4J2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



full of mifreprefentations of the manners and characters of 

 men, magnifying fome actions, flighting others, and attri- 

 buting to their favourites fervices that were really per- 

 formed by their adverfaries ; and, from the coming of Al- 

 j)honfo Mendes, till they were banifhed to Mafuah, great 

 part of their account is untrue, and the reft very fufpicious. 

 After their retiring to India, which is the time we are now 

 fpeaking of, the whole that they have publifhed is one con- 

 tinued tifTue of falfehood and calumny, either hear-fay 

 ftories communicated to them, as they fay, by the remnants 

 of zealots ftill alive in Abyffinia, or fabrications of their own, 

 invented for particular purpofes. In continuing this hiftory, 

 I mall take notice of fome of thefe, though for facts I rely 

 entirely upon the annals of the country, treating, however, 

 the Abyffinian account of the Jefuits doctrines and behavi- 

 our with the fame degree of caution. 



This forwardnefs of his rival Melca Chriftos did not dif- 

 courage Facilidas. Without lofing a moment, he fent ex- 

 prefles to Kafmati Dimmo, governor of Samen, to Ras Sela 

 Chriftos, of Damot, and to his brother Claudius, governor of 

 Begemder, ordering them to march and attack Melca Chrif- 

 tos, then acting as fovereign in the king's palace at Libo. 



These three generals were not flack in obeying the com- 

 mands of Facilidas. They furrounded Melca Chriftos be- 

 fore he expected them, and forced him to a battle, in which 

 he was defeated and loft his whole army. He himfelf, fight- 

 ing manfully at the head of his troops, was flain hand to 

 hand by Cofmas, a foldier of Kafmati Claudius, the king's 

 brother. 



Jerome 



