358 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



as being the reftorer of the line of Solomon, for many years 

 baniflied to Shoa ; and this fuperior, befides the dignity of his 

 office, was remarkable for an innocent, pious, and holy life. 

 It happened that a Catholic monk officiated in a church 

 where this Itchegue had been buried under the altar ; the pa- 

 triarch declared the church defiled by the burial of that he- 

 retic and fchifmatic, and fufpended the celebration of divine 

 fervice till the body was raifed and thrown out of the 

 church in a moll indecent manner. Univerfal difcontent 

 feized the minds of all men ; and, from that time, it feem- 

 ed the friends of the old religion began again to recover 

 flrength, and the Catholics to be looked upon, if not with 

 hatred, yet with terror. And every trifle now contributed 

 towards the one or the other. 



The Jefuits, following pradlices or cufloms of their own, 

 had thought fit to exhibit a kind of religious plays or farces. 

 The devil in thefe pieces is always the bufifoon ; he plays har- 

 lequin and flight-of-hand tricks, fires fquibs and gun-pow- 

 der, very little confiftent with the decency of the other per- 

 fons who compofe the drama. This continued to be prac- 

 tifed in feveral Catholic countries in Europe, while that 

 learned company exifled*. It happened to be neceffary to 

 introduce figures of this kind blacked all over, and in mafks, 

 with cloven feet, &c. The firll exhibition of thefe figures 

 fo furprifed and terrified the Abyffinian audience, that they 

 fled immediately upon their appearance, crying out, Alas ! 

 alas! thefe Franks have brought devils into our country 



with them! 



This 



* I have feen them often at Madrid. 



