THE SOURCE OE THE NILE. 419 



To this were added all the qualities of a good general, 

 in wrlich character he feems to have equalled his father So- 

 cinios, who elfe was univerfally allowed to be the firft of his 

 time. Fierce and violent in battle, he was backward in (bed- 

 ding blood after it. Though an enemy to the Catholic reli- 

 gion, yet, from duty to his father, he lived with the patri- 

 arch and Jefuits upon fo familiar a footing, that they con- 

 fefs themfelves it was not from any part of his behaviour to 

 them they ever could judge him an enemy. He was molt 

 remarkable for an implicit fubmifiion to his father's com- 

 mands ; and, upon this principle, fought in favour of the 

 Catholic religion againft his own friends and perfuafion, be- 

 cause fuch were the orders of his fovereign. He was of a 

 very mild and pleafant temper, as appeared by his behaviour 

 to Melca Chriftos, to his brother Claudius, to his uncle Sela 

 Chriftos, and to the jpatriarch and Jefuits. 



It is true, that, of thefe laft, Sela Chriftos, and many of 

 -the Jefuits, were put to death in his reign ; but this was not 

 till they had experienced repeated acts of mercy and forgiven- 

 nefs; ftill perfifting in conflant rebellion againfl govern- 

 ment, they were juftly cut off as traitors and rebels by the 

 civil power, in the very act of their confpiracy againft the 

 life of the king and conftitution of the country. 



There is publiihed by Tellez a letter of Alphonfo Men- 

 des, written, as is falfely faid, from Mafuah, where it is 

 dated, but truly from Goa. If, as the patriarch pretends, 

 he wrote it from Mafuah, it is another proof of this prince's 

 clemency, that he ever fuffered the author of fuch an inde- 

 cent libel to return to India in peace. It is well known, 

 that, on the firft requifition of Facilidas, the Turks, would 



3.G2 have 



