a voyage to abyssinia-第13章

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ll　share；　they　are　told　that　they　have　been　deficient；　and　condemned　to　buy　their　peace　with　a　large　fine。

When　the　providore　has　received　these　contributions；　he　divides　them　according　to　the　number　of　persons；　and　the　want　they　are　in：　　the　proportion　they　observe　in　this　distribution　is　twenty　pots　of　beer；　ten　of　mead；　and　one　cow　to　a　hundred　loaves。　　The　chief　officers　and　persons　of　note　carry　their　own　provisions　with　them；　which　I　did　too；　though　I　afterwards　found　the　precaution　unnecessary；　for　I　had　often　two　or　three　cows　more　than　I　wanted；　which　I　bestowed　on　those　whose　allowance　fell　short。

The　Abyssins　are　not　only　obliged　to　maintain　the　troops　in　their　march；　but　to　repair　the　roads；　to　clear　them；　especially　in　the　forests；　of　brambles　and　thorns；　and　by　all　means　possible　to　facilitate　the　passage　of　the　army。　　They　are；　by　long　custom；　extremely　ready　at　encamping。　　As　soon　as　they　come　to　a　place　they　think　convenient　to　halt　at；　the　officer　that　commands　the　vanguard　marks　out　with　his　pike　the　place　for　the　King's　or　viceroy's　tent：　every　one　knows　his　rank；　and　how　much　ground　he　shall　take　up；　so　the　camp　is　formed　in　an　instant。



Chapter　VII



They　discover　the　relics。　　Their　apprehension　of　the　Galles。　　The　author　converts　a　criminal；　and　procures　his　pardon。


We　took　with　us　an　old　Moor；　so　enfeebled　with　age　that　they　were　forced　to　carry　him：　　he　had　seen；　as　I　have　said；　the　sufferings　and　death　of　Don　Christopher　de　Gama；　and　a　Christian；　who　had　often　heard　all　those　passages　related　to　his　father；　and　knew　the　place　where　the　uncle　and　nephew　of　Mahomet　were　buried；　and　where　they　interred　one　quarter　of　the　Portuguese　martyr。　　We　often　examined　these　two　men；　and　always　apart；　they　agreed　in　every　circumstance　of　their　relations；　and　confirmed　us　in　our　belief　of　them　by　leading　us　to　the　place　where　we　took　up　the　uncle　and　nephew　of　Mahomet；　as　they　had　described。　　With　no　small　labour　we　removed　the　heap　of　stones　which　the　Moors；　according　to　their　custom；　had　thrown　upon　the　body；　and　discovered　the　treasure　we　came　in　search　of。　　Not　many　paces　off　was　the　fountain　where　they　had　thrown　his　head；　with　a　dead　dog；　to　raise　a　greater　aversion　in　the　Moors。　　I　gathered　the　teeth　and　the　lower　jaw。　　No　words　can　express　the　ecstasies　I　was　transported　with　at　seeing　the　relics　of　so　great　a　man；　and　reflecting　that　it　had　pleased　God　to　make　me　the　instrument　of　their　preservation；　so　that　one　day；　if　our　holy　father　the　Pope　shall　be　so　pleased；　they　may　receive　the　veneration　of　the　faithful。　　All　burst　into　tears　at　the　sight。　　We　indulged　a　melancholy　pleasure　in　reflecting　what　that　great　man　had　achieved　for　the　deliverance　of　Abyssinia；　from　the　yoke　and　tyranny　of　the　Moors；　the　voyages　he　had　undertaken；　the　battles　he　had　fought；　the　victories　he　had　won；　and　the　cruel　and　tragical　death　he　had　suffered。　　Our　first　moments　were　so　entirely　taken　up　with　these　reflections　that　we　were　incapable　of　considering　the　danger　we　were　in　of　being　immediately　surrounded　by　the　Galles；　but　as　soon　as　we　awoke　to　that　thought；　we　contrived　to　retreat　as　fast　as　we　could。　Our　expedition；　however；　was　not　so　great　but　we　saw　them　on　the　top　of　a　mountain　ready　to　pour　down　upon　us。　　The　viceroy　attended　us　closely　with　his　little　army；　but　had　been　probably　not　much　more　secure　than　we；　his　force　consisting　only　of　foot；　and　the　Galles　entirely　of　horse；　a　service　at　which　they　are　very　expert。　　Our　apprehensions　at　last　proved　to　be　needless；　for　the　troops　we　saw　were　of　a　nation　at　that　time　in　alliance　with　the　Abyssins。

Not　caring；　after　this　alarm；　to　stay　longer　here；　we　set　out　on　our　march　back；　and　in　our　return　passed　through　a　village　where　two　men；　who　had　murdered　a　domestic　of　the　viceroy；　lay　under　an　arrest。　　As　they　had　been　taken　in　the　fact；　the　law　of　the　country　allowed　that　they　might　have　been　executed　the　same　hour；　but　the　viceroy　having　ordered　that　their　death　should　be　deferred　till　his　return；　delivered　them　to　the　relations　of　the　dead；　to　be　disposed　of　as　they　should　think　proper。　　They　made　great　rejoicings　all　the　night；　on　account　of　having　it　in　their　power　to　revenge　their　relation；　and　the　unhappy　criminals　had　the　mortification　of　standing　by　to　behold　this　jollity；　and　the　preparations　made　for　their　execution。

The　Abyssins　have　three　different　ways　of　putting　a　criminal　to　death：　　one　way　is　to　bury　him　to　the　neck；　to　lay　a　heap　of　brambles　upon　his　head；　and　to　cover　the　whole　with　a　great　stone；　another　is　to　beat　him　to　death　with　cudgels；　a　third；　and　the　most　usual；　is　to　stab　him　with　their　lances。　　The　nearest　relation　gives　the　first　thrust；　and　is　followed　by　all　the　rest　according　to　their　degrees　of　kindred；　and　they　to　whom　it　does　not　happen　to　strike　while　the　offender　is　alive；　dip　the　points　of　their　lances　in　his　blood　to　show　that　they　partake　in　the　revenge。　　It　frequently　happens　that　the　relations　of　the　criminal　are　for　taking　the　like　vengeance　for　his　death；　and　sometimes　pursue　this　resolution　so　far　that　all　those　who　had　any　share　in　the　prosecution　lose　their　lives。

I　being　informed　that　these　two　men　were　to　die；　wrote　to　the　viceroy　for　his　permission　to　exhort　them；　before　they　entered　into　eternity；　to　unite　themselves　to　the　Church。　　My　request　being　granted；　I　applied　myself　to　the　men；　and　found　one　of　them　so　obstinate　that　he　would　not　even　afford　me　a　hearing；　and　died　in　his　error。　　The　other　I　found　more　flexible；　and　wrought　upon　him　so　far　that　he　came　to　my　tent　to　be　instructed。　　After　my　care　of　his　eternal　welfare　had　met　with　such　success；　I　could　not　forbear　attempting　something　for　his　temporal；　and　by　my　endeavours　matters　were　so　accommodated　that　the　relations　were　willing　to　grant　his　life　on　condition　he　paid　a　certain　number　of　cows；　or　the　value。　Their　first　demand　was　of　a　thousand；　he　offered　them　five；　they　at　last　were　satisfied　with　twelve；　provided　they　were　paid　upon　the　spot。　　The　Abyssins　are　extremely　charitable；　and　the　women；　on　such　occasions；　will　give　even　their　necklaces　and　pendants；　so　that；　with　what　I　gave　myself；　I　collected　in　the　camp　enough　to　pay　the　fine；　and　all　parties　were　content。



Chapter　VIII



The　viceroy　is　offended　by　his　wife。　　He　complains　to　the　Emperor；　but　without　redress。　　He　meditates　a　revolt；　raises　an　army；　and　makes　an　attempt　to　seize　upon　the　author。


We　continued　our　march；　and　the　viceroy　having　been　advertised　that　some　troops　had　appeared　in　a　hostile　manner　on　the　frontiers；　went　against　them。　　I　parted　from　him；　and　arrived　at　Fremona；　where　the　Portuguese　expected　me　with　great　impatience。　　I　reposited　the　bones　of　Don　Christopher　de　Gama　in　a　decent　place；　and　sent　them　the　May　following　to　the　viceroy　of　the　Indies；　together　with　his　arms；　which　had　been　presented　me　by　a　gentleman　of　Abyssinia；　and　a　picture　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　which　that　gallant　Portuguese　always　carried　about　him。

The　viceroy；　during　all　the　time　he　was　engaged　in　this　expedition；　heard　very　provoking　accounts　of　the　bad　conduct　of　his　wife；　and　complained　of　it　to　the　Emperor；　entreating　him　either　to　punish　his　daughter　himself；　or　to　permit　him　to　deliver　her　over　to　justice；　that；　if　she　was　falsely　accused；　she　might　have　an　opportunity　of　putting　her　own　honour　and　her　husband's　out　of　dispute。　　The　Emperor　took　little　notice　of　his　son…in…law's　remonstrances；　and；　the　truth　is；　the　viceroy　was　somewhat　more　nice　in　that　matter　than　the　people　of　rank　in　this　country　generally　are。　　There　are　laws；　it　is　true；　against　adultery；　but　they　seem　to　have　been　only　for　the　meaner　people；　and　the　women　of　quality；　especially　the　ouzoros；　or　ladies　of　the　blood　royal；　are　so　much　above　them；　that　their　husbands　have　not　even　the　liberty　of　complaining；　and　certainly　to　support　injuries　of　this　kind　without　complaining　requires　a　degree　of　patience　which　few　men　can　boast　of。　　The　viceroy's　virtue　was　not　proof　against　this　temptation。　　He　fell　into　a　deep　melancholy；　and　resolved　to　be　revenged　on　his　father…in…law。　　He　knew　the　present　temper　of　the　people；　that　those　of　the　greatest　interest　and　power　were　by　no　means　pleased　with　the　changes　of　religion；　and　only　waited　for　a　fair　opportunity　to　revolt；　and　that　these　discontents　were　everywhere　heightened　by　the　monks　and　clergy。　Encouraged　by　these　reflections；　he　was　always　talking　of　the　just　reasons　he　had　to　complain　of　the　Emperor；　and　gave　them　sufficient　room　to　understand　that　if　they　would　appear　in　his　party；　he　would　declare　himself　for　the　ancient　religion；　and　put　himself　at　the　head　of　those　who　should　take　arms　in　the　defence　of　it。　　The　chief　and　almost　the　only　thing　that　hindered　him　from　raising　a　formidable　rebellion；　was　the　mutual　distrust　they　entertained　of　one　another；　each　fearing　that　as　soon　as　the　Emperor　should　publish　an　act　of　grace；　or　general　amnesty；　the　greatest　part　would　lay　down　their　arms　and　embrace　it；　and　this　suspicion　was　imagined　more　reasonable　of　the　viceroy　than　of　any　other。　　Notwithstanding　this　difficulty；　the　priests；　who　interested　themselves　much　in　this　revolt；　ran　with　the　utmost　earnestness　from　church　to　church；　levelling　their　sermons　against　the　Emperor　and　the　Catholic　religion；　and　that　they　might　have　the　better　success　in　putting　a　stop　to　all　ecclesiastical　innovations；　they　came　to　a　resolution　of　putting　all　the　missionaries　to　the　sword；　and　that　the　viceroy　might　have　no　room　to　hope　for　a　pardon；　they　obliged　him　to　give　the　first　wound　to　him　that　should　fall　into　his　hands。

As　I　was　the　nearest；　and　by　consequence　the　most　exposed；　an　order　was　immediately　issued　out　for　apprehending　me；　it　being　thought　a　good　expedient　to　seize　me；　and　force　me　to　build　a　citadel；　into　which　they　might　retreat　if　they　should　happen　to　meet　with　a　defeat。　　The　viceroy　wrote　to　me　to　desire　that　I　would　come　to　him；　he　having；　as　he　said；　an　affair　of　the　highest　importance　to　communicate。

The　frequent　assemblies　which　the　viceroy　held　had　already　been　much　talked　of；　and　I　had　received　advice　that　he　was　ready　for　a　revolt；　and　that　my　death　was　to　be　the　first　signal　of　an　open　war。　Knowing　that　the　viceroy　had　made　many　complaints　of　the　treatment　he　received　from　his　father…in…law；　I　made　no　doubt　that　he　had　some　ill　design　in　hand；　and　yet　could　scarce　persuade　myself　that　after　all　the　tokens　of　friendship　I　had　received　from　him　he　would　enter　into　any　measures　for　destroying　me。　　While　I　was　yet　in　suspense；　I　despatched　a　faithful　servant　to　the　viceroy　with　my　excuse　for　disobeying　him；　and　gave　the　messenger　strict　orders　to　observe　all　that　passed；　and　bring　me　an　exact　account。

This　affair　was　of　too　great　moment　not　to　engage　my　utmost　endeavours　to　arrive　at　the　most　certain　knowledge　of　it；　and　to　advertise　the　court　of　the　danger。　　I　wrote；　therefore；　to　one　of　our　fathers；　who　was　then　near　the　Emperor；　the　best　intelligence　I　could　obtain　of　all　that　had　passed；　of　the　reports　that　were　spread　through　all　this　part　of　the　empire；　and　of　the　disposition　which　I　discovered　in　the　people　to　a　general　defection；　telling　him；　however；　that　I　could　not　yet　believe　that　the　viceroy；　who　had　honoured　me　with　his