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PRete Ianni his gouernment is very absolute, for he holdeth his subiects in most base seruitude, and no lesse the noble and great, then those of meaner qualitie and condition, intreating them rather like slaues, then sub∣iects: and the better to doe this, he maintaineth him selfe amongst them in the reputation of a sacred and diuine person. Al men bow at the name of the Prince, and touch the earth with their hand: they reuerence the tent where∣in
he lyeth, and that when he is absent also. The Pretes in times past were wonte to be seene of the people but onely once in three yeeres space, and afterwardes they shewed themselues thrice in a yeere, that is on Christmas, and Easter daye, as also on holy Rood day in September. Panufius who now raigneth, albeit he is growen more familiar then his predecessors, yet when any commission commeth from him, the partie to whom it is directed hea∣reth the wordes thereof naked, from the girdle vpward, neither putteth he on his apparrell, but when the king permitteth him. The people thought they bind it with an oath, yet do they seldome speake truth, but when they sweare by the kinges life, who giueth and taketh away, what great signiorie soeuer it pleaseth him, neither may he, from whom it is taken, so much as shew him selfe agreeued therewith. Except the giuing of holy orders and the admi∣nistration of the sacraments, he disposeth as well of the religious as of the laye sort, and of their goodes.
On the way he rideth, enuironed with high and long red curtaynes, which compasse him on euery side. He weareth vsually vpon his head, a crowne halfe gold, halfe siluer, and a crosse of siluer in his hand: his face is couered with a peece of blew taffata, which he lifteth vp, or letteth downe, more or lesse, according as he fauoreth them that he treateth withall: and sometimes he only sheweth the end of his foot, which he putteth forth from vnder the said curtaines. They that carrie and returne ambassages, come not to his curtaine, but with long time, diuers ceremonies, and sundry obseruations. None hath slaues but himselfe, to whome euery yeere his subiects come to do homage. This prince (as the Abassins report) descendeth from a sonne of Salomon, & the Queen of Saba, called Meilech: they receiued the faith vnder Queene Candaces, in whose time the familie of Gaspar began to raigne and flourish in Ethiopia, and from him after thirteene generations came Iohn called the holie. This man about the time of Constantinus the Emperor, be∣cause he had no children, leauing the kingdome to his brother Caius eldest sonne, inuested Baltasar, and Melchior, younger brothers, one in the kingdome of Fatigar, and the other in Giomedi: whereupon the royall blood grew to be deuided into three families, namely that of Baltafar, that of Gaspar, and the third of Melchior, ordayning that the Empire aboue all others should be giuen by election to some one of the foresaid families, soe it were not to the eldest borne. For these first borne there were particular kingdomes appointed. And to auoide scandale and tumult, hee decreed that the Emperours brothers with his neerest kindred should be enclosed as in a strong castell, within* 1.1 mount Amara; where he would also haue the Empe∣rours sonnes to be put, who cannot succeed in the Empire, nor haue any State at all, for which cause the Emperour ordinarily marrieth not.
Of this moun∣taine read in the discourse be∣fore the be∣ginning of Leo.