on his way to Europe. During his stay at Gondar he had not visited the king, which is said to have offended him. The king was absent at the time, and the aboona (the metropolitan of Abyssinia) urged Mr. Stern not to leave until his return. Mr. Stern, however, persisted in his determination, and as he had to pass the royal camp, he advised himself to pay the king a visit. there, on which occasion he was again guilty of a breach of etiquette, as he went in the evening, a time when Abyssinians never intrude unless sent for. One of his servants was employed as interpreter, in which capacity he did not succeed well; and also, several times, when desired by the king to ask Mr. Stern questions, gave the answer himself, instead of referring to his master. This irritated the king, and he angrily asked Mr. Stern, "Why do you not learn the language of your master, while you are with him?" He then ordered the servants to be beaten, and desired Mr. Stern, more than once, to leave the tent. Ignorant, however, of his meaning, Mr. Stern remained standing before him, and in his distress at witnessing the punishment of his servants, bit his finger-not aware that this, in Abyssinia, implies a determination to revenge. The king saw it, and his rage was ungovernable. He ordered Mr. Stern to be beaten also, and he was then put in irons. The two servants who had been beaten died that night. Two others escaped, and carried the news to Gondar, whither the king himself returned, bringing Mr. Stern with him. His papers were seized and examined, but nothing against him being discovered, at that time, they were returned to him. Consul Cameron attempted to interfere, but the king refused to see him, sending him word that anything he had to say must be said in writing. The consul then wrote, and referred to the friendship existing between England and Abyssinia. The king's only answer was, "Where are the proofs of this friendship?" By this time some of his plundered and illtreated subjects had arrived from Jerusalem, with the news that in their greatest distress British protection, hitherto afforded, had been withheld from them.

The king, however, said Europeans should be the judges. If they said he had erred, he would ask Mr. Stern's pardon; if the reverse, he would pardon Mr. Stern for Mr. Flad's sake. He told them to go to Mr. Stern, and ask, "Why did you bite your finger when I beat my subjects?" On receiving Mr. Stern's assurance that he had not intended any disrespect, and apologies for his unintentional offence, the king appears to have been satisfied on

this point. Permission was given to Mr. Stern's friends to visit him, and his keys were returned, which were considered hopeful signs. Bishop Gobat's lay missionaries, and all the Europeans in Gondar, made the utmost exertions on his behalf. The aboona also interceded with the king for him, and did actually receive a promise of his liberation. In November, the king spoke of Mr. Stern to the lay missionaries as their enemy as well as his own, but said, that if they would forgive him, he would do the same. This they assured the king they had done, and entreated him also to forgive him.

In the meantime, however, some secret information caused the king again to seize and examine Mr. Stern's papers, and this time with most unfortunate results, to others as well as to Mr. Stern, especially to Mr. Rosenthal. Among the papers were various letters and private journals, containing most incautious remarks upon the king. In one of these letters he is styled "the wild beast of Abyssinia." There was also an assertion that a letter had been seen at the Foreign Office, from the king, in which was the following passage,- "In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, come, that we may get thoroughly drunk." There were other statements among these papers, which are admitted by all the Europeans at Gondar to be untrue; and there, was one remark, that it would be better the Turks should rule Abyssinia than King Theodoros. It is inconceivable how Mr. Stern could have been so imprudent as to allow such papers to be placed in his possession for a moment, under the circumstances. Probably he had no idea of the king's intense hatred to him, as one of the peculiarities of this extraordinary man is the profound secresy with which he will sometimes conceal his feelings and designs from even his most confidential officers; but, even in this case, Mr. Stern's conduct was inconceivably rash.

Mr. Rosenthal was now put in irons also, and all the Europeans summoned to attend a great meeting at Gondar, where the case was to be discussed. At this meeting several passages from letters were read; but the expression in Mr. Stern's book"butchered in cold blood"-seems to have been the chief accusation against him. The king appealed to the Europeans present to say which had erred, he or the prisoners. They replied that the prisoners had erred, and greatly hoped the latter would have simply confessed the same and asked for pardon, which it is confidently believed, with the intercession of the Europeans, they

would have obtained. Instead, however, apparently confused and uncertain how to act, they tried to extenuate their conduct, and nothing definite was settled. Still hopes were entertained that European intercession might avail to procure their release. Mr. Flad was unceasing in his efforts on their behalf, and his influence with King Theodoros has always been great. But the chief hope now was grounded on the English despatches, which were expected daily, and in which, it was confidently anticipated, the king would find a favourable answer to his letter to the Queen, expressing his wish to send an embassy to this country, with handsome presents. On the 22nd of November the despatches arrived. There was no answer to the king's letter-no communication for him, of any kind, from the English Government. Only a despatch for Consul Cameron, from the Foreign Office, containing a rebuke for interfering in Abyssinian affairs, and an order to return at once to Massowa. This contemptuous neglect fully confirmed the king in his already aroused suspicions against England. The consul was directly put in chains, and all Europeans ordered into the royal camp, whereby all chance of escape was cut off. The ill-treatment to which they have since been exposed is sufficient proof of the king's resentment at the treatment he has received.

The following anecdote is very significant as to his feelings. Mr. Addams, who brought the despatches, was a nephew of Lieutenant Speedy, who had visited Abyssinia some time before. By Mr. Addams Lieutenant Speedy sent King Theodoros a beautiful carpet as a present, the design on which was a lion, at which an old Arab was taking aim, while an Arab chief was sitting behind the huntsman, watching him. The face of the huntsman was much blacker than that of the chief behind him. This design the king, in the true Eastern spirit, interpreted allegorically, declaring the lion was himself, the huntsman the Turks, the chief sitting behind, the French. He sent the carpet to some of the lay missionaries, with this question,-"A man sits behind the huntsman, why not behind the lion?" meaning, Why does not England stand by me, as France does by Egypt?" It was with difficulty he was persuaded to believe this circumstance was accidental.

The abrupt rebuke, and order to Consul Cameron to return to Massowa, was a peculiarly unfortunate blunder at this moment, as the king had said in his letter to the Queen, "I wish to have an answer to this letter by Consul Cameron, and that he may

conduct my embassy to England." It would therefore naturally tend to increase his belief that the neglect was intentional.

Such is the result of individual imprudence and official blundering combined; and when all these circumstances are taken into consideration, we cannot be surprised that King Theodoros should suspect the feelings of England towards him were not friendly. We can only regret, for the sake of our unhappy countrymen, the thoroughly Eastern method he has adopted of testifying his resentment at the treatment he has received.

YORK MINSTER.

BY MACKENZIE E. C. WALCOTT, B.D., F.S.A.

OUR late Church congress was held last autumn at York, and the swarms of clergy and visitors crowding every street, filling the various places of assembly, and overflowing the accommodation of the old city, made many an Englishman and Englishwoman for the first time familiar with scenes and sites which had long been well known by popular interest and acquaintance through books. It is always a subject of rejoicing to see our cathedral towns, from which, the Dean of Ely pathetically observed, the tide of population in too many instances has ebbed away, again echoing to the feet of a multitude, and the glorious fabrics themselves alive once more with the sound of many voices raised in sacred worship. Under a bright sun, and with the opportunity of a visit, even despite all the excitement and attractions attending displays of platform eloquence, and subjects of the deepest interest, and an abundant hospitality worthy of the greatest county in England and its second metropolis, the churches, walls, castle, bars and ruins, won many an eager sight-seer to investigate their various curiosities.

The name of York itself carries us back to a distance of centuries; of course it had a mythical prince, who is called Ebraucus, but that is a common mode of topographical nomenclature with mediæval chroniclers. The river, which flows through the middle of the city, was known in early times as the Ebor or Eure, so the Britons called the town Caer Eabhroic: the English converted this form into Eforwic, the Danes into Jorwic (as at Jorevalle it prevails to this day), and at length it was softened by Domesday into Eurewic. It had been already Latinized by the 6th Legion, which was quartered here, as civitas Eborum,-hence the modern York and the signature of the archbishop-W. Ebor. Verulam and Eboracum were the only two Roman municipia in England.

We can scarcely realize the fact of emperors of Rome living on English ground, yet here Hadrian, Caracalla, and Geta resided, Severus and Chlorus died, and Constantine the Great assumed the purple. Where the North-Eastern Railway station