THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 195 



hand, publicly declared to the king, that, having been am- 

 baffador from his father, and made his fubmiffion to the 

 Roman pontiff, for himfelf and for his kingdom, he now 

 expected that Claudius would make good his father's en- 

 gagements, embrace the Roman Catholic religion him- 

 felf, and, without delay, proclaim it as the eftablifhed reli- 

 gion in Abymnia. This the king pofitively refufed to do, 

 and a converfation enfued, which is repeated by Bermudes 

 himfelf, and fufficiently fhews the moderation of the young 

 king, and the fiery, brutal zeal of that ignorant, bigotted„ 

 ill-mannered prieft. Hitherto the Abyffinians heard the 

 Portuguefe mafs with reverence and attention ; and the 

 Portuguefe frequented the Abyffinian churches with com- 

 placency. They intermarried with each other, and the chil- 

 dren feem to have been chriftened indifferently by the 

 priefts of either church. And this might have long conti- 

 nued, had it not been for the impatience of Bermudes. 



The king, feeing the danger of connecting himfelf with 

 fuch a man, kept up every appearance of attachment to the 

 Alexandrian church. Yet, fays the Abyffinian hiftorian who 

 writes his life, it was well known that Claudius, in his heart, 

 was a private, but perfect convert, to the Romiih faith, and 

 kept only from embracing it by his hatred to Bermudes, the 

 conftant perfuafion of the emprefs Sabel Wenghel, and the 

 recollection of the misfortunes of his father. Upon being 

 required publicly to fubmit himfelf to the See of Rome, he 

 declared that he had made no fuch promife; that he confider- 

 ed Bermudes as no patriarch, or, at belt, only patriarch of the 

 Franks ; and that the Abuna of Abymnia was the chief 

 prieft acknowledged by him. Bermudes told him, that he 

 was accurfed and excommunicated. Claudius anfwered, that 



B b 2 he, 



