THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 419 



To this were added all the qualities of a good general, 

 in which charadler he feems to have equalled his father So- 

 cinios, who elfe was univerfally allowed to be the firll of his 

 time. Fierce and violent in battle, he was backward in fhed- 

 ing blood after it. Though an enemy to the Catholic reli- 

 gion, yet, from duty to his father, he lived with the patri- 

 arch and Jefuits upon fo familiar a footing, that they con- 

 fefs themfelves it was not from any part of his behaviour to 

 them they ever could judge him an enemy. He was moft 

 remarkable for an implicit fubmiffion to his father's com- 

 mands ; and, upon this principle, fought in favour of the 

 Catholic religion againft his own friends and perfuafion, be- 

 caufe fuch were the orders of his fovereign. He was 

 of a very mild and pleafant temper, as appeared by his be- 

 haviour to Melca Chriftos, to his brother Claudius, to his 

 uncle Sela Chriftos, and to the patriarch and Jefuits. 



It is true, that, of thefe laft, Sela Chriftos, and many of 

 the Jefuits, were put to death in his reign ; but this was not 

 till they had experienced repeated a6ls of mercy and forgiven- 

 nefs ; ftill, perfifting in conftant rebellion againft govern- 

 ment, they were juftly cut oiF as traitors and rebels by the 

 civil power, in the very aft of their confpiracy againft the 

 life of the king and conftitution of the country. 



There is publilhed byTellez a letter of Alphonfo Men- 

 des, written, as is falfely faid, from Mafuah, where it is 

 dated, but truly from Goa. If, as the patriarch pretends, 

 he wrote it from Mafuah, it is another proof of this prince's 

 clemency, that he ever fuff'ered the author of fuch an inde- 

 cent libel to return to India in peace. It is well known, 

 that, on the firft requifition of Facilidas, the Turks would 



3 G 2 ^ave 



