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He left no legitimate fons, but many daughters by his wife 

 Mariam Sena ; and two natural fons, Za Mariam and Jacob,. 

 He had alfo a nephew called Za Denghel, fon of his brother; 

 Lefana Chriftos. 



It is abfolutely contrary to truth, what is faid by Tellez 

 and others, that the illegitimate fons have no right to fuc- 

 ceed to the crown. There is, indeed, no fort of difference,, 

 as may be feen by many examples in the courfe of this 

 hiftory. 



Sertza Denghel at firfl feemed to have intended his ne- 

 phew, Za Denghel, to fucceed him, a prince who had every 

 good quality ; was arrived at an age fit for governing, and 

 had attended him and diftinguifhed himfelf in great part 

 of his wars. But, being upon his death-bed, he changed 

 his mind, probably at the mitigation of the queen and the 

 ambitious nobles, who defired to have the government in 

 their own hands during a long minority. His fon Jacob, 

 a boy of feven years old, was now brought into court, and 

 treated as heir-apparent, which everybody thought was but- 

 natural and pardonable from the affection of a father. 



At lafl when he found that he was fick to death, tlie in* 

 tereft and love of his country feemed to overcome even the 

 ties of blood; fo that, calling his council together around 

 his bed, he defigned his fucceflbr in this lafl fpeech : ' As 

 4 1 am fenfible I am at the point of death, next to the care o£ 



* my foul, I am anxious for the welfare of my kingdom. My 

 4 firfl idea was to appoint Jacob my fon to be fucceffor; and 



* I had done fo unlefs for his youth, and it is probable nei- 

 4 ther you nor I could have caufe to repent it. Confidering, 



% ''however^. 



