122 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



him, and ordered the tip of his tongue to be cut off in his 

 prefence. This man, whofe fault feems only to have . <. 

 in his tongue, and of whom a very great character is given, 

 lived in the fucceeding reign to give the king a very diilm- 

 guifhed proof of his attachment to his family, and love o£ 

 his country. 



Naod having thus prudently quieted difturbances at 

 home, turned his thoughts to the war with Maffudi ; for 

 the king of Adel himfelf had made his peace through me- 

 diation of the emprefs Helena ; and this king, more politic 

 than Alexander his brother, was willing to diflemble with 

 the king of Adel, that he might fight his two adverfaries. 

 lingly : He, therefore, prepared a fmaller army than was u- 

 fual for the king to head, without fuffering a Moor of any 

 kind to ferve in it.. 



It was known to a day when Maffudi was to enter upon? 

 his expeditions againft Abyfiinia. For near thirty years he 

 had begun to burn the churches, and drive off the people 

 and cattle on the firfl day of Lent ; and, as Lent advanced;, 

 he with his army penetrated farther up the country. The. 

 Abyffinians are the flricteft people in the world in keeping, 

 falls. They are fo auflere that they tafte no fort of animal; 

 food, nor butter, eggs, oil, or wine. They will not, though 

 ever fo thirfty, drink a cup of water till fix o'clock in the 

 evening, and then are contented, perhaps, with dry or four 

 leaven bread, the bell of them only making ufe of honey ; 

 by which means they become fo weak as to be unable to 

 bear any fatigue. This was Maffudi's reafon for invading 

 the country in Lent, at which time fcarce a Chriftian, 

 through falling, was able to bear arms.. 



i: Naod,, 



