THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 2^7 



&ave made fo clear, that we now wonder at our own blind" efs 

 in not having {cen them plainly before. For thefe benefits 

 which I now confefs to have received, I here make my de- 

 claration, that it is my ftedfait purpofe, with the aiMance 

 of Almighty God, to live and die in the faith you profefs, 

 and have now preached." 



Among thofe of the court moll attached to the king was. 

 Laeca Mariam, the- infeparable companion of his good and 

 bad fortune, who had followed his mailer from principles 

 of duty and affection, without defigning to throw away a 

 confideration upon what were likely to be the confequences 

 to himfelf. He was reputed, in his character and abilities 

 as a foldier, to be equal to Za SelaiTe, but a very different 

 man, compared to him in his qualities of civil life ; for he 

 was fober in his general behaviour, fparing in difcourfe, 

 and much more ready to do a good office than to promife 

 one ; very affable and courteous in his manner, and of fo 

 humble and unaffuming a deportment, that it was thought 

 impoflible to be real in a man, who had fo often proved his 

 fuperiority over others upon trial. 



This man, a true royalift, was one of thofe that embra- 

 ced the Catholic religion that day, probably following the 

 example of the king ; and this, in the hands of wicked men 

 their enemies, became very foon a pretence for the murder 

 of both; for Za Selafie, impatient of a rival in any thing, 

 more efpecially in military knowledge, began to hold fedi- 

 tious afTemblies, and efpecially with the monks, whom he 

 taught to believe what the king's conduct: daily confirmed, 

 that the Alexandrian faith was totally reprobated, and no 



religion; 



