THE SOURCE OFTHENrLE. 



43$ 



putes and quibbles with the monks concerning it, yet he 

 fuffered each feci: to enjoy its own, and, probably, in his 

 heart he perfectly defpifed bod.. 



The monks, however, were far from pofTefllng any fuch 

 fpirit of toleration. They coniidered the depofing of Acab 

 Saat, Conftantiufc, and theltchegue Tzaga Chriftos, as a de- 

 claration of dillike the king entertained towards their party, 

 They bore with great impatience and indignation, that A- 

 buna Sanuda, who was once their zealous partizan in the 

 time of Hannes, mould now fuddenly change his fentirnents, 

 and declare implicitly for thofe of the king, and thereby in- 

 creafe both the number and the confequence of their ad- 

 verfaries. They declared that they would fuffer every thing 

 rather than live under a king who mewed himfelf fo open* 

 ly a favourer of Debra Libanos, though it was now but their 

 turn, having in the laft reign had a king more partial, and 

 more attached to St Euftathius, than ever Yafous was to any 

 iet of monks whatever. 



The ringleaders in all thefe feditious declarations were 

 Abba Tebedin, fuperior of the monaftery of Gondga, and 

 Kafmati Wali of Damot, by origin a Galla. Thefe two tur- 

 bulent men, having firft drawn over to their party the Agows 

 and province of Damot, pafTed over the Nile to Goodero and 

 Baflb, whom they joined, and then proclaimed king one 

 Ifaac, grandfon of Socinios a prince, who was never fent to 

 the mountain, but whofe predeCenors, being at liberty when 

 Facilidas firft banifhed his brothers and children to WechnCj 

 had fled to the Galla, and there remained in obfeurity, wait- 

 ing the juncture which now happened to declare his royal 

 defcent, and offer himfelf for king. 



3 1 .2 The 



