ABSTRACT
Since Mons. Poncet, whom we [i.e. the Consul] heretofore sent to the King of Æthiopia as a physician, having arrived in this city on the 20th of the present month, has made to us certain statements regarding his travels and Mons. Murat, who calls himself an ambassador from the King of Æthiopia to His Majesty, which statements we are desirous of investigating, we have this day, the 23 rd of June 1701, at five o’clock in the afternoon, caused the said Mons. Charles Poncet to appear before the persons named above, assembled in the hall of the consulate. And being arrived, he confirmed in our presence that which follows:
That he was kept in seclusion all the time that he was in Æthiopia, and had many times been in danger of losing his life; insomuch that once, seeing the risk the King ran in protecting him, a Frank, he had declared to him that he would rather kill himself than allow His Majesty to suffer on his behalf.
That the King was obliged to visit him in secret, using for this purpose a private passage.
Asked whether it would be possible to introduce some missionaries into that country, he replied that he himself, though a mere layman, had had a difficulty in preserving his life, and for others it would be almost impossible. He added that two Fathers of the Propaganda, having since his departure had the temerity to penetrate into that country and having been detected, had been forced to hide themselves in the house of the uncle of Mons. Murat, and that they would be very fortunate if they succeeded in making their escape from the country without being stoned to death.
Asked whether, if Mons. Murat were received in France and well treated, it would be possible to induce the King of Ethiopia to receive a French envoy, he answered that such 171reception did not depend on the King but on the monks, who were implacable enemies of all Franks. Asked whether such an envoy would be safe, he replied that he did not think so.
He avowed that those whom the King employed as ambassadors would never permit the reception of such an envoy, since it would diminish their own profits.
He declared that Mons. Murat, here arrived, had done him a thousand bad turns, and had deceived him on several occasions when acting as interpreter between him and the King: that he was a knavish fellow, never to be relied on, and intent only upon gain; adding that, in the short time he was in the country, he never saw the King without soliciting some favour or other.
He said at one time that Mons. Murat was more important than he himself was, at another that this was not so; also that he was not an ambassador and had only a letter from the King, as he had.
Asked whether he had any present, he answered; ‘How could he have, since the elephants and other animals had perished? However, he still had something to offer to His Majesty.’
He repeated that on their way Mons. Murat had begged him to say, here and in France, that the King of Ethiopia had only one legitimate wife, whereas the truth is that he has several.
Asked why the King of Ethiopia had not preferred to send one of his own subjects as ambassador, since such a one would have been more acceptable than a foreigner who had scarcely resided a year in Ethiopia, he told us that this employment had been promised to the aforesaid Mons. Murat. He added that afterwards the King wished to join with him a monk, but that Murat had objected, fearing that he would be under the monk’s control and would have to share with him any gains resulting from the mission. He also stated that the bigger of the two attendants Mons. Murat had with him was an Ethiopian and the smaller a slave.
He declared that he could not have got into Ethiopia without the letter that we had given him for the King, and that it in like manner procured him leave to return.
