ABSTRACT
While the emperor was making ready in Naninâ to go against Za Celacê, the latter was not idle in Dambiâ, but rather sought all possible means to gather men and stir up the people. To this end, he called together the soldiery many times and everyone else he could find and told them that the emperor was like a Moor, for he had abandoned his faith and taken that of the Portuguese, and they should all make ready to fight him, and he would soon bring them the true emperor. And he had false messages brought every day, saying that he was already coming in great haste and was close by, and that he was promising everyone many honours, commands and lands, and in that way he persuaded many to fight. Others secretly sent word to the emperor to say that once he came close they would go over to him and that they were only with Za Celacê so that he would not destroy their homes. At this, the emperor quickened his pace more, and when Za Celacê heard of this he begged the patriarch to lift the excommunication that he had previously put on him and others never to go against the emperor. He asked what grounds they had for him to be able to do so, and Za Celacê replied that he had abandoned his faith and taken that of the Portuguese. ‘Then I release you from the oath and absolve you from the excommunication’, said the patriarch, at which all those who were determined to fight were very pleased. When the emperor learnt of this he was very angry and said, ‘Since that is the case, let us do at once what was going to be {[f. 423]} done later. I give all the lands of the patriarchate to the father, because I want him to be the patriarch, for this Egyptian does not know what excommunication is or what the law means.’
