244 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Accordingly, in the year 1600, Peter Paez, the moft ca~ 

 pable, as well as moft fuccefsful miflionary that ever enter- 

 ed Ethiopia, arrived at Mafuah, after having fuffered a long 

 imprifonment, and many other hardships, on his way to that 

 ifland ; and, taking upon him the charge of the Portuguefe, 

 relieved Melchior Sylvanus, who returned to India. 



Paez, however, did not prefs on to court as his predecef- 

 fors, and even his fucceffors conftantly did, but, confining 

 himfelf to the convent of Fremona in Tigre, he firft fet him- 

 felf by an invincible application to attain the knowledge of 

 the Geez written language, in which he arrived to a degree 

 of knowledge fuperior to that of the natives themfelves. He 

 then applied to the inftruction of youth, keeping a fchool, 

 where he taught equally the children of the Portuguefe, and 

 thofe of the Abyffinians. The great progrefs made by the 

 fcholars fpeedily fpread abroad the reputation of the ma- 

 iler. Firft of all, John Gabriel, one of the moft diftinguifh- 

 ed officers of the Portuguefe, fpoke of him in the warmefl 

 terms of commendation to Jacob, then upon the throne, 

 who fent to Paez, and ordered his attendance as foon as the 

 rainy feafon fliould be over.. 



In the month of April 1604, Peter, attended only by two 

 of his young difciples, prefented himfelf to the king, who 

 then held his court at Dancaz, where he was received with 

 the fame honours as are beftowed upon men of the firit. 

 rank, to the great difcontent of the Abyftinian monks, who> 

 eafily forefaw that their humiliation would certainly follow 

 this exaltation of Petros ;. nor were they miftaken. In ad if- 

 pute held before the king next day, Peter produced the two 

 boys, as more than fumcient to filence all the theologians 



ins 



