THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i/i 



religion, and the patriarchal power with which he was en- 

 dowed. 



But to this it is eafily anfwered, That the Abyffinian hi- 

 ftorian of David's reign, through the whole couiTe of it, rea- 

 dily admits his conitant attachment to the fee of Rome. He 

 gives a flriking example of it during the war with Gragne, 

 when the king celebrated Eafter after the manner of the 

 Roman Catholics, though it was to have this certain effect 

 of dividing his kingdom, and alienating the minds of his 

 fubjects, of whofe amftance he was then in the utmofl need. 

 And as for the Abuna, we are to confider that Cairo had 

 been taken, and the government, which Abuna Mark owned 

 for the lawful one, had been overturned by the Turks who 

 then ponelTed it, and were actually perfecuting the Alexan- 

 drian church. 



The Abuna, then, and the king alfo,hadthe fame reafoii 

 for not applying to Cairo, the feat of the Turks their ene- 

 mies ; and, therefore, they more readily accommodated mat- 

 ters with a people from whom only their amftance could 

 come ; and without whom, it was probable, that both the 

 Chrifdan religion and civil government of Abymnia would 

 fall together. 



It has been faid of this king by the European writers 

 who have touched upon the hiftory of his reign, that he 

 was a prince who had began it in the moft promifing man- 

 ner, but after the death of the emprefs Helena, he had aban- 

 doned himfelf to all fort of debauchery, and efpecially 

 that of women ; infomuch, as Mr Ludolf fays, he fuffer- 

 cd his concubines to have idols in his palace, This I take 



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