7o6 T R A V E L S TO D I SC O V E R 



firil interrogated, whether the king had fent them or not? 

 and, upon their denying or rcfufing co give an anfwer, their 

 throats were cut before their companions. The next quef- 

 tioned was a page of the king, who feeingj from the fate 

 of his friends, wliat was to follow his denial, frankly told 

 the Ras, that it was by the king's fpecial orders tliey, and 

 a conliderable body of the houfehold troops, had joined Fa^ 

 fil the night before; and further, that it was the Armenian,, 

 who, by the king's order, had fired at him, and killed the 

 dwarf who was fanning the flies, from him.. 



Upon this mformation all the priibners were difmifTed.. 

 The army returned the fame night to Gondar, and, thougll 

 they had been falling all day, a council was held, which 

 fat till very late, at the rifmg of which a meflfenger was 

 difpatched to Wechue for Hatze Hannes, who v/^as brought 

 to the foot of the mountain the next day. hi the fame 

 night Shalaka Becro, Nebrit Tecla and his two fons, Lika 

 Netcho and his two fons, and a monk of Tigre, callied Wei- 

 leta Chrillos, were fent to the palace to murder the king\, 

 which they eafily accomplilhed, having found him alone. 

 They buried him in the church of St Raphael, as we fliall 

 find from the regicide's own confeiTion, when he was appre^. 

 hended, when we fhall relate the particulars*. 



At the fame time Michael exhfbiteda ftrarrge contrail 

 in his behaviour to the Armenian, who had fled to the 

 houfe of the Abuna for refuge. He fent and took him 

 thence, and banifhed him from Abyfllnia, but fo confiders. 

 ately, that he difpatched a fervant with him to Mafuah to 

 furnilh him with neceflaries, to fee him embark, and fave 

 him from the cruelty and extortions of the Naybe. 



HANNES 



