Prince of the best Servants being taken in War or otherwise by Pirates and sold to the Mahumetans If they were not well grounded before in the Christian Religion they are easily seduced to renounce their Christianity for that there is no Circumcision exacted from them as being already Circumciz'd and then again though they be Foreigners and bought with Money yet are they often advanc'd to Dukedoms and Governments and rise to great Preferments above the Natives and Free-men They are most Covetous after Learning and desirous of the knowledg of Arts and Sciences Nor was there any other greater reason of that kindness which was shewed to the Fathers of the Society towards the beginning of this Century in Habessinia but that they were skilled in all sorts of Arts and Sciences and therefore admir'd by the King and Princes of the Nation For they love and reverence all sorts of Forrain Christians that are adorn'd with the Ornaments of Art and Learning Gregory related to me That when the Portuguess Patriarch carried thither a great number of very fair Books sundry of the Nobility and among the rest Tine one of the King's Councellors expressed himself with a Sigh in these words Oh happy he that can understand all these Books And many persons of full years hearing of the excellency and large use of the Latine Language have most Ardently desired to learn it And that indeed seemed to me to be the most prevailing reason why our Gregory though stricken in years undertook so long a journey after me into Germany and why Acalex a young Habessine followed him soon after though not being understood in Germany where he pronounced Ehrfaher instead of Erfurt he had the ill fortune to lose his labour Therefore they neither want ingenuity nor industry but only Opportunity and Assistance for they never travel long Journies our Europeans are hindred by the difficulties of getting into their Country and the tediousness of the Journey whether by Land or Sea and besides all this the Envy of the Turks joyn'd to their implacable Avarice will not permit them to suffer us to Import our Arts of Peace and War to their own and the disadvantage of the rest of the Mahumetans Lastly their continual Civil Broyls and Forraign Wars with the Gallans are such as will not allow the Nobility leisure to mind the Studies of Tranquillity But among such a variety of people it is impossible that the same manners and dispositions should be in all for Nature has brought forth nothing so good in the Universe which has not something of Evil mix'd with it Thus Tellez sets a very bad Character upon the Inhabitants of Tigra who as he says are a People irresolute and faithless inconstant and false-swearer bloody and Vindictive so that Enmities in Families among them remain from Posterity to Posterity Godignus gives the same report saying That in all Ethiopia there is no Nation like them for their vile manner of living and ill Customes But as the Habessines generally excell in generosity of Mind and smartness of Understanding so do they far exceed all other Ethiopians in shape of Body and symmetrie of Lineaments the rest of the Africans being generally mark'd with a Blubber Lipp'd and Flat Nos'd deformity The Habessines saith Tellez are remarkable for the compleat shape of their Bodies of a due procerity free and chearful Countenance and thin Nos'd that is not flat Nos'd nor blubber Lipp'd so that our Europeans exceed them only in Colour in other Perfections of Proportion they differ little or nothing They are generally Black which they most admire Some are Ruddie Complexioned some few White or rather Pale and Wan without any grace or welfavouredness True it is there are some Whites among the Ethiopians in other places but they look like the countenances of Dead Men or as if they had the Leprosie which other Authors also Testifie but write withal that it proceeds for some Disease in the Body and therefore other Ethiopians avoid being (i) The Famous Isaac Vossius in his Book of the Original of Nile and other Rivers believes that those Ethiopians are truly Leprous and that the difference of Colour proceeds from the Disease but with submission to so great a person I should think that a Nation so Infected could not long endure nor that the King of Lovangi would admit Leapers into his Guard breathed upon or touched by them as believing them Contagious Also in the Midland parts of Guiney there is a Nation consisting all of White People which are therefore call'd Leuc-Ethiopes Plin. l. 5. c. 8. or White Ethiopians and of these the ancient Authors make mention However the Ethiopians are pleas'd with their own Blackness and prefer it before the White Colour Neither would Gregory permit himself to be overcome with this Argument That our Children were frighted at the sight of an Ethiopian averring that their Children were as much terrified at the sight of our White Europeans they are not born Black but very Red and in a short time turn Black Some Authors write that the Ethiopians paint the Devil white in disdain of our Complexions Their strength of Body is extraordinary And by reason of the admirable temper of the Air they are extreamly vivacious and patient of Labour nor are they easily wearied with clambering their own Rocks They live till meerly dissolv'd by pure decrepid Age unless they fall by the Sword or are devoured by the Wild Beasts as Salust writes of the Africans in his time I am apt to think that the Macrobii or Long-livers formerly Inhabited some part of Habessinia for that the Ancient Writers report them settl'd beyond Meroe (k) Solin in
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
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
Alexandrian Church was rent and torn from the rest of the Catholic Church but that Egypt also weaken'd with it's own civil Dissentions became a Prey to the Saracens who taking advantage of the Discords of the Christians among themselves overcame and subjugated the upholders of both Opinions so that now there is little or nothing remaining of Christianity in Egypt Thus our Ecclesiastical Writers But the Ethiopians relate that Dioscorus his Successors and their Followers heavily complain'd of the Injury done them for that he never follow'd Eutyches nor ever deny'd nor confus'd the Divinity and Humanity really existing in Christ only he would not acknowledge the word Nature to be common to the Divinity and Humanity of Christ and that he only endeavour'd to prevent the Asserting of two Persons in Christ contrary to the Opinion of the Catholic Church and the Decrees of the Council of Ephesus believing that absurdity would follow should we admit two Wills and Natures in Christ Lastly That the word Nature signifying something Born or Created did no way quadrate with Divinity neither could two Wills in two Natures united without Division Separation or Distance be conceiv'd by the understanding of Man That it was not to be thought that Human Nature exalted to a State of Glory would desire act or suffer what is suffer'd acted or desired in the State of Mortality or that Humanity in a present State of Glory should desire or be sensible of that which Divinity was not sensible of or desir'd Which Opinion of his being heard and understood it seem'd an idle Question a meer brangling Dispute that little deserv'd to be the occasion of so much Enmity among the Christians as being become rather a Quarrel to be decided by the Sword and not by Argument And therefore these things consider'd it was evident that Dioscurus was neither sufficiently heard nor rightly understood but in his absence condemn'd as an obstinate Heretick rather out of Hatred and Envy then by Law These and such like things when I heard Gregory discoursing I began to apply my mind more particularly to this Affair as being willing to know whether he only expressed his own Thoughts or according to the Opinions and Writings of his own Country Doctors In the first place therefore I found it beyond all doubt that the Habessines do reject the Council of Calcedon tho they understand not what was done therein as having never receiv'd or thought worthy of their Transcription the Canons there made Nevertheless they inveigh most bitterly against the Council and the Fathers there assembled and load them with most injurious reproaches calling them Mahebar Abdan a Convention of Fools Qualqedanowe jau reck'ning the Chalcedonians among the worst of Heretics and Malefactors In the second place I observ'd them fix'd in this Error as believing the Fathers of the Council of Chalcedon went about to divide the Substance of Christ and contrary to the preceding Council of Ephesus to make two Persons of one which they also attribute to the Latins For this reason they condemn Pope Leo and extol Dioscurus to the Skies as the Champion of the Orthodox Faith as being the Person that out of a just and zealous Indignation tore Leo's Diploma as soon as it was deliver'd to him and reck'n him among the Number of Martyrs for suffering himself to be scourg'd his Teeth struck out and his Beard pull'd off for standing to the Truth Peace to Dioscurus that still reproach'd The vain Opinions that the Melkites broach'd United God dividing into Two Then to confirm his Own in what was true His broken Teeth and Beard torn from his Chin Sends round the World t' evince Chalcedon's spleen They also ascertain themselves of a great reward laid up for Him in Heaven in recompence of his so rigid Sufferings In the third place I found that they expresly condemn Eutyches as a Heretic but on the other side applaud Timotheus the Patriarch of Alexandria whom our Writers affirm to have bin condemn'd in the Sixth general Council by whose Doctrine the followers of Eutyches were convicted for so the same Poet tho otherwise a cruel Enemy of the Chalcedonian Fathers writes of him They that believ'd the Heretical Doctrine of Eutyches were burnt by the Flames of his Expressions Tho Gregory being demanded what he knew concerning him made answer That there were in Ethiopia aswel they who believ'd that Eutyches had made a confusion of the two Natures of Christ as they who believ'd he had not done it Whence it appears that Eutyches not his Errors is defended by some of the Ethiopians Fourthly it is apparent That they acknowledge both Mabqot and Tesbet the Divinity and Humanity to be both Abstractively and Conjunctively in Christ Which is as much as to allow two Natures together in Christ Fifthly Tellez attests from the Relation of the Fathers of the Society that both Natures are to be found in their Books and imputes it to their Contumacy that they will not acknowledge in words what they believe concerning the Catholic Truth when they teach the same thing in their Writings That the Catholic Habessines suffering Persecution from the Hereticks cry'd out God and Man whereby they both asserted the Catholic Faith and the two Natures in Christ. But more then this we have the Testimony of Susneus in one of whose Orations to his Soldiers we find that all the Habessines confess That Christ is the true God and true Man and consequently we must allow what the Fathers of the Society relate that they acknowledge two Natures in Christ Sixthly we are to take notice That the words which the Greeks use and which the Latines have made use of in these difficult questions of Faith as Essence Substance or Subsistance Person Nature among the Ethiopians are interpreted by words Equivocal from whence it is no wonder there should be such a spring of Errors For Helave sometimes signifies Essence sometimes Hypostasis or Substance Gregory also affirm'd That there were some who assert Qalet Helwejet two Essences that is the Divinity and Humanity in Christ and that each Nature retains its proper Essence Others for fear of falling into the Nestorian Error rather chose to make use of the word Bakreye which properly signifies a Pearl affirming there are in Christ Qalit Bah reyat two precious Substances in imitation of the Arabians who use their own word which signifies a Pearl by which to express the Divine Subsistance Which others again dislike as being a word no less Equivocal because it may be taken either for Subsistance or Person as when they of the Son Zatwalda embaha reju Baab who was born of the Substance of the Father Thus the Author of a certain Manuscript call'd The Ecclesiastical Computation concludes Who were witness of one Person of Christ Synodius Patriarch of Alexandria c. From whence we gather that when we from the Council of Chalcedon dispute of the Nature they mean the Person Now adays when they speak of the Person
was any such thing either written or said by any Person of Credit CHAP. II. Of the Books and Learning of the Ethiopians Books not holy reckon'd Ethiopic Their Studies what No written Laws Lamentable Physicians Nor better Philosophers Of the mixture of the Elements in Humane Bodies They hold two Souls In Mathematicks not absurd They love Poetry but only Divine all in Rhime various sorts Riddles and Proverbs Desirous of the Latine The Fathers would not teach them Arabic frequent Their Epistolary Style BEsides Sacred Books the Habessines have but very few others For the Story of (f) Vrreta did not think worth while to tell so modest an untruth The most celebrated Libraries saith he that ever had Renown were nothing in respect of Presbyter John's the Books are without Number richly and artificially bound Many to which Solomon's and the Patriarchs Names are Affixt Godignus explodes him l. 1. c. 17. Yet Gallesius in his late Discourse concerning Libraries averrs the same and adds That Chancellor Seguiers Library contains more Books than any Ethiopic Library Barratti who chatters of a Library containing Ten Thousand Volumes 't is altogether vain and frivolous Some few we had an Account of One call'd the Glory of Kings already mention'd I know not whether it be that of which Tellez Writes because it is of high Authority among the Habessines and as it were a Second Gospel and preserv'd in the Pallace of Axuma In that is Recorded the History of the Queen of Sheba and others to which the Habessines give great Credit A Chronicle cited by King Claudius in his Confession of Faith The Book of Philosophy much esteem'd in Ethiopia The Ladder a Vocabulary in that the most difficult words are Expounded in Amharic and Arabic but very unfortunately and perversly As the following Example about Gemms will Testifie It was sent me by Gregory The Jasper in the Pentateuch and Apocalyps in the Arabic the Colour of it is White and Red. The Saphyr in the Pentateuch and Apocalyps in Arabic The Colour of it is like a burning Cole he meant the Carbuncle now call'd the Ruby They meddle with no Studies but those of their own Learned Language and Sacred Matters Most believe they have enough if they can but Read and Write and that either the Parents teach their Children to do or else certain of their Monks for a small stipend They have no written Laws Justice and Right is determined by Custom and the Examples of their Ancestors and most differences are ended by the Will of the Judge Their manner of Administring Physick is most Deplorable They Cure Men by cutting and burning as they do Horses They cure the Yellow Jaundies by applying a hot burning Iron in manner of a Semicircle toward the upper end of the Arm laying a little Cotton upon the Wound that the Humour may issue forth so long as the Disease remains In most Distempers every Person is his own Physitian and uses such Herbs as he learnt were useful from his Parents Some are of Opinion that it is not a Pin matter whether they make use of Physitians or Apothecaries or no not believing it worth their while to be recover'd at so great Expences If the King be sick they come to him ask him as if it were out of pity What he ayles and what is his Distemper And if any one have been ill of the same Distemper he tells what did him good deeming the same Remedies applicable to all Constitutions If a Pestilence chance to break out they leave their Houses and Villages and retire with their Heards into the Mountains putting all their Security in flying from the Contagion Tertian Agues they Cure by applying the Cramp-fish to the Patient which is an unspeakable Torture Wounds they Cure by the help of Myrrhe which is very plentiful among them I have not as yet ever seen the Treatise of Philosophy which I mention'd at the beginning of the Chapter but it appears by the Theological Disputations of their Divines that they are none of the Acutest Logicians nor have they any knowledge of Natural Philosophy as is apparent to any one that reads their Books concerning the mixture of the Four Elements in the Creation of Man as also concerning the Soul the Author of the Organum gives this accompt God made a Miracle when he Created our Father Adam and Formed him of the Four Elements he mixed the Elements yet so that they should not disagree among themselves the First with the Second and the Third with the Fourth he mix'd the dry with the Moist and the Hot with the Cold the Visible with the Invisible the Palpable with the Impalpable He made Two out of the Palpable and Two out of the Impalpable He made Three of the Dry and One of the Moist He made Three out of the Visible and One out of the Invisible The great Architect knew where the Inner Chamber was to be Seated and plac'd the Corners of the House in the Four Elements and understanding that a vessel of Clay could not move nor speak without the mixture of a Spirit that must come from Himself therefore he Breath'd upon his Face and made him Rational and Self-moving as saith the most Holy Law He Breath'd into the Face of Adam the breathing place of Life and he became Man by the Breath of Life Therefore the Soul dies not with the Body for that proceeding out of the Mouth of the Lord it was mixt with the Body as saith our Lord in the Gospel Fear not those who kill the Body but cannot kill the Soul Now as to what he said Thou shalt not kill the Soul be spoke concerning the sensitive Soul because there are two Souls in Man one the Spirit of Life which proceeded out of the Mouth of God not reckon'd among the Elements and which never dyes The other is the Blood of the Body that is to say the Sensitive Soul which has its Original from the Elements and that is Morral Wherefore God said Thou shalt not eat the Flesh with the Blood because the Blood is the Sensitive Soul But the Pillar of the House of God is the Spirit of Life Now after the Spirit of Life is departed the Body becomes a Carcass therefore the Law pronounc'd the Carcass Unclean because the Spirit of Life is departed from it But among us we reckon the Dead Body of a Christian to be clean because the Human Body was mix'd with the Blood of Divinity besides that the Grace of Baptism departs not from it and concerning the Carcass of the Son of the Virgin David said They cast away their Brother as an unclean Carcass That is they did not understand it to be holy because the Jews were his Brethren in respect of his Mother and by their Law the Carcass was reputed unclean It is to be wondred that the Habessines who cannot understand two Natures in Christ united in one Existence should find out two Souls in the body of Man And yet