THE SOURCE OFTHENILE. 4^3} 



flated that he was ordained by the pope, according to his 

 own aiTertion, to be patriarch of Alexandria, AbyfTinia, and 

 the Sea. Bermudes Hved many years after this, and never 

 refigned any of his charges. 



However, on his arrival in Europe, feveral fuppofed well- 

 meaning perfons at Rome began to difcourfe among them- 

 felves, as if the converlion of AbyiTniia had not had a fair 

 trial when trufted in the hands of fuch a man as Bermudes. 

 Scandalous ftories as to his moral charafter were propaga- 

 ted at Rome to llrengthen this. He was faid to have flolcn 

 a golden cup in Abyffinia* ; but this does not appear to me> 

 in any fhape probable, or like the manners of the man. He 

 was a fimple, ill-bred zealot, exceedingly vain, but in no- 

 wife coveting riches or gain of any fort. Scbailian king 

 of Portugal, hearing the bad poflure of the Catholic religion 

 in AbyfTmia, and the fmall hopes of the convcrfion of that 

 country, befought the pope to fend all the mifTionaries that 

 were in that kingdom to preach the gofpcl in Japan : but 

 Oviedo ftated fuch ftrongreafons in his letter to Rome, that 

 he was confirmed in the million of Ethiopia. 



* Purch. vol. 2, 



MENASj 



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