I2i TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



him, and ordered the tip of his tongue to be cut off in hia 

 prefence. This man, whofe fault feems only to have been 

 in his tongue, and of whom a very great charav5ler is given, 

 lived in the fucceeding reign to give the king a very diftin- 

 guiflied proof of his attachment to his family, and love of^ 

 his country. 



Naod having thus prudently quieted diflurbances at 

 home, turned his thoughts to the war with MaiFudi ; for 

 the king of Adel himfelf had made his peace through me- 

 diation of the emprefs Helena ; and this king, more politic 

 than Alexander his brother, was willing to difTemble with 

 the king of Adel, that he might fight his two adverfaries 

 iingly : He, therefore, prepared a fmaller army than was u- 

 fual for the king to head, without fuffering a Moor of any 

 kind to ferve in it. 



It was known to a day when MafFudi was to enter upon 

 his expeditions againft Abyflinia. For near thirty years he 

 had begun to burn the churches, and drive off the people 

 and cattle on the firfl day of Lent ; and, as Lent advanced,, 

 he with his army penetrated farther up the country. The 

 Abyilinians are the ftrideft people in the world in keeping 

 fafts. They are fo auftere that they tafte no fort of animal 

 food, nor butter, eggs, oil, ar wine. They will not, though 

 ever fo thirfty, drink a cup of water till fix o'clock in the 

 evening, and then are contented, perhaps, with dry or four 

 leaven bread, the beft of them only making ufe of honey ; 

 by which means they become fo weak as to be unable to 

 bear any fatigue. This was MafFudi's reafon for invading 

 the country in Lent, at which time fcirce a Chriftian, 

 through falling, v/as able to bear arms. 



I Naod» 



