lfus, laying hold on the advantage, reduced these later writers to
prove their conformity.

Upon the whole, the controversy seems of no great importance to those who
believe the Holy Scriptures sufficient to teach the way of salvation, but
of whatever moment it may be thought, there are not proofs sufficient to
decide it.

His discourses on indifferent subjects will divert as well as instruct,
and if either in these, or in the relation of Father Lobo, any argument
shall appear unconvincing, or description obscure, they are defects
incident to all mankind, which, however, are not too rashly to be imputed
to the authors, being sometimes, perhaps, more justly chargeable on the
translator.

In this translation, if it may be so called, great liberties have been
taken, which, whether justifiable or not, shall be fairly confessed; and
let the judicious part of mankind pardon or condemn them.

In the first part the greatest freedom has been used in reducing the
narration into a narrow compass, so that it is by no means a translation
but an epitome, in which, whether everything either useful or
entertaining be comprised, the compiler is least qualified to determine.

In the account of Abyssinia, and the continuation, the authors have been
followed with more exactness, and as few passages appeared either
insignificant or tedious, few have been either shortened or omitted.

The dissertations are the only part in which an exact translation has
been attempted, and even in those abstracts are sometimes given instead
of literal quotations, particularly in the first; and sometimes other
parts have been contracted.

Several memorials and letters, which are printed at the end of the
dissertations to secure the credit of the foregoing narrative, are
entirely left out.

It is hoped that, after this confession, whoever shall compare this
attempt with the original, if he shall find no proofs of fraud or
partiality, will candidly overlook any failure of judgment.

PART I--THE VOYAGE TO ABYSSINIA

CHAPTER I

The author arrives after some difficulties at Goa. Is chosen for the
Mission of AEthiopia. The fate of those Jesuits who went by Zeila. The
author arrives at the coast of Melinda.

I embarked in March, 1622, in the same fleet with the Count Vidigueira,
on whom the king had conferred the viceroyship of the Indies, then vacant
by the resignation of Alfonso Noronha, whose unsuccessful voyage in the
foregoing year h