THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



W 



of Mafuah and Arkeeko, though thefe places had been oc- 

 cupied by the Turks two years before. 



When the arrival of thefe Portuguefe was intimated to 

 Claudius, he was exceedingly glad, as he confidered them as 

 an accemon of ftrength. But when, on opening the letter, 

 he faw they were priefls, he was very much troubled, and 

 faid, that he wondered the king of Portugal mould meddle 

 fo much with his affairs ; that he and his predecefTors knew 

 no obedience due but to the chair of St Mark, or acknow- 

 ledged any other patriarch but that of Alexandria ; never- 

 thelefs, continued he with his ufual goodnefs and moder- 

 ation, fince they are come fo far out of an honeft concern 

 for me, I ihall not fail to fend proper perfons to receive and 

 conduct them. This he did, and the two bilhops and their 

 companions were immediately brought to court. It was at 

 this time that the difpute about the two natures began, in 

 which the king took fo confiderable a part. He was ftxe- 

 nuous, eloquent, and vehement in the difcumon ; when that 

 was ended, he Hill preferred his ufual moderation and kind- 

 nefs for the Portuguefe priefls.. 



Nugnez died in India, and Oviedb fucceeded him as pa- 

 triarch to Abyflinia, it having been fo appointed by the pope 

 from the beginning of their miffion.. 



Claudius had no children ; a treaty was therefore fet on 

 foot, at the inflance of the emprefs Sabel Wenghel, for ran- 

 foming the prince Menas who had been taken priibner in 

 his father David's time, and ever fince kept in confine- 

 ment among the Moors, upon a high mountain in Adel. 



The 



