402 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



arch, that, the Alexandrian faith being now reftored, his lea.- 

 ving the kingdom had become indifpenfible : that he had 

 lately underftood,. that an Abuna, fent for by his predecefTor 

 and by himfelf, was now a(5lually on the way, and only de- 

 ferred his arrival from a refolution not to enter the king- 

 dom till the Romifli patriarch and his priefts fhould have 

 left it ; and, therefore, he commanded the patriarch and fa- 

 thers, affembled from their feveral convents in Gojam and 

 Dembea, to retire immediately to Fremona, there to wait 

 his further pleafure. 



The patriarch endeavoured to parry this, with ojQfering 

 new concelTions and indulgencies ; but the king informed 

 him that he was too late ; and that he wiflied him to be 

 advifed, and fly, while it was time, from greater harm that 

 would otherwife fall upon him. 



It was not long before the patriarch had revenge of Fa- 

 cilidas for this intimation of the expe<5lation of a fucceffor 

 in the perfon of the Abuna. For on that very Eafter there 

 did arrive one, whofe name was Sela Chriftos, calling him- 

 felf Abuna, who performed all the funiftions of his office, 

 dedicated churches, adminiflered the facrament, and ordain- 

 ed priefts. After continuing in office fome months, he was 

 detedled by a former companion of his, and found to be a 

 man of very bad charader, from Nara, the frontier of Abyf- 

 fmia, and that by profeffion he had been a dealer in horfes. 



Facilidas then ordered his uncle, Sela Chriftos, to be 

 brought before him, received him kindly, and offered him 

 again his riches and employments. That brave man, Chrif- 

 tian in every thing but in his hatred and jealoufy againft 



his 



