THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



399> 



of the church of Rome, in fuch hands as he left it, was in* 

 compatible with monarchy, he took, no pains to change 

 Eacilidas's known fentiments, or to render him favourable 

 to the Roman faith, or to name another of his fans to fuc«? 

 ceed him whom, he found to be more fo. . 



The Jefuits, confidering only the. cataflrophe, . and un* 

 mindful of the ftrenuous efforts made to eftablifh their reli- 

 gion during his whole reign, have traduced- his character 

 as that of an apoftate, for giving way to the univerfal de? 

 niand of his people to have their ancient form, of worfhip 

 reftored when his army had deferted him, and he himfelf 

 was dying Of old age. But every impartial man will ad- 

 mit, that the Hep he took, of abdicating his fovereignty over 

 a people who had abjured the religion he had introduced 

 among them, was, in his circumftances, the nobleft action , 

 of his life,, and juft the.reverfe of apoftacy. . 



This refignation of the crown, and his tenacious perfe- 

 vering in the. Catholic faith, together with the moderation 

 of his fon, the prince Facilidas, in appointing a regencyto 

 govern, rather than to mount the throne himfelf during his 

 father's life, are three facts which we know to be true from, 

 the Abyfiinian annals, and which the Jefuits have endea- 

 voured to fuppreft, that they might the more ealily blacks- 

 en the character both of the father and the fon, . 



They have pretended that it was the queen, and other ladies- 

 at court, who by their influence feducedthe king from the- 

 Catholic religion. But Socinios was then paft feventyj and i 

 the queen near fixty, and he had no other wives or miftrefl- 

 es. To judge, moreover, by his behayiour in the affair 



oiy 



