Church became The Roof the Floor the squared Sides All one continu'd Frame No stones in blended Mortar lay'd The solid parts divide Nature has carved all without Within the Workman's Pride But newly born and hardly swath'd The tender Infant lay When strait a Wonder that portends The Honour of that day A Swarm of Bees Prophetic swarm His Princely Head surround Thus Jove himself on Ida Mount The Martial Insect Crown'd It was their Errand thus to shew The grandeur of the Child That he should Conquer and Command And yet be wondrous mild That done as if by sight the face Of Majesty they knew With such a fear as aw'd their stings Away again they flew This great Monarch when he came to Rule sent for Artists out of Egypt and after a wonderful and unheard of manner of Building to that day he did not cement Stones or Bricks together with Lime or Lome nor joyn the Roof together with Rafters but hollow'd whole solid Rocks leaving Pillars for Ornament where Pillars were requisite the Arches and Walls being all of the same Stone Nor do the Rocks of Ethiopia withstand that kind of Structure for that most of them advance equilaterally toward the Sky as if they had bin squar'd by Art and besides the Stone is so soft and tender that the Tools of the Artists easily make their way Alvarez gives an accompt of Ten Temples fram'd after this wonderful manner which were Four and twenty years finishing He saw them all and gives you a draught of them in Picture and lest any one should doubt of the Truth of what he says he confirms his Relation with an Oath This Magnificent King reign'd Forty years and after him his Son Imra rul'd as many The last of this Race was Naacueto-Laab Of him the Poet thus Hail Naacueto-Laab thy Renown I sing and all the Glories of thy Crown In Peace and Love which thou didst love thy Raign Concord and Peace did mutually sustain And thnt no fear of Death might him dismay God plac'd him where there is no end of Day CHAP. VI. Of the Salomonean Line restor'd again by Icon-an-lac The Salomonean Family restor'd The Successors of Icon-Im lac Etana-Denghel preferred before his Elder Brother Helena a Woman of a great Spirit David's various Fortune Claudius succeeds him who restores his ruin'd Kingdom by the Assistance of the Portugueses His Encomium and miserable Death The Succession decided by Arms. Menas succeeds his Cruelty Bahrnagassus revolts Malac-Seghed succeeds better than his Father Prosperous in War not in Marriage He designs his Brother his Successor but repents and Prefers his Natural Son Jacob He recommends his lawful Son to the Nobility upon his Death-Bed but they Imprison him Susneus in the same Danger but Escapes They make Jacob a Child King afterwards Depose him and place Za-Dengel in his room his Mildness and Fortitude a bold act of his His Kindness to Pays and the Latins cause him to be hated A Conspiracy against him he Consults the Portugueses despised the Counsel of Pays He loses the Day and dies in the Field THE Zagean Family being thus Extinct about the year of Christ 1300. The Nobility of Shewa restor'd Icon-Imlac a Prince of the Salomonean Race to the Scepter of his Ancestors whose Posterity have continu'd in Habessinia to our time Tellezius reckons up Sixteen Kings to Zar-a-Jacob (d) In his Accompt of Sacred Times L. VI. Vlt. Success c. 44. which we shall insert out of Vecchietti adding the Ethiopic Names of them which we have found mention'd in the Liturgy or elsewhere Icon-amlac or as the Ethiopians write him 1. Aycuna-amiac 2. Jagrea-Tzegon 3. Bahar Sarda 4. Esbraad 5. Cadem-Saghed 6. Zen-Saghed 7. Vdimrad 8. Amde Tzegon 9. Scifaarad 10. Udmaasfan 11. David 12. Theodorus Of whom the Poet thus makes mention in his 29 Encomium June 3. Hail Theodore wide Ethiopia's King Thee by thy Name Anbasa must I sing For thee thy Mother Tzejon-Mogusa T' adorn thy great Inauguration Day Whole Heards of Sheep and fatted Oxen stew And not she only for the Clouds to shew Themselves contributary to thy Feast Rain'd Fish from Heaven to supply the rest 13. Isaac 14. Andreas 15. Hesbinaani whose Son was 26. Amde-Jesus To him succeeded Zar-a-Jacob by the Name of his Inauguration Constantine An Emperor of great Renown and inquisitive after Foreign Affairs for he sent his Ambassadors to the Council of Florence of which more in due place Baeda-Marjam as I Collect out of Alvarez came to the Crown about the year 1465. and dy'd Ten years after leaving his Widow Helena behind him of whom more anon Alexander ascended the Throne about the year 1475. and dy'd in the year 1491. At what time Peter Covillian found the way into Ethiopia the first Portuguese that did so Amda-Tzejon (e) This Succession is taken out of Tellez and agrees with the vulgar Order of the Ethiopic Kings which Gregory himself did not contradict Alvarez here err'd very muth or else forgot himself for he apparently leaves out Ambda-Tzeon c. 59. and makes Alexander the Father of Naod c. 98. and 89. when he was really his Brother He also calls Helena the Mother of David when she was his Grandmother but only look'd upon as his Mother in respect of her care Neither is Tellezius without his Mistakes for L. 2. c. 4. He omits Ambda-Tzion and writes that Helena never had any Children his Son reign'd but a short time and dying without Male Issue made way for his Uncle Naod The Son of Baeda-Marjam who while his Brother Alexander possess'd the Government was shut up in the Rock Gheshen but the Male Issue failing he was call'd forth by the Nobility and reign'd Thirteen years He dy'd about the year 1505. Etana Dengel or Lebna-Denghel call'd afterwards David by his Inauguration Name Some few years expir'd he assum'd a third Name Wanag-Saghed which Tzagazab interprets Enkua-Saged or the Precious Gem. He was the second Son of Naod by his Wife Mogesa the Nephew of Baeda-Marjam For the Eldest whom Naod begat in the Rock of Amhanira Helena and Marcus the Metropolitan who had then the Government in their hands did not think worthy to Rule by reason of his Pride and Cruelty adding That he was born when his Father was but in a private Capacity before he came to the Crown unless it were that they thought that they should carry a greater sway during the Minority of the young Prince For then was David but Eleven years of Age as he himself declares in his Letter to King Emanuel Helena therefore his Grandmother took upon her the Management of Affairs as his Tut'ress being preferr'd before the Mother in regard the Junior Queens always give place to the Senior and then too she is always look'd upon as the King's Mother A Woman of great Prudence and Courage that has left a great Fame behind her still in Ethiopia insomuch that King Susneus would often praise her for her Virtue and Moderation She is famous
of Ethiopie Th' Original or else the Copie Gregory being question'd concerning him made answer That the Report of him reach'd Egypt and the Countries next adjoyning and he had heard from the Governess of Ruma being a Woman of noble descent that Tzagax came to her and told her he was the Son of Arzo who was the Brother of Zadenghel the Son of Lesana and Grandchild to Menas The same thing he affirm'd to his Countrymen in Egypt and to those that liv'd at Jerusalem For to them he did not dare to counterfeit himself the Son of Jacob in regard they well knew that Jacob was slain in the Eighteenth year of his Age or thereabout without any legitimate off-spring But for Arzo he liv'd an obscure life and whether he had any Children or no there was no body knew Let us now therefore return to Susneus Susneus descended from the Royal Line bigg tall and strong Limb'd and in such a Body a large Soul His Countenance affable and pleasing with a high Nose and thin Lips nothing different from the Europeans but only in colour He was Prudent Courteous and Liberal and well read in the Ethiopic Books and which is most necessary to him that will ruffle for a Crown he was Warlike Patient of Labour and had among the Gallans learnt to be Content with any sort of Dyet However he was unhappy during his Reign by reason of his continual Wars and the frequent Rebellions of his Subjects whom he sent to compel by force to submit to what he thought convenient to enjoyn them He swore obedience to the Pope before he had weigh'd what benefit he might get by it And therefore toward his latter End he was forc'd to indulge that Liberty for the maintaining of which many Thousands had already lost their Lives He dy'd in September in the Year 1632. leaving several Sons and Daughters behind him Basilides by his Inauguration name Seltan Saghed after the Death of Marc his Eldest Brother succeeded the Father Who to quiet the Minds of his Subjects Exterminated the Jesuits together with their Patriarch out of all his Dominions so that he would not permit the Portugals a Priest to say Mass which the severity of Menas allow'd them All the rest of his Brothers if the Fidelity of Tellezius do not here give way to his Passion he put to death upon bare allegation of Crimes committed Neither do we know any thing more of certainty concerning him he refusing any farther Commerce with the Europeans for fear of the Forces for which he heard the Fathers were solliciting both at Rome and in Portugal to revenge the Indignities he had put upon them After this I saw certain Letters which the King of Abysinia Af-Saghed the Son of Alam Saghed sent to the Governour of Batavia written in Arabic of which we shall have occasion to say more in another place for I am not certain whether or no Basilides did not make use of a double Sirname nor whether he were the Father of that same Af-Saghed I have here inserted a Genealogic Table of the Last Kings of Habessinia which I had from Gregory but now more Corrected out of Tellezius A GENEALOGIC TABLE of the Kings of Habessinia from BAEDA-MARJAM Son of Zara-Jacob Grandchild of Amda-Jesu who liv'd about the year of Christ 1460. to the Reign of Basilides 1632 c. BAEDA-Marjam Son of Zara-Jacob otherwise Amda Jesu Born about the year 1465. whose Second Wife was Helena 1. ALEXANDER came to the Crown about the year 1475 and dyed without Children 1490. 2. AMDA-SION dy'd in the year 1491. after he had Reign'd Six Months 3. Naod fetch'd from the Rock of Amhara to the Crown dy'd in the year 1504. leaving his Widow Moghesa behind 1. N.N. The Eldest born in the Rock Amhara before his Father came to the Crown therefore forc'd to yield to the Second Brother 2. David Sirnam'd Etana-Denghel Lebna-Denghel and Wanag-Denghel Born about the year 1492. made King 1504. dy'd 1540. leaving his Widow Kabelo-Wanghel behind 3. Romana Warck wife 1. to N. N. 2. to Abucher 4. N. N. who Escap'd from the Rock of Amhara 1. Victor in the Field Slain before his Father's Death 2. Claudius Sirnam'd Atnaf-Saghed Born toward the end of 1522 made King 1540. Slain March 1559. in a Battel against the Adelans 3. Jacob dy'd before his Brother Claudius 4. Menas Sirnam'd Adamaes-Saghed made King 1559. Slain in Battel April 20. 1562. 5. N. 6. N. 7. N. three Daughters of whom Alvarez c. 61. Tascar's Natural Son made King by the Rebels in Opposition to his Uncle taken in Fight July 1561. and thrown Head-long from a Rock 2. Basilides Slain in a Battel against the Gallans His Wife was Hamel-Mala the Viceroy of Amhara's Widow who had Three Sons Rasselach Afach and Almanach 3. Zertza-Denghel otherwise Malech-Saghed made King 1562 and dy'd 1579. His Wife was Marjam-Sena AQUIETER ABALE Lecanaxos Susneus Sirnam'd Malech Saghed then Seltan Saghed Born 1571. made King Jacob being slain March 10. 1607. dy'd Sept. 1632. He had many Wives but dismissed all except the First N. N. The Wife of Ras-Athanasius Jacob a Natural Son Born 1589. Made King at 7 years of Age call'd the Infant King depos'd 1603 Recall'd 1604. Slain March 10. 1607. Za-Marjam another Natural Son Za-Denghel alias Atznaf-Saghed Born 1577 Slain in Battel by his own Son Octob. 13. 1604. Arzo whose Son Tzaga-Christos called himself Lecanaxos Marcus These two Deceas'd before their Father Malacotawit Wife of Elias Viceroy of Tigra-Basilides sirnam'd Seltan-Saghed then Alam-Saghed Born 1607. made King 1632. Claudius Basilides Brother by the Father's side Canafraxos Jacobus Justus Za-Denghel Za-Marjam Lebna-Denghel and others For as Tellez writes he left 25 Sons and many Daughters behind him as Wanghelawit the Wife of Tecla George Viceroy of Tigra N. Wife of Za-Marjam Viceroy of Bagemdra N. Wife of Anda Michael Bahrnagash 1. Constantine dy'd before his Father 2. Justus 3. David 4. John 5. Becuerta-Christos Wife to the Viceroy of Tigra with others whose Names are not known Place this Table in the Second Book between Folio 192 193. CHAP. VIII Of the Royal Succession and the Imprisonment of the Kings Children in the Rock Geshen now quite out of use Certain Succession the Safety of Kingdoms Two Bonds of Government How far Prudence how far Nobility and Power prevail Election not alwayes to be preferr'd before Succession more agreeable to Liberty The Males only succeed in Abassia Their Claim dubious hence Wars The Inconveniencies of Hereditary Kingdoms The ill Events of uncertain Succession The Imprisonment of the Kings Children Tellezius's Relation of it The Custom for 300 Years abrogated by Naod Alvarez's Relation it disagrees with Tellezius reconcil'd No president for half a Century The pleasantness of those Rocks fabulous The severe usage of those Princes there The severity of the Governour displeasing to the Prince pleas'd him when King FRom what has bin said it appears that the Succession of the Kings of Habessinia is uncertain
mistaken However that she came out of Ethiopia many of the Ancients agree as Origen Austin and Anselm whom Cardinal Toletus Cites Others on the contrary declare her to have come out of Arabia as Justin Cyprian Epiphanius Cyril Alexandrinus Cardinal Baronius Suarez Lorinus and at large Pineda in his Treatise of the Acts of Salomon where he labours by ten Reasons to confirm his Opinion Of which those that seem to carry most weight are these That Saba is seated in Arabia to the South of Judea That Camels Spice Gemms and Gold are more consistent with Arabia than with Ethiopia But these different Opinions are easily reconcil'd if as many of the Old Writers held the ancient Ethiopia extended it self into Arabia For they assert the Sabeans and Homerites to have bin Nations of Ethiopia which without question were formerly seated in Arabia the Happy That Region which the Hebrews call by the Name of Cush by the 70 Interpreters is rendred Ethiopia From hence Moses chose his Wife who is call'd the Ethiopess and yet that County is a part of Arabia according to the Common acceptation now a days whence the Arabians are call'd Cushites Therefore was the Ethiopia of the Ancients two-fold Asiatic and African or Oriental and Western For the Ancients did not limit the principal Parts of the World as we do now while they extended India into Africa and brought Ethiopia into Asia and believed that the Indians inhabited beyond the Ethiopians Nor did they think that Asia and Africa were distinct parts of the Orbe of the Earth but onely particular Regions Egypt seemed to belong sometimes to Asia sometimes to Africa and others made Nilus to be the bounds between those two Continents And which is most remarkable the Antient Arabia was not of so large an Extent as now the Modern is For the Sabeans and Homerites were plac'd beyond the Limits of Arabia The Arabian Gulph was also taken onely for a part or Bay of the Red Sea All which things the Geographers of later Times have much more distinctly reform'd So that altho by Us the Sabeans are accounted to be a Region of the Southern Arabia that lyes upon the Indian Ocean and consequently toward the utmost Limits of Land there yet may the Queen of Sheba according to the Opinion of the Ancients be said to come out of Ethiopia Nor does it argue any thing of absurdity to conjecture that she might at the same time command that part of Ethiopia which lay upon the Opposite Shore and at so near a distance The Arabians made no question but that she was descended from the Line of the Sons of Homer or the Homerites and that she was the daughter (n) He was the twenty first as is to be seen in the Catalogue of the Homerite King which the learned Pocock set forth in his Specimen of an Arabian History p. 59. of King Hod-hadi They call her Belkis and affirm her to have bin not the Concubine but the (o) Anubian Geographer speaking of the City Mareb There saith he was Belkis born the Wife of Salomon the Son of David wife of Salomon from whence we gather that they themselves believ'd that Tradition to be true that she had a Son begotten by Salomon The Arabs and Ethiopians contend about this to this very day as if the Modern Franks should contend with the Germans about Charles the Great Alphonsus Mendez the Patriarch adheres to the Tradition of the Abessines (p) In his Epistle to Tellez us mov'd thereto by these Arguments because the continuation of Officers both Civil and Military and other customes and Ceremonies made use of in the Hebrew Common-wealth so long since are still observ'd there to this day So that Ethiopia seem'd to him to be a certain lively representation of the Ancient Hebrew Government And his other reason was for that he understood many places of Scripture much better since he came into Ethiopia Tellezius none of the mildest Censurers of the Ethiopic Traditions in this thing agrees throughout with the Patriarch adding That it ought to seem strange to no Person that Salomon who took to wife the Daughter of Pharaoh and also lov'd the Moabitish Idumean Sidonian and Hethic Women should desire to tast the Ethiopic Variety The Habessines also call'd the Posterity of their Kings Israelites neither do they think any other persons worthy of the Scepter but the Male Issue of Menilehec who for that reason bear the Lyon in their Royal Coats with this Imprese The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah has overcome to demonstrate that they are descended from the Tribe of Judah and the Line of David nor that Candaces Eunuch learnt the Orthodox Religion from any other then from the Israelites Gregory also averr'd to me the same things and that the Book wherein those things were recorded was call'd the Glory of the Kings and was of great authority among them and that no person in Ethiopia doubted of the Truth thereof He added That all the Offices both Civil and Military of which the Patriarch discourses in his Letter q are still continu'd in the same Families and that they who Enjoy them can make it appear how long those Employments have been officiated by their Ancestors from Generation to Generation However I do not think it convenient to augment or lessen the Credit of these things untill those Ethiopic Institutions Offices Customs and Manners of which the Patriarch speaks in general shall be more particularly made known to me that I see the Genealogies of those public Ministers whom Gregory mentions and that I hear the answers to such doubts as I shall propose I find indeed the Consent of the Nation and the affirmation of their Kings for Claudius calls his Ancestors Israelitish Kings and at the time of Inauguration they proclaim the Creation of the Israelitish King and they who are kept in the Rock Geshen bear the Name of Israelites And lastly I find some Rites and Customs agreeing with those of the Jews Nor is it any wonder to me more than to Tellezius or disagreeable from Salomon's practice that after so many profound and knotty Riddles unloos'd he should unty the Queen of Sheba's Marriage Girdle Again if the Habessines are Colonies of the Sabeans and Homerites it may as well be granted that the Queen of the South deriv'd her Pedigree from them Yet there are many things that seem to perswade the contrary For as to the Israelitish Rites we shall hereafter shew that they might have bin introduc'd long after Salomon's time upon other grounds and that they were common as well to the Gentiles as to the Christians For if the true Worship of God began from that time how came it to be preserv'd without Synagogues and the Sacred Volumes But they have them not either in the Hebrew Language nor translated into their own Nor does the Appellation of Israelitish Kings argue the Verity of their Descent no more than if any one should assert our
among the Europeans for her Letters sent to Emanuel the First King of Portugal of which we shall hereafter speak more at large David at the beginning of his Reign very prosperous in his Undertakings for he had won several Victories from the Adelans after his Grandmothers Decease as if he had now the Curb in his teeth giving himself up to Luxury and the love of Women was very Unfortunate toward the end of his days For being driven out of all his Kingdoms and Territories he was forc'd to betake himself with some few Soldiers to the Rock Damo where he dy'd in the Forty sixth year of his Age. In this the more unhappy that during his Reign the Nation of the Gallans the Scourge of Habessinia made their first Incursions out of Bali He had four Sons of whom the first Victor dy'd before the Father of the other three we shall have occasion to speak in due place He was very well vers'd in Holy Writ and in the three first Councils as may be understood by his Discourses with Alvarez Claudius by his other Name call'd Atznaff-Saghed the Son of David came to a Kingdom miserably shatter'd and over-burthen'd with Calamity and lurking in the utmost Confines of his Dominions there attended some miraculous assistance from Heaven which soon after answer'd his Expectation John the Second King of Portugal sending him Succour under the Conduct of that most Valiant and Noble Portuguese Christopher Gamas who with a small Band of Four hundred Portuguese Foot Soldiers overthrew vast Armies of the Barbarians and laid the Foundations of regaining the Habessinian Empire Claudius was a man of a most Princely Port. For besides the outward Grace of his Person he was endu'd with many Virtues of the Mind which made him judg'd by all worthy of the Royal Dignity The Fathers of the Society applauded him for a most Prudent Prince though otherwise not so well pleased with him because he had not shew'd that Affection to the Roman See as they requir'd though he did not prohibit the Divine Worship of the Latin Church nor hinder'd the Roman Priests from the free Exercise of their Religion He was also Learned and well instructed in Ecclesiastical Antiquity So that as Tellezius witnesses his Teachers seem'd illiterate in comparison of their Scholar For in Disputes with the Fathers of the Society he himself for the most part would argue with so much vehemence that sometimes he put them hard to it to make him an Answer And when he observ'd that the Habessines were blam'd for retaining certain Judaic Rights contrary to the Christian Laws he put into Writing a succinct Confession of Faith by which he clear'd all Objections and excus'd himself and his Subjects That Confession we formerly (f) In England Anno 1667. It is also added to our Ethiopic Lexicon and Grammar set forth and shall publish again in our Commentary So that the Fathers of the Society could object nothing but Schism against so great and famous a Monarch He reign'd Eighteen years and some Months with great toil and trouble by reason of his continual Wars with the Adelans who mindful of the overthrows they had receiv'd frequently attempted Revenge The King stout of hand and indefatigable never refus'd Battel till at last in the Month of March 1559. fighting against Nurus the Captain of the Adelans his Army being vanquish'd guarded only with Eighteen Portugueses and Combating more furiously than warily he fell by an Immature but not unrevenged Death He left no Children behind him whence it came to pass that the Right of Succession being very ambiguous in Ethiopia the Contention was long dubious between his Brother Menas and Tascar the Natural Son of Jacob the second Brother deceased For this claim'd the Kingdom in right of his Father while he liv'd the Elder Brother the other alledg'd himself to be the nearer in Blood than he who was Illegitimate The Controversie being decided by the Sword Tascar was taken in the Battel and thrown headlong down a Rock Menas otherwise (g) Erroneous here some Historians ignorant that the word signifies a Gem call him Adam Adamas-Saghed having obtain'd the Kingdom by Arms being of a Cruel Disposition degenerated altogether from the Lenity Sincerity and Piety of the Habessines as if he had learnt the savageness of the Tvrks and Arabians among whom he had been long a Captive For he hated the Portugueses as minding their own Affairs and forbid the use of the Roman Religion not suffering any of the Habessines to go into the Latin Churches He also revok'd the Liberty which his Predecessor Claudius had granted to the Wives and Families of the Portugueses to frequent the Roman Chappels which caus'd many to wish again for the Clemency of Claudius with which they were not contented however before He despis'd the Romish Bishop Andrew Oviedo who in the Reign of Claudius was sent to make way for the new Patriarch and for some Months kept him in Prison Nor was he much more kind to his own Subjects For which reason out of an aversion to his Proceedings they revolted from him in several Parts Among the rest Isaac Bahrnagassus a man in great Power and skill'd in Military Discipline calling the Turks to his Assistance upon the Twentieth of April 1562. overcame the King in Battel and slew him to the great detriment of Habessinia For ever since that time the Turks have been Masters of the Coast of the Red Sea He left three Sons Sarza-Denghel Lesanax and Tazcar Of which the last dy'd without Children Sarza-Denghel taking the Government upon him call'd himself Malac-Saghed and was Inaugurated after the ancient manner at Axuma His Fortune was equal to his Vertues for he was stout of Hand and wise in Counsel And first he drave the Turks who were Masters of Dobarva the Metropolis of the Maritime Province out of Tigra He would also have driven them out of the Port of Arkiko and the Isle of Matzua had he not been recall'd to defend his Upland Dominions from the Incursions of the Galans These People by the Rapines and Plunder of five and twenty years while the Habessines were busied in so many other Wars increased to that power that now they over-ran Habessinia not with scattering Troops but with compleat Armies So that all the time of his Reign though otherwise prosperous in War he was forc'd to struggle with them However he subdu'd Enarea and caus'd the Prince thereof to turn Christian For he carefully observ'd the Christian Religion according to the Constitutions of the Church of Alexandria The Latin Rites he left indifferent And for the Fathers of the Society he often commended their Conversation of Life and their Studies but despised their Doctrine saying That their Manners and not their Doctrine was to be imitated Certainly Manners and Doctrine do not always accord And therefore sometimes the Doctrine is to be approv'd where the Manners are not Correspondent and sometimes the Manners are to be imitated
where the Doctrine is not to be follow'd But tho he were Prosperous in his Affairs of Government and War yet in his Marriage he was unfortunate for his Wife Mariamsena brought him many Daughters but not one Son He had two Natural Sons of which one was call'd Za-Marjam and the other Jacob but they could not succeed by the Laws of the (h) Tellezius tells us l. 3. c. 14. that the Ethiopian Laws will not allow Bastards to succeed Which nevertheless is not agreeable with what he says in another place l. 3. c. 29. Kingdom And therefore it fell out with him as with many others who are more addicted to illicit Concubinage than lawful Matrimony that they want Successors from their own Loins and frequently expose their Kingdoms to War and Bloodshed upon Disputes of Succession First therefore he shew'd to the Nobility Za-Denghel his Brother Lecanax's Son as the Son of a Prince adorn'd in Royal Habit. Then again some few Months before his Death he began to change his mind either envying a greater Adoration to the Rising than the Setting Sun or whether it were that Za-Denghel himself certain of the Succession gave the less respect to his Uncle or whether his Disposition were not grateful to the Nobility However it were Jacob a Child of Seven years of Age never seen before to the King came to Court which was no obscure intimation that he would be preferr'd before Za-Denghel as being of the King 's own Blood The Grandees whether they durst not admonish the King or whether they had an intention to usurp the Government under pretence of being Guardians to the Minor consented to the King But soon after they taught us to understand how uncertain the Tranquillity of Kingdoms is where the Right of Succession is uncertain or that there are no Rules but that the grand Affairs of a Kingdom are at the disposal of Courtiers intent upon their own Interest Nevertheless most wonderful to relate when the King upon his return from the War with the Gallans fell sick and found himself near his end Right and Justice more prevail'd with him than Hatred against his Brother's Son or love to his own Illegitimate and therefore calling before him the chief of his Nobility he is reported to have spoken thus Seeing that the end of my life Approaches I thought that next the Care of my Soul that of my Kingdom was the chiefest the safety of which I have always held no less dear to me than the Salvation of my own Soul True it is that having none Legitimate I always lov'd Jacob as my own And I have observ'd in him Endowments of Mind not unworthy so fair an Inheritance so that I could not have had any reason to repent had I Establish'd him my Successor nor you had you yielded him Obedience But now I prefer the Love of my Country and the Laws of the Kingdom before my private Affection Therefore it is that I recommend to your Allegiance Za-Denghel my Brother's Son my nearest Kinsman stout in War Mature in years conspicuous for his virtues and one that by those virtues Merits the high Dignity which is due to him by Birth Having thus said in a short while after he expir'd An. 1596 But as it was a thing absolutely unexpected by the Nobility that the King would change his Mind so the Management of Affairs among themselves during the Minority of the King was that which they had already deeply fix'd in their minds nay more they had under-hand already divided the great Offices of the Kingdom And therefore repining to find the Power thus as it were ravish'd out of their hands they perfidiously enter into a Conspiracy To which purpose they conceal the Death of the King and sending away some few Bands of Soldiers drawn together in hast they cause Za-Denghel to be apprehended and carry'd away into the Island of Udeka lying in the Tzanic Lake and then changing his Imprisonment from Rock to Rock carry'd him up and down to prevent his Conspiring with the Neighbouring People The same Trap was lay'd for Susneus for that they fear'd least he being youthful and brave seeing the Order of the Succession so disturb'd should put in for a share and assert his Claim as afterwards he did But he escap'd in good time to the Gallans where he fix'd himself among them against the threatning Danger resolving if need requir'd to make use of their Assistance The Chiefs of the Faction were Ras-Athanasius a man of high Authority and Keflawahed Viceroy of Tigra who having cajol'd into the Conspiracy the Queen Dowager his Mother-in-Law covetous of preserving her Power by means of her Son's nonage as it were under colour of lawful Power they presently set the Crown upon the head of Jacob then a Child of Seven years of Age and therefore call'd the Infant King reserving the management of Affairs to themselves A trium-virate unusual with a Woman and therefore not like to endure long For seven years after Jacob coming to be of Age impatient of so many Tutors assum'd the Reins of Government into his own hands perhaps more imperiously than might become a Lad of 15 years of Age. The Guardians therefore taking it ill to be so soon depriv'd of their Power seeing their Obedience would immediately follow chose rather to obey their lawful King and render themselves deserving of his new Favours Therefore before Jacob could fix himself in his Throne as it were induc'd out of Repentance that they had preferr'd an Infant and Illegitimate before a lawful Successor and of ripe Age they recall Za-Denghel then lurking in the most remote Mountains of the Kingdom and salute him King by the Name of Asnaff-Saghed which they did the sooner and that with the more speed that they might have the less reason to give an Accompt of what was done to the new King Jacob with only Eight of his Guard for the rest had deserted him with his Fortune hastens to Samena to his Mothers Kindred but being known in his flight and taken he was brought back to Za-Denghel who shewing the Effects of a strange Compassion receiv'd his Rival with a singular Affection and Clemency and trusting to his own Right would never incur the censure of being Cruel in cutting off his Nose and Eyes which was usually done to others in the same Condition and to which he himself was advis'd For he scorn'd to pollute himself with a Crime after the manner of Tyrants who distrustful of their own Right or the Peoples Affections count it a piece of Policy to cut off their Rivals in Empire how innocent soever imputing to them before-hand the future Crimes that may happen to be committed not by them but any Promoters of Sedition However he sent the degraded King into Enarea the most remote Kingdom of Habessinia under a strict Guard in a short time to be restored to the Kingdom to his own Ruin Za-Denghel for Grace of Utterance and Majesty of Countenance
and that there is no great difference made between the Legitimate and he Illegitimate However the most assured Safety of Kingdoms consists in a Constant and Establish'd Settlement of Succession But if in Hereditary Kingdoms it may be lawful either for the King to choose one of his Sons or if it may be lawful for the Nobility not so much to regard the order of birth as the disposition and conditions of him that is to govern or to respect the favour of the People War and Sedition must of necessity follow They that are set aside will never be quiet nor shall they want Factious Abettors and Associates The Grand Pretence more Especially in Elective Kingdoms is this That Conditions cannot be distinguish'd by Nativities but the best may be taken by Election and Judgment A specious pretence in words but vain in Reality while the Imbecility of human Nature prevails which is guided by the affections and obeys rather Favour and Hatred than Virtue which usually happens in great Assemblies But there are two Pillars which sustain the Safety of great Monarchies Reverence and Authority which they that Govern never can reconcile to themselves either by Wisdom or Probity alone For there are many who will esteem themselves if not their Superiors yet their Equals and men very unwillingly obey their Equals much less their Inferiours so that it is altogether vain and pedantic what Plato writes concerning the Felicity of Kingdoms That they should be Govern'd by Philosophers while other Aids are wanting A Philosopher how wise soever would hardly find a Subject that would obey him three days together for his Philosophies sake There ought to be something External and Visible which as well the vulgar and ordinary sort as the prudent Equally acknowledg which is not subjected to the fluctuating and inconstant determination of Men. For this reason in the Election of Kings and Princes Nobility and Power are preferr'd before Wisdom and Sanctity of disposition Yet the one requires the assistance of the other The one is the cause that the Subject willingly and freely obeys the other compels the refractory to submit And therefore because Election does not bring much more advantage to a Kingdom than the chance of birth but is rather liable to Tumults and Seditions many People have (m) The Swedes in the last Century The Danes in our memory The Chineses of old Joh. Newhoft Descript Chin. c. 18. abandon'd it of their own accord However it approaches nearest to Liberty because the Electors may prescribe Laws and Conditions of Government to the Person that is to be Elected tho that same wariness proves many times ineffectual Because the Prince upon refusal either positively cannot or else will be very unwilling to be brought to an accompt So impossible it is that there should be a compleat happiness in this World And therefore it is the part of a good and prudent Statesman to prefer that form of Government which he finds (n) That the Wise call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preserve the present state of the Republic Isoc against Collimalh Established But I return to the Habessines among whom there is this most prudent Constitution That only the Male Issue shall govern or the Male kindred nearest in blood But because the Determination of the Fathers and Mothers and the chief Nobility happens frequently to be intermix'd and that the natural Issue is likewise if male allow'd the same Priviledge for want of Legitimate Off-spring hence it comes to pass that their Successions are most unhappy and turbulent the chief cause of all their Calamities We have already declar'd how Helena with the consent of Marc the Metropolitan preferr'd David the second Son before Naod the Elder Brother as having nothing else to advance him but a meer brutish strength The Civil Wars between Menas and Tazcar his Brothers Eldest Son between the Illegitimate Son of Malec-Saghed and Zadenghel his Legitimate Kinsman and lastly between Jacob and Susneus and all about the doubtful right of Succession are sufficient Arguments to prove what we assert Tellezius indeed declares That according to the Lawes of Ethiopia the natural Sons do not succeed But in another place he so discourses concerning their Law alledging the Example of John the First King of Portugal that the Reader may perceive that he varies in this from his other Relation But the chiefest Inconvenience which uses to arise in hereditary Kingdoms where the Succession is ty'd to a certain Family proceeds either from the sence of Rivalship and a jealousie which they that rule have of them that are nearly related in blood or from their Ambition which always animates the Factious Dismal are the Examples among the Barbarians where there are no Laws or Rules for Succession but all things are at the Will of them that bear sway or else of Fortune her self What ruin'd the Family of the Caesars What the Roman Empire but onely that the Creation of the Emperors was inconstant and unfix'd and at the Will of the Souldiery Certainly it was a great Oversight in Augustus Caesar after he had vanquish'd all his Rivals and had all the Power in his own hands that he ordain'd no certain Settlement of Succession The Emperours of the Turks to prevent the Crimes of their Brothers more impiously put them to death and punish that Disloyalty which perhaps was never intended The Ancient Kings of Abessinia to rid themselves of these Fears were wont to shut up their Brothers under safe Custody where they might abide unknown to turbulent Spirits and so be uncapable of attempting any thing against the raigning Prince and yet be ready to supply the want of Successors The Rocks of Geshen and Ambasel were set apart to this end The whole Story from the Relations of Antonie d' Almeyda runs thus The Emperour Icon Imlac had five Sons others say nine which he lov'd all alike Out of which affection he most imprudently advis'd them to raign all with Equal Power or which was worse to govern by turns The Youngest impatient of the delay of so many Years design'd with himself not to part with the Scepter when once he had got it into his hands but to send away his Brothers to some distant Rock and so continue the Kingdom to his own Posterity But being betrayd by one of his peculiar Friends who rather chose to accept of a reward from the raigning Prince than to expect a guerdon from him that was to raign he was taken in the same snare which he had laid for his Brothers and sent to the Rock Geshen But lest the King might seem to have consulted more for his own than the Security of the Kingdom he also shut up all his own Sons which he then had in the same place After which this Custom continu'd as a Fundamental Law in Ethiopia for above Two hundred and thirty Years by which means the raigning Kings were secur'd from danger of Civil Wars among Brethren till in the Year
1590 at what time King Naod was sent for from the Rock to ascend the Throne He had a Son about Nine years of Age whom he dearly lov'd which Child one of his chief Courtiers steadfastly beholding Certainly said he to the King this Child grows apace The Boy was of an acute Witt and understood what the Courtier drove at and therefore fixing his weeping Eyes upon his Fathers Face Oh Father said he Have I grown thus fast to be hurry'd from your sight to the Rock Geshen Which word strook his Father so deeply to the heart that having assembl'd the Nobility of his Court and Kingdom he told them That such a wicked and inhuman Custom was to be renounc'd Which was immediatly done neither he nor his Council considering that private affections are not to be preferr'd before the Safety of a Nation And thus it came to pass through the Kings unseasonable tenderness that this same Custome receiv'd and continu'd in Habessinia so much to the Health of the Government was abrogated to the unspeakable detriment of the Kingdom And from that time never any Prince was Exil'd to those Rocks Alvarez writes That David being advanc'd to the Throne his Younger Brother with the rest of the Sons of Naod were sent away to the Rock and afterwards That one of the Younger Sons Escap'd but was taken and sent back and that he saw him there From whence it may be objected against Tellezius That this Custome continu'd after Naod's time But we have some reason to believe That he foresaw this Objection because he binds it with an Asseveration saying The thing is certainly true and is easie to be confirm'd as well by the Fathers of the Society as by the Example of Susneus who tho he had several Sons yet never went about to send any of them to the Rock But then again when he sayes Alvarez is to be believ'd in all things that he saw there is some need of Reconciliation That is to say That the Sons of Naod the Brothers of David were then carry'd to the Rock and that one of them after an Escape was taken and sent back So that the new Constitution might not help them tho it were a kindness to the Sons of the succeeding Kings The Reports concerning the Pleasantness of those Rocks and the splendid attendance upon those Royal Exiles are all ridiculous Falsities The Rocks we have describ'd already And as for the splendidness of Attendance when the Custome was in force most certain it is that those Princes were kept close Prisoners and they that either attempted to Escape or were assisting to their Escape lay under great Penalties The Princes themselves were harshly us'd Neither was any person permitted to come at them so that their Education could never fit them for a Crown but was rather to put them out of Hopes of having any thing to do with the Affairs of this World It is reported of one of the Keepers that one morning observing one of his Royal Prisoners putting on a Garment somewhat neater than ordinary he not only chidd him and tore the Vestment but gave notice of it to his Father all which the poor Prince was forc'd to take patiently Afterwards the same Prince coming to be King himself did not onely forbear to revenge the Injury but hearing that his Keeper was gone aside as dreading some heavy punishment caus'd him to be sought out and being brought before him half dead for fear both prais'd and rewarded him Exhorting him to continue in his Office as Faithful to Him as he had bin to the King deceas'd And thus we generally impose upon others what we are very unwilling to endure our selves CHAP. IX Of the Priviledge and Power of the King in Ecclesiastical and Civil Affairs The Kings Power absolute Experienc'd by the Jesuits Alphonsus the Patriarch offends the King He claims the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction He abrogates the Latin Religion calls Synods He forbears the right of Nomination not bound by the Secular Laws He has no Estates The benefit of them He enjoyes all Royal Priviledges but makes not use of all Hunting Lawful for all Private persons have nothing proper The King takes and gives as he pleases Certain Families excepted THe Power of the Abessinian Kings is absolute as well in Ecclesiastical as Civil Affairs Of which the Fathers of the Society have had sufficient experience in whose favour and to whose disadvantage he has exercis'd his supream Ecclesiastical Authority without ever consulting the Patriarch of Alexandria First when he put forth several Edicts for receiving the Roman Religion and abrogating the Alexandrian Ceremonies which was done with the consent of the Fathers Afterwards the state of Affairs changing when he dispenc'd by public Edict with certain Ceremonies that were indifferent Alfonsus the Patriarch reprov'd him It is not lawful said he for a King to put forth any such Edict as being purely Ecclesiastical and belonging to the Priestly Office and You ought to remember what the High Priest said to King Uzziah It belongs not to thee O King Uzziah to offer incense to the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron who are consecrated to that Ministry get thee forth out of the Sanctuary for it will not be imputed to thee as an honour by the Lord God to which the Patriarch added the Punishment that follow'd The King for that time gave way to the Patriarch and publish'd the Edict in another manner and form But not brooking the Comparison made between him and Uzziah among other things he gave the Patriarch this answer Wherefore didst thou bid us be mindful of Uzziah and wherefore didst thou compare us with him He was therefore punish'd by God for usurping the Office of the Priest which did not become him and because he offer'd Incense and Sacrifice to God which We never attempted to do onely We commanded an Edict to be publish'd about those Indifferent things which were agreed on between Us both Nothing more incens'd the King but that he saw his Prerogative call'd in question which for so many Ages had bin enjoy'd by his Ancestors and which was never deny'd by the Patriarch of Alexandria even before the Schisme Nor was he ignorant what the ancient Emperours after Constantine had done in the same Cases Nor was he so dull of apprehension as not to be able to distinguish between Episcopal rules and Kingly Jurisdiction which he thought belong'd to himself Which Prerogative tho he had a great Reverence for the Patriarch he would not part with but rather chose to publish another Edict which tended manifestly to the Diminution of the Patriarchal Power For the Patriarch had order'd a certain Monk to give some part of his Ecclesiastical Revenues to a certain Parish The Monk would not obey but complain'd to his Superiour one Iceg who obtain'd a Decree from the King wherein the Patriarch was enjoyn'd to keep to the Rules of the Metropolitans of Ancient Ethiopia and that Iceg should enjoy his
due Priviledges His Prerogative in Ecclesiastical Affairs was most apparently made manifest by the making of that severe Decree for the abrogating the Latin Worship and restoring that of Alexandria Moreover the King summons the Synods of the Clergy as often as need requires he sends for the Metropolitan out of Egypt exercising plenary Jurisdiction over him and all the rest of his Clergy and punishing them according to the nature of their Offences which the Examples recited by Alvarez sufficiently demonstrate In one thing however he differs from our European Kings that he never nominates to Ecclesiastical Benefices For the Patriarch of Alexandria sends a Metropolitan at the request of the King indeed but he knows not who or what he is He also admitted the Patriarch whom the Pope sent tho not he but the King of Portugal nam'd him Neither are there in Ethiopia any other Ecclesiastical Dignities and therefore the Prerogative of nominating Bishops and Archbishops signifies little or nothing In Seculars he acknowledges no positive Laws And well it were that he did not think himself also altogether free from the Fundamental Laws of his Realm upon which the Safety of the Kingdom depends For Naod dispenc'd with the wholesome Constitutions of his Ancestors by vertue of which the Kings Children were sent to the Rock of Amhara And Malec-Saghed would have preferr'd his natural Son Jacob before his Brothers Legitimate Son Zadenghel both which prov'd very disadvantagious presidents to the whole Nation But such things frequently come to pass where the Kingdome is without Estates For they are the most Trusty Guardians of the Law and the true Bulwarks of the Peoples Liberty against the Encroachments of the Ambitious For they have a more vigilant eye and tender care over the Common-weal of which they are themselves Members than the Friends of Princes whose Fortunes hardly descend to their Heirs so that a man may admire at their Counsels who taking away the Priviledges of Estates endeavour to assume the whole Power into their own hands as deeming every slight bond of the Law to themselves heavy and intollerable So that they are forc'd to distribute those Favours and Kindnesses which are due to their fellow Citizens among the Souldiery whose fidelity is brittle and inconstant not caring who are poor so they be rich and many times the Souldiers turn those Arms which were put into their hands for the defence of their Prince against him being put upon the ferment either by the Ambition or the Wealth of some particular person Which in Habessinia as in all other absolute Goverments frequently happens to the destruction of those that bear the sway He has also the sole disposal of Peace or Warr and indeed all the Prerogatives that a King can claim both the greater and the lesser Regalia are solely at his devotion tho he makes no use of many of them merely because he is ignorant of them as the Prerogative in reference to Metals Coyning of Money and the like As for the liberty of Hunting he grants it to all in regard there are such multitudes of Wild Beasts that breed up and down in the over-grown Woods and high Mountains that it is not onely troublesome but dangerous to find out their haunts by which means that which in other Countries is a Pleasure to the Abessines becomes a Toyl and Detriment One thing is much to be admir'd and rare ev'n among the Turks which is that no private person whether Peasant or Lord except some few can call any thing his own All the Lands and Farms in the Country belong to the King and are held by the Subjects onely at the Kings pleasure so that no man takes it amiss if the King takes away their Lands and bestowes them upon another as he pleases himself and that not onely after two or three years but also the same year they were given So that it often happens that one man ploughs and another man sowes Whence it comes to pass that they are more submissive to their Kings then a Servant to his Master or a Vassal to his Lord they serve him in Peace and War and bring him Presents according to their Ability in hopes of obtaining new Farms or for fear of losing those they have For being commanded out of possession they never grumble but presently obey without the least distast against the King or envy to the person that succeeds in their Room Custome and long use prevailing while they see the same happening to others However there are some ancient and Illustrious Families especially in Tigra who enjoy by right of Inheritance not only Lands and Possessions purchas'd by their Ancestors but some certain Prefectures also retaining their ancient Title as Bahr-Nagash Shum Serawè Sirè Temben and others as also Cantiba in Dembea over whom the King claims no other Authority than to confer the public Employments every two year or yearly or as he pleases upon others yet so as that they be of the same Family CHAP. X. Of the Power and Revenues of the Habessine Kings The Power of the Habessine Kings formerly great Formidable to their Neighbours it fail'd after the Saracens came in Play Yet strong at home till the Adelan War and Incursions of the Gallans Easie to be restor'd The wayes and means Our Princes unkind to Forraign Christians Demonstrated by Examples They took no care of their Sea Ports The Kings Revenues the Natural Commodities of the Country what they are His Tribute Farms Herds the Prices of things low The King has enough to supply him both in Peace and War SO great and so absolute a Power and so uncontroulable a Dominion over their Subjects one would think should render the Kings of Ethiopia vastly Potent and so no doubt it would if other things were correspondent Certainly of old it was vastly great when they kept their Courts at (o) Nonnosus in Bibliothec. Phot. n. 3. calls the Ethiopians the Homerites and Saracens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stoutest of the Nations at that time Axuma for there was no considerable Empire near then to withstand their Fortune and for that cause the adjoyning petty-Princes were all at the devotion of the Habessinian Kings But as to what several have written through mistake or misapplication of the name (p) Scal. in his notes ad Comp. Eccl. Ethiop but I know not by what Authority of their Expeditions into the North parts of Asia they are all meer fables and figments Yet this cannot be deny'd but that formerly they were very terrible to the neighbouring Nations for they made several Expeditions into (q) The Arabians wont to use this Computation From the Invasions of the Abessines For so Altcodajus They computed their years from the Arabians invading Abessina Arabia We have already mention'd the Famous and Successful War with Caleb made against the Homerites With no less Renown King Cyriacus hearing of the Christian Persecution in Egypt led a very numerous Army against the
all Occasions of new Disturbances Some there were that openly resisted and would not permit any Priest under Roman Ordination to officiate in their Churches nay some of them they kill'd out-right As for the Countrey People tho they were passively Obedient to the King's Commands yet they lik'd their own old way best Among the rest there was one who having receiv'd the Cuff of Confirmation as their manner is and being ask'd by his Neighbour how he did Never worse said He than I have bin since I receiv'd the Patriarch's Box o' th' ear More than all this there was a Seminary set up for the Education as well of the Habessine as Portuguese Children for the Encouragement of whom and to invite others they caus'd some of the young Lads to Act a Comedy after the European manner But when they brought in Devils upon the Stage as the Scene requir'd some of the ignorant People believing them real Hobgoblins were so terrify'd that they flung out of the School crying out Wajelan Wajelan Sajetanet ametzea O Dear O Dear they have brought us Devils But the ensuing Tragedies more terrify'd the wiser sort For Tecla-George another of the King's Sons in Law for his Wives sake at difference with his Father having drawn into the same Conspiracy with him two Noblemen Gebra-Marjam and John Acayo revolted openly and by a Cryer solemnly proclaim'd That he renounc'd the Roman Worship and would Protect the Alexandrian by force of Arms. And that the world might believe he was in Earnest he caus'd all the Crucifixes Rosaries and other Ornaments of Popish Superstition to be burnt in a publick fire and to the end there might be no hopes of Reconciliation left for the Expectation of Confederates he took his Chaplain Abba Jacob who officiated after the Roman manner and after he had dispoyl'd him of his Stole and Hood put him to Death The King could not brook so great an Indignity and therefore sent Kebax Viceroy of Tigra with an Army against him who us'd such extraordinary Diligence that he soon surpriz'd the secure and unprovided Rebel overthrew his Army and took him and his Sister Adera Prisoners who because they had so furiously and contemptuously acted against the Roman Religion were both hang'd upon a high Tree Nor could all the Intercessions of the Queen nor of all the Noble Ladies could prevail tho they pleaded hard the disgrace done to their Sex and that it was never before known in Ethiopia that a Noblewoman was Hang'd especially being call'd by the King to behold so sad and infamous a Spectacle For they did not pity her because they thought her Innocent but for the Ignominy of her Punishment After this follow'd several other Accidents which as they brought a very great Odium upon the Patriarch and the Fathers so were they reckn'd to be the Causes of the general aversness of the People to the Roman Religion The Patriarch that he might exercise all his Authority in one single Act and shew the full extent of his Power having taken a pett against the Captain of the King's Guards for some frivolous Business that nothing belong'd to his Jurisdiction publickly in the Church in the presence of the whole Court thunders out an Anathema against him and sent him Post to the Devil It seems he had taken Possession of certain Farms which the Monks lay'd claim to and refus'd to restore them notwithstanding all the Admonitions of the Patriarch The Nobleman tho a Soldier hearing such a most Dreadful Excommunication by vertue whereof he was sent packing to Hell laden with all the Curses of Dathan and Abiram like one Thunder-strook fell into a Sound and lay for Dead But the Storm did not continue long For presently the King stept in to his relief by whose interposition and the Mediation of several of the Nobility he was re-admitted into the state of Grace However it was an Act which the Nobility took most heinously to heart among whom there were some that frown'd and chaf'd out of meer Indignation to see that their Church should be brought to such a degree of Servitude that a Foreign Priest should take upon him with so much Arrogance to Excommunicate and Bequeath to Eternal Damnation one of the Chief Counsellors of their Kingdom an Ancient and Famous Personage for the sake of a Litigious Farm which the King might take when he pleas'd from the Monks themselves if they were the Owners This Flame was fed by the addition of more fuel For the Icegue or Chief Abbot of the Monks being at that time lately Deceas'd who as we have already said is the next in Dignity and Authority to the Abuna he was Buried in a certain Church consecrated after the Roman manner tho he had bin an obstinate Zealot for the Alexandrian Religion Thereupon the Patriarch after he had soundly reprov'd the Rector of the Church Pronounc'd the Church profan'd by the Burial of a Heretic and therefore that Mass could not be said in it The Rector dreading the fatal stroak of the same dismal Dathan and Abiram Thunderbolt that lay'd the Great Commander sprawling without expecting any new Command causes the Carkass to be digg'd up again and thrown by This the Habessines heavily exclaim'd against crying out That the Franks exercised more cruel Severities upon them then their most exasperated Enemies ever practis'd among them to deprive their Dead of decent Burial now they might all see what the Living were to expect Tellez adds That a certain old Woman was cast into Prison upon Suspition of being a Witch but was presently set at liberty because it gave distaste For that the most Learned of the Habessines are of Opinion That there are now no more Magicians or Witches in the World and therefore that the Woman was unjustly wrong'd who was thrown into Prison by the Command of the Patriarch Thus the Minds of the People being generally incens'd the King himself began to look upon these acts of separate Jurisdiction in the Patriarch as Diminutions of his Prerogative the ancient Metropolitans never daring to attempt such things and consequently to alienate his Affections both from him and from the Fathers so that at length he gave ear to their Adversaries Who to bring down and curb the Excessive Power of the Patriarch which seem'd so intolerable to them more especially because they found him still inexorable in Matrimonial Causes prohibited by Divine and Canon-Law but chiefly in cases of Polygamy and Divorce they began their Addresses to him for those things which they knew he could not deny without bringing great mischief upon himself First That they might have liberty to say Mass after the ancient Ethiopian manner for that the Patriarch might mend the ancient forms where Necessity requir'd without abrogating the whole That the People hearing their ancient Services would be the more quiet in regard they would not so much mind the difference between the New and the Ancient form of Worship The Patriarch gave way to their