328 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



difputants were vanquifhed, and ought to have been con- 

 vinced from the authority of their own books, efpecially 

 that of Haimanout Abou, the faith of the ancient fathers 

 and doctors of their church received by them from the be- 

 ginning as the undoubted rule of faith : That the doctrine 

 of the Catholic church being only what was taught in the 

 Haimanout Abou concerning the two natures in Chrift, this 

 point was to all intents and purpofes fettled ; and, therefore, 

 he fignified it as his will, that, for the future, no one mould 

 deny that there are two natures in Chrift, diftinct in them- 

 felves, but divinely united in one perfon, which was Chrift ; 

 declaring at the fame time, that in cafe any perfon mould 

 hereafter deny, or call this in doubt, he would chaftife him 

 for feven years. 



The Abuna, on the contrary, fupported by the half-bro- 

 ther of the king, Emana Chriftos, (brother to Ras Sela Chrif- 

 tos) publifhed a fentence of excommunication, by affixing 

 it to the door of one of the churches belonging to the pa- 

 lace, in which he declared all perfons accurfed who mould 

 maintain two natures in Chrift, or embrace or vindicate 

 any of the errors of the church of Rome. 



The king had received various complaints of the Agows, 

 who had abufed'his officers, and refufed payment of tri- 

 bute, He had fet out upon an expedition againft them, in- 

 tending to winter in that country ; but, hearing of the rafh 

 conduct of the Abuna, and the leagues that were in con- 

 fequence everywhere forming againft him, he returned to 

 Gorgora, and fent to the Abuna, that unlefs, without delay, 

 he recalled the excommunication he had publifhed, he mould 

 be forthwith punifhed with lofs of his head. This language 



was 



