534 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



This laft action of the king entirely relieved the minds 

 of all the friends of Tecla Haimanout from any further 

 fear of being called to account for the murder of Yafous ; 

 and, in confequence of this, the queen Malocotawit, with her 

 brothers Dermin and Paulus, and all the murderers of the 

 late king Yafous, came to Gondar that fame winter to do 

 homage to Theophilus, whom they now thought their 

 greateft protector. 



But the wife and fagacious king had kept his fecret in 

 his own bofom. All his behaviour hitherto had been on- 

 ly difiimulation, to induce his brother's murderers to come 

 within his power. And no fooner did he fee that he had 

 fucceeded in this, than the very firft day, while they were 

 yet at audience, he ordered an officer, in his own prefence, 

 to arrefl firft the queen, and then her two brothers Dermin 

 and Paulus. He gave the fame directions concerning the 

 reft of the confpirators, who were all fcattered about Gon- 

 dar, eating, drinking, and fearing nothing, but rejoicing at 

 the happy days they had promiied themfelves, and were 

 now to fee : he ordered the whole of them, amounting to 

 37 perfons, many of thefe of the firft rank, to be all execu- 

 ted that fame forenoon. 



He began with the queen, who was taken immediately 

 from his prefence and hanged by the common hangman 

 on the tree before the palace gate ; the firft of her rank, 

 it is believed, that ever died fo vile a death, either in Abyf- 

 fmia or any other country, the hiftory of which has come 

 .down to our hands. Dermin and Paulus were firft carried 

 to the tree to fee their filler's execution ; after which, one 

 after the other, tney were thruft through with fwords, the 



4 weapon 



