Theconflictofzealandpersecutionrekindledsomesparksoftheirnationalspirit。Theyabjured，withaforeignheresy，themannersandlanguageoftheGreeks:everyMelchite，intheireyes，wasastranger，everyJacobiteacitizen；theallianceofmarriage，theofficesofhumanity，werecondemnedasadeadlysinthenativesrenouncedallallegiancetotheemperor；andhisorders，atadistancefromAlexandria，wereobeyedonlyunderthepressureofmilitaryforce。AgenerouseffortmighthaveedeemedthereligionandlibertyofEgypt，andhersixhundredmonasteriesmighthavepouredforththeirmyriadsofholywarriors，forwhomdeathshouldhavenoterrors，sincelifehadnocomfortordelight。Butexperiencehasprovedthedistinctionofactiveandpassivecourage；thefanaticwhoendureswithoutagroanthetortureoftherackorthestake，wouldtrembleandflybeforethefaceofanarmedenemy。ThepusillanimoustemperoftheEgyptianscouldonlyhopeforachangeofmasters；thearmsofChosroesdepopulatedtheland，yetunderhisreigntheJacobitesenjoyedashortandprecariousrespite。ThevictoryofHeracliusrenewedandaggravatedthepersecution，andthepatriarchagainescapedfromAlexandriatothedesert。Inhisflight，Benjaminwasencouragedbyavoice，whichbadehimexpect，attheendoftenyears，theaidofaforeignnation，marked，liketheEgyptiansthemselves，withtheancientriteofcircumcision。Thecharacterofthesedeliverers，andthenatureofthedeliverance，willbehereafterexplained；andIshallstepovertheintervalofelevencenturiestoobservethepresentmiseryoftheJacobitesofEgypt。ThepopulouscityofCairoaffordsaresidence，orratherashelter，fortheirindigentpatriarch，andaremnantoftenbishops；fortymonasterieshavesurvivedtheinroadsoftheArabs；andtheprogressofservitudeandapostasyhasreducedtheCopticnationtothedespicablenumberoftwenty—fiveorthirtythousandfamilies；^148araceofilliteratebeggars，whoseonlyconsolationisderivedfromthesuperiorwretchednessoftheGreekpatriarchandhisdiminutivecongregation。^149
[Footnote148:ThisnumberistakenfromthecuriousRecherchessurlesEgyptiensetlesChinois，tom。ii。p。192，193，andappearsmoreprobablethanthe600，000ancient，or15，000modern，CoptsofGemelliCarreriCyrilLucar，theProtestantpatriarchofConstantinople，lamentsthatthosehereticsweretentimesmorenumerousthanhisorthodoxGreeks，ingeniouslyapplyingHomer，Iliad，ii。128，themostperfectexpressionofcontempt，Fabric。LuxEvangelii，740。]
[Footnote149:ThehistoryoftheCopts，theirreligion，manners，&c。，maybefoundintheAbbeRenaudot\'smotleywork，neitheratranslationnoranoriginal；theChroniconOrientaleofPeter，aJacobite；inthetwoversionsofAbrahamEcchellensis，Paris，1651；andJohnSimonAsseman，Venet。1729。Theseannalsdescendnolowerthanthexiiithcentury。ThemorerecentaccountsmustbesearchedforinthetravellersintoEgyptandtheNouveauxMemoiresdesMissionsduLevant。Inthelastcentury，JosephAbudacnus，anativeofCairo，publishedatOxford，inthirtypages，aslightHistoriaJacobitarum，147，postp。150]
VI。TheCopticpatriarch，arebeltotheCaesars，oraslavetothekhalifs，stillgloriedinthefilialobedienceofthekingsofNubiaandAethiopia。Herepaidtheirhomagebymagnifyingtheirgreatness；anditwasboldlyassertedthattheycouldbringintothefieldahundredthousandhorse，withanequalnumberofcamels；^150thattheirhandcouldpouroutorrestrainthewatersoftheNile；^151andthepeaceandplentyofEgyptwasobtained，eveninthisworld，bytheintercessionofthepatriarch。InexileatConstantinople，TheodosiusrecommendedtohispatronesstheconversionoftheblacknationsofNubia，fromthetropicofCancertotheconfinesofAbyssinia。
^152Herdesignwassuspectedandemulatedbythemoreorthodoxemperor。Therivalmissionaries，aMelchiteandaJacobite，embarkedatthesametime；buttheempress，fromamotiveofloveorfear，wasmoreeffectuallyobeyed；andtheCatholicpriestwasdetainedbythepresidentofThebais，whilethekingofNubiaandhiscourtwerehastilybaptizedinthefaithofDioscorus。ThetardyenvoyofJustinianwasreceivedanddismissedwithhonor:
butwhenheaccusedtheheresyandtreasonoftheEgyptians，thenegroconvertwasinstructedtoreplythathewouldneverabandonhisbrethren，thetruebelievers，tothepersecutingministersofthesynodofChalcedon。^153Duringseveralages，thebishopsofNubiawerenamedandconsecratedbytheJacobitepatriarchofAlexandria:aslateasthetwelfthcentury，Christianityprevailed；andsomerites，someruins，arestillvisibleinthesavagetownsofSennaarandDongola。^154ButtheNubiansatlengthexecutedtheirthreatsofreturningtotheworshipofidols；theclimaterequiredtheindulgenceofpolygamy，andtheyhavefinallypreferredthetriumphoftheKorantotheabasementoftheCross。Ametaphysicalreligionmayappeartoorefinedforthecapacityofthenegrorace:yetablackoraparrotmightbetaughttorepeatthewordsoftheChalcedonianorMonophysitecreed。
[Footnote150:Abouttheyear737。SeeRenaudot，Hist。
Patriarch。Alexp。221，222。Elmacin，Hist。Saracen。p。99。]
[Footnote151:Ludolph。Hist。Aethiopic。etComment。l。i。c。8。
RenaudotHist。Patriarch。Alex。p。480，&c。Thisopinion，introducedintoEgyptandEuropebytheartificeoftheCopts，theprideoftheAbyssinians，thefearandignoranceoftheTurksandArabs，hasnoteventhesemblanceoftruth。TherainsofAethiopiadonot，intheincreaseoftheNile，consultthewillofthemonarch。IftheriverapproachesatNapatawithinthreedays\'journeyoftheRedSeaseeD\'Anville\'sMaps，acanalthatshoulddivertitscoursewoulddemand，andmostprobablysurpass，thepoweroftheCaesars。]
[Footnote152:TheAbyssinians，whostillpreservethefeaturesandolivecomplexionoftheArabs，affordaproofthattwothousandyearsarenotsufficienttochangethecolorofthehumanrace。TheNubians，anAfricanrace，arepurenegroes，asblackasthoseofSenegalorCongo，withflatnoses，thicklips，andwoollyhair，Buffon，Hist。Naturelle，tom。v。p。117，143，144，166，219，edit。in12mo。，Paris，1769。Theancientsbeheld，withoutmuchattention，theextraordinaryphenomenonwhichhasexercisedthephilosophersandtheologiansofmoderntimes]
[Footnote153:Asseman。Bibliot。Orient。tom。i。p。329。]
[Footnote154:TheChristianityoftheNubiansA。D。1153isattestedbythesheriffalEdrisi，falselydescribedunderthenameoftheNubiangeographer，p。18，whorepresentsthemasanationofJacobites。TheraysofhistoricallightthattwinkleinthehistoryofRanaudotp。178，220—224，281—286，405，434，451，464areallprevioustothisaera。SeethemodernstateintheLettresEdifiantesRecueil，iv。andBusching，tom。ix。p。152—139，parBerenger。]
ChristianitywasmoredeeplyrootedintheAbyssinianempire；and，althoughthecorrespondencehasbeensometimesinterruptedaboveseventyorahundredyears，themother—churchofAlexandriaretainshercolonyinastateofperpetualpupilage。SevenbishopsoncecomposedtheAethiopicsynod:hadtheirnumberamountedtoten，theymighthaveelectedanindependentprimate；andoneoftheirkingswasambitiousofpromotinghisbrothertotheecclesiasticalthrone。Buttheeventwasforeseen，theincreasewasdenied:theepiscopalofficehasbeengraduallyconfinedtotheabuna，^155theheadandauthoroftheAbyssinianpriesthood；thepatriarchsupplieseachvacancywithanEgyptianmonk；andthecharacterofastrangerappearsmorevenerableintheeyesofthepeople，lessdangerousinthoseofthemonarch。Inthesixthcentury，whentheschismofEgyptwasconfirmed，therivalchiefs，withtheirpatrons，JustinianandTheodora，strovetooutstripeachotherintheconquestofaremoteandindependentprovince。Theindustryoftheempresswasagainvictorious，andthepiousTheodorahasestablishedinthatsequesteredchurchthefaithanddisciplineoftheJacobites。^156Encompassedonallsidesbytheenemiesoftheirreligion，theAethiopianssleptnearathousandyears，forgetfuloftheworld，bywhomtheywereforgotten。TheywereawakenedbythePortuguese，who，turningthesouthernpromontoryofAfrica，appearedinIndiaandtheRedSea，asiftheyhaddescendedthroughtheairfromadistantplanet。Inthefirstmomentsoftheirinterview，thesubjectsofRomeandAlexandriaobservedtheresemblance，ratherthanthedifference，oftheirfaith；andeachnationexpectedthemostimportantbenefitsfromanalliancewiththeirChristianbrethren。Intheirlonelysituation，theAethiopianshadalmostrelapsedintothesavagelife。Theirvessels，whichhadtradedtoCeylon，scarcelypresumedtonavigatetheriversofAfrica；theruinsofAxumeweredeserted，thenationwasscatteredinvillages，andtheemperor，apompousname，wascontent，bothinpeaceandwar，withtheimmovableresidenceofacamp。Consciousoftheirownindigence，theAbyssinianshadformedtherationalprojectofimportingtheartsandingenuityofEurope；^157andtheirambassadorsatRomeandLisbonwereinstructedtosolicitacolonyofsmiths，carpenters，tilers，masons，printers，surgeons，andphysicians，fortheuseoftheircountry。Butthepublicdangersooncalledfortheinstantandeffectualaidofarmsandsoldiers，todefendanunwarlikepeoplefromtheBarbarianswhoravagedtheinlandcountryandtheTurksandArabswhoadvancedfromthesea—coastinmoreformidablearray。AethiopiawassavedbyfourhundredandfiftyPortuguese，whodisplayedinthefieldthenativevalorofEuropeans，andtheartificialpowerofthemusketandcannon。Inamomentofterror，theemperorhadpromisedtoreconcilehimselfandhissubjectstotheCatholicfaith；aLatinpatriarchrepresentedthesupremacyofthepope:
^158theempire，enlargedinatenfoldproportion，wassupposedtocontainmoregoldthantheminesofAmerica；andthewildesthopesofavariceandzealwerebuiltonthewillingsubmissionoftheChristiansofAfrica。
[Footnote155:TheabunaisimproperlydignifiedbytheLatinswiththetitleofpatriarch。TheAbyssiniansacknowledgeonlythefourpatriarchs，andtheirchiefisnomorethanametropolitanornationalprimate，Ludolph。Hist。Aethiopic。etComment。l。iii。c。7。ThesevenbishopsofRenaudot，p。511，
whoexistedA。D。1131，areunknowntothehistorian。]
[Footnote156:IknownotwhyAssemannusBibliot。Orient。tom。
ii。p。384shouldcallinquestiontheseprobablemissionsofTheodoraintoNubiaandAethiopia。TheslightnoticesofAbyssiniatilltheyear1500aresuppliedbyRenaudotp。336—
341，381，382，405，443，&c。，452，456，463，475，480，511，525，559—564fromtheCopticwriters。ThemindofLudolphuswasaperfectblank。]
[Footnote157:Ludolph。Hist。Aethiop。l。iv。c。5。ThemostnecessaryartsarenowexercisedbytheJews，andtheforeigntradeisinthehandsoftheArmenians。WhatGregoryprincipallyadmiredandenviedwastheindustryofEurope—artesetopificia。]
[Footnote158:JohnBermudez，whoserelation，printedatLisbon，1569，wastranslatedintoEnglishbyPurchas，Pilgrims，l。vii。
c。7，p。1149，&c。，andfromthenceintoFrenchbyLaCroze，Christianismed\'Ethiopie，p。92—265。Thepieceiscurious；
buttheauthormaybesuspectedofdeceivingAbyssinia，Rome，andPortugal。Histitletotherankofpatriarchisdarkanddoubtful，Ludolph。Comment。No。101，p。473。]
Butthevowswhichpainhadextortedwereforswornonthereturnofhealth。TheAbyssiniansstilladheredwithunshakenconstancytotheMonophysitefaith；theirlanguidbeliefwasinflamedbytheexerciseofdispute；theybrandedtheLatinswiththenamesofAriansandNestorians，andimputedtheadorationoffourgodstothosewhoseparatedthetwonaturesofChrist。
Fremona，aplaceofworship，orratherofexile，wasassignedtotheJesuitmissionaries。Theirskillintheliberalandmechanicarts，theirtheologicallearning，andthedecencyoftheirmanners，inspiredabarrenesteem；buttheywerenotendowedwiththegiftofmiracles，^159andtheyvainlysolicitedareenforcementofEuropeantroops。Thepatienceanddexterityoffortyyearsatlengthobtainedamorefavorableaudience，andtwoemperorsofAbyssiniawerepersuadedthatRomecouldinsurethetemporalandeverlastinghappinessofhervotaries。Thefirstoftheseroyalconvertslosthiscrownandhislife；andtherebelarmywassanctifiedbytheabuna，whohurledananathemaattheapostate，andabsolvedhissubjectsfromtheiroathoffidelity。
ThefateofZadenghelwasrevengedbythecourageandfortuneofSusneus，whoascendedthethroneunderthenameofSegued，andmorevigorouslyprosecutedthepiousenterpriseofhiskinsman。
AftertheamusementofsomeunequalcombatsbetweentheJesuitsandhisilliteratepriests，theemperordeclaredhimselfaproselytetothesynodofChalcedon，presumingthathisclergyandpeoplewouldembracewithoutdelaythereligionoftheirprince。Thelibertyofchoicewassucceededbyalaw，whichimposed，underpainofdeath，thebeliefofthetwonaturesofChrist:theAbyssinianswereenjoinedtoworkandtoplayontheSabbath；andSegued，inthefaceofEuropeandAfrica，renouncedhisconnectionwiththeAlexandrianchurch。AJesuit，AlphonsoMendez，theCatholicpatriarchofAethiopia，accepted，inthenameofUrbanVIII。，thehomageandabjurationofthepenitent。
\"Iconfess，\"saidtheemperoronhisknees，\"IconfessthatthepopeisthevicarofChrist，thesuccessorofSt。Peter，andthesovereignoftheworld。TohimIsweartrueobedience，andathisfeetIoffermypersonandkingdom。\"Asimilaroathwasrepeatedbyhisson，hisbrother，theclergy，thenobles，andeventheladiesofthecourt:theLatinpatriarchwasinvestedwithhonorsandwealth；andhismissionarieserectedtheirchurchesorcitadelsinthemostconvenientstationsoftheempire。TheJesuitsthemselvesdeplorethefatalindiscretionoftheirchief，whoforgotthemildnessofthegospelandthepolicyofhisorder，tointroducewithhastyviolencetheliturgyofRomeandtheinquisitionofPortugal。Hecondemnedtheancientpracticeofcircumcision，whichhealth，ratherthansuperstition，hadfirstinventedintheclimateofAethiopia。^160Anewbaptism，anewordination，wasinflictedonthenatives；andtheytrembledwithhorrorwhenthemostholyofthedeadweretornfromtheirgraves，whenthemostillustriousofthelivingwereexcommunicatedbyaforeignpriest。Inthedefenseoftheirreligionandliberty，theAbyssiniansroseinarms，withdesperatebutunsuccessfulzeal。Fiverebellionswereextinguishedinthebloodoftheinsurgents:twoabunaswereslaininbattle，wholelegionswereslaughteredinthefield，orsuffocatedintheircaverns；andneithermerit，norrank，norsex，couldsavefromanignominiousdeaththeenemiesofRome。
Butthevictoriousmonarchwasfinallysubduedbytheconstancyofthenation，ofhismother，ofhisson，andofhismostfaithfulfriends。Seguedlistenedtothevoiceofpity，ofreason，perhapsoffear:andhisedictoflibertyofconscienceinstantlyrevealedthetyrannyandweaknessoftheJesuits。Onthedeathofhisfather，BasilidesexpelledtheLatinpatriarch，andrestoredtothewishesofthenationthefaithandthedisciplineofEgypt。TheMonophysitechurchesresoundedwithasongoftriumph，\"thatthesheepofAethiopiawerenowdeliveredfromthehyaenasoftheWest；\"andthegatesofthatsolitaryrealmwereforevershutagainstthearts，thescience，andthefanaticismofEurope。^161
[Footnote159:ReligioRomana……necprecibuspatrumnecmiraculisabipsiseditissuffulciebatur，istheuncontradictedassuranceofthedevoutemperorSusneustohispatriarchMendez，Ludolph。Comment。No。126，p。529；andsuchassurancesshouldbepreciouslykept，asanantidoteagainstanymarvellouslegends。]
[Footnote160:Iamawarehowtenderisthequestionofcircumcision。YetIwillaffirm，1。ThattheAethiopianshaveaphysicalreasonforthecircumcisionofmales，andevenoffemales，RecherchesPhilosophiquessurlesAmericains，tom。ii。
2。ThatitwaspractisedinAethiopialongbeforetheintroductionofJudaismorChristianity，Herodot。l。ii。c。104。
Marsham，Canon。Chron。p。72，73。\"Infantescircumciduntobconsuetudinemn，nonobJudaismum，\"saysGregorytheAbyssinianpriest，apudFabric。LuxChristiana，p。720。Yetintheheatofdispute，thePortugueseweresometimesbrandedwiththenameofuncircumcised，LaCroze，p。90。Ludolph。Hist。andComment。l。
iii。c。l。]
[Footnote161:ThethreeProtestanthistorians，Ludolphus，Hist。
Aethiopica，Francofurt。1681；Commentarius，1691；RelatioNova，&c。，1693，infolio，Geddes，ChurchHistoryofAethiopia，London，1696，in8vo……andLaCroze，Hist。duChristianismed\'Ethiopieetd\'Armenie，LaHaye，1739，in12mo。，havedrawntheirprincipalmaterialsfromtheJesuits，especiallyfromtheGeneralHistoryofTellez，publishedinPortugueseatCoimbra，1660。Wemightbesurprisedattheirfrankness；buttheirmostflagitiousvice，thespiritofpersecution，wasintheireyesthemostmeritoriousvirtue。Ludolphuspossessedsome，thoughaslight，advantagefromtheAethiopiclanguage，andthepersonalconversationofGregory，afree—spiritedAbyssinianpriest，whomheinvitedfromRometothecourtofSaxe—Gotha。SeetheTheologiaAethiopicaofGregory，inFabric。LuxEvangelii，p。
716—734。
Note:ThetravelsofBruce，illustratedbythoseofMr。
Salt，andthenarrativeofNathanielPearce，havebroughtusagainacquaintedwiththisremoteregion。WhatevermaybetheirspeculativeopinionsthebarbarousmannersoftheEthiopiansseemtobegainingmoreandmoretheascendencyoverthepracticeofChristianity。—M。]
ChapterXLVIII:SuccessionAndCharactersOfTheGreekEmperors。
PartI。
PlanOfTheTwoLastVolumes。—SuccessionAndCharactersOfTheGreekEmperorsOfConstantinople，FromTheTimeOfHeracliusToTheLatinConquest。
IhavenowdeducedfromTrajantoConstantine，fromConstantinetoHeraclius，theregularseriesoftheRomanemperors；andfaithfullyexposedtheprosperousandadversefortunesoftheirreigns。Fivecenturiesofthedeclineandfalloftheempirehavealreadyelapsed；butaperiodofmorethaneighthundredyearsstillseparatesmefromthetermofmylabors，thetakingofConstantinoplebytheTurks。ShouldI
persevereinthesamecourse，shouldIobservethesamemeasure，aprolixandslenderthreadwouldbespunthroughmanyavolume，norwouldthepatientreaderfindanadequaterewardofinstructionoramusement。Ateverystep，aswesinkdeeperinthedeclineandfalloftheEasternempire，theannalsofeachsucceedingreignwouldimposeamoreungratefulandmelancholytask。Theseannalsmustcontinuetorepeatatediousanduniformtaleofweaknessandmisery；thenaturalconnectionofcausesandeventswouldbebrokenbyfrequentandhastytransitions，andaminuteaccumulationofcircumstancesmustdestroythelightandeffectofthosegeneralpictureswhichcomposetheuseandornamentofaremotehistory。FromthetimeofHeraclius，theByzantinetheatreiscontractedanddarkened:thelineofempire，whichhadbeendefinedbythelawsofJustinianandthearmsofBelisarius，recedesonallsidesfromourview；theRomanname，thepropersubjectofourinquiries，isreducedtoanarrowcornerofEurope，tothelonelysuburbsofConstantinople；andthefateoftheGreekempirehasbeencomparedtothatoftheRhine，whichlosesitselfinthesands，beforeitswaterscanminglewiththeocean。Thescaleofdominionisdiminishedtoourviewbythedistanceoftimeandplace；noristhelossofexternalsplendorcompensatedbythenoblergiftsofvirtueandgenius。Inthelastmomentsofherdecay，ConstantinoplewasdoubtlessmoreopulentandpopulousthanAthensathermostflourishingaera，whenascantysumofsixthousandtalents，ortwelvehundredthousandpoundssterlingwaspossessedbytwenty—onethousandmalecitizensofanadultage。Buteachofthesecitizenswasafreeman，whodaredtoassertthelibertyofhisthoughts，words，andactions，whosepersonandpropertywereguardedbyequallaw；andwhoexercisedhisindependentvoteinthegovernmentoftherepublic。Theirnumbersseemtobemultipliedbythestrongandvariousdiscriminationsofcharacter；