TH-E SOURCE OF THE NILE. 393^ 



ef thechurch of Rome, in fuch hands as he left it, was in, 

 compatible with monarchy, he took np pains to. change 

 FaciUdas's known fentiments, of to render him .favourable 

 to- the- Roman faith, or to name another of his fons to fuc^ 

 Ci^ed hii» whom he found to be more fo. 



THElefuils, confidcring onl^ the cataftrophe, and un* 

 mindful of the arenuous clTorts made to ertablilh their reli- 

 '^ion during his whole reign, have traduced his character 

 as that of an apoftate, for giving way to the.univerfal de^ 

 mand of .his people to have their ancient form of worOiip 

 reilored when his airmy had.defei-tcd him, and he himfelf 

 was dying, of old age. But every impartial man will, adr 

 mit, that the, ftcp he took, of abdicating his fovereignty over 

 a people who , had abjured the religion he had introduced 

 among them;, was» in his-circiunftances, the noblcft. aaion 

 oi his life, and juft. the rcverfc of apoRacy. 



This refignation of the crown*, and his tenacious perfc^ 

 vering in the Catholic faith, together with t*he moderation 

 of his fon, the prince Facilidas, in appointing a regency to 

 govern, rather than to mount the throne himielf during his 

 father's life, are three facTis which we know to be true from ; 

 the Abyffiaian annals, and which the Jefuits have cndea^- 

 voured to fupprefs, that they might the more eafdy black-.- 

 en the chara(5ter both of the father and the fon. 



The Y have pretended thatit was the queen, and other ladies - 

 at court, who by their influence feduced the king from the : 

 Catholic religion. But Socinios was then pad fevcnty, and i 

 the queen near fixty, and he had no other wives or millrefT-; 

 es.. To jud^^e, moreover, by his behaviour in the affair. 



