“Description de l’Ethiopie.” Translated by J. Bellere, from the Italian version of Ramusio. Anvers: C. Plautin, 1558. 8vo.
“Historia de las cosas de Ethiopia.” By Miguel de Suelves. Printed in black letter. Saragoza, 1561. Fol.
“Warhafftiger Bericht von den Landen ... des Königs in Ethiopien.” Eisslebë, 1566. FOL——Another edition. Eisslebë, 1576. Fol.
“Die Reiss zu dess Christlichen Königs in hohen Ethiopien.” 1576. Fol.
“Historia de las cosas de Ethiopia,” traduzida por M. de Selves. Toledo, 1588. 8vo.
“The Voyage of Sir Francis Alvarez.” Purchas, his Pilgrims, Part II. 1625.
Francisco Alvarez relates in this volume how much he desired, on his return to Portugal, to be sent on a mission to Rome, to present the Prester John’s letters to the Pope, and it appears from the Portuguese Biographical Dictionary of Innocencio da Silva, that he succeeded in going to Rome, and afterwards returned to Lisbon.
Figaniere, and José Carlos Pinto de Souza say, in their Portuguese Bibliographies, that Alvarez was a native of Coimbra.
The utility and good effect of this Portuguese mission to Abyssinia suffered very much by the dissensions and quarrels which arose between Don Rodrigo de Lima, the Ambassador, and Don Jorge d’Abreu, the Secretary of Embassy, quarrels which, as usual in such cases, caused disunion amongst the whole staff of the Embassy. Father Alvarez acted a most useful part as peace-maker on all occasions; but he is very reticent, and has avoided saying upon which side the blame for these quarrels should be laid. It appears from the narrative that the Ambassador was very selfish, and thought too much of his personal interests; his conduct appears all the more blameable, from the account of the very different conduct of Hector da Silveira, who brought away the mission from Africa; but Jorge d’Abreu was very quarrelsome, and carried his quarrels further than can be excused, even by the fact that he could not refer his complaints home to his Government. The conduct of the Ambassador must, however, have been even worse than appears from the narrative, or the Abyssinians would hardly have supported Jorge d’Abreu as much as they did.
The reader is invited to compare the description of the entrance to the mountain in which the Abyssinian Princes were confined at the time of our author’s visit, at pp. 140–144, and the motives for this confinement, with this opening passage of Rasselas, describing the Happy Valley.