•cam« before him, on hi s_ar rival at Gondar, from whom he-
could raife a farthing.
I t was about the 20th o f January, that a meffage arrived
from Powuffen, to tell the Ras he had taken the ufurperSo-
cinios prifoner, and held him in irons at the k in g s difpo—
fal. He upbraided Michael with the-cruelties of-his executions,
and declared his refolution o f calling him to an account
for thefe perfonally at-Gondar; he warned him in.
time, to repafs the Tacazze, and retire while it was in his
p ow e r -to his government o f Tigre, where nobody would,
moleft him, and -leave the k in g at liberty to a 6t for himfelf.
Guftio likewife fent a meffenger, but w hat word he brou ght
did not tranfpire ; after feeing the King and Ras Michael,,
both thefe mefienge-rs proceeded to Vaiil. 'Soon after this came
a meffage from Fafil, defiring only that the Kin g and the
Ras might renew to h im the grant erf his father s lands and-
eftates, which he formerly poffeffed: what was the meanin
g o f this meffage I couM never learn ; he was already in
fu ll poffeffion o f what he aiked, and more ; no perfon had
attempted to take any thing from him, nor was it indeed in.
their power.
P r o c l a m a t i o n was made accordingly in terms o f the
requeft, and all the lands that he had poffeffed were given:
h im : before he could have news o f this firft grant, a fecund
mefienger came, defiring that he might be confirmed
in his government o f Maitiha, Damot, and Agow. This,
too was immediately granted him, but a condition was
added, that he ihould bring the troops o f thefe provinces,
and as many others as he could raife, to join the kin g w ith
all poflible fpeed, and take the field with Ras Michael againft
P ow u f f e a
Powuffen and G u fh o ; and this was but what he had fpon-
taneoufly promifed when he made his peace at Bingleber.
At the fame time Ayto Aylo, brother to Engedan, was proclaimed
governor o f Begemder; and all people holding o f
the k in g or o f Aylo’s friends,' (for he hada very large eftate in,
that province) were ordered to join h im ; but a ve ry few
came; among whom was the famous Guigarr, ch ie f o f the
clan, Waag of.Lafta, fan to Aylo’s fifter.
Mean? time- the k in g ufedaliL the means in- h is power to
induce the Iteghe to return to, Kofcauo, for her prefence in
Gojam kept alive the fpirit o f a number o f people that
were attached to her, who bare very impatiently to fee her
banifhed, as flie then was, though refidenc with her daughter
Ozoro Welleta Ifrael, and furrounded b y the forces o f
A ylo her grandfon, who was governor o f Gojam, and to
whom h a lf o f th a t province belonged: in property. But
the queen was. refolute never to. truft Ras Michael, though
it was believed fhe fent the k in g a firm in go ld privately
by Engedan.
It was in the end o f January that another meffage arriv
ed from Fafil, exeufinghis coming to Gondar on account
o f the badnefs o f his health; he faid, beftdes, he could not
truft Michael unlefs he gave him Welleta Selaffe, his granddaughter,
to w ife , and fent her to him to Bure. I have a lready
mentioned that the Ras was fond o f this young lady
himfelf, and nothing but that hindered him from giv ing
her to the k in g in ma rr iag e ; and it was faid, and I believe
with truth, that fome delicacy * the k in g had exprefled about
M 2 this
* Sufpieion o f familiarity with the Ras her .grandfathers