1^3 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



rendered themfelves, trulling to the clemency of the prince. 

 Many of the Moors, natives of Abyffinia, did the fame, after 

 having experienced the difference between the mild Chrif- 

 tian government, and that of tlieir new mailers, the Moors 

 and Turis of Adel. 



The king encamped at Sard, there to pafs his Eafter ; and, 

 as is ufual in the great feftivals, many of the nobility ob- 

 tained leave to attend the religious offices of the feafon at 

 home with their families. Ammer, governor of Ganze, 

 who knew the cuilom of the country, thought this was the 

 time to furprife the king thinly attended ; and it might have 

 fucceeded, if intelligence of the enemy's defigns had not 

 been received almoft as foon as they were formed. Claudi- 

 us, therefore, drawing together fome of the beft of his for- 

 ces, placed himfelf in ambufli in Ammers's way, who, not 

 fufpeding, fell into it with his army, which was totally de- 

 ftroyed on the 24th of April 1541. After which the king 

 left his own quarter at Sard and came to Sliume. 



V/hile things were taking this favourable turn in Abyf- 

 fmia, the ambalfador, John Bermudes, had pafled from Rome 

 to Lilbon, where he was acknowledged by the king as pa- 

 triarch of Alexandria, Abyffinia, and, as he will have it, of 

 the Sea. The firfl thing he did was to give the Portuguefe 

 a fample of Abyffinian difcipline, by putting Zaga Zaah 

 in irons for having wafted fo much time without effeft- 

 jng any of the purpofes of his embaffy ; but, by the inter- 

 pofition of the king, he was fet a,t liberty in a few days. 

 Bermudes then fell roundly to the fubjedt of his embaffy, 

 and drew fuch a pi^ure of the diftreffes of Abyffmia, and 

 infifted in his own blunt way fo violently with the king of 

 J Portugal, 



