THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. &&. 



ffoted that he was ordained by the pope, according to- his 

 own aiTertion, to be patriarch of Alexandria, Abyfiinia, and 

 the Sea. Bermudes lived many years after this, and never 

 resigned any of his charges. 



However, on his arrival in Europe, feveral fuppofed well- 

 meaning perfons at Rome began to difcourfe among them- 

 felves, as if the converfion of Abyfiinia had not had a fair 

 trial when trufted in the hands of fnch a man as Bermudes, 

 Scandalous flories as to his moral character were propaga- 

 ted at Rome to ftrengthen this. He was faid to have flolen 

 a golden cup in Abyfiinia* ; but this does not appear to me 

 in any fhape probable, or like the manners of the man. He 

 was a fimple, ill-bred zealot, exceedingly vain, but in no- 

 wife coveting riches or gain of any fort. Sebaflian king 

 of Portugal, hearing the bad poilure of the Catholic religion 

 in Abyfiinia, and the fmall hopes of the converfion of that 

 country, befought the pope to fend all the miflionaries that 

 were in that kingdom to preacli the gofpel in Japan : but 

 Oviedo flated fuch flrong reafons in his letter to Rome, that, 

 he was confirmed in the million of Ethiopia. 



* Purch. vol. 2, 



MENASa 



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