72 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



went to the houfe of the dehnquent, wliere he firft refrefii- 

 ed himfelf and his attendants, then ordered thofe of the- 

 houfe he came for, and all that were with them, to be exes* 

 cuted in his prefence. 



Among thofe that fufiered were the king's two fons-in- 

 law, married to his daughters Mcdehan Zamidu, and Ber- 

 ban Zamidu, having been accufed by their wives, the one 

 of adultery, the other of inceft: they were both put to death 

 in their own houfes, in a very private and fufpicious man- 

 ner. This execution being afterwards declared by the king, 

 in an affembly of the clergy and ftates, certain priefts, or o- 

 thers, from Jerufalem, in public, condemned this procedure 

 of the king, as contrary to law, found policy, and the firft 

 principles of juilice, which feems to have had fuch an efre(ft 

 that we hear no more of thefe perfecutions, nor of Amda; 

 Sion the perfecutor, during the whole of this reign. 



The king now turned his thoughts upon a nobler obje<5ly 

 which was that of dividing his country into feparate go- 

 vernments, affigning to each the tax it fhould pay, at what 

 time, and in what manner, according to the lituation and 

 capacity of each province. The profperity of the Moorifh^ 

 Hates, from the extenfive trade conftantly carried on there^ 

 the bad ufe they made of their riches by employing them, 

 in continual rebellions, made it necefTary that the king 

 lliould fee and inquire into each perfon's circumftances, 

 which he propofed to do, as was ufual, before the time o£ 

 their feveral inveftitures. 



The chief of the rich diftriifl of Gadai, was the firft call- 

 ed on by the king^as it is on this occafion that confideiable 



prefents 



