386 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Za Selasse, a priefl of Selalo, had been heard to fay, 

 when Serca Chriftos was appointed to the government of 

 Gojam, " There is an end of the Catholic faith in this pro- 

 vince." Being now called before the governor, he was for- 

 bid to fay mafs according to the forms of the church of 

 Rome. This the prieft fubmitted to ; but, being ordered to 

 deny the two natures in Chrift, he declared this was a point 

 of faith which he would never give up, but always confefs 

 Chrift was pcrfedl God and perfe6l man. Upon this Serca 

 Chriftos ordered him to be llain ; and he was accordingly 

 thruft through with many lances, repeating thefe words^ 

 God and man ! God and man ! till his laft breath. 



Serca Christos had now drawn the fwordj and thrown 

 away the fcabbard. Upon receiving the news, the king 

 ordered the prince, who waited but his command, to march 

 againft him. The murder of Za Selafte had procured an 

 acceflion of fanatics and monks, but very few foldiers ; fo 

 that as foon as he heard w^ith what diligence the prince was 

 advancing, he left his whole baggage, and fled into thofe 

 high and craggy mountains that, form the banks of the Nile 

 in Damot.. 



The prince prefl^ed clofely upon him, notwithftandlng- 

 the difficulty of the ground ; fo that no fafety remained for 

 him but to pafs the Nile into the country of the Galla, where 

 he thought himfelf in fafety. In this, however, he was 

 miftaken. He had to do with a general of the moft acT;ivc 

 kind, in the perfon of Facilidas, who crofted the Nile after 

 him, and, the third day, forced him to a battle on fuch 

 ground as the prince had chofen, who was likewife much 

 his fuperior in number of troops. But there was no longer 



any 



