THE ANCIENT REALM OF PRESTER JOHN

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 29

THE ANCIENT REALM OF PRESTER JOHN

A copy of what may be the first authentic account of Ethiopia, published about 1521, has been acquired by the British Museurt, says the "New York Times." It is in Portuguese and is entitled."Letter of the News Which Came to the King Our Lord of the Discovery of Prester John." : 'The document contains the official report of Diogo Lopez de Sequeira, Governor of India and. admiral of a Portuguese fleet which in 1520 called at the harbour of Messawa, now chief port of the Italian colony of Eritrea but then part of the domains of the Negus of Ethiopia, known to Europeans as Prester John. s j All through the Middle Ages Europe has been haunted by the legend of Prester : John, a Christian priest-king j ruling somewhere in the wilds of Africa. As trade routes were established to India, first by way of the Near East ahd then by way of the Cape of Good Hope, these legends crystallised around the existence of a Coptic Christian ■ kingdom in Ethiopia.

Early in th« sixteenth century the I Negus of Ethiopia. responded to. European in^ulries.by sending an/envoy to the' King of. Portugal. It. was in 'reply to that visit that the Portuguese- fleet went to.Massawa. V~ The Ethiopians, says'thp admiral's account, received the newcomers with the greatest friendship, being overjoyed to find that they were' Christians. Several of the Portuguese went inland to visit a monastery; where they attended services. The Ethiopian abbot discoursed about :thV Bible, tithes, and kindred matters, b\lt when the subject.of submission tortile- Pope-was broached he tactfully avoided the issue. • ■ -• ■- At Massawa the admiral held palavers with the civil ruler of the coastal section and arrived1 at aitreaty, which was- sighed with full diplomatic ceremonials..The officialreport gives a description.; of the Etniopiin countryside of 1520, telling.of abundant cattle and plentiful crops. . \