THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 481 



preceding one, which is, that there is not one name in the 

 whole lift that has an Ethiopic root or derivation. 



The reader will give what credit he pleafes«to this very 

 ancient lift. For my part, I content myfelf with difproving 

 nothing but what is impoflible, or contrary to the authority 

 of fcripture, or my own private knowledge. There are 

 other lifts ftill, which I have feen, all of no better authority 

 than this. I mall only obferve, upon this laft, -that there is 

 a king in it, about nine years before our Saviour's nativity, 

 that did me the honour of ufing my name two thoufand 

 years before it came into Britain, fpelled in the fame man- 

 ner that name anciently was, before folly, and the love of 

 novelty, wantonly corrupted it. 



The Greeks, to divert the king, had told him this crrcum- 

 llance, and he was exceedingly entertained at it. Some* 

 times, when he had feen either Michael, or Fafil *, or any of 

 the great ones do me any favour, or fpeak handfomely of 

 me, he would fay gravely, that he was to fummon the coun* 

 cil to inquire into my pedigree, whether I was defcended of 

 the heirs-male of that Brus who was king nine years before 

 the nativity; that I was likely to be a dangerous perfon, 

 and it was time I mould be fent to Wechne, unlefs I chofe 

 to lofe my leg or arm, if I was found, bythe judges, related to 

 him by the heirs-male. To which I anfwered, that how- 

 ever he made a jeft of this, one of my predeceflors was cer- 

 tainly a king, though not of Abyilinia, not nine years be- 

 fore, but 1 200 after our redemption ; that the arms of my 



Vol. I. 3 P family 



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* What immediately follows v/ilj be hereafter explained in the Narrative* 



