arch died in 1577.[1] During his stay, particularly in the reign of Sertza Denghil, the Galla became very formidable from their incursions into the southern provinces, and about the same time the Turks took possession of Massowa and the sea-coast; in consequence of which, the country was rendered extremely difficult of access.[2] At length, in 1599, an adventurous monk named Belchior da Sylva, gained admittance in the disguise of a faquier, and continued there alone, till the arrival of Peter Paez. The latter, who proved to be a far more able man than any other who had been sent into the country, entered Abyssinia in 1603;[3] and in the following year proceeded to court, where he shortly gained so complete an ascendency over the mind of the reigning prince, as to induce him to send letters to Europe with offers of submission to the Roman See; and in a subsequent reign, obtained the grand object for which the Jesuits had so long contended; the Emperor Socinius, his brother, Ras Sela Christos, and all the nobles of the court publicly and solemnly proclaiming their adhesion to the Roman Catholic Faith. Peter Paez, however, who by his extraordinary abilities seems to have accomplished this important change in the religion of the country, did not long survive to witness its effects; for in the same year he died at Gorgora, universally lamented by the Abys-
- ↑ Vide De Æthiopiæ patriarchis J. N. Baretto et Andrea Oviedo, P. N. Godigno. Lugduni, 1615, a book which contains much curious matter respecting Abyssinia, though like most other works written by the monks of that order, it must be consulted with great caution.
- ↑ One of the fathers belonging to the last mission, F. Francis Lopez, is said to have survived his companions until so late as 1597.
- ↑ Mr. Bruce (vide Vol. III. p. 264,) has by mistake attributed the coming of Father Paez to the year 1600, and hence has given him great praise for keeping so long from Court; but Father Tellez, who enters minutely into the transactions of these times, positively states, that he set out from Mazua on the 5th of May, 1603, giving other particulars which make the fact indubitable. Vide Lib. III. Chap. XIII. p. 259. Mr. Bruce has also made a similar mistake respecting Belchior da Sylva, whom he calls Melchior Sylvanus, whose arrival he fixes to 1597, and return to 1600; whereas he arrived in March, 1599, and stayed six years. Vide Tellez, Lib. III. Chap. XI. p. 234. Port. adit.
