together with the rest of the New Testament in his Mother-tongue imprinted at Rome in the year of our Lord 1548. affirms that his Soveraign's Ancestors were in times past Lords of 62 Kingdoms but their Empire is now reduced to a Third part of its ancient Dimensions A vast Region which though concealed in those inward Recesses of Africa neither well known nor oft frequented by us of Europe yet may claim a just precedency among all the Nations of Christendom not only for the large extent of its Dominions but likewise for the prime Antiquity of its Conversion to the Christian Faith or at least its early Notice and participation of that Gospel whereby it hath been propagated in the World For shortly after the Glorious Ascension of our Lord into Heaven an Eunuch of great Authority under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians whom the aforementioned Tesfa Zion without expressing by what Authority he doth it names Lacasa and the place of her principal Residence Tigra upon his return from Jerusalem whither he had come to worship met with Philip the Evangelist in the Desart of Gaza who after he had preached unto him JESUS in the Exposition of what he then read in the Book of Esaias the Prophet baptized him in the next Water they came to as they went on their way whereof we have an authentick Record in the 8th Chapter of the Acts of the Holy Apostles And since the Spirit of Truth in the same Scripture tells us He went on his way rejoycing doubtless at his journeys end he expressed that Joy and its just occasion in making a publick declaration to his Countrey-men of all that befel him in the way and so he became the first Preacher of the Gospel to that part of the World though he was not fully qualified to convey all the priviledges that might compleat the Foundation of the Christian Church among them For Vid. Spondan An. Cbr. 35. N. 9. 15. the Eunuch wanting the Authority of conferring Holy Orders in regard he receiv'd both his Baptism and Instruction from a Deacon only and returned home without any Imposition of the Apostles hands the Abissins remained destitute of Priests or Bishops till such time as one Abà Seláma arrived in that Countrey whereof * Lib. 10. c. 9. Ruffinus in his Ecclesiastical History writes to this effect Meropius a certain Tyrian Philosopher determining to visit India took two Youths to accompany him in his Travels the one named Aedesius the other Frumentius In his Return he unhappily fell into a Port of Africa where a barbarous people surprized him and his whole Company and slew them all except the two Lads whom they found Conning their Lessons under a Tree near the inhospitable Harbor and of these they made a Present to their Soveraign Aedesius was raised to the Office of his Cup-bearer but he advanced Frumentius to be one of his Privy-Council After that Monarchs death Frumentius became Protector to the heir during his minority in which time he made diligent Inquiry among the Roman Merchants that drove a Traffick in those parts for such as were Christians and these he directed and authorized to build divers magnificent Structures for the publick exercise of the Christian Religion in more solemn Assemblies than had there been usual afore-time But when the young Prince arrived to such years as qualified him to assume the Government he no sooner took the Scepter into his own hands but Aedesius returned to his Kindred at Tyre Frumentius travelled to Alexandria in Egypt where after he had related the State of the Countrey from whence he came to the Patriarch advising him to send some sitperson thither endued with Episcopal Dignity and Power upon a Motion made by Athanasius then newly entred into the Order of * An Ethiopick History written by P. Almeyda saith be was Patriarch at that time Ex Chron. Auzumensi Priesthood the same Frumentius was sent back invested with the Authority of a Bishop who not only encreased the number of Believers by the Apostolick Miracles which he wrought but established also a Succession of Ecclesiastical Officers in those Countreys Whereupon the Abissins in memory of the singular Benefits they received by his Ministry styled him Aba Seláma i. e. The Father of Peace and have ever since honour'd the See of Alexandria with the Consecration of their successive Metropolitans According to the Abissin Chronologies this came to pass in the Year of Christ 356. when two Brothers whom they name Abriham and Azbiha raigned together but * An. Chr. 327. N. 4. Spondanus disagrees in the Computation of the time accounting their Raign nine and twenty years sooner From this Aba Seláma to Abuna Simon who died in the year 1618. they reckon up Ninety five Metropolitans in a continued Succession But the Church of Ethiopia thus planted and established in the Orthodox Profession of the Gospel did not long retain the Catholick Faith in its Purity for soon after the Council of Chalcedon which was convened in the year of Christ 451. had condemned Dioscorus of Heresie from whom being then Patriarch of Alexandria or rather from Jacob Syrus his Scholar according to their own Confession the Abissins receiv'd the corrupt Opinion of Eutyches they did not only separate from the Churches of Europe but proceeded so far as to pass sentence of Excommunication against them the form whereof my Author out of an Ethiopick Manuscript which he found somewhere in England translates in these words Maledicta sit impia Synodus quoe Chalcedone habita est Maledictus sit qui cum illis communicat omnesque qui in eâdem side cum illis permanent Nos autem non obedimus Congregationi istoe hoereticoe unquam In English thus Let the wicked Synod held at Chalcedon be accursed Cursed be he that is of their Communion and all those that continue in the same Faith with them But we own no Obedience or conformity to that Heretical assembly From that time till the year 1177. our Ecclesiastical Historians make little mention of the Abissins or any affairs of that Church except Galvisius in his Opere chron an Chr. 451. fol. 462. But in the forementioned year 1177. Pope Alexander the III. was informed by one of his Physicians named Peter then newly returned out of Ethiopia that the Abissin Emperor expressed himself very well inclined to the Church of Rome and desirous of being reconciled to her Communion for which purpose he requested his Holiness to entertain some of his subjects in Rome where they might conveniently be brought up and instructed in the principles of the Roman Faith This proposal was readily embraced by the Pope and the better to promote and encourage the designed Union he appointed them a certain house with a Chappel dedicated to S. Stephen scituate behind the Quire of S. Peter's for their Accommodation As soon as the Popes Letters brought Tidings into Ethiopia of the kind Reception allotted for them in Rome many of
the Abissins flocked thither where they abode till they had throughly learnt and espoused the Rites and customs of the Latin Church and then these New proselytes were sent home again sit Instruments to induce their Countreymen to a milder Opinion of the Roman Religion And to further this Design Vide Spondan an Ch. 1253. N. 3. 1321. N. 3. 1329. N. 10. which had so auspicious a beginning Innocent the IVth sent divers of the Order of S. Dominic into the Abissin Territories to second the endeavours of those converted Natives now returned thither and to perfect if possible the subjection of that Mighty Prince and people to the papal Chair Afterwards Eugenius the IVth having in the Council of Ferrara reconciled at least as was pretended the Greeks Armenians and Copties that nothing might be wanting to compleat so glorious an acquest sent express messengers to Zera Jacob then raigning in Ethiopia by whom he did earnestly invite and solicit him to enter into the Catholick Communion And he being loth to frustrate so tedious and chargeable an Embassy especially since t was the first made into those parts by an European Prince sent some of his subjects to Rome where they did not only complement the Pope but in their Emperor's name made a Confession of Faith according to the Articles receiv'd and establish'd in the Church of Rome and thereupon carried back with them Letters of Union from his Holiness as the Acts of that Council signifie which was continued at Florence and ended in Rome in the close whereof this great affair was transacted a little before the death of Pope Eugenius But the short continuance of that fair correspondence and the few acts of Union or Obedience put in practice thereupon may sufficiently evidence to the world that what the * A fair Confession from a Papist Ethiopian Monarchs did of this nature in their Transactions with the Popes of Rome was never heartily approved or generally entertained by their subjects About this time John the II. King of Portugal desirous to make some new discoveries that might employ and inrich his Subjects whose experience and success in the Art of Navigation extended their Renown and Dominion farther toward the East than any other People of Europe in that Age resolved to send some able persons with his Credential Letters as to the most remarkable Provinces thereabouts so especially to the Emperor of Ethiopia that if no other Advantage should accrue thereby he might at least be gratified with a more exact Information concerning those parts of the World In this enterprise Alphonsus à Pavia and Johannes Petrus à Covilham both Portugueses were the chief They began their Voyage from Lisbon on the 7th of May 1486. and having passed through Neapolis Egypt Tor and Suaquem at last Johannes Alphonsus being dead by the way arrived at the Imperial Court of Ethiopia where then raigned Alexander who was Successor to Bete Mariam the son of Zera Jacob by whom they were entertained with all demonstrations of Humanity and Kindness especially Johannes Petrus who grew into so much Favor and esteem there that he was never permitted to return into his own Countrey He therefore omitted not upon all fair Occasions which his abode and interest in that Court allowed him to discourse of the great Atchievements happily undertaken and accomplish'd by the Crown of Portugal the relation whereof so won upon the mind of Hellen the Empress that she rested not satisfied till an Embassy was sent to conclude a League of Friendship with Emanuel who then sate on the Throne of his Father K. John deceased some time before And on that errand one Matthew an Armenian whom they made choice of as the fittest person for such an employment came to Lisbon in the year 1513. This was the first Embassy which any Prince of Europe ever receiv'd from the Ethiopian Court For those Abissins who were sent to Rome upon the Mediation of Pope Alexander's Physician as is before related came not immediately from Ethiopia but were recommended from a Monastery which they then had in Jerusalem Hereupon King Emanuel of Portugal returned an honourable Embassy to the Abissin Emperor which he committed to the management of Edward Galvan a very sage experienc'd person and Francis Alvarez his own Chaplain a devout learned Priest and with them sent back the Armenian also But Galvan dying in Cameran an Isle of the Red Sea Rhoderic Lima was appointed his Substitute who with Alvarez and the rest of their company except Matthew the Armenian who likewise dyed by the way presented themselves at the Court of Ethiopia before David then raigning See the History written by Francis Alvarez who gave them most splendid and obliging entertainment not only at their first Reception but during the whole time of their Residence After six years a great part whereof they spent against their wills in that Court they were licensed to return Alvarez having so well acquitted himself in his Negotiation there that the Emperor deputed him to be his Ambassador to the Pope with a command as was pretended to tender Obedience to his Holiness in his Name But Claudius David successor did afterwards tell Oviedus to his face that this was * This Forgery is owned by the Pen of a Rom. Cath. added to the Emperor's Letters as well contrary to his intention as without his knowledge He sent also with them Christopher Licanatus aliàs Zega Zeab with kind Letters both to the King of Portugal and the Pope These Embassadors left Ethiopia in the Month of April an 1526. and arrived at Lisbon in July the same year But Francis Alvarez came not to Rome till the 29th of January an 1533. at which time he deliver'd the Ethiopian Letters to the Pope then Clemens the VIIth who caused them to be read in the presence of that puissant Emperor Charles the Vth. and many other Worthies King Emanuel was very desirous this friendly correspondence already so well initiated might be brought to perfection and though he did not live to see his Wishes fully answer'd yet this design of his was afterwards much facilitated by another Message from Claudius the Son and Successor of David wherein he earnestly requested aids from the King of Portugal against one * Against whom Tessa Zion inveighs bitterly terming him a Companion of the Goats and Persecutor of the Sheep because of the devastation of his Native Countrey Grain King of Adel a more successful than potent Neighbour who at that time miserably wasted his Dominions and to render this request the more successful and avaialable he not only sent a Confession of his Faith since published by Job Ludolfus but in the same Letters further craved an understanding person invested by the Pope with the Authority of a Patriarch and some other able Divines to be sent under his Conduct into Abissinia In Answer to this proposal John King of Portugal demanded of Ignatius de Loyola some Members of his
able to suppress all Tumultuary Insurrections in the bud and provided for the peace and safety of his Empire which was much established by his absolute Conquest of a neighbouring enemy that often infested his Dominions called the Gallae These were a People inhabiting between the Kingdom of Bale and the Sea generally esteemed the Race of those Jews that were irrecoverably dispersed by Salmanassar Nebuch adnezzar Titus Adrian and Severus who as they accidentally fell into those parts associated together and from small despised beginnings grew up into a considerable body which proved troublesome if not formidable to the neighbouring Princes though by their long abode in that Climate they are now become black Ethiopia being thus at rest on every side Susnejos resolves to improve those Haleyon days in propagating the Faith hitherto concealed in his own Breast and for this purpose calls the Roman Fathers acquainting them with his design to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and expressing himself ready to let the Pope and King of Portugal know his Intentions by Letters which he would have sent without the privity of his Nobles But the Fathers advising the contrary he consulted them in this Affair though little to his satisfaction they being utterly averse to his Proposal However notwithstanding their dissent he resolutely proceeds and following his own sence wrote to Paul the Vth. on the 14th of October 1607. and to the King of Portugal on the 10th of December the same year in which Letters he requested Aids against his * He seems to intend such of his Subjects as should persist in the old Abissin perswasion enemies and Ministers to instruct his Subjects in the Catholick Faith These after a long delay were granted him by Pope Gregory the XVth an 1622. much about the time that the Colledge de propagandâ side was first erected in Rome and Alphonsus Mendez a Portuguese Jesuit was constituted Patriarch of Ethiopia But he departed not from Lisbon till the year 1624. when prosecuting his Voyage he arrived the year following at the Port of Beilur in the Kingdom of Dancale which lies over against Mocca the King whereof being a Tributary and Ally to the Abissin Emperor had Notice of his arrival and accordingly received him From thence he past on to * Supposed the same with Fremona Maiguagua where he winter'd with the Fathers of the Society next he came to Genéte Jesus where also some Fathers dwelt after that to Gorgora and there he found Fathers likewise and at last he arrived at the Emperor's Court who entertained him with great demonstrations of Joy and Favor After a few days of refreshment the Patriarch Alphonsus attired in Pontifical habit made a Sermon before the Court on that Text Thou art Peter S. Matth. 16.18 and upon this Rock I will build my Church c. And at the Close of his Discourse the Emperor by his Lord Chamberlain made open Confession in the presence of all his Nobles That Dioscorus had been justly condemend and though Jacobus Syrus his Disciple brought that Heresie among them yet they were still conscious of the Authority of the Church of Rome whereof himself was so throughly convinced that he resolved to countenance the Roman Faith throughout all his Dominions concluding with the Application of that Passage to the Church of Rome which S. Paul writes in his Epistle to the Romans Who shall separate us from the love of Christ cap. 8.35 37 38 39. Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword c. After this Speech was ended the Emperor took an Oath wherein he obliged himself to be an obedient Son to the Church and Pope of Rome then * or Basilides Fasilades his Son and Heir apparent did the like and after him Râs Secla Christus the Emperor 's half Brother with other Grandees and Officers of State took the same Oath Then the Nobles swore Allegiance to Fasilades as the sole person whom at the expence of their Lives and Fortunes they would set upon the Throne in case of his Fathers decease whereunto some of the most zealous for the rising Cause added this Proviso UPON CONDITION HE CONTINUED FIRM TO THE ROMAN FAITH ☞ Last of all the Ecclesiastical Censure of Excommunication was denounced against any person that should thenceforward endeavour to remove the Catholick Faith or restore the Abissin Perswasion This great Revolution was transacted on the eleventh day of February in the year 1626. In pursuance of the Oath he had lately taken Susnejos required his Subjects to renounce their ancient Opinions and Way of Worship But the major part of them were so obstinate in their Old Principles and their Soveraign so resolute to reduce them to the New that the whole Empire lately flourishing in Peace and Tranquillity was transformed into a dismal scene of Oppression and Violence being filled with the bloud and slaughter of its native Inhabitants insomuch that the number of sufferers in this Quarrel of Religion did not seldom amount to four thousand in a day This grand success of the Roman Cause was with all convenient speed certified to the Pope then Urban the VIIIth who not a little pleased with such acceptable tidings wrote gratulatory Letters to the Ethiopian Patriarch Alphonsus dated at S. Peter's in Rome the 4th of March 1628. and the fifth year of his Papacy In the mean time all Acts of Religion passed in Ethiopia according to the rites of the Roman Church all from the Emperor to the meanest Commoner were re-baptized and their Marriages which the Abissin Custom had in times past allowed to be dissoluble at the pleasure of the parties became now irevocable except a Divorce were granted by Dispensation or adjudged by Sentence But to use my Author 's own words hujusmodi per vim supplicia populos ad Regnum Christitrahendi modus diuturnus esse hautquaquam poterat this method of drawing or rather driving People by Acts of Violence and the infliction of punishments to the Kingdom of * Though the Abissins avere Christians already Christ was not likely to lay any lasting foundation For when the Catholick Faith had been promoted and maintained with Fire and Sword for the space of * Four fourteen years so that it seemed to be rooted and established in the Empire divers of the Great ones still well affected to the Abissin Church combining together made an * A third Rebellion by reason of the Popish Interest Insurrection for the Restauration and Defence of their Ancient Profession and these were quickly seconded by multitudes of the Common People flocking to them from every quarter whose Courage and Numbers received no small accession from the presence and perswasions of those Abissin Monks who lest they should have been compelled to embrace the Roman Faith or suffer the severe Penalties denounced against its opposers had retired into inacessible Mountains or lain hid in obscure dens and caves
Residence he no sooner saw two White Faces among the Travellers but he suspected them to be such as had by the late Imperial Edict been banished from all the Coasts of Ethiopia whereupon being thereunto advised by the chief Abissin Priest upon the place he searched their Sumpture and therein found Chalices Stones consecrated for Altars Sacerdotal Ornaments and Mass-Books with other things prepared for Ecclesiastical uses Having thus discovered their persons and designs the Vice-Roy informs his Master of the discovery he had made and detains the Fathers in chains until he should receive further notice of his Majesties pleasure which was no sooner signified but they were brought to the Emperor's presence on the 5th of August 1638. where upon reading some Letters which they produced from the Patriarch of Alexandria the Emperor was at first inclined to remand them without any further mark of his displeasure to Grand Cairo from whence they came But being advised to the contrary by Peter Heyling and his new Metropolitan Arminius he changed his purpose and required them as a Test resolved on in the late Consult to receive the Holy Communion after the manner prescribed and practised in the Abissin Church with a Promise that in case of their Conformity thereunto they should not only have Licence to remain in his Dominions but be capable of places of Honour and Trust therein Provided also that they bless S. Dioscorus and curse Pope Leo for all the Abissins firmly believe that in his time the Roman Church fell into Heresy and to let my Author speak in his own Language Ex sancta capite qualem tune fuisse fatentur eam factam dicunt Caudam Cathedram Diaboli from being Holy and the Head as they then owned her she became they say the Tail and the Chair of the Devil This proposal being utterly rejected by the Friers his Imperial Majesty at the urgent motion of his Mother the Clergy and the Commons whose joynt Vogue accused him of Dissimulation in case he put not these Franks to death according to his own Decree past sentence against them which was speedily executed they being hanged with those very Ropes which themselves had made use of for their Girdles and in that posture were intombed by the vast number of Stones which the multitude of Abissin Zealots threw at them the heap still remaining a Monument as well of the Roman Fathers Resolution as of Ethiopian severity Peter Heyling in process of time being grown very Rich and powerful began to make publick expression of his dislike of divers Abissin Customes decrying especially their Adoration of Saints and of the Virgin Mary her self as repugnant to true Religion and the Holy Scriptures having on the same account privately forbidden his Scholars to use their ordinary Forms of Prayer directed to her This begat him much ill will and great opposition among the Nobles for all the Abissins have a very great Reverence for the Holy Virgin To express their disgust therefore they first withdrew their Sons from his Tuition and after that made use of their best Arguments and Interest with the Emperor not only to remove him from Court but out of his Dominions also who hereupon having gently admonished him at least to be silent and connive at their Customs if he could not conform to them without effect orders him to quit his Territories for a time as the best expedient to avoid the dangerous efforts of popular fury Thus this Great man voluntarily relinquished Ethiopia together with the High place and Interest he held there after he had been as it were naturallized by Twelve years Residence in that Countrey being accompanied by his usual Retinue and all the Wealth he had gotten which was sent along with him as a mark of the just esteem and favour the Emperor ever had for him But having advanced on his way thus attended as far as the Isle Suaquem he fell into the hands of a Turkish Pasha who to satisfie his Avarice deprived him at once of his Life and Riches Soon after Peter Heyling's departure Another Popish Plot. the Emperors younger Brother with divers Nobles inclin'd to the Roman Principles made a dangerous Conspiracy against their natural Lord upon the design of introducing more of the Catholick Fathers but Fasilades having received timely notice hereof from Arminius his Primate and Metropolitan immediately caused his Brother to be * According to the barbarous Custom of Eastern Tyranny Strangled with a Napkin for the better prevention as well of publick Rumors as Commotions and exposed his Complices to open Execution And in consideration of this Treason became so exasperated against the Catholicks that he rather resolved to introduce Mahumetanism than admit any of the Roman Church into his Territories This Resolution rashly conceived to avoid one extream did desperately precipitate him into another wherein he proceeded so far that as my Author saith he sent to Iman a certain King of Arabia Felix for a Turk learned in the Law of Mahomet whose Abilities might qualifie him to transport the Doctrine of his Prophet into Ethiopia But an Abissin Christian being one of those that were employ'd on this Errand as soon as he returned whether upon disgust or some other more laudable reason imparted to the Principal of the Nobility and Clergy the sum of that wicked Embassy advising them to consider of some prudent and safe way for the prevention of so great a mischief Upon this Information they began to raise tumultuary Assemblies wherein the people grew so bold as to vent open threats against their Soveraign nay when the Turkish Effendi arrived they did so much stomach the honourable reception he found at Court that they twice set his Lodgings on Fire and spared not to make sundry Attempts upon his Life These daring Actions pretending no less than the absolute revolt of his Subjects engaged Fasilades under the pretext of some criminal Accusation to cast the Mahometan Embassador into prison and declare himself ignorant of the design for which he came into his Dominions Soon after finding it the only Mean to allay the Commotions and restore the Peace of his Empire he sent the Turk back into his own Countrey having gratified him with many rich Presents among which was a very costly Vest bestowed on him by the Empress The Colledge de propagandâ fide having all this while received no News of the Fathers Capuchins since their departure sent after them other Fathers an 1638. whereof P. Antonius de Virgolta and P. Antonius de Petra Pagana were the Chief both being of the Reformed Order of S. Francis These Emissaries passing by Grand Cairo soon after arrived at Suaquem and thence sailed to Mesauva where they remained two years in continual expectation of some favourable opportunity for their safe passage into Ethiopia But having endured many Grievances from the injurious Turks in the time of their abode there and nothing advanced in the hopes of compassing their