THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 393 



any merit in profeffing a religion they did not underftand 

 or believe : that they were ready, however, to march and lay 

 down their lives for the king and common-weal, provided 

 he reftored them their ancient religion, without which they 

 would have no concern in the quarrel, nor even wifh to be 

 conquerors. -Whether the king was really in the fecret or 

 not, I mail not fay ; but it is exprefsly mentioned in the an- 

 nals of his reign, that Socinios did promife by his fon to 

 the army, that he would reftore the Alexandrian faith if he 

 mould return victorious over Lafta ; and the fudden man- 

 ner in which he executed this muft convince every other 

 perfon that it was fo. 



The army now marched from Dancaz, upon intelligence 

 arriving that the rebels had left their ftrong-holds in Laftaj 

 and were in their way to the capital to give the king battle 

 there. It was the 26th of July 163 1 the king difcovered, by 

 his fcouts, that the rebel Melca Chriftos was at hand, having 

 with him an army of about 25,000 men. Upon this intelli- 

 gence he ordered his troops to halt, and hear mafs from 

 Diego de Mattos ; and, having chofen his ground, he halted 

 again at mid-day, and confefled, according to the rite of the 

 church of Rome, and then formed his troops in order of 

 battle. 



It was not long till the enemy came in light, but without 

 fhewing that alacrity and defire of engaging they ufed to do 

 when in their native mountains. The king, at the head of 

 the cavalry, fell fo fuddenly and fo violently upon them, 

 that he broke through the van-guard commanded by Melca 

 Chriftos, and put them to flight before his foot could come 

 Up. The reft of the army followed the example of the lead- 



Vol. II, . 3D er, 



