722 Report on Shoa [No. 140. 



when demons being introduced by Romans upon the stage, the specta- 

 tors rushed simultaneously from the theatre exclaiming, " Alas they 

 have brought with them devils from the infernal regions," and the tale 

 spread like wildfire throughout the land. 



Nothing daunted by the unfortunate fate of Aclius and Joanes, Tekla 

 Georgis, another son-in-law of the emperor, with a large body of the 

 discontented rose to defend the religion of their forefathers. Burning 

 the crosses and rosaries together with a Jesuit priest, who fell into their 

 hands, the party rapidly increased, and the emperor was compelled to 

 march an army to quell the insurrection. The rebels were completely 

 routed by Rebaxus, the viceroy of Tigre, and all who fell into his hands, 

 men, women and children, were barbarously massacred. Georgis and 

 his sister Adera concealed themselves in a cave during three days, but 

 were at length discovered and brought before the irritated emperor, 

 and condemned, by the advice of the Jesuits, to be burned to death as a 

 heretic. Georgis was allowed by the monarch publicly to solicit the 

 Patriarch to be admitted into the Roman church, but it being after- 

 wards considered politic to imagine that his intentions were insincere, 

 the unfortunate prince was hung in front of the palace in presence of 

 the whole court ; and his devoted sister fifteen days afterwards, suffer- 

 ed the same fate upon the same tree ; notwithstanding that the most 

 strenuous efforts were made to save her life by the queen, and by all 

 classes of society. 



To increase the dread effects of his tyranny, the emperor now issu- 

 ed a manifesto, that even as he had punished with death the obstinacy of 

 his own son-in-law, so he would of a surety not spare any who in 

 future committed a like transgression. The remarks of the worthy 

 missionary Antoine regarding this execution, will shew the spirit which 

 animated the fathers in their course of persecution, so novel in the 

 annals of Abyssinia, and so contrary to the mildness of the Christian 

 faith. He who reads with attention the history of Ethiopia will ob- 

 serve, that at no previous period was such ardent zeal displayed for the 

 honor of religion, and a direct miracle indeed must have induced the 

 emperor to hang his own son-in-law in the blessed cause. 



Dazzled by the success that had hitherto attended their measures, the 

 Patriarch and his colleagues now plunged headlong into proceedings 

 which eventually proved disastrous to their cause. Excommunications 



