2 4 6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Many of the courtiers followed the king's example ; fome 

 as courtiers for the fake of the king's favour, and meaning 

 to adhere to the religion of Rome no longer than it was a 

 fafhion at court, promoted their intereft, and expofed them 

 to no danger ; others, from their firm attachment to the 

 king, the refolution to fupport him as their rightful fove- 

 reign, and a confidence in his fuperior judgment, and that 

 he belt knew what was moll for the kingdom's advantage 

 in its prefent diftracled ftate, and for the confirmation of his 

 own power, fo intimately connected with the welfare of 

 his people. Few, very few it is believed, adopted the Catho- 

 lic faith, from that one difcourfe only, however pure the 

 language, however eloquent the preacher. A hundred years 

 and more had palled without convincing the Abyffinians 

 in general, or without any material proof that they were 

 prepared to be fo. 



However, the Jefuits have quoted an inftance of this 

 inflantaneous converlion by the fermon, which, for their 

 credit, I will not omit, though no notice is taken of it in the 

 annals of thofe times, where it is not indeed to be expec- 

 ted, nor do I mean that it is lefs credible on this account. 



An Abyflinian monk, of very advanced years, came for- 

 ward to Peter Paez, and faid in a loud voice before the king, 

 " Although I have lived to a very great age, without a 

 doubt of the Alexandrian faith, I blefs Gqd that he has fpa- 

 red me to this day, and thereby given me an opportunity of 

 choofing a better. The things we knew before, you have 

 So well explained, that they become ftill more intelligible ; 

 and we are thereby confirmed in our belief. Thofe things 

 that were difficult, and which we couldhardly tmderftand,you 



have 



