be ambassadors or private merchants, because we love those that are of our religion. We receive with pleasure thole who do not oppose our laws, and we send away those that do oppose them. For this reason we did not receive immediately Joseph[1] with all his companions, not chooing that such sort of people should appear in our presence, nor intending that they should pass Sennaar, in order to avoid troubles which may occasion the death of many; but with respect to you, have nothing to fear, you may come in all safety, and you shall be received with honour."—Written the 10th of the month Zulkadé, Anno 1118, i. e. the 21st of January of the year 1706.
☞The address is—"Let the present be delivered to M. du Roule at the town of Sennaar."
I shall only observe upon this letter, that all the priests, who had flocked to Sennaar before M. du Roule arrived there, disappeared upon his near approach to that city, after having prepared the mischief which directly followed. And, no sooner was the murder, which they before concerted, committed, than they all flocked back again as if invited to a festival. M. de Maillet speaks of several of them in his letters, where he complains of the murder of du Roule, and says that they were then on their way to enter Abyssinia. Of these probably was this Joseph, whom Tecla Haimanout strictly prohibits to come farther than Sennaar, having seen what his father had written concerning him in the first letters Elias was charged with.
- ↑ Vid, the letter as quoted above.
