Whom the k in g very much favoured, follicited that poft in
vain, unlefs he would advance a thoufand ounces o f gold,
which he pofitively refufed to do. The k in g fomented
all thefe complaints by fending a perfon o f confequence to
Powuflen, who advifed him to arreft Guiho immediately,
and promifed, i f refiftance .was made, to be at Gondar in
three days. Engedan and Ayabdar were trailed with the
execution o f this, but as Guiho Was beloved by the people
o f Gondar, the fecret was not fo well kept but that it came
to his ears.
O n the 16th o f July, (the feaft o f Saint Michael) Guih®
pretended he had made a vow to viiit the church 'o f that
Saint at Azazo, and accordingly, early in the morning, he
fet out for that village, attended with thirty horfe and fifty
mufqueteers; but no fooner had he palled the church
than his real intention appeared, -and he was purfued by
Gubeno, Cantiba o f Dembea; Ayto Adigo, Palambaras;
and Ayto Engedan. Gubeno alone, being hearty in the
eaufe, came up with him firft, as they had palled the river'
Derma, when Guiho, feeing Gubeno’s troops clofe behind
him, turned quickly upon them, repaired the river, and,
having killed two o f the foremoll with his own hand, and
repelled the reft, he returned acrofs the river, and faced a-
bout Nupon the banks o f it. Upon the other troops coming
-up, he called to Engedan, putting him in mind how lately
he had been in his hands, and advifing them all to return
to Gondar, and tell the k in g he ihould again be with
him in fifteen days.
A council was" thereupon held, and as it was plain,
from the countenance o f the man, that he was refolved to
refill
refill to the utmoft, none o f the leaders then prefent thought
themfelves warranted to riik the. death o f a perfon fo noble,
and fo powerfully related, efpecially in an obfcure
Ikirmilh, fuch as was then likely to happen, the motives
for which were not publicly k n ow n ; they accordingly all
returned to Gondar, leaving the Ras to purfue his way,
who being now advanced as far as. Degwaffa, and thinkin
g himfelf out o f all danger, was fuddenly furrounded
by Aclog, governor o f a little diftriil there, and even
from him he would have efcaped b y his own courage and
exertion, had not his horfe funk in miry ground whence-
he could not recover him. After receiving thefe news, the
k in g fent his Fit-Auraris, Adera Tacca Georgis, and Ayto-
Engedan, with, a- number o f troops,, to bring Guiho in-
town, when he returned a miferable figure, with his head
flraven: he was cloathed in black, and was confined that
feme day (the firft o f Augiift) a clofe prifoner, and in irons,,
in a high, damp, uninhabited tower o f the k in g ’s houfeK
without being, pitied by either party-
I t was now- the feafon o f the year when this country-
ufed to overflow with milk and honey; becaufe, being in alt
the low part o f it covered with rain, the horfemen and
foldiers, who ufed to obftruft the roads, were all retired to-
quarters, and the peafants, bringing provifions to the market,
paffed the high grounds in fe fe ty ; all forts o f people,
profiting by the plenty which this occafioned, indulged;
themfelves to the greateft excefs in every fort o f pleafure
to which their refperiive appetites led them. The rains
had fallen, indeed, as ufual, but had not, however, flopped
the march o f the armies, and i f not a famine, at leaft a
4 fear city