THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6 9 



convent. He alfo obtained from the Pope * a convent for 

 the Abyffinians at Rome, which to this day is appropriated 

 to them, though it is very feldoin that either there, or 

 even at Jerufalem, there are now any Abymnians. Fy Ms 

 defire, and in his name, amhaffadors (i. e. priefts from Jeru- 

 falem) were fent by Abba Nicodemus, the then Superioiy 

 w,ho aflifted at the council of Florence, where, however, 

 they adhered to the opinion of the Greek church about the 

 proceeding of the Holy Ghofl, which created a fchifm be- 

 tween the Greek and Latin churches. This embafTy was 

 thought of confequence enough to be, the fubject of a 

 painting in the Vatican,*and to this picture we owe die. 

 knowledge of fuch. an embafTy having been fent 



The .mild reign of the laft Soldan of Egypt feems great- 

 ly to have favoured the difpoiition of Zara Jacob, in main- 

 taining an intercourfe with Europe and Afia, And it is for 

 the nrft time now- in this reign that we read of a difpute 

 upon religion with the Franks, or Frangi, a name which 

 afterwards became more odious and fatal to whomfoever 

 it was. applied. Abba George is faid to have difputed before 

 the king upon fome point of his religion, and to have 

 confuted his opponent even to conviction. We are not in- 

 formed of the name of Abba George's antago.nift, but he is 

 thought to have been a Venetian painter :}-, who lived many 

 years after in Abyffinia, and, it is believed, died there. . From 

 this time, however, in aim oil: every reign y there appear 

 marks of a party formed in favour of the church of Rome, 

 which probably had its firft rife from the Abyfiinian em- 

 bafTy to the council of Florence, - 



Although 



* 5t Stefano in Rotandis. f Francifco de .Branca Leon. . 



