i 7 2 TRAVELSTODISCOVER 



to be a calumny copied from the Portuguefe priefts, who 

 never forgave him the denial of his writing the letters 

 by Matthew, in which it was faid he gave the Portuguefe,. 

 or rather king of Portugal, one-third of the kingdom ; 

 for he fucceeded to the crown at 1 1 years of age, defeat- 

 ed and flew MafFudi when he was about fixteen ; and, when 

 Don Roderigo and the Portuguefe embafly were with, him* 

 hewas then fomething more than twenty, a very devout, pru> 

 dent prince, according to the account Alvarez^ an eye-witr 

 nefs, gives of him ; and all this time emprefs Helena was 

 alive. 



Again, the very year after the Portuguefe embafly left 

 Abyfllnia, that is, in the year 1526, the king was defeat* 

 e.d by the Moors, and, from that time to his death, was 

 hunted about the country like a wild beaft, from rock to 

 rock, very often alone, and at all times flenderly attended a 

 till he died, in 13-40, at the age of 46; fo there is no period 

 during his life in which this calumny can be juftly fixed 

 upon him. 



As for the idolatry he is aceufed of fuflering in his pa* 

 lace among his Pagan miftrefles, I cannot recollect any placa 

 in the adjoining nations from which he could have brought 

 thefe idolatrous rites or miftrefles. The Pagan countries a- 

 round him profefs a remnant of ill-underftood Sabaifm, 

 worfhipping the ftars, the moon, and the wind ; but I do- 

 not, as I fay, recollect any of thefe bordering on Abyfllnia-. 

 who worfhip idols,. 



CLAUDIUS; 



